The Weekly Update with Nachum Segal and Malcolm Hoenlein on JM in the AM

Malcolm Homeline is with us. We call this the weekly update conference of presidents of major American Jewish organizations every Friday morning for you here at JM and the AM. Mr. Homeline, welcome back to JM in the AM. >> Thank you. Always good to be with you. >> Appreciate that. Israel hit a milestone this week, 78 years. It seemed like uh I don't know, maybe maybe I'm just getting old, but it seemed like the Yomma Zaron uh atmosphere in Israel was was an even more serious one. I guess not a shock coming off of the recent developments of the last couple of years and those who we've lost. and Yoma Israel Independence Day uh seemed to be even more celebratory and taken I don't know more seriously it seemed uh by Israel lovers around the world. Did you get the same impression about this week's events? >> Uh absolutely. I think on both counts I think Yoma people because it's so immediate. If you talk about people who died in the war of independence, you were talking about people who died in subsequent wars. But right now, we're mourning people who died just in the last few years, >> both in the horrific events of October 7th, which I think brought it home to people so vividly because they weren't soldiers, they were civilians, they were little children, they were adults. people understand now the sacrifice that that is being made virtually every day by Israelis to asssure that there's a Jewish state. It's not something we should take for granted. You think about the 26,000 plus people, young people mostly, who gave their lives to defend the Jewish state to make sure that it's there for us. And you know, everybody is a critic and everybody knows how to do things better, but they this is something that should be uniting us and and we should celebrate that Israel at 78, many people predicted it wouldn't last. It couldn't last. And uh look at all of the miraculous uh obstacles that it had to overcome to get to where it is today. We have to remind our young people, every school should have had some commemoration. And even if it's saying to him, if it's anything, but it's not something we should take for granted. >> He has some recognition that the day is uh one that commemorates a modern-day miracle for the Jewish people. Um obviously, I can't speak to this. I'm younger than the state of Israel. Uh but um if there's one thing that the prior generation in my family at least always reminded us is that uh you don't know how different it is going to sleep at night when there is no state of Israel as a Jew in this world. And again can't blame the new generation or any of us for not being able to feel that or to internalize it because hey we're just not experiencing that. We don't know a world without the state of Israel. but how different things are and sometimes when you're in the midst of a miracle, you don't realize it. Uh but Malcolm, this is a completely different set of circumstries about we are in a completely different set of circumstances than our predecessors. >> 100%. I I'm younger than Jerusalem and I and it's something you don't take for granted. If you think back to our roots, thousands of years of history, and you know, we go there, we look at it, we look at Harabay, we look at all the atm, we look at all the amazing things that are being done from the high-tech to the to the most fundamental reconnection to our roots. And it's it's not possible that such a little country could withstand all the challenges in normal ways. And anybody who doesn't see beyond that just the newspaper headline and the the incredible achievements just in the last few weeks and remember Iran is a country of a 100 million people. Yeah. >> Plus a network of seven countries around Israel that they took on and you know once the war is over everybody says moves on and says you know that was nice but okay. No, you got and and when they were denied the ability to get to Israel, all of a sudden they started and saying, "Hey, this is an absence, a void in my life that I can't go to Israel, that our children can't just automatically go." Maybe it's a reminder to us, all of us. >> 100%. And speaking of going, and we'll get to the news of the day in a moment, um there there seems to be and and you could speak to this better. you've observed Jewish life much closer and for and for longer, but there seems to be a a bigger push now through social media and conventional media of those in Israel, especially Anglo in Israel. I don't want to say um uh resenting, but certainly trying to encourage those who are in North America and other uh Jewishly populated parts of the diaspora to get to Israel as soon as possible. And I wonder if that push, I know there have been other pushes and other, you know, hills and valleys on this topic in the past, but I wonder if it's because of what you said earlier, because of the tremendous sacrifice being made, because of the hundreds of days that the soldiers are are inactive duty, because of what families have to go through in order just to make it through this war over the last couple of years and since October 7th. I wonder if that if it's those circumstances that have renewed this passionate plea of those