On Monday night and Tuesday, we observed Yom HaShoah – officially known as Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Day – here in Israel. We honor the memories of the six million Jews who perished at the hands of the Nazis and the survivors who endured unspeakable inhumanity.
At official evening ceremonies at Yad Vashem, six of these survivors told their stories and each, accompanied by a relative, lit a torch.
Read their stories here:
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/369926
When they recount their suffering, we are moved to tears; but in the end we are awed by their resilience and determination not only to survive but to make new lives. Each became a productive Israeli citizen, married, had children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Many, many great-grandchildren. Their descendants are their greatest victory.
Here we see a survivor with his twin granddaughters, soldiers in the IDF:
~~~~~~~~~~
There are almost 150,000 survivors in Israel. Their average age is 85; some 30,000 are over age 90 and 462 have lived to be more than 100. The longevity of those who have endured so much is astounding, and surely is testament to their inner strength.
We will not have survivors amongst us for many more years. Fifteen thousand have died in the past year. We must learn from them while we can.
~~~~~~~~~~
It has been my practice to write a posting that focuses on the events of Yom Hashoah, but this year, I diverge. It is not that I consider the memories any less important. If anything, they are more important than ever. This is because of what is happening today, and the failure of so many Jews to draw the appropriate lessons from the Shoah.
~~~~~~~~~~
NEVER AGAIN! Is the byword: We will never allow a Shoah (Holocaust) again. But words are cheap. What matters is how seriously we take them.
Had there been an Israel in the 30s, there would have been no Shoah. Today, Israel is the only thing that stands between the Jewish People and another Shoah.
But has this fact truly been internalized by the Jewish People? I think not.
It has become fashionable on the progressive left, both here and among Jews outside of Israel, to voice severe criticism of the Jewish State. Much has been made of the projected judicial reforms – which are intended to strengthen democracy. There are claims that with the reforms Israel would no longer be a democracy. This is nonsense. But there it is. Many, with a distorted understanding of what the reforms are about, are convinced that speaking out vociferously is a good thing to do.
~~~~~~~~~~
But here is the ugly and painful reality: Iran is gaining in strength and closer than ever to attaining nuclear weapons; it is hardly a secret that the Mullahs’ goal is destruction of Israel. Just three months ago, a deputy commander of the Revolutionary Guards had declared that Iran is strengthening its military infrastructure and will soon “oversee the destruction of Israel.” The Russian-Ukrainian war has provided Iran with a testing ground for its weapons, supplied to Russia.
Recently, Iran chose to initiate a multi-pronged attack on Israel via its proxies, so that we faced rockets on multiple fronts at once, north and south.
The situation has been exacerbated by Biden, who lifted some of the sanctions in place against Iran. This has made it possible for more funding to go to Hezbollah, which has 150,000 rockets aimed at us in Lebanon. Some small percentage of these are precision rockets, thanks to assistance from Iran.
Hamas is now seeking to establish a base in Lebanon, something Israel is determined to prevent.
~~~~~~~~~~
And the heart of the matter, the ikar: Our enemies, including the PLO – which supports and incites terrorism, are watching everything that goes on here. Presently they see us as weakened, which they believe provides an opportunity to attack.
To what degree Israel may or may not be weakened is beside the point, if that is the perception. And the very large left-wing demonstrations that have been going on now for months with nauseating regularity lend precisely that perception: of a weakened, divided Israel.
~~~~~~~~~~
Do the demonstrators care? I see no evidence that they do.
I have previously explored the fact that there are multiple motivations among the left-wing demonstrators, and I will undoubtedly return to this yet again. While the demonstrations are ostensibly about judicial reform, on closer examination it becomes apparent that there many afraid of losing left-wing control of the country, and those who are still on their “anti-Bibi” crusade. In addition, there is an expressed fear of the religious by secular demonstrators (an issue I hope to examine further). Ultimately, on the part of many there is an intention to weaken or take down the government.
Whatever their diverse motivations, they refuse to halt the demonstrations, even temporarily.
