News Roundup
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Support Geert Wilders
He dared to shine a light on the truth of the Koran. Now he's paying the price. And if he gets convicted, it will be the end of free speech in Europe.
"A three-judge appeals panel on Wednesday ruled that Wilders' insults to Islam were so egregious that the principle of free speech was not sufficient defense."
Learn more and lend a hand.
And steal the button in the sidebar, just like I stole it from Atlas who is doing an amazing job of covering the story. (She told me to.)
E.J. Dionne @ RealClearPolitics observes Obama Aims to Overturn the Reagan Revolution, Quietly, noting:
President Barack Obama intends to use conservative values for progressive ends.
...And in trying to do all these things, he will confuse a lot of people.
Confusion: #1 tactic of the Communist. Go figure.
Watch Glenn Beck on FoxNews @ 5 pm EST, Monday-Friday.
Why?
He's not afraid to use the "S"-word: SOCIALISM.
This is the best Israeli analysis of the Obama Inauguration I've read.
Who Would You Vote for in the Upcoming Israeli Elections? Find out. I’m apparently siding with Haichud Haleumi, The National Unity Party.
Again, via Atlas: Heir Hussein is already targeting Rush Limbaugh (Go Figure). Here are the quotes from Obama and his cronies:
"You can't just listen to Rush Limbaugh and get things done." --Heir Hussein to the Republicans in Congress
"There are big things that unify Republicans and Democrats," the official said. "We shouldn't let partisan politics derail what are very important things that need to get done." --Heir Hussein Henchman
"I won," he said, according to aides who were briefed on the meeting. "I will trump you on that." –Heir Hussein
Rush states unequivocally that Obama is using a play from his mentor Alinsky’s playbook: personalize the conflict and eliminate the enemy, so to speak. Communist. Socialist. Call it whatever you want—they’re pushing for the death of Democracy, so what does it matter?
Labels: free speech, geert wilders, Islam, Obama, Socialism
posted by Shoshana @ 7:02 PM
Not My President
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Caroline Glick presents another excellent analysis, this time of Operation Cast Lead. She concludes by saying that Israel faces two immediate challenges in the 3-6 month interim before Hamas re-arms:
1. "...preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons,"
2. "and preventing the new Obama administration from undermining Israel's strategic position by selling out Israel's security to buy "pictures of victory" of its own with Iran and Syria."
Now, review Obama's words today:
"To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. ...we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist."
Speaking of clenching moments, try Rick Warren's Inaugural Prayer (soon to be titled "The Purpose Driven Pratfall") or, rather, the analysis thereof thanks to JihadWatch:
Rick Warren in Inauguration prayer: "You are the compassionate, the merciful one..."I knew the Sh'ma quote was too awkward, too weird, and too out of place to be genuine.
Following right after "Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God, the Lord is one."
"The compassionate, the merciful" is, of course, a reference to the invocation at the beginning of every chapter of the Qur'an except one: Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim, "In the name of Allah, the compassionate, the merciful."
Obama also remarked, "We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus--and non-believers." Lovely; let's equate the Dhimmi police with the Dhimmis-- I bet someone's burning an Obama effigee in a
It's nice that all these conservatives are coming out saying that Barack Hussein Obama is their President because they don't want to imitate the gross liberal Bush-bashing of the past eight years, nor do they want to look like "racists" (even though our society is color blind now) or "the party of 'no'". It's charming and it's an understandable sentiment coming from people like Hannity, Beck, and Palin. They're public figures; they have to maintain team spirit to some degree.
However, speaking as a Joo (which is the only thing I can do, because I sure as heck ain't a "non-believer") I'll believe in the power of Americanism--real, solid Americanism that was created by Hollywood
Until then, I am a Joo. I am a Joo who looks forward to seeing all of the America I haven't yet had a chance to see-- when I can travel on an Israeli passport and return to a home where I truly feel safe and free.
Labels: Beck, Cast Lead, conservative, Hannity, IDF, inauguration, Israel, Jewish, Obama, Rick Warren, Sarah Palin
posted by Shoshana @ 9:06 PM
War Crimes
Monday, January 19, 2009
"Government wants IDF withdrawn ahead of Obama's inauguration as a "gesture"."
I want to vomit.
This is 1933 all over again, with a little bit of 1938 thrown in for good measure, only this time the Olmert-Livni-Barak triad is doing the Neville Chamberlain imitation. F.D.R. contributed to the death of 6 million Jews in Europe; there are just as many in Israel now. And what of the Jews that are still in Europe, or America for that matter? I suppose they'll just have to get used to their synagogues being burned and chants of "Hitler didn't finish the job."
What a nightmare. To think that our grandparents sacrificed so much for us to just throw it all away. We owe them an apology. We owe our God an apology for being such faithless fools as a nation--or, at least, for electing a government of suicidal/homicidal idiots (on both sides of the ocean).
I'd hang my head in shame but I won't for two reasons: One, I want to keep my eyes wide open. Two, I wouldn't dare give the enemy that kind of satisfaction.
Labels: Barak, Cast Lead, Gaza, IDF, Israel, Livni, Obama, Olmert
posted by Shoshana @ 7:15 AM
Modern Day Bielskis vs. Shandas 'Round the World
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Why is an impeached Prime Minister allowed to give orders to the IDF to pull out of Gaza? Shanda. SHANDA! Olmert is a SHANDA FUR DE GOYIM!
Infantrymen leaving Gaza pursuant to Saturday's cabinet decision think cessation of operation too hasty, say IDF could have and should have crushed Hamas will to shoot rockets at IsraelHaShem not only gives us military leverage, He has now given us economic and energy independence from Egypt and we still are stuck with a government of idiots.
Meanwhile, in the U.S., the majority of American Jews are busy soaking up the glory of their newfound messiah, B. Hussein. (Who is not African-American, he is Kenyan-Muslim-American. Just ask Ingrin Mattson or her HAMAS cohorts.) SHANDAS! Will they say 'Amen' to the prayer of a woman who wants us all dead? SHANDA FUR DE MUSLIMS!
Shandas are in France, as well: Sarkozy being #1:
The French government is strongly advocating the teaching of Arabic language and civilization in French schools. Not surprising, considering the number of Arabs and Muslims in France, and the unctuous deference with which they are treated by officials, beginning notably with Nicolas Sarkozy, who cannot praise enough the splendor of Arabic contributions to the world.SHANDA! Make that DHIMMI SHANDA!
What does the IDF think? According to one soldier [via Israel National News--hat tip, Atlas]:
We Want to Finish the JobThe IDF: Composed of the modern-day Bielskis.The soldiers’ morale is very high, and all of them definitely believe that the war is just and important. No one likes fighting; people want to be with their families. I’ve seen some 35-year-old guys almost crying about how much they miss their families – but at the same time, no one wants to leave now. Of all sectors, it’s the soldiers who do not want a ceasefire, not because we want to fight but because we know the job is not finished yet. We don’t want to have to go back again in a year or two or three. The soldiers want to stay and finish the job, they really do… I think there has to be a hard push against Hamas, even harder than we have done until now; this will take a real sacrifice, we know - but to think that we might leave and the rockets will still fall, what did we do??! Killing 900 terrorists out of 20,000 is just not enough, we have to really decimate their ranks in order that they should know that they should leave us alone…
True, Gaza is now largely in ruins, but they’ll get lots of money to rebuild, and they’ll use a lot of the money to get more weapons as well. [Ed. Note: Yeah, from Obama and his Eurotrash pals, not to mention Banky Moon @ the UN.] We have to go in deeper and stronger, and make them understand that it’s just not worth it. In addition, I think we can’t leave without Gilad Shalit; it would be terrible if not. [Emphasis Mine]
Baruch haShem: The level-headed realism and bold, gutsy patriotism of these soldiers is a sign that Adonai still loves us and is watching out for us after all.
