Category: History

Trump called Iowa evangelicals ‘so-called Christians’ and ‘pieces of shit’, book says

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/nov/23/trump-iowa-evangelicals-pieces-of-shit-book-says

Mockery over ‘Two Corinthians’ slip and endorsement battles in 2016 echo in 2024 race as Republican contenders seek first win

A picture of Donald Trump hangs outside a house in West Des Moines, Iowa, in January 2016.

A picture of Donald Trump hangs outside a house in West Des Moines, Iowa, in January 2016. Photograph: Jim Young/Reuters

Trump called Iowa evangelicals ‘so-called Christians’ and ‘pieces of shit’, book says

Mockery over ‘Two Corinthians’ slip and endorsement battles in 2016 echo in 2024 race as Republican contenders seek first win

 

In the heat of the Republican primary of 2016, Donald Trump called evangelical supporters of his rival Ted Cruz “so-called Christians” and “real pieces of shit”, a new book says.

The news lands as the 2024 Republican primary heats up, two months out from the Iowa caucus and a day after Trump’s closest rival this time, the hard-right Florida governor, Ron DeSantis, was endorsed by Bob Vander Plaats, an influential evangelical leader in Iowa.

The new book, The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism, by Tim Alberta, an influential reporter and staff writer for the Atlantic, will be published on 5 December. The Guardian obtained a copy.

Early in the book, Alberta describes fallout from an event at Liberty University, the evangelical college in Virginia, shortly before the Iowa vote in January 2016.

As candidates jockeyed for support from evangelicals, a powerful bloc in any Republican election, Trump was asked to name his favourite Bible verse.

Attempting to follow the advice of Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, the thrice-married, not noticeably church-going New York billionaire and reality TV star introduced it as “Two Corinthians”, rather than “Second Corinthians”, as would have been correct.

“The laughter and ridicule were embarrassing enough for Trump,” Alberta writes. “But the news of Perkins endorsing Ted Cruz, just a few days later, sent him into a spiral. He began to speculate that there was a conspiracy among powerful evangelicals to deny him the GOP nomination.

“When Cruz’s allies began using the ‘Two Corinthians’ line to attack him in the final days before the Iowa caucuses, Trump told one Iowa Republican official, ‘You know, these so-called Christians hanging around with Ted are some real pieces of shit.’”

Alberta adds that “in private over the coming years”, Trump “would use even more colourful language to describe the evangelical community”.

Cruz won Iowa but Trump took the second primary contest, in New Hampshire, and won the nomination with ease. After beating Hillary Clinton and spending four chaotic years in the White House, he was beaten by Joe Biden in 2020.

Pursuing the lie that his defeat was the result of electoral fraud, Trump refused to concede defeat. He has continued to dominate Republican politics, now as the clear frontrunner to be the nominee again.

Trump has maintained that status despite having been impeached twice (the second for inciting the deadly January 6 attack on Congress) and despite facing 91 criminal charges (34 for hush-money payments to a porn star) and civil threats including a case arising from a rape allegation a judge called “substantially true”.

Evangelicals remain the dominant bloc in Iowa, 55% of respondents to an NBC News/Des Moines Register poll in August identifying as “devoutly religious”. But despite his lengthy rap sheet, Trump’s hold on such voters appears to remain strong.

In October, the Register put him at 43% support overall in Iowa, with DeSantis and the former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley 27 points behind. The same poll said 44% of evangelicals planned to make Trump their first choice, with DeSantis at 22% and Haley seven points back.

Evangelicals have also stayed with Trump nationwide. According to exit polls, in the 2020 presidential election he was supported by 76% of white evangelical voters.

DeSantis and Haley must attempt to catch Trump in Iowa. Vander Plaats’ endorsement was thus a sought-after prize, if one Trump did not pursue, declining to attend a Thanksgiving Family Forum Vander Plaats hosted in Des Moines last week.

On Monday, announcing his decision to endorse DeSantis, the president of the Family Leader, which seeks to “inspire the church to engage government for the advance of God’s kingdom and the strengthening of family”, pointed to the conclusion he hoped his followers would reach.

