I am sure many people wonder why there is so much fuss about the goings on in a tiny sliver of land on the shores of the Eastern Mediterranean.
Why are the deaths of hundreds of thousands of genuine civilians in Africa (eg Sudan) and a massive Turkish invasion of Syria and attacks on Kurdish civilians ignored while far smaller numbers of deaths of terrorists and their logistical support personnel (wrongly called Gazan "civilians" by the media) made such a fuss of.
Why is "No Jews, No News" so true?
Well part of this is obviously anti-semitism and huge amounts have been written about this.
Philo-semitism also plays a role.
Judaism is also the source of much of "Western" morality, culture and civilisations - Judeo-Christian civilisation etc.
But I want to talk about why The Land of Israel is actually very important geo-strategically, and the modern State of Israel is a very special development in history.
1. Geography Matters.
Ancient maps placed Jerusalem at the center of the world for more than spiritual reasons.
The Land of Israel is the ONLY land route from Africa to Eurasia.
It also dominates crucial land routes from Asia to Europe like the Silk Road and related routes.
These routes are all season, all weather routes, unlike more northerly routes that can be impassable in winter.
Equally naval control of the Eastern Mediterranean was and still is extremely important for trade between Africa, Europe and Asia.
The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 made this even more important.
The location of Israel between Africa, Europe and Asia also puts it at the economic center of the world - the hub of Mackinder's World Island. In modern times the vast majority of the world's oil production is located in the Middle East, within a short distance of Israel.
2. Coveted by Empires
It is for these reasons, that historically, it has been strategically crucial for Empires, whether arising in Africa, Europe or Asia to control the Land of Israel.
No Empire could be secure if it did not control this crucial piece of land.
This is why the Jewish People have endured so many invasions and occupations of their historic homeland by Empire after Empire throughout history. Here is a list of the main ones with the invasion date generally being when Jerusalem was taken by the invader.
- 1 Assyrian (722 BCE)
- 2 Babylonian (586 BCE)
- 3 Persian (539 BCE)
Source for first 3 invasions - 4 Greek (Macedonian) (331 BCE)
- 5 Roman / Byzantine (63 BCE)
- 6 Muslim (637 CE)
- 7 Crusader (1099 CE)
- 8 Ottoman Muslim (1517 CE)
- 9 British (1917 CE)
3. Periods of Jewish Sovereignty and Autonomy
During this long history of Imperial dominance, the Jewish People have had periods of sovereignty or extensive autonomy in their historic homeland:
- a) The Ancient Israelites / Davidic Kingdoms (1406 BCE - 772/586 BCE) Full sovereignty
- b) The Early 2nd Temple Period (538 BCE - 331 BCE) Autonomy
- c) The Maccabean Period (167 - 63 BCE) Full sovereignty
- d) The early Roman Period (63 BCE - 66 CE) Autonomy
4. Modern Israel - an inherently anti-Imperial development
Some may see the re-establishment of Jewish sovereignty in the Land of Israel in 1948 as just another inter-Imperial period, destined to end at the hands of some upcoming Empire or other.
I beg to differ.
Modern Israel is something unique in history - an indigenous Jewish State that is more powerful than nascent Empires - a permanent block to Imperial ambitions of other nations.
Modern Israel has already defeated multiple attempts by Imperial or nascent Imperial powers to dominate the region.
Multiple Egypt led attempts to create an Arab secular Empire, backed by the Soviet Empire AKA "The Arab - Israeli Conflict", which finally ended last week with the total defeat and demilitarisation of Syria, the last Arab combatant still standing.
Islamist Sunni (ISIS, Hamas, Muslim Brotherhood) attempts to create a new Islamic Arab Caliphate.
Islamist Shiite Iran's attempts re-create the Persian Empire.
The expulsion of the Russian Empire from the Middle East, also enabled by Israel's destruction of Hizbollah which led to the fall of Assad.
Now Turkey's Erdogan seeks to re-create the Ottoman Empire, but Israel's massive military superiority and alliances with the Greeks, Cypriots , Druze and Kurds stands in his way. Also Turkey is highly dependant on the US for arms (more so than Israel) and the US will not allow Erdogan's Imperial ambitions.
Some may say that the US is an Imperial power and Israel acts as its lackey.
However neither is the case. The US has not sought overseas conquest and certainly not to occupy the whole Middle East. Where it has invaded and occupied it has quickly withdrawn because it is very bad at Imperial administration. It is contrary to America's DNA.
