Showing posts with label Hatred. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hatred. Show all posts

November 12, 2023

Wrapped Up In Jewish Pride

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Wrapped Up in Jewish Pride."

While the greedy and corrupt Palestinian leadership gets rich pocketing the West's endless "humanitarian aid," they keep the Palestinian people impoverished and helpless on a system of generational aid and in the squalor of refugee camps. During the chaos and disruption of World War II, with close to a hundred million victims, displaced persons, and refugees, the entire world—including the Jewish people who had six million murdered—went on and managed to rebuild their lives and contribute something back to the world. Except for the lone Palestinians, who have stayed frozen in time and dependence. Further, as they reject peace and call for the destruction of Israel and the endless killing of innocents, they continue to breed not only their despondency but, worse, a bottomless hatred and murderous evil in their hearts and minds.

We all need to hope and pray that Israel is successful in fighting Hamas, Hezbollah, and Islamic Jihad because rest assured that they are waiting not just in marches and protests in our capitals and invasions across our borders but are ready to rampage and murder "the infidels" whenever and wherever they can. In the end, if you look aside in silence and acquiescence now, no one will end up safe in a radial Islamic world that puts its faith in and inculcates ongoing hate, intifada, and Jihad.

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

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December 23, 2016

Parting Shot By An Anti-Semite

So today, Obama took his hateful and corrupt parting shot at our friend and ally, Israel.

Colluding with the Palestinians on a nonsensical, UNjust resolution that the Jewish Temple Mount in Jerusalem is not Jewish and condemning Israel settlements in the West Bank--Judea and Samaria--that Israel duly won in the 1967 Six Day War for it's very survival and for which the Palestinians rejected in multiple proposed peace deals by Israel. 


How absolutely absurd that Obama and the United Nations with blood on their hands for the last 5 years, left more than half a million people to be slaughtered mercilessly in Syria, with millions more wounded, displaced, and as refugees, yet they saw to pick on Israel and condemn them one more time today.

For his eight years in Office, Obama has consistently shown himself an utter hater of the Holy Land and Jews, just over 70 years since the genocidal Holocaust.

From his first international speech in Egypt in 2009 to his refusal to say the words "radical Islam" and his blaming of Christians for the terror attacks against them.

He befriended Iran, who threatens annihilation of Israel and is the arch enemy of the United States----removing sanctions on Iran and releasing $150 billion that Iran is using for terror.

Obama oversaw the disrespectful and horrible name-calling of the Prime Minister of Israel as a chickensh*t.

Then again, Obama abruptly snubbed the Israel Prime Minister and left him to go have dinner and then made him leave the White House from the back door.

During the 2014 war with terrorist organization, Hamas, Obama withheld needed weapons from the State of Israel.

Even in signing a 10-year arms deal with Israel, Obama made sure to cap the giving by forcing Israel to sign that they would give back anything extra that the U.S. Congress may try to give them above and beyond that over the next decade.

Shamefully, Obama even oversaw the UN Human Rights Council ridiculously brand the free and democratic Israel as the worst human rights offender as Israel is the one besieged by surrounding nations and terror organizations directing barrages of missiles, terror tunnels, homicide bombings, shootings, knifings, and vehicular terror attacks against their civilian population centers.

His hatred for Israel even went so far as to threaten to shoot down Israeli jets that would possibly attack Iran's nukes targeting them as an existential threat.


While over the course of his administration, Obama was utterly weak and ineffective in front of mighty Russia and China (forgetting all red lines) and even prostrated himself before the likes of the belligerent mullahs of Iran and the warmongering dictator of North Korea, he continuously picked on and bullied tiny democratic Israel (the size of New Jersey).

Fortunately this unscrupulous, anti-Semitic regime will be gone in a few weeks and with it the sick Israel-hate that it brought to the esteemed White House and the global stage--and it's good, good riddance, for sure. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

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October 14, 2016

Jerusalem's Absolutely Jewish Temple Mount

So the Nazi's tried to make the world Judenrein--free of Jews--meaning dead, as in Holocaust and genocide!

The Babylonians tried. 

The Assyrians tried.

The Greeks tried.

The Romans tried.

The Persians tried. 

And more...

...but they all failed. 

Empires came and went with their anti-Semitism, hatred, racism, discrimination, and bigotry. 

Now the UNjust United Nations, heralded by demagogues, dictators, and human rights abusers from around the world come together against Israel.

