Cheshbon HaNefesh - Some Perspectives on Tzuk Eitan

BY YITZ of JERUSALEM
With the cessation of Operation Tzuk Eitan, there has been a lot of 'chesbon hanefesh' (soul-searching) in Israel over it. Was it successful? Did we win, lose, was it a 'draw'? While I was formulating my own attempt at these questions, I came across two pieces in the B’Sheva newspaper which really spoke to me. One is by Prof. Arieh Eldad, who deals with Netanyahu and his government; the second is by Moshe Feiglin, who deals with the military echelons. They are my own translation from the Hebrew, anyone who can handle reading the original Hebrew is urged to do so. B’Sheva can be found here.

An Empty Vessel

by Prof. Arieh Eldad: The man who promised five years ago "to topple the Hamas regime," continues to promote a Palestinian state within the '67 borders

On February 3, 2009, a few weeks after Operation Cast Lead and a week before the election, Binyamin Netanyahu arrived, as leader of the opposition, in Ashkelon. The man for whom it was so convenient to forget, and have others forget how he had voted in favor of the expulsion from Gush Katif and the abandonment of the Gaza Strip to Hamas, knew well how to rant and fiercely criticize the Kadima government, who had stopped the operation before toppling Hamas: "I want to say here and now that we will not stop the IDF. We will complete the task - we will topple the Hamas terror regime."

Only fools or cynics can always say, "Things you see from here you don't see from there." Perhaps from his seat in the opposition, Netanyahu did not know the military difficulties, or the external international pressure, which are 'revealed' to a leader as soon as he becomes Prime Minister? But Netanyahu, when he undertook this, had already been Prime Minister previously (1996-1999), and perhaps because of this deception of the Israeli public, also won it again a week later.

Netanyahu is not stupid, Heaven forbid. And therefore he must be cynical as he watches the Nationalist electorate who forgot his support for the uprooting of Gush Katif, and the Bar-Ilan speech in which he declared his support for a Palestinian state, and has forgotten how in 2012 during Operation 'Pillar of Cloud' already violated his commitment to topple Hamas and complete the task.

This public again gave him the premiership in 2013 elections, because they not realize that this Likud leader is an empty vessel. He is all posturing, and no leadership, and best of the Land of Israel faithful continue to run about the communities of Judea and Samaria and sign up residents for Netanyahu's Likud, to move the Likud rightward. They, with their own hands, gave Netanyahu added power to win the election, and placed as the leadership of Israel a hollow leader, whose weakness in the face of international pressure now leads him to execute the current plan: after recognizing Hamas by negotiating with them, and strengthening the stance of Mahmoud Abbas as a recognized intermediary (even after he formed a unity government with Hamas), Netanyahu intends to resume negotiations to establish a Palestinian state within the '67 borders, more or less. The Saudi initiative, aimed at destroying Israel, is now openly supported by Lieberman. Naftali Bennett sits in the cabinet and washes his hands by opposing a cease-fire, which was never even registered for the record. But they are all equally responsible for the failure of Tzuk Eitan, even if they run to tell the media what we should have done and didn’t.

And the public - which apparently ignores all this - is dumb, says Netanyahu to himself, and so the public will pay.

**************************

Afraid to Win

MK Moshe Feiglin, Deputy Speaker of the Knesset (Likud)

Question of the week: Is it appropriate and legitimate to criticize the defense leadership during combat?

War is a total mobilization of all national forces to achieve one single goal: victory over the enemy.

War is [by its nature] not democratic. Therefore to have a unity government (which is nothing but a cartel on the market of ideas) not during wartime is something which is fundamentally wrong. During wartime, principles such as free media and economic policies are deferred. Therefore, criticism of the military during wartime is very wrong.

Does Operation Tzuk Eitan (Mighty Cliff or Defensive Edge) meet the definition of a war? Does the word victory appear anywhere in the concepts of the General Staff? Is there even an enemy? This is clearly not so.

'Tzuk Eitan' was never defined as a war. While this was apparently for economic reasons, there is also a deeper issue here. Since the Oslo Accords, we have [only] "peace." Here and there occasional threats arise which need to be addressed, including the threats of rockets and tunnels - but a declaration of war would mean the collapse of the [entire] conception. So we don't draft all of the nation’s forces; but rather strive to maintain a semblance of normalcy: cafes remain open, and most of all, the school year must begin as usual [on time].

'Tzuk Eitan' was a 'war' that was not allowed to be won. Because victory would mean a return to Gaza. The purpose of fighting was [only] the weakening of Hamas. But Hamas fully understands that we are afraid of victory and a return to Gaza, much more than [the] withdrawal [from there]. So it's clear to them that when they stop firing, we stop too; which leaves them in complete control over the level of weakening that they allow upon themselves, in exchange for bringing Israel to its knees.

Last, but not least, in 'Tzuk Eitan' there was no enemy. There were only threats. Hamas is not an enemy, but rather a kind of intractable partner that controls Gaza for us, and occasionally needs to be restrained.

It is important to note that since Oslo, all of this distortion has become deeply embedded in the [military] High Command, which does not only carry out the political decision, but has a great influence on its direction. My own feeling is that this campaign's strange and vague aims, deeply based on the Oslo concept - were drafted by the military establishment.

In light this reality, is it still proper to refrain from criticism? On the one hand, our heroic soldiers risked their lives on the battlefield, and pain of the families of the fallen is too much to bear. On the other hand, without any criticism, the situation will only worsen and, G-d forbid, will collect additional victims.

During the fighting I found myself torn between these extremes and tried to hold onto both of them. However, once the treatment of the tunnels was over and our troops had moved out of the area, it is very important to criticize the basic principles of military conduct, in a responsible manner.

Elul, The Month of Repentance

This has been an awful summer for the Jewish People. The State of Israel has been under attack, children were kidnapped and murdered and the defensive war was stopped before we had done the job of destroying our enemies.

But our calendar, that very amazing Jewish Calendar that so accurately combines the solar and lunar cycles, keeps ticking on. It is now the month of Elul which is the month leading up to the holiest days of the year, Rosh Hashannah and Yom Kippur. In preparation, we must repent, and to do that we must reflect on everything we've done this past year, good and bad and try to make it better according to G-d's criteria. The very popular Jewish blogger, the "Bima Ima," has a wonderful way to do it, which she calls the #BlogElul .

