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Never Forget

Why War?

I feel bad that my last post was entitled "On Lightening Up". I couldn't leave that up there without some comment on Israel's new war. The situations in Lebanon and Gaza should painfully illuminate the ignorance and arrogance of those who blamed the "occupation" for Israel's problems with its neighbors.

The past two attacks were staged on Israeli soil from areas that were clearly unoccupied. They were motivated solely by a desire to destroy the Jewish state, as were all the other attacks perpetrated against Israel's soldiers or civilians. That has been at the heart of the matter for the last 100 years. The fundamentalist parts of the Arab world (which unfortunately seems to speak for much of it) simply will not accept Israel's existence. It is not about occupation or self-determination. It is about making Israel Judenfrei, hence the Hamas chant, "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!"

The tragic examples of the last three weeks should serve to remove the tired rhetoric about occupation as the source of the problem. But they won't. Europe will continue to be hypocritical and hostile. The U.N. will continue to vote on hateful condemnations of Israel, and the U.S. will veto them and offer restrained verbal support. The media will wax poetic about a "cycle of violence" that has never existed. And Israel will continue to fight against those who seek its annihilation. Israel will defend its borders and its people with valor and righteousness. Israel will deliver the swift hand of justice to its enemies.

May God bless and protect the men and women of the Israel Defense Forces.

On Lightening Up

The World Cup semi-final match between Germany and Italy was two days ago (I won't comment on the disappointing results of that).

Lisa at On the Face posted the following Haaretz cartoon in honor of the occasion:



Kinda funny, huh? It made me chuckle a bit, but it wasn't anything too spectacular. Just a lighthearted jab at some old-school stereotypes.

Or so I thought.

Check out the comments on Lisa's post. Summary: This cartoon is racist against Italians and Germans....aaahhh!/ No, it's a self-deprecating response to past oppression!/ Racist and tasteless! Get over it!/ Get over it? My grandmother who had a heart attack and DIED when I visited Germany can't get over it!/ Racist!/ Historical burden!/ Do younger Israelis maintain the prejudices of their elders?/ Funny!/ Funny!

And then check out some more comments in response to Perpetual Refugee's post on whether the cartoon is offensive. Summary: Sort of tasteless!/ Offensive, sort of! Poor Europe, always accused of anti-Semitism!/ Not offensive! Europeans should (sort of) feel guilty, damnit!/ Well, I'm an anonymous German, my grandfather saved Jews, and boy, am I offended!/ Lighten up! (finally...)/ Don't worry, be happy!/ There are bigger problems out there!/ Ah, no! It's keen cultural commentary!/ Know what's more offensive than this cartoon? You!/ Sorry you don't understand subtle humor...now let me say this in German!/ Not offensive (x3)!/ Germany, Italy, and Israel love each other! If they were people, instead of, like, countries, they would totally be in a threesome!

WTF? So much emotion! Where has the blogospheric sense of humor gone? Are we so used to having our sharpened talons at the ready that we can't take a joke without dissecting its every potential meaning? I am willing to bet that the only intent of the cartoon was to poke fun at old stereotypes of Germans and Italians through the viewpoint of some Israeli soccer fans. No wise ruminations on European anti-Semitism or Israel's supposed failure to "get over it". For the love of God, let's save our arguing for the real problems.

Oh, yeah. I'd post about the Gilad Shalit situation and the recent IDF operations in Gaza (all I will say is that the former justifies the latter - the Palestinian terrorists have proven their depravity, as well as their downright stupidity, once again). But then, I'd be humorless, and that would probably be justified...and no one needs that right now.

On Enemies, Great and Small

In descending order...

