Caroline B. Glick
 This is What We’re Fighting For – Caroline B. Glick A week into the war against Hamas, it is important to remember why Israel is vital to the Jewish people. The Caroline Glick Show IN FOCUS
(October 13, 2023 / JNS) With the end of a week that started with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declaring war on the Hamas terror organization that rules Gaza and Jews being threatened by Hamas supporters worldwide, Caroline discusses Israel’s role in the survival of the Jewish people.
ISRAEL AT WAR – WEEK 1: The War for Jewish Survival | The Caroline Glick Show. IN FOCUS
Posted 13October2023:
As Jews worldwide are threatened by Hamas supporters, Caroline discusses the purpose of Israel and its role in the survival of the Jewish people in Israel and worldwide.
TOP |
| T. Belman. This is a great interview. The protest movement in Israel is growing. The soldiers and their families are opposed to the elite policies. And the country supports them big time. Watch it grow. A clear victory means Palestinians must be allowed to leave and Gaza must be annexed. |
Caroline B. Glick
 Major in reserves ‘This time, we must demand complete victory in Gaza – Caroline B. Glick’ “The Caroline Glick Show,” Ep. 87
(January 8, 2024 / JNS) This week, Caroline Glick spoke with the founder of “Courage for Israel” Gilad Ach, a major in the Israeli reserves. This group of reservist Israeli Defense Forces soldiers demands from the government that the war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip continue until the terror group is completely destroyed.
They discuss the breaking of morale among veteran soldiers who feel that they have been fighting Hamas for decades because of government indecision; what complete victory in Gaza would look like; as well as the disconnect between the dedicated soldiers on the ground and Israeli leadership at the top.
Posted 8January2024 JNS TV:
This week, Caroline Glick spoke with Major in Reserves and founder of Courage for Israel Gilad Ach. Courage for Israel is a group of reserve soldiers that are demanding from the government that they do not stop the war in Gaza until Hamas is completely destroyed.
They discuss
– the breaking of morale amongst veteran soldiers who feel that they have been fighting Hamas for decades because of government indecision
– what complete victory in Gaza looks like
– the disconnect between the wholly dedicated soldiers on the ground and the Israeli leadership at the top.
TOP |
Israel’s reality in 10 seconds.
Israel Defense Forces-tweet-13October2023-Israel’s reality in 10 seconds
Israel’s reality in 10 seconds.
 Israel Defense Forces-tweet-13October2023-Israel’s reality in 10 seconds
TOP |
We are coming back!
Malkah Fleisher-tweet-26February2024-We are coming back
We are coming back.
With our tractors, with our builders, with our rabbis, with our children.
We are coming back. 🇮🇱
Jeremy Gimpel-tweet-22February 22, 2024-Jewish Farmers from the South
AMAZING!!! Jewish Farmers from the South going past the fence in Gaza and starting to plow the fields to plant new crops. That is Redemption!
 Malkah Fleisher-tweet-26February2024-We are coming back
TOP |
 Israel Victory Project https://www.meforum.org/israel-victory-project/ by Nave Dromi
JNS
18October2023 https://www.meforum.org/israel-victory-project/65002/israeli-victory-is-the-only-proportional-response
Published originally under the title “Victory Is the Only ‘Proportional’ Response.”
 Once again, the international community and the media are becoming obsessively focused on the ridiculous notion of “proportionality” in regard to Israel’s response to the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre.
First, it should be clearly understood that there is no accepted or exact definition of the term “proportionality” or a formula for calculating it.
In general, the principle of proportionality involves a balance between the military advantage that will likely result from a proposed operation and the harm that is likely to be inflicted on civilians and noncombatants.
This is extremely hard to assess for those outside of a military and intelligence apparatus, simply because outsiders do not have access to all the information necessary to make such an assessment.
Unfortunately, however, many ill-informed commentators believe proportionality is simply a numbers game, as if war and conflict were some sort of sports match.
Already, the international media is presenting the casualties among Israelis and Palestinians side-by-side and asking if Israel’s response to the horrors and atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists is proportionate.
Israel seems to be the only country in the world who are never allowed to win a war. Whenever Israel begins to win it is told to stop.
This is outrageous. It implies that once Israel has killed more Palestinians than Palestinians killed Israelis, Israel’s war suddenly becomes illegitimate.
British author and journalist Douglas Murray said during a recent interview that this “would mean that, in retaliation for what Hamas did in Israel on Saturday, Israel should try to locate a music festival in Gaza, for instance—and good luck with that—and rape precisely the number of women that Hamas raped on Saturday. Kill precisely the number of young people that Hamas killed on Saturday.”
“They should find a town of exactly the same size as Sderot, and make sure they go door-to-door and kill precisely the correct number of babies that Hamas killed in Sderot on Saturday, and shoot in the head precisely the same number of old age pensioners as were shot in Sderot on Saturday, just to choose one town,” Murray added.
This response immediately shut up the interviewer who had tried to press Murray on the issue of proportionality. It was an excellent retort, but I would like to turn to another comment of Murray’s that is even more important.
In a recent meeting with Jewish leaders in the U.K., Murray said, “Israel seems to be the only country in the world who are never allowed to win a war. Whenever Israel begins to win it is told to stop.”
This is the crux of the issue.
The proportionality obsessives know Israel cannot be defeated by Hamas, so they want to ensure that Israel does not defeat Hamas.
By mercilessly pushing the proportionality narrative, Israel is being told that, in its wars of defense, it will not be allowed to achieve victory. The proportionality obsessives know Israel cannot be defeated by Hamas, so they want to ensure that Israel does not defeat Hamas.
This diminishes Israel’s security, to which every sovereign nation has a right.
Even if were possible to put aside the bestial manner in which Hamas mercilessly raped women, beheaded and burned babies, and kidnapped old women and children, it is almost trite to say that any nation that lost the same proportion of Israelis in one day to terrorist attacks would use overwhelming force to ensure that those who perpetrated the attacks could never do so again.
We have seen such reactions around the world and the word “proportionality” was never once used during or after such military operations. It is a word that seems to apply only to the Jewish state.
Israeli leaders and the IDF should dismiss such hypocritical criticisms from the international community. They should seek victory and nothing else. Victory must be the only word in our lexicon when we decide how to respond to Hamas’s atrocities.
Hamas must never be allowed to raise their heads again to massacre Israelis. This must be the last war against Hamas.
Hamas cannot be allowed to stand after this war. They must never be allowed to raise their heads again to massacre Israelis. This must be the last war against Hamas. The international community must understand why victory is essential for Israel, for the innocent Gazans who are oppressed by Hamas and for the region and beyond.
Hamas’s defeat will immediately make millions of innocent people more safe and secure. It will end the group’s genocidal actions and aspirations. It will also stand as a warning to other extremist and terrorist organizations around the world who threaten the lives of tens if not hundreds of millions of people.
Clearly, defeating Hamas is the only proportional response possible.
Nave Dromi is director of the Middle East Forum’s office in Israel and head of the Israel Victory Project. She is the author of the book, Rifle Full of Roses, which examines how radical agendas have influenced the IDF in recent decades.
TOP |
 The Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies BESA https://besacenter.org/ By Maj. Gen. (res.) Gershon Hacohen | 8January2024 | https://besacenter.org/a-new-existential-war-part-iii-forming-a-clear-post-war-national-vision-means-returning-to-the-roots-of-zionism/
BESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 2,251, January 8, 2023
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: On the morning of October 7, 2023, the strategic Israeli security concept collapsed, marking the end of the 30-year era since the Oslo Accords. With the shocking force of an earthquake, a cultural concept that had its roots planted in the dream of peace, and in the illusion that the State of Israel could aspire to become a kind of Denmark, disintegrated completely. For Israel to achieve victory in the war with Hamas, it will have to adapt its security concept to reflect a new and deeper understanding of the enemy’s perception of the nature of its struggle with Israel.
In the wake of October 7, the State of Israel, its society, and all its institutions are at a critical crossroads. One path forward demands a thorough investigation and examination of everything that failed on that day so the necessary corrections can be made. The second path directs Israel towards a comprehensive inquiry across all dimensions and urges the formulation of a new and updated national narrative in the face of the existential challenge. The question is, which of the two paths is worth pursuing?
This article is divided into three parts. The first examines the roots of the failure of October 7 and Israel’s perception of the struggle on the opposing side. The second describes the ways in which the Israeli security perception needs to evolve to provide a proper response to the opposing side’s perception of the struggle. This, the third, presents the components of the national vision and the principles of action that will ensure the existence of the State of Israel in the face of emerging threats.
“Nation of Israel, for what purpose do you live?”
Despite broad Israeli agreement on the immediate goals of the war as formulated by the cabinet, the debate over its ultimate objectives is intensifying.
This dispute will likely be reflected in the fundamental questions that will be asked post-war, and may also penetrate the discussions of the state inquiry committee that will undoubtedly be established. The committee will naturally address operational and technical questions, the workings of the IDF, General Staff, Southern Command, and Air Force, and regulatory relations between the IDF and the civil leadership. But the depth and scope of this crisis require a comprehensive cultural and spiritual rethinking of how we perceive ourselves and the enemy, focusing on the question of why the enemy fights and what we are fighting for.
Hamas and Hezbollah fight out of religious belief. By contrast, we are not clear on our reasons for uniting to fight wars beyond our desire to safeguard our existence and survival.
A.B. Yehoshua once posed an existential question: “Nation of Israel, for what purpose do you live?” Later, he clarified: “Survival is considered the most prominent aspect of the Jewish people… but it is not survival that is the prominent aspect, but rather how it is done, what its agenda is, what values it holds, and primarily, what its cost is.” (A.B. Yehoshua, Haaretz Books Supplement, 20.2.2013)
This question must be applied to clarify the central inquiry: Nation of Israel, for what purpose do you fight, and how do you fight?
I am not aware of a framework for a state inquiry committee that would know how to address such questions and critically examine the connections between them and the focal points of failure in the security system. Nevertheless, this inquiry, whether conscious or subconscious, will shed light on the investigation into everything that happened at the outset of the war and everything that will happen from its conclusion onwards in the context of the ongoing internal struggle in Israel over conflicting dreams.
What has Zionism achieved? The imposition of doubt
The sudden strike by Hamas thrust the Zionist idea back to the dilemma of its earliest days. It prompted an echoing of the doubt cast during Herzl’s visit: “You might solve the Jews’ problem, but you won’t solve the problem of Judaism.” On October 7, we were forcefully confronted with the fundamental Zionist question: What do the Jews want in the Land of Israel?
The current war, which has enveloped us all, is intertwined with the anxiety of the cultural war that erupted in Israel last year. The crisis of the Jews, which focuses on the question of physical existence, has become entangled with the crisis of Judaism, which has lost its spiritual path.
As early as 2005, Dan Meron touched upon the Zionist dilemma in his book Healing for Touching. A professor of 20th century Hebrew literature, Meron cast doubt on the ultimate goal of the Zionist enterprise, questioning what it has truly achieved since its inception:
…[T]he expectation of Zionism that the distancing of Jews from European societies and their concentration in their own country would lead to the disappearance of antisemitism did not materialize. Even the security of Zionism, which was supposed to be able to extricate the Jewish people from existential threats, leading to a new Jewish existential activism, did not come to fruition and may not reach the goal it set for itself…The historical development of Zionism and its success in achieving Jewish statehood have only led to the replacement of one type of existential threat with another. (Dan Meron, 2005, Healing for Touching, p. 63, translated from the Hebrew)
With these words, Meron raises two challenging questions about the state of Zionism, both of which have been debated since its beginnings.
In one dimension of the Zionist vision, Herzl sought a response to antisemitism. With his visionary breakthrough, he acknowledged that the Jews had not succeeded in finding a solution to the problem of antisemitism even though they had exhausted every possible avenue, including assimilation. He believed that if the Jews could only gather in their own normal state, where they could be accepted as a nation among nations, a state among nation-states, it would bring an end to antisemitism.
We must ask whether over the hundred years since the beginning of the Zionist effort to gather the Jews in their homeland, Herzl’s expectation of the disappearance of antisemitism has been realized. It appears that the opposite has occurred. Antisemitism has emerged in a new form that is more sophisticated, as it is shielded by a kind of vaccine: it is ostensibly not hatred of Jews as Jews, but merely criticism of the State of Israel. Yet fierce antipathy is directed against Jews worldwide whenever they voice complaints about actions that threaten the State of Israel, actions they feel endanger them as well. Jews around the world are thus forbidden to defend Israel or the Jews who live in it or be themselves the victims of antisemitism. The process that was supposed to solve antismitism has instead generated, over the past two decades, a new and equally dangerous form of it. In this way, Meron argues, the Zionist vision has become caught in a deadlock.
In the second dimension, Zionism sought a response to the problem of the need to physically protect Jews, who have never ceased suffering persecution, pogroms, and other threats around the world. In this dimension as well, Meron raises a concern that has troubled many Israelis. There is a fear that despite Israel’s independence and military strength, Zionism has achieved nothing more than to replace one existential problem, like pogroms in Kishinev, with another one, like the Iranian nuclear threat that threatens Tel Aviv or the Simchat Torah massacre of the northwestern Negev. In essence, Zionism has merely swapped ailment A for ailment B.
Yet despite Meron’s reservations, to those who witness the combat spirit of the IDF soldiers and the full support of their parents, the Zionist narrative manifests itself in all its practical simplicity by demonstrating a readiness to fight without hesitation to defend the people and the country. This is a major historical achievement.
Cracks in the “Iron Wall”
A hundred years ago, in the article “The Iron Wall,” Ze’ev Jabotinsky laid the cornerstone for the foundations of Israel’s security perception. As early as 1923, he identified the motivations behind Arab resistance to the Zionist enterprise in the Land of Israel and proposed a strategic approach to achieving Zionist goals.
The relevance of his article to the security challenges of modern-day Israel can be summarized in three statements.
First: The Arab resistance and struggle against Zionism express a religious-nationalist struggle with enduring motivational roots. The idea promoted by the American government and European Union leadership that a positive, lasting solution to the conflict can be arrived at through suitable compensation and willing compromise has been repeatedly revealed as overly optimistic.
Second: The Arab struggle and adoption of terrorist methods and violence do not stem from economic hardship, poverty, and despair, as many in the West and certain prominent Israeli “peace-seekers” claim. Instead, it arises from the Arab hope that Zionist dominance can be consistently challenged and weakened until its ultimate demise. It is not despair that generates Arab terrorism but hope.
Third: In recognizing the first two statements as true, the concept of the “Iron Wall” negates the Arab hope of achieving gains through incessant resistance to the Zionist Israeli presence and authority.
In 1936, during a discussion at the Mapai Center, David Ben-Gurion stated that “there is no chance for an understanding with the Arabs.” Therefore, efforts should be directed towards an understanding with the British. He said, “What can push the Arabs towards mutual understanding with us? Facts! Only after we manage to create a significant Jewish presence in the Land of Israel, with a Jewish force that everyone will see cannot be moved, only then will the preliminary conditions for discussion with the Arabs be established.”
The language and spirit of these words express the Iron Wall position as articulated in Jabotinsky’s article: “As long as the Arabs have even a glimmer of hope of getting rid of us, they will not give up on this hope… A living people agrees to concessions on fateful questions whose importance is immense only when it has no hope, only when not a single crack is visible in the Iron Wall.”
In recent years, deep cracks have appeared in the Zionist Iron Wall. The goal of the current war should be to restore the Zionist Iron Wall and establish it with renewed strength for the next hundred years.
Within this context, the rehabilitation of the communities damaged in Hamas’s attack and the return of the communities to the Galilee and Negev are critical components in the reconstruction of the Iron Wall. This means far more than simply renovation and construction. Ben-Gurion wrote about the sources of strength for victory in 1948: “We reached victory through three paths: the path of faith, the path of pioneering creativity, and the path of suffering.” These will be the paths to victory in today’s war as well.
The collapse of the dream of peace
In his eulogy at the grave of Ro’i Rothberg in Nahal Oz in April 1956, Chief of Staff Moshe Dayan said: “A generation of pioneers we are, bareheaded, with steel helmets and the rifle. We cannot plant a tree and build a home. Our children will not have a life if we do not dig shelters…” The speech concluded with the statement: “Ro’i – the light in his heart blinded his eyes, and he did not see the flash of the mortar. The yearning for peace silenced his ears, and he did not hear the voice of the ambush…”
In the midst of the War of Attrition, at the end of the Command and Staff College course in 1969, Moshe Dayan stated his existential philosophy: “Rest and heritage are longed-for aspirations for us, not realities. And if we occasionally achieve them, they are only short intermediate stations – aspirations for the continuation of the struggle.” Explaining the necessity of an endless struggle, he said: “The only basic answer we can give to the question ‘what will be’ is – we will continue to fight, just as we did in the past, and now too. The answer to the question ‘what will be’ must focus on our ability to withstand difficulties, our ability to cope – more than on absolute and final solutions to our problems. We must prepare ourselves mentally and physically for a prolonged process of struggle.”
These words differ significantly from those expressed by the Israeli leadership in recent decades. For instance, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, in his speech at the UN, chose to emphasize: “What Israelis want is a good life for themselves and their families and a future ready for their children.”
Moshe Dayan, despite his emphasis on normalcy, always highlighted the presence in our consciousness of the struggle. This was brutally expressed in his will, where he instructed his three children: “Serve the inheritance of the fathers each one, and the sword over your beds, and in the evening, it will become a legacy to your sons. And now, let each one take his backpack and stick and cross the Jordan in his own way…” (Yael Dayan, My Father’s House, p. 207).
Yael Dayan, representing a generation that has refused to reconcile with the inevitability of constant struggle, described in her book her deep dissociation from her father’s will: “I felt like a person banished from paradise, a curse more than a blessing. We were all destined to work the land and fight, and this was a commandment for our children.” (ibid.)
On Saturday, October 7, the dream of an Israeli paradise collapsed. With the war in Ukraine and even in Western Europe, it has become clear that despite hopes for peace everywhere, there is no paradise on Earth. As expressed in the Negev lullaby my mother sang to me in my childhood, “There is no deep silence without a weapon…sleep, son.”
Conclusion
The State of Israel is in one of the most difficult crises it has ever known. It suffered an unprecedented blow and is required to receive an unprecedented punishment. Asking to return to the familiar track after making technical repairs is asking to escape the true magnitude of the repair that is required. The national leadership of the State of Israel, together with the security system, must be committed in the face of this crisis to formulating a new national security concept.
After the surprise attack by Hamas on October 7, will residents of Rosh HaAyin and Kfar Saba lend a hand in the establishment of a Palestinian state that would turn them into border settlements akin to Nahal Oz or Metula? Any arrangement of the territory of Israel between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea that aims at a Jewish withdrawal from Judea and Samaria, an uprooting of Israeli settlements, and a defining of the eastern border of the State of Israel in the Rosh HaAyin-Kfar Saba region along Highway 6 would be a Palestinian national victory and an Israeli defeat.
Despite all our faith in the IDF and its capabilities, there is not now, and there will not be, an option to defend the State of Israel along the coastal strip. This fact must be brought to broad national consensus and placed at the center of the Israeli security perception.
view PDF
Maj. Gen. (res.) Gershon Hacohen is a senior research fellow at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies. He served in the IDF for 42 years. He commanded troops in battles with Egypt and Syria. He was formerly a corps commander and commander of the IDF Military Colleges.
TOP |
Israel to launch the largest military campaign in West Bank history
Mudar Adnan Zahran-tweet-8January2024-Israel to launch the largest military campaign in West Bank history
Israel is about to launch the largest military campaign in the history of the West Bank to completely exterminate armed cells, dozens of names on the target list…
The operations will introduce “a different utilization of drones “, fighting will be parallel the war in Gaza at the hottest points; those are Jenin and its camp, Nablus and Balata camp, Tulkarm camp, and Shuafat camp…
♾
 Mudar Adnan Zahran-tweet-8January2024-Israel to launch the largest military campaign in West Bank history
TOP |
For far too long, Zionism has been stuck in a defensive mode. Op-ed.
Howard Rotberg 9December2023 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/381680
Come gather ’round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You’ll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you is worth savin’
Then you better start swimmin’ or you’ll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin’
Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide
The chance won’t come again
And don’t speak too soon
For the wheel’s still in spin
And there’s no tellin’ who that it’s namin’
For the loser now will be later to win
For the times they are a-changin’
– Bob Dylan
Watching the protests in American and Canadian and European cities where predominantly young people call for a genocide of the Jews in Israel – “From the river to the sea, Palestine shall be free” – one is struck by some important facts.
First, a lot of the protests are in universities and while Antifa and other anti-liberal groups participate, one can assume that the protesters have a high representation among Muslims and/or university students. Looking at the female protestors, anywhere from 50% to 75% are wearing hijabs.
Second, university professors, mainly in Middle Eastern studies and gender and diversity studies, are indoctrinating their students to hate Israel and Jews everywhere.
Third, while many may be in a country on student or other temporary visas, looking at the population figures for Muslims in the West, they are a growing presence and a growing influence. Surely if we allow people with vile opinions into the country, we must be prepared to live with the consequences once they assume elected office.
Third, this growing influence can be seen in American Muslim areas like Dearbor, Michigan and Minneapolis, Minnesota..
Fourth, although not all the residents there are radical Islamists, we see that they are electing university trained Islamists, such as Ilhan Omar in Minnesota and Rashida Tlaib in Dearborn.
Fifth, these elected representatives organize themselves into radical caucuses allying with left-wing Black radicals and spend a lot of time trying to pressure their governments to take anti-Israel actions.
Sixth, we see in the case of American Secretary of State Blinken, who is apparently Jewish, that efforts are made to pressure Israel to lose the war against Hamas by allowing some Palestinian Arab group, be it the corrupt and hateful Palestinian Authority or others, to participate in the governance of Gaza after the war. Anyone who understands the facts about the history of Palestinian Arab terrorism and rejectionism of peace proposals should understand that America and other western countries have become financial backers of Palestinian Arab terrorism and leaders in the international efforts to isolate and endanger Israel.
And so, in this context, we who support Israel must begin to look at a paradigm shift. According to Merriam-Webster is “an important change that happens when the usual way of thinking about or doing something is replaced by a new and different way.”
We need a new way of looking at those who support Islamist terrorism whether it is in the UN, in the universities, in the media, or from elected officials who are Islamists – and a new way of dealing with them.
For far too long, Zionism has been stuck in a defensive mode, whether it is trying to deal with an evil United Nations, UNRWA and UNHCR, or international NGOs, including those funded and controlled by antisemites such as George Soros and including BDS boycotters and advocates for diversity and inclusion – which promises inclusion for everyone except the Jews of Israel and their supporters.
Israel has become a powerful country in terms of its military, its high tech sector and its finances, but what good is power if you don’t use it? I am thinking here of using power to shift the paradigm. Specifically the paradigm that Muslims are growing all around the world and have through immigration and demographics grown so much in terms of power in the West that there is nothing we can do, except submit. I discuss this sad submission in my book The Ideological Path to Submission … and what we can do about it. We must address the issue head on – we shall never submit to Sharia Law, jihad and a world-wide Caliphate just as we shall never submit to Hamas, no matter what naive talks emanate from the talking heads in the media.
I have written a lot about Germany and the gradual evolution of its Israel policy from that of “special relationship” to that of a typical European antipathy. See my essays in israel National News: “Germany’s Moral Choice”, January 20, 2020, “Michelle Goldberg and Angela Merkel seek moral absolution in the wrong place”, October 31, 2021 and “A two-state solution for Germany and other migrant-filled European countries”, November 17, 2023.
The demographic situation in Germany, France, Sweden, Belgium etc., and the rise of European leaders on the right, including Orban in Hungary and Gert Wilders in the Netherlands has perhaps opened the floodgates, where the alliance between leftists and Islamists is seen to be bad for society, and people are unafraid to say so and risk the opprobrium from the politically correct.
Here is a speech given by German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck on Nov. 2.
“Hamas’s terrorist attack on Israel took place almost four weeks ago now. A lot has happened since then. Not only politically, but especially for the people. So many people’s lives are now consumed by fear and suffering. Public debate since the attack has been heated, sometimes muddled.
“Too much seems to me to have been mixed up too quickly. The phrase, ‘Israel’s security is part of Germany’s raison d’état’ has never been an empty phrase, and it must not become one. It means that Israel’s security is essential for us as a country. This special relationship with Israel stems from our historical responsibility.
“It was the generation of my grandparents that wanted to exterminate Jewish life in Germany and Europe. After the Holocaust, the founding of Israel was the promise of protection to the Jews — and Germany is compelled to help ensure that this promise can be fulfilled. This is a historical foundation of our republic.
“Our historical responsibility also means that Jews must be able to live freely and safely in Germany.”
This statement shows to me that classical antisemitism rising in places where Islamists are taking power means the beginning of a realistic assessment of liberalism and whether individual human rights can coexist with radical Islam.
Germany, despite the passage of time is still known for Naziism just as the Arabs should be known for their terrorist groups. Hamas, while it has awakened the protesting antisemites, has also awakened Good people everywhere to advocate for Good over Evil. It should also awaken the Arab countries who were attracted to the Abraham Accord and who fear Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood.
Toby Axelrod reports in JTA: “Recognizing Israel’s right to exist is now mandatory for those who want to become German citizens in the former East German state of Saxony-Anhalt.
“Applicants living in the state will have to confirm in writing ‘that they recognize Israel’s right to exist and condemn any efforts directed against the existence of the State of Israel.”
The paradigm shift must be that the advantages of citizenship in the freedom loving western nations must be reserved for those who do not hate our freedoms and wish to replace them with Sharia law and jihad. America under Biden not only has an open border policy but also does not properly vet regular immigrants. The shift in assumptions and policies must take into account that the world is a nasty place and evil must be constantly fought, and that multiculturalism must be adjusted to recognize that not all cultures are equal.
On the bright side, I believe some young people are ready for a paradigm shift away from the reflexive UN anti-Israel resolutions and the totalitarian leftist-Islamist alliance. For example, the youth wing of the German Social Democratic Party (SPD), called the Jusos, in late November, 2019, condemned its leadership’s anti-Israel voting record at the UN. This organization of 14 to 35 year-olds has over 70,000 members. who adopted a resolution that the “disproportionate condemnation of Israel, the only democratic state in the Middle East” is a problem affecting UN bodies “that is carried on not only by states of the Middle East, but also European states, who pass, or abstain from, anti-Israel resolutions”. They urged the leadership to “dissociate from the initiatives and alliances of antisemitic member states in the bodies and specialized agencies of the United Nations.
Donald Trump was a great U.S. President in foreign matters including Israel and specifically his Abraham Accord. Joseph Biden, perhaps just a tool of his far left and anti-Israel advisors has been one of the worst presidents, specifically for empowering and enriching Iran, the country that boasts of its intentions to use nuclear weapons against Israel.
A paradigm shift must take account of the damage wrought by Biden and how Israel will be able to live safely in a world full of appeasers and antisemites. Although he is helping Israel with arms, Biden wants a shrunken weakened Israel and a strong Iran.
Every Jew must see himself or herself as a Maccabee. From the Maccabees to the IDF, we fight, but on Hanukkah we don’t celebrate a military victory as much as a religious victory. Our Maccabees throughout history will sacrifice on our behalf, and our duty is to properly analyze the shifting paradigms so that we can win the war of ideologies.
Howard Rotberg is the author of The Second Catastrophe: A Novel About a Book and its Author, (about Israel during the Second Intifada), TOLERism: The Ideology Revealed, and The Ideological Path to Submission… and what we can do about it.
TOP |
![Keppler, Victor. Buy war bonds: Third War Loan., poster, 1943; [Washington, D.C.]](http://www.jerusalemcats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Buy-War-Bonds-880x1229.png) Keppler, Victor. Buy war bonds: Third War Loan., poster, 1943; [Washington, D.C.] Israel needs to Sell War Bonds to Rebuild her Industries.
It will take years to correct the damage the generals wrought by reducing the size of the IDF and inducing its total dependence on the United States
Caroline B. Glick
Caroline B. Glick is the senior contributing editor of Jewish News Syndicate and host of the “Caroline Glick Show” on JNS. She is also the diplomatic commentator for Israel’s Channel 14, as well as a columnist for Newsweek. Glick is the senior fellow for Middle Eastern Affairs at the Center for Security Policy in Washington and a lecturer at Israel’s College of Statesmanship.
https://www.jns.org/rising-from-the-ruins-of-a-generation-of-israeli-doctrine/
(December 22, 2023 / JNS) Two underlying assumptions guided Israel’s security establishment for the past generation. The first asserted that with the end of the Cold War, the era of conventional wars had ended. In the present age, brains, rather than brawn, would rule the roost.
The primary author of the “small and smart IDF” doctrine was Ehud Barak, who served as Chief of General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces when the Berlin Wall crumbled. In later years, the slogan was finessed.
A generation of IDF Chiefs of General Staff organized around the vision of a “small, technological and lethal army.”
As Maj. Gen. Yitzhak Brick, (retired) who served as the IDF ombudsman for ten years, has documented, operating under the spell of Barak’s doctrine, the IDF shut down multiple reserve divisions. It cut its artillery forces by 50%. Armored brigades were shut down. The reserve force was reduced by 80% between 2003 and 2017. The non-commissioned officer corps was gutted. The bulk of the IDF budget and nearly all the U.S. military aid were diverted to the Air Force—the strategic arm of the “small, technological and lethal” IDF.
The doctrine was repeatedly exposed as a farce. But to no avail. The air force didn’t defeat the Palestinian terror factories in Judea and Samaria in 2002. The ground forces did. The air force never had a response to missiles from Hezbollah to the north and Hamas to the south. Without regional brigades defending the borders, Israel’s “peacetime” borders with Jordan on the east and Egypt at its west became highways for weapons smugglers.
Brick’s warnings fell on deaf ears until the “small, smart army” fallacy was obliterated by Hamas invaders on Oct. 7. Israel’s multi-billion shekel “smart fence” was felled by bulldozers. Its automatic response system was obliterated by RPGs. Hundreds of soldiers manning these worthless technological wonders were slaughtered or kidnapped. Everything failed.
A microcosm of all things oppressive
This brings us to the second underlying assumption that guided Israel’s security establishment for the past generation. This assumption, also championed by Barak, asserted that Israel’s most important strategic asset was the United States.
Leaving aside the obvious fact that a strategy of dependence on an outside actor effectively gutted Israel’s national independence, on the surface, Barak’s dependence concept seemed reasonable.
The Americans rescued Israel with its weapons airlift in the 1973 Yom Kippur War. In 1992, the United States was the sole global superpower. Because Israel was seen as Washington’s “mini-me,” countries worldwide lined up to be friends with Israel, which they perceived as the gateway to Washington. The vast majority of Americans supported Israel. U.S. military aid to Israel enjoyed wide bipartisan support.
Under the spell of Barak’s U.S. dependence doctrine, Israel gutted its domestic military production capabilities. Nearly everything that it had produced domestically—from uniforms to rifles to bullets, to artillery and tank shells—was shut down. Thousands of military industry workers lost their jobs. Knowledge was lost. The contracts moved to the United States. Even projects developed jointly by Israeli engineers financed by America were transferred to the United States for production. So it happened that Israel’s Iron Dome missiles are solely produced in the United States.
Along with Barak, the dependence doctrine’s biggest champions were the air force generals. Under their leadership, Israel’s air force effectively became a U.S. asset. The air force cannot operate without U.S. platforms, spare parts and bombs. All air force ordnance is made in America.
But even during the 1990s and 2000s, the writing was appearing on the walls telling us that things were changing in America. A generation after the United States emerged from the Cold War as the sole global superpower, it struggles to contend with the threat of China, which surpasses it in several key technologies.
Under the spell of globalization, the United States gutted its industrial base. Even if it wanted to, today it is hard-pressed to repeat the 1973 airlift in real time.
Even worse, the end of the Cold War initiated changes in American society that over the past 20 years have exploded in convulsive transformations.
Since the early 2000s, hard-core cultural Marxist progressives have seized control over the U.S. education system at all levels. As a result, young Americans are emerging from high schools and universities with values unlike anything we have ever seen.
The new American values are built around a division of humanity into two classes: oppressor and oppressed. “Oppressors,” young Americans now believe, are evil and must be punished. “Oppressed” are pure and must be empowered. The United States is the chief oppressor. Its social and economic orders must be radically transformed to expiate its sins.
Israel (America’s “mini-me”), and Jews generally, are presented as a microcosm of all things oppressive.
The implications of this progressive indoctrination present America with an existential challenge. If allowed to continue into the next generation, the United States will be destroyed.
For Jews, the threat this indoctrination poses is immediate, as a survey published last week by Harvard-Harris demonstrated.
Harvard-Harris asked their respondents’ views on the Israel-Hamas war, and more broadly, about Jews and Jew-hatred. The answers showed that unlike their parents and grandparents, young Americans have embraced a comprehensive, internally consistent and genocidal hatred for Israel and Jews.
Two-thirds of Americans aged 18 to 24 believe that Jews are oppressors and should be treated as such. Around 70% in that same age bracket believe that antisemitism is rising in the United States generally and on university campuses specifically. They believe that calls for genocide of Jews are hate speech and a form of harassment.
At the same time, 53% of them think this harassment and hate speech should go unpunished.
Similarly, 66% of 18- to 24-year-olds agree that Hamas’s attack on Oct. 7 was genocidal. All the same, 60% believe it was justified.
Logically flowing from these sentiments, 51% of young Americans believe that the proper end of the Palestinian-Israel conflict is the destruction of the Jewish state and its replacement with a Hamas-controlled Palestinian entity. That is, the majority of young Americans support the annihilation of the Jewish people.
Unlike the generals’ “small, smart army” doctrine, it took several weeks for the public to see the devastating consequences of their “America-dependence doctrine.”
America in a holding pattern
In the immediate aftermath of Oct. 7, their faith in American support seemed to be borne out. President Joe Biden and his top advisers pledged their total support for Israel. Biden deployed U.S. aircraft carrier groups to the Eastern Mediterranean and promised $14.3 billion in supplemental military aid to Israel to ensure that Israel has what it needs to successfully win the war.
But in recent weeks, particularly since Israel resumed its operation in Gaza at the end of November after the 10-day hostages-for-terrorists ceasefire, that assessment has changed dramatically. The public has realized that friendliness and declarations of solidarity aside, the United States does not share—and in some areas opposes—Israel’s war aims. To win the war, Israel must eradicate Hamas in Gaza and remove the threat Hezbollah poses to northern Israel. It must also take action to prevent the Houthis from maintaining their effective maritime blockade of the Port of Eilat.
On all of these fronts, Biden and his top aides have made clear that their goals are not the same as Israel’s. They do not seek the eradication of Hamas and the return of the hostages. They seek the end of the war and the return of the hostages. And at the end of the war, they want to rebuild Gaza. They want to use the war’s end as a means to compel Israel into a “peace process.” The goal of that process is to establish a Palestinian state in Gaza, and Judea and Samaria, led by terrorists from the Palestinian Authority which, like Hamas, seeks the annihilation of the Jewish state.
In Lebanon, the administration seeks to prevent war, even though doing so will leave Hezbollah with its capacity to invade the Galilee and destroy strategic targets all over Israel with its massive missile arsenal.
As for Yemen, the United States has demanded that Israel take no offensive action against either the Houthis or the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’ overlords directing Houthi operations from their spy ship in the Red Sea.
Instead, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has formed a multinational task force from which Israel has been excluded. While its purpose is subject still to speculation, to many U.S. and Israeli observers, it appears that America intends to use its coalition to beef up its efforts to intercept Houthi missiles and drones launched against merchant vessels in the Red Sea. That is, as with Hezbollah, the U.S. goal vis-à-vis the Houthis seems to be to end Houthi assaults on merchant ships without diminishing their capacity to carry them out.
As for military supplies, the $14.3 billion is still languishing in Congress. It won’t be considered until Congress reconvenes on Jan. 9 after the Christmas and New Year recess.
It will take years to correct the damage the generals wrought by reducing the size of the IDF and inducing its total dependence on the United States.
‘The IDF is changing its view’
But this week, the Defense Ministry let it be known that it is moving to correct the situation. On Tuesday, Ynet reported that the Defense Ministry is initiating what it refers to as “Independence Project.”
According to the report, the Defense Ministry is launching a crash program with Israel’s military industries and major industrialists to make Israel independent in everything related to ordnance. In the initial phase, Israel will begin producing bombs for its aircraft. Jerusalem also intends to expand its production of tank and artillery shells, as well as assault rifles and bullets. Separately, there is increased discussion regarding the establishment of a missile force as an independent arm of the IDF. The force would reduce reliance on the air force and develop more versatile, more easily defended missile launch platforms and massively expand Israel’s missile and drone arsenals.
After meeting with Defense Ministry Director General Maj. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Ron Tomer, the head of Israel’s Industrialists Union, told Ynet, “The war demonstrates our need for a powerful and advanced industrial base to ensure Israel’s national strength and independent capabilities. The IDF is changing its view of how it arms its forces, enlarging domestic production lines in order to be less dependent on ordnance from abroad. The ideal of a small high-tech military did not prove itself.”
Brick and others argue that had Hezbollah joined Hamas in invading and bombing Israel on Oct. 7, Israel may well have been destroyed that day. A combination of Hezbollah’s 10,000-man Radwan Brigades perched at the border and capable of invading the Galilee, and a barrage of up to 4,000 missiles with various payloads targeting Israel’s air bases, and other strategic sites and civilian population centers every day for weeks, would have caused irreparable damage equal in force to a nuclear bomb.
Iran’s decision not to involve Hezbollah on Oct. 7 has given Israel the opportunity to reorganize its forces and prepare for the multi-front war that awaits us. We don’t have a moment to lose.
TOP |
Israel can mobilize & equip 350,000 soldiers, its economy, and homefront
Ron M.-tweet-27February2024-Israel can mobilize
Unprecedented: The most important thing learned from the GAZA War is that Israel can mobilize & equip 350,000 soldiers, its economy, and homefront, along with tanks & aircraft to fight for 5 months of daily combat & missile war.
Trust me Iran & Hezbollah noticed. 🇮🇱
 Ron M-tweet-27February2024-Israel can mobilize
TOP |
By Simone Ledeen
04January2024 https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2024/01/04/israel_signals_self-reliance_for_weapons_1002676.html
Israel’s declaration that it intends to expand its domestic munitions production heralds a new chapter in U.S.-Israel relations, where strategic recalibration meets the challenges of an evolving international arms landscape. Israel’s announcement signifies a dual aim: to diminish U.S. leverage in its military operations and to confront the relentless shortages prevalent in the global market. In the volatile landscape of global munitions sales, the Black Sabbath massacre orchestrated by Hamas has seemingly propelled Israel into a serious reassessment of how much leverage over its military decision-making it is willing to give the United States.
On December 29th with Israel engaged in heavy fighting during clearing operations in Gaza, and a looming regional conflict on the horizon, the Biden White House approved the second emergency transfer of the month for Israel, this one totaling nearly $150 million in military equipment, including critically important 155mm artillery ammunition. In response to Israel’s previous emergency request, the US expedited the delivery of over 13,000 tank shells.
Historically, the United States has been a key supplier of military aid to Israel, offering critical support in times of conflict. However, the increasing acknowledgment within Israel’s leadership that this dependence also translates to a degree of subservience in military decision-making seems to have prompted a reevaluation. By cultivating a more self-reliant approach to armaments, Israel aims to reduce its vulnerability to external influences, particularly, the leverage that U.S. armaments confer on its military decisions.
While the alliance is rooted in shared values and common interests, the leverage the U.S. holds through the provision of military aid has, at times, led to complex diplomatic negotiations, acknowledging the occasional divergence in goals between Israel and the U.S. The U.S. imperative is not just to address regional conflicts but to grapple with a global market in flux. The global weapons market is always driven by geopolitical shifts, and now more than ever, an insatiable demand for artillery ammunition as two hot shooting wars are taking place.
In recent months, the U.S. had to some extent stepped up production within our defense industrial base to meet immediate demands and replenish stockpiles, but more is needed and quickly. The urgency for increased production becomes not just a response to immediate needs, but a strategic imperative to stay ahead in an ever-evolving defense landscape where the future is increasingly violent and difficult to predict.
In addition to old-fashioned artillery, unmanned aerial vehicles, particularly First Person View (FPV) drones, have emerged as transformative assets. The ability to deploy munitions from drones reshapes the dynamics of conflict, presenting both opportunities and ethical challenges.
FPV drones, equipped with real-time video transmission systems, have become linchpins in modern warfare. In both Israel’s war with Hamas and Ukraine’s war with Russia, these drones provide tactical advantages by offering military forces a valuable tool for reconnaissance, target identification, and even the delivery of munitions. Yet, the integration of FPV technology also raises ethical concerns. Battlefield videos from Ukraine show these drones sometimes being used for activities that violate international norms.
In this landscape, the FPV drone discussion stands as a microcosm of the broader challenges and opportunities that define our American path forward. Israel is signaling an intent to chart its own course in the coming months and years, as it must defeat Hamas both militarily and politically, despite pressure for a ceasefire from some quarters.
The recent emergency transfers of military equipment from the Biden White House to Israel have highlighted the constraints that come with heavy reliance on external support. The expedited deliveries, while addressing immediate needs, have underscored the vulnerability inherent in relying on a foreign ally for crucial military supplies during times of conflict and the many reasons why this current global environment requires a new approach.
Simone Ledeen is an accomplished national security professional with expertise spanning defense policy, intelligence, counterterrorism, counter threat finance, and emerging technologies. As Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle East Policy, Ms. Ledeen was responsible for U.S. defense policy for Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestinian Authority, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. She strengthened key U.S. defense relationships through close collaboration with foreign counterparts and oversaw the development and implementation of critical policies and initiatives including in counterterrorism, information operations, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies. Ms. Ledeen advises several venture capital and early-stage defense technology firms. Previously, Ms. Ledeen held various leadership roles across the U.S. Government, executing complex operations overseas and spearheading initiatives to counter extremist threats. She received her MBA from Bocconi University and her B.A. from Brandeis University.
TOP |
“The lesson from the war in Ukraine and against Hamas is identical: Israel must significantly increase its arsenal,” said a former Israeli defense official.
Yaakov Lappin https://www.jns.org/israel-begins-shift-to-domestic-ammunition-production/
Yaakov Lappin is an Israel-based military affairs correspondent and analyst. He is the in-house analyst at the Miryam Institute; a research associate at the Alma Research and Education Center; and a research associate at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies at Bar-Ilan University. He is a frequent guest commentator on international television news networks, including Sky News and i24 News. Lappin is the author of Virtual Caliphate: Exposing the Islamist State on the Internet. Follow him at: www.patreon.com/yaakovlappin.
(February 8, 2024 / JNS) In the wake of the ongoing war against Hamas and its exposure of Israel’s near total dependence on the United States to replenish its stocks of ammunition, Israel has begun shifting toward greater domestic ammunition production.
The Israeli Defense Ministry has begun reaching out to local defense companies to boost production lines and place orders that will ensure they churn out ammunition for years to come, as a top priority.
The ministry saw domestic production as a priority even before the war, but the issue has now risen to the top of the national agenda.
“The lesson from the war in Ukraine and against Hamas is identical: Israel must significantly increase the arsenal with which it enters the campaign,” a former defense official told JNS.
This includes a variety of arms, ranging from Iron Dome interceptors to sophisticated guided air-to-ground munitions and artillery shells. Tank shells could also be a candidate for domestic production.
Yet not everything can be moved to Israel. Military aircraft will continue to be made in the United States.
The cost of producing aircraft for a single military without exporting them to additional clients would make their production a financial non-starter for Israeli defense industries. Nor would the U.S. agree for Israel to begin competing with it in the global fighter aircraft market, as the 1980s Lavi jet project, which shut down for these reasons, demonstrated.
On Jan. 25, ministry director general Maj. Gen. (res.) Eyal Zamir concluded a working visit to Washington, D.C., where he met with senior U.S. Department of Defense and State Department leadership, as well as with Lockheed Martin and Boeing executives.
Those two companies produce the Israeli Air Force’s growing fleet—F-35s, CH53 transport helicopters, Apache helicopters and F-15s. Israel is reportedly attempting to fast-track some of those deliveries, particularly the Apaches.
“The visit underscored the close cooperation between Israel and the United States since the beginning of the ongoing Swords of Iron war,” the ministry said in a statement at the time. “Maj. Gen. (res.) Zamir engaged in discussions with his American counterparts about armament procurement, aligning with preparations for evolving combat scenarios. The discussions also focused on plans for force build-up in the upcoming multi-year strategy, including the acquisition of advanced platforms and capabilities to maintain the IDF’s qualitative military edge and readiness for diverse scenarios. This approach integrates lessons learned from the war into strategies for obtaining military equipment,” it stated.
Nevertheless, it has become painfully clear that Israel’s dependence on American ammunition supplies, which saw more than 200 cargo planes touch down Israel following Hamas’s Oct. 7 invasion, has become a danger to national security and independence.
This dependence means that any Israeli Cabinet must consider the principle of “legitimacy” in its warfare planning—a principle that could become paralyzing if leverage over Israel becomes too great.
Should that principle trickle down into operational decision-making, the result can only harm Israel’s war efforts.
