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

Claims and counter claims by both Israel and the Hezbollah organization makes you start wondering who really is coming out ahead in the conflict, now in its 14th day. Both of the major players have suffered property damage and casualties; and though it’s easy to track Israel’s casualties, 39 dead soldiers and civilians at last count, it’s virtually impossible to have any idea how many Hezbollah fighters and family members have been killed as they rarely divulge these statistics, and even make great efforts to remove their dead in order not be photographed and displayed by foreign news medias. Property damage in Israel has also been graphically shown; and although this has occurred even more so in many parts of Lebanon, it has been done mostly for PR purposes, to try to drum up sympathy for Hezbollah’s cause.

In warfare, there are very seldom complete winners, as the price paid, in human lives and property damage is almost always more costly than benefits derived by victory. WWII was an exception to this, however, as had Nazi Germany and their Pacific allies, the Japanese Empire forced America and her allies to agree to an armistice, our world would be a much different planet, not to mention what might have happened to virtually all Jews living outside the United States.

Determining the victors in warfare also has to do with who has the psychological advantage as well. For example, following the 1991 Gulf War, Iraqi president Saddam Hussein actually declared himself the winner of the conflict, as his still being in power was considered by himself as a major victory. All that changed twelve years later, however. In what now appears to be showdown “knockdown, drag out” conflict between Hezbollah’s Secretary General and spiritual leader, Said Hassan Narshrallah , and Israel’s Prime Minister Ehud Olmert; both are either claiming or predicting victory without fully realizing the implementations of the word. Concerning property damage suffered, Israel’s loses are mounting in the tens of millions (of dollars), but losses to both Hezbollah and the country of Lebanon run into the billions with the unfortunate victims being the Lebanese people themselves. From an economic standpoint, it will take the people of Israel a couple of years to fully recover from damages sustained. The Lebanese, however, will need a decade, if not longer, to return to where they were just a month ago.

Narshrallah, in his speeches and interviews during the conflict, says that his organization will help the Lebanese people rebuild their shattered country (with the help of outside parties, of course). The Sheikh had better find out just who will be willing to help in this process, which will also mean dedicating billions of dollars or Euros to rebuild his organization as well. He must believe that his very continued existence is enough of a reason to claim that he and Hezbollah are coming out on top. Reality will soon begin to paint a different picture though, as even long-time benefactors like Iran may not be so willing to open their treasury for Narshrallah’s benefit. Iran, in economic difficulty itself, and due to be levied partial sanctions by the U.N., had trouble enough giving a much smaller sum to the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority .

So who’s really winning this conflict? It all depends on who you are, and where you are.

The conflicts continue, but that doesn’t prevent Israel’s economic success story from abating. The revelation that one of the country’s most successful high tech firms, Mercury Interactive, is being sold to American based Hewlett Packard for the sum of $4.5 billion, even more than the purchase by Intel a few years ago of the DSP company for a ‘paltry’ $3.6 billion, is only the latest of a string of successful ventures that have created quite a stir on both Wall Street and other world security exchanges as well.

Israel’s high tech success story has become one of such importance that multi-billionaires such as Microsoft’s Bill Gates and Berkshire Hathaway’s Warren Buffet have invested huge sums. Gates has invested heavily into Israel’s software industries, and Microsoft logos are now common place on a number of buildings in Israeli high tech industrial parks. Buffet’s recent purchase of Israel’s renown Isscar precision tool company for more than $2.5 Billion reinforced the attention that the world’ two richest men have given to the Jewish State.

Israel’s big splash on Wall Street, especially in the NASDAQ securities exchange, can in part be attributed to former prime minister and finance minister Binyamin Natanyahu, who placed great emphasis on developing the country’s technological-based industries during his term as P.M. in the late 1990’s, and during his term as finance minister in the government of Ariel Sharon. Natanyahu was also instrumental in changing the countries foreign currency laws, allowing local citizens to both hold foreign currency and invest in foreign securities markets. “Until Israeli citizens can conduct normal business in the international sphere, this country will never progress” he was once quoted as saying.

Numerous global high tech giants, including the above mentioned ones, as well as others such as Amdocs, Siemens, and of course IBM, are alive and well in Israel and providing high-quality employment to thousands. It’s not too difficult to see the results of these ventures with the country’s roads clogged daily with late model automobiles with these companies’ logos emblazoned upon them. Since the year 2,000, high tech companies have contributed billions of dollars to the country’s economy, more than in the entire previous 52 year history of the state.

