In case you didn't hear - Israel attacked by hundreds of missiles from Gaza

Knowing what the MSM is like, and having had a quick peek just to be sure and finding my suspicions confirmed (from almost nothing to zilch in the media) I thought you might like to know that since this afternoon over 200 rockets and missiles have been launched by Hamas against southern Israel.

It started with an apparent IDF intel-gathering operation in Gaza which went wrong and was discovered. An IDF special forces officer was killed, and in the ensuing firefight the IDF managed to kill 7 Hamas terrorists including, luckily, one of their commanders, Nur Barakeh, who was a biggie in their tunnel building operations.

Hamas retaliated with some rocket fire and the IDF reacted to that, the usual tit-for-tat, and that was it. We thought.

Suddenly, at around 4 pm this afternoon (around 5 hours ago) with no warning and no provocation, Hamas and its allies suddenly opened fire on Israel with a massive barrage of rockets and missiles into the south of Israel. Within the space of one hour over 100 missiles were fired! Since the beginning of the barrage at around 4 p.m., over 200 missiles and rockets have been fired into Israel causing serious damage.

In the first hour over 100 rockets were fired into Israel. More than another 100 - who can count any more? - have been shot causing direct hits to houses in Ashkelon and Netivot.

The Red Alert app on my phone has been lit up like a fairground for hours. The rockets are still incoming as I type. I myself am safe in the center of the country, but my compatriots are not and I am furious!

I’m in #Sderot where residents tell me that the college town was hit by at least 5 rockets. One struck a warehouse belonging to a bakery, destroying it completely pic.twitter.com/qGWpaOS2rJ

— Anna Ahronheim (@AAhronheim) November 12, 2018

There was also a direct hit by a Kornet anti-tank missile on a bus which minutes earlier was carrying 50 soldiers, seriously injuring one of the soldiers; and generally there has been tons of other property damage across the south with several Israeli citizens injured.

#Israeli Arab/Muslim bus driver is brought into trauma center after his bus received a direct hit from anti-tank missile from Gaza. He says "God loves the #Jews, minutes before before my bus was hit 50 Israeli soldiers de-boarded, they all would have died, its a miracle". pic.twitter.com/7aPjK4ALXP

— David Ha'ivri 🇮🇱 دفيذ هعيفري (@haivri) November 12, 2018

RAW FOOTAGE: The skies of southern Israel RIGHT NOW. Dozens of rockets are being fired from #Gaza at Israeli civilians. pic.twitter.com/Iu6QwzUo8l

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDFSpokesperson) November 12, 2018

This seems to be the most apt response so far:

A reminder before usual rote "reporting" on inevitable results of #Israel defending itself: #Hamas spent past 8 months burning thousands of dunams, launching IED's designed to attract & kill kids and launching rockets at civilians in Israel. NO other country would tolerate this.

— David Abramovitz (@sliv_the_eli) November 12, 2018

We are fed up with our government who seems to be trying to manage the situation rather than solving it once and for all.  The residents of the south have no life, and have had no life for over 6 months while incendiary kites and balloons have been launched from Gaza across the border, burning thousands of acres of farmland and nature reserves, killing wildlife and plants. But not a squeak from the international community.

You'll only hear the squeaks and squawks when "Israel hits back first".

How Do I Love Bibi? Let Me Count The Ways

Bravo Bibi, Bravo

"The UN, begun as a moral force, has become a moral farce."

The Golan Heights

This is the only video I took in Israel, except for a time lapse outside of our hotel window in Tel Aviv.

If I know an area I like to take shots that will be tomorrow's "then" to some future date's "now." but I can't really do that if I am in a strange location. My other option is to somehow tell a story with the video. I would have missed most of the tour if I tried to do that with the video camera. Sometimes it is easy to do with a still camera, as I did on our trip. I took several hundred still photos (thank goodness for digital cameras or I would have put my retirement off to age 119 just to pay for the processing).

This video is of a former Syrian emplacement in the Golan Heights. It is now part of Israel.

