The patterns of behavior with Iran seem to just keep repeating. And the one thing that changes is how each day allows Iran to prepare and re-arm for more military actions.
On Tuesday morning, Bloomberg reported that Donald Trump was "pressuring Iran to reach an agreement with Oman on the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday" or face "devastating airstrikes.” But no deal was closed, and again, there were no consequences. What was reported is that Iran and Oman are close to finalizing a deal between themselves that would involve their control of the Strait; they would be charging tolls for using the Strait, and that the deal would "protect Iran's sovereignty.” Trump backpedaled on Tuesday night, saying, "we are having very good discussions with the Iranians, we will know where we stand within 48 hours."
Netanyahu responded in a video to the deal with Hamas that the "Peace Council" is proposing (and pressuring Israel to accept). "I stand firm on our security interests. We will not withdraw from our current lines until Hamas is completely disarmed." The proposed plan has Israel withdrawing from Gaza, followed by Hamas disarming. The plan also includes the formation of a Palestinian state.
A piece of comforting positive news from Tuesday is that former "squad" member Cori Bush, a virulent anti-Israel Jew-hater, lost again to Wesley Bell in the Democrat primary in Missouri. The bad news politically is that Abdul El-Sayed won the Democrat Senate primary in Michigan. Sayed is more violently against Israel than Tlaib and Omar; was endorsed by AOC and Sanders; and is a devout Muslim. This race has been viewed as the determiner of the Democrat Party's future: a more moderate centrist party, or one controlled by the Socialist-Islam alliance. With el-Sayed's victory (and his probable general election victory in the blue state of Michigan), we can be assured that the Democrat Party will continue to embrace the antisemitic attitudes of Tlaib, Omar, Mamdani, et al.
But institutionalized hate is not new for Jews, and we need to have faith that the more responsible leaders in the Democrat Party will ultimately wrest control from the antisemites that have been so successful in the last few years. It must be our hope and prayer, backed by our faith and action, that the people of this nation will ultimately reject the hate of the extremists like el-Sayed and Mamdani (and those on the other side of the aisle as well in the Republican Party), and bring this country back to a centrist position, and restore this nation's support of Israel.
It has been said, and history has shown, that you can predict the success and failure of a nation by how they treat their Jews. (Since Jews are always the minority, this demonstrates how the country interacts with those of the least power, which is a great sign as to what the future of that country is.) For the sake of our nation and the world, let us pray that the Democratic Party quickly turns away from the worshipers of hate like el-Sayed and his ilk, and embraces the founding principles of this country again, and that we return to being one nation under one God.
Chazak u'Baruch
Rabbi Michael Barclay
August 5, 2026
22nd of Av, 5786
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