Israel At 66 Years: A Senior Citizen of the World

Nadene Goldfoot                                                                         

                                                   

Einstein and Ben Gurion

"Difficult things we do quickly.  The impossible takes a little longer." 

...............David Ben-Gurion 

David Ben Gurion (1886 Poland-1973 Sde Boker, Israel- a kibbutz on the Negev), 1st Prime Minister and Defense Minister, Father of the Nation

Sixty-six years ago on May 14, 1948, the state of Israel's birth  was announced on the radio and five minutes later it was attacked by all the surrounding nations who tried to drive her into the Mediterranean Sea.  Their enemies didn't succeed and haven't for the past 66 years and Israel is still here, alive and well.  The hatred of her begrudging neighbors trying to take her life only invigorates her will to survive.  It's just the reflection of the Jews' lives for the past 2,000 years.  Good Lord, what would happen to Israel if suddenly nations started to appreciate her instead of bringing on BDS (boycotts, divestments, sanctions) in trying to bring her down?  

It should happen.  No?  Israel shares its many inventions with the world.  Israel has helped to make the desert bloom.  About 2/3 of the Middle East is a desert.  More than 60% of Israel is a desert.  The Jews, especially those at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Desert have been working on reclaiming the desert wasteland by turning rock and sand into land that is productive.  They are bringing water to this parched earth.  This act alone is worth making peace with Israel, one would think.  Their programs are going on in over 40 countries that are benefiting.  Their water program is working with Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and the PA. 

Another Portlander made aliyah in 1981,  a year after I did and has an article about Israel in our Portland magazine, Oregon Jewish Life; called "Israel at 66.-changing the world through technology."  In it he recalls the book about Israel by Saul Singer and Dan Senor called "Startup Nation, the Story of Israel's Economic Miracle" that they wrote in 2009.  

By 2009 Israel had 63 companies listed on NASDAQ.  This is a teeny state of 10,762 square miles which includes land controlled by Israel, the disputed territories.  The pre-1967 land area is 8,019 sq. miles.  This compares with the USA's 5th smallest state, New Jersey which is 7,787 sq miles in size.  Israel has a population of 8,012,400 of which 6,037,700 are Jewish.  That means that the Arabs are about 20% of the population of Israel.  Sixty-three companies are more than any other foreign country found on NASDAQ.  Today, only China, who has about 1.3 billion people, has more than Israel.  China, by the way, has the highest population in the world.  

What makes Israelis different from other people?  For one thing, they are constantly being attacked.  No other nation that I know of is living under bombardment of missiles, rockets and mortars and neighbors lined up with missiles pointed at them.  Also, they live with such threats as coming from Iran to be exterminated at any moment.  This sort of life causes most all of the population over 18 years of age to be a part of the IDF;  Israel Defense Force, or in the service.  Arab civilians do not have to participate unless they choose to do so.  Many are starting to join up.  This gives them the advantage of learning  creative thinking skills.

 In Israel's army, the soldiers are treated differently than in other countries.  The situation has been so on-going that they value creativity and intelligence more than muscles.  Israeli soldiers have little guidance from the top brass, and must learn to improvise, even if they have to break rules sometimes.  Only in cases that just happened where Arab gangs ganged up on a lone soldier in Judea/Samaria who was a guard and taunted him so badly that he felt forced to point his rifle at them---at a time when they were video-taping him, which put him in big trouble with the  top brass.  He may have to do time in jail for this great offense.  Israeli soldiers must live up to the highest standards like those we have for kashrut; perfection in the treatment of others.  In Israel's army, the junior officers call their bosses by their first names.  If you as a soldier see them doing something wrong, you can speak out and say so.

 That is a common thing that happens in all walks of life in Israel anyway.  Once  I was on a bus when I was a new immigrant and couldn't speak Hebrew,and  the bus driver forgot to let me off at the stop I had painfully asked for, and when he whizzed by it, the whole bus occupants yelled at him about it!  It's part of the culture. Speak out!  

Being a part of the IDF is a big thing.  Women must join, too.  About 50% of Israel's population join up.  After serving their 3 years, they are still a part of it by serving their milueem month every year until they are at least 50 years old.  When I lived in Israel from 1980 to the end of 1985, I was in Safed during the 1982 Lebanon crisis and  experienced the whole city's population suddenly becoming a part of the IDF which left people like me and some wives in charge of the city's functions.  I witnessed a whole unit marching by on the street made up of men with white beards, reserve forces who know what to do in case of such emergencies. 

 I automatically trotted over to my junior high which was across the street from my high rise apartment building where I taught English and just taught.  No one had to tell me or ask me to come.  The subject was never discussed.  I found then that all the men teachers were now soldiers and a woman teacher was acting as principal.  It was strange teaching that way with students huddled up in the corners of the room, afraid for their family members as the helicopters landed on the hospital up the street bringing in wounded.  When I stopped talking, the students called out, "Keep going, Nahama,"  They needed my prattle to feel something of normality.  

