In 1948, Albert Einstein and some other renowned Jews from the United States wrote a strongly worded letter to the New York Times. In the letter, Albert Einstein, Hannah Arendt, and other prominent figures expressed their concern and alarm about the emergency and increased popularity of the ‘Freedom Party’ in the infant state of Israel. In the letter, the scientist and his colleagues described the Freedom Party as a right-wing, terrorist, and bigoted outfit. They added that the Israeli political outfit had similarities to Nazi and fascist organizations in its philosophy, methods, and application of its ideals. Einstein and Hannah were correct in their concerns. Menachem Begin, the outfit’s leader, was one of the organizers and participants in the Deir Yassin massacre. Those murders in the village of Deir Yassin, and many other murders committed by the Israelis against Palestinian women and children, would ultimately prove that Israel was turning into a fascist state. The Deir Yassin Massacre In 1948, right before the formation of the new state of Israel, heavily armed Zionists orchestrated brutal attacks on Palestinian settlements. They massacred unarmed civilians and expelled the remaining ones. They had one aim: to create more land for their new country. In the traumatizing event that the Palestinians refer to as the Nakba or the catastrophe, it is said that the Zionists killed over 15,000 Palestinians. A bigger number were forced to leave their homes in terror, becoming refugees in other parts of the region or crossing over into neighboring countries. Deir Yassin was a Palestinian village to the west of the holy city of Jerusalem. Perched atop a hill, the village would become a poignant reminder of the never-ending war between Israelis and Palestinians. At the village of Deir Yassin, Zionist militias from the Irgun and Stern fighting units reportedly killed over 100 Palestinians, including women and children. Women, children, and elderly people were tied to trees and then torched to agonizing deaths. The Zionist soldiers lined up others against a wall and executed them with machine guns. In the official Israeli version of events, the armed operation was an attempt to get rid of a blockade on the main road to the city of Jerusalem. They were however met with armed resistance and had no option but to move from house to house.But Palestinians, and even some Israeli historians, rubbish these claims. They said the villagers and the Israelis had a formal non-aggression agreement. Despite this, the Haganah (the precursor to the modern Israeli armed forces) still murdered unarmed civilians and buried them in mass graves. Albert Einstein was Concerned by Fascism in Israel A British team visited the sites of the massacres and submitted a report to the United Nations. In the report, the delegation said that approximately 250 men, women, and children were murdered using savage means. Benny Morris, an Israeli historian, said that the Zionist militias ransacked Palestinian homes, robbed the survivors of their money and Jewelry, and burned the bodies of the ones they murdered. He added that there were reports of rape and dismemberment. Another Israeli historian, Ilan Pappe said that the Deir Yassin massacre and many others were not accidental events.The military campaigns, according to the historian, are specifically aimed at driving the Palestinians out of their land to create space for more Jewish settlements. Netanyahu and Modern Fascism in Israel Ever since Israel started their military operation in Gaza, Netanyahu and his coalition government have shown little or no regard for the loss of innocent Palestinian lives. So far, over 30,000 people have lost their lives to Israeli bombs in Gaza. The Israelis have even killed people in refugee camps in the name of eliminating Hamas. But Israel’s and Netanyahu’s actions should not come as a surprise to anyone. Shortly after he became Israel’s Prime Minister yet again in the last elections, the Likud Party leader began coalition talks with fascist political parties. He succeeded in the talks, forming a majority government of three main political parties: Jewish Power under the leadership of Itamar Ben Gavin, National Union whose leader is Bezalel Smotrich, and Noam. Noam is also known for its hateful rhetoric against gay people. With this new coalition, Netanyahu’s government now had 14 seats in the Knesset (The Israeli Parliament). These developments confirmed once and for all that for all intents and purposes, Netanyahu was wading into fascist waters. The Israeli Prime Minister has also developed a close bond with two other parties: United Torah Judaism, and Shah. These two parties have extremely religious views and due to their close relationship with the PM, they now have a big say on religion, education, and other social affairs in Israel. Israeli Soldiers Guarding a Jewish Settlement Netanyahu’s coalition partners are known to have extreme racist views towards the Palestinians and other ethnic minorities. They believe that the entire place is their promised land. In their view, The Palestinians do not belong there. This could explain why the Israeli government has no problem with killing people they view as interlopers. Netanyahu and his government are also opposed to the formation of a Palestinian state. They have actively supported the building of more illegal Jewish settlements in the Palestinian territories, despite the United Nations telling them not to. The coalition government has demanded that if the Palestinian minorities want to live in peace, admit that they have lost the war to the Jews and that the Jews now own the country. The United States government under President Joe Biden, and other Western nations have been complicit in the continued suffering being endured by Palestinians. Despite the mass murders and hateful rhetoric by Netanyahu and his cabinet towards the Arabs, the White House has remained silent. Weapons and monetary assistance continue to flow into Israel, enabling Netanyahu and his cronies to continue raining terror on the Palestinians. Israel is now a fascist state.