I think it's a very good guide, especially for those of us who do not to shul daily for the Slichot Prayers. According to Jewish Law, there are mitzvot and their antonyms, sins, that affect not only our relationship with G-d but also our relationship between fellow man, other people. They can be public or private. If we sin against a person, it is just as serious, if not more so, than sinning against G-d. Repenting, apologizing and trying to undo the damage is all part of doing Teshuva, repenting. So I will begin this with the following:

I publicly apologize to anyone I may have wronged, whether willfully or unintentionally. I will do my best never to harm you again. Please forgive me.

And now, since it's the fifth day of Elul, I'll write a short reflection on the first five categories in the Bima Ima's chart.

1. Do: Starting the process of intense Teshuva is the hardest. I hope that this post will get the ball rolling for me and help others, too.
2. Act: Learning to act differently is difficult. This Month of Elul, thank G-d, I managed to work better with someone. That doesn't mean being socially friendly. It's being pragmatic. We don't have to love or like everyone, but we must know how to establish a working relationship. Acting can be superficial, but that doesn't mean that it's bad.
3. Bless: As a salesperson during the most stressful season, before school starts, I've been learning to bless the young customers which helps them and their stressed out parents leave the store feeling better.
4. Accept: Not only do I have to accept my limitations and make sure that people don't push me into going beyond, but I must accept and respect that others, too, can't do as much as I would like them to do. But accept does not mean that we must be lazy; we should still try to do more and stretch ourselves.
5. Know: The word "know," ידע from the Hebrew root of yud, dalet, eyin appears very significantly in the Bible. It's not an academic knowledge, it's more of an acceptance of G-d's power over everything. It's also a comprehension, seeing events in a multidimensional way. A leader without ידע true knowledge/comprehension/recognition of G-d makes horrendous and dangerous mistakes. We have to know and accept that it is G-d that makes the world go around. We have the Free Will to join or fight Him. It's our challenge to make the right decisions even when most difficult. I wish to bless our political leaders with this knowledge and the faith in G-d to act in the right way, do what must be done to rescue our embattled country, the State of Israel. I accept that they are weak humans, no better or stronger than me or anyone else. I am not in their position. May G-d strengthen them and forgive us all.

Please take on this challenge, too, and add or links via my comments, thanks.

Havel Havelim Not Shoftim, Judges

This week's Torah Portion is Judges, Shoftim and it deals with an orderly society. Havel Havelim is a very different Biblical concept. It's what Kohelet or King Solomon called "norishkiet." Actually, King Solomon aka Shlomo Hamelech, our third king, went against the basic precepts in this Bible Portion. He had too many horses, too many women, and Chazal, our sages say that his writing of Kohelet, Ecclesiastes is his admittance that he had spent too much time on wasteful things, Havel Havelim.

This Havel Havelim is not a waste. It's the long-running weekly international Jewish blog carnival! We keep organized/in touch via our facebook page where you can also volunterr to host. Next week's host is Adventures in AliyahLand. Please send your links with an explanatory "blurb" to  tzivia@aliyahland.com, thanks.

I'm listing the blog posts according to three basic categories, those sent to me by either the blogger or someone else, my posts and any others I've decided to include. As you will see, there's a great variety of bloggers and posts out there for your reading pleasure.

Jacob, My Aliyah 30th Anniversary Video
Esser Agaroth, U. S. State Department to Hike Renunciation Fees to US$2,350, Even with Islamic Threats, European Jews still don't Seem to Get It and Found: More Christian Missionary Crap!/נמצא: עוד חומר שטויות של מיסיונרים הנוצרים!
Elder of Zyon, The great media whitewashing of Hamas and Gaza terror groups
Tomer Devorah, Birthpangs of Mashiach? and We're Moving Into a New Phase of the Conflict and Gaza District, Palestine
ben-tzion.com, Monarchical Vacillation
Gail Winston, DAY 53
The Real Jerusalem Streets, Cease-Fire #12: Now What Next
New: English - Hebrew "School" Vocabulary Study Sheets
Some of my posts:
The Politics of Noodles aka Boycotting Turkey
As King David Said, It's Not The Modern Weapons That Give Us Victory
Quick Nosh on the Road When Tremping
Psalms in the Station, Only in Israel
Some of my favorite blogs:
#BlogElul 3: Bless
Three Essential Films About Terrorism
In War, Less is More
Three Generations
Jewish Israel Tell It to Jackie Mason: Hamas is No Laughing Matter for Some Liberal Jewish Comediennes

Just a reminder that the success of Havel Havelim depends on how you react to the posts. Please read, comment and share the posts and this edition.

You don't have to be a blogger to enjoy, share and support Havel Havelim!

Upcoming Event: T'fillat Chana at Shiloh HaKeduma, Tel Shiloh

A few of us made it on Rosh Chodesh Elul to pray together at Shiloh Hakeduma, Tel Shiloh. Local women come to pray informally, and as you can see there is shade and lots of chairs to make it comfortable to pray and say T'hillim, Psalms.

The next Rosh Chodesh, new month on the Jewish Calendar is Tishrei, and the first day of Tishrei is Rosh Hashannah, so there won't be women's prayers. Instead I recommend a wonderful event at Shiloh HaKeduma.

The annual Te'filat Chana, which is a very inspiring event for women, prayers, an unforgettable spiritual talk by Rabbanit Yemima Mizrach and musical performances by Karni Eldad and others.

It will be Wednesday, September 17, starting at  4pm with tours of Tel Shiloh. For more information, including transportation call the office 02-994-4019 or  telshilo.org.il.

The Politics of Noodles aka Boycotting Turkey

Since I work in Yafiz, Sha'ar Binyamin I've found myself doing a lot of shopping in the Rami Levy discount supermarket. We're all part of the same "complex" and business. Especially when you consider that our "public toilets" are in Rami Levy, in the back near the bread, I do go in quite frequently. And I do enjoy the good prices which Rami Levy can offer, since he has an enormous business.

One of the things I began buying there was pasta. There's always a special which cost much less than at our neighborhood store. And of course they are all kosher so I just look at the price and shape. Then a few months ago, I noticed in a comment on facebook about Turkey being Israel's enemy and the hypocrites who buy cheap Turkish noodles... Hmmm... Eeks! Gevalt, could that be me?

I don't like being a hypocrate, so the next time I went noodle shopping, I turned around the packages and looked carefully on its back through the bottom of my multifocal glasses:

Yes, those cheap noodles are from Turkey! 

Finally I found these.

I guess that most of  the  pasta on Israeli supermarket shelves, along with Rami Levy's house-brand, Hamutag, is now imported.

So the past couple of times I had to stock up on pasta, instead of looking at "price only," I peered very closely at the fine print on the back of packages. We have never been in the market for a cheap Turkish vacation, so the only economic boycott we can join is the "Pasta Boycott."  So, please join us and if necessary take along a magnifying glass when shopping.

