tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154231172024-03-08T01:17:38.114+02:00JoeSettlerA Blog about the Jewish State.<hr>
<i><center>"You can take the Jew out of Gush Katif, but apparently you can’t take the Shtetl out of the Israeli."</center></i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1560125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15423117.post-82760246711998049472012-12-13T17:03:00.001+02:002012-12-13T17:03:29.599+02:00Restoring DeterrenceWith one act, a young girl (woman for those that find that word offensive) managed to restore just a little bit of the deterrence that has been chipped away from us over these past few years.<br />
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I almost thought that the videos of our IDF soldiers running away(!) from Arab stone throwers was the nail in the coffin, but then the IDF released a statement that they did the right thing by running away, which just about pushed that coffin over the cliff.<br />
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That statement came after the strong denial the other week from the IDF, denying any role in the killing of the terrorists that attacked, injured, and nearly killed Israeli security personnel.<br />
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It seems that the IDF doesn't know what it's mission is anymore. Not since Gush Katif - its "most successful large scale operation ever".<br />
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The IDF is embarrassed to fight to win, the politicians are afraid to give them orders to fight. And the soldiers don't want to fight, because they don't want to go to jail or be punished.<br />
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After last night's heroic act, I was sure the IDF was going to release a clarification that the girl (woman) was a border policeman, and not to be confused with an IDF soldier.<br />
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They certainly aren't doing a great job defending her against the critics that are threatening her.<br />
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The IDF needs an overhaul, and I know someone who deserves to be involved in the retraining.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Written and posted by <a href=http://JoeSettler.Blogspot.com>JoeSettler</a>.
Come visit my blog.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15423117.post-83010566071302747532011-10-07T09:08:00.000+02:002011-10-07T09:09:21.129+02:00Yom KippurHave an easy and meaningful fast!<div class="blogger-post-footer">Written and posted by <a href=http://JoeSettler.Blogspot.com>JoeSettler</a>.
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Come visit my blog.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15423117.post-86724825094524401302011-08-26T10:51:00.002+03:002011-08-26T10:56:44.999+03:00Who’s bankrolling them?You may have heard that Israel plans to let Google drive their camera car around and add Israel to their Google Earth photo database.
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<br />What you may have missed is that the Lefties are trying to organize and make sure there are anti-Israel slogans and banners everywhere the Google camera takes a picture.
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<br />You’ve got to ask yourself a basic question.
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<br />No, it’s not “Why do they hate their own country so much?” and its not, “Why would they want to destroy such an important and expensive project that someone is trying to build?” (though those are valid questions).
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<br />But rather, “Who’s bankrolling the organization of all these events?”
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<br />It’s easy to say, “Oh, it’s free, social media and all that”, but it’s more than that.
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<br />There are buses that take these anti-Israel activists and militants around the country every Friday to confront the IDF. Tents are paid for. Their leadership seems to always be available for an interview (with the right people at least) as if they don’t work (unless this is their job). Planes are hired to photograph settlements. Lawsuits all the way up to the Supreme Court seem to be a weekly event. There’s a lot of money being thrown at these agendas, and lots of people seem to have a lot of free time to pursue them. NIF funneled funding is behind parts of it, but it can’t be behind everything.
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<br />It’s a question that really needs a good answer. I don't have that answer.
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<br />Meanwhile, here’s a story to finish off the post with.
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<br />Last week or so, a religious person (but not a Settler) went to the tent party to sit and talk and learn their side of things, perhaps to show support if he agreed with them.
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<br />He sat in one of their groups, heard them out, and one of the men there started telling him that the national-religious are wrong for not supporting their cause.
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<br />The religious man explained that he is not against finding ways to improve everyone’s lot, but entitlements and socialism are not the answer. He then began to explain economics, privatization and capitalism to them and how those tools could be used to solve some of the the problems. The group sitting there were completely engrossed with what he was explaining to them. It was like nothing they learned in University.
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<br />One of the Tent leaders noticed something was amiss. A religious man was talking and all the tent people were listening intently to every word, asking questions and interacting.
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<br />He came over, listened a bit, and then told the religious man he had to leave.
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<br />“Why?” the man asked.
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<br />“Because you are confusing them,” was the answer he was given.
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<br />And with that the religious man left, not seeking confrontation by confusing Israel’s University youth with economic philosophies and theories apparently not part of their curriculum, and certainly the diametric opposite of the philosophy of the tent party leadership.
