Tag: politics

DOES ISRAEL REALLY STAND ALONE?

On By marvinskLeave a comment

Shalom all,

The number of IDF deaths since the beginning of the ground offensive has now reached 253. The total number of IDF deaths since October 7th stands at 597. We still don’t know how many hostages are still alive or who they are.

On Monday, March 25th, the United States abstained from voting on a U.N. Security Council resolution that called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. As a result, the Security Council finally achieved what it has been trying to do since the Israel Defense Forces entered Gaza over 5 months ago, namely: demand a ceasefire – at least for a limited period of time. 

Earlier attempts by the Security Council to pass ceasefire resolutions were vetoed by the United States. Due to increasing tensions between President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the way in which the war should be conducted, and resolved, the U.S. sought a way to be able to abstain from the vote. A week ago, it was the United States that put forward a ceasefire resolution that was tied to the release of the hostages taken by Hamas, Islamic Jihad and “non-affiliated” Gaza civilians on October 7th. That resolution was vetoed by Russian and China.

Speaking of the present resolution, the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said that despite the inclusion in the latest proposed resolution of some of the edits requested by the U.S., still, Washington “did not agree with everything” and so it could not vote “yes” to the resolution, opting to abstain instead. The interesting thing to note about the excuse offered by the United States is that since it could not give an affirmative vote, it chose not to veto the resolution as it had done in the past, but allowed it to pass. The excuse to abstain is lame and places Israel in the position of a political and international pariah. 
Thomas-Greenfield’s additional comment is instructive and reveals the hypocrisy of the U.S. decision to abstain from the vote, instead of vetoing it: “A ceasefire could have come about months ago if Hamas had been willing to release hostages…Any ceasefire must come with the release of all hostages.”

The position of the U.S., as stated by its representative, was clear: release the hostages, get a ceasefire. If that is the case, then the pressure should have been applied against Hamas during all this time, not against Israel. Once again, the ac-cent’ is being placed on the wrong syll-a’-ble.

Antony Blinken, the U.S. Secretary of State, added his explanation for abstaining, rather than for vetoing the resolution, which was different in its emphasis from that of the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N.: 

“Because the final text does not have key language we view as essential, notably a condemnation of Hamas, we could not support it. This failure to condemn Hamas is particularly difficult to understanding coming days after the world once again witnessed the horrific acts terrorist groups commit.”

So, looking just at the above two excuses of the U.S., we see that failure to condemn Hamas and the failure to link a ceasefire with the release of the hostages, combined to convince the U.S. to abstain, rather than veto the resolution. Are we really expected to believe that those excuses are sufficient to betray a friend, with whom an “unbreakable bond” is supposed to exist? A friend that is fighting to survive the onslaught of a relentless, totally immoral enemy that lacks even the semblance of a conscience of what is right and wrong. Enter power politics and personality issues – exit practical efforts to release the hostages being held almost half a year – a release that would be the catalyst to bring about a ceasefire. Enter cracks in an “unbreakable bond” between the United States and Israel.

The Dry Bones Blog – 28 March, 2024

The text of the U.N. resolution demanded “an immediate ceasefire for the month of Ramadan leading to a lasting sustainable ceasefire.” And, while the resolution also demanded the release of the hostages, it did not make the ceasefire dependent on them being freed. Following the vote, applause broke out in the chamber of the Security Council. Who were they applauding for? Certainly not the hostages, nor the families of the more than 1,200 who were killed in the south-west of Israel on October 7th.

As expected, Hamas and the “Palestinian” Authority cheered the resolution, while the Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Gilad Erdan criticized the decision for failing to condition the ceasefire on the release of the hostages. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the U.S. of abandoning its policy in the UN, of giving hope to Hamas of a ceasefire without having to give up its hostages, and of “harming both the war effort and the effort to release the hostages”.

Israel Minister of Defense, Yoav Gallant, said that Israel would continue fighting until the hostages were released: “We have no moral right to stop the war until we return all the hostages to their homes. If we don’t reach and clear and absolute victory in Gaza, it could bring a war in the north closer.”

A look behind the scenes: Hamas and the Hamas controlled Ministry of Health in Gaza cite unconfirmed numbers of civilians casualties. That narrative has been accepted by the President of the United States and by the vast majority of members of the U.N., who have displayed their anti-Israel bias long before the present Gaza war. The reason for the war has been ignored. The more than 1,200 murders of Israelis and over 240 hostages being held, abused, ill-treated and killed by terrorists whose ideology calls for worldwide Islamic Jihad and the subjection of all nations and religions to Islam, has been ignored. The continued threats to carry out additional October 7th atrocities has been ignored. The only thing that is of importance to the nations that condemn Israel is the number of casualties in Gaza. 

We should not expect much from the U.N. that has seen fit to condemn Israel more than all other countries combined. But, from the U.S., our friend, we did expect a realistic appraisal of the situation that Israel is facing, fighting on seven different fronts at this point, not the least of which is in Gaza and facing a serious threat from the Hezbollah in Lebanon. We hoped for a demand for proof of numbers before blindly accepting the Hamas narrative of the number of deaths. “Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) reacted to claims that 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israel-Hamas war — a claim that has been repeated by President Joe Biden — by stating that number includes a huge number of Hamas terrorists and also said that the war could end immediately if Hamas would surrender and release the hostages…And then we’re talking about now there [are] 31,000 Palestinians that were killed, and, well, you’re not talking about, well, 13,000 or more are actually Hamas fighters on that. So, why aren’t you breaking that out as well, too? And then, if you do, and talk about the casualty ratio, it’s actually very clear that this isn’t a genocide or that the Israelis are targeting civilians. In fact, the only ones that [target] civilians, that’s Hamas.”

The three Middle East countries that are most closely affiliated with Hamas (not including Iran, that is feeding it and encouraging it) are Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan. None of them has made any serious effort to help the citizens of Gaza or to exert pressure on Hamas. Egypt, which actually has a border with Gaza, is building a walled area near its border to prevent Gazans from entering (unless they have enough money to buy their way out of Gaza and into Cairo). Lebanon, which is in large measure controlled by Hezbollah, another Iranian proxy and a co-belligerent with Hamas, joined the fighting against Israel from the outset of the Gaza War. Jordan, which could rightly be said to be the place where so-called “Palestinians” should reside, only condemns Israel, without lifting a finger to pressure Hamas to release the hostages or offer displaced Gazans an option to move to Jordan and start their lives over. But, as the Hamas narrative becomes increasingly more acceptable, more countries seek to isolate Israel. And the latest proposal is to impose an arms embargo on Israel.  And, as one commentator noted: This war is exactly what Hamas wanted.

“[As] fiercely contradicting narratives about the conflict have seized the global imagination — so much so that they may be changing the course of elections in the United States and United Kingdom — it’s worth reminding the world that Hamas is not a friend of the Palestinians. Instead, it’s a militia of fundamentalists whose primary goals are to prevent a two-state solution [not that such a solution is desired, realistic or even a solution – my addition] — the realization of which would involve a verboten acknowledgment of Israel as a legitimate state — and to spread Islamic theocracy. The dismaying truth of these aims has been lost in progressive spaces, where Hamas is often portrayed as a force of Palestinian resistance. Those on the left should understand that Hamas is not trying to achieve a Palestinian state or justice for Palestinians. Instead, it aims to prevent those very outcomes by moving Israelis to the political right through terrorist attacks.” 

It is no wonder that The Economist ran a front cover last week declaring “Israel Alone”. But, when viewed from the hindsight of history, we see that we have, in essence, always stood alone – alone from the point of view of involvement with nations, but never alone from the watchful eye and protective cover of the God of all creation, who has designated Israel as the “apple of His eye” (Deuteronomy 32:10; Zechariah 2:8). Indeed, Dror Eyder, in his article in Israel Hayom: “3000 years of solitude: A response to The Economist Cover”, noted that the prophet Balaam, who was hired by King Barak of Moab (southern Jordan today) to curse Israel, refused to do, and referred to Numbers 23:9. “With his immortal words, Balaam shows himself to be a prophet who saw thousands of years into the future right up to the cover of the Economist and thousands of years beyond that: ‘As I see them from the mountain tops, Gaze on them from the heights. There is a people that dwells apart, Not reckoned among the nations.’ Not regular isolation, for we have ties with the nations of the world, we contribute and we benefit. Rather it is a special isolation that only someone taking a bird’s eye perspective of history (from mountain tops and heights) could have been able to see this from our beginning as a people: A people who for all our efforts to be accepted into the community of nations and to be treated equally, will never be counted as a normal nation. We will never belong to the family of nations, even if our contribution to humanity is priceless. And if, God forbid, we shall no longer be here, we will not be mourned as a family member. Not only in the synchronic sense do we not belong, but also in the diachronic; in other words, it is not only is our existence in the present different from that of all other nations, but we also travel along a different historic path to other nations.” 

