#even dead Palestinians and Thai people

[screamingfromuz]

I finally figured out why the response from the global left made me so angry.

Jewish leftist, including myself, never hesitated to condemn the Israeli government and Israeli citizens for their treatment of Palestinians. for example- I know were I was in Huwara. I was calling out the brutality of the pogrom done by right wings extremeness, criticizing it, calling for punishment of the terrorists, warning that this escalation of violence would do nothing but continue the violence. we did not try and justify it as a neutral response for the murder of two people, no, I knew that this kind of behavior has no excuse.

and we did the same every single time. the Israeli left always knew where it was when the Palestinians were the victims of violence, we often stood right there next to them.

and the leftist of the world loved it. held us up to prove that they are right, "you see? even they agree! free Palestine!"

and we expected the same. we expected that if the horrors will come to us, the global left will support us. We knew that they struggle since Israeli missiles hit while Hamas/Hezbollah/Jihad missiles get intercepted by a system that costs millions to operate. but surely, they kept saying that they would have spoken out if the Jews are in danger, they will stand with us in our grief.

and then came October 7th.

and we were shown once again that we are nothing but a token.

people celebrated the attack, and even those who did notת hesitated to condemn it. It was people being butchered in their own homes, a fucking war crime! all while they were hurling hundreds of missiles at civilian targets! at homes, at playground, at hospitals!

and yet, if it was not celebrating, the global left was silent.

I read a colon by a Danna Frank she described how an Israeli women who study in Yell was shaken and crying the entire day, and no one asked for her well being. Frank herself received messages from friends abroad during that day, and one of them asked after the well being of Palestinian waiters in Ramallah and offered them prayers and not ask after her own fucking sake. Seeds for Peace, that always had what to say at the beginning of any Israeli operation, stayed quiet for days, when they did post something, it was to call against violence from both sides, not even mentioning the massacre. and there are so many more instances.

It hurt so much because it was a betrayal. a prof that we are only cared for when we are either a token or dead.

We stood up again and again and again for the rights of others, against our own deeds, and when it was our people left dead on the ground, the quiet was disturbed only by the sounds of celebration.

We should have known

The Israeli left and the Jewish left stand alone in the global stage.

We now know who are allies are.

#they could excuse anything if it means dead Jews #even dead Palestinians and Thai people #shout out to the Palestinians who stood against it without hesitation #may the power above let our people build a better future together #even bigger shutout to the Bedouin in the Negev that immediately made search parties and rescued people while under Hamas fire #another shutout to all the solidarity projects- we will get through this together #israel #palestine #jumblr #antisemitism #ישראבלר #ישראל #iron swords #hamas attack #october 7th #tokenism #terrorism #palestinian terrorism #hamas #leftist antisemitism #leftist hypocrisy #judaism #uz talks

[matan4il]

Daily update post:

Yesterday, the IDF managed to prevent an independent Palestinian terrorist attack, by killing the would be terrorist on his way to execute his plan. Based on the type of weapons that were found on him, had he managed to carry out the attack, there probably would have been a lot of fatalities.

Also yesterday, the UN Security Council had an emergency session to discuss the UN report on the sexual violence of Hamas on Oct 7 and since (with the hostages). This was thanks to Israel asking several countries to request this session, and the US, the UK and France obliged. Believe it or not, more than 5 months after the biggest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust and the single bloodiest day in the Israeli-Arab conflict, that was the FIRST time that the UN has met to discuss what happened to people in Israel on that day. Let it sink in that the UN has discussed earlier and more frequently the situation in Gaza, than the massacre that started it. And that the UN still doesn't consider Hamas a terrorist organization. Israel again asked for this to change during yesterday's session.

Remember how I wrote about Yussuf and Hamza al-Ziadna, 2 of the 3 Muslim Israeli hostages, still held in Gaza after more than 5 months? Well, yesterday at the UN, Ali al-Ziadna, Yussuf's brother and Hamza's uncle, confronted the Palestinian ambassador, demanding to know why the Muslim Israeli hostages have not been released to fast and pray during Ramadan, as all Muslims should get to, and how could Hamas call themselves Muslims... (I'll just correct one thing he said: while Hamas released 23 of its 32 Thai hostages without asking for anything in return, but as part of the November 2023 deal to release the Israeli hostages, 9 Thai citizens are still in captivity. I do not want anyone to forget these men, they must be released and reunited with their loved ones, too)

The BBC has already been accused by members of the British Parliament of being institutionally antisemitic. Now, it seems like the British broadcaster is insisting on further proving those accusations right, as its head chooses to defend the BBC's use of an unsubstantiated witness account from a "journalist" known to be working for Iran, and who has in the past praised terrorists killing Israelis (his testament matches Hamas' narrative) regarding the stampede incident in northern Gaza. But, you know. Good on the Jews and the Jewish state for controlling the media. *eyeroll*

This is 58 years old Rami Davidian.

