Yom Shleeshee
Tuesday
1 Sivan 5782
May 31 2022
The News on the Israeli Street
*The District Court hearing former PM Netanyahu’s trial has ruled that the prosecution cannot amend its indictment in Case 4000–a decision that may effectively result in charges being dropped in that Case. On the other hand, judges have agreed to expand the indictment in Case 1000 so that more witnesses can ridiculously testify about Sarah Netanyahu’s jewelry.
*The level of water in the Dead Sea continues to drop at a rate of 1.2 meters per year–primarily caused by the factories operating there.
*El Al continues having troubles. Numerous flights have been canceled in the last 24 hours because of a shortage of pilots.
*Teachers’ unions have gone on strike in major areas demanding more pay.
*Palestinian terrorists struck at Curve 160 in Hevron, and at the Pharmacy Checkpoint in Hevron, between Anatot and Hizma, between Ariel and Tapuach, on the Gush Etzion-Hevron Road near Beit Omer, at Mt. Hevron near IDF position 9555, Huwara, and at dozens of other locations.
*Israel and the U.A.E. have signed a free trade agreement covering about 96% of goods produced in both countries.
The Jerusalem Day Flag March in Review
Let’s review what was supposed to happen on Sunday.
Hamas threatened that if the Flag March took place, it and Islamic Jihad would fire missiles at Jerusalem and all of Israel. Even Hezbollah suggested it would do the same.
Hamas threatened that if the Flag Marchers sung and danced in front of the Damascus Gate, it would fire missiles at Jerusalem and all of Israel.
Hamas threatened that if the Flag Marchers were allowed to enter the Damascus Gate and march through the Muslim Quarter to the Western Wall, it would fire missiles at Jerusalem and all of Israel.
Hamas threatened that if Jews were allowed to go up to the Temple Mount, it would fire missiles at Jerusalem and all of Israel.
Hamas threatened specifically that if Jewish Rights Activist Itamar Ben Gvir were allowed to go up to the Temple Mount, it would fire missiles at Jerusalem and all of Israel.
So what happened?
The Flag March proceeded as planned.
The Marchers joyously sang and danced in front of the Damascus Gate.
The Marchers proceeded through the Damascus Gate and walked deep into the Muslim Quarter on the way to the Kotel (Western Wall).
2600 Jews went to the Temple Mount– in greater numbers than ever before on Jerusalem Day.
Ben Gvir went to the Mount.
Ben Gvir on the Temple Mount Sunday morning.
And not a single missile was fired.
But even more of Hamas’ supposed “red lines” were crossed.
Israelis raise Israeli flags on the Temple Mount in front of the Kipat HaSela (Dome of the Rock).
And more flags and dancing near the Al-Aksa Mosque:
A slightly blurry screen grab from a video.
When can you ever remember seeing scenes like these?
TODAY’S BLOG
“Israel Is Alive And Well!”
It was a joyous explosion of Israeli pride finally unleashed after years of having our dignity and self-respect trampled on. It was a joyous explosion of blue and white Israeli flags after years of seeing PLO flags flown in our faces on the Temple Mount and everywhere else. It was a joyous return of Israeli swagger after years of Israel and Israelis being demeaned all over the world.
It was a joyous day in which Israelis proclaimed our sovereignty over every square inch of Jerusalem and told the world that if they don’t like it, too bad.
Your humble servant has just returned from one of the most exhilarating weekends of his life. Sunday morning our family went to Jerusalem to participate in the Jerusalem Day Flag Parade.
By 4 pm, Jaffa Street had begun filling. Everyone, and I mean everyone, was waving an Israeli flag. At about 4:15, we decided to leave our vantage point in front of the Jerusalem City Hall, and go to the junction of Jaffa and Al Mozallen Streets (where Tzahal Square is across from the Jerusalem Gardens National Park).
Singing and dancing across from Tzahal Square. The tall flag leads to Jaffa Street. If you look closely, you might see your humble servant.
It was at that point that the March was supposed to break off into two directions with some marchers going down to the Damascus Gate and others headed down to the Jaffa Gate.
After a few minutes we decided to stop being followers and head off on our own initiative to the Damascus Gate–the supposedly more dangerous of the two options. A brisk ten minute walk later we found ourselves turning onto Sultan Sulayman Street, and 1 minute later we were at the Damascus Gate–where about 200 flag wavers and 200 photographers had already arrived.
The throng at the Damascus Gate. If you look closely, you might see your humble servant.
From there, it was into the Muslim Quarter with more security than your humble servant had ever seen on a March. Jerusalem Police and Border Police lining the sides of the route with snipers on the rooftops. Those on the ground were scanning the buildings with fingers on the triggers of their guns.
There was not one peep of protest from any Arab along the way.
The March continued to the Kotel which was just beginning to fill up (because we were in the first cohort arriving). Eventually, the Police estimated that some 70,000 were in the Kotel Square–but the police always underestimate the number of participants in Zionist events and overestimate the number in left-wing demonstrations). My own estimate is that there were at least 150,000 to 200,000 in the March.
Perhaps as many as 75% of those in the Flag March were young Zionist men and women from yeshivas and seminaries. Their boundless enthusiasm was contagious and reason for hope that Israel is not lost.
Your humble servant’s wife summed it up very well afterwards when she surveyed the crowd and said “Israel is alive and well.”
Addendum: we hope to put up some videos taken during the March on this blog in the coming hours.
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.