"When G-d will return the captivity of Zion, we will be like dreamers. Then our mouths will be filled with laughter and our tongues with glad song." Psalm 126
Mazal tov to us! After welcoming a happy, healthy grandchild #7 in late March (we were there in the States), another daughter just had her second last week. That brings the grand total to 8… so far.
Katie’s newest little oneBoth babies born easily and joyfully at home
Up here in the North of Israel things are relatively quiet. The IDF has had to go into southern Lebanon repeatedly to destroy Hizbulla and their weapons caches as they try to rebuild and re-arm. They have broken their side of the ceasefire over and over again despite the established government vowing they would not be allowed to establish a foothold. Yet they keep trying. What else is new? And the army stays entrenched there instead of backing down and allowing another 7 October from the North.
We are still waiting for news of a hostage release and ceasefire in Gaza. Unfortunately Hamas will only allow 10 live and 15 dead captives to be returned. This is out of 50 hostages still being held there. They refuse to disarm. They refuse to relinquish control of the Strip. And they are asking for over 1000 terrorists (convicted) to be released from Israeli prisons. Most people here are hoping the IDF will clear the area of terrorists and somehow retrieve the hostages before hostilities end.
The Houthis in Yemen sank two tankers in the Red Sea last week. One was flying a Liberian flag. The other was from the Balkans. At least 19 crew members were killed from both boats. And these Houthi rebels keep firing on the shipping lanes and sending ICBMs toward Israel. Every day. It never stops. Most fall short or are intercepted before they can reach Israel.
I plan on covering all that’s been going on in Judaea and Samaria (West Bank), but since that is a whole subject in and of itself, I’ll save that for next week. Earlier today, another deadly terror attack happened. This time at the Gush Etzion junction. Two Palestinian terrorists – OK, they were security guards for the PA – opened fire murdering a border control IDF officer, Shalev Zvuluny, z”l. They were quickly neutralized by armed civilians. We’ve just learned those Palestinian Authority Police were trained in Qatar. Does this surprise? These ‘security officers’ of the PA are fully backed by international support as peacekeepers. And there is talk about letting them have control of Gaza after Hamas is removed from power. I don’t think so….
In other news, it’s heavy into the wedding season here. It’s crazy amazing that so many young couples are tying the knot and quickly starting new families. Some would think it counter-intuitive being there is a war going on.
Sapir Cohen was held in Hamas captivity for 55 days.shasha Trouvanov was hostage in Gaza for almost 500 days. They were both taken hostage from Kibbutz Nir Oz on 7 October, 2023. Yesterday they announced their engagement. From days of darkness to a future filled with light and love, their story is one of strength, hope and love…and the refusal to let evil win. Wish wish them a lifetime of joy and many, many children.
Einat Danino, a 47 year old Orthodox Jewish mother whose son Ori was taken hostage by Hamas and then murdered in captivity, just completed her IDF basic training. She chose to enlist in a special unit for Orthodox women. “It is the most meaningful way to honor my son’s service,” she stated.
A really weird story: Liri Albag, one of the IDF soldier girls who was abducted, spending almost a year and a half in the tunnels of Gaza, went to the US a month ago to meet with the President and other figures was stopped at JFK Airport in NY on her way home. Ironically her name was still on the hostage list due to a computer glitch. She was on some sort of no fly list and held for hours undergoing questioning. The Israeli Consulate stepped in to straighten the matter out… anyway, Liri re-enlisted in the IDF this week to finish up her service. Nothing can keep her down!
Former hostage, Romi Gonen was finally discharged fully from the hospital after 6 months. She was shot in the hand and kidnapped from the Nova festival, then operated on by a veterinarian while in a Gaza hospital. Freed last January, she has undergone two major surgeries at Sheba. She will need one more, scheduled for the upcoming months.
And for the heartbreaking: Avraham Azulay,25, married his childhood sweetheart, Ruth only two months ago. A carpenter and engineer, he built their home by his own hands. Right afterwards he was deployed into a reserve unit in Gaza. He fell heroically fighting the terrorists who ambushed him and tried to take him hostage, Avraham fought them off, however was sadly killed in the battle. Ruth is also mourning a sibling who fell last year.
In addition, 7 more of our soldiers were killed in action in Gaza this week with scores wounded. May their memories be for a blessing and their sacrifice not be in vain.
In the last couple weeks I’ve had several friends share memes and video clips with me that they’ve downloaded from social media. All of them are about top secret classified Mossad developments in military technology: one clip shows a robot army ready to fight any world army; another secret micro bees, flies, roaches and mosquitos equipped with micro cameras. They are able to infiltrate anywhere and can explode on command. How about the dog that brings his master a bone, drops it at his feet, leaves and the bone explodes? There are some other really crazy ones out there. Thing is they are ALL AI generated. Most started circulating around the time of the Hizbulla beepers. Most originally had Hebrew subtitles (now in English and Spanish) and were spoofs. Completely fake. Great deep fakes, but completely untrue untrue nonetheless. So please be careful what you watch and what you believe.
Just think: if Israel could keep the entire beeper and walkie talkie operation under wraps for a decade and if Mossad and the IDF can keep their Iran plans a secret, do you think these top secret videos be leaked to the internet on TikTok or Instagram? Please – as we say in Israel: Don’t be a freier (gullible Gus).
This is the absolute hardest post for me to write. I’ve sat on this subject for over a year and a half now. I hate to make waves. I shun confrontation. I just want to live peacefully, yet I can stay silent no longer. I must face head on the misinformation and downright lies that are pouring from certain media pundits, news outlets and social media influencers, many with huge followings and at least some credibility. It is nothing short of antisemitism veiled under the cover of antizionism and it has become very dangerous.
I know I will upset many people who read this blog. I am pretty sure I will lose some of my subscribers. It is the risk I’m prepared to take. Many of my family and friends in the U.S. are Jewish. I also have very close relatives and very close friends who are Catholic. We enjoy dialogue and intimate friendship. For years in Los Angeles I served on the board of Jewish and Catholic Women United in Dialogue. We had rabbis and priests as our advisory council to help guide us in our communication and understanding of one another’s faiths, cultures and tradition. There was no proselytizing from either side. Deep friendships were formed.
Ever since the 7 October, 2023, and the breach of the Israeli border from Gaza with the rape, torture, murder and kidnapping of innocent men, women and children (not just Jewish people, but Muslims, Christians and foreign workers and exchange students), a deep rift has opened up between many Catholics and Jews. It is a chasm that I hope can be bridged and repaired.
Several Catholic news outlets, media groups which were fair and unbiased, delivering not only church news, but covering international stories, have become completely unbalanced and even unhinged in their coverage of Israel. Since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas War there has been no mention whatsoever of the fight against good and evil. There has not been any statement that acts of terrorism are wrong. There has been absolutely no condemnation of Hamas, Hizbulla or any other group that not only seek to kill Jewish and Israelis, but hold their own countrymen (the truly innocent Christians) hostage. The stories and editorials have consistently been vehemently anti Zionist regime (a.k.a. Israel, the Jews).
One of the main culprits is LifeSite News. From the very beginning of the war, this once reputable media establishment has become very vocal in its anti Israel reporting. At first, the stories were concerned about the plight of innocent civilians, namely the small Catholic community of the Shejaya neighborhood in Gaza City. They were absolutely correct and upright in their concern over innocent civilians and fellow Catholics trapped in a war zone. However, soon enough, complete fabrications of stories were daily occurrences.
Leading stories include – an IDF tank mortar purposely striking the church; the Christians huddled inside for safety were starving and without electricity and their one small generator would soon have no fuel. Israel intentionally would not allow any humanitarian aid to go through and the parishioners were on the brink of starvation. The IDF assassinated in cold blood a woman parishioner and her mother as they left the church. (Only a partial story: The people were told to remain inside because there would be live fire. The woman was found to be a spotter for Hamas. It was heartbreaking and unfortunate that she was shot. Her daughter had run out to help her and was also shot.) The Holy Family school was completely bombed out by the IDF. (This also was a partial truth. The IDF did bomb, go after and eliminate four high ranking Hamas commanders as they hid inside the school attached to the church. Terrorists used it as a base to fire from, and they refused to come out. There actually was an admission by the Patriarch, and the question begs as to why armed terrorists were allowed to seek a hiding place inside the premises?)
Many of the stories proved highly exaggerated at best. In most cases they were completely fabricated. There were feature stories, op eds and news items every day that vilified the Zionist regime. Life Site News relied on the Gaza Ministry of Health, a propaganda arm of Hamas, the Red Crescent and Al Jazeera for sources. Also often quoted are far far left leaning sources like Politico, Haaretz, the Guardian and Axios. Haaretz is a far left leaning Marxist media outlet in Israel that is always against the current government and leans very pro-Palestinian. At times, “Jewish” sources, such as the fanatical and cultish splinter group, Neutrei Karta are used to bolster their stories. Neutrei Karta claim to be ultra Orthodox Jews who are anti Israel. They align themselves with the Palestinian cause and are often seen in their Hasidic garb while wearing keffiyehs and holding Palestinian flags at New York pro-Palestine rallies. They are not reliable witnesses for the majority of Jews. In fact, they are repudiated by most.
As you can see from just some of these headlines collected over the course of two years, LifeSite News is very inflammatory. Israel and the Jews are seen as controlling the world and they are responsible for the start of World War III with every military action they undertake. In Gaza, the IDF is labeled genocidal and evil. And on more than one occasion Israel has been accused directly of going after the Catholic parishioners of Shejaya. This is libelous and slanderous, and is completely false.
The Catholic Mass from the Holy Family parish is often filmed. Many services are live streamed and are posted to YouTube. The late pope, Francis, would call to speak to the children each night, which was a lovely gesture. But if you look at the service, the church is clean and intact, always with lots of fresh flowers (they have fresh floral arrangements in the middle of the war!). There is a range of young and old, all seemingly well fed and in nice clothes. There is electricity and music. How can one claim starvation, genocide, the killing of innocent civilians, and a bombed church? I am very thankful they all seem to be doing so well. It is actually a testament to the fact that they are not targeted for destruction.