He's a farmer from moshav Patish. On Oct 7, he got a message from a friend, asking Rami to save his kid, who was at the Nova music festival, where today we know was the single deadliest scene of all the place Hamas attacked during the massacre. Rami went in, and saved the kid and 12 others in his vehicle, while also directing others to moshav Patish. This led to more people hearing about it, and calling Rami as well, giving him details about their loved ones, and asking for his help in rescuing them. Rami went back in, again and again, to an active shooting scene controlled by murderous terrorists, for hours, and he kept getting people out. Once, to save the life of a young girl, he approached the terrorists, and speaking Arabic to them, he lied that he's a Muslim Arab like them who came to warn them of nearing soldiers, and that they must flee, leaving their victim behind. Rami didn't know this, but on that day, many actual Israeli Muslim Arabs were murdered by Hamas for "working for the Jews," which the terrorists claimed made these Arabs even worse than the Jews. But miraculously, the lie worked for Rami. Once the IDF arrived and Rami was no longer needed to save the living, he helped with the identification and bringing to burial of the dead. After everything he had done for others on that day, risking his own life repeatedly, 2 days ago Rami gave an interview, and said that it's the survivors of Hamas' sexual violence who are the real heroes. Thank you for everything you did and who you are, Rami. Together with other people who risked themselves to save others, whether Jewish or not, you are gibor Yisrael (hero of Israel).

This is 19 years old Itay Chen.

He's one of the Israeli hostages that in the past 5 months, I have heard his parents speaking about their fears over not having gotten a sign of life, and hopes for his release countless times. As Itay has an American citizenship, they even personally met with Biden to plea for their son's life. Today we got the announcement that he had in fact been murdered on Oct 7, and it's his body that's being held captive by Hamas. I have no doubt that Israel will still do whatever it can to get it back, and allow him to be brought to kever Yisrael (Hebrew term for Jewish burial. Literally: Israel grave), and it would even release convicted terrorists to make that happen (it has done this before), but obviously the "price" for a living hostage is higher, not to mention that the thought of someone alive and suffering in captivity comes with a greater psychological pressure and urgency, so Hamas intentionally and cruelly let his parents spend months not knowing, hoping for what Hamas already know was impossible, fly all over the world, and beg for something that no one could give them. I just have no words for this type of ruthlessness.

May his memory be a blessing.

(for all of my updates and ask replies regarding Israel, click here)

#israel #antisemitism #israeli #israel news #israel under attack #israel under fire #terrorism #anti terrorism #hamas #antisemitic #antisemites #jews #jew #judaism #jumblr #frumblr #jewish #israelunderattack #un

[v-v-x-x]

Stop getting brainwashed by western media. Genuinely so sad that youve allowed yourself to be because the same shit the US and Britain and Israel are doing to the Palestinians and people that oppose them is the same shit they've been doing in the global south n Indigenous land and in all their wars INCLUDING BLACK PEOPLE. Wake up

No one is brainwashing my hun. Hamas is literally killing black Israelis, brown Israelis for sport and you guys don't seem to care. Don't you dare try and bring my fucking race into this you piece of fucking shit. You're the racist one. It's funny because majority of Israelis people I've seen are not even fucking white! I am awake. You guys are the ones that's asleep so don't come for me. You guys are the main ones calling people racial slurs the minute someone doesn't agree with your cause. Y'all want us to defend your cause but then try to coach us on how we're living our lives. I'm bisexual and the last time I checked, Palestinians in the videos have specifically said they don't want the alphabet community supporting them. Hamas is killing black people there and they're celebrating it. I am a woman and Hamas is literally raping young girls and parading their dead bodies. I have every right to be fucking outraged so don't you dare try and coach me about Americas history or UK's history because I fucking know. "It's genuinely sad" oh cry me a fucking river. If you love Hamas so much then go join them to be a human shield because that's how much your life is worth. Israel stood with Dr.King and I stand with them. Don't call me blind because I'm seeing videos of HAMAS killing women, HAMAS torturing those Thai workers, HAMAS spitting on women's dead bodies after raping them, HAMAS kidnapping babies and killing them, HAMAS using their own people as shields, HAMAS throwing gay men off roofs so they plummet to their death. THEY ARE NOT VICTIMS. Kay? Kay. So don't bring my race into this like you're trying to teach me something. "From the river to the sea" bitch, name a fucking river.

