War Musings #72: Was Mao Right About the USA Being A "Paper Tiger?"

Honestly, I'm not surprised and definitely not happy. News is that Trump is trying to "negotiate a deal." I was planning on blogging about US President Trump and Israel's Prime Minister Bibi as too weak to win, especially because they think it's enough to bomb Iran. Also, or especially since Trump keeps promising the Americans "no boots on the ground." I really wonder why the American have and train and invest in "ground forces" when the only ground they cover is when on parade.

It reminds me of Communist China's Mao Tse-Tung saying that the United States is a "paper tiger." I was a young girl in elementary school when I first heard it, and barely a decade after World War Two it seemed so bombastic and false. But now close to seventy years later, when 1960 hippies and the even worse younger generations are running the USA, it's definitely on target. Think about it. If the American Army doesn't fight, they're no better than toy soldiers. It's a game, a sham.

I've been in Israel since 1970; it was my choice, my ideology. Our army the IDF is no game. Our soldiers, mostly reservists, students, teachers, businessmen, craftsmen, taxi drivers, shop owners, salesmen, repairmen, writers, singers, actors, doctors, nurses, therapists... fathers, sons, grandparents, neighbors and don't forget all the women... Israeli soldiers aren't just Jewish; there are even Arabs, Bedouin, yes, a totally representative group of Israelis and even others. We're a small country, and we need help from all to defend it. We also need victory, a true, total absolute victory... not some sort of deal negotiated by some foreigners who won't pay for their failure.

I've been studying Tanach, the Bible for quite a few years already, though I'm far from being an expert. One message that repeats in Navi Prophets, Isaiah Chapter 31 יְשַׁעְיָהוּ:

"1 Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many, and in horsemen, because they are exceeding mighty; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!"

That should be remembered and followed. If Binyamin Netanyahu doesn't have the emotional and spiritual strength to lead us to lead us to victory, then he should resign. US President Donald Trump is not our savior; he's more the "paper tiger" Mao belittled seventy years ago. The American military is not the same as those who fought in World War Two, and remember that even then America didn't "enter the war" until attacked. They didn't fight for justice; they fought to save their honor. And they didn't blow up the rail lines that took European Jewry to the Death Camps. That wasn't a priority for them. Only after Nazi Germany surrendered did they show any interest... 

Gd is waiting for us, and in the meantime, He has saved so many, by controlling most of the missiles to miss civilians, not all, but most. Thank Gd. It's time we fight as strong Jews sovereign in our own Holy Land.

Hamas/Gaza War Musings #25: Bibi Must Fire Gallant, Plus ICC Update

I should have finished this a few days ago. Now the big news is about the ICC wanting to arrest Netanyahu and Gallant for trying to defeat the Hamas Gazan terrorists. There's a double irony in this.

One is something I've been saying for ages that the harder Bibi tries to look "moral" and caring of the Gazan civilians, the guiltier he looks to the world that hates us and the weaker we look to the Arab terrorists. 

Two is that Yoav Gallant has made such an effort to separate himself from Bibi, but to the haters of Israel, he's seen as Israel's Minister of Defense, no less guilty than Prime Minister Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu. This makes him as guilty as Netanyahu in their eyes.

Israel has been fighting a difficult defensive war of survival against internationally supported Arab terrorists for over half a year. Over a thousand Israelis, mostly innocent, davka Leftist --meaning that they had believed that we could make peace with the Arabs-- Israelis were murdered, sexually abused/attacked, decapitated, burnt alive, murdered and worse by Gazan terrorists. You may be wondering what I mean by "and worse." Considering that it has taken months and months to identify the victims by DNA tests, using various bones and body parts, "and worse" is a rather censored way of describing what the Gazans did.

I wrote "Gazans" and not "Hamas," because that attack, as documented in the photos from security cameras and the proud posts on social media by the perpetrators show clearly that Hamas is full of Gazan civilians. Terrorists don't need army uniforms, and Hamas is a terrorist movement.

