Stability's significant comeback, blame Hamas for Gaza hunger and other commentary
With an eye on 'the benefits of marriage to men, women, children and civilization itself,' The Wall Street Journal's James Freeman cheers the apparent end of 'the long, sad decline of the family.' Sociologist Brad Wilcox reports: 'Divorce is down and the share of children in two-parent families is up' — and 'nonmarital childbearing, after almost half a century of increase, stalled out in 2009' at 41%, dropping to about 40% 'a few years later, where it has remained. For children, less divorce and a small decline in childbearing outside wedlock mean more stability.' Some of these shifts are modest, notes Freeman, 'so let's hope that this is just the start of a big swing of the cultural pendulum toward thriving, stable households.'
Mideast beat: Blame Hamas for Gaza Hunger
'Is there another government that starves its own people without a single objection from the 'humanitarian' world?' asks Commentary's Seth Mandel. 'Hamas is the government of Gaza,' yet 'pretty much every single diplomatic statement, newspaper article, and NGO report excludes this fact.' Worse. These groups' calls for a cease-fire mostly pretend 'all food-related obligations are on Israel.' Nonsense! 'Hamas is well-fed and well-supplied,' as Gazans must 'buy back from Hamas what Hamas has confiscated from them personally.' 'Hamas operatives openly guard convoys to their warehouses, systematically skimming off 15-20 percent of the aid,' reports show. 'Being clear on this fact isn't about what Israel can or cannot do to Palestinians in Gaza; it's about what Hamas owes the people who live there.'
Libertarian: Federal Agencies' FOIA Failure
'Government-caused inefficiency has increased wait times for' Freedom of Information Act requests and undermined the transparency the law's meant to provide, fumes Reason's Sophia Mandt. Open the Books reported that last year, federal agencies 'took an average of 267 days' to respond to 'complex' requests and 'an average of 39 days' to respond to 'simple' requests, despite the 20-day response deadline set by law. The government-wide request backlog has 'more than doubled since FY 2013' to 200,000. 'While understaffing at federal agencies may be partially to blame, Open the Books found cases of government officials deliberately delaying FOIA requests.' Possible fixes include updating FOIA's outdated legacy software, removing bureaucrats who slow-walk requests, and instituting staffing quotas' but 'won't fully fix the problems' inherent to 'a large and overly bloated administrative state.'
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Liberal: 'Squid Game' for Complacent Media
'The Conventional Wisdom machine is coming apart in chunks,' smirks Racket News' Matt Taibbi, after 'a gaggle of well-known Washington Post opinion-makers' took buyouts. This ax-trimming, coming on the heels of the 'recent firing of CBS icon Stephen Colbert, the vote to defund NPR' and various other media reductions-in-force resembles 'Squid Game.' 'American conventional wisdom' is in a 'state of abject surrender' as 'people like Colbert and [MSNBC's Chris] Hayes think they have a license to get the biggest stories wrong forever, lose money forever, get paid tens of millions to do both those things, and proudly display all these qualities to audiences without consequence.' Even with friends in the highest places, 'nobody gets to screw up forever.'
Culture: 'Affirmative Consent' Criminalizes Sex
'Men who achieve a certain level of celebrity have long been rumored to carry a particular type of prophylactic in their wallets,' notes The Free Press' Kat Rosenfield: a legal one, such as a ' 'pre-sexual agreement' form' inspired by Kobe Bryant's trial 'for felony sexual assault over an encounter he claimed was consensual.' Men now use such consent forms 'as a safeguard in casual encounters,' especially 'in places governed by the notion of 'affirmative consent.' ' On US campuses and in Canada, 'sexual assault isn't about ignoring a no — it's about failing to get exactly the right kind of yes.' Argh! That's created 'a gendered double standard that infantilizes women' and 'criminalizes' the way people have sex.