#i stand with israel #israel #free palestin from hamas #fuck hamas #hamas is isis

[dykesynthezoid]

It’s crazy how many people I’ve had to unfollow and block this week, people I liked and trusted, because they were (perhaps unknowingly) peddling holocaust inversion, making veiled references to dual loyalty, repeating straight up historical revisionism, and so on. Words truly cannot describe how exhausting it is.

And that’s without even getting into this belief western leftists seem to have that Palestine’s situation MUST be one-to-one comparable to oppression or colonization that’s happened in the western world (it isn’t) or that Hamas is just a form of Palestinian Resistance Doing What They Have To Do (they aren’t, they’re staunch religious nationalists, they don’t care about Palestinian lives, besides Israeli civilians they’ve also been killing Bedouins and Thai immigrants, Gaza is the largest open air prison and they’re the wardens, they haven’t allowed people in Gaza an election since 2006) or that it is in fact highly offensive and spitting in the face of Palestinian activism to equate the Palestinian people with Hamas’ actions, or to imply that Hamas acts for all Palestinians (Palestinian activists have been fighting the issue of collective punishment for decades, tooth and nail, and every time you act like Hamas represents Palestinians you are playing right into racist Israeli propaganda)

Nevermind that my stance as an anti-apartheid, pro-Palestinian anti-zionist doesn’t even really matter to any of the people repeating those things! I could decry Israeli apartheid and war crimes, condemn genocide, say I want Netanyahu dead until I’m blue in the face. It wouldn’t matter. The fact that I have the audacity to mourn dead Jews, to be upset about witnessing antisemitism in my spaces, would be enough to paint me as a secret evil zionist, to justify harassment and death threats. I know because I’ve been watching it happen to people all week.

#antisemitism #praying for the people of palestine. please if you live in the us contact your reps and donate to verified organizations #in Palestine if you can #and check on your Jewish friends

[iwait4youalexg]

It is so odd living in a place where literally everyone is a Zionist and a Republican bc I am made to feel so insane all the time like I try to bring up the thousands of dead Palestinians to my parents and I just end up getting yelled at like I am not stating an objective fact here same as if I told you I had leftover Thai food for lunch today. And then I go to my job which is a preschool within a temple so it is overwhelmingly Zionist (last week they were handing out bracelets that said ‘I stand with Israel’ to 3 and 4 year olds) and my coworkers who in every other way have shown themselves to be very nice people are talking about how they’re not going to Starbucks bc the union made a pro Palestine statement (even though the corporation struck it down and Starbucks has proven itself to be very much Zionist) and I’m honestly trying so hard to understand their perspective like oh maybe they have no idea the state of Israel has been mercilessly killing people for decades and is doing it right now maybe the news they’re watching isn’t reporting on it they’re probably not watching hours of footage of genocide on tik tok after coming home from work like I am maybe it’s not their fault maybe I can be assured that I am surrounded by people who are not evil at heart. But honestly I don’t know

#like I just have to be civil and joke around with my father knowing he said ‘let her go there and get raped by Hamas’ about me #simply for bringing up the death toll

[newstfionline]

Headlines

Hacker gained access to 100 million Capital One credit card applications and accounts (CNN) In one of the biggest-ever data breaches, a hacker gained access to more than 100 million Capital One customers’ accounts and credit card applications earlier this year. Paige Thompson is accused of breaking into a Capital One server and gaining access to 140,000 Social Security numbers, 1 million Canadian Social Insurance numbers and 80,000 bank account numbers, in addition to an undisclosed number of people’s names, addresses, credit scores, credit limits, balances, and other information.

On Costliest U.S. Warship Ever, Navy Can’t Get Munitions on Deck (Bloomberg) Only two of 11 elevators needed to lift munitions to the deck of the U.S. Navy’s new $13 billion aircraft carrier have been installed, according to a Navy veteran who serves on a key House committee. “I don’t see an end in sight right now” to getting all the elevators working on the USS Gerald R. Ford, the costliest warship ever, Democratic Representative Elaine Luria of Virginia said in an interview. The shakedown phase has been extended to October and the vessel won’t have all the elevators installed--much less functioning--by then, according to Luria, a 20-year Navy surface warfare officer whose served on two aircraft carriers and as shore maintenance coordinator for a third. “Essentially, the ship can’t deploy,” Luria said. “It can’t carry ammunition.”