Pep Guardiola, His Football Disciples, and the Debate on Whether He Is the Best in the World
There is no doubt that Pep Guardiola is one of the best football tacticians in the world at the Moment.There has been a raging debate on whether Pep is the best of the best, especially after he led his Manchester City to a record fourth consecutive league trophy in the just-ended season. Many detractors point to the 114 charges against Manchester City that are currently under investigation, arguing that Pep’s achievements have been catalyzed by Manchester City’s blatant disregard for the FFP rules. However, even rival managers such as Jurgen Klopp are in awe of Guardiola. The outgoing Liverpool manager recently stated his belief that the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager is the best in the world. If you look at dugouts all across Europe, you will see managers who honed their skills under Guardiola’s tutelage. Guardiola is a disciple of Dutch legend Johan Cruyff, preferring a possession-based style of football. His tactics have evolved over the years, and many coaches study his approach with a keen eye. Some of the managers who have studied at the school of Pep include: Luis Enrique Luis Enrique was Guardiola’s teammate during their playing days at Barcelona. During the first three years of Guardiola’s title-laden four years at Barcelona, Enrique was in charge of the club’s team B. Luis Enrique In 2014, Enrique was appointed as the Barcelona head coach. With Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Luis Suarez forming a deadly front three, he led them to a treble. He retained the La Liga league title the following season. He was in charge for three years, lifting the Copa De La Rey title for all three seasons. After Spain flopped at the 2018 World Cup, he was tasked with reviving their fortunes. He introduced an exciting playing style but did not lead the Blaugrana to a title. He is currently the PSG head coach, and immediately led the Parisian giants to a domestic treble. With star player Kylian Mbappe having said goodbye to the club, it will be interesting to see how Enrique rebuilds the team. Xabi Alonso Xabi Alonso was one of the best midfielders in the world, especially during his days at English giants Liverpool. Xabi Alonso He later moved to Real Madrid to play under Jose Mourinho. At the tail end of his football career, Alonso joined Bayern Munich under Pep Guardiola in 2014. He proved to be an instant hit at Bayern, where he retired one year after Pep left the club. He went to Real Madrid to coach their youth team, before joining the Real Sociedad B team in 2019. With their prospects dwindling and in the Bundesliga relegation zone, Bayer Leverkusen took a chance on Alonso at the beginning of the 22/23 season. He had an instant impact at the club, guiding them for Europa League qualification in his first season. During the 2023/24 season, Alonso shocked the football world by guiding Leverkusen to their first league title, and to a double after also lifting the DFB Pokal trophy. Alonso’s side finished the league unbeaten. Due to his success, Alonso was linked with Liverpool and Manchester United. But he decided to stay in Germany and signed a contract extension with Bayer Leverkusen. Xavi Alongside Andres Iniesta, Xavi was the midfield lynchpin of Pep Guardiola’s artists at Barcelona. He was always seen as a potential heir to his boss at Barcelona. Xavi After a managerial stint in Qatar, Xavi was appointed Barcelona manager in November 2021. The team was in a bad state after Ronald Koeman’s disastrous reign. Things were made worse by Barcelona’s poor finances. Despite these challenges, Xavi was able to lead Barcelona to the La Liga title in the 2022/23 title. Xavi’s relationship with club president Joan Laport however increasingly became strained. He initially announced that he would leave at the end of this season, but changed his decision. He later made some comments that angered the Barcelona board, and was relieved off his duties after the conclusion of this season. Eric Ten Hag Eric Ten was given the job of coaching Bayern Munich’s B team in 2013, the same time Pep Guardiola took charge of the club’s senior side. After lifting the Regionalliga Bundesliga league title with the youngsters, the Dutchman left to join FC Utrecht. Ten Hag later joined Dutch giants Ajax Amsterdam in 2017. In his five years at Ajax Amsterdam, he won three league titles and two domestic cups. He also defied the odds by guiding his underdog side to the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League during the 2018/19 season, where they lost a close contest to Tottenham Hotspur. Current stars such as Barcelona’s Frenkie De Jong and Juventus defender Matthjis de Ligt made their names under Ten Hag at Ajax. In the past, Ten Hag has waxed lyrical about Pep Guardiola. After that amazing run in the Champions League, the FA Cup winner said that he learned a lot from Guardiola. He said that the Catalan’s football ideology is sensational, adding that he tried to incorporate the same methods at Ajax Amsterdam. Ten Hag is currently Manchester United’s manager. While his managerial stint at the club has been a bit thorny, he did manage to lift the Carabao Cup during his first season. He has followed that up by lifting the FA Cup this season, beating Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City at the final. Eric Ten Hag and Pep Guardiola Vincent Kompany The former Manchester City captain was recently the new Bayern Munich manager. During the 2022/23 season, Kompany’s Burnley side had an incredible run in the Championship on their way to getting promoted into the EPL. However, Burnley were relegated this season after managing just 24 points in the league campaign. Kompany’s decision to stick to the ultra-attacking football that got the team promoted, proved to be his undoing. Many viewed his total commitment to the football ethos he learned while playing for Guardiola, as naivety.Still, his mentor once proclaimed that Kompany has the capacity to succeed him
