Likud Voters Voted Bibi But Got Benny Gantz

This is my local synagogue, locked and blocked during the corona lock-down. This is used for illustrative purposes only. BTW it may remind you that during the corona crises, Naftali Bennett has worked hard, efficiently and effectively for the health of the State of Israel.

Israel's new government, soon to sworn in, led yet again by Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu will have an outrageously large number of ministers to satisfy/tempt/pay off the politicians and parties Bibi wanted in his coalition. Chareidi party leaders were even surprised at how easy it was this time to get the assignments they wanted. In addition, Blue and White's Benny Gantz was given crucial positions which had been promised to the Right, meaning Likud or Yemina. According to reports Gantz has veto power.

Something stinks.

Yemina leaders Naftali Bennett and crew have spent the past few months working hard showing their loyalty to the bloc Bibi had been touting. But what did Yemina get from Bibi? Zilch! Nothing. The publicized offers aren't even worth mentioning, so insulting. There seems to be something "personal" in it. One can insult and malign Netanyahu as Gantz has been doing the past couple of years, and Bibi will forgive. But if someone works hard and well and is a generation younger, Bibi feels threatened so "off with his head."

Quite a few people wanted Yemina but voted Likud. What a shame. They got the other Binyamin,  Gantz instead of Netanyahu.

What Do You Think? 4th Elections or Will Bibi Gather 61+ Or Will Bibi and Gantz Make a Deal*?

*When I wrote the post below just an hour or so ago, I didn't even think there was a chance that Bibi would trust Gantz. Honestly, I wouldn't trust him. But it looks like they actually will sign some sort of agreement for an emergency/unity government.

Rather crazy here in Israel. You'd think Prime Minister Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu had enough to do trying to make the safest possible policies for the citizens and residents of the State of Israel during "corona crisis." Whether Bibi wants to or not, he's still just an "interim" Prime Minister, since he hasn't officially formed a coalition.

Benny Gantz and his Blue and White party have fallen apart. Ditto for the party Labor's Peretz had formed with Orly Levi. Naftali Bennett and what remains of the NRP seem to change with each election. But Bibi and the Likud have been pretty stable, though Gidon Saar did try to usurp the top spot. You may think that usurp isn't the correct word, but the timing was totally bad, and I lost any respect I had for Saar. I feel that his challenge was bad for the Likud at a time when loyalty was needed.

So, what do you think? Will we have to go to elections yet again, or will Bibi manage to gather enough stray MKs to present a government coalition of 61+?

Please write your vote in the comments, thanks.

Elections on Monday- Who's Bringing The Häagen-Dazs?

Too many Israelis are sick and tired of voting. I wonder how low voter turnout will be on Monday. This is our third round of elections in just under a year.

Considering the popular "line"

פעם שלישית גלידהPa'am shlishit glidaThird time ice cream

I am craving Häagen-Dazs.

And politically speaking, I'm disappointed that Gantz was smart enough to refuse Bibi's offer for a debate, sans notes, computer, earphones etc. Do you now why?

Even more than I hope that the parties on the Left get fewer votes, I really pray that Lieberman loses completely. He's the cause of this mess, because he backtracked on joining a coalition with Likud. 

Politics: Sometimes You Have to Hold Your Nose...

I had a talk with a neighbor at the makolet* last night about it**. We both felt that in the world of politics/compromise/deals, Otzma is useless. Sometimes you have to hold your nose and vote either Likud or Yamina or whatever they're calling themselves this time round.

* local supermarket
**upcoming Israeli Elections

"Politics is the art of compromise." 

This is a popular version of what Otto von Bismarck had said:

"Politics is the art of the possible, the attainable - the art of the next best."

In Israel, more than in some other countries, the meaning of this slogan is 1,000% accurate.

The Israeli Political System does not include direct voting for the Prime Minister, executive branch of government. Actually we don't vote for individuals at all. We vote for a list of potential Knesset Members, and the head (#1) of the list succeeds in crafting/negotiating a ruling majority, minimally sixty-one 61 out of the one hundred and twenty 120 MKs becomes Prime Minister.