Senate fails to overturn Saudi arms sale veto (BBC) The US Senate has failed in its latest bid to block the controversial sale of $8.1bn (£6.5bn) worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia. It fell short of the two-thirds majority needed to overturn President Donald Trump’s veto, used to override resolutions passed by both chambers of Congress preventing the sale. Critics fear the weapons may be used on civilians in the Yemen conflict. Mr Trump argued that blocking the sale would weaken US global competitiveness.

Over 900 Children Separated at U.S. Border Since Policy Halted: ACLU (Reuters) The American Civil Liberties Union on Tuesday asked a federal judge to stop the Trump administration’s ongoing separation of families at the U.S.-Mexico border, saying the government had taken more than 900 children from their parents since the policy officially ended last year.

It’s official: UK broke temperature record during heat wave (AP) Britain has officially had its hottest day on record. Weather agency the Met Office says the temperature reached 38.7 C (101.7 F) at Cambridge University Botanic Garden in eastern England during last week’s heat wave. The previous U.K. record was 38.5 C (101.3 F), set in August 2003. Temperature records fell across Europe last week as a suffocating heat wave swept up from the Sahara.

Greek Lawmakers Vote to Ease Some Taxes From Bailout Era (AP) Lawmakers in Greece have approved measures to ease bailout-era taxes nearly a year after the country ended its final rescue program, but most of the taxes imposed during the crisis will remain in effect.

Blast in Pakistani city Quetta kills five: police (Reuters) Five people including two policemen were killed and 27 injured in a blast near a police station in southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta on Tuesday evening, a week after a similar blast that killed two people, police said.

Sri Lanka Gives Free Visa to Boost Tourism After Bomb Blasts (AP) Sri Lanka says it will give one-month free visa on arrival to visitors from nearly 50 countries in its latest effort to revive the island nation’s lucrative tourism industry that was badly hit by the Easter bomb attacks.

Iran to Reduce Nuclear Deal Commitments More Unless Europe Protects It: Zarif (Reuters) Iran is set to further cut its commitments to its international nuclear deal unless its European partners move to protect it from U.S. sanctions by ensuring it can sell oil and receive income, its foreign minister told state television on Wednesday.

Bangladesh Grapples With Country’s Worst Dengue Outbreak (AP) Bangladesh is facing its worst-ever dengue fever outbreak as hospitals are flooded with patients, putting a severe strain on the country’s poor emergency services.

A drug-resistant strain of malaria is making the disease ‘almost untreatable’ in southeast Asia (Washington Post) Two recent studies have found that the presence of drug-resistant strains of malaria is on the rise in southeast Asia. The research has provoked alarm among scientists who are leading the fight against one of the world’s most stubborn health problems. The disease is “getting close to being untreatable,” said Arjen Dondorp a lead author of one the studies and the head of malaria research at the Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit in Thailand.

Top diplomats gather in Bangkok for key Asia-Pacific talks (AP) Top diplomats from the Asia-Pacific region started gathering Tuesday in the Thai capital to discuss issues of concern to the area, including security on the Korean peninsula and China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea. The meetings in Bangkok are hosted by the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, chaired this year by Thailand. Thai officials say there will be 27 meetings in all through Saturday, and 31 countries and alliances will participate.

North Korea Tests More Missiles Despite Efforts at Diplomatic Solutions (Reuters) North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles early on Wednesday, the South Korean military said, only days after it launched two similar missiles intended to pressure South Korea and the United States to stop upcoming military drills.

White House Eyeing Chinese Forces Gathered on Hong Kong Border (Bloomberg) The White House is monitoring what a senior administration official called a congregation of Chinese forces on Hong Kong’s border. Weeks of unrest in the Chinese territory have begun to overwhelm Hong Kong’s police, who have found themselves in violent clashes with protesters. China warned Monday that the civil disorder had gone “far beyond” peaceful protest after police deployed tear gas over the weekend. The nature of the Chinese buildup wasn’t clear; the official said that units of the Chinese military or armed police had gathered at the border with Hong Kong. The official briefed reporters on condition he not be identified.

China celebrates ‘very happy lives’ in Xinjiang, after detaining 1 million Uighurs (Washington Post) The Chinese government Tuesday declared its campaign of control and repression in the majority-Muslim region of Xinjiang to be a resounding success, claiming that almost all those detained in internment camps had been released and were now “living very happy lives.” Signaling the start of a new phase in Xinjiang, officials quoted reams of figures to support their claims that life in Xinjiang had improved remarkably under 70 years of Communist rule and that the government’s “deradicalization” campaign had been effective. The government’s portrayal of the situation in Xinjiang differs sharply from firsthand accounts of life there.

