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

Malcolm Hoenlein is with us. We call this the weekly update. Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish organizations. It is time to discuss the events of this week and it seems there's only one event to discuss this week. Mr. Hoenlein, welcome back to JM in the AM. >> Thank you. It's good to be with you. Hope you're feeling better. >> We're getting there. Slowly but surely. Sort of like the formation of the Israeli government. Slowly but surely. >> But I'm not sure there's a cure for that. >> I'm not even sure about the surely part when it comes to that, frankly. All right. I guess we'll start from where we are now. No need to rehash all of the uh different things that went on during the week. And how right after the election results started coming out, we thought the uh results would go one way and then all of a sudden, hours later, the results went another way. Right now, right now with the final count in with 100% of the votes counted, the Netanyahu quote-unquote natural block would have 53 seats and Eisenkot's natural block would have 48. And obviously, you're going to have to address for us your comments and your thoughts regarding the Arab-led parties getting a record 19 seats. So, first of all, let's start with this uh process. Obviously, the president of the state of Israel has an obligation to allow the most likely I guess the whoever whichever member of Knesset can prove that they most likely could form a government to actually go ahead and try to form that government. Is it going to be Netanyahu? Is it obvious to everybody on both sides that Netanyahu's going to be getting that first offer from the president? >> No, it's not uh obvious. I mean, what you're painting is right. Uh the president invites each of the heads of a party to come in and they and they ask them to express a preference for if either they want to do it or if they will recommend who they would likely follow. And so there is a scenario in which Eisenkot could be be given the first choice, the opportunity. But it's not certain at all at this point. The pressure will build to preempt the process and and it which will have to go through cuz it's it's mandated. And then it could go on for months. He I think he he will start meeting the parties in the middle of this week. This coming week. And then has to make a recommendation and then that party has several months in which to I think it can go up to 3 months to to try and form a government. But it'll become pretty apparent quickly whether they're able to and that will depend also on the range of available coalition partners and particularly the 19 seats held by the Arab parties. And you know, if you people know the history that these are being painted in idyllic terms about Rama's partner etc. But read some of Abbas's statements and stuff and you see why there's some hesitation on doing it. And I think the remarkable turnout which does not get recognition. It's the It's probably the only place in the Middle East where an Arab can vote for an Arab freely. And [clears throat] elect people without intimidation. The the question of foreign interference is going to loom very large if in fact Qatar as being alleged provided funding. And inducements to the for the Arab vote. So that's one sector. Then it comes the internal machinations. You know, BB has to line up the partners. Uh [clears throat] and Eisenkot the same. Will he be able to to go together with Bennett and Lapid in a party? Would the two of them join Bibi? Or which would give them a majority and you lop off the Ben-Gvir's and you will lop off the Golan, the extreme left and and the right parties, and have a a governing majority and do some sort of a rotation. As you know, people don't trust Netanyahu because in the past the rotations, you know, ended after his term ended. So, they um you know, they those are issues that really loom very large. And those who swore that they would never join, you see even Lieberman doesn't take the phone calls, neither from Eisenkot nor from the other side. And it's a game he has played before as well. So, all these things have to work themselves out. Uh and as people work themselves up, they do not want another election. That's my sense from everybody I talked to. People are exhausted from it. They want an outcome. They want stability. They want somebody that can face the challenges internally, the economic challenges, and the aftermath of war, the costs and things that are entailed, even though the projections as I think I said last week with the OECD projection show Israel with the fastest economic growth for next year way ahead of the United States at 4.6 or 7%. But the day-to-day cost of living and the expenses that are are entailed and the you know, the the health care for all those wounded, the making up for the lost wages, the businesses that that were impacted, all of these things, and they need somebody who can lead. I think it's very heavy in their minds that they're not looking for flamboyance, they're looking for stability. And you know, well, they want accountability too. That's a big issue still looming out there. And I think all