Israeli TV News Campaigning Against Bibi

If you watch Israeli television news, you'd think that Israel was the worst country in the world. There seems to be street protests and riots all over all the time.

According to the news:

• You'd think that Israel was the most racist country in the world.
• The Israeli Government hires cruel, sadistic childminders.
• Price of real estate can be controlled by the government.
• Everything can be remedied by the government if the correct people are elected to the Knesset.
• OBVIOUSLY IT'S BIBI'S FAULT!

I am using pictures of the so-called anti-racist protests to illustrate this post, because it's very clear that white agent provocateurs have been leading the movement/riots. They began with the death of an Israeli of the Jewish Ethiopian community by an off-duty policeman. The media has been ignoring the fact that all the evidence shows is that the policeman and his family had been in danger, and the death was totally accidental. The orchestrated violence, anti-police and anti-government acts did not come initially from the community. They are being led by white Leftists. Follow the money.

Although early childhood care, daycare centers have their problems, the solution is far from simple. Who's going to enforce better workers? Those loud, nasty-mouthed demonstrators? Around the country there's a terrible shortage of people willing to work as caregivers. It's hard work, and the pay is low. Even if there are cameras all over, how could that help? Who's going to look at the films? Men hoping to see breastfeeding mothers? And no matter how carefully the "authorities" are in supervising official daycare centers, there will still be people who prefer sending to the unofficial ones.

And lastly, for now, about the high price in housing. The principle is Supply and Demand, which exists all over the world. Some of the repeated news items I caught on television told of hard to believe housing rip-offs in Tel Aviv. In one case, what must be a humongous apartment was divided into fifteen 15 rooms, which people rented individually for an outrageous sum. To make it even less believable, they share the one kitchen. I can't really imagine anyone living like that; maybe this is office space. Besides that, nobody forces anyone to shell out large sums for small spaces, unless the people have the money and don't care about the space. That's what Supply and Demand is all about.

Every day and night, newscasts concentrate on how terrible it is to live here in Israel. Considering that we're having elections again in a few weeks, and it's no secret that the media hates Bibi, I'm convinced that they're working hard to galvanize the votes for anyone but Bibi.

Remember: Even The Best of Election Polls are Inaccurate

Here in Israel the political parties are revving up their campaign machinery for the 2019 Knesset Elections. Once all the primaries and committees (depending on the political party) submit their lists of Knesset candidates, then election fever will really heat up. Like in all democracies, genuine ones at least, polling companies and experts are big business. And the polls can have a very dangerous influence on voter/results.

Even the best of polls only take "samples" of a small percentage of the potential voters. In Israel, that means that just a few hundred are considered sufficient for predicting what the entire country is going to vote.

"Midgam conducted a poll of 503 people with a 4.4% margin of error for Channel 12 that was broadcast on Feb 9 2019." See Jeremy's Knesset Insider.

Now, we all know that if we sniff out the politics of  people living in different locations, we're going to get very different, contrasting, conflicting opinions. Because of the large range of political parties here in Israel, which do make it to the Knesset, even people who profess the same ideology/opinion about issues will vote for different political parties.

Frequently, people will preface their opinion with the phrase "Everybody says/thinks..." Honestly, I hate that word "everybody," since there is no such animal.

Too many times, people are influenced by the polls. Either the campaign workers are overconfident and don't work hard enough. Or people think it's "wise" to change their vote to a political party they think won't get enough votes to make it to the Knesset. Sometimes people hear that their party or "side" hasn't a chance, so they don't even bother voting.

Some people who answer polls, purposely announce they're voting for a party they'd never vote for. It's a big joke for them. In addition, there are those who don't fully make up their mind until they're actually voting, or change their mind at the very last minute.

We should vote carefully, according to which party, or candidate we honestly feel will do the best job. And then pray that Gd will not only give them wisdom, but they will use their Gd given Free Will to do what's truly best for the public good.

Bibi's "Big Announcement" Total Dud

Last night before 8pm Israel Time, I hurriedly tried to find a link to listen to Prime Minister Bibi Binyamin Netanyahu's "important announcement." About a week ago, there had been a similar situation from Naftali Bennett, and that's when he and Ayelet Shaked told us all that they were leaving NRP-Jewish Home and officially starting their own political party.

