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Israel’s largest family numbering 22,437 members, the family of grief and loss, is remembered today. This day of remembrance is dedicated to all those who lost their life fighting for Israel, trying to get to Israel, killed in terror attacks and hate crimes anywhere in the world.

It’s a very difficult day where you take a closer look at the lives of the families who are left behind, the young soldiers who never had a chance to grow up. A day to remember young fathers who never got to meet their children, young women who were killed by terror attacks and other heart wrenching stories.

We sit at home and watch these TV articles and personal essays about people from all walks of life and backgrounds and how they lost their life for Israel. Israel that with all the issued it has (and their are many) is our only home. When Israel declared independence 60 years ago it had 873,000 people. There are more then 8 times that amount today. There are 7,282,000 people in Israel today - 75.5% are Jewish and 69% of Israelis were born in Israel.

When this day ends today at 8:00 PM the celebrations for Israel’s 60th celebrations will begin. It’s always an extreme yet somehow perfectly logical shift from extreme sorrow and grief to happiness and celebration..
I guess after we remember the people who made the ultimate sacrifice we need to enjoy the gift they left us…Israel.

Image: Reuters

I am getting the feeling that as we approach our 60th anniversary we are moving closer towards some sort of corruption climax. As an optimist I would like to think that we are cleaning house before the special birthday (this Wednesday night…). Today our Minister of Finance (Ex) was finally accused of theft - big time theft. In his capacity as Chairman of the Employees Organization he allegedly store 4 Million Shekel - 2.5 of which ended in his pocket. He is also charged with faking expenses and restaurants receipts for over 115,000 Shekels. Among the various charges (and there are a few) he is charged with money laundering, theft, embezzlement, forgery of corporate documents and breech of trust.

Since he is an Knesset Member (OY VEY !!!!) and he was caught not only with his hand in the cookie jar but with the entire cookie jar, he has the next 30 days to ask for immunity.

All this happened this morning while Shula Zaken, head of Olmert’s Office (EX again..) was interrogated for six hours as to her involvement in a corruption investigation that involves…..you guessed it - Olmert himself. So he was investigated last week and she was there today (not cooperating by the way……) and then Hirshson “stole” the headlines today.

Now last week, another oldie but goodie, member of Knesset Avigdor Liberman called a press conference where he complains about the horrible way he’s being treated by the Police and what a terrible witch hunt is being going through - over the last 12 years there has been an ongoing investigation. Police claims that he is not forthcoming and is not cooperating with the investigation.

Finally we have the “old news” that Shlomo Benizri of SHAS was sentenced to 18 months in the big house for accepting bribes. He was deputy Minister of Health, Minister of Health and Minister of Labour. Very impressive…. Anyway he was caught taking bribes, attempting to destry evidence and interfering with an investigation and lots of good stuff.

So you see - as we approach Wednesday’s celebrations we will hopefully have a little less crap in the Knesset

On May 5th, 2008 Ron Arad will turn 50. His friends are throwing him a birthday party and after more then 21 years in captivity are wishing his return. Please remember him, that would be the best thing you can do! PASS THIS ON!

Please pass this on and visit RonArad.co.il

New theories concerning electricity being generated from the power of ocean tides and waves may be closer to being reality than previously thought. Harnessing the power of ocean waves has been thought about for years, but so far no practical type of device has been made that is strong enough to withstand the battering received by the power of even normal ocean surf.

A number of countries are interested in turning the power of marine waves and currents into clean, pollution free electric power. Some of these countries include Australia (which has some of the most powerful waves in the world), Argentina, Chile, Indonesia, Spain, South Africa, and Cyprus. One of the most promising ideas for undertaking this feat comes from an Israeli inventor named Shmuel Ovadia. Ovadia has been involved in this project for nearly 20 years, and has already patented several devices for turning waves into electricity. His idea involves a series of large buoys that ride on top of the waves and are attached of large hydraulic “arms” that contract, or turn backwards, powering an alternator that makes electricity in a similar manner as a belt powered alternator does in a car. According to Ovadia, the process is completely free of pollution as no fuel is needed to create power as is the case in present electric power plants, whether they by powered by oil, coal, natural gas, or atomic power.