in Israel to those of us in diaspora to get to Israel as soon as possible. >> I think it is a major part of it. It's not the the whole story. First of all, in terms of people outside, the rising anti-semitism, the hostility that we see not just in Europe and not just in in faroff countries, but here in our own backyards, in our own cities, in in New York and every other place around the country, the rise of anti-semitic incidences, the intolerable situations that are being created and people are saying, what long term, what are we doing for our children, our grandchildren being in these circumstances? Do we learn from past history? And it doesn't again mean people should flee. It means that we should think about it seriously and because the real estate prices go up every year and make it harder and harder for people to >> and theel is more powerful. >> And just think about what you just said that Israel under all of the destruction and all of the pressures and everything else that the shekele falls below three against the US dollar that the that Israel is the eighth happiest country in the world. that the world looks at Israel with such marvel and especially now you see I think a re-evaluation by Gulf countries by others about what their relationship with Israel should be but most of all by all of us that that the things we took for granted believing look we could live we have our as as the people in worms said when the Jews returned after Galisbam were and asked to come back to Jerusalem they said we have you have your great yusham there we have our little here people think bur Park or Flatbush or all these places are usual limes. They're not and they're not immune and we're not immune. And that if if we're going to some place where we can make a meaningful contribution and where our sacrifices really matter, it's by being in Israel. >> And I think many more people in the diaspora, let alone Israelis, I think, who who came to appreciate more and more the role of diaspora. It's not, you know, there used to be the expression of uh gola that the you denigrate the gola to make Israel look better in days when it wasn't, you know, didn't have the luxuries that it has today. >> That's not the case anymore. They're not denigrating the gola. They're saying we're partners and we need your eater. >> Time well spent on this topic. Appreciated. What do you think of this story about the SPLC, a group, excuse me, Southern I don't know why it seems like you and I have had a cold for like half a year, but just can't shake this thing. Southern Poverty Law Center known as an anti-hate group. Uh we've discovered or at least the uh those who have investigated the story and research the story have discovered they in the millions of dollars have supported actual hate groups that they were fighting in this country. So I think we have to wait until we see the actual outcome of the investigation. There is a plausible explanation on their part and that is like the FBI and others they paid informants and they paid for people inside to get information. I think uh and and of course you don't reveal that because other you expose your your people to danger in that case. But uh I think we're only at the first stages of this investigation and we have to really see what um uh who benefited was there were there's other monies disappear people paid because they were informants and enabled them to get the information from inside which is a legitimate expenditure or was it or is it something more nefarious connected to it? All right. We we we we sincerely wonder whether the president of the United States is really on top of the whole situation with Iran and with the Middle East. We just we hope he is, but sometimes they're indications and signals that, you know, make us think otherwise. What was your reaction to the implementation of a ceasefire extension? Well, there there were several extensions and um the I think the the fact that the president put it in the context that he did that many believe that the blockade is as effective as some of the military action that might have been undertaken that we're bleeding Iran a half a billion dollars a day that the you know the opportunity the time that is gained also helps the uh sentcom and the US forces is and Israel to replenish their stocks. We we know that there have been movement of planes back to to Tel Aviv to the airports that have been seen the um uh the the um aircraft carrier that came back now. So all of those things were necessary. Uh again we remind people what a power Iran is and Iran retains probably 40% of their drones and 60 or 70% of their missiles. Much of it was underground, as much as 500 meters underground. And people always say to me, well, why don't they use the bunker buster bombs? And I'm sure they ask you that. And the answer is that a bunker buster bomb goes down 60 m, 70 m mostly. This is in underneath 500 m of granite that they that they dunk underneath. People, you know, it's hard to understand what the investment by Iran was in in terms of uh of protecting its military. Now they have we've seen bulldozers going in there and one digging in the rubble to take out uh the remnants of what what survived and that includes in terms of the nuclear