The Arrogance of Bush and Rice
For the past seven and a half years, US President George W. Bush has run roughshod over any man, woman, or nation that he didn't like or that got in his way. He has declared that the US will invade any sovereign nation he feels is a threat to it. He has, in fact, invaded one sovereign nation already — under false pretenses, completely destroying it, all the while creating the greatest terrorist threat to the world in centuries. As a result, he is responsible for the death of over 100,000 civilians and thousands of soldiers. He has detained hundreds, if not thousands, of men around the world — brutally torturing many of them, declaring them to be a threat to the security and safety of the United States. Under the guise of "executive privilege" he has violated many Federal laws, as well as portions of the US Constitution. When many of his cohorts have been selected for prosecution, he has declined to allow it, citing "executive immunity".
I don't know about you but this certainly sounds like many of the dictators around the world that the US once fought against. It seems that what was once good is now evil and what was once evil is now good.
Now, Bush has his hand picked girl Friday — US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice — pressuring Israel to give land to its sworn enemies and to release prisoners, many who are terrorists with blood on their hands. And even though Israel's weak political leaders are doing all they can to accommodate Bush, Rice recently stated, "Obviously there is more that needs to be done...."
And What if the People Had Reacted Differently?
Below is a translation of Nadia Matar's speech at the Lion's Gate which took place during the recent Women in Green march on Tisha B'Av.
On Tisha B'Av it was decreed that the people of Israel will not enter the Land of Israel because of the sin of the spies. Ten of the spies slandered the Land of Israel and the response of the people was:
"And the entire congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night." Said Rabba, said Rabbi Yochanan: That day was Tisha B'Av. And G-d said: "They cried a needless crying, and I will set crying and lamentation for generations.
This is the place to ask: what would have happened if the people had reacted differently? Imagine this scenario: Ten spies (who, as we know, were much respected leaders and rabbis of the people) slander the Land of Israel. Calev and Joshua protest: "Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it." The people join the two and reject the words of the ten spies. The entire Jewish history would look different, with no doubt for the better.
US Concedes to Israeli Security
It's always satisfying to see the US State Department admit that it was wrong and Israel was right. There's a certain gratification in seeing the smugness wiped off of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's face when she has to do an about face in regards to an issue regarding Israel.
Let me give just a bit of background here. Back in June, Rice interfered in a security situation between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA/PLO) in Gaza, (that's the portion controlled by the democratically-elected Hamas terrorist group). It seems that the United States had awarded Fulbright scholarships to several Arab students who lived in Gaza. Hamas took control of Gaza a year ago when the Fatah-controlled PA/PLO security police ran in fear to Judea and Samaria. When it came time for the students to leave Gaza to go to the US, Israel refused to let four of them leave, citing security reasons. Aside from humanitarian aid, Israel has kept its borders with Gaza closed in order to protect its citizens.
Lieberman Wants Israel to Bow Low to Iran
Recently, Christians United for Israel (CUFI) held a conference in Washington, D.C. (The CUFI is an Evangelical Christian organization, founded by Pastor John Hagee, which claims to support Israel.) One of the speakers at the recent conference was United States Senator Joseph Lieberman, a self-proclaimed orthodox Jew. Despite Hagee's recent remarks, Lieberman, being a politician first, and knowing the voting power of Evangelicals, could not pass up the opportunity.
In his speech, Lieberman stated that Israel should prepare for war with Iran just as Jacob did with Esau. Being a self-proclaimed orthodox Jew, you would figure that Lieberman must know his Torah, right? From the sounds of his statement, it seems that Jacob was ready for a fight with his brother Esau. Except that's not quite how the story goes. According to the account in Torah (Genesis 32.4-33.3):
- Jacob sent messengers to Esau in order to persuade him not to attack (according to Torah, Jacob saw Esau as his lord, and himself as Esau's servant);
- then, he divided all the people and herds and flocks into two camps, so that, whichever one Esau attacked, the other one could escape;
- next, Jacob sought the protection of Yahweh, the God of his fathers Abraham and Isaac;
- the next day he gathered together a large amount of animals — 220 goats, 220 sheep, 30 camels, 40 cows, 10 bulls, and 30 donkeys — and had his servants take them to Esau in an attempt to buy his kindness so Esau would not attack;
- that night Jacob separated his family from the rest the people. Once again he sought the Lord, entering into a spiritual struggle as to what he should do the next day in regards to Esau;
- finally, we see that, when Esau arrives, Jacob bows to him seven times, showing honor and submission to Esau.