The power of tides in the world’s seas and oceans can be enough to provide between 10-20% of needed megawatts of electricity which will not only save on fuel costs, but be very beneficial to the world’s environment. Areas of particular interest are locations in Africa and Asia where this kind of power would be very beneficial to developing economies that have constant problems with electric power shortages. This is where people like Ovadia and his company, SDE, come in; and he hopes that his company’s “wave power” devices will one day be providing electricity to countries which have plenty of wave power and little natural energy resources. SDE currently has developed devices large enough to provide as much as 100 megawatts of power depending on the time of year and size of the waves. As ocean waves are usually stronger in both summer and winter, the devices, called “modulators” would supply electricity at times when it is really needed to provide heating during winter months and air conditioning during hot summer months.

Ovadia wishes that his own country, Israel, would be more interested in this kind of system. But so far, electricity generated in Israel is still made from conventional power plants fueled by imported coal and oil.

There are some drawbacks in this type of system, as large ones take up consider area and appear to cause some damage to beaches, due to adverse currents generated by the hydraulic arms. But the question is, as Ovadia puts it, whether this is a worse problem than pollution caused by conventional power plants.

Whether or not the idea is accepted in Israel is not currently important though, as there are plenty of other countries more than willing to listen to people like Shmuel Ovadia; who may one day be recognized as one of the foremost pioneers of alternative energy solutions.

Another Israeli actress has landed the lead role in a Hollywood production. According to recent reports, Israeli actress Shirley Brener has nabbed the leading role in a new action film called “Streets of Blood”. She will be starring alongside Sharon Stone, Val Kilmer, and rapper 50 cents.

Brener will portray a drug addict who gets in trouble with the police. “I am excited about the filming, I feel like I am taking an additional step and this time opposite a Hollywood diva like Sharon Stone”, said Brener to the press.

More Israeli actresses are joining Natalie Portman in conquering the big screen. Last month inside sources hinted that Ayelet Zurer would star next to Tom Hanks in Ron Howard’s upcoming film “Angels and Demons”, based on Dan Brown’s bestselling novel. In 2001, Zurer made an unforgettable appearance in Steven Spielberg’s “Munich”, which launched her international career.

I have no doubt that our representatives are extremely talented, but in this business it also demands a lot of luck! Considering this international success, I hope these women are wearing a hamsa against the envious eye!

Also can be added to this impressive list, singer and songwriter Yael Naim whose hit song “New Soul” has been rocking American charts in the past few months.

Way to go!

IDF gets a special gift for Passover: Maya Bouskilla, a famous Israeli pop singer, has enlisted to the IDF at the age of thirty. The Israeli army service is mandatory for every young person at the age of 18, which means that Maya has joined about a decade past enlistment usual age, making her one of the oldest candidates to ever join the army.

Bouskilla evaded serving in the Israeli army, claiming to be religious. However, a few years later, Maya appeared in an advertising campaign for swimsuits that was not exactly modest, putting her religious orientation under serious doubt. The Israeli media passed a harsh critique on this move, which was rightly viewed as the adoption of a double standard. This was definitely not Kosher on her part!

Maya tells she has regretted dodging the army. Did Major General Elazar Sern make the Israeli singer change her mind? Stern has protested last month against the popularity of false claims of religion amongst young women, urging them to join the Israeli forces.

