Midweek Update Pillar of Cloud

121118

18^th November 2012

I was listening to the radio just now, on my way home from a delightful breakfast with a friend. Radio One was airing an interview with the head of the Israeli Air Force and every few seconds the interview was interrupted “Tseva Adom b'Sderot – Tseva Adom b'Sderot” a few more words “Tseva Adom b'Shaarey ha Negev – Tseva Adom b'Shaarei ha Negev” another word or two “Tseva Adom b'Ashdod- Tseva Adom b'Ashdod” another word “Tseva Adom b'Ashkelon – Tseva Adom b'Ashkelon” Red Alert in those cities is announced on the radio in real time, in a calm and matter of fact manner to ensure everyone hears the warning, apart from the siren. What does it mean? In each of these places men, women and children, irrespective of creed or colour, have 15 seconds to run to a shelter. What does that mean? Try this. Close your eyes and count to fifteen imagining yourself in the street or in your apartment with four little children and have to run for cover.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GH7P38pUspo

Please sign this petition by the WZO to show your empathy with the people of Southern Israelhttp://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/wzo?fb_comment_id=fbc_125875980902780_160996_125901784233533#f1df5af644

Insanity reigns not democracy as Arab Members of Knesset hold a minutes silence for the dead in Gaza! Yes, at least abuse of democracy and at worst treason, pure and simple. They dare to claim that Israel does not give them simple human rights – good grief who believes them? http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4307259,00.html

Just as you worry about us we worry about you because you somehow don't understand how great the threat. Freedom of speech is one of the greatest ideals of the United States, indeed of all great democracies, but there have to be limits whereby the right to freedom of speech does not break the bounds into incitement to hatred. This video was taken in Manhattan next to Charles Schwabhttp://www.youtube.com/embed/HjFSi1AZTq8

With all that is happening in Israel we still have time to help others. Shachar Zahavi of IsraAid is working hard to help those in New Jersey who suffered so badly from Hurricane Sandy. Go to the website and commend IsraAid and if you live in New Jersey, invite the volunteers for a cup of coffee! http://www.israaid.co.il/

Friends, don't worry about us. We are strong, we will survive because we understand who our enemies are and what has to be done to protect our beautiful children. Surely it is now time for our children to be children and not have to count to 15 to see if they will survive or if their homes will still be there when they return after the ear-shattering, heart stopping boom. As I write to you, watching the constant reports on TV, the reporter had to run to cover with his cameraman and we understood what children in the South have been doing for eleven long years. Remember when the media claims we are in Gaza.... we left Gaza lock stock and two smoking barrels years ago!!!

Just a side issue, we were in Tel Aviv on Friday lunch-time, at a party celebrating the birth of a grand-son to Zvi's cousin. It didn't frighten me that we heard the siren and all crowded into the kitchens at the events hall because that was the safe place. I realy wasn't scared. However as we left Tel Aviv for home I called our Tel Aviv friends, and smugly invited them to Jerusalem so they could be safe for Shabbat. As we neared Jerusalem the radio suddenly announced "Tseva Adom b'Yerushalyim"!!!!! The sirens caught my daughter out with her daughter and they ran home as fast as possible. I phoned our Tel Aviv friends and apologised!! As a final piece of information, the Fajr 5 rocket that was shot over Jerusalem landed on an Arab village!!!!!

That's all for now dear friends, don't worry about us or about Israel. Many nations, religions, Empires and organisations have tried to kill us off and we are still standing while they disappeared. My greatest concern is when I go to bed, my dressing gown (thanks to Pauline) is next to me and my phone next to the door and then I will be dressed properly, warm and snug when we go and sit with our neighbours if the siren sounds!!!

Have a good week, Shevu'a Tov and Shalom al Yisrael. Od yavo Shalom Aleinu (Peace will come to us)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4HViPVymlo&feature=fvwrel

With love from Jerusalem, beautiful as always

Sheila

If you want to hear what REALLY happens in Israel go to the Israel Broadcasting Association in Englishhttp://tunein.com/radio/Israel-Radio-630-AM-English-news-s132327/

Mid Week update - Rocket attacks on the South

120311

11th March 2012


Update on the South

Over 100 rockets, both Kassams and the longer reach Grads, have been launched from Gaza onto the citizens of the South of Israel.

