The President's Daily Brief - November 2nd, 2023: Life After Hamas, Debunking Yemen Reports, & America's New Arrivals

Episode Date: November 2, 2023

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief:   As the situation escalates between the IDF and Hamas, we explore the potential aftermath of the conflict and discuss possible scenarios for the region after Hamas.   Yemeni rebels acknowledge attacks on Israel, but has Yemen really ‘declared war’ on the Jewish state?   We provide an update on the hundreds of American and other foreign nationals who are currently stranded in Gaza.   In the Back of the Brief, a new wave of migrants making their way to the United States. Their origin might surprise you.   Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief.   Email: [e-mail]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Shop Ultima on Amazon or in store at Target and Whole Foods Market. It's Thursday, November 2nd. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. Let's get briefed. In today's PDB, as IDF and Palestinian casualties mount in the Gaza ground offensive, we turn our focus to what life might look like after Hamas. Remember that the IDF's objective here is to ensure that Hamas never again has the ability to govern Gaza or threaten Israel in the future. Later in the program, I'll clarify why reports suggesting Yemen has declared war on Israel aren't entirely accurate and provide updates on hundreds of Americans stranded in Gaza. Lastly, a new group of foreign nationals is making the perilous trek to the United States, and surprisingly, they're not from south of the border.

I'll tell you who they are in the back of the brief. But first up, the PDB spotlight. As the Israeli ground offensive moves deeper into Gaza, the strategies and objectives behind Israel's approach are becoming clearer. Contrary to some predictions of a headlong thrust into the Palestinian enclave, the Israel defense forces are taking a measured approach. Videos and images surfacing from Gaza show the IDF methodically encircling Gaza city, one of the enclave's largest population hubs and looking to cut the Gaza Strip in half right above the declared evacuation zone boundary. Now, tragically, the human cost is continuing to rise. Over the past two days, the number of Israeli

soldiers who have lost their lives in the Gaza Strip has increased to 16. In a notable development, during its operation in the Jabilia refugee camp in northern Gaza, the IDF took over a significant Hamas military position and managed to eliminate the commander of Hamas's Jabaliyah brigade. On the other side, Hamas remains defiant. Ghazi Hamad, a high-ranking member of Hamas's political bureau, issued a pointed message to Israel. He stated, quote, we are not ashamed to say this with full force. We must teach Israel a lesson and we will do this again and again, end quote. Now, Hamad was referring to the brutal Hamas attacks of 7 October, stating that they would

continue their efforts until Israel was destroyed. Now, with statements like that, it should be evident to anyone that a return to the status quo with Hamas at the helm seems untenable. Hamas is being clear. They will not stop their terrorism until Israel is no more. I suppose, in a way, you could at least give credit. to Hamas for being honest about their intentions. They aren't shying away from what they want. Unlike the anti-Israel protesters on, example, U.S. college campuses and various cities around the

country, those mobs wave their banners calling for an end to the Jewish state, but want you to believe that they aren't anti-Semitic bigots. Now, the conflict does raise a question. If the IDF is successful. What comes after Hamas? A recent report by Bloomberg suggests that both the U.S. and Israel are currently pondering the post-Hamas future for the Gaza Strip. One of the proposals on the table is the potential deployment of a multinational force, and that could involve American troops. Among the scenarios being discussed, one idea is to create a peacekeeping force similar to the multinational force and observers, or the MFO. For those unfamiliar, the MFO is a global peacekeeping entity tasked with monitoring the Sinai Peninsula. It ensures both Egypt and Israel

adhere to the Camp David Accords and the subsequent peace treaty. The MFO is not a part of the United Nations, and it's comprised of forces from 13 nations, including the U.S., Australia, France, and Canada. Another possible route is placing Gaza under the temporary stewardship of the United Nations. A precedent for this is the UN temporary administration in eastern Slovenia, Barania, and Western Sermia between 1996 and 1998. It was established after the U.S. Slav Wars to ensure that the region's smooth transition backed Croatia. Another instance is the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia, where the UN played a role in restoring stability and governance following years of conflict. Now, mind you, these are just what-if scenarios

being considered by U.S. and Israeli officials. It's a big assumption to say that Hamas will be, in fact, removed. The reality is international pressure and condemnation of Israel's response to having its citizens slaughtered is growing. And yes, it's strange to have to say that sentence. The U.S. is definitely leaning in on Israel, pressuring them to consider a ceasefire. Now, the Biden White House is attempting a very delicate maneuver here, professing unequivocal support for Israel, while also attempting to placate the Arab world and international community by expressing deep concern for the Palestinians and also decrying civilian casualties. The Biden administration is in what pundits like to call a pickle. All right. To be fair, very few pundits use that phrase.

