If you’d believe that, you’d be wrong.
Jeffrey Goldberg cites a particularly poignant passage.
What will we do once we withdraw from Gaza?…. What will we do when the Katyusha fire starts hitting Sderot, four miles from the Gaza district, and Ashkelon, nine miles from Gaza, and Kiryat Gat, fourteen miles from Gaza….Or what shall we do if the U.N. or multinational forces are positioned around Gaza and there is still terrorism?
מילים כדורבנות*
And he did it anyway…
*If anyone knows how to properly translate that, please let me know.
It’s been over 60 years, and Europe is back to legislating against Jews. A recent bill proposed in Denmark would ban circumcision for boys under the age of 15. Criminalizing what is possibly the most of basic Jewish rites would, in effect, be an eviction of Jews from Denmark.
The most ridiculous justification for the bill, however, is the Denmark’s National Council for Children claim that “[j]ust like female circumcision was banned five years ago, male circumcision should be banned.” ‘Female circumcision’ is not circumcision at all, it is mutilation of the female body, for misogynistic reasons.
It is not true that Israel does not make enough of an effort when it comes to promoting its international image (aka “Hasbara“). In fact, it almost seems as if Israel is making an effort to tarnish its image. This is not solely with respect to the way the West sees us, it also important when it comes to our neighbors’ opinions, as well.
Ever since Israel retreated from Gaza, the number of rocket attacks from the “disengaged” region has increased exponentially. Many of these rockets landed in an IDF basic training base, near Kibbutz Zikim, just north of Gaza. After an attack injured numerous soldiers in 2007, many parents of the new recruits demanded that IDF either fortify the base, to protect them from future attacks, or move the new recruits elsewhere.
In June of this year, the IDF decided to move the trainees to a different base, claiming “the decision is unrelated to the threat of Qassam rockets from the Gaza Strip.” (Want to buy a bridge?) When the decision was announced, many feared it would send the wrong message to Israel’s enemies, and would portray Israel as more vulnerable, an image that, in the Middle East, basically begs for more attacks. Labor MK, Danny Yatom, even agreed with Aryeh Eldad (National Union-NRP), saying, “the evacuation of the entire base due to the attacks on it is a severe move and sets a bad example for the citizens of the Gaza-vicinity communities.”
Today, the decision was carried out. The base will not be completely evacuated, and will be manned by a yet-to-be-named division. So it’s not a complete retreat. OK. However, to add insult to injury, pictures of flags being taken down were released to ynet, and published online. Predictably, the Palestinians rejoiced (Hebrew). A statement was released by Abu-Abir, spokesperson for the Popular Resistance Committees (who are still in possession of Gilad Shalit):
The evacuation is yet more proof that the Israeli military is moving from one defeat to another. It began with the withdrawal from Lebanon, continued with the withdrawal from the [Gaza] Strip and the defeat in the [Second] Lebanon War, and of course, also in the daily defeat in the struggle against the Palestinian resistance. Zikim will not be the last place the Israelis evacuate.
Abu-Abir added that in order to win, military superiority is not enough and that determination and faith, two things Israel lacks, but the Palestinians do not.
I am sorry to say I agree with him. He is right on the money. Currently, Israel does lack faith and determination. In recent years Israel has been evacuating, retreating, and losing. However, it is not the military’s fault. The governments and politicians (which include IDF top brass), over the years, have led Israel nowhere good. It’s time that changed. Where is our faith? Where is our determination? At the very least we should not be aiding the enemy by showcasing our weaknesses.
UPDATE: Here is the English version of today’s ynet article.
This post comes a bit late, but it is relevant nonetheless. Last Tuesday, as you know, Barack Obama was elected President of the United States. So far, so good. Democracy in action, the people have spoken, etc.
Here in DC, celebrations went on well into the night. Being happy and celebrating is all well and good, but the revelry went completely overboard. In Adams Morgan, people congregated on the streets, yelling and chanting Obama’s name incessantly. The worst part, however, was the honking. It was like the first few minutes after a sports victory – but it went on for hours on end.
First, who are these people? Did they think they could just quit their jobs now since Obama is going take care of all of their problems? Why else are so many people out on the street at 2:00 am on a Tuesday night? I don’t understand.
