Yom Shishee
Friday
5 Shvat 5783
January 27 2023
International Holocaust Remembrance Day
Today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. January 27, 1945 was the day that Auschwitz was liberated by the Russian Army.
There are currently 160,000 Holocaust survivors living in Israel; however, sadly, they are passing away at the rate of 41 per day. Last night, your humble servant had the honor of talking on the phone with a good friend who is one of the last surviving members of the Warsaw Ghetto and whose story is incredibly inspiring.
We can never forget what happened–and always celebrate the heroes who are still among us and those who have gone before!
The News on the Israeli Street and Today’s Blog
A Very Violent Day and Night In Israel
Palestinian terrorists in Gaza fired at least 6 missiles into southern Israel last night. The first barrage was at 11:58 pm:
The first barrage struck the Chof Ashkelon area and to the south.
Subsequent barrages took place up until 4:03 am this morning. These were the targets at 3:29 am:
Three communities south of Sderot were struck at 3:29 am.
There is no news this morning as to how many missiles were intercepted by the Iron Dome or where any of the missiles which were not shot down exploded. No Israelis were wounded–but no Israelis in southern Israel got any sleep (including your humble servant who was awake all night listening to the low steady hum of aircraft overhead).
In response to these attacks, IAF planes hit the usual sand dunes, empty outposts, and (supposedly) a Hamas underground missile production facility.
All of this came after a day of intense urban fighting in Jenin in which 9 terrorists were killed in a complex operation in the heart of the city carried out by our special forces who were attacked by gunmen from every direction. You can get a small sense of what they went through by watching this video from one of the soldier’s helmet cam.
At the end of the day, the PLO announced that it is ending security coordination with Israel. Of course, this is a joke–the PLO desperately wants Islamic Jihad taken down in Jenin, and depends on the IDF to keep it (the PLO) in power.
The war in Judea, Samaria, and Jerusalem.
Aside from the events in Jenin, it was an extraordinarily violent day with Palestinian riots in Kalkiliya, Nabi Salah, Ezon, Hatmar Binyamin, and at Rachel’s tomb.
Shooting attacks:
Palestinian terrorists opened fire on IDF soldiers at the Glass Junction near Hevron.
Palestinian terrorists fired on IDF soldiers at the Nabi Salah pillbox.
Molotov, IED, and “rock” attacks:
Palestinian terrorists attacked Israelis southwest of Hevron near the Avraham Hasnou Junction, on Road 465 near Rawabi, at Psagot, Hawara, the Beyyat Junction, between Kiryat Arba and Beit Anon, on Road 443 near the Beit Horon Bridge, on Road 60 at Luban a-Sharqiya, Bekot Nezam, on the Gush Etzion-Hevron Road near Al Khader, in Hawara at Einbus Square, between the Yitzhar Junction and Hatmar Shomron Square, between Tapuach and Ariel, in the area of the Ma’ayan curve south of the Karmi Tzur Junction, on the Alon Road and Road 60 (more than 10 attacks in the morning), at Deir Abu Mashal, at Einav, between the Tzur Vineyards and Kiryat Arba, at Bnei Hassan Karavah, at New Gibeon, on Road 465 near Deir Abu Meshal, on Road 458 outside of Duma, at the Akraba Junction near Migdalot, at small Yakir Junction, at the Olive Junction on the Chutza Yehuda Road, at Marda, on Road 465 near Bir Zeit, in the vicinity of Keber HaSheikh, at Kiryat Netafim, between Ariel and the Gitti Avishar Junction, on the Gilad Highway, near Anatot, north of Ali, between Ephraim and Fetzel, south of Givat Assaf, on the Ohad Road, near the Halhol Bridge, at Jama’in, between Beersheva and Kiryat Arba, on the Gush Etzion-Hevron Road near Beit Omer, the the Trans Yehuda Road near Taramiyya, on Road 446 near La-Lovan, and in Ujah among other places.
Note that in the above attacks multiple Israeli civilians were wounded and suffered from emotional trauma. Moreover, 3 soldiers had to be taken for medical treatment. Dozens of cars were were badly damaged.
Thanks to Rescue without Borders SSF (Josh) for most of the above information.
Who knows what today will bring? We can hope it brings:
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.