Israeli elections can't come soon enough.
Labels: bielski, Cast Lead, cease fire, defiance, Gaza, IDF, Israel, war
posted by Shoshana @ 7:37 PM
WWTBD?
Saturday, January 17, 2009
After seeing The Pianist, I refused to watch another Holocaust movie that portrayed Jews as helpless victims. If one guy could do what Szpilman did and survive, we had absolutely no right being portrayed as sheep led to the slaughter by the jokers in Hollywood. No more would I contribute to a culture of victimization. Yes, the Holocaust happened. Yes, there are many lessons to be learned from it. The number one lesson that victimization films don't teach: Jewish people can fight and win and survive.
I know that scares a lot of people (including self-hating Jews who fill the halls of Hollywood and the MSM). Need proof? Check out CNN's review of this Friday's release Defiance [hat tip: Atlas]:
The timing is unfortunate. For a story that has gone neglected for the best part of 60 years, this is hardly the ideal week to be extolling heroic Jewish resistance fighters.Bite my kosher tuchus.
In the film, Tuvia Bielski, played by Daniel Craig (not a Jew, to my knowledge, but an excellent actor, so we will be nonetheless glad to adopt him as one of our own), declares to a group of escaped Jews who fled into the forest to escape death at the hands of the Nazis that they would fight by staying alive. And that is what they did.
Man, does that piss people off. We survive, we dare to breathe and they hate us for it. What did Tuvia Bielski do? He told the Nazis and the rest of the world to deal with it. 1,200 people and their descendants later, we're still winning.
Despite the outbreak of world-wide jihad.
Despite the 300 British academics who demand Israel lose this war.
Despite Olmert, Livni, Barak, and their pansy "10-day unilateral cease-fire":
12:24 AM According to this evening's cabinet decision, the IDF will remain in Gaza till the rocket attacks on Israel cease. According to Hamas, as long as the IDF is in Gaza, they will continue their rocket attacks against Israel (and they have been continuing their attacks all night)We have the right to live. We have the right to survive. We have the right to defy world expectations and demands.
No commentary needed.
Do we need to wait for our neighborhoods to be terrorized, our homes to be looted, our children to be dragged into the streets and shot in order to remember that we have rights?
We have a nation and an army and we're still caving into world pressure! WHAT'S THE DEAL?!
All I can ask of my people at this hour is, What Would Tuvia Bielski Do?
Wouldn't you do it, too?
Labels: bielski, cease fire, daniel craig, defiance, Gaza, Holocaust, IDF, Israel, Jewish, Jews, Livni, Olmert, Zionism
posted by Shoshana @ 6:41 PM
Wake up and Fight Back!
Friday, January 16, 2009
At the Muqata:
"11:18 AM NRG interviewed 2 of the 250 captured Hamas terrorists. They expressed total shock at Israel's reaction to Hamas' breaking the "ceasefire" over 7 weeks ago. "We never imagined Israel would react like this...we thought at worse a few bombs from the air, a small incursion, and that's it....what's gotten into Israel?"
They think its totally normal behavior to shoot rockets at civilians and for us not to react. Hopefully, they've learned a serious lesson."
But, they won't if any cease-fire takes place. These people don't care about dying. They wouldn't care if Israel fought them down to the last human shield. Israel, however, still refuses to understand that Hamas and its supporters are nothing but radical jihadists bent on the destruction of Israel and themselves. These aren't human beings who want to sit in a circle and sing "Give Peace a Chance". You're not warring against Woodstock, here.
Seriously: Kill them, and you'll be fulfilling their greatest dream. Therefore, if the world wants you to make Hamas happy, you should keep bombing the crap out of them until there are none left. (How do you say 'duh' in Hebrew?)
According to Israellycool:
"12:43PM: The al-Sharq al-Awset daily has reported that Hamas is prepared to accept a conditional cease-fire with Israel starting tomorrow. Well d-uh. They’re getting their behinds whipped so of course they want it.
The question is, are we going to agree to it or try and delay things so we can land some more blows against them?"
While the JPost reports:
Gilad in Egypt for Gaza truce talks
"Amos Gilad, the head of the Defense Ministry's Diplomatic-Security Bureau, arrived in Cairo on Friday morning along with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's diplomatic adviser Shalom Turgeman for further talks on Israeli requirements for a Gaza truce. Once they return to Israel, a decision will be made by Olmert, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on whether to bring the Egyptian cease-fire proposal to a Security Cabinet vote."
NO! No way! These people want us dead! There is no such thing as "negotiation" when their idea of a cease-fire is "Yeah, we'll stop shooting. It'll give us a chance to re-arm and start up again whenever we feel like it, you Jew pigs."
Come on! How many more wars are we going to fight? How many more people are going to have their lives torn to pieces by PTSD? At this rate, you're going to have an entire generation of Israel children unable to fight in the army, much less maintain a job, or establish a career, or build a family. They'll be on meds and in therapy for the rest of their lives! WAKE UP! Truce is NOT an option until HAMAS is DEAD!
I still don't get why we can't muster the urge to wipe our enemies off the face of this earth the way they so openly declare the same desire to do it to us. You know, we are allowed to live in peace, guilt free, and the right to defend ourselves goes along with it. For all of the victories Israel has had in her 60 years of modern history, her people are still stuck in that lame Diaspora mindset that continues to lead Jews into the closet and (G-d forbid, never again) the gas chambers.
WAKE UP! Quit bowing down! You have one of the greatest military forces in the world-- your grandparents made bullets out of lipstick cases and WON for heaven's sake! FIGHT!
***
Meanwhile, the American public continues to be given evidence of it's losing vote:
Thank you, Atlas:
Rep. Jose Serrano (D. NY) puts forth H.R. 5 proposing an end to the President's 2 term limit in office.
Amazingly, Even KOS has come out against the bill, which is apparently seeing its 7th Congress (the past 6 have thrown it out).
Stay tuned, America...
Labels: Barak, cease fire, Egypt, Gaza, Hamas, IDF, Israel, Livni, negotiations, Olmert, peace, truce, war
posted by Shoshana @ 7:32 AM
Cease? Are you SERIOUS?
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Livni, in a move deemed by the JPost as a homage to Sharon, propses that "Israel - when it feels it has accomplished its military goals (and she has never defined exactly what they would be) - should simply cease fire, leave Gaza without any agreements, and warn that if the Palestinians dare fire one more rocket on Israel, the IDF would go in with even greater force."
The JPost explains Sharon's 2005 pre-pullout logic:
"What did Sharon say at the time? He said Israel should do what's good for it, withdraw completely from Gaza, and then have all the legitimacy in the world to pound the Palestinians if they had the temerity to fire at Israel.
He didn't want any agreements with the Palestinians, not believing they would be upheld or were necessary. The Palestinians would not fire on Israel, he wrongly thought, because of the fear of Israel's response - thus, no agreement was needed."
which happens to mirror Livni's attitude:
"'I am not looking for agreements with Hamas. If they do fire, we'll do this again, and big time. This is what we're capable of, and this is the way to fight terror,' Livni said Sunday at a press conference with visiting German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
'A military operation ends when deterrence has been achieved, with them knowing that if it happens again, what they saw now is only a taste of what they'll see later,' she said."
and here, as the JPost points out, is the caveat: Livni promises power, but fears producing results-- why? International pressure, of course:
"The only catch was that it didn't happen. Israel left Gaza to the last Jew, but the rockets continued to fall, Gilad Schalit was kidnapped, and Israel did not respond with all its might, partly because it did not think it had the international legitimacy it had been touting." [Emphasis Mine]
Apparently, this fear of "international legitimacy" extends to Jews worldwide, in Livni's opinion. In another JPost article, "Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni has expressed concern over "a wave of anti-Semitic attacks" faced by Jewish communities worldwide."