The latest yesterday, by the corrupt UNESCO, which drafted yet another resolution against the Jewish State declaring that the Holy Temple Mount in Jerusalem where the Jews worship at the Western Wall of their twice destroyed temple (Beit HaMikdash) is not Jewish.

The First Temple: 
1 Kings 6: "In the 480th year after the Israelites came out of Egypt, in the 4th year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, the second month, he began to build the temple of the L-rd. 

The Second Temple:
Ezra 1-3: "In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia...the L-rd stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia...thus says Cyrus king of Persia...whoever among you of all his people, may his G-d be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the L-rd, the G-d of Israel--he is the G-d who is in Jerusalem."

The anti-Semitic UN and it's farcical subagencies like UNESCO can make earthly resolutions--false and worthless--all they want. 

But there is a heavenly G-d, and only He/She reigns supreme and whose resolution is truth and will endure. 

Jerusalem is the eternal capital of Israel and the Temple Mount is the holy site of the Jewish people, and if the UN has a problem with the word of G-d then they have a very BIG problem indeed. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal; The beautiful painting by Penina Flamm)
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August 12, 2016

Anti-Semitism From Obama To The World


This is what happens when President Obama sets a blatantly anti-semitic tone to his presidency by for example, snubbing at the White House the outreached hand of our ally and friend, Israel. 

Subsequently, at the Rio Olympics this week, Egypt (right) snubs Israel (left) in the very same way.

Racism and hatred is a contagious disease of the heart, mind, and soul. 

And this is especially the case, when racism and hatred emanate from the very top--the leader of the free world--the diametric opposite of true leadership by example and with integrity. 

In this case, President Obama has numerous times displayed his outrageous anti-Semitic leanings making the Prime Minister of Israel exit out the back door of the White House, refusing to host him for dinner, to meet with him, or even shake his hand, and condones his administration calling him disgusting vile names.

Nations and people can disagree and they can still be the best of friends and allies, but Obama has chosen to display his very tangible anti-Semitism throughout his administration, and then culminated it with his dangerous nuclear deal and love affair with the Iranian regime, the #1 state sponsor of terrorism and human rights abuses worldwide. 

Racism and hatred begets more racism and hatred in the world. It is an unleashing of evil between different peoples, instead of a bonding and brotherhood of all people. 

Just look at the unfortunate effects in terms of racial divisiveness, global terrorism, civil war and coups, resurgent Russian and Chinese militaries, and the horrific impacts of violence, destruction, and refugees around the world today. 

When the esteemed President declares it's okay to hate--less than 70 years after the genocidal Holocaust that murdered 6 million Jews--then unfortunately it's open season once again. 

From The White House to the Olympics...President Obama has set a shameful, hate-filled anti-Semitic tone for his 8-year presidency.

Let us hope and pray that the next President is one that is not only a genuine solid leader, but also a good, decent, and loving human being. ;-)

(Source Photos: Here with attribution to Al-Monitor and The Israel Project via Facebook)

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January 29, 2016

Responding To Foolish Holocaust Denial

So I just watched a video where the radical Muslim speaker tries to explain how it is not the Earth that rotates around the Sun, but rather how really the Earth is fixed in space, and it is the Sun which rotates around it. 

His logic and proofs include things like the following:

- If the Earth was really moving, and you tried to fly to China, the plane shouldn't have to move, since China would just come to the plane. 

- Also, if the Earth was moving in the same direction as the plane, and you were flying to China, then you would never get there, because you'd just be chasing a moving China. 

This is how people's inner darkness, ignorance, and evil can attempt to extinguish the light. 

Similarly, this past week, the "leader" of Iran took the opportunity on International Holocaust Remembrance Day (Jan. 27)--of all days --to once again express his vile denial of the Holocaust.

Khamenei declaring: "It's not clear if the Holocaust is a reality or not."

And calling for the "dear people of Iran" to "stand up to the ignorance" of the West.

Wow, who is calling whom ignorant and trying to brainwash the good people of Iran. 

It's funny, but there are so many nice people from Iran that I've had the opportunity to meet and befriend, and one of them is an elderly man who is a swimming buddy of mine-- and he is such a nice person--I really enjoy talking with him (despite some of our differences of opinion). 

The point is that when the leadership is corrupt, evil, and insecure, then they try to extinguish the good in the masses of the people, so that the people stay in the dark, blinded by scare tactics, scapegoats, and hatred--this is how they stay in power

When it comes to Holocaust denial though, I think this is definitely going way too far, and I imagine the souls of the Six Million righteous who perished in the Holocaust--under the worst genocide the world has ever known--that they are watching and they are listening. 

