Winning the Terrrorism War

Whilst terrorism war is an on ongoing war, Israeli inventiveness is cutting down the options available to the terrorists one by one

• in Gaza, tunnels posed a serious danger to the citizens of the border communities. Firstly with new detection methods, existing tunnels were located and destroyed. Secondly a wall which was sufficiently deep into the ground cut the chances of building new tunnels.

• One of the latest problems that exists for many armies around the world are the improvised explosive devices (IED’s). Now a robot has been designed to save soldier’s lives from exploding IED’s.

Israel Aerospace Industries has completed the development of an autonomous system that can identify, locate and destroy improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and mines before troops reach them, the company announced on Sunday.

The system is installed on a robotic platform made by IAI and integrates a combination of multiple sensors that detect IEDs which may be hidden in “complex areas.”

For more details see  here

• When there is no alternative to boots on the ground governments around the world are quietly turning to YAMAM, Israel’s special police force, for help with their most intractable security problems. And now, elite commandos publicly reveal the tactics that have made it one of the most fearsome counter terrorism units in the world.

“We try to learn every terrorist attack”: inside the top-secret Israeli anti-terrorism operation that’s changing the game

For more details read here.

Israel Beach Attacked

Zikim beach on the northern border with Israel was recently closed by security forces and the area was searched.

Following the search, the area returned to routine as IDF forces neutralized the explosive charges left by terrorists

(Does this mean that the terrorists in Gaza are now starting to float explosive devices onto our beaches as well? There was a major gathering in the northern point of the Gaza beach, and it seems like that was used as a diversion or a cover to 'plant' these explosive devices on Zikkm beach.

Have any international media even thought of reporting this.

Paying for Slaying

No longer will the US Taxpayers fund the PA - 

Europe should follow the US example

Oslo Accords were the Worst Strategic Disaster for Israel

Simply put, “Oslo was the worst strategic disaster in Israel’s history “ writes Michael Freund of the Jerusalem Post

The tragedy began when, with reckless disregard for logic, morality or even common sense, then-prime minister Yitzhak Rabin and foreign minister Shimon Peres APPEASED  PLO chairman Yasser Arafat and magnanimously agreed to give him control over parts of the Land of Israel in exchange for an empty promise of peace.

Overnight, the reviled revolutionary, whose resumé included ordering plane hijackings, school massacres and the slaughter of civilians, was granted international legitimacy.

The accords which were ratified by the Israeli Knesset have NEVER been ratified by the Palestinians, so to say they will cancel them is hypocrisy of the highest order. 

The very day Arafat returned home to an ecstatic welcome he travelled in a motorcade with terrorists, something specifically stated in the accords he should not do and nobody said a word. From this act alone, the scene was set for Arafat to constantly thumb  his nose at the international community. No-one was prepared to disrupt the “peace” process.

Consider the following: in the five years after the signing of Oslo, more Israelis were killed by Palestinian terrorists than in the 15 years prior to the signing of the agreement. A total of 279 men, women and children were murdered in the half-decade following the accords, while 254 were killed in the previous 15 years.

In other words, Oslo brought in its wake an unprecedented wave of terrorism the likes of which Israel had never seen. For the sake of “peace,” the Palestinians were allowed to act with impunity.

In effect, Israel gave up large swathes of land, but instead of peace, all it received in return was treachery.

Just as happened in world war 2, with Chamberlain, if Oslo taught us anything, it is that appeasement and territorial concessions are a recipe for disaster.

Agricultural Terrorism in Gush Etzion

While agricultural terrorism isn’t a new tactic, it has picked up steam, both in the south and, over the past several weeks, throughout Judea and Samaria, especially here in Gush Etzion.

Josh Hasten  writes May 28, 2018

The media focus of the riots and attempted terrorist infiltrations on the Gaza border over the past month and a half have justifiably been on the human toll as a result of Hamas’s aggression. While originally Israel was nearly universally condemned for the number of casualties, the revelation that the vast majority of those killed were Hamas operatives has certainly swayed public opinion both here and abroad to some degree.

Nevertheless, another aspect of the story on the Gaza border, which has been reported but to a lesser degree, is the phenomena of the weaponized kites used by Hamas and their supporters. Time and time again, the terrorists have been attaching incendiary devices to what are normally children’s toys and have been releasing them into the air. Due to the winds usually blowing from west to east, many of these devices have in fact landed in Israeli fields and forests, causing massive fires due to the extremely hot and dry conditions. Reports indicate that thousands of dunams of crops and plant life have been destroyed as a result of this form of terrorism – agricultural terrorism.

While agricultural terrorism isn’t a new tactic, it has picked up steam, both in the south and, over the past several weeks, throughout Judea and Samaria, especially in Gush Etzion.

Last Tuesday night, Arabs from Beit Umar hurled burning tires over the fence and into the cherry orchards of Kibbutz Kfar Etzion, less than 200 meters away.

The damage to the cherry trees was extensive, with some estimates indicating that losses are in the tens of thousands of shekels. The very next night, the terrorists returned once again, hurling more burning tires and causing further damage.

According a local senior security official, putting out the burning tires isn’t so simple, as often they are laced with explosives, in the hope of wounding or killing firefighters. As a result, the army must be brought in to assist, delaying the firefighting efforts.