The Subtleties of Language, Israeli Rural Southerners Didn't "Desert" their Homes, They Just "Went Out"

I'm fascinated by how people speak and especially how they manage to give such inaccurate impressions. I sell clothes, and frequently when customers ask for something nice for their young son or daughter, after showing them children's clothes I discover that they are larger in size than I am.  After over three and a half years at the job I've learned to ask a lot of questions before escorting the customer to the right department.

Many years ago I took a life coaching course and we were told how important it is to listen, not only to the words but also to what isn't being said.

Today I caught an interview on the television news with someone from a small community in Israel's south. I'm not in any position to pass judgment on anyone. I know that many of the rural residents were advised to leave their homes during the war. And I certainly understand that between the disruptions of the alarms and the actual dangers of the Arab Gazan Hamas rocket attacks, it wasn't easy for anybody to stay home for the summer.  But I still I was amused at how one woman explained it:

לא עזבנו. יצאנו.
Lo azavnu; yatzanu.
We didn't abandon [our homes;] we just went out.

I don't envy their summer and the disruptions, bombings, destruction and death all around. Every couple of weeks the government would tell them that it was over, that the tunnels going under their homes were destroyed and the ceasefire would hold.

First responders and IDF soldiers at the scene of a mortar barrage on Kibbutz Nirim in the Eshkol region. (screen capture: Channel 2) Read more: 2 killed, 4 hurt in mortar strike on southern kibbutz | The Times of Israel http://www.timesofisrael.com/1-killed-5-hurt-in-mortar-strike-on-southern-kibbutz/#ixzz3BiZNzJjO Follow us: @timesofisrael on Twitter | timesofisrael on Facebook

Even today, less than a week before the school year is supposed to begin here in Israel, it is reported that tens of thousands of Israeli children aren't living at home and don't know where they will be going to school. Nothing is very clear The local governments don't want to be held responsible for transporting kids from community to community.

People who had lived in Gush Katif during the years of frequent Arab terrorism and rocket attacks insist that very few people abandoned their homes to escape the dangers. They also remember with great bitterness the support for Disengagement from those communities now targeted by the terrorists who now use Gush Katif as a base to attack Israel. Many of those who have suffered this summer had mocked the predictions that Disengagement would just bring the terror to them.

We are now in the Jewish Month of Elul. It's time to apologize and repent...

Bibi, Bogie and Ganz, The Look of Defeat

None of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's fancy words and flawless delivery can hide the fact that he, Defense Minister Moshe (Bogie) Ya'alon and COS Benny Gantz have allowed the Gazan Arab Hamas terrorists to defeat us by  Just look at their posture and faces; body language says it all.

Jewish Press Photo Credit: Flash 90

Yes, they should be embarrassed.

The Israeli public had given them overwhelming support to defeat the Gazan Hamas Arab terrorists and take over if necessary, and instead instead, like the Biblical Judah's son Onan who refused to have a child with his brother's widow Tamar they withdrew our IDF troops too early to do the job. The Bible tells of that Onan was punished by G-d, killed, for this sin, and no doubt G-d will find a way to effectively punish these failed leaders.

Right now there isn't a Rightist party in the Knesset, but if elections were to be held now, a party like former MK's Arye Eldad and Michael Ben-Ari's Otzma li'Yisrael would do well. Bibi's support has dropped under one third of the population and even fewer feel that we won this war. Poll on IMRA:

Did Israel win?
Yes 29% No 59%
How would you term the performance of PM Netanyahu in the last week?
Good 32% Bad 59% Don't know/refuse reply 9%
Percent good by polling date:
25 August 38%
21 August 55%
5 August 63%
23 July 82% 

Israel is a very small country with a large percentage of the population army veterans or connected to veterans, so you can't con us about war and defense.

In blatant hypocrisy, Netanyahu after preaching to Obama that ISIS and Hamas are two sides of the same coin, recognized Hamas and made an agreement with them. Read Evelyn Gordon's analysis of the connection between the two, ISIS and Hamas: Spot the Differences.

It is hard to see what Israel is getting out of this ceasefire except a stronger enemy the next time Hamas begins attacking us.

“In order to preserve the lives of innocent people and prevent bloodshed, and in accordance with the Egyptian Initiative of 2014 and the Cairo 2012 memorandums of understanding, Egypt has invited the Israeli and Palestinian sides to a comprehensive and mutual ceasefire with the opening of the crossings between the Gaza Strip and Israel to allow a speedy entry of humanitarian aid and relief, reconstruction supplies and fishing permissions from six nautical miles. Indirect negotiations over other topics are to start in a month. As both sides accepted the ceasefire, it shall start at 7pm Cairo time on 26 August 2014." from official MFA statement

Am I imagining it?

Here's the Jerusalem Post summary of the agreement:

Immediate steps: 
• Hamas and the other terrorist groups in Gaza halt all rocket and mortar fire into Israel.
• Israel stops all military action, including air strikes, ground operations and targeted killings.
• The Palestinian Authority will lead coordination of the reconstruction effort in Gaza with international donors, including the European Union, Qatar, Turkey and Norway. Saudi Arabia is also likely to be a major donor, with the expectation in Jerusalem being that unlike Qatar, it will take pains to ensure that its funds will not be directed to Hamas, but rather to build up the PA.
• Israel is expected to narrow the security buffer – a no-go area for Palestinians that runs along the inside of the Gaza border – reducing it from 300 meters to 100 meters if the truce holds. The move will allow Palestinians more access to farmland close to the border.
• Israel will extend the fishing limit off Gaza’s coast from 3 miles to 6 miles, with the possibility of widening it gradually if the truce holds. Ultimately, the Palestinians want to return to a full 12-mile international allowance.
• Israel agrees to open the Erez and Kerem Shalom crossings to the supervised transfer of goods, including humanitarian aid and reconstruction equipment, into the Gaza Strip.

Palestinians in Gaza celebrate cease-fire Photo: REUTERS

Honestly, I'm not alone in feeling positively ill about it. Please don't forget that Israel is now being attacked from the north. Anyone who thinks that it's just an unrelated coincidence is crazy.

Tell It to Jackie Mason: Hamas is No Laughing Matter for Some Liberal Jewish Comediennes

Posted by JewishIsrael.com

Iconic Jewish comedian Jackie Mason wears his no-holds-barred politically conservative opinions on his sleeve. Last week he penned an opinion piece in the  Jerusalem Post which, true to Mason's style, praised Republican evangelicals for their pro-Israel stand, while trashing what he termed the insanity of liberal Jews.