So, unlike those on facebook who were making jokes out of Bibi's possible "news," I thought maybe he was going to announce that a dynamic, charismatic vote-getter would be joining Likud.  I was wrong. A very tired and uninspired looking Binyamin Netanyahu just kvetched that the "judges were against him." He wanted the opportunity to confront his accusers. To be honest, knowing my criminal law more from American television, than anywhere else, I agree with him. But I don't see this as suitable material for a big public announcement.

What do you think?

Politics, Can We Trust The Polls?

LIkud Primaries, Electing the Leader of the Likud Party

Even though weather forecasts have become much more accurate in recent years, those of us who follow politics can reel off lists of elections that had been called totally wrong. There's no way that a few thousand people, even chosen by chance,  can accurately represent millions of voters. We've all seen how many mistakes there have been, especially in national elections, here in Israel and the United States.

The other day I saw Jeremy's headlines saying:

Maagar Mochot Poll: Yesh Atid 25, Likud 24, Bayit Yehudi 14, Zionist Union 12

And today they say:

Geocartography Poll: Likud 31, Yesh Atid 26, Zionist Union 13, Bayit Yehudi 12

How could there be such a difference? They were posted only one day apart. What do you think?

Hillary vs Trump: It Ain't Over 'till It's Over

google

For pundits like me, the 2016 USA Presidential Elections is a dream. We have two unlikely by history's standards candidates slugging it out. Both Hillary and Trump are "overaged" by most standards and historical precedent. Hillary is the first female presidential candidate/nominee from a main party, and Trump, unless I'm mistaken, has never actually held public office or a military position. Dwight Ike Eisenhower, who was President when I was a kid, from 1952-60, had been a military man and may not have been an elected official.

Remember that Hillary had planned on being elected in 2008, but when the Kennedy women bucked their clan leader Uncle Ted and supported Obama, her plan went up in smoke. She was then "compensated" with the position of Secretary of State, and mistakes she made when running the State Department are seriously hurting her campaign, reputation and image.

From the minute Donald Trump threw his hat into the ring, people -especially the media- considered him a sideshow clown act. During these past couple of years, there have been more headlines announcing his campaign's collapse and his disenchantment with the idea of being POTUS than anything serious.

The 2016 campaign and choices have polarized the United States more than any other. I keep reading of lots of threats to leave the country from the Left if Trump wins and from Jews is Clinton wins.

Early on the polls all predicted a Clinton landslide, but now, with a month and a half before Election Day, it's getting very close.

Clinton, Trump now neck-and-neck in Electoral College projection

A lot of Trump's rise and Clinton's slide have to do with her mistakes and hate-filled rhetoric. Not only is she insulting his supporters, which not only prevents any from wanting to switch sides but also makes it clear that she would not be a unifying president, but she broadcasts her racist views by stressing Obama's "black" identity. In her recent speech about the controversy over Obama's birthplace, instead of just referring to him as president and the legalistic issues, she stressed that he's the first black president, which should give him a special status/immunity. And if Hillary loses, that attitude of hers may very well be the key to her fall. Hillary is not at all presidential; she is too filled with hate.

Remember that the campaign isn't yet over. Yes! It ain't over till it's over. Don't forget that.

U.S. Elections: Voting With One's Head, The Kippa Poll! #1

It has come to my attention that there's a very creative kippa (the cute little beanie cap that many Jewish men wear for religious and Jewish identification reasons) company designing kippot for the 2016 American Presidential Elections.
Pic-A-Kippa established by two former IDF lone soldiers has expanded its very pro-Israel Zionist collection of printed kippot to include a variety for those who want to go headfirst to promote either Hillary or Trump in the upcoming elections. As with all of their products, they donate 10% of each kippa to The Lone Soldier Center in Israel.

I don't know if this skews the results, but there are more designs for Trump than for Hillary.

So far, according to sales figures, Donald Trump is in the lead, and as long as the company sends me statistics, I will keep you updated. If I'm not mistaken, these numbers are from yesterday August 7, 2016.