Speaking to Fox News, Vander Plaats said: “I don’t think America is going to elect [Trump] president again. I think America would be well served to have a choice, and I really believe Ron DeSantis should be that guy. And I think Iowa is tailor-made for him to win this.”

Trump’s rivals may yet take encouragement from Register polling, should evangelicals begin to doubt Trump. In the October poll, 76% of Iowa evangelicals said they had a positive view of DeSantis, while 62% said they liked Haley.

 

 

Republican Rep Praises “Homogeneous” Argentina For Having “Only One Religion, One Culture, & One Race”

Republican Rep Praises “Homogeneous” Argentina For Having “Only One Religion, One Culture, & One Race”

When they tell you who they are, believe them the first time.  Racist, non-tolerant Christian bigots.  This has been their goal for the longest time.   It is clear from the attempts to change history, to whitewash history and current events.  To support the most unchristian tRump over the very Christian Biden because tRump hates and Biden doesn’t, he loves.   Which one is more Christ like?  Which one does the republicans adore?  And if you read the comments it appears she is full of shit.   It is a very mixed diverse country.   I don’t know.   But interestingly one commenter wrote that tRump showed these republicans they can’t bother with code words, the base needs and wants the pure clear hatreds.   Hugs.   Scottie

NBC News reports:

In a video endorsement of Javier Milei days before he was elected president of Argentina, U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar praised the country as having everything, including “only one culture, only one religion and only one race, completely homogeneous.” Argentina chose Milei, a right-wing libertarian and former television pundit who calls himself an “anarcho-capitalist,” as president over the weekend, shaking the country’s establishment.

The comment by Salazar, a Florida Republican who is of Cuban descent, appeared to refer to a perception of Argentina, including among its own citizens, as a country of white European descendants. Speaking in Spanish, Salazar said on video: “We want it to be one of the best countries in the world, because it’s what they deserve. A country that has everything. It has soy, it has meat, it has minerals, it has land, it has water, and it has only one culture, only one religion and only one race, completely homogenous.”

Read the full article.

Salazar last appeared here in 2021 when she condemned Biden for “handing over” the international rights to COVID vaccines, thereby “undermining” US-based big pharma of their profits. Salazar missed her 2020 swearing-in as a freshman because she was ill with COVID.

 

 

TrollopeReader17 hours ago

is she praising the former Nazi’s who escaped after WWII ?>?

RoyalScribe  TrollopeReader17 hours ago

Yes, and the Italian supporters of Mussolini.

stretchdad17 hours ago

I used to work with an Argentinian. He had a Spanish first name and Scottish surname. When I asked him about it he said, “Argentines are mutts.”

evanedwards  stretchdad17 hours ago edited

There are at least 13 indigenous ethnic groups in addition to the countless others which reside there.

Ed Michigan 17 hours ago

From what I read in another article last night, Argentina is quite diverse, and she is full of shit. Well, spewing shit is what Republicans are good at. That and lies, hypocrisy, bigotry, racism, corruption, etc.etc.

kaydenpat  Ed Michigan17 hours ago

There are Black and Indigenous Argentinians even if in very small numbers.

Canadian Observer  kaydenpat15 hours ago

The majority of the population of Argentine are considered to be of “mixed race” – locally referred to as mestizo (of European and Indigenous ancestry). Approximately 5% of the total population are of mixed European and African (or Afro-Caribbean) descent. At least that is what the CIA’s fact sheet on Argentina says….

eddiebeskeddie  kaydenpat2 hours ago

This is THE most important point that everyone needs to understand. Spanish is not the original language. And modern day culture in Argentina as well as most of North, South and Central America is imported from other countries. Anything not indigenous is not original or “one” anything as they would like to convince us of.

PickyPecker17 hours ago

another stellar GQP’er showing off the depth of her knowledge and understanding.

J.Martindale  PickyPecker16 hours ago

And racism.

another_steve  PickyPecker17 hours ago

What’s truly remarkable is that yesterday’s “unspoken bigotries” are, for Republicans, out in the open today. No more “careful parsing of words.”