The Dangerous and Outrageous Iran "Deal"

Tom Cotton speaks:

“I think this is madness… I believe the American people will repudiate this agreement as they learn more about it and Congress will therefore kill the deal. This is not any old vote. This is not like a vote on taxes or the debt ceiling where it’s debated for one election and then it’s behind you. Any Congressman or Senator, Democrat or Republican, who votes for this deal is putting his or her political fate in the hands of Ayatollahs for the rest of time."

The video:

Sense from Down Under

Yom Hashoah 2013 - Israel's Holocaust Memorial Day

Yom Hashoah 5773 - 2013

Yom Hashoah, Israel's Holocaust Memorial Day, began this evening with the annual ceremony at Yad Vashem. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu spoke of Israel's need not forfeit its security to other nations:

Netanyahu stated that anti-Semitic hatred "has not disappeared, it has been switched with murderous hatred against the state of the Jews. What has changed is our ability to defend ourselves."

The prime minister stated that while Israel appreciated the efforts of the world to thwart Iran's nuclear ambitions, Israel "cannot forfeit our security to other nations...not even to our closest allies."

PM Binyamin Netanyahu speaks at the Yom Hashoah ceremony at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem

President Shimon Peres reminded us and the world that anti-Semitism still exists and is still a threat to the Jewish people and all humanity:

The map of Europe still contains local stains of anti-Semitism. Racism erupted on that land in the last century and dragged it down to its lowest point. Ultimately the murder which came from her, damaged her.

To our shame, there remain some who learned nothing. Young skinheads. False scientists dressed in false suits. Yes! There remain those who forget the Holocaust, those who deny it.

Not all the flames have been extinguished. Crises are once again exploited to form Nazi parties, ridiculous but dangerous. Sickening anti-Semitic cartoons are published allegedly in the name of press freedom.

[...]

The civilized world must ask itself how in such a short space of time after the crematoria were extinguished, after the terrible death toll that the allied powers endured to put an end to the Nazi devil, it is still possible for the leadership, like that of Iran, to openly deny the Holocaust and threaten another Holocaust.

Peres' words are reinforced by the news that there has been a 30% increase in anti-Semitic incidents worldwide in 2012. Most shockingly, and counter-intuitively, anti-Semitic incidents lead to more anti-Semitism, not less:

Israel Bombs Damascus

The AP is reporting that Israeli jets have attacked a military complex in the capital city of Syria.

BEIRUT (AP) — Israel conducted a rare airstrike on a military target inside Syria, foreign officials and Syrian state TV said Wednesday, amid fears President Bashar Assad's regime is providing weapons to the Islamic militant group Hezbollah.
A statement from the Syrian military read aloud on state TV confirmed the strike, saying the jets bombed a military research center in the area of Jamraya, northwest of the capital, Damascus.

H/T: Weasel Zippers

Bibi

29 year old "Ben Nitay" in 1978. Just as smart, erudite and handsome then as now.

Go Bibi!



PS Ben Nitay is the Anglicized version of Benjamin Netanyahu.

Annie! You're Famous!

The good professor has Anne's Opinions on his front page! Three cheers! From Legal Insurrection:

With Israel on the cusp of a major conflict in Gaza and maybe beyond, pay a visit to and say a prayer for our blog friends in Israel, who are updating the events:

Israel Matzav — also known as Carl in Jerusalem.
Anne’s Opinions — also known as Anne in Petah Tikva.
IsraellyCool — also known as Aussie Dave.
The Muqata — also known as Jameel, “Wherever I may be, my blog turns toward Eretz Yisrael ”
An Israeli Soldier’s Mother –  Also known as Paula.

The Israel Defense Forces have taken to Twitter (@IDFSpokesman) to frame the narrative before the anti-Israeli international media can do so, and it’s driving them crazy.

Israel launches Operation Pillar of Cloud against Gaza

After weeks of escalating missiles and rocket fire against Israel's southern communities, the IDF launched Operation Pillar of Cloud (aka Pillar of Defense) against Gaza. It started with the targeted assassination of Hamas's "Chief of Staff" Ahmed Jaabari.