Only one verse earlier, Balaam asked: “How shall I curse whom God has a not cursed? And how am I to curse him whom the LORD has not cursed?” (Numbers 23:8) The nations of today do not ask that question. If they did, they would have to acknowledge that “The Keeper of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps” (Psalm 121:4) and that He who created Israel and formed us, and called us back to this tiny stretch of desert sand, says that we are not to fear, because He has called us by name and we are His! (Isaiah 43:1). 

The community of nations is tredding on thin ice, if it thinks that it can unite to condemn Israel and succeed. “Those who do not fail to learn from history, are condemned to repeat it”. (George Santayana – 1905). Mark Twain, in his essay “Concerning the Jews” (published 1899) understood that. We can ask whether the community of nations today understands that our calling extends for around 3.5 millennia and that no decision from the United Nations will diminish that calling. We can ask ourselves whether we understand that as well. We have been instructed not to put our trust in princes, in mortal man, in whom there is no salvation, but to hope in the LORD our God (Psalm 146:3, 5).

As we look at the situation facing Israel today, we realize that the war that we have been fighting has been in existence for far longer than just six months. The world must come to an understanding that our fight against the terrorism of Hamas and similar entities, is a fight not only against an enemy determined to destroy Israel, but against an enemy that seeks to subjugate the other nations and religions of the world under an Islamic caliphate. The conclusion of Dror Eyder is appropriate in this context:

“Israel’s war against Hamas is not merely a localized affair. It is the war of the entire free world against tyranny that seeks to enslave the world in the name of faith in a pagan death cult. The moral perception of the nations that preach to us not to enter Rafah and finish off the job, stems from a confusion between private morality and political morality. We are not fighting individuals – as miserable as they may be – but a nation whose unifying core is the destruction of Israel and the murder of Jews wherever they may be. As far as they are concerned, the Jews are the spearhead of all Western (Judeo-Christian) civilization. For them Israel is only the outpost of this civilization; our enemies believe (and they have stated as much thousands of times) that we are the gateway to the collapse of the entire West. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the West not to leave Israel alone, but to strengthen it and hasten reinforcements. We’ve got you covered.

Is Israel isolated? Perhaps. There is nothing new in that. As always, we will survive and win. The God of Israel did not bring us back to Zion after thousands of years in exile, in order to toy with us. The question is, will the West understand that its long-term existence lies in the balance? Remember the words of the old prophet Balam. Learn from him and act in accordance.”

On another note, it appears that the creators of the calendars this year have once again placed the cart before the horse, by designating a celebration of Resurrection Day (referred to erroneously by some as “Easter” or “Pascha”, an early Middle English term for “Easter”) long before the date for the Feast of Passover. If we try to draw a parallel with the present Gaza War, we see that a reversal of facts and events tends to be the trend in modern thinking. Then again, tomorrow is another day and the beginning of a new week. The cares and concerns of this day are passing away. So, hope springs eternal and there is always a renewed cause for optimism.

Despite our situations, may we still bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Have a good week.

Marvin

Hypocrisy at its finest!

On By marvinsk3 Comments

“What can we expect from an American administration under the presidency of Joe Biden? We cannot ignore the fact that he was the Vice-President under the Obama administration, which was one of the most, if not the most, anti-Israel administrations in U.S. history. That’s eight years of influence that he would bring with him to the White House.

“In all likelihood, an attempt will be made to resurrect the so-called “two-state solution” to the Israeli-“Palestinian” conflict, which many political pundits considered to be a dead policy. Of necessity, that would mean that the U.S. would oppose any increased settlement activity in Judea and Samaria. Without question, unilateral annexation of territory in those areas is no longer viable – an opportunity missed by the Netanyahu government in favor of normalization agreements with certain Arab countries. Notwithstanding that Biden and Netanyahu have known each other for over 30 years, it is doubtful that such acquaintance would develop into such a friendship that the Biden administration would continue relations with Israel where the Trump administration leaves off. In all likelihood, it would revert to the perspective of the Obama administration and try to dictate to Israel how things should be worked out, namely, through a “two-state” solution. This would also entail re-establishing diplomatic ties with the “Palestinians” that seriously deteriorated under the Trump administration. This would also fulfil a Biden campaign promise to renew relationships with the “Palestinians”, which could well mean that Biden would direct the reopening of the “Palestinian” mission in Washington that was closed by Trump. Things could be somewhat different, as Biden is not Obama. This remains to be seen. Much will depend upon the politicos in the Senate and House of Representatives.” [The Week That Was: A Joe Biden Presidency – What Can Israel Expect? – November 7, 2020]

And here we are, three and a half years later, in the midst of a war with a brutal, vicious, blood-thirsty, Israel-hating terrorist organization and another U.S. presidential election looming in the not-too-distant future. And what do we hear from our friend, our ally, the one who has repeatedly stated that there exists between us an “unbreakable bond”?: Conduct your war the way WE want you to conduct it. Prioritize the safety of civilians in Gaza. Don’t fight to defeat your enemy; work out an agreement that WE think is the right one to end your war and bring home all of those taken hostage by a totally immoral group of terrorists, who use their own people as human shields and who execute their own people who disagree with them. Don’t expand your settlements in Judea and Samaria; Consent to give your enemy international recognition as a sovereign state that will exists both sides of your heartland with a shared Jerusalem as the capitol of both states, as the only way that you will both have enduring peace (a two-state solution). And if you don’t want to, we’ll go ahead and recognize your enemy as a sovereign state without your consent. By the way, we think the proposed deal with Hamas is a good one. Go for it. If you don’t listen to what we tell you to do, we’ll consider putting a few chinks into our “unbreakable bond” with you. That latter demand, to close the deal with Hamas, is the epitomy of hypocrisy. The United States doesn’t want to negotiate with terrorists, but it wants Israel to do so. 

On Thursday, March 14, 2024, Chuck Schumer, the U.S. Democratic Senate Majority Leader, gave a speech explaining his views of the present war and giving his opinion how to live in peace and harmony with people sworn to Israel’s destruction. The full text of Senator Schumer’s speech can be viewed here.

If my count is correct, he referred in his speech to a “two-state solution” 21 times and to the term “Palestinian” 66 times. If something is repeated often enough, the one making the statement expects that it will become internalized by those who hear it and they, themselves, will begin to believe it and maybe pass it on. He said that Israel should call for new elections and refers to P.M. Netanyahu one of four obstacles to peace (the other three being Hamas; radical right-wing Israelis in government and society; “Palestinian” Authority President Mahmoud Abbas). He ignores reports that the vast majority of the people in Gaza voiced support for Hamas and its actions of October 7th. He also said, in part: “We should not let the complexities of this conflict stop us from stating the plain truth: Palestinian civilians do not deserve to suffer for the sins of Hamas, and Israel has a moral obligation to do better. The United States has an obligation to do better.” Well, Senator Schumer, the civilians in Gaza (not “Palestinians”) elected Hamas. That turned out to be a major mistake on their part and they are suffering the consequences of their actions. As for Israel having a “moral obligation” vis-a-vis the civilians in Gaza, it should be understood that Israel’s “moral obligation” is first and foremost is to its own population, to defend against and to fight an enemy bent on Israel’s destruction. The problem is that this enemy hides in civilian population centers and uses those civilians as human shields. The United States and its allies in WWII should first and foremost apologize for their failure to prioritize the safety of the civilian population in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, in Dresden and in a multitude of other locations that were bombed to oblivion and not to point a moralizing finger at Israel, who is seeking to eliminate a ruthless enemy and ensure that there will not be a repeat of October 7th – an event that Hamas has publicly announced that it plans to pursue over and over again.

