GAZA

Gaza was under the British control after the the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. When Egypt attacked Israel in May 1948, they overran the area. Cairo started the All-Palestine Government but ruled the territory as a protectorate. This ended in 1967 when Egypt attacked Israel again and lost. Israel took control of Gaza at that point. Israel was not too happy abobut inheriting this poor, heavily populated and hostile territory.

Since 1948, Egypt has received $1.8 billion a year from the USA. They could just absorb Gaza and thus earn this money.

The 1.3 million Gazans speak a colloquial Arabic exactly like the Egyptians of Sinai. They have more family ties to Egypt than to the West Bank where Fatah resides. They are more economically tied to Egypt. Hamas terrorists came from the Egyptian organization, The Muslim Brethren. They really are not "Palestinians" anymore, but are called that to be politically correct.

The intifada began in 1987. That brought about the Oslo accords of 1993. In 1994 went to Yasir Arafat's Fatah that was promising to bring stability and prosperity to Gaza. However, in 2006 the radical terrorists, Hamas, won in elections and controlled Gaza. Fatah joined them. Israel pulled out completely then. Fatah launched rockets into Israel in 2002, hitting Israel's Sderot constantly along with other neighboring towns.

Condoleeza Rice warned Israel not to retaliate to rocket firing, so Olmert tried some economic hardships to cause Hamas to lose favor with the population. On January 17 the Israelis escalated by cutting fuel and closing the borders because the attacks were getting much worse. The press has put pressure on Israel to stop, and they have. All this has happened because of Israel pulling out of Gaza and giving in to the demands of others.

Daniel Pipes suggests that the Gazans are incapable of self rule and Egypt should take it over again. I think he has a great idea.

References: www.jewishworldreview.com/0108/pipes012908.php3?printer-friendly

No Peace in West Bank (Judea/Samaria)

The West Bank is where Fatah has moved. It is supposed to be where the future Palestine will be.

In 2007 30 mortar shells were found by Israeli security forces in the West Bank.

In December 2007 The IDF and GSS found 6.5 tons of potassium nitrate hidden in sugar-sacks marked as humanitarian aid from the European Union. Potassium nitrate is used by terrorists for the manufacture of explosives and Qassam rockets. The truck with the potassium nitrate was stopped at one of the crossings from Israel into the West Bank.

On January 5, 2008, the Israeli IDF checked out Nablus, a city there, and found a weapons factory containing two rockets in the first state of manufacture and a suicide-bomb belt.

On January 14th, a Palestinian boy was found with a 60mm motar shell at a checkpoint near Nablus.

I'm afraid that Abbas, head of the Hamas terrorists, is not doing a very good job of promoting peace with Israel.

I was just reading about the West Bank in my book, Letters From Israel. On October 7, 1982, I was there. "We drove on the highway from Haifa to Tel Aviv along the coast. It is a lovely drive, and turned left at Kvar Saba, went into that little teeny town and out of it, and we found ourselves in Samaria. I was so shocked. It's practically on the other side of the highway. we stood at a plaque where Sharon and his men had fought not too recently and saw our highway and car. It was unreal! we drove deeper into Samaria and saw Arabs, sheep, a little Arab town outside Kafar Saba, and in the distance Ramalla, a larger Arab city. I saw lots of land that looked somewhat like Eastern Oregon, and finally came some 25 minutes later to a Jewish settlement where we had lunch in their succa. We brought our own sack lunches with us. This settlement is made up of mainly Israelis and a few Americans who are very dedicated and Zionistic. One of their people is not Jewish and is Japanese recently from Japan who has a paper factory there where he makes paper for computers. ...They are building beautiful homes but no apartments there, and are almost ready to move in. The establishment is 6 years old....We continued from this place to the Roman ruins where King Ahab, a Jewish king also lived and we walked all around. The weather was so warm and pleasant. I got a suntan from it. It was incredible to see all the stonework, columns, and amphitheatre. Then we went back to Haifa and drove home. We had left Haifa at 8:15am and got back to Safed at 4:30pm with lots of time to rest and explore at the ruins. No wonder Begin didn't want to give up Samaria and Judea. Remember, it's within stone throwing distance of our highway. You just wouldn't believe how close it is to us. The problem is that they don't just throw stones at us anymore".

History of Palestine

Nadene Goldfoot

There has never been a country of Palestine. There was a territory called Palestine. When the Romans conquered Jerusalem in 70AD, they renamed the whole area "Palestine" to shatter the real names of Israel and Judea.

The area remained a wasteland. Nobody lived there. It was finally to become a part of the Ottoman Empire, which the Turks controlled. In the WWI, the Turks, who had sided with Germany, lost their empire to the allies. It went under the control of Britain.

