Moral Equivalency Gone Wrong

NBC is doing a spread about the 14 year old "Palestinian" American citizen who was killed by the Israel Defense Forces. Why was he killed? It wasn't random, he was throwing molotov cocktails at Israeli cars - an act that could potentially wound and murder innocents. His father denies his actions and says "and he's a kid." In the US, 14 years old "kids" have been charged as adults for murder. Kids who are attempting to murder need to be stopped, even by lethal force. Seems like a no-brainer to me.

What is even more ridiculous is that NBC is making an absurd and disgusting comparison.

Palestinian-American Orwah had been shot dead in a confrontation with Israeli forces in his hometown of Silwad, the second U.S. child to die in unrest which boiled over last week. On Wednesday, a Palestinian man plowed into a crowd at a transit stop, killing a three-month-old Israeli-American baby. A 22-year-old tourist from Ecuador later died from her injuries in that attack.

NBC is comparing the death of this "kid" to another child - a three month girl who was intentionally attacked by a terrorist who plowed his car into her carriage and into a crowd waiting for transportation. A pure innocent, whose parents waited years for her arrival.

Is there any comparison to be made here? No comparison whatsoever. A long-awaited baby versus someone doing his best to murder others. There's something wrong with this picture.

What subjective, moral equivalency garbage is NBC spewing?

Those Damn Amish "Extremists"

In today's New York Times we find a fascinating article, entitled "In the West, a Growing List of Attacks Linked to Extremism".

Whose "extremism" may we ask? Perhaps the Buddists are rioting again over the cartoons depicting the Dalai Lama, by murdering innocents and burning cars in the streets. Or the Mormon extremists beheading those from other religions for drinking liquor or letting their women walk unescorted by a male relative. Oh, perhaps the Amish decided to end it once and for all with those pesky Mennonites. Yeah, that must be it.

We all know who the article focuses on... you guessed it - Islam. Shocking, I know.

The article starts with the recent attacks in Canada and works backward, including such attacks as the beheading in Oklahoma (classified as "workplace violence"), the murder of three at the Jewish Museum in Brussels, the murder of a British soldier on the streets of London, the murder of three French soldiers and three Jewish children and rabbi at a school (two separate attacks), the Fort Hood massacre (another act of "workplace violence"), and a couple of others.

Of course, the terrorism that strikes Jews daily in Israel is not included in this listing. Perhaps it isn't really terrorism when a three month old baby girl is murdered by a Muslim terrorist, completely ignored by the media in the wake of the attacks in Ottawa. Three months old. Jews murdered in their homeland, in Israel, young or old, don't count as terrorism.

While this week we have seen 'lone-wolf' attacks on our police and uniformed soldiers, it is only a matter of time before we will see these kind of attacks on civilians, the same attacks that Israel sees on a regular basis.

I'm glad to see that the New York Times is finally catching on to the dangers of the "extremists" among us - it's just too bad that they can't see the bigger picture... we are at war.

Attack on NYC police
As US stood silent, Palestinian hate kills 3-month-old
Anti-Israel Bias in One Headline (or Three)
World War III has begun

Of Israel, Gaza, Terrorists and Nazis

Phew, finally a moment without my little ones, three under three and a half. All enjoyable, all a pleasure to have, but it's tough to have a second to sit down at the computer. I'm loving every minute of being a stay-at-home mom.

Just a couple of random thoughts while I have this second.

First, there was some talk while the Israel-Gaza war was going on - that perhaps it would be best to leave Hamas in charge in there (which Israel did) rather than dismantle them because maybe a "worse" group may pop up in leadership. I think that choosing which terrorist group is "worse" is ridiculous. They all hate Israel, they all hate Jews - they all want us dead. To think that one is a more moderate terrorist is wishful and dangerous thinking. It is truthfully by the grace of G-d that the Iron Dome worked as well as it did and that the rockets didn't murder their intended targets.

Rather than solely focusing on destroying the tunnel system, Israel should have weakened Hamas enough to create a power vacuum. There are plenty of rival groups in Gaza that want to be in power... they would see a weakened Hamas and attempt to step into their shoes. Let us see a power struggle between the groups - that would keep them busy and keep Israel and her people safe(r).

A Deadly Battle for Gaza

Next. The other night I was watching a television show on the History Channel about World War II. It always amazes me, even as a student of history, how innovative, how amazing the United States was in creating, mass producing and even transporting troops, weapons and other necessaries across the world in order to destroy (not manage) the Nazi threat. Amazing and fantastic. Which made me wonder. If we could do what we did in the 1940s in only four years, why is ISIS even a threat? I'd consider them chump change in comparison to the Nazis. (Although I would agree that ISIS and radical Islam are a real threat to the world just like the Nazis were, I am only speaking militarily.) The difference is the will to destroy them. We had the will to eliminate the Nazis, we have no will to destroy the terrorists. We don't even recognize them as a real threat - while the 9/11 hijackers are referred to as terrorists, Hamas, ISIS and even the Muslim Brotherhood are "militants".

Well, at least President Obama finally has a strategy now. I feel better.

Latest Breaking News

Latest Breaking News

Israel has decided not only to stop its offensive which it had been utilizing to protect its citizens, but to give up all rights and claims to the land of Israel. It will hand over all property to the Arabs by Friday at noon. It also plans on nominating the group for the Nobel Peace Prize, citing that Hamas's use of children as human shields was the key to peace since "Hamas knows how much we value life, even theirs. " No word as to where the 6 million Jews will end up living, though Bibi was quoted as saying, "Perhaps we can live alongside the absorbed Palestinian citizens in the other Arab countries."

-Brought to you by The Hummous

A Response to Secretary of State Kerry

This is written by an anonymous friend (a Democrat no less) in response to Secretary of State Kerry's comment about the State of Israel becoming an apartheid state - a fantastic piece.

And why everyone who is coming to Mr. Kerry's defence is missing the point.

Peace comes only when both parties want it. Peace cannot be imposed. So long as the Palestinian interests are represented by those who expressly refuse to recognize Israel as a Jewish state, there will be no peace. The world had better get over their age-old perception of the Jews as something less than equal members of the human race, and accept the fact that Israel is and always will be a Jewish state. No less so than Saudi Arabia is a Muslim state, with its own religious laws imposed by a majority onto any minority living therein. No less so than England is a Christian state, with its monarch as the titular head of the Church of England.

Jews are never again going to be led into ovens because there is no other nation willing to accept them. Jews have a state and it is Israel. So long as that simple reality is beyond the acceptance of the Palestinians and other neighbouring Arab countries, there will be no peace. So long as Mr. Kerry and Mr. Obama and any of the other players on the world stage cannot get that simple fact in their heads as an absolute, then there will be no peace.

Apartheid? Let any Arab, any Palestinian, live in Israel and be a citizen - they can vote and they can live just as freely as any Jew. They can worship in their own mosques. They can go to school. They are full citizens within Israel. Funny, but a Jew living in virtually any Arab state would not have that same right. Most Palestinians would not even be given that right in most Arab states - if there is such empathy for their plight, why are those oil rich states not spending their dollars to enrich the lives of their brethren?

