Hamas/Gaza War Musings #27: Ultimate War Aim VICTORY!

 Recently this sign has been seen on the roads. I agree with it.

SAY NO TO A DEAL OF MEANING SURRENDER!
WE MUST BE VICTORIOUS!!

It's not easy to get these slogans into comprehensible English, but I've tried to get the message across. 

I've been too depressed about Israel's policies to blog about the war recently. That's because Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has not been governing/fighting to win. This isn't new. He has failed as Prime Minister and not for the reasons the antigovernment Leftists keep shouting. Their opposition to him is what keeps me going... they remind me that things could be even worse. Yes, if they were in charge.

Follow the money...

The money bags funding these "anyone but Bibi," anti-Bibi, anti-judicial reform etc demonstrations are a gazillion times worse than Bibi. He's horrendously weak, trying to be "centrist" as he unabashedly stated/bragged at the First International Jewish Bloggers Conference as I blogged when I heard it.

The same money sources are funding the anti-Israel American flag-burning demonstrations in the USA. World stability is in danger. The USA is a major problem. Not that long ago, anyone burning an American flag would be arrested; now they're ignored by the police. Schools are teaching that Israel must be destroyed. Jews are in danger. Anyone who sees the holes, the inequality, the inconsistencies and dangers in their ideology has a problem...

Just like in Israel, when they lose elections they take to the streets. Do you remember the NOT MY PRESIDENT demonstrations? 

Netanyahu has been Prime Minister more years than any other person, and at that position he's a good example of the "Peter's Principle, A person rises to his level of incompetence." His true talents, expertise is oratory, not defense, meaning he's make a good Foreign Minister. He was also a great Finance Minister, another talent.

Under Netanyahu's "leadership" sic, we've quit about a dozen wars without winning them. He and his cohorts called them "operations" and decided that lowering the intensity of the attacks, plus using defensive Iron Domes, equaled "winning." 

I kept seeing those other attacks as "target practice" expecting, as did happen, that our dangerous enemies would get better and better aim, more effective in hitting us. 

Bibi's so terrified of a war that instead of fighting our enemies he plays "games," surrendering our land by pulling people out of their homes. Yes, that's what he has done. 

I must write my review of Netanyahu's speech in the US Congress. It follows the same structure as his speech at the bloggers convention in 2008. Listen carefully until the end, and tell me what you've heard.  Yes, I must write up my review...

Gd willing a miracle, true leadership which is the only way we can destroy our enemies.

Israel Attacked by Hamas 2023/5784, War Musings #9 Iron Dome Misused, Misconceptions Abound

Here's the text of a Letter to the Editor I wrote to the Jerusalem Post. It's not in today's paper, and I have no idea if they'll publish it later in the week, and if so how much they'll edit out.

Sky Guardians: The Iron Dome's month of miracle defenses - opinion

I was horrified to see Tiran Goldstein-Tweg's featured opinion piece promoting the Iron Dome for the Nobel Peace Prize. Only our enemies could support such an absurdity. 

We're now into month two of the most difficult and dangerous war in Israel's history because of a "conceptzia" meaning misconception due to the misuse of the Iron Dome. 

The Iron Dome should have been used as a first line of defense to protect Israeli citizens while our military fights to destroy our enemies and their military/rocket infrastructure. Instead, the IDF got very lazy and overconfident, yes-- deja vu post 1967 Six Days War. Our military "experts" sic somehow got into the mindset that they could count on the enemy, Hamas plus, to use up their allegedly limited sic rocket supplies while the Iron Dome caught and destroyed the rockets aimed at Israel. 

Even if the Iron Dome was a lot more effective than it has been these past painful weeks, there's another problem, a fatal flaw. For some inexplicable reason the Israeli Government made a foolish agreement with the Americans. Crucial parts of the Iron Dome are produced in the United States. This has two extremely dangerous faults. 

One is that we have to beg the Americans to permit us to resupply, since they have veto power over selling us necessary parts. And we also had to give them our technology. 

Secondly, but more problematic is the fact that by "sharing production" with the Americans, we strengthen their economy while weakening ours, especially the military industry. We can't even sell our own inventions, if they have even the smallest part from the USA, without American permission. 

It's time Israel becomes a truly independent country. Our great victory in 1967 was because we had no human allies, only the Jewish People and Gd Almighty. I remember that war very well. Gd willing our governmental leaders will realize their misconceptions and fight to win and not listen to foreigners who don't care what happens to us. 

Batya Medad, Shiloh

The Déjà Vu War- Let's Destroy The Terrorists So There Won't Be Déjà Vu 2

Israel's security is like a broken record. We keep having the same sort of crises, or wars, or whatever you want to call them. Of course the government doesn't call it a "war," since a war would not only require real fighting, but there's certain expenses and compensations that people must receive during wars, while "operations" or whatever euphemisms are chose cost the government less.

