Knesset Headaches

Nadene Goldfoot
We tell the joke about the 2 Jews who find themselves stranded on a tiny island, and they build themselves 3 synagogues.  One for each and the other is the one neither one would attend.  It shows we are a stubborn people with our own minds and we do not follow very well.  We are individualistic. 


 Ben Gurion had gone into a restaurant and was told that before he entered he had to put on a tie.  They then told the manager that this was David Ben Gurion.
 " Oh, sir, let me introduce you to the president of the United States, Harry S. Truman." 
"How do you do"
"You are president of 47 million people?  I am Prime Minister of of 600,000 Presidents."  

In the midst of the threats coming out of Iran, that old ancient Persia updated is the fear of being liquidated through atomic warfare, perhaps with one single bomb like what happened to Hiroshima.  In this extreme crisis, we have an internal struggle going on as well.  The pressures on our government there are coming from the UN and mainly from the USA through them concerning the attacks from the Arabs in Gaza upon Israel, and their solution is to have peace talks.  Evidently this is going to have to lead to giving in to all Arab demands as they won't even sit down at the table to talk unless this is all done first before the sitting commences.  Again, the fear of losing Israel completely and being driven into the sea comes to mind.  The Knesset is under such great pressure that they have already had new elections to the satisfaction of the USA's Hillary Clinton.

To add misery to all our surrus, the media is always against Israel, which in turn colors the attitude of all those who watch.  Anti-Semitism is at a high all over the world, and Israel's position in it has done a 180 turnabout since 1967.  The media is not the kettleful of truthful facts, either, but a hodgepodge of misinformation that is filling people's minds up so much that they don't even bother to find facts themselves.  If they do, the source has to be invalid.

To add to our problems, we have the state of Israel divided between the Orthodox community and the rest.  David Wilder calls it "Zionism or Toynbeeism.  Like another old joke goes, a man is talking to two gentlemen and is trying to solve their disagreement.  To each he says, "You have a point and you also have a point."  I don't remember any ending.  I don't think there is any.  The Orthodox claim a valid point and so does the Knesset, who is the other side, the more secular one.  Frankly, at this point in time I think their plate is over brimming with problems to deal with.

Rabbi Avraham Yitzhak HaKohen Kook, Israel's first chief Rabbi explained that Israel is not just any old piece of land we chose for a country.  Israel has an intrinsic meaning connecting Jews with the knot of life and contains extraordinary qualities  making the people and the land, these 2 halves, a whole.  Toynbee thought of Jews and Judaism as an anachronism.  In other words, we are out of place, an error.  "The Zionist Jews are a fragment of a fossil of alien origin which has been embedded in the body of Western Christendom since its pre-natal days."  He didn't think much of us at all.  We are still here, however, and refer to ourselves as the Jewish people.  Our holy cites are Jerusalem and Hebron.

We have a problem in that Arabs are copying us and saying that land is now their land, like Tel Hebron.  Israeli leaders and their followers are helping people who say this without even checking for legal paperwork.  They have helped force Jews off their homeland, destroy their homes to appease those bringing pressure down.  We're talking about Jews forcing out Jews, basically in Judea and Samaria, not the IDF throwing out Palestinians.

Netanyahu has ordered the expulsion of Jews from the "Ulpana neighborhood in Beit El.  It was in the Oregonian today as well. He said he was most unhappy to have to do so.   He also ordered the same thing for the Machpela House in Hebron.  This seems to have come about after Netanyahu, Barak and others were told they could be tried as war-criminals by the Hague should Jews continue to live in these places.  That must be a part of the pressure they are under.  The report had gone to Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein.

7 years ago Gush Katif was destroyed by Israelis.  Jewish residents were expelled and the land abandoned to the Arabs.  30 some years ago Yamit and other Sinai communities were given up and its residents were expelled to appease the waiting Arab communities in the name of peace.  We left Gaza lock, stock and barrel for the sake of peace and only got war in its place.  If the Arabs had been smart, they would have done what the Egyptians did under Sadat and made peace at that time, but they've used Gaza as the place from which all rockets, missiles and mortars come from.  I would say that was a test that failed completely.

Some feel that the next to go will be Gvat Assaf and then Migron.  Barak only last week suggested abandoning all of Judea and Samaria.  That's a horror as this is the place of our history, and it is most special to those who are religious.  Every rock, every clod of dirt is precious to them.  We've got an awful lot of Jews living there.  Jews have given their lives and have waited for 2,000 years to return to their homeland, and now that they have returned, they are retching inside to have to give up the land others had shed blood over.

Mix all these problems presenting themselves with the fact that this time and place has been prophesied about in the Bible for both the Jews and the Christians with the Muslims adding their take on it as well.  It is the in gathering of all Jews once again in Israel.  This is not just an accident.  It is awesome.

I personally don't see it so black and white.  I think that the circumstances are that Israel cannot fight enemies and the rest of the world at the same time.  They're all ganging up on this tiny tiny state.  They are doing their best to maintain their Jewish values and ethics, keep their citizens alive and well, and be the fairest  of all to their enemies.  What's fair and righteous doesn't seem to work on this UN at all in standing up for Israel's rights.  Being most of their block is made up of Israel's enemies in the first place, Israel's voice is lost to the winds.  I'm not like Josephus calling for surrender.  I'm just saying that the Knesset is bending in this Sharav while trying to keep its roots in the ground.  It's waiting to be propped up by another force.

Reference: gerardrobins@sbcglobal.net:  David Wilder 6/8/2012
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Ben-Gurion
http://www.infoplease.com/year/1948.html

All Is Not Quiet on the Western Front

Nadene Goldfoot
The month of March saw terrorists from Gaza fire over 200 rockets into Israel over 4 days after terrorists Zuhir Musa Ahmed and Mahmoud Ahmed Mahmoud Hanani were killed.

Fire broke out in the Eshkol region in Southern Israel after it was hit by high trajectory firing into the Israeli territory.  IAF aircraft retaliated by striking 2 direct hits on  weapons storage sites  in northern and southern Gaza on yesterday.

Before, on Sunday the aircraft took out a terrorist tunnel with direct hits.  This came about in retaliation to being hit by a Qassam rocket in the south late Sunday night, exploding in the Eshkol Regional Council.

Friday morning another fight took place between IDF troops and a Gaza terrorist as they were trying to infiltrate the western Negev from Gaza which took the life of a young Golani Brigade soldier.

All this shooting was supposed to have been under a cease fire maintained by Egypt, but for the terrorist groups, only seems to mean that  they just do not fire barrages.  They shoot just as it suits them to remind Israelis that they can do it which disrupts the lives of those in Southern Israel.  How would you like to be the sitting ducks?

April showers brought 10 rockets fired at Israel in 9 separate attacks, two being launched from the Sinai in Egypt this time.  3 were Grad missiles aimed at Eilat on the Red Sea coast.  Some residences suffered from shock.  This happened on the 4th.  On the 8th 2 Qassam were fired into the Sdot Negev in the morning and a rocket was fired at Sderot in the evening.  The Color Red alarm sounded in the city once more.  Sderot has taken upteen hits.  On the 14th Fatah fired a rocket at night with CARE International detecting it coming from east of Jabalia which exploded prematurely.  They did it again the next day with Qassam rockets coming into the Sha'ar Hanegev and Ashkelon areas.  The 22nd, 23rd and 30th also had Qassam rockets fall into the areas.

May is supposed to bring flowers but the Ashkelon area only got another Qassam rocket and Israel decided to retaliate by hitting a tunnel in northern Gaza on the 1st.  Another Qassam rocket shot into Sdot Negev again on the 9th and that brings us to the 15th with a Qassam rocket fired in the morning into Sha'ar Hanegev area.

In this we see that Israel is the target of constant attacks.  Israel retaliates once in a while aiming at the cause, not the people.  Yet we are seen as the bad guys.  Go figure.  What kind of logic is this?  England is being very anti-Israel with many Brits supporting the Palestinian "liberation struggle against Israeli imperialism" as some see it.  This is the same British Empire who conquered and subjugated other countries, controlling over 1/4 of the world at one time where "the sun never set on the British Empire."  Queen Elizabeth II is into her "diamond jubilee" and has never visited Israel yet.

Senator Barack Obama flew into Israel vowing that if he became President he would work towards ending the Israel-Palestine conflict "from the minute he was sworn into office."  He didn't let on that he meant he would work to push Israel back to indefensible lines from 1967 which would mean untold amounts of Israeli lives to be lost. No, it's not popular to be supportive of Israel, but we are anyway.  They're the ones getting attacked and shelled and why?  For existing.