Apartheid? Because Israel has the right to decide that its existence is founded on it being a Jewish state? Does not every other nation have that same right of self-determination and self-definition?

Get over it, world. Come to grips with the fact that we are not going to let you apply a double-standard any longer. Israel is a Jewish state. Period. Jews have a homeland and Jews will defend themselves. Jews are not going to be told what is, or is not, acceptable based on standards not applicable to any other nation.

The day a Jew can live freely in an Arab state, maybe then we can consider peace. The day that the Palestinians stop teaching their children that Jews are vermin to be exterminated, and that the Holocaust is a myth perpetuated by Jews, then perhaps peace is possible. The day that Israel is no longer singled out for defending its borders after a rocket attack from the territories, while the world turns a blind eye to thousands of innocents being slaughtered in African nations, then maybe peace has a chance.

Until then, peace is not going to happen. Because so long as the Palestinians and the rest of the world refuse to acknowledge that Israel is a Jewish state, then there is no room for discussion. Nor should there be. Denial of that basic fact - and yes, it is a fact - is a denial of the security of every Jew in the world. Without Israel as a Jewish state, there is no security for any of us. There is no protection from the horrors of what took place only a generation ago in Europe. Because the Nazis and their followers, and a good number of ordinary citizens in European nations, were God-fearing Christians, and they had no moral issue with exterminating the Jews and sending them to ovens and gas chambers, And the Cossacks were also good, God-fearing folk, who commenced systematic harassment and murder of the Jews through pogroms. And the Spanish Inquisition had the church behind it when Jews were forced to convert for fear of death. And history keeps repeating itself and would continue to do so, with the exception that now there is a Jewish State, Israel.

When a human being can be branded with a number on their arm, like cattle branded before slaughter, then to be perfectly honest, those being branded lose their ability to trust in the inherent goodness of others. The fear of God did nothing to stop millions from being slaughtered by their neighbours. And so when trust in human decency fails, and no place can truly be called safe, or home, we look to shape our own security. Our own home. Our own defence.

Mr. Kerry, get over it. Tell your boss the same thing, and have your ambassador to the United Nations listen up too. Israel is a Jewish state. And until you can get the Palestinians and their supporters to accept that, then you are wasting your time flying to the Middle East.

We, as Jews, are not asking you or anyone else to change your beliefs. Pray to Jesus if you are a Christian - Israel affords you that right, unlike many Arab nations. Pray to Allah if that is your belief too - in Israel, you can be who you are. And as your neighbours here in the Diaspora, you won't find us uttering a single word about what you believe in. We don't claim to have a monopoly on what is right or what is the truth. We accept that everyone has the right to worship God as they see fit, so long as it does not harm anyone else. Be who you are.

Afford us the same dignity, however. And if you cannot, or will not, then that is all the more reason why we as Jews need Israel as a Jewish state.

And as the only real democracy in the Middle East, you need Israel as a Jewish state too.

There are No Innocents Here

In response to the massacre at the Yeshivat Mercaz HaRav Kook in Jerusalem, Ehud Barak, former prime minister of Israel and current minister of defense suggested that the innocents of Gaza should be moved out of harms way so that the Israel Defense Forces can operate freely and kill terrorists operating out of Gaza, never mind that the perpetrator of this attack was an Arab Israeli citizen.

I like that he thinks that there are "innocents" in Gaza because as far as I'm concerned... there are none.

Lest someone forget...

...The "innocent Palestinians" of Gaza and Judea/Samaria (aka West Bank) celebrated when the Twin Towers were destroyed.

...The "innocent Palestinians" of Gaza and Judea/Samaria celebrate and hand out flowers and candy on the street when there are bombings and murder of Jewish civilians.

...The "innocent Palestinians" of Gaza elected the Hamas government they currently live under. Let's not delude ourselves, the "moderate" Abbas is also a Holocaust-denying terrorist in his own right.

...The "innocent Palestinians" of Gaza and Judea/Samaria continue to have hate-filled children's television programming commemorating those who murder Jews and sing wonderful songs about Jewish blood flowing in the streets.

...The "innocent Palestinians" of Gaza and Judea/Samaria have yet to recognize the right of Israel to exist.

The "innocent Palestinians" are fashioning themselves in the image of Amalek of the Torah. They have a thirst for Jewish blood - from the children who are indoctrinated with hate from the moment they're born to those who revere the murderers who spill Jewish blood to the murderers themselves.

There is one answer and one answer only. David's answer to Goliath:

"You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin - but I come to you with the Name of G-d, Master of Legions, the G-d of the battalions of Israel that you have ridiculed. On this day G-d will deliver you into my hand. I shall smite you and I will remove your head from upon you... Then the whole earth will know that there is a G-d in Israel..." (Samuel I 17:45-47)

I cry for those who are truly innocents. I cry for those who have perished on their way to work on the buses. I cry for those who have perished at pizza parlors and coffee shops. I cry for those who have perished studying Torah this evening at the Jerusalem yeshiva. These new Jewish martyrs take their place among millions of other Jewish martyrs who have given their lives in order to sanctify the name of G-d.

I certainly will not waste a tear on those who spill the blood of my brothers and sisters in the Land of Israel and neither should anyone else.

The Six Day War

There is so much to say here, but I will try to be concise. It's all the Jews fault. Now that we all agree on that, let's take a look at our friends the Arabs of the MidEast.

Al-Nakba day "The Catastrophe" is the day that the Arabs celebrate rather than Israel Independence day. Naksa is the name that they've given to The Six Day War. It translates as "The Setback." I wonder what setback it might possibly refer to... could it be that they were so close to finding the cure to cancer, but failed? Could it be that they were so close to inventing air-conditioning for their homes? Or... banish the thought... that they failed to destroy Israel and murder every Jew living there? Nahh.

The modern day State of Israel was born in the ashes of the Holocaust. World guilt and anti-semitism of not wanting Jews in their own countries pushed the world to create a "Jewish" state. The Arabs are fond of saying that because of the troubles the Jews had in Europe, they themselves are now suffering... and why is that fair?

True enough. But like I say to my students: Life isn't fair, deal with it. The Arabs haven't found themselves a "coping strategy". Instead they whine and complain and blow things up. Certainly this is a mature way of dealing, at least that's what they think. And don't forget - that's what counts.

Before the State of Israel was in existance (since we know that if the State weren't there, all would be peaceful between Jews and Muslims - we're the People of Book with "protected status"...gag me) we shouldn't forget the Hebron Massacre of 1929, complete innocents. Then of course the riots between 1936-38, where even more Jews were murdered. These weren't soldiers or "occupiers", rather they were men, women and even children. This was then followed up by the Holocaust in Europe.

Let's not forget the Mufti of Jerusalem. Mohammad Amin al-Husayni collaborated with Adolf Hitler and recruited Muslims for the Waffen-SS. Adolf Eichmann's deputy Dieter Wisliceny testified during his war crimes trial in 1946 that ... "The Mufti was one of the initiators of the systematic extermination of European Jewry and had been a collaborator and adviser of Eichmann and Himmler in the execution of this plan... He was one of Eichmann’s best friends and had constantly incited him to accelerate the extermination measures. I heard him say, accompanied by Eichmann, he had visited incognito the gas chambers of Auschwitz." Nice guy.