Nor is Israel the US's proxy or vassal. Israel's extremely independent behaviour post Oct 7, going against the wishes of the Biden Administration and resisting its pressure showed that Israel is far more independent than any of the US's other Allies. Indeed most of Israel's great victories in the present Oct 7 War have resulted from doing the opposite of what Biden wanted.
5. Why Permanent?
You may ask: Why do I say this is a permanent situation?
There are four main components of national power in today's world:
- Demographic
- Economic
- Geographic
- Technological
5.1 Brains replace Brawn
In the ancient world technology was rarely a factor, as technology moved very slowly, but the physical strength of your people was a factor. In the ancient world physical strength was important, but today brains are far more important. This is an obvious advantage to the Jewish People and Israel in modern times.
Today Israel is the world leader in military (and other) technologies. Much of the United State's technological and economic success has derived from Jewish entrepreneurs. This has especially been so in the internet era.
Thus today Israel has a huge technological advantage over all nascent Empires in the broader region that is growing larger with each year.
Attempts by nascent Empires in the region to defeat this pesky impediment to their Imperial ambitions have left their countries extremely backward technologically.
5.2 The Holy Grail of High Fertility and Prosperity
In the ancient world Jews had high fertility, but so did many other far more numerous peoples.
Today, Jews in Israel and observantly Orthodox Jews in The Diaspora are the ONLY people in the entire world to have both high fertility AND modern technological economic prosperity. Israel is by far the top score on the Baby Money Index.
Here is the Top 10
The top 10:
Israel - 432 kiloChads
Qatar - 371 kC
Faroe Islands - 331 kC
Saudi Arabia - 313 kC
Kazakhstan - 302 kC
Kuwait - 281 kC
Ireland 278 kC
Oman - 262 kC
Norway - 255 kC
Brunei - 252 kC
Of this list, all other than Saudi Arabia and Kazakhstan are either tiny or small nations with less population than Israel. The full list is here.
Note that this list is based on 2022 figures and there have been dramatic drops in fertility of most countries (but not Israel) in 2023-2024.
Thus Israel's lead in the Baby Money Index has further increased in the last 2 years.
Today, apart from Israel, the only places in the world with high fertility are 3rd world, poverty stricken, underdeveloped countries. And many of these are experiencing very rapid fertility drops as they become a bit more developed. African TFR has likely fallen below replacement.
Equally, highly developed high tech countries like Japan, S Korea, Italy and Germany have extremely low fertility.
5.3 High Fertility + High Technology = Strong Economy
In 1948 Israel was barely a 2nd world country. Today it is one of the economically strongest countries in the world and advancing quickly up the ladder of the wealthiest countries on a per capita basis.
Israel is in the Top 20 countries of GDP (nominal) per capita (IMF 2024 figures.
If countries with populations below 10M are excluded, then Israel takes 8th place with only the USA, Netherlands, Australia, Sweden, Belgium, Germany and Canada ahead.
Yes, Israel now has more than 10 million people!
Israel has a proper population pyramid (far more young than old) rather than the reverse most other advanced countries have.
[Source: By Tweedle - Own work, data taken from the UN World Population Prospects, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=121088332]
[Source: By Kaj Tallungs - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=117982916]
With a young, highly educated, high tech population, Israel will continue to be an economic powerhouse for the next century at least. All other advanced countries suffer massive demographic headwinds from having their working age populations drop massively while their elderly dependent populations increase hugely. This ever increasing dependancy ratio is a huge drain on growth and creates a major risk of complete collapse as expensive infrastructure can no longer be maintained and suffers catastrophic cascading failure bringing down the ever more fragile civilisation.
Young people are the main source of the innovation and entrepreneurship which drives economic growth. They are also the consumers that build households, spend a lot and drive consumption. As people age, most become more set in their ways and find it harder to learn new things. They also spend less because they already have most of what they need. Technological innovation is predominantly driven by younger people.
6. A Very Special Historical Development
This unique combination of technological, demographic and economic strength combined with crucial geo-strategic location in the center of the world is a very special and unique historical development.
Some might say it is a fulfilment of Biblical Prophecy and presages an End of Times, Messianic Age or Singularity.
Alternatively if one believes in history as an ongoing or cyclical phenomenon, this is nonetheless something important and new.
Suffice to say Modern Israeli is not a normal country. It is Kryptonite to the Empires which have traditionally dominated the region.
It is very important to the future of humanity and occupies a unique and powerful position.
