Isn't it Ironic, Don't You Think?

The recent purge of the Fatah strongholds by Hamas in Gaza has definitely raised eyebrows all over the world. After sifting through the myriad of articles bashing Israel, it's rather interesting to read the comments of those invovled or affected by the coup.

Hassan al-Bazam, a 20 year old bodyguard for Ismail Haniyeh, talked in a recent Jerusalem Post article about his kidnapping and subsequent torturing by Fatah loyalists. He commented after luckily escaping with his life:

These people are real murderers, even the Jews did not do such cruel things to us.

The violence, which seems to be at a lull currently, has pushed many foreign nationals and injured Palestinians into Israel. One of the articles in today's Haaretz talked to some of the injured Palestinians. Shadi, a 23-year-old policemen, expressed his remorse for his voting decision:

I wanted to shoot myself for voting Hamas

While Zecharia Alrai, a 39 year old Fatah commander in the elite Force 17, blasted Hamas and their ideals:

That's not Islam. That's evil and hypocrisy. How ironic that Israel is rescuing us from our Muslim 'brothers'

Last but not least, today's reactions from Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas seemed to usher in a new era in this never ending conflict:

There is no dialogue with those murderous terrorists

And the world wonders why Israel refused from the get go to talk to Hamas ...

Crazy Zionists are at it again ...

By now I'm sure everyone has seen the rather pathetic London 2010 Olympics Logo:



Now at first I thought it was just a terrible artistic job, but I've recently seen the light. The reason why this logo needs to be dropped is presented quite simply by some paranoid loon:



Yup, I think I'll actually let you guys come up with the words to describe this ...

Istanbul Int'l Community School (IICS) - 1991/92

Can you see me? :)

When the Lid is Afraid of the Pot

A worrying article from Haaretz about our dear friends in Egypt:

When the lid is afraid of the pot
By Amir Oren

The year 2007 does not only include the 40th anniversary of the Six-Day War; it also contains the 30th anniversary of Anwar Sadat's visit to Jerusalem. Israel's most glorious military achievement, the defeat of three states and the occupation of major segments of their territory, is set against an even greater diplomatic achievement, breaking through the wall of Arab hostility. In both cases, the enthusiasm gradually turned to disappointment and the promise held out by the short-term results never came to fruition.

The view that Egypt is a moderate, peace-seeking country is an optical illusion. Cairo, which purchased its ticket to Washington through Jerusalem, is once again not thrilled to be part of the camp affiliated with the Americans. The Egyptian people, who are not eager to get involved directly in a war, are instead encouraging war from the sidelines.

Israel's awakening from the illusion of Egyptian influence over the Palestinians has been taking place for seven straight years, from the Camp David summit in 2000 to the anarchy on the Egypt-Gaza border under Hamas rule. Even during its 19 years of military rule over the Gaza Strip, Egypt was more concerned about Palestine than the Palestinians. Contrary to the Hashemite Kingdom, which annexed the West Bank and undertook a process of "Jordanizing" the Palestinians, Egypt avoided adding the refugees from Jaffa and the residents of Khan Yunis to its own tens of millions of poor. In the prisoner exchange that followed the Six-Day War, the Israel Defense Forces released thousands of soldiers who served in the Palestinian brigades of the Egyptian army and sought to transfer them to the western bank of the Suez Canal. But Egypt refused to accept the released Palestinians and demanded that they be returned to the Gaza Strip.

The promising idea of an exchange of territory involving Sinai, the Negev, Gaza and the West Bank might have had a chance of succeeding in the Sadat era, or at the height of the Oslo process, but has since fizzled. Egypt will not contribute a grain of sand, a drop of sweat, or a drop of blood in order to further peace. In the best-case scenario, it will continue treading water in the current impasse. The more realistic scenario is that after Hosni Mubarak, the repressed hostility will become open and active.

Ironically, the reason for this is democracy - not the American model (since efforts to instill that in Cairo failed exactly as they did in Damascus, Riyadh and every other Arab capital), but the popular version found in political cultures where an authoritarian and rigid regime refuses to relinquish its exclusivity and privileges, but also will not challenge public opinion unnecessarily. That the regime, or parts of it, has come to terms with Israel is a diplomatic fact that the Egyptian public cannot erase. However, this public has great power to keep the relationship cool, limited to air-conditioned rooms where diplomats meet.