To win the war, a Jew helped Britain by developing a dynamite by the name of Chaim Weizmann. The Balfour Declaration, written by Britain, declared the whole area of "Palestine" to become the new Jewish state, in honor of Weizmann's help. However, certain Arabs complained, scaring Britain, so the end result was that the area was chopped in pieces and the future Israel got a very small piece. We said we'd take it. Something was better than nothing. The rest of the area was offered to complaining Arabs who the British were placating. They did not want it and refused the land offer.

Before 1948, Jews were leaving Europe and the Holocaust and trying to get into "Palestine", and the British decided to stop their entering. But, on May 14, 1948, the United Nations made Israel a state, and immediately, 7 Arab countries attacked Israel.

After one of the attacks, the Arabs were told by their leaders to leave and let the Arab armies do their thing. As soon as they won the war, the Arab population could come back. Instead, the Jews won the war. The Arab leaders kept the Arab population out of Israel and in camps. Even the other Arab countries that surround Israel would not let them into their country. It was like a chess game. They served the leaders' purpose better by being in camps, fed by the UN and gaining support from the world. Israel had asked them (somehow, through bull horns, etc, not to leave. ) Those that did not leave are citizens of Israel, and are even in politics in the knesset. These people have served as propaganda for the Arabs.

This year, we are celebrating Israel's 60th birthday. We've been constantly attack by Arab countries, and yet we exist. More than half of the Arab population living in Israel prefer to be in Israel rather than a future Palestine. They have more freedom in Israel.

Terrorists Fire 70 Rockets in Two Days; Threaten Israel For Retaliating

Gaza terrorists are threatening that Israeli strikes will harm peace, yet they have been the aggressors firing 70 rockets in the past two days as well as firing rockets ever since Israel pulled out of Gaza. Abbas of Fatah joined his brother Hamas in warning that "serious consequences for the peace talks will happen if Israel retaliates the attacks. "

How can these people think that they can attack Israel and not receive attacks back? They have the gall to complain and threaten. Where is it written that Israel should receive punishment for trying to progress in peace talks with terrorists? The thinking is illogical and meshugana. I'm afraid this is what happens with trying to reason in the Middle East.

Olmert has vowed that Israel will only try to hit those who are firing on Israel and are not aiming for civilians as Hamas is aiming at civilians in Israel.

A spokesman for Hamas said, "One martyr goes to heaven and thousands rise to fire more rockets and to fight the Zionist entity." I don't think we'll see a peace accord in the near future, and Bush will have to understand why.

Reference: Reuters article by Avida Landau

My input

Likud Gains Popularity for Future Elections

The Yisrael Beitenu Party left the Israeli government today led by Avigdor Lieberman. Now Ehud Olmert, prime minister, is left with 67 MP out of 120 in the parliament. Two other parties, Shas and the Labour party warned they could also pull out of the coalition. Then there would be a new general election.

Lieberman pulled out because of Olmert deciding to give Palestinians land they inherited in 1967. He is against negotiating land for peace. He and others feel nothing will change. The conflict and terror would not stop. I note that this is precisely what has happened in Gaza.

References: United Kingdom: telegraph.co.uk

Israel Responds to Rocket Attacks

Israel has been holding off attacking Hamas terrorists who have continually fired rockets into Israel, even hitting Ashkelon again, but on Tuesday, raided the Gaza Strip and killed 16 of them. A volunteer from Equador on an Israeli kibbutz had been killed by a terrorist sniper.

Amazingly, Fatah's response was to say the raid was a "slap in the face" to Bush's peace efforts! It's as if they can attack Israel but how dare Israel respond. Abbas went on to shock us by saying that "there was a massacre today against our people, and that our people will not remain silent against such crimes".

Israeli President Shimon Peres said that as long as Gaza militants continue to fire rockets into the Jewish state, "we are left without a choice but to answer and stop it."

The Hamas terrorists have refused to recognize Israel, renounce violence and accept existing Israeli-Palestinian interim peace deals. Abbas, as shown above, sides with them whenever possible, showing his true colors. Hamas oppose peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Fatah group. Bush predicts a peace treaty will be signed before he leaves office in January 2009, though most people are highly skeptical.

References: Yahoo News: Israeli forces kill 16 Palestinians in Gaza

Bush Pressuring Israel to Make Most Concessions

President Bush went to Israel to pressure Israel into making unreasonable concessions. He stated that there should be an end to the occupation that began in 1967. Then he stated that he believes Israel must loosen its control of Jerusalem.

Bush has lost favor in the Americans eyes. I wonder who he is trying to impress now. To me this only shows that he knows nothing about the history of Israel. This is something that the Arab states want to reimpose, so it must be the Arabs he is trying to ingratiate himself with.