Resource: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Palestinian_rocket_attacks_on_Israel,_2012
Arutz Sheva news@israelnationalnews.com IAF Hits Weapons Storage Sites in Gaza by Elad Benari 

The First Zionist: Judah Ha-Levi of 1135 CE

Nadene Goldfoot
Judah Ha-Levi's ancestors were forced to leave the kingdom of Judah in 70 CE when their city, Jerusalem, fell to the Romans. He was born in Toledo, Spain in 1075 CE,  1005 years later.  At that time Spain was both Christian and Moslem, chiefly in Cordova.   Toledo had a Jewish community dating back to Roman times which the city council was trying to extirpate (wipe out).  The shock of it all was that the Jews were the ones who brought in the Arabs to the city in the first place.  Jewish rights were taken away and then guaranteed after the Christian reconquest in 1085 and became a very important community when Judaism was suppressed by the Almohades in Moslem Spain in 1146-47.   He became a physician of an honorable profession, even in those days.  In his later years he felt it necessary to go back to his homeland, which was now called "Palestine."

Lucky man, he journeyed back during the period of the 2nd Crusade as he had set out between 1135 and 1140 and reached Egypt, staying there for 6 months.  He wound up dying in Alexandria in 1141 at age 66 instead of reaching the Holy Land, unfortunately.  It was not an easy thing to reach in those days.

During this 12th Century the serious political developments in Spain were of Christians and Moslems fighting desperately for suzerainty (overlordship), with the Jews, and he wound up suffering from both groups.  It affected his sensitive mind, dodging all people there.  He became very religious himself while having a negative attitude towards philosophy and earthly pleasures.

He was a writer, and his songs of Zion "Zionides" express Israel's yearning for its ruined homeland.  He wrote "Ha-Kukzari (The Khazar) and managed to write it in Arabic before he left Spain.  It is concerned with the problem of the Jewish fate and exile and deals with the many problems and their solution.  He is the one who wrote about the   king of the Khazars who listens to a rabbi, a Christian and a Moslem scholar and an Aristotelian philosopher with the result of accepting Judaism for himself and his royal household.

Judah felt that the Jewish people were the heart of all nations and felt their pain and bore their sicknesses.  The sufferings of Exile cleansed them of their sins and prepared them for their restoration to their homeland, after which they will bring the world salvation.  This redemption is dependent on the will of the people and is brought nearer by settling in the Holy Land.  His writing of "The Kuzari,  was a great influence among Jewish readers and is regarded as one of the classics of Judaism.  Little did he realize that this was just the beginning of the exile while all the time all would be yearning to return to Eretz Yisrael.  It would take till 1882-1903 for the return of the 1st Aliyah to start the ball rolling again for the exiles to return to those who had been left to hold down the fort.

Judah had the right idea since there were horrible massacres of Jews in Toledo in 1391 which claimed many victims and left behind large numbers of converts.  It became a center of the Marranos (Jews pretending to be Christians) , who were attacked and massacred again in 1449 and 1467 and later became the seat of the Inquisitional tribunal after Jews were expulsed in 1492.

Reference:  The New Standard Jewish Encyclopedia
The Jewish Kingdom of Kuzar by Rabbi Zelig Shachnowitz
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aliyah

Gaza Fence Stops Another Kidnapping

Nadene Goldfoot
Terrorists keep shooting at Israel while Hillary Clinton at the same time asks for the Palestinian Authority and Israel to resume peace negotiations.  Someone had better tell these terrorists to take a break.  It would be nice to see some goodwill gestures for a change instead of this constant terrorism if ever peace can be taken seriously.  .

Ahmed Abu Nasser, 22,  was part of a terror squad in Gaza ready to fire into Israel and scored a direct hit. In the ensuing attack, 4 people were killed and 4 wounded. The terror squad had fired mortars into the Eshkol Regional council area.

These terrorists had been sent out to kidnap an Israeli soldier, and actually succeeded in grabbing one, but that's as far as he got.  . This is deduced also because the slain terrorist had used night vision equipment in his early morning attack, showing his intentions.  He was breaking through the Gaza fence, put up to save lives.   In the attack, a 21 year old IDF soldier was killed who came from Ashkelon, our Portland's sister city, the one with the major hospital serving all people, Palestinian and Israeli who need it.  During a thick fog, the terrorist had  opened fire, killing Moshiashvili, causing the other IDF to open fire and kill the terrorist.  Two young kids who should have been going to college, and this is how the young spend some of their time in Israel and Gaza.

The Islamic Jihad terror organization has an armed Al-Quds wing, and they admitted it was this wing who was responsible for the attack.  The IDF holds Hamas responsible as it is they who rule Gaza.  Just like Sharon was held responsible for the Christian Militia who went into Lebanon, Hamas must take the responsibility.

Arutz Sheva news@israelnationalnews.com by Gabe Kahn; IDF Retaliates After Deadly Kidnapping Attempt, Mortar Fire

PA Singers Denying Israel's Existence

Nadene Goldfoot
What are the chances of the Palestinians to ever recognize Israel as a legal state in their midst?  Very little.  With Hamas having a doctrine similar to the Muslim Brotherhood saying that they do not recognize Israel and Fatah joining up with Hamas, it looks like it'll never happen.

There was a time when Fatah's PA said they did recognize Israel's right to exist, but they have changed their policy several times.  In a recent program where PA officials along with Mahmoud Abbas sat and listened to a presentation that has been going on for 27 times in the past year.  In it "The Palestinian singer declares that "my land" and "our coast" span from Rosh Hanikra in Israel's north to Rafah in the Gaza Strip in the south, and from Haifa on Israel's western coast to Beit Shean on Israel's eastern border.

So what they're doing is declaring that all of Israel is theirs.  They're pretty much "in your face" about it.  This is the one condition that Israel has said that is so important.  If they can't accept Israel, how can Israel accept a Palestinian state next door to them who will have the means by which to shell them even further?  The situation is ridiculous to keep insisting upon.  .

Mark Langfan, New York attorney has done a marvelous job of showing a map of Israel with overlays showing just what could happen if it ever came about.  He has presented Israel's case before the Knesset and the American Congress to show visually what many cannot conceive of happening.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=n9gQUVuEZjQ 
http://palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=709&fld_id=709&doc_id=4775
http://www.palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=157&doc_id=6914 from Itamar Marcus, Nan Jacques Zilberdik , PA TV song denying Israel's existence

Turkey's Bellicose Attitude Towards Israel

Nadene Goldfoot
Instead of doing things to get back into a peaceful state with Israel, Turkey has done the opposite.  An Istanbul court allowed  an indictment Monday against 4 Israeli military men for involvement in the raid on their Turkish boat that was breaching Israel's naval blockade of Gaza back in May 2010.  They were breaking the law knowing full well what Israel would be doing and they're suing.

Israel's soldiers had to act in self defense.  They did not board the ship with intentions to kill people aboard, only to check out what they were carrying to make sure it was not arms for the Palestinians.  Even a UN report since then has found that Israel's naval blockade was legal and appropriate.

What had happened was that on May 31, 2010 (note the date) the Turkish boat, Mavi Marmar with 40 activists entered the waters at their own risk. They were part of a fleet of 6 boats.   They had among them some very hardcore armed men who used iron bars and knives against the 13 Israeli naval commandos.  The outcome was that 9 Turks were killed some others were wounded.  10 of the 13 commandos were injured seriously in the fracas.  The other boats were peaceful, allowed the checking and that was it.

Erdogan has decided to kill the relationship between Israel and Turkey anyway using this as an excuse. They took on this bellicose attitude by sending out the ship in the first place knowing it would cause a problem.   The strange thing is that his stance has not ended the trade going on between the two countries amounting to nearly $4 billion a year.  Diplomats are frozen out from breaking bread with each other but not the merchants.

Reference:  New York Times via daily alert.: Turkish court Indicts 4 Israeli Military Leaders by Isabel Kershner
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaza_flotilla_raid

Turkey's Opportunistic Plan Involving Israel

Nadene Goldfoot
Turkey, which was once the Ottoman Empire, had been friends with Israel, but since the growth of the Muslim Brotherhood has been leaning towards their brothers.  Their Prime Minister,  Recep Tayyip Erdogan,  told former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger that he planned to burn bridges with Israel to get in better favor with the Islamic world but didn't reveal when that would happen.  Their Turkish newspaper also revealed  that Turkey doesn't get along with Israel and the United States.

This is a sad note because Turkey has been the first place Israelis head for who are on vacation.  They've made good tourists.  Turkey was the first Muslim majority country to recognize Israel in March 1949.  You have to give them credit.  At that time it must have been a hard decision to follow the lead of the USA.  The USA has many Turkish Jews who immigrated here and who might be interested in their family roots on vacation as well.  It has that aura of the mystique that is so alluring and is fairly close by.

The opportunity came by with the flotilla to Gaza of May 2010  in which 9 Turkish citizens on the ship were killed after attacking the IDF commandos who were trying to board it.  Israel was blamed, but Erdogan took advantage of the event quickly by cutting ties with both Israel and the USA and to expand their power.

All this came out in the wash with wikileaks.  It was in a leaked email from George Friedman, head of Stratfor, a security -analysis company.  I wonder what Kissinger did with this detail.  Though Jewish, he hasn't been known for any favors towards Israel.  You have to watch out for these fair-weather friends in politics.  Easy come-easy go.