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Written and posted by <a href=http://JoeSettler.Blogspot.com>JoeSettler</a>.
Come visit my blog.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15423117.post-22218485094343954212011-08-23T19:30:00.001+03:002011-08-23T19:30:40.682+03:00Not everyone experienced the Arab Spring...<iframe width="500" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lB7q5YHfP_w" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer">Written and posted by <a href=http://JoeSettler.Blogspot.com>JoeSettler</a>.
Come visit my blog.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15423117.post-45680423780301110162011-08-18T18:37:00.004+03:002011-08-18T18:46:41.956+03:00Today's AttackI spent much of the day writing up today's attack on Jameel's blog and twitter feed. As I was writing it, I felt the fog of war. I was writing down details, yet I didn't have the big picture as in reality I didn't have the time to analyze what was going on where and when. Just that so much was happening at the same time.
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<br />There were heroes in today's tragedy. The bus driver who managed to drive his bus as much out of danger as he could. The medics on the bus who treated the wounded. The MDA volunteers trapped in the firefight. And of course the soldiers who fought the terrorists.
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<br />There aren't words to describe this tragedy, and I think only later will we understand how complex and planned out a terrorist operation this was, and how the decline and fall of Egypt led to this situation, and what this now means for Israel.
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<br />The talkbacks in Ha'aretz are a cause for serious dismay - and one wonders how many sick people there are out there. There appear to be plenty.
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<br />At this point, one can only hope for recovery for our wounded, sorrow for our murdered, and disgust at the Palestinians, once again targeting little children for murder.
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Written and posted by <a href=http://JoeSettler.Blogspot.com>JoeSettler</a>.
Come visit my blog.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15423117.post-77887343475092405352011-08-12T00:10:00.002+03:002011-08-12T00:19:13.825+03:00It must be confusingI can only imagine the confusion the typical "Social Justice" supporter must feel right now. The government announced that permissions were granted to build some 4000 apartments in Jerusalem.
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<br />Normally they should cheer, except that these apartments are being built in Gilo, Ramat Shlomo and Har Homa. All parts of Jerusalem, but formerly "over the Green line". Now mind you, no "private Arab land" was taken for the existing neighborhoods, but that's not the point of it now, now is it?
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<br />So you've got these "Social Justice" protesters confused. On one hand <span style="font-weight:bold;">some </span>of them hate the settlers and anything they deem as settlements and they are condemning these housing construction plans - even in parts of Jerusalem that are only populated with Israelis and only ever will be (and only were ever) populated by Israelis.
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<br />And then you've got them demanding the government build apartments.
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<br />This confusion must be tearing them apart.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Written and posted by <a href=http://JoeSettler.Blogspot.com>JoeSettler</a>.
Come visit my blog.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15423117.post-14435390189663250542011-08-08T17:44:00.003+03:002011-08-08T17:56:05.481+03:00Tisha B'Av: Then and Now6 years ago the communities of Gush Katif were destroyed.
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<br />Now people (mostly in Tel Aviv) are protesting they can't afford to buy or rent a home because there aren't enough homes on the market. One Rabbi recently said that if only these protesters would do Tshuva, and repent for not trying to prevent the destruction of the homes of the Jews in Gush Katif, they would be able to afford a home today.
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<br />It's an interesting remark on so many levels, particularly when one of the primary causes of rising home prices is the construction freeze in Judea, the Shomron, and Jerusalem.
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<br />It's all interconnected. We're all interconnected.
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<br />The Rabbis say the Temple was destroyed because of baseless hatred. And here we are, with modern Israel facing the same internal threat.
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<br />If only we could unite together in the face of our dangers and realize we're in the same boat together, we'd be able to overcome it all.
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<br />Have a meaningful fast.
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Written and posted by <a href=http://JoeSettler.Blogspot.com>JoeSettler</a>.
