U. S. Voting Rights for Non-Citizens

ערב שבת קודש פר׳ וילך / שובה תשע״ט

Let me first remind all of you of what I have stated several times in the past: American elections are for entertainment purposes only.

That being said, this post will be short and sweet.

The short answer to the question is, of course...

There aren't any voting right for non-citizens, nor should there be.

It boggles the mind that there is even a drop of consideration for this by the average American citizen on the street. At least those globalists, who are "out" about their opinions and objectives, have an excuse, albeit a cockamamie one.

Do Americans have the right to vote in Canadian or Mexican elections?

Does and American registered to vote in Los Angeles County have the right to vote in San Diego County? Or in East Coast terms, should an American from New Jersey be allowed to vote in elections in New York City or Philadelphia?

No. Of course, not. This should be so obvious that I must assume it has already been mentioned countless times in American news and social mass media, which I mostly ignore.

So, how else can the U. S. government protect its elections from infiltration?

I have no idea. Not my problem.

It's the problem of Americans, and I am no longer an American citizen.
However, I will engage in some speculation, as a segue into something which I find to be much more important, Jews living in Israel.

I hardly like the idea of yet another piece of identification forced upon the populace. But, in the U. S. the photo-less Social Security Card won't cut it, and not everyone has a driver's license, nor do all non-drivers have a state identification card.

Here in Israel, we already have personal identity cards, so we're already use to it indoctrinated. Until not so long ago, our identity cards even included "nationality," ie. Jewish, Druze, Arab, and would have included the recently made up [neo-]Aramaen nationality as well. Nationality was removed as the Minister of the Interior at the time, Eli Yishai, an act of damage control, in response to the Israeli Supreme Court's acceptance of quasi-conversions for the purposes of determining nationality.

But, I digress...

Now we have biometric identity cards being phased in, under the guise of being "voluntary," initially voluntary that is, and "more convenient." More convenient for the Israeli Government to track us, that is. But, we're not allowed to talk about that. Apparently, our countrywide Rav Kav (transit card) doesn't quite cut it, when it comes to tracking our movements. Damn those anonymous Rav Kav's! And they aren't exactly even anonymous either.

But, I digress...

The real issue taking place in the U. S. has nothing to do with who can or cannot vote.

Oh sure, there is the illusion of an adversarial "nationalist vs. globalist" relationship being played out out by the Republicans and Democrats, with the masses stuck someplace in the middle. But, regardless of how the minions of their minions present themselves, the powers that be all want the same thing, control. And new and improved tracking is just a means to an end.

Stay tuned for embedded microchips,... for our "convenience," of course.

מדינת ישראל כאילו דמוקרטית / Israel the DeMOCKracy

ה׳ לחודש השנים עשר תשע״ח

English follows the Hebrew.

בשבוע שעבר הייתי באוטובוס בתל-אביב בדרך לפגישה, ובמקרה, אני שמעתי טיפות מאיזה שיחה בין שני דוברי אנגלית.

כמובן, אני לא ניסיתי לשמוע את השיחה שלהם, וגם הם לא דיברו בקול רם כל-כך חזק -- כמו האמריקאים המדברים בקול רם חזק באוטובוס תוך כדי הם מתלוננים על הישראלים [ילידי הארץ] שהם טענים שמדברים בקול רם חזק באוטובוס.

בכל אופן, כשאני קמתי כדי לרדת מהאוטובוס, פניתי לבחור שאני שמעתי בשיחה. כנראה הוא החילוני אבל בימים האלה אי אפשר לדעת במאה אחוז. אני אמרתי לו, "סלח לי, אני פשוט רציתי להגיד לך שאני מסכים עם מה שאתה אמרת".

הוא עולה חדש אוסטרלי, והוא אמר לחבר שלו שלא ממש אכפת לו מאוסטרליה, אלא אכפת לו על ישראל כי ישראל הבית שלו ואוסטרליה כבר לא הבית שלו.

הוא חייך, וכנראה הוא גר בארץ תקופת זמן די ארוכה מפני הוא לא הופתע כשמי שהוא לא מכיר פנה אליו ככה. וככה אהחנו נוהגים כאן בארץ. אנשים מדברים באוטובוס אחד עם השני אפילו שלא מכירים. 

הבחור הזה המשיך לדבר והתלונן על שחיתות שלטונית בישראל, ועל איך דבר כזה פוגע בישראל, ושהוא מקווה שהשחיתות הזאת תסתלק מהממשלה.

עניתי לו, "... אני מסכים איתך לחלוטין, אבל למרות שאני מעריך את תקומת המדינה שנתנה לי (לנו) לגור בארץ, השלטון הזה קיים באופן זמני בלבד, מפני בשסופו של דבר ממלכת ישראל תחזור".

