If The YESHA Soldiers are Good Enough to Fight in IDF...

Apparently, the fact that ordinary Israelis have donated the money to cover the expenses to make the home of wounded IDF soldier Yehuda Yitzhak HaYisraeli suitable for his handicaps isn't totally solving the problem.

Mother of wounded soldier: My son deserves to go home
Knesset committee convenes to hear claims Defense Ministry failed in handling case of severely wounded Gaza operation veteran.

Yehuda Yitzhak HaYisraeli (photo: Ofer Amram)

The family is having trouble getting all of the permits. Even though they have lived in Ofra for many years, their house itself hasn't been approved....

Davka today, I had the news on and there was a big report about how the government is building a brand new town for the Bedouin who have been squatting in the Negev. The Bedouin never bought the land; they just put up shacks wherever they want. And the Israeli Government is rewarding them with a fully approved town. Nu, something really stinks!!

The irony of this mother's plea being televised the same day as a kippa-wearing official said that the Bedouin, who do not contribute positively to Israel deserve a town built by our tax money, just made me ill.

Israeli Left Wants Communist/Socialist Dictatorship

Getting real, the only way that the demands of the Israeli Left can be met would be for Israel to become a communist dictatorship. Freedom and democracy make for the Israel of today.

Herzog: Netanyahu focusing on 'Jewish state bill' because he can't lower housing prices
"You talk more and more and more about nationality in order to avoid addressing the inability of the public to afford buying a house."

As anybody with half a brain knows, housing prices are the result of supply and demand, freedom and democracy. The government does not have any real direct control over these things. Isaac Herzog, Leftist Labor Party leader, knows this perfectly well, but as a Leftist campaigning to unseat Likud leader Prime Minister Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu, he goes for the popular headline grabbing demands which ignore reality.

Of course, there are steps the government can do to lower some housing prices, but the process would take a long time, and we all know that Herzog himself would vote against them.

To lower housing prices, there must be low priced building in places where Jewish Israelis would love to live, such as "E1," the connection between Jerusalem and Ma'ale Adumim, linked from a 2006 article.

In the not-too-distant past, Kashriel told The Report ("Growing to Jerusalem, June 14, 2004") that "Ma'ale Adumim was established to break Palestinian contiguity," adding that "Ma'ale Adumim necessarily cuts the West Bank in two." In March 2006, however, when Kashriel meets me in his office in the impressive city council building next to the city's shopping mall, his message has been recrafted, presumably to cause as little discord with the Americans as possible, and to try to persuade me, or them, that the Palestinian and American objections to Israeli building in E1 are unfounded.
The Palestinians, he asserts, have misleadingly persuaded the Americans that E1 will split the West Bank in two, now claiming that to "not true at all." Unfurling a large map, he points out the new road, from Anata to Al-Azariya, that will facilitate Palestinian north-south traffic, and which is due to be completed in a matter of months. More roads are planned to run around the barrier to the east, in the less than 20 kilometers of wilderness the Palestinians will theoretically have between the Ma'ale Adumim bloc and the Jordanian border.

That's to show how long Jerusalem has been strangled by the Israeli Left, which in all honesty cares more for American interests than Israeli needs. If they hadn't blocked E1, prices in the Jerusalem area would be much lower today.

A few hundred more units built each year in the Gush Shiloh (bloc) would easily be full and lower prices for those who want to be a half hour from both Jerusalem and the Tzomet Yarkon (Junction.)

My area is also very popular for those who want a more rural-suburban, warm community life and easy access to Ariel and the Jordan Valley, which is a couple of minutes' east of Shiloh.

In general, building for Jews in all of the popular places in Judea and Samaria would lower prices across the board in all of Israel. And of course schools, hospitals and medical centers should also be built. Building is less expensive in all of these areas. Now that there's a university in Ariel, a hospital should be built with the required medical school (and school for nursing,) since there aren't enough spots in the existing medical schools.

But in total contradiction to their headline-soundbites, the Israeli Left has done everything in its power to stop or severely limit building where people want to buy, especially people with limited means and strong patriotic convictions.

The Israeli Leftist "solutions" to the housing problem is anti-democratic and against the principles of freedom. In Jerusalem they want to usurp ownership and control of property used for vacationing by those who live abroad. They want to fine the owners for not living full-time in their legally bought homes. The Left has been demanding that these "empty" apartments be rented to students and young families for nominal sums. That's their "solution" to the high price of housing in Jerusalem. Only fascist dictators could dream something like that up. It reminds me, if you'll excuse the expression/terminology, of when Nazis forced Jews out of their homes and when communist officials offered exit visas to Jewish owners of luxury apartments. (That's how a neighbor of mine and her mother got out of Hungary in the 1950's.)

