The Implications and Consequences of Expulsion for the Jewish People
3 IDF Troops Wounded by 57-yr-old Female Suicide Bomber
Targeted Terrorists, Suicide Bomber Identified
IDF Troops Shoot 2 Palestinian Gunmen [Trying to Detonate a Bomb] in Gaza
Kassam Hits Sderot; Building Damaged, No Wounded
Kassam Lands in Sderot While Ambassadors Visit, No Injuries
50th Kassam Rocket This Week [Exploded Near Sycamore Farms]
Former Counter-Terror Chief Calls for an All-Out War Against Hamas
Knesset Committee Conditions Defense Funding on Reinforcing Sderot Schools
Full Text;
The Knesset Finance Committee today refused a request by the Finance Ministry to approve a 1.5 billion shekel reallocation of funds for defense expenses related to Israel’s recent war in Lebanon. The committee members conditioned the reallocation, which would transfer funds from other government ministries to the defense establishment, upon the Finance Ministry earmarking 100 million shekels for the reinforcement of school buildings in Sderot against rocket attacks. Committee chairman Yaakov Litzman (United Torah Judaism) voiced the MKs concerns.
IDF Mulls Retaking Entire Gaza Strip, By Yaakov Katz and Herb Keinon
Commentary;
This is a current update;
Security Cabinet Update: Security Cabinet Nixes Massive Anti-Kassam Offensive, For Now
We would all like to think that under the circumstances, the common-sense thing for any self-respecting sovereignty to do is to go in and invade. But, as written previously on this blog, a full invasion and the Retaking of Gaza will show the naked cruelty of the expulsion of the Jews from Gush Katif for all to see. Olmert knows this and knows that it constitutes admission of his own moral bankruptcy and the bankruptcy and moral corruption of “convergence.” In addition, his unbound, unbrided ego trumps Israel’s defense and security. Therefore, this author views a full invasion of and retaking of Gaza as highly unlikely as Olmert will NEVER do what is best for the nation’s security; instead, he will continue abrogating his solemn governmental responsibilities in the name of ego and blind hate for anything Jewish. The Olmert government must fall — Now! MB
Israeli Car Fired at Near Hebron; None Wounded
Tenth Kassam Lands in West Negev; None Wounded
Kassam Rockets Land Near Yad Mordechai
2 Molotov Cocktails Hurled at Bus Near Nablus
Palestinian Gunman Killed by IDF Troops in West Bank
HRW: Palestinians Must Not Use Civilians as Human Shields
Initial Report: Three Wounded in Shooting in South
For context, click here.
This is an exclusive scoop.
An annonymous OU source in a position to know has disclosed that the Prime Minister’s office contacted OU President Steve Savitsky today demanding that the Orthodox Union foot an additional $5,000 bill for additional security for Prime Minister’s speech on Wednesday night at the OU Convention in Jerusalem.
This author is told that it is standard procedure when the Prime Minister is asked to speak to a foreign convention in Israel, that the organization foots the security bill, normally some USD 15,000.
Parsha Toldos opens by informing us “And Yitzchak was 40 years old when he took Rivka, the daughter of Besuel, the Aramite, from Padad Aram, the sister of Lavan, the Aramite, for himself for a wife. (Parsha Toldos, Breish’t Perek 25, posuk 20) Rabbi Zelig Pliskin, in his Sefer, “Growth Through Torah” writes that although Rivka was both the daughter of and sister of wicked people, “nevertheless, she did not learn from their evil behavior.” She did not emulate their evil.
Lebanese Industry Minister Gunned Down in Beirut
For context, click here and here.
Excerpts;
Prominent anti-Syrian Christian politician Pierre Gemayel was assassinated in a suburb of Beirut on Tuesday, his party’s radio station and Lebanon’s official news agency reported.
His fatal shooting will certainly heighten the political tension in Lebanon, where Hizbullah’s leading Muslim Shi’ite party has threatened to topple the government if it does not get a bigger say in Cabinet decision making.
Analyst: Take Over Gaza Now!, by Hillel Fendel (Israel National News)
Full Text;
Veteran military correspondent Ron Ben-Yishai of Israel’s largest daily, Yediot Acharonot, explains why a massive military offensive in Gaza is Israel’s best alternative to fight the Kassams.
In a scathing attack on Prime Minister Olmert and Defense Minister Amir Peretz, Ben-Yishai writes that the two political leaders “want us to believe that it is not our government and defense establishment that are to blame for the attacks on Sderot, but rather the anarchy in Gaza and the Hamas government. [They want us to think] that therefore all we have to do is to strengthen Abu Mazen and hope that he will finally come to a unity-government agreement with Hamas [which] will call a ceasefire, stop the arms-smuggling, and free Gilad Shalit in exchange for [hundreds of terrorist] prisoners…”
If the Olmert Government Doesn’t Fall Soon…, by Arlene Kushner
Excerpts;
If the Olmert government doesn’t fall soon, we may see a process that leads to the destruction of Israel.
This past week Ma’ariv reported on a tentative plan being worked on, and reportedly covertly discussed between Israelis and Palestinians, that would involve a pullback from substantial parts of Judea-Samaria, establishment of a “provisional” Palestinian state, in return for a 10 year hudna.
Outrage Against OU Decision to Honor Ehud Olmert
Full Text;
Protesters, including religious Jewish immigrants from North America who were evicted from their homes during the Disengagement and wounded by police brutality at Amona, will protest the Orthodox Union’s decision to honor Prime Minister Ehud Olmert at their annual convention in Jerusalem.
A protest rally under the banner “Hey OU – Olmert isn’t kosher” will take place outside the convention. “I find it hard to comprehend why a Torah organization would want to invite a person who has practically declared war on the National Religious camp in Israel,” protester Steve Schwartz wrote to the organization. “Your organization’s actions are a slap in the face to your fellow religious Jews in Israel.”