For the up to date Kippa Poll, click here.

91 heading for Trump

49 heading for Hillary

You can purchase the kippot or any other designs offered, plus an option for special orders, online https://picakippa.com/  or in these stores:

Upper West Side Judaica - 2412 Broadway, New York, NY 10024

J Levine Books and Judaica - 5 W 30th St, New York, NY 10001

Judaica Plus - 445 Central Ave, Cedarhurst, NY 11516

And of course tell them that you read about them here on Shiloh Musings.

Trump Should be Cheered by AIPAC!

Donald Trump. (photo credit:REUTERS)

As a long time American olah, immigrant in Israel, I just don't get the point behind the planned protests during Republican front-runner Donald Trump's appearance at AIPAC.

• First of all, it's rude and immature
• Second, it's a sign of closed-mindedness, Liberal not liberal...
• Third, it's a chillul Hashem, makes Jews look bad
• Trump's policy/statement about Israel is the most honest and sensible of all the candidates and top American officeholders I've ever heard!

Everyone knows that Trump's speaking style is to exaggerate and speak in headline grabbing ways. When it comes to his policies, they aren't what the headlines reported. 

And everyone knows that politicians lie and promise pretty much anything if they think it will give them more votes. When they finally get into office, they rarely keep their campaign promises. So I don't think that anyone should get so concerned about the Archie Bunker style talk. It's no more real than all those United States Presidents who had promised to support moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem. 

The only topic Donald Trump has been rather quiet about has been Israel and the Middle East. He has admitted that the more facts he hears it's not easy to decide what he thinks. Trump hasn't repeated the usual mantras that make American Jews feel "loved." Considering that they are just "mantras," slogans --LIES-- that produce cheering crowds and not real policy, BIG DEAL. Why should American Jews keep on believing the same lies over and over again? 

Maybe if Trump is elected he'd spend more time on America's problems and keep out of my neighborhood. That would be nice. Because one thing for sure, whether Hillary or Bernie, it would be very bad news for the State of Israel!

Saved by The Bell

Angry people and employees going on strike.

On Tuesday, facebook and email groups, whatsapp and more were full of panicky "how will we travel... manage etc during the BIG STRIKE?" Schools, public transportation, museums, sick funds, government offices etc were all supposed to be closed on Wednesday.

I answered one of those requests about "How will we travel?" with "We'll know tomorrow." That's because after forty-five years in Israel, especially the last decade or so, I know that these strike threats are no more than negotiations tactics, especially when they are so early in the day.  Tuesday night I was at a friend's apartment in Jerusalem so I could easily get to Matan in the morning, and we had almost no doubt that the strike would be averted.

Nowadays, especially with a Likud Government of a very anorexic 61 MKs that does not want elections again, Bibi will order the government representatives to MAKE A DEAL! And that's what happened.

General public strike averted at the last moment

Illustration Photo Credit: Channel 2 News

It's not that the public agrees with the Workers Unions; today's Israelis refuse to be inconvenienced for even a second. And there's nothing more inconvenient than a strike. Just days after the kids went back to school after the long Chanukah vacation, the very last thing that parents want to deal with is finding their kids at home and all the logistics of trying to work and care for them simultaneously. Even more annoying than the public transportation being on strike is when teachers strike. And considering that the last Netanyahu government barely lasted a year, he does not want elections to be an annual tradition.

Bibi bought some peace for a bit, and we'll see what his opponents have up their sleeves next...

Cheers for Bibi in Congress Prove Herzog's Pledge to Kowtow to Obama as Very Bad

Even a quick listen to highlights of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyhu's speech to Congress will make it clear that he has the support of powerful people in the American government. Not only were there dozens of standing ovations, but people were cheering.