Honestly I don't think there are many "innocent Gazan civilians," and if there are, they're in hiding. And to think that Fatah of the Palestinian Authority should rule Gaza "after" the war, that's a danger, since they want the destruction of the State of Israel. They are terrorist, too.

Yoav Gallant, Israel's Minister of Defense, has so far failed in defeating Hamas, but he's making demands on what the State of Israel must do after the war is over. Not only that, but he called a press conference to publicly demand that his boss Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu follow his orders, or else. He even gave Bibi a deadline, ironically, almost the exact date of the fifty-seventh 57th anniversary of the miraculous 1967 Six Day War.

Unfortunately, we're far from the victory we need for our very survival. That's not because of our IDF soldiers; it's because our national leadership is so weak.

About 200,000 Israelis have been displaced from their homes since October 7, 2023. Their "after" is what an Israeli minister should be concerned about. And considering that Gallant should have been fired long before the war for his antigovernment antics... he has now "progressed" to insurrection, not just insubordination. As Defense Minister, he's responsible for making sure the IDF defeats our enemy, not feeds our enemy.

We need a new IDF Chief of Staff and a new Minister of Defense. The upper echelons of the IDF should be replaced with those who had been kept down. 

Most important, Israel must immediately stop sending our officers to American "war colleges," where they have been brainwashed to follow incompetent military ideologies. Get real. The USA hasn't won a war since the middle of the 20th century, and they have never, ever had to fight a war like the one that Israel has to fight. They are not the experts. 

To be perfectly honest, I'm disgusted. If you read my old posts about Netanyahu, you'll know that I'm not surprised at his weakness.

Enough! We need strong leadership. Bibi must DO and not TALK!

Hamas/Gaza War Musings #20: Israel Needs New Esther and Mordechai, ASAP!

This is inspired by a challenge to compare the Biblical Purim story with today's situation concerning the Jewish People, The State of Israel and our war for survival. Which of today's Israeli and world leaders are like the five main characters, King Achashverosh, Haman, Vashti, Mordechai and Esther of the Purim story?

Fairly easily I was able to decide on the Persian King Achashverosh, who's very much controlled by his advisors and seems terrified or unwilling to move without the approval of his backers. Haman is also easy to name, and he, too, represents a coalition of supporters and advisors. Vashti took a bit more thought to decide on. She had her moment of fame and then was pushed off the stage. Only our two heroes are missing, Esther and Mordechai. Try as I can, I just don't see anyone or team showing the capabilities and daring needed to topple King Achashverosh and Haman.

Following are my three Purim characters of today.

• King Achashverosh- Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu
• Haman- US President Biden
• Vashti- former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett

Of course if you disagree, I invite you to state your opinions in the comments. 

I'll start with Naftali Bennett as Vashti, since she's off stage very early on. Bennett after his great success in high-tech had been Netanyahu's chief of staff from 2006-8, until Bibi kept dampening Bennett's ambitions, jealous of his talents, and threw him out of the palace. A few years ago, Bennett did the impossible and crafted an unthinkable, even miraculous, coalition and became Israel's Prime Minister. In response, Netanyahu showed his antidemocratic fangs and did everything in his power to destroy Naftali Bennett. He succeeded, very much like Achashverosh's banishment of Vashti. Some Bible scholars say that Vashti was from the royal family and married down. The marriage is what gave Achashverosh the kingship.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has been in this high office most of the past twenty years, which according to all logic means that he's responsible for the dangerous mess the State of Israel is in. Like the Biblical Achashverosh, he needs reminding... so far, he's still asleep at the wheel. Considering that Bibi was educated in the USA, he should be familiar with Harry Truman's motto: 

The Buck Stops Here!

Instead of acting like a strong sovereign leader, Netanyahu likes to talk tough, but his policies are weak. And it's really embarrassing and dangerous for the State of Israel, that he seems so unsure and halting. The additional members of his "war cabinet," like King Achashverosh's advisors, seem even less competent. In Bibi's case, he brought in the same military men who built the defenses that failed on October 7, 2023. They're all covering their you-know-whats. 

