Fatah Friendship a Joke

Abbas is unable to control his terrorists in the West Bank as promised. Nablus is a city in the West Bank full of Fatah terrorists. Though Israel is trying to assist Fatah's threatened government, it's militants continue to harrass Israel, and Israel has had enough lately.

Abbas had issued a directive that Palestinians were not to carry illegal weapons or explosives. The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, a part of Fatah, has been wanting to arm the militants with more weapons anyway.

Israel had to raid Nablus, showing they are not stopping their search for militants bent on destroying Israel. Five Israeli soldiers were wounded in the raid. The Israelis were using rubber-coated bullets. They found two Fatah operatives they had been searching for by putting a curfew on the center of the city and going from house to house searching. Israel has continued to ask Abbas to control his men but he has not done this, so Israel had to step in to police the area. Of course this move has angered the Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad saying that Israel was undermining his new government.

At the same time, Israel was involved with fighting in the Gaza which is now controlled by Hamas terrorists.

Though many of us see Olmert as giving the Palestinians too much in the way of land, money and possibly freeing many terrorists when they won't free one of ours, at least we're showing that we act on their attacks on Israel. They can believe us when we say, stop attacking us or else. We don't have to sit around and think about it like they are reacting to their militants.

Terrorist Virus Spreads

Palestinians must be thinking that they were a lot better off under Israeli control these days. Not only has the Gaza Strip become a hellish area to live in but the virus has now spread to the West Bank area. Abbas has no control in either sector despite the hopes of Israel and the United States. Now Egypt is might worried that this sickness will spread to its unsteady population and will hold a summit meeting Monday, the 25th of June, about it. With these two virus strains, Mubarak's hope is that a unified Palestine will be the cure for the disease and not enter into Egypt. They need a vaccine quickly. Israel is not immune.

Democrat Presidents Flip-Flop with Israel

Israel's birth started in 1948 with Democratic President Harry Truman giving the nod to Israel's acceptance. One wonders what Carter has against Israel now that he is going against her in every way. Carter is not only finding fault with Israel, but also the United States and the European Union as well.

Ever since 1948, our American presidents have backed Israel's right to exist fairly well, though they have given the new country many slaps in the face at the same time. Carter now accuses everyone of dividing the Palestinians by supporting Fatah and not Hamas.

He wants to ignore the fact that Hamas is a terrorist organization and not a peaceful political organism ready to take their place in a family. At least Fatah agreed to recognize Israel and live peacefully, though they lack the acrimony needed to carry out their orders. Now that Israel and Bush are trying to help Abbas, the leader of Fatah, Carter is addressing a human rights conference in Ireland, of all places and calling Bush a criminal. I suppose he thinks terrorists are okay if they terrorize Israel. This doesn't go against his "human rights' plan.

How crass can Carter be? To think that I had voted for him unknowingly as a devoted Democrat makes me shudder.

What kind of human rights were practiced in Ireland who had a similar situation in their country between the Catholics and Protestants? Perhaps they are more like the Fatah and Hamas; people of the same ilk but with different political agendas. Together they would love to fight the English.

Carter is in agreement with things said today by Hamas. Both claim that Hamas had won the 2000 election and that it is unfair that the United States has backed the more peaceful candidate. I wonder why we did that? I guess "human rights" is all in the eye of the beholder.

Crossroads for Israel

by Nadene Goldfoot

Israel is facing a most dangerous position right now. It is at the crossroads of making a decision that will bring it peace in the Middle East
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Israel has to make some decisions. Right now the left is in command with Olmert and USA's President Bush. They are backing the Palestinian's Fatah's leader who is now in the West Bank area, having left the Gaza to Hamas. They are hoping to advance their peace process. The question is if this highway to peace isn't giving the terrorists and other aggressive Arab states power. American presidents haven't really been of much help in advancing peace for Israel, though we are led to believe they have.