Last week, the leading article picked up in The Loop, (another Catholic daily news outlet and subsidiary of CatholicVote, based in the United States led with the following headline:
“It was a massacre,” one Palestinian man quoted by AP News said, describing how Israeli forces opened fire “even as we were fleeing. Many people were either martyred or wounded.”
Another witness said drones hovered overhead before gunfire broke out, creating a “chaotic and bloody” scene. As he fled, he saw at least three motionless bodies on the ground and many others wounded.
According to AP News, the Awda hospital in the urban Nuseirat refugee camp, which received the victims, confirmed 25 deaths and said 146 others were wounded. It said 62 were in critical condition and transferred to other hospitals.
I immediately researched this claim, and have found the story to be completely fabricated. Originating from the Gaza Health Ministry at a time when Gaza was out of the media spotlight during the Iran War, perhaps this story was floated to bring attention back to the Strip. Listen to Col. Richard Kemp, former commander of the UK Armed Forces. He has been an independent observer of the Israel-Gaza War. Just Saturday he came out with this statement:
I am both disappointed and alarmed that the Loop has become another outlet for Islamic propaganda. Antizionism is veiled antisemitism and news stories should be verified before they are published. This dangerous rhetoric leads to violence. It has happened countless times throughout history and needs to be stopped. America does not have boots on the ground in Israel and the United States will not be sending its children to Israel to die. World War III is not an imminent threat because the limited joint efforts by Israel and the U.S. in Iran stopped the Shiite regime from having nuclear arms.
There has also been much damage done by celebrity pundits. Once a fairly reliable conservative news commentator, Candace Owens, who got her start from Dennis Prager before she moved on to The Daily Wire, now spews forth anti Jewish and antiIsrael vitriol. From “the Jews involved in a global cabal to take over the world;” to genocide and war crimes in Gaza perpetuated by Israel, she has discredited herself countless times with false news and overt exaggerations. Sometimes teamed with podcaster, Nick Fuentes, the pair foment a radically unbalanced Jew hatred. They present themselves as devout traditional Catholics who believe the Catholic Church has replaced any covenant or blessing made by G-d upon the Children of Israel. I am very afraid that this kind of talk will one day, ignite a fanatic or mentally unbalanced person to acts of violence. This is just one video clip of Ms. Owens spouting hateful libels against Jews. She is even worse in her rants against Israel and Netanyahu in particular. I selected this one video out of many because it is short and to the point.
Perhaps the worst of all I have saved for last. He is a prolific author and Catholic apologist. Founder of the very based and reputable New Saint Thomas Institute for online Catholic education, Dr. Taylor Marshall in just the past year has become one of the most vitriolic antisemitic people on social media. Dr. Marshall enjoys an extremely wide following, and has several paid sponsorships for his programs, which can be found on Facebook, Instagram, Rumble and YouTube.
The United States is already becoming increasingly divided in a dangerous way. Actual facts can be twisted in such a way to make conspiracy theories appealing. Dr. Marshall’s latest videos have included a dissection of the recent debate between Tucker Carlson and Sen. Ted Cruz. The debate itself is incredibly cringe and uncomfortable to watch. Two former friends have now become now hostile. No love. No peace. No understanding. Just gotcha moments, all of which are anti Israel. And Dr. Marshall lavishes in it. You can watch it on YouTube. His discussion is from his own Catholic perspective. It is against both Protestant Christianity as well as Judaism as he explains the Catholic Church has taken the place of the ‘perfidious branches that were cut off to be thrown into the fire.”
I have listened to several of his programs. A Catholic friend in California sends them to me and asks my opinion. “Is this what Jews believe?” It has been years since I have heard the terms ‘perfidious Jews’ and ‘synagogue of satan.’ His videos include the likes of “Why Christian Zionism is a Dangerous Heresy,” “How a FOREIGN Country CAPTURED American CHRISTIANS,” and “1948 Israel.”
The latest video from Dr Marshall, out just yesterday, begins: “What if I were to tell you, this man, with the Hebrew tattoo around his neck was planning to kill 14 Christian pastors and. Catholic priests?” What a lead in!! In fact, the mentally unstable murderer, Adam Sheaf, is not at all Jewish. No observant Jew would even write the holy name of G-d, in English, Hebrew or any other language, much less as a tattoo on their body. The killer was a lunatic, but Marshall stirs up fears in his mostly Catholic audience, telling them to “stay vigilant in this time of escalating evil“ and to “guard themselves against members of the synagogue of satan who have ill motives against us.”
In 1965, the Catholic Church produced a document, Nostra Aetate, which was a profound statement on the relationship between the Church and the Jewish people. It acknowledges the passages of Scripture that “the gifts and callings of G-d are without repentance,” in other words, they stand the test of time. When G-d makes a covenant with a people, it is eternal. It is irrevocable, not replaceable. Therefore, by definition, the covenants made (Adamic, Noahide, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic) to the Children of Israel are binding and eternal.
In a short history of the reparation of the breach between the Church and the Jews, Pope John XXIII, in 1963 wrote a (nondogmatic) letter to the Catholic Church that set the stage for reconciliation.
We are conscious today that many many centuries of blindness have cloaked our eyes so that we can no longer either see the beauty of Thy Chosen People nor recognize in their faces the features of our privileged brethren. We realize that the mark of Cain stands upon our foreheads. Across the centuries our brother Abel has lain in the blood which we drew or shed the tears we caused by forgetting Thy Love. Forgive us for the curse we falsely attached to their name as Jews. Forgive us for crucifying Thee a second time in their flesh. For we knew not what we did
In ‘65 Nostra Aetate came out as an offshoot of Vatican II. It led to great interreligious dialogue and understanding between the two faiths. When Pope John Paul II became the successor to the Chair of Peter, he called the Jewish people “our elder brothers in faith.” He visited the Great Synagogue in Rome and also Jerusalem (the Western Wall) among other places as a sign of friendship and admiration. His successor, Pope Benedict XIV also worked to repair the breach between brothers.
Entire university departments were set up to foster Jewish-Catholic Studies and Dialogue. Professors of Yeshiva co-taught with Catholic priests (One of my daughters received her Bachelors in this area). Great Jewish theologians and Catholic apologists studied together and co-authored books. It was a great era of reparation. In a spiritual sense, Jacob and Esau were coming together in mutual respect and understanding.
When there are great advancements, there come greater divisions to tear down what was being built. I will not go into the history of the State of Israel, but from its return on the timeline, there have been those that have been opposed to its establishment and its continuance. From the first wave of Jewish immigrants to their ancient Biblical homeland (as covenanted by G-d), there has been stiff opposition, most notably by radical Islamists. And unfortunately today, by some Catholics. I know this does not include most Catholics, but I do feel I must point this out because the voices are seeming to grow louder in their intensity and frequency.
Time and time again, the tiny nation of Israel faced existential threats from invading countries. They developed a sound and strong army to defend themselves against the Arab nations. A democracy was set up, allowing not only the Jews, but Christians, Muslims, Druze, Baha’i, and Circassians full citizenship with all the rights that accompany it. And still, there were naysayers that arose. People that for whatever reason, twisted facts. People and institutions that stood in opposition to the idea of the Jewish State-
There is a nefarious spirit out there that seeks to divide and destroy. Whether through the written word or the twisting of the truth. This spirit will not seek out facts. It will not make a distinction between good and evil, right and wrong. It seeks to divide allies. To come between friends. Division creates weakness in a society.
Let us strive to come together. Let us, and I’m speaking to all members of the Judaeo-Christian faiths, seek to find our commonalities, because we truly are on the same side. There is strength in unity. Let us seek to resolve our differences, seek out the common truths we all hold dear. Let us strive for the higher ground together and stand united against that spirit of destructiveness.
It’s been a helluva couple weeks here. Hella hard. Hella nerve wracking. Hella intense. From missiles dropping on our heads, to being awakened by emergency sirens at all hours of the night, to running for shelter, to combatting anti Israel propaganda in media and growing, raging antisemitism in the world…. It’s time to lighten up and slide into the weekend with a few laffs.
We often speak of Israelis as being super resilient. That may be true, but how else to hold on to sanity than a firm faith in the man upstairs, a strong sense of humor and possibly even a stiff glass of whisky to steel the nerves? Despite all the tsurris in the land, life must go on… as normally as possible. We keep it together by finding the funny. By pointing out the absurd all around us.
This past week, saw millions of Israelis take to bomb shelters. In the larger cities, these were underground parking lots transformed into tent cities complete with food, entertainment, yoga and dance classes and book clubs. Go figure.
There’s never a good time for a missile strike. These are the top five by rank:
5th place: 7:00 pm. Awful timing. Say goodbye to sleeping kids at 7:30. You haven’t even caught up with the news so this missile has no storyline context. It’s a response to a response or just a response. Who knows? You are unfed, unshowered and the house looks like a missile will get it less messy.
4th place: 05:00 am. A missile that creates a nation of tired, grumpy zombies. There is nothing like starting your day in a room full of unbrushed teeth and overflowing bladders. You may watch the sun rise on your phone.
3rd place: midnight. Decent timing forces you to call it a day. Sure, the kids will wake up but they will go back to sleep and you might even earn a late morning tomorrow. Great time for a heart to heart conversation with a homeless person in the shelter.
2nd place: 09:00 pm. The classic slot. We are already on the couch watching the news and ready for action. The kids are hopefully in a deep sleep so the odds of a smooth transition are high. Pro-tip – shower early for public hygiene and for pajama party vibes in the shelter. You can even throw in a quick brush of the teeth just in case.Hygiene is the key to mental victory.
