Posted by
Cary Wesberry on Saturday, March 08, 2008 9:00:39 PM
Yossi Haimov, a ten-year-old Israeli boy in the hapless town of Sderot, took a severe shrapnel wound to the shoulder; doctors were able to save his arm but he faces multiple operations for shoulder reconstruction. Earlier this month another Sderot boy was even less fortunate and lost a leg in a Qassam attack.
In other words, the dysfunctionality that became part of Israeli governance in the early 1990s continues: deciding that a mass march on the border fence posed unacceptable risks, the Olmert government moved effectively to deter it; deciding that the shelling of civilians by armed terrorists is acceptable, the Olmert government lets it continue and turn life into hell for the residents of southwestern Israel.
The malaise is manifest in a different form in Jerusalem, where Olmert is seeking to appease and bribe the Shas Party into remaining in his governing coalition. Shas is a Sephardic-Orthodox, purportedly politically right-wing faction that has held the balance in several coalitions and earned a deserved name for political extortion and cynicism.
For those mystified by the seeming nonchalance of the Israeli populace even in the face of terrorist and existential threats, part of the explanation is the corrosive effect on morale of these repeated spectacles of cynicism. They stem from a dysfunctional parliamentary structure lacking regional representation and beset with small factions wielding blackmail power—and from an overburdened Israeli system’s inability, so far, to resolve the problem.
And another part of the explanation is that it’s the most weak, feckless Israeli tendencies that consistently get the most U.S. and Western backing and encouragement. Last week Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Welch “urge[d] caution and proportionality” regarding possible Israeli military action in Gaza.
He also “argued that Palestinians in Gaza should stop the rocket fire out of their own self-interest” and stated: “If people in Gaza are to enjoy a better life, then it is incumbent upon those who claim they control the situation in Gaza to stop these actions which usually bring no benefit and only harm.”
Since it’s not plausible that Welch thought the Hamas “controllers” of Gaza would heed his words, what they really mean is that in the State Department’s view of the U.S. national interest the martyrdom of Sderot is not a significant concern and might as well continue. That national interest is instead thought to entail, among other things, the “Annapolis process” of Israeli offers of control of strategic land, Judeo-Christian holy places, and half of Jerusalem to the terrorist-infested Palestinian Authority.
"Expel Palestinian terrorists from Jerusalem," Israel’s internal security minister Avi Dichter commented after a resident of Jerusalem’s Jebal Makaber shot dead eight yeshiva students Thursday that Palestinian terrorists ought to be expelled to Palestinian territory. He intends seeking to amend the law to make this possible because, said the minister, jail is no deterrent to these terrorists.
Jerusalem’s 240,000 Arabs have permanent Israeli residency status and enjoy state social security benefits and medical care as well as freedom of movement in the country.
Dichter also called for the nation to honor the Mercaz Harav yeshiva in its hour of grief and praised the religious Zionist community’s exemplary contribution to national security and advancement.
In an interview Saturday night, the internal security minister declared a third Palestinian “intifada” would not be permitted to erupt. He spoke after a day in which traffic on Israel’s main highways from Tel Aviv to Haifa and Galilee was stoned repeatedly stoned. Last week, an Israeli Arab protest rally took place at Umm Al Fahm under the slogan: “Kill the Jews.” Two municipal workers were rescued from a lynch bomb in Jerusalem last week.
Sderot continues to eat missiles for breakfast, traffic is "stoned" on main highways, and "Kill the Jews" rallies dominate the streets. Palestinian terrorists don't just need to be deported from Jerusalem; they should be removed from Sderot, Ashkelon, and every other part of Israel altogether. The people of Sderot aren't dodging death from the skies so Palestinians can chant "Kill the Jews" in the streets at Umm Al Fahm! The same goes for Ashkelon.
Do you remember near the beginning of the War in Iraq when American civilians were volunteering their skills to join our soldiers in killing al-Qaeda and other terrorists there? Maybe it's time for other Americans who understand our alliance with Israel, and our obligation as Christians who support Zion, to volunteer ourselves and our weapons to the civilian Jews in Israel. Their government is apparently little-to-no help at all, maybe patriotic Americans can remind them what it means to fight for their country.
Speaking of "fighting for your country"; here's a man who knows a little something about the price of freedom, Yonni the Blogger:
Reuters
Published: 03.07.08, 19:17 / Israel News
The White House on Friday urged Israel and the Palestinians to stick with US-backed peace efforts despite a shooting attack that killed eight students at the Mercaz Harav yeshiva in Jerusalem.
"The most important thing is that the peace process continue and that the parties are committed to it," White House spokesman Tony Fratto told reporters.
Thursday's attack by a Palestinian gunman dealt another blow to US President George W. Bush's bid for a peace deal before he leaves office in January 2009, a goal already beset by deep skepticism and persistent violence.
Condemning the deadliest attack in Israel in two years, Bush said earlier that the United States stood firmly with the Jewish state, Washington's close ally.
Asked whether the White House was disappointed by the UN Security Council's failure to condemn the assault, Fratto said, "There's nothing to explain that an attack of this nature deserves nothing less than condemnation."
"It was extremely disheartening to see people in the streets in Gaza and elsewhere celebrating. That was fairly disgusting actually," He added.
"The Idol called Peace." The new and improved "golden calf" of the Jews. Moses would be proud I'm sure. In the face of evil, we give-up, we retreat. Does no one understand the massive boost in morale and inter-political power the abomination of Islam will gain by us allowing Israel to be taken and destroyed by these animals?