25 Tammuz 5778
8 July 2018
The Devastating Picture of the Day:
An aerial view of the smoldering remains of the fire that swept through the river preserve near Rahat. Note how far the fire extended into the background, and of course you cannot see its extent in the foreground either (picture: almog ben-zikri).
The picture speaks for itself as does the video associated with it. If you can open tweets, click here.
The Most Outrageous Quote of the Day:
“The kite terrorism hurts, it’s jarring, hurting, there are a hundred claims, and the farmers are [[losing their crops] . . . There has been an appropriate response from the IDF. There are a lot of people who are trying to push us into the war. I will not vote to go to war because of burning kites. They do not cost us human lives; we only go out to war when there is no choice, not when every faction humiliates us.”
Moshe Kahlon, Israel Finance Minister and head of the Kulanu Party, speaking on Israel’s Meet the Press television show yesterday.
Do you want to know why Kahlon’s popularity along with that of his political party have plummeted in the polls? It is because of outrageously out-of-touch statements like the above.
A hundred claims? There have been hundreds from the kibbutzes around Gaza alone. There has been an appropriate response from the IDF? The IDF has been completely powerless to stop the terror.
But more than this, notice how Kahlon does not even mention the health toll (from breathing smoke for months) and emotional toll that has been exacted on the residents of the area–who, for the politicians in Jerusalem are nothing more than cannon fodder.
By the way, no one is suggesting that Israel “go to war” with Gaza; all the people of southern Israel want is for our government to protect us by stopping the rain of fire that is ravaging our communities. Is that too much to ask?
The News on the Israeli Street
Palestinian terror in the last 24 hours . . .
On the Gaza border:
Palestinian terrorists set 17 fires along the border yesterday at such places as Kibbutz Or Haner, Be’eri, Shokda, Nir Am, Nahal Oz, Kfar Aza, and Kibbutz Erez. Hundreds more dunams of forests and fields were destroyed.
In Judea and Samaria:
Two attempted stabbings were thwarted: the first occurred on Route 60 near Beit El when a resident of Dura was stopped by a traffic policeman. The terrorist was armed with two large knives and confessed he was on his way to “kill Jews.” The second attempt was in Shuafat where a terrorist armed with a knife was subdued by security personnel.
“Rocks and Molotovs” were used by Palestinian terrorists to attack Israelis on the Gush Etzion Road near Al-Khader, at the Zif Junction in the southern Hevron Hills, on the Tunnel Road leading into Jerusalem, between Kumi Uri and Orif, at Tekoa, Hawara, Hizma, Qalqilya, Kiryat Arba, and at numerous other places.
Israeli tourism in crisis . . .
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One would logically think that with all the threats facing Israel on every border and all the terror that takes place in Judea and Samaria between Hevron and Jenin, tourists would choose to take their vacations in some place other than Israel.
Such is not the case.
On Friday we this from Yossi Fattal of The Bureau of Incoming Tourism Organizers for Israel:
“Incoming tourism to Israel is in crisis. This time, unlike in previous years, this crisis is not found in the absence of tourists, but because of the greatly increased number of tourists who are expected to reach almost 5 million by the end of the year. This new reality creates challenges both in terms of infrastructure and in terms of accommodation and management of tourists in various locations. It is important to clarify that all aspects of the tourist industry are in crisis; if we are not careful, “too good” can bring about “very bad” in the future.”
TODAY’S BLOG:
If Turkish PM Erdogan Attacks Israel Just One More Time . . .
How many times in the last few years have we heard Turkish PM Erdogan verbally assault Israel? And how many times have we seen Turkish envoys around the world attack Israel in every conceivable venue? And how many times have we seen Turkish tourists in Israel leading violent demonstrations against Israel on the Temple Mount?
Now comes the news from the Prime Minister’s Office that PM Netanyahu is prepared to crack down on Erdogan and Turkish activities here in Israel if Erdogan attacks Israel just one more time.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
A good joke, right?
But wait . . . the PM’s Office informed us yesterday that “Israel’s National Security Council has prepared a contingency plan to limit the Turkish government’s activity in East Jerusalem through its official arm, the International Aid Organization (TIKA), which works to strengthen Turkey’s status on the Temple Mount and the capital. Turkey will now be required to obtain approval for each action.”
If this weren’t so pathetic, it would be hilarious.
What we can infer from the statement yesterday is that until now, the Turks have been free here in Israel to act against Israel in any way they want including meeting with members of the Islamic Movement and providing funds to Hamas. All of this on top of the fact that Erdogan has called on a million Muslims to come to Jerusalem to show that Jerusalem is a Muslim city.
A delegation of Turkish students on the Temple Mount which the gutless Netanyahu government stupidly let into Israel several months ago. The sign reads: “Jerusalem is Islamic.”
If you really think that Israel in the form of PM Netanyahu will demand approval from Turkey for every action it takes here in Israel, your humble servant will sell you some swimwear for your next trip to Antarctica.
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.