22 Cheshvan 5780
20 November 2019
Quote of the Day
“The rules have changed: Whoever shoots at the State of Israel during the day does not sleep at night. So it was last week in Gaza and so it was last night in Syria. Our message to Iran’s leaders is simple: You are no longer immune.”
Naftali Bennett, Israel Defense Minister
Do we finally have a Defense Minister (for however short a time) who puts his money where his mouth is?
The News on the Israeli Street
Last night’s attack in Syria . . .
Obviously, the red points are where Israel attacked last night (Graphic: IDF).
Here in Ashdod, we knew that something was up at about 1:15 am this morning when we were awakened by the bomb-laden planes flying over our house and turning northward.
How did we know they were bomb-laden? Easy. Normal jets fly relatively high over the house; ones carrying heavy payloads sound like they are ripping our roof off as they slowly gain altitude after take off.
According to the IDF spokesman, those planes and others attacked 14 Iran Al Quds Force installations in Syria as well as 6 Syrian anti-aircraft missile installations. The IDF spokesman also indicated there are Iranian fatalities and other casualties.
What will happen next? Who knows, but Israel is expecting counter-strikes today, and the Homeland Defense Unit has ordered all residents of the north to stay close to a bomb shelter.
Bravo to the Dutch Parliament . . .
The Dutch Parliament passed an amazing resolution yesterday.
To begin with, it demanded that the Dutch government not go along with the European Court of Justice’s decision which ordered all EU countries to mark products that come from Judea and Samaria.
Moreover, the Parliament demanded that the government act against the EU’s “unequal treatment of Israel.” For example, it wondered why products from Judea and Samaria should be labeled, but not products from other disputed areas in the world.
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The resolution was the result of joint efforts by the Dutch Christian community and the Israeli Embassy in the Netherlands.
Kolakevod!
Israelis can’t stop talking about . . .
. . . the game between Argentina and Uruguay two days ago. Watching two great teams led by two great players Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez was the greatest sports event here in recent memory.
Everyone only wishes they could stay here and play more matches.
By the way, after Messi scored the tying goal with a penalty kick in the last few minutes, the Israeli press dubbed him the “Messi-ah”.
TODAY’S BLOG:
Dead In The Water: No Unity Between Netanyahu And Gantz
It is now 15 hours until Benny Gantz’s mandate to form a government runs out.
Just when it seemed yesterday that we were on the verge of a unity government between Likud and Kahol Lavan came this statement late last night from Gantz after another last-ditch meeting with PM Netanyahu:
“Third time elections are a bad thing, but basic principles and values cannot be dispensed with. We will continue to make every effort and turn every stone to try to reach understandings and form a government even in the remaining time, in order to prevent costly and unnecessary elections that are contrary to the will of the citizens of Israel.”
If Gantz is indeed turning over every stone to form a government in these remaining hours, it means that he is frantically attempting to accomplish what Netanyahu has said Gantz wanted all along: a minority government which relies on external support from the Joint Arab List.
All eyes now are on Avigdor Lieberman who will make a speech at 1 pm this afternoon to let us know which way his wind blows. Will he throw in with Gantz and the Joint List because of bottomless hatred of Netanyahu, or will he bite the bullet and join forces with Netanyahu and his block of 55 which includes the ultra-orthodox because his constituency is basically right-wing? Or will he do neither and try to form a government himself during the next 21 day period (assuming Gantz fails)?
Your humble servant will not even hazard a guess.
We will update this blog on the breaking news ticker above after Lieberman makes his speech at 1 pm.
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.