Is Anybody Listening?
I'm guessing that most people by now have heard about US President George W. Bush's speech in the Israel Knesset Thursday, May 15, 2008. The event was Israel's celebration of its 60th anniversary, according to the Gregorian calendar. (They had already celebrated last week on the correct date, according to the Biblical calendar.) For those who haven't heard, allow me to explain what happened.
As Israel was celebrating its 60th anniversary, US President George W. Bush took the opportunity to disregard the celebration and his hosts and take potshots at his political rival — many think it was Barack Obama — who was 6,000 miles away in the United States. This was a low blow, even for the likes of Bush. Here is a country celebrating the miracle of its founding 60 years ago and the President of the United States is playing partisan politics with someone who is not even involved in the event, and not even listening to his speech.
False Morality Handicaps IDF Planning for Gaza
This is how Abu Rajah, a resident of Beit Hanoun in the Gaza Strip, described how Hamas gunmen take over apartment buildings when Israeli forces approach the area::
"Scores of masked men rushed to the area. Most of them carried large bags full of weapons. They invaded our apartment buildings and demanded that the resident leave. In response the women asked the gunmen to distance themselves from the buildings and children. The atmosphere became tense and some of the residents were beaten by the gunmen, who were mostly from Hamas. In the end most of the residents left the buildings. We left the buildings in their hands. They brought sandbags into our bedrooms and living room. They set up heavy machine guns in the windows and planted large explosive devices in the sidewalks." Fatah Web site as quoted by Ma'ariv correspondent Amit Cohen, 1 May 2008.
A Whisper of Glory in Maidanek
Every year, a group of Polish Christians would come and try to whitewash the ceiling. Yet, their efforts proved to be fruitless, as the blue-singed testimony would always return. The blue color was all that remained of those horrific moments and it would not be covered.
On a trip to Poland with Rabbi Mordechai Elon several years ago, my son and his classmates produced a movie describing their trek into the abandoned valleys of death. Their voyage was focused on the death and the destruction, but it also attempted to relive the lives, dreams and culture of a thousand years of Jewish communal life in Poland.
There are several minutes in that film that will be forever etched in my mind, and on this Holocaust Remembrance Day I feel a need to recount those minutes again.
Pesach Miracle for Israeli Terror Victim in London Clinic
[The following post was written by Gil Ronen and published on Arutz Sheva.]
Tzion Shitrit, a 23-year-old Israeli who was paralyzed from the chest down after a suicide bombing, has defied medical odds by standing up and moving his feet following pioneering treatment at a London clinic, the London Jewish Chronicle reported.
Last month, Tzion's parents, Tova and Pini, saw a reality television program in Israel, "Miracle Steps," about the Mind Clinic in London, a holistic rehabilitation center which works with people suffering from spinal cord injuries. This past week they flew to London with their son, who began treatment.
And on Monday, Tzion, who uses a wheelchair, amazed his parents by standing up for the first time, moving his feet and telling them feeling had returned to his toes.
"Juden Raus"! Jews - Get Out!
[The following is a commentary by Emanuel A. Winston, a Middle East analyst and commentator. It's important that every citizen of the United States reads it as it puts forth the US government's position as far as Jews living in the land that God — the creator of the heavens and earth, gave the nation of Israel. Contrary to what many US citizens want to believe, the United States is not a friend of Israel. (This was reported in the ENS weekly newsletter, W/E: March 22, 2008.)]
Reminiscent of the Nazi orders for Jews to "Get Out!", US Ambassador to Israel, Richard Jones, tells the Jews to get out of Jerusalem. Richard Jones, speaking for both himself as well as President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, ordered Israel's Jews to move out of their ancient, eternal capital of Jerusalem in deference to Muslim Arab Palestinians [sic] who want to move in.
And So It Goes ...
There were two terrorists attacks over the past two days that show just how the world really feels about Israel. Let's take a look at the two and see how they differ.
In Israel, an Arab terrorist infiltrated the Merkaz HaRav Yeshiva in Jerusalem and murdered eight students, ranging in age from 15 years old to 26 years old. (A yeshiva is an institution for the study of Torah and the Talmud.) In addition, nearly a dozen others were injured. The yeshiva was important in that, according to Arutz Sheva, virtually every religious-Zionist yeshiva in the country was founded and/or staffed by former students of the yeshiva. Following the murders, Israel's "peace partners" in Gaza went out into the streets and fired rifles in the air in celebration of the attack.