But there is something significant in the air that has not been detected by conservative Jewish leaders. It seems that the relentless rocket attacks and abominable acts by Hamas have set off a surprising firestorm of protest and activity on behalf of Israel by a number of notable liberal Jews - from Hollywood no less. And a number of those personalities are at the zenith of their careers and have gone out on a limb in voicing support for the Jewish State at this particular time.

What started off as a very public pro-Israel rant by iconic comedienne Joan Rivers, at the onset of Operation Protective Edge, has grown into a full-fledged movement coined "the Creative Community for Peace". And it's no joke, as headlines are proclaiming, "More Than 190 Hollywood Notables Sign Pro-Israel Statement Criticizing Hamas".

It will be a missed opportunity if diehard Jewish conservatives do not take note of a possible awakening, and take time out from the tea party and their twisted affair with evangelicals in order to embrace a moment of commonality with their own people.

JewishIsrael takes a look at what seems to be a growing pro-Israel movement among liberals, and some of the names involved will shock you....more

Faux Peace and Deceptive Euphemisms Won't Stop a Real War

We're being suckered again! This latest ad nauseum ceasefire will not lead to true peace or a safer Israel. Aspirin is useless against cancer, too.

HAMAS SPOKESMAN Fawzi Barhoum is carried by Gazans as they celebrate what they called a victory over Israel during the cease-fire in Gaza City yesterday. Photo: REUTERS

There is absolutely nothing in this latest ceasefire and proposed deal that is good for Israel.

The following statement by Secretary of State John Kerry has NOTHING CLOSE TO THE EU call. 
Mr. Kerry talks of reconstruction but “peace and security, without terrorist attacks, without rockets, without tunnels” is relegated to “the next phase”…”future of the region”…”long term solution for Gaza”.  (IMRA's Dr. Aaron Lerner, Israel Behind the News)We strongly support today’s cease-fire agreement, and call on all parties to fully and completely comply with its terms. We hope very much that this cease-fire will prove to be durable and sustainable, that it will put an end to rocket and mortar attacks, and that it will help to bring about an enduring end to the conflict in Gaza. 
As soon as calm is restored, the delivery of urgently needed humanitarian assistance to the people in Gaza must be accelerated, and the United States and the international community are fully committed to supporting this effort. We are also prepared to work with our international partners on a major reconstruction initiative, with appropriate measures in place to ensure that this is for the benefit of the civilian population in Gaza, not Hamas and other terrorist organizations. We look forward to coordinating closely with President Abbas and the Palestinian Authority on these critical efforts... (U.S. Press statement)

There is absolutely nothing for Israel's security in this American document. The opening paragraph states the U.S.'s priorities and understanding of what has been happening all summer. The fact that this Arab Hamas anti-Israel terror campaign of rocket and mortar attacks which have killed Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers is called "the conflict in Gaza" makes it super clear that according to Obama and Kerry, we Israelis are at fault. For that alone, Israel should have ripped the papers and walked out.

I'm far from the front-lines or targeted areas here in Shiloh, but I know that with every "ceasefire" the terrorists improve their deadly weaponry and targeting accuracy and distance. One doesn't need to be a top general or security expert to understand that the Hamas Arab terrorists based in Gaza and fully supported by their Fatah allies in Ramalla are out to destroy, decimate the State of Israel and murder all of us Israeli Jews and any Arab they think has supported us. Making any sort of "deal" with them is only going to endanger Israel even more.

Yesterday, as Shiloh's Chief Rabbi Elchanan Bin-Nun finished his talk he left us with what he considers to be an important message. The misreading of the pre-Yom Kippur 1973 situation and our lack of preparedness caused many Israelis to lose faith in the government. That was forty-one years ago, and the process has continued. I think that this summer's war, which hasn't yet ended, is continuing and spread that lack of trust in government decisions and policies.

Many people have pointed out that, davka, the populations now being targeted by Hamas are those that had supported Disengagement most strongly and had jeered those of us who were protesting it. The big question is whether they are willing to admit their terrible mistake, apologize, repent and now change their politics.  G-d willing...

As King David Said, It's Not The Modern Weapons That Give Us Victory

Not only the Bible is full of miraculous victories, but the State of Israel experienced them, too.

Today, I attended the community's "senior citizens" activity. Since I work part-time, I go only when I'm asked to translate. My neighbors don't mind that I editorialize in my translations. They insist that it is actually helpful. I've gotten to know an awful lot of wonderful things about my neighbors by attending these events. Today's program featured our rabbi, HaRav Elchanan Ben-Nun, who told us about his army experiences during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Rav Elchanan was already married and a father at the time of the war and is mentioned in the popular book  Adjusting Sights by Chaim Sabato.

Our "seniors" group ranges in age from around fifty to ninety and come from the USA, Scotland, the FSU, Canada, New Zealand and Israel. Events featuring speakers have two translators, one for English and one for Russian.

Even though I was in Israel during the Yom Kippur War and I've known Rav Elchanan for thirty-three years, I had never heard his story. First I was surprised that in Kibbutz Ein Tzurim, where they were that Yom Kippur, they didn't hear the siren we heard in Jerusalem. And although in other parts of the country, soldiers were called up during the fast and buses were gathering in central locations, they hadn't a clue that war had broken out.  They did hear as soon as Yom Kippur ended and he had to quickly prepare to fight.

What amazed and shocked us the most was his description of the total lack of preparedness in the IDF. Those responsible for the  reservists hand nothing ready. There was no master-list of tank crews and officers. There was total anarchy in handing out necessary equipment and certainly nobody signed for what they took. In many cases, although tank crews are supposed to work like well-oiled machinery, the crews were put together at the very last minute and could have been strangers.

"The Bloody Valley of Tears Battle - Flickr - Israel Defense Forces" by Israel Defense Forces from Israel - The Bloody Valley of Tears Battle. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Bloody_Valley_of_Tears_Battle_-_Flickr_-_Israel_Defense_Forces.jpg#mediaviewer/File:The_Bloody_Valley_of_Tears_Battle_-_Flickr_-_Israel_Defense_Forces.jpg

Instead of the tanks being transported,they were driven to the front-lines, and some didn't make it. Once they made it to the northern base and sent to the front, they were seriously outnumbered by the Syrians. Our soldiers fought, kept going forward even when darkness and dust made vision impossible. Our victory was totally miraculous. The Syrians were massive, well-equipped and well-trained. But, just like in the 1967 Six Days War, G-d was on our side, and we won.