However, trade is still an essential ingredient for two countries to make up from their differences.  This is still needed and is happening.  Erdogan demanded that Netanyahu apologize for the death of his civilians on board the fatal Marmara and the Knesset is against doing so as they were only protecting their lives and were under attack themselves. As I remember, Erdogan was instrumental in their participation, too.  Maybe it was part of his basic scheme uncovered here.   Oh where is Solomon when you need him?  We need a higher most impartial court to settle this one.  It's so similar to Israel asking for recognition from the Palestinians and not getting it.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/wikileaks-turkey-wanted-to-burn-bridges-with-israel
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel%E2%80%93Turkey_relations
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alon-benmeir/turkey-and-israel-now-is_b_1532767.html

Knesset Shook Up: Kadima and Likud Join Hands in Israel

Nadene Goldfoot
It didn't take long for Kadima (to go forward)  to join up with Likud over the weekend to form a national unity government in Israel.  Elections will come about in 2013.  Mofaz, former IDF chief of staff and Defense Minister had been  opposed to Netanyahu.  He has replaced Tzippi Livni as head of Kadima.

Mofaz and Netanyahu are both concerned about their domestic issues such as a law excusing  the ultra-Orthodox to serve in military service.  If they introduce a universal draft, he will not lose too many votes for doing so as he'll have the 28 members of the Knesset of Kadima instead to work with.

They also plan on rejuvenating talks with the PA and promote social justice.  The Iranian threat to national security is the biggest issue facing them which could be the impetus to form a new government.  Both leaders seem to be in full agreement on "how to deal with the Iranian threat".

It was Yuval Diskin, former Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) chief and Meir Dagan, former head of Mossad, who are wary of Israel going alone to attack Iran by hitting their atomic weapon buildings.  So we have two slightly opposing opinions over the issue.  Ideally, if it must be done, they would like the USA to also participate.  After all, it is both of us that are threatened by Iran's atomic warfare plans.  If Israel goes down, the USA is next in line.

The window of opportunity is closing but the problem seems to be bigger than a little nation can tackle alone, like they have previously.    Now Netanyahu has the biggest coalition ever behind him.  I have no doubt that they will weigh this decision carefully.  They've been giving the world governments time to do their thing peacefully and stop the advance of Iran's maniacal mission.

Reference:  gerardrobins@sbcglobal.net: Israel's New National Unity government and the Iran Question by Yaakov Lappin 

Fences That Save Lives

Nadene Goldfoot                                                               

Like the poet, Robert Frost said, "Good fences make good neighbors."  Israel has been in the doghouse for having built fences, however.  There is an excellent reason for building them that other countries also in the act of building do not have.  It's to save the lives of Israelis from the many radicals that intend to kill them.  Not many countries have this reason for building their fences.  The "Good Neighbor Fence" between Israel and Lebanon has been there doing it's job.  I drove to it several times between 1980 and 1985.  That's when Major Hadad, head of the Christian militia of Lebanon and Israel were good friends and he helped to patrol the border.  His R &R time was spent in our army hospital many a time.
                                                                           

The United States is building fences along the border of Mexico to keep out illegal immigrants who have been taking advantage of the ease in gaining entrance.  There is no other way to prevent incursions into Israel other than shooting to kill.  This is a far better way.  I'm sure other countries would use death, it's so much cheaper.

There are checkpoints in Israel along the fences, some of which are cement.  Many explosive belts from suicide bombers were found.  This has cut down the attacks and the population feels much safer.  Usually schools have been a goal of these attackers.  They've had no hang-ups in who they kill inside Israel.
                                                                               

Jews actually have bad memories of being really fenced in, which the Palestinians are not.  The fences are not locking them in, just keeping the path closest to citizens blocked so it's not so easy to kill them.  Back in  Italy in about 1179 the Vatican issued the edict to keep Jews in ghettos, and they really were locked in at night.  Thus, this turned out to be the beginning of keeping us in one place.  If it wasn't for our strict kosher laws of cleanliness, we would have died out long ago.  Russia had the same idea which resulted to keeping Jews in "the Pale of Settlement."  We weren't allowed inside Russia proper without special conditions accompanied by special passes.  We never on any occasion wanted access to the rest of the world like other people had with the idea of killing anyone.  It was just normal reasons like business, touring, buying, and visiting that Jews would have liked to be able to do that was denied to them.
                                                                             

Israel border that is saving their lives;
up to keep out Palestinian terrorists

So don't lecture us on not treating people fairly!  Our whole religion involves such things.  We don't dwell on what happens to us when we are dead but when we are alive. Judaism is a religion of Life, L'Chaim!   The old adage, we'll treat you fairly and you treat us fairly  still exists.  The one thing we won't do is get down to the level of our adversaries, though.


Resource: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4227342,00.html
http://meria.idc.ac.il/journal/2000/issue3/jv4n3a2.html

King David Objects From Judah Revealed

Nadene Goldfoot
Imagine finding objects from the time of King David of Judah!  That's what's happened to Archaeology Prof. Yosef Garfinkel with the Institute of Archaeology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.  They had digs at Khirbet Qeiyafa, which was a fortified city in Judah next to the Valley of Elah only 30 km from Jerusalem.  It lay near the Philistine city of Gath, which was the home of the giant, Goliath.  The city of Khirbet Qeiafa  was in existence between 1020 BCE to 980 BCE and had been violently destroyed.   They found pottery, stone and metal tools and many art and cult objects there.

In their finds were 3 large rooms that had been used as cultic shrines, dating the period they were from.  They were from before Solomon's Temple by 30 to 40 years. The tribes of Judah and most of Benjamin and Simeon lived in Judah.

King David of Israel (1000 BCE-960 BCE) was the youngest son of Jesse and was born in Bethlehem.  He had become the armor-bearer to King Saul, our first king and probably because of this had become best friends with Jonathan, the son of Saul.  He became a good fighter of the Philistines, and then married Saul's daughter, Michal.   He was buried in Jerusalem.

All this can be found in a new book out, "Footsteps of King David in the in the Valley of Elah", published by Yedioth Ahronoth.

Hebrew University, started in 1918 by Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud, Martin Buber and Chaim Weizmann, was able to open in 1925.  It has been ranked 12th worldwide in biotechnology patent filings and commercial development.  Students from 65 countries have attended.

Resource: http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/History/Early+History+-+Archaeology/Cultic_shrines_time_King_David_8-May-2012.htm?DisplayMode=print

Abbas's Green Light for Terrorists

Nadene Goldfoot
I've always thought that that it was beshert that Fatah and Hamas could not agree on ruling in Gaza as both want the power. Both have security forces and would have to merge them, another problem.   David Meir-Levi gives us an update as to what is happening with all of Israel's neighbors and what they are doing.  It's quite alarming.  I'll just remark on Hamas and Fatah.  Be sure to read his insight.

Abbas's Fatah group who live in  Judea-Samaria or West Bank, formerly the PLO of Arafat's years, had been cooperating with Israel for the past 6 years fairly well, but now that they are talking about melding in with the terrorists of Hamas, are going bonkers.  Their PA police have decided not to cooperate and work with the IDF to prevent terrorism.  They are not arresting known terrorists there anymore.  Abbas has even resurrected "Arafat's old Palestinian revolving door policy for jailed terrorists"  Naturally, terrorists see this as the nod to resume their terrorism against Israel.

Abbas has been ruling illegally for 3 years with a term that expired in January 2009.  Arafat pulled the same trick.  He ruled unconstitutionally from 2000 to 2004 when he died from AIDS.  He calls himself a president, but acts like a tyrant in this way.

Abbas and Mesha'al met last year and again last week on the 2nd of May.  They seems to only connect when plotting to attack Israel, so that's what they may have been doing.  What a reason to unify!  Death of their neighbors.

Hamas, who had kicked Abbas out of Gaza in 2006, has refused to go along with Iran and support Bashar al-Assad of Syria and to not cooperate with their Muslim Brotherhood in Syria. This made Iran angry and they cut back on funding Hamas.  Hamas has also been losing their clout with other terrorists who are doing their own thing and not taking Hamas's orders. For instance, they have new mobile self-propelled rocket launchers smuggled in from Libya that they use against Israel.

Israel finds that  Fatah and Hamas are only two of many groups to cause concern lately.  The whole neighborhood is about to catch on fire, it seems.  This has caused Israel to raise their level of terror alerts and as usual, are prepared to protect their citizens from attack wherever it may come from.  We're all praying that it does not turn into a horrible nuclear war.  The Winds of War are starting to blow again, and I think the Arab Spring was the start of it all.  .

Resource:  frontpagemag.com/2012/05/08/winds-of-war/print
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatah%E2%80%93Hamas_conflict

The Very Cradle of Jewish Civilization: Judea and Samaria

Nadene Goldfoot
Judea and Samaria were the cradle of Jewish civilization and had an unfailing Jewish presence until the 1948 War when the many people living there were killed and about 10,000 survivors  were expelled by the Jordanians, who held rule illegally until the 1967 War with Israel.  Jordan  renamed the two states "West Bank."  , being they lay on the west side of the Jordan River.