Is it simply a coincidence that Maya joins the army just as she releases her new album? Enlist to the army for public relations? It sounds too radical to me …

I say –if you’re gonna shoot, shoot, don’t sing!
Image: IDF Photo

Newspapers around Israel have reported that Hamas is now threatening to murder Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier who was wounded and kidnapped by Hamas terrorists back in June 2006 which ignited the second Lebanese-Israeli War. Hamas stated that if the Israeli government does not meet their demands of the release of 350 prisoners, many of whom are imprisoned for outright murder of innocent civilians, they will begin negotiating over releasing Shalit’s remains as opposed to the soldier himself.

Over the past several weeks reports from officials stated that Shalit was alive and in good health. Doubts about his well-being have surfaced since his capture nearly two years ago, yet over time, intellegence sources have confirmed that the young soldier was indeed alive. There has been no contact between Shalit and his family since. Yet, nearly a year after his kidnapping, Hamas released a recorded message of Shalit was was broadcast to all of Israel and eventually worldwide. It pulled at the heartstrings of many, as of the three soldiers who were kidnapped during this conflict, Shalit is the youngest and most vulnerable. Unlike Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, the two IDF Reservists who were kidnapped by Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon less than a month later, there has been at least some signs of life from Shalit.

Shalit’s father, Noam Shalit has become a familiar face in the media. Reports of his meetings with Prime Minister Olmhert, President Shimon Peres and Members of Knesset have lead him either to dead ends and virtually nowhere while pleading with officials to do anything they can in their power to have his son released. Support for the soldiers have come from across the globe, from private citizens to human rights organizations to world leaders. Yet, cries have fell upon deaf ears as Shalit, Goldwasser and Regev have become nothing more than barganing chips to both Hamas and Hezbollah. Leaving the Israeli government pleading with her hands tied behind her back is part of how this game has been played.

Many people have voiced very strong opinions, many of whom advocate not giving into terrorists and not allowing blood thirsty terrorists loose just so they can continue causing more harm to Israelis in Israel and worldwide. Jonathan Pollard, the American-Israeli who was imprisoned over twenty years ago for leaking confidential information to Israel which lead to the destruction of nuclear facilities in Hussein’s Iraq, has stated that he would refuse to be released from prison if it meant a barter agreement between his release and the release of wanton murderers.

Now put yourself in the shoes of Noam and Aviva Shalit, whose bespectacled now 21 year old son is in the clutches of those who sacrifice their lives for the love of Allah and 72 virgins. Imagine yourself trying to function daily, going to work, doing your job, eating, sleeping, shopping, holidays, etc and knowing that your child’s well-being, safety and whole life is in the hands of those who have no problem sending youngsters into crowded areas with bombs strapped to their belt buckles to murder who ever is within their radius. Imagine sitting at your own dinner table having a meal and looking at an empty seat across from you. It would be one thing if the child were dead. As horrible as this would be, at least there would be an everlasting mourning period and some sort of closure.

Can you at least imagine what is going on in their minds? I’d doubt you can.

Now, what would you do? Advocate for the release of 350 imprisoned terrorists who could indeed inflict more harm upon innocent civilians for the release of your child or demand that terrorists release him because he has already served a sentence without a prisoner exchange?

Take your time to decide.

Israeli politicians appear to be more and more under investigation for a variety of offenses these days. While some activities fall under what might be considered as misdemeanors, others are outright criminal; and should any of the perpetrators be tried and convicted, they could not only be out of politics forever but could face periods of time in prison too.

Many of the pictured individuals are either government cabinet or former cabinet officials, including Shas Party MK Shlomo Benizri, who may wind up following his former party boss Aryeh Deri, who spent 2 years in the slammer for a number of criminal activities, including bribery, and misappropriation of government funds for his own purposes. Benizri himself was recently convicted for charges dealing with corruption. Another prominent member, Kadima Party member and present chairman of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Tzahi Hanegbi, has been under indictment for a number of offenses, such as bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. Some of these charges go back to when Hanegbi was Justice Minister under the Natanyahu government.