Okay, so somehow not fighting against anti-Semites is a better strategy? Sure. Just ask those 6 million European Jews and their descendants...oh, wait, you can't, can you?
This is a warning to all Israeli voters. If you vote Livni in the upcoming elections you'll be facing this battle over and over and over and over and over again. Hamas has already vowed the destruction of Israel. Therefore, anything less than a complete destruction of Hamas, which includes the rightful re-taking of Israeli land, would render this battle a complete waste. Not to mention, this tact is in complete disregard to thousands of Livni's constituents who have faced rocket attacks for the past 5 or more years, thanks to her predecessor's brilliant decision-making. When it comes to Livni: JUST SAY 'LO'!
Barak, on the other hand, wants any long-term cease-fire to involve Egyptian monitoring of tunnels. This is linked to an unsubstantiated belief that the monitoring will somehow stop the smuggling of weapons, arms, and other Hamas "services" into Gaza. But, of course, Barak also has personal reasons for promoting Egyptian involvement:
"Part of the reason for Barak's interest in an agreement with Egypt is because he is running the Egyptian channel, through Amos Gilad at the Defense Ministry, while the Foreign Ministry is largely out of the loop.
As such, if an agreement is brokered through the Egyptians, he could take political credit for it." [Emphasis mine]
Yeah. He can also take political credit for nearly ceding 97% of the West Bank to Arafat during this chick's husband's White House run, thereby causing the Second Intifada. (Or third, or fourth...I can't keep track. Point being: He's useless.)
As for now, Barak would also like a "week-long humanitarian cease-fire" so Hamas can fire more rockets freely...because three hours a day doesn't give them enough of an advantage. Fool. Idiot. I need to learn disparaging epithets in Hebrew.
Meanwhile, Olmert wants to continue on, but is facing pressure from Livni, Barak, Obama and the world:
"While the prime minister might want to continue for a variety of other reasons, including wiping out the memory of the Second Lebanon War, he realizes that the world is starting to close in; the visit Thursday of UN General-Secretary Ban Ki-moon is expected to increase the pressure on Israel to agree to a cease-fire.
Olmert is also looking at the calendar and realizes that January 20, the day when Barack Obama becomes president of the United States, is only a week away.
The outgoing premier will not want to greet the new president on his first day in office with an uncomfortable quandary: how to relate to Gaza without infuriating the Arabs, alienating US allies in Europe, or antagonizing Israel."
You know what? Israel does not have a responsibility to the U.N. or the U.S. The governing bodies of both have tried to destroy her--especially over the past four years. Stop! Stop even considering these nations and their governments as factors! It is absurd! Until Israel ceases to cave to international pressure she will face continual wars. Haven't we learned that yet?
Moreover, and here's the pure, Biblical truth of it: Egypt is not a reliable negotiating partner! Why do you think the prophet Ezekiel spent so much time talking about Egypt being a BAD, UNRELIABLE negotiating partner? Egypt didn't even so much as spit at the Biblical governments of Israel! Ezekiel wasn't talking about his contemporaries, people-- Egypt had no official treaty or talks with Israel since Yosef until 1979.
"Then all who live in Egypt will know that I am Adonai, because they have been a support made of straw for the house of Israel. When they grasped your hand, you splintered and threw all their shoulders out of joint; when they leaned on you, you broke and make them all wrench their backs." (29:6-7)
And Barak along with the rest of the world wants Israel to rely on Egypt and stop fighting the people dedicated to their destruction. What's Hebrew for NUTS?
Wake up, Israel! Stand strong! Demand results from your government that will achieve peace: The complete and total destruction of Hamas and the Israeli re-inhabiting of Gush Katif. This is your heritage and your right. Stand up for yourselves, because no one else will-- no one else but Adonai Himself. And, really, why would you want to turn your back on Him? In the hopes that you get invited to the Barack Obama tea party?
Please. Pardon me while I go vomit.
"Relying on Egypt is like using a broken stick as a staff--when you lean on it, it punctures your hand." Isaiah 36:6
Labels: Barak, cease fire, Egypt, Gaza, Gush Katif, IDF, Livni, Olmert, war
posted by Shoshana @ 7:22 AM
Israel's War & Messianic Jewish Silence
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
I am just completely blown away by the lack of commentary on Israel's war by the Messianic Jewish blog world.
Now, I should clarify that while I believe in Yeshua and am Jewish, I haven't been an active participant in the Messianic world for nearly 10 years. Long story short, I decided to explore what it meant to be Jewish, which meant befriending and getting into the world of Jewish Americans and Israelis. Consequently, my perspective when it comes to Israel and being Jewish is radically different from most Messianic Jews.
That being said, holy cow. Seriously. I saw two brief mentions of the war amidst a bunch of self-involved and/or theologically warped posts that were absolutely irrelevant to what is really going on with Israel and the Jewish people as a whole. These two breif mentions contained factual errors and inaccuracies, indicating that the Hamas rocket attacks have been going on "for a couple of years" (try 5-8) and telling readers "the American media is left-wing and biased" (which is true) so they should read Israeli news instead-- the only Israeli paper recommended, though, was Ha'aretz--which is about as left wing as you can get.
When I began my foray into the mainstream Jewish world, I was met with a lot of criticism from my Messianic counterparts. The common insinuation was that I was becoming "Judaized" (*gasp* can you imagine- a JEWISH Messianic JEW?!?!) and would lose my faith. Ten years later, my faith in Yeshua is as strong as ever. But I can tell you what I have lost: my faith in the Messianic Jewish world.
Our people are fighting for our right to exist, and all the Messianics can do is blather on about creating Messianic Beit Dins. Hm. Sounds like they're becoming a bit JUDAIZED to me! The irony is, they're running the risk of becoming as irrelevant to the Jewish world as any ultra-Orthodox clan. A Messianic Beit Din. What? You've got to be kidding me. Who's really going to submit to that? The movement that consists primarily of good-hearted gentiles who still struggle with giving up pork? Or the newly-formed Sanhedrin that would fall over if any believing Jew ever walked in with a court case to be heard?
Really, folks, who are we kidding? If there's one thing I've learned about being Jewish, it's that you don't get very far by imitating someone else's Jewishness and claiming it as your own; that's not being Jewish, that's being a poser.
Messianic Jews. I love them, but man, talk about being out of the loop.
Enough editorializing. Back to the important stuff. Have you read the livebloggers today? Read! Support their sponsors! Donate!
http://muqata.blogspot.com
http://www.israellycool.com
Go, IDF, GO!
Labels: Gaza, Israel, Messianic Jewish, Messianic Judaism, war, Yeshua
posted by Shoshana @ 12:57 PM
The Truth Will Set You Free
'Hamas agrees to Turkish force in Rafah' [JPost]
"Hamas would agree to a Turkish deployment of forces because it "harbors respect to Turkey as an Islamic nation," a Hamas source told the paper."
Yeah, right. I knew a secular Turkish muslim once. She managed to convince a white American kid with a college degree that the Joooozzz controlled the media. "Secular" my tuchus. Hamas proves my point: There are no secular muslims.