I say then, that the Arabs deserve us there in the Middle East as a thorn in their side (we don't deserve them, but that's another story.)

What is even more interesting is that the stunning victory/loss of 1967 is still being held up as the reason for just about everything wrong in the Arab world. Repeat after me... Get Over It!

In an interview with the editor-in-chief of Al-Jazeera Ahmed Sheikh December 2006 the Arab position is clarified.

Do you mean to say that if Israel did not exist, there would suddenly be democracy in Egypt, that the schools in Morocco would be better, that the public clinics in Jordan would function better?

I think so.

Can you please explain to me what the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has to do with these problems?

The Palestinian cause is central for Arab thinking.

In the end, is it a matter of feelings of self-esteem?

Exactly. It's because we always lose to Israel. It gnaws at the people in the Middle East that such a small country as Israel, with only about 7 million inhabitants, can defeat the Arab nation with its 350 million. That hurts our collective ego.

• *

You can't make this stuff up. That was only last December. But wait, there's more. It's even been claimed

by Egyptian columnist Wael Abdel Fattah writing in the independent weekly Al-Fagr newspaper that Arabs blame the defeat for "everything" — from "price hikes, dictatorship, religious extremism, sectarian strife, even sexual impotence." Yup, 'cause that makes sense.

All of this would be funny, if people/Jews weren't being murdered. Rockets are being fired daily into Sederot, and nobody cares. A fellow teacher's husband's cousin was killed the other day on his way to work. When Eilat was bombed a while back, the Israeli government went down there to show their concern for the tourist economy there. It's obvious that money is way more important than lives. No shocker there.

We cannot expect the Arabs to change. (Although for some reason people live their lives thinking that they can.) However, we can hold our "leaders" responsible for the lives and property that they are supposed to be protecting. At this point I see no Jewish "leader" who has done anything to protect the people living in Israel. Netanyahu gave away control of Hebron years ago. Barak offered the whole of Judea/Samaria and even Jerusalem (thank G-d Arafat turned it down), and the retreat out of Lebanon. Sharon evacuated the Gaza Strip (destroying those communities, a whole bunch more in Samaria, and leaving Sederot open to attack). Olmert, whose incompetence cost us in the eyes of Hizbullah and the rest of the Arab world when Israel was unable to crush the terrorists, and still didn't retrieve those who were kidnapped.

With such leaders, who needs an enemy. Thankfully, we have a Father in Heaven who watches over His children who are woefully in need of help. In 1948, G-d paved the way for the State of Israel. In 1967, in an amazing six day victory, the Old City of Jerusalem, the Kotel (the Western Wall) was returned to us, as well as the historic areas of Judea and Samaria. There are no apologizies to be made (unless the Arabs feel the need). We have established a "Jewish" State, taken in Jews from around the world, even defended Jews living in other countries... why are we bending over backwards for people who attempt every few years to destroy us? Darned if I know.

Reporting from a War Zone II

In case anyone is interested on what's going on here, I am probably not the best source of news. I am located in Jerusalem where thank G-d it is quiet. However I can tell you what I hear.

To begin with, there is the constant sound of airplanes and helicopters going by. From what I know, there's an airforce base to the south of us, and they are headed north. From what I understand, since the time of the Israeli pullout of Lebanon (7 years ago?), Hizbullah has been stocking weapons and rockets.

Next, the religious community (the hareidim, the "ultra" orthodox) have organized round the clock psalms readings and Torah learning.

Something I heard from Mrs. P who I took home the other night, was that when she was walking through Geula (a neighborhood in Jerusalem) she watched and heard a car with a loudspeaker on top asking people to say Psalms for the situation that Israel is in. At the same time she saw a few Arabs standing, pointing at the car - and mocking the message. Interesting.

I'm also listening to the radio. While I do not understand everything they are discussing, I am able to figure out some of it. Most of it is dedicated to the war up north. They've been reporting from the cities that have been bombed, and even from the bomb shelters themselves. They have been talking about how people are surviving - how they live, go to work, pay their bills, and how children are handling the situation. Basic things.

Many families have moved south. This is a big deal since there are half a million people up north. Those who've decided to come further down need places to live and sleep. There are also those who are unable to make the move south for different reasons. Some are afraid to be on the roads - even to leave. One teacher of mine was telling us about friends of hers who cannot make the move since they have a son who is sick and is dependent on the machines that he's hooked to. He needs an ambulance to move him and even so gets really ill when he is moved.

There's a family (two parents and eight kids) from Tzfat/Safed that moved into the area that the school is located in. We've adopted them by bringing them food, toys, and taking them out to the park. But it's not even so simple like that. They came to Jerusalem with no money, and pretty much nothing else. They just left. The mother is shell-shocked. She's afraid to let her kids leave the apartment for any reason. She's started to let them go outside to the park for about 10-15 minutes and then they have to come back. She won't let them close the bathroom door since she won't be able to see them.

There are a couple girls who lived in Tzfat who returned to Shearim until things get quiet. One of the girls mentioned that intellectually she knows that she's safe, but she is still not digesting her food and isn't sleeping. Post-tramatic symptoms.

If anyone is interested in helping please check out these websites: One Family Fund or Meir Panim Relief Centers

Everyone please contact your representatives, senators and other elected officials and let them know that they should leave Israel to finish the job in Lebanon and Gaza.

Reporting from a War Zone?

Today was the 17th of Tamuz, a "minor" fast day in the Jewish calendar. This day marks the beginning of the three week period from when the Romans breached the walls of Jerusalem till the 9th of Av, when the Romans destroyed the Holy Temple. Today is also the day that Tzefat/Safed and Haifa were hit by rockets.

Who could have imagined such a crazy thing. These are all places that I have visited over the years when coming to Israel.

I took the day easy today. I went to classes this morning, then came back to the apartment to hang out. We heard about Tzefat about five o'clock this afternoon. I have the computer here with internet and we (myself and my apartmentmates) sat and checked the news.

About seven o'clock, myself and the other girls piled into the car and we went to the Kotel/Western Wall. It was pretty packed, and at first I couldn't figure out why it was so busy. Finally I realized that since it was the 17th of Tamuz, more people were visiting the Kotel.

Davening/praying at the Kotel is always an experience. Multiply that experience by twenty when it's a holiday or special occassion. First of all I couldn't get all the way up to the Kotel, but I came close. Then I began davening the afternoon prayers (Mincha). There was a lady standing next to me crying.

She reminded me of a story I heard once. There was a young man who was at the Kotel who was really emotional and praying his hardest. There was an older fellow who saw that the younger man was really into his prayers and wanted to know if maybe there was something he could help the younger fellow with. The older fellow waited for him to finish and asked if he was okay. The younger fellow explained. Thank G-d my family is well and healthy. Thank G-d I have a job and a way to make a living. I was emotional because things are going well and want things to continue this way.