Arafat had visited with President Clinton many times and Clinton did nothing to stop jihad events even when the US embassy and US warships were bombed. Bush is not attempting to do anything to halt the threats of Iran and Syria when both these countries are threatening Israel's security. No matter what happens to Israel, Bush will be exhalted for trying to bring peace in the area, just like Clinton. In other words, what will happen to Israel is strictly up to Israel's decision right now, regardless of what the United States proposes
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To the right sits Likud's Binyamin Netanyahu and the former IDF chief of General Staff Moshe Ya'alon who state that Israel can't live with a Hamas state on the border. Hamas is supported by Iran who want to crush Israel as much as the Hamas terrorists want to. Even hundreds of Palestinians are fleeing from Gaza and are pounding the door at the border of Israel trying to get in. They fear for their lives because they were Fatah supporters. They're trying to get to the West Bank where Fatah still has control.

So far Olmert and the left are in command. The question remains. How will Israel ever exist with such enemies on its border and the hope of a friendly state of Palestine squelched by the Hamas takeover. Bush just stated that he hopes Abbas will be successful in the West Bank. He was ineffectual in Gaza, however. What will happen if Hamas takes over all the Palestinians?

Update: 3/27/19

Wolves At Israel's Door

by Nadene Goldfoot

The wolves are waiting for a take-over. Iran and it's companian, Syria plan on gobbling up Lebanon and destroying Israel. Next will be the USA in Iraq, and while they're at it, wish to finish them off with dessert by driving them and NATO from Afghanistan.

 Then they can force their compatriots into joining them for dinner. The world will be the next dish on the menu. This should give us all food for thought. Already Russia has delivered MIG-31 fighter planes to Syria which are only appetizers for their voracious appetites. More will come.

Update 3/27/19

Hamas Attacks Northern Israel

by Nadene Goldfoot

Katusha rockets were launched into Northern Israel from Lebanon Sunday afternoon. The rockets landed near Kiryat Shimona where the only department store in the area is. When I lived in Safed from 1980-1985, I prayed that the rockets would miss the Hamishbeer Department Store, which reminded me so much of Meier & Franks in Portland, Oregon. .

They did hit a factory, cars and of course did much damage to the roads. They were fired only 2.5 miles from the boarder of Israel. Four rockets were fired, but one of them was a dud. These were not fired from Hezbollah, who fired them last year. These were from the Hamas Palestinians who just took over the Gaza. The Katusha rockets have a much longer range than the Kassam used in Gaza. Last year's attack on northern Israel which involved Safed lasted for 34 long days when hundreds of rockets exploded in the area, demolishing many beautiful sites in Safed and elsewhere. Luckily, there were no people injured.

Sderot and other adjoining areas in Southern Israel have been attacked and now Northern Israel is being attacked. Israel has held back retaliating up to this point. Something must be done to stop these Hamas terrorists who think they can get away with any show of force against Israel. With new people in the Israeli cabinet, perhaps something will develop. How much patience does the world think that Israel has?

Update 3/27/19

Hamas Attack on Sderot

Nadene Goldfoot                                                                   

Sderot, Israel has been attacked by Kassam rockets steadily for the past two weeks. It is not a little border town. Sderot has 24,000 citizens, which means it is a city about the size of Tualatin or West Linn, Oregon. It's larger than the 20,727 people in Roseburg, Oregon. Imagine if of of these Oregon cities were under rocket attack and that half of the population had to flee like Sderot's have had to leave. Many of the citizens here are Jews who are from other Arab lands and had to literally escape to Israel. The newer immigrants are from Russia, a country where practicing their religion was against the law. Many who tried to were put in jail and had lost their jobs.

Sderot was under attack before the 2005 withdrawal from the Gaza Strip but has become worse because of arms smuggling from Sinai into Gaza by Hamas. Thousands of guns, anti-tank rockets and tons of armaments have been brought in over the past year. Most of these are aimed at Israel. The Egyptians are responsible for preventing the smuggling and of course they don't mind seeing Israel hit with Kassam rockets. They are not helping the situation as they should. Half of the population has had to leave the city in the past two weeks. Most all of the children are suffering from post-traumatic stress, just as the children of northern Israel's Kiriat Shimona did in 1980-1985. More than 12 people have been killed by Kassam rockets. The alarm sounds five or more times each day for people to run for the bomb shelters or some kind of cover. Try living there under these circumstances.