This isn't a simple process. I guess we should be grateful that for the first seventy 70 years of statehood, we never needed a "redo" election. Now we're about to try a third time, and the polls again predict a standoff, unless elected MKs break ranks and follow Bismark's suggestion. Neither side has to luxury of uncompromising principles.

We must choose to vote for a political party that has a serious platform for the security and betterment of the State of Israel. Politics isn't supposed to be a personality game. That's why those who decided on our political system decided against direct elections for Prime Minister.

Gd willing, in our next Knesset Elections, the voting citizens of the State of Israel will choose wisely, even if it necessitates going against uncompromising idealism.

Third Try Israeli Elections, I Vote Häagen-Dazs

Here in Israel, we've recently had two national Knesset Elections with the same unsuccessful results. The Israeli political system requires a coalition government if no political party gets a majority of the one hundred and twenty Knesset seats.

In 2019, neither the Bibi-Likud Bloc nor the Anti-Bibi Blue and White Bloc succeeded in negotiating deals that would bring them to that magic sixty-one-plus, 61+. So we're scheduled for a third round of elections in a few weeks.

Most of the public is rather nauseated, sick of all these useless elections. There's a saying in Hebrew if you meet someone a second time within a short period. I've written about it before, Knesset Elections Ad Nauseum.

פעם שלישית גלידה
Pa'am shlishit glida
Third time ice cream

My guess is that the winning bloc will be the one whose supporters are less jaded and bored. Whichever side can galvanize its voters to show up and vote has the best chance to win, meaning get enough MKs to form a ruling coalition. Polls are showing Likud behind, which suits Bibi's favorite "gevalt-we're losing" campaign strategy.

Right now the small satellite parties of the Right and Left are negotiating to run to form two larger parties, one pro-Bibi and one anti-Bibi, in order not to waste votes for parties that don't pass the minimum.

Elections are scheduled for March, 2020, the Jewish Month of Adar, 5780. Adar is traditionally a month of surprises, so there's no way of predicting results or what the results will result in...

ונהפוך הוא
Vinahaphoch huAnd everything will be reversed

So, beware of pundits. Gd has something up His sleeve for sure. That's the most accurate prediction one can make.

I'm a Häagen-Dazs fan. The ice cream brand was founded by good pro-Israel Jews, Rose and Reuben Mattus, who supported Jewish Rights in all of the Land of Israel. This is diametrically opposed to Ben & Jerry's which supports Leftist causes, including endangering Israel by being pro-Palestine.

Let's have a Häagen-Dazs party! How can we go wrong with good ice cream?

Knesset Elections Ad Nauseum

I've just renamed a Facebook page/group I run "Knesset Elections Ad Nauseum." It used to be "Knesset Elections, 2019." That title worded rather efficiently even for the useless redo elections we went through later in the year, but then I had to add 2020, when Ad Nauseum seemed more suitable. Polls, which are polls not elections, keep predicting "more of the same," which makes us Israelis feel rather sick. Things are running fine, so maybe we don't need a coalition.

But the truth is, I'd like to call the upcoming elections:

"I Want Ice Cream, But Not Ben & Jerry's Elections" 

Do you know what this is based on?

I'm not sure of the source, but here in Israel, when you pass (run into) someone by chance the second time it's said:

פעם שלישית גלידה
Pa'am shlishit glida
Third time ice cream

So now, since we have elections scheduled for the third time in a year...

"you scream
I scream
we all scream for
ice cream"

But since the profits from Ben & Jerry's ice cream are used to support Extreme Leftist political causes, I'd rather starve than get theirs. I prefer Häagen-Dazs, which was established by Reuben and Rose Mattus who supported Jewish rights and communities all over. They even came to Shiloh in the early 1980s, where I met them.

Gevalt, what have I done? Now I'm craving Häagen-Dazs!

Coalition News? Haven't a Clue, But Don't Like What I Hear

Maybe by the time you read this there will be a coalition.

Benny Gantz and crew are busy trying to tack together a ruling coalition leaving out the MKs voted for by most Jewish voters in the State of Israel. Yes, please think of it like that. Blue & White doesn't want chareidim, the "ultra-Orthodox/religious Jews. He's not crazy about my crowd either.