IDF combat officers should be thinkingly purely about how to accomplish missions, while of course adhering to the IDF’s own internal ethical code and upholding its own internal commitment to adhering to the laws of armed conflict. But if concerns over “legitimacy” in the eyes of a foreign government, no matter how close an ally, creep in, due to ammunition reliance, that is a serious problem.
Furthermore, Israel’s current lack of independent mass ammunition production has meant that the IDF needs to weigh its uses of resources carefully in Gaza, when looking at multi-arena threats in the north and at Iran, both of which could become involved in full-scale wars at any time.
Such precaution means that the IDF has been running an “armament economy” regarding certain munitions.
Both the air force and the ground forces must take the prospects of additional fronts catching fire into account.
All of this means that mass domestic ammunition production is a must-have for Israel going forward, and there are encouraging signs that this is in fact what is developing.
This will also create very real economic burdens in the future; American ammunition was bought with U.S. aid money.
For Israel to create and fund new production lines among its defense industries, it will also need to ensure that society can manage this burden by having as many economically productive citizens in the work force as possible.
TOP |
While many businesses are shut down due to the war with Hamas, the Israeli arms manufacturing industry has never been in such high demand. 190,000 new applications for weapons licenses were also added to the growing needs of the army and the new readiness teams, with tens of thousands of rifles and pistols already delivered to civilians. The price: loss of contracts abroad
Yuval Azulay
13November2023 https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/o41wmf8hy
A look around at the huge production hall of the pistol and rifle manufacturer IWI in Ramat Hasharon shows the unprecedented panic and pressure that are rising from all directions, on all fronts. All the production machines have been working here non-stop and around the clock for more than a month, even on weekends, providing hundreds of assault rifles every day to the IDF units fighting on the front and to the readiness teams that are arming themselves as well as personal pistols to the civilian market, which woke up frightened by the terror of the October 7 massacre in the south and jumped by hundreds of percent in the last month.
It’s not easy these days in the industry, and in the firearms factories that are urgently needed for both the front lines and on the home front, which is doubly difficult and complex. Many workers were recruited into the reserves by emergency call-ups, and at the same time, the demand from the field is soaring. About 40% of the employees of the arms manufacturer Ematan from Karmiel, owned by Reuven Zada, and about 20% of the employees of IWI, owned by the veteran arms manufacturer Samy Katsav, were drafted into the reserves last month. Both companies are trying to take in dozens of replacement workers to staff the production and assembly floors in order to be relevant to the Israeli arms race.
 IWI factory in Ramat Hasharon (Photo: IWI) Already in the first week of fighting, Katsav recruited all his family members, including children and grandchildren, and put them on the assembly production lines. “Anyone who comes to help these days is welcome and blessed,” he says. “This situation reminds me of the World War II movies of American citizens enlisting in the war effort to defend the home and working in weapons factories.”
Chaya (75) has been working in the assembly workshop for a month with her friend Livna (72), and both roll up their sleeves and assemble guns with skilled fingers in an eight-hour shift. “Look, I already have the hands of a worker,” she says. She is now assembling components for the Jericho pistols, a bit of variety after spending all of last week working on pickguards for Masada pistols.
This is the first time she has joined the effort on the production line, and this indicates the magnitude of the hour. “There has not yet been a situation where I had to come here to contribute to the general effort. During the coronavirus period, there was an extreme shortage of manpower and I wanted to come but they were afraid I would get infected so I stayed at home. My daughter and I are happy here. We feel that we are contributing something.”
The opening shot of the Ministry of Defense
Had this war not broken out, IWI workers would have been busy these days moving their factory from the Elbit Systems complex in Ramat Hasharon to the industrial area in Kiryat Gat. The construction of their new complex, which measures approximately 23,000 square meters, was completed not long ago, and the complex adjustments to its workforce resulting from the dramatic change were also completed. Many dozens of workers from Netanya and northern communities have finished their work at the company in recent months and in their place about 200 workers from Kiryat Gat and the south have been recruited. This period when the demand for weapons soars daily is not the right time to move, and the workers from the Kiryat Gat area are transported daily to Ramat Hasharon.
The engineers of the development department also locked away plans for future products in the vault and left the laboratories to strengthen the production floor. “These are unusually busy weeks, guns are produced here endlessly,” says Lior, head of the gun team at IWI. “We all understand that this is the order of the day. We all have a strong sense of mission, and what is most important to us is that our brothers in the south have reliable and good weapons to protect them.”
But it is much more than “Brothers in the South”. Many more sisters and brothers throughout the country are arming themselves with everything possible: pistols, long guns, short guns, and sights that improve accuracy. “All this demand expresses a very serious vacuum that was created in the field due to previous decisions by the government,” says Ron Pollak, the VP of marketing for EMTAN, who lives in a kibbutz seven kilometers from the border with Lebanon. “In recent years we have gone down to nothing, to zero. Now there is panic and everyone wants to stock up and fill warehouses.”<
Since the beginning of the war, more than 190,000 applications for weapons licenses have been submitted to the Ministry of National Security, and in the first ten months of 2023, more than 210,000 applications have been submitted, and the year is not over yet. So far, about 31,000 licenses have been issued. For comparison, in 2022, 42,000 applications were submitted and approximately 13,000 licenses were granted. In 2021, about 20,000 applications were submitted and about 10,000 licenses were issued. This process of arming is dangerous for many reasons, but the manufacturers and dealers of weapons pull out their ready answers such as “it’s not the gun that kills but the person who pulls the trigger”, and “the licenses are issued selectively and in a professional and responsible process”.
EMTAN’s best-selling gun is the Ramon, named after the Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon. About two years ago EMTAN signed a contract with the Spanish Federal Police for the supply of about 10,000 such pistols. It is sold in the same markets where IWI aims its best-selling pistol, the Masada, which was also developed in recent years and weighs significantly less than that of the old and well-known pistol, the Jericho. In both cases, the price of one gun ranges between NIS 3,000 and NIS 4,000 ($776-$1,000). Both companies clarified that they did not take advantage of the situation to raise prices.
The guns made in Israel are only a small part of the Israeli gun market, which is mostly made up of imported brands such as Glock, Sig Sauer, CZ, Beretta, Smith, and more. “98% of the guns in Israel are imported,” says the chairman of the firearms division of the Association of Chambers of Commerce, Amos Golan. In the past, Golan was in command of the Counter-Terrorism School and the Duvdevan unit, and today he is the owner of Silver Shadow, which manufactures M4s and related weapon accessories. The focus on purchasing imported guns is mainly due to their international branding, personal taste, and convenience of the user, even though the price level is usually close to that of the local guns.
“There is a large aftermarket for all this equipment, and it can be a tremendous engine of growth. The reality on the ground justifies this. In all the terrorist incidents in recent years, we have seen that in places where there was intervention by armed civilians, the terrorists were neutralized. Even in the Hamas attack in the south, in places where the terrorists responded with fire there was less killing,” says Golan.
A few weeks ago the head of the Samaria Council Yossi Dagan came to Katsav’s factory and left an order for 200 Arad-type assault rifles. The Arad is based on the M4, went on the market last year, was quickly adopted by the Navy, and became the main service rifle of the special unit fighters. Now that the defense system has opened the budget dam, the demand for the Arad is also increasing from units in the Ministry of Defense and members of standby units, for whom the new standard is of a standard infantry fighter in the IDF.
At the beginning of the month, the Ministry of Defense’s procurement administration ordered thousands of long-barreled M4 tools manufactured by their two companies from Mazada and Matsav, for more than NIS 100 million ($25 million). The Ministry of Defense’s invitation is only an opening shot. The IDF intends to equip itself in the coming months with tens of thousands more M4 rifles, and the procurement administration of the Ministry of Defense intends to publish another tender. In the upcoming tender, a third Israeli manufacturer, Golan’s Silver Shadow, which manufactures in Or Yehuda and is supposed to move the production to a new factory it has established in Modiin, will come into the picture in the coming months. He owns another factory in the USA. “It is important that the state purchases its assault rifles from Israeli companies,” says Golan. He expects the Ministry of Defense to divide the procurement pie equally between the three manufacturers and prefer them over foreign manufacturers.
Katsav looks at the procurement fever, knows that this is only the beginning, and remembers the days that followed the Yom Kippur War. Katsav, 77 years old, is a veteran of Israel’s defense industries. He founded the SK group of arms companies which, apart from IWI, includes Meprolight which develops and manufactures electro-optical sights for rifles and pistols, and Camero which deals with radar technology which detects and identifies happenings behind walls. In addition, he owns Israel Shipyards together with Shlomi Fogel and Asi Shmelzer.
The shock of the massacre in the south does not leave him. “They did things to us here that were not seen even in the Yom Kippur War,” he says, “These are exactly the same stories I heard from my mother-in-law, may she rest in peace, a survivor of Auschwitz from the time of the Holocaust. How is it possible? How does the world not want to see we are right and understand us?”
“Abroad, they take advantage of the situation to steal contracts”
The war in Gaza has captured the entire Israeli arms industry, IWI, and its members within it, with the production floors busy with work against the background of the global armament fever created by the war between Russia and Ukraine. On the first day of the war, they quickly aligned with the Ministry of Defense’s expectations, diverted all production to the needs of the IDF, and stopped exports, for all that this implies. “We immediately stopped the export work and diverted all activity to Israel without waiting to be told to do it,” Pollak says. “The very next day we sent out the first truck and in the first week of the war we supplied about 12,000 rifles to readiness teams and the army and thousands more guns to stores.”
Katsav also understood very quickly the magnitude of the catastrophe: “First and foremost is the priority of the IDF, the police, and our security forces, there is no doubt at all. The needs of the Israeli security forces are at the forefront of our minds, and only then exports.”
The VP of Marketing and Sales of SK Ronen Hamudot says that most customers abroad show empathy for the situation in Israel, but there are also those who are less patient and insist on receiving the goods on the specified date. “We do all we can to postpone delivery dates abroad. Most customers understand, but there are those who insist on receiving at the time we agreed on in advance. We understand that whoever buys something needs it and this situation requires us to make tremendous efforts because the country is also under a kind of siege. It is very difficult to fly in raw materials, the prices have soared and we are constantly looking for creative solutions.” Katsav and Hamudot also recognize attempts by competitors in a world where contracts have been taken from us. “They understand that we are all here being recruited for war and are trying to steal contracts from us, turning to our customers with tempting offers,” says Katsav.
Normally, about 90% of its produce is intended for export. However, against the background of the huge surge of manifestations of antisemitism that is sweeping the world, IWI canceled its participation in three defense exhibitions – in Thailand, France, and Colombia – in order to reduce prominence, also on the recommendation of security officials. “There aren’t many flights anyway and most of our attention is directed to the IDF anyway,” says Pollak.
The arms companies do not mourn the opportunities they are losing these days abroad. There they know that in the thick of the battles it will be very easy to sell to the world weapons that were used by the IDF’s special units in the war in Gaza. “Sales to the IDF and the Israeli security forces are a sign of quality for any product in the arms sector,” Hamudot says. “Sometimes the first question a potential customer asks us is whether the IDF and the police have been equipped with weapons. If the answer is positive, the chances are that we will move forward towards a deal.”
TOP |
Israel must also lower its dependency on the US for arms. On the bright side, the Abraham Accords are still intact
Efraim Inbar 23December2023 https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/israels-going-to-need-a-bigger-army-and-other-lessons-from-this-war/
The war on Hamas is not over, but certain lessons already seem very clear.
The US has displayed great support for vanquishing Hamas, and this has enhanced Israel’s position as a valued American ally. Yet, the American motives are suspect. The Biden administration’s support is predicated by an obsession with the Two-State paradigm, which requires eliminating Hamas from Gaza and restoring the moribund and corrupt Palestinian Authority (PA) there. Moreover, the American embrace aims to restrain Israel from attacking Iranian proxies, a move that could lead to a regional escalation – something Washington is eager to avert. This has been the major motive for sending aircraft carriers to the region.
The US has no appetite to take on the main culprit for the Hamas, Hezbollah, and Houthi aggression against Israel, Iran. Washington, which had pressured Saudi Arabia to stop fighting the Houthis, even warned Israel not to take independent action to defend the freedom of navigation for its ships in the Bab-al Mandeb Straits. It is not clear how determined the international flotilla that the US has initiated will be against the Houthi threat. So far Washington has preferred a defensive posture.
The war has proved also that the two-state paradigm is still the international Pavlovian response to the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, even though the war shows clearly that the Palestinians cannot become a good neighbor – not even in the next generation. The PA refused to condemn the Hamas atrocities and even called upon Hamas to join the PA as a junior partner in ruling over the Palestinians. Palestinian hatred towards Israel has reached incredibly high levels. A September 2023 poll showed that the Hamas candidate for prime minister has a 60 percent support rating in the Palestinian territories. A June 2023 poll indicates that two-thirds say Israel will not celebrate the centenary of its establishment, and the majority believes that the Palestinian people will be able in the future to recover Palestine and return its refugees to their homes. Polls taken after October 7 show immense support (around 80%) for the barbaric Hamas attack. Unfortunately, this ideology has many adherents in the Muslim world. Moreover, Hamas has established kindergartens, schools, social services, and mosques, ensuring that it is firmly entrenched in Palestinian society. Its messages are popular and fall on responsive Palestinian ears. The antisemitic wave engulfing many Western states reinforces the current high level of Palestinian hostility toward Israel. Much of the world refuses to see the unpleasant facts that defy a widely-held paradigm.
The war also facilitates the continuation of the global ostrich syndrome concerning Iran’s nuclear advances. Despite the worrisome November report by the IAEA about further growth in Iran’s breakout capabilities as a result of the continued growth of enriched uranium stockpiles, the US appears to have paid scant attention. Moreover, Iran, in a continuation of its strategy to reduce transparency over its sensitive nuclear programs, withdrew the designation of European inspectors with experience in enrichment technology, thus further handicapping attempts to inspect its nuclear programs. This elicited no Western response. Israel is busy with its war on Hamas without a clear effective strategy to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
On the bright side, the Abraham Accords seem to have overcome a difficult test. The UAE and Bahrain maintained their diplomatic relations and even Saudi Arabia signaled its intention to continue with the normalization process. Similarly, Egypt and Jordan cooperate with Israel in providing humanitarian aid to the Palestinians in Gaza. All these Arab states relish the fact that Israel is doing the dirty job of administering a serious blow to the Palestinian offshoot of the Muslim Brothers.
Israel needs a quick decisive victory over Hamas, primarily to restore lost deterrence. It cannot survive in the Middle East if it is not feared. Fear is the best political currency in this region. In addition, it must meet several immediate challenges.
Jerusalem cannot change the asymmetric nature of its relations with Washington which will always act upon its perceived interests. Yet, it is imperative to lower the dependency upon the US for ammunition and weaponry. It is largely a question of allocating enough money to have a larger storage capability and more investment in R&D. Israel’s military industries probably need compensation for a quick transition to an emergency mode to supply the IDF. The goal is not to free Israel of the need to rely on the US but to increase Israel’s freedom of action for longer periods in emergencies when the two states do not see eye to eye. [Israel needs to copy what Russia did with her Military-Industrial Complex to beat any Sanctions or Arms Package Vetoes]
Indeed, Israel must allocate much larger amounts of money for its defense budget. It needs a larger standing army that can better protect Israel’s borders and a stronger military able to fight at least on two fronts simultaneously. Shortening the period of compulsory military period is no longer an option and increasing the pool of available conscripts is necessary.
Hezbollah’s joining the fray could have been an opportunity to defeat another Iranian proxy, but Israel did not capitalize on this because of a shortage of adequate available military might. In the future, an opportunity for a preemptive strike should not be missed. Deterrence requires maintenance, and the use of force is one of its lubricants.
A nuclear Iran is an existential threat that the international community, and primarily the US, refuses to deal with. Israel is on its own, and it is naive to believe that anything but a preventive Israeli military strike, will eliminate this challenge. Israel has to refocus and prepare to end the nuclear threat.
Dealing with the Palestinian challenge requires patience because there is no ending to the conflict any time soon. There is little chance of the dysfunctional Palestinian national movement evolving into a “revitalized” Palestinian Authority (PA) of the nature the Americans dream about. Any Palestinian entity will continue to constitute only a marginal security risk as long as Israel is determined to mow the grass as often as needed.
About the Author
Efraim Inbar is president of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security (JISS) and head of the program on Strategy, Diplomacy, and National Security at the Shalem Academic Center.
TOP |
The fight against Nazism is what historically unites Russia and the Middle Eastern country, the foreign minister believes
28December2023 https://www.rt.com/russia/589831-lavrov-israeli-gaza-hypocrisy/
 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov © Ramil Sitdikov; RIA Novosti The declared goals of Israel in its ongoing operation against Hamas militants in Gaza seem nearly identical to Moscow’s in its campaign against the Ukrainian government, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said in an interview with RIA Novosti on Thursday.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has been carrying out a relentless bombing campaign in the Palestinian enclave of Gaza over the past two months following a surprise Hamas attack on Israeli territories on October 7. The attack by the Palestinian militants left some 1,200 people dead and saw the kidnapping of over 200 hostages. Israel’s response, meanwhile, has reportedly cost the lives of over 21,000 people, according to Gaza health officials.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that the end goal of the IDF is the complete destruction of the Hamas movement in all its forms, as well as the elimination of all extremism in Gaza.
Lavrov, however, noted that these goals seem similar to “demilitarization” and “denazification,” which Moscow has been pursuing in Ukraine since it launched its offensive in February 2022.
The diplomat noted the hypocrisy demonstrated by Israel’s former government under Prime Minister Yair Lapid, who condemned Russia’s military operation and accused Moscow of attacking the civilian population and annexing parts of Ukraine. “This was unfair,” said Lavrov.
At the same time, the minister pointed out that the current Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu – who took office for a sixth term in December 2022 – has avoided making any statements against Russia, despite international criticism and finding himself in “a difficult situation.”
Lavrov further recalled that Netanyahu had held two phone conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and that the Israelis had helped Moscow evacuate Russian citizens from Gaza.
“Therefore, we need to be very careful about our common history with Israel and, above all, the history of the fight against Nazism. This is the main thing that unites us historically,” Lavrov said.
Russia has repeatedly called on both Israel and Hamas to stop hostilities in Gaza, with Putin stating that the only way to resolve the Middle East crisis was through a “two-state” formula approved by the UN Security Council.
Netanyahu, meanwhile, has refused to send military aid to Ukraine and has instead offered himself as a potential mediator for peace talks between Moscow and Kiev.
TOP |
Peloni: As Alex Grinsberg noted earlier this year, Russia and Iran are each driven by their respective national interests which are not mutually aligned.
Iran International Newsroom, December 24, 2023 https://www.israpundit.org/khamenei-silent-as-russia-again-undermines-irans-territorial-integrity/ Original Source: https://www.iranintl.com/en/202312248912
Russia’s support for the United Arab Emirates in its dispute with Iran over the ownership of three Persian Gulf islands has turned into a controversy in Tehran.
The Iranian leadership, typically reticent about Russia’s double standards, has, for the second time this year, heightened its response to Moscow’s stance. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s most senior foreign policy adviser, former Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati, implicitly criticized Russia’s behavior by stating, “Iran will not allow any foreign entity to intervene in its internal affairs.”
In a similar situation earlier this year, Velayati, following Russia’s joint statement with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in September, emphasized the importance of Iran’s friendly and strategic ties with Russia. He pointed out that both sides’ bilateral and regional interests should be considered. Notably, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei remained silent, as is often the case, regarding Russia’s actions that undermine Iran’s territorial integrity.
Recently, the Iranian Foreign Ministry criticized “part of the statement of the 6th Arab-Russian Cooperation Forum held in Morocco, dismissing the claims on three Iranian islands as baseless and unacceptable.” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani asserted that “The Islands of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb are eternal parts of Iran and inseparable from the Islamic Republic.” He underscored that Iran’s sovereignty over these islands is non-negotiable, emphasizing the country’s commitment to protecting its territorial integrity.
 Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran on July 19, 2022 In response to the Foreign Ministry’s statement, Iranian international lawyer Reza Nasri highlighted that Russia’s support for the UAE’s sovereignty claims over the Persian Gulf islands contrasts with Iran’s support for Russia in the Ukraine conflict. Nasri emphasized the need for Russia to be a strategic ally to Iran and called for respect for Iran’s territorial integrity.
Britain, which maintained control of Abu Musa, and the Greater and Lesser Tunb it had occupied in the 19th century, withdrew its forces from the Persian Gulf in 1971 and the United Arab Emirates was formed. However, Iran’s Imperial government at the time decided to reclaim what it believed were historical Iranian islands.
Mohammad Reza Shah sent the Iranian navy to secure all three in November of the same year, two days before UAE was established. Iranian forces remain on the islands, with only Abu Musa having much of a civilian population of several thousand.
X (Twitter) users criticized the untimeliness of Russia’s behavior, especially as Iran is working to finalize a strategic security pact with Russia. Some social media users labeled Iranian officials as “traitors” over Tehran’s response.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Amirabdollahian called on Moscow to respect Iran’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, after Russia supported the UAE’s sovereignty claims over three Persian Gulf islands. He said during a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov: “The Islamic Republic of Iran completely rejects any claim in this regard by any party. Respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries is one of the fundamental principles in relations between countries, and Tehran makes no compromises with any party when it comes to respect for its territorial integrity and sovereignty issues.” Lavrov responded that “The sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran has always been respected by Russia and Moscow’s official policy in this regard should never be doubted.”
Earlier in this year, the media pointed out that some Iranian hardliners supported Russia’s humiliating stances on the three Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf. At the time Raisi-administration-owned daily Iran charged that Iranian media outlets that criticized Russia’s positions get their orders from the United States.
TOP |
Antisemitism, Jew-hatred – whatever term you use – is soaring to alarming levels not seen since the Holocaust. How did it get to be so bad, so quickly when we have equality, civil rights, and religious freedom?!
Rachel Avrahami | Posted on 22December2023 | https://breslev.com/4079674/
 The Shocking Truth by Rachel Avrahami Shocking. Unbelievable. Unconscionable.
The now infamous and completely morally corrupt testimony of the three University presidents of MIT, UPenn and Harvard was shocking beyond words. The Presidents didn’t even try to lie or cover up their gross and intentional negligence towards Jewish students. Even more appalling than the smug and brazen refusal to answer simple yes or no questions by Representative Stefanik in the now famous clip, was the utter silence they gave to Rep. John James, an African-American congressman, when he asked the question: “Just remind us, what each of you are doing on your college campuses [to combat antisemitism]?” (I highly recommend that you take a minute to watch it for yourself HERE).
We all know that if these questions were directed at the Universities’ responses regarding the rights of any other minority group, the answers would have been decisive and definitive.
We see across the board – whether it’s University silence about the threats to Jews on campus that lead one student of UPenn to testify before Congress that “I do not feel safe,” or the silence of the UN and other leading feminist organizations in the face of the atrocities and crimes against humanity against Jewish women committed by Hamas on Simchat Torah, or the silence and deafening inaction of the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) to help the hostages in any way – the world has once again chosen to stand against Jews, against morality, and against God Himself.
Even worse, bodies like the UN and the ICC which were created supposedly to ensure that there would “Never Again” be a Holocaust allowed on this planet – are exactly the bodies that are not only silent in the face of the Holocaust and blatant act of genocide that occurred on Simchat Torah, openly refusing to condemn Hamas, openly refusing to help Jews, but have even become Israel’s worst enemies, gaslighting Israel to say that Israel is doing to Gazans what Hamas actually did to us! The world bodies are even bringing incredible pressure to bear to try to stop Israel from retaliating and eliminating the threat Hamas poses to doing what it already promised to try to do: to commit the genocide of October 7 again and again and again, God should save us!
When the pot boils, the froth comes to the surface. Against this backdrop, global antisemitism is soaring. Neo-Nazis are marching in broad daylight at the University of Wisconsin, and pro-Palestinian, pro-Hamas antisemites are marching around the world. Antisemitic attacks and vandalism are reaching a tipping point. Jewish college students are told not to wear Jewish symbols, and a student at NYU testified before Congress that she was attacked by another student while wearing an American-Israeli flag pin – and nothing whatsoever was done to her attacker who continues to roam freely around campus! [Editor’s Note: According to data compiled by the Mosaic organization for the Knesset Subcommittee for Foreign Policy and Public Diplomacy, campus antisemitism has risen by 700% since 7-Oct.] So much for “speech can become harassment if it leads to conduct” – it’s a bunch of bull anyway, but even to that they turn a blind eye! And hot off the press – hundreds of bomb threats to synagogues across America this past Shabbat.
Scary and depressing does not even begin to describe the deep sea of terror and dread shaking every Jew on the planet to the core. It’s like we’ve been taken back in time into a black and white Holocaust horror film that we never dreamed we would be in.
I know as a born JAP (Jewish American Princess) I’ve found myself thinking many times that all this is just too much for me. We were taught that this level of Jew-hatred was over, put into a glass box in a Holocaust memorial. Isn’t the new post-modern world past all this hatred?
It seems that the answer is very clear – all the rules and protection and equality apply to everyone except Jews.
Jews are still hated, still gaslighted, still held to double-standards, still labeled with whatever the society deems as bad – even if it means total hypocrisy. Even if it means that Jews defending themselves will be labeled as the very “Nazis” who murdered 6 million of us. That Jews in our own lawful land will be called “occupiers.”
And it’s showing no signs of letting up anytime soon. In fact, Rabbi Arush has already given multiple warnings (see Rabbi Arush’s video Q&A on Aliyah) that the danger to Jews is liable to get a lot worse, Hashem should save us.
(PS – Check out Rabbi Arush here saying that while Jews outside the Land do not feel safe, the most secure place is in the Land of Israel and especially in Jerusalem, which enjoys Hashem’s special protection. And contrary to what most think, Rabbi Arush says that after Mashiach comes, it will be a lot HARDER to get to Israel.
So come NOW! We don’t know when it will be too late… I shake while reminding you that the Jews in Europe also thought they had more time.)
I don’t know about you, but having our belief and trust in equality being spit in our faces in this matter has me shocked – and scared.
Emuna – or Hell
The point is not to bring everything out of the shadows in order to wring our hands. The point is to see where the world is going and realize that Rabbi Arush’s motto of “emuna or Hell” has never been so clear as right now.
What’s the emuna? Rabbi Arush recently said that it’s forbidden to refer to the massacre of Simchat Torah as “Black Sabbath.” He said, “It was White Sabbath! The light of repentance came into the world! We see how many Jews are returning to Hashem because of what happened! Every day – more Jews! The light and happiness in the Upper Worlds are unimaginable. The whole world has waited for these days since creation!”
Meanwhile, every week Rabbi Arush reminds us to never stop seeing Hashem in the miracles of the thousands of missiles of every type launched at Israel, and “statistically, zero killed.” How much Hashem is protecting us every minute – and to be filled with gratitude, thanking Hashem all the time.
I don’t know about you, but it’s incredibly difficult to hold on to that reality out here in “the real world.” A world filled with yet another soldier who fell in battle. A world filled with a true war on social media, and yet another story from a captive who was taken hostage on Oct. 7.
This is exactly the point.
As I mentioned in my article Not Just Another War, this is fundamentally a spiritual war for each and every Jewish soul. Will we hold onto our emuna, as Rabbi Arush teaches us to – or not???
Will we spend all day crying over the news and the feed, worried about what the next moment will bring? Or will we spend all day thanking Hashem for protecting us?
Will we see the heavy darkness of antisemitism everywhere? Or the beautiful light of Jews unifying to help each other and finding their Jewish identity as never before?
No one is immune from this war. Each and every one of us is struggling with it – and victory is not guaranteed, no matter who you are!
Take it from me – I’m first in line to testify that I struggle with this fight multiple times each and every day, even with all my closeness to the teachings of emuna. I lose battles, and sometimes I feel that I can’t win. But the energy I receive when I’m in “emuna” mode keeps me going, even if I unfortunately spend plenty of time reeling in Hell…
What gives me strength is Rabbi Nachman’s teaching: “Who is the one called victorious? The one who doesn’t put down his weapon.”
The weapon of the Jew is prayer.
So as long as you keep praying and begging Hashem for emuna, and doing your very best to follow Rabbi Arush’s advice, reading The Garden of Emuna and strengthening your emuna – Rabbi Nachman promises you will win!
Update: If you still aren’t convinced of just how clear and present the danger is to Jews in America, journalist Ami Horowitz spoke to 35 random students on a left-leaning campus. 80% of them supported killing Jews around the world, specifically hitting soft targets like schools and synagogues. 50% were willing to put money towards the cause. Not one pushed back. Watch for yourself.
Please read the continuation of this article – Why is There Antisemitism?
***
Rachel Avrahami grew up in Los Angeles, CA, USA in a far-off valley where she was one of only a handful of Jews in a public high school of thousands. She found Hashem in the urban jungle of the university. Rachel was privileged to read one of the first copies of The Garden of Emuna in English, and the rest, as they say, is history. She made Aliyah and immediately began working at Breslev Israel.
Rachel is now the Editor of Breslev Israel’s English website. She welcomes questions, comments, articles, and personal stories to her email: rachel.avrahami@breslev.co.il.
TOP |
On Simchat Torah, Hashem reminded us that those who celebrate and follow His Torah are protected. What can we do for those who were killed on that day while celebrating a licentious event? A LOT!
David Ben Horin | Posted on 24December2023 | https://breslev.com/4080632/
 Simchat Torah for Our Martyrs by David Ben Horin All the pundits on podcasts are trying to tell us why the Simchat Torah massacre happened and what they think will happen next. They’re all wrong.
Somebody asked me whether to call the massacre the “Oct 7 Massacre” or the “Simchat Torah Massacre”.
It’s Simchat Torah.
It’s the day Hashem reminded His children, the Jewish people, and the rest of the world that those who dance around His Torah celebrate His blessing and protection. Those who spend their days dancing around a huge idol lose His protection against the savages and monsters of this world.
The IDF can’t protect us. On Simchat Torah, they didn’t. The Mossad, Shin Bet, or American aid didn’t turn away the barbarians at the gate.
The gates that turned away these animals were at the only two kibbutzim in the Gaza Belt that were dancing around the Torah.
This reaffirms the Torah truths in the portion Ki Tavo. It’s a reaffirmation of the Jewish way of life: The life Hashem commands us.
From the day Adam was cast out of Paradise to today, Hashem blesses His people with strength. Hashem blesses His people with peace. (Psalms 29:11)
Hashem makes a distinction between those who follow His Torah and those who don’t. These are the lessons of the Simchat Torah Distinction.
What Happens Next
It’s a hard truth to swallow.
We are at war. Our brothers are still in captivity. The wounds of this horrible catastrophe are still open.
However, we in Israel are strong. In our Land, Hashem blesses us with the mental toughness to accept the truth, and the truth is that we must make repentance. We must return to God.
We must place a carpet ban on idolatry, sodomy, non-kosher foods, and breaking Shabbat or Jewish Holidays that Hashem commands His people.
In his Mishnah Torah, the Rambam tells us that when we are physically sick, what normally tastes good tastes repulsive, and what normally tastes repulsive tastes good. When you get a sore throat, somehow Ginger Ale becomes a delicacy.
The Rambam takes it to the next step by teaching that the same is true for our soul. When we are spiritually sick, things like sex, drugs, clubbing, flashy cars, and all-night gambling binges seem appealing.
Investing the night in Torah study, prayer, and visiting the sick doesn’t seem as enticing – even when we know where the first set of activities will ultimately place us versus the second set of Divine mitzvot.
The secular professors and military analysts, along with many generals and ministers, are talking about conquering Gaza, only to give it back to the PLO or to the local Gazan population on “the day after.” Didn’t Hamas mutate out of the local population? Doesn’t the PLO still pay its citizens a monthly salary to kill Jews?
It’s the Rabbis who are saying we must conquer Gaza and rebuild its Jewish communities so that we can always keep an eye on the Gazans.
For the past 5,000 years of human history, that’s what conquering nations did. They annexed the land and started planting their people on it. The only difference is that God never commanded America to conquer Mexico and start putting its people in their northern provinces of Nevada and California.
We are commanded to live in Gaza because it is part of the Land of Israel.
Following the Rambam’s teachings, the spiritually healthy are the ones who are morally and intellectually healthy. They are the ones who know right from wrong – in everything.
Make Martyrs Out of Them
What will become of those who were murdered on Oct 7? What of those who were violated? What of those 1,200 people who were murdered, raped, and tortured after two days of dancing around an idol and licentiousness?
We send them to the highest levels of heaven.
Every Rosh Hashanah, we are all judged — both the living and the dead.
Hashem judges the living on their actions. But what about the dead? They have no actions to speak of in this world. What will they be judged on?
The dead are judged on the actions they cause after their death.
Suppose a man teaches his children to guard Shabbat every week. If his children continue to keep Shabbat after he passes, then Hashem will judge this man for the mitzvot his children do because he showed them how.
There are countless times where a parent came to a son or daughter in a dream and asked them to perform a mitzvah in this world so the parent could rise higher in the Next World.
Like on earth, heaven has good places and better places. You can live in a simple 2-bedroom apartment in Lod. You save up, get a higher-paying job, and pretty soon, you can move into a nice penthouse in Beit Shemesh. Hashem can pull you from a place in heaven that feels equivalent to the 2-bedroom flat in Lod and elevate you to the heavenly equivalent of the penthouse in Beit Shemesh – or better.
This is what we can do for the fallen.
Every prayer we recite, every charity we give, every kindness we perform, every line of Torah we learn because of what happened last Simchat Torah transforms our brethren into catalysts of mitzvot. Immediately, they are Zicuy Rabin – they bring us closer to Hashem.
They go from victims to martyrs. They go from being buried beneath the earth to vaulted high above the heavens.
They can get judged for performing the greatest mitzvah in the Torah.
If you recite the Shema tonight because of the horrors of October 7 and the lessons learned, it is in their honor. They were the reason you did something for Hashem that you never did before.
God gives you the chance to raise their spirits – literally!
With every step of repentance we make, as individuals, as communities, and as a nation, we elevate Klal Yisrael. Hashem willing, we merit God’s protection against all our enemies. This is also promised in parsha Ki Tavo.
If we learned on October 7 that the curses of parsha Ki Tavo are as real today as they always were, then we know for a fact that the blessings of Ki Tavo – that we will be powerful and prosperous and that Hashem will bless us in victory for everything we do – are also as real today as they always were.
This is the Simcha of the Torah our Father gives us.
***
David Ben Horin lives in Afula with his family, millions of sunflowers, and Matilda, our local camel. David‘s Israeli startup, 300 Marketing Solutions, is a lean marketing agency for startups and small businesses that creates and promotes SEO-optimized ROI-driven to the right audience on LinkedIn to make your business the star of the show.
TOP |
You support Terrorists, you get..
Ari Sade-tweet-8November2023-You support Terrorists, you get
You murdered, raped, burnt, beheaded, and kidnapped our people. Men, women, children and babies, and you celebrated it! And streamed it live! Proudly!
This is a fraction of your punishment. Return the hostages and surrender. We might let you live.
#HamasisISIS
#BringThemHome
 Ari Sade-tweet-8November2023, You support Terrorists-you get
Dr. Eli David-tweet-31December2023-You celebrated the massacre on 7October and now expect us to have sympathy for you
You celebrated the massacre on October 7, and now expect us to have sympathy for you?
_
 Dr. Eli David-tweet-31December2023-You celebrated the massacre on 7October and now expect us to have sympathy for you?
 Why Islam canot coexist with not just the Israelis but all non-Muslims
TOP |
American farmhands and cowboys on their way to Israel
Lenny Ben-David-tweet-6November2023-American farmhands and cowboys on their way to Israel
American farmhands and cowboys on their way to Israel to help farmers in Israel after the #Hamas attack. Many lost their lives and/or farm workers.
That’s love! Thank you.❤️
 Lenny Ben-David-tweet-6November2023-American farmhands and cowboys on their way to Israel
TOP |
Lawmakers want answers from the Pentagon on how U.S.-made weapons may have ended up in the hands of Hamas terrorists who slaughtered Israeli civilians.
 A young boy holds a U.S.-made M4A1 rifle during a rally of Hamas supporters, at the Jabalia refugee camp, Gaza Strip, on Dec. 12, 2014. (Mahmud Hams/AFP/Getty Images) By Tom Ozimek
(emphasis zerohedge https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/unconscionable-republicans-press-pentagon-over-american-made-weapons-hamass-hands)
23October2023 Updated: 24October2023 https://www.theepochtimes.com/article/republicans-press-pentagon-over-american-made-weapons-in-hamass-hands-5515455
Citing reports that advanced U.S.-made firearms have ended up in the possession of the Hamas terrorist group in Gaza, several House Oversight Committee Republicans are demanding answers from the Pentagon about what’s being done to make sure American-made weapons don’t end up in the wrong hands.
“The Committee has seen reports that U.S.-manufactured weapons are being redistributed and resold in secondary markets to terrorist organizations, including Hamas,” wrote House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) in an Oct. 23 letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
Mr. Comer and Ms. Greene cited a series of media reports indicating that American-made weapons were being diverted and ending up in the hands of terrorists.
One source of these U.S.-made weapons is reportedly the roughly $7 billion stockpile left behind in the botched Afghanistan withdrawal. Another is related to the arms that the United States is providing to Ukraine amid its war with Russia but that are being diverted to the Middle East by various actors, including gun-smuggling criminal groups.
“The potential possession of U.S. weapons by terrorists is alarming in light of the terrorist group’s recent horrific attack on Israel,” the pair of lawmakers wrote, referring to the Oct. 7 assault by Hamas operatives that killed about 1,500 Israelis, mostly civilians—many of them in barbaric fashion.
In their letter, they demanded a staff briefing from the Pentagon by the end of October on what procedures the Department of Defense (DOD) has in place “for preventing, addressing, and mitigating weapon diversion abroad.”
 A Ukrainian serviceman checks his U.S-made M4A1 carbine after cleaning it at a base in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, on Feb. 23, 2023. (Yasuyoshi Chima/AFP/Getty Images) ‘Arsenal of Anarchy’
Israel Captures Hamas Navel Commander; 9 Americans Killed by Hamas Attacks: US
In their letter, Mr. Comer and Ms. Greene cited a number of media reports indicating that American-made weapons were ending up in the hands of those who may wish to use them to harm the United States and its allies.
One of these is a June 15 report by Newsweek that cites a high-ranking Israel Defense Forces (IDF) commander as saying that the Israeli military was concerned that U.S.-made weapons provided to Ukraine were being diverted and ending up in the hands of Israel’s enemies in the Middle East.
“We are very worried that some of these capabilities are going to fall to Hezbollah and Hamas’ hands,” the IDF commander told the publication.
Since the Russia–Ukraine conflict erupted in February 2022, the United States has sent more than $46 billion in military assistance to Kyiv, sparking worries that some of that massive flow of arms was being diverted and ending up in other regions.
While a report in March from the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime found that “there is currently no substantial outflow of weapons from the Ukrainian conflict zone,” it warned of the prospect of serious proliferation.
The report’s authors warned in a statement that when the war ends, “Ukraine’s battlefields could and will become the new arsenal of anarchy, arming everyone from insurgents in Africa to gangsters in the streets of Europe.”
While it’s impossible to tell without further investigation where the weapons are coming from, it’s been alleged that some U.S.-made weapons are finding their way to Gaza and into the hands of Hamas.
In their letter, the GOP lawmakers said that “recently released photos show Hamas terrorists allegedly holding what appear to be H4A1 Carbines,” a type of weapon that they point out was specially designed for U.S. Special Operations Forces.
“This would not be the first time our military service members and allies have been targeted by terrorist organizations misappropriating American-made weapons,” the lawmakers wrote, citing the massive $7 billion arsenal that ended up in the hands of the Taliban.
Taliban Seize $7 Billion Worth of US Weapons and Equipment
After U.S. forces withdrew from Afghanistan in the summer of 2021, they left behind billions of dollars of American-made weapons and equipment.
A Pentagon watchdog reported in August 2022 that “U.S.-funded equipment valued at $7.12 billion was in the inventory of the former Afghan government when it collapsed, much of which has since been seized by the Taliban.”
The report, which was confirmed by the DOD, indicated that the equipment that had fallen into Taliban hands included military aircraft, ground vehicles, weapons, and other military equipment.
The items that ended up in Taliban hands included large equipment like Black Hawk helicopters and Humvees, as well as small but sophisticated arms like M16 assault rifles and M4 carbines.
“We have already seen Taliban fighters armed with U.S.-made weapons they seized from the Afghan forces. This poses a significant threat to the United States and our allies,” Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Reuters in an email last year.
Lt. Col. Emron Musavi, an Indian army spokesperson, told CNBC in an email last year that weapons left behind by U.S. forces during the withdrawal from Afghanistan were making their way into other conflict zones, including in India-controlled Kashmir, which some terror groups are trying to annex for Pakistan.
“It can be safely assumed that they have access to the weapons left behind,” he told the outlet, amid reports that operatives from Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba, two Pakistan-based groups designated by the United States as terrorist organizations, had been spotted with U.S.-made arms like M4s and M16s.
 Military vehicles transferred by the U.S. to the Afghan National Army in February 2021. Afghanistan Ministry of Defense/via REUTERS
 Taliban stand guard at an entrance gate outside the Interior Ministry in Kabul, on Aug. 17, 2021. (Javed Tanveer/AFP via Getty Images)
Demands for Oversight
The letter from Mr. Comer and Ms. Greene is not the first time Republicans have pressed the Pentagon on U.S.-made weapons falling into the wrong hands.
Shortly after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, several Republican senators demanded the DOD provide full accounting over the weapons and equipment that were captured by the Taliban.
“As we watched the images coming out of Afghanistan as the Taliban retook the country, we were horrified to see U.S. equipment—including UH-60 Black Hawks—in the hands of the Taliban,” Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and two dozen other senators wrote to Mr. Austin.
“It is unconscionable that high-tech military equipment paid for by U.S. taxpayers has fallen into the hands of the Taliban and their terrorist allies,” the Republicans added.
“Securing U.S. assets should have been among the top priorities for the U.S. Department of Defense prior to announcing the withdrawal from Afghanistan.”
Tom Ozimek
Author (Reporter)
Tom Ozimek is a senior reporter for The Epoch Times. He has a broad background in journalism, deposit insurance, marketing and communications, and adult education.
TOP |
The pivot reflects Indian domestic politics and new interests in the Middle East
Banyan 2November2023 https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/11/02/narendra-modi-has-shifted-india-from-the-palestinians-to-israel
FOREIGN NEWS usually gets short shrift in India. Yet for the past month the country’s television channels have been dominated by wall-to-wall coverage of events in Israel and Gaza, mostly from Israel’s perspective. News anchors in bulletproof vests stand in the desert delivering breathless reports on the aftermath of Hamas’s atrocities in Israel on October 7th. Talk-show hosts restage the Palestinian terrorist group’s attack from Gaza with toy soldiers and miniature bulldozers. Weeks into the war, coverage remains intense.
The media’s fascination with Israel’s plight and retribution coincides with a marked shift in the Indian government’s stance on the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. It has moved from backing the Palestinians to more or less unqualified support for Israel. The pivot is based on a realist reappraisal of Indian interests in the Middle East. It has also met with strong public backing from Narendra Modi’s domestic supporters, which is gratifying for Mr Modi’s government ahead of state elections this month and a general election next year.
In the past, like many countries in the global south, India tempered any expression of support for Israel with expressions of concern for the Palestinians’ plight. No more. Mr Modi took to X (formerly Twitter) within hours of Hamas’s assault to express his horror at the “terrorist attacks” and declare that “we stand in solidarity with Israel”. It took five days for India’s Ministry of External Affairs to reiterate, in response to questions from reporters, that India continued to support a two-state solution to the conflict. On October 27th, in a departure from its usual voting record, India abstained as the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza; it objected that the text did not condemn Hamas’s assault.
The shift reflects India’s growing defence and commercial ties to Israel. Co-operation between the two countries has been deepening ever since Israel provided India with military help during the Kargil war against Pakistan in 1999. That was long before America took a serious interest in military co-operation with India. Over the past decade India has bought missiles, drones and border-security equipment (and probably surveillance software, though it has not admitted this) from Israel, making it the Israeli defence industry’s biggest foreign customer.
A bromance between Mr Modi and Binyamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, has deepened the relationship. So has the two countries’ shared preoccupation with fighting terrorism, especially the Islamist variant. Explaining the abstention in the UN vote, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, India’s foreign minister, said in a speech on October 29th that India took a strong position on terrorism “because we are big victims of terrorism”.
India has also been increasing its ties with Gulf Arab countries, especially Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. And it can ill afford to alienate them; it depends on them for much of its oil and goodwill towards an estimated 9m expatriate Indian workers. Yet the fact that both countries have recently moved closer to Israel has allowed Mr Modi to effect his shift with alacrity. Even in the current crisis, the Saudis and Emiratis appear reluctant to allow the events in Gaza to cause a rupture in their long-term rapprochement with Israel.
Domestically, the Modi government’s pivot is essentially all upside. The Congress-led opposition has condemned it; leaders of India’s 200m Muslims have heavily criticised Israel’s military response. Yet the Indian middle-class that mostly backs Mr Modi is especially concerned about Islamist terrorism. Its members look on Hamas’s attack and recall the tragedy Mumbai suffered in 2008, when Pakistani Islamists killed 175 people and wounded more than 300 during a four-day rampage. It included an attack on a Jewish community centre in the city, where the terrorists murdered the rabbi and his pregnant wife.