program but most of all the missiles and uh also to go to take it out the launchers and other things from underground. They did destroy mo a good percentage of the launchers and hard seedures uh are difficult to ascertain. Uh but of they say of Iran's 420 ballistic missile launchers uh 200 were destroyed and another 80 were not operational after Israel's first attack and and hitting some of the subterranean targets. But uh you if we understand what it means to have these planes con you'd have to bomb constantly uh all of these sites. The the estimates I know from some uh intelligence uh says that Iran still has about a thousand ballistic missiles uh down from 2500 from the outside of the war. Not all are probably operational and they need the launchers. That's why Israel goes after the launchers because each launcher can launch many missiles and uh and I'm sure that Iran is going to look to replace and to replenish but they don't have a sources and when by cutting off uh the straits from them we prevent them from importing exporting their oil getting the income and also being able to get weapons. We know China tried to send one ship load and it was it was captured. Now, China supposedly warned Iran that they're not going to u help them uh and replenish them. They said that if the blockage of the Straits of Armus because it's costing them a lot of money also um that it will look for alternative sources for energy long term. So, you know, it's not all rosy as people. >> What's the what's the estimate on how many sites are are like the underground ones you just described? How many in the country? Is there an estimate >> of how many underground sites there are? There are well, they're spread out, but there are multiple sites. Uh I can't give you an exact estimate. I can tell you what the intelligence estimates of the number of of missiles that they have. >> Uh but they're located in various sites, but they're they're also in remote areas. And as I said, you know, when people know that it's that Iran is the size of Germany, Britain, and Italy put together, you can't say that you can't and and the weapons are spread all over the country just for an eventuality like this >> and the troops all over that um you understand what the what the um need is. Cooper, the head of the Admiral Cooper, who's the head of the Sencom, said he needs 14 more days uh to finish the job and to take out the other essentials. It's not essential to wipe out everything. It is essential to wipe out the launchers, to like the capacity to do anything to get the enriched uranium uh out of the country. Uh but they they um there's growing pressure to say give them the time they need. But the blockade is not a neutral act. I mean it does have a a really important uh impact uh on the country and the balance you know they they their income as it was their economy was in ruins this only makes it much worse. But you know what's interesting is that and someone one of the listeners pointed this out to me about the economy and wouldn't they at this point just you know completely cave in because of the way their economic downturn continues to just spiral out of control and it just seems like and and I'm putting words in their mouth or in their minds I guess but it seems like they just don't care. You know, you watch the 60 Minutes uh uh report and you see the incredible precision that they build these and and develop these underground locations and and just imagine the money that's required in order to actually, you know, construct a structure like that underground. And that's what their priorities are. When it comes to the actual economy and the basic necessities that their people need, it seems that no matter how bad it gets, they just don't care. So, I know you keep bringing up, hey, you know, the economy is getting so bad. It's it's it's like, you know, a tremendous sanction against Iran. It's just going to get worse and it's just going to make them cave in e even more. I don't know. It doesn't seem like they respond that way. Well, the people are. You just don't hear it. And and I don't know that they're so amazingly resilient. I don't know how they survived. Their their currency is worth nothing. Um the oil represents between a third and 45% of Iran's uh um economy the e oil exports. Um so its revenues would be down by that much just by the cutting off of the oil exports which has been achieved. that Iran had was self-sufficient in some areas as you know that the drought we talked about the the harm to economy but the destruction of some of the infrastructure all of those things and yet you see they're immediately moved to rebuilding and replacing um the the so the on the part of the people they are sacrificing and they don't have the same food that they had before they don't have the same wealth and and and ability but they're intimidated after especially after the events of last January and those who look for regime change. It doesn't happen during the war. It happens afterwards and we have to see whether they can mobilize if they'll find a leadership. The leadership today is squabbbling with one another and the economic pressures make it worse and worse for them internally and they they you saw that the speaker of