by Justin Goldstein · Wednesday, July 16th, 2008
“woe to the nation that at this time celebrates the release of an animal who crushed the skull of a four-year-old child.”-Ehud Olmert
May our hearts and prayers be with the Regev and Goldwasser families, and the Israeli people. And may peace be upon the souls of Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev.
This was not a victory for anybody. Not for Hezbollah. Not for Lebanon. Not for Israel. Not for Nasrallah. Not for Olmert. Not for the families of the captive soldiers. Not for the families of the released prisoners. Not for Samir Kuntar. Not for the Haran family. Nobody is a victor.
My personal reflections after the jump. More »
by Justin Goldstein · Wednesday, July 16th, 2008
video and brief here
thoughts and reflections tomorrow
by Justin Goldstein · Tuesday, July 8th, 2008
Some new developments in the prisoner swap with Hezbollah:
Yesterday, Ha’aretz reported that Israel is exhuming the bodies of Hezbollah guerillas fulfilling part of their end of the prisoner swap for the captured soldiers Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser, captured June 2006. In that article, the remains of 200 Lebanese will be transferred at the border crossing at Rosh HaNikra.
In today’s news Israel’s High Court rejected an appeal against releasing Samir Kuntar, the Lebanese convicted murderer imprisoned in Israel since 1979. In that article, Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Hezbollah, is quoted as saying that reports that Regev and Goldwasser are dead are simply “speculation.”
Let us all hope and pray that he is not being a dickwad being truthful.
by Justin Goldstein · Sunday, June 29th, 2008
In a 22-3 vote, the Israeli cabinet approved a measure that would allow for Samir Kuntar, terrorist serving 4 life sentences for 1979 murders, to be exchanged for Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser who were kidnapped by Hezbollah in June 2006.
Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann, Housing Minister Ze’ev Boim and Finance Minister Ronny Bar-On opposed the measure while the remaining 22 ministers voted in favor.
The exchange will likely occur on German soil in the coming days. More »
by Justin Goldstein · Friday, June 27th, 2008
In the past couple of weeks there has been a fury of news about the possible return of Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, and for good cause after two years of nervous waiting.
The negotiated deal was ready to be implemented between June 20-25, but earlier in the week, Hezbollah added some Palestinian prisoners to their list, Olmert shuffled his feet, and then all of a sudden Mossad is declaring that the captives are likely dead. After an outcry against the political move from the Israeli public and specifically the captive soldiers’ families the cabinet is now set to discuss a written deal with Hezbollah on Sunday.
thoughts and analysis after the jump More »
by Shalom Rav · Wednesday, June 25th, 2008
Just returned from DC and an invigorating few days with Brit Tzedek v’Shalom’s Advocacy Days on Capitol Hill. Anyone who supports a Pro-Israel, Pro-Peace policy should take heart in knowing that more than 150 activists from all over the country devoted themselves to in-depth briefings and advocacy training before fanning across the Hill to visit the offices of House reps and senators, encouraging our leaders to redouble their efforts toward a two-state solution.
It currently is a time of tentative hope in the region. A fragile cease-fire has been brokered between Israel and Hamas, talks are continuing between Syria and Israel, and there are also encouraging signs of hope coming out of Lebanon. Sadly, the US is nowhere is be seen in these efforts. (The negotiations with Hamas, Syria and Lebanon were brokered by Egypt, Turkey and Qatar, respectively). On this issue, Israel’s Defense Minister Ehud Barak was quoted recently in Ha’aretz regarding negotiations with Syria:
I don’t think we will have negotiations before the end of this year without the contribution of the Americans, who, alone, can help bridge the gaps.
The plain truth is that no lasting negotiation between Israel and its neighbors has ever happened without an active mediating effort by the US. Sadly, the Annapolis talks are barely limping along - and despite Bush’s rosy prognostications, no one in his/her right mind could claim that anything resembling a negotiated settlement will emerge before time runs out on the current administration.
Our message to our national leaders was simple: Congress needs to urge our new administration to make peace between Israel and Palestine a real priority from day one. Time is running out - and we simply cannot afford another President who waits until the waning days of his presidency to become actively engaged in the peace process.
