Israel’s News Blog Magazine: Daily Stories Video and Photos

The following scenario is paramount reading concerning Iran’s developing nuclear program as discussed during the Bush-Olmert Summit meeting this week in Washington:

At an Israeli military defense radar station, located “somewhere in southern Israel”, and occurring during the middle of the night, when nearly everyone is fast asleep, a tracking station, manned by a young, bleary-eyed team of military personnel, springs suddenly to life when a series of strange and ominous blips suddenly appear on their screens. The ‘blips’, numbering twenty and grouped in four different bunches, are coming directly at Israel from the east, apparently from different locations in Iran, at a high rate of speed. An alarm goes out and the two existing batteries of the new Arrow anti ballistic missile defense system are alerted to prepare to send out missiles to meet the approaching threat. One battery of eight missiles is located in the center of the country, to protect the heavily populated Tel Aviv metropolitan area, and Israel’s Kirya military defense headquarters – Israel’s equivalent to the U.S. Pentagon.

The other battery, also containing 8 missiles, is located in the south, near Dimona, to protect the country’s nuclear facility and largest military air base, both located in this region. With twenty enemy missiles less than ten minutes flight time away from the Jewish State, a total of sixteen Arrow missiles are available to offer a defense ’shield’ against the invaders – providing, of course that each missile strikes it’s intended target. This means that one out five of the incoming missiles will be virtually non-targeted. It could also be possible that two Arrow defense missiles may go after the same target, once they are launched.

U.S. developed Patriot anti aircraft and missile system are also available; but their overall ineffectiveness for taking out incoming ballistic missiles was shown during the 1991 Gulf War when more than 36 Iraqi Scud missiles managed to strike targets in Israel.

With military and governmental authorities being hurried notified via the country’s emergency ‘hot lines’, there isn’t even enough time to call an emergency meeting to decide how to alert the general public concerning the approaching threat. Through the non official ‘grapevines’, however, warning calls go out around the country, indicated by a sudden turning on of lights in residences – especially in the major population centers.

With the “strike time” for the enemy missiles less than three minutes away, no one really knows which, if any, of the approaching missiles are carrying WMD’s or Weapons of Mass Destruction, including possible nuclear weapons. All that the defense personnel can hope for is that the salvos of Arrows will strike the correct target, and that damage from missiles with conventional pay loads will be minimal.

No detail is needed to describe the effect that a warhead containing a nuclear payload of 20 to 30 kilotons would have on a major population center as Tel Aviv. It can be certain that the Israel Defense Ministry is acutely aware of the overall limitations of an anti-ballistic defense system, as noted above; and with the difficulties in effectiveness that a pre-emptive strike on Iran would have, due to Iran learning the lesson of Israel’s strike on Iraq’s nuclear facility in 1981. Therefore, the only tangible solution is intense diplomatic action by all the countries of the free world, in particular the United States of America, to prevent the Islamic Republic of Iran from continuing to develop both its nuclear and long range missile programs. This topic was discussed this week during the meetings of Prime Minister Olmert and U.S, President Bush.

Intransigence and wishful thinking, by the governments of Israel, America, and other concerned countries will only increase the likelihood of such an occurrence, with obvious, catastrophic results.

Nanna Banai, a thirty-six years old woman from the central area, was sentenced yesterday to ten years in prison for acts of fraud and sexual exploitation. Banai used to present herself as a witch who can remove curses and bring back lost love. She confessed that along with her partner, a man by the name of Meir Pachima, whose trial is still in process, she deceived six victims, all young girls.

The story was exposed in the investigating TV show, “Colbotec”, after the show’s investigator came to Banai carrying a hidden camera.

Banai used to charge hundreds and thousands of shekels, supposedly to prepare charms and spells that would rid the victims of their bad luck or curses. But she used the money for her own needs.

One of her victims was a young girl suffering from a mental disorder. She came to Banai because of lost love, and Banai took advantage of her for two years. She made her cut her relationship with her parents and family, and threatened her that the curses upon her would increase in strength if she wouldn’t do something about it. She also demanded that has an act a “Purification”, she will have sex with Meir Pachima. In the end she got jewels and checks in the sum amount of three hundred and forty thousand Shekels.