of those factors will come into play and and >> [clears throat] >> President Herzog has to weigh those considerations about who realistically can make that can make that coalition possible to meaning 61 votes. And and I'm not sure right now that any coal anything other than a broad coalition or the major parties coming together in some way can do it. >> The does he have a real deadline like is there a legal deadline for the president to start and you know handing out assignments to these parties or he can take as long as he wants. >> No, I I think there there are requirements. I know that the parties when they're given the assignment do have a limited time and then they get an extension and I think it can go as I recall up to 3 months. >> Right. >> Uh uh but >> president himself he could take a couple of weeks with his interview process. >> He he can take time for the interview process absolutely. >> And if there was another >> have in the past. >> Yeah. And by the way before I even talk about another election, you have alluded to over the last couple of weeks how you know Bibi has this unique ability to you know survive-ability ability that you've described to us and nobody should ever be surprised if he comes out on top and sure enough it's pretty amazing in the aftermath of October 7th with everything that's happening with the you know just the what what you would think would be a natural fatigue for somebody who's you know in the 80-year-old range and has been you know leading for all these years you would think that that would all have come out against him but he has a solid block of support that for decades has not wavered in Israel. It's really an interesting political phenomenon. >> It is and it's it's unique probably in the world today and having now being the longest-serving prime minister ever and it's one of the factors you know that people say democracy requires change and needs to be refreshed. It's it's in there but on the other hand you know you were going into a very difficult time. First we don't know what changes will take place because of the American Congress. So, the relationship between the president and the prime minister is very critical and clearly his endorsements the Trump endorsements uh reflect that the working relationship that exists and and I believe that the the events regarding Iran will uh accelerate soon. Uh it there is certainly there appears to be the commitment on that. We can talk about the that situation, but you know, people are going to want stability and want to know who has his hand on the tiller. The truth is people forget that it was Netanyahu who played a very significant role in the economic miracle of building it when he was as minister of finance or treasury uh many years ago and that he does understand the the dynamics of the economics. The problem is he's also going to be burdened with with uh investigations and at some point the court case is going to have to you know, finish and we don't know the outcome. One of the suggestions that has been prominently put forward is that if there's a rotation government that for the years that the two years that Trump is in office Bibi would remain uh and then leaves office and get a a pardon or a full pardon uh for the charges and that he would then retire from from political life. He'll as you said, he'll be over 80 by that time and uh [clears throat] we'll see whether that that is a possible solution. There are others in those in the major parties, the other major parties who have said they would not sit in a Netanyahu-led uh >> [clears throat] >> government. So, we'll have to we'll have to see. >> If there was another election a couple of months from now, do you think the results would be much different? >> I don't see the basis on which the the difference. Maybe the smaller parties, you know, will drop out, the ones that didn't cross the threshold. And uh so, those votes which are lost in this circumstance if you don't get 3.25% and there's talk about raising it to 5% uh the threshold to qualify, then those votes are are lost and are portioned amongst the parties. The uh so there could be changes and maybe people will look at and the one thing they won't want is is instability. >> Right. >> If if in fact there were financial dealings or stuff involving the Arab vote, which again has not been proven but alleged, and the investigation in a very unusual manner that the the head of the elections oversight Judge Steinberg ordered within the week. I think by next Thursday or Friday they have to give a report but that the the people in the in the Mossad already are indicating that they have evidence about about some of this. Everything can have an impact if if we're going to be looking at elections probably in February or March. >> Right. All right. We'll we'll talk about the the accusations about and the circumstances of the of the fraud in a in a moment, but I you know the big issue and for this audience this might be the actual biggest issue. We know and we don't even have to go into detail. We we know from recent modern Jewish history the impact that small parties, especially blocks of small parties, have on elections and have on