And Khamenei and his cohorts of evil doers will most certainly have to contend with all these very real martyred righteous souls. 

So in their warped ignorance, foolishness, and hatred--where the sun rotates around the earth and with utter darkness they attempt to extinguish the light of the good people--I imagine with the strongest and most vivid of images and sounds that certainly Heaven does not await them...but a very fiery Hell of their own making indeed. 

(Source Photo: here with attribution to slgckgc)
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October 28, 2015

Indians and Palestinians

September 4, 1886, Geronimo, the last American Indian warrior surrenders to the United States and later after some time in prison, Geronimo converts and becomes a successful farmer. 

November 29, 1947, the United Nations General Assembly votes 33-13 in favor of a partition from what was land prior under the control of Britain leading to the establishment of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948 at which time the surrounding Arab nations attacked and were defeated, and this replayed many times in 1956, 1967, 1973, 1982 and subsequent Intifadas.

Recently, I had a conversation with a lady who is a Lacota Indian and who happens to be a proud supporter of the State of Israel.

This is what she told me: 

"The Indians and Palestinians have a lot in common in that we both have to share land."

But, what is different is that we [American Indians] don't act like some [extremist] Palestinians teaching endless cycles of hatred and violence.

We don't go around knifing people, throwing stones, shooting, or blowing people up."

I had understood many people think this, but I had never heard anyone actually come out and say it--let alone a Native American Indian. 

Even now-a-days, I think we must admit that American Indians live in a challenging state in this country and certainly they deserve more and their standard of living should be vastly improved, but at the same time, they manage to live with all the immigrants that came to the United States from all over the world, and they do this in peace.  

Perhaps, in Israel, where there is tacit agreement towards an even better scenario--a two-state solution--with the real potential of peace, prosperity, and security for both Jews and Palestinians--the cycle of hatred and violence can end and should end. ;-)

(Source Photo: here with attribution to Maryland GovPics) 

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October 18, 2015

The United Nations -- As Silent As It Is Anti-Semitic


Another truly lovely (not) rally of hatred and violence by our "peace partners" in the Middle East. 

Check out the size of this guys' butcher knives for killing Jews with. 


Where is the United Nations? 


According to the UN Charter, the #1 purpose for its existence is: "To maintain international peace and security." 


But of the 193 member countries in the United Nations--more than a quarter of them--50 are majority-Muslim nations, comprising 1.6 billion people! 


But there is only 1 Jewish Country, Israel, the size of New Jersey


Knowing the historical anti-Semitism of the UN, it's probably about time for another anti-Israel resolution


Incredibly, there were 20 of these just last year alone (versus 3 on the rest of the world)!


Yet, the United Nations is consistently deadly silent in the daily face of:


- Knifings, 

- Shootings, 
- Bombings, 
- Abductions, 
- Terrorizing, 
- Destruction of Jewish holy sites and places of worship, and 
- Threats of annihilation to Jews. 

Only 70 years since the Holocaust wiped 6 million Jews--a sick and evil genocide of a full third of the world's Jewish population--blind hatred, discrimination, and violence against Jews is okay by UN standards. 


What a wholesome failure and disgrace on the United Nations--a body that is supposed to represent peace, security, and justice.


Where is the peace, security, and justice from the UN for the small, minority Jewish people, numbering just 14 million men, women, and children?


The United Nations--as silent as it is Anti-Semitic. ;-)

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October 11, 2015

Imagining The Unimaginable

So today, I am imagining the unimaginable, and thinking the unthinkable. 

What if extremists in Iran stopped hating Israel and the United States, and instead liked or even loved us?

Not because of the recent agreement on nukes and lifting of sanctions, but actually in spite of it--because as the Ayatollah has said, he prohibits any further negotiations and often refers to the U.S. as it's enemy (the only thing missing is the usual Iranian chants of "Death to America!").

But today, I saw the Iranian family again the I referred to in a Sept. 27 blog post, where the father had a stroke and the son comes on the weekends from Texas to help his father with physical and occupational therapy to recuperate. 

Well today, I saw the daughter too, and both she and the son where in the pool trying to help the father in every way to move and walk again. They swarmed around him in such loving-kindness, I couldn't believe the amazing display of love and devotion to any parent or disabled person. They were all there for him!

And my heart opened up, and I couldn't help thinking what if the Iranian leadership could be moderated by average normal people who just want to care for their families, earn a living, and worship and live in freedom? 