The Blue & White leaders use the term "unity government," but they're not talking real unity. They don't want to serve with the fastest growing (reproducing) Jewish community in Israel and in the world  chareidim, the "ultra-Orthodox/religious Jews. For some strange reason they prefer Arabs to very religious Jews.

Basically, the Gantz crowd wants to go back to the days before 1977, before Menachem Begin's becoming Prime Minister. For those twenty-nine years of Leftist Labor rule, the idea that Labor would ever be in the Opposition seemed preposterous.

Remember that it was during those twenty-nine years, certainly the first decade, when Yemenite and other non-Ashkenaz new immigrant infants and children were kidnapped and given to Holocaust survivors and other infertile European Jews for adoption. It was during that time when religious new immigrant children were sent to strictly secular boarding schools for "better education."

Blue & White doesn't want unity with Jews.

On the other hand, Bibi Netanyahu has been Israel's Prime Minister for over a decade, and he failed just as I predicted before he was re-elected. Instead of being a strong leader, Bibi restricts himself to what he considers the "Center." Instead of aiming/leading forward, Bibi's focused on the Center, and it's like trying to cut a tough steak with a butter knife.

That's why Israel hasn't won a war. Our Prime Minister is a "centrist."

Likud may be out of power for a few years. Gd willing the country will survive, even though the anti-chareidi utterings of the wannabes sounds too much like the sinat chinam, baseless hatred that caused our exile over two thousand 2,000 years ago.

Gd willing, if there's a Leftist aka Liberal government, it won't last long enough to do too much damage.

Quiet on The Coalition Building Front, Good or Bad?

Israel has been in the Election and Government coalition building mode for close to a year already. We've had two national Knesset Elections, and still Bibi's steering a "temporary," lame duck government.

After the first 2019 Elections, Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu, the sitting prime minister and #1 in Likud, was entrusted with forming a ruling coalition, because he appeared to be the only party leader with a chance. He failed. And Benny Gantz, head of the Blue & White Party didn't do what the wily and experienced Bibi would have tried. Gantz didn't work behind the scenes to craft a coalition and surprise the country with it at the Knesset vote to disband and call a second 2019 Knesset Elections.

2019 Knesset Elections Redo also ended with a tie. There are basically four blocs of Knesset Members:

• Right 
• Left 
• Hareidi (ultra-religious)
• Arab

Likud leads the Right, though it prefers calling itself Center, and Blue & White leads the Left, though it prefers calling itself Center. Please don't get too confused, because they define Center differently. "Center" is one of those code words that politicians think make them popular with citizens of all stripes, like parve food in a kosher kitchen which can be served with both meat or dairy.

Center doesn't work with me. I don't vote for anyone whose ideology is "get me elected." I must know what the person plans to do for the country, their vision, red lines etc.

Simply put, the Likud can work with the Hareidi, while Blue & White campaigned to delegitimize chareidim from Israeli society and government. Blue & White promised a chareidi-free government. Their stated reason is the lack of patriotism of the chareidi public and their relatively low IDF army service. They'd like the support of the Arabs instead, but truth be told, Arabs are even less patriotic and less apt to serve in the army. Hmmm... does that make sense?

The best way for one of the big parties to make a coalition is to get deserters from the other side. Or are we going to have elections yet again?

Is Bibi the Perpetual "Lame Duck?"

Things still don't look very good for the announcement of a new ruling coalition here in Israel. It seems that both of the two largest parties, the newbie "Blue & White" and the veteran Likud have too many non-negotiable conditions to work together. And unless one of the smaller parties "breaks rank" and makes a deal with the "other side," we'll be back at the blue box in a few months. Considering that there can't be any major change in the population I don't see how results will differ from the two stalemates of 2019 or 5779, depending on the type of calendar you follow.

Apparently Blue and White cancelled their meeting with Likud. So, either they have a surprise up their sleeve, or this is some poker trick.

What do you think?

I think that most Israelis are pretty disgusted.

Israeli Elections 2019, 5779 - Not Panicking - Don't Fear Change

In the dark of the night...
The Art of Israeli Politics

At this point, Bibi, Gantz, MKs and innumerous political wheeler dealers are busy with their combo chess poker game, a marathon of hints, talks, teases, flirts, promises, deals, maybes, posturing, threats, posing, faking increasing the national market for medication to reduce blood pressure.