Remember, please, that this story was told to us while the State of Israel has been totally rudderless during a summer of war of constant terror is rockets being launched at a large portion of the country . Now we do have equipment and well-trained troops, but unlike unlike 1973, our commanders keep begging the enemy for ceasefires, any excuse not to fight.

In 1973 we understood that our enemies were out to destroy us.  Why is it so difficult for the government to understand that these are the same enemies but with different labels?

With Every Ceasefire, Bibi Loses Support

There's an excellent advertising campaign by the Golan Telecom company:

"Stop being a Sucker"
Maspik lihiyot friyer"

They offer a much better deal, in terms of price and service than most every other cellphone service, and more and more people, including me and my husband have joined up and left the big veteran companies like Pelephone, Cellcom and Orange.

I look at the Likud and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu as those old cellphone service companies. Just like they once seemed so important and crucial to getting the job done, now it looks like we Israelis have been suckered.

Early in this war the Israeli public was pretty much 100% behind Bibi. That's when it looked like he was going to send in the troops and destroy the Hamas Arab terror infrastructure in Gaza. I still get all choked up when I quote the mother of a wounded IDF soldier who when asked what message to send to her other son who was fighting in Gaza.

Finish the job!
Sayyem et a missima

!סיים את המסימה!

At that time, polls gave Netanyahu 82%; now he is down to 39%.  Hat tip IMRA:

Panels Poll: Netanyahu rating today 38% Good, down from 82% on 23 July
Dr. Aaron Lerner 25 August 2014
Internet based polling of Panels Politics for Israel Television Channel 2 carried out today and broadcast on the evening news.
How would you term the performance of PM Netanyahu in the last week?
Good 38%
Bad 50%
Don't know/refuse reply 12%
Percent good by polling date:
21 August 55%
5 August 63%
23 July 82%
How do you rate the Government's handling of the residents of the South?
Good 24%
Bad 68%
Should the schools open?
Entire country 18%
Not in South 63%
Not to open anywhere 15% 

G-d willing, next elections the Israeli voting public will vote using the knowledge it has picked up these last few weeks. Instead of voting Likud, headed by Binyamin Netanyahu who has campaigned as a Centrist or NRP aka Jewish Home, headed by Naftali Bennett whose campaign promise was that he would be a member of Bibi's cabinet, Israelis should vote for the unabashedly Jewish Right, like Otzma l'Yisrael, Power to Israel which in the last elections was headed by Aryeh Eldad and Michael Ben-Ari.

We've been suckers long enough.

• It's time to have a government that cares more for the Jewish State of Israel than anything else! 
• It's time to have a government that doesn't take orders from foreign leaders!
• And it's time to have a government that isn't afraid to fight our enemies!

Chodesh, Elul Begins on the Last Day of Av

The Jewish Month of Av is considered the saddest in the Jewish Calendar. It's the black midnight to Elul's hopeful dawn.

Today is the last day of Av and tomorrow the first of Elul, a full month before Rosh Hashannah. Both are Rosh Chodesh with the extra prayers, Hallel and all.

Tomorrow G-d willing will be the women's prayers at Shiloh HaKeduma, Tel Shiloh.

Women's Prayers at Shiloh Hakeduma, Tel Shiloh Rosh Chodesh Ellul
Wednesday August 27, 2014
1st of Ellul 5774, 8:30am
Tour of Tel Shiloh & Dvar Torah, Short Torah Lesson
Please come and invite family, friends and neighbors

תפילת נשים ראש חודש אלול בשילה הקדומה, תל שילה
יום ד' 27-8 א' אלול תשע"ד 8:30
יהיה דבר תורה קצר וסיור בתל
 כדאי לבוא ולהזמין חברות, משפחה ושכנות

Mark your calendar, and join us. For more information, please contact me, thanks.

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Day 49, A Different "Shavuot"

According to my friend Miriam's facebook update, this is the 49th day of this unending war with the Gazan Arab Hamas terrorists. Miriam lives in southern Israel and keeps people updated about real life there in her blog, Miriam's Words.

The number forty-nine when describing days has a lot of significance in Judaism. One of the three main, pilgrimage, holidays is Shavuot, שבועותת meaning weeks, more specifically seven weeks, and 7X7=49. Yes, it takes place forty-nine days after the beginning of the Passover Holiday. On Passover historically we escaped slavery in Egypt, and on Shavuot we received the Torah from G-d.

Grandparents at funeral of 4 year old
Daniel Turgeman, HaYa"D Flash90

That forty-nine day period has a beginning, middle and end, but this forty-nine does not seem to signify anything other than Israel's being attacked by Amalek enemies who have tasted blood and want more. As I've said many times, there's not way for us to negotiate a peace with psychopaths who aim to destroy us, so I'm not surprised that our appeasing words are just being met with more deadly rocket attacks.

Rocket fire on Ashdod, Facebook

The Israeli Government must change its mindset, its basic policy and officially recognize that the "two state solution" is off the books. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu himself must apologize to all of us for having supported it. It must be officially announced that it was a mistake, and that the State of Israel considers all supporters to be our enemies.

As Ruthie Blum put so well in her recent Israel Hayom article, we must stop censoring and cleaning up the news reports and pictures of Arab brutality.

...However, it is precisely the chilling depiction of the slaughter that provides the world ‎with a glimpse into the nature of the Islamic State group (ISIS), the Sunni terrorist organization that is trying to ‎take over Syria and Iraq, before turning the entire region (and then the world) into an ‎Islamic caliphate.‎Not that the group has been hiding its blood lust. On the contrary, it is proud of its ‎brutality and pedophilia. And tales of its raping, maiming and killing of Christians are ‎being told, albeit with far less gusto than the media reserves for Israeli air strikes in Gaza.‎.....But it wasn't until President Barack Obama watched the footage of Foley's murder, in ‎the video titled "Message to America," that the ostensible leader of the Free World was ‎forced to face what the West is up against......Publishing gruesome pictures was deemed by a majority of the editors to be out of the ‎question for a number of reasons, chief among them the dignity of the dead and the ‎privacy of their families. After all, who can bear seeing a child's bloody backpack on the ‎ground -- with its owner's name in plain sight -- next to an arm or a leg of someone else? ‎......The Palestinian press had a different approach. Any retaliatory action on Israel's part was ‎met with a media blitz of blood and gore for the world to see. Then, as today, many of ‎their photos were staged, stolen from previous wars in other countries and touched up for ‎both local and foreign consumption. ‎Then, as today, it has the desired effect. Israel looks like a vicious Goliath trampling a ‎helpless David...