As the "pre-election campaign" heats up, Herzog and other Left leaders are taking cheap and anti-democratic jabs at Bibi. Now, you must know that I'm not a Likud voter. I hope that this campaign with galvanize the patriotic, pro-Land of Israel for Jews Right to run and win seats in the Knesset. At present there is no Right wing party in the Knesset. Naftali Bennett's NRP newly labeled  as Jewish Home, is a Center-Right which campaigned to be in the coalition, meaning that it is more Center than Right. And the Israeli political system is supposed to be like a bell curve, with official opposition on both the Right and Left.

credit

We do not have an opposition party on the Right which skewers the Israeli Government to the Left, especially since Leftist Tsipi Livni is Netanyahu's Minister of Justice.

Leftist policies are based on heavy government interference, which frequently goes against public will. Most Israelis oppose Leftist solutions. The Israeli "silent majority" is on the Right, while the vocal media is on the Left. That's why the Left gets disproportionate time and headlines. G-d willing things will change for the better.

Build Now! The Antidote to Appease AKA Peace sic Now

Things have always been a bit "cockeyed" here in the HolyLand.  The "Laws of Nature" and Mathematics, conventional logic don't always work.

According to conventional logic, the Jewish People should be a postscript in history, but we're not.  We're still around, as feisty and unpredictable as ever.  That's why we celebrate our על הניסים Al HaNissim, Because of the Miracles... holidays, Chanukah and Purim.

In the Twentieth Century, Hitler's Nazi Germany was sure that it could destroy the Jewish People.  Remember that the world didn't care. Not a single nation did anything to oppose the Final Solution.  The fight against the Nazis was for the other nations, not to protect Jews.  The world really didn't care if every Jew was wiped out, off the face of the earth.

After World War II, the Zionists in the Promised Land AKA Palestine had to fight the British who wouldn't end the Mandate and give us independence.  We succeeded and promptly defeated the Arabs who attacked the nascent Jewish State.  Though the State of Israel was "approved" by the infant United Nations, we had no real support.  I have no doubt that most countries only voted in favor because they were certain that we'd be defeated.

According to logic, demographics, weapon statistics etc, we should have been defeated.  But G-d overrides the Laws of Nature here in the HolyLand, especially when it comes to Jews.  My husband and I have been in Israel forty (40) years, which is almost two-thirds (2/3) of Israel's sixty-two (62) year history as a modern state.  One thing I've learned is that whenever there's some sort of "peace agreement," there's a subsequent deterioration in our security.  Simply put, "peace" causes war and terrorism. True Peace comes from G-d, not man, no matter who the "mediator."

There is only one thing which we can do to bring us true peace and that's build.

Yes, only building for Jews our HolyLand can bring us true PEACE.

New building projects facilitate more Jews living in the Land of Israel, and that's what G-d wants to see.  There's no way of negotiating with our enemies, those whose aim is to destroy us. It's very simple, just like the matzah recipe, flour and water, cooked in 18, חי chai, life minutes.

Only when we are no longer slaves to false and foreign gods will we be truly independent, secure and live in peace.

Chag Pesach Kasher v'Sameach

Have a Kosher and Happy Passover

I'm NOT For Sale!

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu thinks that he has solved the "problems" of his "Ten Month YESHA Building Freeze" by offering financial compensation, as if we can be bought off, or his policies only have financial repercussions and not security or national viability or negative "Hasbara," Public Relations.

What follows is part of the official announcement:

Compensation Outline Approved for Elements Adversely Affected by the Temporary Suspension of New Construction in Judea and Samaria
(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)

In continuation of the Cabinet decision regarding the temporary suspension of new construction in Judea and Samaria, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today (Sunday), 7.3.10, approved the outline for compensating the various elements that were adversely affected by the decision. The outline was prepared by a team led by Cabinet Secretary Tzvi Hauser, with the participation of professional representatives from the Finance, Defense and Justice Ministries, as well as from the Prime Minister's Office.

In the framework of the outline, it was decided to set uniform criteria, for providing compensation, on three tracks: To those who purchased apartments, to contractors and those with building permits and one-time compensation to those local councils that were adversely affected by the decision. The detailed criteria will be issued in the coming days.

Now I'm beginning to understand how Menachem Begin protested against German War Reparations, l'havdil, to differentiate-they're not the same, but...

The most important problems, dangers from the building freeze aren't financial, but obviously those whose pockets are affected have more influence than patriots like myself.  Paying off contractors doesn't solve the problem.  The government is just following old mistaken policies that we "settlers" have a price and can be compensated for "inconveniences" or G-d forbid forced eviction.  No way.  I'm not for sale!

