Nothing new under the sun.

 

If some reason you missed my weekly post you can view it by accessing my blog site -

https://benisisraelinewsletter.blogspot.com/

 

I appreciate your feedback, comments etc.,

First of all, I want to quote from- 

Ecclesiastes 1-9 King James version “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done, is that which shall be done; and there is no new thing under the sun.”

On April 7, 2011, I wrote -

“I’ve got Gaza on my mind!

Last week three Palestinians were killed in the Gaza Strip when the car they were travelling in was strafed by an IAF jet fighter. A few days later two Palestinians were shot by an Israeli patrol near the Gaza security fence.

Given the bare and incomplete details of these two incidents a casual observer might be tempted to assume that Israel is engaged in a series of unprovoked attacks on Gaza's helpless citizens.

However, If I mention that the three men in the car were members of the Hamas military wing en-route to kidnap Israeli tourists in Sinai, it's clear that their timely demise came not a moment too soon.

Likewise, the two men shot by the security fence were also Hamas operatives. trying to set roadside bombs near the border.”

Well, it seems that Gaza will engage our attention for quite a while to come.

In a lighter vein I’ll begin with an item listed under Trivia-

Stewart Island is New Zealand’s third largest Island, situated 30 kilometres south of the South Island across the Foveaux Strait. Its total land mass amounts to 1,680 square kilometres. By comparison, the Gaza Strip is about 365 square kilometres. However, 85% of Stewart Island is National Park, leaving no more than 15%, a mere 252 sq. Km for any future settlement. But, if need be, I’m sure more of the park land can be set aside for urban settlement. By now you have probably guessed where I am heading. Bear with me a bit, because I want to add an important detail. I vaguely recall reading several years ago something about a debate in New Zealand’s parliament concerning Stewart Island’s population crisis – (total population, about 450 +-). One MP suggested inviting Jews to settle there. A fellow lawmaker reminded him that there is a Jewish state called Israel.

Nevertheless, let’s consider what Stewart Island has to offer-

“Most people come to the island for the hiking and birdwatching. The island has just 28km of road, but 280km of walking tracks suited to short walks, day walks and multi-day hikes.

Stewart Island is a haven for the brown kiwi, which outnumber humans on the island and are active day and night. Blue penguins and the rare yellow-eyed penguins waddle among the rocks. Offshore on Ulva Island, you’ll find a predator-free bird sanctuary with dozens of native species
The Stewart Islanders are a proud and independent bunch, but they’re friendly too. I wonder how they will take to Palestinian refugees from Gaza and how the Gazans will appreciate the Stewart Islanders’ hospitality and all that natural beauty?  Forget it, just one of my usual facetious comments.

David Brinn is a former managing editor of The Jerusalem Post. He settled in Israel in 1985 and has worked in many capacities at the Post since 1990.

Here’s an extract of some of the things he wrote in his op-ed on

March 18, 2024: -

“It’s time to face reality

Israel has already won the war on the battlefield. Hamas is a shell of its former self. But Israel is suffering a terrible loss on the battlefield of diplomacy.

The issue of whether we went overboard in our assault on Hamas or held back too much – both views are held in Israel – but it’s no longer a relevant question. That’s because Israel has lost the support of the world in its effort to secure its southern border, free the more than 130 hostages held alive or dead in Gaza, and eradicate Hamas.

It no longer matters if we prove that Hamas is doctoring the numbers of civilian fatalities, or that the army has the lowest civilian-to-terrorist ratio of fatalities in any war.

 It no longer matters if the IDF continues to uncover Hamas strongholds in hospitals or schools, or tunnels under cemeteries.

The world is no longer concerned that Hamas is still holding all those hostages after more than 160 days

And it no longer matters that Hezbollah has declared war on Israel and 200,000 Israelis are displaced in the North.

The world no longer cares, and they want the war to end. We lost Europe long ago and we’ve now lost Schumer, with Biden quickly following.

An offensive in Rafah – with a likely spike in civilian deaths – will propel that feeling to the extreme.

The  news media presenters are no longer interested in stories about Israel – only about Gaza, where the F (famine) word is bandied about by everyone from the UN to the Vatican.

Despite launching this totally justified war, there is now no way that Israel can emerge unscathed in its stature in the international community.

There is a general agreement around the world that, despite what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeats about ‘total victory,’ no matter how much Israel battles on, how many Hamas commanders are killed, and how much the terror infrastructure is decimated, the Hamas raison d'être cannot be wiped out.

Israel must now decide what is more important – to save the lives of as many hostages as possible or to continue to go after the remaining Hamas battalions and Sinwar. If we agree to a deal with Hamas, we can still say we gave it our best shot and the 200-plus soldiers who fell in Gaza will not have died in vain.

But at some point – which is now – Israel can’t continue to buck the international community and not risk turning into a pariah state. Our ties with the US are frayed, with EU states belligerent and with international bodies like the UN downright hostile. Being right – which Israel is – doesn’t necessarily mean being smart.”

I’m inclined to agree with him.

Just the same I want to conclude on a festive note!

We are celebrating Purim this week!

Here at Ein Harod, the main Purim celebration is held on Friday night. Most people are happy to celebrate Purim without doubting the historicity of the narrative.

 

‘Chag Purim Sameach’

 

Beni,

 

23rd of March, 2024.