We have been making this mistake of whitewashing Arab brutality for decades. This also happened during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, when the reports of what the Syrians did to our captured soldiers was censored from the news, so as not to upset their parents and grandparents.

So while the Arabs show over-dramatic graphic, bloody scenes reminiscent of black and white silent film but in bloody color, Israel shows the world some damaged middle-class livingroom furniture and keeps repeating the mantra that "the rocket fell in an empty field," "no serious damage."

Here we are at day 49, and the Israeli government is trying to reassure the public that next week school with start "on time." Yes, that may be very possible in places like Jerusalem and Shiloh, but how can those in Ashkelon, Ashdod, Netivot and the rest of Israel's south send their kids to school? Many are on extended "vacations" far from home, and others are barely leaving the fifteen second run to a shelter. When I was in elementary school and we were trained to hide under a desk from an atomic bomb, it was humorous, but since the chance of our being bombed was less than zero, it didn't matter. The children in the south of Israel are under a real danger. Some schools and preschools have already been damaged by Gazan Hamas terrorist rockets, so those need shelters not desks to protect them.

The so-called moderate Abu Mazen aka Mahmoud Abbas is threatening Israel with a "surprise" tactic.

Palestinian Authority Chairman Abu Mazen assured that in the coming week, there will be a new solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. He claims that it is a diplomatic and political solution but not a traditional one. He is afraid the Americans won’t respond to the proposal.

We mustn't forget that Abbas has been a public political ally of Hamas even before this war/operation all started.

Sorry, but I can't end this on a positive note. This 49 isn't an end, a spiritual high-note. We seem to be in a long process which will take a very high level of leadership to end. The State of Israel needs strong Jewish leadership with faith in G-d Almighty, HaKodesh Baruch Hu. G-d willing they will rise to the challenge.

Israel's "Big Squeeze," Now being Attacked from Both North and South

Anti-Israel Arab terrorists based in Syria shot five missiles/rockets or let's just call them potentially deadly weapons at Israel last night.

Five rockets fired from Syria explode near communities in the Golan Heights. No injuries but a power outage was reported in the area.

I checked international news sites like Reuters and Associated Press, but it wasn't mentioned. If you're counting on getting your news from there, and most newspapers are only secondary news sources getting their primary news from those news sites, you wouldn't know about those attacks on Israel. All they bothered featuring were Israel's retaliatory attacks on Gaza. Balanced coverage?

"Mah pitome, why do something new?"

stiff upper lip

There's no "balance" proportionality when it comes to how people see Israel. We're expected to turn the other cheek, keep that stiff upper lip, those mantras of the goyim that they don't uphold.

I've been in Israel since 1970, so my first gut reaction when hearing that we've been attacked from the north, is 1973 Yom Kippur War when Syria and Egypt coordinated their surprise attacks on us and almost defeated the State of Israel.

Israel was caught totally flatfooted, but luckily it was on the holiest day of the year, when we were praying and fasting. G-d pitched in and after many of our soldiers were killed, we defeated those two enemy armies, the Syrians and the Egyptians. The most serious complication, which almost caused our defeat was that the Israeli Government, unlike in the 1967 Six Days War which was fought without any foreign "advice," this time we kept up consultations with the Americans who were in cahoots with Egypt. The American aim was to make us totally dependent, a protectorate of theirs. They had planned for a stalemate, not an Israeli victory.

This week's Parshat Shavua, Torah Portion of the week actually deals with the question of how we can achieve peace. Re'eh, Behold, Deuteronomy Chapter 11 דְּבָרִים...

כו  רְאֵה, אָנֹכִי נֹתֵן לִפְנֵיכֶם--הַיּוֹם:  בְּרָכָה, וּקְלָלָה.	26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse:
כז  אֶת-הַבְּרָכָה--אֲשֶׁר תִּשְׁמְעוּ, אֶל-מִצְו‍ֹת יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם, הַיּוֹם.	27 the blessing, if ye shall hearken unto the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day;
כח  וְהַקְּלָלָה, אִם-לֹא תִשְׁמְעוּ אֶל-מִצְו‍ֹת יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, וְסַרְתֶּם מִן-הַדֶּרֶךְ, אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם הַיּוֹם:  לָלֶכֶת, אַחֲרֵי אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים--אֲשֶׁר לֹא-יְדַעְתֶּם.  {ס}	28 and the curse, if ye shall not hearken unto the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known. {S}

We have only one G-d, one Protector. He is our only ally. If we fight like we should and obey G-d's commandments we will defeat the Arab terrorists. If we don't obey G-d, He will just allow them to squeeze us harder.

Shavua Tov, May this be a Wonderful Blessed Week

Embarrassing Confession

I really am embarrassed to admit this, but I think I must. What is this secret I must confess? OK, here goes:

In all honesty I must confess that living in Shiloh, the eastern Shomron/Samaria, it's hard for me to remember that there's a war going on here in Israel. It's hard to remember. I have to keep reminding myself that my friends, fellow Israelis to the southwest are suffering terribly from Arab Hamas terror attacks from Gaza.

Israelis of all ages are forced to run for their lives as soon as an alarm goes off, and they have only seconds to reach shelter.

And sometimes there's no time, such as when mortars are launched against them us. Those terrible terror weapons have killed innocent Jews including a four year old boy.

4-Year-Old Mortar Victim Identified
Boy who was killed from Gaza mortar identified as Daniel Tragerman. Sources say mortar was fired from UNRWA school.

We don't hear the alarms here in Shiloh with any frequency, and it's easy to say that there's nothing to be concerned about on the two occasions there were alarms. At work in Sha'ar Binyamin when there was an alarm, the customers barely looked up long enough to say:

"We ought to just destroy them."

And then they continued to shop. Someone else said:

"Let's just send in Putin. He'd finish them off in a couple of days or less. And he wouldn't apologize to anyone."

Neither of my sons has been called to fight in Gaza.

It's very much "business as usual" in this part of Israel, though we in Shiloh have two local boys who had been wounded. The story of one from my street is here, click.

Our local swimming pool is giving free entrance to southerners who have come to the Shiloh area to escape the war.

I watch news reports on television, and read news on the computer. But none of that compares to mortars exploding nearby or having 15 seconds to run to safety.











I watch these movies, and not only do I wonder how I'd run to shelter quickly enough, but I wonder what shelter I'd have to run to. We don't have a shelter in the house. There isn't a wall without a window, without glass.

The truth is that it's much too easy to pretend that there isn't a war going on.