One of the problems with Senator Schumer’s speech is his apparent failure to understand that the present situation is a continuation of a religious war against Israel and the Jewish people, that is based on an ideology that demands, in part, the total elimination of Israel from the area of the Middle East. The Qur’an and Islamic traditions support and nurture an ideology of hatred towards the Jews, whose destiny, as determined by Islam, is one of absolute and total slaughter. Qur’an, Sura 5:64, makes clear that there will be “enmity and hatred” against the Jews until the end of the present age. This position has been inculcated in Islamic teaching for well over a thousand years old. So, the call for the final slaughter of all Jews is not based on the present war with Hamas, or even upon the establishment of the State of Israel. Yet, it continues today with even greater force than in previous years. Speeches by modern-day Imams confirm the call of the “Palestinians” to take the lead in the war against the Jews and that irrespective of how many agreements are signed or how many treaties are ratified, the Islamic call is to annihilate the Jews, as well as those who support them. If the United States thinks that it is exempt from the ultimate call of the Qur’an and its related Hadiths, to subject the entire world to an acceptance of Islam or be killed, then it is in for a very rude awakening. It should take a look at what has happened in France, in the countries of Scandinavia, in England and in other democratic countries, as well as take a good and long look at the demonstrations taking place in the streets across the U.S. and the statements made by elected officials in its own government. 

I rarely attach a link to a video in this blog. But, given the misguided and uninformed opinions of a multitude of politicians in the U.S. and around the world, I would urge them to view, “Israelis must listen to the Palestinians” . My first reaction to this was to consider it one more attempt to get us to compromise with the so-called “Palestinians”, again. But, when viewed, it becomes readily apparent that the content does not leave much room for misunderstanding. We are encouraged to really listen to how much we are hated, how different our perspectives are and how we, as a people, value life, while those with whom we are told should be given an independent state value death, and, particularly, Israel’s death. If you can, send this to your political leaders. Maybe it will open their eyes to what they want us to ignore.

Senator Schumer says that his name is derived from the Hebrew word “shomer”, which means “guard”, “guardian”, or “keeper”. He adds: “Of course, my first responsibility is to America and New York. But as the first Jewish Majority Leader of the United States Senate, and the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in America ever, I also feel very keenly my responsibility as Shomer Yisrael – a guardian of the People of Israel.” But, Israel already has a Protector, the best there is, the Keeper of Israel, Who neither slumbers nor sleeps (Psalm 122:6 – Hineh, lo yanoom v’lo yeeshan Shomer Yisrael = same word). 

There are dates and events in history that become etched in our memory banks. They are brought forth from time to time to remind us to remember them. Some events are international in their scope, such as September 11, 2001 (i.e., 9/11) and the Coronavirus Pandemic of 2020. Some are national, such as the Exodus from Egypt on Passover and the giving of the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai; December 7, 1941 – the bombing of the U.S. Naval Base in Pearl Harbor, “… a day that will live in infamy forever”. Some events are regional, such as 70 A.D. – the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem by the Roman General Titus. Some relate to individuals – the death of Messiah Yeshua as the Passover Lamb and His resurrection, both according to the Scriptures. But, there are other events that relate to a specific people, and the attempts to eliminate them from the face of the earth – Psalm 83:4 – “Come, and let us wipe them out as a nation, that the name of Israel be remembered no more.” This is actually a series of events and attempts by those who hate God, who have exalted themselves and who made and make shrewd plans against “Your people” (Psalm 83:2-3; Deuteronomy 7:7; see the Scroll of Esther). And to this list we now solemnly and painfully add “Black Saturday” – October 7, 2023.

The Passover Haggadah (the telling of the Passover story at the annual Seder meal, the night of the Passover) contains the following statement (translation from Hebrew): “In every generation they rise up against us to destroy us.” A reading of Biblical history confirms this – Pharaoh’s command to kill all newborn, Jewish males and Herod’s command to kill all Jewish males under the age of two years old. Persecution under the Romans – You cannot live here as a Jew; convert or die. The slaughter of over a million Jews during the time of the Crusades; the expulsion of Jews from Spain and Portugal – You cannot live here. The pogroms in Russia and Eastern Europe and, eventually, to the Holocaust, the planned “final solution” to rid the world of the Jewish people – You cannot live!

But, WE DO LIVE. [The Week That Was: We Will Remember and Will NOT Forget – April 21, 2020]

“In 1898, Mark Twain’s “Concerning the Jew” essay was published in Harper’s Magazine. When his comment about the Jews not serving in the military was later proven to be untrue, he issued a public apology. In the latter part of his essay, he wrote, in part: 

“What has become of the Golden Rule?”

It exists, it continues to sparkle, and is well taken care of. It is Exhibit A in the Church`s assets, and we pull it out every Sunday and give it an airing. But you are not permitted to try to smuggle it into this discussion, where it is irrelevant and would not feel at home. It is strictly religious furniture, like an acolyte, or a contribution-plate, or any of those things. It has never been intruded into business; and Jewish persecution is not a religious passion, it is a business passion.

. . . If the statistics are right, the Jews constitute but one percent of the human race. It suggests a nebulous dim puff of star dust lost in the blaze of the Milky Way. Properly the Jew ought hardly to be heard of; but he is heard of, has always been heard of. He is as prominent on the planet as any other people, and his commercial importance is extravagantly out of proportion to the smallness of his bulk. His contributions to the world`s list of great names in literature, science, art, music, finance, medicine, and abstruse learning are also away out of proportion to the weakness of his numbers. He has made a marvelous fight in this world, in all the ages; and has done it with his hands tied behind him. He could be vain of himself, and be excused for it. The Egyptian, the Babylonian, and the Persian rose, filled the planet with sound and splendor, then faded to dream-stuff and passed away; the Greek and the Roman followed, and made a vast noise, and they are gone; other peoples have sprung up and held their torch high for a time, but it burned out, and they sit in twilight now, or have vanished. The Jew saw them all, beat them all, and is now what he always was, exhibiting no decadence, no infirmities of age, no weakening of his parts, no slowing of his energies, no dulling of his alert and aggressive mind. All things are mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality?” (Mark Twain: Concerning The Jews, Harper’s Magazine, March, 1898).

“Indeed, the question of the ages has been “What is the secret of the immortality of the Jew?” Clearly, we are but human, fallible, given to every vice and virtue of almost every other people on the earth, whether presently existing or in ages past. We cannot over-simplify the answer, nor should we try. Yet, a question that relates to immortality can only be answered by reference to that which “immortal”, which lives forever, which defies logic and necessitates a reliance upon faith.  

“We need to wake up to reality from a Biblical point of view.  A time is coming, and it is not very far off, when the world will turn against this tiny stretch of desert land and its inhabitants and/or will idly stand by as nations gather together in an attempt to destroy us, so that the name of Israel would be no more (Ps. 83:4). Life for the Jew will be difficult beyond our imagination.  Non-Jews who will come to faith in the Lord Yeshua, the Lord of Glory, the Holy One of Israel, during that time, will have their faith tested by the manner in which they relate to the Jew, as He stated (see Matt. 25:40): “…’to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’”  This statement was made by the Lord Yeshua before He went to the cross and died as the Passover Lamb that took upon Himself the sins of the world.  His “brothers” were, therefore, according to the flesh, namely, the Jews. This is not the place to deal with the similarities or distinctions between the wars referred to in Psalm 83; Ezekiel 38:4-5, 10-12; 39:2 and Revelation 16. That is for another time.

“Israel as a nation and the Jews as a people, will continue to exist. “Thus says the LORD, Who gives the sun for light by day, And the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar; The LORD of hosts is His name: ‘If this fixed order departs From before Me,” declares the LORD, “Then the offspring of Israel also shall cease From being a nation before Me forever.’ Thus says the LORD, ‘If the heavens above can be measured, And the foundations of the earth searched out below, Then I will also cast off all the offspring of Israel For all that they have done,’ declares the LORD.” (Jer. 31:35-37).  The wars seeking to eliminate Israel and the Jews are physical manifestations of the spiritual warfare taking place – the spirit of Islam against The Spirit of the Resurrected Messiah, Israel in the midst of a sea of her enemies, who seek to destroy her.  