The Kingdom of Judah, renamed Judea by the Romans,  had existed in 933 BCE when Eretz Yisrael was divided after King Solomon had died.  It was the southerly of the two.  The tribe of Judah and parts of Benjamin and Simeon lived there.  It was the poor and less important Kingdom with no access to the sea.  It did contain Jerusalem and the Temple, however and was able to keep Mosaic monotheism in a pure form.  Solomon's son, Rehoboam took over as King of Judah.  Samaria had been the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, founded in 880 BCE by King Omri.  He was king of Israel from 887 to 876 BCE.  Omri had been Elah's general and directed the operations against the Philistine city of Gibbethon.  He was the founder of a dynasty.

The British actually were the last legal sovereign authority for Judea and Samaria.  Jordan and  had illegally held them  as well as Egypt illegally holding Gaza Strip between 1948 and 1967.  They remain unallocated portions of the British Mandate since no government formally replaced the Mandate's jurisdiction.  It's guidelines called for Jews to settle the area.  That's what they did from 1967 on.

Arabs wanted to hold onto these lands to attack Israel.  They kept launching attacks against Israel from the "Territories'" strategic locations.  UN Resolution 242 had planned for bilateral negotiations that would give Israel more secure borders and lead to greater regional stability.  When Israel pulled out of Gaza for the sake of making peace, the Arabs used it as a closer place to shoot their rockets, missiles and mortars into southern Israel.

Until 1988, the PLO continued to call for a Palestinian state to REPLACE Israel, not for a a separate state that would exist alongside it.  They still will not recognize Israel and the Muslim Brotherhood continues to push with their goal of replacement, not peace and coexistence.

80% of the Israeli settlers in Judea and Samaria live in communities close to the Green Line, which are suburbs of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.  The Jews have a right to settle the land.  It is a legal right assured by treaty and specifically protected by Article 80 of the U.N. Charter...."the Jewish right of settlement in the area is equivalent in every way to the right of the existing Palestinian population to live there" says Eugene Rostow, former U.S. Under Secretary of State, 1990.

Israelis had built communities after 1967 in undeveloped, uninhabited areas. Arabs have legitimate claims to ownership over some of the land.  Many are longtime inhabitants who felt they have no political rights and self-determination.  Israel  disputes their territorial claims and also has even stronger claims to the land.

Israel was forced to continue having a presence in Gaza and the West Bank from 1967 to 1993 because no Palestinian leader stepped up as a peace partner.  Blame International law and custom that required Israel to be the administrators.  They're just obeying the laws.  .  From 1993 to 2007 Israel gradually ended the "Occupation."  by turning civilian administration over to the newly created Palestininan Authority (PA) in 1994.

Did anyone complain when the Jordanians expelled our 10,000 Jews who were living there?  Why is it that the Jews get the short end of every stick?

Resource:  Israel 101 from StandWithUs
The New Standard Jewish Encyclopedia

Muslim Brotherhood Instigating End of Peace: Israel and Jordan

Nadene Goldfoot
The Muslim Brotherhood is carrying out it's goals from their charter.  They are disrupting the peace between the Hashemite kingdom of Jordan and Israel.  On Friday they organized a rally to end the July 1994 peace treaty  that was signed by Shimon Peres and Jordan's PM, Abdelsalam al-Majali.  They now want to kick out Israel's ambassador.

 Getting to that peace treaty cost the USA 18.3 billion dollars which Abdelsalam declared was to bring an end to the age of wars and Peres had declared that the moment of peace had arrived.  Even Egypt had welcomed the agreement and Syria just played it cool by ignoring it.  As part of the agreement, Israel established a modern medical center in Amman.

 The Hezbollah of Lebanon obviously was unhappy about it and showed their anger by launching mortar and rocket attacks into the northern Galilee towns where I used to live just 20 minutes before the ceremony.  This had been a historical event of Israel;  signing a 2nd peace treaty with an Arab state.

Then they were able to open their borders by  building several border-crossings for tourists, merchants and workers to travel between.  Israeli tourists visited Jordan, enjoying Petra, a stone-carved Nabatean city which is famous.

Jordanians had been coming into Israel to work daily.  Since 1967, when Jordan attacked Israel along with all their friends and lost, resulting in losing the "West Bank" which they had held illegally since 1948, Israel maintained an OPEN BRIDGES policy with Jordan.  This allowed Arabs from Judea and Samaria to travel to neighboring Arab countries and continue to maintain family ties and for business and education.  Arabs from the West Bank were allowed since 1971 to visit Israel without permits.  Israel encouraged coexistence.

It hadn't been easy because between June 1967 and September 1970 the Jordanian army and Palestinian terrorists worked together to harass Israel.  They shelled Israeli villages in the Jordan Valley and terrorist groups were infiltrating and attacking Israelis.

In September 1970 Civil War occurred in Jordan when the Jordanian army crushed the Palestinian terrorist organization.  Jordan wound up becoming populated by many Palestinians with the King marrying one. They had their BLACK SEPTEMBER when the PLO  threatened to overthrow King Hussein.  Almost 3,400 Palestinians were killed  between the 16th and the 26th, 1970.  PLO members actually fled across the border to surrender to Israeli troops instead of Hussein's army.

Many feel that Jordan is Palestine being so many live there.  King Husayn had said that "there should be the separation of the West Bank from the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.  Likud, a major political party in Israel has said over and over that Jordan is Palestine.    

The rallies were in 7 cities where people burned Israeli and American flags and chanted, "death, death to Israel," and "the people want an end to Wadi Araba which is the Jordan-Israel peace treaty.

The Westernized King Abdullah II had recently appointed Fayez Tarrawneh as prime minister who was a man who served in this capacity briefly in the late 1990s and was a key figure in making peace with Israel.  He is a man who would still support the 1994 treaty and the people are rebelling now with the teachings  of the Muslim Brotherhood.

They are saying that this rational man is not respecting the Jordanian's wish to end all peace, calls the Muslim Brotherhood, a group our government mistakenly thinks is "moderate,"  This should be proof that they are radical and dangerous.

The Brotherhood's propaganda is that Israel has not followed through with obligations under the treaty like in water sharing.  They're noting Amman's custodianship over holy sites in Jerusalem and access to the Palestinian territories, meaning Jordanians wanting to gain free access into Judea, Samaria, maybe parts of the Golan and East Jerusalem.

Jordan, with  a population of 5,568,565 people of which 95% are Sunni Muslims, hopefully has strong leaders that can squelch such war mongers that are trying to end an 18 year old peace treaty.  The Muslim Brotherhood is doing the very same thing in Egypt by having Mubakak jailed after he and Sadat had kept them down and illegal.  Can people still say that they are moderate and harmless now?

Resource: http://www.timesofisrael.com/thousands-of-jordanians-call-for-end-to-peace-with-israel/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel%E2%80%93Jordan_Treaty_of_Peace
http://www.danielpipes.org/298/is-jordan-palestine
Facts about Israel, Division of Information, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Jerusalem,  p 50-51
Myths and Facts: a concise record of the Arab-Israeli conflict b Mitchell Bard, Joel Himelfarb

Big Brou-ha Over Israel's Participation in NATO Summit

Nadene Goldfoot
Turkey has the chutzpah to object to Israel's being in the future NATO Summit in Chicago.  Is the USA's Secretary of State Hillary Clinton going to let the only reliable and capable ally in the region to be ostracized?  Their reasoning is that NATO-Israel relations can't be normal until Turkey-Israel relations are normalized.  The question I ask is, "How is that ever going to happen?"

This one member out of the 28 nation alliance is being controlling with no doubt an anti-Semitic bent.  Israel has so much to offer the group; insights on strategic developments such as instability in Syria, knowing more about  Iran and their atomic buildup to make nuclear weapons, etc.

Turkey also has said that Israel can't join until their Organization of Islamic Cooperation can also participate. I wonder if they have any idea about how to cooperate?  They were involved in invading Israel's waters with an illegal ship intending to bring who knows what into Gaza and wouldn't allow Israel to check out the ship.  Israel's intentions of checking out ships  was announced way earlier for all.  They screwed things up themselves with Israel and expect deference now from Israel like an apology, etc.   Turkey was a pain in the neck when they were known as the Ottoman Empire and they still are acting like spoiled children.

The American Jewish Committee has already asked our government to lift this sanction and not allow Israel to be ostracized from the group.  Considering that 75% of NATO's budget comes from the USA, one would think that the USA would have more than enough clout.

Obama has made it known that the big topic of the meeting is about Afghanistan. Russia's opposition to Missile Defense Plans is 2nd on the agenda, and last they are going to discuss their own future as so many of the European members come from countries short on money.   Fifty (50) countries will be represented and attending, from Iceland to Korea.

Resource: http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=8645678
Arutz Sheva news@israelnationalnews.com : Israeli Participation in Upcoming NATO Summit? by Rachel Hirshfeld

Stalemate Ending of Peace Talks While Gaza Exchanges Fire With Israel

Nadene Goldfoot
Supposedly, though  PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad was to meet with President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Netanyahu on the 17th , he did not attend.  Abbas had announced that he would, and seemed to be surprised that he didn't show up.