The operation follows four days of escalated rocket attacks from Gaza during which over 150 projectiles were fired at civilian communities in southern Israel. Israeli leaders have made clear in recent days that the country would not tolerate the continued attacks.
The operation began with the assassination of Hamas terror mastermind Ahmed al-Jabari earlier today. A statement from the Shin Bet about the strike said, “Jabari was responsible for financing and directing military operations and attacks against Israel. His elimination today is a message to Hamas officials in Gaza that if they continue promoting terrorism against Israel, they will be hurt.”
IDF Spokesman Yoav Mordechai told the Jerusalem Post that al-Jabari was a man with “a lot of blood on his hands.”

 [...]

The naming if the operation is drawn from biblical verses in Exodus, that refer to a column of smoke that led and protected the Israelites during their sojourns in the desert .

Watch the official IDF video of the pinpoint assassination of Jaabari:






For more information and links, see the following:

Friday Night Canadian Music

In honour of Canada and her support of Israel, this Friday's  music is all Canadian.  Thank you PM Harper you make my heart happy with your unfailing and staunch support of Israel.  O Canada, the true north strong and free!

Echo Beach - Martha and The Muffins




Suzanne - Leonard Cohen (oooh yeah Babee)




You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet (said Bibi to Imadinnerjacket) - BTO




Hymn To Freedom - Oscar Peterson (perfect)

Shana Tova Umetuka - 5773

A Happy and Sweet New Year to all those celebrating. Rosh Hashana begins tonight and I'm up to my eyeballs in a cooking marathon (although not as bad as last year's, which was a 3 day binge!)

I've written a Rosh Hashana post over at my blog which you're welcome to come over and visit.

Meanwhile, I'll leave you with a great and inspiring video for Rosh Hashana from the brilliant satirical Latma team, always worth a regular look, and headed by the incomparable Caroline Glick.
I wish you all a year of good health, joy, prosperity and peace. May we all be inscribed in the Book of Life.

Shana tova everyone! Happy New Year!

Friends...Israel has them...

Gene Simmons hands Obama his ### on a plate.  KISS this Mr. President.

Happy 64th Birthday Israel!

Mazal tov! It's Yom Haatzmaut - Independence Day - here in Israel and we are celebrating its 64th birthday. 


I hope you don't mind if I also post some excerpts from my own blog about the day.

To mark the special day, blogger Benji Lovitt has written a hilarious – and oh-so-true – list of 64 things he loves about Israel. I say Amen to all of them! Here’s a sample, read the rest. (h/t Israellycool).

1. I love how Israelis can be completely indifferent to politics but will still argue about their favorite hummus place until they blow an artery.
…
8. I love how when you call a wrong number on Passover, they still say “hag sameah” before hanging up.
9. I love that instead of worrying about kids developing peanut allergies, parents feed their babies Bamba before the doctor has even finished cutting the umbilical cord.
…
27. I love that during the tent protests, some protesters set up makeshift communal kitchens. Even when pretending to be homeless, Israelis still make fresh salads.
28. I love that no one here cares what Snooki ate for breakfast but the Kinneret’s crossing the red line causes my Facebook news feed to explode.
…
35. I love that my Arab cab driver says “baruch Hashem” in Hebrew.
36. I love that Arab guys scream “Alte zachen!!!” in YIDDISH. I guess this is less surprising when you consider that our slang is in Arabic. Sababa!
…
39. I love that when someone accidentally drops a dish, everyone in the vicinity screams “mazal tov!”
40. I love that kids can walk home at any hour in this country and feel safe. While this may be an adjustment for children of olim, the biggest thing they need to worry about is their overprotective parents.

 
On a more serious note, Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Ron Prosor, delivered an outstanding speech to the UN Security Council “Open debate on the situation in the Middle East”.  It is the best piece of PR for Israel that I have read in an awfully long time, and although the circumstances were not ideal, the speech is a beautiful tribute to Israel on its birthday.

Myth number one: the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict is the central conflict in the Middle East. If you solve that conflict, you solve all the other conflicts in the region.

Make no mistake: it is important for Israel and the Palestinians to resolve our longstanding conflict for its own merits. Yet, the truth is that conflicts in Syria, Yemen, Egypt, Bahrain, and many other parts of the Middle East have absolutely nothing to do with Israel.