American President Biden represents Haman, the enemy. Achashverosh trusts Haman, and gives him so much authority -including his ring for signing national orders. That reminds me of how Netanyahu is sharing our military secrets and plans with Biden and his staff. Bibi is consulting with them, as if we're all on the same "team," using Biden's terminology. 

How could Bibi do such a thing? What about our national security? The United States has been training and arming the same Arabs who have been attacking us!!! Don't forget that Chuck Schumer, Biden's stooge, announced to the world that the USA wants Netanyahu REPLACED! Biden confirmed it, and Bibi doesn't have the guts to pull our ambassador out of Washington. Doesn't he have any pride, national or personal? He even makes Achashverosh look good.

Think about it. Something is very wrong.

In the Purim story, early on we see Mordechai planting his orphaned relative, Esther, in Achashverosh's palace. Mordechai was a gutsy rebel. That's the Hebrew meaning of his name. The first three letters מרד mem, resh, daled are the root of mered, rebellion. That's why Haman hated him so. Haman knew well that Mordechai couldn't be controlled by Persian authorities. 

I have no idea if an Esther has already been planted someplace where she can turn the tables and bring us victory. Gd willing, she's there, and soon we'll see wonderful miracles. 

If Esther and Mordechai haven't yet started their tasks, Gd willing they'll start soon, ASAP or better yet YESTERDAY!

PRAY!!!

Israel Attacked by Hamas 2023/5784, War Musings #10, Paraphrasing Truman: The Buck Stops... Where?

I've been relatively polite about Bibi. 

Remember what Harry Truman said: 

"The buck stops here." 

It's clear that Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu, the man who broke all records as longest serving Israeli Prime Minister is very responsible for every failure. And he brought into his war cabinet others responsible, who made the decisions, policies the State of Israel is suffering from. 

Naïve people voted for him, Likud, thinking Bibi's on the patriotic Right, but he's not.

Photo of Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu I took many years ago at the 1st International Bloggers Conference

I'll say one more thing. Even though I don't vote Likud, for reasons I won't get into now though you can search my blog if you're curious, I'm a member of the party and vote in its primaries. Gd willing there will be elections for a new #1, replacement for Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu after we win this war. There are quite a number a talented potential Prime Ministers waiting in the wings. I hope that only one runs against Netanyahu, or even better that he officially retire.

In the meantime I pray that Gd will give our prime minister the wisdom and moral strength to lead us to victory. That is the most important thing right now!

Israel Attacked by Hamas 2023/5784, War Musings #8 ISRAEL Must Be The One Country Between The River and The Sea!

How did the "Two State Solution" morph into a a policy that demands only one, Gd forbid, the terror state of Palestine sic?

The catchy rhyming slogan "From the River to the Sea Palestine Will be Free" is an innocent sounding euphemism for the destruction, Gd forbid, of the State of Israel

It's time for all those who have been promoting a Palestinian sic state to exist peacefully next to the State of Israel to finally admit to themselves that such a situation is a total impossibility. They've been lying to themselves, Israelis and foreigners alike.

How did the State of Israel get into such a mess? Even our faux Right wing prime minister, Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu publicly drank the Kool-Aid, as the saying goes. I'm impatiently waiting to hear admissions by our politicians, leaders, foreigners, too, that they made a BIG MISTAKE. Unfortunately, naiveté and stupidity are very closely connected. 

About the United States, historically, if you follow policy, not speeches, you'd find that the State Department, which is eternal, though presidents come and go, has always been anti-Israel. Truman vetoed, overrode its instructions when he insisted that the USA vote "yes" for a State of Israel in the United Nations and then quickly recognized it. The Nixon-Kissinger scheming during/before the Yom Kippur War is explained very clearly in Bruce Brill's Deceit of an Ally. 