So far, I don't think the government has come up with a "snappy" marketing name for this one. Since Israel's citizens, especially those in the south of the country, have been suffering through these massive military terror attacks but the government never calls it a war every year or so I'll just refer to it as "The Déjà Vu War."

It's a vicious cycle. Israeli citizens are ordered to "shelters" and told to wait it out. How long should they wait it out? Until there's quiet aka until the Gazan terrorists use up all their missiles.

"Don't worry," our suffering citizens are told by the Israeli Government. "The Iron Dome prevents most missiles from hitting you. Statistics are in your favor."

I think the Gazan terrorists aimed about a thousand deadly missiles at Israel during the last Don't Call It a War.

Periodically, Israeli "forces" succeed in a movie-worthy attack on the Gazans, or more accurately a Gazan "command center," missile launcher or terror leader. But our government wouldn't dare destroy Gaza.

"What would the world say?"

Yes, I'm angry. Just because my house isn't under attack doesn't mean I don't care. My country and fellow citizens are under attack, and our government isn't protecting us. The only real protection would be to destroy the Gazan terror base, the entire enclave.

Following are pictures and videos sent to me by Gedalia Bloom. I'm using them with his permission.

Guest Post: Letter From an Israeli Mother on The Gaza Border

We live within 7 kms of the Gaza border fence. We don't live as close as some and for that we are lucky and thankful but we are close enough and being in the center hear all the noise from the north down to the south and the activity in the Sinai from the Egyptian army.

An abnormal way of life has become 'normal' for us. When there is quiet, life is fine but always in the back of one's mind is the realization that it will not last.

My husband was evacuated from the Sinai as a result of the Camp David Peace Accord with Egypt in 1982 and we built our house before the Israeli withdrawal from Gush Katif. Why do I mention this? because when we built there were no rockets and we, along with a few other families, built the our mamads* according to the legal requirements which means that they are the size of a broom cupboard. We can't sleep in it, standing room only. Ok for when there's no rockets but a nightmare when they rain down and you have to scramble from bed at 02:00 wake and shift the kids and do it all in less than 15 seconds. !!! What about disabled people ?? Two of my girls suffer from living here. The middle one suffered for years from Compulsive Stress Disorder and the youngest has other stress related symptoms.

The kids here are terrified from the balloons** and bedroom windows have to be locked and securely covered by curtains so that there are no cracks because they are terrified of seeing faces at the windows.......as they explained .....the terrorists come at night. Whenever we go anywhere the first thing they do is check out where the shelters are and if they have enough time to reach one should there be an alarm. A few years ago when I took my youngest to visit her grandparents overseas she stunned us by one day asking quite matter of factly as we were driving along:

"Imma, the bus stops....where are the bomb shelters? Where do they hide when the rockets fall?" 

We were lost for words.... and then explained.

Last summer my youngest went to a Bar Mitzvah pool party, and we had to run the gauntlet and fetch her as rockets were falling all around us and kipat barzel*** sent out above our heads as we drove home. She was shaking like a leaf but didn't say a word. So yes the kids are traumatized here and sadly many of them don't know any other way of life. Years ago the school would take out the odd child from class to have a tipool (therapy session.) After Tzuck Eitan**** the situation was so dire that they decided to treat the kids by class. They would start the day with meditation. Kids wet their beds, siblings sleep together and nightmares are frequent.

Even in the quiet times there is noise but I think one of the most unforgivable things is being lied to by the security forces, being told that nothing happened when clearly something has. When rockets have fallen and they've denied it. We aren't stupid and people talk. The lack of information is frightening and frustrating. We are told (sometimes) on a need to know basis which doesn't help a parent when their kids are all over the area with friends.

Mary-Ann Lev

*shelter/secure room
**For the past year, Arab terrorists from Gaza have been launching balloons and kites equipped with incendiary devices that have caused serious fires here
***Iron Dome defense system
****Operation Protective Edge]

War, Surreal

Occasionally, we get a series of phone messages to tell us that there's a security drill going on here in Shiloh. Sometimes it's just to warn us not to panic when a siren goes off. They describe the drill siren versus a Gd forbid real one. Other times we have to lock up, turn off inside lights, get off the streets and even call in to a certain number to say we're fine. It's important that our security crew practices, and we all pray that they never have to deal with the real thing, an attack by Arab terrorists, dangerous rockets or finding our pastoral community a war zone.

Israel, even if you ignore that pesky "green line" and consider the June, 1967 ceasefire lines, is a very tiny country. At some point, I think it was post-Nixon, an American general suggested serious security buffer zones between Israel and the Arabs. In theory, maybe, he had a good idea, but his so-called buffer zones to go north-south were wider than  pre-1967 Israel.