Israel's IDF is tech driven.  Their IDF experience produces such behaviors as loyalty, a tough as nails attitude which starts at a young age anyway, an alumni network, future partners who create founding teams that come out of the same army unit.  The army is like a fraternity, and they rely on each other when they are not serving this way.  

Israel has smart people.  Jews have had to rely on their brains in order to survive a very harsh climate of people ever since Jacob parted with his brother, Esau in about the 2nd millennium BCE.(2,000 BCE)   This shows up in such things as Nobel prizes.  Israel won 3 in recent years in chemistry.  They've created such things as optics, the smallest video camera and the PillCam.  In biotech, there is the nanowire -even human hair is thicker than this.  In computing,  the USB flash drive and a laser keyboard.  In software they created ICQ, Babylon, and Viber.  Other innovations are in physics, agriculture, economics, theoretical computer science, energy, consumer goods and defense.  They invented the Iron Dome missile defense system, but need the USA to help  with its upkeep.  There are more defense inventions they've come up with as well and they've shared many with the USA. 

Who is the world's leading patent producer?  Israel is.  It's #1 in the Western world.  The surprise is that the UN's Intellectual Property Organization gave Israel the status of a World Patent Center.  Now they are one of fifteen other nations who hold this honor.  

So many people have a cell phone.  Everyone of them is made of some components that were thought up or developed in Israel.  In a recent gathering in Barcelona, almost 200 of the 1,700 exhibits were from Israel.  That's about 1/8 were made in Israel.  

The beauty of all this is that most Israelis come from immigrants. Immigrants were kept out of Palestine at the beginning of WWII after the Jewish Homeland was to be developed-by the British themselves who held the mandate.  Therefore, Israel was deprived of more creative minds who could have developed even more inventions that would have helped the world such as the cure for cancer, possibly, for these immigrants were forced back to Germany and were slaughtered.    An Israeli faces compulsory military service well into the foreseeable future unless the Moshiach is soon to arrive, and according to orthodox figures, isn't due to arrive for another several hundred years.    

As I read Mylan Tanzer's article who is a Portland native, I laughed when I read his last paragraph about the "balagan" going on in Israel.  Balagan means chaos or mess.  I experienced a lot of it, too when I lived there.  Then I felt better since he described my house here in Gresham as he described a rather messy house, but it was owned by creative geniuses, the Israelis.  They don't have time to organize, clean or remodel but only have time to succeed through work and they create to pay the rent.  I'm not  exactly the creative genius, but I am too busy to clean and organize and lack the moola to remodel.  Now I have an excuse other than "Old Age."   

So, I see  that Israel hasn't changed much at all since I left in 1985, 29 years ago.  The time has whizzed by and it seems like it was only yesterday that I was there, teaching beautiful students without any silly hairdos, or metal things stuck into their faces, and nary a one with tattoos. I presented a lesson of how to play baseball to my suddenly interested students on my first day of teaching.  It was brand new to them!   Beautiful children looking like they were when they left their mothers' wombs, as described in our Torah were then interested in English!  They weren't much different than Americans of the same age.  .    

I had to return to the states, a fallen Yored, but Mylan Tanzer, who made aliyah in 1981,  stayed and became a founding CEO of the first Israeli cable and satellite sports channel.  From 2005 on he has launched, managed and consulted for channels and companies in Israel and Europe.  He lives in Tel Aviv.  Thank you, Mylan for staying and writing such a lovely article that I have used to relate some of the facts above.  I'm so proud to be an Israeli and proud to know that you are from Portland!  .

Update: 5/7/14: Population today is 8.18 million. Israel has grown in population from last year by 137,500 people.  The Jews make up 75% of Israel's population.
Update: 5/31/16:  Population is now 8.522 million and is 68 years old.  This is 10 times more than at its founding in 1948.  .  

Resource: Hadassah magazine, June/July 2013-Alice Hoffman on cover

Magazine: Oregon Jewish Life; May 2014, Israel culture spawns innovation for the world, by Mylan Tanzer

 https://www.google.com/search?

http://www.iris.org.il/sizemaps/new_jersey.htm

q=israel+size+compared+to+us+state&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=1aJnU_mVBZXroATN24CgDg&ved=0CCgQsAQ&biw=982&bih=636 on size compared to USA states

Start-Up Nation, by Saul Singer and Dan Senor

http://jewishfactsfromportland.blogspot.com/2011/07/comparing-israel-with-oregon.html

http://jewishbubba.blogspot.com/2013/06/demographics-of-jews-in-israel-and.html

http://www.biography.com/people/david-ben-gurion-9207132#awesm=~oDp6CJhXMBzstR

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/ben_gurion.html

A Lot of BS From BDS People Against Israeli Product

Nadene Goldfoot                                                                 

                                                    Funeral of Gilani Brigade IDF Soldier

BDS is active here in the United States and The University of Denver has been targeted by starting a petition by DU Students for Justice in Palestine.  They are accusing the Golani and Givati Brigades of the IDF of egregious human rights violations of the Israeli occupation of Palestine, which in itself is a false claim according to what Professor Eugene Kontorovich of the Northwest U. School of Law would say about occupying Palestine.