Biden speaks with "forked tongue," as hypocrites and liars were called in old cowboy and indian movies. He's making suicidal demands on Israel, and I hope Bibi uses his IQ to realize that he's being conned. In the meantime, as long as Israel listens to the USA, we're in increasing danger.

I suggest you do some research and try to find Arab leaders who have officially promoted the "Two State Solution" in Arabic. Have any tried to promote this to other Arabs? Have any accepted the various Two State Peace sic proposals offered?

***

Yesterday the Jerusalem Post published a letter I wrote to them which, davka, gives the key to how that nice mushy liberal-sounding policy evolved into an innocently sounding rhyme which actually demands the destruction, Gd for bid, of the State of Israel. 

Over Shabbat, I read a week of The Jerusalem Post, something I find myself doing most weeks lately. Pretty much every day, there’s an article about what’s happening in American universities. One article mentions an Arab student who says that she wears earrings in the shape of a “map of ancient Palestine,” and she was almost brought to tears because of the negative reactions of Jewish students.

Too bad we couldn’t see the earrings, since there was never an ancient Palestine as a country with its own leadership and government.

I hope that you, Jerusalem Post writers and editors, have been paying attention to the fact that the Arabs aren’t asking for a “two-state solution.” They want “from the river to the sea,” in other words that Israel will cease to be.

Following the Six Day War in 1967, Israel did not use Jewish biblical names for any of the land liberated in the war. It was clear that – hoping for peace in exchange for land – Golda Meir, who served as prime minister from 1969 to 1974, along with her cabinet didn’t want ownership/sovereignty. Instead they referred to “the West Bank,” “shtachim” (“territories”), and “east Jerusalem,” similar to East and West Berlin.

The fact is that to this day, despite the light rail which travels through all sorts of Jerusalem neighborhoods, the unification of Jerusalem is one-sided. Arabs can freely enter, work, shop, even live in Jewish neighborhoods, while Jews are kept out of Arab neighborhoods.

Now, Diaspora Jews and Israelis seem caught by surprise by the massive pro-Hamas “from the river to the sea” demonstrations all over the world.

Since 1967, our leaders have been playing by the wrong rules. By not using our traditional names for the land liberated in 1967 and deciding not to keep God’s gift for us, they’ve told the world that the land isn’t ours. It’s all in the name. Fixing this mistake won’t be easy, but it must be done.

BATYA MEDAD

Shiloh

I must admit that the letters editor did edit my letter quite a bit, which hadn't been written as tightly as it should have been.

Please think about the points I've made. 

It's important to make it clear that being in favor of a Palestinian state is the same as being in favor of the destruction of the State of Israel, Gd forbid. The evil genie is out of the bottle... The Hamas Arabs are unabashedly showing their true stripes. 

I'm interested in your opinions, and please share this post, thanks.

Israeli Democracy? Justice? Are You Confused?

Let's start with the easy stuff.

What's Democracy?

I decided to "printscreen" what professor google says about democracy,
so you can trust that I didn't edit/distort the meaning

There's nothing about Right/Left or Conservative/Liberal. It's in the numbers.

Democracy is broadly understood to mean ‘rule by the people’. In practice, it is often defined as people choosing their leaders in free and fair elections. 

Our World in Data

Democracy means that the country's leadership isn't decided in the street.

There are elections.

A democratic government is not chosen by who makes the loudest, most annoying and dangerous demonstrations. Nor does it give priority to people shouting in the street over legal elections.

Now, back to what has been going on in Israel. In the past half a decade plus, we've had multiple elections that ended without a new ruling coalition, and we haven't had a coalition/government that lasted its full term. 

Political parties which had dominated and ruled during the first few decades of the country no longer receive enough votes to be in the Knesset or if they are in, they are anorexic shadows of what they once were. This has been difficult for their supporters to accept. They and their parents, and in some cases grandparents, never liked the Netanyahu family, and they like the Revisionist founders of Herut/Likud even less. This is what is behind the irrational hatred of Binyamin Netanyahu. Remember that the demonstrations had actually begun during Netanyahu's previous terms as Prime Minister. 

