by Naomi Ragen.
Many have asked me: How does it feel to be in Israel
right now? My answer has to be this: fearful, amazing, heartbreaking, and full
of love and pride for our country and our people. Gone are the petty, sectarian
fights. There is no religious-secular divide. There is no Right-Left divide.
Except for a bunch of loonies who demonstrated in Tel Aviv demanding Israel
negotiate with Hamas and Hizbullah, the government and the people of all
political stripes have banded together in almost total unity... Except for a
die-hard leftist...
Kibbutzes in the south have made room for the members
of kibbutzes in the north, inviting parents and children to enjoy a little vacation
pool-side... The television broadcasting authorities are making an effort to
put on quality children's programming and good movies. There is a sense of all
of us being one family... as we band together to support each other and our
soldiers in a life-and-death struggle to reclaim our sovereignty and
security... Rabbis have issued a plea for people to avoid conflict, and to
reach out to one another, and in this way to court God's favour...
I
thanked God for the miracles that keep our hearts strong, our minds determined,
and our nation, finally, amazingly, united at last. I feel privileged to be
here. (I hope the Jewish unity will last after
this war and the objective will be set to regain full control over
Eretz-Israel - Land of Israel. Otherwise, this is just another costly PR
exercise! Without a clearly defined Jewish National goal we will never have
peace in Israel.)
Hezbollah has fired 2,200
rockets against Israel in 12 days. Almost 1,300 Israelis Injured in Hezbollah Rocket Attacks. A UN observer was seriously wounded in southern
Lebanon by Hezbollah fire. -
No news coverage or
International condemnation!
Iran's
Trick Succeeded. Iran's has succeeded in tricking the world by
diverting attention from its nuclear program and inciting the terrorist war
against Israel. "We all note that the recent G-8 decision on the Lebanese
situation does not deal with Iran," Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told new
Israeli ambassadors. (and, helped Olmert divert attention from the real
problems - Gaza and stupidity of "Withdrawal" and 'Re-aliment' plans.) Up to nine bodies of
Iranian Revolutionary Guard soldiers who were killed last week in Lebanon have
been transported to Tehran. Tehran dispatched 20 Iranian Guard commanders to
Lebanon in mid-June to oversee the preparations for war. (This
makes Iranian Nuclear program and ballistic rockets are legitimate targets for
Israel.)
Wed in a Bomb Shelter. Shlomi Boskila and Maya Lugasi wed July 20 in
northern Israel in the shelter because of ongoing Hezbollah rocket
attacks. ...even 20,000 missiles can not destroy the happiness of the
bride and groom, - said Boskila.
Food for Thought. by Steven Shamrak
Israel
did not start the wars in Gaza and Southern Lebanon. But, the Withdrawal from
Gaza, culminating in the deportation of Jews, encouraged our enemies.
Throughout history, the perception of Jewish weakness has always attracted
aggression against Jews.
Does Israel have a clear
strategy on how to bring the long lasting peace and free the Jewish Land from
Arab occupation? Will Eretz-Israel - Land of Israel ever be free from
terror-loving beasts?
Lebanese
Christians are Fed up. "We
urge you to hit them hard and destroy their terror infrastructure. It is not
[only] Israel who is fed up with this situation, but the majority of the silent
Lebanese in Lebanon who are fed up with Hezbollah and are powerless to do
anything out of fear of terror retaliation." The Lebanese Foundation for
Peace.
Katyushas Made in Gaza. On July 18, Palestinians fired a
Gaza-made Grad 122 mm Katyusha rocket into Kibbutz Sdot Bror Hayil, 19 km from
the Gaza Strip. The rocket travelled 24 km. Nine Kassam rockets were fired at
southern Israel on Sunday from Gaza.
Suspended Membership. The Israel Association of Journalists
decided on Thursday to suspend its membership in the International Federation
of Journalists to protest the association's condemnation of Israel's attacks on
Hizballah's Al-Manar television network. (Next must be the Israel's withdrawal of membership from 'Useless
Nothing' - UN.)
Jewish
Contribution to Humanity.
Selman Abraham Waksman (June22, 1888 - August16, 1973), was a biochemist who is most
famous for his research into organic substances and their decomposition, which
in 1943 eventually led to the discovery of Streptomycin.