legislature and you know have on legislating in Israel. We know it. We we've seen it. We've seen small parties, you know, basically I don't want to say blackmail but but certainly hold you know hold the rest of the coalition accountable on certain issues because they threaten to leave the coalition. If in fact there's now 19 Arab seats and you know with the assumption because there is a precedent, there is a precedent of Israeli um the government officials forming a coalition that includes Arab parties. Are we headed toward a time where for the sake of governing, for the sake of power uh an Israeli uh future prime minister might invite up to 19 or more Arab seats into the coalition and you know, and they'll be part of the ruling government. And of course, by extension, as I said earlier, they'll have the ability to blackmail and withhold and deal make, etc. etc. with the government. >> So, there is a as you said, there's a precedent. It's not that they and and and I know it's confusing to everybody, including me, about the the system, but they can they become part of the 61 vote majority in the Knesset. In other words, they pledge support for the government. And especially when the government is formed, it doesn't mean that they'll vote for everything they do. But that that they can go to the president and say we have 61 votes supporting the government, even though they will not be in the government. In other words, they won't hold any portfolios in the government itself, but they will pledge from outside of the government support for it. And once they have you 61 votes, you get approved, then they move on. And they want to move on uh as you know, because in the Knesset without them yet forming a government, the um the block, the opposition with the Arabs will have a majority. And they will then move to elect the a new speaker. They will get rid of try to get rid of Ohana, who's done an amazing job and as he's a Likud appointed, obviously. And I think a remarkable man in in the job that he's done in his outreach. Um but he's uh that he's their number one target now because the speaker helps control the agenda. And has a lot of say in and putting bills forward and giving priority to things. And they have a a legislative agenda that they want to start introducing. And this is uh So this is another consideration and and the reason why to move faster to [clears throat] preempt that kind of move which is obviously going to be very divisive and could be, you know, exploited for the partisan gain by either side. Could do but whoever wins that tends to do it. But particularly targeting the speaker which is something they've said publicly is is the goal. So that >> So naturally aren't they just an election or two away if there's this amount of momentum and enthusiasm among the Arabs in Israel to vote for their own? Are they election or two away to have real influence? Like if they could do what you just described is the inevitable going to be that they actually will be holding cabinet positions? That they actually will be part of a real government cuz down the road it'll be the only way that that a that that a ruling party or the largest party can form a government is with them? >> Ra'am was part of the of a government in the past but the answer is yes and I don't know that you can sustain this momentum but you know, the the the Arab parties were paid off very handsomely with budgets and and expenditures in in the Arab areas. They obviously will will press for additional funding and for policy changes that they think are important and and that could become also divisive but at the I mean they're only 20% of the population and that and it's a 20% that turned out. Overall the participation was remarkable. It was in the 75% range, which is astounding and it's and it's across the board. And it's not the foreign votes that came in. They account for maybe a seat to seat and a half at most, but the the um I think the the Arab vote and we'll see what the investigation show. I mean, they they're entitled to vote. It's democracy. We believe in it. >> Right, but we have to see that that there's no corruption though. >> But when someone like Smotrich calls it an emergency situation for his camp, meaning as I just said that, you know, that they're going to they could God forbid destroy Israel from within the political process, is that just hyperbolic? Is that just you know, declaring a panic situation for no reason? >> Well, for them because they could be shut out of the government and because they get voted, it becomes politically certainly a very challenging and others would say that that, you know, the the more power we we've seen for instance in the Negev what has happened with the spread of the Arab population, Bedouin populations. These are things that need to be addressed for the security of Israel and it's not against anybody. It's come up with rational policies. Um as you see the borders in many places like Umm al-Fahm have been completely erased. And these governments haven't done it. So, what will happen in under the you know, even more favorable circumstances for them is something that has to be carefully examined. And and you know, the