Editor's Notes: The foulest fight David Horovitz, JPost:
"But still, the repeated direction of Jewish fire-power into Islam's places of worship, one might have assumed, would inflame the Arab world and its supporters into an orgy of anti-Israel fury.
As of this writing, that hasn't happened.
And it hasn't happened because the Islamists know they've been found out.
...As regards the mosques, by contrast, Israel's declaration that it is firing on them because they are hubs of Hamas terrorism has met with no emphatic denials, no aggrieved assertions from Hamas clerics that their buildings are innocent places of humble worship, no pleas to the international community to enter the buildings and document their purity."
Assertions easily made from this important point:
1. Islam is not a religion of peace. It is a thin veil being used by a death cult bent on world and self-destruction, starting with Israel and the Jewish people.
2. Islam is not about making converts in order to win them over to a joyful eternal life; it is about using people as human shields and their "houses of worship" as weapon/bomb storage facilities. These are not churches and synagogues, people: Stop thinking of them as such.
3. This war is not about the establishment of a caliphate of dhimmis: It is about the destruction of Israel and the world, meaning simply that Muslims don't want to gather, worship, or live a sovereign life. They want to destroy, destroy, destroy, period.
The destruction has to begin with Israel because Israel is the literal, physical evidence that a loving, benevolent G-d who created and respects human free will exists and desires to enter into a positive, life-giving relationship with all those who seek Him out. Destroy Israel and you destroy the physical evidence of G-d, or so the theory goes. Once Israel is gone, so is the proof of G-d, free will, liberty, and justice for all: So the muslims can be free to use as many human shields as they want. There is vast evidence that already proves they have no problem killing their own-- what makes you think they'll stop if they "wipe" Israel off the map? Who are you kidding?
The truth is revealing itself and the battle, as a result, is getting simpler and simpler all the time. World governing bodies be damned: Israel must fight and fight to win. And all of those who love freedom need to get this lipstick-case-turned-bullet mentality in their heads: Israel must win and Israel must survive for all of our sakes-- lest there be no one left.
Baruch haShem-- Adonai fights for Israel!
Labels: Gaza, Hamas, IDF, Islam, mosques, Turkey, war
posted by Shoshana @ 11:23 AM
Prayer Request & Strengthening Resolve
Via IsraellyCool:
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert indicated that Israel would give Egyptian brokered cease-fire talks a chance before deciding to expand Operation Cast Lead. But he made clear that Israel will stop the operation only if Hamas rocket fire and smuggling stops.Meanwhile, according to bunkered-down Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh:
Egypt reportedly exerted fierce pressure on Hamas to accept the ceasefire proposal, warning them that a refusal to do so would lead to Israel expanding its ground operation, in effect meaning an end to Hamas rule over Gaza. As of the writing of this post, there are no signs of a breakthrough in the negotiations.
Meanwhile, there are reports that IDF soldiers are advancing into Gaza’s suburbs.
<"We will deal positively with any initiative aimed at ending the offensive," he said.This was said only last night, and was followed by a bunch of anti-Israeli slurs made while "citing several versus from the Koran".
However, Haniyeh said that Hamas would also continue to fight against the "occupation forces" of Israel.
Clearly, this isn't about rockets and tunnels and terrorist "infrastructure" being eliminated. Those are the effects, not the cause of the problem. The cause itself must be eliminated: Hamas must be wiped off the face of the earth and Gush Katif must return back to the people to whom the land belongs. Period.
Anything less would render this war futile. And I think the Israeli public is tired of fighting futile wars.
In other news, Israeli bloggers have been following the story of a U.S. arms shipment to Israel for the past few days-- well, apparently the shipment has been "cancelled due to the conflict in the Gaza Strip." Feh. America has always maintained a "too little, too late" approach to intervention on Israel's behalf, anyway. Forget America. Israel can do this on her own. We have Adonai-- who does America have? Barack Hussein? HA!
From Jameel at the Muqata:
Personal Request from Jameel: Please add to your prayers, a full recovery for the IDF soldier, Aharon Yehoshua ben Chaya Shoshana, who was very seriously wounded last night in Gaza.Baruch haShem for healing for Aharon Yehoshua ben Chaya Shoshana b'Shem Yeshua haMashiach!
12:48 PM IDF Radio reports that seriously wounded IDF combat officer Aharon Yehoshua ben Chaya Shoshana, was married only 2 weeks ago. He left his troops from the Gaza front a few hours before his wedding, got married, and the following morning was back at the front with his troops. (more in a second, air raid sirens in Ashkelon)
Labels: America, cease fire, Egypt, Gaza, Hamas, IDF, Israel, Obama, peace, truce
posted by Shoshana @ 7:26 AM
Service with a Smile
Monday, January 12, 2009
"We are continuing to assume our responsibilities although the Gaza Strip has been divided," said a statement issued by the Hamas government. "We are continuing to provide the citizens with various services."
Because with Human Shields, who needs gas, electric, or hot water?
Labels: Gaza, Hamas, Human Shields, IDF, Israel, war
posted by Shoshana @ 10:03 PM
The Walls are Tumbling
Is the Leftist media stoned? Or is it just the Leftist politicians?
Via Ha'aretz: Barak and Livni disagree with Olmert, want quick end to Gaza fighting
Livni contends that continuing the offensive could harm the deterrence it has achieved so far and damage Israel diplomatically. Barak objects mainly to inserting ground troops deep into densely populated areas of Gaza. For his part, Olmert told the full cabinet Sunday that stopping Operation Cast Lead now would be a missed opportunity.So that's where all the Kool Aid went...
Seriously, though, is this doublespeak? Because I don't see an end to this war in the near future.
Today, A Soldier's Mother wrote, "The danger and the wonder of the Internet is that you cannot hide nearly as easily as you think." Man, is that true. There are too many of us out there talking up the truth. We know we aren't the minority any more. Moreover, and more importantly, we know we aren't the crazy ones. I don't care how many degrees, titles, and recognitions you have behind your name-- you start portraying a bunch of lunatic baby killers who hide behind women and old people as "victims" of any kind, you're freaking nuts.
The truth is, a new reality is unfolding in this world. The old power structures are being broken down: people are starting to question the mainstream media, the academic world, and government leaders who act as nothing more than power-broking bookies behind the scenes.
And, perhaps, finally, some people are waking up and realizing that the problems we now face are not the fault of Israel or the Jewish people after all.
Huh. Go figure.
To paraphrase the words of one great freedom-fighter, I say to all lovers of freedom across the globe: KEEP BREAKING DOWN THE WALLS.
Labels: Gaza, IDF, Israel, media
posted by Shoshana @ 2:01 PM
Support for Israel from...Ireland? And more!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Why the Israeli people have finally had enough Ian O'Doherty [Ireland]
[Hat Tip: IsraellyCool]
...contrary to the currently popular belief, Israel is actually acting with a ridiculous degree of restraint.What you're seeing, dear world, is a line being drawn, not in the sand nor in any geographical location, but rather in the hearts and minds of free people across the globe.
...I know many people in the southern Israeli town of Sderot and what is remarkable about their stories is not the number or make of rockets which have fallen on them on a daily basis for years, but the psychological carnage this wreaked upon them.
...Hamas is a fundamentalist Islamic organisation intent on the eradication of the state of Israel and all its citizens; a violent fascist regime that allows honour killings and the execution of homosexuals to continue in its sphere of influence. Bankrolled by Iran, it manages to make even Hezbollah look like a moderate organisation.
But Hamas is clever.
As a friend of mine from Sderot pointed out, one of its favourite tactics is to launch Qassams from Palestinian schoolyards -- while the schools are still in session.