Come visit my blog.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15423117.post-17532809073337182442011-07-17T12:13:00.004+03:002011-07-17T12:21:05.160+03:00Violent Housing Protests - but no police responseA Tent City protest has been set up to protest the high price of housing (which is high).<br /><br /><a href="http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/spririt-of-revolution-starts-in-tel-aviv-sweeps-across-israel-1.373613">Ha'aretz is reporting on it</a>. Some choice quotes include:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><br />Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai was repeatedly interrupted as he addressed the crowd on the first night of the protest, and <span style="font-weight:bold;">left after a protester poured beer on him</span>.<br /><br />Deputy Mayor Assaf Zamir, who represents a young people's party on the city council and who had helped the protesters obtain their permit, <span style="font-weight:bold;">left after someone threw an egg at him</span>.<br /><br />Opposition MKs Nitzan Horowitz (Meretz) and Dov Khenin (Hadash ) were welcomed more warmly.<br /></span><br /><br />I can only ask some obvious questions.<br /><br />Where are the police? Why aren't they protecting these public officials from violence? Where is the outcry from the media against this violence against elected officials? Where is the prosecutors office, and why hasn't an investigation begun? These aren't just words, these are acts of violence.<br /><br />But most importantly, why isn't everyone demanding an end to the effective freeze that still affects Jerusalem and Judea/Samaria which would almost immediately work to lower high housing prices?<br /><br />But no, instead just silence.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Written and posted by <a href=http://JoeSettler.Blogspot.com>JoeSettler</a>.
Come visit my blog.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15423117.post-13805966462162369642011-07-15T13:16:00.000+03:002011-07-15T13:17:23.735+03:00Glenn Beck TVToday is Friday. That means that the Left will be practicing their freedom of speech and their freedom to obstruct the freedom of movement of others by protesting in different neighborhoods against Jews . One such neighborhood is Ma'aleh HaZeitim, aka Ras El Amud.<br /><br />In Ras El Amud, homes have been built on (legally purchased) Jewish owned land and that seems to upset the left who don't believe in equal property rights for Jews. <br /><br />In recent history, one of the first land purchase in Ras El Amud was in the very early 1900's by Nissan Bak and Moshe Wittenburg who bought various plots.<br /><br />But Jewish history in Ras El Amud goes even further back then a mere century. Archaeologists have uncovered a jar handle, dated to the First Temple, with the name "Menachem" inscribed on the handle (Menachem, not Menachem Mendel btw).<br /><br />Pretty cool, but these protests against Jews happen every Friday, so why bring it up now?<br /><br />One word. Glenn Beck. (OK that's two).<br /><br />You don't get Glenn Beck TV on cable? Me either (I actually don't have a TV, which makes that all the more difficult). <br /><br />Glenn Beck was in Israel this past week meeting and speaking with different people (except Moshe Feiglin). I was forwarded this link of Glenn Beck listening to one of Israel's local defenders telling him all about Jewish rights in Israel. It's an interesting story.<br /><br />And as it happens, the meeting was in Ras El Amud.<br /><br /><br /><iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Zybwa6CHYXI?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />This story is as good a Tikun as any for the anti-Jewish Friday protests.<br /><br />And you get Glenn Beck (sort of) without needing Glenn Beck TV.<br /><br />Shabbat Shalom.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Written and posted by <a href=http://JoeSettler.Blogspot.com>JoeSettler</a>.
Come visit my blog.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15423117.post-53318319886071281242011-07-08T16:28:00.002+03:002011-07-08T16:35:24.468+03:00International SupportYou know what was nice this week?<br /><br />Watching the international support Israel got from Greece, France and other countries against the Flotilla and Flytilla terror supporters.<br /><br />I would add, that it was nice that Israelis defended Israel's honor against these terror supporters that made it through into Ben-Gurion. I would add the word "allegedly", in that they allegedly beat up the terror supporters that got through.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Written and posted by <a href=http://JoeSettler.Blogspot.com>JoeSettler</a>.
Come visit my blog.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15423117.post-78945795988423033682011-07-05T14:28:00.003+03:002011-07-05T14:39:30.325+03:00Trolly TrafficI was sitting in traffic today in Jerusalem.<br /><br />Traffic on the other side of the street had built up and there was no room to cut across Herzl anymore. Or let me rephrase that, there was room to cut across, but you couldn't go any further into the street on the other side, so the cars ended up blocking Herzl Blvd.<br /><br />And of course then comes the light rail. While the train had the green light (or the funny GO symbol, I didn't look at his particular traffic light), the train couldn't move forward because of the cars sitting perpendicular in his lane.<br /><br />It always amazes me how drivers need to cut across, just because the light is green (or was just green), without concern towards the gridlock they will be causing.<br /><br />Meanwhile, the train driver was trying to inch forward past his traffic light before it changed colors too, without hitting the car sitting directly ahead of him on the tracks.<br /><br />Needless to say, the lights changed.<br /><br />In the end it was a time-consuming mess that would probably never have happened if Israelis cared about gridlock in the first place.<br /><br />(On my way back, so guy stopped, parked his car halfway into the street and left his car to talk to his friends on the sidewalk, leaving a lane and half for 2 way traffic and absolutely no concern for the honking horns).<div class="blogger-post-footer">Written and posted by <a href=http://JoeSettler.Blogspot.com>JoeSettler</a>.
