Yom Shnee
Monday
9 Sivan 5783
May 29 2023
Quote of the Day
“The reason that you shout is that you have no intellectual ability.”
Constitution Committee Chairman Simcha Rothman speaking at Tel Aviv University yesterday.
Rothman was once again trying to explain and discuss the proposed judicial reforms when he was verbally assaulted by screaming anti-government members of the audience.
Fortunately, Rothman had security personnel with him who stopped the “protesters” from physically assaulting him. However, his car was vandalized while he was inside the building where the talk was to have taken place.
The News on the Israeli Street
The war in Judea and Samaria.
Shooting attacks:
Palestinian terrorists opened fire on vehicles at the entrance to Mevo Dotan in northern Samaria Sunday afternoon.
Palestinian terrorists attacked IDF forces all night during operations in Jenin. 8 terrorists have been wounded.
Palestinian terrorists in the Askar neighborhood of Shechem attacked IDF forces during operations there.
Palestinian terrorists fired on the community of Gan Ner overnight. There were no casualties.
Palestinian terrorists opened fire on IDF soldiers in Al Muayyir near Ramallah. Two terrorists were wounded.
IED, Molotov, and “rock” attacks:
A Palestinian terrorist was shot as he attempted to place a roadside bomb on Road 458.
Palestinian terrorists attacked Israelis on the Gush Etzion-Hevron Road near the archaeological area, Nabi Elias, Al Khader, Hizma, Tekoa, in the vicinity of the Tapuach Junction, and at a myriad of other locations.
The Attorney General farce continues . . .
Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara is determined to undermine Israel at any cost. Her latest broadside yesterday was a declaration that the proposed law that would expel those who support terrorism from Israeli universities faces “constitutional difficulties.”
What difficulties you may ask?
Miara says that the proposed law would “restrain freedom of expression.”
Say what?
Can it really be that an Israeli Attorney General really believes that students at an Israeli university have a right to support terror attacks that murder Israeli men, women, and children?
That is indeed the case.
A follow-up to yesterday’s blog on Zionism and taxation . . .
Unfortunately, the NGO taxation bill was shelved indefinitely (see today’s blog below), and the Zionism resolution continues to be debated today with a vote expected tonight.
About that taxation bill . . .
Why it is necessary was revealed late yesterday as NGO Monitor released this information about new European Union grants:
The EU has just issued a 400,000 Euro grant to the abominable group Breaking the Silence that takes visitors to Israel on anti-Israel tours and sends disgruntled soldiers abroad to trash Israel. The faux purpose of the grant: “The project aims to protect the fundamental rights and freedoms violated by the Israeli government officials in the use of digital surveillance.”
The EU issued another 400,000 Euro grant to the Association for Civil Rights. The faux purpose: “To improve the public’s perceptions regarding human rights and democracy in Israel.” The real purpose: to trash Israel and try to overthrow our democratically elected government.
The EU issued another 230,000 Euro grant to “Zolt”. The faux purpose: “raising awareness of human rights by confronting police violence against marginalized groups in Israel.” The real purpose: to trash Israel in the international media and undermine the activity of security personnel in Israel.
The EU issued another 400,000 Euro grant to the Center for the Development of Peace Initiatives. The faux purpose: to protect the rights of Palestinian workers. The real purpose: to support and encourage “refuseniks”–those IDF soldiers and reservists refusing to serve.
TODAY’S BLOG
Extortion, Pure and Simple
From the Oxford Dictionary:
“Extortion is the practice of obtaining something through force or threats.”
Our fears were realized yesterday when PM Netanyahu shelved the NGO/Nonprofits Taxation Legislation after being given an ultimatum by President Biden.
Biden’s ultimatum? Unless the legislation was stopped, there would be no more help in Israel normalizing relations with Saudi Arabia and there would be no White invitation issued to Netanyahu.
Did you get that?
No help with normalizing with Saudi Arabia.
No invitation to Netanyahu to visit the White House.
Extortion. Pure and simple.
Of course this is not the first time that Biden has extorted Israel.
In June of last year, Biden threatened to call off his visit to Israel unless the Israeli government stopped:
–demolishing Palestinian terrorists’ homes
–kicking Palestinian squatters out of houses
–carrying out IDF activities in Area A
–promoting Jewish construction in Judea and Samaria.
It was extortion. Pure and simple.
One month later, the Biden extortionists demanded that in order for Israel to be given a visa exemption to travel to the U.S., Israel had to open the Allenby Crossing between Israel and Jordan 24 hours a day seven days a week to facilitate Palestinian movement.
Israel did open the Allenby Crossing. The White House did not grant the exemption.
Three months later in September 2022, the extortionist in the White House was at it again.
This time Biden threatened to stop helping Israel on a variety of issues unless Israel:
–changed IDF open fire regulations
–stopped planning for Jewish homes in E1 area between Maale Adumim and Jerusalem
–moved the Netzah Yehuda Battalion from Judea and Samaria to the Golan Heights.
Extortion. Pure and simple.
It is perversely pathetic how what is being threatened continues to shift. At the outset, the threats were all about Iran “if you don’t do what we say, we won’t help you with Iran”; now that Iran is 1 day away from having nuclear weapons, the new song is “if you don’t do what we say, we won’t help you with Saudi Arabia–and we won’t invite you to Washington”.
Whatever the threat, the bottom line is the same.
Extortion. Pure and simple.
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.