Though Prime Minister Sharon and Ehud Bark have promised Israel would respond harshly to continued rockt fire from this area, they are holding back because of the restraining advice from the USA and UN as if they are the aggressors. The fear is that if they retaliate against Hamas, the act will escalate an all out war between Gaza and Israel.

Israel cannot even retaliate by cutting of Palestinian water and electricity or Israel is slandered again. Hamas has not paid for their terrorism against Israel in any way. Though Hamas, a terrorist organization, even terrorizing their brothers who belong to Fatah and live in the same neighborhood, is accepting international aid money that amounts to $400 million dallars more than last year. The Palestinians get $300 per person compared to $44 per person for the poorest people of sub-Saharan Africa. Yet the Palestinians continue to live in poverty. Now we know why.

Gaza Palestinians For Neighbors, Not

The 1.5 million Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip want to become neighbors and have their own government alongside of Israel. To show their friendliness, they continually shot kassam rockets into Israel and kidnapped several Israeli soldiers. Yet they knew they were dependent on Israel since all its fuel and medical supplies have to come through Israel.

Naturally, when shelling started from Gaza, Israel was forced to close all of its border crossing sites with Gaza. After all, the Islamist Hamas's charter calls for the destruction of the Jewish state, not an exactly friendly thing to do when one wants to move into the neighborhood. This included the Rafah terminal which lies on the border with Egypt that bypasses Israel.

80% of this future Palestinian state depends on foreign aid. They have not come up with the wherewithall to support themselves to any degree as yet. Right now they are living in poor conditions. They have spent much time fighting over who is the supreme ruler of Palestinians, the Fatah group who was in power, or the Hamas group who were supported by Iran. Fatah of course has won in this Gaza Strip.

Israel will continue to supply electricity and water to the people there for humane reasons. Palestinians have enough food in grocery stores to last for several weeks. With all the internal killings going on, Palestinians need a steady supply of blood, which was running low as of yesterday. Early in the week blood was brought in from Ramallah.

Israel said it was ready to supply humanitarian aid there. They wonder who will accept the delivery of such aid on the Palestinian side as at present they know of no one. The takeover by Hamas presents problems as Israel will have no dealings with these radicals who want to kill them, so they have no one to coordinate the border crossings.

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat stated that the international community should make sure that no harm comes to these people and that their situation does not worsen. John Ging, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, commented that not only do they need aid but also commercial trade comes through the crossings that are now closed.

One would have thought that for people so dependent on Israel for so many things, they would have shown more neighborliness when preparing for statehood. Fatah is the group that refuses to have peace with Israel and they now rule. Palestine will have to remain on the back burner.

Upgrade 3/27/19 

Barak Returns From the Sidelines

Nadene Goldfoot

Kibbutz born on Abe Lincoln's birthday in 1942, Ehud Barak joined his family as a first son of Ester and Israel. He received a master's degree in engineering-economic systems from Stanford U. in California after majoring in math and physics. Ehud joined the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), or Israeli army in 1959 and became the Chief of the General Staff with the rank of Rav Aluf, which is the highest one can go. He earned the Medal of Distinguished Service and has four other awards for courage and operational excellence. He and Major Nechemya Cohen are the most decorated soldiers in Israeli history. He's also an expert in krav maga, the official martial art of the Israeli Defense Forces.

Besides being the 10th Prime Minister of Israel, he has just been appointed the country's defense minister besides being Israel's chief of the Labour Party. This comes at a time when Israel needs guidance in security since Hamas has taken over the Gaza Strip.

In 2006 Barak was a speaker at many American colleges talking about the Middle East. He said that Iraq was deteriorating to civil war and the US presence was more a part of the problem and not the solutions. With all his experience, we hope that he will know just what to do to protect Israel at this time.

upgraded 3/27/19 

No Jews Allowed Here

by Nadene Goldfoot

The state of Palestine is to be built upon land that was decreed in 1922 to be a Jewish homeland. 

 Unlike the United States and Israel, the future Palestine is to be free of Jews, Judenrhein, though many Palestinian Arabs live in Israel and even have their own political party. President Bush had told Israel that Israeli settlement in "occupied territories", which meant the West Bank, had to stop. In the hope of peace, Israel froze the expansion of Jewish communities beyond the 1949 armistice lines. Jews who already live in cities like Ariel and Maaleh Adumin cannot receive building permits for any remodeling. There is no building going on in Judea and Samaria (West Bank). Israel also moved Israeli residents of Gaza and northern Samaria completely out of the area just to appease the Arabs.