Our Congressional visits were encouraging - but the true test is yet to come. The latest polls tell us that 87% of American Jewry support a negotiated two-state solution. If this is true, then American Jews need to be unflagging in our efforts to encourage our leaders to take the specific and painful steps to make this a reality.
Indeed, there’s nothing novel about advocating for a two-state solution per se. What is needed now for leaders to be explicit on the steps needed to make this happen. A preliminary laundry list: the appointment of a special envoy for this exclusive purpose, an unequivocal demand for an end to Israeli settlements on the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and stronger Palestinian efforts to maintain security in the territories.
In the current political climate it will take real bravery for American politicians to take these kinds of public positions. But the strong majority of American Jews who are committed to a real and lasting peace must do what we can to give our leaders the cover to provide this kind of leadership. I’m enormously proud that Brit Tzedek is leading the charge in this effort.
by Justin Goldstein · Monday, June 23rd, 2008
In a very surprising change in the position of the Israeli government, Ha’aretz reports that the IDF may soon declare Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev “killed in action.” The two soldiers were kidnapped by Hezbollah in June of 2006, which triggered the summer war two years ago.
In recent reports, the government was said to be in negotiations with Hezbollah via German mediators on an exchange of Samir Kuntar, a convicted murderer held by Israel since 1979, for the two captive soldiers. The government announced that were the two soldiers declared “killed in action,” there would certainly be no deal exchanging Kuntar for their bodies.
While last week there were reports of an imminent deal to be carried out between June 20-25, beginning yesterday the Israeli media reported that the deal was in danger of collapsing after Hezbollah added Palestinian prisoners being released as part of the negotiated deal. Now, it seems that Israel is possibly going to declare the soldiers dead, thereby ending any negotiations regarding Samir Kuntar. It seems likely that Israel would continue to negotiate to retrieve the remains of the soldiers, as has been the historic practice of the Israeli government.
The announcement comes as a shock to the families of the captive soldiers, who were under the impression their sons would be home this week. According to Miki Goldwasser, mother of Ehud,
“I ask what happened now that they remembered two years after the abduction to make such a move…Why now? Why when the deal is closed and it is the best possible deal?”
The reported deal to exchange Samir Kuntar for the Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev was overwhelmingly supported in the Knesset and specifically, the cabinet. The deal also received support from the Israeli public, and most importantly, was supported by the families of the captive soldiers.
Ehud’s wife, Karnit, said:
“We are at the end of a very difficult day in the Knesset, on the verge of humiliating…At the end of the day I get a call that the file has been transferred to the chief military rabbi. I don’t have time to notify the family before I hear it on the news. I am furious. This is a terrible and shameful day for the state of Israel,”
According to the report, she added that the family has been reduced to begging the ministers to agree to a prisoner swap.
It seems that the Olmert administration picked up on the demand to release Palestinian soldiers as an excuse to get out of the deal. It seems that they had come so far in the negotiation to release Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev. It seemed like it had been successful and the soldiers would be freed. And now they’re dead?
What goes through the mind of Prime Minister who has almost no support from his people, who denies the will of his electorate, who denies the will of his cabinet, who denies the will of his parliament, who denies the will of the families who urge him to free Samir Kuntar to free their sons?
How is it that this man is even still in office? Is this a sign that Israeli democracy has matured to the point that bi-annual elections are a thing of the past? Or, perhaps, this is a sign that Israeli apathy has hit an all-time high, and a nation that once held the threat of toppling governments in a day now bears the corruption and dysfunction.
According to the report linked above, the deal received widespread support from the government and the public, only the PMO and the defense establishment do not support the deal. Is this an example of when the army and government “know more than the people”? Or is this another example of how the IDF and the PMO are completely out of touch with the perspectives and will of the Israeli public.
I, for one, am a bit dismayed and a lot surprised.
by Justin Goldstein · Thursday, June 19th, 2008
**This just in : BBC News clip of Olmert interview broadcast today on BBC Arabic Television (I’m looking for the full interview). Longer BBC clip, more detailed article.