Come visit my blog.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15423117.post-62130731735536316112011-07-05T10:35:00.000+03:002011-07-05T10:36:24.691+03:00At what price freedom?Everyone wants Gilad Shalit brought home. <br /><br />But there is a deep division in the country as to what price the country should pay (present and future) for this important objective.<br /><br />Those on the left say that “any price should be paid” to free him. And they believe that hundreds, even thousands of mass murderers and terrorists should be freed in exchange for Gilad Shalit (if he is even still alive), if that is what it takes. <br /><br />Those on the right believe that targeting Hamas leaders and collective punishment (shutting off water, electricity) against Gaza should be the first steps the government takes to free Gilad. As freeing hundreds and thousands of terrorists will invite more kidnappings of soldiers, and more terror attacks (as the precedents over the past 2 decades has proven).<br /><br />In the end, those on the left are “willing to pay any price”, except the price that those on the right want, and those on the right do not want to pay the price that those on the left want.<br /><br /><br />Until Noam Shalit went into politics, the nation stood united behind him, and “any price” was something that was best left unspoken and purposefully vague, and whatever the price would be, it would be paid.<br /><br />Certainly in the media, Noam Shalit is off-limits to direct criticism. Almost no one is going to openly attack this bereaved father for what he says or for what he believes are the right steps to get back his son.<br /><br />But indirectly, the nation is starting to dislike (and even be disgusted by) the direction his campaign has been taken, as indirect criticisms, round-about discussions, and unfiltered talkbacks would indicate.<br /><br />Articles have begun to talk about the left-wing politicians that have hijacked the Free Shalit campaign, and they discuss the personal beefs these politicians have against Netanyahu. More and more people are asking why is the Free Gilad campaign targeting the Israeli government and specifically Netanyahu when it is Hamas that is holding Gilad hostage. And when the government takes actions against Hamas prisoners, and Noam Shalit then responds that the action is populist, or “too little, too late”, well the nation stands confused. And when Noam Shalit criticizes the right by saying that “the right really doesn’t want Gilad Shalit back”, people understand the place of pain where these statements are coming from, but the damage is still being done.<br /><br />Most media outlets are not saying outright saying that Noam Shalit is turning the nation against his campaign, whether out of his personal frustration, or because of the cynical political manipulation of left, but it’s easy to read between the lines to see that they are thinking it. But most won’t say it outright for all the right reasons.<br /><br />This development is unfortunate, because the nation is united in getting back Gilad Shalit, and the nation is aware that if Hamas ever agrees to ANY terms at all, in the end Israel will be releasing thousands of terrorists and mass murderers, and Israel will face a wave of terror and kidnappings as a result. Israel is aware of that and aware we will be paying that price. But Noam, whether out of cynical political manipulations, or personal frustrations is becoming a divisive figure with his statements, and that isn’t helping his campaign. <br /><br />On the other side of the spectrum is Jonathan Pollard. <br /><br />Pollard has become a uniting figure. Perhaps surprisingly. And the demands and protests for his release from captivity are uniting two camps that are almost never seen together: Meretz Youth and Bnei Akiva have joined forces to campaign together for his release. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_G2azcfKY6l0p9A5RSShmFWg8IBq2j5-IffEC1s5hXprHyVGS7fJkWsXV2fUjbds1Qf2-1qyLhfxVIbXwFwPcQxjsO4cYAqFFgQzPF2nYDhqaADcSJ4gRkqxMz1IA1VsyEjhVLA/s1600/BA-Meretz-Pollard.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_G2azcfKY6l0p9A5RSShmFWg8IBq2j5-IffEC1s5hXprHyVGS7fJkWsXV2fUjbds1Qf2-1qyLhfxVIbXwFwPcQxjsO4cYAqFFgQzPF2nYDhqaADcSJ4gRkqxMz1IA1VsyEjhVLA/s320/BA-Meretz-Pollard.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5625767444893033858" /></a><br /><br />In their latest campaign (and a direct copycat of the actor’s campaign for Shalit), Meretz and Bnei Akiva are dressing up in prison clothing and sitting in a makeshift “jail”, as well as protesting in front of the US Consulate, and working to get signatures for a petition to free Jonathan Pollard.<br /><br />I don’t know if either will ever be released alive, I just know that everyone wants them both of them home safe.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Written and posted by <a href=http://JoeSettler.Blogspot.com>JoeSettler</a>.