There is a small risk the government will overplay its hand. As the civilian death toll in Gaza rises, India’s Arab partners might turn against the Israelis and their backers more aggressively. Mr Modi has latterly hedged against that possibility. He has reached out to Palestinian leaders, offering Indian condolences and humanitarian aid. Meanwhile, his Hindu-nationalist henchmen are unrestrained in using the conflict to stoke the Islamophobia that has propelled their party’s rise. Even if Mr Modi’s pivot becomes difficult abroad, it will probably help him win elections.
TOP |
For Egypt, Gaza is a forward outpost that keeps IDF forces occupied in the south, disturbs Israel, and prevents it from strengthening. Op-ed.
Tzachi Levi
20October2023 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/378874
The diplomatic tug-of-war between Israel and Egypt over the opening of the Rafah Crossing has the potential to decide the future of the Gaza Strip and the war altogether.
The question is as follows: Which side will succeed in forcing the other to take responsibility for the residents of the Gaza Strip? Israel has demanded the opening of the Rafah Crossing in one direction, and according to several media outlets, has offered Egypt, along with the United States and the United Arab Emirates, a series of economic benefits in exchange for opening the crossing.
The Egyptians, for their part, refuse to open the crossing even to Gazans who are citizens of foreign countries, and instead calls for sending supposedly “civilian” aid into the Strip to prevent a humanitarian crisis and the wave of refugees that Egypt fears.
Not for nothing, this issue was ostensibly at the center of the Egyptian President’s meetings with international leaders, came up in the Netanyahu-Biden meeting, and received special attention from the King of Jordan.
What is unfolding before us us is a diplomatic “chicken fight,” the outcome of which may decide the entire war and shape the Middle East for years to come.
Many in Israel, from all ends of the political spectrum, understand that even if we eliminate all the tens of thousands of terrorists in the Strip exactly as the Israeli government has stated, Iran is not going anywhere, and, absent a meaningful permanent Israeli or international force on the ground, in a few short years a new Hamas or some other radical regime will be established in the Strip, thus setting up the next inevitable confrontation. Under such conditions, it will be impossible to rehabilitate the towns around Gaza that were ravaged by Hamas’s war crimes.
In light of this reality, the resettlement of the civilian population of the Gaza Strip in Egypt and elsewhere in the Muslim world, should become an overt political goal of Israel. This is the most humane solution to the situation, both for Israel and for the Gazans, many of whom want to emigrate from the Strip anyway and were imprisoned in it by Hamas.
It is worth noting, in addition, that there is nothing that discourages Arab aggression more than the loss of land. Therefore, in addition to the military goal of ending Hamas’ rule with minimum loss of civilian lives, the extension of Israeli sovereignty to all or some of the Gaza Strip would act as a powerful deterrent against Israel’s other enemies which are thinking about attempting to commit another heinous act such as the one we witnessed on the morning of October 7th.
Egypt sees the situation differently.
For the Egyptians, the loss of the Strip would be a strategic problem. For Egypt, Gaza is a forward outpost that keeps the IDF forces occupied in the south, disturbs Israel, and prevents it from strengthening.
Anyone who follows the strengthening of the Egyptian army from visible sources, and sees the huge bridging array it is building above and below the Suez Canal, and the military procurement in the tens of billions of dollars in all army arrays: sea, land, air and even satellites, understands that Egypt sees Israel as its main military adversary, in spite of the peace agreement.
Most of Egypt’s military exercises are directed against Israel, and that is why we can see reports, in the open media, about a long series of Egyptian violations of the peace agreement, which limits the deployment of Egyptian forces in Sinai, under the pretext of a war against ISIS.
For many years, Egypt has allowed the strengthening of terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip, during both the Mubarak and Morsi eras. During the el-Sisi era, Egypt increased its supervision and control over what entered the Strip while building a massive barrier on the Egyptian side of the border. All this is just an indication that what did enter, apparently entered with an Egyptian “blind eye”.
Israel needs to think strategically about how to encourage Gazans to make their way into Egypt.
Israel must take advantage of the severe economic crisis in Egypt in favor of organizing international aid to the country in exchange for the absorption of all or some of the Gazans. Just recently, the Moody’s rating agency lowered the Egypt’s credit rating from B3 to Caa1. Indeed, Egypt is on the verge of insolvency, which may endanger the stability of the regime in the near term.
In the first stage, Israel needs to increase the humanitarian pressure on the Gaza Strip so that eventually hundreds of thousands of hungry and thirsty Gazans will break through the Rafah Crossing.
In the second stage, when Egypt will face the finished fact of an influx of refugees in its territory, it is recommended that Israel and the US organize the international community, UNRWA, and the International Monetary Fund, to flow economic aid to Egypt, to enable the absorption of some of the Gazans in Egypt.
It is important to understand: The Gazans whom Hamas imprisoned in the Strip, very much want to emigrate from it. Turkey, which is ready to take them in, is a very popular destination, as is Europe, which is obliged to take in those to whom UNRWA has granted a refugee certificate. The percentage of the Gazan population that will eventually be taken in by Egypt is lower than the country’s annual birth rate, which is over 2 million babies a year.
And in relation to housing solutions – in Egypt there is a stock of vacant apartments for immediate occupancy of at least 2 million apartments, a result of the regime’s planned economy.
Success in the diplomatic struggle with Egypt over the opening of the Rafah Crossing will shorten the war and therefore reduce the risk of opening more fronts.
Emptying the population of its Arab inhabitants while applying Israeli sovereignty means an overwhelming victory that will restore deterrence in all sectors, strengthen the Abraham Accords, and bring peace with Saudi Arabia.
In the Middle East, one does business only with the powerful, and Israel must recognize the opportunity to project power, while changing the Middle East for generations.
TOP |
23October2023 http://myrtlerising.weebly.com/blog/another-true-account-of-shabbat-saving-a-life-plus-a-message-from-the-next-world
Someone wrote me the true story of a young man, a friend of the correspondent’s son, who was encouraged by other friends to attended the “rave” party near the Gaza Strip on Shabbat/Simchat Torah.
As the correspondent explained:
My son says the parties are full of eastern “spirituality” and he’s been warning his friends who go to them about the avodah zora aspects of them.
He says they “worship the speakers” or something.
They don’t mean it to be avodah zora, but it’s not good.
Yet the son’s friend recently took Shabbat upon himself and managed to resist his friends’ repeated urgings to go with them to the party.
As is now self-understood, that refusal to attend the party for the sake of Shabbat saved that young man’s life.
So many people saved their own lives by either not attending the party at all or leaving before Shabbat!
Yet the brother of another friend did attend the fateful party.
Afterwards, no one knew where he was.
One night shortly after, the father of the missing boy had a dream. As the correspondent describes it:
…his father dreamed that his son was holding a golden sefer and he said, “Don’t worry, Abba. I’m learning Torah with Hash-m.”
The next day, the family was informed the boy was found, but hadn’t survived the attack.
Who Knows the Cheshbonot of Shamayim?
While we’ve been hearing a lot about people saved from slaughter by last-minute teshuvah or even just progress in their mitzvah-observance, we remain unable to know the final moments of those who didn’t survive.
Yet from the accounts of the people who knew them well, we can glean indications regarding their last moments, that some managed to do some kind of teshuvah or some kind of kavanah to die al kiddush Hashem (for the sanctification of God’s Name).
And we know from great tzaddikim and talmidei chachamim like Rav Yehudah Petayah, that even a split-second thought of teshuvah the moment before death still holds tremendous power for atonement in the Next World.
(For more on that topic, please see here: minchat-yehudah-part-i-teshuvah-and-what-happens-after-you-die.html.)
In conclusion, let’s take comfort in the words of the Me’am Lo’ez on Parshat Beresheit (page 184):
If a person has been killed by the gentiles, his image is engraved on [the angel’s] vestments, and [the angel] brings it to the highest heaven.
There, this person is recorded in the Great Book.
TOP |
Emuna gives us powerful tools to cope with anxiety, fear, pain, and confusion. How can we use those tools to strengthen ourselves in the war situation?
Rachel Avrahami | Posted on 13October2023 https://breslev.com/4061929/
 Overcoming the TERROR – Rachel Avrahami Hashem is God, ein od milvado, there is no nature and no Hamas. What happened is somehow for the best and will go down in the annals of history along with the Holocaust as something we cannot understand why. Now, we look forward, never forgetting that the Guardian of Israel does not slumber and does not sleep!
That being said, we’re all nervous wrecks. We’re all shocked, appalled, suffering, and overwhelmed. We’re all glued to our phones and computers to check the news. Round-the-clock updates. It’s almost impossible to put it down.
However, the solution is specifically the opposite – stop looking at the news and start praying! Here is why:
Sitting around looking at “what is going on” is just a trap of the Evil Inclination. It might even dress up like a tzaddik, saying “Oh, you need to know what exactly to pray for, and to pray with more feeling.” This is all a lie, for a few reasons:
- The media is part of the Other Side, it’s not from the side of holiness. It sells lies and slander all the time. Even if it’s “true,” it’s not the whole truth, which is emuna and Hashem. Whatever you read is only taking you away from the simple emuna and truth of the Almighty God and the true emuna that Hashem loves you, everything is good, and it’s only getting better and better.I refer once again to Rabbi Arush’s article (Who Doesn’t Like to Pay?) about how the biggest judgements come specifically from our difficulty in truly believing this, and that being unable to believe that it’s only getting better can create the reality that it won’t, Hashem should save us!
- Watching the media makes it hard to hold on to your emuna, because the media makes us afraid, anxious, depressed, sad, and worse. All those negative emotions are the opposite of emuna! Rebbe Nachman teaches that what you are afraid of is allowed to rule you. That’s incredibly dangerous at any time, and especially right now. We want to be 100% only under Hashem’s personal Divine Providence. For that, we need to fear only Him and look only to Him and believe only in His power and guidance. If we’re looking only to His Providence, we are not biting our nails over what already happened and what might happen in the next moment.Only when we disconnect from the news, can we connect to the emuna truth we need to hear and repeat to ourselves constantly: Every bullet and every missile has its address; everything comes only from Hashem Who loves us. Even when, G-d forbid, He takes people in the sanctification of His Name, even that is good and from love in a way we simply cannot understand in this world. Every one of us is here for a purpose and a rectification. If it’s our rectification to die, then there is no escaping it. If not, there is even less reason to be afraid! Whatever it is, only Hashem is in charge – not Hamas, not chance, not the wind, and not anything else, including the Iron Dome!
- The media desensitizes you. You become numb. In addition to the fear and sadness which shuts down the heart and thus the ability to speak, you stop being sensitive to the suffering in the same way.Hence, now you have less emuna, more fear, and more numbness. Most of the time, that creates a blocked heart that cannot pour forth words of personal prayer or emotion into Psalms and the like. You become totally neutralized – which of course is the goal of the Evil Inclination that told you to “check the news” in the first place!
Why is this Evil Inclination to see what is happening so difficult to overcome? Because it’s part of the sin of Adam. In checking the news, we are grasping onto straws in a subconscious effort to take back some semblance of control when we feel so scared and so helpless.
The key is to take that fear and helplessness and turn it into prayer to Hashem! Because we truly are helpless – but only to Him!
And Hashem has the biggest Hands and the biggest Shoulders that can protect us and carry us and provide for us, without or without natural means.
It’s very hard to let go of the desire to be in control, to be “like G-d” and know everything that is going on, as if it’s going to help us manage or control the future. But the more we can “let go and let G-d” so to speak, the more we will be more relaxed and filled with emuna – which Rabbi Arush calls “the ability to cope.” Who doesn’t need that right now?
Then there is simply the incredible amount of wasted time spent checking on the situation! Set a timer for five minutes and see how little you manage to do. I found it to be more like 15 – 20 minutes, multiple times a day!
Let’s compare that to praying for the Jewish people – every word is equivalent to the number of Jews, which thank G-d still stands at approximately 15 million according to Rabbi Arush. So, in five minutes you just did BILLIONS of mitzvot! Forget about one hour! Even one sentence is so precious!!!
Finally, there is the psychological reality that when someone does something to help himself, there is less trauma and feelings of paralysis and helplessness. Checking the news only adds to these feelings and makes everything WORSE, not better. But sitting down and praying makes you feel so much better, because here you actually did something to help yourself and the situation! There is just so much that needs to be done right now and so many prayers that need to be said – get to work! Who has time and energy to waste?
Hence, the Evil Inclination ensnares us and makes us think that by checking the news we’ll feel better and more in control. In reality, he is just selling us spam that makes us sick. He makes us unable to do what really will make us feel better and will give us power to make things better – words of emuna and prayer.
I readily admit that it’s really hard to stop checking in, but you’ll feel so much better as you conquer the drive, and really the addiction, to the news, to the news-feed, and everything like it. You’ll feel better because you’re not ingesting poison, and because G-d willing now you’ll be freer to pray and follow the rest of Rabbi Arush’s advice which really will help you take back your personal power!
Make sure to also read Rabbi Arush’s newest update on the situation, Redemption is the News here.
The Jewish people is counting on you now to do your part – don’t let the Evil Inclination neutralize you!
PS. After I wrote this article, a hidden tzaddik spoke about the great need to learn Torah and pray Psalms instead of listening to the news, “which is all nonsense; all the news is against religion, against Torah, against the Land of Israel.”
With Hashem’s help, I will be continuing this series with more advice on how to cope in the aftermath and the war, whether you’re in Israel or abroad.
***
Rachel Avrahami grew up in Los Angeles, CA, USA in a far-off valley where she was one of only a handful of Jews in a public high school of thousands. She found Hashem in the urban jungle of the university. Rachel was privileged to read one of the first copies of The Garden of Emuna in English, and the rest, as they say, is history. She made Aliyah and immediately began working at Breslev Israel.
Rachel is now the Editor of Breslev Israel’s English website. She welcomes questions, comments, articles, and personal stories to her email: rachel.avrahami@breslev.co.il.
TOP |
October 15, 2023 https://www.thinkforyourselfpublishing.com/only-fear-hashem/
I couldn’t get into my blog for three days…
Maybe it got hacked, maybe it didn’t.
Who knows.
In the meantime, I’m here to tell you that the only thing to fear right now is Hashem.
====
Like so many of us, I have been on a crazy roller-coaster ride of ‘OK’ and ‘not-so-OK’ the last week, but I feel like all the tehillim, all the prayers, the teshuva, the mesirut nefesh, the chessed, the people getting behind the Rav and following instructions – it’s all starting to send some light into what is still a very heavy and dark situation.
Our enemies are still pulling the wool over so many people’s eyes with all their propaganda about ‘Iran, Iran, Iran’.
And now also ‘Russia, Russia, Russia’.
====
Bottom line:
It’s the US that is behind what is going on now.
Without the shadow of a doubt.
====
But that’s not what I’m here to tell you, or harp on.
The truth is coming out all over the place – and there is nothing they can do to stop it.
But in the meantime, we need to keep the prayers and all the other stuff going.
====
Tachlis:
The Rav a few days ago said this:
Everyone should take it upon themselves to say the Book of Psalms, because now they want to enter Gaza.
They are afraid and therefore they are pushing it off.
They are scared thousands of soldiers could die.
When you go in [to Gaza], you can’t tell who’s a terrorist and who’s a soldier.
They could start shooting each other, and a thousand soldiers could die from the gunfire of our own forces.
The war has been 4 days (during the lesson) and they have not yet entered Gaza, they are scared to death to enter Gaza – who knows who will live and who will die.
====
The Rav’s lessons are full of hints and secrets.
When he tells you: a thousand soldiers could die from being shot at by our own forces, he is hinting to some very terrible things about what is really going on here, God forbid.
====
In the meantime, please also do whatever you can to get the Rav’s prayers around to as many soldiers, people and bases as you can.
One of the Rav’s gabbays put out a message last week that even a tenuous link to the Rav – even just having one of his unnamed prayers in your home – is enough to be considered to be ‘connected’ into the circle of the Tzaddik.
This is the prayer the Rav wrote especially to protect our soldiers now:
 Prayer for the soldiers Click to Enlarge
Print off a few copies, and give them out to as many people, as many soldiers, as you can.
They don’t need to know it’s from the Rav.
====
In the meantime, I am personally praying we stay the heck out of Gaza, and that this all ‘dies down’ again so we can get to the way more important job of figuring out who the real traitors in our midst are.
And which State, or ‘States’, planned and financed the terrible pogrom on so many thousands of Jews last Shabbat, with the help of those traitors in our midst.
God has His own way of dealing with our enemies, and sending hundreds of thousands of our precious Jews into narrow, booby-trapped alleyways, following orders from people who at the very least are covering up for the mass murderers of thousand of Jews doesn’t sound like the best plan, at this stage.
====
Remember this:
The Rav said that if a war does happen, God forbid, it will end with an earthquake.
He also said many, many times over the last few years that in the month of Cheshvan, the sea will be full of ships from the nations of the world coming to attack Israel.
And the sea will split miraculously, and all those enemy ships will sink to the bottom of the ocean.
====
When Gush Katif was destroyed as per the instructions of our same ‘friends’ in sheeps’ clothing 18 years ago, there was a lot of rumours discussing an imminent tsunami hitting Gaza, and explaining that this was the reason the Jews had been moved out.
Take a look at THIS (it’s a xtian blog, but it preserved some links on the ‘geula’ blogs from around that time.)
This is a snippet:
“A recent Jewish prophetic blog was posted on August 5, 2005 on both the Years of Awe and the “Moshiach and Geula, End of Days Prophecies, Geula, Moshiach, Gog and Magog,”orthodox and mystical Jewish blogsite that made the following claim. The claimant for this post referenced the Hebrew site, Moriyah.org, stated:
Years of Awe and Moshiach and Geula – HaRav Baruch Shapira, ztvk”l, said ten years ago: “I am a big prophet and head of the 36 hidden tzaddikim, and my prophecy is that in the future they will drive out complete settlements from the Gaza Strip, and immediately afterwards there will be a very strong earthquake in the area of Gaza and a huge wave will come and wash away the whole area into the sea, along with all the Palestinians.“
====
Those tsunami rumours resurfaced again in 2014.
But the bit that was ‘missing’ from all those discussions is that you need massive earthquakes, in order to have massive tsunamis.
In 2023, right now, the earthquakes are picking up all over the world.
====
A couple of months ago, the Rav talked repeatedly about big quakes hitting Israel, but said that the quakes won’t harm Jews, and will just cause the mosques and churches to fall.
Earthquake = tsunami = sea splitting and enemy warships being totally sunk to the bottom of the ocean = Gaza flooded.
(There is some weird kink in the topography of the sea bed in the Mediterranean, that appears to suggest that if a massive tsunami does hit, Gaza will take the brunt. But clearly, still a very serious circumstance, and still a lot of prayers required for everyone.)
====
So, let God do His thing.
And do yours, by praying, making teshuva and carrying on with the kindnesses and the charity.
Over the next 30 days of Cheshvan:
> Every day, women should aim for one whole book of tehillim a day – but do whatever you can manage, without letting yourself off the hook.
> And men should aim for three books a day, plus 10 pages of Gemara – but again, do whatever you can manage and push yourself to just keep doing a bit more.
> Turn off the lying news – it just pulls people into despair and fear.
And then the miracles will come.
====
Honestly?
The miracles are already coming.
A week ago this time – I truly thought we’d be in the middle of a war on three fronts, thousands of rockets every day and God forbid, thousands of precious Jews bogged down in Gaza being killed by yet more ‘friendly fire’ (ahem….)
None of that is happening.
Yet.
And BH, it won’t happen at all.
But keep going with the tehillim and prayers!
Because only the ‘voice of Yaakov’ can finally destroy the ‘Iron Swords’ of Esav, once and for all.
TOP |
By Ariel Grossman, NoCamels – 16November2023 https://nocamels.com/2023/11/from-parenting-to-practicalities-baby-forum-evolves-for-wartime/
Israelis struggling during the country’s ongoing war with Hamas have found support from an unexpected quarter – an online platform for new parents that now also offers access to a range of free services from temporary housing and professional counseling to babysitting and home-cooked meals.
The Jama website was created to help guide new parents through the first period after childbirth by connecting them to one another and offering them free and paid professional seminars.
But now, recognizing a broader demand during wartime, it has created a universal marketplace for Israelis wanting to offer their skills and services for free to those in need.
The original site was born in 2019, just a few months after co-founder and COO Maya Dayan Shalev found herself struggling with postpartum depression following the birth of her first child.
“When I became a new mom, I felt like I was diving into this world without any preparation, without anyone to guide me and without anyone to hold my hand,” she tells NoCamels.
“We used to raise kids in tribes, in communities, and somewhere along the way, things changed and we now do it all alone,” she says. “But it doesn’t have to be that way.”
When Hamas terrorists stormed into Israel from Gaza on October 7, killing 1,200 people and abducting 240 others, Israelis around the country rushed to help the victims and their families – and the soldiers quickly called up to wage war on the terror group.
But according to Maya, there was not a unified channel to coordinate the outpouring of goodwill.
“We saw that so many people wanted to help one another,” says Maya. “There was no one place that could organize everything in a smart way.”
Maya and her brother Kfir Dayan, Jama’s CEO and co-founder, quickly realized that they in fact already had their own platform that had been created solely to bring people together.
As Jama was created as a map showing users the location of other parents nearby with children of a similar age, it was easy to adapt to its new purpose.
“We took our map that usually connects between parents and parenting events, and turned it into a place to offer any kind of help you want, or to come and [accept] that help,” says Kfir.
The Jama team – which consists of both Israeli and Ukrainian developers – needed just 48 hours to add a new section and make it accessible to all Israelis in need.
The site’s artificial intelligence platform, which analyzes data provided during registration and subsequent navigation to provide the most relevant content, is now also used to suggest services required by the new wave of users.
“That’s what I love most about the Israeli nation,” says Kfir. “When you’re in trouble, people that don’t even know you will come and help you.”
The first feature of the new section, which is called Jama Help, was a way for people to advertise homes and rooms available to people who had to evacuate from southern Israel due to the security situation with Gaza.
From there, Jama Help expanded to include donations for army equipment and professional and psychological services. And then Israelis with no professional training in mental health also joined the platform, offering to do whatever they could for anyone in need.
“People wanted to offer any kind of help. There was someone who wanted to cook for others, teachers who wanted to teach students for free,” says Maya.
“It was amazing to see how much help there was in just a few days. It really warmed our hearts.”
Today, Jama Help is open to anyone who wants or is in need of assistance of any kind.
Registration for Jama Help requires providing some basic data such as location, a phone number and date of birth. For now, the site is only in Hebrew, but the siblings plan to make it available in English too.
Thousands have now signed up to both offer assistance and find a helping hand, says Maya.
Users who want to offer a service simply click on the plus sign at the side of the map, which takes them to a form where they select the kind of service they have, such as a vacant apartment or room or professional help, the dates and location of the assistance, and how many people can be accommodated.
And while there are other initiatives that attempt to coalesce both services on offer and requests for help on a single platform, Kfir says that Jama Help’s AI shows users the most relevant offers for them based on their activity on the website.
“I think that all of us as startups – and as people – have the ability to affect for good,” says Maya.
“That was the inspiration behind Jama Help: the belief that everyone has the ability to help, and the knowledge that we had the technology to make it possible.”
TOP |
November 5, 2023 by Lazer Brody
Functional Trauma Stress Disorder: Civilians Under Siege
 FTSD-Functional Trauma Stress Disorder-Civilians Under Siege Everyone is aware of PTSD – post-trauma stress disorder. This is the emotional and psychosomatic aftermath of war and severe life-threatening situations. Yet, few people – unless they live in the Ukraine, Israel or any other place with constant or prolonged wartime conditions, are aware of FTSD – functional trauma stress disorder.
The Severity of FTSD
Several aspects FTSD render it a greater challenge that PTSD. for example:
- While PTSD is post-trauma, FTSD is ongoing trauma.
- While PTSD is easy to recognize and identify, FTSD is not.
- Therapists are very familiar with PTSD, but less so with FTSD.
- While those with PTSD are usually willing to seek and accept help, those with FTSD might not even be aware that they need help.
- PTSD sufferers are rarely in denial. FTSD sufferers are liable to consider their suffering as a weakness and therefore use denial as a defense mechanism.
The FTSD Lab
The Current Simchat Torah War (aka “Iron Shields”) began with the Hamas massacre of 1400 innocent Israelis on October 7, 2023. That day was both Shabbat and Simchat Torah. The entire nation of Israel went from extreme joy to extreme fury and indignation. Hamas kidnapped another 241 people (at the time of this writing – the count goes up almost daily). Yet, the south of Israel continues to bear the brunt of the war. For years, southern Israeli cities, towns and villages have suffered intermittent rocket fire. Every child under the age of 16 has been born into the reality of bomb shelters. As a health coach, spiritual guide and former IDF combat soldier, many people have sought my help. The following is the result of my personal experience and observation.
The Symptoms of FTSD
People with acute FTSD suffer one or more of the following symptoms:
- Disorientation – in the middle of a task, they forget what they were doing. They go from one room to another, and forget what they wanted to accomplish. Perhaps they open the refridgerator and forget what they wanted.
- Fuzzy thinking and lack of focus – they read a sentence 3 times and either lose their place or forget what they read.
- Difficulty in concentrating – they experience sluggishness and require much more time to accomplish routine tasks.
- Fear of the future – they fear that the next missile attack will hit them or their home. They also have a doomsday outlook where small problems mushroom in their minds to life-threatening dangers.
- Short-temperedness – they are easily aggravated and react sharply or with anger.
- Futility – this is especially pronounced among civilians and all those who are not able to actively share in the war effort.
- Sleep Disorders – wake up multiple times during the night.
- Digestive disorders – from extremes of loss of appetite to heavily emotional eating and dinking.
- Headaches, muscle tension and tightening, diaphram pain, difficulty in breathing and similar psychosomatic disorders that cause actual physical suffering.
- Sadness and depression.
Coping with FTSD
Conventional therapy doesn’t have effective answers to FTSD. The reason is that emotional strength comes from the soul. FTSD is the result of the current trauma being stronger than the soul in its current state. If the soul is stronger than the body, then it can cope with the current trauma and overcome it. But, the more the body overcomes the soul, the more it suffers from FTSD.
Coping with and overcoming FTSD necessitates strengthening the soul. We accomplish that by learning emuna. The body might worry about danger, but when the soul is strong in emuna, it elicits Hashem’s help in overcoming the danger. That is how King David can so calmly declare, “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You [Hashem] are with me (Psalm 23:4).
In light of the above, prayer, recitation of Psalms and especially personal prayer are wonderful relievers of PTSD. Reading emuna books and most effective in neutralizing FTSD. I strongly recommend 3 Words of Emuna for immediate relief and 13 Principles of Emuna for longterm treatment.
Don’t Be in Denial
Be honest with yourself. Don’t be in denial. If you experience one or more of the abovementioned 10 symptoms, admit it to yourself. Living in the south of Israel, at one time or another, I’ve felt each one. Yet, I’ve coped and continue coping with the very same advice I give you, And remember: you don’t learn emuna from eating chocolate ice-cream. Challenging times are a wonderful opportunity to gain genuine spiritual and emotional growth. May Hashem help us to be successful and may we hear good news from one another, amen!
TOP |
The Judean Staff News 10January2024 https://thejudean.com/index.php/news/2332-israel-looking-to-replace-all-palestinian-labor-with-foreign-workforce
In the aftermath of the heinous October 7 attacks, Israel’s Economy Minister Nir Barkat from the Likud party articulated a decisive albeit controversial strategy: phasing out Palestinian labor in favor of foreign workers, effectively shutting the doors to Palestinians which would have dire consequences for their economy, but bring many Israelis peace of mind. This shift is not just a reactionary measure to a single tragic event, but a profound reevaluation of national security and economic strategy.
On October 7, Israel experienced one of its darkest days, revealing vulnerabilities in its labor force composition. Speaking at a conferfence in Jerusalem, Minister Barkat pinpointed the employment of Palestinian workers as a security risk, alleging some were involved in intelligence gathering for Hamas. This accusation is part of a broader narrative that the Palestinian Authority (PA) is complicit, through its “pay-for-slay” program, in incentivizing violence against Israelis.
To mitigate this risk, Barkat proposes a radical overhaul of Israel’s labor market. The plan involves transitioning from Palestinian to foreign labor, emphasizing the need for rapid action. The minister’s plan is underpinned by the belief that foreign workers present a significantly lower security threat and can effectively fill Israel’s labor needs.
Currently, Israel hosts approximately 130,000 foreign workers but needs an additional 170,000 to meet demand. Barkat’s recent discussions with India’s economy minister highlight the global nature of this labor shift, with countries like India eager to participate. This move is not just about filling low-skilled jobs; it’s about strategically aligning Israel’s workforce with its economic ambitions, pushing Israeli workers towards high-tech and skilled sectors.
Barkat dismisses concerns of collective punishment towards Palestinians, arguing that Israel is not responsible for job creation in the Palestinian territories. He stresses that the PA must foster its own economic growth and employment opportunities.
In the broader context of Israel’s economy, Barkat remains optimistic. Despite temporary setbacks due to regional conflicts, he sees a pattern of resilience and growth in Israel’s economy, particularly in the high-tech sector. The government’s billion-shekel investment in building industry clusters, following Professor Michael E. Porter’s economic model, is a testament to this optimism. This initiative aims to foster public-private partnerships, boosting Israel’s competitive edge globally.
In conclusion, Barkat’s strategy represents a significant pivot in Israel’s labor and economic policies, driven by security concerns and economic aspirations. While the move may have profound implications for Israeli-Palestinian relations, it is seen by the minister as a necessary step in ensuring Israel’s long-term security and economic prosperity.
TOP |
Indians Set to Replace Palestinian Workers From Gaza/West Bank in Israeli Jobs After October 7 Massacre
DomPachino101-tweet-1April2024-Indians Set to Replace Palestinian Workers From Gaza-West Bank in Israeli Jobs
Indians Set to Replace Palestinian Workers From Gaza/West Bank in Israeli Jobs After October 7 Massacre
“Thousands of laborers are expected to work in the embattled construction sector, which relied almost exclusively on Palestinian workers before war.”
https://legalinsurrection.com/2024/04/indians-set-to-replace-palestinian-workers-from-gaza-west-bank-in-israeli-jobs-after-october-7-massacre/
 DomPachino101-tweet-1April2024-Indians Set to Replace Palestinian Workers From Gaza-West Bank in Israeli Jobs
By RAJESH KUMAR SINGH and BISWAJEET BANERJEE
Updated 3:04 PM GMT+3, January 25, 2024 https://apnews.com/article/india-israel-hamas-war-recruitment-jobs-646b684c10a4384213b399fe6c221151
LUCKNOW, India (AP) — Thousands of Indians flocked to a recruitment center on Thursday for jobs that would take them to Israel despite the three-month Israeli-Hamas war that is devastating Gaza and threatening to ignite the wider Middle East.
Many among the crowd of men, mostly skilled construction workers and laborers, said they would take their chances in a country embroiled in war as they are struggling to find jobs in India, where unemployment remains high despite a swelling economy.
Anoop Singh, a college graduate and construction worker, was told he would make about $1,600 a month if he was selected to go to Israel — significantly more than the $360 to $420 he could get as a monthly wage for the same work in India.
“That’s why I have applied to go to Israel,” he said as he waited at the center in Lucknow, the capital of India’s most populous state of Uttar Pradesh, for his job interview.
The men said they had heard media reports that Israel is facing a labor shortage after barring tens of thousands of Palestinian workers following Hamas’ deadly Oct. 7 attack on Israel that triggered the war.
TOP |
Israeli agriculture and the Gaza War
This season’s yield of strawberries will also be lower than usual.
https://www.jns.org/imports-to-offset-israeli-shortage-of-onions-tomatoes/
(January 18, 2024 / JNS) Israel’s Ministry of Agriculture will increase imports of onions and tomatoes to offset a projected shortage through the end of March.
No shortages of peppers, carrots, potatoes or sweet potatoes are expected.
A gap in the supply of cabbage has been narrowed, and it is expected to return to normal in about two weeks.
The ministry added that this season’s yield of strawberries will be lower than usual, but the scope depends on the availability of professional workers for picking.
Israeli agriculture is facing staggering losses in production and manpower. Before Oct. 7, Israel had 29,900 foreigners, mostly Thais, working in farms, orchards, greenhouses and packing plants. Nearly all have returned to Thailand.
Farmers also employed 10,000-20,000 Palestinians, depending on the season, but they are currently denied entry into Green Line Israel.
Israeli workers who might have filled the gaps have been called up for military reserve duty.
And because of security concerns, farmers near the Gaza and Lebanese borders cannot access many of their fields and orchards.
A survey of 389 farmers conducted by the MIGAL Galilee Research Institute in November found that 89% of Israeli farmers had experienced some form of damage, and 96% expected more during the next three months. While farmers in the Gaza and northern regions have had the greatest disruption, all areas have been severely affected, and the impact is expected to continue for months to come.
Nearly three-quarters of the farmers, 72%, said they have experienced disruptions to their workforce, even in areas not near Gaza or Lebanon such as central Israel and the Jordan Valley.
Access was another problem cited by farmers, with 23% saying they couldn’t reach their fields to plant, pick crops or perform routine fertilizing or irrigation work, or damage control. Those farmers were primarily near the Gaza and Lebanese borders.
When asked to estimate their expected losses, farmers on average predicted a 35% drop in both production and revenue. But farmers in the area near the Gaza border—regarded as Israel’s breadbasket—projected on average a 70% loss of produce and 69% loss of income.
Reader’s Comments:
Zelda Torna
Many of us in Israel would rather eat more sweet potatoes and fewer tomatoes —- rather than put our lives at risk 24/7 with Palestinian workers in Israel’s Farms & Agricultural areas. Given the situation in the world today, surely there are more than enough foreign workers who will do an excellent job, and will NOT be a threat. On the contrary, it will improve relations with their home country….. because Israel treats its workers very well. Remember, it was Hamas who killed the Thai workers…..
TOP |
AI reviews scans at Sheba Medical Center and sends alerts to doctors’ phones, while at Hadassah, wounded soldiers recover quickly after surgeons remove bullets with robots
By Renee Ghert-Zand
17January2014 https://www.timesofisrael.com/how-cutting-edge-israeli-med-tech-is-boosting-survival-rates-of-war-wounded/
 Dr. Gal Yaniv sits next to his computer at Sheba Medical Center that shows how Aidoc platform used AI to identify potentially lethal tiny aneurysm in brain of Nova festival victim and immediately notified relevant medical staff to take action, December 28, 2023. (Renee Ghert-Zand/Times of Israel)
A 23-year-old woman was shot multiple times by Hamas terrorists from Gaza as they savagely attacked the outdoor Supernova music festival near Kibbutz Re’im on October 7. One of the bullets penetrated the woman’s left eye and lodged in the right side of her brain.
By the end of that horrific day, the terrorists had butchered 1,200 people in southern Israel, mainly civilians. An additional 240 were taken hostage to Gaza. Thousands of others, like the woman from the festival, were injured and rushed to Israeli hospitals.
Fortunately, the young woman survived.
She and other wounded civilians and soldiers have not only doctors and other medical staff to thank for saving their lives, but also new Israeli-developed medical technologies.
The death rate among wounded soldiers in the current war is 6.7 percent, which is less than half the rate during the Second Lebanon War and 2.5% less than that during Operation Protective Edge in the summer of 2014.
This can be attributed to faster evacuations from the battlefield to hospitals (an average of one hour and 6 minutes faster) and better protective equipment. However, medical advances based on new technologies developed since earlier conflicts also play a critical role in boosting the survival rate.
 llustrative: Lahak-United Hatzalah medivac teams fly air rescue missions across Israel’s south on October 7, 2023. (Courtesy United Hatzalah) Artificial intelligence streamlines patient treatment
Upon arrival at Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, the woman from the music festival underwent a variety of scans, and a bleed was detected in one of the arteries in her brain.
“I got a notification when any patient with a brain bleed came in that day,” said Dr. Gal Yaniv, head of endovascular surgery at Sheba.
That notification came not as a call from his colleagues at the hospital, but via an automatic alert to his computer and an app on his phone thanks to an artificial intelligence platform called Aidoc.
Every scan done at Sheba is pushed through a dedicated server programmed with Aidoc’s pathology-detecting technology. A radiologist will also read the scan, but Aidoc acts faster and is critically important when every lifesaving moment counts.
“Time is life. Aidoc sends the push notification to the relevant doctor wherever they are for treating the problem. When they get it, they can see the patient’s scans and begin streamlining their treatment plan and the necessary intervention immediately,” Yaniv said.
“In a mass casualty event like October 7 and the war, Aidoc is especially useful in assisting us to triage and prioritize care for patients,” Yaniv said.
“In a mass casualty event like October 7 and the war, Aidoc is especially useful in assisting us to triage and prioritize care for patients,” Yaniv said.
Yaniv is co-founder and chief medical officer at Aidoc, which provides 17 AI solutions for radiology (X-rays, computed tomography, and ultrasound). The company was established at Sheba in 2016 and has been used at the hospital since 2018. Now some 1,200 hospitals worldwide are using the platform.
Thanks to this advanced AI technology, Sheba’s neurovascular team was able to act quickly in the Supernova victim’s case. An angiogram detected a tiny aneurysm in a small distal vessel in her brain that had to be closed immediately to prevent a dangerous re-rupture, which would have likely led to death.
“Fortunately, everything was caught in time and treated properly and the young woman is now recovering from this and her other wounds in our rehabilitation center,” Yaniv said.
Using surgical robots to remove bullets and shrapnel
 Prof. Leon Kaplan performs robot-guided minimally invasive spine surgery to remove a bullet from an injured IDF soldier at Hadassah Medical Center, December 2023. (Courtesy of Hadassah) At Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem, Dr. Josh Schroeder, head of the spinal deformities surgery department, has used robots in his work for the last decade.
“Robotic spine surgery to treat scoliosis and other deformities is our bread and butter. The robot guides us in the placement of pedicle screws, for example,” Schroeder said.
While surgical robotic technology has been around a while, Schroeder, along with Prof. Leon Kaplan, and Prof. Meir Liebergall, used it in a novel way in late December to treat a soldier who had a bullet stuck in his sacrum, the large triangular bone at the base of the spine.
Leaving the bullet in the body was not an option, as it would affect the nerves going down the leg and could also lead to lead poisoning.
“The soldier was initially brought to another hospital, and they said they could only operate by opening up the body. We said we could do robotically-assisted minimally invasive surgery. It would take no more than one and a half hours instead of half a day. And the recovery would be much easier and quicker,” Schroeder said.
The Hadassah surgeons used the Mazor robotic guidance system sold by the Israeli company Medtronic. Hadassah has one such robot at each of its Jerusalem campuses. The surgery to remove the bullet from the soldier was done at the Ein Kerem hospital.
 Bullet removed from injured IDF soldier by Hadassah Medical Center spine surgeons using robot-guided minimally invasive surgery, December 2023. (Courtesy of Hadassah)
The team uploaded computed tomography scans from before the surgery and two “fluoro shots” (X-rays) taken in surgery. The robot merged all this input and calculated the exact location for the surgeons to go in and extract the bullet.
“We’ve also used the robot to do minimally invasive surgery to fix fractures in soldier’s spines, remove shrapnel, and treat various injuries of October 7 victims,” Schroeder said.
“We can do this because the robot gives us the perfect trajectory for going in to fix the problem,” he said.
TOP |
Am Ysroel Chai עם ישראל חי
IDF Praying at Western Wall
Tikkun HaKlali – Hebrew, English, and Transliteration
And Israel shall dwell securely, alone (Devarim 33:28).
Lion of Israel
Excerpted from The Chanukah Scroll by Hagi Ben Artzi:
[When Antiochus sent a demand for the return of captured ‘Greek cities’ in Eretz Yisrael] …Shimon rebuffed these demands…, and responded in resolute and firm terms:
“We didn’t take a foreign land and we didn’t exist on the spoils of other nations, but on the lands of our fathers that through the years was illegally seized by our enemies. We, when we had the opportunity, restored our birthright.” – Shimon Maccabee to the Greek Antiochus 2158 year ago. 3626 -136BCE
If Israel was like any other country they would have dropped Nukes on October 8th. Remember what the US did to Japan, Napalm Tokyo, Nuke Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Fake International Law just for the JEWS. That’s Antisemitism.
Am Ysroel Chai עם ישראל חי
עמית סגל Amit Segal
@amit_segal
*בקשה לסיוע בהמשך*
אני חוזר עכשיו נפעם ממוקד העשייה הציונית מהגדולים במדינה כרגע: המרכז של אחים לנשק בגני התערוכה.
באולם אחד למידת מכונה שמזהה מצב חטופים לפי צבע המכנס בסרטונים, בחניון מרכז לוגיסטי עצום שממיין תרומות עד רמת סוג השמפו ומשגר למי שצריך באמצעות מחשב.
באולם אחר חמ״ל שדואג לאנשי העוטף שנמצאים כעת במלונות.
בשבוע האחרון הם חילצו פיזית אלפיים איש ממוקדי הקרבות בדרום.
במוקד אחר מתאמים ציוד ששומר על חיילי צה״ל, מאיתור מפעלים, דרך תשלום על ידי תורמים, הטסה שחרור ממכס ועד הרכבה. בכל רגע נתון מאה מתנדבים 24/7 מרכיבים את הציוד כדי לשמור על החיילים שלנו.
יש אפילו חמ״ל לחילוץ כלבים שנותרו בעוטף ועל הלוח הגדול יש שמות של אנשים שמאוד הרגיזו אותי עד השבוע שעבר וגם אני אותם מן הסתם, אבל עכשיו מתגייסים בלי חשבון ובלי להבחין בין דעה ודעה.
יש 15,000 מתנדבים ברחבי הארץ, מכל ההשקפות והדעות.
מה נחוץ עכשיו?
1. ציוד צבאי (לא נשק אלא ביגוד, בדגש על חם, מעילים, נעליים, פנסים) – כל מה שיש תביאו דחוף לגני התערוכה למרכז הלוגיסטי.
2. האתגר הבא זה משפחות המפונים בים המלח ובאילת. הן זקוקות לכל סיוע אפשרי, וזה יהיה ממושך ויסודי. אסור לנו להרשות אירוע הומניטרי מתמשך.
ובעיקר חזרתי עם מחשבה: כמה כוחות יש בעם הזה, איזו תעוזה, אנחנו נצטרך לעשות הכל, מכל הצדדים, כדי שביום שאחרי הם יושקעו רק בביטחון ובכלכלה ולא אחד נגד השני.
Amit Segal-tweet-15October2023-request for further assistance
The Persian Jewess-tweet-19February2024-EL_AL_ISRAEL
This beautiful @EL_AL_ISRAEL commercial has me crying like a baby.
💙🇮🇱💙
#StandWithIsrael
David Oh-tweet-19February2024-My daughter is a flight attendant at El AL
My daughter is a flight attendant at El AL, She says that they let people seat in the toilet at takeoffs, the planes were full of Israelis coming back home to join the army. We have a wonderful people, great young generation.
The Persian Jewess-tweet-19February2024-EL_AL_ISRAEL
David Oh-tweet-19February2024-My daughter is a flight attendant at El AL
The Jewish people liberated their homeland
Caroline Glick-tweet-29February2024-The Jewish people liberated their homeland
When David Ben Gurion came before the Peel Commission to plead the case that Britain fulfill its legal obligation to transfer the land of Israel to Jewish sovereignty, he brought a copy of the Bible with him, and said that the Bible is the deed.
Everyday more proof is found attesting to the truth he spoke.
The Jewish people liberated their homeland. We are not occupiers. This is our land. https://armstronginstitute.org/995-3000-year-old-phoenician-electrum-earring-pendant-discovered-in-jerusalem
Caroline Glick-tweet-29February2024-The Jewish people liberated their homeland
Israel-tweet-10December-2023-two links in a long chain of Jewish survival and triumph
In 1950, 13 year old Holocaust survivor Yisrael Meir celebrated his bar mitzvah as an orphan (his parents were murdered by the Nazis).
73 years later, Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau (the former Chief Rabbi of Israel) stood beside 13 year old Ariel Zohar -an orphan whose parents were murdered on October 7th- as he marked his Bar Mitzvah.
Two orphans, two heroes, two links in a long chain of Jewish survival and triumph over darkness.
Am Yisrael Chai.
Israel-tweet-10December-2023-two links in a long chain of Jewish survival and triumph
Yitzchak Schochet-tweet-20February2024-There will be no hungry soldiers on my bus
Noa is a combat soldier in the IDF. She got on a bus & sat near the driver. They chatted; she shared some of her missions, that she just left the field & hadn’t had a chance to eat. The driver pulled over by a restaurant, took money from his pocket & told her: “There will be no hungry soldiers on my bus. Go get some food.” The whole bus happily waited till she returned. Only in #Israel
Yitzchak Schochet-tweet-20February2024-There will be no hungry soldiers on my bus
Living Lchaim-tweet-30October2023-
This is an extraordinary story.
