First Lurker sent me the link, and then Jameel wrote about it, but I’ve been thinking if we could get the names of those Border Policemen (hopefully none named Martin) and bring them over to my settlement.

Apparently the Border Police felt that their job was to beat up the guy leading the Rosh Hashana prayers at the Kotel Hakatan (who had reached the point where you blow the Shofar) because some Arab lady complained.

If you didn’t know, the Kotel Hakatan is where the Jews used to pray when the British and Arabs wouldn’t let them pray at the big Kotel. Of course it was convenient for the Jews back then because what is today the Muslim Quarter of the Old City was actually then the Jewish Quarter until 1948 - when the Arabs massacred and chased out the Jewish residents. It is also pretty close to the area around the Kodesh Kedoshim which makes it even more important.

You see, every morning at around 4:00 and of course late at night (and of course throughout the day), the muezzins all around us blast their prayers at near full volume (they only go to full volume when they know it‘s a Jewish holiday). And for some reason the muezzin’s speakers are pointed directly at my home, even though nearly all their residents live on the exact opposite side of the muezzin - go figure.

I admit, it’s risky bringing the Magav near us, after Amona and Rosh HaShana it seems that the internal confusion the government inculcated into them is pretty serious and they don‘t know who the enemy is.

On the other hand, until I get around to secretly replacing their tape late some night with some Menachem Herman perhaps we can get some relief.

As Olmert denies meeting/speaking with Saudi officials, and maybe even with their chief dictator, you have to wonder if certain sectors have completely no sechel whatsoever.

We must remember first and foremost that the Saudi’s are still presenting the Saudi Initiative for cutting down Israel in size (if not completely), and they have more than enough money to have resolved any “Palestinian refugee” issue if they actually wished to at any time. Nor should we forget their not so tenuous familial connection to Al-Qaeda.

But now let’s look at what the news is reporting.

Olmert doesn’t deny praising the Saudis for their “responsible” position during the Lebanon war, he only denies meeting with them.

Saudi Arabia took a “responsible” position?

Saudi Arabia has invested billions of dollars in Lebanon’s infrastructure and real estate which they hoped to make big profits from. When Hizbollah attacked and the IDF responded they were watching all their investments go up in smoke. Literally.

They weren’t taking responsible positions vis-à-vis Middle East stability as Olmert & Co. are fooling themselves (yet again) into believing. They were trying to prevent the further and complete loss of their investments in Lebanon.

But let’s consider something even more awful.

Is it possible that Israel didn’t properly strike Beirut and restrained itself against other Lebanese infrastructure targets because the Saudis did speak to Olmert and asked him not to?

Is it possible that Olmert took the concerns of an enemy state which is still putting forward a plan to weaken and potentially destroy Israel ahead of the needs and concerns of the State of Israel?

Like all those on the Left, did Olmert & Co. instinctively lose control and his knees quiver and buckle with anticipation when the words “Peace” and “Recognition” were casually and meaninglessly thrown into the conversation asking him not to hit Lebanon anymore because it is hurting the dictator‘s investments?

Is he preparing for more concessions for peace, and his lack of action in Lebanon just a lead-in for what he has prepared for us?

I believe the answer is yes - and I’m sure you my readers must now think so too.

There is no question that this also needs to be investigated by whatever cover-up committee is “investigating” the PM’s actions during the war.

Unfortunately, we won’t see the truth from them.


In other news, Lebanon is asking for heavy weaponry from Europe, include anti-aircraft batteries, and anti-tank missiles, explicitly to defend against the Israeli enemy. There is no comment I need to add here.

May this be a year where we see only good things for Israel:
Our strength and love of Torah should grow.
We should defeat (all) our enemies.
Our Jewish towns throughout the Land of Israel should increase.
We should return to all our homes in Israel we were expelled from.
We should finally get a Jewish government in the Land of Israel.
We should be forgiven for all our sins.
We should have a year of health, wealth, and happiness.

Shanah Tova

JoeSettler

It’s a shame that the US can't arrest or kill Ahmedinejad while he is in the US. It’s also a shame while the UN protest wasn't small, it wasn’t overwhelmingly huge either and completely filled with American citizens who care about their future who recognize the threat Iran represents.

Obviously the reality is that removing Ahmedinejad will do absolutely nothing to prevent Iran from getting the bomb (and using it), but it’s a first step (and it would make me feel better).

Iran has been showing off their missiles, airplanes, armies, and making other scary noises - but that is not how they’ll nuke the US.

You have to first consider how Iran really fights. Except for against Iraq decades ago, Iran has been using proxies to fight its battles. Proxies like the suicide bombers in Iraq, Hizbollah in Lebanon, and Hamas and Fatah in Israel. And who knows their connection to Islamic Jihad in Egypt?

And of course we can’t forget that Iran’s biggest export after oil is evidently terrorist weapons.

And they’re very good at it. Weapons to Hizbollah. Weapons to Syria. Weapons to Fatah. Weapons to Hamas. Weapons to Iraqi suicide bombers.

