Sorry but I have to disconnect from your suggestive prophecies... Knowing the Arab cowards as I do... I fought 3 Wars against them... I might even suggest that these three youngsters have been executed and we would not see them again... The Arab nature reacts differently than normal people. I hope and pray that I am wrong!!!!!!! Look at these Muslims in Syria where they do not take prisoners... they execute them, not to waste time watching them and feeding them... the armies of Mohammad....
http://startpage.lenovo.com/news/re...ss-hamas_praises_deadly_west_bank_shooting-ap The above refers to a shooting on the West Bank that Hamas applauded in April of 2014 which is probably one of the incidents that leads Israeli to believe Hamas is reactivating terrorism on the West Bank through its cells. So is this article that refers to an incident in early June of 2014; http://www.algemeiner.com/2014/06/10/hamas-calls-on-west-bank-members-to-target-israelis/ I must confess its the above announcement by Hamas that leads me to wonder if someone took Hamas up on the offer mentioned above to do this kidnapping. My fear is that it does not take too much to incite people on the West Bank. Its like throwing a match on gasoline. Here is an article talking about how in March of 2014 Hamas was trying to crank up its terror cells on the West Bank: http://www.investigativeproject.org/4031/hamas-in-gaza-sending-out-tentacles-to-the-west Here's an example back in March of 2014, how Shin Bet cracked down on 2 non Hamas cells on the West Bank: http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Israeli-security-forces-break-up-two-terror-cells-in-West-Bank-346317 Here's an article back in 2011 revealing how Shin Bet exposed terror cells consisting of Hamas members on the West Bank: http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=538_1315419978 Here's allegations against Hamas in 2013 by the Shin bet as to activities on the West Bank: http://mondoweiss.net/2013/03/israe...fly-from-jerusalem-to-d-c-and-back-again.html
As of today here are the most well known of the terrorist groups operating on the West Bank: Hamas Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) Fatah (Hawks) Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command (PFLP-GC) Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) PFLP Logo The above are just a few of hundreds of terror cells on the West Bank each with their own leader.
Here is what the Best Journalist in Israel writes on the subject matter: Arlene Kushner June 21, 2014 Motzei Shabbat (After Shabbat) “Hoping, Waiting, Praying...” When last I wrote, I expressed the fervent hope that by the time I posted again the kidnapped students would have been brought back alive. Days have gone by since then, but, most regretfully, we do not yet have them home. I can do no more here than report on what is transpiring, to the degree that we are privy to information. The mood of the nation is somber, watchful. But what shows clear is a spirit of unity - Israel is with the boys and their families, in prayer, in thought, and in written word. The Operation that is being conducted to find the boys and bring them back is called Operation Brothers Keeper, which tells us something as well. We see prayers for them in different locales at different times, including... A prayer service at the Kotel last Sunday, attended by some 25,000 people. Praying for the kidnapped teens at the Western Wall. Credit: Olivier Fittousi Special services at the Mekor Chaim Yeshiva, where two of the boys study: Israeli seminary students take part in a special prayer in the West Bank Jewish settlement of Kfar Etzion June 15, 2014, for three teenagers that were abducted. Two of the teenagers studied at the seminary. Israel said on Sunday Hamas militants had abducted three Israeli teenagers in the occupied West Bank, warning of Credit: Reuters A prayer rally in Talmon, hometown of Gilad Sha’ar, which was attended by both Chief Rabbis. And in many synagogues last Shabbat and this. ~~~~~~~~~~ Lest you think it is only members of the religious community who are praying... Finance Minister Yair Lapid, on visiting the family of abducted Gild Sha’ar, confessed that: "I haven't prayed for six years. Since the bar mitzvah of my son I haven't been in a synagogue. When the story of your sons broke, I looked through the entire house searching for my grandfather's siddur [prayerbook]. I sat and prayed." And it has been revealed that Interior Minister Gideon Sa'ar has begun to observe Shabbat and attend Torah lessons. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/181989#.U6Xle5tZrIU ~~~~~~~~~~ It is not my practice to quote outgoing president Shimon Peres, but he was on to something when he observed: “Three families like this can lift up a nation to heights previously unknown, and I’m not exaggerating. It’s been several days that Israel is different, unified, joined, praying, fighting.” This has, without question, been the case because of how the families of the kidnapped boys are conducting themselves: with extraordinary faith and courage. Here you see all three sets of parents, with Racheli Frankel, mother of Naftali Frenkel, declaring: “We feel deeply embraced by the entire Jewish nation, which accompanies us throughout the day, which gives us so much support. We ask that the prayers continue… That’s it, all we want is to hug our children. Eyal, Gil-ad, Naftali, we love you, we miss you, be strong, be strong!” Racheli Sprecher Frankel, mother of kidnapped Israeli youth Naftali, speaks to the press outside her house on Tuesday, June 16, 2014. She is flanked by the parents of two other teens kidnapped with her son, Gil-ad Shaar and Eyal Yifrach. (photo credit: Yossi Zeliger/Flash90) Credit: Yossi Zeliger/Flash90 http://www.timesofisrael.com/families-of-kidnapped-teens-come-together-for-group-hug/ ~~~~~~~~~~ Naftali Frenkel’s uncle, Yishai, had words that brought a bit of comfort yesterday, in a radio interview: “Of course I can't tell you anything, but I can say that the indications we're receiving - on the basis of intelligence and not just religious faith - is that the boys are alive. "In defense of the security system, it's important to say that almost from the start of the incident, there have been representatives in each of the families' homes 24/7. The immediate family of course know more than what's going on in the media." http://www.jpost.com/Operation-Brot...idnapped-teen-The-boys-are-still-alive-360042 ~~~~~~~~~~ IDF operations against Hamas are two-fold in purpose at this point. First, of course, are the efforts to find the boys and bring them safely home. I’ve written already about the arrests and interrogations, the searches, the gathering of intelligence, all of which continue and intensify. Yesterday, Prime Minister Netanyahu said that Israel “knows more than we knew a few days ago,” but cautioned that patience is necessary. ~~~~~~~~~~ At the same time, actions are being taken to seriously weaken Hamas, in order to reduce its capacity to take over in Palestinian Authority areas in Judea and Samaria. What is currently happening is the one of the largest counter-terrorism operations since Operation Defensive Shield in 2002 during the second intifada. Over 300 Hamas “activists” have been taken into custody. More than 50 prisoners released in the trade for Gilad Shalit have been picked up and will be returned to prison because of their involvement in terrorism. At the same time, Hamas institutions are being closed and money and weapons are being seized. Ten IDF brigades are involved in this major effort, but the approach is still restrained in order to avoid inflaming the Arab population of the area or causing numerous Arab casualties. Already, however, there are reports of growing resistance, and army clashes with Palestinian Arabs in Jenin, Bethlehem and Bir Zeit. As the operation continues, the likelihood of armed clashes increases. Yaakov Lappin, writing in the JPost, refers to speculation as to whether the kidnapping was instituted by the local Hamas in Hevron, or as the result of orders from Hamas’s military wing in Gaza, Izz ad-Din al-Kassam Brigades. Security sources have noted, as well, a recent speech by Hamas politburo head Khaled Mashaal, in Doha, that may have been a coded green light for kidnapping Israelis. http://www.jpost.com/Features/Front-Lines/Security-and-defense-The-pressure-cooker-359986 ~~~~~~~~~~ In the process of this operation, there is the hope, as well, that Hamas can be delegitimized in the eyes of the world, which was, as the JPost’s Herb Keinon points out, beginning to accept this terrorist entity as a legitimate political player. The US and the EU had already agreed to support a unity government that had Hamas backing. Then, down the road would have come PA elections, with Hamas moving into place as a major player, and the world finding a way to legitimize this. The goal here is to expose the nature of Hamas in a manner that will make this scenario considerably less likely. Avi Dichter, former head of the Shin Bet, has observed that Gilad Shalit was kidnapped shortly after a Fatah-Hamas unity government was formed in 2006, which parallels the current kidnappings shortly after another unity government has been formed. He does not see this as a coincidence. http://www.jpost.com/Features/Front...y-to-help-determine-a-course-of-action-359970 Whatch this clip, it is important. http://www.israelvideonetwork.com/y...deo-about-israel-more-important-then-this-one ~~~~~~~~~~ © Arlene Kushner. This material is produced by Arlene Kushner, functioning as an independent journalist. Permission is granted for it to be reproduced only with proper attribution. If it is reproduced and emphasis is added, the fact that it has been added must be noted.