What if the Iranian leadership could learn to forgive and love again those who they have hated for so long and so much--the USA and Israel?

If the U.S. can forgive Iran for the hostage crisis that took 52 American diplomats and citizens hostage for 444 long days and the bombing of the Beirut barracks that killed 241 marines, and Israel can forgive the endless Hezbollah terror attacks, the bombing of the Argentinian Jewish Center that killed 29 and wounded 250, the Holocaust denial, and threats of maniacal genocide...then surely, Iran can forgive the U.S.'s role in the 1953 coup that brought the Shah to power and can forgive Israel for merely existing!

As a son of Holocaust survivors, I am a die-hard for the defense and security of the Jewish people, so maybe today I am just being naive, foolish, or letting my imagination run wild. 

But I feel that Hashem is putting the words on the screen through my fingertips...what if Esau can stop hating Jacob? What if Iran can stop hating the USA and Israel and there can be peace and not war?

This is a fantasy, but perhaps it can become a reality.

Instead of the cycle of hate, the sponsorship of terror, the secret building of nukes, and aggression escalating until ultimately major devastating military strikes...instead imagine abandoning the old hateful and belligerent ways...imagine forgiveness for the past transgressions and affronts...imagine peace!

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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September 27, 2015

Evil Cannot Be In Charge

So I am having to reconcile some interesting things in my mind. 

Hating and liking. 

For example Iran, led by dictators and extremists, is perhaps the epitome of the "Axis of Evil" and the arch enemy of America and Israel

Iran suppresses the freedom and human rights of its people, is the leading sponsor of world terrorism, denies the Holocaust, and threatens brutal attacks on America and to annihilate Israel. 

Yet, on a personal level I have had the opportunity to meet a number of Iranians that I really like and respect.

These include amazing colleagues at work, and wonderful members of my synagogue as well as neighbors. 

One Iranian family I met just this morning was simply amazing.

The father had a horrible stroke earlier in the year. 

Today, I saw the father wheeled to the swimming pool by his son. 

The son took his father lovingly into the water and worked with him therapeutically to help him on regaining as much mobility as possible. 

I stopped to speak with them, and the man's wife told me that the son, who was a PhD in mechanical engineering from Texas came every week to Washington, D.C. to work with his stricken father. 

The son told me that although he was not a therapist worked hard with his father on physical and occupational therapy, and I even saw his father laugh a little with his son in the water. 

The son held the father by a safety belt and his father put his hand on his son's shoulder as they walked forward and backwards in the water, and even did a little swim while his son held the belt tight. 

I was really impressed by this family and especially the love, caring, and devotion the son showed his father. 

Despite their troubles, the wife asked me how I was recuperating and smiled when I told her I was doing better. 

It's amazing to me how hate truly is blind. 

On one hand, what Iran stands for today led by extremists who seek religious domination, suppression and destruction of others, and a return of the Caliphate is a danger to its people and the world.

On the other hand, many of the people from the streets of Iran are surely some very good people.

We need to see the bad apples and separate them from the good ones. 

As a country, we need to support the freedom of the Iranian people and help those that believe in peace and fellowship. 

When evil is in a leadership position, then good does not follow, but rather is smothered until it is set free. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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January 28, 2015

Noticeably Absent From Auschwitz Liberation Memorial

So yesterday was the 70th anniversary memorial of the liberation of the Auschwitz Death Camp,

More than 1.1 million Jews and 100,000 other POWs and ethnic minorities were EXTERMINATED there.

There was forced labor, beatings, torture, starvation, the gas chambers and crematoria, the electrified barbed wire and attacks dogs, the human experimentation, and every cruelty known to mankind. 

At yesterdays memorial at Auschwitz 50 countries sent delegations "with heads of state leading those from:" 

- Germany
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Lithuania
- France
- Netherlands
- Poland 
- Switzerland
- Ukraine (even though they are currently fighting a war with Russia!)

And even Russian President Putin "marks day at the Jewish Museum in Moscow."

It is quite mysterious, why like with the recent Unity Rally in France after the terror attacks there on Charlie Hebdo Magazine and a Jewish grocery store that left 17 dead, that the head of state for the United States was once again noticeably absent.

This time, a meeting in Saudi Arabia took precendence--why of course.

At least, the million plus murdered at Auschwitz got a (prepared) statement to mark their tragic deaths.

What does all this say about our commitment to human rights and fighting blind hatred, discrimination, racism, Islamist terorrism, and outright genocide?  