“What is the secret of the immortality of the Jew? Simply, God! He is sovereign in all His ways…This world, with all of the evil that is in it, is fading away. We have to hold on to that which is eternal and to the One who dwells in eternity. We need to see the whole picture.” [The Week That Was: The Immortality of the Jew – 29 September, 2019]

By the way, notwithstanding Senator Schumer’s claim that Jews around the globe are driven by “Tikkun Olam”, the call to “repair the world”, it should be clear that we don’t need to try to fix the world. Efforts to do that over the millenia have failed miserably and we, as a people, have paid the price. “Fixing the World” is not our job. It belongs to the Creator of the Universe, the Maker of Heaven and Earth, the One who has fashioned us in our mother’s wombs. He alone can channel the hearts of kings like water and turn them whichever way He wants (Proverbs 21:1).0

Lest one think that my criticism of Senator Schumer’s speech is an isolated one, I am joined by politicians from both sides of the Congressional political isle, although some from Schumer’s own party were more reserved in their responses. Some of those comments can be read here and here. In the words of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky), Schumer’s comments were not only “unprecedented”, but “grotesque and hypocritical”, as well. He added: “The Democratic Party doesn’t have an anti-Bibi* problem. It has an anti-Israel problem.” [* Bibi is the nickname for Benjamin Netanyahu.]

The present U.S. Administration should stay away from playing armchair-military strategists and leave the decisions about how to conduct warfare to the people who are best trained for it and who have life experiences that guide their decisions. In short, President Biden should take the advice of General Jack Keane (Ret.) and “Leave Israel Alone”. Gen. Keane, who was interviewed on Fox News, dealt first with the return of ISIS in Afganistan and then applauded Israel’s actions in the present Gaza War. He disagreed with President Biden’s comments and said that Israel should be allowed to achieve its military goal of eliminating Hamas: “I just wish frankly that the President and his teams would leave Israel alone here and let them conduct their military operation in accordance with their values and as they see fit. They have taken unprecedented moves to remove the problem that no other military has had in my memory of dealing with such a concentration of civilians that are actually in the combatant zone inside urban centers. When the sound of the guns come, people normally leave. Hamas doesn’t let them leave. The Israelis had moved them away, as best as they possibly can. And so it’s resulted regrettably in civilians casualties. But, the rose has to be pinned. The reason for those casualties is Hamas. We’ve got this thing twisted and blamed Israel for that. That’s not the case. Israel has to finish this…If we let Hamas live again because we don’t destroy the remaining batallions and their leaders, they’re going to rearm and re-attack and make the people of Israel vulnerable once again…They’re after [Israel’s] destruction and … the millions of Jews who are living there. They certainly trust their government and their security forces, until October 7th. And that trust will have to be renewed and regain the trust of the Israeli people so they’re not put further at risk by not destroying this force.”

I will repeat, and continue to say, that Western nations fail to understand the realities of the present situation of Israel and her neighbors. A “two-state solution” would add insult to injury, fuel the flames of antisemitism, and be a reward for terrorism. Nations may choose to abandon Israel because of the present Gaza War. Their choices will have consequences, either for good or for bad. If they do choose to forsake Israel, then we can rely on a statement from Mordechai to his niece, the Queen, in the Book of Esther: “For if you [fail to help Israel] at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place” (Esther 4:14).

A little longer than usual, but every now and then, we need to say what needs to be said.

Whatever your situation may be, remember: Bless, be blessed and be a blessing!

Have a safe, healthy and God-honoring week.

Marvin

That’s going too far.

On By marvinsk5 Comments

Kamala Harris went too far when she condemned Israel for not doing enough to provide aid to Gazans, who she said were “caught in the war between the Jewish state and the terrorist organization bent on its destruction.” Mr. Harris spoke at an event in Selma, Alabama, commemorating the anniversary of civil rights activists who were beaten by state troopers. Given the nature of the event where she spoke, it would be only natural for Ms. Harris to inject a few tidbits regarding other matters that in her mind are appropriate matters for discussion at that same event. But, she went beyond tidbits, focusing on crowd appeal and getting on Israel’s case.

I try not to get embroiled in U.S. politics or politicians. But, when either or both reflects upon events in Israel, it would be wrong for any of us to remain silent. In her castigation of Israel, she appears to have forgotten that we are in the throes of a war against a ruthless, totally immoral terrorist organization, whose sole raison d’être is to kill the Jewish people and eliminate the State of Israel from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. She asserted: “The Israeli government must do more to significantly increase the flow of aid. No excuses. They must not impose any unnecessary restrictions on the delivery of aid…[and] must open new border crossings.”

It is clear that the perspective of the Vice-President of the United States, of what is happening thousands of miles away from where she lives, is removed from the realities here. Her comments included that Israel “must ensure humanitarian personnel, sites and convoys are not targeted.” Targeted by whom? The IDF denies without hesitation that it does not target any humanitarian aid sites. That leaves Hamas and the Gazans themselves. As far as protecting the “humanitarian personnel”, with all due respect to Ms. Harris, that is not Israel’s responsibility. It provides humanitarian aid and allows other nations to participate in that regard. For all intents and purposes, Israel does not need to help in the distribution of the aid that enters Gaza, nor to act as a bodyguard for “humanitarian personnel”, who are undefined. Maybe she is referring to UNRWA employees. In any event, others are responsible for the trucks, the personnel and for the distribution. But, if those others fail in their responsibility, or choose not to participate in such distribution because of fear of Hamas, or because the fighting poses potential danger to them, the blame for what happens because of the failure of others should not be placed at Israel’s doorstep. 

Then Ms. Harris added that “Israel also needed to work to restore basic services and promote order so that ‘more food, water and fuel can reach those in need’.” So, now, in the midst of fighting, she wants Israel to restore/repair basic services for the Gazan civilians. Maybe she expects that Israel would send over a few plumbers, open up all-night grocery stores and set up fueling stations throughout the coastal enclave. She played to the crowd and got the response that she wanted … from them, at our expense.

It has been shown that when humanitarian aid shipments enter Gaza, Hamas is the primary beneficiary of those shipments, which are intended for the multitudes. That terrorist organization has no genuine concern for the civilians in Gaza, but only for its own survival, and it forcefully takes what it wants. A natural result of the lack of an orderly distribution of humanitarian aid could clearly lead to a crisis, which, in the opinion of Kamala Harris, would then be the catalyst that should result in “an immediate ceasefire…for at least the next six weeks, which is what is currently on the table. This will get the hostages out and get a significant amount of aid in…Let’s get a ceasefire, let’s reunite the hostages with their families, and let’s provide immediate relief to the people of Gaza.”

Her words give the impression that she is personally involved in either fighting this war or negotiating an end to it. “Let’s get…let’s reunite…let’s provide….”  Apparently, Ms. Harris fails to grasp the realities of this war and the nature of the terrorist organization that is, and absolutely should be, responsible for everything suffering in the Gaza Strip since October 7th. When she says, “Let’s”, she really means that Israel should do what she stated: “get, reunite, provide”, as if these are magical words that merely uttering them will bring about the desired result. No, Ms. Harris. There are casualties in every war and Israel’s primary goal is to defeat its enemy and bring the hostages home, alive. It is not to placate the enemy, or to pull out all the stops to make sure that the people who put Hamas into power are not harmed and are treated well. 

Israel makes every effort to minimize civilian casualties, but is not an insurance company that needs to compensate Gazans who suffer because of the evils brought about by the government of blood-thirsty terrorists that those Gazans empowered to rule over them. 

“Let’s get a ceasefire.” War is not an electric outlet that can be turned on and switched off at whim, because some politician thinks there is too much alleged innocent suffering. What about the innocent suffering of the hostages? Where is the humanitarian aid that should have been given to them during the past 150 days, humanitarian aid that the world should have demanded be given to them. Does their suffering not count? Where are the medical supplies that some of the hostages desperately needed? Hamas refused to provide access to the hostages by the International Red Cross. What are the names of the hostages that are still alive? Hamas refused to give a list of names to Israel. Are our hostages treated well? Testimonies of released hostages reveal ill treatment of them by Hamas and abuse that is contrary to what international law would require. Israel says that 32 hostages have died or are declared dead. Hamas claims that 70 hostages have been killed due to Israeli attacks, but did not return the bodies for examination. So, how many are really still alive and will be able to survive another six weeks in Hamas captivity? I honesty believe that even Hamas doesn’t know, so it cannot provide a list.  

