This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Flights from the United States to Haiti have been suspended for a month, on the orders of the Federal Aviation Administration, after at east three jetliners trying to land there were hit by gunfire.
Just the News reports first attacked was a Spirit airliner out of Florida, and it took four hits while approaching Touissant Louverture Airport in Port-an-Prince, before diverting to the Dominican Republican.
One flight attendant reported minor injuries.
The second was a JetBlue flight that took a single bullet when trying to land.
That flight was from New York City, and triggered the immediate announcement form JetBlue that it was halting flights to Haiti until Dec. 2.
The report explained Haiti, long a location considered to be largely lawless, now is under the thumb of "gangs" that are attempting to control traffic.
"The security situation in Haiti is unpredictable and dangerous," the U.S. Embassy in Haiti said, according to the report. "Travel within Haiti is conducted at your own risk."
CNN reported that gang violence was escalating in Haiti, where the political landscape also is unstable.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Justin Welby, for more than a decade the Archbishop of Canterbury for the Church of England, has announced his resignation after some 11,000 church followers signed a petition demanding his departure.
The issue was his failure to make sure that allegations of child sex abuse at church events were investigated properly.
He was appointed to his present post in 2013, becoming the 105th person to hold that title. Before then he was canon of Coventry Cathedral, dean of Liverpool and bishop of Durham.
He already was under fire for deviating from the church's historic and traditional teachings on sexual ethics.
But his fate was determined by the Makin Review report, which found he "held a personal and moral responsibility" to make certain a long list of child sex abuse cases were investigated properly, and he failed.
He confirmed, in a statement he released, "The Makin Review has exposed the long-maintained conspiracy of silence about the heinous abuses of John Smyth. When I was informed in 2013 and told that police had been notified, I believed wrongly that an appropriate resolution would follow."
Authorities confirm an estimated 130 boys at Christian holiday camps were abused during the 1970s and 1980s.
The petition, from general synod members, had collected more than 11,000 signatures insisting that he leave.
He earlier was criticized for claiming that church ethics required sexual activity be within a "committed relationship," whether that was "straight or gay."
The Bible clearly condemns without conditions homosexual behavior.
Welby said, "As I step down I do so in sorrow with all victims and survivors of abuse. The last few days have renewed my long felt and profound sense of shame at the historic safeguarding failures of the Church of England."
The Christian Institute explained, "The appointment process is expected to take at least six months, as it involves public consultation before the Crown Nominations Commission presents its preferred candidate to the Prime Minister, who then advises King Charles to appoint them."
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
A weapons package worth $15 billion soon could be purchased by Taiwan from the U.S., in order to demonstrate to President-elect Donald Trump that the island nation is serious about its defense against China.
According to a report from the Financial Times, Taiwan could purchase Patriot missiles, retired warships, Advanced Hawkeyes and F-35 fighter jets,
A former Trump administration official told FT Taiwan wants to make the purchase to "show they are serious," and noted if Taiwan goes through with the deal, "they will go to the U.S. national security advisor… and present a very aggressive package of American hardware."
FT further reported a senior Taiwanese national security official said there had been informal talks with Trump's team about an arms deal that would demonstrate how serious Taiwan is about its own defense – this only coming a few short months after China carried out "drills" around Taiwan, cutting off key port entries.
"There are quite a few big platforms and other items that our armed forces have had their eyes on for a long time but have not been able to acquire, so there's a lot to choose from," the official told FT.
However, according to Reuters, Taiwan has denied any arms deals with the U.S. in the foreseeable future, with the Taiwanese government releasing a statement saying there are no new discussions in the works.
"There has been a period of consolidation and discussion between Taiwan and the United States on military needs, but there is no new stage of discussion at this time," it said.
Reuters further reported Taiwan has complained they have not yet received the $20 billion in weapons they have ordered from the U.S.
In May, Trump told Fox News host Maria Bartiromo that Taiwan took much of the U.S. chip-making, but noted if China takes Taiwan, China could potentially turn the world "off."
"If China takes Taiwan, they will turn the world off, potentially, I mean potentially, but remember this …Taiwan took our business away, we should have stopped them, we should have taxed them, we should have tariffed them."
In late October, the Biden administration approved a $2 billion second-hand arms deal with Taiwan, which included ground-based radar systems for medium and long-range air surveillance, and National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems, along with other equipment.