As it turned out, he wouldn't meet with Netanyahu.  Saeb Erekat, head of the PA negotiating team had told journalists just a few hours before the supposed meeting that he would be there, too.  Erkat had to stand in for Fayyad and was joined by Majed Faraj, PA general intelligence chief.

Netanyahu had his special envoy, Isaac Molho with him and the men talked for one hour 20 minutes.  The time was followed by a joint statement saying they both were committed to achieving peace.  Molho is to meet Abbas in Ramallah in the next 2 weeks and will bring an answer to a letter from the Palestinians about Israel's position on the borders of a future Palestinian state and security arrangements for Israel as part of any peace agreement.  It will no doubt include Israel's expectation that Palestinians recognize the State of Israel.

In the meantime, just 3 hours ago, the IDF and PA terrorists fired at each other on the Gaza border.  One was wounded.  The terrorists fired at the soldiers while they were near the security fence in central Gaza doing routine operational activities of clearing land in the early afternoon along the border.  .

The shooting damaged two armoured cars, so the Israelis answered back.  Israel's military keeps an exclusion zone inside the Gaza Strip along the border and regularly does this chore so that the land is safer and terrorists cannot hide in clumps.

On Tuesday evening, a rocket fired from Gaza and landed in Ashkelon.  This is what they had hoped to prevent.  Things like this that keep on happening.

Resource: http://news.yahoo.com/gaza-militant-killed-israeli-border-firefight-193154283.html

haaretz.com/misc/.../palestinian-delegation-delivers-peace-talks-demands-to-netanyahu-1.424905?trai

Israel's Protective Iron Dome or Kipat Barzel

Nadene Goldfoot

Brig. Gen. Danny Gold, head of Maf'at, decided that Israel needed a system of intercepting all the missiles.  By 2007 Israel commissioned developing the anti-missile Iron Dome.  They chose an Israeli contractor, Rafael. " The Israeli company, mPrest Systems, was put in charge of programming the core of Iron Dome's battle management system."

 They designed it to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells fired from distances of 4 to 70 kilometers away.  The trajectory would be taking them to a populated area in all weather conditions.  This is Israel's defensive countermeasure to the rocket threat against Israel's civilian population on its northern and southern borders.   Within 4 years is was combat ready.  There was no system like this in the whole world.  The people involved felt like a start-up business.  This was a remarkably short period of time for a weapons system to be designed from scratch.

Funding for it came from the United States and Israel.   They have invested nearly a million into the Iron Dome, and are willing to invest more, now as long as the USA can get the development rights to the weapon system. Right now they have no right to the technology involved.

To fire at one missile, it costs $40,000.  It's expensive to use.  It was first used on 27 March 2011 near Beersheba.  By the 10 March 2011, it was successful in intercepting a Grad rocket launched from Gaza for the first time.  On 10 March, 2012, it shot down 90% of rockets launched from Gaza it fired at.  By April it had intercepted 93 rockets.  Maybe that's why we haven't heard of rockets landing near Southern Israel's towns.

Rockets which look like they're going to land in unpopulated areas are ignored.

Resource: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Dome
news@israelnationalnews.com Arutz Sheva

Samarian-Judean Terrorism on the Rise on Highways

Nadene Goldfoot
Samaria, which is what some people call part of the West Bank, holds both Arabs and Jews.  Today an Israeli car drove near the Arab village of Duma on the highway NE of Ramallah and was stoned.  The windshield was smashed and the rock had blood on it from hitting the passenger.  The driver contacted the IDF immediately who are searching for the people who threw the rocks.  This is not the first attack in Samaria or Judea. 

Just January 31st an attack happened in Northern Samaria when a woman's car was stoned while driving and she was wounded while 2 other cars were damaged. 

By the middle of February3  women in Judea and Samaria were attacked in their cars by Palestinian Authority Arabs, dragged from their cars which were then stolen.  In retaliation, the Jewish residents of Kedumim blocked the PA Arab drivers from merging onto Route 55.  The attacks had been getting more violent and they wanted the government to protect drivers. 

An attack back in September 2011 on Asher Palmer from Kiryat Arba who was driving on Highway 60 ended in tragedy because he had his baby son, Yonatan in the car.  The rock attack caused Asher to lose control of the car and it crashed, killing the baby. 

The increased Arab rock attacks on the road in Judea and Samaria and in neighborhoods in Jerusalem seem to be the start of a Third Intifada. 

Resource: Arutz Sheva news@israelnationalnews.com
http://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/woman-driving-in-samaria-injured-by-rock-thrower/2012/01/31/
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/152919

Ramban in Jerusalem and the Jews Who Lived There 1267-1967

Nadene Goldfoot
1,132 years after Bar Kochba's  last stand in Jerusalem, in 1267 CE, Rabbi Moses Ben Nahman "The Ramban" from Gerona, Spain  entered Jerusalem and saw what the overrunning of the Tartar hordes had done to this precious city.  Tartars were from the Genghis Khan and the Russian Empire who were moving eastward.  They were made up of people of Siberia, Turkestan, and Mongolia from across the Great Steppe to the Caspian Sea to the Ural Mountains.  In 1240 the Mongols had invaded Syria and were successful in 1260.  Some Mongols engaged in raids as far south as Jerusalem and Gaza.  They had taken Aleppo and Damascus in Syria.  They then invaded Hungary in 1285 and were again successful in 1300.  . 

Whole quarters were either ruined or empty, and there were only two people there that he could find, two brothers who were dyers by trade.  There in their home, 10 or more people were gathered from outside Jerusalem for the Sabbath and holiday prayers.  Rabbi Nahman, known as the Ramban, lived there as well.

The Ramban, one of the greatest Rabbis and greatest scholar, was horrified at the condition of the Holy Land and of Jerusalem, so wrote to his son for help in finding a good place to have a synagogue.and finally found a restorable hall.  He also encouraged outside Jewish communities to return and resettle in Jerusalem. He reminded people that the Bible said "We will not forsake the Land to others of the nations" from Numbers 33:53.   He himself stayed for a year, then moved to Acre, but his synagogue was the start of Jewish Quarter.

Most houses grew through the centuries and had chicken coops or kitchen shacks added.  Many walls looked like stony patchwork.  What would be a basement to us looked like caves, but the upper rooms were airy and beautiful.  People moved there from all over the world but most were from Samaria and the Galilee until the mid 1500's when the Sephardic influence became dominant.

During the 17th century a Jew converted to Islam after quarreling with his community leaders. He then built a mosque on his own plot and its minaret stands on the Street of the Jews.

In 1622, Rabbi Yeshayahu Ha-levi Horowitz came from Prague, a city today in Czech Republic but then a city of Bohemia.  In 1700 Rabbi Yehuda Hechassid and Rabbi Hayim Malach brought a large group from Russia and some settled.  Hechassid had made the first down-payment on the site and then died 5 days after his arrival.  When the community couldn't make the next payment the Moslems burned the small synagogue and imprisoned the Jewish leaders.  The Jews paid interest on the debt for 120 years until it was cancelled by order of Ibrahim Pasha.  In 1741 Rabbi Hayim Ben Attar came from Morocco to settle and was followed by a group of Italian families and immigrants from Egypt and Damascus. 

Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt took over Jerusalem in 1831, a liberal-minded and far-sighted man who had fought the Ottoman Empire.    At this time 40% of Jerusalem was still empty or in ruins.  He allowed Jewish and Christian immigration hoping to jolt Palestine out of the Dark Ages.  Churches and synagogues were then built. From 1852, the population more than doubled.  Jews were the largest single religious group at the time of the first census.  Jews started living outside the walls as well.

 By 1870's the Jewish Quarter looked so much better.  The great domes of the Hurva and Tifereet-Israel Synagogues rose high above roofs and cupolas.  The German Square was an absorption center for immigrant families built with contributions from German and Dutch communities.  Nearby was the great Sephardic Yeshiva, Porat Yosef, and hospitals.  Homes and apartments were built.  The Jewish Quarter sent out their own caravanserai-Khan Khalili twice a week to Hebron and once a week to Safed and Tiberias. 

In 1886, the Synagogue of the Ramban was expropriated by ruling Turks.  Synagogues were not allowed to be higher than the nearest mosque.  At this time two new synagogues were built; the Synagogue of the Prophet Elijah was one.

This renewed start continued until May 28, 1948 when the Old City was taken over by Jordan. Then the Arabs systematically destroyed the Quarter and desecrated Jewish holy places both in and around this walled city. It had once occupied one fifth of the old city. The two main streets were Habad and Street of the Jews.  By 1948, 2500 Jews lived in the Old City including students . Some  Arab families moved into  Jewish homes.  Then the invading Arab armies took over.

After the June 1967 Six Day War Israelis returned to the Jewish Quarter of the Old City and they saw that Jordan left a broken and jagged walls of the Hurva Synaogue that had been rebuilt in 1854 and then  halted once more by order of the Sultan until Sir Moses Montefiore  renewed permission.  It was finally completed in 1864 and named the Hurva "the Ruin" in memory of its burned first structure. 

