Yom Rishon
Sunday
27 Kislev 5784
December 10 2023
May The Light Of Chanukah Bring Victory
Over The Evil Darkness Of HamISIS
IDF soldiers lighting the candles on their chanukiah on top of a tank in Gaza late yesterday afternoon.
UPDATE 9:00 PM
Report in Lebanon: Israel has given the Lebanese government a 48-hour ultimatum to lead to an agreement to remove Hezbollah from the northern border or Israel will begin destroying all Hezbollah infrastructure up to the Litani River.
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We conclude tonight with:
The Final Written Words Of
Sgt. Maj. (res) Ben Zussman (22 years old) from Jerusalem
Zussman was killed on December 3 and laid to rest on Mt. Herzl the next day.
“I’m writing this message to you on the way to the base. If you’re reading this, something must have happened to me. As you know me, there’s probably no one happier than me right now. It wasn’t just that I was on the verge of fulfilling my dream soon. I’m happy and grateful for the privilege of protecting our beautiful country and the people of Israel.
Even if something happens to me, I don’t allow you to sink into sadness. I had the privilege of fulfilling my dream and vocation and you can be sure that I am looking down on you and smiling hugely. I will probably sit next to grandfather and we will bridge some gaps; everyone will tell about their experiences and what has changed between wars. Maybe we’ll also talk a little politics, I’ll ask him what he thinks.
If God forbid you sit [shiva] for seven days, make it a week of friends, family and fun. Let there be food, meat of course, beers, sweet drinks, grains, tea and, of course, mother’s cookies. Make jokes, hear stories, meet all my other friends you haven’t seen yet. Walla? Jealous of you. I would like to sit there and see them all.
Another very, very important point. If God forbid I fall into captivity, alive or dead. I am not ready for one soldier or citizen to be harmed because of some deal for my release. I don’t allow you to conduct a campaign or struggle [for my release] or anything like that. [I’m] not ready for terrorists to be released for me–in no way, shape or transaction. Don’t mince my words please.
I’ll say it again, I left the house without even being called to the reserves. I am full of pride and a sense of mission and I have always said that if I have to die I wish it would be in defense of others and the country. Jerusalem, I have placed guards, that one day will come and I will be one of them.”
The last line of his “will” is a reference to Isaiah 62:6:
“On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord shall take no rest for yourselves.”
UPDATE 6:00 PM
On the Ground in the South
Another surrender in northern Gaza in the last hour:
HamISIS has just issued a statement saying that the surrenders are “fake”, and that these are Israeli actors in their underwear.
In the North
*Israel has apparently informed Lebanon that if Hezbollah does not stop its provocations along the border and withdraw to its previous line, Israel will destroy the Lebanese electrical grid. Israel planes buzzed Beirut this afternoon.
Missile and Mortar Fire So Far Today
In the South
Sderot, Nir Am (15:29); Kissufim (14:16); Nir Yitzhak, Sufa (13:59); Netiv Ha’Asara (13:15); Nahal Oz (12:45); Yad Mordechai (11:56).
In the North
Betzet (16:08); Betzet, Lehman (15:56); Shlomi (10:10); Evan Menachem, Arab al-Aramshe (10:01).
UPDATE 2:00 PM
Official IDF Statistics Since The Beginning of Gaza Ground Operation
Soldiers Fallen: 97
Soldiers Wounded: 559 (seriously 127, moderately 213, lightly 219)
From the Home Front Command
Approximately 2000 Incoming Missile Sirens Have Sounded
From Ashkelon To the North (does not include communities on the Gaza border)
The four cities hit hardest: Ashkelon 548 times, Ashdod 265 times, Tel Aviv 241 times, Rishon LeZion 129 times
On the Ground in the South in the Last 5 Hours
For the first time in the war, IDF artillery has been repositioned from the border to inside Gaza. Heavy bombing continues throughout Gaza.
On the Ground in the North in the Last 5 Hours
6 Israelis have been wounded by missile fire from Lebanon into the Galilee. There has been an intense back and forth along the border with Hezbollah squads trying to shoot anti-tank missiles at IDF and civilian targets, and the IDF responding with artillery and drone strikes against Hezbollah assets.
UPDATE 9:00 AM
To say that Gaza is being heavily bombed would be an understatement. Here in Ashdod we have heard continuous explosions all night long which are continuing as I write this sentence at this hour. When I say “continuous”, I mean at least 5 per minute.
This was the beautiful early morning scene in the Jabaliya neighborhood of Gaza a few hours ago:
On the Ground In The South
*From the above photo, you can see that our soldiers have been active in Jabaliya overnight. Artillery batteries continue pounding targets in eastern Khan Younis while the IAF continues striking at Rafah, Deir Al-Balach, and Nuseirat.
*There are unconfirmed reports that the body of “a very senior member of HamISIS” has been taken to Egypt.
In The Neighborhood
*An Israeli drone attacked the military headquarters of Iranian proxy terrorists in eastern Syria.
*The French Navy intercepted 2 Houthi drones launched toward Israel last night over the Red Sea. The Houthis announced this morning that they will attack every ship headed toward Israel in the Red Sea.
Can You Believe This?
A few days ago, the Israel Cabinet apparently asked security officials “to examine the possibility of allowing Palestinians from Judea and Samaria to return to work in Israel.” Specifically, the Cabinet is concerned about the farmers whose crops are ready to be harvested.
Can you believe this? After everything that has happened–especially the discovery that Palestinian workers supplied security information to HamISIS butcherers–some in our government want to return Palestinian workers to Israel.
Fortunately, those security officials have responded with a resounding “no”. Both the IDF and Shin Bet say that doing so will obviously bring on more terror attacks.
Wasn’t that obvious to start with? What kind of loons in the government would have ever thought that this was a good idea? Get workers from Sri Lanka, from India, from who knows where–but no more Palestinians.
The paradigm must change.
Good News From The U.S.
The President of Pennsylvania University Elizabeth Magill has resigned following her odious refusal before a Congressional Panel to say that calling for the genocide of Jews violates the university’s code of conduct. Now, as one of our friends (MF) points out, it’s time for the presidents of Harvard and MIT to follow suit.
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.