Credit: Jack Guez/AFP
~~~~~~~~~~
At first, the right-wing – which has a clear electoral mandate to act – expressed the intention of moving the judicial reform legislation forward quickly and decisively. As demonstrations gathered steam, multiple offers were made by members of the coalition to have meetings and discuss changes in the legislation. These offers were all rebuffed, and the demonstrations continued. Some changes were made unilaterally on the right by MK Simcha Rothman (RZP), Chair of the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, who is involved in the drafting and advancement of the legislation.
At first it was said that just one piece of legislation would be passed during the winter session of the Knesset, before the recess for Pesach: the legislation that would reconstitute the makeup of the committee that selects new judges. As matters stand, the justices – who are not chosen by the people – control the situation; the new legislation would put control in the hands of the Knesset, elected by the people.
Then this plan was further altered: It was reported that negotiations would begin at the president’s house, with Herzog as moderator. Representing the opposition are teams for Yesh Atid (Lapid) and for the National Unity Party (Gantz). A team from Likud represents the coalition; it is headed by Minister Ron Dermer (immediately to the left of Herzog at the head of the table, below).
Kobi Gideon/GPO
It was then announced by representatives of the coalition that if there were no successful completion of negotiations by the time the Knesset came back into session in May, that first piece of legislation would then be brought for a vote.
Here was a window of opportunity for the opposition to secure changes important to them during these negotiations.
Did the mobs show goodwill and temporarily stop the demonstrations? Of course not. Did the opposition leaders, Lapid and Gantz, call for them to do so? No.
This is a clear indication that the primary goal of the demonstrators is not stopping judicial reform that they believe is detrimental to Israel’s democracy (although some may still believe this). Their goals are the ones I wrote about above: taking down Netanyahu and his government, retaining left-wing control in spite of the elections.
Their behavior is reprehensible and clearly indicates that Israel’s security is not first on their agenda.
~~~~~~~~~~
Right now, Herzog is reporting that the negotiations are going very well, that progress is being made. Last week, he declared that he is “cautiously optimistic” about achieving a breakthrough agreement… “there’s a lot of good will in the room since we started the negotiations two weeks ago.”
My take is one of “wait and see.” I take Herzog’s word for nothing. One of the things he declared was that “I’m perhaps the only element in Israeli public life that all parties can feel free to come and speak to and confide with,” and I know this is not the case. (He does not suffer from excessive humility.)
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/369913
~~~~~~~~~~
Prime Minister Netanyahu has instructed Minister Dermer, head of the government team, that he wants to see a compromise agreement achieved. I will be surprised if this happens. But if it does, it takes the wind out of the sails of the left-wing demonstrators – who I fully expect would continue to demonstrate regardless, claiming that the deal was not satisfactory.
~~~~~~~~~~
It has now been announced that the vote on the first piece of legislation will be delayed until perhaps July because work in the Knesset on the budget must come first.
My first response was that this issue is being shunted aside and that this will be claimed as a victory by the opposition. I want to see the judicial reform legislation move ahead.
But then I thought again. Security first, before all else. What matters is that our government projects strength and decisiveness. Above all, our government must not fall. That would truly constitute a victory for the left and make us increasingly vulnerable to our enemies. We can come back to the judicial legislation in due course, as long as we hold tight – achieving in other areas in the interim.
Such an achievement, announced just this week (emphasis added):
“Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Transport Minister Miri Regev have formulated a significant budget for the development of roads in Binyamin Council in Samaria, in collaboration with the head of Binyamin Council, Israel Gantz. This is an unprecedented budgetary investment in Judea and Samaria’s road infrastructure…”
The implications are considerable: When roads are better, more people will move into Binyamin.
Regev’s predecessor, Merav Michaeli (Labor), had refused to spend Transportation Ministry funds for improvement of roads in Judea & Samaria.
Details:
~~~~~~~~~~
Next Thursday, April 27, there are plans for an exceedingly large right-wing demonstration in front of the Knesset: a demonstration that supports the government. This is exceedingly positive, as it demonstrates to our enemies that the government is not weak and has the support of the people.