• I can much too easily "forget" that our IDF soldiers are trying the impossible, to safely destroy the Arab Gazan terror infrastructure. 
• I can much too easily "forget" that many Israelis are woken by emergency alarms and have to run for shelter. 
• I can much too easily "forget" that while here parents are getting their children ready for the school year, happily buying books and clothes, other Israeli parents are wondering if school will open at all.
• I can much too easily "forget" that many Israelis may find themselves homeless, because they can't live anymore under the threat of bombs and rockets.
• I can much too easily "forget" that some children don't know which school they will attend next year, because there aren't sufficient shelters in their schools and the terrorists are targeting their areas.

I feel awful writing this.  But I must say that my blogging about the war and the dangers actually helps me to remember what is happening to my friends and fellow Israelis in the south.

We must remember that we are all in this together, because the Arab terrorists want to kill us all, G-d forbid.

ISIS, Hamas and Israel: Putting it All in Context

Caroline Glick's latest article is an excellent overview for those or pretty much everyone who is losing track of the players here in the Middle East. Actually, I touched on some of this last night when I wrote about Obama's hypocrisy bombing to destroy/punish ISIS while he insists that Israel negotiate with Hamas.

Dumb Question: Why Hasn't Obama Sent Kerry to Negotiate With ISIS?

It's part of my "dumb question" series aka "the king is in his altogether." I'm a grandmother of the generation that laundered cloth diapers, so you can't fool me with euphemisms and costumes.

According to Glick:

Hamas’s war with Israel is not a stand-alone event. It is happening in the context of the vast changes that are casting asunder old patterns of behavior and strategic understandings as actors in the region begin to reassess the threats they face.

Hamas was once funded by Saudi Arabia and enabled by Egypt. Now the regimes of these countries view it as part of a larger axis of Sunni jihad that threatens not only Israel, but them.

The Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, and its state sponsors Qatar and Turkey, are the key members of this alliance structure. Without their support Hamas would have gone down with the Muslim Brotherhood regime in Egypt last summer. As it stands, all view Hamas’s war with Israel as a means of reinstating the Brotherhood to power in that country.

To achieve a Hamas victory, Turkey, Qatar and the Muslim Brotherhood are using Western support for Hamas against Israel. If the US and the EU are able to coerce Egypt and Israel to open their borders with Gaza, then the Western powers will hand the jihadist axis a strategic victory.

The implications of such a victory would be dire.

Hamas is ideologically indistinguishable from Islamic State. Like Islamic State, Hamas has developed mass slaughter and psychological terrorization as the primary tools in its military doctrine. If the US and the EU force Israel and Egypt to open Gaza’s borders, they will enable Hamas to achieve strategic and political stability in Gaza. As a consequence, a post-war Gaza will quickly become a local version of Islamic State-controlled Mosul. continue...

Today, and not for the first time, Dry Bones got it on target:

Stop Israel

According to the Times of Israel:
The horrifying beheading by ISIS is spreading to include soldiers, children, and more and more innocent victims.

"The Jihadist group Islamic State on Tuesday claimed to have executed American journalist James Foley in revenge for US air strikes against its fighters in Iraq" -more

One thing for sure is that Israel is very alone. And the Israeli public is getting more and more frustrated trusting Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu less and less. IMRA published a poll which shows how Bibi is losing support. Earlier in the summer when it looked like Netanyahu would lead the IDF to victory against Hamas Arab Gazan terrorists he had overwhelming support, but after stopping the defensive attack and threatening popular ministers with sacking, his support ratings have plummeted.

Panels Poll: Netanyahu rating today 55% Good down from 82% on 23 July
Dr. Aaron Lerner 21 August 2014
Internet based polling of Panels Politics for Israel Television Channel 2
carried out today (after successful targeted killing of key Hamas military
leaders announced) and broadcast on the evening news.
How would you term the performance of PM Netanyahu in the last week?
Good 55% Bad 33% Don't know/refuse reply 12%
Percent good by polling date:
Today 55%
5 August 63%
23 July 82%
What do you think of Netanyahu's criticism yesterday of cabinet members?
Justified 56% Not justified 19% Don't know/refuse reply 2%
Should Netanyahu fire the ministers Naftali Bennett and Avigdor Liberman?
Bennett 2% Liberman 5% Both 17% Neither 51% No position 24%

When a large part of the State of Israel has been finding itself running to shelters day and night, he can't expect the country to fall for his empty words.

May our government leaders obey G-d's wisdom and destroy the Hamas Gazan Arab terrorists.

Shabbat Shalom u'MevorachMay you have a peaceful and blessed Shabbat

Dumb Question: Why Hasn't Obama Sent Kerry to Negotiate With ISIS?

Hamas has done much worse things to Israel and Israelis, and United States President Barack Hussein Obama keeps encouraging Israel to negotiate with them. So I really don't understand why Obama isn't using the same tactics in response to ISIS.

Instead of negotiating Obama is using violence and very strong words:

Barack Obama urged allies in the Middle East to join together in routing the "cancer" of Islamic State (Isis) a day after the jihadists released a video of the beheading of a US journalist.
As David Cameron acknowledged that the Isis fighter guilty of the "barbaric and brutal" murder of James Foley appeared to be a British citizen, Obama pledged on Wednesday a relentless response to "cowardly acts of violence".
Shortly after Obama spoke, US central command confirmed 14 new air strikes against Isis near the Mosul Dam, which the Pentagon and Iraqi forces said on Tuesday was no longer under Isis control. US officials later revealed that American special forces had attempted to rescue Foley and other hostages held by Isis in a recent raid inside Syria. The operation was unsuccessful: no hostages were found at the location targeted by the US team.

Maybe I'm just stupid. It could be, but I've been around a long time, yes, even longer than the American President, and while ISIS is a dangerous, violent group of terrorists the United States is not their primary priority right now. And we all know that the United States is a humongous country and can easily survive. This can't be said about Israel and Hamas.

Obama after making his speech. STEVEN SENNE/AP

James Foley in Aleppo,
Syria, in July 2012.
Photograph: Nicole Tung/AP

I'm a CPA's daughter, and I always check out the bottom line, because that is the big picture, the final price. Let's put things very simply:

• Obama sent in commandos to attempt to rescue James Foley, but they failed. 
• Obama wouldn't negotiate ransom.
• Obama is repulsed by ISIS's beheading of Foley. 
• In response Obama bombs them:

The Americans unleashed a new round of air strikes Wednesday against ISIS, with the 14 attacks bringing the total to 84 since Aug 8. NY Daily News

Israel's security and very existance is endangered by the Hamas Arab terrorists who have made it unabashedly clear that their aim is to destroy the State of Israel and take over. The IDF has been trying to clear/destroy terrorist tunnels which reach into Israel and also to destroy the terroist staronghold in Gaza. In response, the United States President Barack Hussein Obama:

• pressures us to make some sort of mediated deal with the terrorists.
• condemns us for bombing Gaza and hurting the human shield civilians.