I've decided to take it easy. Last week I voted, and that's as far as my influence goes. Some of you may have found my blog posts or facebook posts helpful in choosing which political party to go for, at least that's what I heard, but now it's not up to us.

Who's going to be sworn in as Prime Minister? 

Honestly, I don't know. I certainly don't want Benny Gantz or any of his Blue & White party. But on the other hand I think it's healthy for a country to have periodic changes in ruling leadership.

Since the great "shockeroo" of 1977 when Likud's Menachem Begin became Prime Minister, the Likud has led the State of Israel most of the time. Some of those governments were good, and some were bad, very bad. During the times when Likud was out of power, Labor and Kadima governments were passable to dangerously awful.

It's not good for a political party to consider itself invincible and above reproach. Ditto for political leaders. Sometimes losing is good, a serious reality shock.

May Gd have mercy on His People

"Gevalt" For Sure- Lieberman Holds Israel by The Neck

Recent history here in Israel is showing Avigdor Yvette Lieberman to be a dangerous anarchist. His political machinations has brought down the government, and since then no working coalition has been formed.

For some inexplicable reason, many Israelis vote for him which has been perpetuating the political chaos. The results of yesterday's elections aren't any better than that of the previous ones. It's very dangerous for the large Arab party to be in the coalition, and Gantz's Blue and White have painted themselves in a corner by refusing to work with Likud leader Binyamin Netanyahu.

All those who voted ל for Lieberman are as guilty or even more so for strengthening and legitimizing him. Lieberman has a chokehold on Israeli democracy, on every citizen, Jew or Arab, Torah observant or totally secular. I have an easier time accepting people's vote for Leftist parties than for those who voted Lieberman.

We are in the midst of the Jewish Month of Ellul, the time for more intense Teshuva, Repentance. I pray that those who have been elected to serve us, citizens of the State of Israel, in the Knesset will find it in themselves to work together, reject hatred and dangerous vows. May they form a strong coalition for the betterment, security and sovereignty of the State of Israel.

A Different Look at "Zachor"

I had been debating on whether or not to post this on "A  Jewish Grandmother." That's not because Torah and Parshat Shavua belong more on my other blog. It's just that I wanted my Israeli Elections 2019 posts to stay on top. But my messages/commentaries about "Zachor" really belong here.

דברים כה Dvarim 25

זָכ֕וֹר אֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֥ה לְךָ֖ עֲמָלֵ֑ק בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ בְּצֵאתְכֶ֥ם מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃
Remember what Amalek did to you on your journey, after you left Egypt—
אֲשֶׁ֨ר קָֽרְךָ֜ בַּדֶּ֗רֶךְ וַיְזַנֵּ֤ב בְּךָ֙ כָּל־הַנֶּחֱשָׁלִ֣ים אַֽחַרֶ֔יךָ וְאַתָּ֖ה עָיֵ֣ף וְיָגֵ֑עַ וְלֹ֥א יָרֵ֖א אֱלֹהִֽים׃
how, undeterred by fear of God, he surprised you on the march, when you were famished and weary, and cut down all the stragglers in your rear.
וְהָיָ֡ה בְּהָנִ֣יחַ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֣יךָ ׀ לְ֠ךָ מִכָּל־אֹ֨יְבֶ֜יךָ מִסָּבִ֗יב בָּאָ֙רֶץ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יְהוָֽה־אֱ֠לֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵ֨ן לְךָ֤ נַחֲלָה֙ לְרִשְׁתָּ֔הּ תִּמְחֶה֙ אֶת־זֵ֣כֶר עֲמָלֵ֔ק מִתַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם לֹ֖א תִּשְׁכָּֽח׃ (פ)
Therefore, when the LORD your God grants you safety from all your enemies around you, in the land that the LORD your God is giving you as a hereditary portion, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!

Zachor is read to us twice a year in the synagogue. The first time is the Shabbat before Purim as preparation for  that holiday. Zachor זָכ֕וֹר means "Remember!" Haman, the totally evil anti-Jewish person in the Purim Megillah narrative is descended from Amalek, and he schemes a scheme to kill/destroy all of the Jewish People after the destruction of the First Holy Temple, when our leadership was exiled by the Persians.

