Yom Shnee
Monday
1 Adar II 5784
March 11 2024
May His Memory Always Be For A Blessing
Master Sgt. Michael Gal, 29, from Jerusalem, a fighter in the Givati Brigade was killed last night in Gaza.
Here in Israel it seems like every day brings another tragedy: funeral after funeral after funeral of young men who have been cut down in the prime of life as they fought to defend Israel.
UPDATE 1:00 PM
On the Ground in the South
The news this morning is that the government feels that it will take at least 2 weeks to move the population out of Rafah. In the absence of a Division-wide attack, the IDF continues to stage deadly raids into the HamISIS stronghold.
One attack yesterday may have killed Marwan Issa, the number 3 terrorist in the HamISIS hierarchy and the right-hand man of the infamous Mohammed Deif. This has yet to be confirmed.
On the Ground in the North
Hezbollah fired more than 100 missiles into northern Israel yesterday. Obviously, this cannot continue, and once again there is much talk today that we are on the brink of war in the north.
Elsewhere on the Ground
Ramadan arrived last night and with it came clashes at the Har HaBeit (Temple Mount) in Jerusalem.
Frankly, your humble servant is Ramadaned out. Why do we make endless gestures to those who are trying to kill us? Just this morning, in yet another Ramadan gesture, Israel released 55 arrested Palestinian Gazans back to Gaza.
The endless warnings from everyone in the government that we can expect increased Palestinian violence during Ramadan becomes a self-fulling prophecy.
Two Asinine Quotes of the Day
Quote 1:
“Two million Palestinians have been displaced from their homes in the Gaza Strip. The suffering of the Palestinians in Gaza is on the minds of many. It is on my mind. We will continue to work to achieve a ceasefire of six weeks as part of a deal to release the abductees.”
President Biden’s “Ramadan” message last night.
Another day another Biden bomb. It’s just nauseating that the main focus of his Ramadan message was the “poor, suffering” Palestinians.
Quote 2:
“Our film shows what a low dehumanization can lead us to. We stand here as people who refuse to have their Judaism and the Holocaust used for an occupation that harmed so many innocent people, whether it’s the victims of the October 7th or the ongoing attack on Gaza.”
British-Jewish director Jonathan Glaser speaking after the International Film Award at the Oscars in Hollywood last night.
Glaser was the only person during the evening who referred to Gaza–and to say that the memory of the Holocaust is responsible for the “occupation”, the massacres of October 7th, and the “ongoing attack on Gaza” is morally reprehensible.
Netanyahu Answers Biden
In an interview with Politico, PM Netanyahu rejected President Biden’s outrageous comments two days ago when he blasted Israel’s strategy in trying to eliminate HamISIS and Netanyahu for “harming Israel’s interests.”
PM Netanyahu:
“I don’t know what the president (Biden) meant, but if he meant that I lead a policy against the majority of the Israeli public and that it harms Israel’s interests, he is wrong on both counts.
This is not just my private policy, it is a policy supported by the vast majority of Israelis. They support the action we are taking to destroy the remaining terrorist battalions of Hamas.
They say that once we have eliminated Hamas, the last thing we should do is bring the Palestinian Authority into Gaza, which educates its children in terrorism and finances terrorism. And they also support my position that we must absolutely reject the attempt to impose a Palestinian terrorist state on us.
Most Israelis understand that if we don’t do this, we will return to the October 7 massacre.
That is why my policy is the policy of most Israelis. The vast majority is united like never before, and they understand what is good and what is important for Israel – and they are right.”
Kolakevod to PM Netanyahu for standing up to the increasingly senile Biden.
The Words To “Hurricane”
The lyrics of Israel’s entry into Eurovision were released this morning, and frankly, the song sounds much like the original song that was rejected:
[Verse 1]
Lighter of my symphony
Play with me
Look into my eyes and see
People walk away but never say goodbye
Someone stole the moon tonight
Took my light
Everything is black and white
Who’s the fool who told you: ”Boys don’t cry”?
[Pre-Chorus]
Hours and hours and powers
Life is no game, but it’s ours
While the time goes wild
[Chorus]
Every day, I’m losing my mind
Holding on in this mysterious ride
Dancing in the storm, I’ve got nothing to hide
Take it out and leave the world behind
Baby, promise me you’ll hold me again
I’m still broken from this hurricane
This hurricane
[Verse 2]
Living in a fantasy
Ecstasy
Everything’s meant to be
We shall pass, but love will never die
[Pre-Chorus]
Hours and hours and powers
Life is no game, but it’s ours
While the time goes wild
[Chorus]
Every day, I’m losing my mind
Holding on in this mysterious ride
Dancing in the storm, I’ve got nothing to hide
Take it out and leave the world behind
Baby, promise me you’ll hold me again
I’m still broken from this hurricane
This hurricane
This hurricane
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.