TORAH AURA Map of Israel

Even though the State of Israel is very small by international standards, I only hear about the Arab attacks from Gaza on southern Israel from the internet news and Israeli media. They don't directly affect us. We in Shiloh aren't awakened by sirens, alarms, rockets, jets or raging fires the way my friends in the south of Israel are. It's surreal, and the dangers are just too easy to ignore.

Rocket barrage on southern Israel, IDF attacks in Gaza
Series of sirens heard in Gaza Belt region. IDF says 12 rockets fired, three of them intercepted by Iron Dome

I have friends who, like me, live far from the south, but they have signed up to get real time alerts on their phones, as if they lived in Ashkelon or one of the small communities that are constantly suffering from Gaza launched rockets, fire bombs etc. They wake up in a panic just like our friends in Netivot. The only difference is that they don't have to run within seconds to a shelter, and they can stay safely in bed in pajamas.

Israeli news media tries to "comfort" readers/listeners by relating the successes of the Iron Dome in intercepting dangerous rockets which had been launched at Israeli civilians. Instead of using military might to destroy our enemies, we just try to render their attacks harmless. That just encourages to increase the violence against us. The State of Israel must take off the kid gloves and defend us by destroying our enemies, not just deflecting the rockets.

Also, in the long run we here in the center of the country, far from Gaza, are also in danger, since local terrorists are encouraged by those in the south. Gd willing we will get a government that isn't afraid to truly defend us by destroying our enemies!

U.S.A., Israeli Brains Built the Iron Dome!!!

So now Obama is taking credit for the Iron Dome?

White House: Our 'Values' Built Iron Dome“When it comes to American values, it’s American values that led to this country’s unwavering support of Israel,” Earnest said. “It’s American values that have led us to fund an Iron Dome system” which protected Israeli cities from attacks by Hamas terrorists during Operation Protective Edge. (Arutz 7)

• If someone pays for an advanced or luxury car, can he say that he/she built it?
• If you pay for someone to design a gown or house for you, can you claim it's your creation?

No, so all the money in the world, as rich as America considers itself, it could never have designed the Iron Dome. That took Israel's brain power. I've spoken to one of the inventors, and he's not an American.

Iron Dome, AP

Deja Vu, 1973, Israel Must be Winning if The USA Wants Ceasefire

The 1973 Yom Kippur War should have been a major wake-up call to the State of Israel that its new friend and ally, the United States of America, wasn't very reliable.

"New friend and ally?" Some of you may be asking. 

Yes, Israel had no allies six years earlier when it fought for its very existance there were no diplomatic military allies. Israel did it alone and did a great job of it. We defeated three Arab armies in six days, and in the process we liberated Land that made the impossible to defend 1949 ceasefire lines history.

1949 "Green Line"

Suddenly, fragile little Israel became a "super power." And suddenly we had defensible borders which included all of Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, the Jordan Valley, the Golan and the Sinai including Gaza. Unfortunately government and IDF leaders believed the hype and thought us invincible. And suddenly instead of being ignored on the international diplomatic front, we had "friends," like the USA.

Israel signed treaties with America that were supposed to guarantee us vital information, like warning before a country attacked us. Somehow the Americans forgot that in October, 1973, and Israel was not only caught flat-footed, but fasting on Yom Kippur when Syria and Egypt coordinated a surprise attack.

Unfortunately Stupidly Israel was lulled into a false security by the US, because its Secretary of State was a Jew, Henry Kissinger, and it never occurred to Israel's leaders that "one of us" couldn't be trusted to put Israel's needs first.

Looking back, and please don't forget that I was living in Jerusalem at the time, it seems pretty clear to me that the USA had a plan to make Israel totally dependent on it, a protectorate. So, the Americans, led by its President Nixon and Jewish-AMERICAN Kissinger expected Israel to need them to survive. They "stood by" and didn't push for a ceasefire until Israel got the upper-hand against Egypt.  Then, all of a sudden, not earlier when Israel was struggling, did the Americans push for a ceasefire.

And here we go again. Israel has been bombarded with dangerous enemy rockets, missiles weapons for the longest time. Due to the brilliance of the Israeli military industry, the invention of the Iron Dome and the mericful siyate d'Shmaya, Hand of G-d, damage has been relatively minimal.

This does not mean that we haven't been in mortal danger.

All the while that Israel remained silent and tried to live with the attacks, the world, yes including American Obama, Kerry and co., was silent. Now United States President Barack Hussein Obama has sent his Secretary of State Kerry to the Middle East to push for a ceasefire. The "good news" in that must be that the Hamas Gazan Arab terrorists must be hurting. They don't care that their civilians who protect the military installations or the United Nations building that are used for missile/weapons storage have been hit. What seems to have them most upset is that the sophisticated network of tunnels leading from schools and hospitals into Israeli CIVILIAN communities have been discovered and are being destroyed.  Thank G-d for the skills and competence of the IDF.