It is obvious that resolving the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict won’t stop the persecution of minorities across the region, end the subjugation of women, or heal the sectarian divides. Obsessing over Israel has not stopped Assad’s tanks from flattening entire communities. On the contrary, it has only distracted attention from his crimes.
[...]
Myth number two: there is a humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. In fact, numerous international organizations have said clearly that there is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza, including the Deputy Head of the Red Cross Office in the area.
[...]
Each rocket in Gaza is armed with a warhead capable of causing a political earthquake that would extend well beyond Israel’s borders. It will only take one rocket that lands in the wrong place at the wrong time to change the equation on the ground. If that happens, Israel’s leaders would be forced to respond in a completely different manner. It is time for all in this Chamber to finally wake up to that dangerous reality. The Security Council has not condemned a single rocket attack from Gaza. History’s lessons are clear. Today’s silence is tomorrow’s tragedy.
[...]
Myth number three: settlements are the primary obstacle to peace.

How many times have we heard that argument in this chamber?

Just this month, the Human Rights Council proposed yet another “fact-finding” mission to Israel. It will explore…surprise, surprise…Israeli settlements.

Today, I’d like to save the Human Rights Council and the international community some time and energy.

The facts have already been found. They are plain for all to see.

The fact is that from 1948 until 1967, the West Bank was part of Jordan, and Gaza was part of Egypt. The Arab World did nothing – it did not lift a finger – to create a Palestinian state. And it sought Israel’s annihilation when not a single settlement stood anywhere in the West Bank or Gaza.
[...]
Ladies and Gentleman – the Palestinian leadership has never, ever said publicly that they will give up the so-called “claim of return” – neither to the Palestinian people, nor to the Arab World, nor to the international community, or to anyone else.

Since the Palestinian leadership refuses to tell the Palestinian people the truth, the international community has the responsibility and duty to tell them the truth. You have a duty to stand up and say that the so-called “claim of return” is a non-starter.

Instead of telling the Palestinian people the truth, much of the international community stands idle as the Arab World tries to erase the Jewish people’s historical connection to the Land of Israel.

Across the Arab World – and even at this table – you hear claims that Israel is “Judaizing Jerusalem”. These accusations come about 3,000 years too late. It’s like accusing the NBA of Americanizing basketball.

Like many nations around this table, the Jewish people have a proud legacy of age-old kings and queens. It’s just that our tradition goes back a few years earlier.  Since King David laid the cornerstone for his palace in the 10th Century BC, Jerusalem has served as the heart of our faith.

In debate after debate, speakers sit in the Security Council and say that Israel is committing “ethnic cleansing” in Jerusalem, even though the percentage of Arab residents in the city has grown from 26% to 35% since 1967.

The holiest sites in Jerusalem, the eternal capital of the Jewish people, were closed only to Jews from 1948 until 1967. Everyone could come to these sites except Jews. There was absolutely no freedom of worship. The world did not say a word about the situation in Jerusalem at that time.

I love that zinger about Jerusalem. Classic! Read the whole thing. It’s just brilliant.

I also posted a couple of videos on my blog from the festive prayer service in our town's Central Synagogue which I hope you will enjoy.

Meanwhile, how could I not post THE 64th birthday song of all time? I give you, Ladies and Gentlemen, the Beatles!




Mazal tov Israel! May you live to be 120,000 years old, may your supporters and those who love you be blessed, and may your enemies be confounded.

Chag Sameach! Happy Festival!

Flytilla Folly Fizzles

This is a cross post from my own blog (at Fay's special request). I hope you enjoy it! :-)

It's spring, the day after Pesach, so what do pro-Palestinian terror-supporting "activists" do to celebrate? Why, they plan a "fly-in" to Israel - a flytilla - along the lines of the various flotillas that tried to "break the siege" of Gaza, and similar to the one organized (and which similarly fizzled) last summer.
The aim of the flytilla is two-fold: to get to Palestinian territory and cause disruption there, and to cause as much disruption as possible to Israel's Ben Gurion airport and the innocent travelling public along the way.  As CiFWatch's fact sheet on the flytilla, it's supporters, sponsors and participants states:

According to the organisers, the project is part of the “challenge to Israel’s illegal siege of Palestine”, with their publicity stating that:

“There is no way into Palestine other than through Israeli control points. Israel has turned Palestine into a giant prison, but prisoners have a right to receive visitors.
Welcome to Palestine 2012 will again challenge Israel’s policy of isolating the West Bank while the settler paramilitaries and army commit brutal crimes against a virtually defenceless Palestinian civilian population.”