Why I support Israel by Pat Condell VIDEO The relentless focus solely on Israel and ignores the rest of the worlds human rights violations clearly indicates the BDS campaign is based on anti-Semitism. Read more at http://www.breakingisraelnews.com/16871/support-israel/#L1LzXMEl5JR8vi67.99 http://www.breakingisraelnews.com/16871/support-israel/#VBHzR8DfA7IEDPA7.97
Today: Here is what the best Journalist in Israel writes... June 23, 2014 “Awful and More Awful” The Middle East, with the singular exception of a stable, prosperous, democratic Israel, is in a state of turmoil and transition – with enormous violence and instability the norm. We are seeing Sunni-Shia tensions, increasing radicalism, and the break down of borders. And the situation is only growing more severe and more convoluted. One of the most serious aspects of the current scenario is that it is devoid of good guys. It’s simply a question of who is less problematic, less dangerous for Israeli and Western interests, and sometimes that’s a hard if not impossible call. We’ve seen this in Syria for some time: Assad is a vile dictator, with no concern whatsoever for the lives of his own people and a solid alliance with Iran. While many of the rebels arrayed against him are jihadists who are seeking a cross-border caliphate that is a lethal proposition. Today we see it as well in Iraq with the brutal onslaught of ISIS there. A ruthless Sunni, jihadist, al-Qaeda off-shoot (now a rival of al-Qaeda) that began in Iraq, ISIS established itself in Syria after the civil war began, becoming a significant rebel force there. Now it is moving against the regime of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's Shia-dominated government - traveling across swaths of Iraq with lightening speed, taking territory and towns in the north and west of Iraq, and approaching ever closer to Baghdad. Yesterday, the post of Turaibil, at the Iraqi border with Jordan was taken by ISIS, presenting a threat to the stability of Jordan. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-27966774 ~~~~~~~~~~ ISIS is commonly referred to as an acronym meaning Islamic state in Syria and Iraq. But the Arabic - al-Sham - could just as well refer to “the Levant” (the eastern Mediterranean), which means that Lebanon and Israel are also in its sites, as is Jordan. Sometimes it is referred to as ISIL. ~~~~~~~~~~ With all of this however, there is yet another a serious problem to be confronted: Iran, which is Shia, is attempting to influence events in Iraq to its benefit. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani promised Maliki Iran's full support just days ago. http://www.mei.edu/content/news/iran-promises-iraq-pm-its-full-support-against-terrorism As well, Iran provides assistance to Shiite militia in Iraq. All of this strongly suggests the possibility of Iran achieving control in or undue influence over Iraq. This rings loud bells in Jerusalem. One of the main reasons there has been Israeli opposition to Assad, in his struggle against jihadist rebels, is because he is an Iranian puppet. Were Iran to move into Iraq in a significant way, it would create an Iranian arc of influence that stretched from Iran itself through Iraq and through Syria to our border. And it would simplify the shipment of armaments from Iran to Hezbollah in Lebanon. ~~~~~~~~~~ Thus it is greatly worrisome to the Israeli government that the US seems to be reaching out to Iran, to achieve some sort of joint understanding to limit ISIS. Not only would this give Iran undue influence in Iraq, it might cause the US to even further weaken its position in nuclear negotiations. That is, Iran’s price for controlling ISIS – which the US is very eager to see controlled - might be greater nuclear latitude. A real nightmare. ~~~~~~~~~~ Prime Minister Netanyahu gave an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press yesterday advising the US that, “When your enemies are fighting one another, don't strengthen either one of them." Weaken them both, he said. He addressed his serious concerns about the possibility of allowing Iran nuclear weapons: "Iran could come out with nuclear weapons capability — it would make everything else pale in comparison." (Emphasis added) http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/iraq-turmoil/netanyahu-u-s-avoid-working-iran-iraq-n137776 ~~~~~~~~~~ At our northern border with Syria (on the Syrian Golan) there is a considerable rebel presence. Yesterday, an anti-tank missile was shot from Syria into Israel, hitting a civilian vehicle. Two people were wounded and a teenage boy, Muhammad Karaka, an Israeli Druze from the village of Arrabe, was killed. His father, Fahmi is a contractor who works in the area for the Ministry of Defense. Mohammed Karkara (photo credit: Alarab.net) Credit: Alarab The missile seemed to have come from a rebel area, or an area that is contested militarily. But Israel has determined that the government of Assad is responsible, and late last night launched attacks on nine Syrian military sites, with at least 10 Syrian soldiers killed. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4533314,00.html ~~~~~~~~~~ There is no substantial change in the search for the kidnapped boys. The operation continues apace. One of the things I have found interesting about the intensive search being done for the boys in Judea and Samaria (largely in the Hevron area) is the uncovering and exploring of hidden places: caves, dried wells and cisterns, tunnels and other excavated places. The goal, of course, is to find the students, who may be hidden in such a place. But the secondary result of this exploration is to locate hidden terrorist supplies and weapons laboratories, as well as to expose secret places where fugitive terrorists might hide (or, in some cases, were hiding). I heard a news report a few days ago about a hidden excavation under a house that was uncovered and turned out to be large enough (and was apparently sufficiently well stocked) to provide hiding for many weeks. There are tunnels dug under washing machines and stoves. The mind boggles a bit at the complex labyrinth of hidden places that has been set up and drawn upon as part of the terrorist infrastructure. See: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=18335 for descriptions and a video about two-thirds of the way down. ~~~~~~~~~~ Then there are the “forked tongue” proceedings of Mahmoud Abbas. He’s playing both ends against the middle, as is his usual practice. He feels constrained by world opinion to condemn the kidnappings (all such condemnations clearly insincere). He must attend to this world opinion because funding for the PA is contingent upon positive attitudes towards the PA in the international community. But at the same time, he feels constrained by the Palestinian Arab street and his relationship with Hamas to condemn Israeli efforts to find the boys: we are causing unrest, provoking another intifada, doing collective punishment, etc. etc. The recent statement by Amin Maqboul, member of the Fatah Revolutionary Council, reflects this situation. The Palestinian street, he says, “overwhelmingly” supports the kidnappings, if the goal is to secure the release of prisoners. While Abbas “sometimes makes statements that are unacceptable to our people. But the purpose [of these statements] is to spare the Palestinian people the dangers of Israeli aggression and reactions of the international community.” http://www.jpost.com/Operation-Brot...s-to-stir-Israel-Palestinian-Authority-360118 ~~~~~~~~~~ Khaled Abu Toameh has written about unrest in the PA streets directed at Abbas and the PA: “What happened in the center of Ramallah on the morning of June 22 could signal the beginning of an uprising, or intifada, against the Palestinian Authority [PA]. “The incident began when hundreds of angry Palestinian youths attacked the headquarters of the Palestinian policy in the city in protest against ongoing security coordination between the PA security forces and Israel... “The attackers were particularly furious with the Palestinian policemen who stayed inside their offices as Israel Defense Force soldiers entered Ramallah in the context of a manhunt to find three kidnapped Israeli youths.” http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/4372/new-palestinian-intifada ~~~~~~~~~~ I note here that the resident of the White House has not deemed it necessary, to this day, to issue a clear and public condemnation of Hamas for the kidnapping. Situations such as the one we are currently facing serve the role of exposing duplicity and true intentions. What makes Obama’s silence all the more vile and reprehensible is that one of the boys – Naftali Frenkel - has US citizenship. The US government should be at the forefront of efforts to find him. Mike Huckabee – former governor of Arkansas and talk show host - arrived in Israel yesterday. And he provided a sterling example of how to be a mensch – a person who stands up and does the right thing. For he immediately went to the Frenkel home to offer words of support and comfort. "’Americans need to hear this story,’ he said. ‘This is an American citizen, this is one of us. And even if he wasn't – this should not happen to any young man or to any parent...’ “When asked by Arutz Sheva about the United States' call, last week, for ‘restraint on both sides,’ Huckabee said – ‘What's to restrain? What are the Israelis supposed to do? This to me is nonsense. The only restraint at this point is the restraint by whoever has these boys to do nothing to hurt them. G-d help those people if they touch a hair on these boy's heads... I think the Israelis have every right to say – and America should join this message – you touch that boy who's an American citizen and you will have hell to pay for it. That should be the only message we are sending right now.’” (Emphasis added) See a video of Huckabee saying this: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/182042#.U6fmpptZrIV ~~~~~~~~~~ I close with this painful news, which has just been released, as a Shin Bet gag order has been lifted: In May, the Hamas terrorist Ziad Awad was arrested for the terrorist murder of Baruch Mizrachi on the eve of Pesach, outside of Hevron. What a horrible scene that was – Mizrachi, his wife and kids were on their way to a seder. Ziad has been charged with the murder; his son, charged as an accessory, has also been arrested. It was the son who presented security personnel with the Kalashnikov rifle that was the murder weapon. Ziad had told his son that, “whoever kills a Jew goes to heaven.” (Emphasis added) The most horrendous part of this is that Ziad Awad was one of the terrorists released in the trade for Gilad Shalit. I have no words for this, my friends. Please, read this whole story: http://www.timesofisrael.com/suspect-arrested-for-passover-eve-killing-of-police-officer/ ~~~~~~~~~~ © Arlene Kushner. This material is produced by Arlene Kushner, functioning as an independent journalist. Permission is granted for it to be reproduced only with proper attribution.
Watch this VIDEO to be able to differentiate between the Countries in the Middle East. Which one has a Free Press, which is an Apartheid, which puts women on the same level of men, which kill, maim and harm minorities because they are not Muslims... This is a clip that you should not miss. http://www.israelvideonetwork.com/the-most-revealing-video-about-the-middle-east-you-will-ever-see
The latest news about the kidnapping of the three youngsters in Israel... ~by the best journalist in Israel Arlene Kushner June 25, 2014 “Agonizingly Slow” 3 kidnapped teen boys Israel 6-14-2014 The days move on, and still no word on recovery of the kidnapped students, Eyal Yifrah, Gilad Shayer and Naftali Frenkel. The IDF continues to operate on the assumption that they are alive and hidden somewhere in Judea and Samaria (most likely but not necessarily in the Hevron area) - although Chief of Staff Benny Gantz confessed yesterday to growing worry. We’ve got hundreds of soldiers combing the area, but what an incredible task it is. I wrote recently about the huge number of hiding places – caves, dry wells, underground tunnels, etc. etc. – that have been discovered and searched. But all it takes is one hidden place that has not been uncovered. ~~~~~~~~~~ The part of the IDF operation that has focused on weakening Hamas will be slowing down, in accordance with a Security Cabinet decision. This is said to be because the bulk of what could be achieved with this operation has already been “exhausted”: monies confiscated, terrorists taken into custody, weapons factories dismantled, over 60 Hamas institutions in Judea and Samaria shut down, etc. But I also have the impression, from several media sources, that the fact that Ramadan begins this Saturday has something to do with the slowdown. During this Islamic month, devout Muslims fast from sunup to sundown. There was apparently a feeling in the Cabinet that major disruptions in PA areas during this time would be particularly resented – with spiraling violence that might get out of control, and that it would not play well internationally. We might have a discussion about whether these factors should be relevant, but we’ll leave this for the moment. One senior IDF official cited by Israel National News insists that Ramadan is not an issue. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/182107#.U6p5JJtZrIU ~~~~~~~~~~ No matter the slow down that may be implemented in a couple of days, things were still hopping last night, when 17 more terrorists were apprehended. Two of them were Palestinian Authority parliamentarians, apparently Hamas-associated. There are conflicting reports on their names. ~~~~~~~~~~ The search for the boys will continue unabated – both in terms of combing the area and on-going intelligence efforts. IDF forces in Operation Brother's Keeper Credit: Flash90 Yesterday, Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon said: “...this continues to be the No. 1 mission, in which we are investing the best of our resources...