— Compiled by The Post Editorial Board
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Yahoo
40 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Israel PM says in 'profound shock' over hostage videos
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed "profound shock" over videos showing two emaciated hostages in Gaza, with the EU also denouncing the clips on Sunday and demanding the release of all remaining captives after nearly 22 months of war. Over the past few days, Hamas and its ally Islamic Jihad have released three videos showing two hostages seized during the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that triggered the ongoing war in Gaza. The images of Rom Braslavski and Evyatar David have sparked strong reactions among Israelis, fuelling renewed calls to reach a truce and hostage release deal without delay. A statement from Netanyahu's office late Saturday said he had spoken with the families of the two hostages and "expressed profound shock over the materials distributed by the terror organisations". Netanyahu "told the families that the efforts to return all our hostages are ongoing", the statement added. Earlier in the day, tens of thousands of people had rallied in the coastal hub of Tel Aviv to urge Netanyahu's government to secure the release of the remaining captives. In the clips shared by the Palestinian Islamist groups, 21-year-old Braslavski, a German-Israeli dual national, and 24-year-old David both appear weak and malnourished. There was particular outrage in Israel over images of David who appeared to be digging what he said in the staged video was his own grave. The videos make references to the dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza, where UN-mandated experts have warned a "famine is unfolding". EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the images "are appalling and expose the barbarity of Hamas", calling for the release of "all hostages... immediately and unconditionally". - 'Hamas must disarm' - Kallas said in the same post on X that "Hamas must disarm and end its rule in Gaza" -- demands endorsed earlier this week by Arab countries, including key mediators Qatar and Egypt. She added that "large-scale humanitarian aid must be allowed to reach those in need". Israel has heavily restricted the entry of aid into Gaza, which was already under blockade for 15 years before the war began. UN agencies, aid groups and analysts say that much of the trickle of food aid that Israel allows in is looted by gangs or diverted in chaotic circumstances rather than reaching those most in need. Many desperate Palestinians are left to risk their lives under fire seeking what aid is distributed through controlled channels. On Sunday, Gaza's civil defence agency said Israeli fire killed nine Palestinians who were waiting to collect food rations from a site operated by the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Israeli attacks elsewhere killed another 10 people on Sunday, said civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal. - 'Emaciated and desperate' - Israeli newspapers dedicated their front pages on Sunday to the plight of the hostages, with Maariv decrying "hell in Gaza" and Yedioth Ahronoth showing a "malnourished, emaciated and desperate" David. Left-leaning Haaretz declared that "Netanyahu is in no rush" to rescue the captives, echoing claims by critics that the longtime leader has prolonged the war for his own political survival. In his conversations with Braslavski and David's families on Saturday, Netanyahu accused Hamas of "deliberately starving our hostages", and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said he was "initiating a special UN Security Council meeting on the issue of the Israeli hostages". Braslavski and David are among the 49 hostages taken during Hamas's 2023 attack who are still being held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. Most of the 251 hostages seized in the attack have been released during two short-lived truces in the war, some in exchange for Palestinians in Israeli custody. - Red Crescent says HQ hit - Hamas's 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to a tally based on official figures. Israel's campaign in Gaza has killed at least 60,430 people, also mostly civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory's health ministry, deemed reliable by the UN. The Palestine Red Crescent Society said in a post on X early Sunday that one of its staff members was killed and three others wounded in an Israeli attack on its Khan Yunis headquarters, in southern Gaza. There was no comment from Israel. Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties accessing many areas mean AFP cannot independently verify tolls and details provided by the civil defence and other parties. Overnight from Saturday to Sunday, Israel's military said it had "most likely intercepted" a rocket launched from southern Gaza. Meanwhile, in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, firebrand National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said he had prayed at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, where his repeated visits are seen as a provocation to many Palestinians. The mosque is Islam's third-holiest site, and is revered by Jews as the Temple Mount, though Jews are barred from praying there under a long-standing convention. In a video statement recorded during his visit -- Ben Gvir said "the response to Hamas's horror videos" should include Gaza's occupation and plans for the "voluntary emigration" of its people. Jordan, which acts as the site's custodian, condemned the minister's visit as "an unacceptable provocation, and a reprehensible escalation". hba/ami/smw
USA Today
42 minutes ago
- USA Today
Western nations want a Palestinian state. But Arab nations keep their distance.