In response, China said it would take countermeasures against Taiwan. During an interview with TaiwanPlus News, Ben Lewis, co-founder of PLATracker, an organization that tracks Chinese military activity around Taiwan, said "countermeasures" is a broad term for coercion, and the arms deal between the Biden administration and Taiwan is "significant."
"These weapons are very significant, I mean NASAMs, you know, is a power capability, it has been combat-tested in Ukraine … It's something that Taiwan needs in terms of bolstering its air defense," Lewis said, adding the best way for Taiwan to defend against China is through its air defense.
Whether the $15 billion arms deal comes to fruition or not, China will unveil its new stealth J-35 fighter jet ahead of the nation's biannual International Aviation and Aerospace Expo, according to TaiwanPlus News. The stealth aircraft has a similar shape to the U.S.'s F-35 fighter jet, and China plans to use the jets on its aircraft carriers.
American Economic Institute nonresident Senior Fellow and Tufts University professor Michael Beckley said in a keynote address to the 2024 World Knowledge Forum that China is on the decline, and is unlikely to just bow-out of its declining economic and geopolitical position. Specifically, China's economy is not just slowing down, but actually reversing.
"China's rise is not just slowing down, it's not just ending, it's starting to reverse," Beckley noted, adding the "China hangover" has begun, where many countries who have tied their economic growth to China, are now feeling the sting of China's slowdown.
"They got rich selling into the China market, they became dependent on Chinese loans, but now the slowdown in China's economy, which lifted up so many economies around the world, is gonna drag more of them back down, and already countries are starting to point the finger at China."
The slowdown is happening alongside China being put into a precarious geopolitical position, which could force it to conflict with its adversaries. Beckley believes China will not react well to the pressures.
"It's [China] a classic "Peaking Power," meaning it was once rising, but now its facing slowing growth, both in greater geopolitical push back, and what we've seen from past peaking powers in history; is that they don't just mellow-out and dial back their ambitions – they tend to crack down on dissent at home, and then expand aggressively abroad," Beckley said, adding China is already heading down that path.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
President-elect Donald Trump on Monday continued his rapid-fire selections of names he would like to see serve in his administration, with U.S. Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., being offered the post of national security adviser.
The congressman from the Sunshine State is the first retired Green Beret to serve in Congress and is no stranger to defense matters, advising former Defense Secretaries Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates.
Waltz has been a critic of U.S. aid to Ukraine in its war with Russia. In November, he told NPR the U.S. had "leverage" to get Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table to discus a "diplomatic resolution" to stop the conflict.
Fox News noted: "Elevating a House lawmaker to the administration could complicate Republicans' ability to govern the chamber."
"Waltz is in a safe red seat on the eastern Florida coast, so it's highly unlikely to fall into Democratic hands. But replacing a House member is a process that could take several weeks."
Elise Stefanik: U.N. ambassador
Trump also selected his longtime ally U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., to serve as ambassador to the United Nations.
"I am honored to nominate Chairwoman Elise Stefanik to serve in my Cabinet as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations," Trump said in a statement Monday.
"Elise is an incredibly strong, tough, and smart America First fighter."
Tom Homan: Border czar
Also selected by Trump is former acting ICE Director Tom Homan, who told Fox News he is "honored" to be tapped as the "border czar."
"I've been on this network for years complaining about what this administration did to this border. I've been yelling and screaming about it and what they need to do to fix it. So when the president asked me, 'Would you come back and fix it?' Of course. I'd be a hypocrite if I didn't. I'm honored the president asked me to come back and help solve this national security crisis, so I'm looking forward to it," he told "Fox & Friends" Monday in his first interview since being chosen for the role.
"I think the calling is clear," he continued, "I've got to go back and help because every morning … I'm pissed off with what this [Biden] administration did to the most secure border in my lifetime, so I'm going to go back and do what I can to fix it."
Lee Zeldin: EPA
Also Monday, Trump named former New York congressman Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, saying he will "ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses."
"Zeldin also will maintain "the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet," Trump added.
On Fox News Monday, Zeldin said he'll look to ensure America is able to "pursue energy dominance … bring back American jobs to the auto industry and so much more."
Zeldin added he's excited to help manifest Trump's economic agenda: "I think the American people are so hungry for it. It's one of the big reasons why they're sending him back to the White House."
Stephen Miller: Deputy chief of policy
Trump also chose longtime adviser Stephen Miller as his deputy chief of policy, a selection that does not need Senate confirmation since it's not a Cabinet position.
