7 Av 5778
19 July 2018
The News on the Israeli Street
Palestinian terror in the last 24 hours . . .
On the Gaza border:
—Remember how PM Netanyahu claimed at Sunday’s security cabinet meeting that Israel had demanded that incendiary kites and balloons must stop being launched into Israel?
Palestinian terrorists in Gaza set 18 fires yesterday. The largest fire (which is still smoldering) was at Kibbutz Alumim.
Other places that saw fires included: Nativ HaAsara, Or Hanar, Elenim, Be’eri (2), Kissufim, Nirim, and Nir Am (2).
It is important to note that the “kites and balloons” are now acquiring a longer range. The picture below was taken here in Ashdod yesterday over a gas station in the middle of the city:
It is hard to believe that balloons like this one start huge fires when they land. This one drifted over the city and did no damage when it landed because it burned out in some sand dunes.
—Remember how PM Netanyahu claimed on Sunday that Hamas had not been hit so hard since 2014 and how we would now have “quiet” again in the south?
Your humble servant was doing some yard work at 3:38 pm yesterday afternoon here in far south Ashdod when he heard the missile warning sirens go off in the Chof Ashkelon region just south of us. Immediately, the warning sounds also sounded on our telephone app for Zones 217, 246, and 247–from Zikim south of Ashkelon to Beer Ganim north of Ashkelon.
Where the alarms went off yesterday afternoon. Obviously we heard the one that went off the farthest north–in Beer Ganim.
Within minutes of the warnings, the IDF claimed, as usual, that it was “a false alarm.” Nevertheless, numerous residents of the area reported hearing two explosions–explosions that were heard as far away as just southwest of Jerusalem.
Later in the evening, another two missiles were launched by Palestinian terrorists toward southern Israel. This time no alarm sounded and the explosions took place in “open areas” of the Eshkol region.
A fire and missile vocabulary primer for readers who do not live in Israel (part 1) . . .
A number of readers have asked your humble servant to provide a “vocabulary list” to help them understand what is happening on the Gaza border. Here is a short list:
Flares=Fires
Yesterday, it came to light that the government doesn’t want any government officials or firefighters to use the word “fires” anymore; they are supposed to use the word “flares.”
False alarm=A missile exploded somewhere
After virtually every alarm siren goes off in southern Israel warning of an impending missile strike, the IDF claims it is a “false alarm” (like the one yesterday). When enough residents report explosions were heard or the actual missile impact point is found, the IDF amends the claim. As we have written before, there is no such thing as a false alarm.
Hamas training facilities= Empty buildings
The IDF always claims that it bombed Hamas training facilities. These are always empty buildings.
Hamas observation posts= Empty sand dunes
The IDF always claims that it bombed Hamas observation posts. These are always empty sand dunes.
This is just a starter. We will continue with our list tomorrow.
TODAY’S BLOG:
Jabotinsky Must Be Smiling: The New Nationality Law
With a final vote of 62 in favor, 55 against, and 2 abstentions, the Nationality Law became the law of the land last night.
So much fake news has been written and spoken by opponents of the Law that your humble servant thought he would print it in its entirety today.
Here is the Law; read it carefully and see what you think:
—
Basic Law: Israel as the Nation State of the Jewish People
1. Basic principles
A. The land of Israel is the historical homeland of the Jewish people, in which the State of Israel was established.
B. The State of Israel is the national home of the Jewish people, in which it fulfills its natural, cultural, religious and historical right to self-determination.
C. The right to exercise national self-determination in the State of Israel is unique to the Jewish people.
2. The symbols of the state
A. The name of the state is “Israel.”
B. The state flag is white with two blue stripes near the edges and a blue Star of David in the center.
C. The state emblem is a seven-branched menorah with olive leaves on both sides and the word “Israel” beneath it.
D. The state anthem is “Hatikvah.”
E. Details regarding state symbols will be determined by the law.
3. The capital of the state
Jerusalem, complete and united, is the capital of Israel.
4. Language
A. The state’s language is Hebrew.
B. The Arabic language has a special status in the state; Regulating the use of Arabic in state institutions or by them will be set in law.
