The Libyans!

Summer is Over, No More Visas, The Whip, Tucker's Wing, Reservists, Podcasts, Libya: The Weekly Conquest Week of 8.17.25 – 8.23.25

Welcome to the ZioKnight

Week of August 17, 2025

While it may still technically be summer, I am moving to school today, so welcome to the ZioKnight “campus edition” for the next few months.

Sunday 8.17

Laura Loomer was not a fan of the flow of Gazans entering the U.S., so she reportedly made her case to the president, and their visas were halted. [1]

Monday 8.18

Rep. Katherine Clark and I

The Member of Congress representing my university and the #2 House Democrat, Katherine Clark, repeated the claim of a constituent who called the war in Gaza a genocide. A day later, she walked back the statement. Throughout my relationship with her and her staff, she proudly stood with Israel, so I was waiting for the rescission when I heard the initial news. [2]

Tuesday 8.19

Seb Gorka, the White House senior director for counterterrorism and a deputy assistant to the president, made clear that the anti-Israel Tucker Carlson wing of the Republican Party has no sway over the President’s Middle East policy. [3]

Wednesday 8.20

Israel called up 60,000 reservists to embark on the operation to take Gaza City, the last untouched territory on the strip. One of those soldiers is my brother’s OU Rabbi at school. Hopefully, he’ll be back soon, so the operation is over and my brother can have a rabbi. [4]

Thursday 8.21

On a podcast, Prime Minister Netanyahu clarified that, regardless of what members of his coalition may be saying, he has no plans to start Jewish settlements in Gaza. [5]

Friday 8.22

An anonymous government official in Libya confirmed that there is the possibility of eventual normalization with Israel. So I’ll repurpose a negative phrase from Back to the Future to positively say that hopefully “the Libyans are coming” to the table! [6]

Saturday 8.23

Times of Israel Headline

Hats off to the Times of Israel for this headline. Touche. [7]