Another victim asked Banai to do a Tarot reading for her. Banai said that she was under an evil spell that hurt her and her parents, and is preventing her from getting married. She told her it was getting worse and worse for months and got from her forty thousand Shekels and jewels. The victim’s pleads that she couldn’t pay so much didn’t do any good.

The Judges in Banai’s trial wrote, “The offenses are not only fraud, but sexual assault as well. Six victims fell in the deceiving web the defendant sew, presenting herself as a witch for five years. The fact that she scared the victims to continue with the “treatment” or else bad thing would happen to them and their families, makes it even worse.”

Besides spending ten years in prison, Banai was sentence to three additional conditional years, and she would have to pay compensation in the amount of fifty thousand Shekels.

Many people say it’s about time our courts will give a punishment worthy of the crime.

Comments on the recent article appearing in this blog-site regarding Israel’s performance in the annual Eurovision song contest have unfortunately gotten out of hand, with a lot of misunderstandings. The dismal rankings by Israel in this contest was partially due to a song performed by a group who only consented to appear after other groups refused to take part. Singing an American type gospel melody was a bit out of place, even though some Hebrew lyrics were used.

Israel has won the contest three times, more than many other participating countries, despite its small size and population. Through the years, many songs sung in the contest by Israeli performers have been good, and many others have not. That can also be said of other countries as well, including ones such as Ireland and the U.K. whose performers have always sung in English, their official language. When the ‘ground rules’ of the songfest where changed a few years ago, allowing non-English speaking countries to enter songs in English as well, many other countries, including Greece, Turkey, Russia, the Ukraine, etc., began placing better, and even winning the contest instead of placing far below others who had the advantage of singing in a more internationally acceptable language, which includes many of the “romance languages” as well.

As years went by, many countries began experimenting with using more dancing, physical gyrations and various fad type of costumes to improve their chances of winning, resulting in their actually taking home the coveted first prize. Countries using this method of increasing interest in their acts have recently included Germany, Russia, the Ukraine, and now Finland. For Finland, one of the more docile of the Nordic or Scandinavian countries, the decision to send this kind of an act to the contest was met with great debate and controversy by the Finns themselves, and was only allowed to proceed in its final format when public opinion allowed it to be done. Many Finnish citizens were afraid that the act might generate the type of opinion against them as was noted in the previous article.

As it turned out, however, the performance received tremendous praise and acclaim by not only the Finns themselves, but millions of viewers as well. The act’s originality and ‘campiness’ won out in the end, especially with younger viewers who voiced their approval by voting in favor of Finland’s entry.

Israel, who finished next to last, with only Malta receiving less votes, will undoubtedly continue to enter the songfest and may one day win again. The lesson to be learned by all is that many factors come into consideration. After all, why did all the Balkan countries vote heavily for each other, and why did so many former “satellite” countries of the former Soviet Union vote heavily for Russia? Alliances and politics do play a part in these events, as they do in other things as well. One must simply put all factors into proper perspective, and judge accordingly. After all, didn’t someone say the following saying, so long ago: “Judge not, lest ye be judged”?

Sometimes there’s just no limit to how low a man can get. Sometimes there’s no shame to monitor the ugly urge. This was the case in Asher Dahan’s story. Dahan is fifty-nine years old, lives in Be’er-Sheva, worked in the synagogue “Nativ Hayosher” (which ironically means “The Path Of Integrity”), and was the head of the religious needs department in City Hall.

Last November he decided to hire two teen-age girls (sixteen and seventeen) to act as maids around the house, to clean the house and wash his cloths and do general housework. The girls had financial problems and were very happy to get the job. They were also happy to work for a respectable Rabbi.