In 2011 the Palestine Justice Network launched a campaign entitled the ‘One State Initiative’ which rejects the internationally accepted route of negotiations leading to a two-state solution in order to end the Arab-Israeli conflict. Thus, ‘Air Flotilla 2′ represents another campaign designed to lead ultimately to an externally imposed ‘one state solution’ which would entail the dismantling of Israel as a Jewish state and an end to Jewish self-determination.
Provocation and bad public relations for Israel are also part of the underlying motive of the project, as expressed by organizer Jaques Neno when he told potential participants at a meeting in Paris last January that should they end up being arrested, “you have won because when Israel puts you in prison it shows how it becomes more and more fascist”.

In addition, CiFWatch has published an excellent and very detailed report by Hadar Sela.
It would also appear that these "activists" chose today specifically because it is one of Israel's busiest travel days, with tourists and travellers entering and leaving Israel after the Pesach and Easter holidays.

Police in Brussels tussle with flytilla activists

So far however, it seems that the flytilla has been another of those spectacular fizzles that give us such an overdose of schadenfreude. The Times of Israel reports that European airlines have cancelled the tickets of around 100 flytilla participants at the request of Israel:

A coordinator of a mass fly-in of pro-Palestinian activists into Israel’s main airport says airlines have canceled flights for at least 100 people.
Amira Musallam said Saturday that activists notified her via email that Lufthansa, EasyJet and Air France canceled the flight reservations of some suspected activists. Israel Radio reported that British Airways has done the same.
[...]
Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovich has called the activists “provocateurs” and said they are bent on disturbing the public order.
Israel reportedly sent no-fly lists to foreign airlines and warned them to bar persona non grata or foot the bill for deporting them.

UPDATE: Even Israel's newest adversary Turkey has prevented activists from boarding planes to Israel.

Authorities are paying particular attention to flights arriving from England, France, Belgium and Turkey, as most of the international activists are expected to arrive from these countries.
Turkish authorities were actively preventing activists from getting on flights from Istanbul, according to reports on Twitter.
Israel Radio reported that 100 activists in Geneva and seven in Rome were prevented from boarding their flights by authorities.

Nine activists who did manage to make it through to Israel were arrested on arrival at Ben Gurion airport.
Ynet adds that Israel has deported several activists who arrived in Israel, whereas activists who have been refused travel permission are staging a protest at Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport.
And the Guardian (of course) records the outrage of some British would-be participants in the flytilla who had their tickets cancelled - for which the price will NOT be refunded:

Israel has forced low-cost airline Jet2.com to cancel the tickets of three women from Manchester intending to travel to Bethlehem via Tel Aviv this weekend for a gathering of pro-Palestinian activists.
Jet2.com informed the women by email that the airline would refuse to carry them and no refund would be paid. The move follows pressure on airlines from Israel to ban known activists.
One of the women, retired nurse Norma Turner, said Jet2.com had caved in to pressure. "It never crossed my mind that Israel could stop people with British passports leaving British airports," she told the Guardian.

Of course! It's the Zionist entity's far-reaching tentacles that can reach deep into the British aviation industry. It doesn't occur to the stupid woman that no airline will allow known trouble-makers to travel on their aircraft if they have been informed beforehand by the destination country that these people will be denied entry and that the airline will be considered responsible for repatriating these people. Has she never heard of the American no-fly list for example?
Turner concludes:

"Every country has the right to control its own borders. But to stop us leaving British shores just shows the extent of Israel's power and influence."

