Shalom all,

On 19 July, 2018, the Knesset (Israel’s Parliament) passed a quasi-constitutional law, which has come to be known as the “Nation-State Law”. This legislation has been cheered by many and objected to by many more. It has been the center of controversy at home and abroad since its enactment. It has generated public protests attended by tens of thousands. At least seven petitions have been filed with Israel’s Supreme Court in an attempt to have the law declared “unconstitutional”. And, as with most matters of controversy in Israel, it has taken on political overtones. Proponents hail the legislation as a breath of fresh air, claiming, among other things, that it puts Jewish values and democratic values on an equal footing. Opponents condemn it, asserting that law discriminates against Israel’s minority communities. Some of the comments will be mentioned below.

When dealing with legislation, two primary questions need to be asked, namely: (1) What does it say? and (2) What does it mean?

The law itself is relatively short, only 11 provisions. So in answer to the first question – What does it say? – I decided to include here a full translation of it, so that it can be seen as a whole:

Basic Law: Israel as the Nation State of the Jewish People

1 – Basic principles

A.  The land of Israel is the historical homeland of the Jewish people, in which the State of Israel was established.

B.  The State of Israel is the national home of the Jewish people, in which it fulfills its natural, cultural, religious and historical right to self-determination.

C.  The right to exercise national self-determination in the State of Israel is unique to the Jewish people.

2 – The symbols of the state

A.  The name of the state is “Israel.”

B.  The state flag is white with two blue stripes near the edges and a blue Star of David in the center.

C.  The state emblem is a seven-branched menorah with olive leaves on both sides and the word “Israel” beneath it.

D.  The state anthem is “Hatikvah.”

E.  Details regarding state symbols will be determined by the law.

3 – The capital of the state

Jerusalem, complete and united, is the capital of Israel.

4 – Language

A.  The state’s language is Hebrew.

B.  The Arabic language has a special status in the state; Regulating the use of Arabic in state institutions or by them will be set in law.

C.  This clause does not harm the status given to the Arabic language before this law came into effect.

5 – Ingathering of the exiles

The state will be open for Jewish immigration and the ingathering of exiles.

6 – Connection to the Jewish people

A.  The state will strive to ensure the safety of the members of the Jewish people in trouble or in captivity due to the fact of their Jewishness or their citizenship.

B.  The state shall act within the Diaspora to strengthen the affinity between the state and members of the Jewish people.

C.  The state shall act to preserve the cultural, historical and religious heritage of the Jewish people among Jews in the Diaspora.

7 – Jewish settlement

A.  The state views the development of Jewish settlement as a national value and will act to encourage and promote its establishment and consolidation.

8 – Official calendar

The Hebrew calendar is the official calendar of the state and alongside it the Gregorian calendar will be used as an official calendar. Use of   the Hebrew calendar and the Gregorian calendar will be determined by law.

9 – Independence Day and memorial days

A.  Independence Day is the official national holiday of the state.

B.  Memorial Day for the Fallen in Israel’s Wars and Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day are official memorial days of the State.

10 – Days of rest and sabbath

The Sabbath and the festivals of Israel are the established days of rest in the state; Non-Jews have a right to maintain days of rest on their Sabbaths and festivals; Details of this issue will be determined by law.

11 – Immutability

This Basic Law shall not be amended, unless by another Basic Law passed by a majority of Knesset members.

That’s it. Relatively short and to the point. After it had been debated and revised for over a year, it was passed by a vote of 62 in favor, 55 against, with two abstentions. Commenting upon the legislation immediately after its passage, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated this was “a pivotal moment in the annals of Zionism and the State of Israel…We enshrined in law the basic principle of our existence. Israel is the nation state of the Jewish people, that respects the individual rights of all its citizens. This is our state — the Jewish state. In recent years there have been some who have attempted to put this in doubt, to undercut the core of our being. Today we made it law: This is our nation, language and flag.”

As for the second question – What does it mean? – this is the part that has sparked such ongoing opposition and antagonism. The primary argument of critics of the law is that it is discriminates against minorities in Israel. This claim is expanded upon and embellished, and is filled with accusations of wrong-doing, including the enshrinement into law of racial superiority, relegation of minorities to being second-class citizens and insensitivity to their feelings.

In a nutshell, the language of the nation-state law is designed to make sure that Israel does not succumb to multi-culturalism that would destroy its national identity, its historical and Biblical right to the land and its unique culture, that was generated primarily by Jews who returned to their ancestral homeland, bringing with them both diversity with identity. What Israel wants to achieve with this law is exactly what its opponents want to prevent – an attempt to make the obvious explicit: Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people, with all that such a statement entails. That means it can have an official language, a flag,  national holidays and that it possesses the sole right to expand its tent pegs to settle the land, from “Dan to Beer Sheva”. It is this latter aspect which is the crux of the opposition to it. Just as a brief aside: The law refers to the “development of Jewish settlement”, not the setting up of “settlements”. There is a significant difference between the two.

If the “exercise [of] national self-determination in the State of Israel is unique to the Jewish people”, that precludes non-Jews from being able to claim the right to self-determination as a nation within the borders of Israel. The need for such a provision is abundantly evident in light of the unrelenting efforts of the so-called “Palestinians” to claim a non-existent right of return to the land to set up a “Palestinian” state. As has been mentioned time and time again, the Islamic perspective is that Judaism, along with Christianity, are false religions and that Islam has replaced Judaism. From that perspective, Islamists assert that there can no basis for the establishment of a Jewish state. But, Jews can continue to live, along with Christians, under Islamic law and rules. So, if there is no “right” to a Jewish state, the argument naturally follows that Jews also have no right to defend it, i.e., Israel should have no army or other defenders of the nation, but Jews and others should live at the mercy of Islam.

But, there is more. Israel’s Arab neighbors reject Israel’s very existence as the “nation-state” of the Jewish people. Their constant claim is that Judaism is a religion and not a nationality and that “Islamic history” negates any Jewish connection with “Palestine”. This denial of genuine historical fact regarding the ties between the Jews and the land known as Israel is an essential part of Islamic theology, which asserts that any land that was ever under the control of Islam remains holy to Islam, even if Islam’s rule is temporarily removed from the land. Viewed from this perspective, all of Israel is considered as “occupied territory”, as it was once controlled by the Ottoman Empire, which was Islamic.

Thus, the enshrining into this new law the factual existence of Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people runs contrary to everything that is claimed by the “Palestinians” and Islam and is a difficult pill to swallow.

In this regard, the real underlying opposition to the law became abundantly clear during one of the rallies that took place a few weeks ago, during the course of which “Palestinian” nationalist symbols, like flags, were displayed. Stated differently, the outcry against the new law is that it fails to treat all Israeli citizens equally. And the intention behind the argument of inequality is that it denies “Palestinians” the right to “national self-determination”, i.e., to set up a state of their own “in the State of Israel”. And so it is as it should be! The calls for “Palestinian” national rights at the protest gathering were what the opposition is really all about. Those calls were interspersed with calls in support of a “Palestinian” state and against Israel, even including the oft-repeated cries of Hamas terrorists, “With blood and fire, we will redeem ‘Palestine'”, as well as “Millions of martyrs are marching to Jerusalem.”

The new law is not intended to be legislation in the normal course, designed to guide the daily affairs of the country’s populace. It is intended to be a formal “declaration” of what Israel is, historically, nationally and Biblically – the place where God has called the Jewish people, the place where He wants to bless them and, as a consequence, to bless the world through them.  The desired equality that opponents of this law desire could well eventually result in the same multi-culturalism that Islamists have successfully used to bring about the cultural suicide that Europe is experiencing in our day.

All the issues raised by the Nation-State law are not dealt with here. Some things in the law will still need to be ironed out. For the time being, the controversy will continue.

Then the LORD said to him [Moses], “This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants’.” (Deut. 34:4)

This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “When I bring them back from captivity, the people in the land of Judah and in its towns will once again use these words: Save [us], LORD, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues. (Psalm 120:2)

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Marvin

Shalom all,

It seems like a long time since I last wrote. Well, maybe because it is a long time, some of which is attributable to my being abroad and some from severe jet lag. While in the U.S., I experienced what some would refer to as “culture shock”. It simply is not the same place that it was when I left there in the mid-80’s. My wife’s suitcase was “lost” on the way over and then “found, three and a half weeks later, the day before the return trip. On landing in Tel Aviv, my wife and I discovered that her suitcase did not make it on the plane together with us. But, the airline was prompt and diligent to deliver it to our home the very next day. The great part about the trip was catching up with dear friends and even having a mini-family reunion. There were times of sharing the Word of Truth in local congregations, as well as about our pro-life ministry in Israel. We were in four states and drove through two more. All in all, we had sweet fellowship with precious brethren and were able to catch up with family members. The time seemed to fly.

Upon returning to Israel, the big issue of the day was the backlash against the passage of what is known as the “Nation-State Law”. Its passage has resulted in renewed accusations of apartheid, caused at least one politician to submit his resignation as a Member of Knesset (Israel’s Parliament), generated mass protests and created a serious rift with the Druze community in Israel, which, up to the time of the Bill’s passage, had been strong supporters of Israel and, and, and….

What is it about this new law that has generated such antagonism and split even further the political divide? Is the criticism justified or is it merely the result of a lack of understanding regarding its content and consequences? This is what was on my mind, but it took second place to the recent events taking place in the south of Israel.

As a brief reminder, every Friday for the last several months, violent demonstrations have taken place along the Gaza fence, which separates Gaza from Israel communities in the south of Israel. As part of those weekly incidents, whose participants number in the thousands, terrorists use all kinds of weapons against the soldiers who are protecting our southern border. While various weapons have been used by terrorists from Gaza against the IDF, causing injuries and even one soldier’s death, the Hamas terrorist organization has also used incendiary kites that have destroyed wide areas of agricultural property and have caused damage to residences, businesses, and individuals here. 

However, beginning this past Wednesday night and continuing into Thursday, Hamas once again broke the cease-fire that it asked for and about 200 rockets were fired from Gaza into communities by Hamas terrorists. The Reuters News Agency captured one of the Hamas missiles exactly at the moment when it was intercepted and destroyed by Israel’s Iron Dome Defense System. But, when Hamas tried to stretch its wings and fired a rocket toward

Beersheva, that was the trigger that resulted in the IDF retaliating and destroying a building in Gaza City that was used by the internal security forces of Hamas. Israel retaliated against approximately 140 Hamas military targets. People on both sides of the conflict have been injured or wounded, some seriously, some mortally.

The missile barrage on Israel of some 200 projectiles within the space of less than 24 hours was picked up by many media sites. But, not all of them bothered to deal with the essential facts, so that the matter could be put into proper perspective. This appears to be particularly true when the one on the receiving end is Israel. As is often the case when reporting about Israel, the realities of the situation are twisted to the point of casting blame on the victim, Israel, instead of Hamas.

Case in point, as reported in Hebrew by Ynet:  The British Broadcasting Company (the BBC) issued a Tweet, whose headline read: “Israeli airstrikes ‘kill woman and toddler'”, without any mention of the rocket barrage fired at Israel. A spokesperson from the Israeli Foreign Ministry responded: “This is a formal complaint by [the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs]. This title is a deliberate misrepresentation of reality (that’s the polite equivalent of “this is a LIE”, if you don’t get it). Israelis were targeted by Hamas and IDF acts to protect them. Change it IMMEDIATELY!!!”

While the Twitter account did not change the headline right away, the news site changed the headline to read: “Gaza air strikes ‘kill woman and child’ after rockets hit Israel.” Later on, the original Tweet in Twitter was deleted and a new Tweet was written: “The Israeli army says it attacked Hamas targets in response to the firing of dozens of rockets at Israel.” What should be noted about the “P” report of the mother and child is that the “Ps” actually took the photo from somewhere else. It is a photo of an American baby that they downloaded from Instagram.

Most of the larger news networks were fairly balanced in their headlines, even those which chose to include in the bylines the death of the “Palestinian” mother and her daughter, following the Israeli response to the missile barrage. But, the popular Italian newspaper, “La Republica”, stood out in its blatant failure to every try to present the reality of the situation. It read: “Gaza: A pregnant Palestinian mother and her daughter, a year and a half old, were killed by bombings.” In the sub-headline, there appeared only: “Among the victims was also a 30-year old man. The present escalation in the Gaza Strip comes when Egypt and the U.N. are brokering an attempt to bring about a cease-fire.”

The firing of missiles from Gaza was not mentioned at all in the article that appeared on the front page and only those who bothered to read further were able to discover the information about the firings from Gaza. It seems that only when we do something, that it becomes newsworthy – distorted, but newsworthy.

