Global Chaos Amid Israeli-Palestinian Flareup, COVID Deaths, More
The David Pakman Show - May 17, 2021
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What's Happening in Israel and Palestine?
A flare up in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict over the past couple of weeks has led to protests, air strikes, and hundreds of deaths. There are arguably two catalysts to these tensions and both have the Israeli Netanyahu government to blame. The first was a squad of Israeli police officers who entered the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, somewhere that is controlled by the Jordanian Royal Guard and where non-Muslims can only visit during limited time periods. The police brushed aside Palestinian attendants and cut the cables to the loudspeakers that broadcast prayers. Then came the eviction of six Palestinian families from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem, which is a disputed territory. Following this was the police raid on the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Friday, May 7th where officers armed with tear gas, stun grenades, and rubber-tipped bullets burst into the mosque compound, setting off hours of clashes.
Violence escalated significantly in the days following these initial events. Dozens of Hamas rockets came over from Gaza, some even reaching Tel Aviv. Israel has been conducting air strikes of its own, resulting in many more deaths, partly by nature of its stronger military capabilities. The Israeli state blew up a building in which the AP works in Gaza, claiming Hamas was set up there. It’s too early to tell whether this is simply part of a pattern of flare-ups in the region or if this one will lead to more significant change. Clearly, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stands to benefit off these escalations and if progress is going to be made in the conflict, it’s going to be with him out of power. Only once there is new leadership among the involved parties can there be hope for peace and a two-state solution with a contiguous and sovereign Palestine.
REPORT: Florida Planning for Possible Trump Indictment
There’s a new report out of Politico that officials in Palm Beach, Florida are contingency planning for a possible Donald Trump indictment by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. If that news ever comes and it gets delivered while Trump is in Mar-a-Lago, authorities in Palm Beach could be faced with an unprecedented responsibility. The sources here are two high-ranking county officials involved in planning sessions. The real legal question is that of extradition from Florida to New York in such an event. There’s an obscure Florida statute about interstate extradition where the governor can decide whether the indicted person should be extradited to another state. Since now the governor of Florida is Trump lackey Ron DeSantis, there’s little doubt that Trump would be made safe by his buddy in Tallahassee. Joe Abruzzo, that clerk of the Circuit Court of Palm Beach County, says “the statute leaves room for interpretation that the governor has the power to order a review and potentially not comply with the extradition notice.”
Trump is currently in the process of moving from Mar-a-Lago in Florida to his Bedminster, New Jersey estate for the summer. If a New York City indictment came down with Trump in New Jersey, it would of course be up to a different governor to decide whether or not to intervene. The governor in New Jersey is Democrat Phil Murphy, who’s not a Trump sycophant, and would likely allow the extradition to go forward. Surely if an indictment ever does come, the right wing will be prepared with their talking points. Trump and his allies will talk about how this is another witch hunt and the latest example of the Democrats being unable to get over their Trump derangement syndrome. Will charges actually come? Probably not. But this has to be the closest a former president has gotten to criminal prosecution in several decades.
From over the weekend:
Guest Calls Out Newsmax for Lying ON NEWSMAX
Former Obama speechwriter (and former David Pakman Show guest) David Litt went on Newsmax last week ostensibly to talk about Elon Musk hosting Saturday Night Live. But Litt wanted to discuss something else — the lies that Newsmax propagated over the past few months over the 2020 election being stolen by Joe Biden with voter fraud. After getting his first question, Litt said “what happened on SNL this weekend was that people made stuff up and then said it on television like it’s true. And that actually happens pretty frequently in American TV. For example, in 2020, Dominion Voting Systems sued Newsmax for its false claims about election fraud. Newsmax was lying to its own viewers. . .” Litt’s pivot caught the host of the show off guard and he jumped into criticize the guest for trying to derail things “on a Monday morning.” Soon after, Litt was kicked off the show, most likely to never be invited back on again. But at least for a few seconds last week, some truth got out on the Newsmax airwaves.
--More on the show:
--After the CDC announces new, much less strict masking guidelines for vaccinated people, Fox News is worried that Biden is suddenly moving too quickly, and a Republican is upset that Biden didn't thank Donald Trump enough in his announcement
--Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney tells Fox News during an interview on Fox News that it should tell the truth about the 2020 election results
--Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, Liz Cheney's replacement in Republican leadership, appears on Fox News to continue pushing lies about the 2020 election during an interview with Maria Bartiromo
--A shocking 2019 video of now-Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene harassing Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is uncovered
--Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene is caught committing fraud by claiming homestead exemptions on multiple houses
--Voicemail caller says that the terms "woke" and "cancel" don't really exist, and are "constructs"
--On the Bonus Show: Biden cancels Trump's planned "National Garden of American Heroes," Harry Styles appears to have lost British accent, over 80% of Japanese oppose Olympics this summer, much more...
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