More importantly, the police did not do anything. It’s one thing to hear party-goers on a Saturday night. It’s another when it’s Tuesday, and the noise is far worse than any weekend. In Adams Morgan, no less. And so, despite numerous calls to the police, nothing was done. At one point, dispatch informed me that the crowds would be dispersed at 2:15 am. What does that mean? Public disturbances are fine until 2:15 am? Again, I don’t understand.
In any case, there was a police car on the corner of 18th and Columbia, blocking the road (unnecessary, since no cars could get through the mob of people on the street anyway), just like on weekend nights. So, I went down and spoke to one of the police officers who was just standing there, and I explained the situation to him. At first, he had no idea this was a problem. This was 2:00 am and there was more noise than at a football game, what sort of idiot does not see any problem? He also told me that dispatch had not informed him of any complaints. This sort of inefficiency (or is it just carelessness?) on the part of the Metroplolitan Police Department is just mind-boggling.
The police officer seemed pretty nice, though, despite being more than a little stupid, and he told me that he would begin to take care of the honking, at least. I waited half a block away to see what would happen. I assumed taking care of the noise disturbances meant issuing tickets, or at the very least saying something to the offenders. No, nothing of the sort. Instead, I saw the officers hug two guys who were celebrating in the street.
Whom exactly was protected and served??
Last basketball season, Yossi Malach threw a firecracker onto the court during a game in Jerusalem, resulting in the Yoav Glizenstein, a security guard’s, loss of two fingers. About a month ago, he was sentenced to three years in prison and 150,000 NIS in compensation, to be paid to Glizenstein.
This complete douchebag is now appealing his sentence (sorry, only in Hebrew), claiming the sum of money the court ordered him to pay the security guard is much higher than truly appropriate. His lawyers assert that this is Malach’s first encounter with the law, and that he has expressed remorse for his actions. Therefore the punishment handed down is too “severe” only in order to serve as a warning (למען יראו וייראו – so that people will see and fear) to future offenders.
First of all, BS. This is likely Malach’s first encounter with the law only because the police in Israel are so incompetent and lazy. If the police actually did their job, he probably would have a fairly full rap sheet.
Second of all, who cares? Even if this was his first offense, and that he was a good boy up until that day, how does that exculpate him, or even minimize the offense in any way? He knowingly brought contraband into the stadium that day, with the intension to use it (why else would he smuggle in a firecracker?), and fully cognizant of the harm it could cause.
Third, with the current state of crime in Israel, meting out punishments as a deterrent is not a half bad idea. In any case, the last people who have any right to complain about it are the offenders themselves. If you don’t like the punishment – don’t commit the crime in the first place.
Apparently if you want to hit Jews, all you have to do is go be a sixth-grader in St. Louis. You can create an event for it during your school’s spirit week.
Yes, it’s anti-Semitism. Pure and simple. Some will say it’s just kids being kids. No. I don’t care if they are kids or not, creating an event specifically targetting Jews is anti-Semitism.
And what is their punishment? These bigots “could be suspended and undergo counseling” (emphasis added). Counseling and a few days off from elementary school? Oh, the horror! I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes.
If it were “Hit a Muslim Day,” then there would be raging editorials written about the unwarranted ‘Islamophobia’ raging across America. About how these kids are learning to demonize minorities. But Jews? No, counseling and vacation should do it.
“Officials said fewer than 10 of the school’s 35 Jewish students were hit.” Wow. So it’s okay to hit Jews, so long as under 30% of them are attacked?
Linda Lelonek, the principal, who only discovered what goes on in her school the following day, responsed in brilliant fashion: “What’s tomorrow going to be? ‘Hit A Principal Day?” I’m sorry, but is she actually implying that would be worse than a day devoted to racism?!
Israel is fast approaching a conversion into an anti-Jewish Religion state. First, no Teffilin allowed in school, and now this. This is not an official policy, of course, otherwise how could the Jewish Agency continue to ask rich Americans for money? However, that is a discussion for another day.
Ynet (only in Hebrew, unfortunately) reports that a ten year old boy, who just made Aliyah with his family from France, is suffering religious discrimination. The kid wanted to participate in an after-school soccer club in Modi’in, and so he signed up to the one that was nearest to his house, despite the fact that the club in question wasn’t run by his religious public school. His father also had the thought that he might meet new friends that way – apparently not a legitimate desire.