I could easily relate to the multitude of different news sites that bothered to report on the matter, which didn’t even try to put first things first. But, this would only repeat what has already been written. Prejudice against Jews and Israel is expressed in many forms and, sometimes, it is expressed by its failure to present the entire picture, thus creating a misleading impression, which allows one’s innate attitudes to take over.

But, where do we go from here? There has been yet another “temporary” cease-fire. If things go as they have always gone, the present cease-fire will soon cease – Hamas will once again fire missiles into Israel and we will once again retaliate. And we will be blamed again for defending ourselves and for surviving and for the consequences of our retaliation to the instigation of Hamas.

Expressed somewhat differently, we are, and will continue to be, accused of a disproportionate response. And the cycle will begin again. Residents in the south of Israel are willing to risk war for the sake of gaining long-term peace and quiet. Mothers do not want to constantly be in a situation where they need to decide which child to save when the sirens sound, signaling incoming missiles.

As a result of the missile bombardment, Air Force personnel were called up and ground troops were being prepared for a move southward for another military engagement with Gaza. Israel is pragmatic and knows that at some point, it will have no choice, but to re-enter Gaza. Most of us will agree with the words of President Thomas Jefferson: “I have seen enough of one war never to wish to see another.” War is not our goal, nor is it our desire. It never has been. But, it is a reality that we have dealt with in the past and will, unfortunately, have to deal with again before too long. 

So, why haven’t we already put an end to this on-going cycle of “If you hit me, I’ll just hit you back, harder”?

Several possibilities exist: (1) Gaza is simply a time bomb with a fuse, that once it is ignited, it will cause the entire region to explode, something that Israel does not want – nor do most of Israel’s neighbors; (2) If a war breaks out with Hamas, which is an Iranian proxy, Iran could pull the strings with its other proxies in the region and bring about a multi-front war with Israel – Hezbollah in Lebanon (north), Assad in Syria (northeast) and Hamas from Gaza (southeast), as well as the possibility of direct confrontation with Iran (from the far northeast). While being far from an ideal situation, Israel is already planning for this eventuality; (3) Another war with Hamas is likely to generate a worldwide backlash, particularly from a media point of view. Regrettably, Israel has not done well in the war of public opinion. 

And so we wait. 

In the meantime, proposals are being considered in order to bring about another, admittedly, “temporary peace” with Gaza. But, none of the proposals are good for Israel. We cannot allow our enemies to dictate to us terms for peace. The consequences of “them” deciding, rather than Israel, will be disastrous. It’s been said that “War settles nothing.” 

“And He will judge between the nations, And will render decisions for many peoples, And they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they learn war.” (Isaiah 2:4)

Have a great week and remember: Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Marvin

No fewer than 18 times, the Bible refers to this land as “a land flowing with milk and honey”. We can argue about what “milk and honey” means, but it would be difficult to interpret the positive perspective of “flowing” in any way other than what the rational mind would understand it to be, namely, abundance and, when combined with “milk and honey”, abundantly fertile. Twice, within the context of describing the land that God gave to the Israelites, He refers to it as “flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands.” (Ezekiel 20:6, 15).

There is a proper place for trying to understand what is meant by that phrase. We can take it apart, word by word, and attempt to explain what we think it means today, what we think it meant to those who were living in Bible times and were about to enter this land, as well as what we think was understood by those who actually did enter. There is a beauty that the Scriptures reveals and proper examination of it illumines the eyes of our understanding and quickens our heart to anticipate “the glory of all lands” that still awaits us.

When the Israelites entered the land after forty years of wandering in the desert, there was work to be done. It had to be “cleared” before it could be properly enjoyed. The Israelites faced constant opposition and attempts to steal and destroy what they sowed and wanted to reap. Their enemies encouraged one another, saying “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation, that the name of Israel be no more.” (Psalm 83:4) The more things change, the more they remain the same. 

After two thousand years of diaspora “wandering”, the descendants of Abraham, Isaach and Jacob returned to the land. It needed to be “cleared” before it could be properly enjoyed. They met considerable opposition, yet they persevered. The “dry bones” (Ezekiel 37) were revived and once again, the land began to flow with milk and honey. Agricultural cooperatives were set up “from Dan to Beersheva” (i.e., from the north to the south of Israel). We taught a multitude of countries how to cultivate their lands, fatten their cows and irrigate their deserts. In the midst of opposition and despite and multitude of wars, this country grew, developed industry, cultural programs, technology and centers for higher education. The dry areas were fertilized and yielded produce, which was exported to nations all over the world. Israel was becoming a physical and material blessing to the nations. 

But, there is another consideration that cannot be overlooked, namely, that Israel is to be a spiritual blessing whereby all the families of the earth will be blessed by it. (Genesis 12:1-3). “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘In those days ten men from all the nations will grasp the garment of a Jew, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”‘” (Zechariah 8:23). This remains an event for a future day. Hopefully, it is not too far off.

Yet, today, efforts are being made to turn blessing into cursing. Movements abound that try to delegitimize Israel and to condemn the Jewish people. If some could have their way, we would be blamed for every evil under the sun. The “father of lies” is very good at what he does and is not without gullible adherents. Most people tend to condemn what they do not fully understand. Some are taught to hate from childhood on. Blame is always put on “the other guy”, who, more often than not, turns out to be a Jew or the nation of Israel. So it is today.

During the last two months, our neighbors to the southwest, in Gaza, have attempted to breech the security fence between Gaza and communities in Israel. They have been warned not to approach the security fence, but those warning went unheeded. Stirred on by the terror organization Hamas, civilians are used as human shields. Weapons are used against Israeli troops, who are doing their job to defend our population from terrorist infiltration. Some people are killed, many are wounded. Israeli is blamed by the community of nations, who condemn Israel for continuing to exist. The latest i

n the arsenal of weapons used by “Palestinians” is the “terror kite”. It is a regular kite, usually with a swastika put on it, to which a Molotov cocktail is attached. It is sent over the fence, explodes and causes severe fire damage to agricultural and other lands and property in civilian areas, resulting in considerable economic loss and severe ecological pollution.

Look at the contrast: This is what some of Israel looks like, because of the desire to build a nation and an infrastructure that will benefit the population of Israel. This, on the other hand, is what Hamas desires to do to Israel.

Billions of dollars have been pumped into the “Palestinian” Authority, which has been used to fund three wars against Israel since Hamas took over Gaza in 2007. It has been used to develop a terrorist infrastructure, instead of one that will help to improve the life of the citizens of Gaza. They don’t have anything that they want to protect, so they try to take what we have and what we want to protect. And that totally useless organization, the U.N. (I won’t even credit it with its full name) once again is being asked to condemn Israel for its actions to protect what belongs to it. This is where I live and I will do what I can to protect my home and my family. If this were your home, wouldn’t you do the same?

Please keep my two sons in your prayers. One is on active duty and the other is on reserve duty. Thanks.

Have a long life, peace be to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have. (1 Sam. 25:6)

The LORD said to Abram … “Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your deascendants forever.” (Genesis 13:14-15)

Now Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho. And the Lord showed him all the land, Gilead as far as Dan, and all Naphtali and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah* as far as the western sea, and the Negev and the plain in the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar. Then the Lord said to him, “This is the land which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants’;” (Deuteronomy 34:1-4)

* For those who may think that we are occupying “Palestinian” land, it should be noted that “the land of Judah” includes Gaza (Joshua 15:1, 47), which they are temporarily occupying.

Have a great week.

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing,

Marvin

In a scathing article that appeared in the Wall Street Journal on May 20th, entitled: The Truth About Hamas and Israel, the IDF Spokesperson, Brig. General Ronen Manelis, summed up the method of Hamas’s “war” against Israel and reminded the vast readership of the paper of the goals of this terrorist group: “Their [i.e., Hamas officials’] modus operandi is simple: Lie. Their lies support the stated goal of Hamas: the delegitimization and destruction of Israel.” He accused the Hamas terror organization, which has been ruling Gaza since 2007, of orchestrating “theatrics” for an international audience – theatrics which resulted in the deaths of dozens of “Palestinians” during the violent weekly, Friday demonstrations along the Gaza border fence. And, the worst thing about it is that the leftist media bought the narrative, hook, line and sinker. There was international outrage, calls for probes by the U.N. Human Rights Council (there’s a misnomer if there ever was one) and calls for setting up an international force that would protect (can you believe it?) the population of Gaza.. There were gatherings and events all planned to voice complaint against Israel for the deaths of alleged “innocent” victims of the Gaza fence uprisings. Then, Hamas itself revealed that 50 of the some 60 “Palestinians” killed were Hamas members. Islamic Jihad added 3 of its members to those who were killed. One would think that the bottom fell out of the arguments of those who condemned Israel and that they realized that the vast majority of the “innocents” were, in fact, active members of terrorist organizations, armed with weapons, hunting slingshots, explosives and “kite bombs”, who mixed in with the crowd and stirred them on. But, that wasn’t the case. 

Michael Oren, Israel’s Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy, recently stated: “There’s a war being waged and we’re not even on the battlefield.” He added: “Hamas can’t cut through the fence, so it wants to get people killed in order to delegitimize Israel. And the press plays into that, the press enables Hamas to win.” And, much to our regret, in words of Lt. Colonel Jonathan Conricus, the head of the IDF’s internationl media department, regarding the fight for international public opinion, Hamas won an “overwhelming victory, by [a] knockout”. Conricus continued: “Hamas wanted the casualties, Hamas wanted people to die. Hamas wanted the pictures of the wounded and the overflowing hospitals and everything else…It’s been very difficult to tell our story”, adding that some of it is his fault.

If that wasn’t bad enough, along comes the article by Thomas L. Friedman, in the New York Times of May 22, 2018, entitled, Hamas, Netanyahu and Mother Nature. I could discuss the inconsistencies and errors, prejudices and presumptions contained in the article, which was simply another in a seemingly endless series of articles getting on Israel’s case. But, rather than do so here, I refer to you to a somewhat lengthy, but nevertheless informative, criticism of Friedman’s latest condemnation of our country and government, appearing in Israpundit. This will give you an idea:

But even compared to his past inanities, [Thomas Friedman’s] latest column, “Hamas, Netanyahu and Mother Nature”, is a real doozy—a “masterful” blend of personal bile and bias, liberally laced with logical inconsistencies, factual inaccuracies and even blatant non-sequiturs.

….

Friedman has of course, been long been captive to the seductive deception of two-statism. At the base of this dogma is the belief that, among the Palestinian-Arabs, there is a leader sufficiently reasonable to cut a deal acceptable to Israel and sufficiently authoritative to ensure its implementation.

Accordingly, in order to sustain their political credo, (or rather, “cult”), two-state adherents have to conjure up imaginary Palestinian-Arabs and an imaginary Palestinian-Arab society, significantly different from those that actually exist on Planet Earth.

It is difficult to refrain from commenting myself on statements that are based on historical error and misinformation in Friedman’s article. But, since others have done so, I will forego it at this point. Many years ago, before immigrating to Israel, I enjoyed reading The New York Times, which tried to live up to its slogan, “All the News That’s Fit to Print.” But, news that is distorted is not “fit to print” and should not be treated as news at all. With ethical considerations no longer part and parcel of a reporter’s responsibility, allowing him/her to “make”, rather than “report”, news. So maybe the slogan should be changed to “All the News That Fits We Print”. I wouldn’t be surprised to find that this is not my opinion only, but the opinion of all those who really want to know what is going on, factually, not fictionally. 

The “Palestinians” want Israel to answer for the Gaza incidents before the International Criminal Court, totally ignoring their own responsibility for the deaths of their own citizens. Israeli farmers are planning to retaliate and will seek to hold Hamas legally and criminally responsible for the destruction of Israeli fields, property and produce, resulting from the “kite fire bombs” that the “Palestinians” sent over the Gaza fence. The destruction of Israeli fields and vineyards from the “kite terror” is now a daily event and a genuine concern. Israel is totally justified in defending its borders against infiltration, whether against one or against a multitude. But, as Prime Minister Netanyahu has stated: “History has shown us time and again that what is right is not what is popular.” 

With the commencement of the month-long Moslem celebration of Ramadan, which began this year on May 16th, violence along the Gaza fence has not diminished. The focus of world attention has shifted from Iranian involvement in Syria to violent clashes along the Gaza border fence. The weekly, Friday confrontations continue. The leadership of Hamas continues to send Gazans to confront the Israel Defense Force, which is determined to prevent “Palestinian” infiltration into Israel communities. And, of course, the leftist media continues to miss the mark and fails to understand that these demonstrations are not for the benefit of the Gazan population. The people are being used as “walking bombs” by the Hamas leadership in its goal to win the war of public opinion. The price: 50 Shekels (about US $14 or £10.50 or CAD $18.20). 