China to Halt Individual Taiwan Tourism Permits for 47 Mainland Cities (Reuters) China will stop issuing individual travel permits for Taiwan to people in 47 mainland cities from Aug. 1, its culture and tourism ministry said on Wednesday, citing the state of ties with the self-ruled island, but gave no details.

Israel Approves New Homes for Settlers, Palestinians in West Bank (Reuters) Israel has approved the construction of 6,000 new homes for Jewish settlers and 700 new homes for Palestinians in an area of the occupied West Bank where it has full control, an Israeli official said on Wednesday.

Suspected Boko Haram fighters kill 65 in attack on funeral in Nigeria (Washington Post) Villagers were walking home from a funeral in northeast Nigeria this weekend when gunmen on motorbikes surrounded them in a graveyard and opened fire. The attack bearing the hallmarks of terrorist group Boko Haram left at least 65 people dead, authorities said Monday, as residents urged the military to ramp up protection in a region gripped by extremist violence.

South Africa says unemployment at highest level in a decade (AP) South Africa says unemployment has reached its highest level in a decade at 29%. It is the latest grim report for Africa’s most developed economy, which in May announced that growth had dropped by the most in a decade during the first quarter. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration is under public pressure to turn around the economy and clean up corruption. That dissatisfaction led to the worst election showing in 25 years for Ramaphosa’s ruling African National Congress in May.

#headlines

[ebenpink]

World News Briefs -- May 10, 2019 (Evening Edition) http://bit.ly/2LBdSSg

Reuters: Exclusive: Eyeing Iran, U.S. sending more Patriot missiles to Middle East WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan has approved a new deployment of Patriot missiles to the Middle East, a U.S. official told Reuters on Friday, in the latest U.S. response to what Washington sees as a growing threat from Iran. The decision further bolsters U.S. defenses and comes after the Trump administration expedited the deployment of a carrier strike group and sent bombers to the Middle East following what it said were troubling indications of possible preparations for an attack by Iran. Read more ....

MIDDLE EAST

U.S. warns merchant ships of possible Iranian attacks in Middle East. Iran Guards reject U.S. talks, cleric threatens carrier. Turkish defense minister says Syrian forces must halt attacks in northwest Syria. Syrian troops continue push into jihadist stronghold of Idlib province. ISIL attack kills at least four civilians in Baghdad's Sadr City. Iraq under US pressure over Shia militias role. Yemen's Houthis to start Hodeidah withdrawal on Saturday: U.N.. Yemen government says UAE sending separatist fighters to Socotra. Amid outcry over Yemen war, Saudi ship leaves France without arms cargo. Israel lifts restriction on Gaza fishing zone as truce holds. Lebanese government to tighten soldiers' eligibility for frontline benefits. U.S. envoy says Palestinian leaders seek to kill peace plan, should hold fire.

ASIA

Millions in India face uncertain future after being left off citizenship list. Pakistan: Five dead as Baloch separatist gunmen attack coal mine. Sri Lanka army chief says threat of more Islamist militant attacks contained. North Korea's Kim orders stronger strike power; U.S. still open to talks. North Korea requested US send 'famous basketball players' to normalize relations: report. North Korean media condemns U.S. THAAD training as “military provocation”. China has stepped up efforts to infiltrate Taiwan - president. China cracks down on Ramadan fasting, prompting activist boycott of Chinese products. Thai activists accused of insulting monarchy 'disappear' in Vietnam.

AFRICA

American hostage among four freed in western Africa following French special forces raid; two soldiers killed. Nigerian pro-government militia frees hundreds of children. Nigeria violence: Widespread attacks by armed gangs. US air attack kills 13 ISIL fighters in Somalia. South Africa election: ANC hails Ramaphosa for staving off defeat. Libyan government presses US to block Gulf support for Tripoli offensive. Tripoli threatens to suspend activities of forty foreign firms in Libya. At least 50 dead after sinking of migrant boat off Tunisia, says UN.

EUROPE

Republicans, Democrats concerned about Hungary's Orban ahead of U.S. visit. Greek PM Tsipras wins confidence vote weeks before EU election. US Secretary of State to visit Moscow, Sochi on May 12-14. Russia, Ukraine naval dispute lands before sea tribunal in Hamburg. Giuliani urges Ukraine to investigate Democrats. EU chief: Britain would choose to stay in second referendum. Donald Tusk: chance of Brexit being cancelled could be 30%. German government defends planned immigration laws. Marine Le Pen, Italy's Salvini forge far-right alliance to 'overhaul EU from within'. Row over German anthem erupts amid nationalism debate. Over 10 mln people join Immortal Regiment marches in Russia.