(אנחנו היהודים הדתיים מתפללים שלוש פעמים כל יום...

״את צמח דוד, מהרה תצמיח, וקרנו, תרום בישועתך. ברוך אתה ה׳, מצמיח קרן הישועה.״

...או בנוסח דומה כזה, נכון?)

לפי הפרצוף של הבחור, נראה לי שהוא הופתע לגמרי בגלל מה שאני אמרתי.

החלטתי להציל אותו, ואז חייכתי מיד והוספתי, "אם אתה לא מסכים, אז אני ממליץ לך להוליד הרבה ילדים, כדי שיוכלו להצביע בבחירות קולות כנגד הקולות של הילדים שלי שיצביעו להפוך את מערכת הממשלתית שלנו מדמוקרטיה במערכת תורנית".

הוא נראה להרגע. ואז, כשירדתי מהאוטובוס, הוספתי עוד דבר, "לפחות אנחנו יכולים להסכים שזה מגניב ששני אנשים שלא מכירים בכלל יכולים לדבר בשיחה באוטובוס".

הוא חייך, ואני ירדתי מהאוטובוס, ואולי לא נתראה לעולם בעתיד...  

בטח שאני לא מאמין שמערכת הממשלתית שלנו תהפוך להיות מערכת תורנית דרך הבחירות. וברור לי שממשלת מדינת ישראל אינה דמוקרטיה אמיתית בכלל; אלא היא כאילו דמוקרטיה.

כל פעם שיהודי שומר תורה ומצוות מתחיל לעלות על הקרקע תוך כדי פועל לפי הכללים, כוחות השלטון פשוט משנות את הכללים, זורקים אותו על הרצפה ומסלקים אותו מהמשחק. זאת אומרת למנוע אותו מלעלות לתפקיד חשוב במנהיגות.

אנשי מפלגת [כאילו] ימינית ״תחיה״, בסיוע בית המשפט העליון, הצליחו להחרים את הרב מאיר כהנא הי"ד ומפלגת ״כך״ שלו.

ראש הממשלה בנימין נתניהו שינה את כללים של מפלגת הליכוד, וכתוצאה מכך היא מניעת ח"כ לשעבר משה פייגלין מלהיכנס לכנסת פעם שניה.

גם חברי הכנסת אלי ישי ויוני שטבון נמנעו מלהיכנס לכנסת, יחד עם ברוך מרזל, כשהשופט הלא-יהודית התעקש להדבק בכללים מגוחכים ומיושנים לגבי ספירת קולות בבחירות. אם אני זוכר נכון, בית המשפט העליון הישראלי תמך בו. רוב הקולות שנפסלו היו מצביעים למפלגת ישי ושטבון.

לכן, כאשר אנחנו, העם היהודי, סוף סוף נסתדר, נתאחד, ונתארגן, ונתקדם באופן משמעותי בכיוון למערכת ממשלה המבוססת על התורה, לא נראה לי שיתנו לנו להצליח דרך הקלפי.

*הדעה שלי המבוססת על הספר אם הבנים שמחה על ידי הרב יששכר שלמה טייכטל

I was on the bus in Tel-Aviv on the way to a meeting, and caught pieces of a conversation some English speakers were having in back of me.

Now, of course, I wasn't trying to overhear their conversation, and they weren't speaking to loudly either. You know? Like when Americans are speaking too loudly on the bus,...complaining about how [native] Israelis speak too loudly on the bus? (A-hem!) But, that's another topic for another post on another day...

Anyway, as my stop approached and I got up to move toward the door, I looked over to the, apparently secular (but you never know), young man who had been talking, and said, "Excuse me. I just wanted to tell you I agreed with what you were saying."

He cracked a smile, and must have been in Israel for a while, since the intrusion from out of the blue didn't seem to phase him.

He was from Australia, and had said that he didn't really care about Australia, but cared about Israel. Australia wasn't his home.

I told that was what he said that I agreed with.

He continued with complaints about governmental corruption in Israel, how it hurts Israel, and how he hoped it would get cleaned up,... or something like that.

I replied that "...I certainly agreed with that as well, but that even though I had appreciation for the State -- after all, I would be able to live in the Land of Israel if it hadn't been for the State -- the State was only temporary. Eventually, it will be replaced by the Kingdom of Israel."

After all, don't religious ("Orthodox") Jews pray for the return of a kind from the line of David, ie. Mashi'ah?

From his puzzled face, it seemed to me that this caught him off guard.