(Source Photo: here with attribution to Ricardo Francesconi)
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January 23, 2015

Denouncing Anti-Semitism



Heroic remarks from NYC Councilman Greenfield after pro-Palestinian activists protested the commemoration of 1.1 million people murdered in Auschwitz concentration camp in the Holocaust. 

Calling a spade-a-spade...anti-semitism is once again alive and well due to acceptance and even promotion of anti-Semitism/Zionism, and unfortunately, it some cases, it seems like it's coming from the top-down!

The words and actions are fanning anti-Semitic terror attacks around the globe and even setting the stage for a regional war in the Middle East. 

What a shame that we need to remind some of the First Amendment of the Constitution that guarantees freedom of religion, whatever your practices. 

Protestant pastor, Martin Niemoller, famously said:

"First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out 
because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for the Communists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist

Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me."

I believe, I know, that there are many true decent human beings and real leaders out there that will speak out against the very ugly head of blind hatred and bigotry in this world. 

May G-d show mercy on all his creatures and instill love, tolerance, and genuine respect for all races, colors, and religions. 
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January 13, 2015

Absence, A Big Statement

We all know from psychology 101 that what we pay attention to and give to is what is really important to us. 

Parenting is an example of this where we give our time and efforts to our children as our most important investment of self. 

This last week was the historical Paris Unity Rally attended by millions, including 40 world leaders, to denounce blind discrimination and hate and the associated terror and murder that marked the terrorist attacks in Paris.

The Paris attacks were a striking blow on free speech and resulted in the murder of many innocent citizens and law enforcement at Charlie Hebdo magazine and numerous Jews in a kosher grocery store--it was more than shocking to see our top leadership missing in action (MIA).

In the Wall Street Journal today, there are many words on this from "error" to "lost opportunity."

Yet, despite acknowledging the blatant absence, what we are left with are an unfortunate series of excuses, such as the incredible statement that "No one in the White House brought such a request to the the President's attention."

As if someone needs to tell the leader of the free world that he needs to be participate in the Paris Unity Rally. Did the millions who attended or the other 40 world leaders need a reminder or a nudge?

Or here's another one about not being able to attend because of "security concerns."

Once again, did the heads of state for France, Germany, England, and Israel not have similar concerns that their protectors were able to adequately address. 

What about the  apology that he "regrets his decision not to send a top White House official"--uh, what about going himself?

I remember immediately after the attack of 9/11, President George W. Bush, with bullhorn in hand, standing on the rubble of what was once the World Trade Center...there was no excuses as to a need for reminders from staffers, security or health concerns, or sending surrogates--the leader was there and doing his job to lead, period.  

How can we fight a war on terrorism, fanaticism, and blind hatred, when we won't give it our time and attention--from the top down. 

As with a parent who is absent with his children, it speaks a thousand words about what is really important to that parent and the impact on the (symbolic) child.

"A cat's in the cradle with a silver spoon little boy blue and the man in the moon when your coming home dad I don't know when, but we'll get together then dad, you know we'll have a good time then."

In the past, the administration has been incredibly supportive in fighting terror, anti-semitism, and standing up for human rights, and with genuine commitment of time and effort, can do so again. 

(Source Photo: here with attribution to Doug)

(All opinions my own).

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November 29, 2014

Soften The Hearts

This last year has shown some difficult negotiations between the P5+1 and Iran.

It seems as if the P5+1 have been doing everything possible to get Iran to stop pursuing dangerous WMD, but that the response is just forever, "No."

So the deadline for a deal was extended once again. 

Many are saying no deal is better than a bad deal--and that certainly makes sense. 

The key is for national and global security to take precedence over any deal for deal's sake.

Everyone desperately wants peace, but it should be a real and lasting and verifiable peace.

Most people are good and want peace, but there are always those extremists who have an irrational hatred and seek nothing but power and destruction, and they says things like they want to "annihilate Israel" or seek to build ICBMs that can reach Europe and America. 

Oh L-rd, please soften the hearts in Iran to agree to a real and lasting peace that safeguards us, and that brings prosperity and betterment to the world. 

Maybe this next extension will be the charm--let's hope and pray.

Note: The characters in the cartoon are fictional and do not intend any disrespect to anyone--simply the hope for a softening of hearts and minds of Iran's leaders, and with that the attainment of a real and verifiable peace with this next round of negotiations. 

All opinions my own.

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July 24, 2014

Israel's Near Pearl Harbor

I wanted to share the analysis below of the recent threat to Israel from Matti Follman. 