What I got out of this story was that we should not only ask G-d for stuff when things are not going well. We generally only talk to G-d when we are in need. We need to remember that G-d is there for the good times as well.

But I digress. While davening I heard some of the men praying Avenu Malkeinu, which is said on fast days. I had thought this was only said on Yom Kippur - so I had a very deep reaction to hearing it said. Then I heard some teenagers singing, Acheinu Kol Bais Yisroel (that all of Israel should be okay and those captures should be released. Considering that three of our boys are in enemy hands it's a really serious song) and Vl'Yerushalayim (that G-d should rebuild Jerusalem). It was very emotionally weird. Then I while was finishing praying with Aleinu (recommended reading for everyone!) the Muslims began their evening prayers. What a way to wrap up.

What a day. The time at the Kotel was heavy, but awesome. I was also thinking about this war situation. I'm not afraid and don't think that there's anything to be afraid of. My concern is how Jews are going to be killed before this ends. I know that HaShem is watching out for us.

What is interesting is that HaShem is always watching for us. Even when we can't figure out for ourselves the right thing - HaShem is there. When Ehud Barak tried to hand over Judea/Samaria to Arafat, Arafat said no and started a mini-war. When Ariel Sharon set us up for the situation we are in now - he ended up a vegetable. When Ehud Olmert began to seriously discuss removing the Jews of Judea/Samaria - the Muslims of Gaza and Lebanon decided to start a war. The cause and effect is pretty clear.

As we are now in the three weeks between the breach of the walls and the destruction of the Temple, we need to think about what we can do better. It is said that if the Temple is not rebuilt, it is as if the Temple were destroyed in that generation. Which means that if we don't see the rebuilding - we didn't do enough. The Temple was destroyed due to baseless hatred. The question is: What are we going to do to fix the situation? We need to take on a mitzvah along the lines of Bein Adam L'Chavero (between people). What are we going to do to improve relations between Jews? We need to take on one mitzvah. We could even do something simple. Shamai said in Pirkei Avos (Sayings of the Fathers) that we should receive everyone with a cheerful face. Why not that? It's amazing what a simple smile can do.

I hope to continue to update as I know stuff, but all of you should know that thank G-d I'm fine. Please also find your way to Psalm #20, and ask for the safe return of our boys and all Jews in Israel and across the world should be safe as well.

With love of Israel.

Surprised?

It seems to be that your ordinary person on the street is surprised that Hamas won. I'm not sure why. We know that Hamas is an honest group of people as compared to the PA. The PA is corrupt and everyone knows it. Hamas on the other hand has set up schools, hospitals and comes straight out when announcing that Israel will be destroyed. I would have been surprised if the PA had won. They have nothing to offer but more of the same. Obviously the "Palestinian" people want action and results and when given the chance they chose Hamas. We should not delude ourselves that these people want peace. They were supposedly given an opportunity between peace making and terror (although we shouldn't confuse ourselves that the PA/Fatah and Hamas are different groups) and they chose terror. At least the "Palestinians" are honest with themselves. The question is whether the world and world Jewry will believe them or decide to find some excuse for their voting results.

Nothing will change. Hamas and PA/Fatah worked together on the last bombing (Tel Aviv bus station). The fact is that now it is official that the "Palestinians" believe in terrorism. Rush Limbaugh made a good point. Previously when there were bombings and Hamas claimed them, the PA could distance themselves. But now that Hamas is the official "Palestinian" government - any attack can be seen as an act of war and Israel can/should conduct themselves accordingly. Will we see such positive action on the part of the Israeli government? I sincerely doubt it. As of this writing, Ehud Olmert, the acting Prime Minister says he will not deal with Hamas. Shall we take bets on how long it takes him to change his mind? If I were anyone out there, I wouldn't take that bet - you'd lose.

No Surprises Here

According to news reports at the moment, a Jewish young man, 19 years old has shot up an Arab bus killing at least four people. This shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. When a supposed democratic society shuts down all avenues of expression, otherwise known as non-violent protest, it is a time-bomb waiting to go off. However, I must make very clear -- in no way does this mean that I condone his actions. The Jewish People are not prone to violent outbursts, it is not at all part of our nature.

People agree to form governments in order to protect themselves and their property (thank you John Locke). When they feel that their person or property are not being protected, and when they do not feel they have a means to get their government to hear their complaints - especially in a democratic society - they are unable to see what possible options may be open to them since many and all of them are closed. What can we expect to happen?

I feel terrible that this young man felt that he had no options. I lay complete and utter blame for this situation at the feet of Ariel Sharon. He has put the Jewish People in an untenable position in which John Locke himself would agree that this government has become tyrannical and has put itself at war with the people. People are willing to overlook the wrongs of government time and time again, but there comes a time when it is impossible to do so. I am certainly not advocating that there should be a coup (G-d forbid) since this would pit Jew against Jew. However this is a reality in which non-violent dissention must be allowed and encouraged in order for the people to feel that they are heard. This is the way of a true democracy.

I pray for this young man. I wish his family comfort with all the mourners of Zion. HaShem should protect us all.

Insanity!

It seems that there are three major events occuring regarding the Gaza retreat. One is that the United States is against the destruction of the Jewish homes left behind. Two is the rumor that Peres is asking the United States to help pay for the resettlement of these Gaza Jews. It also seems to be a given that the U.S. is also going to pay almost a billion dollars to reconstruct Gaza for the new Arab state which will be created.

I have several problems. Number one, as a Jewish-American citizen, why do I care if Israel decides to detroy those houses that those Jews are being forced to abandon? Why should we as Jews hand over anything free of charge to anyone (especially those who still claim to want to destroy us). As an American citizen who pays taxes, I object to paying for any or all of this. I do not want any of my money to pay for the resettlement of Jews to another area. I do not believe they should be removed from their homes in the first place -- why should I resettle them. Next, I'll be darned if I have my money given to the reconstruction of Gaza for the next Arab state. This will make a grand total of 22 Arab states. Wonderful. Why don't I just send Saudi Arabia a donation if I feel like throwing my money down the toilet?

It's not only live Jews that are being removed, it's also the Jews who have been buried there. We are unable to trust our "partners in peace" that these graves will not be desecrated. We've seen it many times before. One example being when Israel handed over the Tomb of Joseph to the "Palestinian Authority", next we see it being destroyed by Arab hands and burned to the ground. Where is the respect for the dead? There is none for the Jewish dead.

There is no respect for the Jewish living or the Jewish dead. This is what the world calls peace. This is what George Orwell would call "doublespeak". This is what I would call "insanity". Start praying.

Mahmoud Abbas: Terrorist in an Expensive Suit

I just saw this article. Well written, and incredibly important. A must read.

Column One: Sharon's terror masters

During the course of his negotiations with Damascus-based Palestinian terror masters in Cairo this week, PA chieftain Mahmoud Abbas made two revealing statements.



First, on Tuesday, Abbas said that upon receiving security control of Jericho, he would release from custody all of the Palestinian terrorists who have been incarcerated there since May 2002.