Now some reader may say, “He didn’t say he was a Rabbi, just that he worked in a synagogue”, and that would be very perceptive of you. Dahan wasn’t a Rabbi, but introduced himself as one to the girls. And not just a Rabbi. He told them he was an Astrologer and an expert in De-cursing people. Then he told them that the reason for their financial state is that someone had put a curse on them and - Lucky them! - he can help de-curse them.

The girls, who were very young, very awed by the respectable Rabbi, and very much in the need of a job, agreed to participate in a de-cursing session. So one day the “Rabbi” asked one girl to take her cloths off and put on a robe, while she was cleaning his house. Then he asked her to lie on his bed on her stomach. Then he proceeded to “look for her right spot” according to him, and wouldn’t stop looking even when his fingers went to some very private places, and even when the girl told him he was hurting her.

The next week the second girl came to his house and our “Rabbi” repeated the de-cursing session. When she refused to cooperate with him he got mad and threatened her to not let him down. He then raped her.

Yesterday, the court of Be’er-Sheva sentenced him to four years in prison plus two more conditional. It seems like a very easy punishment to a lot of people, but the Judges say that they considered the defendant’s age and state and the fact that he has no criminal past of any kind. Dahan also admitted and regretted his deeds.

In the sentence the judges write: “The defendant took advantage of the girls’ innocence and age, and made them believe he was a Rabbi and Astrologer who could help them. They believed him and agreed to accept his help. We have no doubt the girls feel humiliated, used and deceived. The defendant desecrated their honor and hurt them deeply.”

The detainment of “man about town” Assi Aboutbul on suspicion of gun running is just another episode in the life of this colourful resident of the Ramat Poleg suburb of Natanya, a city renown for it’s interesting inhabitants, as well as even more ‘interesting’ activities. Aboutbul, whose uncle Felix (a former gambling king pen) was blown away outside his casino in Prague, is suspected in ‘acquiring’ a large quantity of weapons and explosives, to be sold to “certain parties’ willing to pay the price for them.

Charged together with Jerusalem crime magnate Eli Naim, (known more commonly as ‘the magician’) both were remanded for several days until the police authorities can decide what to with them. Both of these distinguished individuals have been involved in numerous activities not exactly legit, and both have had several attempts made on their lives. Residents of Ramat Poleg, keep a wide berth of this man who has often been seen there eating in local restaurants or at the beach, in the company of his 4-6 bodyguards. A recent ‘rub-out’ attempt involving a U.S. made LAW anti-tank missile caused considerable concern to residents of Assi’s neighborhood when the noise caused by the exploding missile was thought to have been caused by terrorists. Terrorists they were, but not the normal kind most people are concerned with.

Assi and other members of the astute ‘club’ of other men-about-town have seemed to have established themselves in this suburban community in Southern Netanya, now in the midst of a huge expansion project with no less them twenty construction projects in progress in a large area opposite the present section of Ramat Poleg.

Perhaps being ‘guests’ of the Israel Police may turn out to be beneficial to both Assi and his friend Naim, just as it was for another colorful character, Zeev Rosenstein, himself a target of numerous assassination attempts. Although a bit restricted, being out of circulation can be beneficial to one’s health, as Mr. Rosenstein found out. Those living in Ramat Poleg can now rest a bit easier as long as Assi remains in Police custody – especially when they walk or jog past his residence. Another man allegedly ‘known in town’, Nikko Shirazi, also lives in Ramt Poleg and is reputed to be a good friend and possible business associate of Assi as well. In fact, their relationship even reached the point of an announcement being made in a local weekly newspaper of the engagement and pending marriage of Assi daughter to Nikko Shirazi’s son. After all, families who play together stay together.

Maybe that’s why Assi is smiling that boyish grin of his so much these days. In a way, he has a lot to thankful for. For one thing, the marriage of his daughter; and another thing, he hasn’t yet become a victim of some of that material he is now accused of trying to sell. So, life can’t be all bad for Assi and his friends. In fact, things just might be looking up for him.

An activist from “Machsom Watch” (Checkpoint Watch) called a soldier from “Nachshon” regiment a nazi and beast while the soldier was checking the comers and going of the Tul-Karem zone checkpoint. The incident took place a month ago.