AMERICAS

U.S. House panel chairman subpoenas Trump's tax returns. Former top FBI lawyer on defense as IG probe on surveillance abuse nears close. Former FBI lawyer defends agency's probe into Trump campaign officials. 'Not above the law': Trump indictment in play after presidency, James Comey says. US House works to end Trump’s suspension of aid to Central America. Pentagon to transfer $1.5 billion to border wall from Afghan forces, other areas. Cuba to ration more products due to economic crisis, U.S. sanctions. Venezuela reopens borders with Brazil and Aruba, official says. Venezuela's Juan Guaido calls for 'return to streets'. Venezuela crisis: Opposition lawmakers take refuge in embassies. Argentinian politician seriously injured in Buenos Aires shooting. Colombia filmmaker shot dead reporting documentary on violence.

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

French army rescues four hostages in Sahel, two soldiers killed in operation. U.S. air strike kills 13 Islamic State fighters in Somalia: U.S. military. Al-Qaeda is still a deadly threat in Yemen.

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

Wall St. snaps losing streak after Trump's upbeat trade comments. New U.S. tariffs kick in amid trade talks; China vows to hit back. Billionaire Jeff Bezos unveils Blue Moon lander in step towards lunar dream. Uber goes into reverse as first day stock price disappoints. Exclusive: India orders anti-trust probe of Google for alleged Android abuse - sources. from War News Updates http://bit.ly/2JvXsbn via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Blogger

[thekwanderer]

Saturday, May 6th

It was back to an early morning for us as we set out for our tour. This time, the staff got confused about which bus we were supposed to be on and there was a bit of a scramble. It turns out that we were taking one bus to meet another one in Jerusalem. And then we were off! On the way, we stopped at a strange diner that was Elvis themed. Even stranger, there was a hoard of Russian tourists descending on the scene and there was a lot of jostling to get in line for the bathroom. I was cranky and in no mood to be dealing with such foolishness.

Luckily we got back on the bus quickly and went to the meeting point on Jerusalem. We piled onto a bus with 18 other people, but I’ll take it as a small group. I only had a glimpse of Jerusalem (we’re coming back on Monday), but it seemed really interesting and historical. Our tour guide put it best: Tel Aviv is an ugly city with beautiful people, while Jerusalem is a beautiful city with ugly people. His words, not mine. We started our descent from Jerusalem towards the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth. It was incredible how quickly the landscape changed. Jerusalem was pretty lush with trees and bushes, but that quickly gave way to yellow sand and rock. We took a picture at the point that was at sea level, then we kept going down.

In this area, we saw people herding their sheep and goats and it was technically Palestine! We saw the Sycamore tree that was mentioned in the bible. A man named Zacchaus climbed the tree supposedly to see Jesus pass. This is 846 feet below sea level. Even stranger is that the Palestine government sold the land where the Sycamore tree sits to Russia. So I saw Russia from my bus. Driving through this landscape emphasized how harsh the environment can be. So it was a huge change when we got to Elisha spring. Jericho is literally an oasis in the desert because 6 small streams feed the city. It also has a colony of peacocks. It’s incredible to see how dry and arid it is on one side, but how the streams help the city flourish on the other and allow the population to grow all sorts of fruits and crops. By the stream, there is some interesting archeological sites that help give support to the claim that Jericho is the oldest city in the world. We saw Bronze Age residential quarter, a wall from the Byzantine empire, and a guard tower.

As we drove to a shop where we could buy gifts, we kept sight of the Mount of Temptation. Even from a distance, we could see the caves that people once lived in. We headed back out of Jericho to Jerusalem, and on the way stopped to take a picture of a military base that featured Arafat. We stopped for a couple of minutes and a soldier came out to speak to us. For me, I felt a little bit of tension, but we were just let off with a warning that we’re not supposed to take photos and we were let off the hook.