[it is] only a matter of time until we get to the kidnappers and the kidnapped youth. We are in the right direction. We will eventually solve the mystery...” (Emphasis added) http://www.jpost.com/Operation-Brot...g-back-our-operations-in-the-West-Bank-360436 ~~~~~~~~~~ My own sense of this situation, my friends, tells me that praying for the boys is a matter of greatest importance. Please, don’t stop. ~~~~~~~~~~ Yesterday, the mothers of the three boys went to Geneva, to testify before the UN Human Rights Council, to plea for action on behalf of their sons and to raise world consciousness about the situation. They were invited by UN Watch, which surrendered time for them. Rachel Frankel – mother of Naftali - spoke, and what a brave woman she is: “Mr. President, it is wrong to take children, innocent boys or girls, and use them as instruments of any struggle. It is cruel. This council is charged with protecting human rights. I wish to ask: Doesn’t every child have the right to come home safely from school? “We just want them back in our homes, in their beds. We just want to hug them again. Thank you, Mr. President.” Iris Yifrach – mother of Eyal, and Bat-Galim Shayar – mother of Gilad, sat with her. http://www.unwatch.org/cms.asp?id=5920913&campaign_id=63111 ~~~~~~~~~~ Human Rights Voices has put together a video that begins with Rachel Frankel’s testimony, and then moves to UN attitudes towards the kidnapping and towards Israel. Not an easy thing to see. But watch it, please! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwSWCg9OoiU&feature=youtu.be You will note that one individual after another refers to the boys as “settlers.” That somehow justifies crimes against them. But in point of fact – while they study in Judea and were abducted there - they are not “settlers.” ~~~~~~~~~~ On Monday, the Security Council had discussed, but failed to come to an agreement on, condemning Israel for operations in Judea and Samaria, as had been proposed by Russia. The US balked at language that named Israel directly, while Jordan wanted language stronger than “deploring.” Jordan: I am very mindful of the exceedingly precarious position of the king, who undoubtedly doesn’t sleep well at night. And I know that he has to demonstrate a tough line against Israel, as radicals are breathing down his neck. Yet, at a purely visceral level, sometimes it’s difficult not to feel impatient with Jordan’s stances. Compare the Jordanian “tough” position in the UN with this new item: “Jordanian sources say kingdom's cooperation with Israel has only increased as situation in Iraq has deteriorated amid ISIS offensive.” http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4534226,00.html But this, of course, is supposed to be done quietly. More about ISIS below. ~~~~~~~~~~ Netanyahu, relying on intelligence that has not been made public, is very certain indeed that Hamas is responsible for the abductions. But there has still been no public declaration of responsibility, and no public demands have been released. Breaking silence for the first time, Khaled Mashaal, head of the Hamas politburo, gave an interview with Al-Jazeera in Gaza, in which he claimed that he has no information on the boys. He refers to as soldiers, because kidnapping soldiers is presumed to be less reprehensible. He explained that the political and military wings of Hamas are separate, and that the military wing does not wait for word from the politburo before deciding to act. This comment was made in response to Israeli security speculation that a speech he gave recently might have been a coded approval for the kidnapping. But whether Mashaal and the politburo gave orders or not, it is difficult for me to believe that they have no idea if their people are the ones who acted. All Mashaal would say was: “...if there will be a confirmation that a Palestinian group is behind the kidnapping – we should applaud and take off our hats to them." If the kidnappers were listening, they might have interpreted this as praise for their efforts and caution to stay strong. He "blesses the hands of those who kidnapped them, since the Palestinian prisoners should be released from the Israeli prisons," he further said – thereby attributing motive to that about which he claims to know nothing. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4533751,00.html ~~~~~~~~~~ Just days ago I referred to the fact that over 50 terrorists released from prison in the Gilad Shalit trade have been rearrested in on-going IDF operations. Now it seems this was specifically at the order of Prime Minister Netanyahu. This was his response to the May arrest of Ziad Awad for the terrorist murder of Baruch Mizrachi on the eve of Pesach, outside of Hevron. http://www.timesofisrael.com/pm-ordered-rearrests-of-dozens-of-prisoners-freed-in-shalit-deal/ ~~~~~~~~~~ Awad’s home is scheduled for demolition (pending court approval) as an additional form of punishment. The government hopes to reinstate this practice as a matter of course, as was done from 2001 to 2004. The goal was not simply reprisals, but deterrence: If terrorists knew their entire family would suffer, it was thought, it might make them think twice before carrying out their attacks. “One government official explained that Israel ‘hopes to level the playing field’ and provide economic deterrents to counteract the economic inducements the PA has put into place for those carrying out terrorist acts. (Emphasis added) “’On the Palestinian side you have a whole package of incentives to carry out terrorist attacks, such as if we arrest the terrorist, their families get a generous allowance from the PA.’ the official said. “He added that this created an absurdity whereby as much as PA President Mahmoud Abbas may have condemned the recent kidnappings of the three teens, if their kidnappers are imprisoned their families will get a generous benefit package form the Palestinian Authority.” Other actions against Hamas are to be put in place as well, such as limiting visits to Hamas prisoners to the minimum required by international regulations. http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Israel-to-renew-demolition-of-terrorists-homes-360274 ~~~~~~~~~~ Turning back briefly to the situation in Iraq: The lightning movement of ISIS across large swaths of Iraq has generated some serious concern in the Israeli government. For there are some specific implications: “Israel’s national security leadership watched as Iraqi security forces, trained over the course of five years by the US military, ‘literally left their shirts on the ground and fled’ when faced with a fight,’” a senior security officer told the JPost. http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-...rned-over-US-security-failures-in-Iraq-360331 The Israelis are extrapolating from this situation to offers made by the US last year, to train Arab troops who would replace the IDF in the Jordan Valley. How can we trust this? is the question being asked. If Iraqi troops cannot defend Iraq, how can we expect Arabs to defend Israel against other Arabs. Well, it would be preposterous. It seems incredible to me that the government should refer to this disastrous situation in order to make the point about the need for us to stay in the Jordan Valley. Our position should be that we are not leaving because it’s ours, and that our policy is that we defend ourselves. Period. Even if the Iraqi forces trained by the US had conducted themselves well, these principles would still adhere. I’d like to come back to issues of Arab motivations in fighting – a complex issue – at some other time. But I mention here that there are PA security forces that have been trained and armed by the US as part of a most foolish and short-sighted policy. And we here are mindful of the fact that they may yet turn this expertise, and the weapons that were supplied to them (to fight terrorism, you should understand), against us. There are precedents for this. ~~~~~~~~~~ Reader Robert S. questioned my recent statement that in the current situation in Iraq, as in Syria, there are no good guys. What about the Kurds? he asked. I told him that indeed, the Kurds were good guys, but that they were not competing for the takeover of Iraq, or Syria. They seek, rather, to establish Kurdistan, which requires slicing off one small portion of northern Iraq, as well as sections of Turkey (most substantially), Iran, and Syria. Credit: axisoflogic Kurdistan is going to happen. And it will be good for Israel. See here: http://www.algemeiner.com/2014/06/2...-back-channel-relations-expected-to-continue/ One more issue to return to in greater depth. ~~~~~~~~~~ © Arlene Kushner. This material is produced by Arlene Kushner, functioning as an independent journalist. Permission is granted for it to be reproduced only with proper attribution. If it is reproduced and emphasis is added, the fact that it has been added must be noted.