This Denver group, with Arabic written on their website, faults the brigades of being involved in the Operation Cast Lead intervention of Israel's IDF in Gaza in 2008-2009.

They then accuse them of imprisoning children in Israeli dungeons.  This is such an outrageous lie that one cannot even think how they came up with this one.  Any kidnapping has been on the side of the Hamas terrorists, like the kidnapping of Shalit.    They're also accusing Israel of "ethnic cleansing!"

They claim that an Israeli product should not be bought because they are "subsidizing their living costs, playing expenses in the 5 and 6 figures."  The truth of this is most likely through being a tax-payer, and Israel does pay higher taxes than we Americans do.  Our taxes also pay for the living costs of our soldiers as well.  The money to any IDF soldier would be in shekels, not dollars, so where the decimal point is, would be interesting.  I know that as a teacher, I was only making the equivalent of $300 per month in 1981-85 in Israel as a junior high teacher of English.  You don't go to Israel to make money but to help a country who is righteous and is being wrongly attacked.  Israel doesn't have any other ulterior motives than to protect its citizens from harm.  

It just so happens that Israel has been commended for their care in not harming civilians in Operation Cast Lead. Goldstone had to eat his initial report. Cast Lead  came after rockets, mortars and missiles came from Gaza into Southern Israel since 2001, with more flying in each year.  In 2000, the 2nd Intifada started, meaning that there were growing Palestinian attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians.  Hamas took over in 2005 and they really flew in helter-skelter, at civilians.  Gaza was warned that Israel could not accept this attack and they had to stop which they didn't, bringing on Israel's operation. The 2nd Lebanon War started in July 2006 and the Golani Brigade fought to protect Israel like all the others involved.  They all fought for 34 days against Hezbollah.  That go around didn't end until September 8th.   One June 6, 2009, 3 soldiers of the Golani Brigade were killed in northern Gaza in friendly fire.  3 others were severely wounded and 20 more had minor injuries.

As for "occupation,"  Palestine was to be the Jewish Homeland as decided by the League of Nations.  However, Britain, who had the mandate, made changes and decided to reward King Abdullah 80% of the Jewish Homeland by creating Transjordan.  Actually, Israel is not occupying what was earmarked theirs in the first place.  Israel turned over Gaza to Egypt, but then got it back in 1967.  They left in 2005 for the sake of peace, and Jews have been living there ever since Samson and Delilah.  Peace didn't happen.  Gaza's Hamas  terrorists just felt freer to attack Israel daily instead.  So who is trying to do the ethnic cleansing?  It's the Arabs living in Gaza.  The proposed state of Palestine is to be only for Muslims.  They won't allow any Jews to live there.  That's Judenrein in German, which is what the Nazis tried to bring about.  I find it amazing that what is slung at Jews and Israelis is exactly what  the slingers are actually doing.

The Givati Brigade is an infantry Brigade that also serves as an amphibious force.  "They also participated in the ground phase of Operation Cast Lead." in Gaza (ended in 2009).The brigade's reconnaissance battalion entered the Tel el-Hawa neighborhood in search of Hamas operatives two days before the cease fire went into effect. An estimated 40 Palestinian gunmen were killed as dozens of apartments were swept.   Hamas reportedly decided to fire the commander of the Gaza City Brigade after its forces fought against the Givati."  They were a brave group of young men.

Anyone that harbors hatred for these young men who have been called upon to protect their people from rockets, mortars, missiles, suicide killers and from people trying to destroy their whole country will probably choke on their own bile filled with hatred and misunderstandings.  I say:  good for the company that these college students are tying to blackball with their demanding that their university not buy their product.  These soldiers need all the pats on the shoulder that they can get.

Israel had to stop rocket fire into Israel and prevent the weapons being smuggled into the Gaza Strip.  When the IDF went into Gaza, they weren't aiming for people.  Their target was the police station, military targets, weapons caches and rocket firing teams.  They went after political  (Hamas terrorists) and administrative institutions in the cities of Gaza, Rafah and Khan Yumis.

Occupation?  There aren't any Jews living in Gaza, but Israel reserves  the right to protect itself from attacks which is "unconscionable".

Here are a few words from a non-Jewish Scottish Professor to the Edinburgh University Student Union about boycotting Israel products.  It's from his letter.  "University is supposed to be about learning to use your brain, to think rationally, to examine evidence, to reach conclusions based on solid evidence, to compare sources, to weigh up one view against one or more others. If the best Edinburgh can now produce are students who have no idea how to do any of these things, then the future is bleak.

 

 I do not object to well-documented criticism of Israel . I do object when supposedly intelligent people single the Jewish state out above states that are horrific in their treatment of their populations. We are going through the biggest upheaval in the Middle East since the 7th and 8th centuries, and it’s clear that Arabs and Iranians are rebelling against terrifying regimes that fight back by killing their own citizens.