the um internal situation will be as important as the security matter as some of the external threats. >> Right. >> And especially if we're heading towards an Iran decision, this kind of division is not going to be good. >> It's America's one and only Jewish Moments in the Morning radio program heard on listener sponsored digital radio. Rabbi Nachman Kahane is coming up next of course with the beloved NSN app. Malcolm Honlein with us. It's the weekly update. So, the only real and I know some people won't like that I say this, but the only real way to establish a stable government would have to be some type of deal between Netanyahu and Eisenkot. Right? I mean, that's that's the Otherwise, you're dealing with a you know, a 61-seat majority with members that are not really happy to be there and they may threaten to leave. Right? The only way to have some type of really stable government going forward is for the two of them to sit down and work it out. >> Well, it'll be stable in terms of numbers, but you have a lot of people in those parties who have made you know, declarations on both sides that we can't live with the other side or that they tend to be more divisive in in the in the positions they they stake. So, total stability is if you had one party with really 61 votes or or a very close coalition of 61 votes or 70 votes as Netanyahu had in the past or even more. Um, and it didn't prove to be stable as they peel off when they don't get what they want. And uh but it minimizes the the leverage. In the case, the closer you the results are, it means that smaller parties or segments have uh outsized [clears throat] leverage and that means on the budget and on on some of the battles that will come up and you know, the sensitive issues. We've discussed them in the past that are are likely to um to come to the fore. That that the that spread is very important. So, the if there's a majority and if they can agree on fundamentals which has to be in the in a coalition agreement at least on the fundamentals and the major issues. On Iran, I think that there is total agreement on on dealing with some of the security threats with Gaza, Hezbollah. There's there's generally a a nationwide consensus. Uh on other issues, including draft and and things like that, there is certainly not. >> Yeah, the Haredi parties which traditionally are with Likud, can they be swayed to go with Eisenkut? >> Um the problem is that they really they've drawn a tough line on the registration and and [clears throat] um issue. I mean military participation. I think that you could get uh some shots generally uh goes along with the shots suffered a huge setback. And there's questions about whether Derry can stay as head of it now. They're down to six seats. And they had double that number in the past. Um and the um so it you'd have to take party by party and and analyze it. But I think that because the tensions are so deep without them negotiating certain assurances, I have to say that I think that there is changing attitudes in significant parts of the ready community about finding a solution in service. Um but >> Is that why Is that why Shas didn't do as well or that's a different story? >> No, I I think Shas I think it's it's internal machinations and you know, people can vote you know, a lot of obviously the Shas constituency are smarter than they can go to Likud, they could go other parties. Um and maybe they went Spin Gabir some of them or or for others. People don't just vote uh religious don't just vote for religious parties and some non-religious voted for for people who are very traditional want to see the the Jewish character protected. You know, it work it's it's a much more complicated dynamic. >> All right. And on the fraud side, so there are some arrests. I mean people were actually arrested for for bribery, for charges of trying to bribe people to vote a certain way. They found the envelopes with a lot of shekels in them with wrong with >> [laughter] >> with wrong ballot cards accompanying all those shekels. I mean, you know, we we've heard about we've heard about foreign interference. So, we've heard about you know, efforts to swing elections that are not you know, stealing elections. But this Malcolm is like a whole new level. Literally standing there and bribing people with cash to vote a certain way. It's pretty remarkable. >> Well, it's actually not so unusual as you may think. Even in places like the United States, this does happen. We have a lot of foreign interference here and in Israel the same. Our accusations, which Qatar strongly denies and came out publicly and uh you know, vehemently denied it. But the the investigation will be known very soon. It'll be a couple days. Uh but there is evidence that there was huge amounts of cash coming in to to uh elevate the Arab vote and to get them to vote certain ways. But the the um uh it's it is not unusual unfortunately anymore today. If if the truth would be told you about the American elections, how much money came into Michigan, how many how much money came in from other sources. And then, if you look at the for instance, in Michigan, the the uh bots that were operated and and traced to