Now is not the time to stop. We must finish the job, לסיים את המסימה lisayyem et hamissima! And we must stop taking American and other foreign advice.

The Gazan Arab Hamas terrorists couldn't have built those tunnels, rockets and missile-launchers without foreign help. We can't trust anyone other than ourselves.

We have the power with the Help of G-d, like in 1967, and we must use it with confidence, G-d willing.

The Iron Dome, Pros and Cons

This would be a very different war if we didn't have the Iron Dome. Someone I know who is very involved with its development told me once that he rushed to get it ready for operation so his sons wouldn't have to fight. He knows what war is and has no delusions about military heroism. At time of war his sons may be called to the front-line.

Much has been written in praise of the Iron Dome. There are slews of pictures showing how it intercepts potentially deadly missiles before they can land in Israel, kill, destroy and maim. Without the Iron Dome there would be more damage, death and injuries in Israeli population centers and the rural areas, too. This statement doesn't contradict what I blogged yesterday about G-d being on our side. G-d's protection is very much like "matching funds," or as we say in Hebrew, "hishtadlut," making an effort. For G-d to help us, we must make all sorts of efforts. Prayer is one, but also there is inventing protective "shields" such as the Iron Dome and entering bomb shelters.

Counterstrike: Smoke trails are seen as a the Iron Dome missile defence system intercepts a rocket launched from Gaza, near the southern town of Sderot

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2233483/Iron-Dome-action-Israeli-missile-defence-blasts-rockets-sky-troops-moved-Gaza-border.html#ixzz37PdGTYvL
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Iron Dome is an effective, truck-towed mobile air defence system developed by Rafael Advanced Defence Systems. The system has been developed to counter very short range rockets and artillery shell (155mm) threats with ranges of up to 70km. It can be operated in all weather conditions including fog, dust storm, low clouds and rain.
Selected by the Israel Defence Ministry, Iron Dome provides defence against short-range missiles and rockets which pose a threat to the civilian population of Israel's northern and southern border. The system was deployed by the Israeli Air Force (IAF) in March 2011. Read more...

The Iron Dome does protect Israelis, frequently prevents death, injury and destruction, but it isn't a solution to our security problem! That's the downside. It promotes a false sense of safety and security, while facilitating the Gazan Arab terrorists' missile and launching military development.

Just because only a small percentage of missiles land in Israel causing harm, injury or death does not mean that the enemy is getting weaker. It's just the opposite. The fact that there are so few "successful landings," death, damage and gory pictures of dead and injured Israelis makes the world, international media and diplomats believe that Israel is not in danger, that the Gazans do not have potentially damaging weapons. Most of the world and even some Israelis believe the delusion that Israel is not in danger.

The Israeli Government should do everything to totally destroy the enemy and not pay attention to what the world may say, because push comes to shove and the world doesn't really care what happens to us. We shouldn't care what happens to Gazan civilians, and we must cut off the supply of all aid to Gaza and their electricity which they get from Israel. Even when the dust settles, and the war is over, Gaza must have their own independent electric supply/structure. I have no doubt that European countries and NGO's will fight for the opportunity to fund it. And we shouldn't treat Arab wounded in our hospitals. The rights of Israelis to get medical care must be primary.

Now to destroy our enemies!

Israel's Secret Weapon!

Too many people judge Israel's guilt or innocence according to the amount of wounded and dead we have in these "military conflicts." As a daily blogger I have complained (on facebook) about how hard it is to get "good pictures" of damage and injury in Israel of Israelis. The Arabs are just so photogenic and love to shove blood and gore into the camera.

CREDIT: REUTERS/ABED OMAR QUSINI

Photo by WAFA

Rockets from Gaza seen over central Israel

Flash 90

Shrapnel lands in greater Tel Aviv area, July 10, 2014. Photo by Itay Meirson

International media just love to show the suffering Arabs, while all we have to show is a burning field and scratched up car, broken windows, toys, some fallen shrapnet and the trail of the Iron Dome taking out the missiles before they can land. Thank G-d, yes, thank G-d for the fact that not more Israelis have been injured and killed. And thank G-d for those "timings" when the camp or the nursery school or the stores or the kitchen was hit and destroyed just as the children or family weren't there.

Israel has a secret weapon:

G-d Almighty!

Yes, the One True G-d loves us, despite our flaws and sins and foolishness and awful politicians and disloyal doubting media.

