[img]96|left|||no_popup[/img]Dateline Jerusalem – Hope everyone had a safe and happy Thanksgiving Day. Every day is Thanksgiving Day in Israel. We might not celebrate with turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie, but we say blessings and prayers. We thank G-d for our very existence, especially because we are surrounded by enemies.

For those of you who have asked about my safety and well-being, and are praying for Israelis under siege, thank you for your concern. Thank G-d I am safe. Yes, I heard the jets, the booms and an occasional siren. But I am better off than many of the Israeli men, women and children plagued by the Palestinian rockets and missiles aimed at our civilian neighborhoods and schools, and better off than those who traveled by the bus that was blown up in Tel Aviv.

You probably are asking why I still heard the deafening booms after Israel entered into a cease-fire agreement with Hamas. Because within the hour before the cease-fire was to take effect, Israeli cities were bombarded by rockets and missiles. Within two hours after the alleged cease-fire, 13 rockets from Gaza exploded in Israel. It is quiet for now. We wonder, though, if this will be like every other cease-fire with the Palestinians. Israel stops defending itself and the Palestinians continue to launch rockets, ignoring every agreement they ever entered into. A cease-fire for the Palestinians just means fewer rockets than usual shot into Israel while they use the time to build up their arsenal. Hoping the only booms I hear now are those of thunder and lightning signifying much needed rain.

U.S., Egypt Threats Worked

Many Israelis are wondering why Israel would enter into another “cease-fire,” especially under the terms of this one. Hamas has a track record of breaching agreements with Israel. Considering that the Iron Dome is what kept most Israelis alive during the last week, it makes sense why Israel caved to U.S. pressure. Although Israel developed and initially funded the Iron Dome's first two systems, an additional eight were supposed to have been provided by the U.S. in a joint U.S.-Israeli venture. Only two of the promised eight systems have been delivered so far. Allegedly, in return for Israel signing, the U.S. administration has promised to provide funding and delivery of the other Iron Dome systems and interceptor missiles, which it already had promised to fund and deliver.

Another reported reason for Israel accepting this highly unpopular cease-fire agreement is that Egypt had threatened to breach its peace agreement with Israel. Egypt threatened that it, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria (the countries surrounding Israel) would mobilize their armies against Israel. Americans in Israel would not be endangered if Israel proceeded in a ground war in Gaza, but the threat of a much larger war in the area caused the U.S. fleet to be turned around in the Mediterranean to be ready to evacuate Americans from Israel. This same Egypt, under Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohammed Morsi. brokered the one-sided cease-fire and will be the country monitoring the cease-fire. The neutral U.S. will not be involved in making sure Hamas abides by the agreement. Egypt will, and Hamas is the military wing of the Muslim Brotherhood in Gaza. Does this make sense to you?

One of Israel's major concerns is the cease-fire requirement for Israel to open its crossings. To protect Israeli soldiers from terror attacks and the detonation of explosive charges along the fence between Israel and Gaza, Israel had established a “security belt” along the Gaza border where Palestinians were not permitted to enter. The cease-fire agreement states that the passages shall be opened and there will be “an easing of the passage of people and goods.” The movement of Palestinians along the border no longer can be limited. Israelis are concerned that this will provide a green light to Hamas to continue to detonate explosives or smuggle arms along the border because Israel can do nothing to stop their movements. That means the security belt no longer will exist.

No wonder Hamas declared a victory over Israel. No wonder over 70 percent of Israelis polled are upset about this cease-fire agreement.

L'hitraot. Shachar