Miller is among the longest-serving aides to Trump, dating back to his 2016 White House campaign.
Miller drew large cheers at Trump's Madison Square Garden rally, telling the crowd, "your salvation is at hand," after what he cast as "decades of abuse that has been heaped upon the good people of this nation – their jobs looted and stolen from them and shipped to Mexico, Asia and foreign countries. The lives of their loved ones ripped away from them by illegal aliens, criminal gangs and thugs who don't belong in this country."
Susie Wiles: Chief of staff
Miller will be working with Susie Wiles, Trump's senior campaign adviser he chose to be his chief of staff last week.
"Susie Wiles just helped me achieve one of the greatest political victories in American history, and was an integral part of both my 2016 and 2020 successful campaigns," Trump said.
"Susie is tough, smart, innovative, and is universally admired and respected. Susie will continue to work tirelessly to Make America Great Again."
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
As the administration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris winds down – it has only until Jan. 20 to be in power yet – seniors across American can thank them for being required now to work an extra six years before they can take retirement at the same level as before the Democrats took office.
"Inflation has pulverized Americans' finances over the last four years, and a new study shows that's especially true for the nation's seniors, whose retirement accounts have been walloped," explained EJ Antoni, a public finance economist and the Richard F. Aster research fellow in The Heritage Foundation's Grover M. Hermann Center for the Federal Budget," said in a report at the Daily Signal.
"The losses have been so severe that would-be retirees need to work an extra six years on average before they can hang up their work boots – and they can blame Washington for this financial disaster."
Antoni explained the damage to seniors' retirement accounts has been hidden, in part, by the stock market rally in recent months.
"The S&P 500 increased 45% from the first quarter of 2021 through the third quarter of this year, but almost half of that was just inflation driving stock prices higher, not an increase in real value," Antoni explained.
"The big spenders in Congress and the Biden-Harris administration spent the better part of the last four years spending trillion of dollars the nation didn't have, while the Federal Reserve created the money to cover all that excess spending. That devalued the dollar and spawned 40-year-high inflation, which in turn drove up interest rates—also at the fastest pace in 40 years."
Antoni warned, "Until the profligate spending is reined up, people's life savings will continue being pummeled by violent changes in prices and interest rates. Sadly, there's no relief in sight right now as the Treasury just announced they anticipate borrowing more than $800 billion in the first three months of 2025 alone."
Seniors, the report charged, "should be furious that they're having to work years longer to foot the bill for Washington's financial dissipation."
It continued, "Because prices have increased roughly 20% in less than four years, everyone's dollar doesn't go as far as it used to. Now it's only worth 80 cents. That's forcing seniors to reevaluate their retirement plans or risk outliving their savings. … If a person was planning on retiring with a net worth of $1 million, they now need to add almost $200,000 to their savings if they want the same standard of living they previously planned on enjoying. The typical senior nearing retirement will now have to work longer to rebuild the lost value in his or her nest egg."
The actual numbers are the threat, as, "The worst inflation in four decades is a stark reminder that the dollar is not guaranteed to hold its value at all. For example, the average 401(k) balance has risen more than $11,000 over the last three and a half years, but it's worth $12,000 less because of higher prices."
Pensioners are "in no better shape," Antoni said.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
A new report at RedState is warning that leftists and others suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome across America have descended so far into the abyss that even John Hinckley, who once tried to assassinate President Ronald Reagan, is telling them to get a grip.
Hinckley already had commented weeks ago:
Explained the RedState report, "How far gone do you have to be to try and enlist a former attempted assassin to take out the new President-elect — and he's telling you to get a grip? Hinckley's comments indicate enough of an onslaught of requests that it needed to be mentioned."
It's fact that Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton and many other Democrats and their leaders repeatedly have called President-elect Donald Trump "Hitler" over recent months and years. The leftist media has joined in the campaign.
The report noted, "And it's incredibly troublesome considering Democrat rhetoric over the past several months has already led to two attempts on Trump's life — one of which came within a centimeter of killing him and plunging the nation into irreparable chaos."
An NBC affiliate explained Hinckley went to social media to try to end the leftist agenda.
One commenter, whose goals clearly raised the question about whether the Secret Service should be tracking down these people and arresting them, said, "Just one last job, John."
Hinckley was taken into custody for the 1981 assassination attempt, apparently in a deluded scheme to impress actress Jodie Foster.
He spent more than three decades in custody, in therapy, and was released in 2022 to pursue a career in music.
