tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57868042024-03-13T20:57:09.980+02:00Out of Step JewConfronting Judaism. Confronting Modernity. Confronting Ourselves.Hashoukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980042421107163800noreply@blogger.comBlogger971125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786804.post-1158148497042320202006-09-13T14:47:00.000+03:002006-09-13T14:55:59.083+03:00Found: A General with HonorGen. Udi Adam the senior field commander in the recent war in Lebanon has resigned. We will have more to say on this later, but finally, we have found a public persona in Israel with some honor. Will this cause a trickle up effect? I doubt it, but the the Israeli political scene works incrementally. One small step at a time.The calls, though have begun:From the Left: Following GOC Northern Hashoukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980042421107163800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786804.post-1157986040831038332006-09-11T17:46:00.000+03:002006-09-11T17:47:20.870+03:00Looking AheadI was in a small trading room in Israel a bit before the market was set to close when the one trader with a TV on his computer screen told us that a plane had crashed into one of the towers of the World Trade Center. CNN was convinced this was an accident although we in this very Israeli trading room knew better and advised our clients to sell, sell, sell. Israelis know terror when it taps you Hashoukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980042421107163800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786804.post-1157896428781053692006-09-10T16:45:00.000+03:002006-09-10T16:57:16.560+03:00Grasping at Straws?PM Ehud Olmert is trying yet another tactic to buy off the Left. First he tried the 'give back the Golan to Syria' route, but that didn't work, now he is trying to revive the "roadmap".His desperation shows clearly in this quote (Hebrew) from Ma'ariv: "We need to formulate a new understanding that will lead to a diplomatic process as quickly as possible" (empahsis mine). Quick enough to make an Hashoukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980042421107163800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786804.post-1157894047434698702006-09-10T16:11:00.000+03:002006-09-10T16:14:07.456+03:00"I will not go back to those gas chambers ..."Bibi, speaking at NUY (courtesy of the blog of blogs, Instapundit)."Repel the lies. I will not go back to those gas chambers. Not those physical ones, not those of the poisoned wells and slanders."Hashoukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980042421107163800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786804.post-1157723625721381942006-09-08T16:52:00.000+03:002006-09-08T16:53:45.750+03:00Negotiating 101For two nights this week (Tuesday and Wednesday) Israel TV Channel 10 has broadcast propaganda films by the Lebanese and Hezbollah regarding both the capture and murder of IDF soldiers six years ago and the long-time MIA, Ron Arad. The films portrayed the professionalism of the Hezbollah military wing and showed its leader, Hassan Nasrallah in a most humane light as a man who deals with the Hashoukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980042421107163800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786804.post-1157556738802431742006-09-06T18:29:00.000+03:002006-09-06T19:34:34.746+03:00Ultimatum TimeIts time for an ultimatum. No, not Israel's ultimatum for the return of its POW's.Now Lebanon is giving Israel an ultimatum to end the blockade. But Israel is in a much stronger position now than before the war, in a "fantasy" position according to Olmert.I guess the Lebanese don't understand our great deterrent with Olmert-Livni-Peretz in command.Lebanese Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh, said Hashoukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980042421107163800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786804.post-1157428373110090472006-09-05T06:49:00.000+03:002006-09-05T06:52:53.130+03:00Numbered DaysIn professional sports there is no greater sign that a struggling manager or coach is in trouble than when the owner gives him a 'vote of confidence'. In politics, when a sitting prime minister insists "I will be prime minister for four years and even longer" you know his days are numbered.Hashoukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980042421107163800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786804.post-1157359741814073092006-09-04T11:44:00.000+03:002006-09-04T11:49:01.836+03:00Confidence?This quite depressing paragraph is from an Ha'aertz editorial. The essay deals with the prisoners and supports an exchange of prisoners. One can agree or disagree at this point with that position, but the devastating paragraph quoted below makes one wonder how much longer we can continue like this.In normal times, one would rely on Israel's government to act wisely and responsibly to gain the Hashoukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980042421107163800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786804.post-1157094091153658662006-09-01T09:59:00.000+03:002006-09-01T10:01:31.176+03:00Wanted: A General with HonorIs the political protest dieing out or about to start afresh? The rally last night in support of the three Israeli POW's will end up being worthless if it does not get translated into political action. Everyone is trying to be "civil" in the various protest movements so as not to be seen as wanting to blame individuals. But this is politics and individuals must take responsibility for their Hashoukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980042421107163800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786804.post-1156827981148749872006-08-29T08:01:00.000+03:002006-08-29T08:06:21.170+03:00Inquiring MindsPrince Ehud tries to make fools of us all. Instead of appointing a committee with real investigative powers he wants a whitewash. Three seperate investigations when one comprehensive one is necessary. This is on surprise. Mr. "I'm responsible" has not taken responsibility for one thing in his short, but not short enough, administration. We saw it at Amona, we saw it when he appointed and kept Hashoukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980042421107163800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786804.post-1156769820886366982006-08-28T15:53:00.000+03:002006-08-28T15:57:00.906+03:00Cup LevelsEven Amir Peretz's media handler's have lost it:Defense minister refers to criticism against himself, defense establishment, says 'we must see cup as half full in terms of war in Lebanon. There were battles which soldiers emerged from as heroes and there will be many awards'Hashoukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980042421107163800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786804.post-1156757449274515032006-08-28T12:18:00.000+03:002006-08-28T12:30:49.300+03:001973 vs. 2006Ari Shavit, again:...In 1973, the IDF emerged from the war with chief of staff David Elazar and Major Generals Yitzhak Hofi, Yisrael Tal and Arik Sharon threatening both Cairo and Damascus. In the end of the summer of 2006, the IDF is emerging from the fighting with the head of Northern Command Udi Adam, Deputy Chief of Staff Moshe Kaplinsky and Chief of Staff Dan Halutz not even posing a threat Hashoukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980042421107163800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786804.post-1156756083582607362006-08-28T12:06:00.000+03:002006-08-28T12:08:03.606+03:00Searching for Clean GeneIt is really fascinating how no matter the corruption, no matter the incompetence, ideology trumps all. For all the cries of ethics in government, the left (and not just the left, but they are in the forefront now) are not willing to rid the country of corruption and incompetence if it brings a "right wing" government in its place. Their motto should be, "my ideology, crooked or not". The Hashoukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980042421107163800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786804.post-1156753276001091692006-08-28T11:18:00.000+03:002006-08-28T11:21:16.023+03:00Twice RansomedAccording to Time magazine, the two Fox News reporters were kidnapped in order to make it harder for Israeli Cpl. Gilad Shalit, to be released. Palestinian security sources close to the negotiators told TIME that the two Fox Newsmen — reporter Steve Centanni, 60, from Washington, D.C., and New Zealand cameraman Olaf Wiig, 36 — were kidnapped from Gaza to embarrass Haniyeh's government. The Hashoukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980042421107163800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786804.post-1156687439340603382006-08-27T16:59:00.000+03:002006-08-27T17:03:59.363+03:00Ehud in WonderlandIt must be nice in his world.From YNET: His poll results are abysmal, protestors are practically beating down the door to his office but, despite all that, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert spoke proudly in a Sunday morning cabinet meeting of the accomplishments of the Lebanon war. According to him, prior to the war, its outcomes would have been considered a "fantasy". "If someone would have told me Hashoukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980042421107163800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786804.post-1156626995682772032006-08-27T00:10:00.000+03:002006-08-27T00:16:35.706+03:00Off the RailsIt is an odd time when I start agreeing with so many columnists from Ha'aretz. Not everything or everyone, mind you, but the essence of their remarks. Corruption as the essence of what has gone wrong is now too obvious for even Ha'aretz columnists to ignore in support of ideological purity. They tolerated the corruption of Sharon and then Olmert, thinking that they could get them to do the dirtyHashoukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980042421107163800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786804.post-1156508144950536102006-08-25T15:11:00.000+03:002006-08-25T15:15:44.973+03:00Keeping His WordAs Israeli FM Tzippi Livni congratulates herself on having countries keep just