The offended soldier decided to break the usual silent soldiers display in face of such behavior, and press charges.

According to the soldier’s colleague there was nothing out of the ordinary in the security check up, and for no apparent reason the activist just started swearing at him, calling him a Nazi, Beast and “a piss-head soldier”.

“She treated him in a demeaning manner,” the soldiers say, “for no reason. Most of the time we just let it go and don’t respond, but this was too much. The soldier was deeply hurt.”

The incident was reported to the commanders of the section, which investigated and concurred the activist’s behavior was “inappropriate”. A military personal said, “We have a practical relationship with the women of “Machsom Watch”. Sometimes they even send us reports, and the regiment commander go over them and come to conclusions about the soldiers’ behavior in the checkpoint. But this was too much.”

Other soldiers from this section said, “This is not the first time we’re doing our job when the women of “Machsom Watch” come to the checkpoints. Here and there we had some small incidents, but this was excessive, so he decided to press charges for insulting a public server.”

Taibe police department confirms that an investigation has started, and when the activist will be located she will be brought for questioning.

The day after the incident, a letter from the women of the organization was sent, supposedly carrying an apology. What it actually had in it were more slogans (Such as “The Israeli occupation corrupts the Israeli soul) but nothing about the incident. The activist in question who had written the letter, only pointed out that she was against the checkpoints.

And that, in short, is the problem with Human Right movements in Israel, and forgive me for switching from a reporting tone to a personal one. Don’t get me wrong, Human Rights movements are very important for self-criticism and the preservation of a nation’s moral standards. The trouble is that more often then none, the Human Rights movements in Israel don’t really care about Human Rights. They are driven by hate, either anti-Semitism or a grudge against Israel for that reason or another. That’s why they hold a double standard. It’s a crime when someone mistreats a Palestinian, but you can say and do what ever you want to the Jews. Even in their web site they write about “The excessive Israeli response to the El Aksa Intifada”. Just to remind you, hundreds of Israelis had been murdered during that Intifada, the last of them just a few weeks ago. You can actually hear them say in so many words “So what?”

I call for true Human Rights movements to take a stand and make themselves heard. To criticize and monitor both sides equally, and to criticize and monitor themselves as well.

And most importantly, try to be driven by true ideology, not by hate.

Daniel and Shiri Evans (not their real names), owners of an independent travel agency, wanted something to boost their dragging bookings of summer tourism packages. The friendly telephone call they received from an Internet marketing company reportedly in the Netherlands, offered to sell them qualified leads of people planning to go on holiday in the near future. “Just complete the credit card authorization form we will send you, and we will open an account for you for N.S. 1,000 , and we’ll send you hot, qualified leads of individuals and families planning to book holiday tour packages by the summer travel season. Our price per “lead” is the equivalent of U.S. $ 5 and the profit you can make on each sale is considerably more. What do you have to lose?”

Well, the idea certainly sounded interesting, especially when told that the company had web sites listed on various ’search engine’ Internet sites that received literally hundreds of queries each day. Despite apprehensions about giving their credit card information to a strange company, especially a ‘voice on the phone’, Dan and Shiri decided to go ahead and try this for “a month or so”, assured by the salesman that they could stop anytime they wanted and receive a full refund of any unused funds credited to their ‘account’.

After completing the form and sending it back by fax (as required by the lead marketing company), it wasn’t long before the leads began to arrive by email. The initial deposit was taken immediately as well by the marketing company. What the Evans didn’t know was that most of the ‘leads’ were non usable, with either incorrect or false information, or with absurd requests that their travel agency could not fulfill, such as “swingers” weekends or ’sex holidays’ to Thailand or other locations; or low budget student backpacking safaris to South America or India, with little or no profit to be realized.

After more than two months and nearly 300 such ‘leads’, Dan Evans decided he had enough and requested to cancel the agreement. By that time, more than N.S.3,000 had been taken from their credit card, and by the time they finally were able to have the credit card company stop the payments, another N.S. 1,000 had been ’sucked’ off by the marketing company.