Opinion polls show that Egypt - the largest Arab state, with the most advanced and powerful military - is also the most hostile to Israel, the United States and the West. This is not a matter of hairsplitting interpretation or passing trends: The data are unequivocal, and as frightening as a storm of religious fanaticism and prejudice.

Last month, the American House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs received the results of an international survey conducted by the University of Maryland. The survey examined public opinion in four Muslim countries: Morocco, Egypt, Indonesia and Pakistan. On every questions, Egypt led - in opposing an American presence in the Middle East, in supporting attacks against it (more than 93 percent), and in accusing the U.S. of aggression against Islam in its entirety, as opposed to just the fight against Al-Qaida, the Taliban and Saddam Hussein. Even those who expressed reservations about Al-Qaida's activities, particularly its targeting of civilians, supported the audacity of global jihad in confronting America and raising the flag of protecting "Muslim honor." Many doubt the American version of what happened on 9/11 and attribute what they saw with their own eyes, and what was described in tapes by Osama Bin Laden and his aides, to Hollywood special effects. Israel, of course, is derided as a collaborator and a protectorate.

The pot boiling under the regime is threatening - if it boils over - to throw the lid off, and with it, also the peace with Israel. The resulting security tensions will not immediately escalate or lead to a new war, a sixth war, between the two countries. But there will be no deeper, broader peace than the one that currently reigns on our southwestern border

I've long held the position that the 'Cold Peace' with Egypt would eventually lead to war. It just made sense. The Egyptian army has continually grown in numbers and quality thanks to Uncle Sam's wallet, which eagerly opened after the Cold Peace began. And their massive yearly military exercises in the Sinai? I highly doubt they're done because of a potential confrontation with Libya or Sudan.

Another worry is excellently summarized in this article, which also goes into great depth at the failure of this peace treaty to further a better relationship between the two nations:

The Israeli academic personality probably most friendly to Egypt, indeed a frequent apologist for Egyptian attitudes, wrote bluntly:

"Today the most dangerous impediment to relations between the two peoples is not, in my view, the absence of implementation of normalisation, as detailed in paragraph three of the Peace Treaty, nor in the absence of an Egyptian Ambassador in Israel, but in the unbridled incitement against Israel in the Egyptian press. "

He goes on: "Many journalists regard it as their national duty to serve as watch-dogs who protect Egyptian duty from any positive contact with Israelis. They denounce any connection in the cultural sphere as a cultural attack by Israel on the Egyptian personality. and any economic activity as domination of the Egyptian economy. Negative news from Israel is inflated to monstrous proportions, while positive moves are not published at all. Even a newspaper like El Ahram(1) permits itself to publish, for example, an article which tells readers that the Israeli soldiers in Lebanon operate ovens of "termination which they learnt to build from Nazis."(2)

1. Egypt's leading daily

2. Professor Shimon Shamir, (the head, until 1984, of the Israeli Cultural Institute in Cairo) in Yediot Ahronot 29 March, 1985.

Many will argue that a cold peace with Egypt is better than what we were enduring between the end of the Yom Kippur war and Anwar Sadat's famous visit to Jerusalem. However, looking at the radicalization of the country and the obvious advantages we've forfeited with this peace treaty, one cannot stop but be concerned about Israel and a potential confrontation with Egypt.

(Another mistake of this peace treaty was the destruction of the Jewish settlements in the Sinai. Here, for the first time, Jews willingly destroyed their settlements in an attempt to find a lasting, real peace. It set a dangerous precedent that is haunting us till this day. Its no wonder that Menachem Begin, according to one of his closest friends, spent the rest of his life regretting the treaty)

12 to 12

Today I received a request from Ahuva after she received the following email from Dudy Stark of Nefesh B'Nefesh:

This coming Shabbat, the Torah portion , Shelach, that recalls the sin of the spies, is read. These were the 12 men that Moshe sent to scout out the Land of Israel before entering. When they returned, their reports were distorted and negative and caused a 40 year delay before the Children of Israel could enter.