And the 1st place: 01:00 pm. Perfect timing. A refreshing missile gives you an energy boost and a nice little mid-day break to ready you for the second half of the day. Take a few minutes to collect your thoughts. No need to hurry back to work. It’s a war break. You deserve it. Now is the time to join in on that Zumba class in the miklat.
Still, finding yourself in the middle of one of the smaller miklat with a group of random strangers in various array at 04:12 in the morning. Those are jokes in the making. To quite American/Tel Avivian, Sara Tuttle Singer:
Five People You’ll Meet in Your Bomb Shelter
The miluimnik (reservist) on a break: still in uniform, still sweating, still radiating “I’ve seen things.” He ducks into the shelter with a half-eaten Laffa, a cigarette behind one ear, a bottle of Goldstar and WhatsApp groups pinging non-stop. Somehow, he’s calm. Somehow, he has Wi-Fi. Somehow, he knows exactly what’s happening everywhere. You feel safer just being near him. He also knows a guy who can fix your car. 2) The woman yelling at her mother on the phone. She burst in mid-siren, holding ed sandals in one hand and screaming, “MA, I TOLD HOURS TO GET INTO THE SHELTER. NO. NOW, MA! STOP FEEDING THE CAT AND GO!” You don’t know her, but you know her. At some point she offers you Bisshli (Israeli snack chips). 3) The Start-Up Guy who will definitely monetize this. Already sketching an app idea called “BoomSafe” that matches you with your ideal shelter buddies. Has three phones, a laptop, and a protein bar. Says things like, “What if sirens, but social?” 4) The Savtah with the Tupperware: Didn’t flinch at the siren. Brought rugelach. Maybe schnitzel. Also hot soup – Kubbe, obviously, which she poured into actual bowls from her giant bag. “You’re too skinny. Eat. Eat.” You comply. Now part of her extended family, you will be invited to Seder. You will go. 5) Tomer from Tinder: He spotted her the moment she walked in – sweaty, breathless, radiant in her war!-time glow. “You ok?” He asks, tender hand lightly brushing her elbow. “You look scared.” Offers her a sip of his water. Offers her his number. Offers her healing. He’s here to help. He has emotions. And abs. And a guitar…. 6) The Dude who definitely head the boom: Every five seconds: “Did you hear that? That one was close.” Keeps sticking his head out the door like he’s got a death wish – or a podcast. Suddenly an expert in acoustics and ballistics. That was Iron Dome. No wait. Direct hit. No wait. I think that was a door slamming.” 7) The guy live-streaming to his followers: He’s on Instagram Live. Ring light plugged into a portable battery. “Hey guys! Day 12 in the bomb shelter. Tel Aviv vibes still strong! Don’t forget to like and donate to my coffee fund.” Will definitely sell merch after this is over. Already is. 8) The Philosopher it’s the tiny chair: he’s always there first, sitting calmly in the one adult-sized plastic chair. Quotes Kierkegaard and Yehuda Amichai mid-siren. Wants to know how you feel about the absurdity of life. May offer you a date (the fruit, not the invitation). May also be homeless. Or a professor. Or both. 9)The Oleh Chadash (new immigrant) with fire in his veins: Made Aliyah from Brooklyn three weeks ago on purpose. “This is exactly why I came,” he says, eyes blazing like Ben Gurion in a hoodie. He’s already posted three rants about Jewish destiny on X and volunteers to take out the trash and check for shrapnel. Keeps humming, “Am Yisrael Chai” under his breath. Definitely wants to go halfsies on an iHerb order. Says Bibi is his boy. 10) The teen who knows exactly when it’s safe. Headphones on. Eyes rolling. Texting six people while scrolling TikTok and explaining the Home Front Command app to everyone else. “Sheket, guys. It’s a false alarm in Tel Aviv. But there was a real one in Sderot.” This kid is 15, has trauma baked in, and will one day run this country.
Speaking of iHerb, I heard an Anglo at the market say, “I knew this was getting serious when iHerb and Amazon refused to take my order because of delivery delays.”
The memes were quick to come out, This is the new Israeli snack, Bissli, now reimagined
Being a Jewish country for the most part, there are always the jokes with the Biblical allusions.
Everyone’s so shocked that Israel planned this out for years, going so far as to build a secret drone factory in the middle of Tehran, just waiting for the right moment to strike. Bro, we literally killed time for like 40 years in the desert this one time. We invented the ‘long game.’
And then our Ministry of Fake News came out with the following last Monday – 🚨BREAKING: The Fordeau Fuel Enrichment Plant is UN damaged and completely operational, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Also 🚨BREAKING: An Israeli hospital crashed into an Iranian ballistic missile this morning – Gaza Health Ministry.
We know how to take credit too:
We, here in Israel, love the Babylon Bee too. It’s uproarious!
Trump Bombed Iran. Here’s How 12 Media Outlets Covered The Story
Welp, it looks like Trump bombed Iran. The Babylon Bee has assembled headlines from various media outlets here in one place so you can pick a little bit of the truth out of each to learn the whole story.
Here’s how different media outlets are covering the historic news:
New York Times — Quiet Middle Eastern Community Devastated By Unprovoked Trump Attack
Fox News — Trump Neutralizes Terrifying Iran Nuclear Threat With Mere Seconds To Spare
New York Post— AYATOLL-YA SO!Iran Out Of Luck As Trump Drops Bodacious Bunker Buster
CNN — Trump Cruelly Deprives Poor Iranian Children Of Nuclear Weapon They’ve Always Dreamed Of
MSNBC — Iran Is Now The George Floyd Of The Middle East
BBC News — REMINDER: Next Call To Prayer Is In One Hour. Allahu Akbar.
One America News — Yay Trump For Avoiding War – Oh Wait, He Bombed Iran? Really? I Mean, Yay Trump For Bombing Iran
Vice — I Took Fentanyl And Slept With A Penguin
Vogue — 5 Kinky Tricks You Can Try In The Bedroom To Show Your Support For Iran
Not The Bee — Trump Just Bombed The Snot Out Of Iran And The Responses Are STRAIGHT 🔥🔥🔥🤣
The Babylon Bee — Iranian Nuclear Facility Escapes Bombing By Identifying As Mar A Lago (That’s Right We Just Have The One Joke)
Al-Jazeera — TRUMP JUST BOMBED OUR HEADQUARTERS!!!
Another cute one::
Have a restful weekend my friends. As we say here Sof ha shavuah raguah…. Stay cool my friends. 😎
Here in Israel, it’s “The Day After.” Most of us, of all the people I’ve spoken with, are still trying to figure everything that happened out. It started so suddenly… a loud blast on our collective cell phones, radios and televisions at around 3:30 am on June 15. It was intense. Incessant. Daring. Victorious. And horrific. And it ended even more suddenly and confusingly than it started.
First, I try my best to research each subject before I write for this blog or for any other source. I need my information to be verifiable and try to stick to primary source material whenever I can. I scour many different news sites (print, broadcast and social media) as well as speaking to experts when I can. That said, I am not infallible and will issue retractions when wrong. I do try to present both firsthand and “news” in their post and strive for clarity. That said-
Late Monday night, a ceasefire was brokered between Israel and Iran by President Trump. These are the exact terms of the agreement.
I’m not sure how confusing this was, but the ceasefire – no missiles, no airstrikes, no UAV drones – was to start at 07:00 am Israel Standard Time. Israel did target some 100 sites in Iran to strike by jet. They included IRGC headquarters, Basij (secret police/Gestapo) stations, weapons launch platforms, weapons production factories, both large and small. These were all hit on Monday night, before the ceasefire was to go into effect.
The Iranians fired a wide salvo of missiles throughout Israel at 03:16 am. Again shortly after 05:00 in which a BeerSheva high rise apartment complex received a direct hit. 4 people were killed and scores injured, 5 critically. Another barrage came shortly after 06:00 I the morning followed by another at 06:38. They were all aimed at high density residential areas and population centers. There were multiple injuries, but none serious.
A ceasefire went into effect at exactly 07:00 Israel time, after which Iran fired off another heavy missile barrage at 07:16. They claimed the missiles had already left Western Iran before the ceasefire went into effect. Again at 10:30am a huge swath of Israel was targeted by Iranian launches. This was a true breach of the agreement.
Members of Knesset and the War Cabinet which were convening throughout the night and into the day called for a retaliation. Fighter jets were launched from Ramat David Air Field. They were mid air when Trump issued a stand down. The IAF released one missile, destroying a lone radar installation.
Later in the day, President Trump issued a strong reprimand to both countries to stop the fighting.
Iran has been coming out with propaganda videos saying that the entire city of Tel Aviv is burning, Haifa is obliterated and that tens of thousands of Zionists have been killed. There were direct hits. 28 civilians were killed, which is not something to be ignored. But their news is incorrect. They claim to have hidden the enriched uranium. There are supposed satellite images put forth by CNN showing 16 truckers entering and leaving the Fordo facility on two occasions before the US strike. Whether this is true or not, I am unable to verify at this time.
Early intelligence assessments suggest the U.S. strikes on all three nuclear facilities in Iran did not completely cripple Tehran’s nuclear capabilities. They did, set the program back by months if not years according to the Defense Intelligence Agency of the Pentagon. Even if they do have some of their enriched uranium, their nuclear scientists have been eliminated. There is zero access to each facility, as both the access roads and the sites themselves are under rubble. This was a historic operation by both countries that was months if not years in the planning. By all accounts, it was a success and necessary to keep the bomb out of the hands of radical Islamist “twelvers” who would use it. Still, much conflicting information is being bandied about as to whether the mission was successful.
As of this writing, there are still reports coming out with much opposing information, some saying the nuclear program of Iran was decimated, others that the US strikes were underwhelming at best. Trump has just come out with a statement that Israelis (Mossad??) has actually gone inside Fordo and Natanz to check the facilities and that they are totally obliterated. My question is…by saying this is he giving classified info and is he endangering any Israeli/Mossad agents that are still boots on the ground? Why would he make this kind of statement? National security on both sides are saying the nuclear program is destroyed. Is this just to justify a multi billion dollar operation or to save face? I offer no conspiracy theories, but you must decide for yourself.