Something stinks. Simply put:

"What's good for the goose should be good for the gander."

Either Obama should stop bombing and negotiate. Or he should just leave the State of Israel alone and let us do what we have to do to our sworn enemies!

Unpleasant Truths for Jews and Israelis

Original Title, written before this blog post ran away with itself:

Arab Gazan Human Shield Policy Worse Than Japanese Kamikaze Attacks

I wonder how seriously the world takes the Gazan Hamas Arab terrorist Human Shield policy.

In a logical, rational world it would be a very clear widely heeded call to good people all over that the Gazan Hamas Arab terrorists are the worst of the world's most immoral, uncaring and violent ever.

In a logical, rational world those Arab terrorists ruling Gaza would be the world's outcasts, the pariahs and Israel would be the darling of the good, moral and purportedly peace-loving international bodies.

But unfortunately we don't live in a logical, rational world. The real world is dominated by an undercurrent of Jew-hating antisemitism. Too bad that most Jews and Israelis are too good-hearted and naive to accept this unpleasant painful truth. Too many Jews and Israelis have substituted "international public opinion" for G-d Almighty, and they constantly strive to please the world instead of pleasing and placating G-d.

Next week begins the Jewish Month of Elul, the month before Rosh Hashannah and Yom Kippur. Our sages teach us that G-d is always ready to receive our תשובה Teshuva, Repentance. If we are truly sincere and show that we won't make the same mistakes, sin, again, then G-d will forgive us, because G-d loves us as a parent loves a child. Only G-d loves us this way, and only G-d can save us from our enemies.

Unfortunately, and tragically, Jewish and Israeli leaders along with ordinary Jews devote those energies which should be directed towards G-d to attempting to placate "the world."  The world won't save us. The world would be perfectly happy and satisfied to dedicate impressive memorial and museums to a history of an "extinct," G-d forbid, Jewish People.

If you think that Obama or the UN can really save or protect us, you're barking up the wrong tree, and you may not survive.

What I write is the truth, an unpleasant truth for too many.

May we obey the True G-d and ignore the world. And may our political leaders lead us in the right direction, G-d willing.

ISIS for Dummies

I'm not quite sure when the ISIS hit the headlines, but suddenly I kept finding people referring to it, and I wasn't quite sure what ISIS is. Call me a dummy!

Lihavdil, to differentiate, it seemed like the rise of canola oil, an oil I never went for. In Israel there's the soy oil, which is the standard, like the old American innocuous "vegetable oil." I can see how Americans would go for an oil that has a specific sounding name, rather than the stuff squeezed out of reject vegetables and whatever. Sudenly "everyone" was buying canola but me.

Now for the past few weeks, starting sometime around this recent war, I began seeing frightening references to this ISIS, and this morning I decided that the time has come to find out what everyone is so scared of.

Here's a bit of what professor wiki has to say:

The Islamic State (IS)^[4][6][45] (Arabic: الدولة الإسلامية‎ ad-Dawlah al-ʾIslāmiyyah), formerly known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and theIslamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS /ˈaɪsɪs/),^[a] is a jihadist group, widely regarded as a terrorist organisation. In its self-proclaimed status as acaliphate, it claims religious authority over all Muslims across the world^[46] and aspires to bring much of the Muslim-inhabited regions of the world under its direct political control,^[47] beginning with territory in the Levant region, which includes Jordan, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Cyprus, and an area in southernTurkey that includes Hatay.^[48][49] The group has been officially designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia,^{[50][51][52][53][54][55]} and has been described as a terrorist group by the United Nations^[56] and Western and Middle Eastern media sources.^{[57][58][59][60][61]}The group, in its original form, was composed of and supported by a variety of Sunni Arab terrorist insurgent groups, including its predecessor organizations, Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) (2003–2006), Mujahideen Shura Council (2006–2006) and the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) (2006–2013), other insurgent groups such asJeish al-Taiifa al-Mansoura, Jaysh al-Fatiheen, Jund al-Sahaba and Katbiyan Ansar Al-Tawhid wal Sunnah, and a number of Iraqi tribes that profess Sunni Islam...

As of 16 August 2014

     Areas controlled by the Islamic State     Areas claimed by the Islamic State

     Rest of Iraq and Syria

As I read it, I pictured a modern terrorizing version of the Moors, old-time Muslims who invaded Europe via the Iberian Peninsula.

The Moors invaded the Iberian Peninsula in 711 and called the territory Al-Andalus, an area which at different times comprised Gibraltar, most of Spain and Portugal, and parts of Southern France. There was also a Moorish presence in what is nowSouthern Italy, primarily in Sicily. They occupied Mazara on Sicily in 827^[1] and in 1224 were expelled to the settlement of Lucera, which was destroyed in 1300. The religious difference of the Moorish Muslims led to a centuries-long conflict with theChristian kingdoms of Europe called the Reconquista. The Fall of Granada in 1492 saw the end of the Muslim rule in Iberia. (Wikipedia)

As I remember from my old History lessons, this was an attempt by Muslims to takeover the world. From "History of Spain:"

Possibly encouraged to invade Spain in the first place by Hispano-Romans unhappy with the Vigigoths, the Moors came and stayed for around 700 years, leaving a definite imprint on the country, particularly Andalucia. 
The Moors came from north Africa, Muslims,a mixture of Arab and Berbers (the latter from the mountains of Morocco - tribes with their own language that few Arabs would understand). The name "Moors" comes from the name Mauretania, which at the time referred to the part of north Africa roughly now represented by Algeria and Morocco. This was a huge change for Spain - a new language, religion, culture and a new name, for the part of the country under Moorish control was known as Al Andalus. 

The Moors had a vicious way of dealing with enemies and made sure that people knew about it. As a result there was little resistance at first and they took over Toledo, the capital, within a year. Within a few years, they controlled most of Spain (excluding Asturias). Although the Moors fought in Asturias, the remaining fighting locals took to the hills and were left alone. 

We live in very dangerous times. Nothing much is new. Today's Muslims are taking over Europe. Just look at the birth statistics there.

Nowadays, they are using brute force in the Middle East and creeping internal annexation in other parts of the world.

Should we be worried? Of course! Everyone in the world should be worried, because the larger they get the more impossible it will be to contain them.