Indonesia. They're not American voices, but when you see the results and people say, "Oh, look at the poll. Look at this. Look at the support for these issues." Today, you cannot believe anymore that this is American voices or Israeli voices because you have so much interference and the capacity to do so often on untapped Now, with additional advances, we can trace it and we can find it. And you will see after it's own a postmortem after this election, how severe the foreign interference is by by changing, let's say, polls and by uh producing uh quote results and and and uh influencing uh the vote. So >> So so if I if I read that Michigan Senate is neck and neck, I shouldn't believe it. >> You can't believe anything anymore. I mean, all the polls, all these things are are influenced. Uh obviously, there are some that are are more careful than others. And in Israel, the same thing is true. I mean, the polling you know, notoriously doesn't reflect the outcome of the election. Although, this time >> Yeah, by the way, >> the deadlock was pretty much predicted. >> Tuesday night, I had the greatest lie. Tuesday night, I was telling everybody, "Finally, finally." Cuz of course, you're aligned with the with the polls and then the uh you know, the actual election. Finally, the polls were were correct in Israel. Finally, they got it right. Then of course, by Wednesday morning, the seat count was completely different and uh and you couldn't say that the pollsters got it right. But we were almost there. They were almost there with accuracy, but not uh it didn't prove itself once Wednesday morning's uh news came out. Uh >> think last week we agreed that a deadlock was a likely outcome. >> Yeah, but are we calling this a deadlock? >> Well, right now, it's a deadlock. It certainly is. You can't get much closer than >> type of deadlock though, cuz last week or Tuesday night, I think we were like, "Wow, how many seats Netanyahu has is so close to how many Eisenkot has." And then, you know, you wake up Wednesday morning and there's a much bigger margin. >> Well, also cuz the media was playing it uh you know, and again, the media is very political and partisan. So, they uh kept painting a picture that didn't necessarily reflect the reality. >> Yeah, that's true. I guess we have to call this a deadlock since it's going to take months before anybody even uh shows that they could possibly form a government. Um so, last week or earlier in this conversation as well, you alluded to a possible strike. Um and I asked you last week and you were sort of like um no, it doesn't make a difference so how the election goes. Are you still willing to say that Tuesday's results are irrelevant when it comes to the decision about the striking against Iran? >> I think that uh right now, if if it doesn't happen imminently after the American uh elections, >> By this time next week? >> The decisions will be made by this time next week. I don't think it'll be dependent on the outcome because I think President Trump and Netanyahu are hell-bent on doing it. I think all the preparations have been made for it. You know, the another aircraft carrier in the region, other signs, the the fact that Iran is acting more aggressively. Uh and by the way, an an Israeli cargo ship was hit off the coast of Bulgaria and it's believed is that the Russians may have done it and it sunk. A cargo ship fully [clears throat] laden. Uh was sunk. So, it's the situation escalates even though because of the elections nobody pays much attention to uh what is really happening and and nor the countermeasures. Uh you know, they they they scanned Chevron for underground tunnels. They find stuff all the time. Uh the um actions that are are being taken um in Europe, etc. against Israel. So, >> [laughter] >> um the Iran obviously remains number one issue. It's moving all the time. There are signs of activity at the old nuclear sites and new sites. And I think the president has made it clear again, you know, you never know what's feigning and what's what's real, but it's clear that they are moving in that direction and I I think it's um you know, it will not be dependent because both governments will be in place. The president and this Congress will still be there. I think we have to worry a lot about the new Congress and the election of DSA people, the most vicious including in Michigan and Texas and but many others. Those get highlighted, but there are members of Congress who are running who could win. Uh I don't want to say likely to win cuz I don't want to give them any honor, but but who could win who represented DSA in other parts of the country. And uh we're going to you know, there are very good friends of ours who are in tenuous situations and people like you know really heroes for us Mike Lawler and many other members of Congress whose who might be in tight races and we have to reinforce whether Richie Torres or whoever it is that have stood up for us need to hear and see our votes on election day for everybody and if you didn't go and vote yet do so earlier the better so that we get it locked in but it as long as you vote before the election and the the vote counts no matter regardless of the