I decided to let him off the hook, immediately smiled, and added that, "...if don't agree, then I suggest you have lots of children,... so that they can counter the votes of my children. Otherwise, we will eventually democratically vote in this Torah system of government."

And with that, he he seemed to relax. Then, as I was getting off the bus, I added, "At least we can agree that it's cool that two total strangers can have a conversation on the bus."

He smiled

Now, of course, I don't believe that we will be able to vote in a change in system of government. After all, the State of Israel isn't really a democracy; it's a deMOCKracy.

Every time someone begins to gain ground while playing by the rules, the powers that be simply change the rules, and oust him.

The "right-wing" Techiya Party, with the help of the Israeli Supreme Court ousted Rabbi Meir Kahane hy"d.

Prime Minister Netanyahu got the rules changed with the Likud Party, resulting in the prevention of former MK Moshe Feiglin from re-entering the Knesset.

MKs Eli Yishai and Yoni Chetboun were also prevented from re-entering the Knesset, along with Baruch Marzel, when the non-Jewish, elections judge insisted on sticking with ridiculous, outdated rules regarding the counting of ballots. If I remember correctly, the Israeli Supreme Court backed him. The vast majority of disqualified ballots would have been votes for Yishai and Chetboun's party.

So, when we the Jewish People finally get our act together, unify, and move in a significant way toward a Torah-based government, I sincerely doubt that DEMONcratic voting will be successful.

My guess is that the left-wing of the Erev Rav will whip out their foreign passports and get on a place to somewhere,...to anywhere but here.

*my take on Em HaBanim Smeicha by Rabbi Yissachar Shlomo Teichtel.

"To the Detriment of the Religious Zionist Sector?" I Think Not.

י"ז לחודש השני תשע"ה

YNET: Time running out for Netanyahu as coalition talks stall again
With departure of Lieberman and his six seats, the prime minister is dependent on winning over Bayit Yehudi [Jewish Home] to form even the narrowest of coalitions; Lapid: 'PM decided to do anything to stay in power'.

Moran Azulay, May 5, 2015

With less than 48 hours to present his new government to President Reuven Rivlin, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu once again ran into difficulties Tuesday as negotiations with key coalition partner Bayit Yehudi stalled over the allocation of portfolios.

On Tuesday, senior Likud MK Miri Regev accused Bayit Yehudi of intransigence and scuppering the chances for a "right-wing nationalist government."

The prime minister has already asked Rivlin for an extension to the period allocated for forming a government. The Wednesday night deadline cannot be extended in this round of coalition negotiations.Netanyahu has summonded Likud's negotiating team to discuss the crisis in negotiations with Bayit Yehudi, but has yet to arrange a meeting with Bayit Yehudi leader and former protege Naftali Bennett.

Bayit Yehudi is fuming over the Likud coalition agreement with Shas, which gives the Sephardi Orthodox party control over the Ministry of Religious Services. Bayit Yehudi is concerned that this will mean the reforms it has made in the ministry will be overturned, to the detriment of religious Zionist sector.

When the issue of Shas receiving the ministry was first raised, Bennett stated on Twitter that giving them the ministry would put an end to negotiations with Bayit Yehudi. Now that Shas has indeed been given this portfolio, Bayit Yehudi is trying to decide how to respond.

The departure of Avigdor Leiberman and his six-seat Yisrael Beytenu party on Monday has left Netanyahu with what looks likely to be a narrow 61-member government, if he can in fact put a coalition together. (cont.)

Esser Agaroth (2¢):

PM Bibi Netanyahu

"Bayit Yehudi [Jewish Home Party] is concerned that this will mean the reforms it has made in the ministry will be overturned, to the detriment of religious Zionist sector."

To which reforms is Bayit Yehudi referring?

Opening up the marriage market to the likes of Tzohar, mamlakhti (diehard state loyalist) rabbis?

Granting the authority over conversions to local rabbinical courts, and thus reducing the scrutiny of those expressing a desire to convert? Pseudo-conversions by the various "movements," will be only one Supreme Court legislation from the Bench, instead of two.

Even with all of Sha"S's flaws, and there are many, including the Oslo "Death" Accords, let us not forget that it was Interior Minister Eli Yishai who stood up to the Israeli Supreme Court's decision to accept a pseudo-conversion not only for the purpose of religious identity, but for the purpose of nationality as well.

Let us not forget that it was MK Nissim Ze'ev (Sha"S) moved into a housing structure in Hevron set for expulsion of its Jews, while Jewish Home Party Head Naftali Bennett proposes autonomy for some Pseudostinian Arabs, and Israeli citizenship for others.

Bennett's Plan vs. Arafat's Plan
Can you see the difference? Neither can I.