For a miniscule country with a total population of just 7 million, and who began its’ existence fighting off a combined Arab Legion army equipped with the best modern weaponry, the citizens of Israel certainly have a lot be proud of. The army Israel is using to once again fight for the country’s right to live on a piece of real estate that was 70% desert when granted to them by the U.N. Partition Plan of 1947, is now one of the best fighting forces in the world. In May, 1948 when David Ben Gurion declared the country’s independence from British Mandatory control, the fledgling country of only 650,000 souls had no air force (other than a few aged Piper Cub observation planes) and no armor corps or navy. Yet, they were able to win their independence against overwhelming odds. Israel’s success story, both in industry and militarily, will carry on despite ongoing security problems. It’s a pity that those who seem bent to destroy it cannot see that peaceful coexistence is far better than hatred and war.

A malfunction caused an Apache to decent yesterday right into high power lines near Zefat. Within seconds the Chopper crashed and burst into flames. The two pilots flying it were killed instantly. More then eight fire fighting battled with the flames which spread through the area, until finely put out.

The head of the air force, Yohannan Locker, said in an announcement to the press that although the reason for the malfunction in the craft is still unknown, it’s very unlikely that it was hit by enemy fire. “It’s still a mystery,” Said Locker, “but no fire was shot at it from Lebanon’s direction. It’s a very low probability that the craft was hit by enemy fire. Geometrically speaking as well, according to the craft’s location and the fact that there was another chopper right in front of it, make it very much unlikely”

This incidents follows the accident of Thursday night, where Major Ran Yeoshua was killed when two Apaches collided while on their way to assist ground forces in Avivim.

Also Yesterday, A force was sent to help rescue a soldier who was injuered by Hizballa fire in Lebanon, near Maron A-Ras and Binat Jabil. They were caught into an ambush and in a long battle Sargent Kobi Smileg (20) and an officer were killed. Around eighteen other soldiers were wounded, including the battalion’s commander.

With Israel still immersed in its second major war in Lebanon, and a continuing conflict with the Palestinians in both the south and the West Bank, one bright light still shines to give people here encouragement and inspiration. That ‘light’ is the continuing Aliyah of North Americans due to a very successful program known as Nefesh b’Nefesh. Originating a few years ago, following the Second Intifada Palestinian uprising and the September 11 2001 terror attacks in the USA, Nefesh b’Nefesh, a joint immigration venture of both American and Israeli organizations, landed it’s first group of North American Olim in Israel in July, 2002. Since then, more than 8,000 people, both families and individuals have come to try their luck at living in the Jewish State.

Even during the heat of the present conflict, two El Al jumbo jets full of Olim arrived a few days go, and are now beginning their Aliyah experience in various absorption centers and other locations around the countries – including locations in the northern areas of Israel.

Nefesh b’Nefesh participants do receive some special benefits to help ease them into the mainstream of Israel society, including a basket or “sal” of grants and other special items, a one-way complimentary fight ticket, and certain tax reductions on purchases, rental and mortgage subsidies, etc. One of the prominent American supporters of the program, Tony Gelbart, who is president and CEO of CPM Worldwide, a Florida based investment company was quoted as saying: “We don’t care if you are Ashkenazi or Sepharadi, right or left winged, religious or non-religious. If you’re Jewish and want to try living in Israel, we’re going to help you!”

Special loans, which become grants if the participants stay for at least three years, run from $ 5,000 to 7,000 for singles to $15,000 – 22,000 for families.

Once the new arrivals get settled into adjusting to living in Israel and learning Hebrew in various ulpanim (Hebrew language schools) they begin to look into finding work in order to support themselves, the assistance they receive does have a time limit attached. Those who do not have sufficient knowledge level of Hebrew to allow them to find Hebrew speaking work positions, have a number of English speaking opportunities in tel-sales and telemarketing, High tech soft ware and internet related jobs, as well as outsourced customer service positions, dealing with clientele in “the old country”. In addition to the American based companies, local ones who deal with these foreign entities, have numerous work positions available, allowing people to find work in their native ‘mother tongue’ level of English while still learning Hebrew.