some of their promises and tries to fill the holes in the agreement she negotiated, Chirac continues with his usual way: French President Jacques Chriac said Friday that he does not believe the expanded U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon needs 15,000 troops, and he called that figure "excessive."A U.N. resolution callsHashoukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980042421107163800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786804.post-1156491370118262802006-08-25T10:32:00.000+03:002006-08-25T10:36:10.140+03:00Yediot Poll ResultsAccording to a poll published today in Yediot (YNET – English, fuller version in Hebrew): Yes, on resignation:Olmert – 63%Peretz – 74%Halutz – 54%Who ought to be Defense Minister:Peretz - 3%Mofaz – 25%Ami Ayalon – 20%Moshe (Bogie) Ayalon – 18% If elections were held today, the number of mandates for the following party (current number in parentheses):Kadima - 17 (Hashoukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980042421107163800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786804.post-1156399540562213052006-08-24T09:03:00.000+03:002006-08-24T09:05:40.586+03:00ReplacementsIf things start to heat up again in Lebanon with Syria being tempted to get directly involved the main question here in Israel is will Olmert have the guts to fire Amir Peretz as Defense Minister and form a national unity government and will the new Defense Minister have the power to replace Dan Halutz as Chief of Staff? That Olmert himself needs to be replaced goes without saying but that would Hashoukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980042421107163800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786804.post-1156349096001675402006-08-23T18:55:00.000+03:002006-08-23T19:04:56.333+03:00Syria Prepares for WarThe Olmert-Peretz-Livni troika are desperate to hang in there by appeasing whomever they can. Even the Ha'aretz editorial page doesn't think that Bashar Assad is a man worth negotiating with - but the political survival of the trioka trumps the national interest.They could do worse than reading this in the Lebanon Daily Star:The rise of President Bashar Assad to power in Syria in 2000, which Hashoukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980042421107163800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786804.post-1156103564563355632006-08-20T22:51:00.000+03:002006-08-20T22:52:44.583+03:00AwayWe will be away for a few days. Back at the end of the week.Hashoukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980042421107163800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786804.post-1156050225474523992006-08-20T08:03:00.000+03:002006-08-20T08:03:45.503+03:00The Problem of IranistanThe end of the current phase of the Lebanon war leaves Hezbollah in place, bleeding a little, but with an opportunity to consolidate their positions in Lebanon in general and in the south part of the country in particular. This is already leading, with help from their patrons to the creation of Iranistan. The question is not if Iranistan is coming into being but what will be the scope and size ofHashoukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980042421107163800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786804.post-1155916099316828552006-08-18T18:43:00.000+03:002006-08-18T18:48:19.346+03:00DisturbingDisturbing news of the results of a poll of Israeli-Arabs on Nasrallah and the war.From the (Lebanon) Daily Star:The monthly peace index published by Tel Aviv University's Tami Steinmetz Center for Peace Research found on July 31-August 1 that 68 percent of Arab citizens of Israel defined Israel's war in Lebanon as unjustified; 79 percent claimed that Israel's air attacks on Lebanon were Hashoukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980042421107163800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786804.post-1155903069063490342006-08-18T15:10:00.000+03:002006-08-18T15:11:09.096+03:00Nothing Else to DoOne of the major problems with the Israeli political system is that it is built on a parliamentary system but operates as a local political machine. A serious scandal aside, no one expects a US President to resign over errors of policy or strategy. Certain cabinet members may be expected to tender their resignations but not the President. This is understandable since elections can't be brought Hashoukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980042421107163800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5786804.post-1155902113412196172006-08-18T14:53:00.000+03:002006-08-18T15:19:39.116+03:001701: The Recipe for Iranistan?With Hezbollah celebrating in Teheran and in the Arab world and with the Lebanese Army declaring openly that they won't fight their "brothers": With France sending a measly 400 troops to the UNIFIL force and Indonesia 1,000 (yes the same Indonesia that refused to play the Israeli women's volleyball team): With Amir Peretz talking about appeasing Syria now that appeasing their client hasen't Hashoukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980042421107163800noreply@blogger.com