MK Naftali Bennett

This conversion situation will become even more disastrous with the increasing numbers of Christians sneaking their way into Israeli citizenship through false conversions, in other words outright lying to the Israeli Chief Rabbinate.

The Sha"S Party has led protests against Christian missionaries, as have the Gerer Hassidim, who are part of Agudas Yisroel (half of UTJ). Whereas, aside from a handful of rabbis, the "religious Zionist sector" is not known for its stance against missionaries. Nor have they come out against the Christians with eyes on our Land, quite the opposite, in fact.

And so, I ask you, how exactly is it that overturning of the reforms, which Bayit Yehudi has made in the Religious Affairs Ministry, to the detriment of religious Zionist sector?

Answer? It's not.

Israeli Election Shenanigans? Surprised?

ד׳ לחודש הראשון תשע״ה

Reports of alleged shenanigans during the recent, Israeli elections have been streaming in. Calls from Eli Yishai's Yachad Party to join the protest, by adding their names to a petition of declared Yachad voters, has been circulating the Internet. 

Some photos of the shenanigans can be seen in a report on the matter on Yachad's Official Website:

Eli Yishai
Yachad Party Head

Yachad: Battling Over The Truth!
(Esser Agaroth (2¢) Translation)
March 20, 2015

We have received you encouragement! Your support! We feel your outcry, and we have decided, to fight for the truth! Hundreds of declarations of counterfeiting have been brought to our attention. Were you witnesses to any of this? Join the fight! (cont.)

It is pretty easy to have a ballot disqualified. All it takes is a slight ink mark, or even a folded corner, if you can believe it. But, there were much more creative ways employed to go after Yachad voters.

For example, some ballot notes were replaced by fake ones with Baruch Marzel's name on them. Baruch Marzel, on the Yachad list, ran independently in a previous election. This was one of many attempts to confuse and mislead Yachad supporters, with the goal of having as many of their votes disqualified.

Here is another example from Official Yachad (English) Facebook Group, a comparison between real Yachad ballot notes and another fake one found at polling stations. These were later disqualified by official ballot counters.

L: Fake election note "HaRav Eliyahu Yishai"
R: Real ballot note "Eli Yishai"

My sources, who have been in contact with those present at the official recount, claimed that the were about 50,000 ballot notes which had been disqualified. Of those 50,000, 13,000 were for the Yachad Party.

One fourth of the disqualified ballot notes came from one small party? Does that make any sense to you?

Furthermore, reports indicated that the Yachad Party was between 11,000 and 12,000 short of making the minimum threshold to enter the K'nesseth with four mandates.

My educated guess would be that if Yachad had made it in, there would be one less mandate (MK) for the Likud Party, one less mandate for the far left Meretz Party, one less mandate for the Untied Arab Parties, and one less mandate for another party, which would shift the edge to the right, and probably give Prime Minister Netanyahu the option to leave out  supposedly centrist Kulanu (Kachlon) Party from the government he is attempting to form.

As far as any complaints, petitions, and protests against the election results go, I really don't see the point.

I think that today might even be the deadline for the completion of any investigations into complaints about the elections. I'm not sure. But, quite frankly, I don't think it matters. Does Yachad have a chance of winning an appeal? They have a chance at convincing the Supreme Court

As if.

We have seen, time and time again, how Torah-observant Jews have begun to gain ground, sticking to the established rules of Israeli democracy, only to have those rules changed by the government, the justice system, or by party heads themselves, as in the case of Netanyahu vs. outgoing MK Moshe Feiglin. This is one of the reasons why I refer to the system of government of the State of Israel as deMOCKracy.

An additional question remains regarding the alleged, Israeli election shenanigans. Whoever was behind the shenanigans, more likely than not, presents themselves in public as being pro-democracy, yet privately subverts the democratic process, and even justifies it using a totally distorted understanding of democracy.

Were they religiously motivated? Were they anti-religiously motivated? Either way, it all spells the same thing: H-Y-P-O-C-R-I-S-Y. None of us should be in the least bit surprised by this.

Either you believe in democracy, real democracy, or you don't.

Personally, I pray for the time, when we don't have to worry about such things as democracy, or in Israel's case, deMOCKracy.

Israeli Elections: Destruction from Within

ל' לחודש האחד עשר תשע"ה

When the Elections Committee in Israel disqualified Baruch Marzel (Yachad) from running in the next national elections, the following poster appeared around town.

"Tibi Yes. Marzel No? Have you gone insane?"
The Committee For Democracy

MK Hanin Zoabi ysh"w (Balad) was also disqualified from running, but yesterday both were re-instated as candidates. This is not the first time Marzel has been disqualified, and the decision overturned by the Supreme Court. The same thing occurred, when he ran unsuccessfully in 2006/תשס"ו.

