Jockeying for Position

Israel's present Knesset is nearing its two-year landmark. Just a half year to go. Officially, elections are every four years, and most Israelis considered their mandate up by the end of 2006's controversial and disastrous war, which took place within its first six months. That was just over a year ago.

The significance of two years is that after being a Knesset Member for two years, the politician can benefit from extremely generous and desirable pension rights. My prediction still stands that the glue holding the government together will decompose when the MK's can get pensions. Remember that for the government to fall, the MK's must vote for it. It may not mean new elections immediately, since Bibi, Lieberman or a Kadima MK, if Olmert allows, can try to form a new coalition. That gives them a little more time.

After new elections are called, the sitting government becomes a "lame duck," which can be even more dangerous, especially when we think of those presently holding ministerial portfolios. They have nothing to lose and aren't dependent on public support.

Lieberman is chafing at the restrictions of his deal with Olmert. He knows that he'd lose most of his voter support if he's part of a government which banishes Jews from Judea and Samaria, the lynch pin in the deal that Olmert is cooking with the Pseudistinians. Olmert is being cheered by Blair and Peres, even though the Israeli public opposes him.

Even though Likud's Sylvan Shalom didn't run against Bibi to head the party, he isn't out of the picture. He has proposed a new law which would mandate that any government decision with "important diplomatic ramifications" would have to be approved by a referendum.

And while all this is going on, where's Olmert? Olmert Shuns Media, Cancels New Year's Interviews

Shabbat Shalom U'Mevorach!

The Best, Most Reliable and Patriotic, too

Israel's IDF knows

• who can be relied on in a pinch,
• who's steadiest under fire,
• whose religious beliefs make them the best soldiers.

IDF Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi is trying to convince the Yeshivot Hesder to increase the time the students serve in the army.

Need Cheering Up?

Grab a flag!

Put on a smile!

Take some Vitamin NBN--


Meet a plane of new immigrants!

Misplaced Priorities

"A Palestinian state is the only ultimate solution regarding the Palestinians' national identity."

Who do you think said that?

It was Tzippi Livne, Israel's Foreign Minister. She's very concerned about what's good for the Pseudistinians, but you don't hear her worrying about Israel's security, or Israel's survival, considering the blitz of kassam rockets being launched from Gush Katif. Remember that she was very instrumental and supportive of Disengagement, the exiling of innocent Jewish Israeli citizens from their homes so that the terrorists could have a more convenient launching pad to attack us.

What about the Israelis' national identity? Ms. Livne's focus on the needs of our enemies is a serious sign of Misplaced Priorities.

Strength of Convictions

I'm glad that there are families who have found ways to return to Chomesh. See the pictures! They are like the pioneering Zionists of a very earlier generation, the parents, grandparents, great-grandparents of those who established the legendary "moshavot" and kibbutzim. Today those moshavot are major Israeli cities. And today, the descendants of those earlier pioneers are in the forefront of the Israeli Left and oppose the simple civil rights of Jews to live in Judea and Samaria.

There's an interesting opinion article in Haaretz, worth reading.

Rackettot, Don't they sound cute?

Today I caught a ride ("tremp") at the T junction to Beit El just as the 12 noon radio newscast began. They kept talking about "rackettot" in Sderot, which hit a nursery school. I had never heard kassams, also spelled qassam, called "rackettot" before.

Kassams are rockets developed by the Arabs specifically for attacking Israel.

Kassams are dangerous. Only G-d's mercy and miracles have prevented more deaths and injuries from those weapons.

"Rackettot" just sound too cute for words. They remind me of "mouflettot," the Moroccan crepe, slathered with butter and honey, traditionally served at the post-Passover Mamouna celebrations. "Rackettot" sort of rhymes with Gepetto, Pinocchio's "father." "Kassam" has much more "zip" and violence in its sounds.

Nothing's by chance, and I have no doubt that this new "Hebrew term" was chosen to make the kassams, their builders and launchers, you know, those Arab terrorists, seem more benign and harmless, like Gepetto.