Israeli citizens, Jews and Arabs alike, do not rebel (though they are free to protest). Yet Edinburgh students mount no demonstrations and call for no boycotts against Libya , Bahrain , Saudi Arabia , Yemen , and Iran . They prefer to make false accusations against one of the world’s freest countries, the only country in the Middle East that has taken in Darfur refugees, the only country in the Middle East that gives refuge to gay men and women, the only country in the Middle East that protects the Bahai’s…. Need I go on?
 

 The imbalance is perceptible, and it sheds no credit on anyone who voted for this boycott. I ask you to show some common sense. Get information from the Israeli embassy. Ask for some speakers. Listen to more than one side. Do not make your minds up until you have given a fair hearing to both parties. You have a duty to your students, and that is to protect them from one-sided argument.

They are not at university to be propagandized. And they are certainly not there to be tricked into anti-Semitism by punishing one country among all the countries of the world, which happens to be the only Jewish state. If there had been a single Jewish state in the 1930′s (which, sadly, there was not), don’t you think Adolf Hitler would have decided to boycott it?"

Resource:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golani_Brigade
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Givati_Brigade
Petition to the University of Denver and Sodexo Foods from DU Students for Justice in Palestine
Letter from Scottish Professor to Edinburgh Student Union 

Halting Gaza Attacks: Update on Operation Pillar of Defense

Nadene Goldfoot
150 rockets were launched by Hamas terrorists in this past week including 3 cross-border attacks.    Today Israel has carried out targeted strikes to break  up the places terrorists are shooting from.  Israel is not about to accept this escalation of rockets on Israeli citizens.

The IDF patrol was 200 meters west of the Gaza border when it was hit and caught on fire from the  missile shot by terrorists.  All 4 were wounded with one seriously with a head wound.  Ashkelon is only 6 miles away so they were probably taken there to the hospital.

Today Hamas fired the Fajr-5 with a range of almost 40 miles which puts 3 million Israelis within missile range. That could put Tel Aviv within range being it is about 44 miles away.  thousands of Gazans chanted wildly that they wanted their terrorists to hit Tel Aviv.   "Helped by the contraband trade through tunnels from Egypt, Gaza militias have smuggled in these longer-range rockets."

 Israel is made up of not quite 6 million Jews and 1.4 million Arabs. This means about half of the country must find a bomb shelter for survival.   Hamas thinks nothing of targeting civilians and shoots at them from populated areas on purpose such as placing their missile launchers near mosques, hospitals and schools.  Israel is trying to miss these centers.

Ahmed al-Jabri was targeted and killed who was the head of the Hamas military wing.  He had planned the kidnapping of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.  He has been the planner of terrorist attacks that killed Israeli civilians and was the one that ordered terrorists to fire thousands of rockets at Israel.

Israel has the right and responsibility to protect the citizens of Israel and defend itself from these unwarrented terror attacks.  Obama gave his support to Israel to defend itself.  At least the US Department of State condemned the rockets fired from Gaza and also backed Israel's right to self-defense.

These are cowardly acts of Hamas and the other terror groups.  They are not taking on soldiers.  They fight while hiding behind women and children. That's why they are called "terrorists."   This operation comes after much restraint along with public and diplomatic warnings to Hamas to stop.  They have answered with more rockets fired.

Resource:  Embassy of Israel paffairs@washington.mfa.gov.il  Special alert.  
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2012/11/14/israeli-airstrike-hamas-military-chief/1704159/

Olympia, Washington Activist in Gaza Trial: Rachel Corrie

Nadene Goldfoot
In a few hours, Israel will hand down the judge's ruling of a high-profile civil lawsuit against the Israel Defense Force, or the army of Israel.  . The parents of Rachel Corrie are in Jerusalem hoping that the verdict will be in their favor for their deceased daughter, who has been used as a rallying cry for pro-Palestinian activists, which is what their daughter was.  (The verdict just came in and the tractor driver is innocent.)  Read the judge's comments from update today.

Since 2009 one million Israeli residents have been terrorized by rocket barrages from Gaza terrorists and 7 -13 citizens were killed by them.  Gaza had 1.7 million residents.  Some of the original smaller number  were refugees from 1948 when Arabs left Israel waiting for the Arab army to take over with the promise that they could return shortly when the Arabs demolished the Jews.

Subsequently, from 2011, 790 rockets fell in southern Israel along with 315 mortars from Gaza terrorists.  All this was trying to be prevented way back in 2003 when Jews lived in Gaza and the terrorists were actively shooting and shelling IDF soldiers and Jews with mortar attacks.  Sderot, a city of 24,000 made up of Kurds, Iranian and Russian Jews mainly, is just a few miles from Gaza's border.  They have been hit by Qassam rockets for the past 10 years almost every day.  In 2007-2008 alone, 771 rockets and 857 mortar bombs fell there,  with 3 to 4 falling each day.  Probably some Gazan residents had moved here, too.

Back in 2005, the Israeli army had warned the Palestinians to stop their attacks or they would demolish their homes.  This is a far cry from action taken by Syria in their offensive tactics to rebels today.  How they handle things was clear in today's newspaper as "the regime finished off whole families, a father, mother and their children.  They just killed them without any pretext."