Der Spiegel has an interview with none other than Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. It's a good piece - with His Obstinacy having a mischievous (and rather annoying) sense of humor throughout and the German reporters responding quite sensibly. Gloss over page 1, where Mr. Ahmadinejad lectures the Germans on history and guilt and all that jazz - page 2 is where the juicy nuclear ambitions are discussed. It would be tragically foolish to view Mahmoud Ahmedinejad as simply a lunatic. He's a lunatic, a hateful one at that, who may be able to achieve his goals if he is not stopped (and he will be - I have enough faith in the U.S., Israel, and the other democratic players in the game). His threats should be taken seriously.

This is why there is fundementally no difference between Hamas and Fatah. Mahmoud Abbas has named a fugitive terrorist to the helm of his personal security service, a few days after Israel agreed to provide weapons and ammunition to that very service for Abbas's protection. This is Mahmoud Abbas, the moderate, the partner for peace, the banal little man in a suit instead of a balaclava. It does not matter who is leading the Palestinians - anyone with a semblance of power among them is fully committed, in word or deed or both, to the destruction of Israel. They do not care about a civil society. They do not care if there is war on their own streets. As long as Israelis suffer, they are satisfied. It is a pity. Golda Meir was sadly correct when she said that there would be peace, "when the Arabs love their children more than they hate us". I don't see that happening any time soon.

British academia has launched a new boycott of Israel. Yawn.

Memorial Day

Memorial Day in America does not have the significance it should. We note, with sincerity, of course, the sacrifices made by those who have served our country in uniform throughout its history. And then...we return to enjoying our three-day weekend.

But it is because of those sacrifices that we are able to have the luxury of not having to confront war at home. It is because of those who have risked their lives on lonely frontiers thousands of miles away that war is not "personal" for the majority of Americans. We should always keep that in mind, not just on Memorial Day.

A good piece in the Washington Post today.

Yerushalayim Shel Zahav

Yesterday was Yom Yerushalayim, which commemorates the reunification of Jerusalem during the Six-Day War. However, the annoyance of a repeatedly crashing computer prevented me from posting until now.

Isracast has a wonderful recording of the actual recapture of the Old City by IDF troops. Click on the yellow "Listen" link on the upper left hand corner of the screen. Thanks to Treppenwitz for the originally posting the link.

Colonel Motta Gur [on loudspeaker]: All company commanders, we’re sitting right now on the ridge and we’re seeing the Old City. Shortly we’re going to go in to the Old City of Jerusalem, that all generations have dreamed about. We will be the first to enter the Old City. Eitan’s tanks will advance on the left and will enter the Lion’s Gate. The final rendezvous will be on the open square above.
[The open square of the Temple Mount.]

[Sound of applause by the soldiers.]

Yossi Ronen: We are now walking on one of the main streets of Jerusalem towards the Old City. The head of the force is about to enter the Old City.

[Gunfire.]

Yossi Ronen: There is still shooting from all directions; we’re advancing towards the entrance of the Old City.

[Sound of gunfire and soldiers’ footsteps.]

[Yelling of commands to soldiers.]

[More soldiers’ footsteps.]

The soldiers are keeping a distance of approximately 5 meters between them. It’s still dangerous to walk around here; there is still sniper shooting here and there.

[Gunfire.]

We’re all told to stop; we’re advancing towards the mountainside; on our left is the Mount of Olives; we’re now in the Old City opposite the Russian church. I’m right now lowering my head; we’re running next to the mountainside. We can see the stone walls. They’re still shooting at us. The Israeli tanks are at the entrance to the Old City, and ahead we go, through the Lion’s Gate. I’m with the first unit to break through into the Old City. There is a Jordanian bus next to me, totally burnt; it is very hot here. We’re about to enter the Old City itself. We’re standing below the Lion’s Gate, the Gate is about to come crashing down, probably because of the previous shelling. Soldiers are taking cover next to the palm trees; I’m also staying close to one of the trees. We’re getting further and further into the City.

[Gunfire.]

Colonel Motta Gur announces on the army wireless: The Temple Mount is in our hands! I repeat, the Temple Mount is in our hands!