In his excellent article entitled Hamas: Fight to the last Gazan, Dr. Mordechai Kedar brings us full circle to the need to recognize the role that the media plays in encouraging “Hamas’ satanic plans”. As Dr. Kedar states, in part, in his article, which I heartily recommend that you read: 

“Every person killed is a public relations accomplishment for Hamas, every person wounded is a propaganda gain to mislead viewers in Europe and America who have no understanding of Hamas’ satanic plans to use the people of Gaza as live ammunition against Israel, knowing that they will be killed as soon as they try to break through the fence….Everyone in Gaza…now knows exactly what happens to anyone who comes near the fence. That makes the rioters themselves and the Hamas organization which sends them fully responsible for the deaths of these live bullets.

However, the foreign press is another responsible party of which the public must be made aware. Anyone who understands Hamas’ plans knows full well that without media coverage all the riots near and at the fence would not have occurred. After all, why would Hamas waste human ammunition unless it could make an impression on world opinion?

This is where Israeli idiocy steps in, as Israel allows foreign media to reach the immediate surroundings of  Gaza…[The] media act as tools of the Hamas terrorists, useful idiots who spread Hamas propaganda without charge.”

Why doesn’t Israel shut down, at least temporarily, the internet access which it supplies to Gaza? We provide the internet that allows Hamas to spread its propaganda. We supply Gaza with electricity, that allows Hamas satellite television broadcasting. Maybe the world outcry against depriving the “Palestinians” of access to media outlets would be considered a fate worse than death. 

Dr. Kedar closes his article on an optimistic note: 

“There   is no question that Israel will defeat Hamas, because Israel is fighting a just war and Hamas is a terror organization whose reign of terror over Gaza turns its population into disposable ammunition with its own evil hands. The fate of Hamas is not in doubt: It will be dumped in the ash heap of history, along with the other Arab dictators who were overthrown in the “Arab Spring.”  Hamas, the despotic and tyrannical terror movement, is no different than they, because it, too, is prepared to sacrifice the Palestinian Arabs down to the last man on the altar of its own survival.” 

In the meantime, the violence continues, also in places other than along the Gaza border fence. Staff Sergeant Ronen Lubarsky, a 20-year-old IDF soldier, who served in the elite Duvdevan unit, was critically injured a week ago Thursday, during an operation in a refugee camp near Ramallah. He was struck by a large marble slab thrown on his head from the third floor of a building. He died of his injuries two days later and was buried last Sunday morning. Despite the tragedy of his son’s death, Ronen’s father stated, in part: “Also in these difficult days I am content, because the nation of Israel has embraced my family with a strong embrace that I did not believe existed. Our great victory is that we will live full lives.” Ronen was a close friend of one of my youngest’s son’s friends. May the God of all comfort touch the hearts of his family and grant them all His abundant comfort.

Ronen’s death is a tough reminder of the fact that among the many tasks that the IDF has, one of them is to go into the refugee camps and other places in the administered territories to search for and arrest “Palestinians” wanted by Israeli authorities, some of them before they perform an act of terror. This is an ongoing activity for the unit, which operates on a moment’s notice 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year long. 

Then there are the rockets that Hamas fires off in the direction of Israeli civilian communities. They shoot the rockets. We retaliate. Two days ago, Hamas asked for a cease fire. We agreed. They immediately violated the cease fire. We struck back. Have you ever had a rocket land close enough to you to shake the foundations of your residence and your entire neighborhood? That is our reality. What would YOU do? 

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23)

The LORD your God is in your midst. A victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy. He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy. (Zephaniah 3:17)

[The] Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. (2 Thessalonians 3:3)

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing,

Marvin

On January 18, 2018, an article appeared in American Thinker, entitled “The moral inversion of ‘humanitarian groups luring the poor into death traps”. It opens with the question: “How do you say ‘chutzpah’ in Spanish?” It focused on the accusation of two “purported ‘humanitarian’ groups” that blame the deaths of border violators on the U.S. Border Police, who destroy the food and water left by these two groups for the migrants who try to infiltrate the border. The writer continues: “Providing food and water to lure people into a potentially fatal journey is reprehensible….Anyone who encourages people to violate our laws and do so in a life-threatening manner is doubly culpable in my book….We are supposed to be outraged by the sight of Border Patrol agents executing their protective function.” No one would seriously deny that the United States has the right to defend its borders against those who would illegally seek to infiltrate its territory.

Let’s move some nine thousand miles east to the State of Israel and the wire fence separating Gaza from Israeli communities in the south of the country. Tens of thousands of Gaza residents attempt to storm the fence, tear it down and infiltrate into Israeli territory where they can destroy property, injure, kill and kidnap Israeli citizens. In the process, they use whatever weapons they have at their disposal, some resulting in personal injury and others causing considerable property damage. Standing between the infiltrators and their intended goals of “returning” to themselves what never belonged to them is the Israel Defense Forces (“the IDF”). The leaders of rioters make promises to them that they can never keep and urge civilians to put themselves at risk of injury or death in their attempts to get to the other side of the fence. The IDF holds its position and repels the attempts to infiltrate Israel’s borders. Gazans are shot, many are wounded, some are killed. 

Most of the reactions by the leftist media and by many so-called democratic governments around the world, with very few notable exceptions, are “outraged by the sight of [the IDF] executing their protective function”. Some foreign, cultural functions in Israel are cancelled, diplomatic representatives are called home and countries call for the investigation of Israel’s use of “disproportionate” force. We live in a world that does not wince at applying a “double standard” whenever Israel is involved. We usually find ourselves on the wrong side of the “moral inversion”, being blamed for surviving attempts to kill us and for defending against those who would steal the land that has been restored in accordance with God’s promise and possessed after the shedding of the blood of our relatives and friends. 

The Hamas terrorist organization instigates its people to go on suicide missions against the IDF. From the perspective of the depraved leadership of Hamas, the more dead Gazans, the better. The international media thrives on pictures of bleeding bodies, but ignores pointing a finger at the ones responsible for the deaths and injuries – the obsessed leadership of Hamas – and instead accuses Israel of acting improperly and even of committing war crimes. Writers need to fill their word quota. Newspapers need to increase their circulation. Media outlets are unrestrained in accusing the wrong person, because reporters are no longer bound by ethical standards. Truth and balanced reporting, if they truly ever existed, are now things of the past.

The reasons given for the violent uprisings – not peaceful protests, but terror attacks, are without foundation. In years past, there was the “intifida” that began following a “Palestinian” accusation that Israel had “invaded” the Al-Aqsa Mosque, or was trying to “destroy” the mosque, or that allowing Jews to visit the Temple Mount in Jerusalem would “defile” the holy sites of the “Palestinian” people. The most recent uprisings along the Gaza fence is allegedly in opposition to the announcement of U.S. President Trump which declared Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and because the U.S. moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. This is absolute nonsense. The recent uprisings are in connection with the “March of Return”, and have no connection with anything that the U.S. did or intended to do. The main events took place along the Gaza fence, not in Jerusalem or in the capitals of other Arab countries in the Middle East. 

Hamas leaders were so confident that the Gaza border clashes would result in victory, that they handed out detailed instructions via social media, informing the protesters which “Palestinian” leader would be giving a victory speech after the border was breached. But, the leadership of Hamas did not take part in the border clashes. They sent members of their terrorist organization, who were dispersed among the civilians. Hamas later admitted that 80% of the fatalities of the border incidents in April and 85% of those killed this past Tuesday (Nakba Day) were Hamas and Islamic Jihad military personnel. Yet, instead of reporting on these admissions, the western media continues to condemn Israel and call for the prosecution of Israel’s leaders. Major General (res.) Yaakov Amidror of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategic Studies rightly commented on this earlier last week: “They sit in air-conditioned offices in Europe and think that we’re facing demonstrations in Brussels against the central bank, and then preach to Israel about how to handle the riots.”

As David M. Weinberg, vice president of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategic Studies, stated  on May 18th: 

“It is stomach-churning that people call the Gaza border death toll “disproportionate.” How many Israelis have to die for the sake of symmetry and ersatz Western scruples?

“It is also annoying that Western do-gooders seem to accept Palestinian “days of rage” as tolerable behavior. As if the Palestinians can’t help themselves from throwing a tantrum. As if responsible and reasonable behavior, such as negotiation, democratic discourse and normative state-building, can’t be expected of the Palestinians.

“This is the soft bigotry of low expectations and the counterpart hard bigotry of demands for impeccable/impossible conduct from Israel. This stems, I sense, from an inability to internalize the fact that despite Israel’s Oslo Accord concessions and multiple peace offers ever since, much of the Palestinian national movement has not changed its goal of annihilating Israel and replacing it with a Palestinian state. That is, of course, the meaning of Hamas’ so-called “Great March of Return.”

“It is incredibly hurtful when people who should know better focus only on Israel’s alleged shortcomings and not on the venality of those who instigate the violence so as to generate a maximum number of casualties. This only encourages the terrorists to keep at it, believing that useful idiots in the West will act to isolate the Jewish state until it collapses.” 

Colonel Richard Kemp, a former commander of British military forces in Afghanistan, told the UN Human Rights Council last week: 

 “If Israel had allowed these mobs to break through the fence, the IDF would then have been forced to defend their own civilians from slaughter and many more Palestinians would have been killed….Israel’s actions therefore saved lives of Gazans, and if this council really cared about human rights, it should commend the IDF for that, not condemn them on the basis of lies….I ask every country in this council: You have all been telling us that Israel should have reacted differently. But how would you respond if a jihadist terror group sent thousands to flood your borders, and gunmen to massacre your communities?”

And, if that isn’t enough, here is the report from someone who was there, in real time, serving as a reservist, on the front line along the Gaza fence. Before the liberal media condemn those who defend our country, let them put on a uniform, become targets, put their lives in danger, pretend that they are defending their families and their homes, and then report from the front lines. It just might reverse their moral inversion.

“I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 62:6)

“I am zealous for Zion with great zeal.” (Zechariah 8:2)

“For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her righteousness goes forth as brighteness, and her salvation as a lamp that burns.” (Isaiah 62:1)

Happy Shavuot / Feast of Weeks / Pentecost (Lev. 23:15-16; Acts 2:1)

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing,

Have a great week.

Marvin

On Tuesday, May 8th, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the United States was withdrawing from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action – otherwise known as the Iran nuclear deal – that was signed between Iran and six world powers, referred to as “the P5 +1” (it would have been easier if they just referred to the P6 to prevent everyone from having to do the math) and that it would be renewing economic sanctions on the Islamic Republic of Iran. In his televised speech, Trump stated, among other things, that the deal “should have never been made. It didn’t bring peace and it never will.” The action by the U.S. was certainly in its best interests and boosted Trump’s image as a decisive leader in the international community. And, irrespective of what may think about him from a number of different perspectives, when it comes to Israel, he knows how to make the right decision. He and the U.S. will be blessed as a result (“I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse…” Gen. 12:3). He walks the walk.

As expected, Iran was not a happy camper. It had continually threatened that there would be “consequences” if the U.S. pulled out of the nuclear deal.

The following night, May 9th, Iranian military forces stationed in Syria fired 20 rockets towards the Israeli portion of the Golan Heights. Some of them were shot down by Israeli’s Iron Dome defense system, while the others fell on Syrian soil. Windows in Haifa and in various places in the north of Israel were rattled when the Israeli Air Force responded by sending 28 jets into Syrian airspace, which fired some 60 missiles at Iranian targets, severely damaging its infrastructure on Syrian soil. In the process, Syria fired anti-aircraft missiles at the Israeli jets, which all returned unharmed and safely home to Israel. Israel also destroyed the anti-aircraft batteries. The number of Iranians who were killed in the Israeli retaliatory strike varies, depending upon the source of the reports, but in all, 23 troops were killed, 18 of them being non-Syrians.

Israel’s Defense Minister, Avigdor Liberman, warned Tehran: “If you give us rain, you will get a flood.” The U.S. and other countries joined in condemning Iran and in supporting Israel’s right to defense herself. In a rare announcement, Bahrain’s Foreign Minister said that all countries in this region have the right to defend against Iranian agression. Others, like Russia of all places, called upon the parties to act with restraint.

Iran was clearly embarrassed by Israel’s successful retaliatory strike against its various installations in Syria. While Iran says that it is not interested in escalating the tensions between the two countries or in the region, it is clear that none of Iran’s media pronouncements can be trusted. The missile barrage could be an opening shot, to test Israel’s response (which was undoubtedly more than what Iran had expected). At the same time, it announced that as a result of the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear agreement, Iran would push ahead with uranium enrichment on an industrial scale. In line with this, Iranian cleric Ahmad Khatami warned yesterday (Friday): “We will expand our missile program and our capabilities despite pressure from Western countries … to let Israel know that if it acts foolishly, Tel Aviv and Haifa will be totally wiped out.”