Today despite the challenges that come with living in Israel, we are witness to all that is good and special about living here and it is in our ability to tell our family, friends and neighbors abroad what those things are.

Nefesh B'Nefesh is initiating a simple project this week called "12 to 12". We are asking every Oleh to compose a list of 12 great things you appreciate and love about living in Israel and email your message to 12 (or more) friends abroad.

If you send this out to your friends, please CC 12to12@nbn.org.il when you send it out.

Please send out your letter before Friday June 8.

My list of 12 things I love about Israel:

1. The Kotel/Western Wall. No words needed here.
2. The language.
3. HaTikvah. A national anthem that actually speaks to your soul. Now imagine singing it with 40,000 Israelis at sporting events ...
4. The IDF. A proud Jewish army which protects our precious land.
5. The Food. Unparalleled range of foods from every corner of the world. From Ethiopian to Yemenite to Polish to French to Greek to Argentinian, you name it, it's here
6. Golan. The serene greenery of the North just speaks to my heart and soul.
7. Ben Gurion Airport. Strange choice I know ... But I love seeing it when I arrive back home after a vacation. As you walk on the ground which welcomed your aliyah dream years previous, you just smile and think, "home"
8. Israeli national team (Football/Soccer). We may not be the best team around, but I love rooting our boys on.
9. Menachem Begin Heritage Center. No better place to learn about our country's greatest leader than here.
10. Our History. Goes without saying really ...
11. Negev.
12. Our Flag.

So now.... whats your top Twelve reasons for making aliyah?

This is not Britain's finest hour

The Day She Became Whole

Israeli army paratroopers Zion Karasanti, left, Yitzhak Yifat, centre, and Haim Oshri, right, stand next to the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site, in Jerusalem's Old City after it was captured on 7 June 1967

Pilling it

Static Friendships

It was nice to get to the base on Friday and start seeing familiar faces. I haven't seen any of the lads since October of last year, and it was obviously good to see them all doing well. What's strange about miluim and the friendships we all develop is that they stop after we finish the reserve stint. Life for each of us will obviously continue, but our friendships stop once we're out of uniform. The next call up arrives, and the paused friendships start blooming again, with non-stop chatter about recent news and the obvious friendly banter and laughs. Though unlike any other friendships I have, I enjoy the warmth and connection I share with these lads ... My brothers in arms.

The Pill Box


Most of us having seen these imposing structures across the landscape whenever we've been along the 'Green Line' or across it. Within it, 2-3 Israeli soldiers sit with various equipment making sure everything across the landscape is ok. I had the honor of sitting in one with Lior for 24 hours. Though the weather wasn't too kind, I had a really good time. The first few hours we caught up, chatting about our new jobs, aspirations about life in Jerusalem and the ladies in our lives. By the time we had done that, it was almost time for Shabbat. So picture two religious boys, one a Yeminite and one a Ladino Jew, welcoming in Shabbat singing ... Carlebach! Ha ha (Awaiting all the Ashkenazi jokes). Along with Carlebach, we sang some songs in the tunes from our homes and then ate the meal that was brought in from the base. The 24 hours passed rather quickly and despite the small surroundings of the area (Diameter of around 2.5 meters), we managed to comfortably eat, sleep and enjoy our guarding.

Defensive Shield

As many know, my favorite book is 'A Pslam in Jenin' which goes into the difficulties encountered by Israel in Jenin during Operation Defensive Shield. One of my friends in my unit was in the 51 Battalion of Golani which fought in Jenin during the operation. I started discussing what he saw there and it's quite amazing how a (at the time) 21 year old dealt with his first taste of war. What I found interesting was how the fear we all endure evaporates once the first few bullets fly by. "Some bullets flew by my leg. There was no more time for fear after that, we were here to fight," he said, his face expressionless. He lost two friends during the operation, both covered in the aforementioned book. One of them, Shmuel Weiss, fell while pulling an injured friend from danger's way. "I saw them putting the blanket over his body. He saved that kid's (I forgot the name) life.The kid has yet to recover mentally from the event."

While those events have obviously left my friend scarred, he has no regrets about what he did there. "It was a war," he rightfully claims. But as he discussed killing and 'confirmation of the kill', it dawned on me on how much our kids are forced to see at such a young age. The responsibility on our soldiers is incredible, and yet time after time, they do what they have to do and do it well.