A half a year later, we read Zachor זָכ֕וֹר again, since it's part of the Torah Portion Parshat Shavua that comes up a few weeks before Rosh Hashanah, just before we complete the annual Torah Reading cycle. In the Jewish Year of 5779, this year, it was this past Shabbat.

So last week, as I was preparing myself, doing homework, before attending our Senior Citizens' Women's Parshat Shavua Class, something new hit me about what's written. The standard conventional commentary about Amalek is that they make a point of attacking the weak, those who can't defend themselves. When I reread the verses for the umpteenth time, a few words suddenly stood out:

"וַיְזַנֵּ֤ב בְּךָ֙ כָּל־הַנֶּחֱשָׁלִ֣ים אַֽחַרֶ֔יךָ"
"all the stragglers in your rear"

The general principle when taking a group of people on a hike, or whatever, is to make sure the weaker participants are surrounded by the strong ones for protection and so that they won't stray, stop or get lost. In this Biblical narrative, the stronger ones were tired, so the weaker ones were unprotected, perfect fodder for Amalek, who wouldn't dare attacking anyone capable of fighting back.

Not to "blame the victims," this important Torah Lesson is to remind us, make it clear that it's a Mitzvah, Torah Commandment to protect the weaker in society. Leaving them exposed, whether on the trail or geographically, by government policy is forbidden by Torah Law.

In the early days of the State of Israel, the government used new immigrants, almost exclusively those from "Arab lands," North Africa to settle the more isolated and vulnerable locations of the new country. Newly constructed "Development Towns" weren't populated by the elite veteran European Israelis. New immigrants from Morocco, Tunisia, Iraq etc were literally dumped straight off the boat or plane, and given tents to share, until small substandard apartments could be built for them. If they requested to live in Holy Jerusalem, they were told that their new home was a nearby neighborhood of the long dreamt for city, even when hours away. And the lucky ones who did get housing in Jerusalem, were placed on the border and had to endure the dangers of Jordanian snipers. Security was also horrendous in the Development Towns and small isolated agricultural settlements where some were dumped. Besides the short-term government appointed administrators, only desperate newcomers lived in those new places.

Over half a century later, the residual resentment is still strong in many Eidot Mizrach families.

Gd willing the scars of past policies will fully heal, and today's elections will result in a wise and caring government, which is the only protection from modern Amalek.

Guide to the Politically Perplexed: Israeli Elections 2019, 5779, Redo, More Info Clarification

Bli eyin haraa, not to tempt the "evil eye," tomorrow I plan on voting in the Israeli Elections 2019, 5779, Redo.

Unlike previous elections, so far, even though the voting stations will be open in about 24 hours, I've noticed relatively few signs and potential trash. There could be a simple reason, money or lack of it. The political parties and wannabes just can't find the money they had a half a year ago for the first Israeli Elections 2019, 5779. Generally loans are taken out, or the government provides political parties with a certain amount, which will be covered if the party wins enough seats. If they don't win the required amount, then the money must be returned... somehow.

Yesterday I posted about the Israeli political system, which is rather misunderstood. Likud and Blue & White are, davka, taking advantage of people's ignorance. To simplify and repeat:

In Israel we don't vote directly for a Prime Minister. We vote for lists of potential Knesset Members. The party leader who can negotiate a ruling coalition of at least 61 Members of Knesset becomes Prime Minister of the State of Israel.

People, especially those raised abroad, ask if having districts would make it easier to form stable governments. My answer is a firm "NO."

There are two very simple reasons for this:

1. GERRYMANDERING. Gerrymandering is the "art" of drawing election districts to achieve goals in favor of, or the detriment of specific political parties. 
2. In a country like Israel, especially with gerrymandered districts and the fact that we have many established political parties, there can still be a variety of political parties and not a simple two party system.

It may help to return to the one-time "experiment" of two ballots, one for Prime Minister and the other for the Knesset. This sort of system exists in Israel in municipalities. People vote separately for the mayor and city council members.

Sometimes the mayor and his party's council members do well, so he has an easy time making a working coalition. Other times, like Moshe Lion, Mayor of Jerusalem, the winning mayor doesn't have council members from his party, and he/she must make a coalition with those who had wanted him/her to lose. A skilled politician can pull it off.

