Month: March 2008

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Commentary;

There is a type of “convergence” of several major stories of this time into one;

• The not-so-secret meetings between Ehud Olmert, Tzipy Livni, Mahmud Abbas and Ahmed Qurei in which Jerusalem is being divided, despite Olmert’s dubious denials.
• Shas’ egregious failure to keep their promise to leave the government, despite the now open fact that Jerusalem is being divided.
• Shas’ opting for deals, such as the Givat Ze’ev project — housing for Shas constituents and $475 million NIS and more in exchange for their continued presence in the government and facilitation of division of Jerusalem.
• The fact that Israeli government lack of credibility is such that the public and legislators believe more pronouncements of enemies rather than Regime denials such as that of Mahmoud Abbas’s announcement that Egypt mediated a “hudna” with Hamas in Gaza or regarding Jerusalem division talks.
• Abject failure of the Olmert regime, at all levels, to secure the nation against terrorist acts; be they by way of rockets and mortars, drive-by and rock-throwing terror and lynchings, lack of enablement of credible military responses to all forms of terror, lack of security in public buildings enabling such acts as the terror pogrom at Yeshiva Merkaz HaRav to occur, willful neglect or failure of the police to act as in their hesistance to enter the Yeshiva which enabled the toll of terror death and casualties to mount and more.

Olmert, facing pressure from “the nations” coupled with self-hatred for Jewishness and overwhelming lust for perpetuation of his prime ministerial power, will back down on Givat Ze’ev just as sure as he backed down on mounting a credible invasion of Gaza, just as he backed down on connecting Ma’alei Adumim to Jerusalem, just as he invaded Lebanon hodge-podge, not to win, in July 2006. read more

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2 Molotovs Hurled at Border Guards near Kalkilya; No Injuries

Israeli-Arabs Arrested After Coastal Highway [Rock] Attacks

PA Arab Escapes Interrogation [in Rehovot], Caught

IDF Arrests 17 Terrorists, Finds Rifles [and Ammunition Cartridges in Hevron]

Bedouin Stone Bus near Dimona, Break Windshield

Palestinian Detainee Escapes From Police Station near Rehovot

Bus Attacked Near Nevatim [Between Be’er Sheva and Dimona]

Jerusalem Arabs Arrested for Rock Attack

Soldiers Arrest Ramallah Terrorist

Rock Attacks Continue Near Ramallah read more

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Commentary;

If Shas thinks that they made a deal of any kind at any level with Ehud Olmert — they need to think again. The community of Givat Ze’ev [a decision and “promise” easily reversed], the NIS 450 million to [Shas] yeshivas, the bill enabling municipalities to transfer funding to Shas schools and more will never materialize.

Even Meretz MK Haim Oron termed Olmert’s “promises” to Shas “hot air.” While Shas thinks that they have won great, unprecendented victories, the final result will be empty; that Shas will be left holding a slew of rubber checks while they will have facilitated the division of Jerusalem and grievous damage to Israel, by their continued presence in an evil, immoral, anti-Jewish government. MB read more

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Commentary;

The trail of governmental irresponsibility and malfeasance inevitably passes through the Internal Security Ministry which holds command of Israel’s police force. Although police officers arrived on the scene within minutes of commencement of terrorist gunfire, they hesitated for a crucial 10 to 15 minutes before entering with the result being a presumably greater loss of life.

It took a courageous off-duty soldier who, by side-stepped police, entered the Yeshiva building and ended the tragedy by killing the terrorist. MB read more

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IDF Confirms It Was Instructed to Scale Back Gaza Strip Ops

Excerpt;

MK Yuval Steinitz: “The real meaning of this cease fire is a Hamas victory. It has only one [possible] interpretation: that we are willing to accept a Palestinian state – at least in Gaza – that is armed contrary to all demilitarization agreements, and reconcile ourselves with the establishment of an Iranian outpost; because Hamas is a proxy of Syria and Iran.”

Commentary;

What this means is that in a few days, or not much longer than a week, terrorists will stock up on smuggled weapons and ammunition and will resume striking Israel with Kassams, Grads, etc. secure in the knowledge that Israel will not strike launchers. The IDF will have to sit helplessly, waiting for the leftist political sector to give a “yay or nay” on any strike on missile launchers this giving terrorists free reign. MB read more

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By Moshe Burt

The first word of our parsha; Vayikra begs discussion of why the small “aleph” in Vayikra, and tells much about Moshe Rabbeinu’s level of principle, integrity and standard of leadership of B’nei Yisrael.

We are told how Hashem, Kav’yochal, would call gently, affectionately “Moshe, Moshe” in a voice for Moshe Rabbeinu’s ears only and Moshe would respond “Here I am.” (Rashi on Perek 1, posuk 1 Metsuda Linear Chumash & Rashi with footnotes) read more