To sum up: Iran managed to launch approximately 550-600 ballistic missiles and over 1000 drones at Israel. 571 UAVs entered Israeli airspace. All were shot down except one which crashed into a residential building in Beit Shean causing significant damage. There was massive property damage to hundreds of buildings and homes. The Haifa refinery was hit as well as the Weizmann Institute for Scientific Research in Rehovot. Two. Israeli UAVs were shot down. The Israeli air defense system (Iron Dome, David’s Sling, the Arrow)) intercepted between 80-90% of the Iranian missiles. Approximately 60 made impact. There was a 99% interception rate of drones.
There were no IDF boots on the ground in Iran. All the strikes were done from the air. All planes returned safely to Israel. There were 17 teams (pilot/navigators) of women flying the fighter jets. This was a first. Air superiority was quickly established and within 72 hours the airspace had been completely cleared of threats of radar and satellite imaging.
Using the Mossad, who gained entrance to Iran secretly, all of the nuclear scientists, top IRGC command, higher up leadership and government eliminated. 40% of their ballistic missiles have been destroyed (800-1000 missiles were destroyed by the IAF before they could even be launched). 65% of their missile launchers were destroyed. It is believed they still hold about 1250 missiles.
The entire top leadership of the Iranian Air Force was eliminated during a secret meeting they held on the first day of the conflict. Two senior Basij police and al QUDS forces were taken out. Hundreds of lower ranking IRGC soldiers were eliminated in a series of attacks in Tehran. The Arak heavy water reactor and key missile production sites were destroyed. The gates of the are in prison were blown open. This is the prison that holds and tortures political dissidents, LGBTQ and modesty laws violators. It is safe to say that Iran no longer poses an existential threat to the Middle East. All of this was accomplished in 12 days. It was a war of historic proportions. Netanyahu declared that Israel achieved all its objectives and much more in his speech to the nation last night.
As of this morning, Iran announced they were pulling out of the International Atomic Energy Association. Just before this war started, the IAEA reported that the Iranians were in fact enriching weapons grade uranium and that they would have enough of the fissile materials to produce 9-15 nuclear warheads. Today, Iran’s parliament passed a bill to suspend cooperation with the IAEA over recent stories. The final decision now lies with the security council. Tehran has stated they would immediately begin their nuclear activity once again.
Israelis remain perplexed as to whether our mission was, in fact, complete. There will be no press to topple the current government or to fight for a regime change. The Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi said I. A press conference yesterday,”This is our Berlin Wall moment.” He has called on the Ayatollah to step down and urges global backing for a democratic Iran. It remains up to the will of the Iranian people as to whether they will force a regime change.
Also, all of the Iranian weapons and launching apparatus have not been eliminated. They still hold the capacity to strike, although the IDF says it is watching them very closely and will try to prevent any further escalation. The Iranian regime has already violated the cease fire multiple times, each time denying their culpability. This morning two Iranian drones were shot down before they could enter Israeli airspace.
Over 11,000 Israelis, mostly from urban areas, have been displaced due to structural damages of their residences. Property damage claims exceed 38,700. There are still 3,493 wounded in hospitals throughout the country. The war seems unfinished to most Israelis.
All of the situational restrictions, aka lockdown, have been lifted in Israel. Citizens are free to travel and resume normal activity. Schools are open. Commerce and transportation are up and running. Ben Gurion reopened its airspace. Over 100 new immigrants from UK, France, Spain sand the Netherlands arrived this morning, including a number of young families and Lone Soldiers.
Babies are being born and Israel is simultaneously mourning its dead. Funerals held today for those killed in Beersheva and the elderly couple in Ramat Gan. Also, 7 IDF soldiers were killed last night in Gaza (Khan Younis) when an IED was planted on their armored vehicle causing it to burst into flames. One of the deadliest attacks in months, the Engineering Corps soldiers were unable to be reached by fire rescue forces.
A completely false report/piece of propaganda was put out by the Gaza Health Ministry early yesterday morning. They are an extension of Hamas, and the story was picked up by the AP and Reuters and released to the world. According to the GHM, 28 innocent civilians were massacred when the IDF opened fire on them as they went to get humanitarian aid. It was a deadly massacre in cold blood according to anonymous sources. Except that it never happened. Nothing of the sort. The news was debunked shortly after it came out, but rapidly circulated through9t the world. I am planning on doing an entire piece on this tomorrow-
Ceasefire negotiations with a full hostage release are underway in recent hours, says a senior level Hamas official. Supposedly, President Trump has sent his envoys to the Middle East to further talks with all parties. Despite the ceasefire and easing of restrictions, tensions remain high. The next steps all seem uncertain. There is much left unresolved, namely the threats from Iran and its proxies.
In New York, pro-Palestine Mamdani won the democratic mayoral primary. The 33 year old former rapper has never held public office. Hailing from a radical extremist family, Mamdani founded the Students for Justice in Palestine at Columbia,Maia University and is a pro-Hams, pro-Iran activist who supports BDS of Israel. He has stated he would have Netanyahu and other members of the Israeli government arrested for war crimes if they ever set foot in New York. This self proclaimed socialist is very anti Israel and antisemitic. He is pro setting up Sharia law courts and neighborhoods throughout parts of the City.
Lastly, most Israelis I have spoken with (my husband and I have interfaced with many from secular to Orthodox) are very upset at the way Trump handled yesterday’s ceasefire breach. They felt his demeanor very patronizing. “He talks to us as if we were children,” stated Hanan B.. Liora L. believes he was most unprofessional and very naive if he believes Iran will behave in the way he wants them to. She remains skeptical as to Iran’s next actions and still considers them a threat. Gali Z. feels that Trump is just concerned with making peace for the whole world and getting the Nobel Peace Prize. She feels he is doing this for his own ego and hopes people won’t think of him as the Messiah. Eli M. said, “You can’t make deals with the devil. Trump has no idea how people are in the Middle East. Trump is being very naive.” And Efrat just shrugs and says, “Now where do we go from here?”
It’s not over until the fat lady sings, and I’m not singing yet!
We knew from past experience. From Iran. From Hizbulla. It’s always the same. We agree to a pre-set cease fire and they shoot rockets right up until the last minute. They must have the last word. That’s how they display superiority. Like their grand farewell to arms. Or is it?
Last night Trump announced a peace deal. Great. Iran last night was trying to save face. To go out with a bang. To retaliate for the US bombing of their nuclear sites, they pre-planned their attack on empty military bases in Qatar. Real friendly country, that Qatar. They did it in a way that the US didn’t have to retaliate. Iran notified their partners of a strike, who in turn, informed the US so interceptions could be made. And boom. It was over.
Now for the little satan. We knew our turn was coming. The cease fire deal was to happen at 7 am. We got the first alert (the banshee wail that screams through our phones) at 05:31 this morning. By 05:42 the red alerts began. We were already in the safe room. Once again, a very heavy barrage throughout Israel from north to south. Almost immediately, I received a feed that a large apartment complex in BeerSheva had taken a direct hit. Magen David Adom, Home Front, Search & Rescue and ZAKA were on their way. Multiple casualties. At least two dead. Then three. Children being pulled from the rubble. Many injuries. Some quite severe. Then another found dead. News travels quickly here.
Then came the second barrage. Scattershot throughout the country. It was 06:12 and we still had about 45 minutes to go. It was going to be a rough day. A third barrage went to the south again, towards the desert…the nuclear power plant. We didn’t have to shelter in place for that one.
John was already sound asleep again, so I went out on the mirpesset to say my morning prayers. Then to pick some vegetables and pull some weeds. It was 06:44, and while I was outside received another alert for the central Israel area. It’s a really small country. When a missile lands near the Dead Sea or in Netanya, we can hear the thuds. Faint, but still… perhaps you can pick up the “pops” midway through- I apologize. I’ve worked on this all day and am having major problems uploading videos…
Took my tomatoes and squash inside and no sooner was I in, than another local area siren outside signaling more incoming. It was 06:56. I guess that was the end of it. I decided that tonight I’d take a sleeping pill and finally get a good shower and shut eye.
But no….of course not. It was not quite over. Not yet, because just as we emerged from our hidey holes….another alert. More sirens. This is really getting old, and I’m about to lose my patience. Lord help me. Come to the aid of your people.
Aaahhh… finally. A sigh of relief. Breathe…just breathe. It’s really all over. I’m out on the mirpesset again. It’s 07:15 and the cease fire is in effect. Peace! Then the red alert on my phone is activated for communities in central Israel. Near the airport. Netanyahu’s Caesaria home. Tel Aviv. Modi’in. It wasn’t near us, so I decided to film any incoming. Again, the thunder is not thunder. You have to wait until almost the end of the video clip and put your sound up… sorry another video I cannot post. You’ll have to take my word for it.
So, Iran denied that they violated the agreement. Their excuse was that the last round of missiles was fired before the cease fire, but from the west, so they just took longer to reach Israel. Do I believe them? Do they have a record of telling the truth? I decided to put the coffee on, answer emails and start the day. Believe me, this is all really exhausting. John and Haggis had gone back to bed again, hoping to catch up on missed sleep.
My neighbor and I planned a barbecue for tomorrow. They would do the grilling and provide the drinks. I’d bring the meat and all the ingredients for s’mores that I’d brought back from the States. Their kids would love it. I’d been promising them we’d do this, but then life happened. Now we had reason to celebrate. We stood outside between our houses chatting. It was a gorgeous day. Peace is sweet. Peace is quiet.
Then at exactly 10:30: it came. Without warning. The siren. O.K. Now I’m flaming hot mad. Seriously angry at those bloody jihadis. Ceasefire!?!?! Yeah, right. Pardon my messy home and my harshness in the video. I’m just so over this. I cut the filming just as the interceptions crashed above and I made it to the mammad – John and Haggis right behind me.