Notwithstanding statements like those from Ahmad Khatami, Iran continues to blame others for the escalating tensions in the Middle East, while portraying itself as one who is acting to diminish those tensions. In an almost ludicrous statement, Syria joined Iran’s narrative and accused Israel as the one that is destabilizing the region: “…Syria has expressed dismay over the overnight airstrikes and blamed Israel for disrupting the peace and stability in the region. Iran has not yet made a statement about the attack.” Apparently, some of the chemical agents used by Syria have fallen on its media personnel.

There is, however, an over-emphasis by the media as to whether Tehran will respond to these latest developements and to its being embarrassed by Israel’s retaliation and destruction of much of its military infrastructure in Syria. The more formidable enemy is Iran’s proxy in Lebanon, the Hezbollah, which is not getting the media attention that it should. If Israel had acted in Lebanon the way that it did in Syria, it could have prevented the massive buildup of rockets and missiles now possessed by the Hezbollah, which are said to number over 100,000, all pointed in Israel’s direction. This terrorist organization has turned into a sizeable military force since the Second Lebanon War in 2006, and many in their organization have gained combat experience by being active participants in the 7-year civil war in Syria. In all likelihood, if a serious military confrontation takes place with Syria, or with Iran, directly or indirectly, the Hezbollah will be active participants in that,as well. As I mentioned in previous posts, Israel is preparing for a multi-front war, the opening shots of which may have been the Iranian missile barrage from Syria last week. For now, as we begin a new week, there is an uneasy quiet on the northern front.

Increasing Tensions in the South

If the northern arena is taking a breather, the southern arena is picking up steam. The weekly, Friday confrontations along the Gaza fence are growing in intensity and in the damage that is being done to the fields on the Israeli side of the fence by “Kite Bombs” prepared by the “Palestinians”. Acres of land here have been destroyed by this unconventional, new weapon, that as of now, Israel is struggling to cope with.  The facade of these weekly confrontations being “non-violent” has long been negated. During yesterday’s demonstration, “Palestinians” set fire to gas pipelines that carry gas from Israel to the Gaza Strip. As the expression goes, they are “shooting themselves in the foot”.

It is expected that the violence will reach its peak on Tuesday of this coming week, as we begin the week with Jerusalem Day (commemorating the reunification of Jerusalem in 1967) on Sunday, the dedication of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem on Monday (coinciding with the 70th anniversary of Israel’s establishment according to the Gregorian calendar) and Nakba Day (what the “Palestinians” refer to as the day of catastrophe) on Tuesday.  One leader of the terrorist organization, Hamas, hinted that it is possible that hundreds of thousands of “purely peaceful” protestors would storm the fence. Israel’s forces will continue to defend against any terrorist attack and “Palestinian” attempts to breach the border, instigated by Hamas. A massive protest and confrontation will undoubtedly result in a multitude of casualties, which would be in keeping with Hamas’s goals of gaining as much media coverage as possible, in the hope that the international community will  not only condemn, but take action against, Israel. This coming week’s Gaza fence confrontations will provide the headline coverage that Hamas has been waiting for. It should be clear that one of the easiest ways to negate so-called “Palestinian” claims to the land of Israel is by noting their readiness to destroy it.

“Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” (Genesis 28:15)

“No weapon that is formed against you will prosper.” (Isaiah 54:17)

“Blessed be the LORD from Zion, Who dwells in Jerusalem. Praise the LORD!” (Psalm 135:21)

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Marvin

“Fix It Or Nix It.”

Iran put on a good show. It is a good actor on the international stage of the ship of fools. It bamboozled its negotiation partners into believing that it was sincere in its proclamations and its alleged willingness to put its nuclear ambitions on hold. It got what it wanted – a deal signed in July, 2015, that totally serves Iran’s purposes. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (the formal name for the nuclear agreement – “the agreement”) that was signed does not prevent Iran from upgrading its centrifuges and, among other things, it allows Iran to assert that any site within its borders is a military site and, therefore, is exempt from inspection. The agreement fails to restrict Iran from developing its missile program, which would be the “means” by which it would deliver any nuclear payload and it totally ignores – and therefore, allows – Iran to continue with its plans for Middle East hegemony. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been an ardent opponent of the agreement with Iran and has, on more than one occasion, said “Fix It or Nix It”. As slogans go, this is a nice one. But, neither fixing, nor nixing, the agreement, by itself, will stop Iran’s nuclear ambitions. As for “fixing” the agreement, that is not a practical solution for Iran, which made a “good deal” for itself. Therefore, it has no reason to agree to amend it. Serious, crippling economic sanctions were imposed on Iran and it only agreed to come to the nogotiating table because of the economic pressures that it was facing. Once the agreement was signed and the sanctions were removed, it immediately entered into various business deals with different countries and private companies. And while it smiled all the way to the bank – and friendlier relations with the European Union – it continued its pursuits to attain a nuclear weapon, which would enable it to join an exclusive club of nuclear-capable nations and, give it the freedom to say and do as it pleases. Lest we forget, when the agreement was signed, it was touted as a great success that was brought about by the joint efforts of many of America’s allies. Now, with the discovery that Iran lied from day one and that it negotiated the JCPOA in bad faith, the nations that praised it as the deal of the century now have a difficult time to admit that they were wrong. The ugly pride of politics This is where skill in diplomacy enters the picture. 

If “fixing” the deal were to be a realistic option, it would serve Iran’s interests even further. Iran could agree to re-negotiate and drag out those negotiations for an extended period of time, possibly even years, that would bring it close to the 10-year breakout period, that would free it of all obligations. And, with Russia and China involved in the renewed negotiations, the matter can be delayed time and time again, even as it was during the original negotiations and make a farce of any attempt at agreeing to any revisions.

So, then, if “fixing” the deal is not really practical or reasonably workable, that leaves us with the second part of the “either/or” situation, namely: “nixing” the deal, accompanied by strong, economic sanctions imposed by the international community … and enforced!. Enter President Trump, who tonight (9 p.m., Israel time – 2 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in the U.S.) withdrew the U.S. from the 2015 nuclear agreement and said that it would reimpose “powerful”, economic sanctions. If other countries will continue to deal with Iran, they, too, might be subject to sanctions. 

Clearly, “nixing” the JCPOA is an encouragement to its critics, not the least of which is Prime Minister Netanyahu, whose status has increased before the international community, as the leader of the opposition to this disastrous agreement, and as the one who, in a very real sense, was the prime mover behind the U.S. deciding to withdraw from the agreement. It also served to present President Trump as someone who does what he says he will do, a fact that he clearly emphasized.

How does this decision impact Iran? Despite Trump’s announcement, Iran will not kowtow and easily abandon its nuclear ambitions, nor its nuclear program. In order for it to pursue its desire to gain hegemony over the Middle East, it must reject outright the action of the U.S. It must act in defiance of Trump’s announcement and accuse the U.S. of acting illegally, among other things that it will come up with. It must make every effort not to “lose face”, particularly in the eyes of the countries of the Middle East. The imposition of economic sanctions, even severe economic sanctions by the U.S. alone, will not immediately bring Iran to its knees. This will take time, which works in favor of Iran. The U.S. will need the support of other nations to make the sanctions effective. This, too, will take time. The only way for Iran to be stopped in its tracks is for it to realize that it is in a genuine and serious danger of a coordinated military strike against it. Only then will it sit up and think through the consequences of being on the wrong side of military attacks.

Iran has threatened that there will be consequences if the U.S. pulls out of the agreement. In this regard, it must be remembered that Israel and the U.S. are strong allies and have a common position with regard to the nuclear deal. Also to be remembered in this entire scenario is Iran’s threats to retaliate against Israel for the attacks on its bases in Syria during the last few months and, particularly, the one on April 9th, which killed Iranian advisers and members of the Revolutionary Guards. The Israeli military is on “high alert” and is prepared for an Iranian missile attack from Syria and Lebanon. It also has a dozen warships in the Mediterranean, along the northern coast of Israel, as well as tanks in some northern cities. In addition to a potential rocket and missile threat, there is concern about the possibility of attempted physical infiltration. While writing this post, I received an alert that the IDF instructed communities in the area of the Golan Heights to open up public bomb shelters, even as F-16s are flying overhead and are circling in the skies over the Syrian portion of the Golan. The IDF also called up some members of the reserves.

The big questions now are: Where do we go from here? What is Plan B, or Plan C, who will participate in it and how long will it take to put it into place? And now, the political pundits are preparing to prophesy.

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

“Do not fear them, for the LORD your God is the one fighting for you.” (Deuteronomy 3:22) 

Keep looking up!

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Marvin

The Price for Fulfilling a Vision

It’s the little things that catch our attention, things like:-

∙ May 1, 2018: the statement by Michael Oren, a former Israeli ambassador to Washington and now serving as a deputy minister for diplomacy in the prime minister’s office, that the expected peace plan of U.S. President Trump will undoubtedly require Israeli concessions, but that Israel would be foolish to reject it. In his opinion, no U.S. President has been a more favorable ally to Israel than Trump. Therefore, we should welcome the peace plan, irrespective of its content. In his words: “My own feeling is to strongly recommend that the Israeli government accept this plan with an open mind, if not open arms, that we engage with it energetically and that we certainly don’t reject it out of hand.”

∙ May 4, 2018: a report that President Trump revealed his proposed peace plan to Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman during the latter’s visit to Washington last week. This plan, long-awaited by many, will require Israel to give up four areas of East Jerusalem that would serve as the capital of a “Palestinian” state. One Hebrew language, daily newspaper here reported that Trump’s plan does not include the Old City of Jerusalem, which would be recognized as “international territory”. But, the proposed peace plan is also reported to contain total U.S. support of Israel in any matter concerning Iran. This is a broad provision and is expected to include support of Israel before the international community, as well as provide military aid and weaponry, in the event that Israel would decide to take action against Iran, even if initiated by Israel. The office of the Israeli Defense Minister refused to comment. Trump’s peace plan is expected to be made public after the U.S. Embassy is re-dedicated, this time in Jerusalem, on May 14.

∙ May 5, 2018: In an interview given by Defense Minister Liberman, he commented on the upcoming move of the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, saying: “There are no free meals. National ambition and fulfilling a vision has a price. Opening the US embassy in Jerusalem will have a price too and it is one worth paying. I hope there won’t be, but I think that this decision is historic, important and dramatic. We have to welcome – and be prepared to pay prices. No one gave us our country on a silver tray.”

So, the summary of the above statements is: take it, whatever it is; we’ll probably have to make concessions (it seems that we are always the ones having to do that); favors come with a price and big favors come with a big price. 

On December 7, 2017, after Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s eternal capital, I asked: “The only question I have at the moment is ‘What price is Israel going to have to pay for this announcement?'” Now, we get a glimpse of what it will cost, though foggy. Soon, we’ll see it clearly! Woe to those who try to divide up God’s land (Joel 3:2), whoever it is.

Iran, again. Things are definitely heating up.

A month ago, a Syrian base was bombed and 7 Iranian military advisers and members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard were killed. Iran said that it would retaliate for the strike. Israeli defense officials are preparing for a possible revenge attack by Iran, from Syria, with rocket and missile launches directed at northern Israel. While Tehran is not looking for an all-out war with Israel, it is anticipated that Iran’s retaliation will be directed against military, as opposed to civilian, targets. According to a report on one of Israel’s major TV stations: “Israel has recently identified with certainty Iranian preparations to fire at the north…We are not on the eve of war with Iran… but Iran is very determined to carry out an attack to avenge the T-4 strike and the deaths of its military personnel”. According to the TV report, the Israel Defense Forces reportedly claimed that they would hit all Iranian targets in Syria, if an attack was launched against Israeli territory. And, of course, Defense Minister Liberman said only a week ago that “If Iran attacks Tel Aviv, Israel will strike Tehran.” But, there is the Hezbollah, the Iranian proxy in Lebanon, which has over 100,000 missiles aimed in our direction. If Iran launches a missile attack from Syria, even if against military targets only, there is a great likelihood that the Hezbollah will join the fray and be less discriminating in its choice of targets. Not to be forgotten is Hamas, Iran’s other proxy in Gaza, who is still trying to make its mark on the world with its “kite bombs”, among other violent means. We have various anti-missile systems, but if we blow all of their projectiles out of the air, what will follow after that?

Earlier today, Prime Minister Netanyahu said: “We are determined to block the Iranian entrenchment, even at the cost of confrontation…We don’t want an escalation, but we are prepared for every scenario. We don’t want confrontation, but if there needs to be one, it is better now than later.“ (my emphasis) 

Yes, it is the little statements that grab our attention. 

This is not exactly what I wanted to share this evening, but it’s definitely on the front burner.

“Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands; not one of them shall stand before you.” (Joshua 10:8)

“‘They will fight against you, but they will not overcome you, for I am with you to deliver you’, declares the LORD.” (Jeremiah 1:19) 

“The Lord bless you from Zion, and may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.” (Psalm 128:5)

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Marvin

The “Nuked” Truth

As expected, the media was all over the presentation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The left pooh-poohed it, while the right applauded it. The charts and physical files and computer discs certainly aided him in his presentation. And, the fact that Israel’s Mossad was able to get into the heart of Iran and get all of the documentation is an accomplishment of major proportions that will certainly have Iran thinking twice before acting. The biggest argument against Netanuyahu’s “revelations” is that when all was said and done, there was no clear showing that Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapons agenda now. Iran responded to Netanyahu’s presentation, claiming it was merely another raving from “the boy who cries wolf”. What effect did it have on other countries and governments, as well as upon individuals? Undoubtedly, in the final analysis, much will depend on what their respective perspectives were regarding both the nuclear deal and Netanyahu prior to the broadcast.

Granted, his presentation did not reveal a smoking gun. But, it did focus world attention on Iran’s false and misleading conduct, which lead to the signing of the nuclear agreement in the first place. Are we missing something here? Are we failing to see the forest through the trees? From the outset, P.M. Netanyahu has been arguing against the deal that was made with Iran and six world powers (the P5 +1, it sounds more like a rock band than international leadership) that was intended to delay Iran’s entry into the realm of nuclear capability. He said that the agreement would, in effect, grant to Iran an open road to developing a nuclear weapon. Last night (Monday), he offered proof of his claims. If what he claimed is true – that Iran never stopped pursuing its nuclear ambitions – then the world needs to sit up and not only take notice, but to respond accordingly. And, if his claims are true, then the intelligence communities of the world have been duped into believing an outrageous lie, that the leopard has, indeed, changed his spots. Even John Kerry, who was then serving as Secretary of State during the Obama administration, said that the U.S. had “absolute knowledge” about Iran’s pursuits of developing nuclear weapons capability. The Israeli Mossad succeeded in obtaining a vast multitude of documentation that, if valid, would put to shame the faulty intelligence information that the six world powers possessed when they signed the agreement with Iran. Potential test sites and designs for nuclear warheads are enough to create serious concerns about Iran’s believability. Again, this information was only now disclosed, again pointing to faulty intelligence gathering by the “world powers”.

But, the consequences of the disclosures made by Netanyahu yesterday are far-reaching. If Israel’s claims are shown to be correct regarding Iran’s systematic lying to weapons inspectors and the International Atomic Energy Agency, then it could also impact the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty that was signed by Iran. If it lied the “big lie” once, the likelihood is that it continued to lie all along. Will the international community seek to penalize Iran for its deception? It’s difficult to say at this juncture. Much will depend on how President Trump will deal with the situation by May 12th. Netanyahu believes that Trump “will do the right thing”. Undoubtedly, he will do what he believes to be right. People usually do what they want to do, even if others close to them are against it. The bottom line that we always ask here is “whether it will be good for Israel”? If the U.S. cancels the deal, Iran will, indeed, have an open road to do what it wants. Sanctions against Iran have been removed and the nations of the world are only too happy to continue in business ventures with Iran. So, if the deal is nixed, why would Iran want to sit down and re-negotiate it? It could be affected and encouraged to renew the talks if new, strong and paralyzing sanctions are put into place. Is no deal better than a bad deal? It really depends on who the players are. If the nuclear deal with Iran comes to an end, the big question will be: Is there a “Plan B” for what will happen afterwards? 

Moving Towards War?

If the war planes that have been flying overhead all day are any indication, the natural perception is that Israel is preparing for war with Iran … and with some of its proxies in the region.

Responding today to Irans threats to, among other things, “annihilate” the cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa, Israel Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman stated: “Israel can not afford to ignore Iran’s threats that its leaders promise to destroy Israel…The threats from Tehran come week after week. They do not need excuses for that.” He did not expand on that and there is increased speculation that Israel might make a pre-emptive strike on strategic Iranian targets. One can beat the war drums for only so long before the drums stop and the tribes go after each other.

“I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war.” (Psalm 120:7)

“And He will judge between the nations, and will render decisions for many peoples; and they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they learn war.” (Isaiah 2:4) May this speedily come to pass.

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Marvin

Iran Lied, Big Time!

Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, gave an historic speech this evening dealing with Iran’s nuclear ambitions. In a nutshell, he showed from documents and electronic media that the Nuclear Agreement that was signed in 2015 was based on Iran’s lies and deception. Israel obtained 55,000 pages of information and 55,000 files on 183 CD’s relating to Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Don’t ask how Israel obtained the information. At this point, the “how” is not the key factor. Rather, the content of the files is the heart of the issue.

The detailed statement followed a Sunday evening missile attack in northern Syria, which, according to reports, killed a few dozen members of the military, most of whom were said to be Iranian. It is believed that the missiles struck an arms storage facility and also targeted Iranian surface-to-surface missiles that were to be deployed by Iran in Syria. Although Israel was accused of being behind the attack, Israel remained silent regarding the latest missile strike, which was of such a magnitude that at first it was thought to be an earthquake. A senior official in Israel warned Iran and Syria against trying to attack Israel, which is on high alert against a possible Iranian response. The big question is where will the response come from and who will be involved in it.

Netanyahu briefed U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about the intelligence information. As an outspoken critic of the Nuclear Agreement reached with Iran, Netanyahu said that rather than minizing Iran’s ability to produce nuclear weapons: “The nuclear deal gives Iran a clear path to producing an atomic arsenal.” Indeed, this is in line with the “warning” issued today by Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, stated on Iranian TV that “Iran is not bluffing … Technically, we are fully prepared to enrich uranium higher than we used to produce before the deal was reached… I hope Trump comes to his senses and stays in the deal.”

President Trump is due to decide by May 12th about whether or not the U.S. will continue with the Nuclear Agreement as it presently exists. Trump is on record for referring to the 2015 agreement as “the worst deal” that the U.S. ever made. Other countries, Germany and France in particular, are not presently in favor of killing or modifying the nuclear deal. Whether they are now willing to change their minds remains to be seen. Netanyahu’s statements give support to Trump’s inclination to negate the deal or demand its modification. This, too, awaits a response.

For now, what has been hidden has been revealed and made abundantly clear. Iran is not to be believed in its protestations that it did not plan, and is not furthering, a nuclear program. “The [nation] doth protest too much, methinks.”  (Hamlet, Act III, Scene II, by William Shakespeare)

In the meantime, the Israeli Knesset just authorized the Prime Minister and the Secretary of Defense to go to war “under extreme circumstances”. Push is becoming shove as the situation with Iran, particularly in Syria, is gradually becoming worse. Prayer for wisdom is definitely welcome. 

Shifting Winds Regarding Arab Support for the “Palestinians”?

In a meeting held last month in New York between Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman and the heads of various Jewish organizations, Salman is reported to have said: “In the last 40 years, the Palestinian leadership has missed again and again the opportunities and rebuffed all the offers it was given…It is time for the Palestinians to accept the offers and agree to sit at the negotiation table – or they should shut up and stop complaining.” Is the broad Arab support for the “Palestinians” beginning to change? 

“May the LORD bless you from Zion, He who made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 134:3)

“Behold, He who keeps Israel Will neither slumber nor sleep.” (Psalm 121:4)

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Marvin

There is a desparate attempt on the part of the leaders of the Hamas terrorist organization to convince the world that the last five weeks of Friday protests are non-violent. The leftist media, who cover their ears, eyes and mouths when it comes to facing pure evil, are an encouragement to Hamas, whose immediate war with Israel is a war for world opinion. Hamas places civilians in the line of fire, in order to protect the terrorists who are hiding in their midst. The resultant injuries and deaths are then paraded before the cameras for the world to see. Sympathy naturally leans in favor of the civilians victims. But, their deaths and injuries need to be placed at the feet of Hamas, not at Israel. The best defense in this type of war is truth, but only if people are willing to accept it.

What the liberal, media moguls tend to gloss over is that the purpose of the so-called protest “march” is to “return”. From the “Palestinian” perspective, “return” means to cause all of the land of Israel to “return” to them. Stated differently, their goal is to eliminate the State of Israel. With that understanding, the protest marches can be seen for what they really are – violent and becoming more violent with each passing week. Interspersed with the civilian protesters are Hamas militants, who use guns, bombs, rocks, sling shots, burning tires, molotov cocktails and, most recently, they added kite bombs, which were sent over the Israel-Gaza fence in an effort to set fire to fields and local communities on the Israeli side of the fence. So much for peaceful demonstrations. Israel has no choice but to keep the border intact and prevent infiltration by Hamas terrorists. 

Of course, the big complaint is that Israel is over-reacting and that its response is disproportionate to the actions of Hamas and those pressing closer to the fence. If the threat of breaching the border increases, the response to it will increase as well. And it must be so. But, maybe it is much ado about nothing. After all, the March of Return is supposed to be peaceful, according to those who want to take over all of Israeli territory and force the Jewish people into the sea. The weapons used by Hamas are not really guns with bullets that kill, but plastic. The rocks are only paper mache. The fire bombs are only flashing electric lights. The kites do not carry real explosives, but only confetti. And the moon really is made of swiss cheese.

We will be condemned by the international community, not because we act to protect our country and our citizens, but because we continue to exist. Siding with Israel means to incur the anger of the Muslim world. So, however we respond, it will be considered to be too much, inappropriate and disproportionate. The U.N. will also condemn us. Oh, my goodness, the U.N. Of all the organizations of the world. Yes, the united nincompoops of the world will sit in judgment of Israel, the only genuine democracy in the Middle East, while democratic regimes all over Europe are endangered by the increasing influence of Islam. There are none so blind as those who will not see. 

Perhaps a succinct analysis of the situation was best expressed by Hillel Neuer of UN Watch, who made the following remark to an Israeli-born Hollywood personality who has recently generated much controversy in the media: “If 30,000 rioters were at your borders; approaching your family in Los Feliz, and they were orchestrated by a terror group that advocates the murder of all Jews, I believe you would ‘in good conscience’ support officers doing their best to protect you.” 

Along these lines, brief mention should be made of the 29th Arab Summit that took place in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, two weeks ago on April 15th. This year’s gathering was labeled named “Al-Quds Summit” (i.e., “the Holy”, the nickname for Jerusalem in Arabic). Among the many decisions that were made intended to affirm “the importance of promoting Arab joint action to address challenges facing the nation” was the following: “We reaffirm that the Palestine Cause is the entire Arab nation’s main priority, stressing the Arab identity of occupied East Al-Quds as the capital of the State of Palestine.” Note that the use of “the ‘Palestine’ Cause”, as opposed to the “Palestinian” cause is a subtle shift in terminology. At first blush, it would appear to reflect an intention to focus on territorial “return”, as opposed to the establishment of another Arab state. But, other decisions of the Arab Summit continue the “Palestinian” narrative and the demand for a separate “Palestinian” state, while condemning the decision of the United States to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. It would seem wise to see whether the use of the expression “the ‘Palestine’ Cause” will continue to be used, together with the call for a “Palestinian” state. What is interesting to note is that the Arab Summit ignored the weekly so-called “protests” along the Gaza fence, leaving Hamas and its actions outside the consideration of most of the Arab states.

Hamas, in turn, realizes that its actions must remain in the headlines. It also recognizes that the only way for that goal to be achieved is through violence. As such, the March of Return cannot be non-violent. It would go contrary to the grain of the “Palestinian” charter and Hamas’s glorification of martyrdom. Even if the Gazan citizens wanted to demonstrate peacefully, the likelihood that Hamas would allow them to do so would be a non-starter. They can never take over the land of Israel by peaceful protests. Their strategy includes, among other things, that Israel must be provoked into action and that there must be innocent victims. Otherwise, Hamas’s efforts would be of no avail. The leaders of the organization would “lose face”. In this part of the world, losing face would be the beginning of the end of their influence in Gaza – a situation that they would make every effort to prevent, short of putting themselves on the front lines where they, themselves, could be injured or killed. If we think about it for a moment, we would naturally ask: Why should they be worried about potential harm to themselves, if their March of Return is really peaceful? Maybe it’s because their leaders think that martyrdom is for “the other guy”, not for those who direct them to become martyrs.

And so, Israel prepares for another round of “peaceful violence”, which will increase in intensity each week, as we draw closer to Nakba Day, which some Arabs refer to as the Day of Catastrophe, the day when Israel declared its independence, usually remembered on the 15th of May. The confrontations will only get worse.