the parliament resigned as a negotiator yesterday or last night >> which essentially means he just doesn't want to be in that position right not as a negotiator I mean even the government >> and he may disagree may disagree with the positions and because we know that the IRGC has taken over leadership of the country that the Ayatollah's son Muktaba is is still I believe in capacity itated even though people you know try to tell other stories and that he's giving orders he didn't give one interview one visible uh appearance or anything else that uh shows so when when we think about the the question you're asking is a legitimate one how do they sustain it why aren't they out in the streets because they they try to go into the streets tens of thousands got killed they don't have the weapons and without the weapons they can't challenge the besieged in the uh groups the uh and and again we have to see what happens once this stage of the conflict moves on and what emerges in control of of uh Iran but we have not seen the coalescence around an individual or even a group of individuals that we hope we would see >> America's one and only Jewish moments in the morning radio program heard on listener sponsored digital radio around the world the web alums.com and these network and of course the beloved NSN app Malcolm home lines with It's a weekly update. All right. So, to the top, when I brought up the um when I brought up the ceasefire, so okay, officially, especially based on the talks that happened at the White House yesterday, the the Lebanese ceasefire, right, the one that the president essentially imposed on Israel, but obviously the United States is involved with, is extended by 3 weeks. That three-week ceasefire has nothing to do with Iran. Meaning the president has not made a public statement about postponing military action in Iran. He he he has made a statement again extending um well I wouldn't say extending the ceasefire because if you didn't stop all actions you stopped some of the military uh action and the um the but the other actions especially in in blockading the access of Iranian ships and and especially fuel shipments getting in and out of Iran and blockading the streets of of Hermoose. These are are hostile actions that that continue. I think the president is leaving some ambiguity. I think that's the way he has operated till now and I I think in some respects it's successful that um you know uncertainty is this very strong weapon especially in the conflict situation when people start saying well he's capable of doing all of these things and even more and not knowing for sure what what he would do. Is that why they acquiesced his request not to execute those women? >> Um, >> well, they're denying that that the story, the Iranians are denying the story. We know that women were facing execution. We know that they did execute people this week um for being spies for Mossad and other things that they were men. Uh we know that there are even people just above the age of 16 who have been held and who've been sentenced. the number of executions that go on just on an average day throughout the year. I think it's it's and and they are the leading executioners of people and they the number I think this year was close to 2,000 if I'm not mistaken that um but again we don't get reports on it and uh and a lot of people were executed under the guise of the events in January. So, uh, and those were also the people who are likely to be leaders of any kind of grassroots movement were the ones who took to the streets in January. Also, >> I just find it interesting because the impression is that they're always calling Trump's bluff. But the reality is when it comes, you know, when push comes to shove, they they're going to acquies and, you know, live up to whatever they can to make him happy. And this case, I think, is an example of that. >> I don't think they're calling his well, they are calling this bluff. Yes. and they they're used to the fact that they don't believe that Americans have the staying power. They believe that the internal pressures and especially the upcoming election they believe will will force Trump to to acquies and to back off. That is if they can extend it closer and closer to November with an election coming up and knowing that the the war isn't so popular especially because so much of the media has uh has made campaigns against it and >> well 68% of Americans are against it apparently. I mean they don't like the people don't like the oil price the gas prices frankly you know how it is >> well that is a big factor and and by the way internationally also and that's why the Chinese put pressure others put pressure on them because they are not getting the energy that they want and the price they're paying has to go up plus the shipping costs are going up whether there or you know you saw even the Houthis again said they're going to bar Israeli ships from going through Baba Mandab uh all these things raise the prices and and cause pain and And you pay for it at the pump but you pay but industries pay for it and countries pay for it as well. So the you know nobody is immune to the impact um and and the fertilizer for instance and and helium which people don't understand