It is almost impossible to find the launchers since they are on the backs of small trucks and move from place to place – but we find them and dispose of them – and any 14 year old children who are injured are part of the launch team. Hamas says they are trying to stop the barrage, but apparently the launchers were discovered to be members of Hamas, Fatah and Islamic Jihad. Apparently they are jealous of the world's attention concentrated on Iran.

The Israeli defensive innovation called Iron Dome has saved many lives already – with a 90% accuracy in intercepting and preventing the missiles ever reaching their targets on the ground. There is still danger and universities and schools from Beer Sheba south have been closed and people told to stay within 15 seconds of a shelter. Inquisitive Israelis have been leaving the shelters to see the Iron Dome interceptor missiles in action but the local defence authorities have warned everyone to remain inside because of the danger from falling shrapnel

By the way - we all laugh at the binocular incident with Amir Peretz during the Lebanon War but he is the one who encouraged the R&D of the Iron Dome defence system devised, innovated and built by the Israeli Rafa'el Armaments company. He may have left the covers on his binoculars but former Defence Minister Peretz's foresight in this instance deserves credit. Now who looks dumb?

Can you imagine any other country suffering such an onslaught without extreme consequences and outcry? The plight of the children in the South goes unnoticed – and most suffer PTSD to a greater or lesser extent – every day for 12 years they have been bombarded with shorter and longer range missiles. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4200738,00.html

It makes me very angry – we did everything expected and demanded of us – leaving wonderful communities in Gaza because the world told us it would solve the problem but this is the result.......................... We saved Jewish lives from death at the hands of Hamas in Gaza but brought these terrible barrages upon ourselves by our very humanity.

Have a good week – remember that Sderot, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Zeelim, Ofakim, Netivot, Gan Yavneh, Yavneh are all on alert. Imagine it were anywhere else? Oh well- apparently Jews are disposable. Some things never change.

Free Gaza from Hamas

Dear Friends
This is not a regular bulletin but rather a cry for sanity.
Please spread this email to all your local and national media outlets before the flotilla of blind leftists who erroneously believe the media hype that Gaza has no food because of Israel grabs the limelight.
They know not what they do, they see not what they ought and they speak of what they do not see or know.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXhcmQmOuds

http://vodpod.com/watch/3693062-free-gaza-from-hamas

090115 Shabbat Shalom, Gaza Update 10

15th January 2009.

Day 20 of Operation Cast Lead

Shabbat shalom



OK Let's start at the beginning. Condi and Ehud made up after their rather public and inappropriate tiff! In a telephone conversation the two decided that the current situation was infinitely more important than winning points over each other. They have a job to do and it is more urgent than any other on the agenda. What could have been a major problem has turned into a storm in a political teacup with not a drop spilt into the waters around Boston. Efforts to bring Egypt into a more active role in the peacekeeping will go ahead.



The Israeli Central Elections Committee determined that the Arab political parties, Balad, United Arab List-Ta'al are ineligible to run in the February 2009 elections, on the grounds that, in practice, they are unwilling to recognize the State of Israel and call for armed conflict against it. They constantly undermine the Israeli Government, the actions of the IDF and use their position of privilege to work for the enemy. The decision will go before the Supreme Court for a final pronouncement.



Many Americans believe that Europe in general and the UK in particular, due to their ever increasing Moslem citizens and their influence, hate Israel but the USA is safe . Don't be complacent – in this video from Fort Lauderdale look at the demonstrators cursing and using foul language http://bijenkorf.wordpress.com/2008/12/31/pro-hamas-ft-lauderdale/

Thanks to BICOM for publishing parts of a parliamentary debate. BICOM offices in London were attacked by a gang of "yobbos" two days ago but the staff is soldiering on. http://www.bicom.org.uk/news/news-archive/bicom-briefing--gaza-situation-update---14-january-2009

David Cairns (Labour Party): "According to reports from Egypt, the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Ali Larijani, and Saeed Jalili from the Iranian security services are actively encouraging Hamas not to enter into a ceasefire and, indeed, to step up the rocket attacks. Does my hon. Friend agree that those reports not only underline Iran's wholly malign influence in this region but underscore genuine fears among the Israeli public that behind Hamas is a country led by a lunatic and committed to the destruction of the State of Israel?"

The "Phosphorous" shells over which the IDF is accused of war crimes are not phosphorous at all. The IDF's "Medusa" shells create a smoke screen to foil the aim of enemy gunmen so that they cannot aim their weapons accurately. Not only are these shells legal, they have been used by the Allied Forces in Iraq for some time.



