Trying to do so enables their destructive behaviors and make-believe narratives, which only pushes plausible solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict further away.
I do volunteer work for a Jewish NGO that supports Israel through word, deed, and donations. Our particular group has spent time and money helping the people, of what I now call the “Eshkol Envelope” (formerly the “Gaza envelope”), develop their infrastructure and communities. Two weeks ago, I returned from a solo trip to the area. It was a sobering visit. A number of kibbutzim (small villages) were devastated, losing up to 30% of their population and up to 50% of the buildings and infrastructure destroyed. Others, better prepared, more alert to the danger, or just plain lucky, defended themselves well. Even the large city of Sderot was brazenly attacked and people murdered. However, the worst was the site of the Nova Music Festival massacre.
I first witnessed (I will not say “visited”; this was not a vacation) the automobile storage “graveyard” of all of the cars recovered from the site. The storage area is at least two American football fields long, twice the width wide, and it is full of burned out and destroyed vehicles. From the bullet holes that can be seen through the sides and the windshields, Hamas had no shortage of ammunition. I then continued to the actual site of the massacre. A large billboard shows pictures of each of the 360 men and women who were assaulted, raped, mutilated and abused while yet alive, killed, and burned in the most horrendous manners unimaginable. At random, I took the picture of a young, beautiful, human being who is typical of all who are no longer with us. It pains me to think of the terror inflicted on her and the others simply because they were Jews. I cannot even bring myself to describe the atrocities. The worst was the fact that the atrocities were recorded on the victims’ cell phones and then sent to the victims' contact lists. Not only was terror inflicted on the victims, terror was inflicted on those who knew them and loved them the most. Even the furthest depth of hell has no place for these monsters.
I write this not for pity or sympathy; Israel needs neither from us. I write this as an object lesson and a warning. Screams of "Death to Israel, death to the Jews, and especially death to America" are not protest slogans. They are an action plan. What starts with the Jews does not end with the Jews. Those of us here in the U.S., who think that we are immune from this type of terror, are deluding ourselves. If given the chance, our enemies will inflict upon us the same terror with the same intensity and lack of remorse as at Nova. And who will protect us in our blissful ignorance? Our conflicted government? Our lazy leaders? Our defunded police? Look around. I’m not sure so anymore. The people living along the Gaza border certainly thought that they were protected by their government and army. Now look at them. It is long past the time that we remove our collective heads from our posteriors and demand from our leaders a stop to the hate and madness. If they cannot or are unwilling, then it is time to change leaders.
Very spot on, Joshua. We see the blatant hypocrisy all too well. The man who was asking you and your parents for donations for the children, most likely thinks Israel is committing genocide. As you said, where were these people with all of the starving and abused children suffering in this world? Where were the cries of people when genocide was committed in Syria, Turkey, Sudan, China, Iraq, and on and on? Where were the so-called women's groups crying "believe them when they say they've been raped?" All missing in action and so quiet the silence was breathtaking.
If we can't tell them how to resist, why is it that they can tell Israel how to react to their resistance. Or, put another way: why is there no international law governing how people resist, just as such laws govern how to fight war?
I get so frustrated here in the bay area where every municipality is lobbied by these Pro Palestinian activists to make a statement for a cease fire and other such nonsense. Israel supporters have to take precious time away from work and family to attend city council meetings and show up in support to oppose these stupid pronouncements about a conflict that they have no jurisdiction over. I appreciate what you write and have provided it as support for those who are fighting the fight.
Want to second Richard Hacker’s comment about witnessing devastation in Gaza envelope as a foreign/diaspora rebuilding project in the Gaza Envelope in May as a volunteer (with L’ivnot U’Lehibanot).
Seeing the aftermath of the carnage on that area along a 20? mile stretch of road that happened on was beyond belief and words. But what left the biggest impact on me personally was what daily life in Sederot is still like with frequent rocket attacks.
Our first of about six alerts happened our first day viewing the destroyed police station site in the center of Sederot. Both the sound of the “Tzeva Adom” alerts and nearby explosion (only halfway to a shelter, before the 15 seconds we supposedly had) were a lot louder than I expected and made a memorable impression of living in a war zone and wondering how people with children especially could put up with that every day.