Hamas does this, you see, knowing that the IDF can't immediately strike back (they can vector a rocket launch site within 90 seconds) because the last thing the Israelis need is footage of a devastated Palestinian school with dead kids.
And, over the last week, we have seen carefully manipulated footage of dead civilians, with the fact that they were effectively used as human shields conveniently ignored.
...But there's a bigger picture here, something which Israelis have been trying to broadcast to the world, but which, thanks to their spectacular inability to accurately and sympathetically portray their point of view, has not been properly transmitted. It's this -- Israel is the front line of the war between democracy and Islamic fascism.
...Here in the West, where we share the same values as Israel, we need to start standing shoulder with this tiny oasis of democracy in a vast desert of savagery.
To do otherwise is moral cowardice of the most repugnant kind.
In other uplifting news: Over 10,000 attended the pro-Israel rally in Times Square today. (Versus the couple hundred pro-Hamas demonstrators the MSM couldn't get enough of.) Photos via Atlas Shrugs
Atlas also reports UK: "TRAFALGAR SQUARE WAS FULL" OF ISRAEL LOVERS with video footage.
Labels: demonstrations, Gaza, IDF, Ireland, Israel, London, NYC, protests, Time Square, war
posted by Shoshana @ 6:54 PM
Pushing Onward and Looking Upward
Saturday, January 10, 2009
In her latest JPost op/ed, Caroline Glick says what we've known for years:
Israel is fighting a war with Hamas today because Israel withdrew from Gaza three and a half years ago. If Israel had not withdrawn its military forces from Gaza and forcibly expelled 8,000 Israeli citizens from their homes and farms in September 2005, it would not be fighting this war today. If Israel had not withdrawn, if it had retained its forces in Gaza and retained its communities - on whose ruins the IDF now fights - in Gaza, Hamas would probably never have taken over. And even if Hamas had taken over, it would never have been able to threaten a million Israelis with missiles and rockets and mortars.Now, the JPost is reporting, "The dropping of the leaflets appeared to be partly a psychological tactic. Defense officials are prepared for a third stage of the offensive, in which soldiers would push much further into Gaza, but are waiting for approval from the government. The officials said the army had also planned a fourth stage that called for a full reoccupation of Gaza and toppling Hamas."
Glick ends her op/ed by stating:
TODAY THE IDF owes its operational competence to the public's humiliation and sacking of Halutz, Peretz and Olmert. On the other hand, Israel's diplomatic incompetence, and our leadership's continued refusal to accept that Sharon was right when he said, "As goes Netzarim so goes Tel Aviv," is rendering a true victory over Hamas impossible.In short, Israel must re-take Gaza and the decision to reconquer and re-inhabit the land belongs to Israel's voting public.
If we are ever to get on the right path in Gaza, as well as in Judea and Samaria and beyond, our first order of business as the public must be to force the politicians who brought us to this point to pay a price at the ballot box for their blind and dangerous incompetence. It is only by humiliating them in elections that we can be sure that their successors will be too frightened to repeat their mistakes.
According to Israel National News:
Several Jewish nationalist groups have come together to sponsor a massive PR campaign calling to return to Jewish towns in Gaza. "There is a solution: Going back to Gush Katif," the campaign's posters say.Will it be enough? This morning, both CNN and Fox News reported that the "end" of the "crisis" (because they can't call it a "war" because that's "mean") may only be a few days away. Of course, they also reported that more IDF Reservists have been called up to go into Gaza. Which, of course prompted me to check the LiveBloggers. First, IsraellyCool:
Advertisements bearing the slogan have been placed on 1,500 buses, and soon will go up on billboards throughout the country.
5:39AM: Aussie Dave here.And then, The Muqata:
Ynetnews reports that Defense Minister Ehud Barak has ordered the military to broaden its activity in the Strip, given that Hamas has suffered a severe blow.
...
12:30PM: Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has vowed to press on with our offensive against Hamas in Gaza, and stated that Israel is close to achieving its goals.
My inner cynic says this means Israel will accept a ceasefire in the very near future.
9:50 AM Cabinet considering expanding Gaza operation even further. IDF wants to continue operations until at least the end of January.I trust the opinions of these guys more than the mainstream media. Maybe it's because they're Israeli. They're there. And they aren't a bunch of left-wing propagandists plagued with Jewish self-hatred and/or bent on Israel's destruction. So, when one of them expresses cynicism at Olmert's comment, I tend to be on guard. At the same time, the IDF's continued desire to push in and table a time frame give me encouragement. As I understand it, the IDF must receive approval from the Israeli Security Council (Livni-Barak-Netanyahu) before they make a move. However, since all three of the ISC players are up for re-election in a month, they'd be stupid to go against IDF recommendation now. Especially since the Israeli public has given this offensive an approval rating solidly in the 90th percentile.
...
10:35 AM BREAKING NEWS. Phase 3 of the attack on Hamas may have begun with tanks moving into Gaza neighborhoods.
...
5:18 PM IDF Censor releases for publication; About an hour ago, Gunfire from Syria directed at Israelis at workers in the area of the village of Alonei HaBashan on the Golan Heights. Israel has raised a formal complaint with the UN. No injuries reported.
Comprehend this: The fate of the civilized world is in the hands of the Israeli people. I hope they know this. I think they do. I hope Americans know this. I think a lot of average people do... but I'm sure that large minority is dwindling as we get closer and closer to Inauguration Day. I wonder, will the American people have to go through an Oslo and a few Intifadas before they realize that giving in is not an option?
Labels: America, Gaza, IDF, Israel, war
posted by Shoshana @ 11:32 PM
Shavua Tov - The War Continues
Liveblogging at IsraellyCool and The Muqata is essential reading.
Spent part of my day perusing some books I'd picked up over the winter shopping season. I buy everyone else fun stuff and I buy myself books on Islamic jihad:
Ken Timmerman: Preachers of Hate
Steven Emerson: American Jihad
Bruce Bawer: While Europe Slept
Robert Spencer: Stealth Jihad
Now, that's some fun reading. And thanks to Pamela Gellar @ Atlas Shrugs, I had pictures to go along with the endless accounts of Islamic hate! Seriously, folks, we ain't in Kansas anymore. Muslims the world over feel free to get violent in the name of Islam and openly declare (and, in some cases, act upon) their desire to destroy Israel, the Jewish people, America, and the West as a whole. This isn't theory in a classroom or debate on TV, this is real and they're making no bones about it:
[The enemies of Allah] do not know that the Palestinian people has developed its [methods] of death and death-seeking. For the Palestinian people, death has become an industry, at which women excel, and so do all the people living on this land. The elderly excel at this, and so do the mujahideen and the children. This is why they have formed human shields of the women, the children, the elderly, and the mujahideen, in order to challenge the Zionist bombing machine. It is as if they were saying to the Zionist enemy: "We desire death like you desire life."-- Hamas MP Fathi Hammad [Hat Tip: Not a Fish]I think the majority of Americans are in la-la land. Despite mass Islamic protests in San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Miami, and virtually all across America at which demonstrators shout "Hitler didn't finish the job!" and "Death to the Jews!" most Americans remain totally blind to the fact that muslims feel free to spew death threats. This is partially due to the mainstream media's near-complete lack of reporting on these protests (with the exception of one appearance by Steven Emerson on Fox News this past Friday night during the 5 o'clock EST hour), but it is greatly due to the fact that the majority of Americans have been living with their heads buried in the sand for the past 40 years. They have pacified themselves with the idea of "Oh, that happens over there," tacitly giving credence to the idea that Israel instigates suicide bombings and Islamic terror simply because they dare to... what? Not be as "likeable" as America and Americans?