In 1952 his lifetime of achievements earned him the Nobel Prize in Physiology
or Medicine.
Syria and Iran are joining the War. Syria placed its army on war preparedness,
pointed Scuds at Israel. Syrian fighter pilots are sitting in their cockpits.
These orders went out from Syrian president Bashar Assad July 20 when Iran's
Revolutionary Guards commander Brig.-Gen Yahya Rahim Safavi assumed
command of the Lebanon war from Hizballah leader Hassan Nasrallah. (www.debka.com) (but, Knesset debates if it is a war!)
Saudi
Arabia and USA - Business as Usual. The United States has approved the sale of military equipment in the
amount of six billion dollars to Saudi Arabia. The sale includes helicopters,
armoured vehicles and communications systems and is the largest Saudi arms
purchase in 10 years. (Saudi Arabia is the enemy of
both USA and Israel.)
US Arms Airlift Began Running to Israel.
The American airlift to Israel follows the air corridor Iran opened to
replenish Hizballahs stocks. Stock of bombs, missiles and spare parts for
Israeli Air Force aircraft and helicopters was delivered by giant Galaxy C141
transports. (Like during WW2, the
USA is making money from both sides.)
Katyusha Rockets do not Discriminate.
Rabbia Taluzi, three, and Mahmoud Taluzi, seven, were playing in a street in
the crowded heart of Nazareth. They became the first Israeli Arabs to die from
Hizbollah rockets (There are
no International outcries about "innocent civilian victims" in
Israel, Jewish or Arabs!)
Disproportionate Reporting. Car bomb killed 53
Shiite labourers waiting for jobs and injured 103 in Kufa, south of Baghdad
last Tuesday. They were blown up outside the golden-domed mosque, an important
Shiite pilgrimage site. According to a United Nations report says more than
14,000 civilians have been killed in Iraq in the first half of this year. The
"killings, kidnappings and torture remain widespread" in Iraq. (Where are those bleeding-hearts - screaming objectors to
"civilian casualties" and "killing of innocents"? Why don't
they protest the bomb explosion next to the holly Muslim place of prayer? Where
are the extensive, in-depth media reports and discussions about this and many
other atrocities committed by Muslim terrorists around the world?)
Hezbollah
Rejected Talk of a Cease-fire. "The international envoys have conveyed Israeli conditions.
These conditions are rejected," said Hezbollah legislator Hussein Haj
Hassan. Earlier, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said the fighting in Lebanon would
end when Hezbollah freed two captured soldiers, rocket attacks on Israel
stopped, and the Lebanese army deployed along the border. (The International media is silence
about Hezbollah's rejection of the cease-fire and focus only on Israels
response!)
Again "Enough!" Prime Minister Ehud Olmert addressed the Knesset and the world,
saying "Enough!" and promising to fight until the threats of Hamas
and Hizbullah are removed from the region. (Let hope, he is a man of his word and has learned the
lessons of the past weeks!)
Missile of 160km Range is Downed. Israeli F15 fighter bomber intercepted a Hizballah
Zelzal ground-ground missile of 160km range east of Beirut Monday, July 17.
Hezbollah might have at least another 11 of these heavy weapons. Israeli
military estimates that up to 25% of Hezbollah's rocket assets have been
destroyed in six days.
Civilian Victims. Hezbollah has
been hiding a large quantity of long-range rockets in specially-designed rooms
built in houses in southern Lebanon. Therefore, civilians who were storing the
rockets in their houses have been hit in air strikes.
Kadima Starts to Crumble. Housing and Construction Minister Meir Sheetrit
(Kadima) came out publicly on Monday to oppose Prime Minister and party
Chairman Ehud Olmert's unilateral withdrawal plan. He said " I do not believe in another unilateral
disengagement" after Olmert reiterated to foreign journalists that he was
determined to move ahead with his unilateral withdrawal.
Unreported
Clan War. Nuseirat in
Gaza a week ago. Neighbours said the clash erupted over the distribution of
inheritance between cousins. Next day three Arab Palestinians were injured in a
clan clash in Bani Suheila.
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