Politics is the art of compromise. People/politicians have to work together for the good of the people/country/city/state.

Whether prime minister, president, governor, mayor etc one must be fair also to those with different opinions, not just to supporters.

I'm voting Yemina, and davka one of the reasons is because the various factions now running together for the Knesset have shown that despite their "bad history," they are willing to work together. Even though many times I've said that I wouldn't vote for NRP-Jewish Home, this time I am, since they're working with politicians I support. Nobody's perfect, especially in politics. We have to vote and then pray that the winners will do the right thing for the good of the country.

Israeli Elections 2019, 5779, Redo, Caution & Clarification

Israeli politics is a team sport, like football. If you can't or won't work with others, you won't succeed. 

1. In Israel we don't vote for the Prime Minister.
2. In Israel we vote for lists of potential Members of Knesset.
3. In Israel political parties and Knesset Members must join together, compromise, work together to form coalitions. 
4. Israel is governed by COALITION GOVERNMENTS headed by a Prime Minister.

Obviously this isn't easy. Being the Prime Minister of the State of Israel isn't a simple matter of just making decisions and giving orders. Actually the army isn't good training for national politics. 

It's not enough for an Israeli political party to get the most votes to make them the ruling party. When Zippy Livni headed Kedima, it got more votes than Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu's Likud, but she couldn't gather/negotiate a ruling coalition. Bibi could and formed the government as its Prime Minister. 

And a few months ago in the first Israeli Elections 2019, 5779, Likud scraped by with the most votes, but not enough MKs were willing to join a coalition with them. 

If the polls are right, Israeli Elections 2019, 5779, #2 will have the same basic results as #1. This can go on forever, because the political parties on the Left, Center-Left, including Avigdor Lieberman's,  have centered their platform on "Anyone but Bibi" as a coalition condition. Considering that polls consistently show Netanyahu as most popular for the position, we have a problem.

Who is more suited to serve as Prime Minister?
42% Netanyahu, 28% Gantz, 15% Don’t know, 4% Shaked, 3% Lieberman, 3% Peretz, 3% Barak, 2% Lapid

see Jeremy's Knesset Insider

To be truly successful in Israeli politics, one must be willing to work together and compromise. Gd willing, enough of those elected to the Knesset will put their egos aside and do what's best for the State of Israel.

Is There a War in Northern Israel?

Yesterday, in a couple of surreal hours, there seemed to be a war going on in Northern Israel. All three channels we get from Israel were reporting it.

Then, this morning, except for the yapping of politicians, it's like nothing had ever happened. I'm confused.

Besides that, it's so hard to get excited about the upcoming elections. And the 2019 Redo Knesset Elections are very soon. Not that I take polls very seriously, but the trend seems to be another tie.

Nu, what do you think?

Bibi-Feiglin Deal, Good for...?

Let's make it clear. I was never a Moshe Feiglin fan. How many of his diehard fans will really follow him back to Likud?

If you haven't heard. Prime Minister Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu has offered Moshe Feiglin a cabinet post if he'd agree to close down his political party and not run in the upcoming elections. Since Feiglin hadn't a chance to get into the Knesset, and his funds/donors have been drying out, he took the deal.

Feiglin missed out on getting into Knesset in the elections a few months ago, and polls have been showing that he'd do worse this time. By running again, he would have wasted one or two Knesset seats. The Zehut voters will probably go to a variety of political parties, to the Likud and further Right.

On the whole, this has been a rather pathetic "election season." That's no surprise, since Israel has been in "school vacation" mode since the end of June. Sunday, September 1 schools will reopen, Gd willing, and then, since it will also be Rosh Chodesh Elul, we'll enter "before the chaggim/Holidays" mode. Elections are scheduled for before Rosh Hashanah, a time when people are shopping, cooking or planning more vacations.

"None of the above" seems to be a very popular voting choice this time around. The winning parties, don't forget that Israeli Governments are coalitions," will be the ones that manage to convince their supporters that Election Day is for voting, not vacationing. You don't have to be a top notch pundit to predict that voter turnout will be awfully low. The Redo Knesset 2019 Israeli Elections have turned more Israelis into apathetic cynics.