In the meantime, in recent days there have been smaller right-wing demonstrations in a variety of venues. At the beginning of the week, for example, there was one at the Shilat Junction, in the center of Israel near Modiin. On Wednesday evening, there was a march of some hundreds that ended at the Tel Aviv home of former Supreme Court President Aharon Barak, who had called for the demonstrations to continue. Said march organizer Im Tirtzu, “…Aharon Barak…must not trample on the people’s decision. The people chose judicial reform, and this is what needs to happen.”
A short video here: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/370239
~~~~~~~~~~
There is, then, one additional subject I wish to touch upon with regard to damage done to Israel by the left-wing. I am referring to the despicable, the unpatriotic behavior of Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid), who stirred up sentiment against Israel’s government within left-wing American Jewish groups during a visit to the US.
Times of Israel
There is no way to hold him accountable in legal terms. But what I can do is share a bit about this man in order to sharpen understanding of who he is.
In June 2021, following elections, Naftali Bennett struck an agreement with Lapid for two-year rotations as prime minister, with Bennett going first. In June 2022, however, after one year, he dissolved the Knesset and called for elections. Lapid then became interim prime minister until such time as elections determined who the next prime minister would be. His term of office lasted six months.
It was political instability that moved Bennett to make his decision, jointly with Lapid, to call for new elections. At the time, Lapid stated: “What we need to do today is go back to the concept of Israeli unity – not to let dark forces tear us apart from within. We must remind ourselves that we love one another, love our country, and that only together will we prevail.”
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-710014
Do you believe this? Unity was important to him when his position was unsettled, but today he opts for the opposite of unity. He should be challenged on this. It tells us a great deal about him.
~~~~~~~~~~
Traditionally, an interim prime minister is viewed as someone who has responsibility for sustaining the operation of the government, without unduly rocking the boat. Major, controversial decisions are seen as best tabled until a new government has come into place.
Lapid did not abide by this traditional view of his role, however, and in fact forged ahead on a very controversial deal involving gas fields in Israeli territorial waters in the Mediterranean that were ceded to Lebanon.
There is a great deal to be said about this abysmal deal that weakened Israel, but I will be brief.
In October 2022, Lapid announced an “historic deal” regarding the gas fields of Karish/Qana, in Israeli territorial waters in the Mediterranean. Lebanon claimed that a part of these fields was in its territorial waters. The “deal” signed over to Lebanon jurisdiction of parts of the Karish/Qana field.
This happened following a drone attack by Hezbollah in this area.
Lapid was quick to tout all of the advantages that would be secured from this deal: It would strengthen Israel’s security and ensure the stability of Israel’s northern border.
But there is a huge catch here (several catches, actually): Basic Law: Referendum, passed in 2010, says in short that any government agreement that would mean jurisdiction and administration by the State of Israel would no longer apply to territory in which it had applied, has to be approved by a referendum or approval by an 80-member majority of the Knesset.
But Lapid did not even bring this deal to the Knesset even though Israeli territorial waters were being relinquished.
Eugene Kontorovich, an expert on International Maritime Law and director of International Law at the Jerusalem-based Kohelet Policy Forum, noted that “this is the first time Israel has ceded territory over which it has declared sovereignty…The reason the government claims it must do this now, before elections or a Knesset vote, is that this is Hezbollah’s demand to prevent war. This means Hezbollah now overrides Israel’s democracy.” (Emphasis added)
In other words, Lapid caved, believing that concessions would bring security. The deal, he insisted, “staves off war” with Hezbollah. What he did was exhibit Israeli weakness and set a bad precedent.
And more:
Lapid insisted that the deal – which was actually between the US and Israel, with the US signing a separate document with Lebanon – was not irreversible. Lebanese officials subsequently said they were not concerned about this because the US would protect the deal: Biden officially recognized the five-kilometer buoy line that was established in the deal as a permanent status quo line.
~~~~~~~~~~
I will stop at this point and ask if it is wise to trust anything Lapid says, or to trust that he truly acts in the best interests of Israel.
~~~~~~~~~~
© Arlene Kushner. This material is produced by independent journalist Arlene Kushner. Permission is granted for it to be reproduced only with proper attribution.