C. This clause does not harm the status given to the Arabic language before this law came into effect.
5. Ingathering of the exiles
The state will be open for Jewish immigration and the ingathering of exiles.
6. Connection to the Jewish people
A. The state will strive to ensure the safety of the members of the Jewish people in trouble or in captivity due to the fact of their Jewishness or their citizenship.
B. The state shall act within the Diaspora to strengthen the affinity between the state and members of the Jewish people.
C. The state shall act to preserve the cultural, historical and religious heritage of the Jewish people among Jews in the Diaspora.
7. Jewish settlement
The state views the development of Jewish settlement as a national value and will act to encourage and promote its establishment and consolidation.
8. Official calendar
The Hebrew calendar is the official calendar of the state and alongside it the Gregorian calendar will be used as an official calendar. Use of the Hebrew calendar and the Gregorian calendar will be determined by law.
9. Independence Day and Memorial Days
A. Independence Day is the official national holiday of the state.
B. Memorial Day for the Fallen in Israel’s Wars and Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day are official memorial days of the State.
10. Days of rest and Shabbat
A. The Shabbat and the festivals of Israel are the established days of rest in the state; Non-Jews have a right to maintain days of rest on their Sabbaths and festivals; Details of this issue will be determined by law.
11. Immutability
This Basic Law shall not be amended, unless by another Basic Law passed by a majority of Knesset members.
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—
Now that you have read the Law in its entirety, could you please explain these absurd comments from the “left” last night–beginning with the most ridiculous:
Jeremy Ben Ami, head of J Street:
“It was born in sin, its only purpose is to send a message to the Arab community, the LGBT community and other minorities in Israel, that they are not and never will be equal citizens.”
What in the world is Ben Ami talking about? Born in sin? The LGBT community? Minorities in Israel? Are not and will never be equal citizens?
Ben Ami once again proves that he is the largest purveyor of horse manure on the planet–and once again he shows the new reality which is: for liberal, left-wing American Jews, all issues have to be filtered through the LGBT community whether it is involved or not.
MK Merav Michaeli (Labor Party):
“It’s a sad moment when the Knesset of Israel approves a law called the ‘Nationality Law’ that has no equality [and] no democracy.”
Where is there no equality and no democracy? There is not one word that suggests that anyone is unequal or that Israel is not democratic.
MK Tamar Sandberg (Meretz):
“According to this law, Zionism is not a national movement that built a home for a persecuted people, but a forceful nationalism that humiliates the minority and establishes racial superiority.”
Where does the law humiliate “the minority”? Where does the law establish racial superiority?
MK Ayman Odeh, head of the Joint Arab List:
“Separation, discrimination and racism are now enshrined in law.”
Who is separated from whom? Where is there discrimination and racism?
And on and on.
Do you want to know what is the worst part about the National Law? It is Number 11, Immutability.
The idea that the entire law can be replaced by a simple majority of Knesset members means that there will be a never ending effort to overturn it.
But for the moment, let’s rejoice. The Law is a welcome addition to the body of laws that govern this country by codifying Israel’s Jewishness. That codification is something that the “Left” cannot abide because they do not want Israel to be a Jewish country.
One final word. The title of today’s blog comes from a speech given by PM Netanyahu at the memorial to Ze’ev Jabotinsky on Mt. Herzl last Thursday. In that speech, Netanyahu said:
“Jabotinsky stuck to one basic value, preserving our national uniqueness in our homeland, and he did not believe that we could preserve our national uniqueness in a place other than our homeland. This is the basis for everything else. He said that we must preserve our national uniqueness here in Israel.”
Jabotinsky must be smiling this morning.
Addendum:
Those unfamiliar with Zionist history may be unfamiliar with Ze’ev Jabotinsky.
Born in Odessa in 1880, he became a leader of the Zionist movement there and went on to found the Jewish Self-Defense Organization in Odessa. During World War I, Jabotinsky and Joseph Trumpeldor co-founded the Jewish Legion of the British Army.
Later he moved to Israel where he established Beitar, HaTzohar, and the Irgun. A fiery orator and passionate writer, Jabotinsky died of a heart attack while on a trip to the U.S. in 1940. Long hailed a hero of Zionism and Israel, he was reburied on Mt. Herzl in 1964.
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.