This morning, 3 tank soldiers planted an orange tree in Kfar Azza, one of the communities that was devastated in the Hamas attack on Oct 7 – Simchat Torah.
Why?
Because these men were the brave first defenders of the Kibbutz and were part of the team who killed over 100 Hamas murderous terrorists.
On that awful day they entered the Kibbutz in a tank, and they ran over a tree and destroyed it.
They didn’t forget.
Today, 3 weeks later, they returned to replant a new tree! (see the fallen tree in the background.)
Are we not a remarkable nation? A people who, in the middle of a war, stop to build and replant with such humanity and hope, can never be defeated.
As the prophet Amos wrote:
“They will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them… They will plant gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them, says the Lord”
Source: Almog Boker
Living Lchaim-tweet-30October2023-This is an extraordinary story
This poor abused dog found in Gaza was rescued by an IDF soldier
Israel War Room-tweet-5February2024-This poor abused dog found in Gaza was rescued by an IDF soldier
We’re not crying, you’re crying.
This poor abused dog found in Gaza was rescued by an IDF soldier.
She’s now living her best life in Israel.
Israel War Room-tweet-5February2024-This poor abused dog found in Gaza was rescued by an IDF soldier
This poor abused dog found in Gaza was rescued by an IDF soldier
Living Lchaim-tweet-5November2023-The owners of a small plant nursery in Kibbutz Be’eri had to evacuate
The owners of a small plant nursery in Kibbutz Be’eri had to evacuate following the Hamas attack.
They returned to their shop expecting to find all the plants dried up.
Instead, they found healthy thriving plants and a sign from IDF soldiers that read:
“Sorry we broke in. We had to water the plants. With love, the soldiers.”
We care about people, animals, plants and all.
Living Lchaim-tweet-5November2023-The owners of a small plant nursery in Kibbutz Be’eri had to evacuate
Living Lchaim-tweet-3November2023-He just gave 30 brand new cars to the survivors
He just gave 30 brand new cars to the survivors…
The fellow below is Shmuel Charlap.
He just gifted 30 brand new Mitsubishi cars to the survivors of Kibbutz Nachal Oz which was demolished by Hamas.
This is just the beginning of his generosity as the survivors of Beeri and Kfar Aza are next on the list of this tzaddik!
Post by: Rabbi Shlomo Landau
Living Lchaim-tweet-3November2023-He just gave 30 brand new cars to the survivors
Over 9 million Israelis have just put all 5 fingers down.
Posted 17October2023 Israel Defense Forces:
The impact of the Hamas terror attacks and the Gaza war on Israeli and Jews worldwide
They tried to bury us. They didn’t know we were seeds.
The Persian Jewess-tweet-17February2024-They tried to bury us They didn’t know we were seeds
They tried to bury us. They didn’t know we were seeds.
#AmYisraelChai
leekern-tweet-15February2024-Flowers growing at the site of the Nova Festival massacre
Flowers growing at the site of the Nova Festival massacre. The world can’t help it. It wants to be beautiful in spite of the bastards.
The Persian Jewess-tweet-17February2024-They tried to bury us They didn’t know we were seeds
Life Unplugged A Doctor’s Regret, Steipler’s Guidance, and Life Beyond Death – Rabbi Lazer Brody
Stories To Inspire – Audio Only
Elder-of-Ziyon-tweet-18October2023-Here’s where the Arab honor/shame psyche becomes hugely important
Here’s where the Arab honor/shame psyche becomes hugely important.
Arab leaders, across the board, as engaging in extreme rhetoric against Israel because of the Al Ahli bombing.
Admitting they were wrong in blaming Israel for the catastrophic bombing and that it was really done by a Palestinian terror group is out of the question. No matter what evidence is offered. No matter that Al Jazeera’s own video proves it. They blamed Israel and it would be shameful to publicly admit they were wrong.
So they will continue to blame Israel. And whip up their people into a frenzy.
And such a major crime must be avenged, even though deep down they know it wasn’t done by Israel. They have to keep the anger going, because if they try to soft-pedal it, their people will turn on them.
And they will be pressured to do something rash.
Wars have started for less.
Now, out of fear for an escalation, the West will be spooked about Israel continuing the campaign against Hamas. And even if Arab leaders privately know the truth, they will be happy to feign outrage and point to the “street” as a reason to pressure Israel to stop its campaign.
The EU will cave and start publicly denouncing Israel for defending itself legally and morally. And the US might not be far behind.
All because of Islamic Jihad killing possibly hundreds of their brethren while attempting to murder Jews.
We live in a post-truth world, and mere facts and truth aren’t as important as feelings and beliefs. And, too often, lies.
Will Israel be able to withstand this pressure and continue its moral campaign to destroy Hamas? There is no choice – but it might come at a greater political cost than anyone thought.
All because of a lie.
Elder-of-Ziyon-tweet-18October2023-Here’s where the Arab honor/shame psyche becomes hugely important
Mycological-tweet-17October2023-MSM is the mouthpiece of leftist elite. – Nothing but garbage
TOP
Without the world, it will be fine
Eretz_Nehederet-tweet-27March2024-Without the world, it will be fine
בלי העולם, יהיה בסדר.
Without the world, it will be fine.
Eretz_Nehederet-tweet-27March2024-Without the world, it will be fine
Without the world, it will be fine (Israeli satire)
TOP
For the Merit of the Mitzvah of Hafrashas Challah – “The Separation of Dough”
SEE: The Secret of Challah – How to Separate Challah
The Untold Story of The Rescued IDF Soldier from Hamas
Posted 31October2023 thelandofisrael:
Rabbi Shmuel Reichman-tweet-30October2023-
Inspiring beyond words! 🇱 💙
The mother of Ori Megidish, the observation soldier taken hostage by Hamas in Gaza and rescued by the IDF, is seen here a week ago praying to G-d to return her daughter home as she performs the Mitzvah of Hafrashas Challah – “The Separation of Dough”.
This is just a reminder that everything we do in life matters; everything.
And everything we do in life has consequences; everything.
Every. Mitzvah. Counts.
(And just as we need to distinguish the Kodesh (holy) from the Chol (mundane), we need to distinguish good from evil.
Not doing so is actually the highest form of evil.)
Rabbi Shmuel Reichman-tweet-30October2023-The mother of Ori Megidish-Hafrashas Challah
Living Lchaim-30November2023-hafrashas challah-Her husband is finally coming home
Wow.
She was literally doing the sacred mitzvah of hafrashas challah when she got the best call of her life.
Her husband is finally coming home ♥️
Living Lchaim-30November2023-hafrashas challah-Her husband is finally coming home
Living Lchaim-tweet-3November2023-Thank you IvankaTrump
Thank you @IvankaTrump for performing the beautiful mitzvah of Challah in solidarity with our brothers and sisters.
We won’t stop until we bring them home.
Wishing everyone a safe and happy Shabbos.
Living Lchaim-tweet-3November2023-Thank you IvankaTrump
TOP
Making Aliyah during the War
Kylie Ora Lobell-tweet-4December2023-feel safer under the IDF than under my American government
Am I insane for wanting to make aliyah during a war and right after the worst massacre of the Jews since the Holocaust because I’d feel safer under the IDF than under my American government due to the rise in antisemitism here?
Just my thought every morning when I wake up.
Kylie Ora Lobell-tweet-4December2023-feel safer under the IDF than under my American government
TOP
The Generations
Eylon Levy-tweet-22February2024-One in eight widows of fallen soldiers since October 7 are pregnant
One in eight widows of fallen soldiers since October 7 are pregnant, per @N12News.
Their children will be born without fathers, who fell defending their people from terrorists who burn and abduct babies.
Eylon Levy-tweet-22February2024-One in eight widows of fallen soldiers since October 7 are pregnant
Yaakov Langer-tweet-11January2024-The first orphan baby girl of the Iron Swords War
A very bitter sweet moment.
The first orphan baby girl of the Iron Swords War. The widow of Roi Moshe HY” D, who was killed on Simchas Torah when he went out to save his brothers and sisters, gave birth tonight, Rosh Chodesh Shevat, to a healthy baby girl who she named Gili.
This was the name her father z’l chose for her before he was killed r’l.
Shai Graucher relates: The emotional widow told me about the incredibly difficult experience of having to have a baby without her husband. “It was hard mentally and physically… I heard my husband talking to me and I cried out to Hashem to please bring Mashiach already so I can see my husband once again!”
Baruch Hashem the month has begun with a big simcha. Mazel tov!
Yaakov Langer-tweet-11January2024-The first orphan baby girl of the Iron Swords War
Rabbi Shmuel Reichman-tweet-8November2023-Dor-new generation
The best video you’ll see today!!! 🇮🇱
Even while fighting against Hamas terrorists, there was no stopping Ran from attending his son’s Bris Milah (Circumcision), even if it meant being on the phone.
When it came time to naming his newborn son, everyone waited to hear the name he would choose.
Despite intense gunfire sounds in the background, you can hear Ran name his son “Dor,” which roughly translates to “new generation.”
This is because Ran and his wife hope that this will be the beginning of the next generation of the Jewish People, where all hate and terror can finally end.
How incredible is this?! 🥹
Am Yisrael Chai! 🇮🇱
Rabbi Shmuel Reichman-tweet-8November2023-Dor-new generation
Israel Defense Forces-tweet-9November2023-This is LTC Or Ben Yehuda
This is LTC Or Ben Yehuda, commander of the Caracal Battalion, whose troops successfully eliminated approximately 100 Hamas terrorists—ultimately saving countless lives.
Heroism appears to be a family tradition, as her mother earned a military commendation 50 years ago for defending Israel in the Yom Kippur War.
We salute these extraordinary women for their courage and dedication to protecting the State of Israel.
Israel Defense Forces-tweet-9November2023-This is LTC Or Ben Yehuda
S block-tweet-8November2023-Ezra Yachin-95-IDF Reservist
Ezra Yachin, at 95, is the IDF’s oldest reservist
S block-tweet-8November2023-Ezra Yachin-95-IDF Reservist
TOP
Mobile Protection Unit and Artillery
Hillel Fuld-tweet-5November2023-mobile protection unit
On top of Israel’s superior infantry, navy, intelligence, and airforce, Israel also has a secret weapon, a defense system that no other army or nation can ever have.
No money in the world can buy it and it’ll ultimately, with the help of God, be the weapon that brings Israel’s enemies to their knees.
It’s the only defense system the Jewish people have had for thousands of years and it’s what helped them survive despite all the empires that tried to annihilate the Jews.
The best part? It’s built into every single Jew’s heart, even if they don’t realize it.
This defense mechanism was designed thousands of years ago, but statistically speaking, has achieved better results than any cutting edge defense system.
Israel is fortunate to have the privilege of this system and no matter what, it continues to accompany the Jewish people generation to generation. ✡️🇮🇱💪
Hillel Fuld-tweet-5November2023-mobile protection unit
Don’t forget the Artillery
IDF LtCol Battalion Commander res-blowing a Shofar, Israel October 2023
The power of Tehilim!
Living Lchaim-tweet-23November2023-The power of Tehilim
The power of Tehilim!
It stopped a bullet.
Wow.
Source: @emanumiller
Living Lchaim-tweet-23November2023-The power of Tehilim
TOP
Purim parade
Jerusalem will host its first Purim parade since 1982 under the shadow of the five-month-old war with Hamas in Gaza.
Purim parade 2024
https://www.jns.org/purim-parade/
(March 20, 2024 / JNS) Jerusalem will host its first Purim parade since 1982 under the shadow of the five-month-old war with Hamas in Gaza.
Purim Unity Parade kicks off in Jerusalem
Formerly known as “Adloyada,” the march was last held in Jerusalem 42 years ago.
Amelie Botbol https://www.jns.org/purim-unity-parade-kicks-off-in-jerusalem/
The Purim Unity Parade in Jerusalem, March 25, 2024. Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90.
(March 25, 2024 / JNS) The Purim Unity Parade kicked off on Monday morning in Jerusalem for the first time in 42 years, led by families of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza and featuring a giant yellow ribbon, representing the call for their safe return.
Also included were a procession of original displays designed by Jerusalem cultural institutions, local children and children of evacuees promoting national unity and resilience.
The parade, formerly known as “Adloyada,” was renamed following a meeting on Thursday between Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion and representatives of the hostages’ families.
The Purim Unity Parade outside Jaffa Gate in Jerusalem, March 25, 2024. Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90
“After 42 years without the Purim Unity Parade in the capital, it returns this year to honor the heroes of Israel past and present,” said Lion.
The parade “celebrates the Israeli victorious spirit. Jerusalem opens its gates and hosts everyone with love and joy, hoping for a promising future and the unity of the people,” he added.
The procession included the families of captives Lior Rudaeff, Romi Gonen, Carmel Gat, Omer Shem-Tov, Ofer Kalderon, Tal Shoham, Uriel Baruch and Itzik Elgarat.
“We thank the city of Jerusalem and Mayor Moshe Lion for their willingness and sensitivity in adapting the Purim events to the spirit of these times,” the families said, according to a press release by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.
“We see the capital as a beacon guiding the entire nation on the vital mission to return all its sons and daughters home, rehabilitate the living and bury the dead. There is no greater mitzvah than redeeming captives,” they added.
The Purim Unity Parade in Jerusalem, March 25, 2024. Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90.
Internally displaced communities from Israel’s north and south and families of Israel Defense Forces reservists marched alongside displays created by artists from towns in the Gaza Envelope.
The Unity Parade’s carnival featured 30 original projects including a roaring lion blowing soap bubbles, created by an artist evacuated from Israel’s north; a giant mechanical spider dancing through the streets; an Anime band with giant puppets and a cloud machine with colors floating out of the head of renowned scientist Albert Einstein.
The parade began on King David Street, continued to Zion Square through Shlomo HaMelech Street, Jaffa Street and King George Street, and was set to conclude early afternoon at the “Old Mashbir” Square.
Seven entertainment stages were set up along the route, at the YMCA courtyard, Mamilla Junction, Tzahal Square, Safra Square, Beit Yoel, Zion Square and Old Mashbir Square, with performances including a 40-member wind instrument orchestra, the Big Band group, DJs, Shaman Shaman and Tzilei Ha’od.
Following the march, the traditional Purim party was slated be held at Nissim Bachar Square.
The Purim Unity Parade is part of dozens of events, celebrations, and parties in the city in honor of the Purim holiday.
TOP
A Soldier’s Perspective: What we really need from Diaspora Jewry
The greatest boost of strength I can receive as a soldier is the knowledge that what I’m doing is inspiring those around me to want to take part in what we’re building as well. Op-ed.
Jacob Lerer
8February2024, 9:50 AM (GMT+2) https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/384880<
Jacob Lerer made Aliyah with his family four and a half years go from Teaneck, New Jersey and currently resides in Raanana. After finishing his Hesder army service, he returned to Yeshiva, where he learned until Oct 7. Since then, he’s been fighting with his battalion in Gaza. May he and all the IDF soldiers return home safely.
Am Yisrael needs help.
We all want to make a difference, but being so distant from Israel has left many Jews wondering what substantial difference they can make. As someone who appreciates Diaspora Jewish identity, having grown up in Teaneck, and who has spent the last three months in Azza, I want to offer a perspective which can hopefully speak to your heart.
Life in Israel hasn’t been simple for anyone in the last few months. We all know someone killed or kidnapped on Simchat Torah. We all have friends or family who have been killed in battle, and the cycle of pain doesn’t end. Regular life, for all intents and purposes, has completely paused even if people outwardly seem to go about their regular lives.
However, while sadness has definitely anchored itself in our lives, no feeling has been stronger than the display of hope and pride that our wonderful nation has put forth. The support I, and everyone around me, have received is a testament to the unbreakable will of our People. And as a relative of one of the kidnapped told me yesterday, the silver lining of all the horror he has gone through has been Am Yisrael.
This reality speaks to one of the core differences which divide Israeli and Diaspora Jewish society, a schism which today is driving a wedge between our two communities. It’s why I feel a difference in the barbeques I’ve received from Israelis and Americans, and why the entire enterprise of solidarity missions has been so controversial throughout olim communities. To live the American Jewish dream means to create for oneself a personal spiritual utopia while in Israel, it means to become one with our nation around us.
Many ask how they can help but are not willing to sacrifice anything that removes any real comfort from their personal lives. Of course financial help is important. In fact, it’s vital. But that doesn’t discharge us of our obligation of עמו אנכי בצרה! (being with Am Yisrael in difficult times, as Rashi says the burning bush symbolized) With that being said, we Olim appreciate the struggle of connecting to Israel while not physically being here because we, too, once lived that reality.
Even so, there are many passionate Jews still doing whatever they can to do their part, by sending money, coming to Israel, raising awareness, and most importantly never letting Israel leave their hearts. And this is all the more impressive, given that many others around them seem to go on with their lives as if it’s time to move on. What more can these Jews do? After all, whether they’re happy about it or not, the reality is that they don’t live in Israel.
Families try to connect with their loved ones in any way they can
To these people, I’m really grateful; their perspective is not self-evident. But at the same time, while all the gear, snacks, and missions support us physically and allow those helping to feel a connection, it’s not enough. It’s not what we need. The best way to help our soldiers, the families of our חטופים – hostages -, those who lost their homes, and the nation as a whole, is to show that you’re genuinely with us.
Show that you wish to join in the pain of the nation.
Show that you wish you were here with us, both suffering the lows and rejoicing in the highs.
The greatest boost of strength I can receive as a soldier is the knowledge that what I’m doing is inspiring those around me to want to take part in what we’re building as well.
From our perspective as Torah Jews in Israel, the choice to live here and fight rests on the holy notion that all of this sacrifice is required in order to enable our nation, our holy nation, to take off and become a light to the rest of the world. And the more of us invested in this mission, the greater the impact we’ll be able to make.
It’s possible that this isn’t the goal for some Diaspora Jews, but if so, it’s important that they don’t hide behind their barbeques and solidarity missions and instead, own that belief.
This is what we’re fighting for. This is what our whole nation is fighting for.
For us, we’re not merely protecting a safe haven for Jews. We’re building our future. And each Jew in the world must think deeply about whether or not they want to be a part of it. While it’s easy for me, as someone already quite integrated in Israeli life, to demand that everyone make Aliyah immediately, such a demand is neither realistic nor fair. Therefore, I want to offer a proactive solution which both empowers anyone willing to capture the moment, and additionally, may show Israeli Jewry a form of comfort which no donation can impart. All you have to do is prove to yourself that while you may not be here yet, your heart and soul are, and when the time comes, the rest will follow.
I created a pledge which states that you will genuinely try your best to one day make Aliyah, and that already now, you’ll commit to a proactive change in your life (of your choosing) to keep those convictions real. You’ll be sent a monthly reminder of your pledge with a personal note you can choose to write to yourself, capturing your feelings during this deeply emotional time.
The ball is now in your court. Am Yisrael Beeretz Yisrael is standing at a crossroads and needs all the help it can get. This simple pledge will stand before us as a testament to our true convictions. Destiny is watching. Are you ready to join us?
The Pledge: https://forms.gle/2EXJPWn4KRUWCJHJ7
TOP
Haredi rabbi: No rain? ‘Acknowledge miracles’
Rabbi Yitzhak Zilberstein urges public to recognize ‘outstanding, amazing miracle’ of lack of damage by rockets launched towards Israel.
Israel National News / 6January2024 / http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/383154
Rabbi Yitzhak Zilberstein, a leading haredi rabbi, said in a Torah class on Saturday that the lack of rain this year stems from a lack of acknowledgement of the miracles taking place in Israel.
“G-d brings clouds, and even those who are not professionals can see that the black clouds are chock-full of water, but in practice only a few drops fall on us, and they do not make up the lack,” he said. “The public wishes to know what needs to be improved.”
“And here, if we pay attention to how many missiles and shells are fired towards the Land of Israel, and almost none of them hit a person. A bit here, a bit there, but of all the tens of thousands of missiles and weapons of destruction which have infiltrated Israel, there have not been people who suffered fatal injuries, and the monetary damage is very little.
“This is an outstanding and amazing miracle! And anyone who does not remember the Gulf War, during which Saddam Hussein fired dozens of missiles into the Land of Israel, and not a single one hurt someone …. So much so that people started to think that maybe those missiles were made of paper … and really unable to cause harm.
“Until there was one missile which was fired at a US military camp, and killed 28 US soldiers! So then we understood it all – that these are very deadly missiles, and it was the kindness of G-d that, miracle of miracles, none of the Jews of the Land of Israel were hurt.”
Rabbi ZIlberstein stressed the importance of recognizing and giving thanks for the miracles: “And when we do not thank G-d for the miracles that He does with us, G-d does not continue His chain of kindness, and does not bring down rain for us.”
“And this is similar, really, to a child whose father does many good things for him, and if the child gets used to saying, ‘thank you,’ the father is encouraged by this and continues to do things for his son. But if he sees that the son is receiving the good things that he does for him as things which are self-understood, he stops doing favors for him.”
TOP
Our kids are strong, compassionate Jews, and they’ll make Israel better
An Israeli mother-tweet-20January2024-Our kids are strong, compassionate Jews, and they’ll make Israel better
Talked with a 5th grade teacher in a primary school yesterday.
In her class, 4 kids out of 30 are mourning a brother, a cousin, a father (two cousins are mourning the same boy-hero, HYD).
When the elections for class delegates came on, all the students voted for those four, “so they have something good to think about”.
What made it more poignant, is that one of the fallen soldiers had sat on the same chairs, only nine year ago.
Almost every generation of Jewish children has grown up in some measure of existential fear and in the absolute, primal knowledge that many people all around us have dedicated their existence to terminate ours.
It’s true of our kids today too, traumatized by the #October7Massacre pics you can’t really hide here, worrying for their parents and elder siblings fighting the absolute evil of the #hamasnazis in Gaza, rushing their smaller siblings to the shelter/safe room and soothing them even though they themselves are terrified. Hugging their mourning classmates.
Our kids are hurt.
Our kids are scarred.
Our kids are strong, compassionate Jews, and they’ll make #Israel better.
And for once @PaliHistory has made a pic he can be proud of. Ha.
An Israeli mother-tweet-20January2024-Our kids are strong compassionate Jews and they’ll make Israel better
TOP
Haka for Israel: One Indigenous People to another
Avi Yemini-tweet-20November2023-Haka for Israel-Māoris are standing for Israel
🚨 Why so many Māoris are standing for Israel
I caught up with the brave Indigenous activists who gathered in Brisbane yesterday to ‘Haka for Israel’, forcing a pre-planned pro-Hamas rally to change the location for their hatefest.
Full story: http://rebelne.ws/3R5I6fV
Avi Yemini-tweet-20November2023-Haka for Israel-Māoris are standing for Israel
TOP
WHY is Hashem Doing This to Us?
A MUST READ on the situation in Israel! One of the most important messages by Rabbi Arush ever! READ AND SHARE!
Rabbi Shalom Arush | Posted on 30October2023 https://breslev.com/4064147/
WHY is Hashem Doing This to Us? by Rabbi Shalom Arush
Excerpted from Rabbi Arush’s weekly class in Holon from Thursday night 5 Cheshvan 5784 – Oct. 19, 2023.
Today I am going to focus on self-strengthening (hitchazkut).
I had prepared a different class, but on the way here there was a siren. My driver pulled over to the side of the road, and we stood there thanking Hashem that He protected us until now with outright miracles and is protecting us now too. I saw how terrified people were, so Hashem put into my heart a different lesson on how to be strong right now, and what we need to do.
Hashem, the King of Kings, God Almighty – He loves us so much! He is protecting us with outright miracles! “Behold, the Guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps.” God is guarding us! So, what exactly is Hashem doing right now? He is showing us how much He loves us. Eye to eye, we are seeing how much He loves us!
Look – thousands of rockets, missiles, bombs, whatever they are called – are falling on the Land of Israel and almost zero have been killed! Statistically, the percentage is called zero, the number of people dying is essentially zero.
Hashem sends one of their missiles, but He turns it around and makes it land on them, killing a lot more people. (Editor’s note: This is the missile fired by Hamas toward Tel Aviv. Instead, the missile misfired and landed next to a hospital in Gaza.) You see what just one bomb can do.
So, Hashem is showing us eye to eye – I love you! I am guarding you!
They have sent so many missiles and zero have died! Every missile is another miracle! This one falls in between buildings, that one Hashem made sure no one was there.
So, what does Hashem want?
Hashem wants the Jewish people to return in repentance and do teshuva. This is what Hashem wants!!!
Hashem is making us scared in order to make us do teshuva. All these sirens, everything that is going on, all of it is to scare us and get us to repent and change our ways. That’s the general message.
What exactly are we supposed to work on? Where do we need improvement? A few things:
Hitbodedut – Personal Prayer
Shabbat
Modesty
The first story – My daughter told me this story, she knows the girl personally and the girl told her this story: This girl was at that party on Simchat Torah but she was dressed modestly. The terrorists surprised the party and started shooting. The terrorist saw her covered properly, STOPS SHOOTING and yelled – “Get out of here! You don’t belong here!” He stopped shooting!
Editor’s Note – This girl not only saved her life with her modest dress, but she surely saved the lives of others, since the terrorist stopped shooting, giving others time to run away.
I also heard the story of another girl from the party not dressed properly. She was forced to walk two hours to the border of Gaza to be a hostage. As she saw the wall and understood what was about to become of her, she said to God, “If You will save me, I promise to start dressing modestly!”
Suddenly the terrorist turns towards her and says, “Get out of here!” She started running, afraid he would shoot her. She made it all the way home safely.
Girls, you must know – when you dress modestly, you are guarding our soldiers. And if you don’t dress modestly, I don’t want to say what will happen, G-d forbid.
It’s against all reason! There is no terrorist, no nothing – there is only God in the world! Only Hashem! She took upon herself to dress modestly, and Hashem saved her.
Ladies, this is critically important. David Hamelech says, “There is no breach, no going into captivity, and no cries on the streets. Praiseworthy is the nation that is like this, praiseworthy is the nation that Hashem is their God.”
If there is no pritzut – immodesty (“breach” – paretz), if there is no lack of modesty (again Rabbi Arush plays on the word used in Psalms) – then there is no screaming on the streets! Praiseworthy is that nation, praiseworthy is the nation that Hashem is their God!
Ladies, now all together, be careful with modesty! Dress modestly, the pinnacle of modesty! Be a model of modesty! You are guarding our soldiers, and the entire Jewish people! And the opposite – you are endangering everyone.
Breslev Israel is happy to partner with Bring the Shechina Home – protect a soldier or hostage by taking upon yourself some extra effort in modesty. For women and girls in Israel, an evening of tefillot and inspiration will be held on Nov 4 at 7:30PM in Beit Shemesh. Check the website for details as they are updated.
Thanking Hashem
Here is a story that needs to go into the next book “Say Thank You and See Miracles.”
A woman in the south has a safe room in her house, but the handle broke. Someone managed to get it working so that the door can lock from the inside, but it can still be opened from the outside. (The idea of the safe room is that it can also protect from terrorists in that it can be locked from the inside and then cannot be opened from the outside).
Now, in this war, the sirens went off and she went into the safe room. Twelve terrorists came into her home, and they were trying to get into the safe room. What did she do? She stood there thanking Hashem for every second He protected her. She didn’t keep Shabbat or anything, but Hashem put into her heart to thank Him. She was saved – they didn’t manage to open the door! I said thank you, and my life was saved!
We also must thank Hashem for protecting us! Thank you, Hashem, for every missile that falls, and no one was killed!
God Fights Our Wars
The last thing we need to strengthen is staying far away from “the might of my right hand.”
Read this section in Tanach, Chronicles II, Chapter 20. The story is about King Yehoshafat, a mass of soldiers of Amalek, Moav, and Amnon come to Jerusalem. The King calls the people to the Holy Temple, and speaks to Hashem, “Behold You are God and You rule all the nations! With any suffering that comes to us, You tell us to come to this House and cry out to You from our suffering, listen and save us!”
We need to scream to Hashem: “Listen and save us!”
There was a prophet there who received a prophesy at that time and said, “Hashem says, Do not be afraid!” (Chronicles II, Chapter 20:15)
The prophet tells us not to be afraid! First thing, don’t be afraid!
“…and do not sin before this mass… because this war is not for you, because Hashem will fight for you…” (Chronicles II, Chapter 20:15)
Do not let your spirits be broken! Do not sin, do not lose your emuna! Hashem will fight for you! We must pray and ask Hashem to fight for us!
So what did King Yehoshafat do? He got a band! He got everyone singing “Thank you Hashem, because His mercy is eternal” (הודו לה’ כי טוב כי לעולם חסדו) and at that time they starting singing and praising Hashem… Hashem smote them with a plague! (Chronicles II, Chapter 20:21-22)
Everyone needs to sing and dance and thank Hashem! How many miracles, how much Hashem is protecting us! I know an elderly tzaddik, every night he dances with his community 2-3 hours after evening prayers. In my community we dance to “Hodu l’H’ ki tov” for an hour or more!
May it be Hashem’s will that everyone should be scared and return in complete repentance!
Don’t forget – I want everyone to have a Likutei Moharan in their house. Recommended – Rabbi Arush’s Likutei Moharan-One Million Edition, or for the car, stroller and more, the pocket-sized edition. Distribute them to others! Distribute books of emuna to others!
TOP
Avenging their Blood
What can we do to avenge the blood of those who were killed on Simchat Torah? Forget about eradicating Hamas, we have a mission much more powerful and important!
Rachel Avrahami | Posted on 30October2023 https://breslev.com/4065588/
Avenging their Blood-by Rachel Avrahami
Rabbi Arush’s class from last week is a MUST READ – one of the most important I’ve ever heard – Why is Hashem Doing This to Us? That article is the foundation of this article.
The first thing we need to strengthen is the basis – emuna. Read The Garden of Emuna, and then read it again! Harav said recently that this book is our manual for life, especially right now.
Miracles in Front of Our Eyes
My daughter was scared to go to sleep the other night. I am grateful that things are quiet in Jerusalem right now, but the war weighs on all our hearts. I reminded her that the fact that we exist as Jews is already a huge miracle and the biggest proof of God there is. We should be found only in history books between Persia-Media, the Greeks, and the Romans. Oh, and there were these people the Jews, they lived in a land called Israel, their capital was called Jerusalem, they were conquered in 70CE… So although we do what we can to protect ourselves, the reality of the Jew is that we rely on miracles and Hashem to guard us from the non-Jews who hate us. My daughter is old enough to need to know that God Himself is protecting her! And she can talk to Him whenever she wants.
If that wasn’t proof enough, try to consider what these missiles should be doing. A single missile can easily kill tens of people, and yet thousands of missiles have killed very, very few – statistically zero. It’s part of the problem of “death equivalency” – thousands of Gazans have been killed (assuming you can trust Gaza Health Dept, which is a BIG assumption) and yet almost no Israelis since the massacre of Simchat Torah. How is that fair? Well, war isn’t fair and who is right and wrong is not determined by death counts. But besides that, there SHOULD be thousands of dead Israelis and there SHOULD be hospitals that are over-filled. The only explanation is God Almighty Himself (no offense, it’s not the Iron Dome – there are plenty of missiles that get through, unfortunately).
Add that to the personal stories like Rabbi Arush mentioned in Why is Hashem Doing This to Us? – I don’t need to tell you that these stories are way above nature – such things absolutely cannot be! It’s even more crazy than thousands of bombs landing in big cities but killing almost no one. We are literally witnessing outright miracles in front of our eyes. It’s absolute proof that God exists, and that every Jew has personal Divine Providence, regardless of where he is spiritually and what mitzvot he keeps or doesn’t keep.
Antisemitism is still the same. Who is surprised that BLM supports Hamas? Not me. Clearly Black lives matter, but certainly not Jewish ones… Who is surprised that campuses continue to be hotbeds of antisemitism? More than 300 campuses have Hamas-funded campus organizations! Forget about the quotes from some professors that I’ll skip quoting here. Who is surprised that there were more than 1,000 antisemitic attacks in France in the 48 hours after the Simchat Torah massacre, and that many other antisemitic things happened around the world against Jews as well?
If Russia did in the Ukraine or in France what Hamas did in southern Israel, NO ONE would say anything positive about Russia. No one would say a peep that Russia had a right to do what they did. Suddenly, somehow, Hamas is different?!
Time to Wake Up
Those who were killed al Kiddush Hashem (for the sanctification of Hashem’s name), who were butchered simply because they were Jews – they are in the highest chamber in Heaven. Why Hashem did that is a very lengthy discussion which includes the Holocaust, pogroms, and the like. But the biggest thing we can do to not let them die in vain is to wake up and see what Hashem is doing!
When we do a mitzvah because of the tragedy, we are avenging their blood. We are giving the martyrs merit. You cannot forget them! And the captives – we can give them merit to be saved! Every second, remember – what can I do for them?
There is a verse: “Don’t be afraid of them… because Hashem your God walks with you, to fight your enemies, to save you.” (Devarim 20: 3-4)
We see from here how critically important it is that Hashem be with us now! Reality on the ground – without miracles, thousands of soldiers and citizens throughout the entire country are in grave danger. The very existence of the State of Israel is now on the line. Regardless of what we think of its leadership, without it, millions of Jews are in grave danger.
What Can We Do?
What can we do to make sure Hashem is with us?
Shabbat
Strengthen observance of Shabbat! The two communities around Gaza that keep Shabbat were both saved that day! The press does not report this miracle, because they only talk about those who were killed. Shabbat guarded them! It’s impossible! When we keep Shabbat, Hashem is with us. Also, I heard from a Rabbi I used to know, that the Hebrew word “neshek” (which means “weapon”) stands for “neirot Shabbat kodesh” – candles for the holy Shabbat. Ladies, your Shabbat candles give the Jewish people spiritual weapons that fuel the physical weapons!
Modesty
Here is the real kicker – a hidden tzaddik quoted the Torah, “Lest something immodest be seen in you and God will turn away from behind you.” He said the modest dress of the women is critical to Hashem being “with us” and not needing to “turn away” to avoid seeing our immodesty.
Rabbi Yaakov Ades recently called for “kedusha elyona” – the highest levels of personal holiness. So are many other tzaddikim, including Rabbi Arush.
Every centimeter of longer sleeves, longer skirt, wider clothing, etc. saves lives. Rabbi Arush said that a short skirt kills a soldier, and a long skirt guards the soldier with miracles! And oy va voy, a see-through garment kills a battalion, Hashem should save us.
Hashem simply hates and despises sexual lust. A woman’s beauty is powerful, and the entire basis of holiness is that a man be able to think about Hashem instead of running after short skirts. And for a woman, Hashem also keeps the Torah in a certain respect. A man is not allowed to look at or say a blessing around a woman dressed immodestly. So too Hashem can’t “look at” her either, and hence does not hear her prayers in the same way.
The holiness of the men is also very, very important – no Jew is exempt. But there is a reason why it says, “In the merit of the righteous women we were redeemed from Egypt, and in the merit of the righteous woman we will be redeemed from exile!” (Talmud, Sotah 11b)
Breslev Israel is happy to partner with Bring the Shechina Home – protect a soldier or hostage by taking upon yourself some extra effort in modesty. For women and girls in Israel, an evening of tefillot and inspiration will be held on Nov 4 at 7:30PM in Beit Shemesh. Check the website for details as they are updated.
***
Rachel Avrahami grew up in Los Angeles, CA, USA in a far-off valley where she was one of only a handful of Jews in a public high school of thousands. She found Hashem in the urban jungle of the university. Rachel was privileged to read one of the first copies of The Garden of Emuna in English, and the rest, as they say, is history. She made Aliyah and immediately began working at Breslev Israel.
Rachel is now the Editor of Breslev Israel’s English website. She welcomes questions, comments, articles, and personal stories to her email: rachel.avrahami@breslev.co.il.
TOP
Not Just Another War
Many tzaddikim are saying this is the war of Gog and Magog. How do we win – and how do we survive?
Rachel Avrahami | Posted on 02November23 https://breslev.com/4067862/
Not Just Another War by Rachel Avrahami
This is not just another war. More than one of the 36 hidden tzaddikim that I am connected to is saying that this is the last war, and after this, Mashiach will come. We are fighting a war on two fronts. Some missiles have come in from Syria, an ominous sign. Yemen has been sending missiles and drones and officially declared war. And now US army bases have been attached in Syria and Iraq. Big, big signs.
The Gemara says that Mashiach will come when everyone has already despaired of him coming. I know that I for one am feeling that despair right now. However, I did hear from one reliable source that it’s not actually wrong. It’s just that the Redemption is a long process and we don’t understand how it’s unfolding. But looking back after Mashiach is revealed, we will understand how these were years of the Redemption, years during which important background processes happened that were necessary.
And the Holocaust that the Jewish people just experienced on Simchat Torah is one of them. Another stop along the way, another big contraction in this birth of a new world, a perfected world, of the Full Redemption and the revelation not only of Mashiach himself, but of the Kingship of Hashem. That there is one God who runs the world and manages and decides every detail in it. Ein od milvado – there is none other.
Additionally, Rabbi Kaduri’s son recently came to Rabbi Arush, explaining that his father left him a sealed envelope before his passing, telling him not to open it until he was given permission. Friday night of Parshat Bereishit, the week after the Holocaust of Simchat Torah – Rabbi Kaduri zt”l came to his son in a dream telling him to open the envelope. Inside, it said that when terrorists will come into Israel and butcher Jews in the south – this is the sign that the Geula is now beginning in earnest. And then Rabbi Kaduri’s son learned with Rabbi Arush the section in Chronicles that Harav then discussed in his class last week: Why is Hashem Doing This to Us?
Another sign I heard in the class of a prominent Kabbalist, Rabbi Biton, is that everything happened between 6 and 7. In the Jewish year, we are in the year 5783, getting towards the end of the 6th millennia. The 7th millennia is Shabbat – Mashiach, the world in a perfected state. So right now, we are in Chevlei Mashiach – the “birth pangs” of Mashiach, as Hashem prepares the world to transition. The terrorists butchered most of the Jews on Simchat Torah between 6 and 7 in the morning, a hint from Hashem as to where this attack falls in the spectrum of time. There were several other hints from the Zohar he brought between 6 and 7, including a hint to this attack on page 298 – רצח – in the Zohar (in Hebrew, letters are also numbers and can be used to number pages in books). That page number spells out retzach – which means “murder” in Hebrew.
Hence, there are hints and signs everywhere! The question is: What are we supposed to do about it?
More and More Prayer
I’ve already written extensively about how everyone needs to fight this war with everything they have in my previous articles in this series, particularly my article Avenging their Blood. A hidden tzaddik recently mentioned a section in the Rambam which discusses the positive mitzvah to cry out to Hashem in times of distress. Hence, this tzaddik said that every letter of Psalms right now is a positive Torah commandment – not just Rabbinical, but Torah obligated! He said it is the biggest cruelty right now to not say Psalms when all the Jewish people is in terrible danger. Hamas is loaded to the gills with weaponry not only in Gaza, but all over the land – and we have nothing to protect ourselves with. The least we can do is use the power we do have – “the voice is the voice of Jacob” – personal prayer and Psalms!
More and More Emuna
I was discussing with a friend last week that all of Rabbi Arush’s teachings to date were all preparation for RIGHT NOW. Rabbanit Arush mentioned when she brought a group of women with her to pray at Kever David Hamelech that everything that is happening is part of the final and most painful birur – clarification of souls.
You can’t sit on the fence anymore, nor can you hide. It’s time to choose if you’re with the Jewish people, or not. Your actions prove your decision! We see how many people are – thank You, Hashem! – keeping Shabbat for the first time, putting on tefillin and tzitzit, saying Psalms, more and more. The war is pushing us to action!
The key is to tone down thinking about the physical war and remember that the real war of Gog and Magog is spiritual! A spiritual war over each and every Jewish soul.
Will you hold onto your emuna? Will you pray, or be glued to your phone? And most importantly – will you be afraid – or will you be filled with emuna and trust in Hashem?
Evil in the world is rising, but it’s only a mirage. If you trust only in Hashem, nothing can touch you. Every bullet has an address. Ein od milvado – there is nothing besides God!
A few ideas to do in these times of distress:
Shema Yisrael, Ado-nai Elo-henu, Ado-nai Echad. Then quietly – Baruch shem kavod malchuto l’olam vaed. When you say “malchuto” – pray for the revelation of Hashem as God, King Mashiach ben David, and rebuilding of the Holy Temple.
Those who continue to focus only on Hashem, who truly want to serve Hashem, who trust Hashem and know that He is the only real power, who stay away from “fallen fears” and “the might of my right hand,” who do lots of acts of loving-kindness and loving fellow Jews – Hashem will indeed save them, and they will merit to see Mashiach and outright miracles, very soon, amen!
***
Rachel Avrahami grew up in Los Angeles, CA, USA in a far-off valley where she was one of only a handful of Jews in a public high school of thousands. She found Hashem in the urban jungle of the university. Rachel was privileged to read one of the first copies of The Garden of Emuna in English, and the rest, as they say, is history. She made Aliyah and immediately began working at Breslev Israel.
Rachel is now the Editor of Breslev Israel’s English website. She welcomes questions, comments, articles, and personal stories to her email: rachel.avrahami@breslev.co.il.
TOP
The Battle No One is Exempt From
The current war calls all of us to arms. No exemptions! Our war effort now is teshuva and prayer for the complete redemption in a merciful way.
David Ben Horin | Posted on 31October2023 https://breslev.com/4066907/
The Battle No One is Exempt From by David Ben Horin
God bless the People of Israel.
Days after the horrific massacre on Simchat Torah, 130% of the people called to fight have reported for duty. Reservists who weren’t called up to enter the minefields of Gaza refused to sit on the sidelines, and they came without orders.
Israelis stand in line for 10 hours to donate blood to their brothers.
The support given to the victims of the attacks, soldiers serving on the front, and Israeli refugees who have been evacuated from their homes on both the northern and southern borders is staggering.
Everybody has abandoned their politics for the good of the nation. Left-wing leaders have joined the right-wing government. Former finance ministers on both the right and left advise Betzalel Smotrich on piloting our economy through this unprecedented war.
There is so much charity. There is so much unity. There is so much goodness.
In the merit of Jewish unity, may Hashem bless us with victory.
The Same Playbook, the Same Tactics
Our first steps were powerful. We bombed Gaza fearlessly. We laid a total blockade to starve them into releasing our brothers and sisters taken hostage. We amassed hundreds of thousands of troops on the Gazan and Lebanese borders to eradicate our adversaries.
Moments before we were about to give the go-ahead for our troops to enter Gaza, President Biden announced, without coordinating with us, he was coming to Israel.
His staff spent seven hours in our IDF war room dictating terms of what we were allowed to do. Suddenly, the siege on Gaza was lifted, and Hamas is eating Swiss chocolate from the Red Cross again. Even when we want to be bold, the Americans put a leash on our leaders and handcuff our army. We are restricted from doing anything that we haven’t done in previous operations.
The only side that is permitted to do something new is Hamas. As long as America limits us to military and humanitarian actions that we’ve used in the past, Hamas has the advantage. Hamas knows what Israeli actions come next, and they are prepared accordingly.
Old is the New New
The only way to win this brutal war is to do something we haven’t done before.
As a nation, we haven’t prayed before. We haven’t made universal repentance before. We haven’t rallied each other to perform mitzvot before.
The one exception was the first week in June 1967. We saw the blessing Hashem gave us from our unity, humility, and repentance.
Unfortunately, the exception did not become the rule. We still rely on the IDF to do the nation’s job of teshuva. There is more to be done and every one of us must do it.
We still rely on our political leaders to do God’s job. We must petition our Father, Maker of Heaven and Earth to earn redemption, protection, and salvation. It is the job of every Jew to look to our Father to protect us from our enemies. The way to win this war is to cry out to our Father in prayer.
Before charity, volunteering, and social media activism, our sworn duty is to recite Psalms daily for our brothers and sisters, the people of Israel. All Psalms are powerful. Our Sages recommend Psalms 20, 22, 69, 83, 121, 122, and 124.
Take one mitzvah and do it with more intensity. Increase your Torah learning. Tell God you love Him.
God has His eyes on Israel from the first day of the year to the last. He is infinitely stronger than the US State Department. He is immensely greater than Europe.
Hashem can squash Hamas in Gaza like ants. We must ask Him. Every day.
This is the battle nobody is excused from.
***
David Ben Horin lives in Afula with his family, millions of sunflowers, and Matilda, our local camel. David‘s Israeli startup, 300 Marketing Solutions, is a lean marketing agency for startups and small businesses that creates and promotes SEO-optimized ROI-driven to the right audience on LinkedIn to make your business the star of the show.
TOP
The Tzaddik of Simchat Torah
The tremendous story by a survivor of the Simchat Torah massacre came out. How did he survive against all odds? Let’s follow his example to bring the Final Redemption mercifully!
David Ben Horin Posted on 10November2023 https://breslev.com/4067654/
The Tzaddik of Simchat Torah by David Ben Horin
Even out of the carnage of the Simchat Torah massacre of more than a thousand Jews, we find a story of repentance and salvation.
While 3,000 partygoers were dancing away at sunrise, Hamas terrorists breached the Gaza border fence that separates us and them. The terrorists didn’t come wearing terrorist garb. They came in IDF uniforms and dressed as medics. Hamas terrorists knew that the partygoers would flee to the “soldiers” and “medics” whom they thought were there to rescue them.