Middle Eastern leaders who live closest to Gaza − and who arguably understand the players, history and regional dynamics best − are not escalating the political pressure on Israel. Britain's announcement that it may recognize a Palestinian state, along with France and Canada, is another signal of Western frustration with Israel, nearly two years into the war sparked by Hamas' attacks. But while outrage over Gaza dominates headlines in Western capitals, a quieter and far more revealing story is unfolding in the Arab world. The leaders who live closest to Gaza − and who arguably understand the players, history and regional dynamics best − are not escalating the political pressure on Israel. Instead, they're recalibrating, reassessing and, in some cases, even deepening their ties with the Jewish state. Like some Western nations, Arab states have strongly condemned civilian casualties and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and called for a future Palestinian state. However, unlike their Western counterparts, they have not allowed Hamas, the group that ignited this war with an unprovoked massacre on Oct. 7, 2023, to shape the moral narrative. They haven't withdrawn from the Abraham Accords, recalled their ambassadors or severed diplomatic ties with Jerusalem. Even in moments of high emotion, they're choosing long-term strategy over symbolic gestures. That choice speaks volumes. With Gaza conflict, it's important to know the participants In Saudi Arabia over the past year, senior figures have publicly criticized Hamas. In Egypt and Jordan, leaders are focused on regional stability and working to contain, not inflame, the conflict. In Iraq, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani revealed that his government thwarted nearly 30 attempted attacks on Israel and U.S. troops during Iran's spring offensive. That included foiling drone launches from Iraqi soil, which underscores how far some Arab states are going to stop the conflict from spreading. So why are Western cities ablaze with protests while Arab capitals work the phones in quiet diplomacy? Unlike Western activists who chant 'from the river to the sea' without knowing what river or which sea, Arab governments know precisely what Hamas is. They've dealt with its destabilizing ideology, its ties to Iran and its contempt for compromise. They understand that Hamas does not seek peace, statehood or coexistence. It seeks perpetual war and Islamic revolution. In contrast, too many in the West are waging an ideological campaign detached from regional reality. In their fervor to stand with 'Palestine,' they overlook that Hamas is not a liberation movement. It is a jihadist militia that exploits civilian suffering to manipulate global opinion. They also forget that, for all its flaws, Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East where Arabs and Jews alike vote, protest and serve in parliament. Hamas has noticed, it has openly praised European governments for their positions on Israel. In Ireland, lawmakers are pushing to criminalize trade with Israelis. Now, as Britain considers recognition of a Palestinian state along with France and Canada, Hamas' strategy of provocation and propaganda is paying diplomatic dividends. The result is a surreal inversion: While the Arab nations inch toward coexistence, the West drifts into moral chaos. What was once a principled defense of human rights has morphed into selective outrage, often blind to the region's realities and exploited by its most destructive actors. Empowering Hamas will worsen, not improve, life in Gaza This isn't just dangerous for Jews and Israelis; it's corrosive to liberal democracy itself. When human rights are applied selectively, when terrorism is downplayed or excused and when Hamas' calls to destroy Israel and slaughter its citizens are rationalized as 'resistance,' something fundamental is breaking. It may be time for the West to look east − not for answers, but for clarity. The Arab world is not embracing Hamas. It's moving on. It's negotiating, normalizing and, in some cases, partnering with Israel to contain shared threats. If the goal is a better future for Israelis and Palestinians, outrage isn't a strategy. It's a spectacle. And the people closest to the conflict seem to understand that best. Aviva Klompas is the former director of speechwriting at the Israeli Mission to the United Nations and cofounder of Boundless Israel, a nonprofit organization that partners with community leaders in the U.S. to support Israel education and combat hatred of Jews. She is cohost of the "Boundless Insights" podcast.