As Secretary of State John Kerry negotiates with the Iranians in Switzerland, Netanyahu detailed Iran’s clear path to a nuclear bomb whether the deal is signed or not.
“This deal will not change Iran for the better. It will only change the Middle East for the worse,” Netanyahu said. “The deal will all but guarantee that Iran gets nuclear weapons. If the deal is signed, they’re only a year away from the bomb.”
According to the Israeli Prime Minister, Iran operates secret nuclear facilities – a reality that John Kerry has spoken to in the past. According to estimates, Iran could have 190,000 centrifuges enriching uranium in a matter of weeks. (Fox)

Besides Obama diehards and antisemites, closeted and unabashed, the American president has lost his luster.

Obama strangely has support from the Israeli Left, Herzog and Livni pledge to repair the relationship with him if/when becoming Prime Minister.

“I will travel to Washington and meet President Obama, and open a new page with him. (Arutz 7)

One of the jokes going around is:

Why doesn't Obama need to attend a Purim feast?
He already doesn't know the difference between Mordechai and Haman.

Remember that Americans are financing the Herzog-Livni campaign, V15.

Israeli Election Campaign 2015, 5775, Comedies, Likud and Bayit Yehudi Entertains

Israeli Elections this year offers some good comedy. And I'm not talking about the unintended type that can destroy a career. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Likud, and Economic Minister Naftali Bennett, Jewish Home/Bayit Yehudi, both seem to enjoy being in front of the camera and making fun of themselves.

Here's Bibi:



And here's Bennett:

Such Timing...

We see the "hand of G-d" in all sorts of things.

"Yisrael, Batach B'Hashem!"

"People of Israel, Trust in G-d!"

This week's Haftara, the readings from "The Prophets" portion of the Bible can be read as political commentary on Israel's security plans. Since the government decided to end Operation Cast Lead, aka the Election Campaign War, and take our IDF out of Gaza, it has announced that it's trusting Egypt to keep us safe, by making sure the terrorists don't rearm.

Davka, what's the Haftara for Parshat Va'era? Yechezkel 28:25 - 29:21 In it we see Egypt as weak, not the country to rely on. We must take responsibility for ourselves and only trust in G-d!

Same Old Ehud Barak

ברק ברח

Barak Barach

Barak Fled

That has been the rallying cry against Ehud Barach oops! Barak ever since he ran for cover instead of helping the wounded at the training accident at Tzehelim Bet and how he ordered our troops to flee Southern Lebanon, which enabled Hizbullah to arm against Israel.

The vast majority of Israelis are disgusted and disappointed by Israel's early withdrawal from Gaza and the pre-mature cessation of Operation Cast Lead, aka the Election Campaign War.

Ironically, Tzachi Hanegbi, whose mantra used to be "Barak Barach," now sounds just like him in his announcement:

"Hamas militants face a simple equation," Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Tzachi Hanegbi told Army Radio. "If the [rocket] fire resumes, we will respond with force so strong and overpowering, they will miss the day the Israel Air Force's offensive began." (hat tip IMRA)

Barak's reign as Prime Minister was full of threats like that, but he never followed through, and we ended up with the worst bout of Arab terrorism ever. The media calls it "The Second Intifada," not that I remember any announcemt by the terrorists that they had ended the sic "first" one. There were periodic lulls, like when ocean water recedes between waves.

Ehud Barak was elected during such a lull, and then he so mishandled the subsequent terrorism, emboldening the terrorists by his unilateral campaign promise withdrawal from Southern Lebanon, that most of the country felt under siege. We were forced to get bullet-proof vehicles or travel dressed in heavy bullet-proof vests. My sons were serving in the army at the time, and I was more nervous about their walking in Jerusalem than when they were doing their actual military tasks.

Today, what frightens me is the national amnesia, which has allowed that same Ehud Barak to return to politics as head of the Labor Party and subsequently become Defense Minister. As IDF Chief of Staff, he was instrumental in downgrading the army which caused the many mistakes in Olmert's Lebanese War fiasco of two and a half years ago.

And now, Ehud Barak is willing to accept continued smuggling of arms by Hamas into Gaza. All I can think of is that a deal was made via the Egyptians to keep things "quiet" until after Israeli elections.

Please don't forget that one of the new U.S. President Obama's highest priority Foreign Policy aims is to establish a new Arab country in the very heart of Israel.