While perhaps not a true existential threat to the country, the death and destruction that Hamas could've inflicted via the terror tunnels and missiles at their own time and choosing could have been a Pearl Harbor or 9/11 event (or worse) for the State of Israel. 

Rather, than the United Nations Human Rights Council members and others decrying Israel's self-defense while protecting civilians (in spite of Hamas blatantly using them as human shields), they should be applauding Israel's true morality! 

But anti-semites and hate mongers, don't savor Israel's safety, security, or continuity as a Jewish and democratic state, they just seek an excuse, like Hitler, to attack whether by tunnels, missiles, boycotts, or resolutions to discriminate and obliterate those that they perceive as historically inconvenient and whom they simply want dead.

________________________________

Provided by Matti Follman

Analysis of the Situation: The State of Israel was facing an existential threat for the first time since the War of Independence. By their deaths, the three youths saved the State of Israel.

The dozens of tunnels that had been dug from Gaza to the southern cities of Israel were not tunnels for the purpose of terrorism – they were the infrastructure for the occupation of the Land of Israel. If we had not surprised ourselves with the severe response to the kidnap and murder of these boys (of blessed memory), Hamas, at a time that would suit them, would have sent thousands of soldiers through the tunnels to occupy cities and military posts; thousands of soldiers wearing the uniform of IDF soldiers, to kill, to conquer and to kidnap, and the IDF would have had no time to organize, and protect the nation. At the same time, Hamas would have fired off barrages of hundreds and thousands of missiles at the center of the country, paralyzing Israel’s organizational ability to defend itself against invasion. What were they waiting for? Maybe a rainy day? Or, most likely, the recovery of Hezbollah, in order to coordinate an integrated attack of missiles from the north. . . and possibly tunnels dug towards the northern cities too. . .

In Israel, in such a situation, there could be tens of thousands of deaths, the complete breakdown of national systems, and the need to build protection at the neighborhood and street levels. This, on the presumption  that the Arabs of Judea & Samaria, and some Israeli Arabs, would not join in the fray. Of course, IAF counter-attacks would be futile when the enemy was well entrenched underground and laughing all the way to Jerusalem! The best case scenario - international forces would come in to disarm the country, take our nuclear capabilities, and the dream of the Jewish State would crumble for another thousand years.

We were saved thanks to two things they did not believe would happen, because we also did not believe it: we did not believe that the abduction of the three boys would unite the nation in such a way that it would lead to massive air assault, the return of political prisoners to jail, and preparation for a ground offensive into the wasps’ nest they had built. And we had not believed that the Iron Dome would work. In other words - all of us, those to the right and those to the left, had disdained the Islamic-psychopathic rhetoric calling for the conquest of Jerusalem, had ignored the determination of the psychopaths in Iraq and Syria, and did not want to comprehend that they had built a smart, strong and - in fact - quite an excellent military system with almost no flaws, which was capable of crushing the State of Israel. We had all seen how ten fighting men had exited a tunnel in just a few minutes. What would have prevented two hundred soldiers from exiting a tunnel on any given day, and many thousands altogether from all of the tunnels - including hundreds of commandos landing on the beaches at the same time, and missiles landing in the heart of the country? The truth is that if, now, there were not tens of thousands of Israeli troops in the south, nothing could have prevented the next step in realizing the Islamic dream - the destruction of the Zionist nation, and marching into Jerusalem.

Eyal, Naftali and Gilad - by dying, they saved our country, our freedom and our lives.

Danny Gold - who developed the Iron Dome – may you live a long and healthy life.

And to all of the soldiers – we love you and embrace you. Muster courage and be brave! All the Jewish people, the whole world - and most of all, many of the Arab countries and the sane Muslims - are praying for the craziness to be overcome. Yes, even Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen). Thanks to those poor boys, we caught them with their pants down, when the timing and the conditions don’t suit them. Our State has survived and now is the time to settle accounts with the murderers, to the very last man.

And a word to citizens on the home front – when you hear the sirens, go into the shelter or your safe room and smile! When you hear the "boom" – laugh!  These noises are the screams of frustration of the psychopaths in Gaza, whose ingenious plan to crush Israel was prematurely exposed. All of the damage that we are suffering now is nothing compared to what they had been planning.

(Source Photo: here with attribution to the IDF)
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July 23, 2014

UN Inhuman Rights

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights calls for investigation of Israel for possible violations.

Hmmm, how does that make sense?

Israel abides by every ceasefire, sets up medical facilities for Gazans, provides advance warning of fighting to get innocents out of the way, and makes every attempt to withhold fire when civilians are at risk. 