What have the Palestinians done to cooperate? They have received more foreign aid than nations of Europe under the Marshall Plan. With this money they have supported terrorist groups with arms. They are also supported by Iran and its client state Syria. The Hizbullah in Lebanon are also fed by Iran. Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad continues to issue daily decrees of wiping Israel off the map and Syria threatens Israel with war one minute, yet states they hope the two countries would resume talks the next minute.  
While Israel has been compliant with the United State's dream of an independent peaceful Palestinian state next to Israel, the Palestinians dream is completely different; that of taking over the whole area.

Ideas from Caroline B. Glick's article: 5 years after Bush's utopian speech about resolving Arab-Israeli conflict, and news bulletins.

Update 3/27/19 +

Gangland: Fatah Loses to Hamas

Nadene Goldfoot

Fatah's Abbas

The two Palestinian factions, or gangs, Hamas and Fatah, fought it out on the border of Israel in Gaza, which lies between Israel and Egypt. The Hamas unity government has been disbanded by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Abbas belongs to the Fatah group, who are the losers in this bloody fight. Hamas has been backed and supported by Iran. Israel actually was helping Fatah by giving them arms, as this group was the best possible candidate for a neighbor. Fatah had recognized Israel's right to exist and had signed on to past peace agreements, but was overcome by Hamas.

This fight started last year when Hamas won parliamentary elections, causing a violent power struggle with Fatah. The partnership started to crumble last month over control of the powerful security forces, who were busy shelling Israel.

Fatah was not the perfect neighbor to be, however. They were unable to stop Kassam rockets from being shot into Israel. They were full of the usual corruption, internal petty quarreling and lacked a strong leadership.

Hamas has put Islamic extremists in control in Gaza. Israel is not planning an invasion into Gaza as this might invite more rocket attacks on southern Israel. The United Nations has taken the strong step to scale back its relief projects there as an answer to the takeover. The European Commission suspended tens of millions of dollars in humanitarian aid projects in the Gaza Strip due to the escalated violence.

Hamas overran one of Fatah's security bases in a battle of mortar and gunfire today. They marched their foes into the streets without shirts. This was a vendetta of an attack in 1996 that wasn't forgotten. Hamas shot dead seven Fatah fighters after they surrendered. Two examined later were found to be shot in the head at close range, and witnesses told they were killed in front of their wives and children, execution-style. Then they carried one and put him in a sand dune, turning him around and shooting him. The Hamas ignored neighborhood residents' appeals to save their lives.

Iran's tentacles will now be able to reach Israel much easier through Hamas. There they are on the border.

Israel will have to be most wary of its security with such an upset in its future neighbors. Their security cannot even trust mothers. Israel just arrested two Palestinian mothers who were planning to carry out suicide attacks inside Israel. Yet Desmond Tutu expects Israel to improve their human rights records. I don't think he's paying attention to who is breaking human rights's rules. The Israel cabinet decided that water and electricity would be kept out of the conflict, which shows a lot of humanitarian concern. Ehud Olmert, Prime Minister, has not agreed to lift a freeze of Palestinian funds to pay for the connection of a northern Gaza electrical substation to Israel's electrical grid, though. That would be like giving your enemy live ammunition to defeat you. Hamas can easily borrow the money from Iran. After all, Hamas is echoing Iran's threat of wiping Israel off of the map.

United Nations Complains Again

Nadene Goldfoot

That noble organization, the United Nations, has decided to ask Israel to improve on its human rights records with Palestine before their next meeting of the Human Rights Council. 

 Never mind that the Palestinians are fighting each other in Gaza, throwing each other off the tops of buildings and doing all sorts of horrible acts of killing. 

 Don't mention the fact that the Palestinians have been continually shelling Israel from Gaza.  

It's Israel who gets the ticket for neglecting human rights. 

 Forget the fact that Palestinian gangs are fighting the soldiers of Lebanon and killing them.