My husband and I just spent close to a week on vacation in Eilat, sans internet. That's why I haven't posted recently. We were dependent on TV news, which gave very little real information. Now we're back.

Most Israelis, Jews and concerned people all over the world are shocked that Israel ended Operation Cast Lead without the freeing of Gilad Shalit. What was the real point of that "war?" "War," "operation," "campaign," it doesn't matter what it's called. The important thing is to have a clear goal, and Israel doesn't. Our soldiers are motivated and want to to the job professionally. When we returned to Jerusalem from Eilat, we saw signs all over proclaiming that "the people have the fortitude to support the soldiers on the frontline." Our problem is that we're ruled by weak tired, selfishly ambitious and shortsighted politicians.

G-d is angry with them, and that's why there's no rain. But G-d loves the people, and that's why with all of the rockets and missiles launched at southern Israel, there were so few casualties.

With elections coming up, we have the opportunity to vote for true leaders. I'm voting for Ichud Le'umi, the only party which is uncompromising in its support for the People and Land and State and Security of Israel.

The Government's Statement re: Unilateral Cease Fire

I posted the entire statement on Blog Free, my otherwise inactive political blog. I had the displeasure of hearing Olmert live on TV.

It doesn't matter who was lying or exagerating in the Condi-Ollie argument about the UN Resolution, because Condaleezza Rice won this round for sure.

Absolutely nothing, less than nothing is to Israel's benefit! We didn't finish the job.

• It's like a cancer surgeon only taking out part of the tumor and not giving any chemo or radiation.
• It's like stopping the antibiotics halfway, before the illness is gone. The bacteria develops a stronger strain resistent to the same onece effective antibiotics.

That's Olmert, the same Olmert who sent soldiers, underprepared and under equipped to Lebanon, and that's the same Ehud Barak who fled Lebanon when becoming Prime Minister. And that's the same Tsippi Livni who was Olmert's #1 partner in the disasterous Lebanese war.

Here are a few quotations from Olmert's statement, emphasis mine:

...our targets, as defined when we launched the operation, have been fully achieved, and more so:

· Hamas was badly stricken, both in terms of its military capabilities and in the infrastructure of its regime. Its leaders are in hiding. Many of its members have been killed. The factories in which its missiles were manufactured have been destroyed. The smuggling routes, through dozens of tunnels, have been bombed. The Hamas’s capabilities for conveying weapons within the Gaza Strip have been damaged. The scope of missile fire directed at the State of Israel has been reduced. The areas from which most of the missiles were launched are under the control of IDF forces. The estimate of all the security services is that the Hamas’s capabilities have been struck a heavy blow which will harm its ability to rule and its military capabilities for some time...

During the operation, the State of Israel demonstrated great sensitivity in exercising its force in order to avoid, as much as possible, harming the civilian population not involved in terror. In cases where there was any doubt that striking at terrorists would lead to harming an innocent civilian population – we abstained from acting. There are not many countries which would act thusly.We have no disagreement with the residents of Gaza. We consider the Gaza Strip a part of the future Palestinian state with which we hope to live a life of good neighborliness, and we wish for the day when the vision of two states is realized.

All I can say is pray and repent!

Check the Tsippi-Condi Deal

Here's excerpts the transcript of the announcement of Tsippi's deal with Condi to stop the fighting, before we've finished the job of defeating the terrorists and destroying their weapons:

Rice:
We’ve said repeatedly that the continued supply of armaments to Hamas and other terrorist groups in Gaza, including by some in the region, is a direct cause of the current hostilities. It is, therefore, incumbent upon on us in the international community to prevent the rearmament of Hamas so that a ceasefire will be durable and fully respected. There must be an international consensus that Gaza can never again be used as a launching pad against Israeli cities.
This Memorandum of Understanding that we will sign today responds to that need. It provides a series of steps that the United States and Israel will take to stem the flow of weapons and explosives into Gaza. The United States is reaching out to its partners, as well. And together, the steps that we and other members of the international community can take will contribute to a durable ceasefire.
The United States remains deeply concerned, too, about the innocent Palestinians who are suffering in Gaza. A sustainable end to hostilities, rather than one that collapses in a few days or weeks, is crucial to ending the suffering. In the meantime, we are doing all that we can to respond to the humanitarian needs of the population of Gaza.
And Foreign Minister Livni and I have talked about the need to be responsive to the humanitarian organizations that are working there, including the United Nations and the International Committee for the Red Cross, as well as nongovernmental organizations with which we are working through USAID to relieve the suffering of innocent people there.
When this is done, we must all turn again back to the goals of UN Security Council Resolution 1850. That resolution noted that lasting peace can only be based on an enduring commitment to mutual recognition, freedom from violence, incitement, and terror, and the two-state solution, building upon previous agreements and obligations. The United States remains firmly committed to Israel’s security, to continued bilateral negotiations through the Annapolis process, toward a two-state solution, which is the only way, ultimately, to secure a future for Israelis and Palestinians alike over the last term -- long term. The sooner that these hostilities can be brought to an end, the sooner the real work of forging a permanent peace can resume.
President Bush and I have very much enjoyed and valued our work with you, Tzipi, and with the people of Israel, with Prime Minister Olmert, with Defense Minister Barak, and with others. Israel and the United States will and always will – are and always will remain friends. We share values and we share a common desire to see a Middle East that lives in peace and in freedom.

Now, think about these questions and add your own:

• What concrete steps does it promise us?
• Are there any guarantees that Israel will be secure?
• What will happen to the Arabs if they gather more weapons and continue launching missiles at Israel?

Damned If He Does, Damned If He Doesn't -- Bibi's Snared

You'd never know there was an election coming up, since we haven't heard from the main opposition leader, Bibi Netanyahu, except when he's supporting the government.

Bibi is cooperating to support the war and the government, which has totally muzzled the Likud's election campaign. He's between a rock and a hard place. If he doesn't support he government's war efforts, he's disloyal to the country and the IDF, and if he does support it, he's undermining his election campaign.

JPOST.COM VIDEO
'We must have a decisive victory'
Netanyahu: "I warned that unilateral Gaza pullout would create 'Hamastan.'"

I don't know what will happen if the government really stops the war, giving in to international pressure and declaring a ceasefire. Will Bibi finally break with the government and campaign? The Likud's showing in the polls is pretty consistent, but Bibi's not winning any fans.

Three Polls:
Likud 28-29, Kadima 21-2,
Israel not using excessive military force 82%:13%
Satisfied with the performance of:
PM Olmert: Yes 46% No 39%
DM Barak: Yes 70% No 20%
FM Livni Yes 51% No 34%
Opposition head Netanyahu: Yes 48% No 34%
(entire article from IMRA)

Bibi must break away from the government line if he's going to win. And he must remind the public of the rampant terrorism which began during Barak's rule as Prime Minister. The Likud must also remind the country of how Livni supported Disengagement, which has brought terrorist missiles even closer to Israel.

Bibi must act like a leader. He has to attract voters from Kadima and Labor. Isn't that why he is promoting the Likud as a centrist party? He shouldn't ignore the fact that the timing of this war, which should have been years ago, is only an election campaign ploy by Kadima and Labor.

Those of us who don't trust the center must vote for the National Union, the Ichud Le'umi.

The word "unilateral," one-sided should be considered obscene. Gov't Discussing Unilateral Truce as Hamas Threatens Attacks. Hasn't the government learned its lesson?

Israel Admits That It Endangers Israeli Soldiers To Protect "Innocent" sic Arabs

In Mark Regev's CNN interview, he admitted that Israel endangers its soldiers to protect "innocent" sic Arabs.


For me that's a sore point, very sensitive. Our neighbor, Avihu Keinan, was killed in an army action that had been planned in a way to protect the Arabs and endanger him. His father has spent much of his time and energy since then petitioning the government and media about this perverse morality.

No other country in the world cares more about its enemy than itself.

And now, instead of fighting this "Operation Cast Lead" the way it should be fought, we keep stopping the action every day to feed the terrorists. And now the media is full of talk about a ten day ceasefire. Bad news.