Resource:Jewish Digest December 1975, Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem by Gabriella Rosenthal condensed from Israel Magazine and then again by me. 
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tartary
http://www.ou.org/about/judaism/rabbis/ramban.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Czech_Republic
https://www.google.com/search?q=girona+spain&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-US&ie=utf8&oe=utf8
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibrahim_Pasha_of_Egypt
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongol_Empire
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongol_invasions_of_Syria

Mental Health Problem? UN Human Rights Meshugana When They Praise Iran

Nadene Goldfoot
On Monday, the same day that a motorcycle killer shot a Rabbi and his two children and another little girl at close range at a Jewish school in Toulouse, France, the UN's Human Rights had a debate where the Syrian ambassador told his audience that it was Israelis who were behind the ongoing violence in Syria!  Nobody gasped to show disapproval.  They seems to all be in agreement.  Would Syria lie? 

Also, delegates from Cuba, Syria, Belarus, Zimbabwe, Venezuela and other places praised the Iranian government's human rights record!  Iran is guilty of all sorts of abuses and just last year had the highest number of executions of any country in the world  from crimes like homosexuality,  to  being a member of the Baha'i faith.  A few countries' delegates did condemn Syria and Iran for other matters.  The Baha'i faith has moved its center to Haifa, Israel, where it resides in peace. 

They also heaped praise on Gaddafi's regime's human rights record.  Libya was held guilty from rebel forces, Armed forces and NATO of practicing rape, extrajudicial killings, racism, misconduct and bombing civilians.  It seems that eventually all involved were guilty of human rights violations.  Yet they are now praised by this august body of thinkers. 

Do these people actually believe what they are saying or is it all smacking up to Iran who is the main  provider of Syria's weaponry.  They sit in the council chamber with a painted ceiling that is a work of art that the UN says cost $23 million, that probably came mostly from the USA.  It could have fed starving children in Africa.  At the very entrance to the chamber is a statue of Maat, goddess of truth and justice given by Egypt's Mubarak, and another that reads, A statue of Nemesis, goddess of justice, given by the Syrian government.  Now we know why they kicked these statues out of their country.  It seems they're powerless anyway, as all gods and goddesses are, ever since Abraham broke them up in his father's shop and came into an era of common sense. 

Resource: http://blog.unwatch.org/index.php/2012/03/20/un-watch-summit-of-human-rights-hereoes/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_violations_in_the_Libyan_civil_war
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XV2qZtB8W3c Baha'i in Iran at UN

Kassam Rocket Hits Israel Monday

Nadene Goldfoot
The rockets are falling again from the terrorists, showing that the cease fire has ended between Gaza and Israel.  One kassam rocket fell in the Western Negev Monday morning in a rural area.  This time it didn't hit a building or a person. 

At the same time, the chutzpah of the terrorists is at an all time high with Ismail al-Ashqar speaking to the UN Human rights council on Monday morning.  He has publically called for Hamas to kidnap Israeli soldiers, which is a war crime.  Also, he calls for a Jihad to liberate Jerusalem from the "dirt of Zionist occupation."  The Human Rights Council, made up of 47 states, includes such stand up countries as China, Saudi Arabia and Cuba, who know just how to treat  people.  I wonder  whose ethics they follow? 

Hamas fires rockets at the homes of innocent Israeli civilians yet is received with open arms by the UN who are always denouncing Israel.  If this isn't a mass mental illness, what is? 

Resource:  Arutz Sheva
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4204561,00.html

Why Are Jews Back in Israel Once Again?

We were scattered.  There has always been a reason people have used to hate us, but here we are.  We didn't disappear like all the other nations have.  Am Yisrael  chi.  The people of Israel live.  Please watch the video for an excellent explanation and overview. 
Reference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ydwxy9yqhzM#

New Escalation of 40 Rockets (80) (90+)(100)(120) From Gaza Thursday and Friday: Worse since October

Nadene Goldfoot
The Popular Resistance committees (PRC)  terrorists were planning attacks in the Sinai along the boarder between Israel and Egypt.  Israel Air Force hit the vehicle involved killing their commander Zuheir al Qaisi,  Ahmad Hanini and 6 others on Friday. They had been planning a major attack on Israeli targets.   Two mortar shells were fired at Israel from Hamas causing an explosion in the open fields. 

This brought about a rocket barrage from Gaza of 40 rockets into Southern Israel. In return, the IDF hit terror targets in Gaza.  It continued from Thursday throught Friday.  Since then the number has gone to 80 and now 90 plus rockets, one of which was a 25 mile long range rocket that Israel's Iron Dome stopped. 

Abu Attiya threatened retaliation.  These PRC terrorists called it a grave escalation.  You see, according to their rules, they can attack but don't want to be attacked in return.  They have continued to fire rockets at Israel, yet now that Israel retaliated but good, we see the Arab League screaming and condemning the "Gaza massacre."   So far the air strikes from Israel have killed 15 terrorists. 
The attack continued March 9th and 10th amounting to 80 (90+) rockets shot, mainly into Beersheba and the Eshkal region of Southern Israel.  The terrorists used mobile Grad launchers smuggled in from Libya. 

Reference:  http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?id=261146
http://www.jpost.com/
http://www.debka.com/ March 9, 10; Palestinians fire mobile Grad launcher smuggled from Libya; count up to 80 rockets.
http://news.yahoo.com/israel-kills-more-gaza-gunmen-rockets-fired-israel-103107234.html
http://news.yahoo.com/arab-league-condemns-gaza-massacre-170856103.html
http://news.yahoo.com/israeli-air-strikes-kill-12-gaza-043900441.html
3/11/12 Fox TV News

Those Terrible Israeli Doctors; Such Chutzpah !

Nadene Goldfoot
The Israeli doctors have a lot of nerve.  PA Health Minister Fathi Abu Mughli and director Ahmed Bitawi also are pretty nervy.  They all toured the Palestine Medical Compound in Ramallah causing an Arab protest.  Ramallah, only 6 miles north of Jerusalem,  used to be a Christian city but is now mostly all Muslim and serves as the capital of Fatah's PA with about 25,500 population. 

How dare they all visit!  Doctors and nurses in the compound were instructed to meet these 3 Israeli doctors!  It amounts to fraternizing with the enemy, they seemed to think, and complained that it was a form of normalizsation with Israel which they are opposed to. 

Against the doctors' visit was Fatah's Dr. Mutasem Muhaisen who described the idea to host the Israeli team of doctors as "irresponsible.  It was an offense to the memory of Palestinian martyrs who died in clashes with IDF soldiers over the past 20 years, he complained.  The accusation was made that the doctors weren't doctors but IDF officers and soldiers.  Abu Mughli knew the truth that they were in fact, simply doctors.  Mughli also reminded people that patients were being transferred to Israeli hospitals on a regular basis.  Probably they are sent to Ashkelon's hospital. 

Mughli also stated that the PA was ready to provide medical services to Israelis, and at least he isn't against meeting with Israeli doctors.  Bitawi also said that this was a part of coooperation between Israelis and Palestinianss in the medical field and that for doctors this is not a political issue but a humanitarian mission. 

However, back in the Gaza Strip, Basem Naim, Minister of Health in the Hamas government, had a fit and claimed it was part of security coordination between Israel and the PA (Fatah).  I can see that Hamas and Fatah are getting along just fine. 

Small steps.  Just a few doctors were amiable to fraternizing with Israeli doctors, but it's a start in the right direction.  Now, if only they could work on the killers who keep shooting at Israelis.  That would be a giant step for mankind.  I guess it depends on their goals; help patients to live and be well or to kill Israelis.  I see what most want.

Resource: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramallah
http://www.jpost.com/ Diplomacy & Politics

Boundaries of Israel, Then and Now

Nadene Goldfoot
Modern Israel has not had permanent boundaries.  Before 1967, boundaries were just temporary armistice lines, agreed on in 1949.  The armistice lines bisected Jerusalem and were 20 minutes away from Tel Aviv.

Since 1967, and pending a peace settlement, cease-fire lines demarcate the area under Israeli control.  The cease fire lines are 523 miles long.  The armistice lines were 570 miles long.  Most of the urban areas of Israel are less than 2 hours away from the nearest cease fire lines. 

Original boundaries found in the Bible were; the Mediterranean Sea on the West and on the East the Syrian Desert.  To the South the Brook of Egypt (Wadi El-Arish) to Kadesh Barnea, and to the Brook of Zin as far as the Valley of Zoar south of the Dead Sea, and in Transjordan from the river Arnon to Mt. Hermon, and to the Valley of Iyon.  This made up 17,500 sq. miles of which 45% is in Transjordan. 

The extent of the Promised Land reached an arm of the Nile Delta, the Gulf of Elath, and the Euphrates River opposite Aleppo in the East.  It included most of Syria and altogether covered 58,000 sq. miles. 