National Celebration One Week – National Tragedy the Next

The joys of Israel’s 70th Independence Day celebration turned to mourning and shock, as only one week later, 10 teenagers met their deaths in a flash flood during a hike in the Judean Desert, near the Dead Sea. Tears of joy from the week before turned into tears of sorrow. The teens were all high-school seniors, who were on a trip to the Arava Desert, as part of a pre-military preparatory program. While hiking in what is usually a dry river bed, they were caught up in a flash flood, which resulted from the heavy rains that have fallen on Israel late in the season. There was considerable concern over the cold and wet weather conditions, as both meterologists and the police cautioned against going on the trip. One of the nine girls who was killed texted some of her friends a few hours earlier, saying: “This is tempting fate. We will die. I’m serious. I can’t believe that I’m actually going on a trip in this weather. It makes no sense for us to go to a place where everything is flooded.” Words fail in the face of such a tragedy and only memories remain, until they begin to fade. The pain of sudden, unexpected loss, leaves one almost numb. But, the tears will continue. It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. If so, then 10 pictures should tell the story.  

                     Photo appearing in Jerusalem Online, 27 April 2018. http://www.jerusalemonline.com

“There’ll be a time I hear tell

When all will be well

When God and man will be reconciled

But until men lose their chains

And righteousness reigns

Lord, protect my child.”

From “Lord Protect My Child” (Words by Bob Dylan [1963])

“‘Comfort, O comfort My people’, says your God.” (Isaiah 40).

“[God] comforts us in all our affliction, so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (2 Cor. 1:4)

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Marvin

Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning.

(Psalm 30:5)

Sunset to Sunset – Turning National Sorrow to National Joy

How can a person go from shedding tears of sorrow one moment to tears of joy the next? By being present in Israel as the sun sets on the day when we remember those who gave their lives in the defense of this country, so that we, who are alive, could celebrate the remembrance of the day that we became a nation. At sundown on April 17 (which is the beginning of the next day, April 18th), we remembered those who fell in our wars and those who were killed by terrorist acts. It is always a difficult time, as Israeli media tells and re-tells the stories of our sons and daughters, who fell victim to a bullet, a bomb or a missile, a stabbing or a car-ramming. A day or two later, many would share how they were glued to the television, with an never-ending stream of tears, riveted to the stories that were told and pictures that were shown throughout the day and night of those who hugged and kissed, who sang and laughed, who played and who fought, but who now are gone, most of whom were cut off at an age at which they were supposed to begin to enjoy life. 

But, in addition to the multitude of Hebrew-language stories, the mothers of two American-born IDF soldiers participated in an English-language Memorial Day ceremony in Jerusalem. One of the “lone soldiers” who was killed in the battle of Shejaiya, during the 2014 Gaza War and whose funeral I attended was Nissim Sean Carmeli. His funeral was one of the most moving events of my life and demonstrated the attitude and respect that Israelis have for those who leave family and friends to live and fight, side by side, with those who are willing to defend Israel and to pay the highest price in doing so.

Now, almost four years later, as the sun began to set on the Day of Remembrance, the national mood underwent a subtle change. There was a growing expectation of celebration, of joy that is just around the corner, waiting only for the sun to settle just below the horizon. The country prepared well in advance for the events marking the 70th anniversary of its independence. Switching gears as a nation when evening descended on our national day of mourning to fireworks and celebrations all over the country is no small feat. Those who lost father or mother, son or daughter, brother or sister, husband or wife, or a friend in one of our many wars, or as a result of one or more of the multitude of terrorist acts perpetrated upon us during our short period of existence, do not put aside their remembrance of their loved ones just because the clock says it is time to celebrate. For some, the tragedy continues year to year, month to month, day to day and almost every waking hour. Eli Ben Shem, the Chairman of the Yad Labanim (Memorial to the Sons) organization, who lost his son 21 years ago in what has come to be known as “the helicopter disaster”, expressed it this way during the 66th Independence Day celebrations: “Like many other bereaved parents, I live under two clocks that measure time differently. One tracks the time of the living; the hands of the other one stand still at the point our son was killed…Bereaved parents, the ones who carry two clocks, fight constantly not to forget. The fear of, God forbid, waking up one morning and forgetting our child makes us alert and precise…Today, we give up the memorial clock we carry every day for a short while. We don’t need memorial days. As the cliché says – for us, every day is a memorial day. Today, the State of Israel takes the mourning upon itself. Everyone comforts. Everyone seeks comfort. Without a drop of cynicism. The show of solidarity comes from an honest place, not moralizing or self-righteous. The acknowledgment that we paid the price of living in an independent country with our children’s blood does not leave a single heart indifferent or eye dry.”

Hollywood can’t compare to real life. Every year, we see, hear or read stories about those who were killed and who were added to the growing list of those who have left this world before their time. This year, the number of fallen soldiers grew to 23,645, while the number of terror victims grew to 3,134. These figures may not seem to be large to those who live in countries with tens of millions of people. But, in Israel, every loss is like losing a member of the family and every effort is made to go behind the numbers and show the victims as individuals. The tears that flow from these stories can fill the Sea of Galilee! They touch the lives of families in every strata of society. These are the true “reality” shows that make an impact on our hearts, our minds and our memories. We don’t need a history class to remind us of national tragedies, or of attempts to destroy us as a people throughout our Biblical, and more modern, history. We need a release from the tears of the past. So, it is no major surprise that Memorial Day is followed immediately by Independence Day, a time to celebrate new life – as a people, as a nation, as families and as individuals.

Celebrating life is part of our national DNA. We lift a glass and toast “L’chaim” – “to life”. It is part and parcel of our national resiliency. It causes us to try to turn sorrow into joy and crying into laughter. It enables us to look with anticipation to the future and not to dwell on the problems of the past. It is engrained in the attitude that allows us to keep going forward and to see the good even in a bad situation. It appropriates the understanding that a cheerful heart is good medicine (Proverbs 17:22) and we try to cultivate a sense of humor even in the worst of circumstances. So, when we have an opportunity to celebrate, we take it seriously.

The official ceremony that was held last week on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem was a technological extravaganza, interspersed with a few speeches, songs and dances, among other things. The mood was one of true celebration, of thanksgiving, praise and appreciation of all those who labored to turn the desert of this ancient land green, to drain swamps and turn them into agricultural cooperatives, to build cities, to create a strong, economic infrastructure and to develop dynamic and innovative technology that benefits the world – even our enemies use devices developed by Israel. Celebrations continued throughout the night and the following day, with spectacular events, including some that were put on by the Israeli Air Force.

As was expected, there were some who tried to steal the joys of the day and who intended to carry out terrorist attacks. Israeli Police prevented a knife attack and just before the beginning of the Independence Day celebrations, security forces arrested a “Palestinian” at a checkpoint, after finding what was described as a “powerful explosive device” in his vehicle, which took a long time to defuse. The explosions that we experienced were those of controlled fireworks that lit up the night sky. The explosions that our enemies planned for us were defused. 

Many try to “mystify” the fact that this year was Israel’s 70th year of existence. Much can be said about 70 years from a Biblical perspective. Maybe that should be discussed. But for now, I just want to be thankful that God has brought me home to Israel. There really is no place in the world like it and there aren’t enough words that can adequately describe it.

And then there is Iran.

Nothing new about the Iranian threats against Israel. We’ve adjusted to them, even to those that overshadowed our Independence Day celebrations. But, they turned out to be clouds without water. There is no doubt that the constant rhetoric and increasing severity of the threats will, of necessity, generate genuine conflict with the descendants of our Persian enemies. But, that was not to be during the time of Israel’s joyful celebrations accompanying last week’s events.

We’ve been through a lot over the past 70 years. Wars and threats of more wars have filled the pages of our tabloids and airwaves. It is an annoying reality, one that accompanies our daily existence. Much as we try not to talk about it, Israel lives and amazingly functions to rise above the ongoing threats to our existence. We are all aware of the realities. We don’t ignore them, but face them head on. Against the backdrop of Iran’s threats against us, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during his Memorial Day speech, one day before Independence Day, “Anyone who raises a hand against us won’t be spared.”  Maybe Iran was listening and taking note. But, if it didn’t, God stepped in and gave Iran a direct reminder that Israel has a Friend in the highest of places. In the midst of Iran’s increased threats against Israel, Iran experienced a major sandstorm that blanketed an entire province in the heart of Iran last week. It was also hit with a severe earthquake that registered 5.9 on the Richter Scale a few miles from its only operating nuclear power plant, at a time when Israelis were celebrating the 70th anniversary of our independence as a nation. May Israel remember always, that He Who shakes the mountains and the earth has also inscribed us on the palms of His hands.

“[He] who touches you touches the apple of His eye (Zechariah 2:8).”

“Behold, all those who are angered at you will be shamed and dishonored; Those who contend with you will be as nothing and will perish…Those who war with you will be as nothing and non-existent.” (Isaiah 41:11-12)

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Marvin

The Blame Game

A coalition of armed forces from the U.S., England and France, launched precision, military strikes in Syria, after they alleged that the regime of Syria dictator, Bashar al-Assad, used chemical weapons containing chlorine gas against citizens and insurgents during an attack in the country a week ago. The chemical attack, which killed 40 and injured some 500 people, mostly women and children, occurred in Douma, located about 10 miles east of Damascus. According to U.S. Secretary of Defense, James Mattis, no follow-up attacks are presently planned, as long as Assad doesn’t repeat his use of chemical weapons.

US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Marine General Joseph Dunford said  that the coordinated strike targeted three main chemical weapons facilities, which were hit by missiles from both the sea and aircraft. Syrian officials claim that Syrian air defenses downed one-third of the missiles, later changing it to about two-thirds. Russia said that all of the missiles aimed at four key Syrian air bases were shot down. The Syrian government said that they had a heads-up from Russia and the targeted sites were evacuated days before the strike.

According to French President, Emmanuel Macron, the goal of the military operation was to target Syria’s “clandestine chemical arsenal”. British Prime Minister, Theresa May, said that she “authorized British armed forces to conduct coordinated and targeted strikes to degrade the Syrian Regime’s chemical weapons capability and deter their use.” In his statement to the nation, President Trump said: “The purpose of our actions tonight is to establish a strong deterrent against the production, spread and use of chemical weapons…. The evil and the despicable [chemical] attack left mothers and fathers, infants and children, thrashing in pain and gasping for air. These are not the actions of a man; they are crimes of a monster instead.” While condemning Russia and Iran for their continued support of the Assad regime, Trump added, “The nations of the world can be judged by the friends that they keep [and that] Russia must decide if it will continue down this dark path or continue with civilized nations.” 

Russia, who was not notified about the coordinated, planned strike, said that such action was an insult against Russian President, Vladimir Putin, and that there would be consequences. Putin denounced the strike as an “act of aggression” that will make the humanitarian crisis in Syria much worse. But, he added that “Russia in the most serious way condemns the attack on Syria where Russian military servicemen help the legitimate government to fight terrorism”. What an incredible statement of support of a government that uses chemical weapons to control any opposition to its oppressive rule. Adding to the fake news that has permeated the media of late, Putin stated that the alleged chemical attack in Douma, which prompted the coordinated strike on Syria, was false and that the Russian military experts found no trace of chemical residue in Douma.

Russia called for an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council, while at the same time saying that it would consider supplying Syria and “other countries” with S-300 surface-to-air defense missile systems.

And where are the Syrians in all of this? After the attack on the chemical weapons factories and airfields, the Syrians who support Assad took to the streets of Damascus and protested against the military strike, waving flags of Syria, Iran and Russia, calling out: “Oh Trump you are a monkey. Oh Trump you are an animal”. Assad contacted his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani, and told him that the strikes only increased Syria’s resolve to “fight and crush terrorism in every inch” of the country. Rouhani, for his part, told Assad that Iran would continue to stand by Syria.

As for Israel, it believes that the US-led strikes against Syrian targets were justified, because of the “murderous actions” of Assad’s government. Yoav Galant, a member of the Security Cabinet and a former IDF General, tweeted: “The use of chemical weapons crosses a red line that humanity can no longer tolerate.” Israel has been accused of being responsible for an attack upon an Iranian drone base in Syria, which killed 14 military personnel, half of them Iranians.

Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of the Hezbollah in Lebanon, stated in a televised speech (he doesn’t show himself in public for fear of being assassinated) following the attack upon the Iranian base in Syria, that they (Israel) “have committed a great folly and have put themselves into a direct fight with Iran.” Tehran blames Israel for the attack on the Iranian base. Deputy Hezbollah leader, Sheikh Naim Qassem, said the air strike against the Iranian drone base constituted an assault “on both Syria and Iran that has consequences which I do not know the limit of now.”

What’s the result of the US-led strikes against Syrian targets? Each side claims what it wants to believe is the correct result. Syria, Lebanon, Iran and Russia all believe that the consolidated attack failed to accomplish its purpose. The countries that were part of the military coalition and Israel all claim that the attack was a warning against further use of chemical weapons and that it severely weakened Assad’s ability to access those weapons.