The New York Times reports that Israel has offered Lebanon talks on peace negotiations and land exchange. These talks are referring, of course, to the disputed Shebaa Farms.
Part of the negotiation, according to the New York Times, will include Israel releasing maps of land mines and cluster bombs left behind from the 2006 summer war.
This news follows reports that talks have started with Syria, via Turkish mediators, and it seems that talks with Lebanon might be a result of those negotiations.
The news comes the same day that a truce in Gaza sets in.
And read below for Reb Yudel’s post on last year’s unofficial peace deal offered as a way to solve the stalled talks on Golan.
Is this Olmert struggling to convince his people and the world that he’s not a corrupt, incompetent buffoon? Is this the US exerting back room pressure so Bush’s legacy can be secured? Or, is this, maybe, perhaps, possibly even real? (unlikely, but I hope so).
If I learned anything from reading A Missing Peace, Dennis Ross’ major work on his experience as the lead US negotiator from 1987-2001, it is that a huge chunk of what happens in these negotiations is over-dramatized jockeying and a whole lot of PR and acting.
So, whether or not this is real, it clearly sends a message to Israel’s people, its neighbors and the world that perhaps there are partners with whom to negotiate. Likewise, it shows a willingness of Israel’s neighbors to be more comfortable making diplomatic meetings, and perhaps even ties.
I may be cynical, but I’m hopeful.
by Kung Fu Jew · Wednesday, June 18th, 2008
According to media outlets, Israel has worked out several huge breakthroughs in (gasp) negotiating with terrorists! Yes, indeed, if our sources are to be trusted, Israel is talking to Hamas, Syria, and Lebanon. Simultaneously. Two deals on Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev with Hezbollah, and Gilad Shalit with Hamas are buzzing in non-official statements by all sides.
I know, I know, this is going to come as a shock to some people out there. And perhaps it’s a little early to tell — maybe this post will jinx the whole deal — but let’s put a big, fat nail in the obstructionism that plagues the small minds of naysayers that Hamas, Fatah, the PLO and (in future Presidencies perhaps) Iran can only understand reciprocal rockets.
Seriously, I hope this isn’t surprising because people reading even the Jewish press the past two months have seen plenty of references to Egypt and Turkey’s shuttle diplomacy. And there’s plenty of analysis available on whether the biggest deal, the Gaza ceasefire, will be a class-A fuck up.
This comes at the same time as the release of an Israeli poll saying 83% believe that Hamas is stronger with the blockade of Gaza than without, 68% believe that the security situation is worse with the blockade, 78% believe the blockade will not end support for Hamas, and 60% say it increases support for Hamas. And all of this coming from respondents who 44% identified as right-wing.
It’s a moment for those of us who see that military might isn’t the magic wand in the Middle East to stand up and say “I told you so,” even if it’s a moment to hold our breath and promise to eat our yarmulkas. Then again, we could all move to Medinat Weimar and save ourselves the trouble.
by Justin Goldstein · Monday, June 16th, 2008
from left to right: Ehud Goldwasser, Eldad Regev; Gilad Shalit (captured by Hamas in separate incident)
Ha’aretz is reporting that the soldiers kidnapped by Hezbollah, triggering the summer war of 2006 may be reunited with their families the week of June 20. Ha’aretz is citing the Lebanese newspaper, As-Safir, as breaking the news.
According to the Saudi owned newspaper al-Sharq al-Aswat, Israel will release Samir Kuntar, the infamous Lebanese terrorist sentenced to four life-terms for murders he committed in Israel in 1979.
According to Kuntar’s attorney, his client has received no information to this end.
by Kung Fu Jew · Thursday, February 14th, 2008
by Danya · Tuesday, August 28th, 2007
Hurricane Katrina was, according to Shas’ spiritual leader, punishment for American support of the disengagement from Gaza. Now, R. Ovadia Yosef is claiming, Israeli soldiers died in Lebanon because they weren’t frum enough.