This entire area was occupied by the Israelites under Kings David and Solomon.  There were many gentile enclaves with the Jewish territory.  The Jewish National Home promised by the British was only the area west of the Jordan and excluded part of the Upper Gallilee north of the ladder of Tyre which was given to Lebanon.  The southern Negev past the Rafiah-Gulf of Elath line was given to Egypt for administration in 1906 by the Turks. 

The UN Resolution of Nov 29, 1947 recommended the Jewish state have the larger part of the mandated area of Western Palestine.  The armistice agreements of 1949 left Israel with 8,000 sq miles with complicated borders. 

The attack of all the Arab nations surrounding Israel was a mistake on their part, for they lost, the outcome meaning that Israel gained all of Judea and Samaria, the Golan Heights, Gaza Strip  and the Sinai up to the Suez Canal.  Israel returned the Sinai to Egypt in the early 1980's.  In 1967 there were 352,260 living in the Gaza Strip, of which 172,520 were classified as refugees. 

The Ottoman Empire had done nothing with the land, neither inhabited it or built on it.  Jews coming back found at the end of the 19th century large parts, mainly the Coastal Plain, was barren and in ruins.  Swamps and malaria were widespread.  During the last century more than 800 villages were establied; the moshava, kibbutz and moshav.  This is because the return to the land has been one of the central efforts of modern Israel.  Like the Amish say, working the land makes one closer to G-d. 

It's only 94 miles from Jerusalem to Haifa
               5 miles from Jerusalem to Bethlehem
             59 miles from Tel Aviv to Haifa
              48 miles from Tel Aviv to Gaza

The land is small.  It requires defensible borders.  It's very hot in the lowlands but you can ski on the 3,692 high Mt. Hermon near Safed in the winter.  The Dead Sea is 1,286 feet below sea level, and that's a very hot place.  Israel is on the edge of the desert.  A large part of Israel is the Negev, which is mostly desert.  Jerusalem is on the edge of the Judaean Desert.  The Sinai Desert separates the Land of Israel from Egypt. 

Resource: The Standard Jewish Encyclopedia
Facts About Israel-Division of Information, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Jerusalem

Iran Attacks Israelis, Then Blames Israelis Themselves

Nadene Goldfoot
Israeli embassy staff was targeted both in India and Georgia on Monday by bomb attacks.  Four were wounded in India, one being a woman, wife of the defense ministry’s representative to India, who was hit with shrapnel. She was taken to the American hospital where Israeli doctors helped her. The attempt failed in Georgia, and a bomb was defused.

Israel feels that Iran and its proxy  (people that act in Iran's place), Hezbollah,  were responsible for the attacks.  Iran venomously denies this, saying that it was Israel who put their people in harms way just to blame them.  They don't know how much Jews value life.    Israel doesn't even have a death sentence in their country.  No, Israel did not attack its own embassies. 

Hezbollah has been mum about their participation.  Their headquarters is in Beirut, Lebanon, which is right on Israel's border and they have control in the government there. 

This is not the first time that Israeli embassies have been terrorist targets.  Amsterdam, Netherlands also reports an attack there on Israel. 

Resource: http://news.yahoo.com/israel-says-bombs-target-embassies-india-georgia-115811231.html
http://tucsoncitizen.com/usa-today-news/2012/02/13/israeli-pm-blames-iran-for-embassy-attacks/
http://news.yahoo.com/israel-says-bombs-target-embassies-india-georgia-115811231.html
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/13/us-israel-security-embassies-idUSTRE81C0QZ20120213
http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=257658
http://www.businessinsider.com/bomb-blast-aimed-at-israeli-embassy-in-india-2012-2

Was There Ever a State of Palestine?

Daniel Stuart Eskow and wife Nadene

Danny and I at our farewell party in 1980.  We were moving to Haifa, Israel and leaving Ontario, Oregon.  We were both embarking on a 10 month period of intensive Hebrew Language Studies there, and then our new teaching career.  Dan had been a high school teacher of history and I had taught 4th grade for many years. 

View of the Palestinians -

Couldn't have said it better!

Talk about one picture being worth a THOUSAND words!

Is the world just plain stupid?

An interesting questionnaire for Palestinian Advocates

By Yashiko Sagamori

If you are so sure that " Palestine , the country, goes back through most of recorded history," I expect you to be able to answer a few basic questions about that country of Palestine :

1. When was it founded and by whom?

2. What were its borders?

3. What was its capital?

4. What were its major cities?

5. What constituted the basis of its economy?

6. What was its form of government?

7. Can you name at least one Palestinian leader before Arafat?

8.. Was Palestine ever recognized by a country whose existence, at that time or now, leaves no room for interpretation?

9. What was the language of the country of Palestine ?

10. What was the prevalent religion of the country of Palestine ?

11. What was the name of its currency? Choose any date in history and tell what was the approximate exchange rate of the Palestinian monetary unit against the US dollar, German mark, GB pound, Japanese yen, or Chinese Yuan on that date.

12. And, finally, since there is no such country today, what caused its demise and when did it occur?

You are lamenting the "low sinking" of a "once proud" nation.. Please tell me, when exactly was that "nation" proud and what was it so proud of?

And here is the least sarcastic question of all: If the people you mistakenly call "Palestinians" are anything but generic Arabs collected from all over -- or thrown out of -- the Arab world, if they really have a genuine ethnic identity that gives them right for self-determination, why did they never try to become independent until Arabs suffered their devastating defeat in the Six Day War?

I hope you avoid the temptation to trace the modern day "Palestinians" to the Biblical Philistines: substituting etymology for history won't work here.

The truth should be obvious to everyone who wants to know it. Arab countries have never abandoned the dream of destroying Israel ; they still cherish it today. Having time and again failed to achieve their evil goal with military means, they decided to fight Israel by proxy. For that purpose, they created a terrorist organization, cynically called it "the Palestinian people" and installed it in Gaza , Judea, and Samaria . How else can you explain the refusal by Jordan and Egypt to unconditionally accept back the "West Bank" and Gaza , respectively?

The fact is, Arabs populating Gaza, Judea, and Samaria have much less claim to nationhood than that Indian tribe that successfully emerged in Connecticut with the purpose of starting a tax-exempt casino: at least that tribe had a constructive goal that motivated them. The so-called "Palestinians" have only one motivation: the destruction of Israel , and in my book that is not sufficient to consider them a nation" -- or anything else except what they really are: a terrorist organization that will one day be dismantled.

In fact, there is only one way to achieve peace in the Middle East . Arab countries must acknowledge and accept their defeat in their war against Israel and, as the losing side should, pay Israel reparations for the more than 50 years of devastation they have visited on it. The most appropriate form of such reparations would be the removal of their terrorist organization from the land of Israel and accepting Israel 's ancient sovereignty over  Judea, and Samaria .

That will mark the end of the Palestinian people. What are you saying again was its beginning?

Can this story be presented any more clearly or simply?


When on a train ride, people used to say, "Don't stick your arm out the window or you'll find it in Jordan."

Israel's Vunerability to Rockets, Missiles and Mortars

Nadene Goldfoot
Wednesday night a barrage of about 9 rockets, missiles  and mortars had hit southern Israel from Gaza.  Thursday night Israel's IDF struck back hitting:
 1.  2 weapsons storage facilities in northern Gaza
 2.  3 smuggling tunnels in southern Gaza
 3.  a weapons manufacturing site in central Gaza. 

Israel pinpoints their targets and has no wish to hit civilians.  Often times, though, places where terrorists hide out their supplies are within the area of populated centers, making it difficult. 

A conference of the IDF Intelligence was held in Herzliya where the members were told about 200,000 rockets and missles pointed at Israel which can reach all the cities and towns.  They can even reach Tel Aviv.  Many have the capacity to reach 40 km, and some can also reach 100's of km as well today.  No place is safe from harm as far as reach goes anymore.  These are most likely positioned in Lebanon and Syria. 

Resource: Arutz Sheva http://www.israelnationalnews.com/

Bergen-Belsen Survivors Sing Hatikva:

                           Hatikva means "HOPE". 
Nadene Goldfoot
"As long as the Jewish spirit is yearning deep in the heart,
With eyes turned toward the East, looking toward Zion,
Then our hope - the two-thousand-year-old hope - will not be lost:
To be a free people in our land,
The land of Zion and Jerusalem."

This song was written by Naphtali Herz Imber in 1886, a poet from Bohemia living in England at the time.  It is now Israel's National Anthem. 

Below is the song sung by survivors just liberated from the German concentration camp, Bergen Belsen on April 20, 1945.  It was a recording just recovered by the Smithsonian Center for American Folklife.  It was sung at their first Sabbath service while around them lie corpses on the ground as living people were lying down and dying.  While trying to sing they were sobbing. 

Twenty-four days and 3 years later, Israel was re-born on May 14, 1948.  The process to become a state started much earlier, like with Chaim Weizmann and his knowledge of chemistry which helped to win the WWI.    The pogroms in Russia caused leadership to arise and look for a place to hang their hat and call home once again,  but it took much time to evolve. They quickly learned that the only home that would do was our original one that we were led to by G-d, that land now lying in what was being called Palestine, and it just happened to be lying fallow and up for grabs.   