 Gd willing we will have a good viable, strong government when this round of voting is over.

Arab Terror Plagues Israel

Rocket attack sparks chaos at festival in southern Israel

Arab terrorists, the darlings of the pro-Palestine BDS supporters, haven't let up terrorizing Israel, innocent Israeli citizens. In the past few weeks teenagers were murdered and others seriously injured by Arab terrorists in multiple terror attacks. For over a year, Israel's south has been plagued by various genres of terror by Arab terrorists located on the Gaza Strip.

Boomerang on facebook

We can't get away from it, since, everyone's family here. It doesn't take long to find out family connections. Condition of injured terror victims is a frequent topic of conversation, even in the most peaceful locations.

The Israeli public is getting very fed up with the same tired, ineffective slogans from our government leaders and politicians.

Less than a month before elections, and I see no enthusiasm, just cynicism. Instead of seeing voting as an act of positive patriotism, I'm getting the feeling it's dreaded as much as a mammography or serious dental work sans novocaine.

We Israelis would like some serious anti-terror policies.

• Immediate execution of any Arab terrorist caught in the act, no matter how young. OK, a parent can volunteer to be executed instead of guilty child, but the child will be jailed for life.
• Shoot to kill Arab terrorists trying to enter Israel, and if they're using children as "human shields," that's their problem, not ours.
• Any foreign NGO, media, politician etc who supports the terrorists and BDS should not be allowed into Israel. Those who are here should be banished. 
• Any Israeli, Arab, Jew or whatever who supports the terrorists and BDS should be jailed in isolation, sans phone, internet etc.

Israeli security is more important than the "civil rights" of our enemies.

Israel's Right United, Right?

Israeli Politics is complicated

It seems that Shaked, Bennett, Peretz and Smotrich have done their pragmatic best to unite their political parties for the upcoming elections. And I'm even happier to see that Moshe Feiglin isn't part of the bloq.

I have no doubt that this hasn't been easy. The NRP is now headed by a political newbie who doesn't seem to have a clue, and there's bad blood between the parties. But for the good of the State of Israel they've figured out how to make a coalition of sorts and run as one party.

They haven't yet published the exact Knesset list, but I'm glad to see that Matan Kahana is included. I was very impressed by him when he spoke in Shiloh a few months ago.

I want a strong Right wing party to the Right of the Likud in the Knesset. Like a strong magnet, it should pull the Likud Rightwards.

Matan Kahana, who may be #7 on the "joint Right list"

Who's Going to Join Ayelet Shaked?

In a short well-choreographed press conference, Naftali Bennett handed over the reins of the New Right party to Ayelet Shaked. All the polls seem to show that she is much more popular than he is. And to confuse and confound the classic, and horrendously misleading and inaccurate political spectrum stereotypes, davka, this is the only political party competing in the upcoming elections led by a woman. For those who make a point to vote for women, the New Right has had the best percentage of women.

Ayelet Shaked and Naftali Bennett have invited other political parties to join them, in order not to waste votes.

At this point, I still don't know which party I'll support and vote for. I'm interested in your opinions.

There was a woman signing all the speeches, so the deaf could follow.

Israeli Elections 2019 Redo, I'm Bored & You?

I just can't get excited about the "redo" upcoming Knesset Elections.

For a "political junkie" like myself, this is an awful confession. I haven't a clue as to which party I should vote for. I don't want to "waste" my vote again, but I don't like the choices.

I'm not happy with a lot of what Bibi Netanyahu has done, but the competition is a gazillion times worse.

I can't stand those who control Mafdal, National Religious Party NRP-Jewish Home or whatever they're called now.

The thought of giving my vote to a party that has Moshe Feiglin turns my stomach.

Am I the only Israeli who feels like this? Please, tell me. Try to make me feel better.

It's Friday morning. Shabbat's tonight, and the pool should be open soon. Plus we have a busy family day today Gd willing.

It's summer, and even though I'm on a "full time vacation" now, it's the season to feel like "holiday mode."

Gd willing, it'll all work out...

Shabbat Shalom uMevorach

May You have a Blessed Shabbat

No idea what this is, just like no idea which party I'll vote for in the "redo" elections.