In reality, however, almost nothing has changed. There has been some damage to facilities in Syria, but Assad remains in power. True, the military strike was not intended to interfere with the 7-year civil war, which continues. But, Assad has scientists and chemists at his disposal who are experts at making chemical weapons. If one chemical factory was destroyed, another can easily be built to replace it and Assad can quickly replenish its stocks. It is doubtful that Assad will be deterred from using chemical weapons again in the near future. Despite a September 2013 agreement between Russia and the Obama administration for Moscow to remove chemical weapons stockpiles out of the Assad regime’s control, over 50 reportrs of deadly attacks using chemical weapons were reported in Syria during 2016 and the first 3 months of this year. As long as the continuation of Assad’s regime is not seriously threatened, he will continue to do what he wants, particularly as long as he has the backing of Shiite Iran and, more particularly, the backing of Russia. If the coalition forces limited their attack to very specific chemical weapons plants, it could well be because they did not want to act in such a way that would necessitate Russia’s active military involvement against the allied forces. The major players in the Syrian theatre today are the two superpowers, the U.S. and Russia. All the rest are pawns!

A note about absurdity: Despite its use of chemical weapons, Syria has been appointed to preside of the U.N.’s annual Conference on Disarmament to take place in Geneva. Hillel Neuer, Executive Director of the NGO UN Watch, said this past Monday: “Having the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad preside over global chemical and nuclear weapons disarmament will be like putting a serial rapist in charge of a women’s shelter.” He urged the U.S. and the E.U., along with other democracies, to walk out of Conference during the four weeks that the Syrian representative serves as the Conference president.

The March of Return Campaign in Gaza

With the war in Syria now in its 7th year, and despite the regular use of chemical weapons against the insurgents and the civilian population in Syria, the focus of world attention remains on the events between the so-called “Palestinians” in Gaza and the Hamas-organized “March of Return” and Israel’s response to it.

We should not be deceived by the claim of the Hamas terror organization that the March of Return is just a series of peaceful demonstrations. Yesterday (Friday) marked the third week of demonstrations at the fence separating Gaza from Israeli settlements in the south. As with the first two weeks, violence was part and parcel of these alleged “peaceful protests”, the goal of which was clearly expressed by Hamas spokesman, Hazem Qassem, prior to the demonstrations of last week, who said that the “struggle [will continue] until they [the “Palestinians”] achieve their freedom and restore all their lands”, adding that their “right to all of the soil of ‘Palestine’ was absolute and clear” – a statement without historical or legal foundation. These protests are disguised violent, terrorist demonstrations, during the course of which some terrorists tried to breach the fence and were shot and killed or wounded by the Israel Defense Forces.

Realistically, the leadership of Hamas does not expect that it will be able successfully breach the fence and march towards Jerusalem. But, each week that its actions continue brings with it a degree of psychological success from an international media point of view. Hamas uses civilians in its protests, with armed terrorists in its midst. The terrorists stir up the crowd and urge them on towards the fence. They burn tires to provide cover for Hamas terrorists to cross over the fence and try to kill Israelis. The demonstrators hurl stones, or fire bombs, or shoot at the Israeli soldiers, who defend the border area, with resultant deaths or injuries on the “Palestinian” side. The international, leftist media eats this up, resulting in widescale condemnation of Israel for acting militarily against what the media hypes as “peaceful demonstrations”. Hamas, who had been sidelined in the media for an extended period, is now flexing its muscles and trying to take advantage of the renewed media interest in Gaza and the “Palestinians”. By re-focusing attention on the Israeli-“Palestinian” conflict, the leadership of Hamas is making every effort to divert attention from the multitude of internal problems that it is now facing (massive unemployment by its population, energy crisis, decreasing finances and split with the “Palestinian” Authority based in Samaria, among others). The easiest way to avoid being the focus of these problems is to draw Israel into another media fiasco.

However, what the media fails to understand is that the Gaza Strip is a powder keg with a short fuse attached to it, which could blow up with the smallest spark. But, if the situation in Gaza erupts into another war, the participants will include our neighbors in Syria and Lebanon, along with other players in the region. All of the sides recognize that the next Middle East War will be a mess and include many players and no one is looking to cause it to explode at this time – no one, that is, except Iran, whose war rhetoric is reaching the point of no return. All the while, Hamas is building up its militia and preparing for another military conflict with Israel. And the border protests are just what the “Palestinian” doctor has ordered.

The success in garnering international media attention once again is the shot in the arm that the Hamas leadership was looking for. It was more psychologial than military. It brought about the need for widepsread deployment of Israeli troops along the Gaza border, forcing it to confront a multitude of civilians, some of which were casualties in the anything-other-than-peaceful-demonstrations by the “Palestinians” along the border fence for the past three Fridays, including today. And, public opinion, particularly those abroad, who are influenced by the media, naturally leans in favor of civilians, as opposed to a strong military force.

While the protests usually are set to take place on Fridays, there will be additional protests on Tuesday, April 17th, to mark Prisoners’ Day, and again on May 15th, which coincides with Israel’s 70th anniversary of its Day of Independence, referred to by “Palestinians” as “Nakba” or day of catastrophe. It will also coincide with the planned move of the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. This will be followed by the Moslem month of Ramadan and is expected to be accompanied by violent protests during this entire period.

During Hamas’s recent campaign during the past three Fridays, Israeli Arab members of Knesset, most notably Ahmad Tibi and Hanan Zouabi, have been urging Arabs in Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Hebron, Ramallah and elsewhere, to participate in mass violent protests in those areas, in acts of solidarity with the Gaza demonstrators. If Hamas does not succeed in mobilizing support in the above cities, as well as in other, Arab-controlled areas of Judea and Samaria, it will not be able to achieve its goals and will suffer yet another, humiliating defeat at the hands of Israel. Hamas has its work cut out for it. Ever since the Hamas takeover of Gaza in 2007, residents in those areas have taken on the posture of being bystanders, rather than active participants in acts against Israel. The previous “successes” that had been achieved during and following the intifada of 1987 and the ongoing terrorism since then that continued into the early years of 2000, was due, in large measure, to the fact that both areas, Gaza on the one hand and Judea and Samaria on the other, rose up in terrorism and violence at the same time. That “cooperation” ceased when Hamas took over the rule in Gaza in 2007. The same is true in recent years with “lone intifada” actions, which were committed primarily by residents of Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria, while Hamas and Gaza remained out of the picture. Much of this is due to the political divisions that have prevented the “Palestinians” from acting in unity. May it be that their divisions will remain and not be resolved and that the Gazan demonstrations will fail for lack of participants.

The “Palestinians” want for all of the refugees who voluntarily left Israel prior to the beginning of the War of Independence, and all of their descendants, who today number in the millions, to be able to return to Israel. This would be accompanied by their demand for soveriegnty over East Jerusalem, the “Old City’, Judea and Samaria, and Gaza. No Israeli government in its right mind would allow such demands to be met, as it would result in Jews in Israel becoming a minority and Israel and Israel then being democratically voted out of existence by its Arab population. Whatever “successes” Hamas may ultimately achieve with its March of Return, they will not include the ultimate goal of returning over 5 million descendants of Arabs who left Israel prior to the War of Independence. God promises to give to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob a people and a land. The enemy of our souls says he will kill our people and take our land. Who do you think has the final word here?

An interesting side-note on the burning of tires by the “Palestinians”, which created a health and ecological hazard. Muhammad Hamdan, a spokesman for the “Palestinian” Authority Transportation Ministry, stated that “We have been informed by the Israeli side that imports of tires have been halted until further notice, [adding] There is no doubt stopping tire imports will have a negative effect on “Palestinians” in Gaza especially considering there is shortage of them there.” Hamdan said:“We are going to exert all efforts so that Israel reverses its decision.” Some things are so outrageously ridiculous that to comment on them will only detract from the laughter.

Holocaust Remembrance Day

I usually have comments about this particular day of the year, which is always a difficult time for me. This year, my daughter, Hannah (Hanni), wrote a brief blog about it and I respectfully refer you to it. https://asweetsavor.wordpress.com/2018/04/11/and-the-world-remains-silent/

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

Have a simply great week. Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Marvin

It’s Been 100 Days

It is hard to believe that only 100 days ago, Jerusalem was recognized as the capital of Israel by American President, Donald Trump. It was an historic declaration that that gave recognition to reality and shook up the international political arena. The announcement rattled the foundations of anti-Israel countries and organizations and created a rift in the long-standing agenda of the “united” nations, whose reactions to Trump’s announcement reflected their collective disappointment that their plan to dissect Israel would be further delayed. Yet, a few rays of light shone through the darkness, as a handful of countries praised the recognition of Israel’s eternal capital and even decided to do likewise.

The “Palestinian” Authority, an organization that came into being in the 1960s, with whom we are supposed to make peace, considered President Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital as sounding the death-knell of what was already the dead “peace process”. Trump, in essence, replied to the “Palestinian’s” intransigence to peace as “their loss”.

Let’s think about this for a moment. For dozens of years, Israel is being asked to make peace with a terrorist “organization”, which seeks its destruction, so that this “organization” can set up an independent, enemy country in the midst of Israel. What normal country in the world would do that? This question presumes that countries act normally. But, in asking the question, I momentariy forgot that when it comes to Israel, the vast majority of the countries of the world act irrationally. Returning to reality – this terrorist organization has been recognized by a multitude of countries around the world, many of whom have already set up embassies in East Jerusalem and are chomping at the bit in anticipation of adding yet another entity to the list of nations that seek to undo the recognition of Israel as the only democratic country in the Middle East. Israel, on the other hand, has learned the lesson that most countries still refuse to learn: When our enemy says that it plans to kill us and remove us from the map (which removal has already taken place in the education system in the “Palestinian” Authority), we take its words seriously. The world forgets the basic lessons that our school children learn each day: first taught, then tested. We have constant reminders that our enemies are intent on carrying out what they say they will do.

Only yesterday, before the entry of the Sabbath, in a vehicle-ramming incident, killed an IDF Officer and another soldier, and wounded two other people, one of whom seriously. Hamas, the terrorist faction of the PLO, openly welcomed the attack, stating, “The attack in Jenin comes 100 days after Trump’s decision and makes it clear that our people’s intifada for Jerusalem is continuing.” In an attempt to clarify its position, Hamas added, “The protest against the decision and against the occupation is not a wave of anger, but an ongoing matter until full freedom is achieved for our people.”

Commenting on the attack, Israeli Defense Minister, Avigdor Lieberman, said following the attack. “We will act to sentence the terrorist to death, to demolish his house and to punish anyone who was involved. There’s no ‘lone terrorism.’ It’s terrorism that is supported by Abu Mazen [Mahmoud Abbas] and the Palestinian Authority, which pays money to the families of the terrorists.”

In recent days, we’ve seen a number of incidents that reveal the serious rift existing between the political parties that vie for the leadership of the “Palestinian” Authority. It seems that the only thing they can agree upon is that they both hate Israel and seek to abide by the original charter of the PLO that calls for the destruction of Israel.

The Disaster of the Oslo Accords – Israel’s Biggest Political Blunder

It is almost a quarter of a century since Israel signed onto what has been referred to as the “Oslo Accords”. From day one, I had referred to that agreement as the “Oslo Disaster”, but hardened peaceniks kept saying “we need to give it time”. Time is an illusion that is believed to make everything work out well. But, for Israel, the past twenty-five year has been a nightmare, internally and internationally.

The constant yearning of Israel to live in peace with its neighbors gave rise to one of the biggest political blunders in its short history, resulting in serious ideological divisions and a de-stabilized political system – not to mention the number the number of resolutions passed against Israel by the united nincompoops of the world, which, hopefully, is now coming to an end with Nikki Haley’s presence in the UN.

It is not my intention to review the multitude of problems generated by the Oslo agreement, but an enumeration of some of them would seem to be in order.

The Oslo Disaster gave overnight recognition to a terrorist organization that had launched two major intifadas against Israel (one in 1987 and the other, after the signing of the accords, in 200) and to a multitude of “lone-wolf” incidents, particularly in very recent times (car rammings, stabbings, shootings and explosions). This organization exists in the heartland of Israel (Samaria) and along its southern coastline in Gaza (which, by the way, was apportioned to the Tribe of Judah – Joshua 15:21, 47). Terrorists put on a suit and we began to call them diplomats. But, the classic photo of Rabin, Peres and Arafat puts an abrupt end to wishful thinking. The photo shows Arafat in his military uniform, wearing his kfiyah that was usually covering his shoulder in the shape of Israel. For the “Palestinians”, it was pretending for peace with a pen, while continuing to seek soverignty and submission by the sword. Time and time again, the PLO was asked to renounce its chartered commitment to destroy Israel, which it blanketly refused to do and/or ignored. And the world community remained silent and if it spoke, it only did so if it condemned Israel for the failure of the Oslo Accords.

