SPECIAL NOTICE:
Due to technical difficulties originating with our server, today’s updates and blog are abbreviated. We hope to be back to full speed tomorrow.
NUMBER OF DAYS UNTIL THE ISRAELI ELECTION: 3
ISRAELSTREET endorses NAFTALI BENNETT for Prime Minister
Head of “HaBayit HaYehudi” (The Jewish Home) political party
“We can’t have peace with the Palestinians. Enough. How long can we talk about this? We can only reach coexistence . . .”
UPDATES 6 pm Israel time Saturday and TODAY’S BLOG:
One has to say that the Middle East in general and Israel in particular are not places where hope reigns supreme. It would be nice to wake up in the morning and find out that something had changed, but the truth of the matter is the old tired cliche: the more things change the more they stay the same.
Four items for today:
Another day, another Palestinian illegal “outpost.” You may recall that one week ago your humble servant predicted that for every hour that the Israeli police allowed the “outpost” at E1 to remain occupied, another “outpost” would pop up in Judea and Samaria. Today’s new illegal Palestinian “outpost” is near Beit Iksa northwest of Jerusalem. At last report, some 400 illegal occupiers were rushing to put up a mosque.
Another day, another mob at the Gaza Border Fence. You may recall that your humble servant has described Netanyahu’s exiting of the 300 meter buffer zone between the fence and Gaza sheer as lunacy. This time, again, dozens of Gazan rioters assaulted the fence and attempted to breach it. They were repelled by IDF fire which hit two of them.
Another day, another Fatah (PLO)-Hamas reconciliation attempt. The newest attempt, brokered by Egyptian President Morsi, has set January 30th as the date for a “unified”, temporary, government of technocrats. This supposed interim government (until elections take place) will feature Mahmoud Abbas as its president. Today’s announcement comes amidst reports that Hamas popularity is soaring among Palestinians of Judea and Samaria. Reconciliation means the end of Mahmoud Abbas.
Another day, another failed attempt to get Iran to agree to let IAEA inspectors visit some of Iran’s “most sensitive” nuclear sites. Iran’s Ambassador to the Agency, Ali Asghar Soltanieh declared that nothing would stop Iran from continuing to enrich uranium. Regular readers of this blog know that your humble servant is convinced that Iran already has a low-grade, dirty, atomic bomb–and is on the cusp of gaining bombs of more highly refined uranium.
Another day, another . . . who knows what tomorrow will bring? Actually, we all do.
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.