🏳️ Fragile Truce

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TRENDING

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Left: Where Do We Go From Here? The Nation

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Right: Make the Family Great Again or Fall, J.P. De Gance, American Greatness

Right: Freshman Enrollment Is Down--and It's No Wonder, Riley & Piereson, New York Post

MIDDLE EAST

Fragile Truce

Today’s Top Story: On Wednesday, Israel and Hezbollah began a ceasefire, brokered by the U.S. and France, with Israel agreeing to withdraw from Lebanon within 60 days to allow the Lebanese army to establish a border buffer zone.

Reporting from the Left: Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire sees Israeli airstrike on Lebanon and scattered attacks (AP)

Reporting from the Right: Cease-fire hangs by a thread after Israel hits Lebanon with tank fire, drone strike in response to suspected threats (New York Post)

LEFT-LEANING SENTIMENT

Won’t Last Long

The Top Argument From The Left: The ceasefire in Lebanon will not last long, Belén Fernández, Al Jazeera: “Those familiar with Israel’s modus operandi could sense the imminence of a ceasefire in Lebanon, given the recent surge in manic bombardment by the Israeli military, which has a habit of stepping up its acts of lethal barbarism whenever there is a looming danger of temporary peace. … Given Israel’s track record of violating regional ceasefires and then blaming the violation on the opposing party to justify bouts of mass bloodshed, we can safely assume that Israel will decide to ‘strike decisively’ whenever it decides it is up for another round in Lebanon. … For starters, the Lebanese army is a force that is entirely incapable of defending the country against Israel’s predatory designs – and the US will continue to ensure that it remains so. As for respecting the mutual border, consider that, even prior to the onset of outright hostilities in 2023, the Israeli military continuously violated Lebanese airspace, including by breaking the sound barrier over Beirut and other cities – a nerve-annihilating little trick that not only constitutes a blatant violation of Resolution 1701 but also amounts to a form of terrorism in itself. … At the end of the day, Israel accuses Hezbollah of ‘terrorism’ in order to distract from the fact that its military has been terrorising Lebanon for decades.”

Honorable Mention #1: What Israel and Hezbollah’s ceasefire deal will look like in action, Daniel R. DePetris, MSNBC

Honorable Mention #2: What the Cease-Fire Between Israel and Lebanon Means for Gaza, Nicholas Kristof, The New York Times

RIGHT-LEANING SENTIMENT

Confusing

The Top Argument From The Right: Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire begins but experts split over its viability, Brady Knox, Washington Examiner: “While both sides welcomed the ceasefire, experts and analysts are split on its viability. Both sides are eager to cease hostilities to regroup, but they also both have incentives to break the ceasefire. Foreign Policy noted that the two sides have near-zero trust that the other will keep their part of the bargain, and Israel is emboldened by its success over the past three months in its ability to degrade Hezbollah through direct strikes. Hezbollah, meanwhile, faces drastic damage to its prestige by failing to assist its ally in the Gaza Strip, Hamas. David Daoud, a senior fellow with the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, expressed heavy skepticism about the wisdom of the ceasefire from Israel’s perspective, warning that the levers to keep Hezbollah in place were too weak. ‘This deal is only a cosmetic upgrade from UN Security Council Resolution 1701,’ he said, referring to the resolution that ended the 2006 war. … Joe Truzman, senior research analyst and editor at FDD’s Long War Journal, gave the ceasefire a more positive appraisal, echoing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s view that the ceasefire was vital to isolate Hamas and help bring the war in Gaza to a speedier conclusion.”

Honorable Mention #1: Now It Makes Sense, Noah Rothman, National Review

Honorable Mention #2: John Bolton doubts Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire deal will last, Mike Brest, Washington Examiner

FLAG THIS

Polling from Israel

A new Channel 12 poll in Israel shows Prime Minister Netanyahu's bloc falling short of a Knesset majority, despite Likud remaining the largest party with 25 seats—a loss of seven. Key findings:

• Knesset seat projections: Government bloc: 51 seats; opposition: 69 seats. Benny Gantz's National Unity follows Likud with 18 seats.

• Lebanon cease-fire views: 37% support, 32% oppose, and 31% are undecided.

• Gaza war sentiment: A Channel 13 poll found 44% support the cease-fire, and 66% back ending the war with a hostage deal (Haaretz).

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WATERCOOLER

Midnight Heroine, Dream Weavers, Pipe Nightmare

On This Day in 1777, legend has it that on this night, Philadelphia housewife and midwife Lydia Darragh single-handedly saved the lives of General George Washington and his Continental Army when she overheard the British planning a surprise attack on Washington’s army for the following day.

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Today I Learned: The day after Thanksgiving is the busiest day of the year for plumbers.

30 DAYS TO GO

If we get 1,000 paying subscribers by December 31, we’ll continue this newsletter in 2025. If we don’t, we will discontinue.

We are capitalists, so we will let the market (aka, YOU) decide whether or not this newsletter should live or die.

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