Yom Rishon
Sunday
18 Cheshvan 5782
October 24 2021
The News on the Israeli Street
And so it comes to pass . . .
It was only about three months ago that we predicted here at OneIsrael that the end result of PM Bennett and FM Lapid’s embrace of the Biden Administration would be wholesale interference by the Biden Administration in Israel affairs.
More than this, we noted that kowtowing to President Biden back then would lead the Biden Administration to think that it can dictate policy to Israel.
And so it has come to pass.
Ironically, it was the surprising decision of our leftist “Minister of Defense” Benny Gantz that first inflamed the U.S.
On Thursday, Gantz with the support of Justice Minister Gideon Sa’ar, named these organizations as nothing more than terrorist affiliates of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP): Al Haq, the Bisan Center, Defense for Children International-Palestine, the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees, the Union of Agricultural Work Committees, and Adameer.
Despite the fact that Israel had informed the U.S. in advance of this listing, the U.S. State Department Spokesman Ned Price quickly ran to the podium to issue this statement: “We believe respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms, and a strong civil society are critically important for responsible governance. We will be engaging our Israeli partners for more information regarding the basis for these designations.”
Respect for human rights? Apparently all human rights except those of Israelis.
Fundamental freedoms? Apparently Israeli freedom to live is not included.
A strong civil society responsible for governance? No, an organized network of terror that has carried out numerous terror attacks against Israelis.
But wait . . . there was more from the State Department on another subject–the plans this week to advance construction of slightly more than 3000 apartments in Jewish communities in Area C.
Despite the fact that the advance of these residences is coming in tandem with the approval of hundreds of homes for Palestinians in Area C, Spokesman Price solemnly intoned: “We are concerned about the announcement of a meeting next week to advance settlement units deep in the West Bank, and believe it is critical that Israel and the Palestinian Authority refrain from unilateral steps that exacerbate tension and undercut efforts to advance a negotiated two-state solution. This certainly includes settlement activity as wells as retroactive legalization of settlement outposts.”
Notice that the statement does not mention the homes previously approved for Palestinians, does not mention that all of the proposed units are in Area C of the Judea and Samaria–an area under Israeli administration, and completely adopts the language of the Palestinian narrative (settlement units, settlement activity, settlement outposts, West Bank, Palestinian Authority).
What is the bottom line in all of the above?
The story with the U.S. is the same story as with the PLO and Hamas: Israel makes concessions and they want even greater concessions.
To put it in the local vernacular, we give them our little finger, and they want our whole hand.
Palestinian terror in Judea and Samaria in the last 24 hours . . .
Palestinian terrorists attacked IDF soldiers from a passing car at Farm 5 north of the Samaria Brigade Square and in Hevron (soldier wounded)
Palestinian terrorists attacked Israelis with Molotovs and “rocks” on Road 55 at the Azzun Junction, near Hizma, at Naalin (driver was wounded), at Ponduk, Beit Ummar, at Lupine Aia, and at 2 dozen other locations.
The daily Corona update . . .
962 more Israelis were confirmed “yesterday” as having Covid-19. There are now 13,395 active cases in the country.
1,322,395 Israelis have contracted Corona since the pandemic began.
The positive test rate yesterday was 1.07%.
303 Israelis are in serious condition with another 155 in critical condition on ventilators.
8,046 Israelis have died–9 since yesterday.
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Vaccinations:
6,217,268 Israelis have received one dose.
5,712,789 Israelis have received two doses.
3,896,330 Israelis have received three doses.
TODAY’S BLOG:
Photos From Jerusalem!
On Friday I left you at the Western Wall, the first stop on our weekend journey to Jerusalem. For the next two days, your humble servant will post photos from that trip.
It is always heartwarming to see IDF groups engaged in ceremonies at the Kotel. In the rear of this women’s group, note the Women’s Section to the left, and the Mughrabi Ramp in the center and to the right.
As you may not know, the Kotel Plaza (the area in front of the Western Wall) is considered a holy place and modest dress is enforced:
The two women you see were stopped by a policeman and told that they had to cover their shoulders and legs.
A short history lesson: who built the Wall? Study this photo:
Look closely at the Wall.
The bottom layers of the wall were built by Herod the Great, the middle stones section by the Ummayads, the top levels by the Mamluks.
Switching gears, we traveled in the late afternoon and evening to the Geula and Mea Shearim neighborhoods.
It was a cool windy evening. Most of the residents in these areas have an income below the poverty line because most of the men spend their days studying Torah.
One of dozens of yeshivas–as you walk along the streets you can hear the religious teaching and arguments taking place inside:
Peaceful on the outside, rowdy and noisy on the inside.
As suggested, these neighborhoods are the home to the ultra-orthodox with their men in black hats long black coats and long white beards, and women with mid-calf length dresses with hair coverings or wigs. The general misconception is that these parts of Jerusalem are a gray/blackscape with little color:
We walked though narrow streets and alleyways with colorful surprises around many corners.
Both neighborhoods are densely crowded with large families living in every apartment. The birthrate in Geula and Mea Shearim averages just over 8 children per family (another reason for the poverty level):
Where Geula meets Mea Shearim. When the light changes, people cross in all directions. How many baby strollers do you see?
And bakeries are everywhere:
Challot, and sweetbreads everywhere!
And unusual delicacies:
The famed Yazdi bread.
But always in the background there is religion and prayer:
Outside the famed Gur Synagogue. The women are praying outside because the women’s section inside is under repair. Note the woman on the right eyeing us suspiciously–we got many such looks on our walk.
We will continue tomorrow with our photographic tour.
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.