Trump taught them that the base needs to hear the hate and bigotries and hear them clearly and unambiguously.

 

Lead ‘Scream’ Actress Fired For Defending Palestinians And Agreeing With The UN

The lead actress in the next ‘Scream’ movie, Melissa Barrera, has been fired from that role over her recent comments on social media.

Israel And Hamas Verging On Major Deal

While it won’t end the larger conflict, a major hostage exchange is on the brink of being approved.

This video details how many Palestinian children are being held in Israeli military prisons with no charges, it shows clearly how much of an open air prison every Palestinian lives under in the current situation.   The abuses of the Palestinians is beyond belief now.   Hugs.   Scottie

Liberal Redneck – Is Joe Biden Too Old to Run Again?

TRUMP Quotes Hitler…AGAIN! Bernie Sanders Breaks Up A Fight | Christopher Titus | Titus Podcast

Johnson: America Deserves God’s Wrath For Permitting “Dark And Depraved” Things Like Young LGBTQ People

Johnson: America Deserves God’s Wrath For Permitting “Dark And Depraved” Things Like Young LGBTQ People

Again because people were not paying attention, the religious fanatics moved into positions of power.  Now they want to enforce their own personal way of life on everyone and are willing to destroy democracy to do it.  The public should take these people as a warning of how they want to erase our personal liberties to eased their religious fears.   Think of it, if you read both this post and the article you see that he is claiming that his god will not give good things to our country, which to be honest has really been so far his god giving good things to white people, but will now be mean to … again white people because the very people Mike Johnson thinks are bad have gained more equality in the cis hetero world.  He really thinks we are inventing new ways to be “evil”.   Hell’s bells and my dogs that love gravy how weird is this guy to think that people only started to do bad stuff now that gays have the right to marry and kids can come out at school?  Really what about slavery, what about the atrocities all through history including the Holocaust and the dark ages, Spanish Inquisition, and the horrible things Columbus and his people did.   But gay kids are where his god draws the line????  Think of the things being done in Gaza, but his god is more upset that a boy finds another boy sexually attractive so that is why he will destroy the country?   Think about where and why these people focus on.   Worth the read for both.   Hugs

Rolling Stone reports:

Talking to pastor Jim Garlow on a broadcast of the World Prayer Network, Johnson spoke ominously of America facing a “civilizational moment.” He said, “The only question is: Is God going to allow our nation to enter a time of judgment for our collective sins? Or is he going to give us one more chance to restore the foundations and return to Him?”

The segment was filmed Oct. 3, just weeks before Johnson’s unexpected rise to become speaker of the House. Garlow pressed the clean-cut Louisiana congressman to say “more about this ‘time of judgment’ for America.” Johnson replied: “The culture is so dark and depraved that it almost seems irredeemable.” He cited, as supposed evidence, the decline of national church attendance and the rise of LGBTQ youth — the fact, Johnson lamented, that “one-in-four high school students identifies as something other than straight.”

Discussing the risk of divine retribution, Johnson invoked Sodom, the Old Testament city destroyed by God for its wickedness with a rain of burning sulfur. Johnson is a polished orator, but in a closing prayer with Garlow he grew tearful. Johnson intoned, “We repent for our sins individually and collectively. And we ask that You not give us the judgment that we clearly deserve.”

Read the full article. Longtime JMG readers may recall that Jim Garlow appeared here many times starting around 15 years ago, usually for “gays are satanic” type rants.

In 2010, Garlow declared that God passed Proposition 8 in California because Christians nationwide had fasted against same-sex marriage.

In 2017, we heard from Garlow when he called for a national tax to be given to churches for them to provide healthcare to congregants, as “health is God’s issue.”

In 2021, Garlow led a group of evangelicals in marching around the Georgia Capitol building seven times to prevent Democrats from winning.

Garlow is the co-author of the so-called Manhattan Declaration, which calls on Christians to disobey all pro-LGBTQ ordinances and laws.