All forces, stop firing! This is the David Operations Room. All forces, stop firing! I repeat, all forces, stop firing! Over.

Commander eight-nine here, is this Motta (Gur) talking? Over.

[Inaudible response on the army wireless by Motta Gur.]

Uzi Narkiss: Motta, there isn’t anybody like you. You’re next to the Mosque of Omar.

Yossi Ronen: I’m driving fast through the Lion’s Gate all the way inside the Old City.

Command on the army wireless: Search the area, destroy all pockets of resistance [but don't touch anything in the houses], especially the holy places.

[Lt.- Col. Uzi Eilam blows the Shofar. Soldiers are singing ‘Jerusalem of Gold’.]

Uzi Narkiss: Tell me, where is the Western Wall? How do we get there?

Yossi Ronen: I’m walking right now down the steps towards the Western Wall. I’m not a religious man, I never have been, but this is the Western Wall and I’m touching the stones of the Western Wall.

Soldiers: [reciting the ‘Shehechianu’ blessing]: Baruch ata Hashem, elokeinu melech haolam, she-hechianu ve-kiemanu ve-hegianu la-zman ha-zeh. [Translation: Blessed art Thou L-rd G-d King of the Universe who has sustained us and kept us and has brought us to this day]

Rabbi Shlomo Goren: Baruch ata Hashem, menachem tsion u-voneh Yerushalayim. [Translation: Blessed are thou, who comforts Zion and bulids Jerusalem]

Soldiers: Amen!

[Soldiers sing ‘Hatikva’ next to the Western Wall.]

Rabbi Goren: We’re now going to recite the prayer for the fallen soldiers of this war against all of the enemies of Israel:

[Soldiers weeping]

El male rahamim, shohen ba-meromim. Hamtse menuha nahona al kanfei hashina, be-maalot kedoshim, giborim ve-tehorim, kezohar harakiya meirim u-mazhirim. Ve-nishmot halalei tsava hagana le-yisrael, she-naflu be-maaraha zot, neged oievei yisrael, ve-shnaflu al kedushat Hashem ha-am ve-ha’arets, ve-shichrur Beit Hamikdash, Har Habayit, Hakotel ha-ma’aravi veyerushalayim ir ha-elokim. Be-gan eden tehe menuhatam. Lahen ba’al ha-rahamim, yastirem beseter knafav le-olamim. Ve-yitsror be-tsror ha-hayim et nishmatam adoshem hu nahlatam, ve-yanuhu be-shalom al mishkavam [soldiers weeping loud]ve-ya’amdu le-goralam le-kets ha-yamim ve-nomar amen!

[Translation: Merciful G-d in heaven, may the heroes and the pure, be under thy Divine wings, among the holy and the pure who shine bright as the sky, and the souls of soldiers of the Israeli army who fell in this war against the enemies of Israel, who fell for their loyalty to G-d and the land of Israel, who fell for the liberation of the Temple, the Temple Mount, the Western Wall and Jerusalem the city of the Lord. May their place of rest be in paradise. Merciful One, O keep their souls forever alive under Thy protective wings. The Lord being their heritage, may they rest in peace, for they shalt rest and stand up for their allotted portion at the end of the days, and let us say, Amen.]

[Soldiers are weeping. Rabbi Goren sounds the shofar. Sound of gunfire in the background.]

Rabbi Goren: Le-shana HA-ZOT be-Yerushalayim ha-b’nuya, be-yerushalayim ha-atika! [Translation: This year in a rebuilt Jerusalem! In the Jerusalem of old!]

It is terribly moving and humbling to imagine this scene - secular generals awed by the sight of the Kotel, the mixed strains of "Hatikva" and "Yerushalayim Shel Zahav", the tears of grown (and heavily armed) men as they pray for the fallen. It makes one realize the sacrifices that were made throughout Israel's history, and it recalls the imperative to make sure those sacrifices were not in vain.