how important it is in the production of so many key products but the the fertilizer that is vital to countries like Pakistan and Malaysia and others uh and it's not available because you need to it's the process the byproduct also of the fuel process. So that you know the ramifications are far broader. >> The I don't so I don't think the Iranians number one have a coherent plan. I think that they have various that there's a lot of internal infighting. >> I think that some of them did want to call America's bluff thinking that that he wouldn't have the staying power because of the impact because of the price of uh thing. But look at the stock market. Look at other things. It's it's still remarkable. Well, when they ask the president, you know, are you aware of the fact that, you know, the majority of people are against the war, you know, what do you say to them, especially as you consider possibly going back in? And his answer is, well, they'll they'll they'll, you know, they'll take higher gas prices if we guarantee that Iran will not have a nuclear weapon. I don't know. I'm I'm not so sure he's right that that most Americans would uh would would go for that deal. Frankly, >> you have to agree with that, right? When it hits you in the pocketbook, that's going to be your initial reaction. Yeah, >> certainly. It it it people I understand it and you know, we've had it in the past when Arab boycott, they said burn Jews, not oil, >> right? But this time, because of the impression that Israel dragged the United States in and everything that so many people on social media are saying, it it just seems so much worse in terms of, you know, it being an American cause, so to speak, >> right? that this is BB's war in Hitty Dragon and the president made very clear that it's not true. others have clear it's not true but it's part of the that is part of the of an ongoing dynamic of thelson's and the the Candies Owens and all these other guys and the external influences and and buying of our media and distortions and misrepresentations the corruption of so much of the media >> and with all the people out there who are not friends look at the Argentinian leader what's his story that he loves the Jewish people so much >> there it's a revolution we need some good news. I mean, it increasingly, and I've pointed to this over the last year or so, it is a quiet revolution going on in South America where many countries that were hostile like Chile, which has the largest Palestinian population out of the Middle East. >> Wow. >> Uh and and is turning now more positive. Costa Rica, uh, Panama, Colombia, uh, Ecuador, Honduras, these countries, Paragan, Uruguay, um, you know, South America was a a a bastion of Iranian influence based by in Venezuela, uh, and, uh, Venezuela is starting to reach out also to Israel, to others. There are opportunities there and that's a very important country. If if the choke hold of the and its activities and if Iran in the Bolivarian states really gets broken, Israel could and you know about the Isaac Accords which BB be announced with the president of Argentina but is being has been worked on for a while and we have been working with countries there. Uh I've met with some of the leaders. Uh it is a change. It's a radical change that they are coming back to uh to more rational positions. I'm not going to tell you it's Valhalla, but it's certainly a very positive change. >> Amazing. What do you make of this story of the Israeli soldiers damaging the statue of Jesus in Lebanon? >> I don't know the right word because regrettable doesn't come close to it. I mean, it's disgusting what they did, but it's it's not excusable. And why a guy would film it and why he would release the film, I don't know. Uh, I mean, I see too many breakdowns in the chain of command with with the spying, with the other things that are taking place. I hope that there will be a opportunity after the war to look at all of this and understand what's dynamic. I I I I think that a large degree a guy may not have known what he was doing. You know, a Muslim supposedly did it a couple of months ago and there was no coverage of it. >> Well, but here, >> Jews make news. Jews make news and and and there's it's not even something that I would excuse or or try to find an uh any kind of explanation. It's terrible what he did and apologies reigned. I think u uh you know sentence said 30 days detention is not enough. I I mean there's a lot of things that that need to the language that that the leaders use, you know, especially Minister of Defense constantly talking about bombing back to the stone age and if we wanted to write the scripts for a lot of the guys in the media who want to attack us, we're doing it. >> So, it's something that we have to look at very carefully. >> It's a very good point. Uh so, officially the Israeli election is the 27th of October. at Sarah is the 3rd of October. So it's going to be a very active three and a half weeks between Yantiff and the actual election day. I know it's only April. We're half a year, literally half a year away. It's this week, 6 months from now. Um and and is this now by law, meaning that unless there's some type of early election call, this is definitely the date for