Here is an article by retired Saudi Commodore that would shed lights on the relations with Arabs and the lost opportunities for a peaceful Middle East... read on... Retired Royal Saudi Navy Commodore: May 15: Nakba or defeat? (Blames Arabs) The Palestinian-Israeli conflict could have been resolved on May 15, 1948 by either accepting the United Nations mandate or by absorbing the thousands of Palestinian refugees into the Arab world. May 15: Nakba or defeat? Abdulateef Al-Mulhim, Arab News Published Wednesday 14 May 2014 http://www.arabnews.com/news/570476 A few weeks ago, many people in the Arab world heard a name, Joshua Teitelbaum, an Israeli senior fellow at the Dayan Center for Middle Eastern Studies and the Goldman visiting associate professor at Stanford’s Center on Democracy and the Rule of Law. Ironically, it is the Arabs who made him famous. He penned a book about the region. In the beginning, many refused to translate the book into Arabic because of his nationality. However, the book reportedly got translated. The question is: Do the Arabs really know Israel? Most likely the answer is no. The reason for that is we don’t read their literature but most Israeli scholars and politicians read everything written in the Arab world. The Arabs are not known for heavy and extensive reading, let alone reading Israeli literature or translating it. Since 1948 it is not considered appropriate to read or translate a book written by an Israeli author that could help us understand Israel. Interestingly, in case of falling ill it is fine to use a cure discovered by an Israeli scientist. So, what happened on May 14, 1948? It was the day when the state of Israel emerged on the world map. Do we know the rest of the story? No. We don’t know the entire story because we are wont of dealing with events with emotions. One day after the United Nations mandate (May 15), a long and bloody conflict broke out and after the dust settled, the Arabs called it Nakba or the Day of Catastrophe. It was a defeat but the Arabs chose to call it a catastrophe. Many Palestinians were displaced from their homeland and were promised that they would return to their homes soon. Despite the passage of over six decades, the promise has yet to be delivered. The thousands of Palestinians who fled their homes have turned into millions. The question now is what if those Palestinians had accepted the mandate and decided to live side by side with the Israelis? I ask the readers to please note that I am just asking a question. So, would the fate of the Palestinians be the same? The reason I am asking is that we read reports that the Palestinian refugees are not allowed fleeing the atrocities in Syria and seeking refuge in Lebanon. That is double the agony. There are many facts that were not clear to the Palestinians on May 15, 1948. Many of them didn’t have to flee their homes. It is said that it was the Mufti (Hussini) who encouraged them to flee. At the end of the day, the Mufti wasn’t a popular figure in the West or in then USSR because of his stand on the Nazis. And yes, it is true that many Palestinians were attacked and murdered but on that day it was chaos and all sides were fighting each other. On that day, Israel didn’t have a fully organized IDF so they wanted to disarm the Irgun and when refused, the IDF attacked one of their ships. In other words there was havoc but the Palestinians could have had acted more wisely. As time passed, the Palestinians were promised to return to their homes but 66 years later with many wars and loss of human lives, the conflict continues. Since May 15, 1948 till 1967, the Palestinians and all Arab nations insisted that either all lands or no peace. In the course, the Palestinians were used, abused and misled even by their own leaders. Palestinians’ agony became a moneymaking machine for some of the Palestinian elite. Many Arab and non-Arab countries extended financial aid but the average Palestinian received nothing from the aid. Many of the Palestinian leaders will not go to a nearby refugee camp in Syria or Lebanon to see the living standard but they travel thousands of miles to stay in the best hotels in foreign capitals. Nowadays, the peace negotiations are at a standstill with no light at the end of the tunnel. And if the Palestinian refugee situation is not resolved then there will be no solution to this conflict. Let us get real and think straight. How can the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank accommodate the millions of Palestinians from the refugee camps? And even if full peace is achieved and the two-state solution is accepted, how are we going to relocate millions of refugees back to theirs’ or their grandfathers’ towns and villages? The Palestinian-Israeli conflict could have been resolved on May 15, 1948 by either accepting the United Nations mandate or by absorbing the thousands of Palestinian refugees into the Arab world. Tomorrow, it is May 15, 2014 and we are not only back to square one but we are far away from it. And finally, I tell the Palestinians, don’t fool yourself. No one has ever felt your pain. Just look at what some regimes in the Arab world are doing to their own people. If they don’t care about their own people’s pain, then what will make them care about your pain? In the past, the Palestinians had better chances for peace but they never read the fine prints or between the lines. ============== Abdulateef Al-Mulhim writes essays and op-eds that appear in regularly in Arab News, the SUSRISblog and elsewhere. He is retired from the Royal Saudi Navy at the rank of Commodore. Al-Mulhim served extensively in the United States, including attendance at the Maritime College of the State University of New York. He is based in Alkhobar and can be contacted at: almulhimnavy@hotmail.com ________________________________________ IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis
Wake Up to Reality: Palestinian Authority a Terrorist Organization http://www.politicalforum.com/showthread.php?t=362329&p=1064014242#post1064014242 While some argue that freedom of speech is sacred, it seems the only freedom of speech the PA allows is the one that incites terrorism. Read more: http://www.clarionproject.org/blog/...-palestinian-authority-terrorist-organization Abu Mazen intimates that he is at war (no one is aware of this not even me) Watch the following clip and decide for yourself. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=sehBvmjePC8