Israel's return to its pre-1967 borders would tempt aggressors to launch attacks on the Jewish State as they did all the time before 1967. Israel would lose the extensive system of early-warning radars it has set up in the hills of Judea and Samaria, which America calls "The West Bank". This is another problem of turning over the area to "Palestinians". Palestinians do not recognize Israel as a Jewish State and have not stopped their terrorists from attacking Israel. They are the aggressors who would like to see the destruction of Israel.

If a hostile neighbor seized control of these mountains, its army could split Israel in two parts. From there, it is only about 15 miles to the Mediterranean Sea. At their narrowest point, these 1967 lines are within 9 miles of the Israeli coast, 11 miles from Tel Aviv, 10 miles from Beersheba, 21 miles from Haifa and one foot from Jerusalem.

Early-warning stations and the deployment of surface-to-air missile batteries can provide the time needed to sound an air-raid alert, and warn the population to take shelter from a missile attack. They could allow enemy missiles to be intercepted in mid-flight.

In 1967, US concluded that Israel would require the retention of some captured Arab territory in order to provide militarily defensible borders. They said that Israel would need a defense line. The report also provides support for a united Jerusalem under Israeli control. Israel would need to have its border positioned to the east of the city.

Is President Bush throwing all this knowledge to the winds? He evidently does not care about Israel's security at all at this rate. This statement comes with the full knowledge that Israel has been bombarded by rockets from Gaza which are coming closer to the more heavily populated areas of Israel all the time. Sderot has received bombings every day for over a year, and now Ashkelon has been hit besides recent bombings from Lebanon terrorists. Bush is asking Israel to commit suicide.

References: Victor Sharpe: One Jerusalem, Bush's public statement on the "peace process" at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem.

Myths and Facts by Mitchel G. Bard p. 92.

Katyusha Rockets Hit Shlomi, Israel

Shlomi is in the Western Galilee very close to the border of Lebanon. It has about 5,000 people in this city. It's 12 km NE of the larger city, Nahariyya. The Bader Battalion of Jihad, a new Lebanon terrorist group has claimed responsibility. They have vowed more attacks. The two 107 mm Katyusha rockets landed in the yard of a home, and fragments were also found on a balcony. The attack came at 2:15am on Tuesday, January 8, 2008 and at first was mistaken for thunder. They had had no attacks for the past six months. This happened the day before President Bush arrived to talk about Peace.

UN Vehicle hit by roadside bomb after Shlomi was hit. This happened near Sidon in Lebanon and wounded two peacekeepers.

Beirut army official denied that rockets were fired from Lebanon. He said the reports were baseless and completely fabricated.

Tuesday's strike was the second on Northern Israel since the end of the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah who had fired 4,000 rockets at N. Israeli towns and cities and killed 43 civilians, besides causing many to to evacuate for several weeks. Then over 1,000 Lebanese, mostly civilians, were killed along with 119 Israeli soldiers.

In June, the last Katyusha attack hit Kiryat Shemona. The group who attacked were Jihadi Badr Brigades, Lebanon Branch, the same group who fired on Shlomi Tuesday.

References: Washington Post

Swimming Against the Current in the Peace Process

Nadene Goldfoot

Dr. Dore Gold, Israel's ambassador to the UN in 1997-99, is President of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs and author of "The Fight for Jerusalem " asked the question about the Oslo peace process of the 1990's and the present day Road Map of 2003.

He brings out that in phase I of the Oslo peace process, the Palestinians were to end incitement against Israel in all their institutions. It was after this happened that there was to be talks about an independent Palestinian state with provisional borders. Education for Peace was an Oslo requirement.

Again, there are no negotiations about Palestinian statehood, according to the Roadmap, until the Palestinians' phase I obligations are fully met.

The Palestinian textbooks for the 12th grade show a regression to the use of hostile language referring to jihad and martyrdom, emphasising the need for steadfastness against the enemies of Islam. Israel was removed from all the maps in the text. The West Bank Palestinians are being governed by a Fatah-dominated government led by Abbas which still uses older textbooks, so they are maintaining hostile propaganda against Israel in Palestinian schools.

It looks to me like Condoleesa Rice is trying to negotiate a future Palestinian state by circumventing the Bush administration's own 2003 Roadmap sequence. She's forgetting about the Palestinian obligations by talking about the issues like borders, Jerusalem and refugees. In the meantime, Hamas and Fatah have been engaged in secret backchannel talks to restore their relationship.

How can Israel have a Palestinian neighbor who continues to teach hatred for Israel? How can Israel expect a peaceful coexistance? Do we think peace will come about after the establishment of a Palestine at this rate? No, I don't. It will mean they will be that much closer and will be armed with more weapons to destroy Israel.

Oslo had the right idea in the beginning; that of asking the Palestinians to teach acceptance of Israel first before talking about creating a state. It's too bad that the current is so strong that it is carrying Rice along with it and she has given up these expectations. Swimming against this current could save the world.

