While all this is going on, our government is engaged in "secret" talks at various levels with the Mahmoud Abbas régime. On the table is all the territory outside of the separation fence, that is to say almost all of Judea and Samaria (including Ma'aléh Levoná) as well as the holiest site in Judaism, the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. In order to make sure we in Judea and Samaria all get the message, we see now a public bus crisis in Judea and Samaria where all the residents learn of how chaotic and unreliable Egged can be when it chooses to be. In addition, the IDF will no longer pay for 35 settlements' security, meaning that after January, the towns and villages will either have to rely on the IDF for protection - which means spotty protection at best - or pay out of the villagers' own pockets. A good sample of the kind of protection the IDF ands Israel Police give in Judea and Samaria is illustrated by what happened when a group of "Palestinians" and left-wing activists arrived at a vineyard and uprooted and trampled over 4,500 seedlings, while destroying the property of the vineyard.
"They carried out a pogrom here, but no one was arrested. They set the pipeline on fire and destroyed farm equipment," Shlomi Cohen, the vineyard's owner told Ynetnews.
All this is occurring while war clouds gather over the Golan and Iran reports having remote controlled launch pads "in case of an American missile strike."
The experts I consult on all this do not understand what is going on. We appear to be entering a misty period where even the wise men do not know where we are headed...
Continued in part II.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Irene Wagner
Boy, Ruvy in Jerusalem, I now understand better your frustration at reading scores and scores of comments over an article on the content of slideshows at a funeral.
Two things here interested me particularly. One was the link to the World Net Daily article on how US training equips Arabs to kill Jews. I know though you and I disagree on a few things, one thing we see eye to eye on is how local Middle East conflicts are made much more deadly when America, and other super-imperial-powers get involved. That's why I go on so about Ron Paul's 2008 US presidential candidacy. His supporters see him as the last hope for the US AS WELL AS for the countries it is meddling with.
The second was the mention of the evacuation of children from S'derot. That's just one step away from the forced and permanent separation of mother, father and child. That's very chilling. I try to think of how Daniel, Shadrech, Meschach and Abednego, and of course Moses, were looked after from above in that situation, or else, I go crazy. It is a time to trust.
2 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
Irene,
Thank you for visiting. I understand why you are enthusiastic for Ron Paul as a candidate. Jews who think they have to bend their knees at non-Jewish princes (there are all too many of them) will waste lots of printer's ink and internet space over which candidate for president is "good for the Jews".
None of them are, not even Lieberman. The USA teeters on the edge of disaster that most Americans do not even wish to see. When this disaster strikes, there will be no room or time to worry about Jews or Israel. If this disaster strikes before the November elections, forget about Paul. There will be no elections.
The big lesson that all Americans need to draw from the disastrous administration of George Walker Bush is that America is NOT immune from history.
Shavua Tov (have a good week)
PS. It appears that some kind of compromise has been reached by which kids in S'derót will study in caves or underground in S'derót.
As for faith and trust, read part II of this piece. In the final analysis, all my reports and news analyses are framed by faith in the G-d of Israel and the destiny He outlined for the People of Israel through His prophets.
Blessings from Ma'aléh Levoná,
Reuven
3 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
"It is rather disingenuous of you to proclaim loftily that you won't engage with Liam as you compulsively post comments to his articles!"
Chris,
With repect to Liam Bailey, I've encouraged him and tried to help him (off line, of course) because while I find some of his ideas repugnant, I try to do like my cousin David does in music - he has used his band to provide a helpful hand to new and upcoming musicians over the last three decades; I try to help upcoming writers, particularly writers who appear talented.
Liam does have talent, and given that he is yet young, also has time to grow out of some of the misguided ideas he presently embraces. I realize my comments at BC wouldn't necessarily show that. I advised him to pull his age off his bio; the articles I cited on Arabs trying to make money here in Israel were done partly on my suggestion. Wherever I've seen him attempt some coverage of other parts of the world, I've encouraged him.
But note his attitude:
The reason I avoid your articles is because I feel you are biggoted in your opinions, and have read enough of your arguments in comments on my articles to know that you won't change my views, to read your article would be nothing more than a waste of my time, which I have precious little of as it is.