election day. that you can ever say anything's definite when it comes to >> Well, it can't be later than this, right? >> It can only be earlier. It cannot be later than this, right? >> Yeah. But you need 3 months notice. And now that we're, you know, 3 months would take us right into the summer vacation and the travel season in Israel. So, they don't do it. Then you come to the and so it has to be after the because it's very hard to do the election campaigning between and everything. So, uh, yes, it's likely that's when his his term was up and that it was time for an election. Um, they thought it might have to be done earlier if you don't pass the budget. They passed the budget, >> right? >> Um, and what do you think's going to happen? I mean, what do you do do you see a completely new political landscape over the next half a year or more of the same? >> A lot will be determined by the outcome of this. uh as you see in the polls, uh Bennett rises, but I don't know think that he has the coalition uh put together yet to get the 61 votes. Uh and I think that if the outcome is very positive and Iran really is neutralized as a threat andah and kamas are contained, then could do better. I think it depends a lot on the on the uh coalition he puts together. But yeah, I mean it depends a lot on that, but but more more so also, you know, after so many years in office, people just get tired of of leadership and they want to change and they want something fresh. And um I can't say that I see anybody really exciting the opposition and certainly the left is is crumbling. So they look more to the center parties and Bennett uh I think you know attracts uh that because he he he he doesn't threaten anybody but his party is called Bennett 2026. Not exactly a a broad coalition name. So so we'll have to see what what who who will go with him where Lieberman will go where others will go that that can put together the coalition. Clearly the the manifestations of regarding the parties on the left I think are are clear that the people have moved more to the center center right and not to the center left. Uh so the party the fight will be in a narrow spectrum but we we have to just see I I I don't see laid going very far and Benny Gance and no one seems to excite me. There's obviously going to be a lot of jockeying in the leood whether those who want to have new leadership, those who will want to see BB. Um, >> you know, it's interesting. You're describing a vacuum that really could be filled in the next couple of months if somebody was, you know, enough of a uh of an attractive personality to, you know, win over the country a little bit. >> Well, like here, they keep putting up new candidates, you know, as being the hope Eisenhot for a while, right? uh and still to a degree uh Bennett uh as an alternative. The media hates BB and you know much of the media and and attacks him and and will do anything to undermine him. But I think that you know the people start to become more and more immune to to the influence of the media. uh at least we think so like here but it's not it is not true because we're influenced by the social media by the influencers by the bots by the uh outside the country influencers and and billions of dollars you know we don't even know it. It's it's it's like you're getting an inoculation and you don't even know that you you're getting it because it's so much around you in the environment in the in your day-to-day communications in the information flow that that that we get and and it's not diminishing anybody thinks it it's not diminishing. Uh you know that could be we we see it just look at any uh remark or something that goes on into the media and how it explodes and how well organized they are. So, does Malcolm Homeline admire those who completely shut themselves off from social media or you have difficulty understanding how someone shuts themselves off completely from all this news noise? >> I wish I could. >> Exactly. >> How do you view it? How do you view the people that are able to do it? >> I do it between 12 and two every night. That's the only time I have a time to go there and look at it. >> But how do you view the people that actually do it? Like do you just find it baffling? >> No, I think Yeah, but you can't be ignorant about what's going on in the world and you have to be educated enough to be able to discern and and that's very hard and I and our schools are not training our young people. They become victim to it. Even Jewish kids are victim of the of the stuff online. We see the dimmunition of support amongst Jews. Um and it's not validated by anything. It's it's the product of the that produced the Mandani uh uh zero to be the mayor and it it producing uh tough elections. Look at the races that that people running for Congress in New York City have to out anti-Israelize each other, >> right? >> You know, to say and even guys who who who took stronger positions now back off of them. Um, I think we could be in for a shock by some of the results in in in the elections in the New York area, but it's and it's true around the country. We we whether the, you know, we lose control the Republicans lose control of the of the House, uh, we lose uh a majority of people who