PREVIOUSLY ON JMG: Pastor Jim Garlow calls for an armed uprising against the nation’s LGBTQ people. Pastor Jim Garlow claims that Christians who hate homosexuals will be rewarded with an eternal celestial orgy when they reach heaven. Pastor Jim Garlow says Satan is a gay activist. Pastor Jim Garlow says God has forgiven Newt Gingrich for his serial adultery.

 

StarGmom 3 days ago

Horrifying, really

VodkaAndPolitics  StarGmom3 days ago

I cannot emphasize enough that that man is dangerous. He believes that he has been placed there by God to claim the united states government for his narrow radical view of Christianity. Him + Trump represent an existential threat to the republic.

You Again?  StarGmom3 days ago

Imagine that the person with these horrifying views is two heartbeats away from being president of the U.S.!!

That is so frightening!

tamiasmin  You Again?3 days ago

Two heartbeats away? He already is the beating heart of the Speaker of the House!

Hal  StarGmom3 days ago

In its early days, our “Christian” nation wiped out most of the indigenous people and brutally enslaved millions of Africans. More recently, it fabricated excuses to start two bloody and futile wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, in which untold innocent civilians and children died.

If those and other atrocities didn’t piss off the Christian god, then he either doesn’t exist or has very warped priorities.

Jack Frost  StarGmom3 days ago

These people are gleefully watching whats happening in Israel because, to them, it means Baby Jesus is returning any day now so he’s trying to “save” as many Americans as possible before the end.

Its horrifying, absolutely.

Steve in NOLA  Jack Frost2 days ago

Absolutely. Their doctrine says the Jerusalem Temple must be rebuilt before Jesus can return. And when he does, all Jews who have not accepted him as Savior will be obliterated. Which is all of them.

What’s appallingly cynical is that while most Jews probably don’t know this, the Israeli government certainly does, and is happy to accept evangelicals’ support even knowing what’s supposed to happen to them.

Randy503  Jack Frost2 days ago

And no, they do NOT want peace, because then Jesus won’t be coming. War is a necessary precursor.

Wallace Muenzenberger  StarGmom2 days ago

Yeah, what is this obsession with us queer-folk?

eddiebeskeddie  Wallace Muenzenberger 2 days ago

Jealous of the great blow jobs he’ll never get nor welcoming tight holes.

David Brian Holt 3 days ago

Religious fanaticism is really the biggest danger to civilization.

Sashineb  David Brian Holt3 days ago
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You Again?  David Brian Holt3 days ago

I wonder if it will be that, or the devastating effects of climate change that will finally be the end of us humans.

I think we deserve it, either way, for doing so very little to counter either extreme danger.

Sashineb3 days ago
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bearLvrFL 3 days ago

This guy’s really dangerous. They really managed to sneak the guy in there without any proper due diligence, didn’t they? I recall that screaming shrew shouting down the reporter who asked the question about election denial. “How *dare* you apply scrutiny to us?!!”

Buford  bearLvrFL3 days ago

Every Republican supported him, and none of those Republicans are facing angry constituents calling for their removal from office any time soon… so this is apparently what Republican voters want from DC.

BearEyes  bearLvrFL3 days ago

I fully expect the dark money’d interests already knew how twisted and perverted this miserable piece of shit is before they insisted on his installation.

BeccaM3 days ago

It’s right there in the book of Ezekiel: Sodom and Gomorrah were not destroyed due to gay people living in them. They were destroyed because violent residents violated their cultural guest laws, harassing and robbing visitors and migrants asking for help.

You can always tell what kind of Xtian you’re dealing with depending whether they actually understand the lesson in their own book or if they simply apply whatever interpretations they want in order to justify their own appalling, hateful behavior.

SFBruce  BeccaM3 days ago

They ignore the part where Lot offers his daughters to the angry crowd, then later the part where Lot has sex with his daughters.