 It must be Israel's fault. 

 Why is it that the Palestinians can do no wrong?

I wonder when Iran will be called upon for threatening Israel with complete destruction as it makes nuclear weapons. 

 Doesn't this count as an affront to human rights? This at the least is mental anguish.

The lesson here is that bullies rule.

NO LOVE FROM THE BRITISH

Nadene Goldfoot

British labor unions and British universities have shown their disfavor with Israel.

 Now they are calling for professional unions to boycott Israel.

 One wonders what basis they are using to do such a thing. Israel has suffered the slings and rocket attacks of the Palestinians since it's inception, but it's they who are being maligned by the British. 

As history shows, the British were not helpful when Israel was born in 1948, so it shouldn't be a surprise. They are still in character as the correct but dubious country. This only adds foment to the Palestinian Israeli problems. 

This shows that Palestinians can do no wrong in the public eye as long as their adversary is Israel, the scapegoat of all problems.

40 YEARS OF WAR

Nadene Goldfoot

Israel has been under pressure ever since it’s birth in 1948 which was celebrated with the surrounding countries attacking with the intent to kill. Being one of the youngest of nations in the world family, it certainly feels the most unloved and unwanted. Yet this child of the world has been waiting to be reborn for over two thousand years.

The Arabs were offered land in a plan that took most of what was promised to become Israel. This would be Palestine, Israel’s neighbor. Never before had there been a Palestine with its own government. It was a new idea to the Arabs, but seeing that Israel was about to be born made the Arab people want their own state of Palestine. Yet they refused this opportunity, though the Jewish leaders went along with it. They missed their original chance.

A miracle happened in 1967 when in six days, Israel accidentally won back land that used to be theirs when Israel was led by King David. It’s many siblings of the surrounding countries were fuming with indignation when this happened, for it was to be the exact opposite. You would think that one tiny country attacked by about eight huge countries would have been consumed and eaten, but the opposite happened.

Israel only wants peace with its neighbors so eventually have given back 94% of the territories they won in the 67 attack in the name and goodwill of peace. The Arab countries are still at war with them to gain only 6% of that territory and Israel has already said it is ready to give up most of that.

The Gaza strip which lies between Israel and Egypt has been completely given up by Israel, and it has been taken over by the two factions of Palestinians who are supposedly making up the waiting to be born new Palestinian State, yet those two factions are fighting each other while shelling Israel with Kassam rockets.

Lebanon, to the north of Israel, also has fighting going on. Factions of Palestinians are fighting the Lebanese soldiers and holding out in Palestinian camps. The fear is that this will spill into Israel again.

These are our "peaceful neighbors that Israel is expected to welcome with open arms. They can’t get along with each other, so how are they ever going to get along with their hated enemy, Israel.

The Palestinian’s life would have been much richer had they hadn’t been so interested in destroying the new state of Israel instead of starting their own state. Forty years of war and hatred are only leading to continued bloodshed.

IS THERE A MELTING POT IN THE MIDDLE EAST?

Nadene Goldfoot
What is exciting about being an American is learning to live with people of all colors and all nationalities. I found the same thing happening in Israel. Though the country is unimaginably tiny, the diaspora of Jews have returned from every corner in the globe along with non Jews as well from exotic countries. Blacks from Ethiopia moved into the apartment building across the street from me in Safed. There were many English friends with various accents living there, also. My boss was from Morocco. My neighbors were from Arab countries. Many Arabs are living in Israel and are citizens. They have representation in the Knesset with their own party. Others I met spoke French or Spanish. It was an exciting place to live and to meet people. Besides all the people one can meet, the television is full of programs from other countries. I enjoyed viewing movies from Lebanon and Egypt as well as oldies from the USA. England had racier programs than I had ever seen in the states. People in Israel thought you were uneducated if you only spoke one language. One appreciated differences there.

I am taken back with the fact that the West Bank in now governed by Palestinians, and we only have about 500 Jews living in Hebron with thousands of Arabs. These few Jews have just suffered from the Peace Now Movement who demonstrated that they should get out of there. Is there no tolerance for somebody that is not an Arab? That this is happening in what is part of Israel is showing that they have no understanding of a democracy. If Arabs live in Israel, why can't Jews live in the West Bank?