Reference: Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs 25 September 2007 Where is the Issue of Education for Peace in the Olmet-Rice-Abbas Initiative? by Dore Gold

United Nations Day's Attitude Towards Israel

On the 29th of November 2007 Ronnie Kasrils, MP of South Africa, in honor of United Nations International Day, tore apart Israel unmercifully and wrongly with lies that were astonishing to me. He certainly must need oil to butter up the Palestinians so much.

He stated that " there can be no balanced even-handed approach by the South African government between the power of the Israeli state, supported by the US, and the Palestinians who are under siege and fire, with no state, where it is amazing that they survive at all, where they ...rely on nothing more than their "samud", perseverance and courage. ...a thief cannot present demands-neither preconditions nor any other terms-to the owner of the property he has robbed."

This statement alone reeks of completely inaccurate knowledge. It is the Palestinians who are doing the firing on Israel. I guess there's not a South African at all who would defend themselves if they were fired upon. Israel has been the one who has been attacked since they were reborn in May of 1948. May I remind South Africa that it was the United Nations who voted for the creation of Israel, but did nothing to protect it from the seven Arab countries who attacked it immediately. Israel had only very tired World War II survivors and a few other Jews to fight for their rights to survive. We even hoped that G-d was on our side as the shock of winning that bout surprised everyone.

The Palestinians did not own the land, or Gaza, or anything. They were of very few in number compared to today, who had wandered in to find work in the growing land of Israel. A few had lived in the area, but fled when they heard their leaders promise that if they did so, they could come back and occupy the Jews' deserted quarters, which of course didn't happen. From there on it was the leadership of the Arabs who kept the "Palestinians" in camps and refused to take them into their own spacious countries. They really were used as pawns to fight against the Israelis. Now they have become a group of hateful people, if you look at Hamas's goals. This is exactly what the Arab nations have hoped for, it appears.

The premise of Kasrils's speech is completely wrong. How can a man of such a position
get up and lie like that to his country? How can people believe such propaganda? All this lying for a United Nation's Day about a country that was created by the United Nations is simply outlandish. Somebody, please send this man a history book.

Research: Speaking Notes by Ronnie Kasrils, MP, on the occasion of the United Nations International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, 29 November 2007, UNISA

Israel-Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Caroline Glick explains in her article, "Who's being rational? about the rockets landing in southern Israel from the Gaza terrorists, Hamas. Every day many rockets are landing in places like Sderot. Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, chief of the General Staff of Israel said that they should go into Gaza if Israel wants to make its citizens safe.

Against the idea is Israel's foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who warned that if they did so, Israel would destroy the peace process. She's afraid that Bush and the Arabs would be "mad" and that Abbas, the Palestinian leader of Fatah who they think is a moderate, would reunite with the Iranian-trained Hamas. She says that they must choose either having security or the peace process.

I ask what good a peace process is if it does not include security, but Livni got the vote. Israel is afraid to go against Condoleeza Rice and Bush, and it's citizens are in jeopardy because of it. Yesterday a 2 year old child was injured when a rocket went through his house in Sderot.

In the meantime, in Gaza 200,000 people rallied on their 20th anniversary of Hamas's founding. Six months ago they took over Gaza. This was a show of "samoud" which is steadfastness. Israel declared the area a "hostile entity", which indeed it is. Their speeches were against Israel and the USA, unity with Abbas in the "West Bank." Gaza is under an embargo from Israel which is affecting the 1.5 million people who live in Gaza. If you wonder why, look at the danger they have put on Israel. They do not want to live in peace, but they want all of Israel. Israel has to do something besides take the shelling.

The people of southern Israel are living under constant deadly attacks. There is no other place for them to go. They cannot sell their homes, and would not be able to find other jobs. They are gritting their teeth and praying that they will live to the next day. If they leave Sderot, the terrorists would probably take it over and move closer to the other towns of Israel. Israel feels it's hands are tied in their desire to stop the shelling. And who cares? The defense will come for the "poor" bloodthirsty Palestinians who are the aggressors and do not want peace. The world's leadership is gathering billions of dollars to give to the Palestinians at this moment. Israel is between a rock and a hard place. Logic in the world has died.

Reference: Oregonian Dec 16th page A17

Caroline Glick, reporter for jewishworldreview.com

90 Minutes of Failing Peace Talks

Israel and the Palestinians had a trying time of 90 minutes of peace talks which turned quickly into trading barbs at each other. It was more like a scene from the 1989 movie, "The War of the Roses" with Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner which was about a failed marriage where neither party was willing to move out of the home they once shared. There was no love lost between these two.

This peace talk had turned into a mud-slinging event because there probably was no moderator there to prevent the tragedy. Israel had hoped to establish a framework of discussions to conclude with a peace deal by the end of 2008. This war between the Israelis and the Arab world has been going on for six decades now, and will need more than a few meetings to co-exist.