“Let’s reunite the hostages with their families.” This should have been uppermost in minds of those who call themselves “friends”. But, it wasn’t. This call has been sounded loud and clear by the families of the hostages and has been exerted and felt both near and far. There is no guarantee that all of the hostages, whoever may still be alive, will be released. The “deal” that’s on the table is not a one-time hostage release in exchange for a ceasefire and a swap of 10 prisoners in Israeli jails for every 1 hostage held by Hamas. It is a staged release and at each stage, Hamas can back away, just like it did before, or it will turn up the heat and make its demands more severe, leaving members of the IDF as the last ones to be returned. “Let’s provide immediate relief to the people of Gaza.” Thousands of truckloads of humanitarian aid have entered into Gaza after Joe Biden’s visit to Israel following the massacre perpetrated by Hamas on the final day of the most joyous annual feast day here. The best and most appropriate “immediate relief” for the people of Gaza is for them to be rid of Hamas and Islamic Jihad. 

If Kamala Harris really wants the present situation to change, she should be making every effort to help Israel, America’s friend and ally, to rid itself of a deadly enemy and free the hostages. This will also allow the tens of thousand of Israelis to return to their homes, who have been displaced because of missiles launched by terrorist organizations, resulting in those who were displaced becoming refugees in their own country. The sooner we can take care of what we need to do, the sooner the war can end, families can be reunited, and displaced Israelis can return to their homes. Then, if the U.S. still has a mindset to do so, it can extend its hand of help to the people of Gaza. 

It’s easy to condemn. It’s more difficult to take a stand for a friend during its hour of need. There are consequences to both choices. “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you.” (Gen. 12:3) This is as true today as it has ever been. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a person sows, this he will also reap.” (Gal. 6:7)

May the rest of your week be one of blessing.
Marvin

A Ceasefire Before Ramadan? Maybe … Maybe Not.

On By marvinskLeave a comment

Shalom all,

The number of IDF deaths since the beginning of the ground offensive has now reached 242. The total number of IDF deaths since October 7th stands at 582. The number of hostages still held by Hamas and other terrorists is still estimated at around 130+, without knowing how many, and who, are still alive.To say that this was not an easy week for Israel would be a classic understatement. 

The Gaza War remains one of the central news items for the world. Most people who like to refer to themselves as “journalists” continue to look for every opportunity to slam Israel for every evil under the sun. And, if they can’t find facts to back their claims, they’ll make them up. After almost five months of war against an immoral and heartless terrorist organization, most anti-Israel news sites have either completely ignored the events that triggered the fighting in the first place, or add a one or two-line summary about the day that witnessed the worst massacre perpetrated against Israel since its founding and the severest one-day slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust.

But, we haven’t forgotten the events of Black Saturday, which have been so severe and created such a national trauma that we refer to matters as being either before, or after, October 7th. The Gaza War has seen significant Israeli military successes. Even if the cowardly leadership of Hamas managed to escape from the Gaza enclave via the massive tunnel infrastructure that has become a city under a city, still, if some sources are to be believed, Israel needs only a few more weeks to dismantle the operational ability of Hamas. The thought of continuing the fighting in Gaza for “a few more weeks” is causing much of the world community to take tranquilizers, in anticipation the Muslim month of Ramadan, which is set to begin on March 10th. 

As usual, the pressure is on Israel to effectuate a ceasefire before the onset of Ramadan, either through reaching an agreement with Hamas, or unilaterally as a humanitarian gesture, to avoid anticipated mass riots around the Temple Mount area and elsewhere. Why isn’t there international pressure exerted against Hamas? Not so much to enter an agreement with Israel, but to return the hostages being held by it and by Islamic Jihad and various individual, “unaffiliated” Gazans, who are holding some of those who were abducted on October 7th. The finger pointing is against Israel.

In the midst of trying to eliminate Hamas control over Gaza and to dismantle its military capability, a disaster took place in Gaza that could only be described as a nightmare for Israel. In the early hours of this past Thursday, dozens of Gazans died while trying to get to trucks delivering humanitarian aid to the enclave. Hamas was quick to accuse the IDF of massacring over 100 civilians, which Israel claimed that dozens died by trampling each other. The IDF said that the 30 or so aid trucks were driven by private contractors, who ran over some of the Gazans. The IDF fired warning shots in the air and shot at the legs of some of those who were moving towards Israeli troops, and estimated that fewer than 10 of the casualties were the result of Israeli fire. An aerial view of the event can be seen here.  

As with all of the figures reported by Hamas, or the Gaza Health Department that is controlled by Hamas, the alleged figures could not be independently confirmed. There is little doubt that the event could affect the continuation of the present hostage release / ceasefire talks. CNN referred to the event as “one of the worst single tragedies to occur during Israel’s war with Hamas … after scores of Palestinians were killed trying to access food aid in Gaza City…” Note that the article says that they “were killed”, not that they “died”. There is a world of difference between the two expressions. The news site referred to figures issued by the “Palestinian Ministry of Health”, notwithstanding that CNN was not able to independently confirm the numbers. The article concluded with a comment by U.S. President Joe Biden, who said that “there are two competing versions of what happened” and that his administration was looking the matter. When asked whether the incident would complicate negotiations, Biden’s response was, “Oh, I know it will”, but he still was optimistic that a hostage release / ceasefire deal could be reached soon.

It didn’t take long for the members of the UN Security Council to consider a resolution drafted by Algeria to blame Israel for the events that resulted in Thursday’s deaths. Of the 15 member states comprising the Security Council, 14 of them voted in favor of the resolution. The 15th is the United States, who vetoed the Resolution. Robert Wood, the Deputy U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. was quoted as saying: “We don’t have all the facts on the ground – that’s the problem.”  The implication in the last three words are that the U.S. might have voted in favor of the Resolution , which called for the members of the Security Council to “express deep concern on reports stating that over 100 individuals have lost their lives, with approximately 750 others sustaining injuries due to opening fire by Israeli forces”. According to the same JNS site, “Drone footage of the incident shows a large rush of Gazans swarming the convoy, which was attempting to deliver needed aid under challenging circumstances.”

A news feed from Sky News a few hours earlier today reported, “Israel and Hamas have agreed on the duration of a truce and hostage and prisoner releases, they told Reuters. The sources said talks are due to resume in Cairo tomorrow. That leaves mediators a week to try to secure a deal before 10 March, the start of Ramadan – a date by which Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz said the IDF would launch an offensive in Rafah if Hamas did not release its hostages.”

Notwithstanding reports that negotiations are to resume tomorrow, a senior Israeli official reported today that “no Israeli delegation will participate unless Hamas provides the names of the hostages still alive.”  Such a demand should have been made by Israel at the outset of the first set of negotiations. We still are allowing a terrorist organization to dictate terms of the hostage release, ceasefire and prisoner release, which be conducted in stages. This war could have ended a long time ago if all of the hostages were released at one time. We could have pursued Yahya Sinwar at any other time. The price that Israel is willing to pay for partial releases of the hostages is exorbitant. According to the Jerusalem Post, the Egyptian Foreign Minister said, in part: “We cannot say that we have reached an understanding in the negotiations between Israel and Hamas yet.” The article added that Egypt was insisting on “sticking to the course of the deal agreed upon in Paris, which includes a 40-day pause in all military operations and the exchange of Palestinian prisoners for Israeli hostages at a ratio of 10 to one.” The draft of the Paris deal also states, in part, that “Hamas would free 40 Israeli hostages, including women, children under 19, elderly over 50, and the sick, while Israel would release around 400 Palestinian prisoners and will not re-arrest them.” And so, the devil continues to dictate terms and Israel continues to give in to them. There is something egregiously wrong with this picture. We are succeeding on the battlefield, despite the loss of lives of members of the IDF, but we are compromising at the negotiating table. Hamas just needs to sit and wait it out for international pressure to force Israel to unilaterally end the war.

