Re “Israel Had No Choice but to Fight a Ground War”
[Editor’s Note: As Hamas terrorists continue firing rockets into Israel, sending frightened residents underground, our correspondent resumes her daily update.]
Dateline Jerusalem — Yesterday was Day 24. Code Red siren alerts sounded throughout Israel. A friend was riding home on a train at night when the sirens started to blare. The train pulled to a stop on the tracks. The intercom announcement instructed passengers to pull down the shades on the train windows, drop to the floor and cover their heads with their hands. Considering the closeness of the seats with tables in between and narrow aisles, I can imagine how difficult it must have been. My friend was unable to get down on the floor.
This week's Torah portion, Devarim, like everything about the Torah, is pertinent today. In it, Moses gives advice to Joshua who will be leading the Jews into battle for the land of Israel, “Fear them not, for the L-rd your G-d, He shall fight for you.” This war with Gaza and the daily miracles we have seen here in Israel re-enforce the fact G-d has been with us.
Another example of a miracle was related by an Orthodox commander of troops who quoted from Deuteronomy, “For the L-rd your G-d is the one who goes with you to give you victory.” He told of a recent pre-dawn raid that required dark as concealment. But it was delayed and would force his soldiers to be revealed in the light. The miracle, which the commander describes as something he never has seen in his military career, was that a sudden heavy fog and cloud descended to protect them from being seen. The fog did not lift until after the soldiers were safe. He said it was like the “Clouds of Glory” that protected the Israelites when they wandered through the desert.
We Are in First Row
What many people do not realize is that Israel is the front line in this war against terror. Islam’s ultimate goal is world domination, as seen by the insistence of Shariah law usurping the laws of the countries they live in around the world. A friend who was a police officer in England before coming to Israel said there are Islamic areas police officers fear to enter. Globally, Jews and Christians are being attacked, often murdered by Islamists because of their religion. Resembling Europe during the runup to World War II, no one is speaking out. Civilized people are joining and/or supporting the evildoers. Sound familiar?
Reminds me of a quote by an anti-Nazi, Protestant preacher Martin Niemoller. “First they came for the Socialists,” he said, “and I did not speak out because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists. I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews. I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me.” There are other versions that include Catholics and Jehovah Witnesses, depending on his audience. Wake up, world. You could be next.
Of particular concern to me are the attempts of Hamas terrorists to infiltrate Israel. I have written about the terror tunnels dug from Gaza that penetrated Israel from underneath the dining room of a kibbutz and all along the Gaza-Israel border. Five soldiers were murdered the other day when Palestinian terrorists emerged from one of the terror tunnels onto an army base in Israel. The very safety and security of Israeli citizens are at stake.
What Cease-Fire?
For anyone to demand a cease- fire at this time, before the tunnels are entirely destroyed, is choosing sides. They are choosing Palestinian lives over Israeli lives, a terrorist government over a democratic government. Unfortunately war has casualties, but Israel does everything it can to avoid civilian casualties. Yet it has been blamed for incidents for which it is not responsible. An Italian journalist, Gabriele Barbati, who said he can now speak the truth because he is no longer in Gaza, was a witness to Hamas using civilians as human shields and a witness to Hamas bombing the Palestinian refugee camp in Al-Shati. Israeli army said it was not operating in the area of the Shifa Hospital where an explosion killed and injured Palestinians. The army said that the hospital and refugee camp were struck by Hamas rockets that were launched at Israel but failed and struck inside Gaza instead. The Hamas Fajr-5 rocket was fired from a playground next to the hospital and exploded on the site. It caused a massive amount of casualties because of the 220-pound warhead on the rocket.
Turkey insisted that they be able to send “humanitarian” aid to Gaza. Israeli Customs officials discovered ball-bearings and cement mixers in a Turkish shipment of “humanitarian aid.” Hamas often has used ball-bearings in their Qassam rockets along with nails, razors and other types of shrapnel to scatter in a wide radius upon impact, maiming anyone in the vicinity. The cement mixers, of course, are used for mixing cement for the building of terror tunnels.
I am exhausted just writing this.
L'hitraot. Shachar