AUTHOR:G.
DATE:8/10/2002 11:59:00 PM
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BODY: Israeli Woman dies in Palestinian terror attack

In the last post I wrote about something happy for a change but in the meanwhile a woman was killed and one person was moderately injured when two Palestinians infiltrated the settlement of Mehora in the Jordan Valley.




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AUTHOR:G.
DATE:8/10/2002 11:52:00 PM
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BODY: Gold medal for Israeli Alex Averbukh

The Israeli Alex Averbukh is the new European Champion in pole vault with a winning leap of 5.85 meters. Averbukh came in second at the last World Championship and has a personal and Israeli record of 5.91 meters. The event took place in Munich 30 years after Palestinian terrorists sloughtered 11 members of the Israeli deligation to the 1972 olimpic games.

Israel is nor really good in sport so a gold medal in the European Athletics Championship is a big achivment. To those of you that wonder why does Israel participate in the European games, well our nice naighbours, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon etc’ don’t want to play or compete with us. Somewhere in the 1960’ (if I’m not mistaken) the Europeans were kind enough to let us play and compete with them. I wonder if had to decide on it these days would they have made the same decision?



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AUTHOR:G.
DATE:8/09/2002 10:42:00 PM
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BODY: That’s nor really going to happen you know

My only interaction with Americans is through my blog and other blogs I read. It seems that many of them are convinced that the US is about to cure the world from all evil. After Iraq down will go Syria, Iran and Saudi Arabia. Arafat will be hanged, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hizballah and other terror groups will be evaporated. I don’t see it happening.

Let’s say there is a good chance that the US will strike Iraq but all the other targets are not real. Notice how difficult it is for the US to find supporters to her planned attack on Iraq, America is going to get even less support for the other targets.

I’m not familiar with the American people state of mind but I find hard to believe that they will support so many wars one after the other

Of course I would be very happy if the US will strike down each and every country or group that Israel has been dealing for years now.



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AUTHOR:G.
DATE:8/08/2002 07:52:00 PM
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BODY:
The 'Gaza first' plan – leading to somewhere?

I’ve got this feeling that the latest talks between Israel and the Palestinians can lead to something. According to the plan of Israeli defense minister Ben Eliezer PA forces will take control for security in the areas the IDF leaves. In addition, Israel would lift closures and travel restrictions, issue more work permits for residents of Gaza to work in Israel, and take other steps to ease economic conditions.

According to the latest reports the talks between the two sides foundered. Ha’aretz reports that: “Joint security meeting late Wednesday night between Israeli and Palestinian officials to discuss the 'Gaza first' plan foundered over the Palestinian demand that the IDF withdraw not only from Gaza but also from the West Bank city of Bethlehem. Israeli officials, however, insisted that the first withdrawal would have to be in Gaza.

I think on of the sides will fold, either Israel will agree to include Bethlehem or the Palestinians will agree not to include it.

This plan if implemented is easily reversible, so there is no real risk for Israel. If it doesn’t work the IDF could retake it’s old positions in a matter of a few hours. If it will work maybe will see some sort of reduction in terror.

This is all a matter of Palestinian inner politics. The PA is not going to really fight terror rather than reach a quiet understanding with the different Palestinian terror organizations. The PA and the Hamas have reached different understandings in the past.

What can Israel earn from this cease fire with the devil: First of all a few weeks of relative quiet would be nice. If the Hamas will obey to the PA then Israel will ease it’s economical pressure on the Palestinians, that may lead to a quiet understandings among the Palestinian people that the terror attacks are damaging to them. If so the support for terror attacks will be reduced and a room will be made for more sane voices among Palestinians. It’s obvious that during heavy fighting with Israel there will be no alternative to Arafat. Although I don’t give to much credit to the Palestinians I think most of them know that Arafat is leading them to nowhere. If it will be quiet for a long enough period an alternative leadership to Arafat could grow. I still think there will be no change in Palestinian leadership until Arafat is dead but the growth of sane leaders during his time will make the transition smoother when the bastard dies.


I took another look on what I’ve written here and it all seems too optimistic, and it probably is. I guess it’s more likely to be a wishful thinking then a cold rational analyses. This prediction can be shattered in a matter of a day or two, will see.




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AUTHOR:G.
DATE:8/08/2002 07:06:00 PM
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BODY: Israeli blog: The news, Uncensored, who’s creator helped me in starting my own blog, is active again. Pay it a visit.