David Raymore  SFBruce3 days ago

Lot offered his own four daughters to appease the soldiers to prevent them from killing the two angels he was saving in his house. For his protection from the angry mob and the soldiers, the angles made everyone who protest to become blind. This made the soldiers angry, and they raped Lot as punishment for protecting those angels, which was commonly done to control their victims.
Angels then told Lot to run away with his daughters because they were going to destroy those two mythical cities for their inhospitality and cruelty.
For one thing, there is no ancient archeological evidence that Sodom and Gomorrah ever existed. They are not on any ancient maps. As typical with most Biblical stories, they are parables to learn from except for those Christian apologists who take everything out of context to justify their bigotry and ignorance.

BobSF_94117  BeccaM3 days ago

Christians ignore what the Bible actually says about Sodom and Gomorrah. We weren’t the cause, we were the punishment, at least the first level of punishment.

Frankly, it’s pretty insulting, but the way THEY act is what’s raising the threat level…

StarGmom  BobSF_941173 days ago

Christians ignore a lot of the bible. They sure focus on the hate, some of them

April Smith 3 days ago edited

Looking back, if I had a safe and supportive environment when first realized I was Trans at age 15 I believe my life would have been much easier. Not perfect but easier.

This religious fanatic needs to mind his own freaking business.

You Again?  April Smith3 days ago

Minding their own freaking business is something that christian republicans (is that an oxymoron?) are totally incapable of doing.

But, just try to get into their business, and they’ll shriek and claim persecution!

eddiebeskeddie  April Smith2 days ago

And that is why it is so important that all trans and non-binary come out. To find each other so they can comfort and support each other and show that this is ok and part of normal life. That’s the reason christStains are so against any kind of equality and normalization of all genders. Because it goes against their hate and deludes opportunities to grift money. The only reason growing up trans was hard for you and growing up gay was hard for me is because of hateful religion.

Sam_Handwich 3 days ago

Young Americans are running screaming from Christianity because of creeps like YOU, shithead. Now go share some porn links with your son

Bungee3 days ago
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Doug105 3 days ago
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J.Martindale  Doug1053 days ago

Ethics, reason, conscience? These are all counterbalances against religion, superstition, and bigotry.

Doug105 3 days ago

Teabagger’s or MAGAt’s, still the same haters.

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Wintercat3 days ago

I am to the point that I want to snap and throw any cross I see. It’s just a fucking swastika straightened out to me. Symbol of hate.

You Again?  Wintercat3 days ago

And, if you think about it, the cross was essentially used as a torture device.

It says a lot about a religion that chose that as its representative symbol.

Darreth3 days ago

Johnson is quite delusional and hiding a deep dark secret about himself, as we’re all quite aware. NO ONE ever goes that deep into how to ‘eliminate’ our clan than those who are deep DEEEEPPPP in a violent and sad closet.

AncientMariner  Darreth3 days ago

Johnson and his son share a porno filter. That’s pretty fucking weird. And the wife speaks in baby talk. Fucking creepy.

ErnestMc 3 days ago

Yeah, there’s seriously something off about this guy, beyond the usual bigotry. The prissy zealotry is extremely creepy. (Along with those other signs like the weird youthful adoption and the porn monitoring with his son.)

ErnestMc  Serene Pumpkin3 days ago

Some of them just seem ignorant, blind cultists. But this guy is full-on creepster culty since he’s clearly intelligent enough, or should be, to have some grounding in the real world. If I had children, I wouldn’t let him anywhere near them. He gives off serious pervy vibes.

Doug105 3 days ago
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Bungee3 days ago

👇

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Ross3 days ago

America Deserves God’s Wrath For Permitting “Dark And Depraved” Things Like Young LGBTQ People Republicans.

Nico El Azul Gato Proud & Blue 3 days ago

Why is one of the default babble verses against LGBTQI+ always include the story of Sodom and Gomorrah? Interesting that the post script to those verses was the daughters of Lot getting him drunk and having sex with him to supposedly make sure the world didn’t die with no survivors.

And I ALWAYS have the counterweight babble verses to this. Why was sodom and gomorrah destroyed? Because they did things that was against the traditions of the peoples in those lands at that time. And these traditions are timeless so it also applies to us in this time an place.