Personally, I think that the name the Israeli PR hasbara staff gave our retaliation to the potentially deadly rockets the Gazan Arab terrorists are constantly bombarding us with, Operation Protective Edge, is limp at best and the so-called "war aim" to just return to a status quo ceasefire is a dangerous mistake. We've been through this too many times before, and it just gives the Arab terrorists time to further perfect their weapons. Then they always start aiming and launching at us again. And each time their reach is further. Now almost the entire country can be targeted and damaged and potentially, innocent Israelis could be murdered or injured, G-d forbid. How long will G-d protect us and swerve the rockets to save us?

Since G-d is our only true ally, let's stop checking for United States or United Nations approval and destroy the entire terrorist missile network and infrastructure. There is nobody to please other than G-d, so let's just do it!!

Right wing Israelis protest following an air raid siren warning of a rocket attack in Tel Aviv, July 12, 2014. 
REUTERS/Nir Elias

A Bible Story and The Iron Dome

Yes, of course there is a connection between the Bible and the Iron Dome.  Just think about it!

Today, yet, again ad nauseum the Iron Dome is in the news.  The Israeli Government has proudly announced that the Iron Dome will be upgraded to "catch/destroy" Iranian missiles.  Sorry, Chaim, Bibi, IDF aka Charley, but I don't find that very comforting.

Photo: Marc Israel Sellem

The Defense Ministry has successfully completed an upgraded version of the Iron Dome anti-rocket shield, it announced Sunday. Jerusalem Post

Nothing's new, and I don't think that our Israeli politicians in positions of leadership are really protecting us.  This reminds me of a very famous Bible story. 

Who was the greatest Jewish warrior in the Bible?  King David, of course!  And what is the first incident when we get a glimpse of David's power?  It's the Goliath story.

David, at that point, was not the ruling monarch.  You can read it in 1 Samuel Chapter 17 שְׁמוּאֵל א.  The background is that G-d had already informed Samuel the Prophet that Saul, the first king, was to be retired.  Saul was punished for not following G-d's instructions, which had been passed to him by Samuel.  The story of that final straw is told in  1 Samuel Chapter 15 שְׁמוּאֵל א.

ג עַתָּה לֵךְ וְהִכִּיתָה אֶת-עֲמָלֵק, וְהַחֲרַמְתֶּם אֶת-כָּל-אֲשֶׁר-לוֹ, וְלֹא תַחְמֹל, עָלָיו; וְהֵמַתָּה מֵאִישׁ עַד-אִשָּׁה, מֵעֹלֵל וְעַד-יוֹנֵק, מִשּׁוֹר וְעַד-שֶׂה, מִגָּמָל וְעַד-חֲמוֹר. {ס}

3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.' {S}

ח וַיִּתְפֹּשׂ אֶת-אֲגַג מֶלֶךְ-עֲמָלֵק, חָי; וְאֶת-כָּל-הָעָם, הֶחֱרִים לְפִי-חָרֶב.	8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.
ט וַיַּחְמֹל שָׁאוּל וְהָעָם עַל-אֲגָג, וְעַל-מֵיטַב הַצֹּאן וְהַבָּקָר וְהַמִּשְׁנִים וְעַל-הַכָּרִים וְעַל-כָּל-הַטּוֹב, וְלֹא אָבוּ, הַחֲרִימָם; וְכָל-הַמְּלָאכָה נְמִבְזָה וְנָמֵס, אֹתָהּ הֶחֱרִימוּ. {פ}	9 But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, even the young of the second birth, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them; but every thing that was of no account and feeble, that they destroyed utterly. {P}
י וַיְהִי, דְּבַר-יְהוָה, אֶל-שְׁמוּאֵל, לֵאמֹר.	10 Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel, saying:
יא נִחַמְתִּי, כִּי-הִמְלַכְתִּי אֶת-שָׁאוּל לְמֶלֶךְ--כִּי-שָׁב מֵאַחֲרַי, וְאֶת-דְּבָרַי לֹא הֵקִים; וַיִּחַר, לִשְׁמוּאֵל, וַיִּזְעַק אֶל-יְהוָה, כָּל-הַלָּיְלָה.	11 'It repenteth Me that I have set up Saul to be king; for he is turned back from following Me, and hath not performed My commandments.' And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.

In Chapter 16, you can read how Samuel, following G-d's instructions, found David, who was then a shepherd and shunned by his elite family:

ז וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-שְׁמוּאֵל, אַל-תַּבֵּט אֶל-מַרְאֵהוּ וְאֶל-גְּבֹהַּ קוֹמָתוֹ--כִּי מְאַסְתִּיהוּ: כִּי לֹא, אֲשֶׁר יִרְאֶה הָאָדָם--כִּי הָאָדָם יִרְאֶה לַעֵינַיִם, וַיהוָה יִרְאֶה לַלֵּבָב.

7 But the LORD said unto Samuel: 'Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him; for it is not as man seeth: for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.'