Israel is vowing to retaliate with force. “Iran broke the ceasefire and they will pay!” promises a member of Knesset. Tehran denies it fired missiles at Israel. There were definite interceptions. We heard them from the safe room. Two loud ones. So what were they doing? Lobbing. shawarma? Ben Gurion was just about to open its airspace. We had just received the all-clear, everything back open an hour before this. (By the way, when John went to pick up my prescription yesterday, everything but the main clinic and pharmacy and small corner mini market was closed).
Where do we stand now? It’s exactly noon. I have no idea what is going on. Of course, I’ve talked to several friends and neighbors. All have said that Trump was naive. That we should have at least gotten the hostages back as part of the deal. And then, the unconfirmed news: the Ayatollah Khameni’s son, Mojtaba Khameni was reportedly killed by an unknown suspect at close range in Tehran. World’s shortest ceasefire.
So, one really nice and totally amazing thing just happened. A lady from the city municipality just called. Somehow our name was on a list? She was checking to see how we were? Do we have a safe room? Are we okay? Do we need anything…food, water, medicine? Are we alone or do we have family? Were there any damages? My goodness. I’ve never received a call like this. These people are phenomenal!!!
Now we wait. I guess I can do a deep clean of the kitchen. We did all the windows last week. All of us here need a long vacation. Amalfi Coast anyone?
I’m back. It’s now almost 6pm and we still have no idea what is going on. One missile actually landed on the mountain across from us and killed a bunch of cows. Seriously. That was at 10:30. I know Trump was more than angry…all the posts on Truth Social. The IAF did not retaliate, but turned its jets around mid air. Where do we go from here? No clue? Can we plan for tomorrow? No clue. But one thing is certain. I will not be taking that sleeping pill. Tonight – just in case. May G-d have mercy on us all.
Last night we finally got to bed by 01:00 am only to be waken at 3:07 by another red alert. This one was aimed toward Tel Aviv, but we made our way downstairs as a precaution. There were no sirens in our immediate area, but with interceptions and falling shrapnel, we no longer take a chance.
I really feel sorry for those people in older buildings without shelters. They have to leave their apartments, children in tow, and go downstairs, often to neighborhood shelters up to a block away. And the elderly!! It must be maddening. Many underground car parks in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and larger cities have transformed into tent cities. Complete with tents, yoga mats, water, children’s centers, cots and folding chairs. People take their dogs and musical instruments, board games and crafts. It’s becoming a really hot social scene. Still-
Trying to get back to bed after finding shelter, sitting there until the all safe signal and then trying to scour all media for any damages and casualties in real time. It was after 5 when I finally got back to bed.
Yesterday, I had my doctor’s appointment by telephone, as we are in a lockdown situation. Only emergency services open. That’s a great thing. This morning, I had some prescriptions to pick up and some essential groceries to get. It was pretty quiet, so we decided to head out around 10:15. That’s when all hell broke loose literally. The banshee wail screeched across our phones. We could hear it from our neighbors’ phones too, it’s that loud.
By 10:30 a full fledged attack was underway. All over the country. And it didn’t stop. Every time we thought it was all clear, we’d get another flash of red alert notices. This time the booms of interceptions and crashes and thuds of hits was stronger…more intense.
We didn’t leave the shelter this time until a few minutes before noon. A power station around Ashdod was hit and power was out from the BeerSheva area to the Gaza Envelope. A large senior residence/ elder nursing facility outside Tel Aviv had a direct hit. Due to scheduled construction in the area, the residents were moved temporarily last Friday. The building was completely empty. Another miracle. The greatest miracle is that most missles were intercepted. The couple that did hit caused relatively little damage – there were absolutely no casualties this time. We ‘d seen footage of the members of Knesset praying and reciting Psalms during the barrage, so that is comforting.
As far as what is actually happening and has happened, as usual there is so much misinformation going on. And a lot of fear mongering whether you are listening to CNN, the BBC, Fox News or Glen Beck.
The U.S. strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities had been planned at least in part for years, but never activated until this weekend. Because bunker busters were needed, the Stealth Bomber was the only option. As far as Israel is concerned, the USAF entrance into the war was a one time deal and masterfully executed under extreme secrecy. The bombers received absolutely no opposition from jets, or missiles or anything else because Israel had already cleared the airspace. The IAF had taken out all the satellites, radar, and air bases. There was no longer a threat. Unfortunately, Israel is getting very little credit for this in the mainstream media. American seems to be taking the credit.
Iran has been weakened considerably. Israel has taken out their military bases, airports, communications, power, transportation hubs. They have eliminated scores of senior IRGC commanders. With bombing sorties occurring round the clock from Israel, we are destroying missile storage facilities, weapons factories, and as many rocket launchers as we possibly can find. Sorties have been flying deeper and deeper into Iranian territory. Today, the Air Force obliterated the access roads and entrance shafts to Natanz, Isfahan and Fordo nuclear facilities.
Strikes in Iran have hit the IRGC headquarters this morning. Israel has confirmed hitting Basij headquarters. That’s the secret police that used to go around arresting protestors, academia, political dissidents including women deemed immodest for not covering their heads or bodies sufficiently. We shot the entrance gates off Evin Prison, where the political prisoners are taken and tortured. Gays, preachers, journalists and other “trouble makers” have been executed at Evin. It is a bad, bad place.
There is a square in the middle of Tehran, Palestine Square, that has a doomsday clock. The clock marks the countdown by seconds until the complete destruction of Israel. It is now gone. We shot it down. Direct hit.
The US Embassy in Qatar tells Americans to shelter in place due to rising threat levels. Tankers are being diverted from the Straits of Hormuz, a 2 mile across strait that is a main oil tanker and shipping lane passage to the area. Iran would be hurting themselves greatly (shooting their turbans off to spite their heads) if they blocked the straits. It makes no sense tactically, but then, what does now? Qatar has just closed its airspace for the ‘protection of its residents’ (and those heads of terror organizations hiding there, opinion mine).
The Iranian foreign minister has been in talks with Putin. They are pleading with Russia to supply more weapons and get directly involved. So far, Putin has adamantly resisted. Russia is up to its neck in the Ukraine War. Also Putin stated, “Israel today is almost a Russian speaking country. Two million people from the Soviet Union and Russia live there. We take that into account.” Thank you, Putin. I understand the Iranian head of state is en route to Moscow now. We shall see, but I highly doubt Russia will get involved. It would be suicide and an over-extension for them at this time. Putin has indicated that Moscow has no binding obligation to come to Iran’s aid.
Whether you are reading the Guardian or the New York Times, there is a lot of fear mongering going on, I have serious doubts this will lead to World War III or a further escalation.
The Iranian people are not targets. Most civilians are just trying to shelter in place. Israel is destroying all the infrastructure and institutions that have controlled the people. They are paving the way for the Iranian people to rise up and take control of their own future in the near future. But neither the US nor the Israeli governments are directly involved in regime change.
(And to the one person who took me to task last night saying that in my Instagram post I implied that G-d was on our side. “There are many in Iran with G-d on their side. This is so sad to see you post this. Our good friends are Iranian Catholics who still have family living there. We pray G-d will be with them. To treat this so flippantly and callously is shocking especially from you. War is awful. Dancing on the graves of innocents is not ok.” Yes. There are innocents on both sides. I did not mean to sound callous. I am trying to report news as concisely and factually as possible as it happens. Israel does not target civilian populations, but has called for the evacuation of areas it plans to strike beforehand. Israel is only trying to reduce the extreme terror threat to the Western world by this radical jihadist regime. I do hope this will be over soon.)
Also in the news yesterday, the IDF recovered the bodies of three murdered hostages from the tunnels in Gaza. In an overnight operation, Yonatan Samerano, 21, Staff Sgt. Shai Levenson, 19, and Ofra Kedar, 71, were brought back to Israel for identification and burial. Samerano fled from the Nova music festival with two friends. They were all murdered. His body was dragged to Gaza on te back of a pickup truck. Levenson was a tank commander stationed on the Gaza border. He was killed while battling the invading Hamas terrorists. Kedar was murdered while out on her morning walk the morning of 7October.
In Syria, there was a horrific massacre of Christians.A gunman opened fire and then self detonated his suicide vest during the Holy Mass at the St. Elias Greek Orthodox Church in Damascus. Over 60 mostly young people were killed, scores injured. 350 people were praying inside that church. Daesh (ISIS) cells have taken credit for this. Salafi terrorists and the followers of Ahmad Al Shara Al Julani, now self-proclaimed “moderate” president of Syria have not changed their nature. They remain ISIS. There seems to be no other path than to rout out terror cells and destroy them. Following the attack, video footage surfaced showing threatening messages ‘Your turn is next’ scrawled on various other churches in the Hama countryside. This must be condemned from the national levels throughout the world.
I’m exhausted and have two stories due for paid publication, so I shall try to give a more full, concise update tomorrow. The main takeaway is that I and most of the people I’ve spoken with feel that these are limited operations that will not lead to a wider,global conflagration. The IDF is way ahead of its original plans in Iran and hopes to wrap all of this up by next week. The Ayatollah is on his knees, Israel is still making targeted strikes with no resistance. Keep up the prayers and well wishes. Until tomorrow-
Update 2 hours later: we just received the news that Iran has targeted US military bases in Qatar and Bahrain with missiles. UAE has closed its airspace as a precaution. No injuries have been reported. IAF has wrapped up its wave of strikes in Western Iran, however they”will continue striking any component of Iran regime involved in threatening Israel.”
We’re fine. really. Despite little sleep. Despite bouts of surfing the news. Meditating and praying. Watching Mission Impossible 2 and The Dictator for diversion. Despite running to bomb shelters and hearing the loud booms and rumblings of thunder which is how we know there’s been a direct hit – when the floor below shakes for minutes.