BTW, thanks for pulling me up on my spelling of lobotomy, I typed it three times before leaving it with what I had, I just wasn't sure how it was spelt and as it was only a comment, not an article I didn't check the dictionary, that old precious time again. FYI, I really don't spend too much time proofreading comments, so feel free to waste yours doing it for me, if that's how you get your kicks..
I don't care if the bloke disagrees with me. But if he is too "above" me to read what I write, he is not worth responding to further - except on MY posts. That is how it will be from now on.
No good deed goes unpunished, it seems.
4 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
Readers of my articles have often seen me tie the Israeli secular elite to treasonous activities here. Ralphs's Rant does something similar, though he calls the Israeli secular elite, the "Israeli left wing". I try to avoid terms like left, right or center, or liberal and conservative, as they are often confusing to the reader, who must be familiar with politics on the ground to understand what these terms really connote here. The comments on this blog regarding British funding of Israeli organizations is also worth looking at.
5 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
This article carries on the theme of American support for anti-Jewish terror in Israel. Hamas, Fatah form joint terror group Comes as U.S. training, aiding Abbas' militias.
From the article:
Hamas and members of the so-called military wing of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah organization have been carrying out joint attacks against Israel and recently formed a new terror group to conduct operations against the Jewish state, top Fatah militants told WND.
Anyone who thinks that the "Zionist" tail wags the American "dog" is a blithering fool. But Jewish blood spilled will not convince them of this fact.
Jews in America need to look long and hard at the government that runs the country they profess loyalty to, and consider - if the American government doesn't care about killing American Jews living here (if, G-d forbid, a terrorist killed me, that is how it would be reported in the press) why should they care about killing American Jews living there? What's so special about them?
6 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
Olmert Government Indifferent to Palestinian Terrorist Rampage from Gaza
and... Ummm... I do not know what to say. If you read the entire article, you'll see that Hamas is taking over the Arab ruled areas of Judea and Samaria as well, and the Abbas "government" is nothing but a smokescreen for the Americans to pour money into destroying Israel.DEBKAfile Military Report
From the article:
Again, I counsel Jews in America to think very carefully about the stars and stripes they salute. If the American government is willing to kill Jews in Israel, they will kill Jews in America.
7 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
I received this messqge from a friend of mine in Qiryat Arb'a. This message, and the news item it highlights, follows the pattern of demonstrating how the United States government is consistently working against the survival of a Jewish entity in Israel.
Message begins:
The remainder of the text can be found at the link above. It is truly tiresome to read fools who whine about "American aid to Israel" - fools who complain here, and fools who write articles alleging that America is some kind of "ally" of the State of Israel.
First of all, there is no such thing as "American aid." All of these programs - programs to "aid" Arab countries, as well as those that allegedly aid this régime, are welfare programs for the American military-industrial establishment.
In this instance, the recipient of the welfare money from American taxpayers will be General Dynamics of Sterling Heights, Michigan.
Secondly, and more important, the "aid" that the Israel government receives from the United States replaces defense factories and jobs that Israelis have lost. Instead of a tanner in Be'ershev'a making boots for the IDF, a company in Ohio does. The same thing goes for helmets, rifles (the M16 is a shitty rifle compared to the Galil and the Kalashnikov the Galil is based on). So, American "aid" is more a tool of American imperial control than anything else.
8 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
The word "Falasha" is Amharic for "foreigner." It was what the Ethiopians called Jews who lived in Ethiopia for centuries.
Suddenly, Jews who have thought that they were secure citizens of the United States are going to begin to realize that if they associate with foreigners - i.e. Israelis - they can be subject to unlimited surveillance under the amended Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, rushed through Congress and signed into law by President Bush on 5 August 2007.
According to the JTA, the news organization which used to go by the name "Jewish Telegraphic Agency," Expansion of surveillance powers has [Jewish] groups fearing U.S. scrutiny.
The pattern of suppression of rights and destruction of Israel goes hand in hand. Already, this law has Jewish organizations fearing the surveillance powers that the US government can assume under the amended Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, as well as the other possible consequences this act can have in combination with other legislation that move the United States closer and closer to a police dictatorship.