So the homes of terrorists were threatened because of their terrorist activities.  The IDF was trying to halt shooting attacks.  Along came young Rachel Corrie from Olympia, Washington in March 2003, an activist against Israel trained by the International Solidarity Movement into the Gaza border town of Rafah.  She was blocking an Israeli military bulldozer that was about to demolish some homes.  The equally young driver said he didn't see Corrie and the death was accidental.

Israeli Justice Ministry said, "Rachel Corrie was injured as a result of her prohibited action, for which she is solely responsible, due to her considerable negligence.  The family's case is the first civil lawsuit of a foreigner harmed by Israel's military to end in a full civilian trial.  There have been others settled out of court.  The Corries want the bulldozer driver blamed along with his superiors.  All have previously been cleared of wrongdoing in a military court.  Rachel's family wants $1 in damages plus compensation for their expenses in bringing the case to trial.

This 23 year old anti-Israel activist who had been attending Evergreen State U in Olympia, Washington flew to Israel on January 22, 2003.  Rachel must have come from a family already pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel.  I think this because she went through a 2 day training course at ISM West Bank headquarters before heading to Rafah to be in ISM demonstrations.  Her parents had to know what she was doing, and it wasn't just being a tourist in Israel.  This whole movement is well organized.  During her training, she studied tactics of direct action.  Basic rules about avoiding harm were given such as "Wear fluorescent jackets.  Don't run.  Don't frighten the army.  Try to communicate by megaphone.  Make your presence known."  Then she traveled with William Hewitt, a friend from Olympia to the Erez checkpoint and went into the Gaza Strip.

Corrie was acting as a human shield.  On her first night in Gaza, she and 2 other ISM members set up camp inside Block J, which was often a target for Israeli gunfire.  IDF fired bullets over their tent and at the ground a few feet away.  The ISM activists  figured quickly that they were provoking the soldiers so they dismantled their tent and left the area.  A British participant had been wounded by shrapnel.    Qishta was a Palestinian interpreter and remembered that January and February was a crazy time with a lot of house demolitions happening all over the border strip.  He thought the ISM activists were not only brave but crazy.

Some Palestinians thought Corrie and others were in danger of getting shot in the crossfire and others thought they might be spies.  Corrie is said to have worked hard to change their minds, learned a few words of Arabic and was in a mock trial denouncing the "crimes of the Bush Administration."  They finally were taken to family homes and given meals and beds.  Up to a few days before her death, the Palestinians were circulating a letter asking pertinent questions about these ISM Olympians which the Americans found out about and were frustrated with.  The ISM members then talked about how to engage the Israeli military.  One can interpret that as how they could interfere actively.

I had left Israel at the end of 1985, but heard from my friend, David Bedein,  who managed to get to the scene, that pictures taken that he had seen were not correct.  There was something odd about the shadows of pictures taken by the ISM members showing that they were taken later.  

Israel pulled out of Gaza with the last soldier leaving September 12, 2005.  Sharon had come up with the plan on June 6, 2004.  21 towns were dismantled and Israel had to resettle their residents, which remained a problem for a long time.  They did it thinking they were bringing peace to their nation, but instead have been constantly attacked.  Gaza has been a staging ground for constant attacks.

The whole ISM group makes me angry.  Israelis were being shot at, both civilians and soldiers, and they came along to interfere and chose the Palestinians to defend.  Israelis weren't shooting at Palestinians, except in self defense.  Where does all this hatred of Israel come from, even way back in Olympia, Washington where there are very few Jews?  I see that there are 90 Jewish undergraduates attending Evergreen State U today and it even has a Hillel chapter.  Did Rachel check with any Jewish students as to how they felt about Israel before she embarked on this fatal escapade?  Did she take a course on Middle East History?  How did she get so involved in the first place?
Update: 8/28/12: http://www.aish.com/jw/mo/The-Rachel-Corrie-Verdict.html
News update 8/28/12 Innocent Verdict  http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/aug/28/rachel-corrie-verdict-accident-judge?newsfeed=true
Another Update: 5pm 8/28/12 http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?ID=282946&R=R1

Resource: http://jewishfactsfromportland.blogspot.com/2011/04/revealing-facts-about-rachel-corrie.html
Oregonian newspaper 8/27/12 page A3 Lawsuit over death:  Slain activist's family awaits Israeli ruling, AP and Syria fighting::  Assad forces carry out "cleansing." NY Times
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Terrorism/rockets2011.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Corrie
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel's_unilateral_disengagement_plan
http://www.hillel.org/HillelApps/JLOC/Campus.aspx?AgencyId=17384

Escalation of Missile Attacks in Israel: Cease Fire Up in Air: ASHKELON'S HOSPITAL AFFECTED

Nadene Goldfoot
Hamas says a ceasefire will come soon, but the perpetrators think not.  Even the terrorists don't agree with each other!  So far, they have shot about 200 missiles into Israel but it is they who have lost the most by doing so.  18 terrorists were killed as well as 5 civilians so far.  On Monday 3 of the civilians were killed and 2 terrorists.  Israel's civilians have been injured, and over a million Israelis have been affected whose lives have come to a standstill in bomb shelters. 