It may save human civilisation and technological progress from demographic catastrophe, like the Monasteries in the Dark Ages, but a lot more fun!
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I adore the land and people of Israel, for the sake of the Most High, who cares deeply for the land and people of Israel and for the sake of Messiah who says those who do the will of the Father are "my brothers".
Perhaps it's "semantics" but I do not like the term "semetic". It's an old term referring to the Middle-Eastern people, as descendants of "Shem". Yet nobody is called an anti-japethic. Nor is anyone called an anti-chemite. But the term anti-semite is used frequently. Maybe it's just me, but it really bothers me. Bible words must have bible meanings.
The real issue here is not anti-semitism, it's anti-Judaism. And not just religious, but ethnic and cultural. It's commonly called anti-zionism, so anti-Judaism can appear as being against a political agenda, not against a religion or people or culture. But I have come to believe, where there is anti-zionism, there is anti-Judaism. People railing against any attempt to restore the ancient land of Judea and Samaria. And when the Anti-Judite says "They're not real Jews" or say "occupiers", they disclose their true identity, not as an anti-semite, but as simply anti-Israel.
It's important that criticism of the STATE of Israel (even modes and methods of expansion) are very different than being an anti-judite, but sadly these days it doesn't take much to be labeled an antisemite. For example, I do not agree with the term "logistical support personnel" referring to people who are placed in harms way (willingly or unwillingly), with the purpose of acting as a human shield over valuable targets. These "personnel" are likely descendants of Shem and unlikely descendants of Amalek. I can understand why the Israeli STATE military would use the term "logistical support personnel" and technically it's true, but I believe that it's morally wrong to diminish their blood with this term. I also understand NOT making them martyrs, but they are people, not personnel. God knows.
I believe things are going to escalate, even to the point where the whole world (practically speaking) will be against Israel. So many people talk about "Armageddon", but forget that the judgment will have to do with how the nations treated the People of God and His Inheritance:
"I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land." Joel
Instead of scattering and dividing, the nations (who are God-Fearing) should be GATHERING the people and UNIFYING the land of Israel. Instead, many ignorant people chant "From the river to the sea..."
You are of course correct about the term "anti-semite", but it is the commonly understood term and I wanted to talk about other things.
When I say "logistical support personnel" I am not talking about merely being a willing human shield and certainly not an unwilling one. Also this is my term and views and its not used by the State of Israel or the IDF.
I am talking about storing weapons and other military gear in your apartment for the ready use of Hamas operatives who come in dressed in civilian clothes and exit as armed fighters. A very large number of Gazan homes provided this military logistical support function.
I am talking about knowingly having the entrance to underground military infrastructure inside your house or apartment building. A very large number of Gazan residential buildings hide entrances to Hamas's massive (300 mile+) military tunnel complex
I am talking about joining in a terrorist invasion of Israel and participating in rape, murder and hostage taking, as thousands of "regular Gazans" did. See
I am talking about holding hostages on behalf of Hamas or other terrorist groups as many "regular Gazans" did. Those hostages that were rescued were all held by prominent Gazan "civilians."
Under the laws of war such conduct makes you a combatant and your property a military target. Your are the logistical support troops for an army. You are not a civilian.
The IDF have not taken this view, wrongly IMHO, and instead have expended huge efforts to keep Hamas' logistical support personnel out of harms way, moving them out of the way while the IDF destroys Hamas infrastructure.
That is why the destruction of buildings is so high in Gaza but the "civilian" death toll is so low, especially compared to other recent urban warfare. The US and Russia have killed 10x as many civilians for every terrorist killed in much less difficult urban combat in the last decades.
Israel is not just the Center of the Earth, it is the Center of the Universe. God, ( the Creator) spoke the Universe into existence with the Hebrew Aleph Bet. Anyone who studies ancient History and ancient Languages knows this fact.
בְּרֵאשִׁית, בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים, אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם, וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ.
ב וְהָאָרֶץ, הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ, וְחֹשֶׁךְ, עַל-פְּנֵי תְהוֹם; וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים, מְרַחֶפֶת עַל-פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם.
Nice and comprehensive analysis. It was informative for me.
I want to express my own opinion.
The biggest reason why Israel is so pressured is that the majority of its people are Jewish and there are few of them where they are. Jerusalem in Israel is considered holy by the three major religions, and the land is very valuable.
It is said that the Israel lobby is very strong. There are many rich Israelis in America, so it is said that the US defends Israel under all circumstances.