Weapons flow through Syria. Weapons flow through Egypt. Weapons apparently even flow through Turkey (until the US says stop).

But when Iran gets the Bomb, they aren’t going to be putting in on top of a missile and sending it to Europe.

Nope.

Iran is going to pack it in a suitcase (or 12) and send them through Syria, Jordan, Egypt, and perhaps even Saudi Arabia. And then they’ll give them to their proxies who will happily blow themselves up in their country of (Iran's) choice.

New York will get one, D.C. will get one. L.A. will get one. London will get one. Israel will get two of course, and a few other cities will get theirs.


It’s about time the world wakes up and realizes what Iran is and what they plan to do.

Iran wants Armegeddon. They go to heaven or they rule the world. Either way they win.

Ahmadinejad wants to be the next Hitler (or Mohammad, both equally mad) and Iran’s clerical leaders want Iran to be the next Nazi Germany - and unless we nip this in the bud now its going to be a lot messier than WW II was.

If we learned nothing from history (and our name isn’t Shimon Peres) the world should have learned this.

Stop Iran now (and Olmert go home).

While unfortunately my blog tends towards cynicism and negativity (and I’m not happy about that at all), every now and then something opens your eyes to the good things in Israel.

Those of us living in Israel sometimes don’t appreciate the positive side of organizations like Bituach Leumi and even the Kupot when compared to say Social Security, Medicare and the HMOs in America. We’re annoyed that we pay so much into the system, yet the reality is that we potentially can get a lot more out of it in return if G/d forbid we needed to.

True, medical care isn’t on the technical level of say the best hospitals in NY or Boston, but if you are sick in Israel, in most cases the government will cover your medical expenses from A to Y (not necessarily Z). And if you are incapable of working, disability is a given for all citizens, as is retraining if applicable. And for the new mother and mother-to-be the attention you get is incredible (and mostly free) if you are willing to wait your turn in line.

Sometimes you have to fight for it, but usually you get your help, and sometimes we take for granted what Israel gives back to us compared to other countries.

In America, one can ever so easily fall between the categories, and that’s it. You’re truly stuck.

You can find yourself without money, without proper health care, without anything.

The HMOs in America are fundamentally evil in the way they try to avoid their obligations, and while dealing with the Kupot in Israel can be infuriating, and your often limited choice of doctors can be annoying (though some Kupot allow you to go outside for special cases) and when you can get an appointment, at least you know that it is usually just a matter of swapping your membership card and payment is guaranteed. Not something you can take for granted in the US at all.

Yes, Bituach Leumi and the Kupot has a lot of things that need serious fixing, but you know what, compared to other first world countries, we don’t always realize how good we have it.

Please have in mind for the next few weeks a Refuah Shleimah for: Naftali ben Tzila.

Why are we in Eilat?

A report shows that Eilat is and has been a prime target for a global Jihad attack. Eilat is not part of Biblical Israel. We are wasting valuable resources defending such a remote settlement. There is even talk now of building a new IDF army base near it, as if we weren’t already wasting all that Navy and Air Force money defending this remote community.

And worse, they don’t even carry their fair share of the tax burden. Those Eilat settlers finagled their way out of paying VAT like the rest of the country, and are getting a free ride on our tax shoulders.

And they are bordering two enemy entities, Egypt and Jordan, where the report says the attacks will emanate from, but all they do is party there.

And should we discuss all the illegal activities that go on down there?

It’s time we unilaterally realigned away from this den of iniquity, illegal activities, and tremendous drag on our military resources.

Eilat first.

Way, way back in January, I wrote a post that discussed a conversation I had with some left-wing friends in Tel Aviv.

We discussed the missile threat from Gaza, and they pooh-poohed any and all missile threats and said that missiles aren’t effective weapons and they are no big deal militarily (they also dismissed Hizbollah, but I didn't mention it in the context of that post).

Since the war I haven’t discussed with them the missile threat and how “ineffective” a military weapon they are.

I’ve been thinking about it, you know, giving them a good 'ol “I told ya so”.

But I’ve decided it would be a waste of time.

They’ll simply come up with some convoluted sophist answer why it was different and it wasn’t what they meant. Some might even say they were wrong, but so what, we still need to amputate the Jewish heartland for whatever their convoluted, distorted logic.

I really recommend reading the old post to get a better idea of the attitude that brought us Lebanon this summer.

In my comments I wrote, “It was an epiphany that explained why all my Tel Aviv friends quite explicitly (and until then, inexplicably) don’t give a damn that missiles are falling on us from Gaza.”

Of course Lebanon is old history already (except to some of the reserve soldiers).

So I’m going to save my words for people who actually listen to what I have to say (that’s you guys).

Saw this on IsraellyCool.

Visit this website: http://stoptheism.com/.

I don’t have any other words to describe America’s policy in Iraq as anything other than failure.

I don’t think a week goes by without a car or suicide bomber killing and injuring people and US soldiers.

The US simply does not belong in Iraq (except controlling the oilfields).

But it is not exactly the US’s fault it failed.