The following report on recent events is so chock full of dots to connect, that my comments have been interspersed between the lines. I have highlighted the only portions of the report worth reading.

YNET: Supreme Court overturns decision to ban Zoabi, MarzelFirebrand MK Hanin Zoabi, rightwing activist Baruch Marzel were disqualified by the Central Elections Committee but 8 of the judges chose to overturn decision. 

YNET reporters, Aviel Magnezi, Moran Azulay, Hassan Shaalan and Kobi Nachshoni, 02.18.15 

The Supreme Court overturned on Wednesday a decision to ban candidates Hanin Zoabi (Balad) and Baruch Marzel (Yachad) from running for Knesset. 

The Central Elections Committee voted to disqualify both candidates, but in both cases eight judges ruled against the committee's decision while Deputy Supreme Court President, Judge Elyakim Rubinstein, was of the minority opinion that Marzel and Zoabi's candidacy should be disqualified. 

The reasoning for the judges' decisions will be released on another date.
In favor of overturning the election committee's decision were Supreme Court President Judge Miriam Naor and judges Esther Hayut, Hanan Melcer, Yoram Danziger, Neal Hendel, Uzi Vogelman, Isaac Amit and Zvi Zylbertal. 

MK Zoabi said following the court's decision, "The court viewed my remarks and actions as acts included in the freedom of speech and within the legal framework. I hope this ruling opens a door for my comments to be listened to as I say them and not to the fraudulent slander. The court exposed the massive gap between what is attributed to me to what I actually say."

Firebrand? Sounds like a compliment to me. Freedom of speech? Israeli citizens only have freedom of speech, when they more or less agree with the government's position, or swing to the left of it, or

Marzel said after the ruling, "It has been proven there is no racism in my positions. This was the left trying to silence me. Leftwing people who objected to Zoabi's disqualification supported my own disqualification. Anyone who thinks Zoabi is okay should go with her, those in favor of Israel's Torah should go with us. I suppose in the end I'll be able to send a bouquet of flowers to anyone who advertised me. I'll continue saying what I think, all within the confinements of the law." 

Yisrael Beytenu's Avigdor Lieberman submitted the request to disqualify Zoabi, saying "Zoabi belongs with the terrorists from Hamas." 27 members of the Central Election Committee voted in favor of banning Zoabi and 6 objected. Zoabi was also disqualified by the committee ahead of the 2013 elections but then, as well, the Supreme Court overturned the decision. 

Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein was against rejecting Zoabi, determining that while some of the remarks presented with the request to disqualify her were grave and very concerning, and could even be interpreted as supported in an armed struggle of a terror organization, "a close examination of the entire body of evidence tips the scale - not without hesitation - against disqualifying Zoabi."

Seriously? What on earth could have tipped the scales in Zoabi's favor, when her remarks were grave and very concerning, and could even be interpreted as supported in an armed struggle of a terror organization?"

The Central Election Committee also disqualified Marzel, number four on Eli Yishai's party list, claiming he was inciting to racism and never renounced the ways of the Kach movement. Seventeen voted in favor of disqualifying him while 16 voted against. 

The request to bar Marzel from running was submitted by The Coalition against Racism, which said following the decision to ban him, "The Election Committee made a moral, important and just decision to disqualify the candidacy of the student Baruch Marzel, exactly as it disqualified his spiritual teacher Kahane at the time. Racism has no place in the Knesset.

And Tibi and Zoabi support for "cousins," who happen to believe in the annihilation of Israel and the Jewish People does not qualify as racism?

Lieberman: Letting Zoabi run - a mark of disgrace "I hear all of the things being said about the two appeals and how everyone are laughing all the way to the Knesset and dress up for the month of Adar," Judge Elyakim Rubinstein said during the hearing at the Supreme Court on Tuesday. "On Zoabi you say it's hard to determine she supports terrorism and Marzel - it's hard to determine he supports racism. I'd expect you to determine where the line is drawn on this issue. I'd expect you to say what the bar is. The question is, is what looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, not a duck?

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said of the court's decision that "allowing Hanin Zoabi the possibility to return to the Israeli Knesset is a mark of disgrace on Israeli democracy, that doesn't know how to act like a defensive democracy when the need arises. 

"The Supreme Court's decision is regretful and outrageous because anyone with two eyes can see Zoabi has broken the law that says those who support terrorism and an armed struggle against Israel or rejects the existence of Israel as a Jewish state are forbidden from serving in its parliament.

I am no fan of Lieberman, but once in a while, he does have something intelligent to say, and when he does, he is right on the mark.