It was an ambush. Instead of rescue, the terrorists raped, tortured, beheaded, and butchered 1,400 Israelis. They wounded over 5,000 more. They took over 220 hostages.
A Survivor’s Story
One of the partygoers ran with a group of his friends. He saw a pile of leaves and quickly buried himself inside. Surrounded by bullets coming at him and his friends from all sides, he started to pray to God. He began to make repentance at what he thought would be the last moments of his life.
God saved him. All his friends who kept running were murdered by these soulless barbarians. He lived.
He recounted that he prayed all day until he was able to escape. He survived. He beat the odds. Everyone around him was executed, but he did something different – he appealed to God to protect him.
Our Story
We are all fighting the same war against the same enemy. UN Aid trucks are now coming into Gaza. Every time they unload their “assistance,” it starts to rain missiles on Tel Aviv. Even after this massacre, the world is still arming Hamas to do to us what ISIS did to the Yazidis.
To beat these monsters once and for all, we need to act like this brave man. We need to increase our prayer. We all need to strive to become righteous.
Netivot is as close to Gaza as Sderot. The great Baba Sali is buried in Netivot. The entire city was spared. We have the greatest protection in the universe. If we want to be safe, we must seek shelter in the shadow of God. This is how to protect our children from our enemies.
The World is Hamas
Torah and mitzvot beseech Hashem’s protection from a physical enemy. They also guarantee Hashem’s protection from a cultural and spiritual enemy.
How many religious Jews want to dress up as a member of the opposite sex? How many religious Jews give their hard-earned money to senseless causes? Does even 1% of the religious community protest in favor of Hamas?
When we seek shelter in the shadow of God, He will protect us from Hamas in Gaza and every type of Hamas in the world.
“Hamas” (חמס) is a Hebrew word and is found in the Torah:
And the earth had become corrupt before G-d; and the earth had become filled with robbery. (Bereishit 6:11)
God judged that the world was filled with hamas right before He destroyed it in the flood. “Hamas” is robbery, theft, lying, cheating, murder, perversion, and all forms of injustice. “Hamas” is every abomination in this world that God hates.
Hamas is our physical and spiritual enemy. The way to win our war against Hamas is through prayer and mitzvot. A life of Torah is the Divine antidote to the sickness of Hamas and everything it represents.
We are at War
This war has been raging for a long time. Now it’s time for all of us to fight.
Brothers and sisters: God has given us a very clear path to victory and total obliteration of our enemies. Let us follow the survivor’s example.
Here is how you can protect yourselves and your loved ones:
God will lead the charge to destroy the enemies of Israel.
Our job is to fall in behind Him.
***
David Ben Horin lives in Afula with his family, millions of sunflowers, and Matilda, our local camel. David‘s Israeli startup, 300 Marketing Solutions, is a lean marketing agency for startups and small businesses that creates and promotes SEO-optimized ROI-driven to the right audience on LinkedIn to make your business the star of the show.
TOP
The Global Pidyon
by Rivka Levy 31December2023 https://thinkforyourselfpublishing.com/the-global-pidyon/
Last week, one of the biggest tzaddik nistarim in Israel was asked what could be done, to get this horrible war to stop.
He said that there was nothing that could be done, because (I’m paraphrasing here) ‘the other side’ had already made sure to tie the hands of the ‘One in a Generation’ who could actually ‘sweeten’ the global harsh decrees that are made against the Jewish people.
These days, that person can’t so much as even mention the word ‘pidyon’, or they will get sent straight back to jail.
And they certainly can’t put out any statements explaining what a ‘global pidyon’ actually is, or how it’s going to help to change the whole, horrible, picture around here, in the Holy Land.
====
So, what’s to be done?
While I was pondering all this, I got word that the Rav has been taken ill with pneumonia, and is currently very weak…
This has happened so many times in the past, including even recently.
And the timing is always meaningful, and always coincides with another big ‘uptick’ in the dinim hanging over the Jews…. Which then have a habit of melting away, like they never existed in the first place.
Halavai, this should happen this time around.
====
But in the meantime, I started going through OIAG 2, to find some more examples of when the Rav took ill exactly the same time as there were massive ‘wars’, or waves of terrorism, about to erupt involving Eretz Yisrael and the Jewish people.
(There have been literally tens of examples, in recent years.)
And that’s when I tripped across these passages, talking about the ‘98 global pidyon’.
====
OIAG 2 was first published back in 2019 – four years ago.
And these statements from the Rav were actually made back in 2015 – eight years ago.
But, they are still so relevant for right now.
====
I know all this is a bit cryptic.
All I can say, is that ‘the evils’ planned this whole thing meticulously, to literally take the Rav out of action, outlaw pidyonot, and stick him in prison, the same week ‘Covid’ turned up in Israel….
I.e. – precisely the time when the pidyonot would be most required.
====
I am now looking for more of what the Rav said back in 2015 about the ‘98 pidyon’, but what follows all comes from OIAG 2, beginning on page 234, in the chapter called THE THIRD INTIFADA BEGINS.
It starts with when the Rav’s heart literally stopped for many minutes in Holland, and he almost died, God forbid.
It’s truly prophetic – and is describing exactly what we’ve been going through here in Eretz Yisrael, since October 7th, 2023:
====
[The excerpt from OIAG 2 starts here]
====
All of this comes directly from the pages of OIAG2, written 4-5 years ago, describing comments the Rav made eight years ago.
The bit to pay attention to is this:
====
Ad kan, from OIAG 2, published back in 2019.
====
There are no ‘promises’ today, let’s be 100% clear.
The Rav was sent to prison for two years because the State claimed he was promising stuff he couldn’t deliver.
This whole deal is emunat tzaddikim.
If you don’t have emunat tzaddikim – move on, don’t donate, and don’t participate in trying to get this ‘pidyon kollel’ raised to bring this horrible war to an end here in Israel.
Go find some other solution, some other response, that ticks your box more.
====
But in the meantime, let me bring a few more snippets from that same OIAG2 – published four years ago:
====
====
Pray on this, mull this over, above all else, think for yourself, about the clues these passages contain.
About how we can actually start to turn things around spiritually, and protect our soldiers being sent to fight in the Gaza death trap – and ourselves.
BH in the next post, I’ll bring more translated material from a few years ago, explaining why specifically 98.
With Hashem’s help, we can start to turn things around today, too, using the same strategy.
Amen.
TBC
====
FOOTNOTES:
[1] On March 19, 2012, four Jews, including a father and his three small children, were shot to death by a gunman at the Otzer HaTorah Jewish school in the French city of Toulouse.
[2] On January 21, 2015, 12 Israelis were stabbed by a Palestinian terrorist on a Tel Aviv commuter bus.
[3] Mishlei 11:4.
TOP
Hidden things
by Rivka Levy 23November2023 https://www.thinkforyourselfpublishing.com/hidden-things/
Yesterday, I went to the evening prayers of the Rav, and he wasn’t there.
Someone thought he’d gone to Tel Aviv or something – but he had definitely left Jerusalem.
This last week, the Rav’s been keeping his comments after the evening prayers pretty short, just repeating how ‘tznius’ and smashing i-Phones are the key to getting the war to end with no more Jewish lives lost.
I am still going through his comments from 2-3 weeks ago, and if I have time I will put some more of them up soon.
But the stuff that’s already gone up here should be enough to clue us in to the following basic ideas:
The real war is the one being fought between ‘good’ and ‘evil’.
====
If you want to carry on wasting your time and energy and ‘soul power’ arguing over politics, decrying the puppets for acting as though they are not actually working for the best outcome for the Jewish people (like, duh!) – that’s your choice.
You won’t change anything real like that, and you’ll probably just end getting very bitter, depressed and despairing about the state of the world.
That’s why the Rav – and other genuine Jewish leaders – have been putting the emphasis right on the start on us upping our own game, spiritually.
That means more tehillim, teshuva, tznius, mitzvot – and of course, understanding that only the people who were listening to the instructions of Moshe Rabbenu actually got out of Mitzrayim, regardless of all the other good stuff they were engaged in.
====
Right now, you and me have no idea what is really going on.
And don’t think that listening to Army Radio, or watching Channel 14 news 24/7 is going to change that – it’s just going to give you a headache and make you even more stressed and worried.
But there are a group of our holy leaders who have been fully aware of this evil, and fighting it, for decades.
If you do your best to identify who the really holy people are, and to do what they say, you’ll get through this OK, God willing.
====
In the meantime… life continues in Israel.
Weddings are still happening, BH, (I will tell you more about what a rollercoaster ride that has been, the last few weeks, once the happy couple actually get hitched, BH.)
People are still going down to the Kotel.
There is still food in the shops, and sales in the malls for ‘blue November’.
Kids are back in school, mostly.
====
And more and more people are now understanding that we only have Hashem to rely on.
If they didn’t figure that out when our corrupt government spent millions of shekels chasing the Rav all over the world a decade ago….
Or, when our corrupt government then went ‘full fascist’ with Covid lockdowns and green passports…
Or, when 45 people got deliberately murdered at Meron….
Or even, when our whole security establishment ‘went to sleep’ that horrible morning of Simchat Torah (and also, three months beforehand when Hamas were training for the attack right next to the fence….)
Now, they are finally starting to get it.
Which means that soon, very soon, all this WILL turn around for the very best.
====
So, going forward, some recommendations for how to maintain optimal emotional equilibrium in this very difficult situation we still find ourselves in:
Do some hitbodedut, come to your own conclusions.
====
In the meantime, here’s the headline of another of the latest translated shiurim from the Rav, from the ravberland.com website, which basically spells out exactly what is really going on here:
The Whole World Regrets that Hitler Didn’t Finish Off the Jews” – R’ Eliezer Berland Shlit”a
The Rav has been saying this for years, and honestly, I used to think he was exaggerating a little.
But not anymore.
And may we see with our own eyes, how all this turns around very, very soon for the best.
====
TOP
Better News So Far:
12November2023
Yoni Leviatan-tweet-12November2023-Two predictions about this war that have not played out so far
Two predictions about this war that have not played out so far:
1. Everyone said a ground op into Gaza would greatly increase the casualties on both sides, but the opposite has happened – far less innocent Gazans have died from ground forces in the last few days than they did when the air force was busy preparing the battlefield.
Most of the people dying now are Hamas.
Just as important, far less @IDF soldiers have died than anyone expected, notwithstanding the tragic few we’ve already lost. They’ve also been able to safely evacuate 200,000 more Gazans from the northern strip – Gazans that Hamas was shooting at in order to get them to stay and die as human shields.
The slow and steady strategy seems to be working well for everyone (except Hamas).
Again, this is only true at this point, but the larger point is Americans forgot that Gaza isn’t Fallujah while Europeans forgot that Israelis aren’t blithering cowards.
All of which goes to show why @Israel
should continue to ignore the naysayers and stick to the business of eradicating Hamas, haters be damned.
2. Everyone said Israel would ruin its ties with the Arab world, but not a single friendly Arab country has chosen to do so.
In fact, Saudi Arabia said it intends to continue pursuing relations with Israel. It also called for the hostages to be released at the Arab League/OIC summit this weekend.
Additionally, Egypt, Jordan, the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, Morocco, Mauritania, Djibouti and Saudi Arabia all voted against a proposal that wanted to: cut ties, disrupt oil supplies to Israel and its allies, prevent the transfer of US equipment to Israel from bases in Arab countries, prevent flights to and from Israel using Arab countries’ air space, and form a joint mission to put pressure on Western nations for a ceasefire.
Numerous Arab countries rejected all of that.
Just as we should reject all of the NGOs, government quacks, armchair quarterbacks and keyboard commandos who don’t know the first thing about how to survive in the Middle East.
Yoni Leviatan-tweet-12November2023-Two predictions about this war that have not played out so far
Mossad Commentary-tweet-13November2023-Israel
Mossad Commentary-tweet-13November2023-Israel
Israel Defense Forces-tweet-3December2023-IDF troops eliminated exposed shafts to Hamas’ underground tunnels
IDF troops eliminated 500 of the 800+ exposed shafts to Hamas’ underground tunnels located near or inside kindergartens, schools, playgrounds and mosques.
To be clear, these places aren’t childproof, but rather teeming with terrorism.
Every tunnel shaft and weapon we find is further proof of how Hamas deliberately uses the residents of Gaza for their terrorist agenda against Israelis.
Israel Defense Forces-tweet-3December2023-IDF troops eliminated exposed shafts to Hamas’ underground tunnels
TOP
Hanukkah-IDF-Our Light will overcome Hamas’ Darkness
Israel Defense Forces-tweet-7December2023-Hanukkah-IDF-Our Light will overcome Hamas’ Darkness
Tonight, while all those celebrating Hanukkah light the first candle, the IDF will be here, on the ground watching over our home.
Together our light is stronger.
Israel Defense Forces-tweet-7December2023-Hanukkah-IDF-Our Light will overcome Hamas’ Darkness
TOP
The Maccabean revolt of 2023
Caroline B. Glick https://www.jns.org/the-maccabean-revolt-of-2023/
The Maccabean Revolt of 2023-The Caroline Glick Show In-Focus
Special Chanukah episode of the Caroline Glick Show “IN-FOCUS.”
(December 11, 2023 / JNS) Caroline Glick examines the Macabees, Hellenists and the struggle for Jewish identity throughout Jewish history, including during this present moment in the battle for Israel against neighboring terrorism.
Tune in to a special Chanukah episode of “IN-FOCUS.”
SPECIAL HANUKKAH EPISODE: The Maccabean Revolt of 2023 | The Caroline Glick Show In – Focus
TOP
Government approves hostage release deal, Otzma Yehudit ministers vote against
Government approves deal under which 50 living Israelis will be released in batches during a four-day ceasefire. The releases will begin on Thursday. Religious Zionist Party votes in favor, Otzma Yehudit votes against.
Israel National News Emphasis: https://www.israpundit.org/government-approves-hostage-release-deal-only-three-ministers-vote-against/
Published: 22November2023, https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/380717
The government overnight Tuesday approved the deal for the release of some of the hostages being held in Gaza in exchange for the release of Palestinian Arab terrorists who are imprisoned in Israel and at least four days of a ceasefire.
The Religious Zionist Party voted in favor of the deal after a consultation among the members of the faction. The ministers from Otzma Yehudit voted against the deal.
According to the outline, 50 living Israelis will be released in several batches throughout the four days of the ceasefire.
Every day, 12 to 13 hostages will be released. For every 10 additional Israeli hostages who are released – another day of a pause in the fighting will be given.Israeli officials believe that in addition to the 50 hostages, Hamas can release another 30 Israelis.
Accordingly, 140 terrorists will also be released in several phases. The IDF will continue to encircle the northern Gaza Strip. In addition, fuel will only enter Gaza during the days of the ceasefire. The IDF and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) will continue intelligence gathering operations.
Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar has pledged to return 30 out of 40 children. About 8 out of 13 mothers will be returned, and an additional 12 elderly women will be returned as well.
The Israeli government said in an official statement on Tuesday night: “The Israeli government is committed to bringing home all the hostages. Tonight, the government approved the outline for the first stage of achieving this goal, according to which at least 50 hostages – women and children – will be released over 4 days, during which there will be a lull in the fighting. The release of every ten additional hostages will result in an additional day of respite.”
“The Israeli government, the IDF and the security forces will continue the war in order to return all the hostages, complete the elimination of Hamas and ensure that there is no renewed threat from Gaza to the State of Israel,” the statement added.
During the discussion, a confrontation broke out between ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Benny Gantz, after Smotrich expressed concern that Hamas would extend the truce beyond what was agreed upon and announce that it had found more hostages.
Gantz replied to Smotrich: “What kind of question is this? We are telling you that this is the deal. What, do you trust us less than Sinwar?”
Meanwhile, Culture Minister Miki Zohar criticized National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, and asked why Otzma Yehudit gathered for a faction meeting before the cabinet meeting. Ben Gvir replied to Zohar: “Because we saw everything in the media before the meeting, so it is very good that we held a meeting. We are not united. This is a that could cause damage for years to come and that will harm us badly.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke at the start of the meeting, and made clear to the ministers that the deal would include visits by the Red Cross to those hostages who will not be released and will include the supply of medicine. The ministers were told that the first day of the ceasefire will be on Thursday and the first batch of hostages will be released that day.
The Prime Minister also promised the ministers that at the end of the ceasefire and the release of the hostages – the fighting against Hamas in Gaza will be resumed with all its might.
“We are at war – and will continue the war. We will continue the war until we achieve all of our war aims: To eliminate Hamas, return all of our hostages and our missing, and ensure that there is no element in Gaza that threatens Israel,” said Netanyahu.
He recalled, “Yesterday evening, I met, together with the members of the War Cabinet, members of the hostages’ families. I listened closely to their plight. With shaking voices, sometimes in tears, they described the nightmare they are in. I told the dear families: ‘Returning our hostages is a sacred and supreme task – and I am obligated to it together with my colleagues. As Maimonides says: There is no greater precept than redeeming captives.”
“We will not relent in our efforts until we redeem them all, until we return them all, the boys and girls, the mothers and fathers, the young men and women, the elderly men and women, the male and female soldiers, all of them,” he stated, adding, “In war there are stages, and in returning the hostages there are stages, but we will not relent until we achieve the absolute victory and until we bring them all back. This is my sacred duty, of all of us.”
“In recent days, I have spoken with our friend, US President Joe Biden and I requested his intervention in order to improve the outline that will be presented to you. Indeed, it has been improved to include more hostages and at a lower cost. These talks have been productive. President Biden joined in the effort and I thank him for it. Before you this evening, now, is a difficult decision but it is the correct decision. All of the security agencies fully support it; they have made it completely clear in their professional assessment, that the security of our forces will be ensured during the pause and that the intelligence effort will be maintained in those days. They have made it clear that not only will the war effort not be harmed, it will enable the IDF to prepare for the continuation of the fighting,” said Netanyahu.
The Prime Minister reiterated, “The war is continuing and the war will continue until we achieve all of our goals – Eliminating Hamas, returning all of our hostages and assuring that the day after Hamas, Gaza will no longer threaten Israel, that there will be no other element that supports terrorism, educates its children for terrorism and threatens the State of Israel. With G-d’s help, we will do it and we will succeed – and together we will win.”
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said, “In the coming hours and days we will be required to make important decisions. The focused, professional and precise operations of the IDF will lead to the results that we hope to achieve in the near future.”
“As a result of the decision taken about a month ago to intensify our ground operations, to enter [Gaza] and to increase the pressure on Hamas, there is now a chance to create a plan that will lead to the release of hostages. I view the release of hostages first and foremost as an issue related to values – a moral issue, an issue that points to the [unwritten] agreement between the State, the government and its citizens. All members of the cabinet, all the members of the IDF, ISA, and Mossad, everyone who is working on the issue of the hostages and missing persons – is dedicating all their time, soul and energy to this issue, day and night,” he added.
“IDF soldiers risk their lives every day, and we see the results. For me, the release of the hostages is of immense value. We all see the pictures, the videos, the people [around us] and think about the [kidnapped] children, soldiers, adults, and Holocaust survivors- and we all understand how important this is.”
“At the same time, without continuing [military] pressure, there will be no chance of bringing [home] additional hostages. Therefore, upon my request and that of the defense establishment, the government has included in its decision, the unequivocal demand that immediately after we have exhausted this phase, all operations by the IDF, ISA and all the security forces, will continue in full force – first in order to defeat Hamas, and secondly, in order to create the necessary conditions to bring home additional hostages,” said the Minister of Defense.
“I would like to take this opportunity together with all members of the government, to express my appreciation, and the appreciation I am sure we share, for all the security forces that are fighting in this war – the IDF, ISA, and Mossad, and every single person working on the issue of the hostages and missing persons. We have a great establishment, and a large part of its strength is in the unity that is demonstrated by this forum, in the government, in the cabinet and in the war cabinet. Thank you very much,” he concluded.
UPDATE:
Israel War Room-tweet-22November2023-Hostage-temp ceasefire deal is delayed
Hostage/temp ceasefire deal is delayed:
▪️ Hamas hasn’t signed the deal
▪️ Not all the details have been agreed upon
▪️ Israeli officials: we don’t think the gaps will lead to the collapse of the ceasefire, but “who knows”
▪️ No ceasefire tomorrow, hostages will be released *not before Friday*
▪️ Israel has not received the list of the first hostages to be released (@AmichaiStein1)
Israel War Rooms-tweet-22November2023-Hostage/temp ceasefire deal is delayed
TOP
The released child hostages
Aviva Klompas-tweet-24November2023-The released child hostages
An IDF soldier has been assigned to accompany every released child hostage back to Israel.
If a child asks where their mother or father is, the soldiers have been told to say, “I’m sorry sweetie, I don’t know. My job is to bring you to Israel to a safe place where people you know can answer all your questions.”
Some of the children don’t have parents to return to.
Aviva Klompas-tweet-24November2023-The released child hostages
Marina Medvin-tweet-25November2023-The luckiest man in the world
The luckiest man in the world — the father of the two little girls and their mother, who were kidnapped by Palestinian terrorists and held as hostages, is reunited with his girls after 49 days of them being kept in the underground tunnels of Gaza.
Marina Medvin-tweet-25November2023-The luckiest man in the world
David/Dovid Bashevkin-tweet-25November2023-Yahel Shoham-Kidnapped by Hamas
Yahel Shoham, young enough to still need a car seat.
Kidnapped by Hamas.
Finally released.
Young enough for a car seat.
We will never forget these horrors. Never.
David/Dovid Bashevkin-tweet-25November2023-Yahel Shoham-Kidnapped by Hamas
Israel War Room-tweet-27November2023-the returned abductees
The doctors who treated the returned abductees: “They arrived in a state of malnutrition with poor indicators”
At Wolfson Hospital, they told about the medical condition of the freed people, and the conditions they were provided with in Gaza. “Their diet in captivity was mainly based on rice, hummus with flour and pita bread, one of them lost 20 kg,” said the director of the department. “There were days when they didn’t get any food at all.”
Israel War Room-tweet-27November2023-the returned abductees
TOP
This is where Hamas held hostages
Israel Defense Forces-tweet-21January2024-This is where Hamas held hostages
This is where Hamas held hostages.
IDF soldiers operated in a tunnel located at the heart of a civilian area in Khan Yunis that was used to hold about 20 hostages at different times. The tunnel was about 830 meters long and about 20 meters deep.
We cannot and will not rest knowing innocent civilians are being held in compounds like this one. We will not stop operating until we bring the hostages home.
Israel Defense Forces-tweet-21January2024-This is where Hamas held hostages
TOP
No Aid to the Nazi Society.
The War is Not About Hamas. It’s About Gaza as a Society – Jeremy Gimpel
Hillel Fuld-tweet-29February2024-Gaza is rotten to the core and needs to be denazified from the ground up
Some of the truly insane things I’ve heard from friends and family who are fighting in the depths of Gaza.
I was told that a friend had been to three Hamas bases. I asked him what he means by a base? Like a building they call a base?
Nope. He said Hamas has full army bases equipped with everything a normal base has including obstacle courses, shooting ranges, and more. They’re all over Gaza.
I was also told that they could not walk three feet without seeing a tunnel opening. Gaza is absolutely covered with tunnel holes. I was told that Gaza is literally duplicated under ground.
I was told that every single house, EVERY one, had weapons hidden somewhere. They didn’t enter a single house without some weapons somewhere.
I was told that none of the Hamas terrorists wear uniforms. They are all dressed in civilian clothes so when they’re killed, Hamas can claim they were innocent.
I was told that we have no idea to what extent they use human shields. Hamas terrorists open fire on IDF soldiers with one hand, while holding an elderly lady with the other. This is their most popular tactic.
I was told that they have not met a single innocent civilian there and every single person, even those who pretend they’re innocent in the beginning, are somehow connected to Hamas. Everyone there supports Hamas.
I was told that there are days in which the IDF eliminates hundreds of terrorists.
I was told that it is widely known that if (when) Israel enters Rafah, it’s all over for Hamas. Everyone knows that hundreds, maybe thousands of them are hiding in Rafah hoping the world manages to stop the IDF from going in there. They’re banking on that.
I was told they keep finding books, from children books to text books, describing the history of the Jews, and general information about Jews explaining why they should be killed.
I was told that when an IDF soldier is killed, everyone there celebrates. Somehow they all know about it within minutes and firecrackers are their main method of celebration. Firecrackers and firing guns into the air. And of course, candies. They love giving out candies when a Jew is murdered.
I was told that Hamas terrorists in Gaza are like athletes or movie stars in other places. They are absolute heroes to the Palestinian people who have pictures of them on their walls and describe them as total rockstars.
And finally, the doozy. I was told that on every single computer they find in people’s homes in Gaza, there is porn everywhere. Every single computer has porn on it. But get this, in addition to porn, every single house has sex artifacts all over the place. Sex toys, sexy outfits, and more. All over the place.
All in all, seems like a solid society they’ve built over there in Gaza…
Israel is dealing with some seriously twisted and morally depraved human beings who are told from age zero that Jews are nothing more than animals that deserve to be killed wherever they are.
This society is rotten to the core and needs to be denazified from the ground up. Anything else will just be a bandaid on a society that needs open heart surgery.
Hillel Fuld-tweet-29February2024-Gaza is rotten to the core and needs to be denazified from the ground up
TOP
Israeli protester unite to stop aid trucks from entering Gaza
26January2024 7:02 am | Ticker, Virtual Jerusalem
https://virtualjerusalem.com/israeli-protester-unite-to-stop-aid-trucks-from-entering-gaza/
Israelis demonstrate at a protest action at Kerem Shalom border crossing on January 24, 2024. (Courtesy Reut Ben Haim)
No humanitarian aid will be allowed until the hostages are treated humanely.
Israelis from left and right have united to physically block the entry of truck convoys containing aid for Gazans but which in fact has fallen directly into Hamas control while Israeli hostages don’t get food, medicine or visits from anyone.
For the second days in a row, no trucks were allowed in, and the dozens of protesters in the first day have swelled to hundreds, with even more expected on the weekend.
The protesters include relatives of hostages held in Gaza and parents of soldiers who have fallen in battle. Unlike the leftist Israelis politicizing the issue and raising the price of hostagews, the Kerem Shalom blockaders have taken a firm and unifying stance that improves Israel’s bargaining position and increases pressure on Hamas.
Their demand is uncompromising: halt humanitarian aid to Gaza until their loved ones are freed from captivity. This group’s resilience was evident as they bypassed roadblocks, walking kilometers to make their voices heard for the second consecutive day.
Tsufit Libman, directly affected by this crisis, articulates the sentiment of many, labeling the ongoing aid delivery a “moral failure.” Her powerful words, “While we don’t know where our families are and if they are alive, they [Gazans] are getting humanitarian aid,” capture the heart of the protest. This statement, accusing Gazans of abetting Hamas and hiding crimes, reflects deep frustration and a sense of betrayal.
Dani Elgarat, another voice in this chorus of despair, appeals to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for bravery. His message is clear: resist international pressure, notably from the U.S., and prioritize the return of captives. Elgarat’s call to action, urging others to physically impede aid, resonates with a community united in anguish and determination.
The situation at the border is more than a blockade; it’s a reflection of a community’s outcry against perceived injustice. Protesters like Elgarat highlight the grim reality that the captives are likely not benefiting from the humanitarian aid entering Gaza. His words, “There are no visits by the Red Cross, no food, medications, signs of life, nothing humanitarian is happening to our captives,” underline the dire situation of the hostages.
The Biden Administration is really exercised about this, insisting that Israel allow the aid to enter. But a government that can’t even keep the Ayalon freeway in Tel Aviv open may find it hard to cope with the groundswell of opposition to the “humanitarian hypcrisy” where only Gazans are entitled to humane treatment.
The Israeli government, however, has failed to stop the growing protests and may not be in such a big hurry to do so. The government would like nations demanding that Israeli fulfill “humanitarian” demands to do something, even the bare minimum, for the civilians and soldiers in Hamas captivity.
TOP
What is Netanyahu’s “Something Else”?
Military rule without a settlement presence does not yield results that guarantee calm and stability. Op-ed.
Yehudit Katsover & Nadia Matar
21November2023, https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/380670
Yehudit Katsover and Nadia Matar are Co-chairs of the Sovereignty Movement
“Something else.” That is how the Prime Minister characterized the entity that will control the Gaza Strip on the day after the war.
We, citizens of Israel, ask, what is that unnamed “something else.”
As we recall, in response to journalist Moti Kastel’s question: “What will be on the day after?” – the Prime Minister replied: “Security control including the ability to enter whenever we choose in order to eliminate terrorists who might resurface. I can tell you what will not be. There will not be Hamas. I will tell you what else there will not be. There will not be a civil authority there that educates its children to hate Israel, to murder Israelis, to liquidate the State of Israel. There cannot be an authority that pays families of murderers based on the number of victims they killed. There cannot be an authority whose leader, more than 30 days after the massacre, still has not condemned the horrific massacre. That cannot be. There must be something else there, but in any case, we must have security control. I am saying this. There might also be pressure in this regard, but I do not intend to capitulate.”
The clear and resolute words of the Prime Minister that Hamas and the current Palestinian Authority will no longer be able to rule over Gaza are praiseworthy. Indeed, our movement, which is conducting a hasbara (public information) campaign on this issue, supports his position on this, but we remain with the question lingering in the air:
What is this “something else” that will be on the day after? What political framework are the Prime Minister and the members of the political cabinet, especially the members of the limited war cabinet, seeking to establish?
In recent days, many plans and ideas have emerged, and we will enumerate only a few examples.
1. Some suggested that Gaza’s status would be similar to that of the territories of Area B in Judea and Samaria, like the model of Shechem and Jenin, leaving security and military control in Israel’s hands while transferring civil control over everything else to the Arabs. Past experience in Israel and worldwide has proven that the result of military rule without a settlement presence is failure and withdrawal. This was the case in Southern Lebanon, so it was proven in northern Samaria, and we saw the same in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Military rule without a settlement presence does not yield results that guarantee calm and stability.
According to this model, our courageous soldiers enter these areas almost every night, fighting terrorist nests and their surrounding armed supporters, yet we are far from genuine security calm. Israel is spilling the blood of its precious children in countless small, dangerous, and painful military operations, but there is no real fundamental solution.
2. Another suggestion is to transfer the Gaza Strip under the rule of the United Nations, but past attempts, whether worldwide or right next door in the Lebanon sector, teaches that multinational forces are not willing to spill their blood for the security of another nation, certainly not for the sake of our nation’s security. On the contrary; the UN has collaborated with Hezbollah. With the first security incident, they quickly capitulate and disappear from the area. Consequently, all agreements that signed the Second Lebanon War were voided, and Hezbollah, that was supposed to remain north of the Litani River, have positioned themselves at the border fence and no UN force dares confront them there.
3. Meanwhile, the name of Mohammed Dahlan, a former senior official of the Palestinian Authority, has also been raised as a candidate to assume leadership of the Gaza Strip. He is a “terrorist in a suit and tie” that do not successfully conceal his aspiration to establish a Palestinian Arab state on the ruins of Israel. Dahlan is responsible, among other things, for the terrorist attack on the children’s bus in Kefar Darom, and considers the establishment of settlements as an act of terror in every sense. His hatred for Israel is no less than that of any of his fellow graduates from the Palestinian Authority academy of terror.
Here is the time and the place to present the Prime Minister and the government ministers other plans that should be placed on the public agenda and tabled for political discussion.
The important suggestion of Members of Knesset Ram Ben-Barak and Danny Danon included encouraging voluntary emigration and called upon each of approximately 100 countries worldwide to absorb between 10 and 20 thousand Gazans in their territories, where they would be guaranteed a better future than the destroyed cities that remain in Gaza can offer them. (After all, their lives before the war were controlled by Hamas elites who let them languish in crowded poverty while Hamas leaders lived in luxury, ed.).
Now we must bring to the forefront the Zionist program that includes full Israeli control, applying sovereignty and Jewish settlement throughout Gaza, establishing cities, communities, and industrial and agricultural areas. Similarly, Israel must have control over the curricula in the Arab education system, strict oversight that will prevent anti-Israel incitement in mosques, and more. This plan will ensure the wellbeing of the communities in the Gaza periphery that will be rebuilt, blossom, and flourish.
In our view, a plan combining the proposal of Ben-Barak and Danon that will reduce the Arab population in Gaza with the Zionist plan of imposing sovereignty and settlement will ensure resolution, deterrence, victory, and security. A political step of that kind will clarify to all the peoples of the region that Israel will always command the steepest price for terrorism, the price of land, that is the most highly held commodity in Arab culture, especially when it comes to land that was never theirs.
We must remember and remind ourselves, first and foremost, that Gaza is part of the tribal portion of Judah. It is ours. It is highly moral that we keep it, not in the sense of Samson’s formula of “let my soul die with the Philistines” (Judges 16:30), but in the sense of “in your blood, you shall live, in your blood, you shall live” (Ezekiel 16:06).
TOP
IDF make men great again
Lola-tweet-26October2023-IDF make men great again
The-Mossad-Satirical,-Yet-Awesome-tweet-24October2023-I love this trend
Israel Defense Forces-tweet-25October2023-“We refuse to forget our values. We are fighting for our home.”
The Golani Brigade was the first to respond to the brutal attack by Hamas on the morning of October 7.
The soldiers fought hard battles against hundreds of terrorists and suffered many losses. Now they are undergoing in-depth, extensive training to stay ready for anything.
Israel Defense Forces-tweet-25October2023-“We refuse to forget our values. We are fighting for our home.”
The Golani Brigade was the first to respond to the brutal attack by Hamas on the morning of October 7.
The soldiers fought hard battles against hundreds of terrorists and suffered many losses. Now they are undergoing in-depth, extensive training to stay ready for anything.
Why draft older men not youngsters.
From an Email 19October2023
When one pensioner’s military application gets rejected on the grounds of being too old, he gets really, really mad!
I’m a pensioner and the armed forces think I’m too old to track down terrorists. If you’re over 42, then you can’t join the military. They’re got their whole system backwards!
Instead of sending 18-year-olds to war zones, they should take us old guys. They shouldn’t let you join the military until you’re at least 35!
18-year-olds have been proven to think about sex every 10 seconds, while pensioners only think about it once or twice a month. This leaves us an extra 280,000 seconds per day to focus on the enemy. Young soldiers don’t have enough life experience to be cranky, and a cranky soldier is a terrifying soldier! ‘I’m tired and hungry, my back hurts, I can’t sleep!
We’re impatient and bad-tempered, so perhaps letting us kill some jerk who desperately deserves it will cheer us up and keep us quiet! 18-year-olds never usually get up before 10am. Old guys always wake up early to pee! Besides, like I’ve already said, since I can’t get to sleep, I may as well be off killing some fanatical son-of-a-bitch!
If they capture us we’d never spill the beans, because we wouldn’t remember where we put them. Name, rank, and serial number would be a huge brainteaser! Old guys would ace boot camp! We’re used to people yelling at us, and we’re accustomed to eating soft food.
We also have a deep appreciation of firearms. We’ve been using them for years as an excuse to get away from all of the yelling! They could lighten up on the obstacle course, though. I’ve been in combat, but I’ve never come across a 20-foot wall with ropes hanging over either side! They can probably get rid of the running part as well. I’ve never seen anybody outrun a bullet!
18-year-olds have their whole lives ahead of them. They should still be learning how to shave, and how to talk to pretty girls. They still haven’t even figured out how to properly wear a baseball cap! These are all good reasons why we should keep our kids at home. Let us old guys track terrorists down!
No enemy wants to see a couple million old guys, with automatic weapons and bad attitudes, who know that their best years are behind them! And what about recruiting women in their 50s? In menopause! You think only men can have a bad attitude? You ain’t seen nothing yet! If nothing else, they can be put on border control. It’ll be secured by the end of the first night!
TOP
The nation of Israel is alive and well.
Record 1,823 births in one month at Shaare Zedek
Living Lchaim-tweet-2November2023-
I am a midwife in Shaare Zedek.
On a difficult day when we count the fallen, I wanted to share another count.
Last night we counted and found out that we broke an all-time record for the number of births in one month.
1,823!
I am attaching the photo from the department’s birth book, a photo that moved us very much tonight and we wanted to tell our people about it.
This figure comes thanks to the southern families who now live in the city.
Thanks to the soldiers’ wives who came to their parents, And thanks to the women of Jerusalem and the surrounding area who come in droves to give birth with us.
This gives us a lot of strength and hope, and a clear knowledge:
The nation of Israel is alive and well.
We are a nation for eternity and this answer, all these sweet babies, will help bring joy to the world with great pride.
Rachel Levy
Shaare Zedek Medical Center
Living Lchaim-tweet-2November2023-Record 1,823 births in one month at Shaare Zedek
TOP
17,629 babies born in Israel since 7October2023
Hillel Fuld-tweet-24November2023-17,629 babies born in Israel since 7October2023
17,629!
That’s the number of babies born in Israel since October 7th.
In a country with less than 10 million people, that’s huge!
45 of the babies were named Be’eri and three of them named Nova.
Oh and hundreds of thousands have made Aliyah and come home to Israel since the war started.
An Israel Chai!
Hillel Fuld-tweet-24November2023-17,629 babies born in Israel since 7October2023
TOP
Nicholas Winton saved 669 Jewish Children from the Holocaust. Here is the Video of the Grown Children thanking Him. Please Share.
TOP
Generations
“In every generation they rise up to destroy us” was, and is, a warning to be taken seriously.
DRY BONES-Generations Credit: Yaakov (DryBones) Kirschen.
DRY BONES
Brooklyn-born (in 1938) cartoonist Yaakov Kirschen made Aliyah to Israel in 1971 and began drawing his Dry Bones cartoons in January of 1973. He is a member of both America’s National Cartoonists Society and the Israeli Cartoonists Society. Dry Bones was internationally syndicated and ran in The Jerusalem Post for 50 years, being reprinted by the New York Times, Time magazine, the Los Angeles Times, the Wall Street Journal and other major media publications. The Dry Bones story has been covered by CBS, CNN, Forbes and many others.
https://www.jns.org/generations/
(October 24, 2023 / JNS) Hamas’s Oct. 7 pogrom has changed us.
It has smashed our youngsters with an explosive and frightening reality.
How will they deal with this trauma? What will they be like as adults? What will their Israel be like?
“Never again” is a great slogan.
But “In every generation they rise up to destroy us” was, and is, a warning to be taken seriously.
SEE: ‘I Understood My Life Is Going to End’: A Mother Describes 20 Hours in a Safe Room
Bari Weiss-tweet-25October2023-
You hear stories from the Holocaust of people with little children in hiding, and I always thought, “How do you keep a child that small, that young, quiet in this situation?” But the energy was so heavy and we were so quiet.
I told my daughter, “You need to be as quiet as a mouse. We’re not talking now.” And she whispered through the whole day. Even when she fell over, she didn’t cry.
“‘I Understood My Life Is Going to End’: A Mother Describes 20 Hours in a Safe Room”
‘I Understood My Life Is Going to End’: A Mother Describes 20 Hours in a Safe Room
https://www.thefp.com/p/my-life-is-going-to-end
Bari Weiss-tweet-25October2023-Mother Describes 20 Hours in a Safe Room
TOP
That is Beit Hanoun
Ron M.-tweet-7March2024-That is Beit Hanoun
That’s Beit Hanoun – a primary staging ground for tens of thousands of rocket attacks on Israel, and a Hamas stronghold from which many of the OCT 7 Massacres were planned and executed. It got exactly what was coming in heavy fighting that lasted weeks. Israel should prevent reconstruction here ENTIRELY.
🟥 Beit Hanoun, GAZA.
🟦 Sderot, Israel.
Ron M-tweet-7March2024-That is Beit Hanoun
TOP
Footage from Huwara: IDF demolishes pizzeria which demeaned woman who was abducted to Gaza
IDF bulldozer operates in Huwara to demolish pizzeria that encouraged terrorism through an advertisement featuring an elderly woman abducted by Hamas to Gaza.
Israel National News
Published: Oct 13October2023, https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/378404
An IDF bulldozer was documented on Thursday evening demolishing a pizzeria in Huwara that encouraged terrorism and published an ad promoting its products which used a photo of an elderly woman who was abducted by Hamas terrorists to Gaza and forced by them to make a “V” sign with her fingers.
Earlier it was reported that legal advisers do not approve the demolition of the building and only its sealing, but a bulldozer was subsequently brought to the site and carried out demolition operations.
In addition, the owner of the pizzeria has been detained for questioning.
The Honenu legal aid organization had earlier sent an urgent letter to the head of the IDF Central Command, Major General Yehuda Fox, demanding that the Huwara pizzeria be shut down.
Attorney Ofir Steiner, from the civil department of the organization, wrote in the letter that the business in question is named “Eiffel Bakery”, which is located in the center of Huwara. Another publication stated that the owner of the pizzeria is Salah Hamous who several years ago seriously injured a boy from Yitzhar with a rock, but was released due to lack of evidence.
kann_news-tweet-12October2023-The IDF destroys a pizzeria in Hawara
“We are in a time of war, after a murderous terrorist incident, the most terrible and the largest seen in human history,” Steiner wrote in his letter to Major General Fox. “At this time, any support for the said murderous and unprecedented terrorist event is like support for the great haters of the Jewish people – the Nazis, may their name be erased. It is difficult to exaggerate the importance of immediate enforcement, in a deterrent and decisive manner, which is needed at this time against phenomena of this kind.”
About an hour after the pizzeria was demolished, an apology in Hebrew was published on its official Facebook page.
“Hello, we are very sorry for the photo that was posted. The photo obviously was not posted with our consent. Someone tried to harm us. We are against harming people and women, and just want to earn a living with dignity and live in peace with everyone. We apologize to the members of the family that was hurt and the other people that were hurt,” said the post.
Post Comments:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSkxD8ZGvPk
TOP
Israel Police arrest 63 on suspicion of terror incitement
Police in Jerusalem have been “operating in an increased format… to monitor and address publications on social media networks that incite terrorism and violence.”
UPDATE DESK https://www.jns.org/israel-police-arrest-63-on-suspicion-of-terror-incitement/
(October 17, 2023 / JNS) Police have arrested 63 suspects on charges of incitement and support for terrorism in the wake of Hamas’s Oct. 7 terror assault, the Israel Police said on Monday.
The Hamas terrorist organization killed at least 1,400 Israelis and wounded more than 4,100 in a massive offensive launched from the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, which included the firing of thousands of rockets at Israel and the infiltration of the Jewish state by terrorist forces.
The terrorists butchered men, women, children, the elderly, the disabled and infants—some were decapitated while others were raped or burned alive. At least 199 hostages, including children, were taken to Gaza, Israel Defense Forces Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel confirmed on Monday.
The Jerusalem District Police has been “operating in an increased format, in cooperation with other security agencies, to monitor and address publications on social media networks that incite terrorism and violence,” warned the Israel Police on Monday.
Indictments will be filed “in the coming days,” added the statement.
Among other suspects, police officers arrested a 20-year-old female resident of Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah/Shimon HaTzadik neighborhood, Israel’s Walla news site reported. The suspect allegedly shared pictures of fallen IDF soldiers on social media and praised their Palestinian killers.
In another case, officers detained a cook who worked in a central Jerusalem restaurant. After losing his job due to his public support for Hamas terror, he reportedly threatened to carry out an attack on the diner.
Amid fighting on Israel’s southern and northern borders, as well as ongoing attempts to open a front in Judea and Samaria, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir last week said his ministry was preparing for possible Arab riots in mixed Jewish-Arab cities.
During a visit to the western Negev city of Sderot, one of the communities attacked by Hamas on Oct. 7, Ben-Gvir announced that he ordered Israel Police Commissioner Yaakov Shabtai to make preparations for “a scenario of ‘Guardian of the Walls II,’ which I think is looming.”
Ben-Gvir’s remarks referred to the widespread Arab rioting in Israeli cities with large numbers of Arab and Jewish residents that took place during the IDF’s May 2021 aerial operation against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Over the weekend, suspected Hamas sympathizers burned down a bicycle shop in Tayibe, an Arab city in central Israel, after its owner donated 50 bicycles to survivors of Hamas’s terror assault on southern Israel.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, the Kol Yehudi news outlet shared footage of what it said showed Israeli Arabs from the central city of Umm al-Fahm conducting military exercises at a training camp in northern Israel.
“All of them are well known to the authorities, but Gaza-Hamas was also known to the authorities,” Kol Yehudi journalist Elchanan Groner wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “The problem is the concept. These guys are the enemy.”
elchangr-tweet-15October2023-Hirak al-Fahmawi
TOP
IDF’s Latest Hamas Weapon Cache Discovered in a Kindergarten in Northern Gaza
“IDF troops located dozens of mortar shells that were hidden by Hamas in a kindergarten in the northern Gaza Strip.”
Posted by Mary Chastain 17November2023 https://legalinsurrection.com/2023/11/idfs-latest-hamas-weapon-cache-discovered-in-a-kindergarten-in-northern-gaza/
How much more proof do the left and antisemitics need?