outcome of it the vote counts because it's a message to people about who turns out and who they have to be taken to account in the future but there are very disturbing races so that will put pressure on both Netanyahu and the president to move now while they can and before additional restrictions are placed on them >> Yeah vote now before the big AI cyber attack then then the vote won't count anymore >> well that that is you know I know you're saying it in part and just but it's very serious subject very dangerous for us and for reasons this is a manipulation in part against the targeting the Jewish community in ways that I want to go into on the air but they >> that I have not heard literally there are those who are who are suggesting that there that the Jewish community is being targeted >> well take a look at who heads most of the AI companies and you'll know why they want to target them and the and and more than that it's it's a total manipulation through AI where you can control virtually everything and even lose control over everything to the you know to the automatons of that are created it's it's far beyond my technical capabilities and most of us don't understand and we shut off when we hear it but if you know how serious the potential of AI will be it you know for good and for bad it it will will be very concerned >> I liked it better when I was joking about it. >> Okay, so we'll joke about >> Well, I mean you know it's just it's just much easier to deal with it by way that's all like you said, you know, you hear news like this You start shutting it off two two last things on Iran. First of all, I mean the vice president United States at least according to the New York Times has produced a letter which indicates he wants diplomacy. He may want another you know, Iran deal so to speak. So is this going against his own president and what's the likelihood that there'll be some type of discussion before any type of strike? >> Well, he's I mean he's taking a different position on some of these things all along but the ultimate decision rests with the president. I think more and more places are beginning to see how the IHC networks have impacted are are subverting governments are are a real threat. The fact that the Houthis continue and that we the only way you break Iran is both through the economic sanctions and and it would only take a few days. This would not be of necessity an elongated war to take out the capacity and and finish you know, their export of what they're still exporting too much and have some capacity to continue to do what they're doing including aiding some of their of their cohorts. [clears throat] By the way, we cannot finish without talking about Turkey in this regard too because that that situation escalating so much. >> I was just going to bring up we never even discussed when the Saudi Arabians, Pakistanis and Turks got together in Tehran. >> Right. So so right now the the Iranian situation is critical. The costs are reflected at the gas pumps and in many other things even though when you see the ad in Michigan where everything that is raised price was blamed on the Jews and ad that actually ran blamed it on Israel that they that the price of their bananas is up I mean it's it's really out of Gerbils and I don't use those analogies lightly and the fact that it could run is unbelievable and you know the permissiveness in the media generally there's a station that's running ads that you know it's you can be an agnostic and be a Jew and be a an atheist and be a Jew a Buddhist and a Jew but if you believe in in Jesus you you you can't be there's something wrong with this go to jew.com which is a Jews for Jesus type site and it's it's horrendous and that the mean and they keep running it despite people raising concerns about it on major net station in in New York and maybe more I don't can't I don't listen to all of them so I don't know but you know the permissiveness of of all these things is is so out of control but the ads and some that you don't see that run and the statements have been made around the country by by candidates it's just it's not borderline anti-semitism Jew hatred it's blatant Jew hatred so and you know Iran has a finger is often traced some of the bots and things to Iran as well but they're preoccupied a little bit with some of their own internal things the situation inside the country deteriorates and I think a short targeted attacks of of several days maybe a week's duration maybe a little bit longer would be able to to I think [clears throat] be the makapapadesha you know the final blow that we need to uh to bring about the change which really it means from the top >> And when Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and Turkey send military officials to Iran that's a statement that what that if the US attacks we have your back like what are they saying? >> No I don't think they're saying it and I think that many of them are very anxious to see the US do it. A lot of this is show. It's It's the same thing, you know, they which I expressed concern about here when it was signed between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. But you see that they all