In the meantime, Ashkelon's Barzali Hospital is moving children and mothers to bomb shelters.  Ashkelon is Portland's sister city.  They are sending home many patients as possible.  Otherwise, I've heard that they also have patient quarters in their basement.  The missile bombardment is moving from the south that has been pummeled to the north.  Ashkelon is close to Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Beer-Sheba along the coastal road.  It links Egypt and Syria.  It's one of the oldest cities in the world dating back 4,000 years.  In their park one can see Greek and Roman ruins and remains of ancient synagogues.  It has a population of 120,000.

Gedara, south of Tel Aviv suffered from the attack on Monday.  There is a scarcity of Iron Dome systems to protect all of southern Israel.  Missile damage was sustained by several parked cars.  The IDF hit a terrorist cell by the afternoon in Gaza and terrorists report that a father and daughter were killed, but this has not been confirmed yet by the IDF.  This is one of the problems the IDF have of their ability to pinpoint a hit.  The terrorists purposely hide out among civilians so they can turn things around and blame Israel.  Every possible steps are taken by the IDF to not let this happen, but sometimes it does.

Hamas, who are not the killers this time but are in charge, wants Israel to promise to stop attacking "ticking bomb" terrorists who prepare rocket attacks on Israel.  This is ridiculous by any type of reasoning.  Instead of stopping these killers, they put the onus on the targets.  Israel had already warned that they "will carry out pre-empitve measures to protect" Israel.  The PA, from Ramallah, said it will ask the UN to condemn counter terrorist actions, and call this "terror."  Whatever do they call the feelings Israelis have of this Russian-type of roulette?    In other words, the Arabs want the Israelis to stand still so they can be hit and don't fight back.  Whoever heard of such a slaughter  except when hunters out shooting ducks.

East of Ashdod and only 10 miles from Israel 's major airport is Kiryat Malachi, whose warning sirens were shrieking. 
At the same time on Monday, which is the 4th day of Israel retaliating to the incessant bombing they have endured, the QUARTET,  USA, Russia, EU and UN met to talk about how to bring about a ceasefire.  The missiles have not let up. 

Resource: http://www.jpost.com/LandedPages/PrintArticle.aspx?id=261539
Arutz Sheva News news@israelnationalnews.com Hospital moves infants to bomb shelter by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu
http://news.yahoo.com/5-die-strikes-gaza-militants-barrage-israel-134334846.html
http://news.yahoo.com/quartet-meets-israeli-palestinian-clashes-intensify-132206549.html

Christians of England Practicing anti-Semitism Again

Nadene Goldfoot
The  United Kingdom has the Episcopalian Protestant Church (Anglican) as their official religion which is headed by the Queen. A vicar or senior priest, Stephen Sizer, promotes Holocaust denial of all things.  Being raised in England where people suffered in WWII, one would find this shocking to be so in the dark as to what was happening those days.  This attitude shows his mettle right off the bat. 

He's really showing his true colors, not the colors of the Christianity practiced by my friends, about which he says he became a Christian in 1973, but of that demonstrated in some bygone day of the Crusades, maybe.  He studied at Trinity College from 1980-1983 to be a pastor.  He's even called Israel's IDF (Israel Defense Forces)  Herod's soldiers operating in Bethlehem today.  Herod was the king appointed by the Romans that ordered troops to kill all Jewish babies in and around Bethlehem.  Sizer should only know the great lengths the 10% of IDF troops who have actually be engaged in battle go through to protect innocent civilians.  But then, this man is a member of the Friends of Sabeel UK, and also a member of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.  He even has press credentials from the Holy Land Trust.   He's immersed himself in hatred for Israel in every way. I have an article about Sabeel in this website.  http://jewishfactsfromportland.blogspot.com/2011/08/desmond-tutu-patron-of-sabeel.html

How he has been practicing his anti-Israel/anti-Semitism has been through the internet.  He promoted a website of Holocaust denial and warns of a Zionist conspiracy controlling the world.  There goes that old refrain again.  Jews numbering less than 1% of the world are out to control it, so he maliciously spreads this lying rumor.    Isn't this against all religions to do such a thing?  Sizer is actually breaking the 9th commandment, the prohibition of harming a person through speech or bearing false witness against your neighbor.  He's so anti-semitic he can't think straight. 

He also used his Facebook page to link to "The Ugly Truth", which claims Zionism, Jewish extremism and more make our world uninhabitable today.  This is where they run cartoons created by  Holocaust deniers and support Ahmadinejad. 