We can't ignore the trials against Netanyahu. Even though years and much too much money have been invested in trying to convict him, the chances are nil. That's because they're trumped up charges, to put it mildly. Please ignore the unintended pun. If Bibi was really guilty of corruption, then it wouldn't have been hard to convict him, since the judges don't like him. 

To sum it up, the "anyone but Bibi" movement, along with the anti-Judicial Reform has nothing to do with his competence or honesty. It's the fading Left's attempt to override democratic elections and rule by street mobs with the help of the Leftist Supreme Court Judges.

Yes, the truth is that the opposition are those who are antidemocracy!

The Likud's Time Bomb

Likud-Wikipedia

It's very deja vu hearing all of the complaints frustrations from veteran, loyal Likud MKs once they recognize that yet again there are hardly any senior positions remaining for them. Those who've worked hard and shown their loyalty to Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu and the Likud, some for decades, have had to accept low-ranking or made-up positions, or none at all, as the good stuff has not only gone to coalition partners but also new and relatively inexperienced Likud MKs. At the same time they're not getting any younger. OK, they're not as old as the newly crowned King Charles of England who's barely a year older than Bibi himself.

Charles always knew that as long as he outlived his mother he'd get the crown, but it's not so simple in politics.

Please look at that chart above, which I copied from Wikipedia. Party leadership usually lasts about a decade. OK, yes, I know that Menachem Begin had been a party leader much longer, first Cherut, then GaHa"L and then finally a decade in the Likud. But the Likud party was cobbled together for the 1973/4 elections, and four years later was Begin's first victory and term as Prime Minister. He resigned/retired in 1983 and was replaced by Yitzchak Shamir who was party head for ten years, and then Netanyahu took over. 

Besides the six years of Arik Sharon seriously marred by his notorious Disengagement Plan, for most of that time and until today Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu has been leader of the Likud and Prime Minister of Israel. He was young when he took over the party, all of fourty-four 44 in October of 1993, and now there are many, many talented and aging Likud MKs younger and waiting in the wings for their chance to head the party. It doesn't look like they'll ever get the opportunity. Instead of competing against each other for leadership, there's Bibi holding onto those reins. He first grabbed them when they were still in school.

Anger and frustration are bubbling close to the surface. And it's not healthy for the party to have one leader for thirty years. It reminds me of, if you'll excuse the expression, dictatorships.  OK, I said it. What do you think?

Did Anyone Really Think Bibi Would Admit Guilt?

Just to make it very clear, I don't vote Likud, and I really felt that we needed a change in government. BUT the only moral turpitude I saw was the years long search for a crime to pin on then Prime Minister Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu.

Investigating a Prime Minister, or anyone, just to discover skeletons/crimes as a way to get him out of office is immoral.

In the Friday papers here in Israel there were articles claiming that the "plea deal" with Bibi to admit to some guilt and pledge to leave active politics for a set number of years was almost signed. A few hours ago I had wanted to write an article about the subject, but I couldn't find anything up-to-date. Then just a few minutes ago I did, Netanyahu rejects plea deal with clause that would ban him from politics.

I'm not surprised. I jut don't see much merit/justification in the cases against Netanyahu. I'm more bothered by how he and the chareidi parties had been manipulating the electoral system to stay in power perpetually sans coalition. That's neither democratic nor moral. But it's legal, technically at least. 

In the Jerusalem Post there's an opinion piece trying to guess why Prime Minister Naftali Bennett abstained on a vote about the investigation of Netanyahu, Why did Bennett avoid making a decision on Netanyahu probe? - analysis. I have a different read on Bennett's vote. Maybe he sees what I and others see, that targeted probes/investigations against government officials can be used against anyone when elections don't give the results certain powers want. The anti-Bibi faction failed at the ballots, so they tried a more devious method. Bibi's no Ehud Olmert, so things are far more complicated. 

I'm not going to try to predict what's going to happen. As far as I know, Binyamin Netanyahu isn't the type to cop a plea. He'll fight to the end.