This while Hamas and Islamic Jihad use babies as human shields and indiscriminately target vast population centers and critical infrastructure in Israel.

Incredibly, the UN Relief and Works Agency facilities in Gaza (e.g. schools) were being used to hide missiles for use against Israel and upon discovery, the UNRWA returned these to terrorists to continue to harm civilians. 

Unfortunately, in these cases, the UN is not protecting human rights, but rather is enabling the "rights" of dangerous terrorists to act grossly inhuman and immoral.  

Where politics trumps right and wrong...evil is permitted to flourish and good is diminished in the world.

Only 13 years since the 9/11 attack by Islamic terrorists that killed almost 3,000 innocent civilians here...is the world again getting amnesia on the very dangerous threat it faces?

(Source Photo: here from The Yeshiva World)
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July 20, 2014

G-d Changes Path Of Rockets

From the Jewish Telegraph.

I have to say this one terrorist was pretty smart. 

Despite his blind hatred of Jews and desire to obliterate Israel, at least he knows why the Hamas and Islamic Jihad rockets are not hitting their targets.

"Their G-d changes the path of our rockets in mid-air."

Yes, technology may help intercept missiles heading for the populated cities.

But the chief engineer is none other than G-d almighty, the ultimate protector of the Children of Israel. 

Next up after Iron Dome is Iron Beam (by the same G-d inventor).

(Thank you Betty Monoker for sharing this with me.)
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July 12, 2014

From Hatred To Peace


Someone sent me this video by Dennis Prager on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and I wanted to share it.

An easy conflict to explain, a difficult one to solve: "One side wants the other dead!"

How do you get a people not to hate another?

"There are 22 Arab states stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Indian Ocean, but only 1 Jewish state the size of New Jersey..."

"Why can't the one Jewish state be allowed to exist?"

After generations of hatred and hostility--taught and practiced--truly a miracle is needed where we can live and let live. 

May G-d bring peace and security in our time, and may "nation not lift up sword against nation, and neither shall they learn war anymore." (Isaiah 2:4)
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April 6, 2014

Not Bias, Just Plain Old Hatred

I read a book review in the Wall Street Journal on Profiles in Denial by William Storr about David Irving the notorious Holocaust denier. 

He is a "'revisionist' of all things World War II," but apparently is particularly keen on Holocaust denial, as someone who according to Wikipedia is an "anti-semite, and racist who...promotes neo-Nazism."


The Holocaust denial goes deep for Irving and even upon visiting Majdanek concentration camp, he tells his group "This is a mock-up of a gas chamber. Those cylinders are carbon dioxide not carbon monoxide...There are handles on the inside of these doors," so the prisoners could let themselves out. 


Actually, the door was locked with huge bolts right on the outside and was sealed airtight, but to Irving it's as if these didn't exist. 


The book discusses how cognitive biases such as confirmation biases help people "find confirming evidence for our beliefs, ignoring or rationalizing away all discriminating evidence."


But I think this is really beyond the point with someone like Irving, who according to The Guardian is a discredited British historian and Nazi apologist" and was actually jailed for a "three-year prison sentence in Vienna for denying the Holocaust and the gas chambers of Auschwitz."


The State Prosecutor said of Irving "He's not a historian, he's a falsifier of history...this is about abuse of freedom of speech."


Judge Peter Liebtreau called Irving "a racist, an anti-semite, and a liar."


So this is no simple bias or mind game for Irving, but apparently a convenient way for him to pursue his hatreds under the guise that everything was and is really okay. 


So rather than "Never forget," is is far more beneficial for those that would wish it to happen again that they lull people to believe that it never even was to begin with. 


Interesting that another famous Holocaust denier is no less than Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who claimed the Holocaust, in which six million Jews were murdered, was a "myth" (Washington Post). 


By the way, Ahmadinejad also said "9/11 was an inside job."


People like Irving and Ahmadinejad are not about confirmation bias, but rather about distortion of truth to further their own evil destructive aims.


In the case of Ahmadinejad, it's that he wishes to see Israel be "wiped off the map" (New York Times).


And in the case of Irving, he has said, "there will...probably be another holocaust in the next thirty years...oh, and if the Jews are lucky, there will be a David Irving or Adolf Hitler [may their names be obliterated] to protect them" (The Independent).


Oh, G-d forbid! 


