Yom Shleeshee
Tuesday
29 Sivan 5782
June 28 2022
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The Photo of the Day
The next time you go swimming in the Kineret (Sea of Galilee) remember this snake!
The Orwellian Quote of the Day
“Yisrael Beiteinu supports the formation of a government with a Zionist coalition including the Zionist Party Meretz. We will not sit with the Religious Zionist Party because it is not Zionist.”
Avigdor Liberman, head of Yisrael Beiteinu
Did you get that?
In an Orwellian moment, Liberman has transformed Meretz, the most left wing anti-Zionist Party in Israel (not including the Arab Parties) into a Zionist Party, and labeled one of the most Zionist Parties (National Zionist) as not Zionist.
Such is the surreal world of Israeli politics.
The News on the Israeli Street
Chaos in the Knesset . . .
The Coalition is doing everything possible to dissolve the Knesset, and the first of three “readings” required to do so has passed. However, by refusing to vote on everything that the Coalition proposes, the Opposition is ardently working to slow down the dissolution.
Yes, you read that correctly.
The Opposition led by Netanyahu that has been working feverishly for a year to topple the government is now slowing down the dissolution, and the Coalition that has tried every ploy to stay in power is trying to end the government.
One bill that the Opposition is refusing to vote on is the bill that makes changes that would enable Israelis to get a visa exemption from the U.S.
Also the sides cannot even agree on an election date. The Coalition wants the election to coincide with the annual Yitzhak Rabin commemoration “week” on November 1, but the Opposition wants the October 25 date because it falls during a holiday for yeshivot which will turn out in greater numbers then.
Gantz throws Israel under the bus again . . .
It is being reported this morning that the Iranian Nuclear Weapons Appeasement Talks are now scheduled to begin immediately—so as to be concluded by the time President Biden comes to the Middle East on July 13.
It turns out that the director of the Mossad, David Barnea, along with the IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi both oppose the agreement.
On the other hand, it is being supported by . . . you guessed it . . . “Defense” Minister Benny Gantz.
The daily Corona update . . .
11,483 Israelis tested positive yesterday (out of 30,959 tested) bringing to 60,559 the number of active patients in the country.
The positive test rate was 37.09%; the coefficient of infection was 1.18%.
275 Israelis are seriously ill; 58 are critically ill—50 of these are on ventilators.
10,942 have died.
With a positive test rate of 37%, obviously, the more people who get tested the more Corona we have–now more than 60,000 active cases.
Up and up and up . . .
Israelis are getting another jolt to their wallets and purses this weekend when the price of gasoline will rise by 30 agorot to 8.02 shekels per liter–the highest in a decade.
This means that a gallon of gas will cost 30.3589 shekels. At today’s exchange rate, this means that a gallon will cost $8.88.
This price hike comes on the heels of the 60 agorot per liter increase that occurred last month.
TODAY’S BLOG
A Shout Out For the Bedouin IDF!
Sgt. Maj. Mazrib.
Your humble servant has spent much time this year criticizing the Bedouins in southern Israel–both for the lawless state within a state they have created between Beersheva and Mitzpe Ramon, and for the way they have spread that lawlessness in nearby cities and even army bases (where vast amounts of material have been stolen).
But it would be a mistake to generalize. Today is the 35th anniversary of the establishment of the special Bedouin unit within the IDF.
These Bedouin soldiers are an invaluable part of the Israel’s security forces. A highly valued combat force, the Bedouins are renowned trackers–and their service on Israel’s borders is well known to all.
Who knows how many lives have been saved over the years by the terrorists they tracked down?
There are currently about 1,500 Bedouin serving in the army, and last year saw more Bedouin young men (600) enlist than ever before.
On this anniversary, the IDF has specially recognized Sgt. Major Ami Mazrib who enlisted back in 2004 at a time when he did not even speak Hebrew. In the last seventeen years he has held a number of command positions while at the same time completing a B.A. and M.A. in law.
Kolakevod to Sgt. Major Mazrib and to all the Bedouin who loyally serve Israel!
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.