[...]



On Wednesday, Abbas went a step further. He told the terror masters who are now based in Damascus that after the exit of Israeli forces and civilians from Gaza and the transfer of control over the international border with Egypt to the PLO, they would all be invited to move their headquarters to the Gaza Strip.

Say Goodbye...

The Israeli government is preparing us for the pullout from Gaza and part of Judea/Samaria by de-legitimizing the Jews who live there. The beginnings of this de-legitimization can be seen in the newspaper, and no doubt there will be more as we get closer to the date of the pullout.

It is perhaps the strangest thing to see...the demise of democracy in Israel. Ariel Sharon was elected by a majority as a strong pro-"settlement", anti-rewarding terror prime minister, and amazingly enough, soon afterward began speaking about "occupied territories" and the need for another Arab state (21 states obviously isn't enough).

This was not the platform a majority of Israelis voted Sharon into office on. He has gone and made a complete 180 degree turn on what he promised when running for office. He has gone against his mandate. As a result of this, he now intends to remove the Jews from Gaza and part of Judea/Samaria.

How do you do all this and still stay in office? By de-legitimizing your opponents. The news has begun (and watch this trend will continue) to compare the contentious atmosphere in Israel as similar to the time prior to Yitzchak Rabin's killing.

Sharon pushed against having a national referendum (and was successful). In a statement against this referendum (Feb.10,'05) he speaks about the pressures against the disengagement. "These pressures emanate from within the Likud, as well as by parties outside the Likud, such as: "Kach" and "Yesha"....I wish to make myself clear: whoever supports the national referendum is against evacuating Gaza. He is against the disengagement."

What Sharon is doing is very smart. First he compares Kach and Yesha. Yesha is the representative body of Jews living in Gaza, Judea and Samaria. Kach is supposedly a "terrorist" organization, which supports the repatriation of the Arabs living in Israel to the surrounding Arab countries. Since Kach is supposedly a terrorist organization, by placing Kach and Yesha in the same sentence -- Sharon is placing them in the same camp of "terrorists", thereby de-legitimizing those against disengagement (and those living in those areas).

Second, Sharon makes it clear that anyone for the national referendum is against disengagement. This may be true, however, this a slap against democracy. Such an important decision should certainly be brought to a general vote. He has effectively disenfranchised the general Israeli population who had originally placed him in office.

Rallies against disengagement have taken place all over Israel. Hundreds of thousands of Israelis -- settlers and others, have demonstrated against what they feel will hurt Israel. Of course none of these rallies or demonstrations are shown on the mainstream media.

Continue to listen for certain key words: "incitement", "threatening atmosphere", "intimidation", or "Yitzchak Rabin". When the day arrives that the Jews are taken out of their homes, they will not be treated with the respect they deserve. Those who do not evacuate by the deadline can be sent to jail for up to six months. Other people in the area can be sent to jail for two years. Families may be sent to jail together.

The people living in Gaza, Judea and Samaria are heroes. They have settled the area knowing they would be open to attack by Arabs. They have settled and made their homes there believing that the land was given to them by G-d. They deserve better than to be vilified as "crazy" or "terrorists" or "obstacles to peace". They deserve better than to have their homes taken from them by undemocratic means. They deserve a lot better. They deserve our thanks and our support.

The Retreat from Gaza

I'm including an excellent analytical piece here by David Bedein about the "Disengagement Plan". Take a moment to read it.

"A DISPASSIONATE VIEW OF THE SHARON PLAN:

From a Disengagement Plan to a Retreat Plan"

by David Bedein

Emanuel A. Winston, a Middle East analyst & commentator, says: Emphasis added with some comments in brackets.]

I strongly urge you to read the enclosed Bedein analysis of Prime Minister Sharon's withdrawal plans. As you read, you will see the fingerprints of the Arabist U.S. State Department and the Bush advisors.

Note particularly the concept of leaving homes, factories, farms, businesses intact for the Arab Palestinians - all are to remain as if Gaza is a protectorate of Israel and without cost to the incoming recipients or just compensation for the evicted Jews who invested their own money, blood, sweat and tears for 3 generations.

Note also the pledge to provide employment, electricity, water, sewage treatment, telecommunications, gasoline - and training of the Arab "Security Forces".

What you will likely conclude is that President Bush and the U.S. State Department do NOT wish to take responsibility for what they have provoked. They refuse to finance the Arab Palestinians but rather have Israel surrender the land and all its hard-earned infrastructure. Then they expect Israel to continue supporting the international Terrorist Organizations who will take over after Sharon's shameful retreat.

Because this Gaza retreat plan is a direct extension of the failed Oslo plan and the newly re-packaged Geneva plan (all promoted by the E.U., the U.N. and the U.S. State Department) it would wise and prudent to vote against its adoption. PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO YOUR LISTS, THE MEDIA, CONGRESS & OTHER INFLUENTIALS!

A DISPASSIONATE VIEW OF THE SHARON PLAN:

FROM A DISENGAGEMENT PLAN TO A RETREAT PLAN

By David Bedein

Bureau Chief

Israel Resource News Agency

Beit Agron International Press Center

Jerusalem.

The Sharon Plan will be voted on in an unprecedented referendum which will take place among the 200,00 members of the Likud Party in Israel this coming Sunday [May 2].

This is no internal election.

The Sharon Plan has become a hotly debated news item in Israel and throughout the world.

Essentially, the vote on the Sharon Plan will provide the first referendum on the eleven year Oslo process.

Whatever the result, the situation in Israel will radically change.

If the Sharon Retreat Plan is ratified, the precedent will be established for the Israeli government to uproot Jewish communities.

A new government will be formed. The architect of the 1993 Oslo process, Shimon Peres, once again the leader of Israel's Labor Party, will again assume the post of foreign minister. The Oslo process will continue.

If the Sharon Plan is rejected, the Oslo process will be dead in the water.

Yet what is even more newsworthy, given the charged emotions that this debate has created, is the fact that very few people across the political spectrum in Israel, and even in the media and diplomatic corps represented in Israel, have bothered to read the Sharon Plan. Even though it is posted on the official web site of the Israeli Prime Minister, at http://www.pmo.gov.il , I repeat, few people have taken the time to read the Sharon Plan.

On one of Israel's most popular call-in shows last Friday morning, where everyone calling in had a passionate comment on the issue, the talk show host revealed that not one of the callers had read the Sharon Plan.

Likud Party Chairman and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had promised to mail out a copy of his plan to all of the Likud voters.

Well, if you take a dispassionate view of the plan, you will understand why he did not send it out.

The Sharon Plan is officially called the "Disengagement Plan", because, according to the preamble to clause 1, section 1, "Israel has come to the conclusion that there is currently no reliable Palestinian partner with which it can make progress in a bilateral peace process." The preamble goes on to say that "In order to break out of this stalemate, Israel is required to initiate moves not dependent on Palestinian cooperation…Accordingly, it has developed a plan of unilateral disengagement."