(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

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January 12, 2014

On Friends and Enemies

Over the weekend, I read/heard two great quotes about the nature of friends and enemies:

1) The first was from Peggy Noonan in the Wall Street Journal where she reminds us of a political rule that "Friends come and go, but enemies accumulate."  Really this applies in all of life, a few real friends may last over an entire lifetime, but most others are transient, such as in school, at work, or in a community, but when you leave that place or circumstance, the friendships often do not persist. However, enemies seem to last forever, where people never forget when they feel they've been wronged and these people may actually seek each other out and even join forces to get their contemplated revenge. The fight is not always fair or just, but people's feelings when they think they've been wronged, hang in the air, like the stench of decaying carcasses. Something to beware of. 

2) The second was from a martial arts movie called Ninja 2 where one of the characters says to a martial arts expert, whose wife was brutally murdered, "The man who seeks revenge should dig two graves." Upon which, the martial artist wittingly responds, "They'll need to dig a lot more than that," and in the movie, the Ninja exacted his revenge on the drug lord and his gang for the murder they committed. 

My impressions are that we should try to be good people and have a broad positive influence in the world. With some people, we will find true friendship--and very often, there is an almost unexplainable chemistry to this, where it just clicks--and it's as if we've known this person not only in this lifetime, but in prior lifetimes as well. In other cases, the friendships are more temporal based on shared circumstance, camaraderie, or even an alliance or sorts, and these really are not sustained when one or both parties move on. And that's okay, not every friendship is deep and forever. 

In terms of enemies, you know it when you have it. Again, chemistry may play a role or one person may have indeed wronged the other. Sometimes, people can learn from making a mistake, they can apologize, commit to do better in the future, and there can be forgiveness. In other circumstances, the blood between people is bad and won't get better, because there is scarcity, misunderstanding, bias, or even blind hatred. In these cases, it often seems as if no amount of communication, negotiation, or bending over backwards will resolve it. You can try--it's always worth a try--but be prepared to circle the wagons and defend yourself, if all else fails. 

Finally, a wrongful act can be so brutal and egregious that at times it seems that only a "joust to the death" will do, but revenge in the end, does not bring anybody back or undue the harm done. Yes, when justice is done, the world seems somehow righted and the fallen can be released from their painful throes and go on in peace, and maybe the evil aggressor will be prevented from hurting others in the future. In the end, the smell of peace is the sweetest of all, when we can live and let live. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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November 22, 2012

In The Back Of The Bus

I love seeing the sign on the bus commemorating the heroism of Rosa Parks for civil rights.

However, on this Thanksgiving, I was reminded that all is still not well when it comes to bigotry and racism in this country.

I rode the S bus this evening--the one that goes up and down Collins Avenue in Miami Beach.

The beautiful architecture of the luxury condominiums and hotels, and the palm trees, beach and waterways, along with a good smattering of fancy automobiles and yachts, makes for some impressive scenery.

But this is in stark contrast to most of the people on the bus, who come from a much poorer lifestyle. 

This afternoon, the bus was very crowded and my daughter and I found ourselves in the back of the bus.

And the vibes were not very good at all!

First, there was a young lady dressed somewhat scantilly, and there was a guy riding in the back row who just kept looking her up and down--again and again. I imagined how uncomfortable and scared she must feel. But within a few minutes, I was glad when I saw her get off the bus, safely. 

Now, I guess it was our turn, unfortunately. And beside the man who had been ogling the woman is a another guy. This guy has wild hair and his eyes are intensely dark, and he is staring at me.

First, when I noticed him doing it, I did the usual quick look back, which shows the person you are noticing them staring at you, and then they stop, right? That's what usually happens, but not this time.

This guy stares straight at me with piercing angry eyes--and he won't stop.

I look over at my daughter to make sure she is okay, but she is aware that something is wrong and that there is danger nearby, sitting just a few feet away.

I look up front to see if we can move away--but the bus is still crowded and we are sort of hemmed in. 

The guy continues to stare straight in my face, and there is no avoiding it any longer. 

I say, "Are you looking at me?"

He continues to stare, doesn't say a word, and he looks up at my Jewish head covering, my Yarmulka. Then he lifts his hand--he points first at his eyes and then straight at me.

I get my daughter up and we squeeze our way forward toward the front of the bus. Thank G-d, this guy didn't pursue.

We lost our seat, but by the way this guy looked menacingly at us, I think we could've lost a lot more. 

This was quite a frightening situation, and it made me think that while the Rosa Parks sign on the bus has a permanent place there, unfortunately, there are still lots of people who hold onto blind hatred and refuse to let it go. 

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

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