י וַיַּעֲבֵר יִשַׁי שִׁבְעַת בָּנָיו, לִפְנֵי שְׁמוּאֵל; וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל-יִשַׁי, לֹא-בָחַר יְהוָה בָּאֵלֶּה.	10 And Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse: 'The LORD hath not chosen these.'
יא וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל-יִשַׁי, הֲתַמּוּ הַנְּעָרִים, וַיֹּאמֶר עוֹד שָׁאַר הַקָּטָן, וְהִנֵּה רֹעֶה בַּצֹּאן; וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל-יִשַׁי שִׁלְחָה וְקָחֶנּוּ, כִּי לֹא-נָסֹב עַד-בֹּאוֹ פֹה.	11 And Samuel said unto Jesse: 'Are here all thy children?' And he said: 'There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep.' And Samuel said unto Jesse: 'Send and fetch him; for we will not sit down till he come hither.'
יב וַיִּשְׁלַח וַיְבִיאֵהוּ וְהוּא אַדְמוֹנִי, עִם-יְפֵה עֵינַיִם וְטוֹב רֹאִי; {פ} וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה קוּם מְשָׁחֵהוּ, כִּי-זֶה הוּא.	12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of beautiful eyes, and goodly to look upon. {P} And the LORD said: 'Arise, anoint him; for this is he.'

Contrary to American voting history, G-d doesn't choose His leaders by physical height.  G-d has different criterion, and in  1 Samuel Chapter 17 שְׁמוּאֵל א we can read what G-d saw in King David. 

King Saul had the "Iron Dome" of his time.  He had the most advanced defensive armor available.  But that armor didn't give him the confidence to fight Goliath.

ח וַיַּעֲמֹד, וַיִּקְרָא אֶל-מַעַרְכֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל, וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם, לָמָּה תֵצְאוּ לַעֲרֹךְ מִלְחָמָה: הֲלוֹא אָנֹכִי הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי, וְאַתֶּם עֲבָדִים לְשָׁאוּל--בְּרוּ-לָכֶם אִישׁ, וְיֵרֵד אֵלָי.	8 And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them: 'Why do ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.
ט אִם-יוּכַל לְהִלָּחֵם אִתִּי, וְהִכָּנִי--וְהָיִינוּ לָכֶם, לַעֲבָדִים; וְאִם-אֲנִי אוּכַל-לוֹ, וְהִכִּיתִיו--וִהְיִיתֶם לָנוּ לַעֲבָדִים, וַעֲבַדְתֶּם אֹתָנוּ.	9 If he be able to fight with me, and kill me, then will we be your servants; but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us.'
י וַיֹּאמֶר, הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי, אֲנִי חֵרַפְתִּי אֶת-מַעַרְכוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל, הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה; תְּנוּ-לִי אִישׁ, וְנִלָּחֲמָה יָחַד.	10 And the Philistine said: 'I do taunt the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.'
יא וַיִּשְׁמַע שָׁאוּל וְכָל-יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֶת-דִּבְרֵי הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי הָאֵלֶּה; וַיֵּחַתּוּ וַיִּרְאוּ, מְאֹד. {פ}	11 And when Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid. {P}

Simply put, Saul, the king, was paralysed in terror and radiated that fear to his soldiers.  Nobody was willing to take up Goliath's challenge.  When the "leader" has no confidence, the people easily give up.

David, who by then had been anointed secretly to be King of the Jewish People,  at most witnessed by just his immediate family, arrived on the scene bringing food supplies to his elder brothers.  Hearing Goliath's threats and taunts, he volunteered to meet the challenge and fight the enemy.

Saul offered David his armor, the Iron Dome of the time, but David rejected it as unnecessary for a war of offense. 

