Moving to Israel

As the Jewish new year approaches and we prepare for it by doing teshuvah/repenting with prayers, charity, etc. we should be extra careful this year to do all of these activities with Gilad Shalit, the captured soldier, in mind.

As many of you are aware, Gilad Shalit was kidnapped more than three years ago by Gaza terrorists affiliated with Hamas as he served in the army protecting the land of Israel. Aviva Shalit, the mother of the kidnapped soldier, made an emotional speech Thursday in honor of her son’s 23rd birthday. It is truly heart wrenching words she delivers and should remind us to keep him in mind and do whatever necessary to secure his release as soon as possible.

Gilad is one of many who have made the ultimate sacrifice for us to be able to miraculously live and pray in the land of Israel. Not too long ago the very idea of such a possiblility seemed absurd. Let’s ask Hashem this Rosh Hashanah to provide us with yet another miracle and have Gilad return home for the coming year.

Ari

While you tend to get used to the anti Semitic and anti Israeli sentiment around the world, there is occassionaly still a piece of news that comes along that will make me gasp in bewilderment.

This morning was one of those cases as I was reading the news and saw in haaretz.com how a group of British Lawmakers are urging the U.K. government to talk to Hamas. The British parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee said in a report that it stood by a recommendation it first made two years ago that the government should engage politically with moderate elements within Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip.

In explaining their position the Legistlators stated that “We conclude that there continue to be few signs that the current policy of non-engagement is achieving the Quartet’s stated objectives.” They went on to say that “We further conclude that the credible peace process for which the Quartet hopes, as part of its strategy for undercutting Hamas, is likely to be difficult to achieve without greater cooperation from Hamas itself.”

Needless to say, such assertions are both despicable and offensive. There should not be any discussion as to the potential to “communicate” with the murderous thugs of Hamas. This is a group of killers who (along with many other Arab “political groups”) dream of the day that all Israelis, Jews, Christians and other “infidels” are wiped off the face of the earth, never to be heard from again. The only connection we should have with these criminals is in discussing the best way to stop their vicious assault on the world once and for all.

Let’s hope with the help of Hashem that the  postion of these lawmakers is ignored and that the West’s policy of shunning the Palestinian Islamist group continues as they make preparations to uproot the Hamas terror network for good.

Ari

As most people have probably been reading about the dangerous situation in Iran (we wrote about it here last week) it has come as no surprise to many that Israel has been prominently brought to the spotlight. This occurred again the other day, not in the usual “it’s the Jews and Israels fault” sort of way but in a cry for help.

It seems the Iranian anti-regime activists are hoping for an Israeli technological hand to help them fight the Islamic Republic. The dissidents have appealed to Israel to help opposition television and radio stations which are blocked and being jammed by the Islamic Republic (Nokia and Siemens) resume broadcast to Iran. Hundreds have been reported dead and thousands injured in the protests that began after the so called “election” a few weeks ago produced the same rogue regime that has been leading Iran until now.

We here in Israel are no strangers to the homicidal tendencies of the mullah’s paid terrorist Hamas and Hizbullah gangs and of course should do all we can to help those in need when facing these same criminals.

Let’s hope Israel’s technology can indeed help the situation in Iran and, equally as important, let’s hope the Israels and Americas of the world will be able to, please Hashem, stand up to all the evil forces out there and put the global and local terror threat that Iran provides to rest for good.

Ari