April 20, 2023
“Outrage: Lessons Not Learned!!”
On Monday night and Tuesday, we observed Yom HaShoah – officially known as Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Day – here in Israel. We honor the memories of the six million Jews who perished at the hands of the Nazis and the survivors who endured unspeakable inhumanity.
At official evening ceremonies at Yad Vashem, six of these survivors told their stories and each, accompanied by a relative, lit a torch.
Yad Vashem
Read their stories here:
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/369926
When they recount their suffering, we are moved to tears; but in the end we are awed by their resilience and determination not only to survive but to make new lives. Each became a productive Israeli citizen, married, had children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Many, many great-grandchildren. Their descendants are their greatest victory.
Here we see a survivor with his twin granddaughters, soldiers in the IDF:
@IDF
~~~~~~~~~~
There are almost 150,000 survivors in Israel. Their average age is 85; some 30,000 are over age 90 and 462 have lived to be more than 100. The longevity of those who have endured so much is astounding, and surely is testament to their inner strength.
We will not have survivors amongst us for many more years. Fifteen thousand have died in the past year. We must learn from them while we can.
~~~~~~~~~~
It has been my practice to write a posting that focuses on the events of Yom Hashoah, but this year, I diverge. It is not that I consider the memories any less important. If anything, they are more important than ever. This is because of what is happening today, and the failure of so many Jews to draw the appropriate lessons from the Shoah.
~~~~~~~~~~
NEVER AGAIN! Is the byword: We will never allow a Shoah (Holocaust) again. But words are cheap. What matters is how seriously we take them.
Had there been an Israel in the 30s, there would have been no Shoah. Today, Israel is the only thing that stands between the Jewish People and another Shoah.
But has this fact truly been internalized by the Jewish People? I think not.
It has become fashionable on the progressive left, both here and among Jews outside of Israel, to voice severe criticism of the Jewish State. Much has been made of the projected judicial reforms – which are intended to strengthen democracy. There are claims that with the reforms Israel would no longer be a democracy. This is nonsense. But there it is. Many, with a distorted understanding of what the reforms are about, are convinced that speaking out vociferously is a good thing to do.
~~~~~~~~~~
But here is the ugly and painful reality: Iran is gaining in strength and closer than ever to attaining nuclear weapons; it is hardly a secret that the Mullahs’ goal is destruction of Israel. Just three months ago, a deputy commander of the Revolutionary Guards had declared that Iran is strengthening its military infrastructure and will soon “oversee the destruction of Israel.” The Russian-Ukrainian war has provided Iran with a testing ground for its weapons, supplied to Russia.
Recently, Iran chose to initiate a multi-pronged attack on Israel via its proxies, so that we faced rockets on multiple fronts at once, north and south.
The situation has been exacerbated by Biden, who lifted some of the sanctions in place against Iran. This has made it possible for more funding to go to Hezbollah, which has 150,000 rockets aimed at us in Lebanon. Some small percentage of these are precision rockets, thanks to assistance from Iran.
CSIS
Hamas is now seeking to establish a base in Lebanon, something Israel is determined to prevent.
~~~~~~~~~~
And the heart of the matter, the ikar: Our enemies, including the PLO – which supports and incites terrorism, are watching everything that goes on here. Presently they see us as weakened, which they believe provides an opportunity to attack.
To what degree Israel may or may not be weakened is beside the point, if that is the perception. And the very large left-wing demonstrations that have been going on now for months with nauseating regularity lend precisely that perception: of a weakened, divided Israel.
~~~~~~~~~~
Do the demonstrators care? I see no evidence that they do.
I have previously explored the fact that there are multiple motivations among the left-wing demonstrators, and I will undoubtedly return to this yet again. While the demonstrations are ostensibly about judicial reform, on closer examination it becomes apparent that there many afraid of losing left-wing control of the country, and those who are still on their “anti-Bibi” crusade. In addition, there is an expressed fear of the religious by secular demonstrators (an issue I hope to examine further). Ultimately, on the part of many there is an intention to weaken or take down the government.
Whatever their diverse motivations, they refuse to halt the demonstrations, even temporarily.