The tension in the air is said to have come from the announcement that Israel will build 307 homes in Jerusalem in an area that the Palestinians want for their future capital. No one has said that Israel has conceded to give up any part of Jerusalem to the Palestinians. It has been talked about and debated about, but nothing conclusive has been said. Jerusalem belongs in total to Israel. Israel has the right to build in their own country. Jerusalem came into Israel's hands in 1967 after being terribly treated by the Jordanians. No one was a winner in those days. Jews couldn't enter Jerusalem and neither could Christians. Palestinians are assuming more than they should if they think that Israel will give up Jerusalem.

We haven't seen the Palestinians do one thing that would show their interest in the peace process like giving back the prisoners they took in Gaza, or in stopping the shelling from Gaza into Sderot.

The end result was that both sides will continue talking in the coming weeks.

Why "Palestine" is Important to Israel

What are the goals and needs of Israel? Peace. Peace has always been at the center of Israel's creation. That's why Israel has decided that the two-state solution is the most desirable goal.

Israel realizes it is again paying a heavy price for the much wanted peace by giving up more of our precious little land for peace, though they have done so in the past and have only received bombing in return.

Israel does not want to control Palestinians or dictate their lives. Israel does not want to have its family members stand at checkpoints and screen civilians. Israel does not enjoy causing distress for other people. Israelis are a people forced to become soldiers and serve every month until age 55. This was never their goal in creating Israel.

Israel wants to live. It does not yearn for death. We have done more than our share to bring about a peace with our neighbors. We left other parts of Israel to have peace with Egypt. We left Gaza completely by leaving settlements and homes and business. This includes our citizens and our army personnel. And what happened?

What have the Palestinians done? They haven't even changed the demands of Yasser Arafat. Everyone wants us to withdraw but does not give us any guarantees of protection. We cannot give up the Golan Heights. We cannot leave the Shebaa Farms regions. Israel is so small that we need a certain amount of space to keep rockets out. We're not a stupid people. We're logical.

The Saudis made Israelis use a back door to enter their rooms and showed no friendliness towards our representatives. Their demands are unreasonable. We cannot allow millions of newly-born refugees to return to Israel and create an Arab state. Their representatives would not even shake hands with us. The Peace Talks of the Middle East were in a very chilly atmosphere.

The Arab feelings about Israel do not seem to have changed. Yet we keep compromising. I'd like to see a change and wait for the Palestinians to show compromise and eagerness to be friendly neighbors. There are plenty of olive trees around. Let them extend the olive branch for a change. If they really want the creation of a Palestine, they would.

Reference: Mitchell Bard Myth #283.

Impossible Gaza Situation

The Hamas terrorists that have taken over Gaza have one goal in mind: to drive Israel out of existence. They have shelled Israel daily in defiance of their ex-partners in crime, the Fatah terrorists, who control the "West Bank". Over this weekend they shelled 4 rockets and 14 mortars into Israel. This has all happened since Israel withdrew all Israelis out of Gaza. This means all residents and all soldiers. Israelis were living there and had to give up their homes for peace. It's not like America, where we have learned to live in diverse neighborhoods and enjoy the differences.

How would any town in the USA like to be shelled daily? What would you think of the USA Federal government if it was allowed to continue without trying to stop it? Would you stay there? Would you allow your children to leave your house and go to school? Of course not. We wouldn't stand for it in a minute.

Israel has been held down in any defensive tactics by Condoleezza Rice but has had to retaliate regularly by targeting militants launching rockets into Israel. Since the Annapolis conference, they have killed 17 Gaza terrorists. They struck from the air and killed 5 terrorists in the latest strike.

The Hamas terrorists have been shelling Israel daily. Now they are angry and have threatened to strike Israel with rockets that can reach half way to Tel Aviv, which is only 38 miles from Gaza. They think it's okay to continue shelling Israel but when we hit 5 of their people, they're hopping mad and retaliating more than ever. I can hit you but don't you dare hit me back.

These terrorists are against any peace process and say that Abbas doesn't speak for them. However, if we invade Gaza to put a stop to their terrorism, Fatah have said they will join Hamas in fighting us. Some peaceful partners, they are. It's obvious what the two factions of terrorists want to do. You have to be a dufus not to see it. In fact, Fatah already has three units of terrorists that have been fighting against Israel without stopping. Abbas isn't controlling all of Fatah!

As if that isn't enough to worry about, Israel is now on alert for dirty bombs. Their reports are that there are radiological bombs (with uranium) to be used against Israel brought in from Eastern Europe. Security will be very high. This is at a time when Israel is releasing 429 terrorist prisoners as a show of good will. In the meantime, the soul of Israel's land is responding with three earthquakes in the past two weeks. The intensity was 4.0.