The game changed a bit last week, when we realized Iran had kept the Big Boy Toys for themselves. Those hypersonic. Those cluster bomb missiles that create menacing ripples in the sky. That fly under the defense system. That sneak through and hit civilian targets. These are not your friendly Hamas or Hizbulla rockets. Oh no. They are something entirely different with the capacity to flatten city blocks and kill thousands.
But we’re fine. Really. We’ve seen open miracles. The IAF knocking out the entire air defense of the giant in less than 72 hours. The elimination of evil players – a Roayal Flush in the IRGC deck of cards. We’ve called their bluff. Militarily, we have proven our superiority, our determination, our resolve, our courage and our faith that we do not go it alone, but with the hand of G-d to lead us to victory. So we are just fine.
We have seen hospital buildings evacuated just hours before a strike. We are witnessing the Israelis taking the call to shelter seriously. We now know to run to a protected area is to save a life. Although every loss is a tragedy, Israel has a remarkably low fatality rate – less than 30 civilians have been killed thus far since we struck Iran. Missiles have crashed into homes and stuck in the roof without exploding. Babies have been rescued intact from the rubble. People reunited with missing pets they thought killed. Huge pieces of shrapnel fallen from the sky only to land at a front doorstep or side yard. We are doing well. To live in Israel is to believe in miracles.
A home in central Israel this morning
Friday a huge ICBM stuck downtown Haifa. The few people who were out sought cover for the most part. Two mosques down the street from each other along with a recently abandoned building were demolished. An imam was injured. Also a woman who suffered a heart attack due to the siren. And one other person. We could see the smoke rising from our balcony. We knew from the sound of impact it was bad. But we are doing fine.
An IRGC missile on its way to Israel, missed its intended target. Instead, it struck a Syrian oil facility. Another lucky hit, I guess. Most of the ICBMs that have gotten through have landed in empty space. Another lucky miss, I guess. You spend 4 hours trying to find a vacant parking space in central Israel, but the bombs? We’re really doing okay here. A little overwhelmed, a lot exhausted, but we are fine. Really.
Today we woke up to another early alarm. It was a large barrage accompanied by the news of Trump and the US aid the military gave to strike the nuclear powerhouses that we couldn’t reach. I’m actually really glad that threat has been neutralized and pray it will not lead to anything larger. In the meantime,
I appreciate most of the letters I’ve been getting. And those videos. So many videos. Yes I did see the Tucker Carlson kumzits with Ted Cruz. I’ve begun to watch at least some of the homilies you’ve sent me from your pastors. I can assure you. Things are well. They are well. With our souls. John said to tell you we have a large rooftop balcony with patio furniture and ice chest filled with drinks and snacks. We have a front row view of Armageddon which is 18 miles as the crow falls. We are not afraid. We are fine. Really.
As far as missions work. Aid to infants, widows and the still starving, still poor, still innocent victims in Gaza. I assure you. We neither can nor will travel there to help with humanitarian aid. Seriously. There’s much to be done here in Israel. Many ways to help and to be involved. Neither John nor I desire to join a resistance movement protesting the current situation. We will not drive to Jerusalem. We will not drive to Tel Aviv. We will not hold placards to stop the war. We will not take our voices to Bibi’s residence. We are doing just fine where we are. We actually think our u irked government has navigated the entire situation masterfully. We are in good hands.
Yes. Blessed are the peacemakers. Make love, not war. We truly desire peace. Here at home. Here in the Middle East. Throughout the entire world. But there are just wars and we have just collectively cut the head off the viper. Yes. Blessed are those who can forgive their enemies. Forgive the snarkiness, but no one from Hamas, Hizbulla, Houthieville or Iran has called me offering a sincere apology for the years of terror and bald faced threats to kill me and my countrymen on both sides of the globe. I carry no grudge with the people of Iran. I hope the people can be liberated from their evil oppressors and we can resume friendly relations again. We are good with that. We just want peace and to resume our normal routines.
For the ones who are “just absolutely scared to death for you!” Thank you for your concern. If you have ever lived in Israel, you know that we value, cherish and love life. It is a precious and fleeting gift. We do not take ur blessings for granted. And we live every minute as it is our last. Every moment counts. We are not afraid. Exhausted. Overstimulated. A bit anxious even. But not scared to death. We have a firm belief that our lives are in G-d’s hands, and that is not a bad place to be. So stop your doomscrolling social media and listening to the fear mongering of divisive media outlets. Pray. Do good deeds for others today. Pick 3 things to do that will be a blessing each day. But don’t be scared to death. We are fine. We will be fine.
And for those wanting to know what we think about the Final Battle. As my tzaddik of a husband repeats, “It’s all in G-d’s hands. Whatever is supposed to happen will happen and we cannot stop it. He who made all things can turn the worst possible scenario into the miraculous, into blessings. We just need to believe. And pray. And walk in love.” Then we will be fine. Really.
Now if I can just stay away from the bag of chips and get a shower and some sleep….I’ll be fine. Really.
I hope I’ve not offended my subscribers, my old high school fellow students or past neighbors. After I hydrate, get some protein and a few winks, I’ll be back to my old reporting. In the meantime, we’re okay. Really truly-
An IDF sapper this morning carries an unexploded missile out of a house in Haifa
After a restless night of running to the safe room, we were awakened again this morning to the sound of the red alerts They were first signaling UAV invasions into the Golan and Jordan Valley. Then came the huge missile barrage.
We are witnessing days of the miraculous, my friends. Last night, there was an emergency meeting of the board at Soroka Hospital in BeerSheva. It was decided for some reason to move the outpatient clinics and one-day surgery underground. At 07:15 am the sirens began to blare throughout the county signaling imminent attack. Shortly afterwards we received the news. Soroka had taken a direct hit.
Soroka is the largest hospital in the south serving all the Negev and Gaza Envelope communities. It is also one of the largest rehab units for wounded soldiers and is always full of patients. The missile hit one of the main buildings and yet no one was killed because it had been evacuated the night before. There were almost 90 wounded: 2 seriously, an 80 year old man and a 78 year old woman. There are 6 others in serious condition and 9 in moderate condition, but no deaths. Baruch haShem! Praise the Lord!
Now for my op ed. Last year, the IDF was quickly and falsely accused of bombing a Gaza hospital. It was immediately (within 15 minutes) reported that there had been over 5000 casualties! This was soon toned down to over 1500. The news spread throughout the world as reported by the unreliable propaganda arm of Hamas, the Gaza Health Ministry. Shortly thereafter, it was reported the rocket landed in a parking lot, killing 23 people. After a thorough investigation and review of drone footage from aerial surveillance, it was discovered that Hamas had launched a rocket from a pickup truck at the back of the hospital, which misfired and struck the hospital. The damage was done, and people still believe the IDF targets hospitals and innocent civilians.
The IDF targets terrorists. We have seen it in Gaza as well as Lebanon and now Iran. They go out of their way to evacuate civilians from active military zones and will abort a strike if there is the chance of killing an innocent people. Hamas placed their weapons in and underneath hospitals, schools, mosques and UN facilities. Underground tunnels are burrowed under homes and public places. Iran has exclusively been targeting civilians, mostly dense packed urban areas. Now a hospital. This is a war crime. Where is the outrage from the world?
Also this morning, a kindergarten/day care was hit in Ramat Gan (all of this news has been cleared for publication. I reveal no secrets). All of the little children are fine as the classrooms were held underground. Rescue workers were there to evacuate all the little children and reunite them with their parents. Another miracle and narrowly averted disaster!
Two days ago, a direct strike hit the Weizman Institute of Science, one of Israel’s most prestigious research centers. Dozens of experiments were destroyed. The ICBM struck more than ten biology labs, including those focused on cancer, aging and A-I based personalized medicine. Work that was in progress for over a decade was all destroyed. Israel aims at life-saving research, for the benefit of mankind.
Hundreds of Americans on Israel birthright trips were evacuated by cruise ship to Larnaca, Cypress. They had survived the Iran bombardment. 1500 people were on board the ship, escorted by the Israeli navy. Florida governor, Ron DeSantis chartered four jets to pick them up and fly them back to the States where they can then take other connecting flights home.
Thousands of Israelis are waiting at American and European airports to return to Israel. Airspace opened yesterday for two packed flights (including scores of returning soldiers) to land at Ben Gurion. This morning, another inbound flight from Cypress was diverted mid-air back to Larnaca due to Iranian missile barrages. Hopefully flights will soon resume to bring stranded tourists and foreign nationals back home and pick up the returning Israelis.
Israel yesterday destroyed Iran’s digital nuclear archive backup, the last copy of knowledge on how to build a bomb. There are now no top scientists. No documents. And for now, limited ability fore a nuclear future. Strikes have been made on Iran’s Arak nuclear wastewater facility after the evacuation of all civilians in a wide radius. One of the last things left to do is to somehow destroy or incapacitate the Fordo nuclear facilities, which lie deep underground. Whether this can be done by stealth or even remotely remains to be seen. The only bomb that can reach the bunkers that far down are held by the United States and is carried by the stealth bomber. I pray America does not have to enter into the war!
Last night, the Iranian broadcasting company was hacked. Images of demonstrations and calls shown on screen for the Iranian people to take to the streets and protest against the regime were shown. The Crown Prince, Reza Pahlavi made a statement from outside the country: “The Islamic Republics has come to an end and is falling. What has begun is irreversible. The future is bright and together we will navigate this sharp turn in history. Now is the time to stand. It is time to take back Iran. May I be with you soon.” There have been reports of major demonstrations and young girls and women are throwing off their burkas and head coverings. The Iranian government cut the internet at the beginning of the war, but it was quickly restored (by Elon Musk) through Starlink. The channel also broadcast a statement from Netanyahu telling the citizens of Iran that Israel does not fight against them but against the totalitarian regime. The time of the people will come shortly.
