Yom Reva’ee
Wednesday
19 Nisan 5782
April 20 2022
The Quote of the Day (remember as you read below):
“The people of Israel did not return to their homeland so that a group of terrorists would prevent them from marching in their eternal capital, Jerusalem.”
Matan Peleg, Chairman of the “If You Will” Movement.
The News on the Israel Street
Palestinian terrorism in the last 24 hours (excluding Jerusalem) . . .
Incoming missiles from Gaza for Sderot at 10:33 pm. One missile hit the backyard of a home in the city.
Palestinian terrorists attacked Israelis with “rocks” and Molotovs at more than three dozen places including on Road 465 near Deir Abu Masha’al, east of the Zif Junction, on Road 90 north of Qasr al-Yehud, between the Meitarim Junction and Meitar Pass, at the Pharmacy Checkpoint near the Cave of the Patriarchs, Luban a-Sharqiya, at Curve 160 between Hevron and Kiryat Arba, between Tapuach and Ariel near Marda, at Al-Fawwar, Huwara in Einbus Square, the Hutsash Checkpoint near Ariel, between the Gilad farm and Yitzhar, in Hevron near Beit Hadassah, Ujah, the British Police Junction, Ein Bovin near Dolev, on Road 446 north of the Hashmonaim Checkpoint. Chomesh, and east of the al-Fawwar Junction.
The weekly Corona update . . .
4,583 new cases of Corona were identified yesterday.
222 Israelis are in serious condition with 79 in critical condition on ventilators.
The death toll now stands at 10,647.
In short, the Corona virus continues circulating in Israel, but the government has now given up any semblance of restrictions with no masking required indoors anymore–and possibly a discontinuance of testing new arrivals at Ben Gurion Airport.
TODAY’S BLOG
Death By A Thousand Cuts
When was the first cut? Was it the withdrawal from Yamit in 1982? Or the withdrawal from northern Gaza in 2005? Or Israel’s inability to finish off our enemies in the Yom Kippur War, or the wars with Hezbollah, or the numerous wars and mini-wars with the Palestinians in Gaza?
Whenever it was, all of the above led to a day like today, a day where we once again demonstrated our fear of our enemies–even to the point that our government will not allow our flag to shown in parts of our capital city of Jerusalem.
The context:
In response to all the recent and ongoing Palestinian terrorism, a call went out yesterday from the “If You Will” organization to participate in a Flag March to take place today at 5 pm. The March was to follow its usual route down Jaffa St through the Nablus Gate (Sha’ar Shechem) into the Old City.
Immediately, FM Lapid said: “The flag march is a step of terrible irresponsibility.”
The superintendent of police added: “A flag parade in Jerusalem is like a pride parade in Bnei Brak.”
The government and police then decided that the Flag Parade could go to the Nablus Gate but not through it.
Shortly thereafter, Knesset Legislator Itamar Ben Gvir said he would attend. Ben Gvir is a leader of the Otzma Yehudit Party, and is reviled by everyone in the current leftist Coalition government because of his strongly Zionist positions.
One such person, Homeland Security Minister Bar-Lev fearfully said: “If Ben Gvir arrives at the Nablus Gate, there is a high chance that tomorrow morning Hamas and Islamic Jihad will shoot missiles at us.”
Then, a trembling PM Bennett issued an order to the Police to deny Ben Gvir access to the Nablus Gate. Ben Gvir responded that as a Knesset member he has complete immunity and that he does not answer to Bennett.
Bennett’s action led to this headline in the Hamas newspaper “Palestine”: “After our threats, the Zionists decided to prevent Ben Gvir from reaching the Nablus Gate.”
And so, out of cravenly fear, the Police blocked the marchers from reaching the Nablus Gate and Ben Gvir from passing through.
Finally (but the day isn’t over yet), after intimidating the government, the Palestinians hit Sderot with a missile attack anyway.
All of which led to this statement from Ben Gvir: “We were forbidden from reaching our Nablus Gate today, and also we were attacked from Gaza. Surrender to terrorism invites further surrender and more missiles.”
Talk about surrender. All of this came on a day on which a Jewish member of the Knesset (Kasif) said: “The Western Wall is occupied territory, period. The real owners of the area are the Palestinians. Jews have no right to pray there.”
And, in fact, the Israel Police stopped Jews from praying at the Southern wall today.
Death by a thousand cuts . . .
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.