Petition against U.K. union's academic boycott bid

Yesterday, Britain's University and College Union (UCU) promoted a boycott of Israeli academic institutions. Now granted, I am not too surprised about yet another anti-Israel boycott coming from England, a country who's record towards Jews and Israel has been horrible over the last half century (White Paper, immigration quotas for Holocaust survivors who wanted to get to Israel, outlawing weapons for Jews in the Mandate, today's ever increasing anti-semitic climate, etc ...), but we should try and take a stand.

Sari Nusseibeh, the president of Al-Quds University, talks some sense:
“An international academic boycott of Israel, on pro-Palestinian grounds, is self-defeating: It would only succeed in weakening that strategically important bridge through which the state of war between Israelis and Palestinians could be ended and Palestinian rights could therefore be restored. Instead of burning that bridge, the international academy should do everything within its power to strengthen it.”

The reaction to the boycott:
Israeli Ambassador to the United Kingdon Zvi Hefetz called the resolution offensive to the British Jewish community, saying that, "Its slanted phrasing reeks of ignorance."

Adrian Fronda, a senior mathematics lecturer who had joined the union solely to vote against the boycott, was less diplomatic. "I came here to oppose the prevalent anti-Semitism we see all around us here," he said.

Education Minister Yuli Tamir condemned the union's decision, saying she would address British Education Secretary Alan Johnson on the matter.


Please sign the following petition and forward to as many people as possible:

http://www.petitiononline.com/stopucu/

Miluim Update

I will only be on reserve duty this Friday and Saturday ... So, it will obviously be an extra short stint.

I'm kinda torn on this. I am very proud to be an active reservist in a combat unit. It's something I think every Israeli should be honored to do - but this call up has come at a point in my life where I'm finalizing wedding plans and looking for a place to live. It's tough to say 'I come first' when I feel that the Israeli belief of yesta-year that 'Israel comes first' is the right and only way of thinking. While I know this wont be the last time where a stint in the reserves will interfere with important events in my life, I hope it's the last time I need to serve out so few days of my stint.

Getting Back Home

I arrived safely in Israel on Friday after a week long vacation in Scarsdale, New York. Talya & I had gone to spend some more time with my family and friends, and I wanted to show her the world I spent 8.5 years in. This would be the first time we'd be together for a whole week, doing everything together except for computer games obviously and I really enjoyed it.

The engagement party last Sunday was a blast. My mom spent hours making the wonderful ladino foods I had been craving, and with the helping hands of good friends, the event's menu was fantastic. I would have eaten more had I had more time, but the need to socialize with many people who won't be at the wedding took priority. It was nice to catch up obviously, and meet more of Talya's family. Many thanks to my parents for pulling off such a wonderful event.

Other than that, we spent a few hours in Nassau County watching a good friend graduate with a Masters from Adelphi (congrats Mr. Mora), a few hours in New York City acting like tourists and a lot of time with family and friends. Really enjoyed this brief vacation, and look forward to the next one in July! :)

With regards to being back home, Israel is not in a good state right now. Open Rocket Season on Sderot has resulted in the city becoming a ghost town, and to make matter worse, there's been very little action by our pathetic government. The citizens of the South and North cannot be target practice for our terrorist buddies. Just as suicide bombings were once deemed an 'unstoppable' form of warfare against our people until the army & country took steps to control it, I hope there are plans being set in motion to eradicate this form of warfare. On that note, How is Olmert still in power? Earth to the government officials not currently in Kadima, can you please help us?

On Wednesday, I'm off to miluim (army reserves) for a week of duty. Looking forward to seeing the lads. I hope to update the blog when I return b'h.

