Jordan Valley Settlement: Winners and Losers

ב' לחודש האחד עשר תשע"ד

Jordan Valley must remain part of Israel 'for all eternity,' Gideon Sa'ar says

Times Of Israel: Hours before Kerry visit, senior minister helps build settlement
Accompanied by entourage of parliamentarians, Sa’ar says Israel must maintain its civilian, military presence on eastern frontier

Raphael Ahren, January 2, 2014, with Mitch Ginsburg and Times of Israel staff 

Gid'on Sa'ar
Interior Minister

A top Israeli minister on Thursday led a delegation of parliamentarians to the Jordan Valley, where he helped inaugurate a new neighborhood in a settlement and vowed to maintain a military and civilian presence in the territory “for all eternity.” Gideon Sa’ar’s statement came mere hours ahead of the arrival in Israel of US Secretary of State John Kerry, who is slated to present a “framework” for a peace deal to Israeli and Palestinian leaders, including a proposal for security arrangements in the valley, which borders Jordan.

“We are here in the Jordan valley out of a recognition that during these days one of the most crucial issues to Israel’s future is at stake,” Sa’ar, the interior minister, told journalists at a lookout over the Jordan Valley named for the late IDF general and Labor Party politician Yigal Allon.

Sa’ar was accompanied by an entourage of deputy ministers and other MKs, including Likud’s Ze’ev Elkin, Tzipi Hotovely, Yariv Levin and Reuven Rivlin [and Miri Regev]; the Jewish Home party’s Eli Ben-Dahan, Orit Struck and Ayelet Shaked; and Yesh Atid’s Dov Lipman and Ronen Hoffman.

The “crucial” issue is where Israel’s border is going to be drawn: whether it will be the Jordan River or, “God forbid,” somewhere near Netanya and Kfar Saba, Sa’ar said, noting that Israel would become a “state with no strategic depth” if it withdrew from the valley.

“The presence of the IDF in the Jordan Valley can’t be a temporary thing; it needs to be for all eternity,” he added, linking Israel’s military presence to the ongoing presence of settlers in the area.

Sa’ar noted that all Israeli governments since the 1970s had built settlements in the Jordan valley, including Labor-led governments, and added: “It needs to be entirely clear that where there will be no settlements, there will be no IDF. Where there will be no IDF there will be no security and there will be terror instead.”

Ze'ev Elkin
Foreign Affairs
Deputy Minister

After the impromptu press conference at the lookout, the group continued to the Jordan Valley community of Gitit, where Sa’ar and his companions lent a symbolic hand to efforts to construct a new settlement neighborhood, taking turns hoisting buckets of cement and pouring them into the foundations of a new building.

Thursday’s event was “the right action at the right time,” said Elkin, the deputy foreign minister, evoking the late diplomat Abba Eban’s comparison of the 1967 lines to “Auschwitz borders.” He added that in light of Kerry’s visit and the security arrangements proposed by the Obama administration, the ministers were presenting to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Israel’s “sole possible response” to the demands made of it.

MK Dov Lipman

Lipman, the MK from the centrist Yesh Atid party, told The Times of Israel that his presence and the presence of his fellow party member Hoffman was no indication that Yesh Atid was in favor of recent efforts by some Likud ministers to legislate the annexation of the Jordan Valley. Rather, he said, he was there to “discuss the issues.”

The event was organized by the Caucus for Eretz Israel, a Knesset caucus dedicated to fortifying Israel’s presence in all parts of the West Bank. The minister and the other MKs are also to visit other communities in the Jordan Valley, including a meeting with farmers in the settlement of Tomer.

Israel's "Fearless Leader?"
(Photo Credit: YNET Archives)

The West Bank border region has become a sticking point in negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, with Jerusalem demanding the long-term presence of Israeli troops in the area, a proposal the Palestinians reject.

On Sunday, a bill to annex the Jordan Valley passed a key ministerial committee, drawing condemnations from both Palestinians and Israelis, who said it threatened the future of the talks. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) is expected to thwart the bill becoming law. (cont.)


Esser Agaroth (2¢):
OK. Whatever....

...Symbolic settlement cementing supposedly signifies something.

I won't knock the MK's who went out to pass cement and plant trees, symbolically or not. Interestingly enough, this event took place on the first of the Eleventh Month in the Hebrew calendar, Sh'vat, the day which Beth Shammai believed was the New Year of the Trees, which, of course, we celebrate on Tu (15) b'Sh'vat.

...באחד בשבט, ראש השנה לאילן, כדברי בית שמאי; בית הלל אומרין, בחמישה עשר בו. (משנה ראש השנה א,א)

...on the first of Sh'vat, the new year of the tree, according to the school of Shammai; the school of Hillel says on the fifteenth. (Mishnah Rosh HaShannah 1:1)

Another significant event occurred on this day, and is mentioned in our Holy Torah.

But, the big loser today is Rb. MK Dov Lipman, whom I have already declared is a spy,...in the Book of Numbers sense. There to “discuss the issues,” huh? And, when the annexation of the Jordan Valley becomes law, then you can say that you were there?

If we have to wait for Mashi'ah, in order to conquer the Land thoroughly, then what are you doing, sitting in the government of a conquering force? Next, we will start hearing the "O" word out of your mouth?

Leftist Incitement Continues In Religious Jewish Neighborhoods

4 of the Eleventh Month 5771

Leftist incitement continues in Jewish, Shimon HaTzadiq neighborhood of Jerusalem.

