Yom Chamishee
Thursday
24 Kislev 5784
December 7 2023
Chanukah!
Image courtesy of rotter.net.
Chanukah has just begun here in Israel, and the first candle has been lit.
Chanukah is the only Jewish holiday that celebrates a military victory–that of the Maccabees over the Greek Syrians in 164 BCE.
The Maccabees defeated a much larger army and reclaimed the Temple in Jerusalem. In cleansing and purifying the Temple, the miracle of a small cruze of oil that burned for eight days and nights took place.
Tonight during this time of war, OneIsrael encourages all of our readers, Jews and our non-Jewish friends, to light the first candle.
UPDATE 10:00 PM
Three More Soldiers Have Fallen in Battle
Sgt.Maj. Jonathan David Deitch, 34, fighter in the 6623 patrol battalion
Maj. (res.) Maor Gershoni, 24, from Mikneam Illit, a fighter commander in Battalion 8173, ‘Etzioni’ Brigade 6
Maj. (res.) Gal Eisenkot, 25, from Herzliya, a fighter in Battalion 699, the ‘Hafti Hash’ Formation. Gal Eisenkot is the youngest son of former IDF Chief of Staff and current War Cabinet observer Gadi Eisenkot. He was killed when a terrorist emerged from a tunnel and opened fire.
May Their Memories Be For Blessing
414 IDF soldiers, policemen, and first responders have fallen in battle since October 7th.
88 of these are IDF soldiers who have died in the ground offensive in Gaza.
According to the IDF Spokesman
*More than 500 HamISIS terrorists have been killed in Jabaliya in the last 2 days.
*More than 150 terrorists–most belonging to HamISIS–surrendered today.
*There is continuous IDF artillery fire north of Khan Younis.
*The IDF has carried out attacks in the Nuseirat and Mu’azi neighborhoods of Gaza.
Missile and Mortars Fired Today
In the North
Zarit (20:00); Buq’ata (19:56); Arab Al-Aramshe (15:33), Arab Al-Aramshe (15:28); Matat (15:00); Margaliot (06:51).
A 60-year-old Israeli farmer was killed in the attack at Matat when his vehicle was hit by an anti-tank missile.
In the South
Ein Hashlosha (19:12); Be’eri (14:30); Kerem Shalom (13:00); Sderot (10:01).
UPDATE 5:00 PM
One photo from the center of Khan Younis today which may speak volumes:
Look closely at the terrorists lined up beside the wall and at more terrorists in the back of the truck on the right side of the photo. This photo shows the first mass surrender of terrorists in the war. Obviously, weeks perhaps months of fighting remain, but could this be the first domino?
UPDATE 1:00 PM
When Did A March of Israelis in Jerusalem Become A “Provocation’?
Opposition leader and former PM for six months Yair Lapid has gone nearly berserk in recent days with hourly political attacks on the government. Aside from his usual verbal assaults on PM Netanyahu in which he rants that Netanyahu must “resign now”, he focuses of National Security Minister Ben Gvir whom he calls a “Kahanist.”
Here was his attack today:
“The march in Jerusalem tonight is a blatant Kahanist attempt to set fire to more arenas and cause more destruction and death. As prime minister I approved marches in Jerusalem, but not violent provocations. If there really was a cabinet in Israel, he would not allow this.”
Of course, Lapid and his cohort Bennett’s tenures as prime minister were marked by nothing but kowtowing to Hamas and PLO threats. They were perfectly willing to cancel marches in Jerusalem because of “security concerns.”
With Ben Gvir, we have seen the return of Israel pride. Marches that have been traditionally been held such as the March of the Maccabees tonight are now held again. Such marches are our right as Israeli citizens; they are not “provocations.”
Even before Lapid’s pusillanimous comment, I was thinking about how fear of Muslims has infected Western countries when I read yesterday that California Gov. Gavin Newsom cravenly announced that there will be no Christmas tree lighting at the state Capitol in Sacramento this year because of “planned pro-Palestinian protests.”
Slowly but steadily, western civilization is slipping away.
Humanitarian Absurdities
Yesterday, HamISIS terrorists launched 12 missiles toward Beersheva.
As was pointed out today by the IDF spokesman, the launches came from one of the “humanitarian areas” that have been established:
In fact, the launches were from right beside a UN facility and a tent camp for Gazans that have moved out of the war zone.
In another telling moment yesterday, an Al-Jazeera reporter was taken aback when he asked a question to a woman prefaced by the remark that “Your situation is difficult. No aid is coming in” to which she replied:
All of the so-called “humanitarian aid” should be renamed “HamISIS aid” because it goes straight to the terrorists.
UPDATE 8:00 AM
Two More Soldiers Have Fallen
Sgt. Amit Bonzel, 22 years old, from Shoham, fighter and platoon sergeant in the Paratrooper Brigade 35
Sgt. Alemnew Emanuel Feleke, 22 years old, from Kiryat Gat, a fighter in the Duvdevan unit, Commando Brigade 89
May Their Memories Be For A Blessing
In The Last Hour
IDF forces are engaged in a firefight in Shechem (Nablus).
Incoming missile sirens for Margaliot in the north.
Bidenite Insanity On Parade
Undoubtedly in response to the ultra “progressive” Democrat Party leftists, President Biden has become increasingly obsessed with “humanitarian” aid to the “poor Palestinians” in Gaza.
Last night, bowing to American demands, the Cabinet decided to double the amount of fuel going into Gaza. As we noted here several days ago, what the Bidenites obviously do not understand is the connection between increased fuel and increased missile fire. Every time fuel is delivered, we are almost immediately pounded with missiles.
Also came the news last night that the Bidenites do not approve of Israel creating a buffer zone between Israel and Gaza at the conclusion of the war. The sheer insanity of thinking that we have to be side by side with Gaza is obvious. We can only hope that our government has the guts to withstand this absurd American pressure.
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.