December 3, 2023 - Weekend Digest

Israel expands its ground operation as George Santos makes history here at home

Today is December 3, 2023, and here is your weekend digest. If you enjoy these digests and want access to more, exclusive content or to support my work, please consider becoming a monthly subscriber by clicking the link below:

1) Israel Expands Ground Operation

After a temporary, seven day ceasefire concluded, Israeli forces have begun their ground operation again, and have announced that the ground operation will expand into southern Gaza. United States officials have warned the Israelis that any ground operation in southern Gaza must be more targeted and must limit human casualties as much as possible. Meanwhile the head of Shin Bet, Israel’s security agency called for the eradication of Hamas leaders around the world stating: "The cabinet set us a goal. In the words of the street, it is to eliminate Hamas. And we are determined to do it. This is our Munich. Everywhere: in Gaza, Israel, Lebanon, Turkey, Qatar, everywhere.”

While negotiations are ongoing for a potential extension in the original ceasefire, especially as over 100 hostages remain in Hamas custody, over the weekend, the Israeli government pulled its negotiators from Qatar after hitting a roadblock in these negotiations. This comes at a time where the international pressure on Israel is only increasing, with more countries joining the choir in calling for a permanent ceasefire. The United States is not one of these countries.

2) George Santos Expelled, What’s Next

George Santos has officially become only the sixth member of Congress in American history to be expelled. Despite the scathing Ethics Committee report, more than half of the Republican caucus, including Speaker Mike Johnson, voted to keep Santos in Congress. Despite this, 2/3rd of the House of Representatives chose to expel Santos, meaning he has officially been removed from office. Within minutes of his expulsion, the locks on his office door were changed and his name plate was taken off the door. Now that Santos has been removed, New York Governor Kathy Hochul will set a date for a special election in the coming days. Each party will choose their nominee for the special election, which is expected to occur sometime at the end of February or in early March. The winner of the election will hold the seat for the remainder of Santos’ current term.

3) Trump Commits To Travel Ban

Donald Trump, in a late night rally recommitted to instituting his travel ban again should he be elected next November. The initial travel ban, which many dubbed to be a ban on Muslim immigrants, targeted several Muslim majority countries in Africa and the Middle East. It is important to note that several “progressive” Democrats have committed to not voting for President Joe Biden in 2024 due to his handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict. However, the alternative for many of these individuals is much worse. Not only will Trump move to block Muslims from entering America, he will be more harmful for the Palestinian people, and will likely not push for a two state solution that sees the creation of both an Israeli and Palestinian state.