Other kinds of assistance are also available through organizations such as Project Reconnect, an organization headed by representatives of the United Synagogue Conservative movement, with local involvement by such prominent Conservative and Masorati rabbis as Rabbi Paul Freedman, who now lives with his wife Nina in Jerusalem. Rabbi Freedman is one the most active members of this organization, whose purpose is to ‘reconnect’ former members of United Synagogue sponsored youth organizations such as USY, and bring them to Israel of either specially sponsored seminars, as well as permanent Aliyah. Working together with Ms. Devorah Greenberg, the organization’s Shaliah, or Aliyah messenger, their organization alone now has a file of more than 600 potential Olim, many of whom plan to make Aliyah via Nefesh b’Nefesh.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice came to Israel yesterday, to open what is called in the media as the “Political stage” of the war. She had a meeting with the foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, and is scheduled to meet the Prime Minister and Defense Minister on Tuesday. Then Rice will move on to Ramallah where she’ll be meeting Mahmoud Abbas (Abu-Mazen), the president of the Palestinian authority. Rice said, “I am deeply concerned about the Lebanese people and what they are enduring. I am obviously concerned about the humanitarian situation.” She added, “We all want to urgently end the fighting. We have absolutely the same goal”. But Rice also repeated our stand as she stated it also in pass references to the war, that the solution to the situation has to be a long-term one, and not just a return to the status quo that was before this conflict. “If we’ll do that then we’ll find ourselves in the same situation in three months or six months or a year, when Hizballa will decide that it wants to disturb the peace” said Rice in a press conference prior to her departure.

During their meeting, both Rice and Livni stressed the importance of the UN resolution 1559 and the G-8 resolutions: The captive soldiers must be set free and Hizballa must be disarmed to allow the Lebanonian government implement it’s authority throughout the entire of Lebanon.

“I want to make it clear that we do not have a conflict between Israel and the citizens of Lebanon” said Livnie, “But Israel has no greater responsibility then that towards its own citizens. This is a moment of truth to the Lebanonian government, and the International Community should work together to help it to implement the resolutions that were decided upon.”

The warning sirens ring in Israel’s northern cities and people run to the safety of the shelters. But what happens to the family dog or cat? Where does Fido or Puddy go? In day 12 of the continuing conflict, Man’s Best Friends are suffering even more than humans. Most public shelters are just not able to accommodate pets as well, due to lack of available space, people being allergic or afraid of being in close quarters with pets, and a number of other reasons, including what to do with the pet when it needs to go to the bathroom during a missile attack.

The problems of what to do with pets has always been a difficult one during these trying times and this is now especially true in Israel’s northern cities and towns. When the first Katusha rockets began to fall in cities like Nahariya, people had so little advance warning that they barely got themselves to safety much less their pets. After a long weekend of staying underground, or with accommodating people further south, many pet owners had to return to their homes to take care of their pet, which may have been without food or water for several days.

There are many concerned individuals and organizations to whom a concerned pet owner can turn to, however. Many of them can be found on a special website.

A special section dealing with pets needing adoption, complete with a photo, is also noted on this site. Information is also available at the local offices of the Israel Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, or Saar Baal Haim, transliterated from the Hebrew. Dealing with unwanted or stray animals has always been a problem in this country, as many families often abandon their pets when they no longer want to care for them. The problem with stray or dumpster cats, a serious problem during normal times, is even more pathetic and aggravating during a national emergency. Television civic action programs, like Kolbo-Tech, have screened the plight of stray dogs and cats, with cruel examples of how these ‘problems’ are often dealt with by various municipalities.

Dog and cat lovers country-wide need to get more involved in spreading the word, and a nation-wide S.O.S, concerning the plight of our furred and even feathered friends. When families in the north consider leaving their own communities for the safety of ones in the central region, they have a more difficult time of it by having to worry about their pet. This is why it is good to ‘match’ these families with those who already have pets, in order that all family members will be included. A good example of this was a recent television news magazine program in which a family in Israel’s center took in a family from Nahariya and both families had dogs. While it was commendable for the host family, who have several children, to take in a strange family, including a set of grandparents; it was even more heartwarming that the guest family were able to include their dog as well.

It may be several days, if not weeks, before people in the northern areas will be able to return to a semblance of normalcy, if their homes are still livable, that is. Let’s all be more involved in making their lives easier, by lending a hand regarding assistance for their furry friends.

Many people are becoming concerned that a proposed massive ground invasion by Israeli forces into Lebanon may not wind up accomplishing planned goals. In fact, the very opposite may occur. In what could be the third large scale land operation in Lebanon since the 1978 Litani Operation, Israeli ground forces may wind up becoming bogged down in an area it might best be better not to, in light of current day realities. Planned for the purposes of finding and destroying Hezbollah tunnels, bunkers, and arms caches, the foray may very well end with Israeli forces taking heavy casualties as they confront a wily enemy fighting on its home turf.