What's in a name? Consider two of them: "The West Bank" and "Palestinian."
Even most Jews now refer to as the West Bank, in effect ceding it to the Arabs. The area's historical name is Judea and Samaria. It was rebranded in 1950 by Jordan to sever all Jewish ties to the land, thus eliminating any claim Jews could make despite Jewish history and international law and customary international law.
The second issue is the use of the term "Palestinian." For precedence, we need only turn to the word "Christian." It denotes a follower of Christ. However, when we look into the beliefs and practices of these "Christians," we find they are actually followers of the apostle, Paul, making them Paulinists or Paulines, if you prefer. By the same token, the so-called Palestinians and those they elect to represent their beliefs and execute policies in accordance with those beliefs (Hamas, the PA, Fatah, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, et. al.) actually follow the religeo-political ideology of Mohammed Amin al-Husseini, Grand Mufti of Jerusalem (1921-1974), thus making their name more accurately al-Husseiniites. His policy, based on the koran and the hadiths was turning all of the land from the river to the sea into part of a larger caliphate and of killing Jews not only in the land but wherever they were to be found worldwide. His principles, beliefs, and political goals are well documented. They
can easily be found by anyone who wants to google them.
Great answer. I would have asked, what about South Sudan, Somalia, Mali, Burkina Faso ? When I watched a video from the day and area where the 4 hostages were saved in Gaza, I saw a big supermarket full of all kinds of luxury food. Private food transports (yes for these shops) work their way into Gaza while tons of food are lying in Gaza with UN to worried about safety to take it to the people 🤷🏽🤦🏽. Meantime it's raining rockets over Israël. As always. 40 years ago I had my first experience with terrorist alerts in Nahariya and having to spend Shabbat in the shelter. This world is blind and mad.
Definitely a huge irony that the Soviets, who really want nothing more than everyone to be an atheist, are promoting Islam, which is probably the most strict religion in the world.
I do volunteer work for a Jewish NGO that supports Israel through word, deed, and donations. Our particular group has spent time and money helping the people, of what I now call the “Eshkol Envelope” (formerly the “Gaza envelope”), develop their infrastructure and communities. Two weeks ago, I returned from a solo trip to the area. It was a sobering visit. A number of kibbutzim (small villages) were devastated, losing up to 30% of their population and up to 50% of the buildings and infrastructure destroyed. Others, better prepared, more alert to the danger, or just plain lucky, defended themselves well. Even the large city of Sderot was brazenly attacked and people murdered. However, the worst was the site of the Nova Music Festival massacre.
I first witnessed (I will not say “visited”; this was not a vacation) the automobile storage “graveyard” of all of the cars recovered from the site. The storage area is at least two American football fields long, twice the width wide, and it is full of burned out and destroyed vehicles. From the bullet holes that can be seen through the sides and the windshields, Hamas had no shortage of ammunition. I then continued to the actual site of the massacre. A large billboard shows pictures of each of the 360 men and women who were assaulted, raped, mutilated and abused while yet alive, killed, and burned in the most horrendous manners unimaginable. At random, I took the picture of a young, beautiful, human being who is typical of all who are no longer with us. It pains me to think of the terror inflicted on her and the others simply because they were Jews. I cannot even bring myself to describe the atrocities. The worst was the fact that the atrocities were recorded on the victims’ cell phones and then sent to the victims' contact lists. Not only was terror inflicted on the victims, terror was inflicted on those who knew them and loved them the most. Even the furthest depth of hell has no place for these monsters.
I write this not for pity or sympathy; Israel needs neither from us. I write this as an object lesson and a warning. Screams of "Death to Israel, death to the Jews, and especially death to America" are not protest slogans. They are an action plan. What starts with the Jews does not end with the Jews. Those of us here in the U.S., who think that we are immune from this type of terror, are deluding ourselves. If given the chance, our enemies will inflict upon us the same terror with the same intensity and lack of remorse as at Nova. And who will protect us in our blissful ignorance? Our conflicted government? Our lazy leaders? Our defunded police? Look around. I’m not sure so anymore. The people living along the Gaza border certainly thought that they were protected by their government and army. Now look at them. It is long past the time that we remove our collective heads from our posteriors and demand from our leaders a stop to the hate and madness. If they cannot or are unwilling, then it is time to change leaders.