Remember, as Shakespeare would have said, if he was alive today:

A kassam by any other name is still a kassam, a very
dangerous weapon!

Only in Israel, Not Humorous

Only in Israel is violence against innocent Jews demanded, cheered and praised by the world's "peace-loving" moralists, liberals and democrats.

Only in Israel, the Holy Land are Jews forbidden to live and work in Jericho, Bethlehem and other biblical cities.

Only Israel is praised for banishing, exiling, innocent citizens from their homes for one reason and one reason only, these people are Jews.

Only in Israel is the "transfer" of Arabs considered immoral and illegal, but the same people consider the transfer of Jews a priority.

Not only Israelis must think about the logic, the morality in all this irony and hypocrisy.

For Jews, this is the month of Elul, the month of reflection and repentance. The shofar, the call to inspect our souls is blown daily as morning prayers end. No excuses. G-d knows all and is waiting for our sincere repentance. The world will follow.

Shannah Tovah

A good year to all

Some "straight talk" from LiveLeak

I don't usually click the links for "video" things that friends send, but this time I did, and it was worth listening to. I think that you'd also agree. It's a short editorial about Islam in Europe.

You don't have to watch, just listen.

School Started With a Bang!

No, they weren't partying.
No balloons
No fire crackers
Nothing fun or innocent.

The Arab terrorist who took over Gush Katif, when Sharon and Olmert's Government banished innocent Jews from their homes, businesses and schools, shot rockets at the Israeli city of Sderot today.

Public Security Minister Avi Dichter was on hand in Sderot for the opening of the school year. Wearing a blue school shirt, he talked with parents and students, assuring them that going to school was the right decision, despite the perceived dangers. IDF Homefront Command representatives will accompany Sderot schoolchildren to and from school in the coming days.

One bewildered parent asked why Dichter's government doesn't simply order the IDF to go into Gaza to halt the Kassam rockets. "Some people were talking about holding a mock funeral here," she told Arutz-7, "as if to tell the government, 'Is this what you're waiting for before you take action?'... The situation is past normalcy; we barely don't know ourselves how we manage to stay here, hardly allowing our kids outside to play. It's just impossible to grasp." (complete article)

This has been going on for years already, and the Israeli Government debates how to protect the residents and who's responsible.

But don't worry, because:

Olmert:
All Sderot schools are fortified according to home front command

Government Anarchy

During the last Israeli election campaign only a year and a half ago Tzachi Hanegbi spinned a spin that the "supermarket" of variety of opinions among the Kadima politicians meant that whatever you wanted, you could find it in the newly minted Kadima. Their only unifying aim was to get elected!

Besides the fact that they're united in their desire to keep their seats, they and their coalition allies don't seem to agree on the big issue of the day:

"...an argument broke out between Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Strategic Affairs Minister Avigdor Lieberman over who has the authority to determine when outposts should be evacuated."
"According to Livni, the authority to determine evacuation dates was the prime minister's and the defense minister's alone. Lieberman disagreed,"
"The committee will not delay the evacuation of the 26 illegal outposts that were established since 2001, when former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was in office," Ramon said.

"Both men [Danny Dayan and MK Otniel Schneller (Kadima)] said they were concerned about reports from the Olmert and Abbas meetings about large-scale withdrawals. The Council began lobbying Knesset members on the issue last week.
"We are demanding information on what he (Olmert is offering) on refugees, borders and the Temple Mount," said Dayan.
He [Schneller] said that should he discover that the Olmert was leaning toward a withdrawal to the pre-1967 border, he would work with the opposition to topple the government. (

click for complete article)

Playing Ball in Israel-- Strike One?

Or should the umpire decide?

Honestly, I'm totally on the sidelines; I never went to an Israeli Baseball game. Actually, I doubt if I've ever been at a baseball game in my life at all. Punchball doesn't really count, right?

I certainly have nothing against the fact that there was baseball here in Israel this summer.

Apparently, things weren't as great as they could have been. Read this article by Elli Wohlgelernter. picture credit