Also, earlier this week, the government of the “Palestinian” Authority resigned and its resignation was accepted by the present President, Mahmoud Abbas. This move, apparently, is intended as an initial step towards the establishment for a new “Palestinian” government to comes into place “the day after” the war ends. According to The Wall Street Journal,  “The move falls short of changes Western and Arab governments have pressured the Palestinian Authority to make, including replacing longtime career politicians with a technocratic team and for Mahmoud Abbas, the authority’s unpopular, 88-year-old president, to step aside and invest a new prime minister with some of the president’s powers.”

However, as noted by Khaled Abu Toameh, writing for the Gatestone Institute: “The sole way to “revitalize” the Palestinian Authority is to insist that it rid itself of every leader who has failed his people and who remains in power, disregarding the will and interests of the people. That is hardly likely, at least not in the foreseeable future. No one is willingly going to forego perks and power. There is no way that Abbas or any of his senior aides are voluntarily going to step down….Only a new and fresh leadership committed to reforms, democracy, and transparency has a chance of leading the Palestinians towards a better life. Sadly, leaders with such a portfolio are hard to come by in the West Bank and Gaza Strip….Any leader who comes through the US or Israel will be accused by Palestinians of being a traitor and collaborator with the enemies of the Palestinian people….The assumption that 88-year-old PA President Mahmoud Abbas will step down or agree to share power with others is a non-starter. Abbas, who was elected in 2005, is now in the 19th year of a four-year term. He has already proven that he does not care what others say about him. Recent public opinion polls have shown that up to 80% of the Palestinians want him to resign. So what? The polls have also shown that a majority of the Palestinians believe that the PA is corrupt. So what? Abbas has also proven that he prefers to consult only with two or three of his loyalist officials. Since he came to power, Abbas has been controlling the Palestinian Authority as if it were a private fiefdom.” And THIS is what the U.S. and Western nations expect will become part of the new government of the so-called “Palestinian” people when the Gaza War is over? Truly, what is needed is not new governments, but new leaders, with new mindset.

The Dry Bones Blog – 27 February, 2024

While writing this post, a report came in that an additional 3 members of the IDF were killed, and another 14 were wounded, when a device exploded in a booby-trapped building in Khan Younis, bringing the IDF death toll since the Gaza ground operation to 245. More young lives (19, 19 and 20) lost, more military funerals, more grieving families, more wounded, 4 of them seriously, meaning that they may have lost one or more limbs or organs. These soldiers faithfully served to eliminate the continuing terrorist threats to Israel and to find and release the remaining hostages. Y’hee zihram’ baruch! (May their memories be blessed!)

The news this week was filled with different opinions on a variety of different subjects: There were calls for “no more ceasefires”; calls for a “one-state solution”, with “Palestinians” being made permanent residents of Israel, but having no right to vote in national elections; challenges to the figures cited by the U.S. Secretary of Defense, who relied upon numbers from the Gaza Health Department that is controlled by Hamas; claims that the U.S. is showing weakness via-a-vis the Houthis, which emboldens them and allows them to act with impunity; terror attacks on Israelis inside Samaria; and that the Hamas invasion of October 7th was actually stolen from the plans of the Hezbollah terrorist organization in Lebanon. There is, of course, the “bad news”, of wars, threats of wars and rumors of wars. There is also ongoing news about the upcoming U.S. elections, with the possibility of a Biden-Trump rematch. Is America ready for that? Is the world ready for that? Noting that a recent Reuters polls showed that 2 out of 3 Americans wanted someone new, one writer suggested that if we are looking for an ideal candidate, we should consider Moses for President. But, can such a person be found in America? The author concludes: “So, as tempting as it may seem to fill out a protest write-in ballot for Moses, we will only have ourselves to blame should our troubled world take a turn to even greater upheaval. Still, it sure would be nice if whoever gets elected tries to emulate Moses, who enduringly models the noblest traits of leadership.” May it be true for the U.S. May it be true for Israel. May it be true for the rest of the nations. 

Against all this, we cannot lose hope. One day, one greater than Moses will rule and reign. Isaiah said that: “He will judge between the nations, and will mediate for many peoples; and they will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning knives. Nation will not lift up a sword against nation, and never again will they learn war.” (Isaiah. 2:4) Now THAT will, indeed, be “good news” that everyone will be able to rejoice over and appreciate. But, until then …

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Have a simply great, and God-honoring, week.

Marvin

The U.S. plans for a “Palestinian” state behind Israel’s back – Day 134 of the War.

On By marvinsk7 Comments

Shalom all,

The number of IDF deaths since the beginning of the ground offensive has now reached 235. The total number of IDF deaths since October 7th stands at 572. The number of hostages still held by Hamas and other terrorists is estimated at around 130, without knowing who and how many, are still alive.

A Spirit of delusion has taken hold of the United States leadership, along with a number of Arab countries. That fantasy relates to the push for the establishment of a “Palestinian” state, with East Jerusalem as its capital. It is difficult to state with exactitude how many nations genuinely believe that such a step will actually be the catalyst for peace in the Middle East. If we listen to U.S. President Joe Biden and his team, one might actually think that they truly believe in the nonsense that they are espousing. And these actors are moving forward with their plans, which are doomed to failure – or worse, regional war. There are a multitude of reasons why such behind-the-scenes political maneuvering will not succeed. But, the paramount reason is because their discussions do not include Israel! As one journalist expressed it: “The Biden administration’s dogged focus on creating a Palestinian state is ‘obtuse’ and ‘delusional’.”

In his article in “the Algemeiner” yesterday, columnist Jack Elbaum reported that the U.S., along with Jordan and Egypt, together with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates are “quickly working to form a plan to end the Israel-Hamas war and create a Palestinian state. The first step of such a plan would be for Israel and Hamas to agree to a six-week ceasefire in exchange for the Israeli hostages. Then, during that pause in fighting, the U.S. and its Arab partners would announce the plan and start to form an interim Palestinian government.”  

Let’s look at the Arab countries listed as “partners” with the U.S.: Jordan and Egypt both have peace agreements with Israel, but have been strongly outspoken against Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip. Egypt refuses to allow Gaza residents to cross into its territory, being clearly concerned that Hamas terrorists will join the mixed multitude and wreak havoc in Egypt in due course, as they have in Gaza. Qatar has been a major financial supporter of Hamas and somehow has managed to become the major mediator in the talks between Israel and Hamas – a fact that remains difficult to comprehend. Pakistan issues passports that contain a statement that they are valid for everywhere in the world, with the notation “except Israel”. The United Arab Emirates was the first to sign the Abraham Accords with Israel, but those accords are primarily for economic interests. It never became an “ally” of Israel.

Those countries are talking and making plans behind Israel’s back. They are Biden’s “Arab partners” in the Don Quixote quest of charging at windmills in the totally misguided and, in some instances, intentional goal of dismembering the State of Israel from within, by the establishment of a so-called “Palestinian” state in the heartland of Israel. In choosing to move forward with his “Arab partners”, Biden and his team of spokespersons, have single-handedly written off the “unbreakable bond” that existed between the U.S. and Israel, until October 7, 2023. 

In a  lengthy telephone conversation between Biden and Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden expressed his view that Israel should not pursue its military operation in Rafah (Rafiah), without developing an executable plan to provide for the safety of the civilians there. That this is a political decision for the benefit of Bidenik politics is without question. He calls Israel the friend of the U.S., but his actions are for his own benefit. The concern that has been expressed over and over again by U.S. representatives is for the civilian population and for the number of non-combatant casualties in the Gaza enclave. Somewhere along the line, the unfathomable atrocities that were committed on Black Saturday in Israel have been cast aside for political expediency, along with the fact that the multitudes of civilians in Gaza cheered the successes of Hamas, which was their leadership of choice. It has been revealed and reported over and over that Gazan civilians, including dozens of UNRWA employees, actively participated in the bloody assault. War is hell and people die, some justifiably and intentionally, while others, who are not active combatants, become casualties of war.