But it's definitely a pickle. If they're seen as being too supportive Israel during this conflict, well, they risk angering a key voting block heading into the 2024 election, and that would be the youth vote. Make no mistake, the average American looks at the pro-Hamas protests on college campuses by entitled young people and thinks, well, what the hell is wrong with these people? The Biden White House and Democrat strategists, they look at the young people protesting and barely hiding their anti-Semitic attitudes,

and they think, wow, we don't want to risk losing their vote by being overly supportive of Israel. So they need to be pro-Israel, but not too pro-Israel. Case in point, over the past couple of days, White House sources have been touting a new administration directive designed to combat what they see as the threat of Islamophobia. Okay, coming up after the break, Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels claim responsibility for a series of missile and drone strikes against Israel. But did Yemen officially declare war on Israel? Plus, a significant breakthrough at the Rafa crossing in Gaza as hundreds of foreign nationals, including Americans, finally get a chance to leave. I'll be right back.

Welcome back to the President's Daily Brief. Now, you may have seen reports floating around over the past 24 hours that the nation of Yemen has officially declared war on Israel. That sounds like a pretty big deal, but I'm going to explain why that's not exactly accurate. But first, let's look at the facts. This week, the Houthis, that's the Iran-supported Shiite group, vying for power in Yemen's nine-year civil war, they openly confirmed for the first time that they're responsible for a series of missile and drone strikes against Israel. It was a poorly kept secret to be sure, but it's nice that they've officially owned up to it. From the heart of Yemen in its capital, Sana'a, a Houthi military spokesman vowed to open up a new front in the Israel-Humas war, announcing, quote,

Our armed forces have launched a large batch of ballistic and cruise missiles and a significant number of drones on various Israeli targets in the occupied territories, end quote. This acknowledgement follows weeks of attacks by the Houthis on Israel. This Tuesday saw their most serious attack, a salvo of ballistic missiles. From the war's inception on October 7th, they've launched three drone and missile operations directed at Israeli territory with the stated objective of helping Hamas to victory. It's worth noting that none of these missile or drone strikes reached their intended targets. All of them were intercepted before entering Israeli airspace. Given that Yemen sits roughly 800 miles from Israel at the southwestern tip of the Arabian Peninsula,

the chances of the Houthis hitting their mark is, to be fair, minimal. However, that doesn't mean these attacks aren't dangerous. In response, Israel has deployed naval vessels to the Red Sea, reinforcing its position there, and gearing up to counter further attacks. So, who exactly are the Houthis? Well, as mentioned, they're an Iran-aligned Shiite militia, holding significant territories in Yemen, including its capital, Sanaa. And just in case there was any doubt as to their objectives, their official motto, yes, they have an official motto, declares,

God is great, death to America, death to Israel, curse on the Jews, victory to Islam. Again, as with Iran and Hamas, clearly stating their intention to destroy Israel, Sometimes, you should take people at their word and respond accordingly. So, now, while it may appear that Yemen has initiated a state-level conflict with Israel, it's critical to understand that while they control the nation's capital, the Houthis don't represent the official Yemeni government. In many ways, this is no different than the rhetoric we've seen from Hamas or Hezbollah. In reality, they're all simply mouthpieces for Iran.