Come visit my blog.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15423117.post-80467531243969318062011-06-19T15:21:00.002+03:002011-06-19T15:24:24.571+03:00Bibi stands up to (Ehud) BarakBibi seems more confident lately. Perhaps 30+ standing ovations will do that for you.<br /><br />Today, despite protests by Ehud Barak, Bibi took away control over the World Zionist Organization Settlement Division from Barak and placed it in his own office.<br /><br />I can imagine the satisfaction around the cabinet table as they voted for this motion (I don't know if anyone abstained or voted against).<br /><br />I'm sure Barak is fuming. Bibi took his favorite toy away.<br /><br />Now what Bibi will do with it is another questions. Will he start to build? Or at least stop the destruction?<br /><br />We'll see.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Written and posted by <a href=http://JoeSettler.Blogspot.com>JoeSettler</a>.
Come visit my blog.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15423117.post-49243329854719142952011-06-07T11:25:00.003+03:002011-06-07T11:36:29.154+03:00Deterrence - Dir Yassin StyleSunday's events on Israel's Northern Border reminded me of Dir Yassin.<br /><br />As has become clear, the IDF did not kill 20 Syrians trying to breach the Northern border, as Syrian government controlled media stated. Israel did not kill 10 Syrians, Israel did not kill 5 Syrians, and quite possibly Israel did not kill any Syrian attempted infiltrators at all.<br /><br />What has inadvertently happened though is that like in Dir Yassin where the Arabs exaggerated and completely manufactured "atrocities" supposedly committed by the Jews against them, the Arabs have once again created a new circle of deterrence for us - one we weren't really prepared to create ourselves.<br /><br />And that's good enough for me.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Vayikra (Leviticus) 26:8</span> "Five of you will pursue a hundred, and a hundred of you will pursue ten thousand..."<div class="blogger-post-footer">Written and posted by <a href=http://JoeSettler.Blogspot.com>JoeSettler</a>.
Come visit my blog.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15423117.post-11819703502661527402011-05-26T21:51:00.002+03:002011-05-26T21:57:25.857+03:00Israel is what is right about the Middle East!I liked best the following line from Bibi's speech.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"Israel is not what is wrong about the Middle East; Israel is what is right about the Middle East!"</span><br /><br />Here it is in context:<br /><blockquote>We’re proud that over one million Arab citizens of Israel have been enjoying these rights for decades. <br /><br />Of the 300 million Arabs in the Middle East and North Africa, only Israel's Arab citizens enjoy real democratic rights. I want you to stop for a second and think about that. Of those 300 million Arabs, less than one half of 1% are truly free, and they're all citizens of Israel! <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">This startling fact reveals a basic truth: Israel is not what is wrong about the Middle East; Israel is what is right about the Middle East! </span><br /><br />Israel fully supports the desire of Arab peoples in our region to live freely. We long for the day when Israel will be one of many real democracies in the Middle East.<br /></blockquote><br /><br />But this one is a close second:<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"Of those 300 million Arabs, less than one half of 1% are truly free, and they're all citizens of Israel!"</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Written and posted by <a href=http://JoeSettler.Blogspot.com>JoeSettler</a>.
Come visit my blog.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15423117.post-27256471528047938712011-05-17T17:00:00.003+03:002011-05-17T17:08:47.444+03:00Women DriversDriving accidents in Israel are not a joke. Though most people would claim that women drivers are the worst, the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics released a report that would definitely refute that claim (source: <a href="http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=220970">JPost</a>).<br /><br />In the last year, there were 92,000 accidents in Israel. Of those, 73,000 resulted in injury to someone.<br /><br />74% of the drivers in which injuries were involved were... men.<br /><br />Arabs (who make up 21% of the population) were involved in 26% of the accidents, and were 35% of those killed in car accidents.<br /><br />68% of pedestrians killed, were killed crossing at a crosswalk.<br /><br />Arabs tailgate more than Jews, while Jews are more likely to not give right of way.<br /><br />Arabs speed more, while Jews tend to run more stop signs.<br /><br />Overall, not very good statistics, but perhaps it would give those in charge an idea of what they need to work on to make our streets safer.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Written and posted by <a href=http://JoeSettler.Blogspot.com>JoeSettler</a>.