German Chancellor Freidrich Meira, at the recent G-7 said, “ Israel is doing the dirty work for all of us.” There are unconfirmed reports which claim that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khameni is dead. In the meantime, Iran continues its own threats. “We are about to launch the largest and most violent attack in history on Israeli territory.” That was three days ago.
In the meantime, IDF estimates that over 60% of Iran’s missile launches have been destroyed by the Israeli Air Force. Still, over 100 remain operational. The IRGC has switched from static launches to mobile launchers which shoot much fewer missiles simultaneously, but can be moved around. Several have been hit within the streets of Tehran as well as adjacent to large mosque complexes. Israel is able to eliminate them with surgical precision strikes, that do limited damage to nearby surroundings (unless the launchers are loaded). The IAF reigns supreme over the wide open Iranian airspace.
In lighter news, an elderly British-Israeli couple were visiting their children in England when they became stranded. Taking matters into their own hands, they dressed as Muslims, traveled to Egypt and somehow found their way back into Israel through Eilat.
We wait with bated breath to see what will happen next. I shall try to keep you posted. Again, we watch and pray for good news. May peace come soon to all of us.
So the bombs are dropping. The tourists are freaking out and running to shelters while Israelis have their cell phones out filming Star Wars. The emergency siren sounded last Thursday night/Friday morning signaling the start of war and Israelis got to work immediately. Making memes. We’ve been through this before. For centuries. An evil empire seeks to destroy us. Miracles happen. We win. Let’s party.
I guess it’s part of the resilience that the morning after an intense night of missiles hitting the city, Tel Avivians can be found drinking coffee at sidewalk cafes. Nothing will stop us. We keep on living. And laughing. It’s seriously what keeps us strong. Finding the humor in every situation.
Like our city announcing free parking during war time 🤪. Nu? Can’t we stretch this out just a little longer?
The planes are not landing in Ben Gurion. All passengers are stuck both ways. Airspace over Israel is closed. Yet I managed to get not one, but two Amazon deliveries today right on time! Hysterical and true. Nothing stops these guys.
Within two days of the Israeli attack on Iran this genius of a video short came out, a spoof on “Fauda”
There’s so much irony in this war. The Shiite regime of the Ayatollahs has been repressing women for decades, subjugating them, covering them, banning them from education and society. So what does Israel do? Send in teams of women fighter pilots and navigators to bomb Tehran.
There’s nothing these imams and mullahs hate more than Israel and Jews. That’s why this is so funny –
After 72 hours of the IAF clearing Iranian airspace and eliminating virtually all of the IRGC hierarchy, we’ve heard that Khameni has gone into hiding. No sooner than it was announced, the memes started flowing.
The joke here is that among those in Iran no one knows where the Ayatollah is……. Except the Mossad. (BaDAHbum 🥁)
Life in Israel really is a little crazy right now. We are getting about two hours of sleep each night before being awakened by sirens and Iran is getting their own fireworks display.
Even John and I are cracking wise. Last night: We received a message from Emergency warning that an attack was imminent. Stay close to shelter. That was two hours ago, and I’ve been putting off taking a shower. (Do I have time to pee/shower before the red alert? Frequent thought here)
22:49 pm
Me: Do you think I’ll have time to take a shower now? Do you think they’ll bomb at 11? John : They haven’t bombed at 11 yet…. Me: But they said they’d bomb imminently. They could throw us for a loop. John: Check with the Spanish speakers. They seem to know everything beforehand 😂. Me: But what if the siren goes off and I’m in the shower and don’t hear it? John: Then you’ll be dead. Me: Will you tell me? John: Sure. I’ll shout up at you from the miklat (safe room).
Waiting for the IRGC jets to arrive…
Yesterday the news all over the world was whether there would be American involvement. And what would happen? Not to worry, there’s a meme for that too –
In the meantime, Iran is getting a thorough thrashing by Israel.
This is one video we had to watch again and again. At first we thought this was a skit by SNL or the Israeli Eretz Nehederet, but it was real. All I could think (besides that finger wagging was Gilda Radner. The ultimate irony after the Iranian regime calling for the destruction of the Zionist pig dogs for the past 78 years…. And then the producer yelling at the end (John Belushi?)
Breaking: The Mossad responds to the IRGC’s claim of their targeting a Mossad base: “None of us are at the base. We’re all inside Iran.”
Hey. There are so many Mossad agents operating in Iran right now that I accidentally bumped into a guy at the shuk and stupidly said, ‘slikhah’ (excuse me). Before realizing I may have accidentally blown my cover, the other guy answered ‘ha kol b’seder, akhi.’ (It’s all ok, bro)
As far as the resolve and resiliency of Israelis, especially during wartime….there’s absolutely nothing like it. Life continues, because if we stop participating joyously, they win. Here, a folk dance class continues in the underground protected area of a community center. During a missile barrage! (This one’s for you, Carola😉)
Khameni calls Trump and says, “I had a dream last night that all of New York was in ruins, and Iranian flags were flying everywhere.” Trump replies, “Strange. I dreamed that all of Tehran was thriving, full of high tech and billboards…”. “What did the billboards say?” asks Khameni. Trump answers, “You think I know how to read Hebrew?”
I really wish I could download and repost some of the great and uplifting things happening here in Israel. I will leave you with a parting A-I generated video. Do you remember that calm, soft spoken yet direct and fatherly Israeli spokesman for the IDF, Gen. Daniel Hagari? He retired after a year of reporting and the entire country missed him so badly. He really was irreplaceable. And he’s back!
Hasbara. הסברה. (Has- bah-Rah) Definition: defensive explanation; Publicity as in apologetics or setting the record straight; an Israeli/Hebrew word not directly translated easily to English….what I will be doing in this blogpost
Over the past four days we have been receiving emails and phone calls and other text messages and videos from people outside Israel (mostly Americans). Most are well wishers, whom we appreciate very much. Old friends, family, neighbors who are concerned about our well being. I assure you that despite the difficult circumstances we are undergoing here in Israel now, we are strong, resilient and quite well.
I am shocked by some of the conspiracy theories, A-I generated videos and stories, fake news and scare stories being pushed. I know people mean well and are yearning for the truth…aren’t we all? Most of these stories are incredibly overblown and in fact, very anti Israel. I hope to give my best explanations here based on lived experience in the Middle East and scouring of news sources as well as verifiable accounts of what has happened. In essence, Hasbara.
Why is the United States letting Israel drag us into a war and why are we giving them so much money?
Let me answer the second question first. Israel and the U.S. have been allies for over 75 years now. Yes. The American government gives Israel billions of dollars, but it is all under contract. Israel must spend that money in the United States, using defense and aviation companies like Raytheon and Lockheed Martin (F-35s); McDonnell Douglas/Boeing (F-15) and General Dynamics (F-16). We buy parts, jets and some ammunition from the U.S.. In return, Israel supplies the United States with intelligence information, technology (Iron Dome, Trophy Active Protection anti-tank systems, high tech computer navigation systems, various defensive drones, cybersecurity innovations and telecommunications technology). Israel contributed to the Arrow Missile Defense System. This, in turn, creates thousands of jobs for Americans, thus bolstering the American economy. These are just some of the contributions that Israel makes to American security.
The two countries regularly train together, strengthening both countries militarily. Israel also lets the U.S. store its weapons here as a MidEast stockpile in event of regional emergency. Most were depleted/taken back under the Biden Administration. That said, we are allies and share the same enemies and threats, albeit Israel more existentially. Israel is not “dragging the U.S. into a war. So far, Israeli pilots have done most of the work in clearing the airspace over Iran to bomb precise military and now IRGC and government targets (air bases, weapons storage facilities, weapons factories, missile launch sites, nuclear facilities, and in Tehran- the IRGC headquarters, Finance Ministry, Intelligence Ministry, Iranian Broadcasting Systems, etc). This has been done single-handedly by the IDF in cooperation with Mossad operatives who were able to embed themselves inside Iran.
The United States has helped shoot down drones, when over 100 heavily explosive laden suicide drones were launched from Iran last Thursday night/Friday morning. Jordan also helped. The U.S. is not involved in active combat. The Trump Administration has sent aircraft carriers to the area as a show of force and to prevent the Straits of Hormuz from becoming blocked. That is a defensive measure to protect one of the world’s most heavily traveled trade routes. Thus far, that is the extent of their involvement.
This is a preemptive war. It is surgically conducted. It is targeted. It is precise. It is not a call to war or the start of World War lll. It is not a land invasion to conquer more territory (colonialism). It is a neutralization of a terrorist regime. It is between Israel and Iran.
Whether the U.S. will use the stealth bomber, the MOAB or other heavy bombs to destroy the Fordo Nuclear Weapons Facility located deep underground in heavy fortified concrete is to be seen. This is one of the last things to be done if there is not a complete surrender first. Hopefully this war can end without U.S. involvement. What will be, remains to be seen.
2. Does Israel really want to start a war with Iran? Isn’t that reckless, especially since they were in the middle of peace talks and signing a non-nuclear agreement?
Iran has been threatening Israel (and the West/America) with nuclear annhiliation. They are radical Shi’ite Islamists operating under a (madman, opinion mine) Ayatollah and mullahs who believe in the imminent coming of the 12th Immam or Mahdi, their version of a Messiah. They believe that the only way to issue in the Mahdi is through global chaos and bloodshed. Also through the complete elimination of the Zionist State, aka Israel/the Jewish people. For them, to die as a shaheed or martyr is the greatest honor, a ticket straight to Allah with the gift of 72 perpetual virgins. When they say they will attack, they need to be taken seriously. First Israel, the little satan, then the United States, the great satan.
Despite the JCPOA, Iran has been secretly enriching weapons grade uranium. They were at the point of equipping nuclear warheads (estimates range between 9-15) on ICBMs. They had reached breakout level. And verifiable documents have been released proving they were intent on getting those weapons to Yemen, Qatar and two other rogue nations. Two weeks ago, I believe, the Atomic Energy Commission verified all this, with Iran admitting and even saying they had constructed a ‘secret weapons facility.’
