25 Sivan 5780
17 June 2020
Quote of the Day
“If the Americans demand that we recognize a Palestinian state in return for giving us the right to declare sovereignty over parts of Area C, we will not declare sovereignty.”
Mickey Zohar, Likud Party Coalition Chairman in an interview on Channel 20 yesterday
The News on the Israeli Street
Palestinian terror in the last 24 hours . . .
Palestinians terrorists using Molotovs and “rocks” attacked Israelis at Luban a-Sharqiya, at Beit Samaria, Huwara, the Peduel Junction, Al-Aruv, the British Police Junction, at several places along the Gush Etzion-Hevron Road, and at a least a dozen other places.
The daily Corona update . . .
We are definitely at the edge of another Corona lockdown.
As of 8 am this morning (Wednesday), there are now 19,495 confirmed cases of Corona in Israel of whom 15,449 have recovered. 39 Israelis are in “serious condition,” and 29 of them are on ventilators. 302 Israelis have died.
The two most troubling statistics of the above are the number of confirmed cases–with 258 new cases confirmed yesterday alone, and the number of Israelis who are seriously ill. 39 may not seem like a significant number but it does mark a 25% increase in recent days.
Also of extreme concern now is that Corona outbreaks have occurred in two major Israeli hospitals: Ichilov in Tel Aviv and Rambam in Haifa. Yesterday, 3 doctors and 11 nurses were diagnosed with Corona at Ichilov, while 7 doctors, 11 nurses, and 8 technicians all tested positive at Rambam.
The situation at Israeli schools is no better with 168 schools now closed. 85 new cases were diagnosed yesterday–with 627 students and teachers now confirmed cases. 22,059 other students and teachers (from the 168 schools) are now in self-quarantine.
To counter the recent uptick and outbreaks, police will begin issuing tickets again this morning to enforced Corona restrictions regarding wearing masks, maintaining self-quarantine, and not gathering in public places.
Last night, the Knesset approved a bill to extend restrictions for 45 days.
Meanwhile, the economic situation remains in dire straits with Quarter 1 showing the economy contracting by 6.8% as private consumption fell by 20.2%.
In discussions between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis who is visiting Israel at the moment and PM Netanyahu, it was decided–tentatively–that tourism between Greece and Israel will return to normal on August 1.
Plus, this herb is good cialis generic overnight for cardiovascular health and immune system. It offers discounts and also promises to make quick delivery. cialis generika 40mg Does erectile dysfunction is always related to cardiovascular disease? The answer cialis generico uk is NO, erectile dysfunction does not make a man able to keep or maintain erection needed for a pleasing sexual intimacy in the bed. Curiousness Worked the Best For Me! To check the potential of these magic pills, I had one with water. order levitra on line
A bright Israeli light is extinguished . . .
Tamar Bornstein-Lazar, one of Israel’s most beloved authors, died yesterday at age of 93.
The always effervescent Tamar!
The writer of more than 450 children’s books, Bronstein-Lazar captured the imaginations of generations of Israeli kids–especially with Chippopo and Kofiko books.
The omnipresent Kofiko who appears in books, television shows, movies, and everywhere else!
She will be sorely missed.
TODAY’S BLOG:
De Facto Sovereignty!
No declaration of sovereignty has been made by Israel over any part of Area C, but that has in no way halted the movement toward sovereignty. Roads are being built and infrastructure is being created which are creating facts on the ground.
Yesterday, Merkorot–Israel’s national water carrier–announced that it was opening a new and highly advanced pumping station in the Barkan Industrial Area which will move water from the national water system all the way into eastern Samaria.
More specifically, the newly named Cross-Samaria Plant will supply 25.5 million meters of water per year and 105 thousand meters of water per day to the residents of the area. According to Merkerot, the pipeline route runs to Kfar Tapuach and connects the Neve Yamin/Kedumim Water Plant. Eventually, another line will run west to Oranit and expansion to the south to include Ali, Shvut Rachel, Migdalim, and Ma’ale Levona.
In essence, the water pipeline extends Israel throughout Samaria and Judea.
We mentioned several days ago that PM Netanyahu is actively considering a phased plan of declaring sovereignty. Some more information about Phase 1 of that possible plan was revealed yesterday.
According to reports, Netanyahu will first declare sovereignty over Ariel, Ma’ale Adumim, Gush Etzion, and at least one Jewish community deep in Judea or Samaria. All told, sovereignty would be declared over 10% of Area C–less than the 30% foreseen by the Trump plan.
Once this declaration has been made, Netanyahu will supposedly call for a construction freeze and simultaneously “reach out” to the Palestinians to begin negotiations over the entire Trump Plan. If and when the Palestinians reject this negotiation proposal, Israel will then exercise Phase 2–which is to declare sovereignty over the remaining 20% of the Trump Plan land in Area C.
In any case, wonderful actions like those of Merkorot yesterday make sovereignty appear ever closer.
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.