Come visit my blog.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15423117.post-64330438610936253172011-05-09T14:43:00.004+03:002011-05-09T15:13:46.903+03:00Yom Hazikaron<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBlYCKzT2ikafLTovGVG5gqXT3Nz8OBLvFIZ-YQ9mqebU6CZnJD6vvXk_suIwonnItCJSS-dDKPmMf5rd3dnK6M0Yi21XrFrzDbpCEszjgwMN8_hbs4fWuLTV2rLMa2JnTF3IWqA/s1600-h/yizkor2.jpg"><img style="float:center; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBlYCKzT2ikafLTovGVG5gqXT3Nz8OBLvFIZ-YQ9mqebU6CZnJD6vvXk_suIwonnItCJSS-dDKPmMf5rd3dnK6M0Yi21XrFrzDbpCEszjgwMN8_hbs4fWuLTV2rLMa2JnTF3IWqA/s400/yizkor2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5055981778483663698" /></a><br /><br />Over the years, when I've gone, I've gone to the Mount Herzl military cemetery in the afternoon to visit a fallen comrade while avoiding the crowds and traffic.<br /><br />Today was the first time I went in the morning for the ceremony.<br /><br />It was overwhelming. There must have been hundreds of thousands of people there. It felt that way.<br /><br />Yet when the siren rang out there was utter silence. When Hatikva was sung, everyone sung it quietly together. When Kaddish was said, everyone said Amen.<br /><br />In all my years here, I've never seen anything like it.<br /><br />I saw old friends who also came to pay their respects. Friends I haven't seen in a long time.<br /><br />To paraphrase what the Prime Minister said in his speech, those who have fallen live on in our hearts.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Written and posted by <a href=http://JoeSettler.Blogspot.com>JoeSettler</a>.
Come visit my blog.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15423117.post-56510106334263344562011-05-01T08:16:00.004+03:002011-05-01T08:27:55.985+03:00He can quit his day jobJust watched a video of President Obama at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><object style="height: 300px; width: 450px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/n9mzJhvC-8E?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/n9mzJhvC-8E?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="640" height="390"></embed></object><br /></div><br />The man should have been a comedian.<br /><br />No seriously. He should have been a comedian. He's much better at it.<br /><br />Obama actually is someone who can quit his day job (and should).<br /><br />(btw: Was Jon Stewart his writer?)<div class="blogger-post-footer">Written and posted by <a href=http://JoeSettler.Blogspot.com>JoeSettler</a>.
Come visit my blog.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15423117.post-36732758590288157002011-04-23T21:52:00.004+03:002011-04-23T22:34:08.750+03:00Why the IDF doesn't win anymoreWhy is it that the IDF doesn't seem to decisively win like it used to?<br /><br />We have an army far superior to that of any of our enemies. Yet in our last few battles and wars, we seem to actually and actively not be trying to win.<br /><br />David Horovitz of the Jerusalem Post interviewed Professor Asa Kasher, the <a href="http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Columnists/Article.aspx?id=217479">man who decides what is ethical for the IDF</a>, and what isn't. Having read it, I now understand why the IDF refuses to win.<br /><br />If only the man understood what is so totally unethical about the position he is taking.<br /><br />Here are some relevant excerpts.<br /><blockquote>At the same time, the moral foundation of a democratic state is respect for human dignity. Human dignity must be respected in all circumstances. And to respect human dignity in all circumstances means, among other things, to be sensitive to human life in all circumstances. Not just the lives of the citizens of your state. Everybody.<br /><br />This applies even in our interactions with terrorists. I am respecting the terrorist’s dignity when I ask myself, “Do I have to kill him or can I stop him without killing him?” </blockquote>I don't see the morality of letting a terrorist live. Certainly not in the State of Israel where he is likely to be released in a terrorist-hostage exchange and then return to terrorism and kill more people. This is both a highly immoral and short-sighted position he is taking. I'm just at the beginning of the article, and it clear to me this man must be a Leftist.<br /><br /><blockquote>Two things: First, you decide what is more important in the given situation. And second, you do whatever you can so that the damage to the other side is as small as possible: Maximizing effective defense of the citizens; minimizing collateral damage.</blockquote><br />Hamas, Fatah and Hezbollah don't operate in a vacuum. They are representative of their people, the governments of their people, elected by their people, and are supported by their people.