Again, I warn Jews in America to think very carefully about getting out of there and coming home. No matter how dangerous it is here, and it can be very dangerous, at least they will be among their own - and not among those who would point a finger and say "foreigner" and have them arrested without a warrant.
9 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
This is all worth an article in and of itself, but I have not got the patience for a bunch of holidaying editors to finally get to this two or three news cycles later.
The Olmert Government Proposes Giving Away Judea and Samaria
The traitorous regime of Ehud Olmert, who got into power by causing Ariel Sharon to suffer a near fatal stroke, has finally come out into the open and agreed to hand over our homeland to the South Syrian Arabs. So far, this is all from "leaks," but note the timing of the leaks. Right before the Sabbath. This is so that there will not be time to organize major demonstrations on motza'éi Shabbat, the end of the Sabbath. The government will then break the news at the Sunday cabinet meeting.
This follows on the heels of Ehud Barak, the other idiot in the government, backing off preparations on the Syrian front. Of course, the IDF is denying doing so. This is a typical tactic here. One hand makes a stupid decision that will endanger the country's security (and then denies doing so) and the other brings up a whole different topic to dominate the news on purpose.
According to the Jerusalem Post article,
This from the same prick who allowed a whole battalion of soldiers into an Arab trap at Sultan Yukub in Lebanon in the 1980's, who recommended against Israel acquiring subs with the capability of firing nuclear missiles - and who pulled Israel out of southern Lebanon in 2000, allowing for HizbAllah to attack the country six years later.
Barak is the prick the Arabs used to call "the lemon"; squeeze him and he put out...
10 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
As I told you in comment #3, Chris, I'll answer comments here, at MY article, not at Liam's.
So, if I understand you, "fun" is celebrating how many people, presumably mostly in the West, disagree with one minority view, whereas people who disagree with your unique "real" view just don't understand. Is that it?
No, Chris.
I happen to be right. The stubborn young Scotsman happens to be wrong. While not everybody can necessarily sense that I'm right, readers, wherever they are can sense just how wrong Liam is. That is an eleven to one ratio on Netscape. That is really high...
11 - Christopher Rose
Ruvy, as long as you keep seeing all this in terms of right and wrong, all the while insisting that you are the one that is right, you'll never be able to open your heart to the possibility of finding peace with your adopted neighbours.
According to you, all the surrounding neighbour countries and the vast majority of Israelis are all in the wrong and to be considered murderous enemies or traitors respectively. Meanwhile you and a few others are privy to the real solution. Why, the very fact that almost 200 people on a website disagree with someone you disagree with proves it!
12 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
World Net Daily reports that Abbas' group vows rocket attacks despite amnesty:
Fatah terror organization claims debut of new, more deadly projectile.
According to the article, in spite of the so-called offer from Olmert to hand over Judea and Samaria, Arab neighborhoods in Jerusalem, the Temple Mount to th Arabs and to expel all the Jewish residents from their homes, the goal still remains to kill Jews.
So much for all the whining that if only the "Palestinians" had a state, there would be peace. This is the line of bullshit constantly put out by "people of good will" who think that they know what is best for this country - but who do not have to live with the conse1uences of their own words.
One has to wonder what evil has its spell over the secular idiots who are talking about handing over the country's security base to the Arabs, not to mention a huge aquifer. This is proof positive that Zionism, the secular movement to liberate Jews from their slavery in exile is failing and dying, and must be abandoned by Jews, so that the next stage in our Redemption can finally occur.
13 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
troll writes:
"Ruvy - here's a Netscape page on this article where it says that it has received mostly positive ratings - 2 'sinks' out of 14 votes.....what's up with that
what's the url for the Netscape 'vote' that you reference - ?
Try scrolling up to the Netscape listing on Liam's article, troll. It's as plain as day. If that isn't Netscape, then tell me who it is... I'm always open to correction.
14 - troll
geeze Ruvy - as I read the Netscape listing there are 168 comments on the article over at Netscape and only 14 votes
...still looking for those thumbs
15 - Christopher Rose
From Netscape's page on Liam's article:- This story has mostly positive ratings. 14 votes / 2 sinks.
where are you looking Ruvy?