References: Oregonian A24, 12/2/07

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What's the Big Deal About Jerusalem? Stanley Goldfoot's Letter to the World Tells All

Nadene Goldfdoot                                                                  

So what if Israel has to give up parts of Jerusalem for peace? What's the big deal? Why is Jerusalem important to Jews, anyway?    Many people are probably saying this right now, even some Jews.

To us it's not like saying, let's give up Arizona, California, New Mexico and a few other states to Mexico. After all, lots of Mexicans are living in these states.

 There's an even deeper relationship of Jerusalem to Jews and to the state of Israel. It's connected to our very religion, which is quite complex. In our prayers we say, "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, may I lose my right hand". .... Our history and connection with Jerusalem goes back farther than our King David. We've been a part of Jerusalem forever, and it is a part of us. The atmosphere there is special for us. Our deepest thoughts and deeds have come from there. It gives us our mental and emotional food. We've been deprived for 2,000 years and have yearned for it.

We've waited all this time to return. It didn't just happen out of the blue. A lot of planning preceded the move, years and years of planning.   We were immersed in the 1948 War minutes after the declaration that the UN created Israel.   2,000 years of wandering and suffering preceded it where no UNRA helped us out.

This connection is not the same for Arabs. They have one claim; that Mohammed of the 6th Century AD (born 570 CE) rose from Jerusalem and went to heaven on his horse. Their holy places are in Saudi Arabia. They lay claim to Jerusalem because it is our eternal city, and they want what we have in order to get rid of us. It's all a chess game.

My distant cousin, Stanley Goldfoot, a resident of Jerusalem, had this to say about his city. It is the most profound statement I've ever read.

A Letter to the World from Jerusalem

by Eliezer ben Yisrael (Stanley Goldfoot)

This was originally an editorial published in the Jerusalem Times in 1969. It is still highly relevant considering the current political situation and the upcoming celebration of Yom Yerushalayim. The letter was reprinted by the Israel Center of the Orthodox Union in Torah Tidbits #211)

I am not a creature from another planet, as you seem to believe. I am a Jerusalemite-like yourselves, a man of flesh and blood. I am a citizen of my city, an integral part of my people.

I have a few things to get off my chest. Because I am not a diplomat, I do not have to mince words. I do not have to please you or even persuade you. I owe you nothing. You did not build this city, you did not live in it, you did not defend it when they came to destroy it. And we will be damned if we will let you take it away.

There was a Jerusalem before there was a New York. When Berlin, Moscow, London, and Paris were miasmal forest and swamp, there was a thriving Jewish community here. It gave something to the world which you nations have rejected ever since you established yourselves- a humane moral code.

Here the prophets walked, their words flashing like forked lightning. Here a people who wanted nothing more than to be left alone, fought of waves of heathen would-be conquerors, bled and died on the battlements, hurled themselves into the flames of their burning Temple rather than surrender, and when finally overwhelmed by sheer numbers and led away into captivity, swore that before they forgot Jerusalem, they would see their tongues cleave to their palates, their right arms wither.

For two pain-filled millennia, while we were your unwelcome guests, we prayed daily to return to this city. Three times a day we petitioned the Almighty: "Gather us from the four corners of the world, bring us upright to our land, return in mercy to Jerusalem, Thy city, and swell in it as Thou promised." On every Yom Kippur and Passover, we fervently voiced the hope that Next Year would find us in Jerusalem.

Your inquisitions, pogroms, expulsions, the ghettos into which you jammed us, your forced baptisms, your quota systems, your genteel anti-Semitism, and the final unspeakable horror, the Holocaust (and worse, your terrifying disinterest in it)- all these have not broken us. They may have sapped what little moral strength you still possessed, but they forged us into steel. Do you think that you can break us now after all we have been through?   Do you really believe that after Dachau and Auschwitz we are frightened by your threats of blockades and sanctions? We have been to Hell and back- a Hell of your making. What more could you possibly have in your arsenal that could scare us?

I have watched this city bombarded twice by nations calling themselves civilized. In 1948, while you looked on apathetically, I saw women and children blown to smithereens, after we agreed to your request to internationalize the city. It was a deadly combination that did the job- British officers, Arab gunners, and American-made cannon. And then the savage sacking of the Old City-the willful slaughter, the wanton destruction of every synagogue and religious school, the desecration of Jewish cemeteries, the sale by a ghoulish government of tombstones for building materials, for poultry runs, army camps, even latrines.

And you never said a word.

You never breathed the slightest protest when the Jordanians shut off the holiest of our places, the Western Wall, in violation of the pledges they had made after the war- a war they waged, incidentally, against the decision of the UN. Not a murmur came from you whenever the legionnaires in their spiked helmets casually opened fire upon our citizens from behind the walls.