Sizer promotes boycotts of companies if they have profits going to the "Zionist agenda."  He wrote a book, "Christian Zionism:  Road-map to Armageddon?" endorsed by leading British and American bishops, which goes against what Pastor John Hagee of the USA preaches.  Pastor Hagee also wrote a book, "In Defense of Israel".  His group is where our true friends are.  Sizer believes in a different theology known as "supersessionism"  or replacement theology.  They feel that since Jews don't believe that Jesus is G-d/or son of G-d, they are no longer the chosen people.  They have been replaced by the Christians.  I'm happy to report that not all Christians believe this.  They are preaching that Israel is an illegal regime and a "crime against humanity" and promotes international boycott, which is so familiar to what the terrorists, Hamas, preach in order to take over all of Israel.  Incidently, Jews believe that we all are children of G-d.  We're all very special and therefore life is special.  Our favorite saying at a happy occasion is "To Life" or L'Chayim. 

Tevia in "Fiddler on the Roof" tells it like many of us have thought many times.  "G-d can't you choose someone else for a change?  Why us?"  He was questioning why Jews are always the scapegoats of the world.  I guess since Judaism has lasted this past 4,000 years, G-d was right to call us a "stiff-necked people."  We're very stubborn and don't forget about our heritage and promise.  That's why we were chosen.  Who else would put up with the trials and tribulations that we have had to endure to keep the faith? 

If that isn't all Stephen Sizer  has been up to, he is one of the major movers of the "Christ at the Checkpoint 2012 Conference."  The Bible College of Bethlehem will host this one in March.  Many pastors from the USA will be attending.  Of course they will speak against Israel as they're enjoying the protection of the country they hate. 

Melanie Phillips, UK columnist, says that these people are "Christians who hate the Jews."  Way back in 1190 CE, British Christians slaughtered York's Jews after calling them "serpens antiquus qui vocatur diabolo et Satans,"   which was calling Jews devils and Satans like the serpent of old.  What they are doing is more like believing in demonology and banning Israel from the family of nations. 

Every year we Jews become introspective about our behavior and have a day of fasting on Yom Kippur where we are told that our names are entered into the book of Life and of course we ask forgiveness and promise to do better. What we do is recorded.  I hope Ha Shem takes note of this behavior.  I'm sure it will be recorded. 

The sad point of this story is that there are Christians taught to believe all sorts of lies about Israel, thereby hating Israelis and Jews, for 80% of Israel is populated by Jews. In a perfect world, they would turn to Pastor Hagee and ask why he defends them.  Maybe then they would learn a few honest facts. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicar
http://www.stephensizer.com/about/
Book:  In Defense of Israel by John Hagee
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4191509,00.html by Giulio Meotti, journalist and author, "The Untold Story of Israel's Victims of Terrorism", from Italy
http://www.theopedia.com/Supersessionism
http://www.jewfaq.org/10.htm

More Missile Attacks from Gaza on Southern Israel

Nadene Goldfoot
Five rockets were fired from Gaza into southern Israel Thursday, Israel time, which would be Wednesday our time.    They were the far reaching kind which exploded in and near Ashkelon, Portland's sister city, which is much farther away from the border.  One struck near Be'er Sheva. 

A rocket struck the general area of Sderot, Israel from Gaza terrorists on Friday morning, Israel time.  Since Israel is about 10 hours ahead of us in the future, that would have happened by our time Thursday night.

Israel has warned constantly that anytime they are attacked to expect a retaliation.  You'd think that would halt their attacks, but it hasn't.  "The IDF will not stand any attempt to hurt the citizens of Israel and IDF soldiers and will continue to take resolute and forceful action against any attacks that employs terror against the state of Israel.  Terror organization Hamas is the address that bears the responsibility."  

The IDF reportedly struck 3 different targets; Hamas training camps in Gaza.  Its aircraft hit sites of terror activity in southern Gaza and another terrorist site in northen Gaza, and that accurate hits on target were reported.  Then a spokesman for Hamas blamed Israel for "the escalation in the region." 

Two terrorists were killed in the targeted IDF strikes Thursday morning.  Arabs said that 20 civilians were also hurt in the overnight IDF raids.  IDF said that "additional explosions were caused because of weapons stores near the terror activity sites that were hit."  IDF regrets casualties among uninvolved persons but once again, the responsibility rests with Hamas.  It's they who choose to operate from within the civilian population.  What they are doing is using civilians as human shields. 

Terrorists from Gaza fire rockets, missiles and mortars to kill, maim, destroy and frighten.  Whether they are successful with each firing or not in killing, their first goal, is not a consideration in retaliation.  Israel is not playing a game of: " you killed one of ours so we'll kill one of yours."   They do damage and disrupt the mental and physical lives of the people.  They know what the consequences of attacking Israel means.  They make their own choices.   

12/9/11 4:11pm "Barrage of Rockets Fired from Gaza into Southern Israel
from embassy of Israel
13 rockets fired from Gaza hit southern Israel in last 24 hours, threatening the lives of more than a million Israelis.

Residents of Southern Israel have remained on high alert since the attacks began on Thursday. A "Code Red" alarm has been sounded throughout the region.

The rockets have mostly fallen on the outskirts of towns, causing no damage or injuries at this time. The Iron Dome missile defense system has also been successfully deployed.