"The repeated decision by the Supreme Court to again and again change the decision of the election committee on disqualifying the candidacy of Arab MKs who support terror against Israel, raises the need to legislate the law anew in a way that the court won't be able to do it anymore, and Yisrael Beytenu will do so soon as the new Knesset is sworn in." 

Adalah director Attorney Hassan Jabrin, who represented Zoabi, said that "the gap between the harsh and racist discourse at the Election Committee, which brands Arab MKs as supporters of terrorism, to the decisions of the court, which overturns the disqualifications every time, attests to the flawed considerations at the heart of the committee's decisions. The Election Committee's meetings and its decisions cause a tremendous damage not just to Arab parties and candidates, but seriously hurt the basic rights of Arab citizens, primarily the right for political representation, the freedom of expression, equality and dignity."

Pray tell, who is the Head of the Elections Committee?

Judge Salim Jobran, an Arab. True, he is a Maronite Christian Arab, and not a Muslim. So, which words to describe Judge Jobran could Hassan Jabrin be keeping to himself? "Collaborator," perhaps?

The head of the joint Arab list, Aiman Uda, said: "I'm glad the Supreme Court protected the values of democracy and prevented the dangerous and demagogic attempt by the right to disqualify the candidacy of the Arab MK Hanin Zoabi. The attempt to bar her from running is another way in which the right is trying to push out and exclude the Arab population from the Knesset and from circles of influence. Unfortunately for them, the joint list's success, as the polls show, is our victory over racism and hatred."

(eyes rolling) This just one of the countless example of the blatant, double standards not only supported, but encouraged, by the Erev Rav controlled, Israeli Government.

It's all part of its desire to destroy us from within.

We should not be too concerned, though. Its pride will eventually be its downfall.

Attorney Itamar Ben-Gvir, who represented Baruch Marzel, said: "The court's decision on Zoabi and Marzel is half right. In my humble opinion, there was no doubt Zoabi needs to be disqualified and not allow the Israel hater to run in the Knesset elections. There's no place to compare her to an Israel lover like Baruch Marzel, especially since the evidence against her was strong and established while against Marzel there was nothing, only a vexing and political petition by the radical leftwing who don't know what democracy is."

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
Sure, the real joke here is the apparent dedication to Hellenist Democracy of all those involved in these pre-election scene-stealers.

The dance of the Erev Rav's various puppets continues, and I'm not even talking about the candidates.

Stay tuned!

MK Yoni Chetboun, What Happened?

ז' לחודש האחד עשר תשע"ה

Arutz 7: Otzma Yehudit Reveals Why Yishai Joint List Talks Failed
Ben-Ari's party and Ha'am Itanu discussed joint list to avoid 'lost right-wing votes' - but a Yishai associate allegedly 'torpedoed' it.

Shimon Cohen, Ari Yashar, January 26, 2015

Former MK Dr. Michael Ben-Ari's Otzma Yehudit party and MK Eli Yishai's Yachad - Ha'am Itanu were in last minute talks Sunday night to form a joint list and ensure both parties don't miss out in the coming elections, but apparently those talks have fallen through, and Otzma Yehudit says a person close to Yishai is responsible.

According to a source in Otzma Yehudit, both parties generally agreed on all the major issues that would allow them to run as a technical bloc for the elections and afterwards split while keeping their seats, with Yishai likely joining a Likud-led coalition and Ben-Ari being in the Opposition.

"However, during the negotiations a representative from Yishai's Ha'am Itanu party surprised us and claimed the first four spots are already 'flooded' with knitted kippot (national religious Jews as opposed to haredim - ed.), and there's no room for another knitted kippah in the first four," revealed the source.

A point of friction in the last minute talks was that Ben-Ari requested the fourth and sixth spots on the list, as opposed to just the sixth spot, given that polls have shown without his party Yishai will not make it past the threshold for entering the Knesset, whereas the combined list would get a comfortable seven mandates.

"We were very surprised by the allegations of these words that show a lack of understanding in terms of politics and simple mathematics," added the Otzma Yehudit representative, noting the polls showing Yishai's poor chances running alone.

Given the refusal to give greater representation to Otzma Yehudit above the sixth spot, the party has said it cannot join in a technical bloc, and accuses an unnamed MK connected to Yishai's list, other than Yishai himself, as being responsible for the situation.

According to the Otzma Yehudit source, "we were surprised that instead of showing responsibility, this MK ran from place to place, leaked inaccurate leaks, and tried to torpedo the negotiations by force."