16 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
"According to you, ... the vast majority of Israelis are all in the wrong and to be considered .... traitors ...."
No, Chris, the vast majority of Israelis agree with me on the substantive issues at hand when it regards security and even identity. I express myself a little differently, that's all. I'm just a bit ahead of the learning curve. For example, while most Israelis feel that Zionism, the driving ideology of the State, has been hijacked by traitors, I feel that Zionism has to be abandoned.
I feel that the State will fall and that another, far better entity will replace it. Most Israelis are still wedded to the State and are very anxious that it survive. This is changing, as Israelis see, day by day, that the State will not protect even their right to survive here. As this changes, they will begin to think the "unthinkable" as I was forced to a couple of years ago.
Revolutionary change is in the cards here and damned soon. If you were paying attention to what I've been writing, you'd see that. But, like a petulant child who refuses to see reality no matter how many times it is explained to him, you refuse to see reality. Perhaps this is because I frame all this in terms of religion, and you have trouble swallowing that. But this is your problem.
Mine is getting my fellow Israelis to speed up along the learning curve. Time appears to be running out. It certainly has for me. Sabbath is nearly here.
Shabbat Shalom,
Reuven
17 - Christopher Rose
Are you sure you're ahead of the learning curve and not just blinded by your possibly excessively rigid mindset? It must be nice not to have to question yourself.
Of course, I'm just a petulant child, not a great font of wisdom and insight like you.
18 - troll
Ruvy - tsk tsk going into the sabbath carrying a open 'libel' against the Scotsman - a fellow jew - based on your misinterpretation of the listing
I hope that by your return you will have realized that apologies are in order -
19 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
"geeze Ruvy - as I read the Netscape listing there are 168 comments on the article over at Netscape and only 14 votes
...still looking for those thumbs"
I guess when I'm wrong, I'm wrong. But if Liam Bailey wants to read an apology from me of any kind, he have to slug his sorry ass to my article and read it here. If that seems hypocritical, that's just too damned bad. When he gets off his arrogant attitude of refusing to read my pieces, I'll think about commenting on his articles again. Until then, I'll not waste my time.
I did notice among the 168 comments, plenty of negative ones - but I didn't bother to count.
20 - Christopher Rose
How graciously you apologise, Ruvy...
21 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
I'm learning from you, Chris.
22 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
And now for some news:
DEBKAfile Exclusive: Hamas opens fire on tens of thousands of Palestinians protesting Saturday against Egypt’s closure of Rafah exit from Gaza
Looks like the Gazans do look on Gaza as a concentration camp. And the concentration camp guards? Hamas, backed up by the Egyptian army.. The pricks wanted Arab rule, and now they have it!! They should only enjoy it!
23 - Christopher Rose
Ruvy, I wish you were, I really do. As you're informationally challenged by having to interpret the world through five thousand years of dust, just let me inform you that I try really hard to see things for what they are, not what I'd like them to be.
When I make a mistake, I own up to it quite happily, because then I learn. To do otherwise would be to follow the same dead end procedures as you. There's no shame in being mistaken, only in refusing to accept the right answer. Some people can do that with grace and charm, some are rather more churlish.
24 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
Pay attention to the news articles here (comments #4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12), Chris.
Churl that I may be (I never claimed to be a scholar, a righteous man or even an intellectual), I deliver something that Liam Bailey had trouble delivering - the truth.
25 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
Let's add comment #22 to those news articles, Chris.
By the way, Liam's latest screed is based on an article from 26 August with no updates. I realize that he may have started it on 27 August, and had to work on it and also had to wait on BC's Labor Day queue, but it's bad form to offer that old an article as basis for a news analysis without at least having something newer to keep the concept alive...
I try to do better in my own work, but I'm done advising the young man.
But if Abbas refuses to accept the deal offered him by the Israeli government for the reasons he gives, and if Hamas is nothing more than a bunch of prison guards for the Egyptians (comment #22), and if Fatah is intent on killing Jews no matter what (comment #12), that doesn't leave much to hope for in terms of peace, does it?