Commenters approached him with, "You know what Jodie Foster would think is REALLY impressive?" and another added, "Oh I'm sorry, it's just I didn't think you were a QUITTER is all…. Jodie Foster will not be impressed."
RedState explained, "While most would be hoping for a post-election de-escalation of the violent rhetoric, Hinckley at least, seems to be indicating the crazies are still lurking out there. With Democrats relentlessly bashing Trump as a dictator representing the end of democracy and equating him to Hitler, who killed millions upon millions, it doesn't seem far-fetched that somebody might want to stop him from taking office in January.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
A federal appeals court has ruled against CNN in its attempt to have dismissed a defamation complaint from James O'Keefe and Project Veritas.
O'Keefe launched Project Veritas and worked for years with the organization, doing undercover interviews to uncover political scandals.
He later left and now works with O'Keefe Media Group.
However, the dispute arose during his time with the former organization.
A report from the Post Millennial said it was the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals that said CNN's statements about O'Keefe "were not substantially true" and found that, "Veritas plausibly alleged that Cabrera's statements were published with actual malice under the First Amendment."
The report explained, "Circuit Judge Elizabeth Branch wrote in an opinion for the court that on February 11, 2021, the Project Veritas account on then-Twitter was suspended. CNN's Ana Cabrera claimed on February 15 that the account had been banned for 'promoting misinformation,' while Project Veritas said that it was because it had violated Twitter's 'publication of private information,' or 'doxxing' policy."
The judge wrote, "When CNN refused to issue a retraction, Veritas sued for defamation. The district court granted CNN's motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim, finding that Cabrera's statements were substantially true and thus not actionable under applicable New York defamation law. Veritas appealed."
The fight was over a post that showed a video of a Project Veritas journalist at the home of a Facebook official. The accusation was that there were details in the video indicating the location of the residence.
O'Keefe had argued that other networks "often" don't blur the number of an address. A lower court had dismissed the case but it was restored at the appellate level.
Circuit Judge Ed Carnes noted, "If you stay on the bench long enough, you see a lot of things. Still, I never thought I'd see a major news organization downplaying the importance of telling the truth in its broadcasts. But that is what CNN has done in this case."
The CNN dispute was sent back to the lower courts for further action.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
JERUSALEM – Israel/Middle East Morning Brief
Iraq moves to lower 'age of consent' for girls to 9 years old
Iraq is poised to slash the legal age of consent from 18 to to nine, allowing men to marry young children. The proposed legal change – proposed by ultra-conservative Shia Muslim parties – also deprives women of rights to divorce, child custody and inheritance.
Qatar moves to expel Hamas leaders from Doha
Less than a week since the presumptive election of Donald Trump as America's 47th president and its impact is being felt across the Middle East. Qatar, which has hosted Hamas' leaders for years is now moved to expel them, allegedly after a request from the White House, although the Qataris seemed to pour cold water on this.
Doha nixes further Israel-Hamas mediation, citing lack of seriousness on both sides
In addition to expelling Hamas' leadership from Doha, Qatar also announced it would play no further part in the ceasefire-for-hostages negotiations between Israel and Hamas. It framed the decision as reversible, saying it would reconsider if the parties demonstrate willingness to re-engage.
U.S., U.K. planes attack Houthi positions in Yemen
The United States and Britain launched raids on the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, the Amran governorate, and other areas, Al Masirah TV, the main television news outlet run by the Houthi movement, reported on Sunday.
Lloyd Austin warns new Israeli DM Katz over Gaza aid supply
The U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin warned his new counterpart Israel's incoming Defense Minister Israel Katz to the effect that Israel risks jeopardizing the ongoing provision of U.S. weaponry for the Gaza war if it does not credibly show it has improved the supply and distribution of aid to Gazan noncombatants.
Netanyahu names new Israeli ambassador to the United States
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu named Dr. Yechiel Leiter as Israel's new ambassador to the United States. Leiter, who is U.S.-born and is a proponent of the annexation of Judea and Samaria, lost a son who was fighting in the IDF in Gaza in 2023.
Trump nixes return to administration for two strongly pro-Israel voices
America's incoming 47th President Donald Trump has publicly stated he will seek to neither re-engage former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, nor former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley as part of his second administration.
Israeli scholar: Iranians concerned about Trump's White House return
Dr. Tamar Gindin, an Iran scholar at the Azrieli Center and director of the online school for Iran and the Persian language has outlined how President Trump's return to power marks a likely return to swingeing economic sanctions and downward pressure on the Iranian economy.