For six years now, since Israel’s pull out from southern Lebanon in May, 2000, Hezbollah militia forces wasted no time in filling the resulting vacuum in the former ten kilometer ’security zone’ bordering with Israel. This not only included moving both Hezbollah fighters and their families into these areas, but the construction of a defensive infrastructure there as well, including planting thousands of land mines, explosive anti-tank charges, defensive bunkers, etc. Hezbollah militia fighters have also become more ’street wise’ on how to confront, and damage, a better equipped enemy as well. They have been trained by both Iranian and Syrian military experts who have provided the Hezbollah with more sophisticated weaponry, including several varieties of anti-tank missiles. Israeli forces will not be facing lightly armed and semi-trained fighters, but ones who not only have a lay of the land, but who have been preparing for an event like this for years.

During some of the IAF bombing forays of the Hezbollah controlled sections of southern Beirut, a young Hezbollah fighter, speaking excellent English, defiantly said: “it’s very easy for them (the Israelis) to bomb our houses from the air. I challenge them to attack us on the ground, face to face. Then they’ll see what kind of fighters we really are!” Being the kind of people they are, not unlike their brethren in Hamas and Islamic Jihad, these challenges should not be taken lightly.

Israel’s previous experience in southern Lebanon, especially during the two years prior to the pull out in 2000, resulted in a heavy loss of IDF personnel from roadside planted explosive devises, and numerous ‘hit and run’ guerrilla attacks by the Hezbollah. These attacks, not unlike the ones plaguing American led coalition forces in Iraq, represents a different kind of warfare, not requiring the use of heavy armored tanks and similar vehicles. Besides, the hilly Lebanese terrain is less suited to cumbersome tanks and other vehicles, in contrast to the more flat terrain in Gaza and the Sinai.

A number of articles, some of them by experienced military strategists, are already suggesting that the IDF phase down it’s operation as quickly as possible (providing there is a cessation of katyusha rocket attacks, of course). In other words: to quit while we’re ahead, whether Nasrallah and other top Hezbollah leaders are ‘neutralized’ or not. As was evident in other wars, including the Yom Kippur War, there reaches a stage when advancement can be even more damaging, and problematic, than a retreat.

The current conflict in northern Israel, besides forcing more than a million Israelis to either remain in shelters or seek safer havens further south, has resulted in a number of economic problems as well. One example, soon to be felt by us all, is the lack of ability to harvest seasonal fruits and vegetables grown in such regions as the Galilee and the Golan Heights. Mid summer fruits, as well as year around ones like bananas, have been left hanging on their trees, as the continuous katusha rocket attacks do not enable anyone, even volunteers, to harvest them. Fruit such as peaches and nectarines, plums, apples, pears, will soon fall to the ground and rot, resulting in the loss of millions of Shekels of income for both farmers and distributors alike. In past wars, when fighting was mostly conducted far away, students, prisoners and others did the task of harvesting this fruit as with citrus fruit varieties during the winter months.

This current situation will soon be evident in greengrocers, open air markets, and supermarkets, where a kilogram of ’summer fruit’ may soon cost ten to fifteen shekels per kilo. Importing fruit is only a partial solution made even more difficult with the closure of Haifa port to both import and export maritime shipments. With all marine traffic being diverted to Ashdod Port, the resulting congestion there is causing possibly up to a hundred container vessels to wait in queue to either pick up or discharge their cargos. Refrigerated or climate controlled ‘reefer’ containers for perishable food items, including fruit, and various frozen foods, have to keep their refrigeration running constantly to maintain a required temperature; adding even more to the cargo’s total costs. In reference to loses being suffered in agriculture by local farmers, the time involved in receiving some form of compensation from the government will be lengthily as well as inadequate. Farmer’s compensations may held up by more urgent compensation requests resulting from wide spread property damage which now is running into the billions of shekels.

And for those unable to work during this period, particularly marginal income laborers (including agricultural workers who would have been engaged in harvesting fruit) any compensation from the government, including subsistence income supplements from the National Insurance Institute (NII) may be even more delayed.

Compared to what is transpiring in Lebanon, the situation here in Israel is much less problematic, as Lebanon is now being described as “a country torn to pieces”. It’s a long way from being over though, as Israel’s No. 1 bad guy Sheikh Said Hassan Nasrallah, appears to be as feisty as ever, much to the chagrin of Israeli military forces trying to get rid of him. He and most of his followers much have planned this possibility with the utmost care, including a number of failsafe escape possibilities, giving a false illusion of just where they might be situated.