Our next stop was Bethlehem. It's an interesting place because it's also part of Palestine. As part of the Oslo agreement to recognize Israel, they had to cede the land including Jericho and Bethlehem to the Palestinians. But Bethlehem is hugely important to the Christians because Jesus was born there. However, our Israeli tour guide explained that the Christians there really struggle as Islam is so prominent, so to help them he hired a Christian guide to show us around the city and we ate at a Christian restaurant (called Christmas bells no less). We met our Christian guide, named Martin, and he showed us around the house of the shepherd . There are several caves in the rock and they believe that the shepherds that brought the news of Jesus' birth lived in one of those caves, and they created a church to honor them. However, they were destroyed. Again the Franciscans bought the area and found a cave that was used as a church! They restored it and people can visit it today. They also funded a more recent church that was built in the 1960s, but it pays homage to the original church caves with elements of its design. 

From the fields where they lay, they believe that Jesus was born on a church on a steep hill. Luckily, the bus took us up most of the way. First we saw the milk church. Legend says that Mary stopped in that cave to feed Jesus, but a few drops of milk fell on the cave floor and turned some of the stones from dark black to white. We descended down and saw the change in color. There's also a little shrine with a painting of Mary, and women come to pray to bear children. Part of the cave looked old and it's been around for hundreds of years. Another part was created and improved two hundred years ago to allow for easier access to the shrine. 

Next was lunch time at Christmas bells. It was mediocre, as all of the lunches have been, but we sat down with an interesting couple. After chatting for a bit, we figure out that he got his PhD with one of my favorite professors at Ross, Aneel Karnani! It's such a coincidence to have only two degrees of separation. Our final stop of the day was to the Church of the Nativity. It's where they usually hold Christmas mass and the Pope shows up; it's a big deal. The interesting thing is that the church is shared by three different denominations of Christians: Roman Catholics, Russian orthodox, and Greek orthodox. They all have mass everyday at different times. When we arrived, the Greek orthodox were holding a processional and the church was promised to open up at 3:30. We arrived around 2:45, but it was an excruciating wait. They are currently performing restoration work on the church, so we were waiting on the right hand side of the altar behind a door. But it was a crowded hallway with scaffolding and cloth a wrapped around the pillars and it made the area stifling. It didn't help that standing there was exhausting. Finally, they opened the doors to let people through. But there were several bottlenecks and we had to be silent because they were still performing mass. Once we got through the first door, then the hundreds of people had to go single file down a set of steps to the cave. As I drew nearer, I actually felt claustrophobic as I could feel the hot, stale air in the cave. But I held it together, and it was worth it. To the right under a mantle, there was a beautiful 14 point silver star designating where Jesus was born. We were able to bend down and touch it, and some even kissed it. Kneeling down, there were a few beautiful lamps hanging down, making the space magical, for the ten seconds I got in front of it. To the left, they had the manger that he slept in. I'm not religious, but I can understand how moving it can be.

Our time in Bethlehem came to an end after the required trip to a Christian run gift store. We headed back to Tel Aviv, which was pretty fast since Saturday is basically their Sunday (Israelis work on Sunday's). We finally learned and were able to make our Thai House reservation. The food was excellent both in the quality and the preparation. For example, I had the best broccoli I think I ever had. It was crisp and crunchy, but soft too. We also had the curry which was creamy and delicious. Overall it was an excellent day learning more about history and seeing cool religious sites.

#Israel #Jericho #Bethlehem

[investmart007]

JERUSALEM | Israeli leaders plot response as Gaza violence persists

New Post has been published on https://is.gd/BwlBTu

JERUSALEM | Israeli leaders plot response as Gaza violence persists

JERUSALEM — Israel’s prime minister convened his Security Cabinet late Thursday to plot a response to a new burst of violence with Gaza militants, ordering the army to take unspecified “strong action” as the military reinforced units along the border ahead of a possible escalation.

Fighting showed few signs of slowing. Late on Thursday, the Israeli military flattened a well-known cultural center in a crowded Gaza City neighborhood, claiming it was a Hamas military base, as militants fired rockets toward Israel throughout the evening.

In all, Israel carried out dozens of airstrikes during the day, killing at least three Palestinians, including a pregnant woman and her 1-year-old daughter, while Palestinian militants fired scores of rockets into Israel, wounding seven people.

The flare-up came as Egypt continued efforts to broker a long-term cease-fire between the two sides.

Israel’s Channel 10 TV said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delayed the meeting of his Security Cabinet by two hours to allow the Egyptians to press forward with their work.

After a four-hour meeting, the Cabinet issued a short statement, saying it had directed the army “to continue taking strong action against the terrorist elements.”

It did not elaborate. But shortly before the meeting, Netanyahu and his defense minister, Avigdor Lieberman, met with top military officials to discuss their options.

An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was discussing closed consultations, said Netanyahu instructed the army to prepare for “every possibility.”

Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, a military spokesman, said Israel had “ground troops that are ready to deploy. We are reinforcing the southern command and Gaza division.” He wouldn’t comment on Israeli media reports of troops preparing for a possible ground operation.

Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since the Islamic militant group seized control of Gaza in 2007. Despite the animosity, the enemies have signaled, through their contacts with Egypt, that they want to avoid another war.

Hamas is demanding the lifting of an Israeli-Egyptian border blockade that has devastated Gaza’s economy, while Israel wants an end to rocket fire, as well as recent border protests and launches of incendiary balloons, and the return of the remains of two dead soldiers and two Israelis believed to be alive and held by Hamas.

Thursday’s fighting, however, brought back memories of the most recent war, in 2014. Air raid sirens wailed in southern Israel overnight and throughout the day, sending families scrambling into bomb shelters, canceling outdoor summer cultural events and forcing summer camps indoors. The Israeli air force, meanwhile, pounded targets across Gaza.

A Palestinian rocket struck the southern city of Beersheba late in the afternoon, landing in an open area. It was the first time a rocket had hit the city since the 2014 war.

Shortly after, an Israeli airstrike flattened the five-story cultural center in the Shati refugee camp, a crowded neighborhood of Gaza City. The airstrike set off a powerful explosion and sent a huge plume of black smoke into the air, causing crowds to scream in panic.

Medical officials said at least seven bystanders were wounded. The building is home to a popular theater and exhibits plays and other shows on a daily basis. An Egyptian-Palestinian cultural society also has an office in the building.

“The deliberate targeting of a cultural center with airstrikes and destruction … is a barbaric act,” said Hazem Qassem, a Hamas spokesman. He said the destruction of the Egyptian cultural office was “an Israeli attempt to sabotage” the Egyptian cease-fire efforts.

The Israeli military said the building served as a Palestinian military installation. Hamas’ Interior Ministry, including its secret police, has offices in an adjacent site, but those offices were not hit in the airstrike.

The Israeli military said it struck some 200 targets throughout Gaza, including Hamas command posts and weapons production and storage facilities. It said a similar number of rockets and mortars were fired at Israel.

Gaza’s Health Ministry identified those killed in the airstrikes as 23-year-old Enas Khamash and her daughter Bayan, as well as a Hamas fighter, Ali Ghandour. The ministry said the militant and the civilians were killed in separate incidents.

Kamal Khamash, brother-in-law of the killed woman, said the family was asleep when the projectile hit the house. The mother and daughter died immediately and the father is in critical condition, Kamal said.

“This is a blatant crime and Israel is responsible for it,” he said. In southern Israel, two Thai laborers were among the seven wounded by rocket or mortar fire, and rockets damaged buildings in the cities of Sderot and Ashkelon. The military said it intercepted some 30 rockets, while most of the others landed in open areas.

At the United Nations, Israel’s ambassador, Danny Danon, urged the secretary-general and U.N. Security Council to condemn Hamas militants for what he called “the unprovoked terrorist attack” on southern Israel.

Nickolay Mladenov, the U.N. Mideast envoy, said he was “deeply alarmed” and appealed for calm. He said the situation “can rapidly deteriorate with devastating consequences for all people.”

Tension along the Israel-Gaza border has escalated since late March, when Hamas launched what would become regular mass protests along Israel’s perimeter fence with Gaza. The protests have been aimed in part at trying to break the blockade.

Israel and Hamas have engaged in several bouts of fighting this month. The latest round erupted Tuesday, when the Israeli military struck a Hamas military post in Gaza after it said militants fired on Israeli troops on the border. Hamas said two of its fighters were killed after taking part in a gunfire parade inside a militant camp.

The incident occurred while a group of senior Hamas leaders from abroad were visiting Gaza to discuss the ceases-fire efforts with local leaders.

A top Hamas official told The Associated Press that the group waited for the delegation to leave Gaza before responding with rocket fire late Wednesday.

Over the past four months, 163 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire, including at least 120 protesters, according to the Gaza Health Ministry and a local rights group. An Israeli soldier was killed by a Gaza sniper during this period.

Israel says it has been defending its sovereign border against infiltration attempts by Hamas. But it has come under heavy international criticism for its frequent use of force against unarmed protesters.

By JOSEF FEDERMAN ,  Associated Press

#Gaza Health Ministry #Gaza militants #Gaza violence persists #Israel-Gaza border #Israel's prime minister convened #Israeli leaders plot response #Jerusalem #Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus #Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu #TodayNews

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