The IDF finds Hamas weapons in hospitals, rooms belonging to children, and now a kindergarten classroom:
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian-tweet-17November2023-kindergarten mortars
From The Times of Israel:
TOP
Kidnapped by Terrorists, Elderly Couple Defies Abduction to Gaza and Emerges Unharmed
13October2023 https://unitedwithisrael.org/kidnapped-by-terrorists-elderly-couple-defies-abduction-to-gaza-and-emerges-unharmed/
Even after sustaining injuries in the Hamas invasion, Diana and Moshe Rosen resisted the terrorists’ insistence to accompany them to the Gaza Strip.
By United with Israel Staff
An elderly Israeli couple taken hostage by Arab terrorists during the Hamas invasion of southern Israel managed to defy their captors and live to tell the tale.
Diana Rosen and her husband Moshe, residents of Nir Yitzhak, a kibbutz near the Gaza frontier, were both shot and wounded by terrorists, after their town was overrun early Saturday morning.
The couple were eventually taken hostage by marauding terrorists, but refused to go with them to Gaza.
Days later, the two recalled the harrowing events in an interview with Channel 12, conducted at their bedside in Jerusalem’s Hadassah Mount Scopus Medical Center.
“We are used to this nightmare, but very quickly we understood that this was a different kind of event,” Moshe said. “At a certain point, there was a notification that terrorists had entered the community.”
“We heard loud knocking on the front door. I said to Diana, ‘They are inside the home; they are here.’”
Diana and Moshe managed to lock themselves in their safe room, preventing the terrorists from forcing their way in.
Eventually, however, the terrorists shot the locking mechanism open, wounded the couple in their hands.
Five terrorists rushed into the safe room, seizing the couple and forcing them out of their house.
Walking towards the Gaza border, Moshe and Diana saw the border fence had been breached in multiple places.
“They told us to be quiet and indicated with a hand to the throat that if we speak it will be the end of us,” Moshe continued.
“We dared to tell the terrorists that we simply aren’t going to Gaza.”
Moshe said that he used English words to explain their refusal to enter Gaza.
“We told them we are injured, bleeding, and need to go to a hospital. Of course, their leader didn’t accept that. I said to him ‘ambulance, hospital,’ and he said ‘Gaza.’”
Eventually, the terrorists told Moshe and Diana: “Okay, go,” in English.
“We turned around and walked. During those long moments, we feared they would shoot us. We didn’t turn around to see what he was doing.”
TOP
IDF arrests Ahed Tamimi who called for Jews to be slaughtered
Last week, Tamimi called for the murder of settlers in the West Bank in an Instagram post.
By JOANIE MARGULIES 6NOVEMBER2023 https://www.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/article-771867
Palestinian activist Ahed Tamimi, 22, was arrested Monday morning by the IDF, according to Israeli media citing Palestinian reports. Tamimi has gained prominence in her community for her violent actions against the IDF and has been deemed by many as a national hero for West Bank Palestinians.
Tamimi has become something of a symbol in the Palestinian struggle against Israeli policy in the Palestinian territories, becoming an honorary member of the Palestinian National Council in May 2018.
Last week, the Palestinian inciter called for the murder of settlers in the West Bank in an Instagram post. “We are waiting for you in all the West Bank cities from Hebron to Jenin – we will slaughter you and you will say that what Hitler did to you was a joke,” she wrote on social media.
“We will drink your blood and eat your skull. Come on, we are waiting for you,” she wrote on Instagram.
In March 2018, Tamimi was convicted on four counts of assaulting an IDF officer and soldier, incitement, and interference with IDF forces, and was sentenced to eight months in prison and eight months of probation. She was released on July 29, 2018, after serving her full prison term.
How did Tamimi rise to ‘fame’?
The 21-year-old became famous following the distribution of videos and photographs in which she attacked IDF soldiers in several incidents in her home village, Nabi Saleh.
Following her arrest, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted on Facebook congratulating the IDF for arresting her.
“Kudos to the IDF and the rest of the security forces who arrested the terrorist and ‘human rights activist’ Ehad Tamimi Manbi Saleh, who was previously convicted of attacking IDF soldiers and since the outbreak of the war has expressed sympathy and support for the Nazi human beings on social media,” he wrote. “Zero tolerance with terrorists and supporters of terrorism! Just like that!”
Marc Zell-tweet-6November2023-Meet Ahed al-Tamimi
Meet Ahed al-Tamimi, a member of an infamous family of Palestinian terrorists. Yesterday she posted on Instagram a call for the Palestinian Arabs of Judea & Samaria (West Bank) to slaughter the Jews living there (my wife and I, 2 daughters, one son-in-law and 10 grandchildren are among them) saying, “after we’re finished with you, you’ll think what Hitler did to you Jews was a joke.” She’s shown in the photo being arrested by security forces for incitement. THIS IS ANOTHER REASON WHY WE ARE FIGHTING.
Marc Zell-tweet-6November2023-Meet Ahed al-Tamimi
TOP
Israeli housing minister kickstarts process to evict UNRWA
Yitzhak Goldknopf instructed the Israel Lands Authority “to immediately end all agreements” with the “nefarious” organization over its ties to Hamas
https://www.jns.org/israeli-housing-minister-kickstarts-process-to-evict-unrwa/
(February 13, 2024 / JNS) Israeli Housing and Construction Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf has instructed the Israel Land Authority (ILA) to immediately cancel all lease agreements with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency and evict it from its main headquarters in eastern Jerusalem.
UNRWA “acted in the service of Hamas and even took part in the brutal massacre on Oct. 7, and mounting evidence shows that the organization has been supporting, assisting and educating [Palestinians] to harm Israel,” Goldknopf wrote in a letter made public on Monday night.
The minister instructed ILA head Yanki Quint “to immediately end all agreements of the Israel Land Authority with the nefarious UNRWA organization and remove them from the territories leased to them and from all the territories that the organization uses in the State of Israel.”
UNRWA maintains extensive facilities in Jerusalem, including a large compound on Shlomo Zalman Shragai Street in Maalot Dafna and structures in the capital’s northeastern Kafr Aqab neighborhood.
YinonMagal-tweet-12February2024-sever all ties with UNRA
שר השיכון גולדקנופף הנחה את רמ”י לנתק כל קשר עם אונר”א ולפנות את הארגון שיושב על אדמה השייכת למדינה
YinonMagal-tweet-12February2024-sever all ties with UNRA
The agency has been embroiled in scandal since last month’s revelation of the involvement of 12 of its employees in Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre.
One of the UNRWA workers is accused of kidnapping a woman, another of participating in the Kibbutz Be’eri massacre, in which nearly 100 people were killed, and a third of distributing ammunition.
Last week, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich ordered the annulment of tax benefits granted to UNRWA, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked the country’s military to find alternatives for the distribution of humanitarian aid to Palestinians.
The Prime Minister’s Office said on Jan. 30 that intelligence “indicates that out of approximately 12,000 UNRWA employees in the Gaza Strip, about 10% are Hamas or Islamic Jihad operatives, and another 50% are first-degree relatives of a Hamas operative.”
Late last week, Israeli forces exposed a Hamas data center underneath the Gaza headquarters of UNRWA, replete with servers, electricity, a backup power station and living quarters for terrorists.
Israel Defense Forces soldiers have also found missiles hidden among UNRWA relief supplies, while UNRWA-marked aid sacks were found filled with dirt and used in the lining of Hamas terror tunnels.
“UNRWA is totally infiltrated [by] Hamas,” Netanyahu told a visiting delegation of U.N. ambassadors earlier this month.
TOP
A Seismic Victory in Gaza: Mapping the Tunnels of the “Gaza Metro”
By Malcolm E. Whittaker
16November2023 https://realclearwire.com/articles/2023/11/16/a_seismic_victory_in_gaza_mapping_the_tunnels_of_the_gaza_metro_993093.html
Gaza OneArmedMan, Wikimedia Commons
According to sources, Hamas’ tunnels under Gaza extend “a few dozen miles.” Other sources believe these tunnels extend hundreds of miles and rival the underground of a major European city. This has caused some commentators to refer to Hama’s tunnels as the “Gaza metro.” The ‘Gaza metro’: The mysterious subterranean tunnel network used by Hamas | CNN. Whatever their length, they shield fighters from surveillance and allow movement without fear of observation or attack. What if these tunnels could be precisely located? Rather than being safe locations, they would become death traps.
Commentators suggest the tunnels give Hamas an asymmetric advantage. The noted publication Foreign Affairs, states that only “[b]ulldozers can be used to expose tunnels during a ground operation. Drones, robots, or dogs can help clear tunnels. There might be a need to enter the tunnels to rescue hostages, as a measure of last resort. … This is how most states have eliminated subterranean threats in the past, and this is what Israel should do, as well.” (November 9, 2023, “Israel Must Destroy Hama’s Tunnels, Demolishing the Groups Infrastructure Is More Important Than Eliminating Its Leaders”). In short, according to Foreign Affairs, only personnel on the ground can locate and destroy Hama’s tunnels. Of course, Israeli personnel searching open ground to locate the entrances to the tunnels would be exposed to attack.
Currently used seismic equipment could locate tunnels using a system of geophones and pulse generators. However, personnel placing the geophone data acquisition equipment on the surface would be exposed to small arms fire and potential capture. The need to potentially expose personnel to attack while emplacing geophones would seem to defeat use of this well-understood technology that could readily and accurately locate Hama’s tunnels.
At its most basic, a seismic system can map layers in the earth’s surface. To do so, as seen in the figure below, a source generates a seismic wave. This wave travels through the earth and reflects off reflecting subsurface layers, such as the roof and floor of a tunnel, and these reflected waves are collected by a receiver. A source and be anything that generates a seismic wave. Currently, stamper trucks and explosives are frequently used to generate these waves. Seismic receivers are generically referred to as “geophones.” Geophones collect seismic data, i.e., seismic waves, and map the earth’s subsurface.
Fig. 1 – Schematic of Seismic Reflection Method – courtesy of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Environmental Geophysics webpage Seismic Reflection Methods | Environmental Geophysics | U.S. EPA
Fig. 1 – Schematic of Seismic Reflection Method – courtesy of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Environmental Geophysics webpage Seismic Reflection Methods | Environmental Geophysics | U.S. EPA
Current seismic technology readily available from the oil field will allow identification (and then destruction) of these tunnels. Wireless Seismic METIS (Multiphysics Exploration Technology Integrated System) uses a seismic recording channel collected by autonomous drones. These drones also drop DART (Downfall Air Receiver Technology) receivers, i.e., geophones. The DARTs are dropped by the drone and impale themselves into the ground creating a system of geophones to model the subsurface data. This system was thoroughly evaluated in Papua New Guinea in 2018. Wireless Seismic News — METIS field test yields excellent results. A single drone dropped 60 DARTs in one hour and these drones recovered “real time seismic data” thereby imaging subsurface data of underground voids. Precision guided artillery shells could provide the seismic source needed for the geophones to collect subsurface data. The DART’s would be dropped inside Gaza to model any location, i.e., not just locations close to where Israeli troops are located. Thus, METIS could accurately map the entire Gaza strip.
Once the location of the tunnels is known, they can be destroyed using deep penetrating bombs fused to detonate deep in the ground and dropped from aircraft. This could potentially interdict the entire system of tunnels. Even an extensive metro-like system of tunnels could be defeated if important chokepoints could be detected and collapsed.
Finally, this technology could resolve the ongoing factual dispute over whether Hamas has placed tunnels underneath hospitals, United Nations positions, schools, and other places that are protected from attack. While not a panacea, the METIS system could answer these basic questions and, potentially, turn Hama’s tunnels into a death trap for fighters using the tunnels. At least, it would mitigate any asymmetric advantage Hama’s tunnels provide.
Malcolm E. Whittaker is a former candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives. Malcolm is an engineer and patent attorney in Houston, Texas.
This article was originally published by RealClearDefense and made available via RealClearWire.
TOP
IDF evacuated Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza
Marina Medvin-tweet-13November2023-IDF evacuated Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza
A doctor from Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza says that IDF evacuated the hospital — that it is empty. Remember this moment because the Gaza Healthy Ministry will inevitably claim something like Israel killed 5627 hospital babies with umbilical cords attached.
Marina Medvin-tweet-13November2023-IDF evacuated Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza
TOP
The war for Jewish survival
Caroline B. Glick
This is What We’re Fighting For – Caroline B. Glick
A week into the war against Hamas, it is important to remember why Israel is vital to the Jewish people. The Caroline Glick Show IN FOCUS
(October 13, 2023 / JNS) With the end of a week that started with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declaring war on the Hamas terror organization that rules Gaza and Jews being threatened by Hamas supporters worldwide, Caroline discusses Israel’s role in the survival of the Jewish people.
ISRAEL AT WAR – WEEK 1: The War for Jewish Survival | The Caroline Glick Show. IN FOCUS
Posted 13October2023:
As Jews worldwide are threatened by Hamas supporters, Caroline discusses the purpose of Israel and its role in the survival of the Jewish people in Israel and worldwide.
TOP
Major in reserves: ‘This time, we must demand complete victory in Gaza’
Caroline B. Glick
Major in reserves ‘This time, we must demand complete victory in Gaza – Caroline B. Glick’
“The Caroline Glick Show,” Ep. 87
(January 8, 2024 / JNS) This week, Caroline Glick spoke with the founder of “Courage for Israel” Gilad Ach, a major in the Israeli reserves. This group of reservist Israeli Defense Forces soldiers demands from the government that the war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip continue until the terror group is completely destroyed.
They discuss the breaking of morale among veteran soldiers who feel that they have been fighting Hamas for decades because of government indecision; what complete victory in Gaza would look like; as well as the disconnect between the dedicated soldiers on the ground and Israeli leadership at the top.
Posted 8January2024 JNS TV:
This week, Caroline Glick spoke with Major in Reserves and founder of Courage for Israel Gilad Ach. Courage for Israel is a group of reserve soldiers that are demanding from the government that they do not stop the war in Gaza until Hamas is completely destroyed.
They discuss
– the breaking of morale amongst veteran soldiers who feel that they have been fighting Hamas for decades because of government indecision
– what complete victory in Gaza looks like
– the disconnect between the wholly dedicated soldiers on the ground and the Israeli leadership at the top.
TOP
Israel’s reality in 10 seconds.
Israel Defense Forces-tweet-13October2023-Israel’s reality in 10 seconds
Israel’s reality in 10 seconds.
Israel Defense Forces-tweet-13October2023-Israel’s reality in 10 seconds
TOP
We are coming back!
Malkah Fleisher-tweet-26February2024-We are coming back
We are coming back.
With our tractors, with our builders, with our rabbis, with our children.
We are coming back. 🇮🇱
Jeremy Gimpel-tweet-22February 22, 2024-Jewish Farmers from the South
AMAZING!!! Jewish Farmers from the South going past the fence in Gaza and starting to plow the fields to plant new crops. That is Redemption!
Malkah Fleisher-tweet-26February2024-We are coming back
TOP
Israel Victory Project https://www.meforum.org/israel-victory-project/
Israeli Victory Is the Only ‘Proportional’ Response
by Nave Dromi
JNS
18October2023 https://www.meforum.org/israel-victory-project/65002/israeli-victory-is-the-only-proportional-response
Published originally under the title “Victory Is the Only ‘Proportional’ Response.”
First, it should be clearly understood that there is no accepted or exact definition of the term “proportionality” or a formula for calculating it.
In general, the principle of proportionality involves a balance between the military advantage that will likely result from a proposed operation and the harm that is likely to be inflicted on civilians and noncombatants.
This is extremely hard to assess for those outside of a military and intelligence apparatus, simply because outsiders do not have access to all the information necessary to make such an assessment.
Unfortunately, however, many ill-informed commentators believe proportionality is simply a numbers game, as if war and conflict were some sort of sports match.
Already, the international media is presenting the casualties among Israelis and Palestinians side-by-side and asking if Israel’s response to the horrors and atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists is proportionate.
This is outrageous. It implies that once Israel has killed more Palestinians than Palestinians killed Israelis, Israel’s war suddenly becomes illegitimate.
British author and journalist Douglas Murray said during a recent interview that this “would mean that, in retaliation for what Hamas did in Israel on Saturday, Israel should try to locate a music festival in Gaza, for instance—and good luck with that—and rape precisely the number of women that Hamas raped on Saturday. Kill precisely the number of young people that Hamas killed on Saturday.”
“They should find a town of exactly the same size as Sderot, and make sure they go door-to-door and kill precisely the correct number of babies that Hamas killed in Sderot on Saturday, and shoot in the head precisely the same number of old age pensioners as were shot in Sderot on Saturday, just to choose one town,” Murray added.
This response immediately shut up the interviewer who had tried to press Murray on the issue of proportionality. It was an excellent retort, but I would like to turn to another comment of Murray’s that is even more important.
In a recent meeting with Jewish leaders in the U.K., Murray said, “Israel seems to be the only country in the world who are never allowed to win a war. Whenever Israel begins to win it is told to stop.”
This is the crux of the issue.
By mercilessly pushing the proportionality narrative, Israel is being told that, in its wars of defense, it will not be allowed to achieve victory. The proportionality obsessives know Israel cannot be defeated by Hamas, so they want to ensure that Israel does not defeat Hamas.
This diminishes Israel’s security, to which every sovereign nation has a right.
Even if were possible to put aside the bestial manner in which Hamas mercilessly raped women, beheaded and burned babies, and kidnapped old women and children, it is almost trite to say that any nation that lost the same proportion of Israelis in one day to terrorist attacks would use overwhelming force to ensure that those who perpetrated the attacks could never do so again.
We have seen such reactions around the world and the word “proportionality” was never once used during or after such military operations. It is a word that seems to apply only to the Jewish state.
Israeli leaders and the IDF should dismiss such hypocritical criticisms from the international community. They should seek victory and nothing else. Victory must be the only word in our lexicon when we decide how to respond to Hamas’s atrocities.
Hamas cannot be allowed to stand after this war. They must never be allowed to raise their heads again to massacre Israelis. This must be the last war against Hamas. The international community must understand why victory is essential for Israel, for the innocent Gazans who are oppressed by Hamas and for the region and beyond.
Hamas’s defeat will immediately make millions of innocent people more safe and secure. It will end the group’s genocidal actions and aspirations. It will also stand as a warning to other extremist and terrorist organizations around the world who threaten the lives of tens if not hundreds of millions of people.
Clearly, defeating Hamas is the only proportional response possible.
TOP
The Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies BESA https://besacenter.org/
A New Existential War – Part III: Forming a Clear Post-War National Vision Means Returning to the Roots of Zionism
By Maj. Gen. (res.) Gershon Hacohen | 8January2024 | https://besacenter.org/a-new-existential-war-part-iii-forming-a-clear-post-war-national-vision-means-returning-to-the-roots-of-zionism/
BESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 2,251, January 8, 2023
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: On the morning of October 7, 2023, the strategic Israeli security concept collapsed, marking the end of the 30-year era since the Oslo Accords. With the shocking force of an earthquake, a cultural concept that had its roots planted in the dream of peace, and in the illusion that the State of Israel could aspire to become a kind of Denmark, disintegrated completely. For Israel to achieve victory in the war with Hamas, it will have to adapt its security concept to reflect a new and deeper understanding of the enemy’s perception of the nature of its struggle with Israel.
In the wake of October 7, the State of Israel, its society, and all its institutions are at a critical crossroads. One path forward demands a thorough investigation and examination of everything that failed on that day so the necessary corrections can be made. The second path directs Israel towards a comprehensive inquiry across all dimensions and urges the formulation of a new and updated national narrative in the face of the existential challenge. The question is, which of the two paths is worth pursuing?
This article is divided into three parts. The first examines the roots of the failure of October 7 and Israel’s perception of the struggle on the opposing side. The second describes the ways in which the Israeli security perception needs to evolve to provide a proper response to the opposing side’s perception of the struggle. This, the third, presents the components of the national vision and the principles of action that will ensure the existence of the State of Israel in the face of emerging threats.
“Nation of Israel, for what purpose do you live?”
Despite broad Israeli agreement on the immediate goals of the war as formulated by the cabinet, the debate over its ultimate objectives is intensifying.
This dispute will likely be reflected in the fundamental questions that will be asked post-war, and may also penetrate the discussions of the state inquiry committee that will undoubtedly be established. The committee will naturally address operational and technical questions, the workings of the IDF, General Staff, Southern Command, and Air Force, and regulatory relations between the IDF and the civil leadership. But the depth and scope of this crisis require a comprehensive cultural and spiritual rethinking of how we perceive ourselves and the enemy, focusing on the question of why the enemy fights and what we are fighting for.
Hamas and Hezbollah fight out of religious belief. By contrast, we are not clear on our reasons for uniting to fight wars beyond our desire to safeguard our existence and survival.
A.B. Yehoshua once posed an existential question: “Nation of Israel, for what purpose do you live?” Later, he clarified: “Survival is considered the most prominent aspect of the Jewish people… but it is not survival that is the prominent aspect, but rather how it is done, what its agenda is, what values it holds, and primarily, what its cost is.” (A.B. Yehoshua, Haaretz Books Supplement, 20.2.2013)
This question must be applied to clarify the central inquiry: Nation of Israel, for what purpose do you fight, and how do you fight?
I am not aware of a framework for a state inquiry committee that would know how to address such questions and critically examine the connections between them and the focal points of failure in the security system. Nevertheless, this inquiry, whether conscious or subconscious, will shed light on the investigation into everything that happened at the outset of the war and everything that will happen from its conclusion onwards in the context of the ongoing internal struggle in Israel over conflicting dreams.
What has Zionism achieved? The imposition of doubt
The sudden strike by Hamas thrust the Zionist idea back to the dilemma of its earliest days. It prompted an echoing of the doubt cast during Herzl’s visit: “You might solve the Jews’ problem, but you won’t solve the problem of Judaism.” On October 7, we were forcefully confronted with the fundamental Zionist question: What do the Jews want in the Land of Israel?
The current war, which has enveloped us all, is intertwined with the anxiety of the cultural war that erupted in Israel last year. The crisis of the Jews, which focuses on the question of physical existence, has become entangled with the crisis of Judaism, which has lost its spiritual path.
As early as 2005, Dan Meron touched upon the Zionist dilemma in his book Healing for Touching. A professor of 20th century Hebrew literature, Meron cast doubt on the ultimate goal of the Zionist enterprise, questioning what it has truly achieved since its inception:
…[T]he expectation of Zionism that the distancing of Jews from European societies and their concentration in their own country would lead to the disappearance of antisemitism did not materialize. Even the security of Zionism, which was supposed to be able to extricate the Jewish people from existential threats, leading to a new Jewish existential activism, did not come to fruition and may not reach the goal it set for itself…The historical development of Zionism and its success in achieving Jewish statehood have only led to the replacement of one type of existential threat with another. (Dan Meron, 2005, Healing for Touching, p. 63, translated from the Hebrew)
With these words, Meron raises two challenging questions about the state of Zionism, both of which have been debated since its beginnings.
In one dimension of the Zionist vision, Herzl sought a response to antisemitism. With his visionary breakthrough, he acknowledged that the Jews had not succeeded in finding a solution to the problem of antisemitism even though they had exhausted every possible avenue, including assimilation. He believed that if the Jews could only gather in their own normal state, where they could be accepted as a nation among nations, a state among nation-states, it would bring an end to antisemitism.
We must ask whether over the hundred years since the beginning of the Zionist effort to gather the Jews in their homeland, Herzl’s expectation of the disappearance of antisemitism has been realized. It appears that the opposite has occurred. Antisemitism has emerged in a new form that is more sophisticated, as it is shielded by a kind of vaccine: it is ostensibly not hatred of Jews as Jews, but merely criticism of the State of Israel. Yet fierce antipathy is directed against Jews worldwide whenever they voice complaints about actions that threaten the State of Israel, actions they feel endanger them as well. Jews around the world are thus forbidden to defend Israel or the Jews who live in it or be themselves the victims of antisemitism. The process that was supposed to solve antismitism has instead generated, over the past two decades, a new and equally dangerous form of it. In this way, Meron argues, the Zionist vision has become caught in a deadlock.
In the second dimension, Zionism sought a response to the problem of the need to physically protect Jews, who have never ceased suffering persecution, pogroms, and other threats around the world. In this dimension as well, Meron raises a concern that has troubled many Israelis. There is a fear that despite Israel’s independence and military strength, Zionism has achieved nothing more than to replace one existential problem, like pogroms in Kishinev, with another one, like the Iranian nuclear threat that threatens Tel Aviv or the Simchat Torah massacre of the northwestern Negev. In essence, Zionism has merely swapped ailment A for ailment B.
Yet despite Meron’s reservations, to those who witness the combat spirit of the IDF soldiers and the full support of their parents, the Zionist narrative manifests itself in all its practical simplicity by demonstrating a readiness to fight without hesitation to defend the people and the country. This is a major historical achievement.
Cracks in the “Iron Wall”
A hundred years ago, in the article “The Iron Wall,” Ze’ev Jabotinsky laid the cornerstone for the foundations of Israel’s security perception. As early as 1923, he identified the motivations behind Arab resistance to the Zionist enterprise in the Land of Israel and proposed a strategic approach to achieving Zionist goals.
The relevance of his article to the security challenges of modern-day Israel can be summarized in three statements.
First: The Arab resistance and struggle against Zionism express a religious-nationalist struggle with enduring motivational roots. The idea promoted by the American government and European Union leadership that a positive, lasting solution to the conflict can be arrived at through suitable compensation and willing compromise has been repeatedly revealed as overly optimistic.
Second: The Arab struggle and adoption of terrorist methods and violence do not stem from economic hardship, poverty, and despair, as many in the West and certain prominent Israeli “peace-seekers” claim. Instead, it arises from the Arab hope that Zionist dominance can be consistently challenged and weakened until its ultimate demise. It is not despair that generates Arab terrorism but hope.
Third: In recognizing the first two statements as true, the concept of the “Iron Wall” negates the Arab hope of achieving gains through incessant resistance to the Zionist Israeli presence and authority.
In 1936, during a discussion at the Mapai Center, David Ben-Gurion stated that “there is no chance for an understanding with the Arabs.” Therefore, efforts should be directed towards an understanding with the British. He said, “What can push the Arabs towards mutual understanding with us? Facts! Only after we manage to create a significant Jewish presence in the Land of Israel, with a Jewish force that everyone will see cannot be moved, only then will the preliminary conditions for discussion with the Arabs be established.”
The language and spirit of these words express the Iron Wall position as articulated in Jabotinsky’s article: “As long as the Arabs have even a glimmer of hope of getting rid of us, they will not give up on this hope… A living people agrees to concessions on fateful questions whose importance is immense only when it has no hope, only when not a single crack is visible in the Iron Wall.”
In recent years, deep cracks have appeared in the Zionist Iron Wall. The goal of the current war should be to restore the Zionist Iron Wall and establish it with renewed strength for the next hundred years.
Within this context, the rehabilitation of the communities damaged in Hamas’s attack and the return of the communities to the Galilee and Negev are critical components in the reconstruction of the Iron Wall. This means far more than simply renovation and construction. Ben-Gurion wrote about the sources of strength for victory in 1948: “We reached victory through three paths: the path of faith, the path of pioneering creativity, and the path of suffering.” These will be the paths to victory in today’s war as well.
The collapse of the dream of peace
In his eulogy at the grave of Ro’i Rothberg in Nahal Oz in April 1956, Chief of Staff Moshe Dayan said: “A generation of pioneers we are, bareheaded, with steel helmets and the rifle. We cannot plant a tree and build a home. Our children will not have a life if we do not dig shelters…” The speech concluded with the statement: “Ro’i – the light in his heart blinded his eyes, and he did not see the flash of the mortar. The yearning for peace silenced his ears, and he did not hear the voice of the ambush…”
In the midst of the War of Attrition, at the end of the Command and Staff College course in 1969, Moshe Dayan stated his existential philosophy: “Rest and heritage are longed-for aspirations for us, not realities. And if we occasionally achieve them, they are only short intermediate stations – aspirations for the continuation of the struggle.” Explaining the necessity of an endless struggle, he said: “The only basic answer we can give to the question ‘what will be’ is – we will continue to fight, just as we did in the past, and now too. The answer to the question ‘what will be’ must focus on our ability to withstand difficulties, our ability to cope – more than on absolute and final solutions to our problems. We must prepare ourselves mentally and physically for a prolonged process of struggle.”
These words differ significantly from those expressed by the Israeli leadership in recent decades. For instance, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, in his speech at the UN, chose to emphasize: “What Israelis want is a good life for themselves and their families and a future ready for their children.”
Moshe Dayan, despite his emphasis on normalcy, always highlighted the presence in our consciousness of the struggle. This was brutally expressed in his will, where he instructed his three children: “Serve the inheritance of the fathers each one, and the sword over your beds, and in the evening, it will become a legacy to your sons. And now, let each one take his backpack and stick and cross the Jordan in his own way…” (Yael Dayan, My Father’s House, p. 207).
Yael Dayan, representing a generation that has refused to reconcile with the inevitability of constant struggle, described in her book her deep dissociation from her father’s will: “I felt like a person banished from paradise, a curse more than a blessing. We were all destined to work the land and fight, and this was a commandment for our children.” (ibid.)
On Saturday, October 7, the dream of an Israeli paradise collapsed. With the war in Ukraine and even in Western Europe, it has become clear that despite hopes for peace everywhere, there is no paradise on Earth. As expressed in the Negev lullaby my mother sang to me in my childhood, “There is no deep silence without a weapon…sleep, son.”
Conclusion
The State of Israel is in one of the most difficult crises it has ever known. It suffered an unprecedented blow and is required to receive an unprecedented punishment. Asking to return to the familiar track after making technical repairs is asking to escape the true magnitude of the repair that is required. The national leadership of the State of Israel, together with the security system, must be committed in the face of this crisis to formulating a new national security concept.
After the surprise attack by Hamas on October 7, will residents of Rosh HaAyin and Kfar Saba lend a hand in the establishment of a Palestinian state that would turn them into border settlements akin to Nahal Oz or Metula? Any arrangement of the territory of Israel between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea that aims at a Jewish withdrawal from Judea and Samaria, an uprooting of Israeli settlements, and a defining of the eastern border of the State of Israel in the Rosh HaAyin-Kfar Saba region along Highway 6 would be a Palestinian national victory and an Israeli defeat.
Despite all our faith in the IDF and its capabilities, there is not now, and there will not be, an option to defend the State of Israel along the coastal strip. This fact must be brought to broad national consensus and placed at the center of the Israeli security perception.
view PDF
Maj. Gen. (res.) Gershon Hacohen is a senior research fellow at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies. He served in the IDF for 42 years. He commanded troops in battles with Egypt and Syria. He was formerly a corps commander and commander of the IDF Military Colleges.
TOP
Israel to launch the largest military campaign in West Bank history
Mudar Adnan Zahran-tweet-8January2024-Israel to launch the largest military campaign in West Bank history
Israel is about to launch the largest military campaign in the history of the West Bank to completely exterminate armed cells, dozens of names on the target list…
The operations will introduce “a different utilization of drones “, fighting will be parallel the war in Gaza at the hottest points; those are Jenin and its camp, Nablus and Balata camp, Tulkarm camp, and Shuafat camp…
♾
Mudar Adnan Zahran-tweet-8January2024-Israel to launch the largest military campaign in West Bank history
TOP
The war against Hamas should bring with it a paradigm shift
For far too long, Zionism has been stuck in a defensive mode. Op-ed.
Howard Rotberg 9December2023 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/381680
Come gather ’round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You’ll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you is worth savin’
Then you better start swimmin’ or you’ll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin’
Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide
The chance won’t come again
And don’t speak too soon
For the wheel’s still in spin
And there’s no tellin’ who that it’s namin’
For the loser now will be later to win
For the times they are a-changin’
– Bob Dylan
Watching the protests in American and Canadian and European cities where predominantly young people call for a genocide of the Jews in Israel – “From the river to the sea, Palestine shall be free” – one is struck by some important facts.
First, a lot of the protests are in universities and while Antifa and other anti-liberal groups participate, one can assume that the protesters have a high representation among Muslims and/or university students. Looking at the female protestors, anywhere from 50% to 75% are wearing hijabs.
Second, university professors, mainly in Middle Eastern studies and gender and diversity studies, are indoctrinating their students to hate Israel and Jews everywhere.
Third, while many may be in a country on student or other temporary visas, looking at the population figures for Muslims in the West, they are a growing presence and a growing influence. Surely if we allow people with vile opinions into the country, we must be prepared to live with the consequences once they assume elected office.
Third, this growing influence can be seen in American Muslim areas like Dearbor, Michigan and Minneapolis, Minnesota..
Fourth, although not all the residents there are radical Islamists, we see that they are electing university trained Islamists, such as Ilhan Omar in Minnesota and Rashida Tlaib in Dearborn.
Fifth, these elected representatives organize themselves into radical caucuses allying with left-wing Black radicals and spend a lot of time trying to pressure their governments to take anti-Israel actions.
Sixth, we see in the case of American Secretary of State Blinken, who is apparently Jewish, that efforts are made to pressure Israel to lose the war against Hamas by allowing some Palestinian Arab group, be it the corrupt and hateful Palestinian Authority or others, to participate in the governance of Gaza after the war. Anyone who understands the facts about the history of Palestinian Arab terrorism and rejectionism of peace proposals should understand that America and other western countries have become financial backers of Palestinian Arab terrorism and leaders in the international efforts to isolate and endanger Israel.
And so, in this context, we who support Israel must begin to look at a paradigm shift. According to Merriam-Webster is “an important change that happens when the usual way of thinking about or doing something is replaced by a new and different way.”
We need a new way of looking at those who support Islamist terrorism whether it is in the UN, in the universities, in the media, or from elected officials who are Islamists – and a new way of dealing with them.
For far too long, Zionism has been stuck in a defensive mode, whether it is trying to deal with an evil United Nations, UNRWA and UNHCR, or international NGOs, including those funded and controlled by antisemites such as George Soros and including BDS boycotters and advocates for diversity and inclusion – which promises inclusion for everyone except the Jews of Israel and their supporters.
Israel has become a powerful country in terms of its military, its high tech sector and its finances, but what good is power if you don’t use it? I am thinking here of using power to shift the paradigm. Specifically the paradigm that Muslims are growing all around the world and have through immigration and demographics grown so much in terms of power in the West that there is nothing we can do, except submit. I discuss this sad submission in my book The Ideological Path to Submission … and what we can do about it. We must address the issue head on – we shall never submit to Sharia Law, jihad and a world-wide Caliphate just as we shall never submit to Hamas, no matter what naive talks emanate from the talking heads in the media.
I have written a lot about Germany and the gradual evolution of its Israel policy from that of “special relationship” to that of a typical European antipathy. See my essays in israel National News: “Germany’s Moral Choice”, January 20, 2020, “Michelle Goldberg and Angela Merkel seek moral absolution in the wrong place”, October 31, 2021 and “A two-state solution for Germany and other migrant-filled European countries”, November 17, 2023.
The demographic situation in Germany, France, Sweden, Belgium etc., and the rise of European leaders on the right, including Orban in Hungary and Gert Wilders in the Netherlands has perhaps opened the floodgates, where the alliance between leftists and Islamists is seen to be bad for society, and people are unafraid to say so and risk the opprobrium from the politically correct.
Here is a speech given by German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck on Nov. 2.
“Hamas’s terrorist attack on Israel took place almost four weeks ago now. A lot has happened since then. Not only politically, but especially for the people. So many people’s lives are now consumed by fear and suffering. Public debate since the attack has been heated, sometimes muddled.
“Too much seems to me to have been mixed up too quickly. The phrase, ‘Israel’s security is part of Germany’s raison d’état’ has never been an empty phrase, and it must not become one. It means that Israel’s security is essential for us as a country. This special relationship with Israel stems from our historical responsibility.
“It was the generation of my grandparents that wanted to exterminate Jewish life in Germany and Europe. After the Holocaust, the founding of Israel was the promise of protection to the Jews — and Germany is compelled to help ensure that this promise can be fulfilled. This is a historical foundation of our republic.
“Our historical responsibility also means that Jews must be able to live freely and safely in Germany.”
This statement shows to me that classical antisemitism rising in places where Islamists are taking power means the beginning of a realistic assessment of liberalism and whether individual human rights can coexist with radical Islam.
Germany, despite the passage of time is still known for Naziism just as the Arabs should be known for their terrorist groups. Hamas, while it has awakened the protesting antisemites, has also awakened Good people everywhere to advocate for Good over Evil. It should also awaken the Arab countries who were attracted to the Abraham Accord and who fear Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood.
Toby Axelrod reports in JTA: “Recognizing Israel’s right to exist is now mandatory for those who want to become German citizens in the former East German state of Saxony-Anhalt.
“Applicants living in the state will have to confirm in writing ‘that they recognize Israel’s right to exist and condemn any efforts directed against the existence of the State of Israel.”
The paradigm shift must be that the advantages of citizenship in the freedom loving western nations must be reserved for those who do not hate our freedoms and wish to replace them with Sharia law and jihad. America under Biden not only has an open border policy but also does not properly vet regular immigrants. The shift in assumptions and policies must take into account that the world is a nasty place and evil must be constantly fought, and that multiculturalism must be adjusted to recognize that not all cultures are equal.
On the bright side, I believe some young people are ready for a paradigm shift away from the reflexive UN anti-Israel resolutions and the totalitarian leftist-Islamist alliance. For example, the youth wing of the German Social Democratic Party (SPD), called the Jusos, in late November, 2019, condemned its leadership’s anti-Israel voting record at the UN. This organization of 14 to 35 year-olds has over 70,000 members. who adopted a resolution that the “disproportionate condemnation of Israel, the only democratic state in the Middle East” is a problem affecting UN bodies “that is carried on not only by states of the Middle East, but also European states, who pass, or abstain from, anti-Israel resolutions”. They urged the leadership to “dissociate from the initiatives and alliances of antisemitic member states in the bodies and specialized agencies of the United Nations.
Donald Trump was a great U.S. President in foreign matters including Israel and specifically his Abraham Accord. Joseph Biden, perhaps just a tool of his far left and anti-Israel advisors has been one of the worst presidents, specifically for empowering and enriching Iran, the country that boasts of its intentions to use nuclear weapons against Israel.
A paradigm shift must take account of the damage wrought by Biden and how Israel will be able to live safely in a world full of appeasers and antisemites. Although he is helping Israel with arms, Biden wants a shrunken weakened Israel and a strong Iran.
Every Jew must see himself or herself as a Maccabee. From the Maccabees to the IDF, we fight, but on Hanukkah we don’t celebrate a military victory as much as a religious victory. Our Maccabees throughout history will sacrifice on our behalf, and our duty is to properly analyze the shifting paradigms so that we can win the war of ideologies.
Howard Rotberg is the author of The Second Catastrophe: A Novel About a Book and its Author, (about Israel during the Second Intifada), TOLERism: The Ideology Revealed, and The Ideological Path to Submission… and what we can do about it.
TOP
Keppler, Victor. Buy war bonds: Third War Loan., poster, 1943; [Washington, D.C.]
Israel needs to Sell War Bonds to Rebuild her Industries.
Rising from the ruins of a generation of Israeli doctrine
It will take years to correct the damage the generals wrought by reducing the size of the IDF and inducing its total dependence on the United States
Caroline B. Glick
https://www.jns.org/rising-from-the-ruins-of-a-generation-of-israeli-doctrine/
(December 22, 2023 / JNS) Two underlying assumptions guided Israel’s security establishment for the past generation. The first asserted that with the end of the Cold War, the era of conventional wars had ended. In the present age, brains, rather than brawn, would rule the roost.
The primary author of the “small and smart IDF” doctrine was Ehud Barak, who served as Chief of General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces when the Berlin Wall crumbled. In later years, the slogan was finessed.
A generation of IDF Chiefs of General Staff organized around the vision of a “small, technological and lethal army.”
As Maj. Gen. Yitzhak Brick, (retired) who served as the IDF ombudsman for ten years, has documented, operating under the spell of Barak’s doctrine, the IDF shut down multiple reserve divisions. It cut its artillery forces by 50%. Armored brigades were shut down. The reserve force was reduced by 80% between 2003 and 2017. The non-commissioned officer corps was gutted. The bulk of the IDF budget and nearly all the U.S. military aid were diverted to the Air Force—the strategic arm of the “small, technological and lethal” IDF.
The doctrine was repeatedly exposed as a farce. But to no avail. The air force didn’t defeat the Palestinian terror factories in Judea and Samaria in 2002. The ground forces did. The air force never had a response to missiles from Hezbollah to the north and Hamas to the south. Without regional brigades defending the borders, Israel’s “peacetime” borders with Jordan on the east and Egypt at its west became highways for weapons smugglers.
Brick’s warnings fell on deaf ears until the “small, smart army” fallacy was obliterated by Hamas invaders on Oct. 7. Israel’s multi-billion shekel “smart fence” was felled by bulldozers. Its automatic response system was obliterated by RPGs. Hundreds of soldiers manning these worthless technological wonders were slaughtered or kidnapped. Everything failed.
A microcosm of all things oppressive
This brings us to the second underlying assumption that guided Israel’s security establishment for the past generation. This assumption, also championed by Barak, asserted that Israel’s most important strategic asset was the United States.
Leaving aside the obvious fact that a strategy of dependence on an outside actor effectively gutted Israel’s national independence, on the surface, Barak’s dependence concept seemed reasonable.
The Americans rescued Israel with its weapons airlift in the 1973 Yom Kippur War. In 1992, the United States was the sole global superpower. Because Israel was seen as Washington’s “mini-me,” countries worldwide lined up to be friends with Israel, which they perceived as the gateway to Washington. The vast majority of Americans supported Israel. U.S. military aid to Israel enjoyed wide bipartisan support.
Under the spell of Barak’s U.S. dependence doctrine, Israel gutted its domestic military production capabilities. Nearly everything that it had produced domestically—from uniforms to rifles to bullets, to artillery and tank shells—was shut down. Thousands of military industry workers lost their jobs. Knowledge was lost. The contracts moved to the United States. Even projects developed jointly by Israeli engineers financed by America were transferred to the United States for production. So it happened that Israel’s Iron Dome missiles are solely produced in the United States.
Along with Barak, the dependence doctrine’s biggest champions were the air force generals. Under their leadership, Israel’s air force effectively became a U.S. asset. The air force cannot operate without U.S. platforms, spare parts and bombs. All air force ordnance is made in America.
But even during the 1990s and 2000s, the writing was appearing on the walls telling us that things were changing in America. A generation after the United States emerged from the Cold War as the sole global superpower, it struggles to contend with the threat of China, which surpasses it in several key technologies.
Under the spell of globalization, the United States gutted its industrial base. Even if it wanted to, today it is hard-pressed to repeat the 1973 airlift in real time.
Even worse, the end of the Cold War initiated changes in American society that over the past 20 years have exploded in convulsive transformations.
Since the early 2000s, hard-core cultural Marxist progressives have seized control over the U.S. education system at all levels. As a result, young Americans are emerging from high schools and universities with values unlike anything we have ever seen.
The new American values are built around a division of humanity into two classes: oppressor and oppressed. “Oppressors,” young Americans now believe, are evil and must be punished. “Oppressed” are pure and must be empowered. The United States is the chief oppressor. Its social and economic orders must be radically transformed to expiate its sins.
Israel (America’s “mini-me”), and Jews generally, are presented as a microcosm of all things oppressive.
The implications of this progressive indoctrination present America with an existential challenge. If allowed to continue into the next generation, the United States will be destroyed.
For Jews, the threat this indoctrination poses is immediate, as a survey published last week by Harvard-Harris demonstrated.
Harvard-Harris asked their respondents’ views on the Israel-Hamas war, and more broadly, about Jews and Jew-hatred. The answers showed that unlike their parents and grandparents, young Americans have embraced a comprehensive, internally consistent and genocidal hatred for Israel and Jews.
Two-thirds of Americans aged 18 to 24 believe that Jews are oppressors and should be treated as such. Around 70% in that same age bracket believe that antisemitism is rising in the United States generally and on university campuses specifically. They believe that calls for genocide of Jews are hate speech and a form of harassment.
At the same time, 53% of them think this harassment and hate speech should go unpunished.
Similarly, 66% of 18- to 24-year-olds agree that Hamas’s attack on Oct. 7 was genocidal. All the same, 60% believe it was justified.
Logically flowing from these sentiments, 51% of young Americans believe that the proper end of the Palestinian-Israel conflict is the destruction of the Jewish state and its replacement with a Hamas-controlled Palestinian entity. That is, the majority of young Americans support the annihilation of the Jewish people.
Unlike the generals’ “small, smart army” doctrine, it took several weeks for the public to see the devastating consequences of their “America-dependence doctrine.”
America in a holding pattern
In the immediate aftermath of Oct. 7, their faith in American support seemed to be borne out. President Joe Biden and his top advisers pledged their total support for Israel. Biden deployed U.S. aircraft carrier groups to the Eastern Mediterranean and promised $14.3 billion in supplemental military aid to Israel to ensure that Israel has what it needs to successfully win the war.
But in recent weeks, particularly since Israel resumed its operation in Gaza at the end of November after the 10-day hostages-for-terrorists ceasefire, that assessment has changed dramatically. The public has realized that friendliness and declarations of solidarity aside, the United States does not share—and in some areas opposes—Israel’s war aims. To win the war, Israel must eradicate Hamas in Gaza and remove the threat Hezbollah poses to northern Israel. It must also take action to prevent the Houthis from maintaining their effective maritime blockade of the Port of Eilat.