The Bideniks, all politicians of one sort or another and from one country or another, have conveniently ignored their own actions in the war against Germany and its allies in World War II. In a war that lasted for years (not just 4-1/2 months like the Gaza War), the Allied forces, that included the U.S. and Great Britain, conducted bombing raids against the City of Dresden that almost completely destroyed the city. According to Britannica :

“During World War II, Allied bombing raids on February 13–15, 1945… almost completely destroyed the German city of Dresden. The raids became a symbol of the “terror bombing” campaign against Germany, which was one of the most controversial Allied actions of the war.

“Throughout the war, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill had called for increased British air raids against the population centres of Germany [my emphasis] in order to swamp German authorities and services, particularly transportation, with hordes of refugees. As the Allied forces closed in on the Third Reich in 1945, such targets became more feasible because of the air superiority and improved navigation techniques of the Anglo-American bomber force.

“Before World War II, Dresden was called ‘Florence on the Elbe’ and was considered one of the world’s most beautiful cities because of its architecture and art treasures. Having never previously been attacked in the war, the city offered increased value for terror bombing against an inexperienced population. On the night of February 13, the British Bomber Command hit Dresden with an 800-bomber air raid, dropping some 2,700 tons of bombs, including large numbers of incendiaries. Aided by weather conditions, a firestorm developed, incinerating tens of thousands of people. The U.S. Eighth Air Force followed the next day with another 400 tons of bombs and carried out yet another raid by 210 bombers on February 15. It is thought that some 25,000–35,000 civilians died in Dresden in the air attacks, though some estimates are as high as 250,000, given the influx of undocumented refugees that had fled to Dresden from the Eastern Front [my emphasis]. Most of the victims were women, children, and the elderly….

“Given the high number of civilian casualties and the relatively few strategic targets, some even called the bombing of Dresden a war crime, though both the British and the American militaries defended the bombing as necessary [my emphasis].

The goal of the Allies was to bring about an end to the war. Israel’s goal is not any different. While the Allies intentionally targeted “population centers”, Israel makes every effort to avoid civilian casualties. But, that becomes a gargantuan challenge, when seeking out an enemy that hides in civilian population centers and uses every type of civilian facility as a location from which to conduct its terrorist operations, even using the civilians themselves as human shields. Enough is enough. Israel has been engaged in military conflicts since its establishment as a State. It has compromised time and time again, entering into multiple agreements with its enemies, only to find itself attacked over and over again. This present war has created serious divisions within Israeli society. But, a recent poll taken by Channel 13, a major television station here, revealed that most of the Israelis polled are in favor of removing Hamas leadership from Gaza, even if it means not having the hostages returned. The question asked was (free translation from Hebrew): 

“Suppose that Israel’s leaders come to the conclusion that they have only the two following options, which of them, in your opinion, should be chosen? –  (choices):

The hostages should be returned and Hamas will remain in control of Gaza = 25%-  

The hostages will not be returned, and Hamas will lose its control in Gaza = 47%-  

Can’t reply” = 28%”

Why should the United States and Great Britain and their other allies be allowed to defend themselves against an aggressor that was determined to dominate the world, but minuscule Israel is denied that right against an aggressor that seeks to eliminate its very existence? Is the dependence on U.S. aid a justifiable reason for the Bideniks to dictate to Israel not to pursue military action in Rafiah – the last, remaining Hamas stronghold, and to set a timetable to end the Gaza War before the onset of the Muslim feast of Ramadan? Setting a timetable in a war, particularly this war, is not only an exercise in futility, but an indication that those who make such a decision are removed from realities on the ground and live on fantasy island. Is the U.S. abandoning Israel at a time when it looks to its alleged ally that is powerful enough to say “no” to resolutions against Israel in the U.N. Security Council? The evil of politics is found in the politicians that make decisions that have far-reaching consequences. The failure to pay attention to what is readily visible and the failure or refusal to learn from present-day events will inevitably result in a repetition of them. Those who close their eyes and ears will end up with a rude awakening.

The Dry Bones Blog – 14 February, 2024 <blog@mrdrybones.com>

As if the talks of establishing a “Palestinian” state were not difficult enough, according an article in the Washington Post, “One Arab official said Hamas’s political wing should be included in the talks, if not in the future government. ‘We need someone there who represents them to ensure they’re on board with this…If not, and they’re not happy about it, we will have Fatah and Hamas all over again’, the official said, referring to earlier confrontations between the two Palestinian groups that ultimately led to Hamas’s election as the governing power in Gaza. But if they can achieve two years of stability and prosperity under a revitalized government…’no one will choose Hamas’ at the ballot box.” Fatah and Hamas agreeing for two years? They can’t even agree for two hours. Such a proposition will never be accepted by Israel. It recognizes the power that Hamas exerts and it is that very power that this present war is being fought to eliminate. 

Following his telephone conversation with President Biden, P.M. Netanyahu wrote in his “X” (formerly Twitter) account (translated from Hebrew): “Israel outright rejects international dictates regarding a permanent settlement with the “Palestinians”. Such an arrangement will be reached only through direct negotiations between the parties, without preconditions. Israel will continue to oppose the unilateral recognition of a “Palestinian” state. Such recognition in the wake of the October 7 massacre would give a huge reward to unprecedented terrorism and prevent any future peace settlement.” Whether or not Israel will ever agree to a “future peace settlement” that will allow for the establishment of a “Palestinian” state as planned by the U.S. and its “partners” is doubtful. In any event, such a plan is doomed to failure because it is premised on the survival of Hamas and the involvement of Qatar. What is not doubtful, however, is that even the planning of such a move by the U.S. is nothing short of a betrayal of its friend and ally, Israel. As the situation has developed to this time, it is clear that Israel cannot, and should not, be dependent on any foreign government for its existence. Our leaders need to decide what is in our best interest, not the interest of any other government or nation or even the re-election of someone who once called Israel his friend. 

Israel wants to end the Gaza War. It has other issues that need to be dealt with. Hassan Nasrallah, the General Secretary of the Hezbollah terrorist organization, delivered a speech yesterday at a ceremony honoring the “martyrs” – as he referred to them, who were killed in a retaliatory strike by Israel on terrorist targets. He stated, in part, that Hezbollah’s determination increased as a result of the deaths of ten civilians and that the Hezbollah would increase their “presence, strength, fire [and] anger” and expand their operations and that Israel “must expect that and wait for that.” He added, that if Israel expands the war with Hezbollah, the terrorist group possesses a “huge arsenal” of “precision-guided missiles that can reach everywhere in Israel”.

One more item for prayer. The International Court of Justice (or Injustice – call it what you want) will be considering this coming week whether Israel’s presence in Judea and Samaria is “legal”. A decision against Israel would be disastrous. 

If we look at things from a spiritual perspective, as we must, and have our eyes opened, we really have no reason to fear. There are more with us than there are with them. (2 Kings 6:16) Still, a miracle here and there just now wouldn’t hurt.

Have a great week.

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Marvin

A Daring Rescue Operation – Successfully Accomplished! – Day 129 of the War.

On By marvinsk1 Comment

It’s the kind of story that Hollywood script writers love to turn into an emotional action movie. Only this is real, not fictionalized script. It’s the type of encouraging news that the Israeli public longed to hear during the last few months since the murderous onslaught of Black Saturday.

A bold, complex joint operation between the IDF, the Israeli Security Forces, an Armored Brigade, a commando unit, Israeli Police special counter-terrorism force and the Israeli Air Force, succeeded last night in freeing two elderly male hostages being held by Hamas forces in the al-Shabura refugee camp, north of Rafah city in southern Gaza, near the Egyptian border. In a difficult fire-fight between Israeli forces and Hamas terrorists, one Israeli soldier was lightly wounded. 

This was actually the second time that the IDF was able to free a live hostage from Hamas captivity inside of the Gaza Strip, the first time being on October 30, when Private Ori Megidish was freed in the northern part of the Strip.