The trial of Dryfus was another catalyst in France.  A good soldier was tried and found guilty just because he was Jewish and  a useful scapegoat.  These were some major events that happened since 70AD when Jews were forced to wander all over the earth settling in one place only to be forced out, which even happened in England. 

 Little did they realize that Nazis would try to exterminate a whole people.  The state of Israel was not to become a reality until after the 2nd war.  Jews went from being relocated and held in one section of Russia called the "Pale of Settlement", not allowed out without special passes,  to being in the Warsaw Ghetto of Poland and slaughtered in mass and all the gas chambers in concentration camps.

 We have gone to being granted the Jewish National Home in Palestine by WWI's British mandated legalists to find we must settle for a  tiny section of that land only to be attacked  while it was announced and in coming years in many wars from all sides. 

We have gone through a massive war in 1967 attacked by all the neighboring states and won, not only from the attack but gained back Gaza and parts of ancient Israel of Judea and Samaria as well as the eastern part of Jerusalem all held illegally by Jordan.  We have seen the nations deplore our right to this land even though we left Gaza completely for the sake of making peace which didn't happen.  Instead it's a handy place to kill us from. 
\
We are seeing certain Christian groups turn against us in a fight without bullets but are trying to harm us just as much.  Anti-semitism has reared its ugly head to join the masses. 

We haven't been granted much peace, even by the bombastic UN who has done little for this fledgling country, but we haven't given up hope!  Am Israel Chai!  The people of Israel live. 

Resource: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=syUSmEbGLs4
http://stateofisrael.com/anthem/
Victor Sharpe-sending me the website

Shelling in Israel Last Night

Nadene Goldfoot
Eight mortars where shot into Israel last night of which 7 of them were shot within one hour in a barage.  Now the UN Chief Ban Ki-moon will visit Gaza and Sderot Thursday morning.  Netanyahu was repremanded for building.  Abbas got the pat on the back and "Good Job" from Ban Ki-moon.  The bases were loaded against Netanyahu.  Netanyahu replied in the conversation that the real problem is not the building but the Palestinian refusal to recognize Israel as the Jewish Homeland in the first place.  . 

I ask, if the Palestinians can not do that and recognize our state, how does the UN have the chutzpah to expect us to stop building in land that fell into their hands from being attacked ?  Why is it that the Palestinians have never made a peace pact before the issue of building in Judea, Samaria and east Jerusalem?  How do they expect Israel to recognize a Palestine if it isn't reciprocal? 

Are they being so friendly in their aspirations of peace that their overtures just happen to be military shelling into our land that they won't recognize?  What do they think they are doing?  Dropping love notes?

Resource: http://news.yahoo.com/un-chief-urges-israel-halt-settlements-135921410.html
http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?ID=256088&R=R1

Fogal Family's Murderers Tried and Sentenced

Nadene Goldfoot
On March 11, 2011,  the whole Fogel family of five of Itamar, which lies in the Samarian mountains were stabbed to death by Palestinian terrorists who belonged to the PLFP (terrorists of PLO) .  The family consisted of Ehud and Ruth Fogel and children Yoav, 11, Elad, 4, and Hadas, 3 months old.  Two cousins were convicted of this brutal attack.  The Palestinian TV aired an interview with the murderers relatives who called them "heroes."

Is it really heroic to go into a sleeping family's home and slaughter them all, including children?  This is not heroic to me but an act done by  cowards. 

I notice the TV's values as well.  This was part of a weekly show called "For You," focusing on Palestinian prisoners jailed in Israel.  Most of the prisoners are there for killing people.  It had on the program their aunt and mother of 18 year old Hakim Awad.  His cousin was Amjad Awad.  The killer's mother was so proud of his act.  Awad's aunt described her nephew as a "hero and a legend." 

The two cousins were sentenced to 5 consecutive life sentences by an IDF court.  Israel does not have a death sentence.  That has only been used in special cases trying Nazi criminals for mass deaths. 

One can see that terrorism is fed into by the family's values.  These certainly are not the values of the Jewish people living in Itamar who had done nothing but be a part of a group living in Judea/Samaria (West Bank).  The town is made of 1,032 religiously orthodox Jewish people (census as of 2009) and in area C under the full Israeli security control. 
The West Bank (a name given by Jordan who had illegally occupied the area before 1967) had come into Israel's hands when Jordan and other Arab states attacked Israel and lost.  These Itamar Jews did not force any Arabs out, but simply made use of barren land and established a town.  Hakim Awad came from Awarta, a town 2 km away with a population of 5,623 as in 2007.  Awarta, being in Samaria has a long history of being Jewish as evidenced with the findings of synagogues there.   This is one reason why orthodox Jews have been so adamant about settling in Judea and Samaria.  These were part of Israel and our history. 

Resource: http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/palestinian-tv-airs-show-praising-fogel-family-murderer-1.409858
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itamar
http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=232138 about the killers
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Awarta

Last Three Weeks Dodging the Rockets and Mortars and Bombs in Southern Israel

In the last 3 weeks Hamas and other terrorist groups have shot several rockets and mortars into Southern Israel.  They've also tried to plant bombs intended to blow up army jeeps on patrol near the Gaza security fence. 

Last week Israel's air force hit 2 terrorists who were planting bombs  after a mortar attack on the Western Negev and were seen planting a bomb near the security fence. 

Hamas's comment was that the men were only civilians setting traps to catch birds.  With the shuk (open air market) full of food, I doubt very much if anyone is out catching birds.  Out in Eastern Oregon, birds are shot at, not trapped, anyway, and the hunters use dogs to retrieve them.  Yes, they were traps all right, not but to catch birds.  They were to kill our young IDF soldiers. 

Reference:  news@israelnationalnews.com Arutz Sheva by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu

Hamas Will Not Yield to Peace Overtures

Nadene Goldfoot
The Prime Minister of Hamas in Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh, an anti Israeli terrorist group,  will never seek peace with Israel.  They will not give up its arms, territory or claims on Jerusalem.  They speak for all Palestinians.  He said this from  the capital of Tunisia "Tunisian Republic",  Tunis.  Tunisia is a small state next door to Libya and Algeria in north Africa.  Is the UN paying attention? 

Haniyeh predicted difficult days for Israel, meaning that they are going to attack more, as I see it.  Israel is being pressured by the UN to sit down and talk peace with the PA.  That is difficult being that Fatah and Hamas have united and speak as one today.

The ironic situation is that Hamas are the instigators, attacking Israel first with mortars, missiles and rockets, but when Israel reacts by attacking the attackers in an air strike, she is the  one called on the carpet.  I haven't read once where the UN ever tells Hamas to cut it out.  Israel does its darnest to hit only the aggressors doing the shooting while Hamas just fires into civilian territory hoping to kill anyone, women, children, men, it doesn't matter. 

Pervez Musharraf, former President of Pakistan, has said that he would like to help out at the peace talks.  He himself is planning on entering Pakistan between January 27th and 30th and may be arrested on charges of allegations that he didn't provide enough security when former Prime Minister Benzzir Bhutto was assassinated. 

It's high time that the UN, with Musharraf or another rational mediator, realize who is at fault in not making peace.  Israel of course wants peace.  Who likes to be the country that another takes pot shots at all the time and wants to destroy her?  Israel was created to bring peace to Jews who needed a refuge in this world.  The refuge has become an open range game preserve for mad hunters. This is like being the target of a Russian Roulette game.   Are we living in 2012 or the Middle Ages?

 It's impossible to make peace with a people who only seek its destruction.  The Palestinians are in need of therapy first!  We can give away all of Israel except for 10 km and they'd bomb that to get rid of Jews.  It's time the UN sees the situation clearly.  There are 21 Arab nations and 1 Jewish one.  The Arabs are stuck in a time warp of hatred.  It's time to get a new slant on life and join the world in peace. 

Like Golda Meir once said, "The Egyptians could run to Egypt, the Syrians into Syria. The only place we could run was into the sea, and before we did that we might as well fight." I say, when are the Palestinians going to want to see their children live to an old age in a peaceful environment instead of becoming fodder in a stupid war of hatred of Jews? 


Read more: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/g/goldameir137228.html#ixzz1izUXTe75
Resource: Oregonian newspaper 1/9/12 page A3, Developments in the Middle East
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunisia
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/287090/us-and-biblical-israel-barbara-lerner

Gaza Terrorists Use White Phosphorous in Attack

Nadene Goldfoot
On Friday, the IDF air force caught the Army of Islam's al Qaeda terrorists ready to fire rockets into Israel and  killed their commander in the attempt to stop them which injured 5 others. 

In retaliation,  terrorists fired 2 mortar shells Sunday morning which contained white phosphorous.  Its use is banned internationally to use near civilians, which they did. It burns anyone who comes in contact with it.   This dangerous substance ignites a fire around an impact zone.  This time it landed in a field, but it's not the first time they have used such mortars.  They're used it 4 times before.  Now Israel will go to the UN to complain. 

Resource: http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?id=251763
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4169835,00.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=VmffgIqlAYA&vq=large Israel song