מ וַיִּקַּח מַקְלוֹ בְּיָדוֹ, וַיִּבְחַר-לוֹ חֲמִשָּׁה חַלֻּקֵי-אֲבָנִים מִן-הַנַּחַל וַיָּשֶׂם אֹתָם בִּכְלִי הָרֹעִים אֲשֶׁר-לוֹ וּבַיַּלְקוּט--וְקַלְעוֹ בְיָדוֹ; וַיִּגַּשׁ, אֶל-הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי. And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in the shepherd's bag which he had, even in his scrip; and his sling was in his hand; and he drew near to the Philistine. מה וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד, אֶל-הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי, אַתָּה בָּא אֵלַי, בְּחֶרֶב וּבַחֲנִית וּבְכִידוֹן; וְאָנֹכִי בָא-אֵלֶיךָ, בְּשֵׁם יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת, אֱלֹהֵי מַעַרְכוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲשֶׁר חֵרַפְתָּ. 45 Then said David to the Philistine: 'Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a javelin; but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast taunted. מו הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה יְסַגֶּרְךָ יְהוָה בְּיָדִי וְהִכִּיתִךָ, וַהֲסִרֹתִי אֶת-רֹאשְׁךָ מֵעָלֶיךָ, וְנָתַתִּי פֶּגֶר מַחֲנֵה פְלִשְׁתִּים הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, לְעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וּלְחַיַּת הָאָרֶץ; וְיֵדְעוּ, כָּל-הָאָרֶץ, כִּי יֵשׁ אֱלֹהִים, לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. 46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into my hand; and I will smite thee, and take thy head from off thee; and I will give the carcasses of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel; מז וְיֵדְעוּ כָּל-הַקָּהָל הַזֶּה, כִּי-לֹא בְּחֶרֶב וּבַחֲנִית יְהוֹשִׁיעַ יְהוָה: כִּי לַיהוָה הַמִּלְחָמָה, וְנָתַן אֶתְכֶם בְּיָדֵנוּ. {ס} 47 and that all this assembly may know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD'S, and He will give you into our hand.' {S} מח וְהָיָה כִּי-קָם הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי, וַיֵּלֶךְ וַיִּקְרַב לִקְרַאת דָּוִד; וַיְמַהֵר דָּוִד, וַיָּרָץ הַמַּעֲרָכָה לִקְרַאת הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי. 48 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. מט וַיִּשְׁלַח דָּוִד אֶת-יָדוֹ אֶל-הַכֶּלִי, וַיִּקַּח מִשָּׁם אֶבֶן וַיְקַלַּע, וַיַּךְ אֶת-הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי, אֶל-מִצְחוֹ; וַתִּטְבַּע הָאֶבֶן בְּמִצְחוֹ, וַיִּפֹּל עַל-פָּנָיו אָרְצָה. 49 And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slung it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead; and the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell upon his face to the earth.

• Very simply put, offensive and defensive weapons and tactics are not the same. 
• When a country is trhreadtened the only way to stop the threat is to destroy the enemy.

This was true in Biblical times and it's true today.  An upgraded Iron Dome won't save Israel.

IDF, Bibi- It's Not Enough to "Intercept" Attacks

The best defense is a good offense!

"The best defense is a good offense" is an adage that has been applied to many fields of endeavor, including games and military combat. Generally the idea is that offensive action preoccupies the opposition and ultimately its ability to directly harm. Wikipedia

Destruction of the UAV

Courtesy: IDF Spokesman

We won't stop the attacks on Israel by "catching" and even destroying the missiles etc launched against us.  It's like the difference between shaving unwanted hairs and laser treatment or electrolysis.  Hairs will just keep on cropping up unless you destroy their source/root.

Yes, I know that some men like that "need a shave look," because there are those that say it looks virile, like uncontrollable testosterone.

It's not that I'm not relieved that the IDF has a defense system to intercept and destroy various missiles, drones etc.  I don't consider the Iron Dome to be a Messiah when it comes to Israeli security. With today's security situation it is necessary, but I'd like to get the the root of the problem.

Let's take a good look at this illustration of "how the iron dome works."  There are four stages listed.  Now, what is stage one?

#1 A rocket is fired at Israel from Gaza.

Yes, the source, the root is that there are terrorists firing rockets, missiles, weapons at Israel.  It doesn't matter how competent our "missile catchers/destroyers" are, because unless we stop stage one, we'll still be under attack.

I agree with National Union MK Michael Ben-Ari:

Amidst the praise being heaped on the IDF for shooting down a drone that penetrated Israeli airspace, one Knesset member thinks the congratulations are undeserved.
"The time has come for that the IDF Spokespersons to stop behaving like the spokesmen of the Syrian or Egyptian army, turning failures into successes," said MK Michael Ben Ari. (complete article)

We're making a big mistake concentrating on defense and ignoring a good offense. Israeli shouldn't be afraid of "first strike" attacking and destroying our enemies.  That was the main lesson we should have learned from the terrible price we paid thirty-nine 39 years ago during the Yom Kippur War.

The State of Israel was almost totally destroyed by Egypt and Syria, because political rather than military decisions were made.  We can't afford to keep on making the same mistakes.  We must destroy our enemies before they destroy us!

Life Under Fire is No Way to Live

Life Under Fire is No Way to Live
Ashdod, Israel - March 2012
by Sara L. Shomron


The beautiful and bustling coastal city of Ashdod had all but come to a screeching halt recently. Stores and outdoor cafes in the commercial center that remained open mid-afternoon had nary a customer. Ashdod’s central bus station usually filled with foot traffic and noise was eerily skeletal and quiet.

Midday Ashdod. Traffic was barely noticeable. Few people were on the streets enjoying the lovely weather. One of my students pointed out that he was, for the very first time, able to immediately find parking and arrive at class on time – even a tad early. Certainly a silver lining to the security situation.