MK Bibi Netanyahu in his previous time as Leader of the Opposition

Bibi-Gantz Coalition, Political Trick?

When will Israel have new elections?

Odd couple for sure. There's no humor in the present Israeli coalition of Bibi-Gantz, Likud and Blue and White plus the chareidim and a few others. Gantz's political career was founded on and focused on declaring Bibi Binyamin Netanyahu unfit for office and replacing him. But then, after three failed attempts to legally unseat him as Prime Minister, Gantz folded and accepted a deal with Bibi. Bibi trapped him with a newly invented title "Alternate" Prime Minister with all the expensive trappings of the office without any authority or responsibilities. When Gantz and his cronies offer opinions aka "alternative" policies they're accused of "interfering."

In the meantime, polls are showing Gantz and his remaining Blue and White Party dropping, while his former political partner, Yair Lapid, is now holding second place, aka head of opposition.

Politics is a complicated profession. Each country has its very own system, requiring wannabes to learn a complicated lexicon of skills to really succeed. There's no competition between the skills and experience of the Likud MKs with Gantz and his cronies.

Could the downward spiral of Blue and White have been the aim of Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu's offer to Benny Gantz all along?

What do you think?

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.

Israel, The Only Jewish Country, Model Seder on National Television

Israel's President Ruby Rivlin

Model Seder, 5780, 2020, Channel 11

Model Seder, 5780, 2020, Channel 11

Wednesday, soon before Passover, 5780, 2020, began, there was a lovely, traditional "Model Seder" on Israel's Channel 11. Various entertainers, plus Israel's President Ruby Rivlin "beamed in" participated in a national Pesach Seder.

It's in times like this when we're reminded that Israel is the only Jewish country in the world. Granted that it's too easy to complain; people sure do.

I was going to blog about politics. But in these difficult corona, COVID-19, times, I really think it's better to write about something good and encouraging. In addition, when Prime Minister Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu explained the corona lock-down restrictions, he related them to the Passover holiday and family observances.

Let's look at the good and our blessings. One thing for sure, modern technology has made these restrictions much easier to bear. What do you think?

Good News: Blue and White Disintegrated

Many people are describing Benny Gantz joining a coalition with the Likud and the disintegration of Blue and White as:

"Gantz blinked first."

Gabi Ashkenazi at Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions football game,
when our sons played on the same team, 12/2010,
Photo by Batya Medad

But I really think that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's "I'm too busy running the country in these difficult times" actions, ignoring Gantz was even more powerful than the classic "staring contest." Honestly, how long can even a political newbie/lightweight like Benny Gantz stare at a blank wall?

I also wonder if Gabi Ashkenazi had anything to do with Gantz's finally giving in. Ashkenazi is the only one of quartet to be joining Gantz in the coalition.

Gabi Ashkenazi at Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions football game,
when our sons played on the same team, 12/2010,
Photo by Batya Medad

Gabi Ashkenazi at
Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions football game,
when our sons played on
the same team, 12/2010,
Photo by unknown. That's me with
the pink gloves.

As you can see in the photos, there was a time when Gabi Ashkenazi and I cheered together for the same football team.  Our sons were top players together on the IFL Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions, that's American tackle football. He liked to sit right behind us, and never put on "airs." At the time Ashkenazi was head of the IDF, but he made time for cheering the team.

At this point most Israelis are sick and tired of all the political bickering and shenanigans, and we certainly don't want more elections.

The corona virus aka COVID-19 lock-down is causing us enough stress, and here in Israel, even the less Torah observant want to prepare in some way for Passover. Few people have sympathy for the MKs and party leaders who are looking for ways to gain political power during these difficult times. Even those who didn't vote for Bibi/Likud are impressed by how hard his team is working to get us through this epidemic with minimal casualties.  Other countries are in much worse shape.

It's Friday, and corona/COVID-19 or not, Shabbat will be in a few hours. May it be peaceful and healing.