Stunned in Jerusalem

Operation Cast Lead, aka The Election Campaign War, isn't directly in Jerusalem. I was among the stunned pedestrians downtown on King George Street when a strange siren filled the air.

While I continued chatting with the "goyisherebbitzen," I pulled out my camera and put it on video mode to film the inaction, and I mentally calculated which nearby buildings may possibly have shelters.

There was total calm, and you could see most people glancing around for signals from others who may know better, what action was best to take. One hysterical person could have tipped it, but if anyone in Jerusalem was hysterical it wasn't at the bus stop by the Bell Tower. The lines to the bus grew, and the smooching couple paid attention only to each other. Shoppers slowed down for a bit and then went on with their errands.

Why should a siren throw us into panic? Downtown Jerusalem, especially King George Street, has suffered more than its share of Arab terrorist attacks.

In the end, it was treated like some sort of "practice" or false alarm, which it was.

Baruch Hashem, Thank G-d!

Maybe Israel Tries Too Hard Not To Injure Gazan Civilians

I wonder if Israel should be making such efforts, not only to prevent injury to Gazan civilians, but to publicize the fact. Considering the Arab mentality, doesn't it make us look weak?

The Arabs, themselves, unabashedly endanger civilians as human shields, so why should we be so apologetic?

Our civilians are losing sleep, suffering terrible stress and all of the resultant health problems. The government, the army, should be more sensitive to protecting our soldiers and planning operations with that in mind. My neighbor, Avihu Keinan was killed, because the army action was planned in a way which endangered him, because the army/government was more worried about the Arab civilians.

The hasbara, PR, information campaign should stress that the civilians are as guilty as the terrorists, because of their acquiescence, their passivity.

If they want the war to stop, then they must make the Hamas unwelcome. Did it ever occur to anyone, that maybe the Gazan civilians are in favor of the attacks against Israel?

Think about it.

Is "Quiet" Enough?

I received this from the GPO:

PM OLMERT VISITS MIKVE ISRAEL BAT YAM AND ASHKELON: "WE WILL ACT WITH FULL FORCE TO REACH CONDITIONS THAT WILL BRING QUIET."
(Communicated by the Prime Minister’s Media Adviser)

What's "quiet?" When I think of a situation of "quiet," I think of the shocked silence immediately after the terror attack when I was injured. I think of the cinematic technique of silence during something dangerous and traumatic, like the injury scene in "Men of Honor."

"Quiet" does not make me think of peace and security.

I think of the "quiet" in Shiloh, when reeling from shock after half a family, the father and three children, were killed in a car accident.

"Quiet" does not make me think of peace and security.

The State of Israel does not need "quiet;" it needs the destruction of the terrorist forces in Gaza, Judea and Samaria, Syria and Lebanon. We need to make it clear that we will not care for their people.

• No more care packages to them!
• No more medical aid or allowing them in our hospitals!

The only way the terrorism will stop and people will stop supporting them is if they have to pay for their crimes. If ordinary Arabs want peace, as the Leftists and do-gooders claim, then they must refuse to join the terrorists. They must refuse to let them make bases in their homes, schools, hospitals and mosques.

Outsiders, not Israel, the United States, Europe nor the United Nations can impose non-terrorist rule in Gaza. It must come from the Gazans themselves.

Operation Cast Lead must do the job right and thoroughly, but we need the correct instructions from the government. The army doesn't act on its own. Olmert's words make it very clear that this war is really just what I've been calling it, the Election Campaign War.

"When My Phone Is Off, You'll Know...

...that I'm in Gaza."

Yes, that's the warning the IDF soldiers have been giving family and friends.

Israel is a very technologically advanced country, and cell phones aren't a novelty; they're basic minimal requirements, like oxygen.

This war, the army realized that the phones could be much too distracting, besides the security risks. Don't think that the soldiers aren't reliable and would give secret information. The enemy can trace cell phone activity.

How can a soldier concentrate on his crucial tasks when his young children are calling for a goodnight story, or to complain that baby brother ripped a book?

The stress factor all over the country is rising. It doesn't help that the media is stressing hysteria.

Everyone's helping however they can.

We need prayers, too, and they don't cost money.