UPDATES 11 am Israel time, Saturday, August 30 2014:
**The death toll in Israel has now risen to 72 with the unfortunate death of 21-year-old IDF soldier Netanel Maman yesterday. Maman, who was home on leave from his Gaza service, was hit by a Grad missile about 5 minutes away from our house here in Ashdod last week. He had stopped at a traffic light when incoming rocket sirens sounded, but was struck as the missile exploded next to his car.
Suffering traumatic brain injuries from shrapnel, Netanel finally succumbed after a brave one week fight to stay alive.
May his memory be blessed.
**Throughout the war with Hamas, your humble servant repeatedly lambasted the ridiculous IDF strategy of bombing empty buildings and particularly empty houses belonging to Hamas leaders.
Perhaps the most ridiculous bombing of all was the repeated bombing of a house belonging to Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas in Gaza. Remember how the IDF crowed that leaders such as Haniyeh would emerge from their bunker and become distraught over the destruction they had wrought–and would particularly weep over the loss of their homes?
Billionaire Haniyeh, with numerous homes in Gaza and Qatar, emerged from his bunker all right, but he was far from distraught as he showed reporters around the rubble of one of those houses yesterday.
Haniyeh flashing the victory sign in the rubble yesterday. The Qataris will quickly build him another palatial estate in Gaza.
TODAY’S BLOG:
From left to right, the Cowardly Lion, the Scarecrow and the Tin Man at the post-war press conference the other night. Actually, all three are Cowardly Lions.
Yesterday as your humble servant was listening to yet more absurd spin from Netanyahu, Ya’alon, and Gantz about the government’s “trememdous achievements” and the IDF’s “overwhelming victory”, I wondered which comic group this trio of inept bumblers reminds me the most of.
Is it Moe, Larry, and Curly of the Three Stooges?
Larry, Curly, and Moe.
No, they are not physical enough. The only time they all touch each other is when they give each other endless handshakes and love pats after every press conference.
Is it Groucho, Chico, and Harpo of the Marx Brothers?
The eternally clever Chico, zany Harpo, and deadpanning and wisecracking Groucho.
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No, they are neither smart enough or zany enough. They all engage in endless self-flattery, but we can all see that they really are not that bright. Take a look again at the picture above of Netanyahu, Ya’alon, and Gantz supposedly taken at the height of their victory. Do they look smart or zany? And, by the way, the Marx Brothers were no bumblers.
Is it the Three Amigos–Chevy Chase, Steve Martin, and Martin Short?
Chase, Martin, and Short: The Three Amigos.
No, our comic trio here in Israel just isn’t flashy enough.
Is it the guys from the movie “Hangover”?
Facial expressions tell all?
Well, we’re getting close. In fact, if facial expressions mean anything, we’re getting very close. The only problem is that the guys from “Hangover” don’t really symbolize very much.
Similarly, in terms of facial expressions, our comic trio reminds me somewhat of the three monkeys:
Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.
However, even though the monkeys bring a smile to our faces–they were supposed to symbolize wisdom–which our Israeli comic team most assuredly does not. Nevertheless, it is true that Netanyahu, Ya’alon, and Gantz refuse to hear the truth, see the truth, or speak the truth.
We could go on with this all day, but let’s end with three children’s favorites, which like the monkeys were not really meant to be comic: the cowardly lion, the scarecrow, and the tin man from the Wizard of Oz:
Again, the comparison does not really fit even though the names surely do. After all, the cowardly lion found courage, the scarecrow found his brain, and the tin man found his heart.
Netanyahu, Ya’alon, and Gantz have not found anything.
A student from Malawi, who had worked with an Israeli health volunteer in his country battling AIDS, came up to us as we walked down the street in the UC-Davis Picnic Day Parade and wanted to carry the Israeli flag.