Resource: Artuz Sheva  news@israelnationalnews.com  by Gil Ronen "Gaza Arabs: 1 killed, 20 hurt in overnight air raids."
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/10/world/middleeast/israeli-planes-attack-gaza-targets.html

Young Americans Make Aliyah and Join IDF

104 Young Americans have just made aliyah and will live on a kibbutz and then become soldiers in the IDF.  Young men and women make up the group.  They are most likely from Eastern USA.  These young people have been thinking of  this decision for some time.  They have to work on their Conversational Hebrew, though.  By making this decision, they have raised the spirits of Israelis. 

Reference: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/146837

Flotilla Delayed and Dwindling

Nadene Goldfoot
Our prayers haven't hurt that the flotilla would disappear and not bring havoc to Israel.  I for one will keep it up. 

The Flotilla 2 has had its problems.  Originally planned with1,500 people participating, it's now down to 350.  Ten ships are still trying to get their act together in Greece.  Two ships from France have already sailed towards Gaza but the rest hope to set out by next week.

First, there have been insurance problems.  That's not finished.  Greece has presented them with lots of red tape to deal with.  The combined Swedish/Greek ship, Juliano's propeller shaft was cut and the passengers are blaming Israel for that.  With ten ships coming, I doubt if it was that important to disable just one of them. 

That leads to the news from good sources that the passengers on one or more ships were planning to dump bags of sulphur on the young IDF soldiers when they boarded the ships.  That is a chemical and highly explosive if a match was struck.  It's beyond horror.  Passengers of course are now denying it. 

Ships in the flotilla are already in Greece and represent Ireland, the Audacity of Hope from the USA, Canada, Sweden, Greece, with two Swedish/ Greek cargo ships carrying 3,000 tons of unneeded supplies, Italy and France.  One of the spokesmen is Ewa Jasilwicz of Poland, so there may be others from countries not mentioned.  All countries involved have been apprised of the IDF plans and why.  The UN has already come out advising against the flotilla  in that it is against the law and needless.  The reasoning is obvious to all of us; the instigators and participants are eager to cause a provocation to Israel if not the death of the soldiers. 

If amongst that 3,000 tons of supplies or any package meant to go into Gaza our IDF finds one missile, rocket or mortar or even handgun, the passengers are going to be in mighty big trouble.  They'd better all hope and pray that none of them has tried to do such a thing.  Aiding and abetting an enemy is a serious charge. 

http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?ID=227011&R=R1

Gilad Shalit

We can't give up hoping for the best for Staff Sergeant Gilad Shalit, IDF soldier being held by Hamas terrorists for the past four years today. John McCain was held for five and a half years by the North Vietnamese and survived. When he returned to the states he became a senator and then even ran for President of the USA. Such a good outcome should only happen to Gilad.

Hamas still will not let Gilad see the International Red Cross or his family while in captivity. They're afraid a visit would give away the location where he is being kept. Gilad was only 19 when he was captured after being injured by the terrorists, who had killed two other soldiers in a surprise attack. He has never been allowed medical attention. It's interesting to note that Fatah (Abba's party who now resides in Judea and Samaria (West Bank) was in charge of Gaza at the time Gilad was taken as a POW.

Besides taking or killing soldiers, Hamas has arrested and kidnapped journalists. No one is safe with Hamas in this seat of power.

Reference: The Israel Project: http://www.theisraelproject.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=hsJPK0PIJpH&b=3587015&ct=8452565&notoc=1&tr=y&auid=6545042
Fox News: Glen Beck Program-bottom on tickertape 2:55pm PST.

Mosque Storehouse for Rockets in Gaza

Yesterday's Oregonian printed a letter to the editor from John Grosvenor who was irate because Israel had hit a mosque in Gaza. What people don't realize is that Israel found out that it was a storehouse for a large number of rockets and explosives to use against Israel.

The IDF certainly does not pinpoint mosques on purpose just for the sake of hitting them. The war is to wipe out the weaponry of the terrorist Hamas regime and bring an end to their constant 8 year bombardment on Israel. Hamas puts its guns, rockets, etc amid civilian areas, and evidently the civilians do very little to leave the sites. Again, they use this as ammunition against Israel. Israel is not indiscriminate in its attacks against their strongholds, but knows where weapons are kept.

Reference: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1230456538553&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Missiles and Mortars Reach Ashkelon Area

Ashkelon, Portland's Sister City Today
Ashkelon, Portland, Oregon's sister city, home to 120,000 Israelis, has also been hit with missiles and mortars from the Gazan terrorists during the past six months of "cease-fire" that never really ceased.

The IDF told the citizens there to stay out of the open as the terrorists are continuing their barrage on Israel. Rockets continued to land near Ashkelon thoughout the day, with a 15 second warning siren preceeding them. One lady that was spotted was totally in shock, hovering in a corner outside and refusing help.

Ashkelon contains Barzelai Hospital, a big one that serves both Israelis and Palestinians when they feel the need. It has had to move their most essential sections underground to be protected from the missile bombardment. Though the Gaza Strip contains nine hospitals, many near the border have crossed over to use Barzeli.

See my blog on Israel for updates: http://israel-nadene.blogspot.com

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081228/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_israel_palestinians_103