~~~~~~~~~~
At first, the right-wing – which has a clear electoral mandate to act – expressed the intention of moving the judicial reform legislation forward quickly and decisively. As demonstrations gathered steam, multiple offers were made by members of the coalition to have meetings and discuss changes in the legislation. These offers were all rebuffed, and the demonstrations continued. Some changes were made unilaterally on the right by MK Simcha Rothman (RZP), Chair of the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, who is involved in the drafting and advancement of the legislation.
At first it was said that just one piece of legislation would be passed during the winter session of the Knesset, before the recess for Pesach: the legislation that would reconstitute the makeup of the committee that selects new judges. As matters stand, the justices – who are not chosen by the people – control the situation; the new legislation would put control in the hands of the Knesset, elected by the people.
Then this plan was further altered: It was reported that negotiations would begin at the president’s house, with Herzog as moderator. Representing the opposition are teams for Yesh Atid (Lapid) and for the National Unity Party (Gantz). A team from Likud represents the coalition; it is headed by Minister Ron Dermer (immediately to the left of Herzog at the head of the table, below).
It was then announced by representatives of the coalition that if there were no successful completion of negotiations by the time the Knesset came back into session in May, that first piece of legislation would then be brought for a vote.
Here was a window of opportunity for the opposition to secure changes important to them during these negotiations.
Did the mobs show goodwill and temporarily stop the demonstrations? Of course not. Did the opposition leaders, Lapid and Gantz, call for them to do so? No.
This is a clear indication that the primary goal of the demonstrators is not stopping judicial reform that they believe is detrimental to Israel’s democracy (although some may still believe this). Their goals are the ones I wrote about above: taking down Netanyahu and his government, retaining left-wing control in spite of the elections.
Their behavior is reprehensible and clearly indicates that Israel’s security is not first on their agenda.
~~~~~~~~~~
Right now, Herzog is reporting that the negotiations are going very well, that progress is being made. Last week, he declared that he is “cautiously optimistic” about achieving a breakthrough agreement… “there’s a lot of good will in the room since we started the negotiations two weeks ago.”
My take is one of “wait and see.” I take Herzog’s word for nothing. One of the things he declared was that “I’m perhaps the only element in Israeli public life that all parties can feel free to come and speak to and confide with,” and I know this is not the case. (He does not suffer from excessive humility.)
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/369913
~~~~~~~~~~
Prime Minister Netanyahu has instructed Minister Dermer, head of the government team, that he wants to see a compromise agreement achieved. I will be surprised if this happens. But if it does, it takes the wind out of the sails of the left-wing demonstrators – who I fully expect would continue to demonstrate regardless, claiming that the deal was not satisfactory.
~~~~~~~~~~
It has now been announced that the vote on the first piece of legislation will be delayed until perhaps July because work in the Knesset on the budget must come first.
My first response was that this issue is being shunted aside and that this will be claimed as a victory by the opposition. I want to see the judicial reform legislation move ahead.
But then I thought again. Security first, before all else. What matters is that our government projects strength and decisiveness. Above all, our government must not fall. That would truly constitute a victory for the left and make us increasingly vulnerable to our enemies. We can come back to the judicial legislation in due course, as long as we hold tight – achieving in other areas in the interim.
Such an achievement, announced just this week (emphasis added):
“Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Transport Minister Miri Regev have formulated a significant budget for the development of roads in Binyamin Council in Samaria, in collaboration with the head of Binyamin Council, Israel Gantz. This is an unprecedented budgetary investment in Judea and Samaria’s road infrastructure…”
The implications are considerable: When roads are better, more people will move into Binyamin.
Regev’s predecessor, Merav Michaeli (Labor), had refused to spend Transportation Ministry funds for improvement of roads in Judea & Samaria.
Details:
~~~~~~~~~~
Next Thursday, April 27, there are plans for an exceedingly large right-wing demonstration in front of the Knesset: a demonstration that supports the government. This is exceedingly positive, as it demonstrates to our enemies that the government is not weak and has the support of the people.