support Israel because the Democratic majority, the majority of Democrats do not. They displayed they displayed it this week >> and they support you know cutting off aid and arms and saying that if we're in control >> you know and then even the guys who are are good and still supportive yield to the pressures from uh from these fringes and uh I hope I hope I mean I don't have a magic bullet and and it's not just money it's getting involved getting people now voter registration now I'm going to say it every week until we get to an election that people get every school before the kids leave, every school before uh now between now and the summer, get people registered so they can vote. Every vote will count and especially in an off-year election with no president, it the turnout might be low. And then we're shocked when Amandani can pick up the votes because and and I say the Jewish community and our own flap was Jewish coalition and others did a great job with with getting voter registration, but we're still just scratching the surface of what we need to do to get people to register to turn out. They did it and they should be credited for it for the improvements uh and the people who stood in line uh color vote. But we we've got to do it and sustain it and educate our kids because many of them are raising the questions also. They don't know and they don't know how to answer. >> Yeah, it took a lot of time for people to wake up to it, but you're right. They uh they do get credit for uh everything they did uh subsequent to that. Uh, finally, in Gaza, I, you know, it's sometimes difficult to remember what life was like before October the 7th, and it does seem like now, and tell me if I'm wrong, but it seems like there is a pretty significant military presence in the middle of Gaza uh among the Israelis who are, you have essentially established a new border. Would that be the right way of putting it? >> Um, a temporary line. A border has the sounds of >> permanence. But before October 7th, what was the military presence like on the actual Gaza border at that time? Does this does this make that look minuscule? Is it similar? How would you describe it? >> No. Obviously, you know, people learned a lot and we have to have more advanced technology used there even though they built their fence which was supposed to be the most advanced in the world. Um, you know, those things will still have to come out when there is an investigation and the u full explanation of of what the failures were in communications in preparation in in not recognizing it. And you remember on this show I talked about the things that were happening on the border and say it doesn't make sense. Why are they blowing things up on the border when nobody's there and and h how they could not have been more prepared? Um is all things that we have to we have to understand. But I think that uh certainly they have improved a lot of the surveillance that they are stationing people in the north and the south and the fact that 50% of Gaza is still under control and the area south of Latani under the control of Israel. It's not a land grab. We have to be careful if we talk about it. >> But it's not going to change anytime soon, right? >> No. Because and kamas are both well kamas in particular is rebuilding. They are reorganizing in the areas that they that are under their control. Uh and you know, we still have not uncovered all of the tunnels. You see what they're uncovering in Kisbalad territory now. The tunnels that are are 30 m deep and and huge uh and operational centers inside of them. So, you know, we the enemy still remains and until there is some permanent arrangement and and whatever the border of peace comes up with has to have in it inherently. We the the people of Gaza should be able to rebuild economic infrastructure, but we have to make sure that the Hamas is is disarmed. Uh it's not going to be easy. uh and they have still support from uh other countries outside of uh outside of uh Gaza to help them and aid them. >> Gaza is holding its first local election in two decades this weekend. Does it matter? >> Yes, it does matter. But we'll see whether the people feel courageous enough to vote against the supporters. But most of the people running are supporters of uh of kamas cuz you don't you don't come out publicly and do it more than once. So if you're running a campaign, you may make one speech against them, but you're not going to make a second. >> So you know, the intimidation factor remains there and the fact that some of the leadership can come out again and and uh you know, if they declare victory, they did not win. They were they degraded and they were a lot of their infrastructure was destroyed and you see the vast achievements that Israel did in that area. But you can't eradicate them if you unless you you know you kill everybody or or they they have a license to go back in again and go after the remnants of the leadership. But also you need then domestic leadership to emerge. >> Yeah. >> And it has. >> Yeah. We'll see if that ever happens. Uh during this the 78th birthday of the state of Israel week, I remind everybody that the future of the Jewish people is in the state of Israel. And despite Malcolm Homeline's