Your hearts bled when Berlin came under siege. You rushed your airlift "to save the gallant Berliners". But you did not send one ounce of food when Jews starved in besieged Jerusalem. You thundered against the wall which the East Germans ran through the middle of the German capital- but not one peep out of you about that other wall, the one that tore through the heart of Jerusalem.

And when that same thing happened 20 years later, and the Arabs unleashed a savage, unprovoked bombardment of the Holy City again, did any of you do anything?

The only time you came to life was when the city was at last reunited. Then you wrung your hands and spoke loftily of "justice" and need for the "Christian" quality of turning the other cheek.

The truth- and you know it deep inside your gut- you would prefer the city to be destroyed rather than have it governed by Jews. No matter how diplomatically you phrase it, the age old prejudices seep out of every word.

If our return to the city has tied your theology in knots, perhaps you had better reexamine your catechisms. After what we have been through, we are not passively going to accommodate ourselves to the twisted idea that we are to suffer eternal homelessness until we accept your savior.

For the first time since the year 70, there is now complete religious freedom for all in Jerusalem. For the first time since the Romans put a torch to the Temple, everyone has equal rights (You prefer to have some more equal than others.) We loathe the sword- but it was you who forced us to take it up. We crave peace, but we are not going back to the peace of 1948 as you would like us to.

We are home. It has a lovely sound for a nation you have willed to wander over the face of the globe. We are not leaving. We are redeeming the pledge made by our forefathers: Jerusalem is being rebuilt. "Next year" and the year after, and after, and after, until the end of time- "in Jerusalem"!

You know what Stanley would say to Olmert and Netanyahu now if he could. 

What International Law Says About Israeli Settlements

Nadene Goldfoot

Jewish Settlements have existed from time immemorial in the West Bank (Judea and Samaria) and the Gaza Strip. They were recognized as legitimate the Mandate for Palestine and adopted by The League of Nations. Hebron existed throughout the centuries of Ottoman rule as a Jewish settlement. Others were established under the British Mandatory Administration before the State of Israel was created in 1948. Many of these newer settlements were on land that was originally a Jewish community in previous generations. Jewish people have deep historic and religious connections with this land.

For more than a thousand years we have not been prohibited from these settlements until the new state of Jordan was created and their illegal occupation administration from 1948 to 1967 declared the sale of land to Jews as a capital offense. The rights of Jews in these areas and the legal titles to the land that they had could not be legally invalidated by either Jordan or Egyptian occupation when they invaded Israel in 1948. These rights and titles are valid to this day.

The West Bank and Gaza Strip is territory where there are competing claims which should be settled in peace process negotiations. Israel has valid claims to title in this territory based on historic and religious connection to the land and security needs, and also that the territory was not under the sovereignty of any state and came under Israeli control in a war of self-defense. Israel understands that the Palestinians also think they have legitimate claims on the area.

There had been no prohibition whatsoever on the building or expansion of settlements up until the Annapolis Peace Conference. Earlier, the agreements said that this was reserved for permanent status negotiations which would take place in the ending stages of peace talks. It was agreed that Palestinians had no jurisdiction or control over the settlements or Israelis until the conclusion of a permanent status agreement. Are we there? Where are our peaceful partners?

The building of homes has no effect on the status of the area. Many Israeli governments so far have recognized the need for compromise and have voluntarily adopted a freeze on the building of new settlements. Sharon had declared Israel would not build any new settlements but was committed to the existing settlements' needs.

Israel was originally promised at least 4/5th more the size of a piece of land that they received in 1948, but it didn't create a war about it. It was accepted. Since then, chunks have continually been bitten off and this is continuing. We are left with a microscopic bite, and an odd shape at that that can't be adequately protected. What will happen to this little piece? Will it be swallowed whole by the Palestinians?

Reference: Jewish Virtual Library May 2001: Israeli Settlements and International Law

Who Are Fatah Palestinians?

They are who Abbas represents. They lost control of Gaza to the Hamas terrorists in January of 2006. On October 21, 2006, Fatah attacked Sderot, Israel with 3 rockets. This was a militant group of Fatah called the Martyr Sami Abuk-al-ghul Brigade. The Fatah constitution is just as bad as Hamas. It calls for the "complete liberation of Palestine and eradication of Zionist economic, political, military and cultural existence". They will use violence and not political solutions. They have armed units such as Tanzim, Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, and Force 17. They have carried out hundred of terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians. They claim responsibility for over 300 attacks where civilians were killed. According to Israeli authorities, these groups have attempted or carried out more than 1,500 attacks. Just before Annapolis, Ido Zoldan, an Israeli, was shot and murdered by Fatah terrorists. Israel had dismantled 24 security roadblocks at America's insistence, and they were able to get into the area with their weapons that way. Update on 12/5/07 The terrorists turned out to be the Fatah members of the Palestinian Authority-Fatah security forces. They got their weapons from Israel and the US because they were part of security. This news was kept quiet until after the Peace talks in Annapolis. Israel had caught two of the murderers and waited until the PA arrested the third man before they let this news out to the press. It was just about two weeks earlier that PA policement were allowed to enter Shechem, and to give them ammunition and weapons.