pledged and they you know, they said we and attack on one is attack on others and we will all rise to the occasion. You see how they've risen to the occasion. And then you have parties the reports that that Saudi Arabia has offered the Houthis a billion dollars to buy peace. That they've done they you know, they buy their ways out of situation and the three of them go to to Iran. They all three hate Iran. All of them. And and Turkey in particular they have a lot of conflict situations. You just notice they don't come to their aid in a war even though they threaten the United States with that. They use it as leverage against the US-Israel relationship etc. But and Pakistan >> [clears throat] >> which was playing warmer like Indonesia which came out this week much harsher against Israel than they have for a long time. Again [clears throat] some of it has to do with domestic issues. And it's for those who look at just the headlines understand the complexity of everything that is going on and the reality which may differ from you know, what the headline says as to what's really happening beneath it. The Saudis are so disappointed in terms of the support they've gotten against against the Houthis. You look at a place I met yesterday with officials from one Gulf country and you know, their their unhappiness in the American troops are moving out of out of countries traditional bases by the way which may mean money more will be stationed in Israel because they're looking for a safe haven and more distant from Iran which will lessen the likelihood that they come under attack because American resources were attacked in all the Gulf countries even Qatar, which is such a hostile country, the American facilities there were were targeted and and Qataris were were hit as well. So, don't put too much just in a meeting and it certainly doesn't mean a new alliance between the Sunnis and Shiites and etc. coming together. I think it was meant to blunt some of the Iranian excesses. >> All right. So, you think most of November and December will be lamenting each week the fact that there's no Israeli government formed yet. It's going to take a while, right? >> I think it's going to take if can we just do Turkey for 1 minute cuz it's very critical. Turkey is moving very aggressively and Turkey in a way and I've said it on the show, I've said it to especially terrible leaders in the region, is a greater threat than than Iran will be in the future. Number one, it has an air force, a very good air force. It has a military the second largest in NATO. They are member of NATO. We're talking about selling them the F-35s. We they have a very aggressive policy. They are an Islamist state despite the fact that they are members of NATO. The the country is moving consistently stronger in that direction and Erdogan is leading it, but Erdogan's son, whom he sees as his inheritor, is even much more more extreme than his father. And and Mrs. Erdogan is also very Islamist and they they just signed a deal with Libya, which I warned about 2 weeks ago or whenever when we talked about it last, that this was in the offing and that people don't even take account of it. They say, "Oh, who cares if they signed a deal with Libya?" What it does is it establishes a corridor from Turkey to Libya and now they're trying to delimit the maritime borders of Egypt. I don't I I it's very technical, but believe me, this could be game-changing. They're trying to build uh the Shiite arc, which I've a Sunni arc, which I warned about for a long time, uh which will go from Turkey to Qatar, which is their partner as Muslim Brotherhood states. And that's why they're active in the Sudan, and that's why they're active in Somalia. If you look at the map, you see the trajectory that this is taking. They're also more and more active in Africa. And this the he is an extreme ideologue in in every respect. And I think, you know, Turkey represents such a severe danger, and yet we have an ambassador there who is very beholden and and and is trying to project beyond what a diplomat is required to do or supposed to do. He is He's demonstrating, according to people locals and others, uh has become part of the problem, not the solution. But he's a close friend of the presidents, and and you know, it raises the whole question about all these special envoys, which in the region are not seen very favorably. So, Turkey is something you have we have to watch, and and unfortunately administration, I don't think it's prepared to take Well, certainly not on another front, but to even act to restrict the sales and things to to to Turkey. >> You suppress one enemy, there's always another rearing its ugly head. >> Right. >> That's the bottom line. Like one big soap opera. Unfortunately, it's real life. Um Malcolm, I thank you. Have a wonderful Shabbos, and please God, we'll speak again next week. >> God willing, everybody should have a good Shabbos, a peaceful Shabbos. Get some good rest. We need your energy. >> And vote. >> Right. Vote early and often, as Chicago rules go. >> It's a 100%. Mayor Daley would be proud. Malcolm Hoenlein weekly update Friday, 7:40 a.m. Eastern time here at J M in the A.M. Friday. >> Mhm.