Okay. I wanted to give an update on a story we've been closely following here at the PDB, and that's the plight of the hundreds of foreign nationals stranded in the Gaza Strip. As we reported earlier this week, there are hundreds of foreign nationals waiting at the Rafa crossing with Egypt, including hundreds of Americans, unable to leave due to restrictions imposed by Hamas. However, there's now some good news. A significant negotiation breakthrough has led to the opening of the crossing, and after talks involving Egypt, Hamas, and Israel, they have agreed to allow up to 500 people to cross daily. Just yesterday, the Rafah-Boided crossing witnessed a flurry of activity, marking the first time since October 7th that foreign passport holders could depart from Gaza. Now, as per Reuters,

at least 320 of these passport holders have made their way into Egypt from Gaza. The U.S. State Department has verified that at least some of the people, waving goodbye to Gaza were American citizens, though they stopped short of providing exact figures. An estimated 400 American citizens, according to the State Department, remained stranded in Gaza. To help coordinate this exit, the State Department is actively reaching out. U.S. citizens and their families in Gaza will receive specific departure dates and detailed instructions on the departure process. All right.

In today's back of the brief, recent data shows that Venezuelans now make up the largest group of migrants entering the United States from our southern border. But that doesn't tell the whole story. And there's a surprising group of immigrants braving the treacherous dairy and gap to reach the U.S. More on that when I come back. Make Mother's Day even more special at Whole Foods Market. Kick off brunch or dinner with quality cheese and charcutory with the no synthetic nitrates, then go seafood. There's an abundance on sale at Whole Foods Market,

where it's all sustainable while caught are responsibly farmed. At the bakery, grab seasonal treats like their strawberry pretzel cream pie, and you can't go wrong with a ready-to-heathe Lorraine, Deviled eggs, and fresh-cut fruits to go. Celebrate Mom with Whole Foods Market. Welcome back. In today's back of the brief, I wanted to touch on the shifting demographics at America's southern border. The landscape of illegal border crossings has undergone a notable transformation over the past year. As we've reported previously, for the first time on record, Venezuelans have taken the lead

as the largest nationality arrested for illegal entries. But there's another revelation. Nestled further down our list, Chinese nationals have emerged as the fourth largest group. They follow Venezuelans, Ecuadorians, and Haitians. in navigating the perilous Darien Gap during the first nine months of this year. Border Patrol statistics bring this trend into sharper focus. From January to September, officers apprehended 22,187 Chinese individuals attempting illegal border crossings from Mexico.

That's a staggering surge, nearly 13 times the figure, from the same span in 2022. So, what are the understall? underlying reasons? Interviews by the Associated Press with these Chinese immigrants reveal a common thread. It's a desire to flee an oppressive political environment and dim economic horizons in their own homeland. Look, I've spent most of my adult life overseas, often in difficult and challenging environments. One of the things that always struck me was that, and this will sound hokey, if we still use the word hokey, but But people overseas in poor or impoverished countries really do view America as the land of opportunity.

They may not be able to explain it in that many words, but I ran into countless people in a variety of difficult environments who genuinely believed that America was the place where you could have hope, where if you worked hard, you could have a better life. So, we can definitely empathize with people, genuinely attempting to cross the border and come to America for a better future, whether they're Chinese, Venezuelans, or whomever. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't have a controlled, secure border process. And we've talked about this before on the PDB. We can have a logical, fair immigration system that is welcoming, while also having a border control system that allows us to monitor. monitor and vet who was attempting to enter the country. It shouldn't be rocket science for the administration, no matter what administration is in charge, to understand that their primary directive is the safety of their citizens. And you can't ensure the safety of your citizens if you don't

know who is entering your country. That would, of course, be why every other nation maintains border controls. Now, Americans were advised by the FBI director and other Homeland Security officials just this week that there is a serious increased threat of terrorism as a result of the Middle East conflict. At the same time, government statistics show an alarming increase in the number of special interest aliens crossing the border, individuals from countries such as Iran, Yemen, and Syria. And that number is just known encounters. The government, in reality, has no idea how many special interest aliens are included in the estimated one and a half million known godaways over the past couple of years. So, while we are told to be vigilant by the administration to the threat of terrorism, the administration appears to be anything but vigilant when it comes to securing our borders.

That's what, here at the PDB, we would call a disconnect. And that, my friends, is the President's Daily Brief for Thursday to November. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at PDB at thefirsttv.com. I'm Mike Baker. I'll be back tomorrow. Until then, stay informed. Stay safe. Stay cool. Some follow the noise. Bloomberg follows the money. Whether it's the funds fueling AI or crypto's trillion-dollar swings. There's a money side to every story.

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