Ezekiel 16:48-50

•As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, your sister Sodom and her daughters never did what you and your daughters have done. “‘Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen. (NIV)

Doug105  Nico El Azul Gato Proud & Blue3 days ago

They’ll never except the truth of what it says.

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TexasBoy  Nico El Azul Gato Proud & Blue 3 days ago edited

Interesting that the post script to those verses was the daughters of Lot getting him drunk and having sex with him to supposedly make sure the world didn’t die with no survivors.

And likely what really happened was Daddy got loopy, knocking up the daughters, then blaiming them. Imagine the two boys that were birthed. He was their father AND grandfather their mom’s were their half-sisters, and each mom was the aunt to the other’s kid. And it, apparently, was all A-OK with the big sky fairy.

chris  Nico El Azul Gato Proud & Blue2 days ago

Sounds a lot like the arrogant, overfed and unconcerned congress critters not helping the poor, the sick etc better reread that part of the Bible quickly.

Gurrrrl, you in trouble.

Doug105  Nico El Azul Gato Proud & Blue3 days ago
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KnownDonorDad2 days ago

I am not threatened by the existence of LGBTQ people. Certain groups of church-going Christians, however…

TheDonkeyHotay 3 days ago

Hey Maggot — your god CREATED Young LGBTQ People.

Paaaahraise Jaaaaysus !!

Gianni  TheDonkeyHotay2 days ago

I have long said that if God hates gay people, then He fucked up royally when He had a hand in our creation. He is supposed to know all the past, the present, and the future. So how did we slip through? The answer we always get from the “religious ones” is that we “choose” to be gay. Stop choosing and you’ll be OK. See?

jixxter3 days ago

Homosexuality is a natural and a normal expression of human sexuality. It always has been, it always will be, and after all of us, here, are dead – and our existence forgotten – there will still be gay-oriented babies being born on every continent, in every country, and in every culture

Same as it ever was

That’s a little piece of truth they left out of both the Old and the New Testicles.

Hank: NO MORE WoW!!! 3 days ago
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Gianni  Hank: NO MORE WoW!!!3 days ago

First, they never think deeply about that and they became str8 the first time they got excited when they caught a glimpse of her panties or her bra straps or big tits, etc.I actually asked a coworker that once, and that is the paraphrased answer he gave me. He became str8 when he first got hot over a girl. It’s so easy. I realized that the thinking was so shallow that further discussion was useless.

Gigi3 days ago

So God sat back as gave a 👍🏼 to more than years of slavery and lynchings but he’s super pissed and losing his shit over young LGBTQ kids living their lives? M’kay.

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Jay Silversmith3 days ago

If Mike’s god stood around while 8 million Jews were killed, I don’t think he’s too worried about the gays. Stay in your lane, Mike.

LeeGP3 days ago

And another thing to say to this…person:

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Fox News MELTDOWN Over ‘Black Disabled Santa’ And ‘Gay Nutcracker’

Biden Defends Israel’s Raid On Al-Shifa Hospital

The important thing to note is that Israel built the complex under the hospital when they controlled the area decades ago.   Yes they knew the tunnels were there because they built them.   If Hamas is guilty of working from a hospital, then why is Israel also not guilty of the same damn thing.   Even if there was an entire battalion of Hamas fighters there, it doesn’t give Israeli military / government permission to do wholesale slaughter of civilians.  Israel wants to keep being the aggrieved person who lost less than 1,400 people to violence when they have committed war crimes against 11,000 people, a third of them children.   You can not wipe out an idea and feeling with military aggression.  Israel is simply fostering the next generations of people angry at them for killing their families.   How does any of this help peace?   Hugs.  Scottie

President Biden is asked by a reporter about the situation at the Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza, and claims that Hamas committed the first war crime there by establishing operations within that hospital. Biden also claims that he’s been informed that the Israeli military brought in incubators and are allowing hospital personnel to leave.

Meanwhile, Human Rights activist Huwaida Arraf posted on Twitter screenshots from a report in Tablet about how Israel is so certain about the bunker and tunnel under Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza because they contributed to building it 40 years ago in 1983.

This Is How AWFUL Israeli Settlers Really Are