In other words, after 12 years of negotiations with the PLO, the Israeli government has reached the solemn conclusion that the negotiations have failed completely, and that the PLO is indeed at war with the state of Israel. After more than 22,000 terror attacks and almost one thousand people murdered in cold blood by Palestinian Arab terrorists in less than four years, that would be a seeming understatement. [1500 Jews have been murdered since Oslo in 1993, with tens of thousands injured - many maimed for life.]

Yet the paragraph that follows the preamble of the Sharon Plan is a seeming non-sequiter:

The Sharon Plan's answer to the PLO terror campaign is that "there will be no Israeli towns and villages in the Gaza Strip" and that "upon completion of this process, there shall no longer be any permanent presence of Israeli security forces or Israeli civilians in the areas of Gaza Strip territory which have been evacuated." Why retreat in the face of PLO adversity? No reason is given.

The plan offers an analysis, however, which states that "The relocation from the Gaza Strip and from Northern Samaria will reduce friction with the Palestinian population, and carries with it the potential for improvement in the Palestinian economy and living conditions."

Why would the Israeli government suddenly state that Jewish communities in Gaza and Northern Samaria are a "source of friction"? No reason is given. Why would it improve the economy and living conditions to abandon Jewish homes and farms? Again, no reason is given. After all, the Jewish communities in Gaza and Northern Samaria did not replace a single Arab family nor do they encroach on any Arab owned land. They were, in fact, built on vacant land not owned by any individuals, be they Palestinian, Jordanian or Egyptian after 1967 Six Day War.

The Sharon Plan does state that now "there will be no basis for claiming that the Gaza Strip is occupied territory," a specious claim that no government of Israel has ever accepted, since Israel does not define itself as a foreign "occupier" of any area of the historical land of Israel.

The Sharon Plan continues with a statement that seems to belie the preamble that the PLO is not a "reliable Palestinian partner" by stating that "the hope is that the Palestinians will take advantage of the opportunity created by the disengagement in order to break out of the cycle of violence and to reengage in a process of dialogue."

Why would an Israeli abandonment of Jewish communities cause the Palestinians to "break out of a cycle of violence"? It got them all of Gaza and will result in the deportation of Jews.

Since the majority of the Palestinians in Gaza, who live in the squalor of UN Arab refugee camps, are nurtured by the ideas of the "right of return" to liberate lands where their Arab villages existed in 1948, why would Israel's dismemberment of Jewish communities established on lands where no Arab villages were lost in 1967 satisfy their political goals?

Meanwhile, another premise of the Sharon Plan is that "the process of disengagement will serve to dispel claims regarding Israel's responsibility for the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip." So why does the plan continue to obligate Israel to provide water pipes, electricity, industrial zones, markets and employment to sustain the Palestinian Arab economy of Gaza? In the words, the Sharon Plan promises that the "Infrastructure relating to water, electricity, sewage and telecommunications serving the Palestinians will remain in place" and that " In general, Israel will enable the continued supply of electricity, water, gas and petrol to the Palestinians, in accordance with current arrangements. Other existing arrangements, such as those relating to water and the electro-magnetic sphere and economic arrangements shall remain in force". These arrangements include, inter alia:

i. The entry of workers into Israel in accordance with the existing criteria.

ii. The entry and exit of goods between the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Israel and abroad.

iii. The monetary regime.

iv. Tax and customs envelope arrangements.

v. Postal and telecommunications arrangements.

Meanwhile, Israel will continue to operate The Erez industrial zone, situated in the Gaza Strip, which employs some 4,000 Palestinian workers."

So what the Israeli Prime Minister's office describes as a "disengagement plan" does anything but disengage Israel from the Palestinian Arab population.

For whatever reason, the Sharon plan assumes that the PLO will abandon its terror campaign.

The plan says, "When", and not "if" "…there is evidence from the Palestinian side of its willingness, capability and implementation in practice of the fight against terrorism and the institution of reform as required by the Road Map, it will be possible to return to the track of negotiation and dialogue."

While the premise of the Sharon plan is that the PLO will not fight terrorism, and with evidence that the PLO continues to run a system based of corruption, what basis does the Sharon plan have for any assumption that the PLO will "fight against terrorism" or institute any "reform"? There is no answer.

And when it comes to security issues in other areas, the Sharon plan promises to "evacuate an Area in the Northern Samaria Area (the West Bank) including 4 villages and all military installations, and re-deploy outside the vacated area. The move will enable territorial contiguity for Palestinians in the Northern Samaria Area "while Israel will improve the transportation infrastructure in the West Bank in order to facilitate the contiguity of Palestinian transportation." Israel will provide them buses as they blow ours up?

Does this also mean that abandoned villages and military installations will be handed over to a PLO that is "not a reliable peace partner"? Once more, since the Sharon Plan defines the PLO as maintaining a state of war with Israel, why does the same Sharon Plan provide the PLO with the strategic assistance of "territorial contiguity"? No answer is given as merrily we roll along.

Meanwhile, the Sharon Plan mandates that the Gaza Strip "be demilitarized and shall be devoid of weaponry, the presence of which does not accord with the Israeli-Palestinian agreements."

However, the Sharon Plan does not even allude to the fact that the PLO violated all previous agreements in this regard and refused to implement the agreement with Israel to have their personnel vetted by Israel. Did Sharon forget that the PLO increased against the Oslo agreement the size of the agreed upon security force from 9,000 in 1993 to more than 50,000 by 1995, ignoring protestations of the government of Israel?

The Sharon Plan that demilitarizes Gaza provides no process to disarm the PLO armed forces now in Gaza.

And what does the Sharon Plan mandate in terms of Israeli security? The Sharon Plan asserts that " Israel reserves its inherent right of self-defense, both preventive and reactive, including where necessary the use of force, in respect of threats emanating from the Gaza Strip." Incredibly, Israel's right to pursue terrorists into Gaza is not mentioned anywhere. They can shoot at us but we may not go after the terrorists.

As far as the security situation in the West Bank is concerned, the Sharon Plan states that "upon completion of the evacuation of the Northern Samaria Area, no permanent Israeli military presence will remain in this area," while another section states that " Military Installations and Infrastructure in the Gaza Strip and Northern Samaria will be dismantled and removed, with the exception of those which Israel decides to leave and transfer to another party ..."

Does that mean that the PLO security forces, described in clause 1 of the Sharon Plan as "not a reliable peace partner," will now inherit Israel's abandoned IDF miltary bases?

Why would Israel cede military installations to an entity with who it is in a state of war?

The Sharon Plan also states that "In other areas of the West Bank, current security activity will continue" and that "...as circumstances permit, Israel will consider reducing such activity in Palestinian cities…" and that "Israel will work to reduce the number of internal checkpoints throughout the West Bank."

So here we have a situation where Israel moves its forces out of cities and reduces checkpoints and is expected to maintain mobility to respond to the PLO terror war.

Perhaps the most amazing issue of all is that the Sharon Plan agrees to provide "advice, assistance and training" to "the Palestinian security forces for the implementation of their obligations to combat terrorism and maintain public order, by American, British, Egyptian, Jordanian or other experts, as agreed with Israel."