After the second meet, the kid came home crying, because everyone else decided to boycott “the religious kid”. He wears a kippah, and so they decided not to include him. In Israel. And once, again, in Modi’in. That city, which is so popular among Anglo Olim (many of whom are religious) is apparently adopting a policy of institutionalized discrimination against Jewish behavior. Not to mention the treatment of Olim, which is a much larger issue.
The boy tried to bring up the issue with the instructor, but was ignored. Great. Why is someone like that responsible for the safety and well-being of children?
Finally, the city did not dissapoint, and refused to accept any blame or concede any wrongdoing, characterizing the incident as a “conflict between two children during soccer practice…the issue was solved to the satisfaction of all sides involved.” Right. Refuse to accept any sort of responsibility – otherwise you wouldn’t be an Israeli bureaucrat.
UPDATE: Here is the English version of the article.
Worldmapper is a highly entertaining and informative website, that has an enormous collection of maps. These maps are not drawn according to land area – they are cartograms. There are maps on Worldmapper based on simple things such as population size, religion and literacy rate. There are also maps drawn according to slightly more esoteric criteria, such as military spending, meat consumption, and even condom use (one by men and another by women).
Each map is accompanied by an explanation, including a few examples of countries featured more prominently on the map. While browsing the site, and by no means performing an exhaustive search, I found Israel to be mentioned twice.
Obviously, as home to the largest Jewish population (having recently surpassed the U.S.), Israel is mentioned with regards to the map showing Jewish population around the world.
However, as anyone who has ever been to Israel around any major holiday knows, certain groups in Israel love to go on strike. The teachers, university students, professors, longshoremen and everyone else Ofer Einy (who learned well from Amir Peretz) can convince to suck the Israeli economy dry for various selfish, unreasonable causes. And according to Worldmapper, “The highest rates [of strikes and lockouts] were in Guyana, Israel and Azerbaijan.”
Once again, Israel is recgnized for such a positive trend in our vibrant democracy. Bravo.
Another report from Ynet today: “A high school in the central city of Modiin forbade a student to bringing his phylacteries (small leather case containing Scriptural texts which is worn during morning prayers) onto school grounds, threatening to expel him.”
Isn’t this the state we founded in order to be free from religious persecution? Why are there secular Israel Jews who hate Judaism this much? I can understand hating the organizations, the institutions, religious coercion and even many of the customs. But the principal of the school, this specimen of hatred, idiocy and prejudice, Nurit Zak, who is in charge of educating our children loathes your own people’s traditions so much that she won’t allow Jews to practice religion as they see fit.
The student accused of religious coercion, an 11th grader, tells the story: “Two classmates of mine told me they wanted to put on teffilin every morning… in their free time, during breaks and free periods, the three would gather at a small classroom which was not being used, and put on the phylacteries for a few minutes every day… Other students heard about this and asked to join them, and they would all meet every morning.”
Nurit Zak should be fired. She should not be permitted to benefit from state money while teaching Jews to be anti-Jewish. She had this to say: “nothing is stopping those who wish to put on teffilin at the school privately and personally. The student was asked not to bring his teffilin to school and to persaude others to join him.”
This student was not forcing anyone to do anything. He was not even persuading anyone of anything – other students approached him and wanted to practice Judaism. In Israel. The horror!
As long as people like Nurit Zak are charged with the educating Israeli youth, the future of Israel is not in good hands.
The BBC decided it was a good idea to poll international public opinion to see who is winning “”the conflict between al-Qaeda and the US”, finding that 49% think neither side is winning, 22% believe the US has the upper hand and 10% say al-Qaeda is winning.
Since when does public opinion determine the outcomes of wars? The BBC even went so far as to say that the “verdict across the world appeared to be that the war on terror had produced something of a stalemate.” Verdict? Really? Judge and Jury to decide who wins a war?
Internationally, only 22% said US action had weakened al-Qaeda, while 34% of Americans thought it had. I’m curious to how many of these people actually know who is winning or only offering their opinion on the matter.
I think Bin Laden rigged the jury.