9/11 changed nothing. In fact, it only served to make the ideological climate worse when it comes to fighting Islamic terror. Think about it: the greatest protest any of these pro-Hamas demonstrators can make is that anyone who disagrees with them is "racist." Do you realize what a childish argument that is? That's the equivalent of one kid calling another kid "mean". We tell them they're wrong for strapping bombs to their kids' chests and sending them out to murder Israelis and the most they can shout back is, "That's mean!" What kind of world are we living in where "that's mean!" is an acceptable response to the accusation of murder? It is as if the American public believes Islamic terror will end with mediation, a group hug, and their own personal prescription for antidepressants.
The only group with any kind of morale in this war are the Israelis. For the first time in a long time, I was able to laugh tonight as I read Aussie Dave's and Jameel's accounts of the Islamic Jihad's alleged seizure of weapons and materials from the IDF. "infamous Spicy Zionist Hotdogs of Death.TM" Hysterical. And this one via IsreallyCool says it all:
This joke explains all you need to know about Israeli-Palestinian politics.
What happens when a fly falls into a coffee cup?
The Italian - throws the cup, breaks it, and walks away in a fit of rage.
The German - carefully washes the cup, sterilizes it and makes a new
cup of coffee.
The Frenchman - takes out the fly, and drinks the coffee.
The Chinese - eats the fly and throws away the coffee.
The Russian - Drinks the coffee with the fly, since it was extra with no charge.
The Israeli - sells the coffee to the Frenchman, the fly to the
Chinese, drinks tea and uses the extra money to invent a device that
prevents flies from falling into coffee.
The Palestinian - blames the Israeli for the fly falling in his
coffee, protests the act of aggression to the UN, takes a loan from
the European Union to buy a new cup of coffee, uses the money to
purchase explosives and then blows up the coffee house where the
Italian, the Frenchman, the Chinese, the German and the Russian are
all trying to explain to the Israeli that he should give away his cup
of tea to the Palestinian.
The Israeli Security Cabinet and the Israeli public are still strongly behind the war. Thank G-d. But most Israeli bloggers are consistent in their belief that if the war goes on for too long, or if too many soldiers are killed, Israeli morale will be quick to falter. As Carl in Jerusalem suspects, were it not for the upcoming elections, this government may have already called for a cease-fire. Carl also believes that the government may wait until after the elections to order the IDF into Gaza City.
I hope not. Obama's inauguration isn't that far away and the pro-Hamas legions are getting closer and closer by the minute. The one fact we have to rely on now is that G-d fights for Israel. He doesn't have a covenant with the rest of us, and we certainly haven't done anything to impress Him lately, but He fights for and with Israel. In a world where "mean" is considered a reasonable excuse for murder, we need some truth to rely on, and right now Israel is the only nation fighting for the truth. Even the U.S. has officially abstained from the fight.
Keep going, IDF. We're with you in every way we possibly can be. Keep going, because if you don't, no one will be left.
Labels: Gaza, IDF, Israel, war
posted by Shoshana @ 6:57 PM
Disconnect
Friday, January 09, 2009
Admin Note:I need to seriously update the graphics and links on this blog. Hopefully time will make itself available to me this weekend to do so.
I've been experiencing an incredible disconnect this week. To be fair, the disconnect began the minute this nation elected B. Hussein to be its leader. I'm sorry; I just can't relate to or consider myself a part of a people willing to elect a candidate who has befriended Arab terrorists and agreed with their viewpoints. Can't. Won't. I don't belong here anymore.
Then came Christmas. I've always just sort of gone along with the holiday season because, well, what else am I going to do? My boss likes Christmas music and her life is hard enough, so why not? It beats the Top 40 we listen to for the rest of the year. And I like Dean Martin; he always sounds a little blitzed, as if the martinis were free-flowing in the studio, and when you work customer service, you need a martini, so I can find humor in that. But, this year... it was different. Santa always plows around Christmas Eve on the town fire truck to wave to the kiddies. There we are, with our electric menorahs in our front windows, waving to Santa-- it's the nice thing to do when you live in a small town where everyone knows everyone, right? Santa and his crew see our menorahs-- and ignore us. Completely. That's never happened before. Ever. I don't belong here anymore.
This week, I'm listening to people gab on about their personal lives and watching "news" about Obama-- what the kids are wearing to school, what he's going to do about the economy (which, to most economists, is not as much of an issue anymore- just ask the proprietors of Amazon.com), what he wore (or didn't wear) while he was in Hawaii-- and I'm thinking to myself, "There's a WAR on, people! Don't you get it?!" And I realize-- they don't. I'm sucked to the news, mentally screaming at CNN, digesting liveblogging before and after work when I can get online, and praying my heart out for the IDF... and everyone else is worried about the "Inauguration" of the guy Dave the Mailman cynically calls "the messiah". Complete and total disconnect. I don't belong here anymore.
I watched a great interview on Shalom TV last night (Comcast Digital Cable channel-- check with your local provider) with one of the Editors of the JPost (whose name I can't recall at the moment, but will post later) who was born in America, visited Israel in the 70s and decided he wanted to live there, and finally made aliyah in 1998. He couldn't make aliyah until then for a variety of personal and professional reasons-- understandable, of course, but all the while I'm thinking to myself... I don't want to wait that long. I belong there not here but... I have logical personal reasons holding me back, too, like family, work, etc.
Perhaps this disconnect I'm having is all part of the process. Perhaps you need to live in disconnect for a while to really get in touch with your aliyah motivation. G-d knows, it isn't easy to make aliyah, and just because you do doesn't mean you'll find the connections you're looking for. Ten years in, and this JPost Editor remarked that he is still treated as an "outsider" to a degree. Perhaps that is what the "disconnect" feeling is all about-- teaching you how to feel like an outsider so that, by the time you get to Israel, you simply don't care what anyone else thinks because your conviction to be there is that strong.
More updates on news tonight. (Of course.) For now:
http://muqata.blogspot.com/
http://olehgirl.com/?p=1749
http://jerusalemdiaries.blogspot.com/2009/01/christian-broadcaster-narrowly-escapes.html
http://www.blogsofzion.com/blog/?p=1492
Sorry for the lack of links...running late for work...
Labels: Gaza, IDF, Israel, war, Zionism
posted by Shoshana @ 7:47 AM
The Sin of Omission
Thursday, January 08, 2009
The Rabbis say that the first question you will be asked when you reach the other side is, "Were you honest in business?" If that's the case, the authors and reporters of the mainstream media will have to lie their pants off to get through the door.
Then again, that's what they're good at.
It isn't so much that they're reporting outright lies-- okay, well, they are-- but what is more amazing is what they aren't reporting. Like the IDF's discovery of a Hamas Map that details the use of civilian homes and locations in the Strip as battle stations. Or the video footage of Hamas using children as human shields. Or the IDF opening a humanitarian aid center for Palestinian "civilians" (if you could call them such a thing).
No, all you hear on stations like CNN are:
"Palestinians get basic goods through the tunnels" -- Because everyone knows that to get your kitchen sparkling clean, you need GRAD missles and Katuyshas. You know, BOMB the dirt out!
"The UN demands proof of militant presence on school grounds" despite the fact that they hired the school master who moonlighted as a Hamas leading operative.
A segment on "What Arabs See" at the top of the hour, so we can analyze how the "Death to Israel, Death to America" audience views the media of the Great and Little Satans.
Ideas to eliminate the "basic goods and weapons" tunnels, such as "building an 80-foot deep moat" (in sand), creating an "underground barrier" out of...busted up GRAD rockets?, or establishing an "international monitoring force" of... moonlighting Hamas agents.