The Sharon Plan ignores Israel's decade-long failed experience with security assistance that Israel facilitated for the PLO.

The Sharon Plan ignores how military training facilitated by Israel and western countries for the PLO was abused to conduct a terror campaign against Israel in every part of the country for the past four years. The U.S. State Department trained Palestinian policemen for "security" who then used that training to kill Israelis.

The Sharon Plan goes on to say that "Israel will be willing to consider the possibility of the establishment of a seaport and airport in the Gaza Strip, in accordance with arrangements to be agreed with Israel." Did Israel not try that already? And weren't guns and rockets smuggled in?

In terms of Israel's border area between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, (called the Philadelphi Route), the Sharon Plan only states that "Initially, Israel will continue to maintain a military presence along the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt" and that "...subsequently, the evacuation of this area will be considered…. dependent, inter alia, on the security situation and the extent of cooperation with Egypt in establishing a reliable alternative arrangement."

Why "initially" and "subsequently"?

Does Israel expect that situation on the Egyptian border to change?

Will weapons continue to be smuggled through tunnels on Egypt's frontier?

And how does the Sharon Plan deal with the fate of the 25 Israeli communities that it has slated for abandonment? Three generations of families who worked hard and built productive lives on vacant sand dunes to make a thriving agricultural community?

The Sharon Plan makes no mention of the property rights, human rights or civil liberties of the residents and landowners in these communities.

Instead, the Sharon Plan relates only to the property values of Jewish owned property in terms of how they might help their new occupants, stating that "Israel will strive to leave the immovable property relating to Israeli towns and villages intact," while "Israel reserves the right to request that the economic value of the assets left in the evacuated areas be taken into consideration" and that "The transfer of Israeli economic activity to Palestinians carries with it the potential for a significant improvement in the Palestinian economy."

In other words, terrorism pays.

But worse still, the Sharon Plan does not take into account that only the leadership of the PLO would likely take this property for themselves, irrespective of the economic needs of the Palestinian society. The record of corruption of the highest levels of the PLO is a matter of public record throughout the world.

Instead, the Sharon Plan states that "Israel proposes that an international body be established (along the lines of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee), with the agreement of the United States and Israel, which shall take possession from Israel of property which remains, and which will estimate the value of all such assets." In other words, the Israeli government has decided to implement a process designed to confiscate the private property belonging to thousands of people, without any mention of the human rights, civil liberties or the property rights of people who have the rightful deed to their homes, businesses and farms.

Instead of recognizing the rights of landowners of the Israeli communities scheduled for abandonment, the Sharon Plan offers hundreds of Israeli homes to the PLO, stating that "Israel will strive to leave in place the infrastructure relating to water, electricity and sewage currently serving the Israeli towns and villages."

Finally, The Sharon Plan envisions continued international support for the PLO , " in order to bring the Palestinians to implement in practice their obligations to combat terrorism and effect reforms, thus enabling the parties to return to the path of negotiation."

And if the support for the PLO continues and the terror does not cease? What then? The Sharon Plan provides no answer.

So there you have it. The text of the Sharon Plan speaks for itself: Ethnic Cleansing of Jews, strengthening of the PLO, and no disengagement whatsoever. This is not a disengagement plan. This is a plan of hasty retreat that doesn't even include a request of the Palestine Authority to stop endorsing the murder of Jews from their government's Public Broadcasting Corporation shows.

What sanctions are listed if the PLO does not comply? Is this not worse than the Oslo Accords?

Breaking News! Arafat may have AIDS!

An interesting idea was floated by me the other day. We know Arafat is bi-sexual. Now we see him in France with an unknown blood disease. The doctors have eliminated cancer from the list ... how many more options are there?

The National Review Online has picked this up, as well as a gay website have both commented. The gay website covers this story better. What does this do for chief terrorist Arafat's image in the Arab world? Could this be why he's being treated in France?

Great Article! Must Read!

I was sent this article by a friend of mine. This is certainly worth reading and forwarding along.

Brigitte Gabriel - Speaks the Truth at Duke University on 10-14

Posted: 10/22/2004 9:13:00 AM

Author: Brigitte Gabriel, Lebanese Christian

Source: http://www.standwithus.com

Remarks of Brigitte Gabriel

Delivered at the Duke University

Counter Terrorism Speak out

October 14, 2004

I'm proud and honored to stand here today as a Lebanese speaking for Israel the only democracy in the Middle East. As someone who was raised in an Arabic country I want to give you a glimpse into the heart ofthe Arabic world.

I was raised in Lebanon where I was taught that the Jews were evil, Israel was the devil, and the only time we will have peace in the Middle East is when we kill all the Jews and drive them into the sea.

When the Moslems and Palestinians declared Jihad on the Christians in1975, they started massacring the Christians city after city. I ended up living in a bomb shelter underground from age 10 to 17 without electricity, eating grass to live and crawling under sniper bullets to a spring to get water.

It was Israel who came to help the Christians in Lebanon. My mother was wounded by a Moslem shell and was taken into an Israeli hospital for treatment. When we entered the emergency room, I was shocked at what I saw. There were hundreds of people wounded, Moslems, Palestinians, Christian Lebanese and Israeli soldiers lying on the floor. The doctors treated everyone according to their injuries. They treated my mother before they treated the Israeli soldier lying next to her. They didn't see religion, they didn't see political affiliation, they saw people in need, and they helped.

For the first time in my life, I experienced a human quality that I know my culture would not have shown to their enemy. I experienced the values of the Israelis who were able to love their enemy in their most trying moments.

I spent 22 days at that hospital; those days changed my life and the way I believe information, the way I listen to the radio or to television. I realized I was sold a fabricated lie by my government about the Jews and Israel that

was so far from reality. I knew for fact that if I was a Jew standing in an Arab hospital, I would be lynched and thrown over to the grounds as shouts of joy of Allahu Akbar (God is great) would echo through the hospital and the surrounding streets.

I became friends with the families of the Israeli wounded soldiers; one in particular Rina, her only child was wounded in his eyes.

One day I was visiting with her, and the Israeli army band came to play national songs to lift the spirits of the wounded soldiers. As they surrounded his bed playing a song about Jerusalem, Rina and I started crying. I felt out of place and started walking out of the room, and this mother holds my hand and pulls me back in without even looking at me. She holds me crying and says: "it is not your fault". We just stood there crying and holding each other's hands.

What a contrast between her, a mother looking at her deformed 19-year- old only child, and still able to love me, the enemy, and between a Moslem mother who sends her son to blow himself up to smithereens just to kill a few Jews or Christians.

The difference between the Arabic world and Israel is a difference in values and character. It's barbarism versus civilization. It's democracy versus dictatorship. It's goodness versus evil.

Once upon a time, there was a special place in the lowest depths of hell for anyone who would intentionally murder a child. Now, the intentional murder of Israeli children is legitimized as Palestinian "armed struggle." However, once such behavior is legitimized against Israel, it is legitimized everywhere in the world, constrained by nothing more than the subjective belief of people who would wrap themselves in dynamite and nails for the purpose of killing children in the name of God.