Today the IDF managed to execute two senior Hamas terrorists and the morale of the Hamas rank and file is in total disarray because they cannot hold the usual gruesome funerals with thousands in the streets. In the same IDF foray an UNWRA facility and a hospital were hit. In initial television interviews the Senior UNWRA representative spoke said that Hamas was indeed shooting from the building, but his report was ignored by most of the media. In addition an IDF shell allegedly hit the 14 storey building which houses the press corps in Gaza City but as yet it is unknown if that was the actual source of the explosion since the amount of arms caches of Hamas in built up areas of Gaza City is enormous. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1231950855726



Rockets and Grad missiles are still coming over the border, but in much smaller quantities. This evening however a Grad rocket made a direct hit on a moving car in a residential area of Beersheva seriously injuring a woman and child. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3656914,00.html



Reuters invite you to comment on their coverage of Middle East Affairs in general and this period in particular on their blog – a brave decision. I ask only one thing of you – be polite and representative – insulting words achieve negative results. http://blogs.reuters.com/fulldisclosure/2009/01/15/reporting-in-gaza-striving-for-fairness/





Yesterday Jerusalem had a tiny taste of what Sderot has endured for 8 years. Apparently a Grad rocket, bound for Yavneh, was picked up on the Jerusalem missile detectors and the siren sounded. Many youngsters who did not live through the second Gulf war were totally panic-stricken and no-one knew exactly what to do, to run for the shelter or to stay where we were. It was a mistake, a simple glitch in the system but it gave us some insight into the unbelievable terror each day brought to the residents of the Southern Border with Gaza.





Our dear friend Canon Andrew White is today recovering from a stem cell transplant in his beloved Baghdad. He opted to undergo the operation in Baghdad, performed by an Iraqi doctor who he trusts implicitly. He wrote to me yesterday to say that the pain from the drugs which increase the production of the stem cells in his body was excruciating yet he continued with his work in without a moment's hesitation. I promised Andrew that I would ask you to pray for his well-being. Even those of you who have not heard of his amazing work and his untiring efforts despite the all pervading horror of his advanced MS and the fact that his wife Caroline and two young sons wait anxiously him in the UK.





It is hard to be optimistic and think about normal life since our every moment is steeped in newscasts. However, yesterday was my birthday and my wonderful girlfriends wanted to take me out! This is a protracted birthday which began with birthday cake with my daughter Rachel and her three children two days ago; lunch with my friend Judith in the German Colony yesterday and breakfast with Rosa and Polita in the glorious Anna Ticho House today. It will continue with the family on Shabbat and even extend into next week with Betty and Dana but as we laugh and take pleasure in the sunshine and good food, conversations inevitably turn to our all pervading fear for our boys in the IDF and the task that has fallen upon their young shoulders. As I think of their lost innocence and future nightmares I'm drawn to Golda Meir's famous words which may sound trite to some but express the very essence of our battle for peace in our little country.



Peace will come to the Middle East when the Arabs love their children more than they hate us.



Please G-d, I pray that we will always love our children more than we hate anyone and will follow every avenue to give them a secure and kinder future where they can raise their children safely right here in their own home



Shabbat Shalom and much love from Jerusalem

Sheila

090113 Gaza Update 9

13th January 2009.

Gaza Update 18th day of fighting

Hypocrisy! Sheer hypocrisy and cant in the general antipathy to Israel and the cries of anger at the plight of the people of Gaza. Hypocrisy, cant and humbug. Where were the voices of the likes of Human Rights Watch and Medicins son Frontieres, to say nothing of the media, when Hamas was murdering thousands of Gazan citizens? Where were they when Fatah stole the hundreds of billions of dollars given in aid to the people of Gaza (Forbes published that if the money had been used properly each Palestinian would have food a house and a car) and where was the disgust at the misuse of funds by Hamas who didn't build villas for themselves but built up arms stores to attack both Israel and their own people? Where are the cries of revulsion that the medical supplies that Israel sent to the hospitals of Gaza have been "held back" in case one of the Hamas leaders is injured. Where was the dismay when Israeli children were suffering rocket attacks? I repeat hypocrisy and cant. Not one of the aid organizations complained to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights because according to Islam, one Moslem can kill another Moslem without rebuke but no Christian (Iraq and Afghanistan) or Jew is allowed to do so.