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AUTHOR:G.
DATE:8/07/2002 11:10:00 AM
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BODY: Words of wisdom

“My feelings about the so-called occupied territories are that there was a war. Israel urged neighboring countries not to get involved in it once it started. They all jumped in and they lost a lot of real estate to Israel because Israel prevailed in the conflict. Since then Israel repeatedly has offered to pull back but at no point has it been agreed upon by the other side” – US Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld.




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AUTHOR:G.
DATE:8/07/2002 10:58:00 AM
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BODY:
Amazing!

Zion Blog has a sensational discovery about the 72 virgins waiting in heaven for the Muslim shahids.



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AUTHOR:G.
DATE:8/07/2002 12:04:00 AM
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BODY: We can’t do what ever we want

In the some comments to recent posts of mine some of you wondered why or from who Israel needs approval from to implement harsher policy. ”Who is it that should "allow" it - the US, the EU, the Arab League? Alis asks. Some readers wrote that Israel doesn’t need anyone’s approval – well they are wrong.

Israel can’t defy its main (and only) ally, the US, on substantial issues. Even strong resistance by the EU is problematic. A few times this year those mean people in the EU got very close to declare a commercial boycott over Israel. Such move will be a heavy blow on Israel dwindling economy.

Even the only superpower in the world is begging all kind of pathetic states to support its future attack on Iraq. So how can you expect Israel to ignore the all world?



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AUTHOR:G.
DATE:8/05/2002 06:56:00 PM
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BODY: Restraint, waiting for who knows what

This article by Amir Oren in Ha’aretz (link via Tal G.) is explaining Israel restraint. (In the comments to my previous post Jeff suggested a similar explanation.)

"...The IDF, backed by the prime minister, wants to remain as long as possible in a waiting mode - not like in the waiting days before the Six-Day War, when then major general Ariel Sharon was one of the officers pressing the government to open fire, but waiting for the developments that will help reduce Palestinian violence with a minimal Israeli involvement...

...Sharon, one of the pioneers of Israel's retaliation policies, which believed in immediate, costly and escalated responses to Arab attacks, now wants to adopt precisely the opposite approach - restraint in the face of provocations meant to make Israel bleed and strike back. Restraint will preserve Israel's achievements, giving up restraint will waste those...

...The IDF's working plan, as presented last week to Sharon, is diametrically opposed to the expectations of the simplistic critics from left and right that are fueled by high octane emotions between radio report to TV broadcast. The IDF, with the political echelon's approval, is not stamping its feet demanding to leap into action to beat up the Palestinians. On the contrary. The goal now is to avoid escalation in the weeks and months ahead, waiting for local and regional developments that will have far-reaching implications. Three of those developments, on their own and combined into one, are revolutionary: The coming American offensive against Saddam Hussein; the rise of a Palestinian leadership that will depart from Arafat's hardline approach; and the completion of "The Other Road" - the 110 kilometer fence and obstacle course dividing the north and center of the West Bank from Israel proper."

After reading the above my post from yesterday could look like one written by an angry fool. I was angry when I posted it and I may be a fool but I still differ the American-Israeli plan as described above. First the building of a complete Security Fence/Wall is needed urgently and could be done regardless to a calm or escalating situation. As for waiting for an alternative Palestinian leadership – I don’t think such leadership will immerge until Arafat will die. And for the biggest issue, the attack on Iraq – I’m not sure if it will make a difference on the Israeli-Palestinian issue. We can all see that there wasn’t much of a change in this arena after September 11. A few changes did occur – The American decision to ignore Arafat and…mmm... that’s about it I think.

So I’m not sure if sitting waiting for the messiah is a good idea.




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AUTHOR:G.
DATE:8/04/2002 05:16:00 PM
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BODY: Celebrating Arafat’s birthday

Its Arafat’s 73rd birthday today and it seems his murder people decided to celebrate it appropriately. 9 dead, more than 50 hurt in a bus bombing in northern Israel, 3 dead, 17 wounded in Jerusalem shootout, 3 wounded in a blast north of Ramalla, 4 injured in an attack near Tul Karem.

I’m afraid nothing will change here until the Palestinians will succeed in puling out the Israeli version of “September 11”. Maybe than, I’m not sure, will Israel be allowed to go brutal on the Palestinians.



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