Now days a Jew can be a tourist in Egypt. Jews cannot go to any other Muslim country, however. The odd thing is that Jordanians have been coming into Israel to work, but we can't go there. There is no give and take. It's all take and no give, yet they except Israel to bend over backwards on all accounts.

Why Hebron Is So Important to Jews

by Nadene Goldfoot

In the West Bank lies the town of Hebron, where about 500 Jewish settlers live among 160,000 Palestinians today. Just recently Peace Now Israelis of about 200 protesters were there. Even they may not know of the importance of this town to those who chose to live there.

Our ancestor, Abraham, bought a plot of land which had the Cave of Machpelah so that he could bury his wife, Sarah. This came to be called Hebron. Joshua assigned Hebron to Caleb, and it became a levitical city and a city of refuge. King David reigned there for seven and a half years before moving the capital to Jerusalem.

In 1100 CE the crusaders captured the city and expelled the Jews.
By 1260 through 1517 the Mamluks, who were Muslims, expelled the Crusaders from Palestine and made Hebron their capital, and the Jewish settlement was once again restored. Relations with the Muslims were not great. For instance, they decreed that Jews could not enter Me’arat Hamachpelah and could only go up the first seven steps outside. This was strictly enforced until the liberation of Hebron in 1967. Jews had been treated as Dhimmi , a lower caste group of people who were treated badly.

A Jewish community continued in Hebron in the Byzantine Period and under Arab rule. The modern city is situated somewhat to the east of the historical location and was one of the Jews' four sacred towns. The other towns were Jerusalem, Tiberias and Safed where I have lived. By 1890 there were 1,500 people living there who had a yeshivot and other religious schools. The great Lithuanian yeshivah of Slobodka was transferred to Hebron in 1925.

On the 24th of August, 1929, the Arabs massacred sixty-nine of the 700 Jews living in the town and the survivors fled. It was a brutal massacre. Included in the dead were yeshivah students from New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Memphis, Canada and Lithuania as well is Israeli born people. About 35 Jewish families returned in 1931. They were threatened by the Arabs and the British showed their dissatisfaction.

Jews heard on the day before the massacre rumors of anticipated riots, but they believed nothing bad would happen to them. They thought they were friends of the Arabs based on the fact that they had years of friendship and shared experiences. Besides that, the Arab governor of Hebron, Abdullah Kardos, had promised the Jews that they would not be harmed. The members of the yishuv actually thought that the British would protect them, also. The leaders of the Jewish community decided to bring in Jews on the outlying community closer to the city center for protection just to be on the safe side.

At 2:30 that Friday afternoon a young Arab on a bicycle, returning from Jerusalem, called out to his fellow Arabs that Jews were murdering thousands of Arabs in Jerusalem. Other Arabs then followed him in cars and also shouted that Jews were attacking Arabs.. What had been happening was that the Mufti of Jerusalem, Haj Amin al Husseini, who later would offer help to Hitler, had been preaching strongly against the Jews. The massacre began. Arab mobs with axes, knives and iron bars screamed, "Kill the Jews!"

Then Arab riots occurred again in 1936 which caused all the Jews to leave again.
It’s population in 1967 was 38,310. After the Six-Day War of 1967, a number of Jews again settled in Hebron, establishing the Kiryat Arba quarter east of the city. There were 3,700 people there in 1988.

There have been other attacks on the Jews. One of many was in 1993. A father and son were murdered in a drive-by shooting, the first victims of terror following the signing of the Oslo accords.
The Jews who live in Hebron have a reverence of the Judea-Samaria (West Bank area) and especially the town of Hebron, loving the area for it’s historical significance. Jews were there before the Muslims. They don’t like the way their ancestors were forced out of the area by massacres and intend to stay there, though it has been a dangerous area. They are reclaiming this land and reminding people that it is a part of Israel now. They have a right to live there.

The New Standard Jewish Encyclopedia
The Story of Hebron: by Toby Greenwald (75 years from Tarpat in commemoration of the Hebron Massacre of 1929.

Oregonian Newspaper 6/6/2007 page A9