Biden criticized Israel on some issues. What will Trump's perspective be? I think Trump has a more positive view of Israel.
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam.
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Jim Condit JNR - "The Final Solution To Adolf Hitler"
is an anti-semitic nut case!
Failed Green Party candidate.
Blames all Jews for the awful behaviour of Soros (who most Israelis detest).
Like blaming an Episcopalian conspiracy for the awful behaviour of Bill Gates.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/ads-for-ohio-congressional-candidate-rage-about-billionaire-communist-jews/
He quotes some great sources. It's worth watching. He does not sound like someone against Jews, Zionists yes.
BS distinction. Anti-Zionism IS Anti-Semitism. 95+% of Jews are Zionist. Israel is the ONLY Jewish State.
Holding it to harsher standards than other States IS Anti-Semitism.
Internationally Recognised Definition of Anti-Semitism
"Holding it to harsher standards than other States"
Now who's talking BS? If Israel is held to the same standards as other countries in the Human Rights category, aka Genocide, it would fail miserably.
Antisemitism is the catch-all phrase Zionists use to attack anyone who would question their MO. Yes I see you quote recognised international definition from such an unbiased source--SI.
The unbiased definition of Semite:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Semite
Interesting how the Zionists have taken over the word to use for themselves alone.
The IHRA Definition of Anti-Semitism had been adopted by 37 countries and 865 organisations by 2022.
Many more have adopted it since.
Over 1000 organisations
US House of Reps
Many US States
Your definition is only used by ..... anti-semites!
"Anti-Semitism" is Jew Hatred.
It has nothing to do with a dictionary definition of "Semite".
It is quite clear that you are an anti-semite under the IHRA definition.
You are a Jew Hater, like Hitler, the Nazis and Hamas terrorists.
Yes, it's truly frightening how the Zionists have weaponized the word Anti-Semite and scared so many into going along with it.
"You are a Jew Hater, like Hitler, the Nazis and Hamas terrorists."
I wondered when you would get to name calling. I think my Jewish friends would disagree with you. But it's also quite clear you are painting with that same big Zionist Brush.
Here is a Jew who would also disagree with you and there are many others.
MAX BLUMENTHAL’S EXPERTLY DEBUNKS RFK JR.’S ISRAEL - PALESTINE PROPAGANDA
https://old.bitchute.com/video/eCcVvp0eBaQ/
Isreal, and its majority Zionist population, are like the abused child that grows up to be an abuser themselves. They are now performing genocide in Gaza just like their abusers did to them in Germany. How you can defend such a rouge nation can only be explained by Zionist indoctrination. In my mind you shame yourself in their defense much like a neo-nazi defending Hitler.
I couldn't even read the whole thing, so much of it was inaccurate in the beginning.
Wrong.
Anyone who doesn't even recognize that it was historically called Judea, and NOT Israel, isn't being serious about their research.
God isn't a real estate agent, and if he was that land was already occupied by people that didn't want to be slaughtered.
500 years of demonstrated history is hard to argue with.
And for the record, I don't care who or what you are, if you are killing women and children I think you are an ass.
Decent human beings don't support folks that cheer lead 'death to all others'.
It's just not something that 'good' people do.
Why do you support terrorists who say exactly this against Israelis that just want to live in peace?
Did you even read my post. It was about WHY Israel, the indigenous homeland of the Jewish People for 3500 years, keeps getting invaded.
You are rooting for the invaders by making false and anti-semitic accusations against Israelis for defending their land against barbarians.
Amen. The Israelis, Hebrew speaking Jewish people are the ancient Indigenous people of that land. Go on any archaeological dig anywhere in the Middle East and you will find artifacts inscribed with ancient Hebrew and Aramaic text. That is a Fact. This land and much more belongs to the ancient Israelites.
No cap.... Humans deserve better vibes
Your comment falls into the "obvious anti-semitism" category.
It is a favourite tactic of anti-semites to try to expunge the historic sins of the Nazis by making false accusations against Jews of exactly the behaviour they themselves are engaging in. South Africa and Turkey, both openly pursuing genocidal policies against Whites and Kurds are the greatest exemplars of this.
Your comment is a classic anti-semitic trope. Downvoted.
Also, you can't even spell. You have no excuse for this as Halifax was English speaking last time I checked.
Hive is filled with Anti semites. It’s disgusting.
Agreed. Zionist virtue signallers make me shake my head in disbelief.