The unnamed MK allegedly said that another point of contention between the parties centered on Otzma Yehudit's insistence that Jewish access to the Temple Mount be a plank in the party's platform, but the Otzma Yehudit source says there is no disagreement on this subject, since Yishai's mentor, Rabbi Meir Mazuz, has already come out in support of ascent to the Temple Mount. (cont.)

Esser Agaroth (2¢):

MK Eli Yishai

"However, during the negotiations a representative from Yishai's Ha'am Itanu party surprised us and claimed the first four spots are already 'flooded' with knitted kippot (national religious Jews as opposed to haredim - ed.), and there's no room for another knitted kippah in the first four," revealed the source.

This is truly one of the silliest thing I have ever heard regarding an election. Unfortunately, and this should be no secret, there is plenty of resistance among mamlakhtim (diehard State loyalists) to any unity with Haredim. The mamlakhtim seemed to be more concerned with what they have in common in regading to their relationship with the State, than with Torah. The so-called Jewish Home Party is a good example of this, open to non-religious candidates, and perhaps even non-Jewish candidates, but to Haredim? And so, there may actually be something practical to what was stated here. Unfortunate, but perhaps practical.

"...MK Yoni Chetboun, who left Jewish Home to join Ha'am Itanu (and is the only MK beside Yishai on the list..."

Looks pretty suspicious to me.

I have written positively about MK Yoni Chetboun (Yachad - Ha'am Itanu), which is rare for me, especially concerning one who has still not completely climbed out of the mamlakhti box.

So, I am more than a little disappointed in Chetboun, if the above report is an accurate one. Sure, I support more "Haredim" on the list. But, you want to be practical, right?

MK Yoni Chetboun

"We won't be dragged to the level of this goading discussion," said Chetboun disparagingly. "We have responsibility towards the nationalist camp and therefore to save the lost votes, we offered him (Ben-Ari) a reserved sixth spot." 

Glossing over the danger that Yishai's independent run will also result in "lost votes", Chetboun continued: "it's a shame he is refusing, insisting time and again to lose votes for the right. Right-wing voters should know and internalize that Ben-Ari's independent run is liable to bring a leftist government of Tzipi (Livni) - Buji (Yitzhak Herzog)."

Ben-Ari will bring many votes that those with crocheted kippoth, you already have on your list. If you do not know this, then you are out of touch with the very people you think are going to vote for you, and you really don't have any being in the K'nesseth.

Yes, the people are coming around, waking up to the severe differences between Torah and State loyalty, and are demonstrating their preference for Torah.

Micha'el Ben-Ari

Regarding the issue of "lost votes," Otzma Yehudit has argued in the past that their ideologically-concerned voters will not have a party to vote for if they do not run, which would mean "lost votes" in any case, and that many religious Zionist voters disappointed with Jewish Home would also not vote at all without them as an alternative.

If the polls are any indication of what the K'nesseth makeup will be like, then the next one will not include either Micha'el Ben-Ari, Eli Yishai, or Yoni Chetboun.

Time to get it together.

Erev Yom Kippur Arrests: MK Yishai is shocked; Esser Agaroth is not.

י"ב לחודש השביעי תשע"ד

Arutz 7: Yishai ‘Horrified’ at Pre-Yom Kippur Eviction
Shas MK shocked as police raid outpost, arrest activists on eve of holiest day of Jewish year.

Maayana Miskin, September 15, 2013

MK Eli Yishai (Shas) expressed outrage Sunday after hearing that Border Police had raided an outpost and arrested activists shortly before the beginning of the Yom Kippur holiday, the holiest day of the Jewish year.

Seven outpost residents were forced to spend the first hours of the high holiday in a police station. They say they were released at 11 p.m. after being required to give their fingerprints – an act that is forbidden on the Sabbath or Jewish festivals.

“I’m horrified at the eviction that took place on the eve of Yom Kippur. This must be looked into,” Yishai said.

“Security personnel must take action against those who do not abide by the law,” he continued. “However, this law enforcement should, on rare yet obvious occasions, show sensitivity – such as when it comes to the need to avoid evicting outposts on the eve of Yom Kippur.”

“It’s troubling that we have reached a point where there is a need to create procedures for how to handle evictions on Yom Kippur,” he added. “It is even more troubling that, in the absence of clear guidelines, raiding an outpost on Yom Kippur is seen as legitimate.”

Yishai called on police commanders to look into the incident and create clear guidelines that will prevent similar incidents in the future.

(Tip Credit: Tomer Devorah)

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
I have defended MK Eli Yishai, and I have praised MK Eli Yishai, even in the face of criticizing his own Sha"S Party.

I have really pushed the limit with him, to the point of egg on my face. But, that does not look like it is going to happen again anytime soon. 


