13 Tevet 5779
21 December 2018
The Orwellian Quote of the Day
“This is an irresponsible step taken that harms Israel’s security. Ariel’s decision is just, but the PA is willing to discuss the situation, there is no need to fan the fire.”
An irresponsible step that harms Israel’s security.
There is no need to fan the fire.
Can you imagine what an unnamed Israeli security official was talking about yesterday?
He was talking about a decision by Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel to halt the importation of Palestinian fruit and vegetables into Israel, a step taken in retaliation for the Palestinians stopping the importing of some Israeli products into Areas A and B in Judea and Samaria.
Isn’t it amazing how the Israeli security establishment lives in fear of taking any step against the Palestinians?
Even though a decision is “just”, it is “irresponsible.” George Orwell would have been proud.
Maybe after Palestinian farmers lose an estimated one million shekels a day and watch 300 tons of fruit and vegetables rot each day, they might encourage their government to act more responsibly.
The News On The Israeli Street
Palestinian terror in the last 24 hours . . .
In Judea and Samaria:
There was another shooting incident at Ofra yesterday right at the same spot where the seven Israelis were shot several weeks ago. In yet another incident, a potential terrorist was shot and killed when he tried to drive through a roadbock near Ramallah.
In Gaza:
Thousands of Hamasniks have been back at the border fence today throwing Molotovs, IEDS, and other projectiles at our troops. At least one bomb had to be neutralized by IDF sappers after it was placed on the security fence.
Elsewhere in the Palestinian state of Gaza, another terrorist was killed in a “work-related” accident in a tunnel.
Will the Palestinians finally develop some responsibility? . . .
The WFP (World Food Programme) issued a public statement yesterday announcing that it is being forced to cut food aid to more than 190,000 “poor” Palestinians (27,000 in Judea and Samaria and 165,000 in Gaza).
Why? Because of a $57 million dollar budget shortfall.
As we all know by now, it will only be a matter of days until the European Union and/or some rich Arab country will step in to ensure that the Palestinians remain infantilized.
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TODAY’S BLOG:
President Trump’s Stunning Decision To Leave Syria
By now, you have surely heard the news that President Trump has decided to rapidly pull all 2,200 American troops out of Syria–a decision that has major ramifications for all countries in the area not the least Israel. At the same time, the number of American soldiers in Afghanistan is being halved to about 7,000.
Though stunning in its abruptness, the decision comes as no surprise. President Trump often said during the 2016 presidential campaign and during the last two years that he would remove U.S. troops from Syria (and Afghanistan) when Islamic State was defeated. He obviously believes that it has been. More than this, there is substantial feeling in the United States that American soldiers have done more than their part in the chaotic Middle East, and it is time for them to come home (after all, Americans have now been fighting in Afghanistan for almost 20 years).
On the other hand, it is somewhat of a mystery as to which of Trump’s advisers lobbied for this decision to be made. President Trump’s adviser on Syrian affairs, James Jeffrey has recently made several speeches to the effect that it is time for a newly changed Syrian society to take hold. To that end, and as recently as four days ago, Jeffrey threw our Kurdish allies under the bus by declaring them to be a “sub-state entity”. Jeffrey went on to some length to declare that the U.S. does not maintain permanent relationships with sub-state entities. Another apparently supporting the strategic shift is Trump Senior Adviser for Policy Stephen Miller.
Interestingly, the threesome whose advice has apparently been ignored are U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton. Mattis–who resigned yesterday–believes that the departure from Syria is a betrayal of our Kurdish allies and creates a vacuum into which will rush Iran and its myriad of terrorist militias.
Insofar as Israel is concerned, no one anticipated this happening and no one was warned in advance (apparently the only two leaders who were told prior to the announcement were Turkish PM Erdogan and Russian leader Vladimir Putin).
What this means for Israel is dramatic. In essence, Israel must now turn its attention from the Lebanese border to that of Syria where we will stand alone against Iran and its proxies–not to mention the Russians. Whether Israel has the capacity to take this on alone is problematical.
Having written all of this, the news from Syria remains both chaotic and predictable today:
**Despite President Trump’s announcement yesterday that the U.S. is pulling out of Syria, the U.S. Air Force resumed its daily attacks in the eastern district of Dir A-Zour–enabling the Syrian rebels to continue their advance. Is this the last gasp of American participation in the fighting in Syria?
**Despite President Trump’s announcement yesterday that the U.S. is pulling out of Syria, a large American military convoy carrying reinforcements and equipment have arrived in Kurish held Khajin–on the eastern banks of the Euphrates. This follows reports that the Kurds are now seeking protection from French forces in the area. Heaven help the poor Kurds.
**The Syrians announced yesterday that 6000 Iraqi Shi’ite fighters in the employ of Iran are being given Syrian citizenship. As part of their “immigration” package, they are receiving residential apartments in Damascus–and are being encouraged to bring their “first and second” layer of relatives with them. As we all know, Syria has become an Iranian fiefdom.
**President Erdogan of Turkey announced that the Turks were suspending operations against the Kurds after talks with President Trump. However, Erdogan also said that the Turk move is merely a suspension. Obviously, Erdogan is licking his chops over the prospect of an American withdrawal from the Kurdish held area.
**Islamic State launched a major attack against forces arrayed against it near the eastern city of Jin. Obviously, even though Islamic State has supposedly lost 99% of the territory it once held, it is not dead.
**The French criticized the American decision to leave Syria because according to them, Islamic State has not been defeated. On the other hand, the Russians agreed with Trump that Islamic State is no longer a threat except in the sense that it is trying to reconstitute itself. Obviously, the Russians are overjoyed to see the Americans pulling out.
What is the bottom line of all of this today?
Israeli involvement in Syria is about to expand, perhaps exponentially.
Iranian influence in Syria, already massive, will expand exponentially.
A confrontation between Israel and Iran looms closer than ever.
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.