Even the furthest depths of hell; agreed. Wow.
Very spot on, Joshua. We see the blatant hypocrisy all too well. The man who was asking you and your parents for donations for the children, most likely thinks Israel is committing genocide. As you said, where were these people with all of the starving and abused children suffering in this world? Where were the cries of people when genocide was committed in Syria, Turkey, Sudan, China, Iraq, and on and on? Where were the so-called women's groups crying "believe them when they say they've been raped?" All missing in action and so quiet the silence was breathtaking.
If we can't tell them how to resist, why is it that they can tell Israel how to react to their resistance. Or, put another way: why is there no international law governing how people resist, just as such laws govern how to fight war?
I get so frustrated here in the bay area where every municipality is lobbied by these Pro Palestinian activists to make a statement for a cease fire and other such nonsense. Israel supporters have to take precious time away from work and family to attend city council meetings and show up in support to oppose these stupid pronouncements about a conflict that they have no jurisdiction over. I appreciate what you write and have provided it as support for those who are fighting the fight.
So true..
Want to second Richard Hacker’s comment about witnessing devastation in Gaza envelope as a foreign/diaspora rebuilding project in the Gaza Envelope in May as a volunteer (with L’ivnot U’Lehibanot).
Seeing the aftermath of the carnage on that area along a 20? mile stretch of road that happened on was beyond belief and words. But what left the biggest impact on me personally was what daily life in Sederot is still like with frequent rocket attacks.
Our first of about six alerts happened our first day viewing the destroyed police station site in the center of Sederot. Both the sound of the “Tzeva Adom” alerts and nearby explosion (only halfway to a shelter, before the 15 seconds we supposedly had) were a lot louder than I expected and made a memorable impression of living in a war zone and wondering how people with children especially could put up with that every day.
1 Samuel 15:33 KJV
These Hamas terrorists supporters won’t say a word about 11,000 rockets fired from Gaza into Israel 🤬🤬
If Israeli had no iron dome the devastation and casualties would have been huge .
And these guys would have cheered and celebrated death of every Jewish child , women and men which they did on 7/10 😖😖
Agreed.
What's in a name? Consider two of them: "The West Bank" and "Palestinian."
Even most Jews now refer to as the West Bank, in effect ceding it to the Arabs. The area's historical name is Judea and Samaria. It was rebranded in 1950 by Jordan to sever all Jewish ties to the land, thus eliminating any claim Jews could make despite Jewish history and international law and customary international law.
The second issue is the use of the term "Palestinian." For precedence, we need only turn to the word "Christian." It denotes a follower of Christ. However, when we look into the beliefs and practices of these "Christians," we find they are actually followers of the apostle, Paul, making them Paulinists or Paulines, if you prefer. By the same token, the so-called Palestinians and those they elect to represent their beliefs and execute policies in accordance with those beliefs (Hamas, the PA, Fatah, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, et. al.) actually follow the religeo-political ideology of Mohammed Amin al-Husseini, Grand Mufti of Jerusalem (1921-1974), thus making their name more accurately al-Husseiniites. His policy, based on the koran and the hadiths was turning all of the land from the river to the sea into part of a larger caliphate and of killing Jews not only in the land but wherever they were to be found worldwide. His principles, beliefs, and political goals are well documented. They
can easily be found by anyone who wants to google them.
Great answer. I would have asked, what about South Sudan, Somalia, Mali, Burkina Faso ? When I watched a video from the day and area where the 4 hostages were saved in Gaza, I saw a big supermarket full of all kinds of luxury food. Private food transports (yes for these shops) work their way into Gaza while tons of food are lying in Gaza with UN to worried about safety to take it to the people 🤷🏽🤦🏽. Meantime it's raining rockets over Israël. As always. 40 years ago I had my first experience with terrorist alerts in Nahariya and having to spend Shabbat in the shelter. This world is blind and mad.
Maybe just a historical footnote: The Roman province of Judea was re-named after the Bar Kokhba revolt of 132: Palestine.
And you can be real sure the morons in the EU will piss away billions more so the animals can try to rebuild their tunnels
Definitely a huge irony that the Soviets, who really want nothing more than everyone to be an atheist, are promoting Islam, which is probably the most strict religion in the world.