The Jerusalem Post reports,
“Should it come as a surprise if, God forbid, soldiers are killed in war?” said Yosef, spiritual mentor of the haredi-Sephardi Shas party, referring to the 119 IDF soldiers killed during the Second Lebanon War.
“When they do not adhere to the laws of Shabbat, they do not keep the Torah, they do not pray every day, they do not put on phylacteries every day? God have mercy on them [soldiers] and make them become newly religious - then they will all live a good life in peace,” Yosef said.
Pardon me while I vomit in my mouth a little. Not surprisingly, the parents of soldiers who were killed in the war have a little bit to say about this. For example,
Moshe Muskal, another bereaved parent whose religious son Refanel was killed in Maroun a-Ras, said that since Yosef’s political party was part of the government coalition during the Second Lebanon War, the rabbi also bears responsibility for the deaths of the soldiers.
Muskal, who was interviewed on Army Radio, quoted from testimony given by Shas Chairman Eli Yishai before the Winograd Committee, which investigated the operational failures of the war.
According to the testimony, Yishai, a member of the government’s Defense Cabinet during the war, consulted with Yosef often.
“I want to know if Rabbi Ovadia Yosef advised Yishai to check if soldiers entering Maroun a-Ras [the Lebanese village where Muskal's son was killed] put on tefilin that morning,” said Muskal. “And if they did not put on tefilin, were they prevented from going to war?”
Full story.
by BZ · Monday, April 30th, 2007
By now you’ve probably heard all about the Winograd Commission report, released today, which found that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s decisions regarding the 2006 Lebanon War were a “severe failure”. There’s one piece of this story that gives me hope about Israeli democracy, relative to American democracy: all the news articles are reporting that Olmert’s approval rating sits between 2% and 3%.
In the United States, even when a president spends 6 years accomplishing one severe failure after another, such that no one’s definition of success has been achieved except for multibillionaires and Al Qaeda recruiters, his approval rating will still never fall below 25%. For the “base”, loyalty is just that strong that it outweighs all empirical reality.
Israelis, on the other hand, whether they’re on the left or on the right, appear to be part of the reality-based community. When their government enters a disastrous war, they recognize this and hold their leaders accountable. Americans have much to learn.
by Josh Frankel · Tuesday, January 16th, 2007
So, Chalutz decided to resign. Funny country this is; the president is about to be indicted for rape, the prime minister can’t go a day without having a new corruption investigation opened against him, and for as long as I have lived here, one public servant after another has failed to fulfill his duties. Still, this is the first time that I remember a public official taking responsibility for his faults and shortcomings and doing the right thing. Chalutz has done a few controversial things over the course of his career, and never has he admitted any wrongdoing. This is a first for him, and I hope it represents a new sense of responsibility throughout the country.
Perhaps what is most interesting, and most respectful, is the timing. Immediately after the war, everyone was calling for his head, but he insisted on staying on. Had he resigned then, it would have looked like he was hurt and weakly running away from the debacle of a war that he led. Had he waited a few mores weeks for Winograd to officially scourge him, the chief of staff would have looked like another pathetic politician trying to hold on to his seat at all costs. Chalutz’s decision to resign now, when tempers aren’t flaring and when accusations aren’t flying, is mark of dignity, and a sign of man who has examined his actions and taken responsibility for them. For this, he deserves our recognition.
by John Brown · Monday, December 4th, 2006
Reuters reports:
A United Nations human rights inquiry said on Friday that Israel should be made to pay compensation for damage caused by its month-long war in Lebanon, especially losses incurred by civilians.
It suggested setting up an international compensation programme similar to the one which has paid out billions of dollars to cover losses due to Iraq’s 1990-91 invasion and occupation of Kuwait.
Full Story
by Mobius · Sunday, August 27th, 2006
Steve Sailer has crunched the (available) numbers and concluded that Iran is no threat militarily to Israel or the US whatsoever. The CIA seems to be acutely aware of this fact, so just as they did when suppressing the intelligence on Iraq, the Bush administration is once again attacking the CIA for not feeding its delusions about Iran. The fearmongering thus continues unabated, with Israeli “intelligence experts” claiming that Ahmadinejad would “sacrifice half of Iran for the sake of eliminating Israel” and Israel threatening to open up a can of whup-ass on Iran if the US does not.