To put the level of hypocrisy into perspective, as Israel is being lambasted for her actions in Gaza by the UN, the media, and not a few politicians, Israel's Foreign Office came upon this report by UNAMA (United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan) A/63/372–S/2008/617 of military activity by forces in that country

"In the first eight months of 2008, UNAMA recorded a total of 1,445 civilian deaths, an increase of 39 per cent over the 1,040 civilian deaths recorded in the same period in 2007. Of those, 55 per cent were attributed to attacks by anti-Government elements, 40 per cent to pro-Government forces and 5 per cent to unknown agents."

Israel mourns every human being harmed because of this war – we did not want it and we do not want it – but we will fight to protect ourselves and defend our country because apparently no-one else will. In our battle for survival the world, apparently, believes Israel is Shylock wanting his pound of flesh, not a people trying to survive.

Israel has been accused of using phosphorous in her weaponry in Gaza. Chief of Staff Ashkenazi, testifying before a Knesset Committee said that the IDF does not use any banned weaponry and the Palestinian accusations are yet another aspect of their disinformation

Our friend Dr Michael Dor, Deputy Director General of the Israeli Ministry of Heath, told us that he personally approved that 120 children be brought through from Gaza for treatment in Israel but the Hamas allowed only 3. Why? Clearly it would deny their claim that we are killing their children.

I sat at my computer screen yesterday watching in amazement as truck after 16 wheeler double truck passed through the Kerem Shalom checkpoint each overloaded with aid for the people of Gaza. Kerem Shalom, a kibbutz established on Israeli land on the border with Gaza in 1966 by those who thought that we could live together in peace. Kerem Shalom – means vineyard of peace. Today there is no vineyard and no peace. The Ministry of Defence CCTV camera captured each truck as it crossed from Israel and returned later empty. Each and every day for two to three hours this is the ritual. Who are the liars who say we are starving the Gazans?

The latest from the front line is that many "Miluimnikim" reservists have gone into Gaza to take the place of the conscripts who have gone deeper into much more dangerous territory. Each of these amazing boys and men, each leaving behind a young family, admitted fear but was prepared to do what had to be done to ensure a future for his children. Our enemy is not 3 4 or 5 thousand miles away, it is right here on our doorstep and our boys know it.

I am proud of the communities around the world who had been demonstrating their support for Israel. NY, Sydney, Toronto, Chicago, Seattle, Manchester, Paris, Antwerp, and many other towns and cities brought out the supporters. What made me proudest is the fact that unlike the "others" there were no shouts of death to anyone but rather, like in London, banners begging for peace in both Israel and Gaza because we cannot have one without the other. I am particularly proud that our friend Tim Vince was asked by the Chief Rabbi of Great Britain and the Commonwealth, Rabbi Jonathan Saks, to speak at the rally in Trafalgar Square in London. We will never forget the incredible support we get from Israel's Christian supporters.

It may seem oddly coincidental, but this week a brilliant Israeli film. "Waltz with Bashir" won the Golden Globe for best foreign film. http://waltzwithbashir.com/ Bashir Jumayel, was a young Lebanese Christian President-elect who was assassinated by the Syrians during the first Lebanese war. This extraordinary animated movie tells the tale of one man's war. An absolute must. You will be surprised at the honesty of the end.

Tonight, as I returned from a bed-time visit with my little grand-children, Yosef Eliyahu, Talia and Ayala, I came over the hill at Nebe Samuel and yet again the moon took my breath away. As it hung there before me, huge and golden, I couldn't help thinking that this is the same moon which is protecting our boys in Gaza. I stopped and chatted with the young soldier manning the check-point as I returned to Jerusalem wishing him a quiet and peaceful night with time to marvel at the moon.

Please G-d, bring our boys home safely. Dudu Fisher sang it for all of us "Bring him home". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYeatnIZ4h8

Love from Jerusalem with prayers toward Gaza.

Sheila

090105 Gaza Update

.

Gaza Update



Today the IDF concentrated on blowing up arms running tunnels on the Egypt/Gaza border and hitting Hamas senior operatives.

More than 30 missiles, both Kassam and Grad, were launched at Israeli citizens, one hitting a kindergarten which was thankfully empty.

