In light of all of the news from Japan and Libya in recent weeks, people might have missed two critical incidents which occurred in Israel.
The first was the interception of a cargo ship bound for Gaza with advanced “game changing” weaponry which would have been used against Israeli civilian populations.
I suggest that you look at a short film from the Israeli Defense Forces as to what was captured on this ship. The film is at:
http://www.youtube.com/user/idfnadesk
My friend Mickey Boyden has written a terrific piece on this incident and the previous incident with the Turkish ship the Mavi Marmara. I can recall outrage by some in our midst at that time about Israel’s boarding of this ship which was carrying supplies to Gaza. By the way, perhaps you have forgotten that Israel offered to ship all of the supplies overland to Gaza after inspection and off loading of the cargo in Ashkelon. Mickey writes: "Those who question the legality of the naval blockade on the Gaza Strip should understand why such measures are essential when not a day passes without mortar shells and rockets raining down on Israel’s towns and villages."
Mickey Boyden's article may be accessed at
http://weareforisrael.org/2011/03/22/the-tale-of-two-ships/
The second incident was that on Saturday more than 50 mortars were fired from the Gaza Strip at civilian communities and IDF bases in the Western Negev. The mortars slightly injured two people and damaged two buildings. The mortar fire came from Hamas and not from other militant groups in the Gaza Strip. This was the first time since the end of Operation Cast Lead in January 2009 that Hamas has openly attacked Israel.
Now of course if this continues and Israel is forced by Hamas to respond, there will be those who are quick to criticize Israel for a disproportionate response. Such people are silent now when Hamas is clearly the aggressor, but their shrieking voices will be heard the moment that Israel’s actions can be criticized. Their silence in light of the callous murder of the Fogel family, including the murder of a three month old baby a week and a half ago, is also striking.
Perhaps the reason why there is no outrage concerning the above is not only their lack of coverage because of Japan and Libya. Perhaps it is also the result that even in the best of times, Israelis (Jews) being shot at is hardly news.
Fred Guttman
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
Thoughts on Israel - March 2011
I recently read an article by a former teacher of mine at Hebrew University, Professor Meron Medzini. The article is entitled “Israel’s Evolving Security Concept.” Medzini, who worked for Golda Meir and has written a biography of her tenure as PM, writes:
“In 1974, a year after the Yom Kippur War, Israel gave Washington a list of requests for weapons to replace equipment lost or damaged in that war. It contained thousands of items, including airplanes, tanks, and armored personnel carriers. In response, the United States dispatched a senior Pentagon official to Israel. He met in Jerusalem with then Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Defense Minister Shimon Peres.
The official asked why the Israeli list was so extensive, whether Israel had the means to maintain all of this equipment (including the necessary pilots and tank crews), and whether the entire country would become one huge maintenance base. Rabin became angry and retorted, “Look, this is what we think we need. If something goes wrong we pay the price and not you.” This factor has been accepted by U.S. as well as Israeli policymakers regarding arms sales.”
I think that the quite illustrates why I am so afraid of organizations such JStreet which seek a prescriptive approach to the Middle East peace process. At its recent conference, JStreet sought to lobby the administration to come up with its own bridging proposals, even though many in the administration fully understand that at the present time, such proposals would not work and would only have the effect of isolating Israel internationally. It is also interesting to note that JStreet seems to have lost support with center left Israeli politicians as well as many of its supporters in Congress such as Gary Ackerman. JStreet lost Ackerman due to its support of a UN Resolutions condemning Israel.
Rabbi David Saperstein warned JStreet that its tendency to appease the far left would make it a non player among American Jews. He cited the UN resolution as an example. In my opinion, he did not go far enough. There are many other instances of where JStreet has taken dangerous positions inimical to the security of the Israel, not the least of which was its allowing those who favor BDS, Boycott Divestment and Sanctions, a forum at its conference. In my opinion, this would be tantamount to a Federation General Assembly allowing a presentation by Jews for Jesus at a GA.
Now back to Medzini – Certainly, Rabin was a warrior for Israel’s security and Israel’s peace. He was in each case an “Israeli.” His statement “If something goes wrong we pay the price and not you,” needs to be well considered by those of us sitting in safety and security in the United States while the fathers and sons of fellow Jews in Israel live under the threat if Hamas and Hezbollah rockets and Iranian nuclearization.
Finally, did anyone notice that Roger Walters, the front man of Pink Floyd, decided to join the artist boycott of Israel. It is interesting to note however that Walters has nothing to say about the callous murder of the five members of the Fogel family a week and a half ago. My friend Ron Kehrman wrote an article on this which appeared in the Huffington Post. You may find the article at
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ron-kehrmann/an-open-letter-to-pink-fl_b_837750.html
It is really worth reading. Ron’s daughter Tal was murdered in 1983 in a bus bombing on the Carmel. She was 17 at the time of her murder.
Fred Guttman
“In 1974, a year after the Yom Kippur War, Israel gave Washington a list of requests for weapons to replace equipment lost or damaged in that war. It contained thousands of items, including airplanes, tanks, and armored personnel carriers. In response, the United States dispatched a senior Pentagon official to Israel. He met in Jerusalem with then Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Defense Minister Shimon Peres.
The official asked why the Israeli list was so extensive, whether Israel had the means to maintain all of this equipment (including the necessary pilots and tank crews), and whether the entire country would become one huge maintenance base. Rabin became angry and retorted, “Look, this is what we think we need. If something goes wrong we pay the price and not you.” This factor has been accepted by U.S. as well as Israeli policymakers regarding arms sales.”
I think that the quite illustrates why I am so afraid of organizations such JStreet which seek a prescriptive approach to the Middle East peace process. At its recent conference, JStreet sought to lobby the administration to come up with its own bridging proposals, even though many in the administration fully understand that at the present time, such proposals would not work and would only have the effect of isolating Israel internationally. It is also interesting to note that JStreet seems to have lost support with center left Israeli politicians as well as many of its supporters in Congress such as Gary Ackerman. JStreet lost Ackerman due to its support of a UN Resolutions condemning Israel.
Rabbi David Saperstein warned JStreet that its tendency to appease the far left would make it a non player among American Jews. He cited the UN resolution as an example. In my opinion, he did not go far enough. There are many other instances of where JStreet has taken dangerous positions inimical to the security of the Israel, not the least of which was its allowing those who favor BDS, Boycott Divestment and Sanctions, a forum at its conference. In my opinion, this would be tantamount to a Federation General Assembly allowing a presentation by Jews for Jesus at a GA.
Now back to Medzini – Certainly, Rabin was a warrior for Israel’s security and Israel’s peace. He was in each case an “Israeli.” His statement “If something goes wrong we pay the price and not you,” needs to be well considered by those of us sitting in safety and security in the United States while the fathers and sons of fellow Jews in Israel live under the threat if Hamas and Hezbollah rockets and Iranian nuclearization.
Finally, did anyone notice that Roger Walters, the front man of Pink Floyd, decided to join the artist boycott of Israel. It is interesting to note however that Walters has nothing to say about the callous murder of the five members of the Fogel family a week and a half ago. My friend Ron Kehrman wrote an article on this which appeared in the Huffington Post. You may find the article at
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ron-kehrmann/an-open-letter-to-pink-fl_b_837750.html
It is really worth reading. Ron’s daughter Tal was murdered in 1983 in a bus bombing on the Carmel. She was 17 at the time of her murder.
Fred Guttman
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