<br /><br />I would propose that the reason the wars not only don't end decisively and in fact keep coming back to repeatedly haunt us is because the enemy citizens are not paying a high enough price in the war against us. There's no incentive for them to demand they stop, since they never lose.<br /><br /><blockquote>I hear the same thing everywhere in democratic states. I’ve been to something like 15 of them, from India to Canada. There is no one who will say I don’t have to protect my civilians and to minimize the damage [to the other side]. There is no one who will say I must not harm the other side and minimize the damage to my civilians. No one will say that. No one. Nowhere.<br /></blockquote> Of course not, because no other country would put someone like this, with such a twisted ideology, in charge of military ethics. No other country wants an army incapable of decisively winning a war.<br /><br />Where does this twisted ideology stem from?<br /><br /><blockquote>But that the Palestinians have the right to be a people in their own state, in their territory somewhere between the river and the sea, goes without saying.</blockquote><br />There we have it. Even if he didn't say it outright, I could tell from rest of the interview that he must be a Leftist from his warped worldview and ethics. But he proudly admits it outright.<br /><br />There's plenty more in this interview that explains how this man prevents the IDF from winning, but you get the point.<br /><br />If the IDF is to start winning again, the first thing it does is must free itself from the disturbed ideology this man has inflicted on it.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Written and posted by <a href=http://JoeSettler.Blogspot.com>JoeSettler</a>.
Come visit my blog.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15423117.post-30555765126248138422011-04-17T08:26:00.002+03:002011-04-17T08:29:20.453+03:00Waiting for the MusicalSo an Italian ISMer living in Gaza was killed by his Palestinian friends. The group who killed him demanded of Hamas that they release one of their men from jail. Hamas didn't, so this group killed the useful idiot. They then denied it was they that killed him. They probably believe themselves.<br /><br />Anyway, the real question is, when is the musical coming out?<div class="blogger-post-footer">Written and posted by <a href=http://JoeSettler.Blogspot.com>JoeSettler</a>.
Come visit my blog.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15423117.post-35404941021556154392011-04-10T20:58:00.003+03:002011-04-10T21:04:28.270+03:00Gaza No-Fly ZoneWhile (hopefully) not likely to happen, the <a href="http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4054848,00.html">Arab League is asking the UN to impose a no-fly zone over Gaza</a>, against Israel.<br /><br />We've been expecting this ever since they imposed a no-fly zone of Libya, after all, if it's possible there, then they're definitely going to consider it here.<br /><br />I'm not personally worried that at this stage something like that would be seriously considered (perhaps after September).<br /><br />Meanwhile, no word from the Arab League when they plan to ask Hamas to stop trying to kill Jewish civilians, particularly children.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Written and posted by <a href=http://JoeSettler.Blogspot.com>JoeSettler</a>.
Come visit my blog.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15423117.post-91013560398500247692011-04-08T14:11:00.003+03:002011-04-08T14:33:36.129+03:00The silence is deafeningSo yesterday the Palestinians once again targeted Jewish children for murder.<br /><br />The targeting of the school bus by the Palestinian terrorists was deliberate.<br /><br />The Kornet guided anti-tank missile was specifically aimed at the school bus. If the bus had been full there would have been many fatalities.<br /><br />This was the third time a Kornet was used and it is a weapon of a different scale than has been previous used.<br /><br />The Kornet anti-tank missile has a range of almost 3 1/2 miles and can blow through 3 feet of solid steel.<br /><br />The previous time <a href="http://joesettler.blogspot.com/2011/03/windbreaker.html">a Kornet was launched was against an Israeli tank was 2 months ago</a>. It was stopped by the Israeli developed Trophy system.<br /><br /><br />What I still don't hear is the UN, Goldstone and all the rest loudly condemning these genocidal Palestinians. I certainly don't hear them saying they understand that Israel must take action to defend itself.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Written and posted by <a href=http://JoeSettler.Blogspot.com>JoeSettler</a>.
Come visit my blog.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0