The two elderly men were abducted by Hamas and other terrorists from the Nir Yitzhak community on October 7th and have been held in captivity for over four months. Last night, shortly after midnight, the consolidated Israeli forces succeeded in freeing them.The IDF related that “the planning was meticulous, with excellent Shin Bet [Security Forces] intelligence on the location of the terrorists and hostages.” Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, the IDF Spokesman, added that “every operation has great risks. There were models before the operation. The forces waited for the conditions for the operation…There is great complexity in reaching the target in the heart of Rafah [Rafiah]. The forces arrived covertly, in a complex operation on the second floor of the building where they were held.” He also described the conduct of the operation: “A breach is made into the building, there are guards at the entrance and inside the house. The forces storm in a hot breach, the door was locked. At the same time, fire was activated from the ground and air. The two men, aged 61 and 70, were pulled out of the apartment, at the same time as heavy aerial fire, accompanied by an attack on many Hamas targets, thus allowing the force to exit the building…During the operation, one soldier was lightly injured, not from fire. The force disengages contact and arrives at a landing pad [where] a helicopter … was waiting…..” 

Rear Admiral Hagari added: “From the moment of the breach and entry into the apartment, Yamam [the special counter-terrorism unit] forces shielded Louis and Fernando [the two hostages] with their bodies, initiating a daring battle and heavy exchanges of fire at several locations simultaneously, with many terrorists…The troops pulled Louis and Fernando out of the apartment and rescued them under fire, [escorting them-insertion in original] until they reached the safe zone…It was a very tense and very touching night. Such an operation was made possible thanks to the great sacrifice of the standing army and reserve troops who fell and were injured in the battles. Without their sacrifice, we would not have reached this moment.” 

Immediately after they were rescued from the building, the two men were transferred by the fighters to vehicles that were waiting for rescue in the narrow alleyways of the refugee camp and from there they were quickly driven to a makeshift airstrip, where a rescue helicopter was waiting for them that flew them to the Sheba Medical Center in Tel HaShomer, where they underwent examinations. 

From Sheba Medical Center it was reported: “Early in the morning, two Israeli hostages who were freed by our forces from the Gaza Strip arrived at the Sheba Medical Center. After an initial medical examination, the condition of the two is defined as good and stable, and they are now staying in a designated compound…These are sensitive moments for the families and for the returnees to Israel…We ask to maintain their privacy and dignity. We are happy for their return home and wish for the return of all the abductees. A media statement will be issued later. We will continue to update.”

The rescue operation in Rafiah lasted about an hour and was accompanied by massive fire power from both the Israeli Air Force and special ground forces. If Israel had listened to the many voices urging them not to press on into Rafiah, the two hostages who were released last night would still be held by Hamas, instead of being home with their families.

There is no question that the heroic and successful rescue operation inside Rafiah, a Hamas stronghold, is a moment of morale building and encouragement, both for the IDF, as well as for Israel as a whole. Yair Lapid, the leader of the Opposition in the Knesset, joined in the praises of the accomplishment of this heroic operation: “A morning with a little light, amid the pain and difficulty.”

 The hostages, as well as the Hamas terrorists, are dispersed throughout the Gaza Strip. Last night’s operation will undoubtedly cause the remaining hostages to be kept under heavy guard. Nevertheless, we should never allow the difficulty to prevent us from pressing on to accomplish what needs to be done.

Members of the IDF, both soldiers and officers alike, are highly motivated to defeat Hamas and to free the hostages, even at the risk of their own lives. That was demonstrated many times over and again last night. We need to continue to pray for them that God will grant them wisdom and strength, discernment and boldness, skill and exactitude, that with His guiding Hand, there will be more successful operations, similar to the one last night. This operation was called “The Golden Hand”. Indeed, there was an unseen, but ever-present, Hand of the One who has called, formed and established Israel to be here and remain where He has planted us. He will not leave us, nor forsake us, and we will not be moved!

Joshua then said to them, “Do not fear or be dismayed! Be strong and courageous, for thus the LORD will do to all your enemies with whom you fight.” (Joshua 10:25)

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Marvin

War! Terrorist Invasion of Israel – Day 89 of the War.

On By marvinskLeave a comment

Shalom all,

The steady increase in the number of IDF deaths since the beginning of the ground offensive has now reached 175. The total number of IDF deaths since October 7th stands at 508.

Despite Israel’s efforts to remain vague regarding yesterday’s assassination of Saleh al-Arouri, it is highly doubtful that any thinking person would have any doubts about who carried it out. Likud party MK, Danny Danon, made this very clear when he tweeted: “I congratulate the IDF, the Shin Bet, the Mossad, and the security forces for killing senior Hamas official Saleh Al-Arouri in Beirut. Anyone who was involved in the October 7 massacre should know that we will reach out to them and close an account with them.” 

Al-Arouri is said to be one of the planners of the terrorist invasion of the communities in the “Gaza Envelope”, designated by Hamas as the “Al Aqsa Flood”. In prior speeches and communications, he indicated that Israel would stunned by contemplated actions of Hamas. He became second in command after Hamas political bureau chief, Ismail Haniyeh, after having served 15 years in an Israeli prison and was deported after his release in 2010, shortly before the deal the following year, which saw Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit released by Hamas in exchange for the release of 1,027 prisoners from Israeli jails, one of which was Yahya Sinwar, the present leader of Hamas. Al-Arouri was responsible for Hamas’s terrorism in Judea and Samaria (= the “West Bank”), as well as the abduction and murder of three Israeli youths in 2014 – an event that led to another war between Israel and Hamas that lasted for 51 days. According to Ynetnews, al-Arouri said in a recent interview: “I feel like I have lived too long and exceeded my life expectancy. I praise a martyr’s death.”  I don’t know what everyone is upset about. He knew that he was a marked man and that Israel would probably get to him one day, particularly after October 7th. He wanted to die a martyr’s death and he got his wish.

Obviously, the big question is what will be the response of Hezbollah to the assassination of this senior-level member of Hamas, which took place in Beirut, Lebanon. Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of the Hezbollah said that it is not afraid to get involved in another war with Israel and that if Israel launches a war against Lebanon, the Hezbollah will respond with “no ceilings” and “no rules”. If anything is, or should be, clear, it is that Israel will not start a war with Lebanon. But, that doesn’t mean that there will not be a Hezbollah response to the assassination of al-Arouri. Hezbollah is not a simple terrorist organization any longer, but a trained militia of tens of thousands of members. Still, Nasrallah’s threats might be clouds without water, as the memories of the Second Lebanon War of 2006 are still fairly fresh, as is the chemical explosion in the port of Beirut that took place in 2020, the responsibility for which was placed at the feet and on the shoulders of Hezbollah. Israel’s threats made earlier in the Gaza War of turning Beirut into a second Gaza are probably also going through Nasarallah’s mind. So, while it would be reasonable to expect a response, it probably would not be an all-out frontal attack. Isra

Germany thinks that the Gaza War will spill over to Lebanon, as a result of al-Arouri’s assassination. The German foreign ministry urged its citizens to leave Lebanon quickly. As it wrote on “X” (formerly known as Twitter): “All German citizens, who are still in Lebanon, are asked to register on the ELEFAND crisis preparedness list and to leave the country as quickly as possible…A further deterioration of the situation and expansion of the conflict cannot be ruled out, especially given the killing of Saleh al-Arouri...This applies above all to the southern part of Lebanon, up to and including the southern urban areas of Beirut.”  It would be interesting to see whether other countries follow Germany’s lead and request their citizens to leave Lebanon in anticipation of a war with Israel.

The ceremony marking the anniversary of the 2020 assassination by the U.S. of the Iranian General, Qassem Soleimani, was marred by two explosions, resulting in a death toll of over 200 people and scores of other people were wounded. At first, reports from Iran claimed that “several gas canisters exploded on the road leading to the cemetery”. But, the deputy governor of Kerman, where the explosions took place, claimed it was a “terrorist attack.”  Let’s wait and see how long it will take for Iran to blame Israel for the explosions. Obviously, the last thing that Israel would plan on doing would be to upset a memorial service in the heart of Iran. But, if Iran is really looking for a war with Israel, it would not be beyond the realm of reason if the event was planned by the Ayatollahs, as an excuse to blame Israel.

Following this post, I am planning to return to the original intention of writing about The Week That Was, rather than The Day That Was. My thanks to all who have written and encouraged and prayed for the daily reports.

Please remember to pray for the leadership in Israel, for the members of the IDF, for the families of those who lost loved ones since October 7th, for the hostages and their families and for the thousands of war wounded, along with their families.

When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. (Proverbs 16:7).

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Marvin