By way of introduction, I share an obscene story, told last Friday by Lt. Col. (res.) Maurice Hirsch in the course of a JCPA zoom about the war.
The story Col. Hirsch relayed had been told to him by a member of Zaka, the organization that does the holy work of retrieving and burying the bodies of those who have killed. The individual from Zaka spoke about how he was going from house to house in one particular border community, searching out dead bodies. He came to one house in which he found a dead woman, lying on her stomach. He turned her over and saw that she was pregnant. Her stomach had been cut open and the fetus had been stabbed.
This, my dear friends, is pure savagery: an evil that must be destroyed in its totality. There can be no equivocation here, no hesitation. Let the world grasp this reality and refrain from criticizing as we complete this urgent task. There is no moral equivalency. None.
Here you see a picture of members of Zaka at work. They are trained paramedics, and they are saints.
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Let me share here, as well, as collection of video clips that make it imminently clear that Hamas’s intention is genocidal:
https://twitter.com/IDF/status/1711764480307151344
This too needs to be seen by those who minimize the evil of Hamas or attribute their actions to “occupation.”
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Our troops, gathered at the Gaza border, will be thoroughly prepared, and their support systems will be maximized, before they are sent in to take out Hamas. Thus, while it may have seemed so to many of us, the ground invasion into Gaza is apparently not going to happen tomorrow: There are many complex considerations at play, and I will look at some of them below.
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But first, I want to introduce you to a very fine non-profit organization operating here that you may not be aware of: The Israel Independence Fund (IIF). I have worked with them for years. It is run by volunteers; and 100% of the money donated goes directly to its designated purpose. (It is a 501(c)3 organization and can provide a US tax deduction.)
IIF is deeply concerned about the vulnerability of some 80 small homesteads and farms in Judea & Samaria and the Galil, which are at risk because many of their men have been called up. IIF is running out of money to provide life-saving equipment to civilian organizations helping these homesteads and farms: long-range walkie talkies, flashlights, first aid kits, drones that can survey an area, ceramic vests for protection, etc.
https://www.fundisrael.org/ (donate button at top right)
Please, consider helping generously.
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Then I want to revisit my appeal to each and every reader to share these postings broadly and to utilize my information in order to defend Israel. It is a critically important part of fighting this war.
Many people are horrified at the horrendous cruelty of Hamas, and so we have seen some incredible support for Israel internationally. More support than I can remember ever seeing before.
NYC Mayor Eric Adams gave an amazing speech at a rally for Israel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tA6BH9HLgqQ
But there is a fragility to a good deal of that support and there is a likelihood that it will dissipate over time. Over time, did I say? Maybe after two or three days.
It is one thing to be shocked at what Hamas has done, and it is another to understand that Israel is very serious about taking out Hamas and to continue to stand strong for Israel’s right to proceed when there are civilian losses in Gaza.
Jonathan Tobin, editor of JNS, put it very well:
He says that he is outraged about the moral bankruptcy of the progressives who embrace outright Jew-hatred in supporting Hamas.
See one example of many here:
https://worldisraelnews.com/american-white-supremacists-cheer-hamas-atrocities/
However, says Tobin “I’m far more worried about the behavior and comments of decent liberals…”
He is referring to those “who have expressed their revulsion at Hamas’s actions and denounced the support the terrorists have gotten from the progressives” but qualify their support for Israel: “The loud chorus of corporate media talking heads and pundits, both Jewish and non-Jewish, who are treating Israel’s efforts to put an end to this deadly threat as morally dubious may not be as despicable as those openly approving of the mass killing of Jews. However, it is those avatars of a ‘decent left’ that treat the Israeli counter-offensive aimed at hopefully eliminating Hamas as also wrong who wield far more influence and do a great deal more damage to the existential struggle to defend the Jewish state than the ones who react to images of murdered Jewish babies with cries of ‘Free Palestine.’”
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A video of Naftali Bennett interviewed by UK Sky News provided an early indication of liberal attempts to qualify support for Israel:
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/378401
And a great deal more is coming.
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Right now, Israel is fighting an existential war. Not only is it important that we eliminate Hamas so it can never hurt a single Israeli again, we also must be mindful of the fact that Hezbollah and Iran are watching: If we hesitate in taking out Hamas, they will perceive Israel as weak.
And the simple, unavoidable truth is that there will be civilian damage in the course of a war.
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There are various aspects to the war against Hamas.
The first, a siege on Gaza. Less than a week ago, Defense Minister Gallant announced a full closure of Gaza: no electricity, no food, no fuel coming from or through Israel. Then Israeli Energy Minister Israel Katz instructed authorities to cut off water. “No electrical switch will be turned on, no water hydrant will be opened, and no fuel truck will enter until the Israeli abductees are returned home,” declared Katz at that time.
The siege is designed to weaken Hamas and bring it to its knees.
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I share here an important article, “Israel has the right and the duty to besiege Gaza,” written by two well respected attorneys: Avi Bell (pictured) is a law professor at Bar Ilan University and San Diego University; Erielle Davidson is a fellow at George Mason’s Antonin Scalia Law School. (All emphasis is added.)
The authors explain that since Hamas took over Gaza, Israel has been the main conduit for providing Gaza Strip with fuel, electricity, water and medical care.
“But this is not viable during the military campaign.
“For years, Hamas has exploited these transfers by stealing supplies and penetrating ‘humanitarian’ organizations to mask its terror operations and launder funds.
“Hamas’ wartime command-and-control center is located in the basement of Gaza City’s Shifa Hospital, where the ‘humanitarian’ supply of power and goods can serve the terrorists’ needs and Palestinian civilians’ misery can make them human shields.
“Thus, Israel cannot allow Hamas to resupply during the war; a complete siege is needed.