On all of these fronts, Biden and his top aides have made clear that their goals are not the same as Israel’s. They do not seek the eradication of Hamas and the return of the hostages. They seek the end of the war and the return of the hostages. And at the end of the war, they want to rebuild Gaza. They want to use the war’s end as a means to compel Israel into a “peace process.” The goal of that process is to establish a Palestinian state in Gaza, and Judea and Samaria, led by terrorists from the Palestinian Authority which, like Hamas, seeks the annihilation of the Jewish state.
In Lebanon, the administration seeks to prevent war, even though doing so will leave Hezbollah with its capacity to invade the Galilee and destroy strategic targets all over Israel with its massive missile arsenal.
As for Yemen, the United States has demanded that Israel take no offensive action against either the Houthis or the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’ overlords directing Houthi operations from their spy ship in the Red Sea.
Instead, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has formed a multinational task force from which Israel has been excluded. While its purpose is subject still to speculation, to many U.S. and Israeli observers, it appears that America intends to use its coalition to beef up its efforts to intercept Houthi missiles and drones launched against merchant vessels in the Red Sea. That is, as with Hezbollah, the U.S. goal vis-à-vis the Houthis seems to be to end Houthi assaults on merchant ships without diminishing their capacity to carry them out.
As for military supplies, the $14.3 billion is still languishing in Congress. It won’t be considered until Congress reconvenes on Jan. 9 after the Christmas and New Year recess.
It will take years to correct the damage the generals wrought by reducing the size of the IDF and inducing its total dependence on the United States.
‘The IDF is changing its view’
But this week, the Defense Ministry let it be known that it is moving to correct the situation. On Tuesday, Ynet reported that the Defense Ministry is initiating what it refers to as “Independence Project.”
According to the report, the Defense Ministry is launching a crash program with Israel’s military industries and major industrialists to make Israel independent in everything related to ordnance. In the initial phase, Israel will begin producing bombs for its aircraft. Jerusalem also intends to expand its production of tank and artillery shells, as well as assault rifles and bullets. Separately, there is increased discussion regarding the establishment of a missile force as an independent arm of the IDF. The force would reduce reliance on the air force and develop more versatile, more easily defended missile launch platforms and massively expand Israel’s missile and drone arsenals.
After meeting with Defense Ministry Director General Maj. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Ron Tomer, the head of Israel’s Industrialists Union, told Ynet, “The war demonstrates our need for a powerful and advanced industrial base to ensure Israel’s national strength and independent capabilities. The IDF is changing its view of how it arms its forces, enlarging domestic production lines in order to be less dependent on ordnance from abroad. The ideal of a small high-tech military did not prove itself.”
Brick and others argue that had Hezbollah joined Hamas in invading and bombing Israel on Oct. 7, Israel may well have been destroyed that day. A combination of Hezbollah’s 10,000-man Radwan Brigades perched at the border and capable of invading the Galilee, and a barrage of up to 4,000 missiles with various payloads targeting Israel’s air bases, and other strategic sites and civilian population centers every day for weeks, would have caused irreparable damage equal in force to a nuclear bomb.
Iran’s decision not to involve Hezbollah on Oct. 7 has given Israel the opportunity to reorganize its forces and prepare for the multi-front war that awaits us. We don’t have a moment to lose.
TOP
Israel can mobilize & equip 350,000 soldiers, its economy, and homefront
Ron M.-tweet-27February2024-Israel can mobilize
Unprecedented: The most important thing learned from the GAZA War is that Israel can mobilize & equip 350,000 soldiers, its economy, and homefront, along with tanks & aircraft to fight for 5 months of daily combat & missile war.
Trust me Iran & Hezbollah noticed. 🇮🇱
Ron M-tweet-27February2024-Israel can mobilize
TOP
Israel Signals Self-Reliance for Weapons
By Simone Ledeen
04January2024 https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2024/01/04/israel_signals_self-reliance_for_weapons_1002676.html
Israel’s declaration that it intends to expand its domestic munitions production heralds a new chapter in U.S.-Israel relations, where strategic recalibration meets the challenges of an evolving international arms landscape. Israel’s announcement signifies a dual aim: to diminish U.S. leverage in its military operations and to confront the relentless shortages prevalent in the global market. In the volatile landscape of global munitions sales, the Black Sabbath massacre orchestrated by Hamas has seemingly propelled Israel into a serious reassessment of how much leverage over its military decision-making it is willing to give the United States.
On December 29th with Israel engaged in heavy fighting during clearing operations in Gaza, and a looming regional conflict on the horizon, the Biden White House approved the second emergency transfer of the month for Israel, this one totaling nearly $150 million in military equipment, including critically important 155mm artillery ammunition. In response to Israel’s previous emergency request, the US expedited the delivery of over 13,000 tank shells.
Historically, the United States has been a key supplier of military aid to Israel, offering critical support in times of conflict. However, the increasing acknowledgment within Israel’s leadership that this dependence also translates to a degree of subservience in military decision-making seems to have prompted a reevaluation. By cultivating a more self-reliant approach to armaments, Israel aims to reduce its vulnerability to external influences, particularly, the leverage that U.S. armaments confer on its military decisions.
While the alliance is rooted in shared values and common interests, the leverage the U.S. holds through the provision of military aid has, at times, led to complex diplomatic negotiations, acknowledging the occasional divergence in goals between Israel and the U.S. The U.S. imperative is not just to address regional conflicts but to grapple with a global market in flux. The global weapons market is always driven by geopolitical shifts, and now more than ever, an insatiable demand for artillery ammunition as two hot shooting wars are taking place.
In recent months, the U.S. had to some extent stepped up production within our defense industrial base to meet immediate demands and replenish stockpiles, but more is needed and quickly. The urgency for increased production becomes not just a response to immediate needs, but a strategic imperative to stay ahead in an ever-evolving defense landscape where the future is increasingly violent and difficult to predict.
In addition to old-fashioned artillery, unmanned aerial vehicles, particularly First Person View (FPV) drones, have emerged as transformative assets. The ability to deploy munitions from drones reshapes the dynamics of conflict, presenting both opportunities and ethical challenges.
FPV drones, equipped with real-time video transmission systems, have become linchpins in modern warfare. In both Israel’s war with Hamas and Ukraine’s war with Russia, these drones provide tactical advantages by offering military forces a valuable tool for reconnaissance, target identification, and even the delivery of munitions. Yet, the integration of FPV technology also raises ethical concerns. Battlefield videos from Ukraine show these drones sometimes being used for activities that violate international norms.
In this landscape, the FPV drone discussion stands as a microcosm of the broader challenges and opportunities that define our American path forward. Israel is signaling an intent to chart its own course in the coming months and years, as it must defeat Hamas both militarily and politically, despite pressure for a ceasefire from some quarters.
The recent emergency transfers of military equipment from the Biden White House to Israel have highlighted the constraints that come with heavy reliance on external support. The expedited deliveries, while addressing immediate needs, have underscored the vulnerability inherent in relying on a foreign ally for crucial military supplies during times of conflict and the many reasons why this current global environment requires a new approach.
Simone Ledeen is an accomplished national security professional with expertise spanning defense policy, intelligence, counterterrorism, counter threat finance, and emerging technologies. As Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle East Policy, Ms. Ledeen was responsible for U.S. defense policy for Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestinian Authority, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. She strengthened key U.S. defense relationships through close collaboration with foreign counterparts and oversaw the development and implementation of critical policies and initiatives including in counterterrorism, information operations, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies. Ms. Ledeen advises several venture capital and early-stage defense technology firms. Previously, Ms. Ledeen held various leadership roles across the U.S. Government, executing complex operations overseas and spearheading initiatives to counter extremist threats. She received her MBA from Bocconi University and her B.A. from Brandeis University.
TOP
Israel begins shift to domestic ammunition production
“The lesson from the war in Ukraine and against Hamas is identical: Israel must significantly increase its arsenal,” said a former Israeli defense official.
Yaakov Lappin https://www.jns.org/israel-begins-shift-to-domestic-ammunition-production/
(February 8, 2024 / JNS) In the wake of the ongoing war against Hamas and its exposure of Israel’s near total dependence on the United States to replenish its stocks of ammunition, Israel has begun shifting toward greater domestic ammunition production.
The Israeli Defense Ministry has begun reaching out to local defense companies to boost production lines and place orders that will ensure they churn out ammunition for years to come, as a top priority.
The ministry saw domestic production as a priority even before the war, but the issue has now risen to the top of the national agenda.
“The lesson from the war in Ukraine and against Hamas is identical: Israel must significantly increase the arsenal with which it enters the campaign,” a former defense official told JNS.
This includes a variety of arms, ranging from Iron Dome interceptors to sophisticated guided air-to-ground munitions and artillery shells. Tank shells could also be a candidate for domestic production.
Yet not everything can be moved to Israel. Military aircraft will continue to be made in the United States.
The cost of producing aircraft for a single military without exporting them to additional clients would make their production a financial non-starter for Israeli defense industries. Nor would the U.S. agree for Israel to begin competing with it in the global fighter aircraft market, as the 1980s Lavi jet project, which shut down for these reasons, demonstrated.
On Jan. 25, ministry director general Maj. Gen. (res.) Eyal Zamir concluded a working visit to Washington, D.C., where he met with senior U.S. Department of Defense and State Department leadership, as well as with Lockheed Martin and Boeing executives.
Those two companies produce the Israeli Air Force’s growing fleet—F-35s, CH53 transport helicopters, Apache helicopters and F-15s. Israel is reportedly attempting to fast-track some of those deliveries, particularly the Apaches.
“The visit underscored the close cooperation between Israel and the United States since the beginning of the ongoing Swords of Iron war,” the ministry said in a statement at the time. “Maj. Gen. (res.) Zamir engaged in discussions with his American counterparts about armament procurement, aligning with preparations for evolving combat scenarios. The discussions also focused on plans for force build-up in the upcoming multi-year strategy, including the acquisition of advanced platforms and capabilities to maintain the IDF’s qualitative military edge and readiness for diverse scenarios. This approach integrates lessons learned from the war into strategies for obtaining military equipment,” it stated.
Nevertheless, it has become painfully clear that Israel’s dependence on American ammunition supplies, which saw more than 200 cargo planes touch down Israel following Hamas’s Oct. 7 invasion, has become a danger to national security and independence.
This dependence means that any Israeli Cabinet must consider the principle of “legitimacy” in its warfare planning—a principle that could become paralyzing if leverage over Israel becomes too great.
Should that principle trickle down into operational decision-making, the result can only harm Israel’s war efforts.
IDF combat officers should be thinkingly purely about how to accomplish missions, while of course adhering to the IDF’s own internal ethical code and upholding its own internal commitment to adhering to the laws of armed conflict. But if concerns over “legitimacy” in the eyes of a foreign government, no matter how close an ally, creep in, due to ammunition reliance, that is a serious problem.
Furthermore, Israel’s current lack of independent mass ammunition production has meant that the IDF needs to weigh its uses of resources carefully in Gaza, when looking at multi-arena threats in the north and at Iran, both of which could become involved in full-scale wars at any time.
Such precaution means that the IDF has been running an “armament economy” regarding certain munitions.
Both the air force and the ground forces must take the prospects of additional fronts catching fire into account.
All of this means that mass domestic ammunition production is a must-have for Israel going forward, and there are encouraging signs that this is in fact what is developing.
This will also create very real economic burdens in the future; American ammunition was bought with U.S. aid money.
For Israel to create and fund new production lines among its defense industries, it will also need to ensure that society can manage this burden by having as many economically productive citizens in the work force as possible.
TOP
As war wages on, the local arms industry is booming
While many businesses are shut down due to the war with Hamas, the Israeli arms manufacturing industry has never been in such high demand. 190,000 new applications for weapons licenses were also added to the growing needs of the army and the new readiness teams, with tens of thousands of rifles and pistols already delivered to civilians. The price: loss of contracts abroad
Yuval Azulay
13November2023 https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/o41wmf8hy
A look around at the huge production hall of the pistol and rifle manufacturer IWI in Ramat Hasharon shows the unprecedented panic and pressure that are rising from all directions, on all fronts. All the production machines have been working here non-stop and around the clock for more than a month, even on weekends, providing hundreds of assault rifles every day to the IDF units fighting on the front and to the readiness teams that are arming themselves as well as personal pistols to the civilian market, which woke up frightened by the terror of the October 7 massacre in the south and jumped by hundreds of percent in the last month.
It’s not easy these days in the industry, and in the firearms factories that are urgently needed for both the front lines and on the home front, which is doubly difficult and complex. Many workers were recruited into the reserves by emergency call-ups, and at the same time, the demand from the field is soaring. About 40% of the employees of the arms manufacturer Ematan from Karmiel, owned by Reuven Zada, and about 20% of the employees of IWI, owned by the veteran arms manufacturer Samy Katsav, were drafted into the reserves last month. Both companies are trying to take in dozens of replacement workers to staff the production and assembly floors in order to be relevant to the Israeli arms race.
IWI factory in Ramat Hasharon (Photo: IWI)
Already in the first week of fighting, Katsav recruited all his family members, including children and grandchildren, and put them on the assembly production lines. “Anyone who comes to help these days is welcome and blessed,” he says. “This situation reminds me of the World War II movies of American citizens enlisting in the war effort to defend the home and working in weapons factories.”
Chaya (75) has been working in the assembly workshop for a month with her friend Livna (72), and both roll up their sleeves and assemble guns with skilled fingers in an eight-hour shift. “Look, I already have the hands of a worker,” she says. She is now assembling components for the Jericho pistols, a bit of variety after spending all of last week working on pickguards for Masada pistols.
This is the first time she has joined the effort on the production line, and this indicates the magnitude of the hour. “There has not yet been a situation where I had to come here to contribute to the general effort. During the coronavirus period, there was an extreme shortage of manpower and I wanted to come but they were afraid I would get infected so I stayed at home. My daughter and I are happy here. We feel that we are contributing something.”
The opening shot of the Ministry of Defense
Had this war not broken out, IWI workers would have been busy these days moving their factory from the Elbit Systems complex in Ramat Hasharon to the industrial area in Kiryat Gat. The construction of their new complex, which measures approximately 23,000 square meters, was completed not long ago, and the complex adjustments to its workforce resulting from the dramatic change were also completed. Many dozens of workers from Netanya and northern communities have finished their work at the company in recent months and in their place about 200 workers from Kiryat Gat and the south have been recruited. This period when the demand for weapons soars daily is not the right time to move, and the workers from the Kiryat Gat area are transported daily to Ramat Hasharon.
The engineers of the development department also locked away plans for future products in the vault and left the laboratories to strengthen the production floor. “These are unusually busy weeks, guns are produced here endlessly,” says Lior, head of the gun team at IWI. “We all understand that this is the order of the day. We all have a strong sense of mission, and what is most important to us is that our brothers in the south have reliable and good weapons to protect them.”
But it is much more than “Brothers in the South”. Many more sisters and brothers throughout the country are arming themselves with everything possible: pistols, long guns, short guns, and sights that improve accuracy. “All this demand expresses a very serious vacuum that was created in the field due to previous decisions by the government,” says Ron Pollak, the VP of marketing for EMTAN, who lives in a kibbutz seven kilometers from the border with Lebanon. “In recent years we have gone down to nothing, to zero. Now there is panic and everyone wants to stock up and fill warehouses.”<
Since the beginning of the war, more than 190,000 applications for weapons licenses have been submitted to the Ministry of National Security, and in the first ten months of 2023, more than 210,000 applications have been submitted, and the year is not over yet. So far, about 31,000 licenses have been issued. For comparison, in 2022, 42,000 applications were submitted and approximately 13,000 licenses were granted. In 2021, about 20,000 applications were submitted and about 10,000 licenses were issued. This process of arming is dangerous for many reasons, but the manufacturers and dealers of weapons pull out their ready answers such as “it’s not the gun that kills but the person who pulls the trigger”, and “the licenses are issued selectively and in a professional and responsible process”.
EMTAN’s best-selling gun is the Ramon, named after the Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon. About two years ago EMTAN signed a contract with the Spanish Federal Police for the supply of about 10,000 such pistols. It is sold in the same markets where IWI aims its best-selling pistol, the Masada, which was also developed in recent years and weighs significantly less than that of the old and well-known pistol, the Jericho. In both cases, the price of one gun ranges between NIS 3,000 and NIS 4,000 ($776-$1,000). Both companies clarified that they did not take advantage of the situation to raise prices.
The guns made in Israel are only a small part of the Israeli gun market, which is mostly made up of imported brands such as Glock, Sig Sauer, CZ, Beretta, Smith, and more. “98% of the guns in Israel are imported,” says the chairman of the firearms division of the Association of Chambers of Commerce, Amos Golan. In the past, Golan was in command of the Counter-Terrorism School and the Duvdevan unit, and today he is the owner of Silver Shadow, which manufactures M4s and related weapon accessories. The focus on purchasing imported guns is mainly due to their international branding, personal taste, and convenience of the user, even though the price level is usually close to that of the local guns.
“There is a large aftermarket for all this equipment, and it can be a tremendous engine of growth. The reality on the ground justifies this. In all the terrorist incidents in recent years, we have seen that in places where there was intervention by armed civilians, the terrorists were neutralized. Even in the Hamas attack in the south, in places where the terrorists responded with fire there was less killing,” says Golan.
A few weeks ago the head of the Samaria Council Yossi Dagan came to Katsav’s factory and left an order for 200 Arad-type assault rifles. The Arad is based on the M4, went on the market last year, was quickly adopted by the Navy, and became the main service rifle of the special unit fighters. Now that the defense system has opened the budget dam, the demand for the Arad is also increasing from units in the Ministry of Defense and members of standby units, for whom the new standard is of a standard infantry fighter in the IDF.
At the beginning of the month, the Ministry of Defense’s procurement administration ordered thousands of long-barreled M4 tools manufactured by their two companies from Mazada and Matsav, for more than NIS 100 million ($25 million). The Ministry of Defense’s invitation is only an opening shot. The IDF intends to equip itself in the coming months with tens of thousands more M4 rifles, and the procurement administration of the Ministry of Defense intends to publish another tender. In the upcoming tender, a third Israeli manufacturer, Golan’s Silver Shadow, which manufactures in Or Yehuda and is supposed to move the production to a new factory it has established in Modiin, will come into the picture in the coming months. He owns another factory in the USA. “It is important that the state purchases its assault rifles from Israeli companies,” says Golan. He expects the Ministry of Defense to divide the procurement pie equally between the three manufacturers and prefer them over foreign manufacturers.
Katsav looks at the procurement fever, knows that this is only the beginning, and remembers the days that followed the Yom Kippur War. Katsav, 77 years old, is a veteran of Israel’s defense industries. He founded the SK group of arms companies which, apart from IWI, includes Meprolight which develops and manufactures electro-optical sights for rifles and pistols, and Camero which deals with radar technology which detects and identifies happenings behind walls. In addition, he owns Israel Shipyards together with Shlomi Fogel and Asi Shmelzer.
The shock of the massacre in the south does not leave him. “They did things to us here that were not seen even in the Yom Kippur War,” he says, “These are exactly the same stories I heard from my mother-in-law, may she rest in peace, a survivor of Auschwitz from the time of the Holocaust. How is it possible? How does the world not want to see we are right and understand us?”
“Abroad, they take advantage of the situation to steal contracts”
The war in Gaza has captured the entire Israeli arms industry, IWI, and its members within it, with the production floors busy with work against the background of the global armament fever created by the war between Russia and Ukraine. On the first day of the war, they quickly aligned with the Ministry of Defense’s expectations, diverted all production to the needs of the IDF, and stopped exports, for all that this implies. “We immediately stopped the export work and diverted all activity to Israel without waiting to be told to do it,” Pollak says. “The very next day we sent out the first truck and in the first week of the war we supplied about 12,000 rifles to readiness teams and the army and thousands more guns to stores.”
Katsav also understood very quickly the magnitude of the catastrophe: “First and foremost is the priority of the IDF, the police, and our security forces, there is no doubt at all. The needs of the Israeli security forces are at the forefront of our minds, and only then exports.”
The VP of Marketing and Sales of SK Ronen Hamudot says that most customers abroad show empathy for the situation in Israel, but there are also those who are less patient and insist on receiving the goods on the specified date. “We do all we can to postpone delivery dates abroad. Most customers understand, but there are those who insist on receiving at the time we agreed on in advance. We understand that whoever buys something needs it and this situation requires us to make tremendous efforts because the country is also under a kind of siege. It is very difficult to fly in raw materials, the prices have soared and we are constantly looking for creative solutions.” Katsav and Hamudot also recognize attempts by competitors in a world where contracts have been taken from us. “They understand that we are all here being recruited for war and are trying to steal contracts from us, turning to our customers with tempting offers,” says Katsav.
Normally, about 90% of its produce is intended for export. However, against the background of the huge surge of manifestations of antisemitism that is sweeping the world, IWI canceled its participation in three defense exhibitions – in Thailand, France, and Colombia – in order to reduce prominence, also on the recommendation of security officials. “There aren’t many flights anyway and most of our attention is directed to the IDF anyway,” says Pollak.
The arms companies do not mourn the opportunities they are losing these days abroad. There they know that in the thick of the battles it will be very easy to sell to the world weapons that were used by the IDF’s special units in the war in Gaza. “Sales to the IDF and the Israeli security forces are a sign of quality for any product in the arms sector,” Hamudot says. “Sometimes the first question a potential customer asks us is whether the IDF and the police have been equipped with weapons. If the answer is positive, the chances are that we will move forward towards a deal.”
TOP
Israel’s going to need a bigger army and other lessons from this war
Israel must also lower its dependency on the US for arms. On the bright side, the Abraham Accords are still intact
Efraim Inbar 23December2023 https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/israels-going-to-need-a-bigger-army-and-other-lessons-from-this-war/
The war on Hamas is not over, but certain lessons already seem very clear.
The US has displayed great support for vanquishing Hamas, and this has enhanced Israel’s position as a valued American ally. Yet, the American motives are suspect. The Biden administration’s support is predicated by an obsession with the Two-State paradigm, which requires eliminating Hamas from Gaza and restoring the moribund and corrupt Palestinian Authority (PA) there. Moreover, the American embrace aims to restrain Israel from attacking Iranian proxies, a move that could lead to a regional escalation – something Washington is eager to avert. This has been the major motive for sending aircraft carriers to the region.
The US has no appetite to take on the main culprit for the Hamas, Hezbollah, and Houthi aggression against Israel, Iran. Washington, which had pressured Saudi Arabia to stop fighting the Houthis, even warned Israel not to take independent action to defend the freedom of navigation for its ships in the Bab-al Mandeb Straits. It is not clear how determined the international flotilla that the US has initiated will be against the Houthi threat. So far Washington has preferred a defensive posture.
The war has proved also that the two-state paradigm is still the international Pavlovian response to the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, even though the war shows clearly that the Palestinians cannot become a good neighbor – not even in the next generation. The PA refused to condemn the Hamas atrocities and even called upon Hamas to join the PA as a junior partner in ruling over the Palestinians. Palestinian hatred towards Israel has reached incredibly high levels. A September 2023 poll showed that the Hamas candidate for prime minister has a 60 percent support rating in the Palestinian territories. A June 2023 poll indicates that two-thirds say Israel will not celebrate the centenary of its establishment, and the majority believes that the Palestinian people will be able in the future to recover Palestine and return its refugees to their homes. Polls taken after October 7 show immense support (around 80%) for the barbaric Hamas attack. Unfortunately, this ideology has many adherents in the Muslim world. Moreover, Hamas has established kindergartens, schools, social services, and mosques, ensuring that it is firmly entrenched in Palestinian society. Its messages are popular and fall on responsive Palestinian ears. The antisemitic wave engulfing many Western states reinforces the current high level of Palestinian hostility toward Israel. Much of the world refuses to see the unpleasant facts that defy a widely-held paradigm.
The war also facilitates the continuation of the global ostrich syndrome concerning Iran’s nuclear advances. Despite the worrisome November report by the IAEA about further growth in Iran’s breakout capabilities as a result of the continued growth of enriched uranium stockpiles, the US appears to have paid scant attention. Moreover, Iran, in a continuation of its strategy to reduce transparency over its sensitive nuclear programs, withdrew the designation of European inspectors with experience in enrichment technology, thus further handicapping attempts to inspect its nuclear programs. This elicited no Western response. Israel is busy with its war on Hamas without a clear effective strategy to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
On the bright side, the Abraham Accords seem to have overcome a difficult test. The UAE and Bahrain maintained their diplomatic relations and even Saudi Arabia signaled its intention to continue with the normalization process. Similarly, Egypt and Jordan cooperate with Israel in providing humanitarian aid to the Palestinians in Gaza. All these Arab states relish the fact that Israel is doing the dirty job of administering a serious blow to the Palestinian offshoot of the Muslim Brothers.
Israel needs a quick decisive victory over Hamas, primarily to restore lost deterrence. It cannot survive in the Middle East if it is not feared. Fear is the best political currency in this region. In addition, it must meet several immediate challenges.
Jerusalem cannot change the asymmetric nature of its relations with Washington which will always act upon its perceived interests. Yet, it is imperative to lower the dependency upon the US for ammunition and weaponry. It is largely a question of allocating enough money to have a larger storage capability and more investment in R&D. Israel’s military industries probably need compensation for a quick transition to an emergency mode to supply the IDF. The goal is not to free Israel of the need to rely on the US but to increase Israel’s freedom of action for longer periods in emergencies when the two states do not see eye to eye. [Israel needs to copy what Russia did with her Military-Industrial Complex to beat any Sanctions or Arms Package Vetoes]
Indeed, Israel must allocate much larger amounts of money for its defense budget. It needs a larger standing army that can better protect Israel’s borders and a stronger military able to fight at least on two fronts simultaneously. Shortening the period of compulsory military period is no longer an option and increasing the pool of available conscripts is necessary.
Hezbollah’s joining the fray could have been an opportunity to defeat another Iranian proxy, but Israel did not capitalize on this because of a shortage of adequate available military might. In the future, an opportunity for a preemptive strike should not be missed. Deterrence requires maintenance, and the use of force is one of its lubricants.
A nuclear Iran is an existential threat that the international community, and primarily the US, refuses to deal with. Israel is on its own, and it is naive to believe that anything but a preventive Israeli military strike, will eliminate this challenge. Israel has to refocus and prepare to end the nuclear threat.
Dealing with the Palestinian challenge requires patience because there is no ending to the conflict any time soon. There is little chance of the dysfunctional Palestinian national movement evolving into a “revitalized” Palestinian Authority (PA) of the nature the Americans dream about. Any Palestinian entity will continue to constitute only a marginal security risk as long as Israel is determined to mow the grass as often as needed.
TOP
Israel’s declared goals similar to Russia’s – Lavrov
The fight against Nazism is what historically unites Russia and the Middle Eastern country, the foreign minister believes
28December2023 https://www.rt.com/russia/589831-lavrov-israeli-gaza-hypocrisy/
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov © Ramil Sitdikov; RIA Novosti
The declared goals of Israel in its ongoing operation against Hamas militants in Gaza seem nearly identical to Moscow’s in its campaign against the Ukrainian government, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said in an interview with RIA Novosti on Thursday.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has been carrying out a relentless bombing campaign in the Palestinian enclave of Gaza over the past two months following a surprise Hamas attack on Israeli territories on October 7. The attack by the Palestinian militants left some 1,200 people dead and saw the kidnapping of over 200 hostages. Israel’s response, meanwhile, has reportedly cost the lives of over 21,000 people, according to Gaza health officials.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that the end goal of the IDF is the complete destruction of the Hamas movement in all its forms, as well as the elimination of all extremism in Gaza.
Lavrov, however, noted that these goals seem similar to “demilitarization” and “denazification,” which Moscow has been pursuing in Ukraine since it launched its offensive in February 2022.
The diplomat noted the hypocrisy demonstrated by Israel’s former government under Prime Minister Yair Lapid, who condemned Russia’s military operation and accused Moscow of attacking the civilian population and annexing parts of Ukraine. “This was unfair,” said Lavrov.
At the same time, the minister pointed out that the current Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu – who took office for a sixth term in December 2022 – has avoided making any statements against Russia, despite international criticism and finding himself in “a difficult situation.”
Lavrov further recalled that Netanyahu had held two phone conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and that the Israelis had helped Moscow evacuate Russian citizens from Gaza.
“Therefore, we need to be very careful about our common history with Israel and, above all, the history of the fight against Nazism. This is the main thing that unites us historically,” Lavrov said.
Russia has repeatedly called on both Israel and Hamas to stop hostilities in Gaza, with Putin stating that the only way to resolve the Middle East crisis was through a “two-state” formula approved by the UN Security Council.
Netanyahu, meanwhile, has refused to send military aid to Ukraine and has instead offered himself as a potential mediator for peace talks between Moscow and Kiev.
TOP
Khamenei Silent As Russia Again Undermines Iran’s Territorial Integrity
Iran International Newsroom, December 24, 2023 https://www.israpundit.org/khamenei-silent-as-russia-again-undermines-irans-territorial-integrity/ Original Source: https://www.iranintl.com/en/202312248912
Russia’s support for the United Arab Emirates in its dispute with Iran over the ownership of three Persian Gulf islands has turned into a controversy in Tehran.
The Iranian leadership, typically reticent about Russia’s double standards, has, for the second time this year, heightened its response to Moscow’s stance. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s most senior foreign policy adviser, former Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati, implicitly criticized Russia’s behavior by stating, “Iran will not allow any foreign entity to intervene in its internal affairs.”
In a similar situation earlier this year, Velayati, following Russia’s joint statement with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in September, emphasized the importance of Iran’s friendly and strategic ties with Russia. He pointed out that both sides’ bilateral and regional interests should be considered. Notably, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei remained silent, as is often the case, regarding Russia’s actions that undermine Iran’s territorial integrity.
Recently, the Iranian Foreign Ministry criticized “part of the statement of the 6th Arab-Russian Cooperation Forum held in Morocco, dismissing the claims on three Iranian islands as baseless and unacceptable.” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani asserted that “The Islands of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb are eternal parts of Iran and inseparable from the Islamic Republic.” He underscored that Iran’s sovereignty over these islands is non-negotiable, emphasizing the country’s commitment to protecting its territorial integrity.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran on July 19, 2022
In response to the Foreign Ministry’s statement, Iranian international lawyer Reza Nasri highlighted that Russia’s support for the UAE’s sovereignty claims over the Persian Gulf islands contrasts with Iran’s support for Russia in the Ukraine conflict. Nasri emphasized the need for Russia to be a strategic ally to Iran and called for respect for Iran’s territorial integrity.
Britain, which maintained control of Abu Musa, and the Greater and Lesser Tunb it had occupied in the 19th century, withdrew its forces from the Persian Gulf in 1971 and the United Arab Emirates was formed. However, Iran’s Imperial government at the time decided to reclaim what it believed were historical Iranian islands.
Mohammad Reza Shah sent the Iranian navy to secure all three in November of the same year, two days before UAE was established. Iranian forces remain on the islands, with only Abu Musa having much of a civilian population of several thousand.
X (Twitter) users criticized the untimeliness of Russia’s behavior, especially as Iran is working to finalize a strategic security pact with Russia. Some social media users labeled Iranian officials as “traitors” over Tehran’s response.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Amirabdollahian called on Moscow to respect Iran’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, after Russia supported the UAE’s sovereignty claims over three Persian Gulf islands. He said during a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov: “The Islamic Republic of Iran completely rejects any claim in this regard by any party. Respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries is one of the fundamental principles in relations between countries, and Tehran makes no compromises with any party when it comes to respect for its territorial integrity and sovereignty issues.” Lavrov responded that “The sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran has always been respected by Russia and Moscow’s official policy in this regard should never be doubted.”
Earlier in this year, the media pointed out that some Iranian hardliners supported Russia’s humiliating stances on the three Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf. At the time Raisi-administration-owned daily Iran charged that Iranian media outlets that criticized Russia’s positions get their orders from the United States.
TOP
The Shocking Truth
Antisemitism, Jew-hatred – whatever term you use – is soaring to alarming levels not seen since the Holocaust. How did it get to be so bad, so quickly when we have equality, civil rights, and religious freedom?!
Rachel Avrahami | Posted on 22December2023 | https://breslev.com/4079674/
The Shocking Truth by Rachel Avrahami
Shocking. Unbelievable. Unconscionable.
The now infamous and completely morally corrupt testimony of the three University presidents of MIT, UPenn and Harvard was shocking beyond words. The Presidents didn’t even try to lie or cover up their gross and intentional negligence towards Jewish students. Even more appalling than the smug and brazen refusal to answer simple yes or no questions by Representative Stefanik in the now famous clip, was the utter silence they gave to Rep. John James, an African-American congressman, when he asked the question: “Just remind us, what each of you are doing on your college campuses [to combat antisemitism]?” (I highly recommend that you take a minute to watch it for yourself HERE).
We all know that if these questions were directed at the Universities’ responses regarding the rights of any other minority group, the answers would have been decisive and definitive.
We see across the board – whether it’s University silence about the threats to Jews on campus that lead one student of UPenn to testify before Congress that “I do not feel safe,” or the silence of the UN and other leading feminist organizations in the face of the atrocities and crimes against humanity against Jewish women committed by Hamas on Simchat Torah, or the silence and deafening inaction of the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) to help the hostages in any way – the world has once again chosen to stand against Jews, against morality, and against God Himself.
Even worse, bodies like the UN and the ICC which were created supposedly to ensure that there would “Never Again” be a Holocaust allowed on this planet – are exactly the bodies that are not only silent in the face of the Holocaust and blatant act of genocide that occurred on Simchat Torah, openly refusing to condemn Hamas, openly refusing to help Jews, but have even become Israel’s worst enemies, gaslighting Israel to say that Israel is doing to Gazans what Hamas actually did to us! The world bodies are even bringing incredible pressure to bear to try to stop Israel from retaliating and eliminating the threat Hamas poses to doing what it already promised to try to do: to commit the genocide of October 7 again and again and again, God should save us!
When the pot boils, the froth comes to the surface. Against this backdrop, global antisemitism is soaring. Neo-Nazis are marching in broad daylight at the University of Wisconsin, and pro-Palestinian, pro-Hamas antisemites are marching around the world. Antisemitic attacks and vandalism are reaching a tipping point. Jewish college students are told not to wear Jewish symbols, and a student at NYU testified before Congress that she was attacked by another student while wearing an American-Israeli flag pin – and nothing whatsoever was done to her attacker who continues to roam freely around campus! [Editor’s Note: According to data compiled by the Mosaic organization for the Knesset Subcommittee for Foreign Policy and Public Diplomacy, campus antisemitism has risen by 700% since 7-Oct.] So much for “speech can become harassment if it leads to conduct” – it’s a bunch of bull anyway, but even to that they turn a blind eye! And hot off the press – hundreds of bomb threats to synagogues across America this past Shabbat.
Scary and depressing does not even begin to describe the deep sea of terror and dread shaking every Jew on the planet to the core. It’s like we’ve been taken back in time into a black and white Holocaust horror film that we never dreamed we would be in.
I know as a born JAP (Jewish American Princess) I’ve found myself thinking many times that all this is just too much for me. We were taught that this level of Jew-hatred was over, put into a glass box in a Holocaust memorial. Isn’t the new post-modern world past all this hatred?
It seems that the answer is very clear – all the rules and protection and equality apply to everyone except Jews.
Jews are still hated, still gaslighted, still held to double-standards, still labeled with whatever the society deems as bad – even if it means total hypocrisy. Even if it means that Jews defending themselves will be labeled as the very “Nazis” who murdered 6 million of us. That Jews in our own lawful land will be called “occupiers.”
And it’s showing no signs of letting up anytime soon. In fact, Rabbi Arush has already given multiple warnings (see Rabbi Arush’s video Q&A on Aliyah) that the danger to Jews is liable to get a lot worse, Hashem should save us.
(PS – Check out Rabbi Arush here saying that while Jews outside the Land do not feel safe, the most secure place is in the Land of Israel and especially in Jerusalem, which enjoys Hashem’s special protection. And contrary to what most think, Rabbi Arush says that after Mashiach comes, it will be a lot HARDER to get to Israel.
So come NOW! We don’t know when it will be too late… I shake while reminding you that the Jews in Europe also thought they had more time.)
I don’t know about you, but having our belief and trust in equality being spit in our faces in this matter has me shocked – and scared.
Emuna – or Hell
The point is not to bring everything out of the shadows in order to wring our hands. The point is to see where the world is going and realize that Rabbi Arush’s motto of “emuna or Hell” has never been so clear as right now.
What’s the emuna? Rabbi Arush recently said that it’s forbidden to refer to the massacre of Simchat Torah as “Black Sabbath.” He said, “It was White Sabbath! The light of repentance came into the world! We see how many Jews are returning to Hashem because of what happened! Every day – more Jews! The light and happiness in the Upper Worlds are unimaginable. The whole world has waited for these days since creation!”
Meanwhile, every week Rabbi Arush reminds us to never stop seeing Hashem in the miracles of the thousands of missiles of every type launched at Israel, and “statistically, zero killed.” How much Hashem is protecting us every minute – and to be filled with gratitude, thanking Hashem all the time.
I don’t know about you, but it’s incredibly difficult to hold on to that reality out here in “the real world.” A world filled with yet another soldier who fell in battle. A world filled with a true war on social media, and yet another story from a captive who was taken hostage on Oct. 7.
This is exactly the point.
As I mentioned in my article Not Just Another War, this is fundamentally a spiritual war for each and every Jewish soul. Will we hold onto our emuna, as Rabbi Arush teaches us to – or not???
Will we spend all day crying over the news and the feed, worried about what the next moment will bring? Or will we spend all day thanking Hashem for protecting us?
Will we see the heavy darkness of antisemitism everywhere? Or the beautiful light of Jews unifying to help each other and finding their Jewish identity as never before?
No one is immune from this war. Each and every one of us is struggling with it – and victory is not guaranteed, no matter who you are!
Take it from me – I’m first in line to testify that I struggle with this fight multiple times each and every day, even with all my closeness to the teachings of emuna. I lose battles, and sometimes I feel that I can’t win. But the energy I receive when I’m in “emuna” mode keeps me going, even if I unfortunately spend plenty of time reeling in Hell…
What gives me strength is Rabbi Nachman’s teaching: “Who is the one called victorious? The one who doesn’t put down his weapon.”
The weapon of the Jew is prayer.
So as long as you keep praying and begging Hashem for emuna, and doing your very best to follow Rabbi Arush’s advice, reading The Garden of Emuna and strengthening your emuna – Rabbi Nachman promises you will win!
Update: If you still aren’t convinced of just how clear and present the danger is to Jews in America, journalist Ami Horowitz spoke to 35 random students on a left-leaning campus. 80% of them supported killing Jews around the world, specifically hitting soft targets like schools and synagogues. 50% were willing to put money towards the cause. Not one pushed back. Watch for yourself.
Please read the continuation of this article – Why is There Antisemitism?
***
Rachel Avrahami grew up in Los Angeles, CA, USA in a far-off valley where she was one of only a handful of Jews in a public high school of thousands. She found Hashem in the urban jungle of the university. Rachel was privileged to read one of the first copies of The Garden of Emuna in English, and the rest, as they say, is history. She made Aliyah and immediately began working at Breslev Israel.
Rachel is now the Editor of Breslev Israel’s English website. She welcomes questions, comments, articles, and personal stories to her email: rachel.avrahami@breslev.co.il.
TOP
Simchat Torah for Our Martyrs
On Simchat Torah, Hashem reminded us that those who celebrate and follow His Torah are protected. What can we do for those who were killed on that day while celebrating a licentious event? A LOT!
David Ben Horin | Posted on 24December2023 | https://breslev.com/4080632/
Simchat Torah for Our Martyrs by David Ben Horin
All the pundits on podcasts are trying to tell us why the Simchat Torah massacre happened and what they think will happen next. They’re all wrong.
Somebody asked me whether to call the massacre the “Oct 7 Massacre” or the “Simchat Torah Massacre”.
It’s Simchat Torah.
It’s the day Hashem reminded His children, the Jewish people, and the rest of the world that those who dance around His Torah celebrate His blessing and protection. Those who spend their days dancing around a huge idol lose His protection against the savages and monsters of this world.
The IDF can’t protect us. On Simchat Torah, they didn’t. The Mossad, Shin Bet, or American aid didn’t turn away the barbarians at the gate.
This reaffirms the Torah truths in the portion Ki Tavo. It’s a reaffirmation of the Jewish way of life: The life Hashem commands us.
From the day Adam was cast out of Paradise to today, Hashem blesses His people with strength. Hashem blesses His people with peace. (Psalms 29:11)
Hashem makes a distinction between those who follow His Torah and those who don’t. These are the lessons of the Simchat Torah Distinction.
What Happens Next
It’s a hard truth to swallow.
We are at war. Our brothers are still in captivity. The wounds of this horrible catastrophe are still open.
However, we in Israel are strong. In our Land, Hashem blesses us with the mental toughness to accept the truth, and the truth is that we must make repentance. We must return to God.
We must place a carpet ban on idolatry, sodomy, non-kosher foods, and breaking Shabbat or Jewish Holidays that Hashem commands His people.
In his Mishnah Torah, the Rambam tells us that when we are physically sick, what normally tastes good tastes repulsive, and what normally tastes repulsive tastes good. When you get a sore throat, somehow Ginger Ale becomes a delicacy.
The Rambam takes it to the next step by teaching that the same is true for our soul. When we are spiritually sick, things like sex, drugs, clubbing, flashy cars, and all-night gambling binges seem appealing.
Investing the night in Torah study, prayer, and visiting the sick doesn’t seem as enticing – even when we know where the first set of activities will ultimately place us versus the second set of Divine mitzvot.
The secular professors and military analysts, along with many generals and ministers, are talking about conquering Gaza, only to give it back to the PLO or to the local Gazan population on “the day after.” Didn’t Hamas mutate out of the local population? Doesn’t the PLO still pay its citizens a monthly salary to kill Jews?
It’s the Rabbis who are saying we must conquer Gaza and rebuild its Jewish communities so that we can always keep an eye on the Gazans.
For the past 5,000 years of human history, that’s what conquering nations did. They annexed the land and started planting their people on it. The only difference is that God never commanded America to conquer Mexico and start putting its people in their northern provinces of Nevada and California.
Following the Rambam’s teachings, the spiritually healthy are the ones who are morally and intellectually healthy. They are the ones who know right from wrong – in everything.
Make Martyrs Out of Them
What will become of those who were murdered on Oct 7? What of those who were violated? What of those 1,200 people who were murdered, raped, and tortured after two days of dancing around an idol and licentiousness?
We send them to the highest levels of heaven.
Every Rosh Hashanah, we are all judged — both the living and the dead.
Hashem judges the living on their actions. But what about the dead? They have no actions to speak of in this world. What will they be judged on?
The dead are judged on the actions they cause after their death.
Suppose a man teaches his children to guard Shabbat every week. If his children continue to keep Shabbat after he passes, then Hashem will judge this man for the mitzvot his children do because he showed them how.
There are countless times where a parent came to a son or daughter in a dream and asked them to perform a mitzvah in this world so the parent could rise higher in the Next World.
Like on earth, heaven has good places and better places. You can live in a simple 2-bedroom apartment in Lod. You save up, get a higher-paying job, and pretty soon, you can move into a nice penthouse in Beit Shemesh. Hashem can pull you from a place in heaven that feels equivalent to the 2-bedroom flat in Lod and elevate you to the heavenly equivalent of the penthouse in Beit Shemesh – or better.
This is what we can do for the fallen.
Every prayer we recite, every charity we give, every kindness we perform, every line of Torah we learn because of what happened last Simchat Torah transforms our brethren into catalysts of mitzvot. Immediately, they are Zicuy Rabin – they bring us closer to Hashem.
They go from victims to martyrs. They go from being buried beneath the earth to vaulted high above the heavens.
They can get judged for performing the greatest mitzvah in the Torah.
If you recite the Shema tonight because of the horrors of October 7 and the lessons learned, it is in their honor. They were the reason you did something for Hashem that you never did before.
God gives you the chance to raise their spirits – literally!
With every step of repentance we make, as individuals, as communities, and as a nation, we elevate Klal Yisrael. Hashem willing, we merit God’s protection against all our enemies. This is also promised in parsha Ki Tavo.
If we learned on October 7 that the curses of parsha Ki Tavo are as real today as they always were, then we know for a fact that the blessings of Ki Tavo – that we will be powerful and prosperous and that Hashem will bless us in victory for everything we do – are also as real today as they always were.
This is the Simcha of the Torah our Father gives us.
***
David Ben Horin lives in Afula with his family, millions of sunflowers, and Matilda, our local camel. David‘s Israeli startup, 300 Marketing Solutions, is a lean marketing agency for startups and small businesses that creates and promotes SEO-optimized ROI-driven to the right audience on LinkedIn to make your business the star of the show.
TOP
You support Terrorists, you get..
Ari Sade-tweet-8November2023-You support Terrorists, you get
You murdered, raped, burnt, beheaded, and kidnapped our people. Men, women, children and babies, and you celebrated it! And streamed it live! Proudly!
This is a fraction of your punishment. Return the hostages and surrender. We might let you live.