When these groups rewrite their charter and accept Israel in their midst, I'll believe that peace is possible. Israel feels that the Fatah leadership continues to control and support these terrorist activities. So far, we have seen both Fatah and Hamas kill each other in Gaza striving for control. Hamas continues to bomb Sderot and other near by towns. I might ask Condoleezza why she didn't have Fatah rewrite their charter before they spoke about peace with Israel. Olmert is a lawyer. He should know better.

References: MIPT Terrorism Knowledge Base

CAMERA: Is Fatah Really Moderate?

Israel Hasbara Committee 20 November 2007 http://www.infoisrael.net

A7 News

Reality for Israel

Today's news that follows the Annapolis Peace Conference is depressing for all. Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that we need the Palestinian state formed in order to keep Israel's survival. Without the creation of a Palestine, Israel could become like a South African apartheid struggle. He feels that without a peace deal, Israel is finished.

Yet what he is about to do in order to create another Arab state is dividing and conquering Israel. Giving away any part of Jerusalem and Samaria and Judea are major parts of Israel, and Israel is tiny enough. We rightly took over these parts due to the Arabs' attacks on us. I'll talk more about that in another article.

In the meantime, what clout does the Palestinian partner, Abbas, have? Hamas has taken over Gaza and is now intent on the takeover of the "West Bank" (Judea and Samaria). They warned today that "all options were open for the Islamists against Israel." Troops have had to kill 12 militants in Gaza.

In a perfect world, it would be acceptable to have the Palestinians next door to Israel living peacefully, trying to attain "the good life" that Americans enjoy. That's what the Israelis would also like, instead of having to go into the army every year of their life until they're 55 years old to protect their families.

Reality check: the Palestinians are not trying to achieve this goal, at least the powers that be aren't. Oh, there may be some farmers that would like to do nothing but grow their flowers and strawberries and such and enjoy their many children, but not enough. Their minds are being poisoned and led in a much different direction. Their schools, TV and actually their whole environment are leading them into false historical facts, and hatred for anything that smells of the West. Abbas is not speaking for all of the Palestinians, and that's bad for us all.

ABC News

Chicago Sun-Times

AFP via Yahoo! News

Reuters via Yahoo! News

Annapolis Peace Conference Boomerang

Nadene Goldfoot

Just one day after Annapolis's Peace Conference finds that the Palestinians's official TV station showed a map that placed "Palestine" in place of Israel. Mahmoud Abbas's Palestinian Authority contines to show a world without Israel. This included all of Judea, Samaria (West Bank) and Gaza, but excluded the Golan Heights, which Syria is planning on getting back. They continue to teach about a world without Israel in school books, crossword puzzles, video clips, school and street names, and symbols. Isn't this contradicting the promise at Annapolis that Israel has a right to exist?

West Bank Palestinians are being wooed by Hamas terrorists who have taken over Gaza. Many rioted against the peace conference and Palestinian police actually had to shoot and kill one protestor. He was against Abbas. Dozens were injured and 29 arrested where the police had to use force to break up a big protest. This happened in Ramallah, Shechem(Nablus), and Bethlehem. Of course the protests were more intense in Gaza. They were screaming "the right to return" for millions of Arabs and their descendants; the liberation of Jerusalem, and wanting every bit of land, and taking it through terrorism and jihad. It doesn't look like a peaceful outlook to me at all.

Reference: Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook of Palestinian Media Watch

Arutz Sheva: IsraelNationalNews.com

See my other blog: http://jewishfactsfromisrael.blogspot.com/ Itamar Marcus at Portland State .

Hamas in Gaza

Hamas terrorists had taken over Gaza, causing Abbas to leave for the West Bank. Since then, Israel has only allowed humanitarian aid into the area due to the constant shelling into Israel from these terrorists who do not want peace. They don't even want a piece; they want all of Israel. Israel controls the exit and entrances into Gaza and must for their own protection. Terrorists are constantly trying to invade Israel. Israel also has been supplying Gazans with electricity which amazes me. They left the territory in order to promote peace in the summer of 2005 and pulled out the Israeli soldiers and civilian settlements, but were slapped in the face for their actions with the constant bombardment of rockets into Israel. So much for our good actions.

Gaza Strip is an overcrowed territory where 80% or more of the people depend on aid. They are bred on hatred for Jews and for the United States.

In order to foster peace, Israel's agriculture ministry is allowing the export of flowers and strawberries to Europe. This announcement came about before Annapolis's conference. When it is to resume has not been decided, but I bet it would happen if they would stop firing rockets into Israel. They'd better stop soon. This produce cannot wait long.