Then there was Israel’s failure to point out that it ended its “occupation” of population of the “Palestinian” territories within three and a half years after signing the Accords – a political blunder that has given rise to over two decades of condemnation over an issue that doesn’t exist in fact.

The Oslo Disaster polarized our political discussions and, as a consequence, the views of the country, focusing on our willingness or flexibility to “make painful concessions” for peace, which nothing was demanded of the PLO, other than to be willing to make a genuine peace with Israel, which its leaders would not, and could not, do. This is aptly demonstrated by the fact that on two occasions, the PLO was offered approximately 98% of all of the territory taken as a result of the 6-Day War, it turned down the offer. The pursued goal for the “Palestinians” was not peace, but prestige, power and prominence throughout the Arab world through total victory over Israel. Its attitude is what is referred to as “zero-sum” game – a sought-for, entire victory for one side, balanced out by an all-defeat for the other side. Enemies give all they have to achieve their desired victory over the other and when the balanced gains and losses are added up, they result in zero. But, here, it is all a “Palestinian” ploy. Pursue peace? The “Palestinian” attitude is “let’s not and say we did”. And the world remains silent and does not call the “Palestinian” leadership to account.

What the Oslo Disaster did achieve was to allow for the emergence of repressive “Palestinian” regimes, both in Samaria and in Gaza. Their leaders play on the misery of their own people, a misery that in large measure they, themselves, have brought about. They obtain billions from foreign governments and international organizations, which are intended to create a socio-economic infrastructure for the betterment of their population, only to have most of it funneled off into private pockets bulging from the misery of the people. The media focused and continues to focus on poverty-stricken areas, while ignoring that in places like Gaza City, the population flourishes with five-star hotels and restaurants that would rival those of any major city in the world. And the world remains silent in the face of media manipulation.

Almost twenty-five years have elapsed since the signing of the Oslo document and peace is ever more elusive now than it was before. Five successive Israel governments have extended their hands in peace, only to have them slapped away by “Palestinian” leaders, who are willing for peace to exist, if, and only if, the existence of Israel would disppear. Peace’s illusion. They really don’t understand peace, at all. The Oslo Disaster worsened already existing troubled waters, that only God’s direct involvement will be able to bridge. When that happens, the world will not be able to say anything.

Rejoice, O nations, with His people; For He will avenge the blood of His servants, and will render vengeance on His adversaries, and will atone for His land and His people.” (Deut. 32:43)

The LORD bless you from Zion, and may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life. (Psalm 128:5)

Many nations will come and say, “Come and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD and to the house of the God of Jacob, that He may teach us about His ways and that we may walk in His paths.” For from Zion will go forth the law, even the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (Micah 4:2)

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Have a great week.

Marvin

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Shalom all,

Multi-Front Planning for War

The infiltration of an Iranian drone into Israeli airspace two weeks ago, along with its consequent events, is a definitive event marking a shift in Iranian policy from “covert” intervention against Israel by its proxies to “direct” intervention by itself. Iran crossed the line, prompting an immediate and severe Israeli response.

On the strategic level, Iran’s enemyship toward Israel is part and parcel of its desire to achieve regional hegemony and reestablish the Islamic caliphate. Iran has been at the forefront of leading the “anti-Israel resistance axis”, which includes the Hezbollah in Lebanon, and military proxies all over the Middle East, including a substantial military presence in war-torn Syria. Together with Russia’s intervention, the regime of Syrian dictator Bashar al Assad was strengthened. The substantial presence of Iranian forces in Syria enabled Iran to achieve its goal of establishing a “Shiite Crescent”, comprising Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. In addition to personnel, Iran set up military bases and airports in Syria.

It would appear that Iran’s presence in Syria has two basic objects: the stabilization of Assad’s regime and the furtherance of the anti-Israel resistance axis, uniting the various military forces in the different Middle East countries which serve as Iranian proxies into a single military force, under Iranian leadership.

The situation is being carefully watched by Israel, which acts when necessary to protect our country and our citizenry, while making plans for a multi-front war. No matter how we look at it, the next war with Lebanon, Syria and Gaza will be ugly.

Still Talking About a Middle-East Peace Plan

The Security Council of that infamous UN-organization once again devoted its time to discussing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but to no avail. The United States is still waving the potential peace plan that is supposedly being formulated by Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of President Trump. One would have to ask “Why?”

Mahmoud Abbas, the head of the “Palestinian” Authority is pushing for multilateral negotiations headed up by Russia, instead of the U.S. But, he has made it as clear as can be that the “PA” does not recognize Israel’s legitimacy – in any borders. So, why should anyone give any credence to his feigned claimed of wanting to establish any kind of peace with Israel? Those who follow what is happening on the “Palestinian” streets recognize that Abbas is in a constant  struggle with the Hamas terrorist organization for control of the PA. His rhetoric is intended to win the public opinion of his people by demonstrating that his hatred of Israel is greater than the hatred of Hamas. But, he is careful not to force a confrontation between himself and Hamas, which could result in his losing his position, power and privileges. Playing the game and making the effort, although it is doomed to failure, can work to Iran’s further encouragement of its Hamas proxy and trigger another Gaza War. It could also trigger a war with the Hezbollah, another Iranian proxy, only this time across the borders of both Lebanon and Syria.

As also noted above, with the Netanyahu government facing the possibility of collapse because of the investigations instituted against him, this is not a good time for the U.S. to try to push for renewed peace talks – particularly since Abbas declared that Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel marked the death knell of the peace process. So, once again, we need to ask the question why would anyone seriously consider a new peace plan, which would undoubtedly require making more concessions to the “Palestinians”? At this point in history, with enemies facing us from the north, the northeast, the further east and the south, making any concessions to the PA would not endear Netanyahu to either his colleagues or his constituents.

So, that leaves the peace-plan push in the hands of Mr. Kushner and his father-in-law, President Trump. The latter, being a business man, is still bent on dreaming the impossible dream to make the deal of the century, or the millenium. He wants to succeed where others have failed, even though the likelihood of success is dim to non-existent. But, it has become “tradition” – to do what his predecessors have done and to make the effort, because that’s what he is expected to do. For the time being, the wisest thing would be for Mr. Trump to put his proposed peace plan on hold, indefinitely.

When will foreign politicians stop playing politics with Israel’s future? Maybe when they come to know that “There is none like the God of Jeshurun” (another name for Israel), in Whom Israel takes refuge and Who will drive out her enemies (Deuteronomy 33:26-27).

“Cigar Gate” – Is the Netanyahu Era over?

The major focus of events this past week was the two new criminal investigations that were opened against Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. These follow the first investigation where he was believed to have improperly received gifts of expensive cigars from a billionaire. One of those cases is looking into the ties between government officials and the Bezeq tele-com giant and the granting of “governmental favors” in exchange for getting more favorable coverage of Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, on a news website owned by the controlling shareholder of Bezeq.

The other case involved a suspected offer, made by another confidant of Netanyahu, to a former judge in exchange for her favorably closing out a pending criminal case (not against him).

This latest bombshell comes only a week after the police recommended that the Prime Minister be indicted for bribery, fraud and breach of trust in two corruption cases. When that recommendation was released, Netanyahu was defiant and determined to continue to lead the country until those legal matters were resolved in his favor. He received support from his own party (Likud) and from various coalition partners, who were willing to stand by him, while adopting a wait-and-see approach whether the Attorney General would make a decision whether or not to indict the Prime Minister.

The latest investigations against Netanyahu caused political pundits to question whether his coalition government is now facing the beginning of the end of its rule. Still, he has the continuing support of the Likud party and from other, leading members of his coalition, who remain faithful and are not willing to abandon ship, trusting that their captain will be able to repair the damage and see it safely into port. At this point, there are four potential criminal matters against the Prime Minister that the police are investigating – Files 1000 to 4000. Culture and Sport Minister, Miri Regev, made a statement in defense of the Prime Minister. She began her statement by mocking the four pending investigations: “I have to update you, just now Case 7000 has been published with serious allegations against teacher Shoshana, a kindergarten teacher who apparently gave Netanyahu an extra cookie at the end of the kindergarten. At this moment, researchers are investigating if that is the reason that she is still a kindergarten teacher to this day. Tomorrow, a photograph of Netanyahu with the cookie will be published in all the newspapers.” Some things simply need to be put into perspective.

In light of the present situation, where Netanyahu’s political enemies are chomping at the bit, looking for the collapse of the government, what are the most realistic possibilities?

First, the government could fall if one or more coalition partners quits, leaving the coalition without a majority. In that instance, new elections would be called and would most likely be held as quickly as the system will allow. Avi Gabbay, the head of the Zionist Union, the second largest political party in the Knesset, in a letter sent to party members, said that “the Netanyahu era is over. We must prepare for an election soon.”

A second possibility is that the Likud led coalition remains in power, but without Netanyahu, who would be replaced. Yair Lapid, the head of the Opposition, has suggested that the Prime Minister “step aside” or take a “leave of absence” until the air is cleared regarding the criminal investigations against him, even if new elections are not held.

The third possibility is also very realistic, namely, that the great expectations of the opposition parties and the efforts of the media to discredit Netanyahu and his wife, fail, and he remains in office. This is a viable option, given the present security situation that is fragile enough to explode, whether intentionally or unintentionally. An eye-opening and thought-provoking article by Rabbi Prof. Dov. Fischer is worth a few minutes read.

If, or stated more pragmatically, when, the next military conflict erupts, natural efforts towards self-preservation kick in, causing political enemies to join forces until the crisis is over.

It should be noted, there is no one within the Likud who is willing to step up and challenge Netanyahu’s leadership, a move which could split the party faithful, jeopardizing their own political future. The legal system here will make the final determination regarding the matters that the Prime Minister needs to deal with, matters that undoubtedly weigh heavy on his mind, in addition to his running the country.

“And the dread of God was on all the kingdoms of the lands when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel” (2 Chronicles 20:29)

“Have a long life, peace be to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have.” (1 Samuel 25:6)

And so, we begin a new week.

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Marvin

As to the first comment, opponents of Netanyahu wasted no time to cause him of speaking as a racist, vis-a-vis the Arab population in Israel. A White House spokesman expressed that the U.S. was “deeply concerned about rhetoric that seeks to marginalize Arab-Israeli citizens”. Obama himself got into the blame game of condemnation of Netanyahu’s words when he told The Huffington Post on March 21st: “We indicated that that kind of rhetoric was contrary to what is the best of Israel’s traditions. That although Israel was founded based on the historic Jewish homeland and the need to have a Jewish homeland, Israeli democracy has been premised on everybody in the country being treated equally and fairly,” said Obama. “And I think that that is what’s best about Israeli democracy. If that is lost, then I think that not only does it give ammunition to folks who don’t believe in a Jewish state, but it also I think starts to erode the meaning of democracy in the country.” However, it needs to be remembered that this statement was made during an election day, when Israeli Arabs were encouraged to vote for the newly-formed Joint Arab List (J.A.L.), which unified the various Arab political parties under one umbrella. And, indeed, it was anticipated that the J.A.L. could garner as many as 15 out of the 120 Knesset seats. As it turned out, the J.A.L. received 13 seats in the new Knesset, making it the third largest political party after the Likud  (Netanyahu) and the Zionist Union (Yitzhak Herzog and Tzipi Livni). Netanyahu had every reason to be concerned and his statement was a factual and political reality, rather than a racist comment. 

Netanyahu’s statements were clear to anyone who bothered to listen to them in their entirety. Nevertheless, two days after the election results were in and following an international backlash and gross exaggeration and distortion of those comments by the mainstream media and by those who like to refer to themselves as journalists, Netanyahu clarified his comments regarding the two-state solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict in an interview with NBC’s Andrea Mitchell: “I haven’t changed my policy. I never retracted my speech at Bar-Ilan University six years ago calling for a demilitarized Palestinian state that recognizes a Jewish state. What has changed is the reality. … [“Palestinian” Authority President Mahmoud Abbas] the “Palestinian” leader refuses to recognize the Jewish state and has made a pact with Hamas that calls for the destruction of the Jewish state, and every territory that is vacated today in the Middle East is taken up by Islamist forces. We want that to change so that we can realize a vision of real, sustained peace. I don’t want a one-state solution. I want a sustainable, peaceful two-state solution, but for that, circumstances have to change.” Many Israelis do not agree with the Prime Minister’s willingness to allow for the establishment of a “Palestinian” state anywhere within the present state of Israel. But, whether it is agreed to or not is not the essence of the conflict over the statement. The heart of the matter has to do with credibility, particularly among those who are the heads of two countries that only two years ago were said to have an “unbreakable bond” between them.