First of all, any shock from a rabbi or an MK, and MK Eli Yishai is both, that the Israeli government would do such a thing as arrest or expel Jews from their homes near or even on Shabbath or a Holiday.

Decrying any kind of excuse for being shocked can also no longer be accepted. It has happened all too many times.

Let's begin with only 10 or so years ago, when soldiers were given orders to get on a bus on Shabbath, to expel the residents or Havath Gil'ad, not far east of Qarnei Shomron. It was later revealed that the IDF Rabbinate's "permit" for this Shabbath violation (sometimes, legitimately necessary in a Jewish military) was falsified. Sure, the soldiers should have refused such orders. Nonetheless, the IDF was certainly the instigator here.

Let us not forget that the Expulsion from Azza (Gaza, which includes Gush Qatif) was [aptly] carried out on the 10th of the Month of Menahem Av, the anniversary of the continued burning of the Beth HaMiqdash (Temple), after being destroyed on the 9th.

At the very least, the pressure is being kept on the residents of Yehudah and Shomron (Judea and Samaria). Who knows what else the Erev Rav-controlled government has up its sleeve? ...besides data-gathering, of course.

The second thing which irks me,...excuse me,...I mean disgusts me is MK Yishai's apparent belief that there is a need to create procedures for how to handle evictions on Yom Kippur, as if there should ever be any evictions (Read: "expulsions") period.

MK Eli Yishai may be shocked. Whether I believe him or not, I am still not 100% sure.

But, I most certainly am not. Not only did I see this coming ages ago, and not only would anyone else see this coming ages ago, if he were awake, and his eyes were open.

But, it already has happened several times. What are you going to do to prevent it from happening again?

Proudly Defending Eli Yishai!

30 of the Ninth Month-Hanukkah 5771

It is interesting that "right-wing," religious Israel National News reports on calls for religious Interior Minister, Rabbi Eli Yishai (Sha"S) to resign. Yet, left-wing YNET News' reports do not focus on one of its favorite targets. It simply questions his actions, as well as the actions of other government officials, perfectly reasonable scrutiny from the press. YNET News also includes an opinion piece, supportive of Yishai.

Why are their calls for Minister Yishai to resign?

Israesl National News
...the Jerusalem Post reports that the International Fellowship of Christians [IFCJ] and Jews wanted to donate eight firetrucks to Israel, but that Minister Yishai refused to accept the donation because of the organization’s evangelical ties. In 2004, former Chief Rabbis Shapira and Eliyahu signed a religious ruling urging followers not to accept money from the group, which was said to have accepted money from groups involved in missionary activity.

No doubt, Sha"S's spiritual leader former Chief Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef concurred with the above ruling. Nonetheless, Minister Yishai followed the ruling of the gedolim of the day, unlike other people an institutions.

Women In Green's Ruth Matar publicly blasted Rabbi Simcha Kook's special Chief Rabbinate committe's ruling (2007) against participation in a particular interfaith, women's conference. Not only did the "Religious" Zionist Israel National News publish her open, scathing letter, one of its talk show hosts actually called Rabbi Kook a "ghetto rabbi" on air.

National Religious Party [NRP] leaders went to Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu ztz"l to ask whether it was permissible for them to include a woman on their party's list of candidates. When Rabbi Eliyahu's response was an emphatic "No" The NRP put Gila Finkelstein on its list anyway, stating the lame excuse for picking and choosing halachah that they "have other rabbis."

Certainly, people have asked what about piqu'ah nefesh (the saving of Jewish lives)?

Well, first off, this question can be addressed to the secretaries of Rabbis Shapira and Eliyahu ztz"l. Their rulings are a matter of public record. You could also ask Rabbi Simcha Kook, who I understand is very approachable.

Minister Yishai did what he could. He obtained NIS 100 million from the Finance Ministry for fire fighting efforts (easily confirmable). In addition,...

Israel National News
Eight years ago, I asked the government to renew the Israel Air Force's fire-fighting activities; all the ministers, except those of Shas, voted against.” (also easily confirmable)

Say what you will about Minister Yishai, but cannont deny that on this issue he has been consistent. His Sha"S Party, Hassidei Gur, and [not even all] leftists seem to be the only ones who have awoken to the serious, spiritual and psychological dangers of dealing with Christians.

And, who exactly is calling for Yishai to resign?

Reporters.

No surprises there.

Now what I would like to know is, why doesn't anyone seem to be asking about the IFCJ's ties to missionaries?

Good question!

Actually, Jewish Israel, which has reported extensively on the IFCJ.

It is no surprise that this was even mentioned by Israel National News and the Jerusalem Post. Both are known or suspected of having close ties to Christians and their money. The Jerusalem Post even has a Christian Edition.