Buzz Feed
42 minutes ago
- Buzz Feed
Who People Want As The New Face Of The Democratic Party
After a resounding defeat last November, it's clear that the Democratic Party needs to figure out how to move forward. So, we asked the BuzzFeed Community who they would like to see as the new face of the party. Here's what they said: "AOC or Jasmine Crockett. We need someone who actually wants the best for the American people and has our best interests at heart." —Anonymous "I hadn't heard of Andy Beshear until that period where we were all wondering who was going to be chosen as Kamala's running mate, but he seems like a great fit to lead the party right now. He's connected with voters enough to keep winning elections in his red state of Kentucky, and we could certainly use some of that in the next presidential election." —Anonymous "I love those videos of Katie Porter breaking things down on her whiteboard to emphasize how corrupt and greedy corporations have gotten. She fearlessly calls out companies that don't pay their workers enough, Big Pharma for exploiting sick people, etc. She is a true supporter of the middle class and exactly who I want to represent me." —Anonymous "I feel like the clear option has to be a governor or early-term senator. Historically, Democratic candidates have often won elections by being outsiders to Washington politics. So, I think the key faces of the Democratic Party should be people like Pete Buttigieg or Wes Moore. What we need the least is for another senator or other person with a long Washington record to come in and march the party to another defeat." —Anonymous "I think Adam Schiff should run as the Democratic nominee for president in 2028. He's really smart, has experience in Congress, and is well-spoken. Most importantly, he has no fear of Trump or Trumpites. Go Adam!" —Anonymous "I recently saw clips of James Talarico speaking on Joe Rogan's podcast, and I was blown away. I hadn't heard of him before, but he was smart, had common sense, and made me hopeful for the future of the Democratic Party. He wants to return the party to really looking out for the working class — something we should all agree on. Even Joe agreed with him and urged him to run for president. I don't think James has the name recognition for a 2028 run, but he's a rising star, and I hope to see much more of him." —Anonymous "Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois. She's a veteran who lost both her legs fighting for her country and is committed to members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and their families. She had to use IVF to become a mother and went public about what it took for her to have children. She's not going to sit idly by while the rights of women and reproductive healthcare are being actively suppressed and undermined." —Anonymous "Jasmine Crockett, Maxwell Frost, and AOC. They're young enough to know how to play this game MAGA plays. We should have learned from the first election Trump won. Americans who voted for the economy, without any regard for the morality of the one they voted for, got exactly that — look at all the immoral and chaotic mess! Now, we all have to deal with it." —Anonymous "Given the results of our presidential election and a discombobulated Democratic Party (plus the reluctance to replace career old farts with modern-day thinkers), I don't believe our country is capable of voting in a woman, let alone a woman of color. Hurts me to believe that, as a lifelong Democrat of mixed race and a mother of adult Democrats. But if we make it beyond Trump, we'll need healing and major rebuilding by — sadly and likely — a more centrist white male. One with the integrity and guts to empower the brilliance and partnership of a woman like Jasmine or AOC. Perhaps Walz?" —Anonymous "Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico should also be in the limelight as a true leader. She had the courage to call out Congressmembers who objected to placing the entirety of Project 2025 into the public record." —Anonymous "I've been very impressed with Zohran Mamdani. He's getting people engaged and passionate. His proposals are good for the many, rather than the few. I believe a democratic socialist is precisely what the US needs right now, despite what old, corporate Democrats think. It's so frustrating how other countries can take care of their citizens while the US is too focused on greed. It's time we caught up with the rest of the world." —Anonymous "Andy Kim of New Jersey. He's shown that he's willing to fight. I'm looking three years ahead, and I think he might actually be presidential material." —Anonymous "Pete Buttigieg has such a way with words. Very smart and articulate, with the ability to break complicated issues down in ways that regular people can understand and care about. He also seems to have a calm demeanor, patiently explaining stuff without becoming hot-headed, but still standing his ground. It would be a welcome change after Trump." —Anonymous "Jamie Raskin has demonstrated he is willing and capable of fighting back." —Anonymous And finally, "AOC, because I like that she works with the left wing of the party while the rest of the establishment is courting moderate votes. Jasmine Crockett is also a good candidate to lead the party, but I'd like to know more about her inter-party strategies as well. For now, AOC seems to connect with the people and has the ability to use the system to make the most possible change of the moment. Hey, maybe AOC-Crockett 2028!" —Anonymous Who would you like to see as the new face of the Democratic Party? Why? Share your thoughts in the comments or in the anonymous Google form below.