Former U.S President Donald Trump Found Guilty of Plan to Influence the Outcome of 2016 Election
Donald Trump has been found guilty of falsifying business documents in an illegal attempt to influence the 2016 presidential elections in his favor. Trump was found guilty on all 34 charges in a hush-money corruption scheme that was an attempt to ensure his election against current United States President, Joe Biden. After deliberating his charges for less than a day, a jury found the former US President guilty. The case against Trump has dominated the news cycles for months since it began. Being found guilty is a momentous and dangerous moment for Trump and his political career. Despite the criminal charges leveled against him, he has remained the only viable presidential candidate for the Republican Party. He is the presumptive nominee and is expected to challenge Joe Biden in the November presidential election. However, this guilty verdict could see his high poll numbers drop significantly. The jury, made up of 12 people from New York, found the controversial politician guilty of felony falsification of business records. Under US law, it is a crime for an individual to fill out false data in records to use them to commit a second crime. Reacting to the guilty verdict afterward, Trump claimed that his trial was rigged. He also accused the presiding judge of being conflicted and corrupt. He said the entire process was a disgrace. Soon after the guilty decision against his Republican opponent, President Joe Biden’s campaign team responded with an email. In the email, Biden and his team said that the verdict against Trump showed that no one is above the law. The email went on to say that Donald Trump has always been under the mistaken belief that he would never face any consequences for blatantly breaking the law for his agendas. The email went on to state that the verdict will not change the reality that Donald Trump, whether he gets convicted or not, will still be the Republican presidential nominee to face President Joe Biden. The email urged the citizens of the United States and supporters of Biden, to turn out in large numbers during the elections to ensure Trump does not find his way back into the White House. How the Case Against Trump Unfolded in Court In the case, the Manhattan district attorney took Trump to court accusing him of falsely recording the reimbursements to Michael Cohen, one of his former attorneys. The reimbursement was for the $130,000 that Cohen paid to Storm Daniels, a porn star. Cohen paid the money to Daniels for her not to reveal her affair with the former president. Trump then recorded the reimbursement to Cohen as “legal expenses.” Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s former lawyer who gave damning testimony According to prosecutors, Trump made the false documents to conceal that he had broken the state election laws in New York. New York state laws say it is illegal for any person to get elected into office unlawfully. Arguing its case, the state of New York said that Trump broke the law by paying hush money to Daniels. According to the prosecutors, the payment was an illegal campaign contribution, because its sole purpose was to help propel into the White House. The money was also more than the $2,700 contribution cap on individual campaign contributions. The prosecutors called 20 witnesses. In approximately one month, these witnesses gave evidence of how Trump and his friends David Pecker, a media executive, and his lawyer Michael Cohen worked together to conceal evidence of his affair with Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, a model for Playboy magazine. According to the witnesses, after the Access Hollywood tape of him bragging about sexual harassment came out, Trump became worried that tales of his affairs with the adult stars would come out and ruin his prospects of becoming president. In the leaked 2016 tape, Trump forgot to turn off his hot mic and was recorded boasting that he was able to grab women “by the pussy.” Donald Trump and Stormy Daniels have been pictured together in the past So, when it became more and more likely that Trump’s history with Stormy Daniels would leak out before the presidential election in 2016, Cohen moved quickly to pay off the porn star for exclusive rights to her story. This was a move to prevent the story from ever getting published. During his testimony, Cohen revealed that he used a home loan to raise the money needed to pay off Daniels. He then used a shell company to wire the funds to her lawyer. In his damaging testimony, Trump’s former attorney said that he went into all this trouble because he knew his client would later reimburse him the funds. According to Cohen, Trump had told him to just take care of the situation. Trump also moaned that the whole thing was a disaster and that it would make women hate him. Asked by the prosecution whether he would have paid off Stormy Daniels without authorization from his boss, Cohen replied no, saying that Trump would have to put his signature on everything his lawyers handled. Daniels also recounted her encounters with Trump. She recalled a time when Trump said she reminded him of his beautiful daughter. He remarked just like Daniels, people underestimate her because she is beautiful and blonde.