Israel is escalating its incursion into the Gaza Strip.  The latest count shows 8500 Palestinian deaths and 1400 Israelis.  Read this to better understand the  difference between the Hamas and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS ).  For one, the former is 36 years old, while the latter developed more recently. 24 years ago.  Here is what  Russia hopes to gain  from the Hamas-Israel conflict. Jacob Lew was finally confirmed as the U.S. ambassador to Israel .  He was Treasury Secretary for President Barack Obama. This position has been vacant since July, so one wonders if partisan politics stood in the way of confirmation.  Supposedly, it was for Lew's dealings during the Iran Nuclear Deal. Had another excellent breakfast at the Sheraton Yokohama Bay. Then a short taxi ride to  the Diamond Princess.  Took a long time to check-in and finally boarded around 1 PM and had lunch. Noticed someone walk by who looked very similar to Steve of 15 Craigside.  So went up for closer look. N

Seventeen days into the Hamas attack into Israel, one of the core goals was an insurance policy to protect them from wholesale retribution.  Found was a  Hamas abduction manual  detailing instructions on how to take civilian hostages.  That is page one to the left.   No releases today, but more should be coming if Israel continues to delay their military plan to enter the Gaza Strip to eliminate the Hamas.  As long as this prospect remains, and there is no serious participation of the Hezbollah to the north, the next few weeks could well be driven by these hostage negotiations.   Donald Trump's reputation and effectiveness are as good as already lying in a coffin with daily events hammering more and more nails for his permanent doom.  In a New Hampshire speech, he compared himself to Nelson Mandela.  He just might be right and could well spend a good portion of his life in jail.  The following developments certainly are condemning: A third former lawyer to Trump, Jenna Ellis, plead