The fact is that Islam - both the religion and culture - are primitive throwbacks that simply can’t allow such modern values such as life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness (much less democracy). It certainly doesn’t help that Islamic Iran is surely behind much of the mayhem too.

The US is fighting a losing battle trying to help a people that wants, or more accurately, needs to be subjugated and managed with a heavy hand. Saddam’s style of rule was unfortunately right when it comes to Arabs.

Just look at all the primitive Church burnings the Arabs are doing now merely because of something the Pope quoted.

These are the actions of a primitive people - nothing more.

It’s time the US stop trying to democratize and civilize Iraq because it just won’t happen. They don’t want it. Let them blow each other up, while the US keeps control of the oil.

And while they’re at it, I really, really do recommend nuking Iran. Extreme, it sounds like it, but Iran plans to use their nukes, so the US should do it first before it is too late.

Islamic countries, be they Iraq, Egypt, the PA, or Iran are primitive throwback and they need to be treated that way.

Everyone knows that Israelis like to imitate America - or at least the America they see in the movies (the bad parts for sure). And there’s the problem, because in the movies what you see isn’t real. American movies are designed for American consumption, where they know what is imaginary and designed for the story, and what is real.

Unfortunately, foreign citizens overseas see American movies and misunderstand them. They think they represent America as it is, as opposed to the stories that Americans like to see.

So Israelis tend to imitate what they see - but the worst parts.

I write this because I just read how a US Congressman stepped down after it was found out that he accepted free international flights. Last year we read how a Governor stepped down after an illicit affair with his (wouldn’t you know it) Israeli aide. In real America, politicians lie and steal, but when exposed - step down immediately.

Yet the Israeli leadership does not see that stepping down in the movies, so they don’t follow suit.

We have a Prime Minister washing money through dirty land deals, we have a Police Chief apparently with mob ties, we have a Chief of Staff doing insider trading, a former Supreme Court President who owns 17 luxury apartments all on a civil servant’s salary (perhaps legally acquired with no perks from the banks or other loan sources, but let‘s get real) and a President who (despite what I originally thought) apparently has the morals of an alley cat.

Just like in the movies.

The problem is that in the movies there is usually a loose cannon hero that comes in to save the day.

While we do have Nadia Matar, Moshe Feiglin, and even Avri Ran, it just doesn’t work like it does in the movies.

So the bad guys know there is no rogue (good) cop or unintentional citizen hero coming to save the day and put them (the bad guys) in jail or six feet underground.

So they brazenly keep there jobs and continue on their merry life of crime and immorality, while we citizens suffer.

If you think about it, the hero in American movies actually represents the Mashiach. He’s usually some underdog who simply wants to do what’s right, fighting against a larger, impersonal system and crime - against all odds, yet something spurs him on, and he succeeds in doing a tikkun to the world around him.

If only our story would end that way soon.

-----

Speaking of movies, it actually goes both ways, American understanding of the world outside of America is actually quite dependent on what they see on the big screen.

Would it be so bad if $200 million was taken from the defense budget and a big Hollywood producer and some big name actors were hired to create a quality, real pro-Israel (action) movie, and the profits used to produce pro-Israel sequels?

No Israelis should be involved in the production, and certainly no Israeli left-wingers who would feel the need to show something bad about Israel.

Americans would eat it up, and love Israel.


Here’s some plots:

Steven Seagal, former Sayeret Matkal soldier, dishonorably discharged for exposing his commander’s insider trading becomes a baal tshuva and is now a laid back settler from Bat Ayin (with a pony tail).

It transpires that members of the Israeli government plan to secretly release a group of evil terrorists in exchange for a kidnapped soldier, and a share in the casino in Jericho not to mention a big donation to their Peace Center.

Seagal accidentally learns of all this, from a hot (but tzanuah), 18 year old trempistit he picked up on her way to Gush Etzion, and finds himself dragged into the fray.

Seagal then proceeds to kill all the terrorists, including the ones in the meetings with high Israeli government officials. He frees the captured IDF soldier, gets rid of some bad Israeli politicians along the way, and of course marries the hot settler trempistit.

This movie would make Americans so pro-Israel (not to mention pro-hot settler trempistiot).

And there are so many other great movies we could film.


Vin Diesel as an accidental Mossad agent sent to Lebanon to kill Nasrallah (and clear out Israeli politics) after he is threatened with severe jail time for standing on a sidewalk holding up an orange poster.


And just imagine Pierce Brosnan as an Oleh from England now living in Neve Aliza, hiding his secret past as a pro-Israel MI-6 agent (which was why he was fired), now working for the Jewish Agency. He discovers that Israeli politicians are actively discouraging Aliyah from the West because they don’t want American and Jewish values overrunning the country.

In order to save Nefesh b’Nefesh, and get birthright! back on track he must trace the money coming from certain elite families in the Gush Dan region to a certain Prime Minister and his cabinet and expose it, hoping it will be enough (with media influence) to get them to step down.


Wow. Oscar Time. (And it might even make some Israelis pro-Israel).