“Hamas-controlled institutions, from the Gaza ‘health ministry’ to Gazan ‘human rights’ organizations, together with their Western allies in the United Nations and European Union, insist Israel has no legal right to besiege Gaza and is legally responsible for the price ordinary Palestinians are paying for Hamas’ actions.
“These claims are perverse and without legal foundation.
“Sieges are a well-known and lawful method of warfare.
“Both the Geneva and Hague conventions include instructions on conducting sieges under international law, recognizing they may be effective tools for bringing a conflict to a rapid and successful end.
“The basic rule they outline: Sieges are lawful unless deliberately aimed at starving the local population.
“Israel’s aims, repeatedly stated, are to defeat Hamas terrorists by depriving them of resources and to rescue hostages.
“International pressure demanding Israel provide terrorists with electricity and other goods is absurd and without basis in international law.”
https://nypost.com/2023/10/11/israel-has-the-right-and-the-duty-to-besiege-gaza/
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Cutting off electricity and water from Hamas reduces its ability to launch rockets. Thus, it is a legitimate part of the war effort.
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Having just written the above a short while ago, I must pause to add the latest news: Israel has opened the water pipes to southern Gaza. This is in spite of the declaration of a full closure. What is most disturbing is that it followed a conversation between Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Biden. Already pressure is being put on Israel with regard to “humanitarian” concerns.
What Minister Katz has said now is that “The decision to open the water at a specific point for the residents of the southern Gaza Strip, which was agreed between Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Biden, is in line with our policy and makes it possible to tighten the unprecedented general siege on Gaza without electricity, without water and without fuel until Hamas is eliminated.”
Unless I am missing something here, this is doubletalk, designed to reassure the many, many Israelis who are angry and disturbed about this move. Perhaps he means this assuages Biden’s demands and makes it possible for us to continue in other areas. We can only continue to monitor this closely.
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And then, there is the bombing of Gaza, which is on-going.
The IDF is the most moral army in the world, a fact that the world prefers not to acknowledge. We never ever target civilians, and we take extraordinary care to avoid civilian deaths.
But the goal of this war is the total elimination of Hamas, and so the IDF cannot do the sort of precision bombing it has in the past. We avoided sites that were important militarily because of the presence of civilians. We have been known to stop a bombing because of a single child identified in the area.
The problem here is that Hamas routinely uses human shields and locates in civilian areas. Their operatives and their weaponry are hidden in mosques and schools and hospitals.
If we avoid hitting these sites, even after we identify Hamas presence and equipment, Hamas will survive to hit us another day. Civilian deaths that do occur in spite of our best efforts to avoid them are the responsibility of Hamas, not Israel.
This is what Meir Ben Shabbat, head of the Misgav Institute for Zionist Strategy & National Security, wrote:
“The current circumstances not only justify but necessitate a departure from the policy of surgical strikes. While they provide precision and show Israel’s special capabilities, they require protracted and complex preparations and, in any event, cannot constitute a sufficient price tag for the severe attack carried out by Hamas.
In place of this policy, Israel should warn the civilian population in the Gaza Strip that, following the expiry of the ultimatum, Israel’s intentions are to launch a massive assault.
https://www.jns.org/israel-must-make-it-clear-the-era-of-surgical-strikes-is-over/
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Before our troops go in for the ground operation, specific training of elite units is being done, and highly specialized equipment is being provided.
Intense bombing efforts are being carried out to soften the capacity of Hamas to continue to launch rockets once our boys go in.
Additionally, advance scouting IDF teams are in Gaza now, assessing the lay of the land, seeking information about captives, searching for dead bodies.
One-hundred and fifty Israeli families have been notified that their relatives are being held by Hamas; the captives include citizens from 23 nations.
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When our troops do enter, they will be headed towards Gaza City, which is in the north. Israel has put out extensive alerts to the civilians of the north instructing them to go south.
On Thursday night, the IDF notified the United Nations that some 1.1 million Palestinian Arabs residing north of Wadi Gaza need to leave their homes. The UN declined to cooperate and is refusing to move its own offices.
On Saturday, the IDF continued to drop leaflets in Gaza urging residents to flee: “Dear residents, the terrorist organizations began a war against the State of Israel, and Gaza City became a battle zone. You must evacuate your home immediately and leave south. For your safety and security, you are not allowed to return home until further notice from the Israel Defense Forces.”
Said IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, “The IDF provided this recommendation in Arabic social media, via international organizations, and conveyed this message through Gazan channels so that the people of Gaza can receive it in reliable ways. There is enough electricity in Gaza to deliver this message, and we know how to deliver it. Flyers, radio, telephone, via all possible [channels].”
Hamas, however, is trying its best to keep people from heading south, and there are even pictures of blockades put up on the roads to discourage travel. The goal is to keep citizen located over the tunnels and near other Hamas infrastructure.
Whatever civilian damages occur are on the head of Hamas.
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In spite of Hamas efforts to discourage them, many people are moving south – perhaps as many as half a million at this point.
It has been suggested – although there is no clarity on this – that the water was opened in the south to attract people to come. This would help make sense of Katz’s statement.
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When I say that we Israelis are extraordinary, it is not meant lightly. I have written about young people who were out of the country and rushed home to serve, but I want to be more specific than this. More young men have showed up to serve than the number that had been called. The figure I have is 150% of enlisted troops. They understand and are raring to go.
It is their extraordinary spirit and devotion that will bring the ultimate victory.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Netanyahu went into kibbutzim close to Gaza to assess the situation for himself and give strength to the soldiers.
See a video here:
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© Arlene Kushner. This material is produced by independent journalist Arlene Kushner. Permission is granted for it to be reproduced only with proper attribution.