Forty Together

Try to imagine a time when a Jew was not allowed to pray at the Western Wall. Difficult, eh? A mere forty years ago while still under Jordanian control, Jerusalem’s holy sites were off limits to the Jews. This all changed after those 6 miraculous days in June, and ever since then, we’ve had the honor and privilege to come and pray near our holiest site. It must have been a special time. A time when Israelis cared more about their nation and their ideology than they did about other needs. A time when our leadership, in white buttoned shirts and khaki pants, acted on behalf of our nation and not the United States’ money. A time when we were proud to stand up and be counted as Jews, and as Israelis. May we have the chance to live in an Israel like that again …

Some rare footage of the reunification of our precious capital:

Jon Stewart on Olmert & Winograd

Bergen Belsen, 1945

Scott Simon of NPR reports on a rare recording of "Hatikva " from almost 62 years ago. If this doesn't give you goosebumps I don't know what will.

It was recorded by a British reporter on April 20, 1945 in Bergen-Belsen when the British army liberated the few thousand survivors in the concentration camp, half of which were Jewish, most of them at the extremes of their strength. It was recently discovered and apparently was loaned to NPR by the Smithsonian Institute.

The British priest organized prayers for Kabbalat Shabbat for the Jews. It was the first time after six years of war and after more than 10 years of persecution. With a lot of effort the Jews organized themselves and, knowing they were recorded, sang "Hatikva".

As you can hear they sang the original version as it was written by Naftali Imber. Picturing them in the midst of the concentration camp singing after all they had been through renders this a very moving scenario.

Click on the link to hear the moving recording: http://genealogy.org.il/BergenBelsenHatikva.mp3

Courtesy of Sandy Disler

So many words could be used to describe this 'song'. But perhaps there are no real words to do it justice. Six years had left world Jewry on crutches, and yet despite that, they managed to sing a song. A song that would become the Israeli national anthem. A song whose title means hope. A hope that despite it all managed to burn within each and everyone of them. May we never lose that hope ...

How to start each day with a smile ...

1. Open a document on your computer.

2. Call it 'Ehud Olmert'

3. Save it to your Desktop.

4. Drag it to the Recycle Bin

5. Empty the Recycle Bin.

6. Your computer will ask you, "Are you sure you want to delete 'Ehud Olmert'?"



7. Firmly click 'yes'

8. Feel Better? So have an extra special day!

Next week, I'll give you the step-to-step guide for Amir Peretz.

courtesy of Alex Shindler

We're Going to Athens!

Liverpool have beaten Chelsea on penalty kicks 4-1 after a 1-0 win after extra time!

On to Athens for a chance at #6!

Agger is mobbed by teammates after his goal:



The 2nd penalty save against Geremi:



Dirk Kuyt's winning spot kick:



Celebrating the win:

Onwards to Winograd!

The much anticipated Winograd Committee's partial report was released yesterday and the results were, well, pretty much what was expected. They rightfully battered the shortcomings of Ehud Olmert, Amir Peretz & Dan Halutz. The committee concluded that Olmert's handling of the Second Lebanon War was rather catastrophic:

"The prime minister made up his mind hastily, despite the fact that no detailed military plan was submitted to him and without asking for one," the report said. "He made his decision without systematic consultation with others, especially outside the IDF, despite not having experience in external-political and military affairs."

Olmert was also censured for failing to "adapt his plans once it became clear that the assumptions and expectations of Israel's actions were not realistic and were not materializing."

"All of these," the report said, "add up to a serious failure in exercising judgment, responsibility and prudence."

The report continues with heavy criticism of Amir Peretz, the Defense Minister:

Peretz "did not have knowledge or experience in military, political or governmental matters. He also did not have good knowledge of the basic principles of using military force to achieve political goals."

Despite these deficiencies, the report states, "he made his decisions during this period without systemic consultations with experienced political and professional experts, including outside the security establishment."

In fact, the panel found, "his serving as minister of defense during the war impaired Israel's ability to respond well to its challenges."

The committee also blasted retired Chief of Staff Dan Halutz for his role in the debacle:

Dan Halutz, who was IDF chief of staff at the time, was criticized for entering the war "unprepared," and for failing to inform the cabinet of the true state of the IDF ahead of the ground operation.

According to the findings, the army and its chief of staff "were not prepared for the event of the abduction despite recurring alerts."

The panel also found that Halutz had failed to "present to the political leaders the internal debates within the IDF concerning the fit between the stated goals and the authorized modes of actions."