Avigdor Lieberman, Israel Beitanu Party chairman and former cabinet minister in Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s government, has been under suspicion for years on a number of offenses, including some questionable business interests connected to a travel company that his daughter presently runs. Another (former) cabinet minister, Avraham Hirchson, served as Finance Minister until it was discovered that he was outright involved in taking government funds to help his son who had gotten himself in trouble over large gambling debts. Hirchson was a close crony to P.M. Olmert, who is said to be responsible for Hirchson receiving the said cabinet post. If convicted, Hirshson could face a lengthily prison term, as well as a substantial fine.

But perhaps the most noted member of this political “rogues gallery” is none other than Prime Minister Olmert himself. The Prime Minister, with the aid of his legal advisors and even Attorney General Meny Mazuz, has been able to steer his way through avirtual maize of “legal challenges” ranging from some property he purchased in Jerusalem using inside information, to violation of public trust concerning what is now being referred as the “Bank Leumi Affair”. Olmert has let off the hook by Mazuz in this incidence but many people outside his own political party are still talking about this affair which was often on the news in 2007. Olmert is also alleged to be involved in granting approved industry status to a company his law partner, Uri Messer, was involved with, saving the company more than $11 million in taxes.

One guy who got left out of this photo clip is former Likud and Kadima M.K. Omri Sharon, who was convicted of misuse of party funds when his father, Arik Shahon was running for election as Prime Minister in 2000/01. Omri was convicted and sentenced to 7 months in prison, which he began serving in February, 2008.

There are of course other political notables who have been involved recently in questionable activities; but the ones included here are some of the most prominent. All in all, the year 2007 was a very “interesting” year in so far as political hanky panky goes.

Hundreds of African refugees were evacuated yesterday from a bomb shelter in South Tel Aviv. In the last few months, about two hundred and fifty refugees have faced inhuman conditions. They have been staying in over- crowded, deserted structures often flooded with no drinking water or electricity. They receive no medical care and are frequently harassed by the immigration police.

Israel tried to deport some of the refugees back to Egypt but could not stop the thousands of refugees who crossed the Southern border into Israel.

Israel has so far failed to find a solution for dozens of refugees who seek political asylum in Israel. Since Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East, these desperate people have no where else to go. Tel Aviv municipality officials have recently complained that government provided almost no help in finding solutions. As a result, these hundreds of refugee have been relying on the kindness of a few representatives by Tel Aviv municipality and some local volunteers.

I was very disappointed with the government’s policy on this issue. Everyone is now talking about Israel’s 60th Independence Day. But the 60 years that have passed seem to erase our collective memory. Considering Israel’s history, we have a moral responsibility to help these African refugees. The government should let the refugees work so they can provide for themselves and regain their human dignity. Israel’s ideology forces us to demonstrate more solidarity than that.

Yesterday Noam Shalit, father of the kidnapped soldier Gilad, passed a harsh critique of the government’s recent actions. Shalit is pointing a blaming finger at the Prime Minister Ehud Olment for not taking instant initiatives to release his son from Hamas captivity. According to Shalit, his son is paying the price for Olmert’s hesitation.

“I ask the prime minister, who said he would personally address the issue of the kidnapped soldiers, why out of the entire chain of command that is linked to the kidnapping fiasco should Corporal Gilad Shalit be the only one to pay the price?”, said Shalit.

Olmert failed to convince Gilad’s family that he is doing everything in his power to rescue Gilad Shalit. If the public believes that the government has forsaken the kidnapped soldiers, it will hurt the public support of the government’s actions, and will also hurt the motivation of the soldiers and those who are about to be enlisted. The morale has already been seriously damaged following the consequences of the second Lebanon war.

It is safe to say that almost every Israeli soldier is ready to put his or her life at risk, but only if the soldier knows the government will do its utmost in case something terrible happens. Olmert must work harder to gain the family’s trust. Olmert has complained that he is an unpopular prime minister. But to become a popular leader he must become a leader first, and to do that Olmert has to work harder to gain the public trust. In the meantime, he is not likely to win a popularity contest just yet.