Iran denies plot to assassinate President Trump, labels it 'malicious conspiracy'
Biden-Harris admin quietly waived terrorism sanctions on PA government
Just before Tuesday's presidential election, the Biden-Harris administration quietly waived mandatory terrorism sanctions on the embattled Palestinian government — even as it determined that the government's leaders are paying imprisoned terrorists and fomenting violence in breach of U.S. law.
IDF uncovers video of Hamas torturing Gazans
Israel's military says it has discovered thousands of hours of sickening footage showing Hamas interrogators torturing innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
The harrowing videos show male prisoners with sacks over their heads, chained to floors and ceilings in painful positions.
U.S. stalls on D9 bulldozer shipment to Israel
The partial U.S. arms embargo on Israel is affecting the battlefield in Gaza and Lebanon and could pose a risk to IDF soldiers. The U.S. is silently halting various arms shipments to the country but continues to support Israel in other ways, including a large-scale deal to acquire around 1,000 new APCs.
Evangelical leader says Israel has short window of opportunity to attack Iranian oil fields
Mike Evans assesses Israel has an eight-week opportunity before the inauguration of president-elect Donald Trump to attack Iranian oil fields, and the coming year will see the United States herald a landmark peace agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel.
Did Dutch police ignore Mossad intel warnings about Amsterdam 'Jew hunt?'
The government in Amsterdam launched an inquiry into whether alerts from Jerusalem were overlooked prior to the mob attacks carried out on Thursday night against Israeli soccer fans, Justice Minister David van Weel said in a letter to the Dutch Parliament.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Seven cents. Yes, it seems insignificant, doesn't it? But sometimes that's all it takes to support American jobs instead of those in China, Mexico, and other foreign countries. And sometimes, it doesn't cost anything extra at all.
Everyone buys scrubber pads, whether it's for cleaning the kitchen, bathroom, counters, dishes, etc.
A recent visit to my local supermarket revealed just how easy it is to make the right decision – the decision to support fellow American workers – when making small purchases where the price difference is negligible.
Here are the options I found (all packages of three). You could buy the following imported scrubber pads for slightly (very slightly) than the American-made options. We are talking pennies, here:
Or, you could buy any of the following American-made scrubber pads for seven cents more or even less than that:
I based the "seven cents" in the article title on comparing the Mexican-made Dawn Non-Scratch Scrubber Sponge at $3.59 per 3-pack to the Libman All-Purpose Non-Scratch or the Libman Heavy Duty Easy Rinse, both at $3.79 per 3-Pack. This represents a 20-cent difference, or seven cents per scrubbing pad, since there are three in a pack.
But you can clearly choose the American-made Brillo Estracell Scrub Sponge at $3.09 per 3-Pack and pay less than you would for any import in this category.
Personally, I prefer to pay that extra seven cents to buy Libman products. I recently bought the American-made Libman Tornado Cotton Twist Wet Mop for $12.98 at Lowe's. Compare that to the imported Swiffer mop at $15.98.
If you purchase any Libman mop, all you need is an American-made Libman bucket (or any other American-made bucket), which I already had. With Swiffer, you will need to keep buying imported mop and also imported (can't they at least make these in America?) wet/dry mopping cloths. Once again, the American-made version is the cheaper option.
I don't count the Mexican-made Scotch-Brite Greener Cleaner as an option based upon the misleading "green" claim listed in the above pollution details.
President Abraham Lincoln once said, "…when we buy manufactured goods abroad, we get the goods and the foreigner gets the money. When we buy the manufactured goods at home, we get both the goods and the money."
He is arguably America's most popular president, and he was absolutely correct. Let's spend our dollars on American-made goods from American-owned companies to keep jobs, profits, and tax revenue in the USA. It's easy to do, and in the cases listed above, it can either cost less or simply an additional seven cents.
About Roger Simmermaker
Roger Simmermaker has written multiple books on buying American and trade policy since 1996, and has been a frequent guest on Fox News, Fox Business Network, CNN, and MSNBC. Roger has also been quoted or featured in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, BusinessWeek, and The New York Times, among many other publications.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
JERUSALEM – Donald Trump was elected 47th president of the United States fewer than seven days ago, yet the Middle East has witnessed a palpable shift in energy and momentum, the moment his victory was all-but-confirmed.