#HamasisISIS
#BringThemHome
Ari Sade-tweet-8November2023, You support Terrorists-you get
Dr. Eli David-tweet-31December2023-You celebrated the massacre on 7October and now expect us to have sympathy for you
You celebrated the massacre on October 7, and now expect us to have sympathy for you?
_
Dr. Eli David-tweet-31December2023-You celebrated the massacre on 7October and now expect us to have sympathy for you?
Why Islam canot coexist with not just the Israelis but all non-Muslims
TOP
American farmhands and cowboys on their way to Israel
Lenny Ben-David-tweet-6November2023-American farmhands and cowboys on their way to Israel
American farmhands and cowboys on their way to Israel to help farmers in Israel after the #Hamas attack. Many lost their lives and/or farm workers.
That’s love! Thank you.❤️
Lenny Ben-David-tweet-6November2023-American farmhands and cowboys on their way to Israel
TOP
Republicans Press Pentagon Over American-Made Weapons in Hamas’s Hands
Lawmakers want answers from the Pentagon on how U.S.-made weapons may have ended up in the hands of Hamas terrorists who slaughtered Israeli civilians.
A young boy holds a U.S.-made M4A1 rifle during a rally of Hamas supporters, at the Jabalia refugee camp, Gaza Strip, on Dec. 12, 2014. (Mahmud Hams/AFP/Getty Images)
By Tom Ozimek
(emphasis zerohedge https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/unconscionable-republicans-press-pentagon-over-american-made-weapons-hamass-hands)
23October2023 Updated: 24October2023 https://www.theepochtimes.com/article/republicans-press-pentagon-over-american-made-weapons-in-hamass-hands-5515455
Citing reports that advanced U.S.-made firearms have ended up in the possession of the Hamas terrorist group in Gaza, several House Oversight Committee Republicans are demanding answers from the Pentagon about what’s being done to make sure American-made weapons don’t end up in the wrong hands.
“The Committee has seen reports that U.S.-manufactured weapons are being redistributed and resold in secondary markets to terrorist organizations, including Hamas,” wrote House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) in an Oct. 23 letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
Mr. Comer and Ms. Greene cited a series of media reports indicating that American-made weapons were being diverted and ending up in the hands of terrorists.
One source of these U.S.-made weapons is reportedly the roughly $7 billion stockpile left behind in the botched Afghanistan withdrawal. Another is related to the arms that the United States is providing to Ukraine amid its war with Russia but that are being diverted to the Middle East by various actors, including gun-smuggling criminal groups.
“The potential possession of U.S. weapons by terrorists is alarming in light of the terrorist group’s recent horrific attack on Israel,” the pair of lawmakers wrote, referring to the Oct. 7 assault by Hamas operatives that killed about 1,500 Israelis, mostly civilians—many of them in barbaric fashion.
In their letter, they demanded a staff briefing from the Pentagon by the end of October on what procedures the Department of Defense (DOD) has in place “for preventing, addressing, and mitigating weapon diversion abroad.”
A Ukrainian serviceman checks his U.S-made M4A1 carbine after cleaning it at a base in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, on Feb. 23, 2023. (Yasuyoshi Chima/AFP/Getty Images)
‘Arsenal of Anarchy’
Israel Captures Hamas Navel Commander; 9 Americans Killed by Hamas Attacks: US
In their letter, Mr. Comer and Ms. Greene cited a number of media reports indicating that American-made weapons were ending up in the hands of those who may wish to use them to harm the United States and its allies.
One of these is a June 15 report by Newsweek that cites a high-ranking Israel Defense Forces (IDF) commander as saying that the Israeli military was concerned that U.S.-made weapons provided to Ukraine were being diverted and ending up in the hands of Israel’s enemies in the Middle East.
“We are very worried that some of these capabilities are going to fall to Hezbollah and Hamas’ hands,” the IDF commander told the publication.
Since the Russia–Ukraine conflict erupted in February 2022, the United States has sent more than $46 billion in military assistance to Kyiv, sparking worries that some of that massive flow of arms was being diverted and ending up in other regions.
While a report in March from the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime found that “there is currently no substantial outflow of weapons from the Ukrainian conflict zone,” it warned of the prospect of serious proliferation.
The report’s authors warned in a statement that when the war ends, “Ukraine’s battlefields could and will become the new arsenal of anarchy, arming everyone from insurgents in Africa to gangsters in the streets of Europe.”
While it’s impossible to tell without further investigation where the weapons are coming from, it’s been alleged that some U.S.-made weapons are finding their way to Gaza and into the hands of Hamas.
In their letter, the GOP lawmakers said that “recently released photos show Hamas terrorists allegedly holding what appear to be H4A1 Carbines,” a type of weapon that they point out was specially designed for U.S. Special Operations Forces.
“This would not be the first time our military service members and allies have been targeted by terrorist organizations misappropriating American-made weapons,” the lawmakers wrote, citing the massive $7 billion arsenal that ended up in the hands of the Taliban.
Taliban Seize $7 Billion Worth of US Weapons and Equipment
After U.S. forces withdrew from Afghanistan in the summer of 2021, they left behind billions of dollars of American-made weapons and equipment.
A Pentagon watchdog reported in August 2022 that “U.S.-funded equipment valued at $7.12 billion was in the inventory of the former Afghan government when it collapsed, much of which has since been seized by the Taliban.”
The report, which was confirmed by the DOD, indicated that the equipment that had fallen into Taliban hands included military aircraft, ground vehicles, weapons, and other military equipment.
The items that ended up in Taliban hands included large equipment like Black Hawk helicopters and Humvees, as well as small but sophisticated arms like M16 assault rifles and M4 carbines.
“We have already seen Taliban fighters armed with U.S.-made weapons they seized from the Afghan forces. This poses a significant threat to the United States and our allies,” Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Reuters in an email last year.
Lt. Col. Emron Musavi, an Indian army spokesperson, told CNBC in an email last year that weapons left behind by U.S. forces during the withdrawal from Afghanistan were making their way into other conflict zones, including in India-controlled Kashmir, which some terror groups are trying to annex for Pakistan.
“It can be safely assumed that they have access to the weapons left behind,” he told the outlet, amid reports that operatives from Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba, two Pakistan-based groups designated by the United States as terrorist organizations, had been spotted with U.S.-made arms like M4s and M16s.
Military vehicles transferred by the U.S. to the Afghan National Army in February 2021. Afghanistan Ministry of Defense/via REUTERS
Taliban stand guard at an entrance gate outside the Interior Ministry in Kabul, on Aug. 17, 2021. (Javed Tanveer/AFP via Getty Images)
Demands for Oversight
The letter from Mr. Comer and Ms. Greene is not the first time Republicans have pressed the Pentagon on U.S.-made weapons falling into the wrong hands.
Shortly after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, several Republican senators demanded the DOD provide full accounting over the weapons and equipment that were captured by the Taliban.
“As we watched the images coming out of Afghanistan as the Taliban retook the country, we were horrified to see U.S. equipment—including UH-60 Black Hawks—in the hands of the Taliban,” Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and two dozen other senators wrote to Mr. Austin.
“It is unconscionable that high-tech military equipment paid for by U.S. taxpayers has fallen into the hands of the Taliban and their terrorist allies,” the Republicans added.
“Securing U.S. assets should have been among the top priorities for the U.S. Department of Defense prior to announcing the withdrawal from Afghanistan.”
Tom Ozimek
Author (Reporter)
Tom Ozimek is a senior reporter for The Epoch Times. He has a broad background in journalism, deposit insurance, marketing and communications, and adult education.
TOP
Narendra Modi has shifted India from the Palestinians to Israel
The pivot reflects Indian domestic politics and new interests in the Middle East
Banyan 2November2023 https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/11/02/narendra-modi-has-shifted-india-from-the-palestinians-to-israel
FOREIGN NEWS usually gets short shrift in India. Yet for the past month the country’s television channels have been dominated by wall-to-wall coverage of events in Israel and Gaza, mostly from Israel’s perspective. News anchors in bulletproof vests stand in the desert delivering breathless reports on the aftermath of Hamas’s atrocities in Israel on October 7th. Talk-show hosts restage the Palestinian terrorist group’s attack from Gaza with toy soldiers and miniature bulldozers. Weeks into the war, coverage remains intense.
The media’s fascination with Israel’s plight and retribution coincides with a marked shift in the Indian government’s stance on the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. It has moved from backing the Palestinians to more or less unqualified support for Israel. The pivot is based on a realist reappraisal of Indian interests in the Middle East. It has also met with strong public backing from Narendra Modi’s domestic supporters, which is gratifying for Mr Modi’s government ahead of state elections this month and a general election next year.
In the past, like many countries in the global south, India tempered any expression of support for Israel with expressions of concern for the Palestinians’ plight. No more. Mr Modi took to X (formerly Twitter) within hours of Hamas’s assault to express his horror at the “terrorist attacks” and declare that “we stand in solidarity with Israel”. It took five days for India’s Ministry of External Affairs to reiterate, in response to questions from reporters, that India continued to support a two-state solution to the conflict. On October 27th, in a departure from its usual voting record, India abstained as the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza; it objected that the text did not condemn Hamas’s assault.
The shift reflects India’s growing defence and commercial ties to Israel. Co-operation between the two countries has been deepening ever since Israel provided India with military help during the Kargil war against Pakistan in 1999. That was long before America took a serious interest in military co-operation with India. Over the past decade India has bought missiles, drones and border-security equipment (and probably surveillance software, though it has not admitted this) from Israel, making it the Israeli defence industry’s biggest foreign customer.
A bromance between Mr Modi and Binyamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, has deepened the relationship. So has the two countries’ shared preoccupation with fighting terrorism, especially the Islamist variant. Explaining the abstention in the UN vote, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, India’s foreign minister, said in a speech on October 29th that India took a strong position on terrorism “because we are big victims of terrorism”.
India has also been increasing its ties with Gulf Arab countries, especially Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. And it can ill afford to alienate them; it depends on them for much of its oil and goodwill towards an estimated 9m expatriate Indian workers. Yet the fact that both countries have recently moved closer to Israel has allowed Mr Modi to effect his shift with alacrity. Even in the current crisis, the Saudis and Emiratis appear reluctant to allow the events in Gaza to cause a rupture in their long-term rapprochement with Israel.
Domestically, the Modi government’s pivot is essentially all upside. The Congress-led opposition has condemned it; leaders of India’s 200m Muslims have heavily criticised Israel’s military response. Yet the Indian middle-class that mostly backs Mr Modi is especially concerned about Islamist terrorism. Its members look on Hamas’s attack and recall the tragedy Mumbai suffered in 2008, when Pakistani Islamists killed 175 people and wounded more than 300 during a four-day rampage. It included an attack on a Jewish community centre in the city, where the terrorists murdered the rabbi and his pregnant wife.
There is a small risk the government will overplay its hand. As the civilian death toll in Gaza rises, India’s Arab partners might turn against the Israelis and their backers more aggressively. Mr Modi has latterly hedged against that possibility. He has reached out to Palestinian leaders, offering Indian condolences and humanitarian aid. Meanwhile, his Hindu-nationalist henchmen are unrestrained in using the conflict to stoke the Islamophobia that has propelled their party’s rise. Even if Mr Modi’s pivot becomes difficult abroad, it will probably help him win elections.
TOP
the diplomatic battle between Israel and Egypt can decide the future of Gaza
For Egypt, Gaza is a forward outpost that keeps IDF forces occupied in the south, disturbs Israel, and prevents it from strengthening. Op-ed.
Tzachi Levi
20October2023 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/378874
The diplomatic tug-of-war between Israel and Egypt over the opening of the Rafah Crossing has the potential to decide the future of the Gaza Strip and the war altogether.
The question is as follows: Which side will succeed in forcing the other to take responsibility for the residents of the Gaza Strip? Israel has demanded the opening of the Rafah Crossing in one direction, and according to several media outlets, has offered Egypt, along with the United States and the United Arab Emirates, a series of economic benefits in exchange for opening the crossing.
The Egyptians, for their part, refuse to open the crossing even to Gazans who are citizens of foreign countries, and instead calls for sending supposedly “civilian” aid into the Strip to prevent a humanitarian crisis and the wave of refugees that Egypt fears.
Not for nothing, this issue was ostensibly at the center of the Egyptian President’s meetings with international leaders, came up in the Netanyahu-Biden meeting, and received special attention from the King of Jordan.
What is unfolding before us us is a diplomatic “chicken fight,” the outcome of which may decide the entire war and shape the Middle East for years to come.
Many in Israel, from all ends of the political spectrum, understand that even if we eliminate all the tens of thousands of terrorists in the Strip exactly as the Israeli government has stated, Iran is not going anywhere, and, absent a meaningful permanent Israeli or international force on the ground, in a few short years a new Hamas or some other radical regime will be established in the Strip, thus setting up the next inevitable confrontation. Under such conditions, it will be impossible to rehabilitate the towns around Gaza that were ravaged by Hamas’s war crimes.
In light of this reality, the resettlement of the civilian population of the Gaza Strip in Egypt and elsewhere in the Muslim world, should become an overt political goal of Israel. This is the most humane solution to the situation, both for Israel and for the Gazans, many of whom want to emigrate from the Strip anyway and were imprisoned in it by Hamas.
It is worth noting, in addition, that there is nothing that discourages Arab aggression more than the loss of land. Therefore, in addition to the military goal of ending Hamas’ rule with minimum loss of civilian lives, the extension of Israeli sovereignty to all or some of the Gaza Strip would act as a powerful deterrent against Israel’s other enemies which are thinking about attempting to commit another heinous act such as the one we witnessed on the morning of October 7th.
Egypt sees the situation differently.
For the Egyptians, the loss of the Strip would be a strategic problem. For Egypt, Gaza is a forward outpost that keeps the IDF forces occupied in the south, disturbs Israel, and prevents it from strengthening.
Anyone who follows the strengthening of the Egyptian army from visible sources, and sees the huge bridging array it is building above and below the Suez Canal, and the military procurement in the tens of billions of dollars in all army arrays: sea, land, air and even satellites, understands that Egypt sees Israel as its main military adversary, in spite of the peace agreement.
Most of Egypt’s military exercises are directed against Israel, and that is why we can see reports, in the open media, about a long series of Egyptian violations of the peace agreement, which limits the deployment of Egyptian forces in Sinai, under the pretext of a war against ISIS.
For many years, Egypt has allowed the strengthening of terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip, during both the Mubarak and Morsi eras. During the el-Sisi era, Egypt increased its supervision and control over what entered the Strip while building a massive barrier on the Egyptian side of the border. All this is just an indication that what did enter, apparently entered with an Egyptian “blind eye”.
Israel needs to think strategically about how to encourage Gazans to make their way into Egypt.
Israel must take advantage of the severe economic crisis in Egypt in favor of organizing international aid to the country in exchange for the absorption of all or some of the Gazans. Just recently, the Moody’s rating agency lowered the Egypt’s credit rating from B3 to Caa1. Indeed, Egypt is on the verge of insolvency, which may endanger the stability of the regime in the near term.
In the first stage, Israel needs to increase the humanitarian pressure on the Gaza Strip so that eventually hundreds of thousands of hungry and thirsty Gazans will break through the Rafah Crossing.
In the second stage, when Egypt will face the finished fact of an influx of refugees in its territory, it is recommended that Israel and the US organize the international community, UNRWA, and the International Monetary Fund, to flow economic aid to Egypt, to enable the absorption of some of the Gazans in Egypt.
It is important to understand: The Gazans whom Hamas imprisoned in the Strip, very much want to emigrate from it. Turkey, which is ready to take them in, is a very popular destination, as is Europe, which is obliged to take in those to whom UNRWA has granted a refugee certificate. The percentage of the Gazan population that will eventually be taken in by Egypt is lower than the country’s annual birth rate, which is over 2 million babies a year.
And in relation to housing solutions – in Egypt there is a stock of vacant apartments for immediate occupancy of at least 2 million apartments, a result of the regime’s planned economy.
Success in the diplomatic struggle with Egypt over the opening of the Rafah Crossing will shorten the war and therefore reduce the risk of opening more fronts.
Emptying the population of its Arab inhabitants while applying Israeli sovereignty means an overwhelming victory that will restore deterrence in all sectors, strengthen the Abraham Accords, and bring peace with Saudi Arabia.
In the Middle East, one does business only with the powerful, and Israel must recognize the opportunity to project power, while changing the Middle East for generations.
TOP
Another True Account of Shabbat Saving a Life, Plus a Message from the Next World
23October2023 http://myrtlerising.weebly.com/blog/another-true-account-of-shabbat-saving-a-life-plus-a-message-from-the-next-world
Someone wrote me the true story of a young man, a friend of the correspondent’s son, who was encouraged by other friends to attended the “rave” party near the Gaza Strip on Shabbat/Simchat Torah.
As the correspondent explained:
Yet the son’s friend recently took Shabbat upon himself and managed to resist his friends’ repeated urgings to go with them to the party.
As is now self-understood, that refusal to attend the party for the sake of Shabbat saved that young man’s life.
So many people saved their own lives by either not attending the party at all or leaving before Shabbat!
Yet the brother of another friend did attend the fateful party.
Afterwards, no one knew where he was.
One night shortly after, the father of the missing boy had a dream. As the correspondent describes it:
The next day, the family was informed the boy was found, but hadn’t survived the attack.
Who Knows the Cheshbonot of Shamayim?
While we’ve been hearing a lot about people saved from slaughter by last-minute teshuvah or even just progress in their mitzvah-observance, we remain unable to know the final moments of those who didn’t survive.
Yet from the accounts of the people who knew them well, we can glean indications regarding their last moments, that some managed to do some kind of teshuvah or some kind of kavanah to die al kiddush Hashem (for the sanctification of God’s Name).
And we know from great tzaddikim and talmidei chachamim like Rav Yehudah Petayah, that even a split-second thought of teshuvah the moment before death still holds tremendous power for atonement in the Next World.
(For more on that topic, please see here: minchat-yehudah-part-i-teshuvah-and-what-happens-after-you-die.html.)
In conclusion, let’s take comfort in the words of the Me’am Lo’ez on Parshat Beresheit (page 184):
TOP
Dr. Emuna: Overcoming the Terror
Emuna gives us powerful tools to cope with anxiety, fear, pain, and confusion. How can we use those tools to strengthen ourselves in the war situation?
Rachel Avrahami | Posted on 13October2023 https://breslev.com/4061929/
Overcoming the TERROR – Rachel Avrahami
Hashem is God, ein od milvado, there is no nature and no Hamas. What happened is somehow for the best and will go down in the annals of history along with the Holocaust as something we cannot understand why. Now, we look forward, never forgetting that the Guardian of Israel does not slumber and does not sleep!
That being said, we’re all nervous wrecks. We’re all shocked, appalled, suffering, and overwhelmed. We’re all glued to our phones and computers to check the news. Round-the-clock updates. It’s almost impossible to put it down.
However, the solution is specifically the opposite – stop looking at the news and start praying! Here is why:
Sitting around looking at “what is going on” is just a trap of the Evil Inclination. It might even dress up like a tzaddik, saying “Oh, you need to know what exactly to pray for, and to pray with more feeling.” This is all a lie, for a few reasons:
Why is this Evil Inclination to see what is happening so difficult to overcome? Because it’s part of the sin of Adam. In checking the news, we are grasping onto straws in a subconscious effort to take back some semblance of control when we feel so scared and so helpless.
The key is to take that fear and helplessness and turn it into prayer to Hashem! Because we truly are helpless – but only to Him!
And Hashem has the biggest Hands and the biggest Shoulders that can protect us and carry us and provide for us, without or without natural means.
It’s very hard to let go of the desire to be in control, to be “like G-d” and know everything that is going on, as if it’s going to help us manage or control the future. But the more we can “let go and let G-d” so to speak, the more we will be more relaxed and filled with emuna – which Rabbi Arush calls “the ability to cope.” Who doesn’t need that right now?
Then there is simply the incredible amount of wasted time spent checking on the situation! Set a timer for five minutes and see how little you manage to do. I found it to be more like 15 – 20 minutes, multiple times a day!
Let’s compare that to praying for the Jewish people – every word is equivalent to the number of Jews, which thank G-d still stands at approximately 15 million according to Rabbi Arush. So, in five minutes you just did BILLIONS of mitzvot! Forget about one hour! Even one sentence is so precious!!!
Finally, there is the psychological reality that when someone does something to help himself, there is less trauma and feelings of paralysis and helplessness. Checking the news only adds to these feelings and makes everything WORSE, not better. But sitting down and praying makes you feel so much better, because here you actually did something to help yourself and the situation! There is just so much that needs to be done right now and so many prayers that need to be said – get to work! Who has time and energy to waste?
Hence, the Evil Inclination ensnares us and makes us think that by checking the news we’ll feel better and more in control. In reality, he is just selling us spam that makes us sick. He makes us unable to do what really will make us feel better and will give us power to make things better – words of emuna and prayer.
I readily admit that it’s really hard to stop checking in, but you’ll feel so much better as you conquer the drive, and really the addiction, to the news, to the news-feed, and everything like it. You’ll feel better because you’re not ingesting poison, and because G-d willing now you’ll be freer to pray and follow the rest of Rabbi Arush’s advice which really will help you take back your personal power!
Make sure to also read Rabbi Arush’s newest update on the situation, Redemption is the News here.
The Jewish people is counting on you now to do your part – don’t let the Evil Inclination neutralize you!
PS. After I wrote this article, a hidden tzaddik spoke about the great need to learn Torah and pray Psalms instead of listening to the news, “which is all nonsense; all the news is against religion, against Torah, against the Land of Israel.”
With Hashem’s help, I will be continuing this series with more advice on how to cope in the aftermath and the war, whether you’re in Israel or abroad.
***
Rachel Avrahami grew up in Los Angeles, CA, USA in a far-off valley where she was one of only a handful of Jews in a public high school of thousands. She found Hashem in the urban jungle of the university. Rachel was privileged to read one of the first copies of The Garden of Emuna in English, and the rest, as they say, is history. She made Aliyah and immediately began working at Breslev Israel.
Rachel is now the Editor of Breslev Israel’s English website. She welcomes questions, comments, articles, and personal stories to her email: rachel.avrahami@breslev.co.il.
TOP
Only fear Hashem
October 15, 2023 https://www.thinkforyourselfpublishing.com/only-fear-hashem/
I couldn’t get into my blog for three days…
Maybe it got hacked, maybe it didn’t.
Who knows.
In the meantime, I’m here to tell you that the only thing to fear right now is Hashem.
====
Like so many of us, I have been on a crazy roller-coaster ride of ‘OK’ and ‘not-so-OK’ the last week, but I feel like all the tehillim, all the prayers, the teshuva, the mesirut nefesh, the chessed, the people getting behind the Rav and following instructions – it’s all starting to send some light into what is still a very heavy and dark situation.
Our enemies are still pulling the wool over so many people’s eyes with all their propaganda about ‘Iran, Iran, Iran’.
And now also ‘Russia, Russia, Russia’.
====
Bottom line:
It’s the US that is behind what is going on now.
Without the shadow of a doubt.
====
But that’s not what I’m here to tell you, or harp on.
The truth is coming out all over the place – and there is nothing they can do to stop it.
But in the meantime, we need to keep the prayers and all the other stuff going.
====
Tachlis:
The Rav a few days ago said this:
====
The Rav’s lessons are full of hints and secrets.
When he tells you: a thousand soldiers could die from being shot at by our own forces, he is hinting to some very terrible things about what is really going on here, God forbid.
====
In the meantime, please also do whatever you can to get the Rav’s prayers around to as many soldiers, people and bases as you can.
One of the Rav’s gabbays put out a message last week that even a tenuous link to the Rav – even just having one of his unnamed prayers in your home – is enough to be considered to be ‘connected’ into the circle of the Tzaddik.
This is the prayer the Rav wrote especially to protect our soldiers now:
Prayer for the soldiers
Click to Enlarge
Print off a few copies, and give them out to as many people, as many soldiers, as you can.
They don’t need to know it’s from the Rav.
====
In the meantime, I am personally praying we stay the heck out of Gaza, and that this all ‘dies down’ again so we can get to the way more important job of figuring out who the real traitors in our midst are.
And which State, or ‘States’, planned and financed the terrible pogrom on so many thousands of Jews last Shabbat, with the help of those traitors in our midst.
God has His own way of dealing with our enemies, and sending hundreds of thousands of our precious Jews into narrow, booby-trapped alleyways, following orders from people who at the very least are covering up for the mass murderers of thousand of Jews doesn’t sound like the best plan, at this stage.
====
Remember this:
The Rav said that if a war does happen, God forbid, it will end with an earthquake.
He also said many, many times over the last few years that in the month of Cheshvan, the sea will be full of ships from the nations of the world coming to attack Israel.
And the sea will split miraculously, and all those enemy ships will sink to the bottom of the ocean.
====
When Gush Katif was destroyed as per the instructions of our same ‘friends’ in sheeps’ clothing 18 years ago, there was a lot of rumours discussing an imminent tsunami hitting Gaza, and explaining that this was the reason the Jews had been moved out.
Take a look at THIS (it’s a xtian blog, but it preserved some links on the ‘geula’ blogs from around that time.)
This is a snippet:
====
Those tsunami rumours resurfaced again in 2014.
But the bit that was ‘missing’ from all those discussions is that you need massive earthquakes, in order to have massive tsunamis.
In 2023, right now, the earthquakes are picking up all over the world.
====
A couple of months ago, the Rav talked repeatedly about big quakes hitting Israel, but said that the quakes won’t harm Jews, and will just cause the mosques and churches to fall.
Earthquake = tsunami = sea splitting and enemy warships being totally sunk to the bottom of the ocean = Gaza flooded.
(There is some weird kink in the topography of the sea bed in the Mediterranean, that appears to suggest that if a massive tsunami does hit, Gaza will take the brunt. But clearly, still a very serious circumstance, and still a lot of prayers required for everyone.)
====
So, let God do His thing.
And do yours, by praying, making teshuva and carrying on with the kindnesses and the charity.
Over the next 30 days of Cheshvan:
And then the miracles will come.
====
Honestly?
The miracles are already coming.
A week ago this time – I truly thought we’d be in the middle of a war on three fronts, thousands of rockets every day and God forbid, thousands of precious Jews bogged down in Gaza being killed by yet more ‘friendly fire’ (ahem….)
None of that is happening.
Yet.
And BH, it won’t happen at all.
But keep going with the tehillim and prayers!
Because only the ‘voice of Yaakov’ can finally destroy the ‘Iron Swords’ of Esav, once and for all.
TOP
From Parenting To Practicalities: Baby Forum Evolves For Wartime
By Ariel Grossman, NoCamels – 16November2023 https://nocamels.com/2023/11/from-parenting-to-practicalities-baby-forum-evolves-for-wartime/
Israelis struggling during the country’s ongoing war with Hamas have found support from an unexpected quarter – an online platform for new parents that now also offers access to a range of free services from temporary housing and professional counseling to babysitting and home-cooked meals.
The Jama website was created to help guide new parents through the first period after childbirth by connecting them to one another and offering them free and paid professional seminars.
But now, recognizing a broader demand during wartime, it has created a universal marketplace for Israelis wanting to offer their skills and services for free to those in need.
The original site was born in 2019, just a few months after co-founder and COO Maya Dayan Shalev found herself struggling with postpartum depression following the birth of her first child.
“When I became a new mom, I felt like I was diving into this world without any preparation, without anyone to guide me and without anyone to hold my hand,” she tells NoCamels.
“We used to raise kids in tribes, in communities, and somewhere along the way, things changed and we now do it all alone,” she says. “But it doesn’t have to be that way.”
When Hamas terrorists stormed into Israel from Gaza on October 7, killing 1,200 people and abducting 240 others, Israelis around the country rushed to help the victims and their families – and the soldiers quickly called up to wage war on the terror group.
But according to Maya, there was not a unified channel to coordinate the outpouring of goodwill.
“We saw that so many people wanted to help one another,” says Maya. “There was no one place that could organize everything in a smart way.”
Maya and her brother Kfir Dayan, Jama’s CEO and co-founder, quickly realized that they in fact already had their own platform that had been created solely to bring people together.
As Jama was created as a map showing users the location of other parents nearby with children of a similar age, it was easy to adapt to its new purpose.
“We took our map that usually connects between parents and parenting events, and turned it into a place to offer any kind of help you want, or to come and [accept] that help,” says Kfir.
The Jama team – which consists of both Israeli and Ukrainian developers – needed just 48 hours to add a new section and make it accessible to all Israelis in need.
The site’s artificial intelligence platform, which analyzes data provided during registration and subsequent navigation to provide the most relevant content, is now also used to suggest services required by the new wave of users.
“That’s what I love most about the Israeli nation,” says Kfir. “When you’re in trouble, people that don’t even know you will come and help you.”
The first feature of the new section, which is called Jama Help, was a way for people to advertise homes and rooms available to people who had to evacuate from southern Israel due to the security situation with Gaza.
From there, Jama Help expanded to include donations for army equipment and professional and psychological services. And then Israelis with no professional training in mental health also joined the platform, offering to do whatever they could for anyone in need.
“People wanted to offer any kind of help. There was someone who wanted to cook for others, teachers who wanted to teach students for free,” says Maya.
“It was amazing to see how much help there was in just a few days. It really warmed our hearts.”
Today, Jama Help is open to anyone who wants or is in need of assistance of any kind.
Registration for Jama Help requires providing some basic data such as location, a phone number and date of birth. For now, the site is only in Hebrew, but the siblings plan to make it available in English too.
Thousands have now signed up to both offer assistance and find a helping hand, says Maya.
Users who want to offer a service simply click on the plus sign at the side of the map, which takes them to a form where they select the kind of service they have, such as a vacant apartment or room or professional help, the dates and location of the assistance, and how many people can be accommodated.
And while there are other initiatives that attempt to coalesce both services on offer and requests for help on a single platform, Kfir says that Jama Help’s AI shows users the most relevant offers for them based on their activity on the website.
“I think that all of us as startups – and as people – have the ability to affect for good,” says Maya.
“That was the inspiration behind Jama Help: the belief that everyone has the ability to help, and the knowledge that we had the technology to make it possible.”
TOP
Functional Trauma Stress Disorder: Civilians Under Siege
November 5, 2023 by Lazer Brody
FTSD-Functional Trauma Stress Disorder-Civilians Under Siege
Everyone is aware of PTSD – post-trauma stress disorder. This is the emotional and psychosomatic aftermath of war and severe life-threatening situations. Yet, few people – unless they live in the Ukraine, Israel or any other place with constant or prolonged wartime conditions, are aware of FTSD – functional trauma stress disorder.
The Severity of FTSD
Several aspects FTSD render it a greater challenge that PTSD. for example:
The FTSD Lab
The Current Simchat Torah War (aka “Iron Shields”) began with the Hamas massacre of 1400 innocent Israelis on October 7, 2023. That day was both Shabbat and Simchat Torah. The entire nation of Israel went from extreme joy to extreme fury and indignation. Hamas kidnapped another 241 people (at the time of this writing – the count goes up almost daily). Yet, the south of Israel continues to bear the brunt of the war. For years, southern Israeli cities, towns and villages have suffered intermittent rocket fire. Every child under the age of 16 has been born into the reality of bomb shelters. As a health coach, spiritual guide and former IDF combat soldier, many people have sought my help. The following is the result of my personal experience and observation.
The Symptoms of FTSD
People with acute FTSD suffer one or more of the following symptoms:
Coping with FTSD
Conventional therapy doesn’t have effective answers to FTSD. The reason is that emotional strength comes from the soul. FTSD is the result of the current trauma being stronger than the soul in its current state. If the soul is stronger than the body, then it can cope with the current trauma and overcome it. But, the more the body overcomes the soul, the more it suffers from FTSD.
Coping with and overcoming FTSD necessitates strengthening the soul. We accomplish that by learning emuna. The body might worry about danger, but when the soul is strong in emuna, it elicits Hashem’s help in overcoming the danger. That is how King David can so calmly declare, “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You [Hashem] are with me (Psalm 23:4).
In light of the above, prayer, recitation of Psalms and especially personal prayer are wonderful relievers of PTSD. Reading emuna books and most effective in neutralizing FTSD. I strongly recommend 3 Words of Emuna for immediate relief and 13 Principles of Emuna for longterm treatment.
Don’t Be in Denial
Be honest with yourself. Don’t be in denial. If you experience one or more of the abovementioned 10 symptoms, admit it to yourself. Living in the south of Israel, at one time or another, I’ve felt each one. Yet, I’ve coped and continue coping with the very same advice I give you, And remember: you don’t learn emuna from eating chocolate ice-cream. Challenging times are a wonderful opportunity to gain genuine spiritual and emotional growth. May Hashem help us to be successful and may we hear good news from one another, amen!
TOP
Israel Looking To Replace All Palestinian Labor With Foreign Workforce
The Judean Staff News 10January2024 https://thejudean.com/index.php/news/2332-israel-looking-to-replace-all-palestinian-labor-with-foreign-workforce
In the aftermath of the heinous October 7 attacks, Israel’s Economy Minister Nir Barkat from the Likud party articulated a decisive albeit controversial strategy: phasing out Palestinian labor in favor of foreign workers, effectively shutting the doors to Palestinians which would have dire consequences for their economy, but bring many Israelis peace of mind. This shift is not just a reactionary measure to a single tragic event, but a profound reevaluation of national security and economic strategy.
On October 7, Israel experienced one of its darkest days, revealing vulnerabilities in its labor force composition. Speaking at a conferfence in Jerusalem, Minister Barkat pinpointed the employment of Palestinian workers as a security risk, alleging some were involved in intelligence gathering for Hamas. This accusation is part of a broader narrative that the Palestinian Authority (PA) is complicit, through its “pay-for-slay” program, in incentivizing violence against Israelis.
To mitigate this risk, Barkat proposes a radical overhaul of Israel’s labor market. The plan involves transitioning from Palestinian to foreign labor, emphasizing the need for rapid action. The minister’s plan is underpinned by the belief that foreign workers present a significantly lower security threat and can effectively fill Israel’s labor needs.
Currently, Israel hosts approximately 130,000 foreign workers but needs an additional 170,000 to meet demand. Barkat’s recent discussions with India’s economy minister highlight the global nature of this labor shift, with countries like India eager to participate. This move is not just about filling low-skilled jobs; it’s about strategically aligning Israel’s workforce with its economic ambitions, pushing Israeli workers towards high-tech and skilled sectors.
Barkat dismisses concerns of collective punishment towards Palestinians, arguing that Israel is not responsible for job creation in the Palestinian territories. He stresses that the PA must foster its own economic growth and employment opportunities.
In the broader context of Israel’s economy, Barkat remains optimistic. Despite temporary setbacks due to regional conflicts, he sees a pattern of resilience and growth in Israel’s economy, particularly in the high-tech sector. The government’s billion-shekel investment in building industry clusters, following Professor Michael E. Porter’s economic model, is a testament to this optimism. This initiative aims to foster public-private partnerships, boosting Israel’s competitive edge globally.
In conclusion, Barkat’s strategy represents a significant pivot in Israel’s labor and economic policies, driven by security concerns and economic aspirations. While the move may have profound implications for Israeli-Palestinian relations, it is seen by the minister as a necessary step in ensuring Israel’s long-term security and economic prosperity.
TOP
Indians Set to Replace Palestinian Workers From Gaza/West Bank in Israeli Jobs After October 7 Massacre
DomPachino101-tweet-1April2024-Indians Set to Replace Palestinian Workers From Gaza-West Bank in Israeli Jobs
Indians Set to Replace Palestinian Workers From Gaza/West Bank in Israeli Jobs After October 7 Massacre
“Thousands of laborers are expected to work in the embattled construction sector, which relied almost exclusively on Palestinian workers before war.”
https://legalinsurrection.com/2024/04/indians-set-to-replace-palestinian-workers-from-gaza-west-bank-in-israeli-jobs-after-october-7-massacre/
DomPachino101-tweet-1April2024-Indians Set to Replace Palestinian Workers From Gaza-West Bank in Israeli Jobs
Thousands in India flock to a recruitment center for jobs in Israel despite the Israel-Hamas war
By RAJESH KUMAR SINGH and BISWAJEET BANERJEE
Updated 3:04 PM GMT+3, January 25, 2024 https://apnews.com/article/india-israel-hamas-war-recruitment-jobs-646b684c10a4384213b399fe6c221151
LUCKNOW, India (AP) — Thousands of Indians flocked to a recruitment center on Thursday for jobs that would take them to Israel despite the three-month Israeli-Hamas war that is devastating Gaza and threatening to ignite the wider Middle East.
Many among the crowd of men, mostly skilled construction workers and laborers, said they would take their chances in a country embroiled in war as they are struggling to find jobs in India, where unemployment remains high despite a swelling economy.
Anoop Singh, a college graduate and construction worker, was told he would make about $1,600 a month if he was selected to go to Israel — significantly more than the $360 to $420 he could get as a monthly wage for the same work in India.
“That’s why I have applied to go to Israel,” he said as he waited at the center in Lucknow, the capital of India’s most populous state of Uttar Pradesh, for his job interview.
The men said they had heard media reports that Israel is facing a labor shortage after barring tens of thousands of Palestinian workers following Hamas’ deadly Oct. 7 attack on Israel that triggered the war.
TOP
Israeli agriculture and the Gaza War
Imports to offset Israeli shortage of onions, tomatoes
This season’s yield of strawberries will also be lower than usual.
https://www.jns.org/imports-to-offset-israeli-shortage-of-onions-tomatoes/
(January 18, 2024 / JNS) Israel’s Ministry of Agriculture will increase imports of onions and tomatoes to offset a projected shortage through the end of March.
No shortages of peppers, carrots, potatoes or sweet potatoes are expected.
A gap in the supply of cabbage has been narrowed, and it is expected to return to normal in about two weeks.
The ministry added that this season’s yield of strawberries will be lower than usual, but the scope depends on the availability of professional workers for picking.
Israeli agriculture is facing staggering losses in production and manpower. Before Oct. 7, Israel had 29,900 foreigners, mostly Thais, working in farms, orchards, greenhouses and packing plants. Nearly all have returned to Thailand.
Farmers also employed 10,000-20,000 Palestinians, depending on the season, but they are currently denied entry into Green Line Israel.
Israeli workers who might have filled the gaps have been called up for military reserve duty.
And because of security concerns, farmers near the Gaza and Lebanese borders cannot access many of their fields and orchards.
A survey of 389 farmers conducted by the MIGAL Galilee Research Institute in November found that 89% of Israeli farmers had experienced some form of damage, and 96% expected more during the next three months. While farmers in the Gaza and northern regions have had the greatest disruption, all areas have been severely affected, and the impact is expected to continue for months to come.
Nearly three-quarters of the farmers, 72%, said they have experienced disruptions to their workforce, even in areas not near Gaza or Lebanon such as central Israel and the Jordan Valley.
Access was another problem cited by farmers, with 23% saying they couldn’t reach their fields to plant, pick crops or perform routine fertilizing or irrigation work, or damage control. Those farmers were primarily near the Gaza and Lebanese borders.
When asked to estimate their expected losses, farmers on average predicted a 35% drop in both production and revenue. But farmers in the area near the Gaza border—regarded as Israel’s breadbasket—projected on average a 70% loss of produce and 69% loss of income.
Reader’s Comments:
Zelda Torna
Many of us in Israel would rather eat more sweet potatoes and fewer tomatoes —- rather than put our lives at risk 24/7 with Palestinian workers in Israel’s Farms & Agricultural areas. Given the situation in the world today, surely there are more than enough foreign workers who will do an excellent job, and will NOT be a threat. On the contrary, it will improve relations with their home country….. because Israel treats its workers very well. Remember, it was Hamas who killed the Thai workers…..
TOP
How cutting-edge Israeli med tech is boosting survival rates of war wounded
AI reviews scans at Sheba Medical Center and sends alerts to doctors’ phones, while at Hadassah, wounded soldiers recover quickly after surgeons remove bullets with robots
By Renee Ghert-Zand
17January2014 https://www.timesofisrael.com/how-cutting-edge-israeli-med-tech-is-boosting-survival-rates-of-war-wounded/
Dr. Gal Yaniv sits next to his computer at Sheba Medical Center that shows how Aidoc platform used AI to identify potentially lethal tiny aneurysm in brain of Nova festival victim and immediately notified relevant medical staff to take action, December 28, 2023. (Renee Ghert-Zand/Times of Israel)
A 23-year-old woman was shot multiple times by Hamas terrorists from Gaza as they savagely attacked the outdoor Supernova music festival near Kibbutz Re’im on October 7. One of the bullets penetrated the woman’s left eye and lodged in the right side of her brain.
By the end of that horrific day, the terrorists had butchered 1,200 people in southern Israel, mainly civilians. An additional 240 were taken hostage to Gaza. Thousands of others, like the woman from the festival, were injured and rushed to Israeli hospitals.
Fortunately, the young woman survived.
She and other wounded civilians and soldiers have not only doctors and other medical staff to thank for saving their lives, but also new Israeli-developed medical technologies.
The death rate among wounded soldiers in the current war is 6.7 percent, which is less than half the rate during the Second Lebanon War and 2.5% less than that during Operation Protective Edge in the summer of 2014.
This can be attributed to faster evacuations from the battlefield to hospitals (an average of one hour and 6 minutes faster) and better protective equipment. However, medical advances based on new technologies developed since earlier conflicts also play a critical role in boosting the survival rate.
llustrative: Lahak-United Hatzalah medivac teams fly air rescue missions across Israel’s south on October 7, 2023. (Courtesy United Hatzalah)
Artificial intelligence streamlines patient treatment
Upon arrival at Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, the woman from the music festival underwent a variety of scans, and a bleed was detected in one of the arteries in her brain.
“I got a notification when any patient with a brain bleed came in that day,” said Dr. Gal Yaniv, head of endovascular surgery at Sheba.
That notification came not as a call from his colleagues at the hospital, but via an automatic alert to his computer and an app on his phone thanks to an artificial intelligence platform called Aidoc.
Every scan done at Sheba is pushed through a dedicated server programmed with Aidoc’s pathology-detecting technology. A radiologist will also read the scan, but Aidoc acts faster and is critically important when every lifesaving moment counts.
“Time is life. Aidoc sends the push notification to the relevant doctor wherever they are for treating the problem. When they get it, they can see the patient’s scans and begin streamlining their treatment plan and the necessary intervention immediately,” Yaniv said.
“In a mass casualty event like October 7 and the war, Aidoc is especially useful in assisting us to triage and prioritize care for patients,” Yaniv said.
“In a mass casualty event like October 7 and the war, Aidoc is especially useful in assisting us to triage and prioritize care for patients,” Yaniv said.
Yaniv is co-founder and chief medical officer at Aidoc, which provides 17 AI solutions for radiology (X-rays, computed tomography, and ultrasound). The company was established at Sheba in 2016 and has been used at the hospital since 2018. Now some 1,200 hospitals worldwide are using the platform.
Thanks to this advanced AI technology, Sheba’s neurovascular team was able to act quickly in the Supernova victim’s case. An angiogram detected a tiny aneurysm in a small distal vessel in her brain that had to be closed immediately to prevent a dangerous re-rupture, which would have likely led to death.
“Fortunately, everything was caught in time and treated properly and the young woman is now recovering from this and her other wounds in our rehabilitation center,” Yaniv said.
Using surgical robots to remove bullets and shrapnel
Prof. Leon Kaplan performs robot-guided minimally invasive spine surgery to remove a bullet from an injured IDF soldier at Hadassah Medical Center, December 2023. (Courtesy of Hadassah)
At Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem, Dr. Josh Schroeder, head of the spinal deformities surgery department, has used robots in his work for the last decade.
“Robotic spine surgery to treat scoliosis and other deformities is our bread and butter. The robot guides us in the placement of pedicle screws, for example,” Schroeder said.
While surgical robotic technology has been around a while, Schroeder, along with Prof. Leon Kaplan, and Prof. Meir Liebergall, used it in a novel way in late December to treat a soldier who had a bullet stuck in his sacrum, the large triangular bone at the base of the spine.
Leaving the bullet in the body was not an option, as it would affect the nerves going down the leg and could also lead to lead poisoning.
“The soldier was initially brought to another hospital, and they said they could only operate by opening up the body. We said we could do robotically-assisted minimally invasive surgery. It would take no more than one and a half hours instead of half a day. And the recovery would be much easier and quicker,” Schroeder said.
The Hadassah surgeons used the Mazor robotic guidance system sold by the Israeli company Medtronic. Hadassah has one such robot at each of its Jerusalem campuses. The surgery to remove the bullet from the soldier was done at the Ein Kerem hospital.
Bullet removed from injured IDF soldier by Hadassah Medical Center spine surgeons using robot-guided minimally invasive surgery, December 2023. (Courtesy of Hadassah)
The team uploaded computed tomography scans from before the surgery and two “fluoro shots” (X-rays) taken in surgery. The robot merged all this input and calculated the exact location for the surgeons to go in and extract the bullet.
“We’ve also used the robot to do minimally invasive surgery to fix fractures in soldier’s spines, remove shrapnel, and treat various injuries of October 7 victims,” Schroeder said.
“We can do this because the robot gives us the perfect trajectory for going in to fix the problem,” he said.
TOP