I saw a friend of mine on Shabbath. He is a resident of the Shimon HaTzadiq neighborhood. He reported that last Friday, minutes before sheqi'ath hahamah (sunset), three Leftist agitators convinced an Arab boy to commit an act of vandalism against one of the buildings in the neighborhood, by ripping down an Israeli flag hung from a window by the building's residents.

These leftists have done their homework, and know full well that the religious residents of the neighborhood are powerless, or at least very limited in what they can do in the form of a response during Shabbath.

1. Torah observant Jews will not contact the police, unless it is necessary to save a life.

2. They will not risk going after a minor over such a small thing, which would invariably lead to the arrest of Jews, and portrayal of the Arab minor as a victim.

3. Even if they succeed in retrieving the flag, the would not return it to its proper place, during Shabbath.

Apparently these leftists think that it is quite alright that Arabs have been squatting in Jewish homes since the 1940's, rent free.

When justice is served, and Jews are able to reclaim their stolen homes, the Leftists have a problem with that.

Furthermore, the above strategy targeting Torah-observant Jews is parallel to the anti-Torah strategy employed by Leftists in Yehudah & Shomron.

Before the last Shemitah (Land Sabbatical) year (תשס"ח/2007-2008), Leftists ripped out newly planted trees, and encouraged Arabs to do the same, knowing full well that the Torah-observant residents would not violate Torah law by replanting them after Rosh HaShannah, 2007, the beginning of the Shemitah.

Yet, these same Leftists try to accuse the residents of destroying trees in a manner which is also forbidden under Torah Law, during ANY year.

Truly a nasty strategy which demonstrates great hatred towards HaShem's Torah, and toward the Jews who follow it.

Rain Song (Teaching Tool)

14 of the Tenth Month 5771

Rain, rain, come and play.

Rain, rain, come to stay.

Come to water the fields, and so

All the trees and flowers will grow.

This is something I wrote while teaching elementary school English as a Foreign Language [EFL].

Often, EFL teachers write their own songs, chants, poems, and stories. Regardless of how good the available teaching materials are, this is done in order to fine tune the focus of the materials to the needs of students.

I introduce the above in the fall, as this is the time for Jewish prayers for rain.

I then remind the students of this song around Tu b'Sh'vat, the New Year of the Trees.

Reading and spelling wise, the words of this song contain several vowel pairs, and vowel-consonant pairs (e. g. ai, ay, ie, ow), including pairs which have different possible pronunciations and different pairs which have the same pronunciation.

One kind find many other examples in this song for reading and spelling words which are unique.

Most teachers do not like to explain grammar, especially at the lower levels. They do not see it to be terribly helpful.

However, one rule I find very helpful to tell students is the following:

יש הרבה כללים באנגלית. אבל יש גם הרבה פעמים כשאגלית לא הולכת לפי הכללים!

There are many rules in English. But there are also many times when English does not go according to the rules!

May our prayers for rain be answered, and may we succeed in passing on the importance of all prayers to our children.

A Tree Grows In Amsterdam

14 of the Ninth Month 5768

There has been a lot of buzz going around lately about the tree Anne Frank HY"D (May HaShem avenge her blood) used to see through her window, while in hiding from the Nazis YSh"W. Here's a report, which is as good as any I suppose, from the AP.

So, now, here's my Esser Agaroth:

Maybe saving her tree is important, if it is possible. However, if this tree cannot be cured of its fungal blight, and is going to infect the other trees in the area, then chop it down.

Take lots of photos, invite painters in for one last "portrait sitting," and then chop it down.

Trees are important; remembering IS important. But, this tree cannot be aloud to remain standing at the expense of the surrounding, healthy trees.

If protecting the lives of trees is important, even the life of the singular "Anne Frank's Tree," then what about human life?

Remembering the Holocaust and its victims is important. But, should remembering the fallen be placed ahead of protecting the living?

Should remembering fallen Jews take precedence over protecting living Jews?

Just think of how much could be accomplished with even one fourth of the money spent on elaborate museums and memorials, in order to stop the current threats to the Jewish People.

I'll let individuals decide for themselves what that money could be used for. Here are a few of my suggestions:

Food, housing, and care for poor and elderly Jews
Yes, even in the US, these Jews exist.

Helping the [real] Jews get out of the former Soviet Union
Poor Jews who don't have train fare to make to the Jewish Agency in Moscow or Kiev or wherever are stuck. Whereas active recruiting of non-Jews, who may or may not have a Jewish grandparent, continues, per Israeli government policy.

and of course...

Combating Intermarriage
This is what I call the "Silent Holocaust." (I await the onslaught of hate mail for my employment of this expression.) Statistics already demonstrate its effects. The Jewish population in the Israel increases, while the Jewish population in the U. S. decreases. I wish that I could say this is due to mass immigration to Israel. But, I cannot.

and in case you haven't been paying attention...

Combating Terrorism
Arabs continue to shoot and bomb and manipulate the West in an effort to wipe Israel off the map. I say "Israel" here, because Jews are still too deep in denial about the Arabs' true objectives. (For those Jews who are not too deep in denial: It isn't Israel the Arabs want to wipe off the map; it's YOU!)

By the way, the photo of the qassam rocket was not taken in S'deroth. The photo is from a school in Ashqelon!

and do you really think that Jews are safe even in the U. S.?

Check this out: Shwastika Epidemic in the United States.

What's the point of remembering atrocities against the Jewish People IF we do not do enough to prevent the next atrocities from occurring?

If enough is not done, then there won't be any Jews left to visit your museums, or to appreciate a tree growing in Amsterdam.

May God forbid.


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Here are a few more posts on this issue:

Debbie Schlussel
The Eye of the Storm