“We have lost our way.”

Yom Chamishee

Thursday

7 Av 5782

August 4 2022

 

 

The Preposterous Statement of the Day

“We understand and share the difficulty of the residents of the south. What is in front of our eyes – preserving their lives and protecting Israel’s security. We will not accept a long-term situation in which the terrorist organizations will disrupt the lives of the residents. We will not shy away from using force to restore normal life in the south of the country, and we will not stop the policy of arresting terrorist operatives in Israel.”

PM Lapid speaking after a “security assessment today

It’s hard to know which part of this statement is more ludicrous. 

“We understand and share the difficulty of the residents in the South.” Lapid has not set foot in the South since this latest crisis began.

“We will not accept a long-term situation in which the terrorist organizations will disrupt the lives of the residents.” The residents of the south have been nothing but fodder for more than a decade.

“We will not shy away from using force to restore normal life in the south of the country.” See Today’s Blog below.

“We will not stop the policy of arresting terrorist operatives in Israel.” Well, let’s see what happens over the next month. Oh and by the way, those arrests were stopped in the weeks leading up to and during Biden’s recent visit here.

 

The News on the Israeli Street

The daily Corona update . . .

3,547 Israelis tested positive yesterday (out of 18,888 tested) bringing to 39,658 the number of active patients in the country.

The positive test rate was 18.78%; the coefficient of infection was 0.78%.

287 Israelis are seriously ill; 108 are critically ill—90 of these are on ventilators.

11,399 have died–none reported since yesterday.

This may be our last “daily” Corona update. Unless the situation substantially deteriorates, OneIsrael will begin to publish a weekly Friday update.

 

Today’s Blog:

“We are only defending ourselves. We have lost our way.”

Spoken by an unnamed resident of southern Israel on television today.

The simple question we must ask ourselves today is “What has happened to the IDF?”

For three days, Israeli communities on the southern border with Gaza have been on a complete lockdown. Roads are closed. There is no public transportation–no buses or trains. Businesses are shuttered. Summer activities for children have been suspended.

And why?

Just because Islamic Jihad has threatened it will seek revenge because their terror leader in Jenin has been arrested.

Let your humble servant repeat that.

All of these actions have been taken because of a threat.

Not only have all of the above actions been taken but also this afternoon comes news that the IDF is “repositioning” a substantial portion of our forces along the border because the IDF is afraid a soldier might be kidnapped.

On top of that all Givati, Golani, and Kafir troops have been put on curfew for the same reason.

It is all simply astonishing.

Israel has more military power than any other country in the Middle East, and yet our army trembles at the threats from a two-bit terrorist organization. 

And not just on the southern border. As we reported several days ago, Israel  actually seems willing to relinquish sovereignty over a significant amount of maritime territory off our northern coast because of a stream of threats coming out of Hassan Nasrallah of Hezbollah.

What has happened to our army’s will to act?

Has it merely dissipated from years of “humanitarian seminars” or is it a product of successive governments that have neutered it? 

Our current government is nowhere to be seen. Not one government official has visited the southern border this week during the recent “crisis.” Not PM Lapid, not “Defense” Minister Gantz. Not one government minister. Not one.

Let me repeat the quote with which this blog began and add the last two sentences of what the person said:

“We are only defending ourselves. We have lost our way. For three days, the Gaza Strip has been under strict traffic restrictions due to the high alert – and not a single member of the government has come to the Strip to strengthen the residents. I’m really wondering if I should live here.”

If I should live here . . .

How many times have Hamas and Islamic Jihad declared that their initial purpose before taking all of Israel is to depopulate the communities along the border?

We are playing right into their hands.