reminders every week that the real estate prices are going up, up, Malcolm, I have to assume that there are still some affordable places in the state of Israel for North American Jews to go and establish their roots. >> Absolutely. There are many places where people can go. There are real estate fairs. There are other things coming. I know people who are planning um communities. Uh you won't uh necessarily be walking distance of the hotel, but you will be in the shadow of Jerusalem close enough and you can come there regularly. The you know we need to develop the whole country. The gal has a lot of room. The negative has a lot of room and the um uh cost of there are people building communities in those places. look at Ashkalon and today they're now you know expensive as as anything arriving in some parts of Tel Aviv the the um uh so there are a lot of options for people who want everybody >> make a smart investment in Israel >> it's the smartest as I was in Mukbish with my grandson who made Alan and the mayor came and I said they told me that the price of the apartments will double in two years. She said it's not true in one year. So, and and look at the expansion there. Look at what they're building. I I was walking in Jerusalem and we I showed my wife that just straight ahead looking down sort of like a valley between two streets. We counted 17 cranes working. >> Unbelievable. Unbelievable. >> And this is and this without workers, without everything and then more and all of the rest. There's so much construction going on. So get in there now. Do it. I don't get any commission on it. Just do it. >> Well, you do. Just not the monetary. >> I would like the commission on it. You as long as you all join the great synagogue as a result. It's fine. >> And our new cousin Sal who's going to be join >> Oh, he's moving from your shurin. >> Yes. And health god is going to you poached him from your surin. Huh. >> We we didn't. He it was a a wonderful cooperative. >> And health god is going to surin. Is that true? >> Yes. Wow. You have you have dueling synagogues on the block. >> No, we're both packed now. We had this past Shabas or two two Shabbat again where we had Solomon in them. Both were full and and uh it's a very wonderful cooperative relationship. >> You're going to have you're going to have to invite all the candidates for Yam Kipper Nidra night. You're going to have to have all the candidates there to be fair. Oh, you know that's actually a good point because usually the prime minister came and we stopped it because of the security implications of President Rivlin came. >> You're going to have to have all all 20 parties are going to have to address the crowd on coid night. >> Yeah, but we can't have them be mal you know. >> I mean they won't be mahalant. They're just going to spend a lot of time. >> They have to walk from all over Israel. >> Exactly. They're going to spend a lot of time telling everybody about their political positions. It should be very it should be a very interesting night to say the least. And it is a lot >> and remind them it's Cole Nidre night. They should temper their comments about their opponents. You know what I'm saying? >> We don't we don't let political speeches in the great city. I >> This is amazing news that you just told me about uh about the um uh cantorial developments in the center of Jerusalem. Boy, oh boy. >> It just happened in the last uh week or so. And it's and it's >> I got to find out who is uh Saul's uh free agent contract agent. I got to find out who uh who negotiated that deal. My gosh, that means >> Mike doesn't have an agent and they negotiated tough negotiators. >> I can imagine boy oh boy outside. But I can tell you if people want to come rush they buy better buy the tickets now because the demand is through the roof by the way calling all the time and we haven't even started selling tickets >> and no joke es like this but especially this year there's definitely going to be some type of you know presence among these candidates or at least among the major ones the chances of someone being in the great synagogue on Yum Kipper this year and seeing the prime minister or the prime candidates for office is very high. Well, you certainly see the prime minister's wife who does come and uh as president of the great synagogue, I get to speak on uh on before Nila. So, that's the only speech that I know of of a political nature that's going to take place. >> And what will that be? That'll be a voter registration speech. Malcolm's going to play it safe. Everyone just go to the polls. Make sure to vote, everybody. That's it's all I'm saying is get out there, make your voice heard. Simple as that. >> Well, we can we can negotiate with the different candidates and see who gets >> Yeah, I'm telling you. Trust me, >> the best for you with with the way it works as I learn more and more about this system. Trust me, it'll be a very interesting uh negotiation that I can guarantee you. Uh there you have it, folks. That's the update from Jerusalem all the way from Brooklyn, but the news obviously centered on Jerusalem. Malcolm, have a wonderful Shabbis. We'll speak please God next week. We will >> Malcolm Homeline. uh weekly update here at JM and the AM