Almost immediately, a foreign policy, which has seemed confused and untethered – remember Joe Biden's multiple "don't" warnings – and which precisely nobody took seriously – now seems tautened and focused. America's returning 45th president hasn't even assembled his team, nor gotten his feet back underneath the Resolute Desk, and yet the alleged unpredictability which was supposed to endanger the world, has instead concentrated minds in many arenas across the Middle East.
One of the first countries to step into line following Trump's election was Qatar. As early as Nov. 8, there were reports Doha told Hamas leaders currently leading a gilded life under its protection in some of the capital's swankiest hotels, to pack their bags and seek accommodation in whatever country will take them. There was not a hint of this pressure under the Biden administration.
Outgoing Secretary of State Anthony Blinken did not sit down with Qatar's Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani and give him some kind of ultimatum. And here's the thing, Trump didn't even need to say anything. People in the Middle East know he's back and that he has unfinished business. Qatar's cozy relationship with Iran might be another reason its government acted preemptively to cut off the largesse to those terrorist leaders to whom it has given its hospitality.
Hamas leaders have resided in Doha since 2012 (at then-President Barack Obama's urging), at a time when the now-eliminated Yahya Sinwar had only recently been released from an Israeli jail in 2011, and overall it was a much weaker organization, and they were personally much poorer. It is not in the scope of this article to draw a line between the Hamas leadership's presence in Doha, and their bank accounts, which now show several noughts on the credit side of the ledger – but we can be fairly certain a causal link exists.
So how did it happen that a favored U.S. non-NATO ally was the recipient of the privilege of hosting the largest Middle Eastern air expeditionary force, but at the same time was a conduit for the Hamas terrorists in Gaza to vastly improve its training, weaponry, and rocket arsenals? Sure, Iran was intimately involved, in terms of men, materiel, and funding, but its close neighbor and ally, Qatar, seemed to be in lockstep all the way.
Qatar has also reportedly stated it will no longer play a role in mediation between Israel and Hamas, ironically in the immediate wake of another Hamas rejection of a ceasefire proposal. It is worth stepping back for a moment and asking how and why a terrorist group such as Gaza's rulers, which has witnessed a significant attenuation of its fighting forces, and like its cousin over the northern border Hezbollah, has had to deal with the decapitation of its upper echelons, and which sees the devastation daily it has wrought on its people, still will not come to the negotiating table – or even offer any hostages as a goodwill gesture?
What role has Doha played in this intransigence? Is Doha now hedging its bets because Trump and his team are a mere 70 or so days away from returning to the White House? Let's take a moment to acknowledge just how weaselly this position actually is. Qatar has not ruled out aiding in the mediation efforts, but the parties need to demonstrate "willingness to re-engage." This sounds rather like using the hostages – at least those who are still alive – who have suffered for 400 days in Hamas captivity as bargaining chips.
This episode has shown the Obama doctrine – of appeasing Arab and Persian sensibilities – to create a bulwark against Israel – as truly deceitful and morally bankrupt. The payback for Hamas being in Qatar was to enable a sense of calm between the terrorist group and Israel.
The "thinking," or so the logic went, was Hamas would be less likely to attack Israel if its civil servants' salaries were paid on time and its leadership had a place of sanctuary. And yet, rather than diluting Hamas' fury amid economic prosperity, it turbo-charged it instead. Hamas was given succor in Qatar, and its forces – and thousands of helpers – carried out the worst massacre of Jews in more than 80 years. And from a country – given the World Cup in 2022, and selected at the same time as that other bastion of democracy, Russia, which hosted the 2018 competition – which is supposed to be a major Western ally. In retrospect, those particular figures just do not add up.
Qatar has played a similar role with Taliban-run Afghanistan. It has hosted leaders from this quasi medieval group and also positioned itself as an honest broker between the United States and the Taliban. Having performed this role, Afghanistan's female population of some 19 million women and girls is now barely above the level of chattel. It's odd, Qatar offers itself as an "honest broker," and yet, it's always the ultra-conservative – and presumably not coincidentally ultra-violent Islamic groups – which seem to get the better of the exchanges.
Doha is trying to position itself as an indispensable piece of the Middle Eastern jigsaw; it is likely using the threat of pulling out of its mediation role to see which way Israel and the United States will move. Trump has made it clear he would like to see an end to the Gaza fighting by the time he gets into office; perhaps this latest chapter is Qatar's way of attempting to get the best deal possible (in the long run) for its Hamas allies.