All this doesn’t help us fruit lovers, who may soon discover, that except for watermelon and other vine-grown produce, our favorite peaches and plums may soon cost as much as they do in countries like Japan. If this was all we had to worry about, however, it wouldn’t be the end of the world, as many other more-pressing problems await our kind attention.

Thirty Israelis have died so far in the war with the Hezbollah in Lebanon. Of the fifteen civilians who have so far paid this ultimate price, the story of the death of a man named Andre is perhaps one of the most poignant and heart rendering. An immigrant originating from the Ukraine, who lived with his wife and four year old daughter in the northern city of Nahariya, Andre’s death from a Ketusha missile strike was one in which one wonders how fate can target such a man the way it did. Andre and his family had made it to a shelter when they heard the warning sirens indicating that an incoming missile strike was headed their way on Tuesday. Following what appeared to be an ‘all clear’ siren, Andre went out of the shelter to smoke a cigarette, and was killed instantly by an incoming missile. Witnesses who saw the tragic event said that this poor man didn’t know what hit him. “It was like one moment he was alive and next he wasn’t. What a terrible waste”, a neighbor who saw the event related afterwards.

Andre and his wife were a beautiful young couple and well liked by everyone in the Nahariya neighborhood in which they lived. Even though not ‘officially” Jewish, as are many immigrants from Russia and other CIS countries, this didn’t prevent them from being part of their community, as well as of the nation that had chosen to cast their lot with. He loved this country very much and thought very highly of it. “Even though he wasn’t Jewish, he still had nothing but the greatest praise for everything Israel stands for” a neighbor, Maya Kinger reflected afterwards. And for that love, poor Andre paid the ultimate price.

Andre’s widow, Admila, interviewed on television, said that for the sake of her husband, the struggle must continue until the conflict is won. “We all live here and this is where our future is. We must overcome this trying situation so that we can all live here in peace”, she said. Neither Andre or Admila have any close family in Israel, and this makes the aftermath of his tragic death even more difficult. Since Andre is not entitled to be buried in a Jewish cemetery, his widow has decided to take him back to his home country for final internment.

Was this incident a matter of cruel fate, or simply making a wrong ‘tactical move’ by leaving the safety of the bunker too soon? We’ll never know. Others have suffered similar deaths, including two young Israeli Arab children who were playing in front of their house when they were struck by “incoming mail”. Their deaths, occurring in the city of Nazareth, now more than 80% Muslim, clearly shows that religious affiliation or cultural background makes no difference to the incoming missiles of death. Like Andre, these kids were also not Jewish; yet they suffered the same sad destiny.

Is there an answer to the question of why bad things happen to good people? No, unfortunately. And one must find consolation within his or her inner being as to why God would allow such things to happen. Life is, therefore, a most precious gift indeed.

Two brothers, three years old Rabia and seven years old Mahmud Talusi, were killed yesterday in Nazareth when a Katyusha rocket hit them directly. The brothers were just coming back from a football game with their elder brother when the rockets fell. “Suddenly I heard a big blast and that was it. My brothers were dead and I was taken to the hospital”, recollected the brother who survived. “My brothers are Shahids (martyrs). They were little children who haven’t seen anything yet so they are in heaven.”

The residents of the neighborhood that was hit expressed their disgruntle from the situation. Most of the residents in Nazareth are Arabs, both Christians and Muslims, and the residents complain about the lack of security awareness in their towns and villages. “We don’t have anywhere to go to, we don’t even have shelters. The Jews have alarms and secured rooms and all we have is poverty and unemployment.”

Another resident said “We don’t have shelters and I have little children. There’s no different between an Arab and a Jew. We are not made for war and don’t care about Hezbollah, we are Israeli citizens and deserved to be protected.”
Some of the neighborhood kids witness the death of the two brothers, and told the press about “seeing two burned children lying in the streets”. Following the incident, many families in Nazareth have decide to move to Tel-Aviv and other cities in the central area, until the danger has passed.

Two IDF soldiers were killed yesterday during an operation across the border. Nine others are injured.
The Israeli air force bombed last night a Hezbollah command building in Lebanon with more then twenty tons of rockets. The attack took place after intelligence information was gathered, suggesting that many of Hezbollah’s high ranks were in that building at the time, possibly Hasan Nasralla himself. The place was leveled but there’s still no information regarding the fate of the people who populated it. Hezbollah
immediately issued a statement saying that none were hurt, but since the organization has a policy of covering up his injured and casualties, only time will tell.