Building freezes for Jews, whether ten months, ten years or ten minutes are dangerous.  They encourage our enemies and strengthen them.

Israel isn't a viable and secure country without Judea and Samaria.  That is why Jordan allied itself with Egypt and Syria to attack us in June, 1967.  Every time we give the Arabs of Judea and Samaria more independence we're weakening our country.

No foreign country has ever come to our aid when we've been attacked and nobody will.  And if they ever would it would be to rule us. They'd rather add annexes to their very popular Holocaust museums.

Building is life, living.  You can't buy me off.  I'm not for sale!

Building, Natural Growth

Here in Shiloh, there's a building/baby boom.

Walking around the yishuv, community, I see lots of kids and new construction to fit them all in.

Knowing how long it takes to get building permits, hire contractors etc, these were all approved and begun prior to the official unilateral what's the point of it building freeze.

Shabbat Shalom and Chodesh Shvat Tov

Have a Peaceful Shabbat and a Good Month of Shvat

The Likud's "Right" Wing, Excuses, Excuses

My husband was our representative at the meeting last night here in Shiloh with Israeli Government Minister Yuri Edelstein about the Building Freeze.  Upon his return, I grilled him for information.

This was the official meeting for the region, and people came from all over, not just Shiloh.

I can't imagine how anyone can justify the Jews only ban on building, but as a serious political blogger, I can always use fresh information.  From my husband's report, most people there had little faith in Binyamin Netanyahu's Likud government.

Even I was surprised at the object of Edelstein's blame.  He didn't blame Bibi, nor Barak.  He blamed the Ichud Le'umi, the National Union, claiming that if they had joined the government it would be more Rightist. Duhh, Edelstein seems to have forgotten one little minor detail or more. 

First of all, most important, there wasn't any real invitation to join the coalition.  Bibi's goal was a Centrist government, not a Right wing one.  He took on Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu (Israel's Our Home) to neutralize and marginalize it, but he gave all the real power to extreme Loony Left Ehud Barak and the Labor Party.  He also courted and is still courting Tsippi Livni and her Kadima MK's.

Not to disparage the sincerity and idealism of some of some Likud MK's like newcomer Tzippi Hotobilli and Edelstein, but they have no real power nor influence in the Likud nor in the government.  They are effectively muzzled by being members of the Likud.  They would be much more effective in the opposition, joining the NU and making it larger and stronger.

We need a strong nationalist, right wing opposition to rein in the coalition.  I'm a pragmatist and I can see very clearly that it's not working from inside the Likud.  It can't.  Netanyahu, as Prime Minister, has full control of things, especially of the internal workings of the Likud.  We saw that after the primaries when he went totally antidemocratic and changed the results, pushing Moshe Feiglin and others down to "no chance to get in the Knesset" numbers.  Feiglin hasn't admitted the mistake of his strategy to take over the Likud, but that's not new as far as I'm concerned.  I've written about it before.

Bibi's just following the lead of other Likud Prime Ministers who have gone against Jewish Rights in The Land of Israel.  That's why I'm not a Likud supporter.

Ashamnu Bagadnu אשמנו בגדנו In The Plural

Hat tip: I thank Hadassa for getting me on this track.

Most Jewish prayers are in the plural.  Many Jewish prayers and rituals are only permitted to a minyan, quorum of ten men.

The words Ashamnu Bagadnu אשמנו בגדנו  "We have become guilty, We have betrayed G-d," from the "Vidu'i," are the cornerstone of the Yom Kippur Prayers, when we ask G-d for forgiveness for all our sins.  Note that they end with the suffix "nu" "נו."  That's the first person plural, "we/our."

How will supposedly Torah observant people reply to G-d when asked why they only supported Jewish rights to their little corner of the world?  People like Meir Rubinstein, mayor of the haredi town Beitar Illit, don't see themselves as part of the Jewish People's mitzvah, G-d given commandment, to settle the Land of Israel, Eretz Yisrael ארץ ישראל.  A call for "exceptions" to the YESHA building freeze brings us back to "you can't be a little bit pregnant."

Rubenstein is no different than the secular Lefists in Tel Aviv who don't understand that without recognizing Jewish Rights to places like Shiloh, Shechem and Hebron, they have no right to be in Tel Aviv.

We are in this together, whether they like it or not!  It's not enough just to say  "Ashamnu Bagadnu אשמנו בגדנו."  We must sincerely admit where we have sinned as members of the entire Jewish Nation/People and do everything in our power to correct them (our sins.)