To sum it up, our government failed miserably. We elected a prime minister who had pushed his way up the Likkud and Kadima ladder by being Ariel Sharon's pet. We elected a prime minister with no real experience in the political arena (bar being mayor of Jerusalem). We elected a prime minister who in turn appointed a Defense Minister with no combat experience or understanding of military planning. We were quiet when our last Chief of Staff was fired for being opposed to the disengagement, and were again quiet with the political promotion of a pilot to the rank of Chief of Staff. With these inexperienced, cocky, selfish leaders, what were we really expecting?



This morning, Ehud Olmert vowed to remain in office despite calls for his resignation, "It would not be correct to resign, and I have no intention of resigning." I'm not sure what goes through this man's head but he has to go. The public approval of Olmert is the lowest any Israeli prime minister has ever had, with some polls sadly showing it at being less than 10%. His own party has already made noise about pushing him out of politics, while lawmakers across the political spectrum have called for him to resign. It would be best for Olmert to resign, and retire permanently from the public eye. He's done enough damage to this country's morale and security.

No matter when Olmert and Peretz do in fact resign(Halutz resigned 3 months ago), the tough part of this journey actually starts now. This country needs to implement the harsh lessons of last summer's war and re-build its morale. A good start was made with the appointment of Gabi Ashkenazi as the new Chief of Staff. The career soldier has already started making necessary changes to the way our standing army and reservist units work. The famous quote of yesta-year was 'עם בונה צבא בונה עם', which translates to the nation builds the army, which in turn builds the nation. Our army's failures this past summer severely dented our confidence and moral - Ashkenazi is hopefully the right man to repair that by making the necessary changes to our army.

That leaves us with the two government posts. Unfortunately, the only strong leader we really have is still lying in a coma. So that begs the question, who can take over once Olmert goes? I think our best bet is Benjamin 'Bibi' Netanyahu. I know he's made his mistakes and is unpopular for his financial reforms but he's been in this position before and we're crying out for an experienced and confident leader. He is probably the best option we have from a rather average pool of candidates. With regards to the defense minister spot, it MUST go to a man who has military experience. The two best candidates in my opinion are Moshe 'Bugi' Ya'alon, who was our last Chief of Staff before Dan Halutz and is now a member of the Likkud, or Shaul Mofaz, the last defense minister before Peretz.

Whatever happens next, let's hope our army and government are fully prepared for the challenges that await them both domestically and on our borders. The Second Lebanon War was a very difficult time in our short 59 year history, but it hopefully taught us the lessons we need to ensure a stronger and more vibrant Israel. The waiting game now begins, but one thing's for sure, all will be well ... יהיה בסדר

Remembering

There is no way to describe the pain and difficulty that envelops Israelis as Memorial Day descends with a minute long siren. For a country still struggling after 59 years to find some peace and quiet, this day is a solemn reminder to the heavy price we've paid in order to 'be a free nation in our land.'

This past summer's war left us with more stories of bravery and camaraderie. Be it the heroism of Lieutenant Colonel Ro'ee Klein z"l or the commitment of Michael Levin z"l, our boys once again proudly stood up and were counted in the most trying of circumstances. But sadly, yet again, their blood helped irrigate the soils of this holy land. And so, as I listened to names and speeches during Ra'anana's memorial service, I wondered to myself how the families of our beloved fallen are looking at this. In our eyes, they're heroes, heroes who gave up their lives in order to let us fulfill ours. But what about their loved ones' eyes? Was it 'worth' leaving behind his parents to cry on his grave for years without end? Was it fair to leave his children to be raised without a loving, caring father? I don't have answers to these questions - it is not for me to judge or even try to really rationalize. But I do know however that these soldiers gave up their, as well as their families', happiness and future so that we could have ours. We are here, and will continue to be here, because of the sacrifices these brave souls have made. May the memory of our 22,305 fallen heroes be forever blessed.

Here are the faces of our fallen from the Second Lebanon War:



A highway in Israel during the 2 minute siren:



"We remember our fallen, on this day, and every day"
IDF Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi.

Being Jewish by Yair Nitzani

A funny satire of the '3 types' of Jews in Israel:

כוורת - נתתי לה חיי

Kaveret, one our greatest bands, was the first Israeli band to put some humor in their songs. Here is one of their classics, I Gave Her My Life:



... those were the days ...