Despite the above, eighty trucks loaded with humanitarian aid were transferred into the Gaza Strip via the Kerem Shalom crossing. As the PM keeps saying, our fight is not with the people of Gaza, they have also suffered at the hands of Hamas.



Day in and day out we hear cries of Israeli cruelty in creating a humanitarian crisis, or crises in Gaza – apparently decades of Fatah corruption and Hamas hoarding of supplies, are considered irrelevant. In response to these allegations, read this report of aid to Gaza over the last short period since Operation Cast Lead, including Gazan residents brought across the border for life saving medical treatment in Israel. http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Government/Communiques/2009/Humanitarian_aid_to_Gaza_following_6_month_calm.htm

http://www.theisraelproject.org/site/c.hsJPK0PIJpH/b.4858943/k.5D08/Humanitarian_Aid_in_Gaza.htm

Amidst the violence and confrontation, even as the rockets fall in southern Israel, Israeli and Palestinian doctors work together to save a Palestinian baby's life. http://www.saveachildsheart.org/326-1947-en/Sach.aspx

Last week I reported that the Mosque in Gaza has not been a direct hit but rather collateral damage – as per initial reports. Since that time, and a further hit on a mosque, the IDF released the information that it was a target once it became apparent that Hamas cells were holed up in the Mosque together with large arsenal which exploded when the Israeli rocket hit, killing those praying inside.



Suddenly Israel has allies in Europe! Sarkozy is on his way to visit and the Czechs have already been. The Czechs are taking over the Presidency of the European Community. Prof. Gerald Steinberg explains what we should expect from this new situation. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1230733174748&pagename=JPArticle%2FShowFull



Zvi finally found his way to the BBC studios the other night – they are right opposite our house! His radio interview was so successful that they then asked him to do a TV interview. Here is the link to his radio interview – it is about 1/4 of the way through http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/ondemand/worldservice/meta/tx/newshour?bgc=003399&lang=en-ws&nbram=1&nbwm=1&ms3=6&ms_javascript=true&bbcws=1&size=au&ls=p318

A church in Manhattans' Harlem district prays for the safety of Israel.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3650533,00.html



The Toronto community demonstrates in response http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4Ii4sUdiP4



War, even when justified, is not a pretty thing - but inevitably heroes emerge during conflict. Some are soldiers, some citizens, some leaders and some ordinary people who show incredible bravery in the face of danger.



Tsehilim is an IDF training base in the Negev Desert where reservists are being prepared for entry into Gaza by training in a mock up of Gaza City. Incredibly reserve soldiers are volunteering to such an extent that cares are lined up outside the base and volunteers being turned away. Kol ha Kavod (Bravo) to the young men of Israel.



Sgt. Dvir Emmanueloff, (z"l) 22, of the Golani http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golani_Brigade

Reconnaissance unit was killed on Sunday by mortar shell shrapnel during clashes with Hamas terrorists near Jabalya when 5 other soldiers were also injured. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1230733174814&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull



Dr. Gil Taieb is a hero. Gil is a dentist living in France who comes to Israel frequently and speaks excellent Hebrew. His generosity does not just extend to bringing thousands of pairs of spectacles for the poor, Gil proudly walks through the streets of France, speaking Hebrew and reporting for Israeli television on the huge pro-Israel rally he helped to organize this week outside the Israeli Embassy in Paris. http://ejpress.org/article/33266 Gil is my kind of hero, a self-effacing man who does what he knows to be right not what others tell him.



Another of my heroes, someone who always comes through whenever Israel needs him, is Dr. Malcolm Hoenlein. Malcolm led a very highly regarded group (Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organisations) including people who are used to having the world come to them not vice versa. Malcolm brought them to spend time in Sderot, Ashkelon, Beersheva and Ashdod where they talk to people who face missile attacks every day, some of whom faced this trauma for 8 years. He makes them to walk the walk when their lives are usually talking the talk. Malcolm stresses the need for each of us to be sufficiently knowledgeable to be able ambassadors for Israel.



As a country we are quick to criticize our leaders but Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defence Minister Ehud Barak, Leader of the Opposition Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Tsippi Livni and the incredible Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi have set aside their differences and come together as one voice. Bravo!



I leave you today with a fascinating list of statistics which put everything into perspective. "Gaza by the numbers" includes much essential information in the real war; the war of words and rhetoric.

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Gaza-By-the-Numbers-by-Israel-Project-081231-117.html



Wishing us all a kinder week

With love

Sheila