Despite numerous telephone calls, most of whom were unanswered with only a recorded message instead of a human reply, emails, and letters, Evans finally called off their efforts to retrieve their funds, which amounted to a total of N.S. 5,000, with few of the leads being usable.

Internet marketing scams, such as this one, are all too frequent in today’s web-based marketing and e-information oriented world. Whether they involve service industries, travel and entertainment, or any number of other areas, millions and millions of Dollars, Pounds and Euros are being ’slurped’ from naïve and trusting business enterprises as well as the general public.

Dan and Shiri learned a relatively cheap lesson, compared to many others who lose much more in similar fraudulent transactions. With the annual travel and removals season soon upon us, take these “words for the wise” to heart before agreeing to a telephone sales pitch.

A Major was incriminated by his soldiers with harassment as payback for being “too strict” to their taste. The story began three years ago, when two female soldiers of the base started receiving phone calls from someone who they assumed were the base’s Major. In their testimony, the soldiers said the voice sounded just like the Major’s. One soldier said the Major offered her “to give her an oiled massage”. The other clamed the Major has called her several times and offered her all kind of offers to get her to some to his room.

Later on it became clear that both soldiers weren’t chosen for nothing. One was new to the base and didn’t really know the Major’s voice, the other didn’t work closely with him and seldom talked to him.

But this mischief went too well, as the Major was accused with misconduct and prosecuted at a court martial, During which the Judges were amazed at the level of chaos and disobedience in the base. The members of the judging comity, with Colonel Rachel Tevet-Vizel as the head, discovered that amongst the recent deeds of the soldiers in the base are: Forgery of entrance permits to the base, the theft of the base’s property (a digital camera), tearing of TV wires in an Officer’s barracks, an officer involved with the theft of hard drives, invective graffiti against officers and other soldiers and more.

The last thing was the obscene calls allegedly made the Major. The Major on his part strongly denied making the calls. He claimed that other then official talks he had with female soldiers, he had never deviated to inappropriate topics. What’s more, during the court martial, the Major’s lawyers Eyal Shimrony-Cohen and Dov Cohen, showed that in some of the times the accused has allegedly performed his obscene phone calls, he was actually present in official meetings.

The Major was finely acquitted, and yesterday the comity published its reasons. The judges wrote in their decision that due to the fact that the defendant was witnessed in meetings during the time he allegedly performed the phone calls, and considering the base’s chaotic and disobedient atmosphere, it is quite likely that he was incriminated by his soldiers.

The comity members write, “In face of the rebelliousness in the base, the amount of disciplinary problems which appears to be unimaginable for a military base, and the grudge the soldiers held for their Major, it is our conclusion that out of feelings of vengeance the soldiers mimicked his voice in order to incriminate him.”

Israel’s fortunes at the annual Eurovision song contest have never been easy, even though we have won the contest three times during its 51 year history. Israel first entered the contest in 1956, and often, the voting results from participating countries have been laced with controversy in regards to biased opinions against the Jewish State. This year, following a number of political controversies that have placed Israel in even more difficult relationships with the E.U. and other European countries, our song entry, sung by imported performer Eddie Butler and a mixed chorus group of Israeli and Afro American singers, finished almost last with only 4 votes, and these coming from (of all places) France.

Israeli singers, including ones like Sarit Hadad and Shiri Maimon, have recently managed to hold their own against the European hordes, and walk away with at least a feeling that they finished respectfully, despite all the negative flack being thrown at them by an increasingly hostile Europe. Last night’s poor results on behalf of the “European Jury” may cause future Israeli native and guest singers to think twice –even thrice – before making the trip to this contest again; this time to be held in Helsinki Finland.

Speaking of the Finns, their ‘heavy metal’ version of The Rocky Mountain Horror Show was nothing less than absolutely disgusting. Many other countries, including Sweden, Germany and even Russia (which came in second) had much better songs than the Finns whose living in Lapland must be so boring that they have to go to these extremes to win a song contest. Their gyrations and bizarre costumes were so grotesque that any sane person can only wonder if the Continent of Europe is once again slipping back into the Dark Ages, like what occurred following the destruction of the Roman Empire by the Huns and Visigoths during the Fourth and Fifth Centuries C.E.