Because the Palestinians have been encouraged to believe that murdering innocent Israeli civilians is a legitimate tactic for advancing their cause, the whole world now suffers from a plague of terrorism, from Nairobi to New York, from Moscow to Madrid, from Bali to Beslan.

They blame suicide bombing on "desperation of occupation." Let me tell you the truth. The first major terror bombing committed by Arabs against the Jewish state occurred ten weeks before Israel even became independent. On Sunday morning, February 22, 1948, in anticipation of Israel 's independence, a triple truck bomb was detonated by Arab terrorists on Ben Yehuda Street in what was then the Jewish section of Jerusalem. Fifty-four people were killed, and hundreds were wounded. Thus, it is obvious that Arab terrorism is caused not by the "desperation" or "occupation," but by the VERY THOUGHT of a Jewish state.

So many times in history in the last 100 years, citizens have stood by and done nothing, allowing evil to prevail. As America stood up against and defeated communism, now it is time to stand up against the terror of religious bigotry and intolerance. It's time to all stand up and support and defend the state of Israel, which is the front line of the war against terrorism.

Thank you.

Copyright © 2000-2004, All Rights Reserved

StandWithUs.com Israel Advocacy

Day of Mourning

Another Jewish family has been destroyed today. An eight month pregnant woman and her four daughters were murdered today on the road in Israel on their way to protest the Gaza withdrawl plan. These are true heroes. This is an example of what the plan will do. We cannot turn our eyes away. What will be our response?

Spiritual Leadership

This week the World is mourning a "spiritual leader". A great man that brought hope to millions of Arabs across the globe. A man who had posted a sign on the door of his mosque saying, "We greet martyrdom with a smile." Sheikh Ahmed Yassin was certainly a "spiritual leader" that all of us should take a moment to mourn for.

Ok, that moment is over. Sheikh Yassin was known for his establishment of the Hamas terrorist movement in 1987. The goal of this movement is the total destruction of the Jewish State of Israel and to put in its place an Islamic State. Not just in the Gaza Strip or the West Bank, but the entire State. The symbol of Hamas is one with crossed swords in front of the Dome of the Rock with an outline of the whole of Israel above the mosque.

One of the basic tenants of Hamas is Jihad, holy war against the infidels. Unfortunately, they’ve been quite successful in this jihad of suicide bombers, and murderous attacks. Hamas has orchestrated 425 terrorist attacks, murdered 377 Israelis and wounded 2,076 more since September 2000. They have been responsible for the deaths of Americans as well. These deaths include the attack in the Hebrew University cafeteria in Jerusalem, killing 5 American students of July 2002. (Jerusalem Post "Israel uses Yassin’s words against him" 3/22/04 )

Jihad is a way of life. Quoting the Oral Tradition of Islam, the Hadith, the Hamas website quotes clearly, "I swear by the holder of Mohammed’s soul that I would like to invade and be killed for the sake of Allah, then invade and be killed,and then invade again and be killed."

Hamas is not above using children in their actions. Even Amnesty International has called on Arab terrorists organizations to stop using children in their attacks. Over the last two weeks, two boys, 14 and 11 years old were found with explosives. The 11 year old was not aware he was carrying a remote control bomb and was safely disarmed by Israeli soldiers. The 14 year old boy was given a vest full of explosives, 100 shekels, and most importantly, the promise of 72 virgins in heaven waiting for him. He too was safely disarmed. (Jerusalem Post "Amnesty to Palestinians: Denounce use of children" 3/25/04)

These are the ideals of Sheikh Yassin. The death and destruction of innocent men, women and children. Meanwhile, world leaders are crying over the death of a mass murderer. A man who murdered hundreds and wounded thousands. A man who no doubt was planning other attacks when Israel killed him.

But that does not seem to matter to the World. Javier Solana, the European Union’s foreign policy chief stated that, "The action of today are bad news for the peace process." (Jerusalem Post "World blasts Yassin killing" 3/22/04) What a brilliant thinker we have here. Move him to the head of the class. Did Solana worry about the peace process when there were Jews being blown to bits? Does Solana consider Jewish deaths "bad news" or only is it bad news when terrorists are being killed?

Israel has made the world a safer place to live in. It’s too bad that nobody recognizes it.

Terrorism Works

While Wayne State students have been on spring break this past week, there has been quite a bit of action happening around the world. And since none of us want to be caught on Jay Leno’s Jaywalking segment looking like an idiot, let’s do a quick run through of last week’s events.

Terrorism is huge in the news this past week. Starting our review with the attack on the trains in Madrid, Spain, we see that terrorism works. During Thursday morning rush hour, ten bombs went off simultaneously (those clever terrorists) killing at least 190 people and wounding another 1,500. This attack took place just three days before the national elections in that country. Supposedly the Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades, terror organization aligned with al-Qaeda, carried out the attack because they were unhappy that Spain was an ally to the United States in the “war against terror.” Possibly because of the attack, the Party helping the U.S. lost the election, and the new party in Spain will be bringing their troops home from Iraq. So what have the terrorists learned? They’ve figured out that if you kill enough people, governments will cave into any demand asked for. This is equivilant to begging a bully not to hit us anymore. Wonderful.

And of course the biggest news over the last couple days was that Israel did the world a favor. Not that the world has realized it yet, because they haven’t. Israel killed Sheikh Ahmad Yassin, the head of the Hamas terrorist organization. Hamas has been responsible for the murder of hundreds of civilians as well as thousands more who were wounded because of their attacks. Americans have been among those who have been murdered. Americans like us who attended Hebrew University in Jerusalem on an academic exchange program.

Funny enough, after the bombings in Spain, Russia’s president Vladimir Putin called for “the entire international community” to unite against terror, the entire international community certainly has united. (news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/europe/3504046.stm) However, it was not against terror - but in support of it.

When Israel cut the head off the snake of Hamas, many world leaders except for the United States condemned the action. Javier Solana, foreign policy chief of the European Union, stated that, “These type[s] of action do not contribute to dialogue and peace in the region...” (Jerusalem Post “World Blasts Yassin Killing” jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/Printer&cid=1079929448131&p=1078027574121) Really? Yassin was a man who had dedicated his life to the destruction of the Jewish People. There was no talk of peace from Yassin - only suicide bombings. But yet, he is mourned by the World. When both Britain and Iran agree on an issue, there is something to wonder about. 

Americans wonder if the government had information about earlier opportunities to kill Bin Laden prior to 9/11. If the government did have a chance to get rid of him and had saved those 3,000 lives but didn’t, they would be as responsible as Bin Laden. But America didn’t know. Israel had an opportunity to kill a man who had the blood of hundreds on his hands. Not to kill him would be irresponsible and only let Yassin continue in his planning and mass murder. Israel took that chance and is paying for it in world opinion.

What have we learned from this past week’s events? We have learned that terrorism works. Spain is a quick study. Israel is another. World reaction is telling. Words are cheap. Words such as, “Let us all unite against terrorism”. But when it comes to actions -- goodness, we must forbid anything that resembles self-defense against murderers.