Iran has been the main sponsor of terror groups and nations, forming, supplying and fomenting groups such as Hizbulla, Hamas, the Houthis, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and other terrorist organizations. They are partially behind the flooding of Europe, the United States and greater Western World with “refugees,” namely single males between the ages of 15-40.
They have never been genuine in their “peace talks” or non-proliferation or enrichment promises, not with the world or with Israel. They are not to be trusted. Seriously. Time and again, with Hamas (under Iranian and Qatari control), pauses in fighting have taken place in Gaza allowing the terrorist regimes to regroup and restock. The same scenes have been played out repeatedly through the years. If they are truly serious about negotiating, why doesn’t Iran first order Hamas to release the remaining 52 hostages? That would be a start.
3. How can you live in a country that is a genocidal regime that targets civilian populations? I always thought you (personally) werepeaceniks.
We don’t love war. Absolutely. We decry when any innocent civilians is killed. Who wants to live in a place where one constantly is running to protected areas or is continually under the threat of annhilation? We crave peace. But more on that later.
The IDF is the only army that I know of that issues evacuation orders or actually takes the time to strategize the movement of innocent civilians to safe spaces and out of active war zones, i.e. Gaza, Tehran. (Until this latest war) Israel is the only country I know of that drops leaflets and then knock bombs (bombs that tap/shake the roof of a building without exploding) as a warning to clear that particular building before an attack, i.e. Gaza City, Khan Younis, Rafah. What other country delivers water, power and humanitarian aid (despite what you hear on social media) to its enemy in wartime? What other country pauses in the middle of military operations to administer polio vaccines to children? What other country sets up triage tents and evacuates sick children and wounded civilians back to its own country for hospitalization and treatment while delivering humanitarian assistance, i.e. Operation Good Neighbor in Syria, 2018-2020?
The definition of genocide is to eliminate a certain population due to ethnic cleansing, religion, race, health/medical undesirability (eugenics) or to completely annihilate a certain people. That said, if Israel has been involved in “genocide of the Palestinian people,” then how has the population, say, of Gaza grown from 297,638 in 1997 to 2.2 million in 2025? That does not sound like a genocide to me.
On the other hand, Gaza had a Jewish population going back over 3,000 years. Most Jews living in Gaza fled during the 1929 Palestinian massacre and riots. In 1945 there were 80 Jews left. The Gaza Strip had 146,207 Jewish people living there fairly peacefully with their Muslim neighbors until 1995, when every single Jew was forcibly expelled (by their own Israeli government) according to the Oslo Accords Treaty. Today there are no Jews left in Gaza. They were not killed, but they were kicked out.
Need I mention the Holocaust? Or the Farhud? These are examples of ethnic cleansing and genocide. What about the Armenians in Turkey? Or the Rwanda genocide against the Tutsis in 1994? Why does no one mention or stand up against a real genocide, the massacre of thousands of Nigerian Christians by radical Islamists (Boko Haram, jihadi militant groups, Fulani)? According to the report “Martyred Christians in Nigeria” over 52,250 Christian men, women, children, infants have been brutally murdered since 2010. Over 18,000 churches have been set on fire. This, my friends, meets the definition of a genocide.
4. Why don’t you leave before it’s too late?/ I read that Israel is preventing its own people from leaving the country.
John and I did not take the decision to move to Israel lightly by any means. We had been planning for years to move out of the failing stater of California. Selling house and moving far away from all family and friends was not a passing whim or middle aged crisis. Our children were grown and leaving home and there were many, many factors involved in our decision. Not the least of which was the fact that we believe with all our heart in the Zionist ideals: that the ancient Biblical and ancestral homeland of the Jewish people always was and always will be Israel. This is provable by history and archaeology despite the fact that the Jews have been in diaspora for 2000 years. It is also the birthplace of Christianity. I have been deeply committed to and involved with inter-religious dialogue for decades.
As for our leaving: this is now our home. We are still American citizens, but this is where we have chosen to stay, again for very many reasons. At this point, the international airport is closed to everyone. Airspace over Israel is understandably restricted due to threat of attack. As for the post on Twitter that was sent to me:
I had never heard of this woman, so I did some research. Ms. Fenigson is a chief marketing officer of several global companies, now turned activist and podcaster of “You’re the Voice.” She rose to stardom during the pandemic as an independent journalist and labels herself “a dissident.” Ms. Fenigson is very left leaning and is often very outspoken against both the current Israeli government and the Trump administration. She has become a well known international speaker and “freedom activist” ( all quotes hers).
That said, yes Israel has forbid all flights to everyone. And yes, Kaitlin Jenner, who was here to tour the Gaza Envelope communities did get out last Friday morning. However, for safety precautions, Israel has removed a large percentage of its planes to other countries, that I will not mention here. Discussions are currently being held on how to get stranded Israelis and Lone Soldiers back home. Possible options are flights to Mediterranean countries followed by chartered cruise liners home. All Israelis are seriously advised against traveling through Egypt or Jordan (Jenner was escorted to Amman as an American citizen and then flew back to the States from Jordan) for their own protection.
After Israelis are brought back, the first priority will be given to tourists and those with dual citizenship. Privately chartered airlines are being considered for this once the airspace is deemed safe enough.All people are being kept as safe as is absolutely possible. Tourists are being put up at Israel’s expense. We want no casualties. This only makes sense.
The state control of phones: every single Israeli phone line has been receiving those banshee like, horrific sounding, extremely loud signals as soon as an Iranian missile launch is detected. We get these alerts at all times of the day and night, and. Most definitely, it can be jarring/nerve unraveling. However, it is not to panic us, but to alert us that we have less than six minutes to take cover. At the minute before impact there is another signal and country-wide red alerts and sirens go off 15 seconds before impact in the surrounding area. This is to ensure that all people have a chance to get to a protected space or to stop their vehicles, exit and take shelter in a more protected area. I thank G-d and the State of Israel for coming up with this systems. It saves lives.
From the magnanimity of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews and the KKL, concrete bunkers or shelters have been placed everywhere through the land. We, here value life, not death. This also pops up on all phones.
As far as I know, they are sent in Hebrew, Arabic, Russian, Amharic, French and Spanish. Many times, we have to use Google translate-
The last question I’ll address at this time (I’ve already gone too long) is from a girlfriend in the States who wanted to know –
5. I was listening to a podcast where this was discussed and I wanted to know what you believe. Netanyahu and Mossad are only interested in endless perpetuation of war and controlling regime changes.
We live in a really tough neighborhood. Israel is completely surrounded by the Arab world. Some of the countries are more friendly than others, but many want us dead (From the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea is all Israel). The Arabs comprise 99.6% of the MidEast. Israel has 0.4%
I truly believe the Iran situation is completely different than U.S. or Israeli involvement in Iraq (where Israel was told to stand down and did), Syria, Libya or Afghanistan.
Iran, pre WWll used to be Persia. The Islamic grand mufti with Adolph Hitler to discuss the Final Solution. The name of Persia was then changed to Iran from Aryan and the Farhud was soon enacted throughout the Middle East. (Long history. Look up for yourself). In 1979 the Persian monarchy was completely dissolved (under Pres. Carter’s admin). Shah Rena Pahlavi and his family escaped and went into hiding. They were replaced by the Radical Jihadist Ayatollas, mullahs and Shiite clerics. Again. Do your own study of history.
Persia/Iran was a highly educated, highly Westernized, free country. Women had full rights. The Jewish and Christian communities flourished. As the Islamist radicals came to power, many Persians also fled to Paris, New York, Miami and Los Angeles among other places. Those more liberals who stayed behind were imprisoned and tortured and killed. Read the true historical accounts in Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafsi. Please!!
Women were forced to completely cover themselves in burkas. Universities were taken over, extreme censorship ensued. All. Things Western were deemed Satanic. (movies, books, music outlawed). The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps was formed under strict Sharia and the military began to build its might, eventually exporting its jihadi terror to other Islamic countries. This is a sliver, nutshell synopsis. I’m probably skipping a lot.
Today, the Crown Prince of the Persian Pahlavi dynasty remains in exile. The Persians support him and many Iranians today long for freedom. Women are daringly removing their burkas and have literally been dying for the cause of freedom. In the past week, millions of Iranians are coming out in support and thanks of what they see as Israel liberating them from an oppressive regime.
Do I personally support a regime change with the restoration of freedom? Most certainly? Do I like war? Absolutely not. Do I endorse the IDF taking the chutzpah and initiative to cut the head of the Medusa that strangles and terrorizes? Of course. Do I want American boots on the ground? No.
Nothing is always black and white. We find ourselves in a complex situation. What we do next is a Sword of Damocles. (Look that up if you need to) Yet what we do next, what Netanyahu, what Trump decides is precarious.
Israel is completely united at this time. We are all on the same page. The United States needs to be firm, steadfast and united. The world is watching. Iran or what is left of it is watching. The enemy thrives on division. They see it as a sign of weakness. Please stop the infighting. Discussion tables are important. Infighting is not. Hatred of our fellow man is not.
Stay away from conspiracy theories. Stay away from fake news and scare tactics. Stay away from fear monger if and slandering. From A-I and deep fakes. It’s getting very hard to tell the difference these days. Listen to that still, small voice inside you.
All I can say to this is this is the time to pray. Fast and pray. Pray for world leaders to make wise decisions. Pray for all plans to go well. Pray for the protection of all innocent citizens, wherever they may be. Pray for peace. But whatever happens, I take comfort in what my husband continually repeats to me. It gives me great comfort. “Everything that happens is in G-d’s hands. He alone has the ability to turn evil to good, to shape the future. Things have to happen the way they happen. Our job is to trust, believe, pray and put ourselves in His hands. Then all will be well.”
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