What is it like to live under fire? How are people coping? Ever aware that post traumatic stress can be minimized if people exposed to traumatic experiences and events immediately express themselves, I asked my adult students to share their thoughts.

Picture yourself residing in a high-rise apartment; fourth floor; no elevator; the bomb shelter is in the basement. You’re elderly or perhaps have young ones underfoot or are a physically challenged person. You might be in the shower or bath when suddenly you hear the blaring siren alerting you of the incoming rocket projectile(s). You have only 45 seconds in which to seek cover. You must have the presence of mind to decide where to seek cover. The stairwell? An interior room? Or perhaps you’ll race down the flights of stairs to join those ahead of you calling you in a state of panic, to hurry – as one of my students did. He quickly took several stairs at a time challenging himself to take more stairs each time he rushed downstairs to the protected area. In the process of accomplishing five stairs at a time his new iPod, an item he described as a personal appendage, flew from his hand shattering the screen. A war casualty not to make light of it. He mused that he needs a fireman pole.

And what of those with young children? Parent and child(ren) alike are afraid to go out to the park, ride a bike, or roller blade.A student with toddlers said her four year old son wants to know the meaning of the siren. An age appropriate explanation was given and now he’s terrified to go outside. How many others? Another student rhetorically asked how she, with two youngsters, could adequately protect her children and herself outdoors. While yet another student with older children said her children were angry with her because she ran to the balcony to watch the people running for shelter and see the plume of smoke from the Iron Dome in action. She related how a girl was in the street running for cover with a young boy in hand when the boy fell. An oncoming car saw the child in the road and squealed to an abrupt stop as a group of men rushing out from the pre-fab synagogue quickly picked up the child and carried him to a nearby shelter.

And public transportation? “Open the bus doors- I must get off the bus – I have a baby to bring into this world” a pregnant student shouted at the bus driver whose doors weren’t responding. She was the only passenger on the bus when the siren blared – and she was shaking with fright. The bus had pulled to the side of the road – but the doors wouldn’t open. Finally the doors opened and the student ran for cover in a nearby building. Whenever outdoors, her eyes scan the area in search of a protected area were it to be suddenly needed.

And while driving? One student related that he was on the Tel Aviv southbound highway when a car suddenly pulled over to the side of the road. He opened his window and like others behind him, pulled over to the shoulder. It turned out there wasn’t a siren; the driver in the front car had merely pulled over. Other students weren’t clear how to proceed on the road saying traffic continued and it was impossible to pull over to the shoulder though one student shared how she chose to step on the gas and drive through a red light.

Lastly, students told of hospitality offered them by family and friends living in other parts of the country. While they were most appreciative they were unanimous that their life must continue as normal – or as normal as possible given the circumstances. They have their work, their friends, their lives to live and wouldn’t consider leaving Ashdod.

Their conclusion: life under fire is no way to live.

The Myth of The Iron Dome

We kept hearing about how the iron dome would reduce attacks on Israel by the Arab terrorists in Gaza and what had been known as Gush Katif.

The Israeli media put all its faith in the technology that a "machine" would catch the weapons before they landed in Israel.

Now we're hearing some common sense form experts that it's no great panacea.

The Arabs will continue attacking us.  They'll just attack more and more and try to get through the "shield."

We must stop the attacks, the physical military attacks and the legal ones, too.  Various countries have been using a new weapon against Israel, "international law."  Israel must protest and withdraw its ambassador from any country which institutes law suits against Israeli officials for alleged "war crimes."  Forget fighting the law suits as legal problems.  It won't help.

PS Why doesn't some international civil rights group give us cameras to record our lives?  Are they afraid to learn the turth?

Forget The Iron Dome! Stop The Attacks!!!

All this "Iron Dome" stuff is just typical of the pathetic, misguided ghetto mentality which dominates Israeli and Jewish socio-political-philosophy. An "Iron Dome" isn't the solution to the Arab attacks on southern Israel.

We have to destroy all the rocket launchers and their production sites. Otherwise their technology will continue to improve, and more and more of Israel will be vulnerable to attack by the Arab terrorists on our borders.

We must cease all support for increased Arab sovereignty (two state solution.) If things are bad now, they will only get worse if there's a sic "Palestinian" State. The Pseudistinians are a modern invention to destroy Israel. There never was such a people. They have no history. They were invented to counter the Balfour Declaration, which gave modern international diplomatic "rights" for a Jewish Homeland.

Actually, we never needed anyone's approval. The Jewish People and Nation long precede Great Britain. We won't have peace and quiet until we stop looking to the world for support!

Shabbat Shalom u'Mevorach

May You Have A Peaceful and Blessed Shabbat