In the meantime, in recent days there have been smaller right-wing demonstrations in a variety of venues. At the beginning of the week, for example, there was one at the Shilat Junction, in the center of Israel near Modiin. On Wednesday evening, there was a march of some hundreds that ended at the Tel Aviv home of former Supreme Court President Aharon Barak, who had called for the demonstrations to continue. Said march organizer Im Tirtzu, “…Aharon Barak…must not trample on the people’s decision. The people chose judicial reform, and this is what needs to happen.”
A short video here: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/370239
~~~~~~~~~~
There is, then, one additional subject I wish to touch upon with regard to damage done to Israel by the left-wing. I am referring to the despicable, the unpatriotic behavior of Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid), who stirred up sentiment against Israel’s government within left-wing American Jewish groups during a visit to the US.
There is no way to hold him accountable in legal terms. But what I can do is share a bit about this man in order to sharpen understanding of who he is.
In June 2021, following elections, Naftali Bennett struck an agreement with Lapid for two-year rotations as prime minister, with Bennett going first. In June 2022, however, after one year, he dissolved the Knesset and called for elections. Lapid then became interim prime minister until such time as elections determined who the next prime minister would be. His term of office lasted six months.
It was political instability that moved Bennett to make his decision, jointly with Lapid, to call for new elections. At the time, Lapid stated: “What we need to do today is go back to the concept of Israeli unity – not to let dark forces tear us apart from within. We must remind ourselves that we love one another, love our country, and that only together will we prevail.”
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-710014
Do you believe this? Unity was important to him when his position was unsettled, but today he opts for the opposite of unity. He should be challenged on this. It tells us a great deal about him.
~~~~~~~~~~
Traditionally, an interim prime minister is viewed as someone who has responsibility for sustaining the operation of the government, without unduly rocking the boat. Major, controversial decisions are seen as best tabled until a new government has come into place.
Lapid did not abide by this traditional view of his role, however, and in fact forged ahead on a very controversial deal involving gas fields in Israeli territorial waters in the Mediterranean that were ceded to Lebanon.
There is a great deal to be said about this abysmal deal that weakened Israel, but I will be brief.
In October 2022, Lapid announced an “historic deal” regarding the gas fields of Karish/Qana, in Israeli territorial waters in the Mediterranean. Lebanon claimed that a part of these fields was in its territorial waters. The “deal” signed over to Lebanon jurisdiction of parts of the Karish/Qana field.
This happened following a drone attack by Hezbollah in this area.
Lapid was quick to tout all of the advantages that would be secured from this deal: It would strengthen Israel’s security and ensure the stability of Israel’s northern border.
But there is a huge catch here (several catches, actually): Basic Law: Referendum, passed in 2010, says in short that any government agreement that would mean jurisdiction and administration by the State of Israel would no longer apply to territory in which it had applied, has to be approved by a referendum or approval by an 80-member majority of the Knesset.
But Lapid did not even bring this deal to the Knesset even though Israeli territorial waters were being relinquished.
Eugene Kontorovich, an expert on International Maritime Law and director of International Law at the Jerusalem-based Kohelet Policy Forum, noted that “this is the first time Israel has ceded territory over which it has declared sovereignty…The reason the government claims it must do this now, before elections or a Knesset vote, is that this is Hezbollah’s demand to prevent war. This means Hezbollah now overrides Israel’s democracy.” (Emphasis added)
In other words, Lapid caved, believing that concessions would bring security. The deal, he insisted, “staves off war” with Hezbollah. What he did was exhibit Israeli weakness and set a bad precedent.
And more:
Lapid insisted that the deal – which was actually between the US and Israel, with the US signing a separate document with Lebanon – was not irreversible. Lebanese officials subsequently said they were not concerned about this because the US would protect the deal: Biden officially recognized the five-kilometer buoy line that was established in the deal as a permanent status quo line.
~~~~~~~~~~
I will stop at this point and ask if it is wise to trust anything Lapid says, or to trust that he truly acts in the best interests of Israel.
~~~~~~~~~~
© Arlene Kushner. This material is produced by independent journalist Arlene Kushner. Permission is granted for it to be reproduced only with proper attribution.