And let's not forget the pictures of Arab kids drenched in bright red liquid that may be blood, but is probably Karo Corn Syrup and red food coloring (apparently the Palestinians major in terror, but they minor in drama).
What a joke.
And if the uprising of Muslims and pro-Muslim terror supporters around the globe (yes, including Europe, the UK, Canada, and America) isn't enough, now we have this:
The head of the Vatican Council, which remained silently 'neutral' while six million Jews were systematically murdered by the Nazis between 1939-45, today referred to Gaza as a 'concentration camp' (Hat Tip: Hot Air).Nothing like Papa Nazi to set us Jooz straight.
Bottom Line: Thank G-d for Israeli bloggers. Read them, support them, and vote for them in blogger award contests. Without them, we would be absolutely clueless regarding the truth of this war.
And speaking of truth, thanks to IsraelMatzav: Zionism represents the Jews' refusal to depend upon world opinion
Labels: CNN, Gaza, IDF, Israel, Israeli bloggers, media, war
posted by Shoshana @ 6:34 PM
Encouragement
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Pamela @ Atlas Shrugs posts:
NYC Pro-Israel Rally OVERWHELMING with links to video caught by the Red Squirrel-- a must watch to lift your spirits.
An incredible bloggers' interview with General Eitam-- important facts-- Click here.
And a slew of posts on increasing anti-Semitism in Europe, namely Denmark where Jews (excuse me, "JOOS") aren't allowed to register for school, and British synagogues are being destroyed.
The Muqata who is liveblogging gives an amazing list of other livebloggers...check them all out.
Labels: Gaza, IDF, Israel, liveblogging, war, Zionism
posted by Shoshana @ 6:21 PM
The Last Days of the American Republic
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
The American media is close to scaling heights of absurdity not seen since the last days of the Weimar Republic. This morning, Fox News's "Fox & Friends" spent a full half-hour talking about "Blago" and a new survey out on kids calling other kids bad names in school. The Big Three did their usual, turning prime time morning news into a glorified human interest hour that features stories about natural disasters and incredibly obese people from small towns winning the lottery. CNN, however, trumped them all, by taking the Israeli incursion into Gaza and using it as an opportunity to parlay the term "Humanitarian Crisis" as frequently and inappropriately as a Peter Griffin one-liner gone awry on Family Guy.
While Kathie Lee and Hoda drooled over Perez Hilton's celeb gossip and Drew Carey hugged yet another poorly t-shirted mug for a $1.99, the top notch reporters over at CNN covered all four sides of the bombed U.N. School in Gaza--North, South, East & West--without once noticing the terrorists poking out of all four corners! That's accuracy in reporting; where's the Pulitzer Prize Committee when you need them?
I'm sure Paula Hancocks would've mentioned the fact that Hamas fighters were shooting at the IDF long before the IDF retaliated by bombing the building... if she weren't so busy talking about that "Humanitarian Crisis." I'm positive Christianne Amanpour would've spent more than a passing moment on the three month old Israeli baby wounded in a Hamas rocket attack if she weren't so busy talking about the loads of Palestinian children killed in that IDF bombing because they were being used as human shields (another thing Christianne conveniently forgot to mention). And I'm sure Rick Sanchez would have talked about how that UN school employed Hamas militants as school teachers if he weren't so busy interrogating an Israeli spokesperson with the comment: "Now, I checked with Human Rights Watch and confirmed your claim that Hamas uses children as human shields, but, even so, knowing this--should Israel target these places?" I think Rick should win an award. He can be the first foreign reporter allowed in Gaza. Go, Rick, Go!
CNN spent their day hammering Israel with more guilt than a series of Popes has lacquered onto Catholics for 2,000 years while, at the same time, making a special point of reporting that Senate Democrats were not "mean spirited" when they kicked "Blago"'s infamous "you'd better replace the only black Senator with another black man" Senate pick out of Congress.
Wait, so let me get this straight. The two main stories are:
1. Israel putting their lives on the line to ensure the safety of their people after four years of endless rocket barrages by terrorists groups who have no problem stating they want Israel and America dead--and that's a "Humanitarian Crisis."
2. Senate Democrats, members of a party created to ensure a state's right to legislate slavery, tell a party member to go home and we need journalistic insight to remind us that this isn't "a black thing."
But, in the end, what is really important is what Miley Cirus is wearing to prom. That's about as informed a news story as France attempting to get Syria involved in the mythical ceasefire negotiations. Maybe Miley is taking the slack-jawed ophthalmologist to the after party!
The American media is on drugs. That is the only viable explanation for the sheer lunacy exhibited by these television networks. It is as if they know their world is ending, but they anti-depressants keep bouncing them back through denial, anger, and bargaining, instead of onward to accepting the fact that life as Americans know it is over. Perhaps the media is just too afraid to face the fact that they are America's own homegrown suicide bombers; after all, nothing is a greater Humanitarian Crisis than a mainstream media that has been converted into a propaganda machine. Just ask Goebbels, or Reifenstahl, or the six million dead Jews who now haunt the increasingly violent pro-Hamas/anti-Israel rallies springing up across Europe.
THE REAL NEWS:
Live Blogging with Pictures from the Muqata.
Headlines from Aliyah! Step by Step: Making a Life in Israel (go to blog to read all):
Reuters exclusive-Gaza UN school headmaster was Islamic Jihad "rocket-maker"
Yesterday Hamas fired upon, hijacked humanitarian aid trucks
Missile launchers, anti-tank missiles found in Gaza schoolyard (updated)
Terrorists’ rockets extend range to Gedera, infant injured
Palestinian reporters in Gaza: Hamas leaders behaving like Osama bin Laden
Hamas stealing medical supplies from Gaza hospitals
A report from An Unsealed Room:
...A senior IDF officer in the Gaza Strip said, "Many houses in the area are booby-trapped and underground tunnels were built under them meant to enable the kidnapping of soldiers."Brilliant observations by Imshin on Not a Fish:
According to the officer, forces discovered a booby-trapped mosque, and among the weapons, found motorcycles meant to be used for kidnapping soldiers.
Have you noticed that since the ground operation started, the IDF has been less careful, and not at all apologetic, about civilian casualties among Palestinans? There is apparently a reason for this, as regrettable as are any civilian deaths, especially those of children.Biographies of the IDF Soldiers who have given their lives in this battle for the safety of Israel and the world from A Soldier's Mother.
Someone explained it on TV. Apparently, this is one of the important lessons of the Second Lebanon War in the summer of 2006, in which our soldiers’ lives were on occasion compromised, apparently, in order to minimize the danger for Lebanese civilians.
Hence the incident in the UNWRA school today, which, according to the IDF, was being used as a launching pad for mortars against our soldiers, at the same time as it was providing refuge for civilians. Just another Hamas war crime, I believe.
This IDF policy doesn’t mean that no soldiers will be killed, as we have been seeing with great sadness, but at least they won’t be killed in order to save Palestinian lives.
The truth must be told. Precious as those Palestinian lives may be, they are not more precious to us than the lives of our boys. No Israeli mother should have to lose her child, because our enemies use other mothers’ children as human shields in wartime.
An Overview of the Israeli Public's reaction to Operation Cast Lead @ Occidental Israeli.
A five minute doc on the buildup of Hamas in Gaza since Israel left in 2005. [Kippa-Tip to Oleh Girl.]
Over @ Forecast Highs a fairly thorough analysis of what lies ahead for the IDF--as for my two cents, the IDF should fight like Yhoshua--with complete faith. March around Gaza City. My prayers are that HaShem shines a light on all the traps-- much like the day He kept the sun in its place until the fighting was over and Yhoshua and Israel claimed the victory. It can happen again-- we just need to have faith.