This entire scenario comes on the heels of what has been going in Iran, courtesy of their astute president Mahmoud Admadinejad, who recently proclaimed that Israel is a non legitimate country and therefore should be “wiped off the face of the map”. This almost happened last night in Athens, as it became obvious that no voting country was prepared to give Israel even the least bit of praise or consideration. The four votes that France did give us were most likely because French Jewish citizens, especially the younger ones, got on the phones and cast their vote for the Jewish State. In a way, this was very fitting as more and more French are making Aliyah and purchasing properties in Israel, as they appear to see the writing on the walls concerning their future in the French Republic.

Iran even went one step further in regards to it’s own Jewish community by discussing in Parliament the possibility of passing a law similar to the ‘Nuremberg Laws’ passed by the German Third Reich in the mid 1930’s requiring Jewish citizens to wear stars to identify them as Jews. Though not yet passed into law, the mere discussion of this possibility already has Iranian Jews a bit worried, with their lovely President already being compared to Adolf Hitler.

Not that Israel’s song would have won, but it would surely have finished in a much better position had these modern day ‘Huns’ not been out to assist Mr. Ahmadinejad in his plans. As the saying goes: today the Eurovision, tomorrow Kristalnacht!”

Friday’s weekend news program on Israel’s Channel 2 T.V., dealt with the continuing road accident carnage on the country’s streets and highways. One incident in particular that stood out from the rest, was the accident occurring recently in central Tel Aviv, involving a 26 year old woman and small son who were killed instantly when their small car was hit by a man driving an expensive 4 X 4 vehicle, worth more than half a million N.S.

What made this tragedy stand out over many other similar occurrences was that the accident happened during the mid-day and in perfect weather conditions. The driver of the 4 X 4, a wealthy businessman who, it turned out, had drunk several glasses of wine during a luncheon engagement, and should not have been behind the wheel of his car in such a state. His blood alcohol level, combined with being behind the wheel of a high-power “status machine” turned out to be nothing short of homicide when he tried to go through a changing traffic light and collided with the unfortunate woman who was completely within the law.

The investigating police units estimated that ‘Mr. 4 x 4′ was driving at a very excessive rate of speed and could not have stopped his vehicle in time had he even wanted to. Both cars were literally ‘totaled’ especially the small econo-box that the woman was driving. The gory, blood splattered windscreen of her car indicated that either she, or her son (of both of them) were thrown into the glass, increasing what turned out to be literally multiple injuries, most of which would have been extremely critical or fatal.

Surprisingly, ‘Mr. 4 x 4′ was able to walk away with only minor injuries, despite his car being a write-off, and even rolling over and over several times. His survival was probably due to the strength of his car, one with a 5 of 5 safety rating, and by his drinking, which probably relaxed his system and prevented his muscles from tensing up, which might have caused more serious injuries, had he not been semi-inebriated. The T.V. story ended by noting that the man is now back at work, most likely in one of those new high-rise office complexes like Azrelei Towers.

The poor woman and her three year old son are now lying together under a meter and a half of earth, and a young husband and father is literally crushed by their tragic deaths. ‘Mr. 4 x 4′ probably had his license suspended for 30 days, and is now in the process of settling with his insurance company, as well as with the one that was insuring the woman’s car. Israel’s ‘no fault’ insurance law regarding personal injury in traffic accidents means that this part of the occurrence is being settled between the two companies, unless any additional law suits against the driver at fault are brought to court. Being a person of influence, most likely ‘Mr. 4 X 4′ has an army of advocates at his disposal to fight any lawsuits filed by the family of the slain woman.

Great! O.J. Simpson and Robert Blake were able to beat murder raps in America because they hired the best lawyers; and most likely this guy will also win out. His car was no different than a loaded gun, and the results were exactly the same, whether or not his intentions were.