What a nasty statement, implying a sinister Israeli "influence" over British travel. She admits that every country has the right to control its own borders but seems to deny that right to Israel. Israel has not stopped her from leaving Britain. They just won't let her enter Israel.
To top off the feel-good moment (which I hope will continue throughout the day), the Israeli government has produced a letter to be handed to any and all activists who do arrive in Israel (h/t Israel Matzav for the full text).  I really and truly hope this is not a spoof. :-) (Click to enlarge).

Letter from Israel's Government to flytilla activists

Let's hope this flytilla fizzle continues to sputter and die out fast.

"When Jews are targeted for destruction,we are all targeted"

Stockwell Day a well known (in Canada) former Canadian conservative politician wrote this amazing blog post after the terrorist murders in Toulouse.

Every one of us who is not Jewish must link arms in a virtual and virtuous circle of protection of the Jewish people around the globe, wherever they live.

Those who allow toxic anti-Semitic thoughts to brew chillingly deep within their depraved hearts and minds must know beyond all doubt that we will not allow Jews to stand,and sometimes perish, alone.

Thank you Mr. Day.

Full text here.

Buycott Israel!

I posted this story on my blog but I felt it should receive as much publicity as possible, and since Aussie Dave and Brian of London at Israellycool gave their permission, here it is:

A new trend that has been developing amongst pro-Israel activists is to promote a “buycott” – the exact opposite of a boycott, that most popular tool of the BDS (Boycott Sanctions Divest) anti-Israel haters. The purpose of a buycott is to go out and buy Israeli-made products to defeat the evil intentions of the anti-Israel brigade.

My friends at Israellycool have drawn up the poster above (based on the BDS posters) and have started an internet effort to promote their Buycott Israel campaign, explaining their intentions and the method:

Go out and BUY the products and services of the companies you find listed here!

As you can see this carefully prepared graphic contains an up to date list of many companies that do business in and with Israel and which we would urge you to consider supporting.

It may just appear that we’ve borrowed the design and layout from some Jew hating BDS clowns in the UK and you’d be completely correct! This leaflet was produced in conjunction with the revolting “Islamic Human Rights Commission” who each year organise the terrorist supporting Al Quds march in London and supply the handy “We are all Hamas” or “We are all Hezbollah” posters.

…

Also notice that many of the companies, like Starbucks, which failed commercially in Israel, don’t operate in Israel and their only real reason for being on the list is because some part may be owned by Jews. OK, the haters will dress it up and say they are “Zionists” but as we all know anti-Zionism is just the new, disguised form of Jew hatred for the modern fascist about town.

Feel free to spread the buycott campaign and the poster amongst your friends. Just remember to give credit back to Israellycool.

Let the shopping begin!

Bravo Netanyahu

Such logic, common sense and truth. Such eloquence. Bravo Bibi!

H/T airforcewife

Glenn Beck: Restoring Courage

Annie caught me this morning just as I was walking out the door with these awesome links to Glenn Beck's Restoring Courage event.

From IsraellyCool:

I don’t really know how more clear Glenn Beck could make his intentions than what he said last night. I’ll paraphrase: he loves Jews AS Jews in Israel and has no desire to convert us. Clear enough? Anybody who still doesn’t believe him is malicious or completely incapable of taking honest people at their word.

MyRightWord:

Fears of sneak proselyzting or missionary work were not only unfounded but dashed. I think the Christian speakers were more pro-Jewish than the Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, in a sense.

Haaretz:

The evening's opening act, a dissection of Israel's significance that felt more like a news channel studio debate than a live show, was followed by video footage of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he vowed that "Jerusalem must never be divided." This statement won the first of many raucous rounds of applause of the night.

It seems Beck is a smash hit with our Jewish friends, and I'm tickled to see it. Go Glenn!

Multiple Terrorist Attacks In Israel

At least six are dead and dozens are injured in three coordinated terrorist attacks in southern Israel.

Authorities are calling for Israeli to donate blood at local MDA stations across the country. The area has been declared a closed military area and the IDF spokesman has asked people to keep away.

This is a horrific and cowardly attack. I hope the IDF extracts a heavy price, and takes no prisoners. My heart is with the people of Israel on this sad day.

Update: Our friend Annie has more here.