An amazing observation on the media's interpretation of Israel by David Bogner @ Treppenwitz. What does this say to world Jewry? Will this battle inspire the kind of Zionism and pride evident after the Six Day War? Will we run with it this time?
Stay Updated with Israeli Bloggers to get the real scoop about what is going on... the American mainstream media is off their rocker.
Labels: American media, CNN, Fox News, Gaza, IDF, Israel, Israeli bloggers, United Nations, war
posted by Shoshana @ 6:37 PM
Watching & Waiting: Important Links
Monday, January 05, 2009
Media Backspin liveblogs the media bias 'round the world.
Israel Matzav, IsraellyCool, and The Muqata are all liveblogging the war from Israel.
Focus on Ashkelon blogs the day's events from Ashkelon where the rockets are falling.
A Soldier's Mother sends a list of wounded soldiers to pray for.
Not a Fish posts their everyday Israeli observations on the climate of war...a great report.
More to come...
Labels: Gaza, IDF, Israel, Operation Cast Lead, war
posted by Shoshana @ 6:31 PM
IsraelMatzav: Love the Live Blogging!
Saturday, January 03, 2009
Carl in Jerusalem is LiveBlogging the ground invasion: IsraelMatzav
From the latest (12:20 am) post: "Israel Radio reported tonight that Hamas admitted that it cannot win a war against Israel. But it hopes that in the next few days, the IDF will see that it cannot control the rocket fire and that it cannot accomplish its goals.
Sounds like they're trying to lower expectations."
Heh heh heh. Where'd they make that announcement from? Under a kid's bed in the hospital?
From the midnight post: "Paratroopers continuing to operate on rocket sites - the former Jewish towns of Nisanit, Dugit and Elei Sinai. Yet another reason why expelling Jewish residents from Gaza a bad, bad mistake."
Barak is sticking to portraying this as a protracted conflict. It looks like, after endless rocket attacks, an impeachment, and a total inability to create a coalition, the government might just have learned their lesson when it comes to world government-proposed ceasefires.
Keep it coming, Carl... May all the IDF be blessed as they are surrounded by the heavenly armies and their leaders led by Adonai Tzvaot.
Speaking of prayer, David Bogner @ Treppenwitz has the full IDF prayer in Hebrew and English. Here's the English:
He Who blessed our forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - may He bless the fighters of the Israel Defense Force, who stand guard over our land and the cities of our God from the border of the Lebanon to the desert of Egypt, and from the Great Sea unto the approach of the Aravah, on the land, in the air, and on the sea.
May Hashem cause the enemies who rise up against us to be struck down before them. May the Holy One, Blessed is He, preserve and rescue our fighting men from every trouble and distress and from every plague and illness, and may He send blessing and success in their every endeavor. May He lead our enemies under their sway and may He grant them salvation and crown them with victory. And may there be fulfilled for them the verse: For it is Hashem, your God, Who goes with you to battle your enemies for you to save you. Now let us respond: Amen.
Labels: Cast Lead, Gaza, IDF, Israel, live blogging, war
posted by Shoshana @ 5:33 PM
Eerily Quiet on the Information Front
Thursday, January 01, 2009
In this postmodern era of 24 hour information and updates, we're used to a news cycle that moves fast and often declares wars to be over before they've even started.
Not this time.
The media has been strangely quiet over the past week since the IDF bombings of Gaza began. It isn't that they haven't covered the story...it's that the updates are rather few and far between, and contain very little new information.
The IDF have generally handled themselves exceedingly well regarding media relations. There are no Geraldos on the front, drawing up battle maps on prime time news for every enemy with a Satellite dish or cable connection to download and transmit at whim. The IDF distributes information carefully and sparingly. Now, however, there are some additional factors at play that greatly assist Israel's ongoing battle with the mainstream media and world opinion.
1. The holidays. No major American news network wants to talk about Israel bombing the crap out of terrorists on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day. It took a full half-hour for Fox News to even talk about the story on New Year's Eve. Outside of reporting on Israel's rejection of France's ceasefire proposal, CNN and the Big Three didn't mention Israel's raids at all during the 7-8 am EST hour I caught. Which is odd, since a major Middle Eastern war on the horizon would, in most people's minds, carry a lot more weight than, say, a report on hip New Year's Eve party outfits.
2. The Israeli Elections. Olmert and Livni may have been ready and willing to accept a Quartet ceasefire in Lebanon in 2006, but right now, their party is on the line. So is Bibi's. With elections less than 2 months away, and statistics showing that the majority of Israelis want the rockets to stop--even if that means a ground invasion--no political official is going to write away their chance to stay at the top now.
3. The Last Days of the Bush Administration. Bush's tacit support of Israel and condemnation of Hamas is something no Israeli government would count on from Obama. Israel knows their time to act is limited.
The best analysis I've seen/heard so far came from John Bolton on Hannity & Colmes earlier this week. IsraelMatzav has a rundown with video here.
I agree with Bolton; as long as Israel continues to hold her own despite world opinion to the contrary, this very well may lead to a greater battle in the region. Reporting from the Gaza/Israel border today, Fox News correspondent David Lee Miller sounded shaken, to say the least. At points, he sounded terrified. I've been watching this guy cover the region for years, and I've never heard that kind of wavering in his voice. Perhaps, at this 11th hour, Israel is finally shoving world opinion aside and taking the bull by the horns. That doesn't mean the battle will be easy, but that is what has to be done. The entire free world should be grateful that, yet again, a small band of Jews are standing up to the enemies of the same freedoms we so readily take for granted and often too easily give away. Truth be told, we owe these men and women our lives. Perhaps, one day, when things get bad enough in America, Americans will realize that. Until then, the conflict will build here.
It's already starting. Just check out the latest posts on Atlas Shrugs. The Muslim outcry is so well orchestrated, it is as if they've just been waiting in the wings to pounce in protest the first time the Jews dare lift a finger to defend themselves. Watch out, America. You're about to inaugurate a Hussein. If you think Freedom of Speech is being abused now...you'd better wake up and realize your dark days are just ahead of you.
For some reason it doesn't seem to bother most Americans that Muslims and Muslim-supporters have gathered in New York, Philadelphia, Dallas, San Francisco, Dearborn, and other cities across the U.S. to stage large, anti-Israel protests. I urge anyone reading this blog to take a look at one blogger's experience attending a pro-Israel rally, wherein they were termed "Jew Faggot" by Palestinian supporters:
I was also informed by several other supporters of the Palestinian cause that I was a dog, a pig, a monkey, inhuman, the son of a whore, and that I deserved to be shot, gutted, slashed open, have my children killed, and see my wife raped.This pro-Israel blogger was one of 100 people standing up against 3,000 well organized Palestinian supporters from a number of radical hate groups--groups that have been organizing under our nose for years, unabated.
I have reading for the New Year sitting by my bed:
STEALTH JIHAD by Robert Spencer
AMERICAN JIHAD by Steven Emerson
WHILE EUROPE SLEPT by Bruce Bawer
...along with a review of PREACHERS OF HATE by Ken Timmerman
This is where America is heading. Only by the grace of God and His blessing on the Israeli military at this crucial hour can we even hope anything will be different.
May God bless the Israel Defense Forces and fight on their behalf for all of our sakes. Not that the world has ever done much for God or the nation of Israel-- the simple truth is that if we do not rely on Him and His people now, no one will be left.
posted by Shoshana @ 4:21 PM