In the meantime, following Iran’s unveiling of a plant which aids in the plutonium enrichment process, the US has come out swinging with the threat of sanctions, warning that it will impose them itself if the UN doesn’t play along. Iran’s holocaust cartoon exhibition, on the other hand, sure isn’t helping Iranian claims that it poses “no threat to any nation, even the Zionist regime.”
Israel says it is “not fooled by such declarations.” I disagree, however. If Israel’s foolish enough to launch a war against Iran, it’s playing right into Ahmadinejad’s hands — and has thus been thoroughly duped. As we’ve now learned from Afghanistan, Iraq and Lebanon, indiscriminately killing civilians and destroying civil infrastructure results in the exact opposite effect than that desired by those seeking to topple Islamic extremism: It turns average folks into extremists and Islamic radicals into heroes.
Or not. Amir Taheri, the oh-so-extraodrinarily-trustwothy Iranian exile who caused a firestorm earlier this year with his bunk claim that Iran was planning to force Jews to wear yellow badges, reports in the Wall Street Journal that Hezbollah’s victory is not nearly as clear as the Western media has made it out to be, a claim that appears to be buttressed by an AP report that Sunnis in Southern Lebanon are revolting against Hezbollah supporters and, conversely, a report by Robert “I Hate Israel But Not As Much As I Hate America” Fisk in the Indepedent that Hezbollah’s reconstruction efforts are winning the hearts and minds of disaffected Lebanese Shia. The truth, as usual, is somewhere inbetween. But the total lack of nuance on the part of Israel’s supporters (who make no distinctions between Arabs, Persians, Sunnis and Shiites) or on the part of Israel’s detractors (who are all but ready to don kaffiyehs and declare “There is no god but Allah and Muhammed is his one true prophet”) results in an ever-thickening cloud of confusion and ignorance that makes ripe conditions for war but creates little opportunity for dialogue and progress.
The real winners in the ensuing chaos? Palestinian boy bands. And newly parplegic KISS fans. At least somebody’s dreams — in a completely sick and twisted way — are coming true.
Me? I’ll be preparing for myself a series of Altoid tin survival kits and strategically placing them around Jerusalem. Cuz hey — you never know when either Israel or Iran will be stupid enough to launch the first strike, and you certainly don’t want to be caught with your pants down.
by Josh Frankel · Friday, August 25th, 2006
I’m sorry to bring up the same old point again, but apparently I’m missing something. A past president of the OU, and a former executive vice president of the Religious Zionists of America thinks that the problem with the war was that we did not kill enough civilians. He seems to think that Israel should have followed the pattern set by America when it firebombed Dresden and napalmed the Viet Cong. This person who has spent a large part of his life defining what it means to be a religious Jew says it all, so beautifully, in words that seem to have come directly from the prophets themselves.
Israel must totally destroy the building [sic] under which the bunkers lie. Let the terrorists suffocate and let not one Israeli soldier die, in the name of minimizing “civilian” casualties. Justice, morality and the need to survive demands no less!
Please excuse me for not wanting to call myself Orthodox.
by Cole Krawitz · Thursday, August 24th, 2006
Attempting to speak to a broad audience, each of the actions had different target audiences, some of which weren’t Jewish, and therefore reached people differently–some more than others “where people are at”.
Reaching Jews where Jews are at is hard since Jews are all over the spectrum on this issue. The protesters in San Francisco wanted to speak to this. As covered in this article, the SF action was in front of the Jewish Community Federation.
“Samantha Litman, a spokeswoman for the demonstrators, said they were disputing a claim that all Bay Area Jewish organizations promote a blanket policy of supporting Israeli military action. “We’re appalled by what we’re seeing happening in Lebanon and Palestine,” Litman said. “Killing civilians, attacking government institutions and destroying the infrastructure of modern society is an immoral course of action that will ensure security for no one.”
More »