In addition to the fires in Kfar Etzion, arsonists last week also set fires or attempted to set fires near the communities of Gvaot, Kibbutz Migdal Oz, and as reported by The Jerusalem Post, near the historical Mukhtar Saddle site.

The fire near Mukhtar Saddle was started on Friday afternoon just several hours before Shabbat. So instead of being with their families for the weekend, firefighters, security personnel and local volunteers were all forced to once again spring into action.

Another form of agricultural terrorism is theft of produce. Just two weeks before the Kfar Etzion cherry orchards were set on fire, Arabs from nearby villages, in the middle of the night, pillaged the crops near that same location, stealing tons of fruit. Estimates indicate that around NIS 200,000 in cherries were stolen. These criminals sent a clear message that this was a crime of hate, as a Nazi swastika was discovered the next morning painted on a large rock within the orchard. This is yet another similarity to the kites in the south, often decorated with swastikas.

As awful as agricultural terrorism is, the security heads here are aware that this type of terrorism isn’t and end in itself, but only a means to something more sinister. The fear is that next time one of these fires could spread into the communities themselves, putting homes and lives at risk.

While we are extremely grateful for the protection provided by the army, other security forces, and the rapid response teams within each community, we are very aware that it is impossible for these heroes to be everywhere at all times, covering vast amounts of territory. The army especially has its hands full with the daily rock and firebomb attacks on our roads, which by the way also rarely warrant much coverage in mainstream outlets.

As a result, here in the Gush, additional volunteer patrols have been introduced in strategic locations hoping to prevent the next agricultural attack.

At the same time, the Gush Etzion Foundation has been working to raise the funds necessary to upgrade the fire-prevention equipment for use by the volunteers within our 22 communities, many of which are surrounded by lush forests, making them more susceptible to arson attacks.

The utilization of a small fire trailer, which holds 25 liters of water, within the first several minutes of a detected fire until the fire crew arrives, can be the difference between a small fire and a massive blaze.

With summer approaching and temperatures rising even higher, let’s hope that our enemies are unsuccessful in their utilization of agricultural terrorism in order to disrupt our lives, damage livelihoods, and inflict fear, which after all is the goal of terrorism, in all of its many forms. Seventy years ago, Kfar Etzion and the surrounding communities of the Gush were essentially burnt to the ground. We don’t intend to let that happen today.

Abbas "Condemns" a $203,000 Murder

The headlines said that Palestinian President Abbas "condemned"

the multiple murder of Israelis at Har Adar. They left out

the part where he also pays for it. Why won't the media report

the whole story?

PA & Hamas Leaders Praise Deadly Terror Attack

The reactions to Tuesday morning’s terror attack that left three Israelis dead by the two largest Palestinian factions were of full endorsement and support for the terrorist’s actions.

On its official Facebook page, the Nablus chapter of Fatah, the main party constituting the Palestinian Authority (PA), called Nimr Mahmoud Ahmed Al-Jamal, the terrorist who killed the three Israelis and wounded a fourth, a “martyr.”

This designation according to PA regulations means that Al-Jamal’s family will qualify for a 6,000 shekel ($1700) grant and monthly stipends up to 2,600 shekel ($737), according to Palestinian Media Watch.

Fatah is considered by the West to be the moderate and responsible Palestinian faction with which Israel is supposed to make peace.

A spokesman for Hamas, the Gaza-based terrorist group and other major Palestinian faction, also praised the attack.

The reconciliation with Hamas, which is still committed to terrorism against Israel, would put the PA at odds with the Quartet’s Roadmap for Peace which outlines the necessary conditions for peace with Israel. The Quartet principles were endorsed by the United Nations Security Council, and require the Palestinian leadership to issue an “unequivocal statement reiterating Israel’s right to exist in peace and security and calling for an immediate end to all acts of violence against Israelis anywhere.”

The support for the terror attack by both Fatah and Hamas shows that both reject the Quartet principles.

Hundreds of Terror Attacks Thwarted This Year

 The Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) has thwarted some 200 terrorist attacks since the beginning of the year, 70 of them in the last two months alone, reported the head of the Shin Bet, Among those thwarted were suicide attacks, kidnappings and shooting incidents. 

The report stated that despite the relative calm, the security situation in the West bank is “fragile” and is characterized by heightened sensitivity over religious issues, such as the al-Aksa mosque.

There is a high level of threat posed both by established terrorist organizations, as well as by “independent actors.”

Hamas, both from its headquarters in the Gaza Strip as well as from abroad, continues to try and carry out attacks in the West Bank and inside the Green Line, in order to undermine overall stability, he said.

“It is thanks to the quality intelligence, the advanced technology, and the excellent human capital that the Shin Bet this year thwarted more than 400 significant attacks, this year, You saw everything that we saw, but you thought what no one else thought before,”

Earlier last week the Shin Bet said it had foiled a plan by Arab Israelis to attack soldiers in the southern Negev desert, apparently in retaliation for Israel’s decision earlier this year to outlaw the Northern Branch of the Islamic Movement.

Two of the suspects are accused of plotting to attack soldiers at three possible locations, Dimona, Arad, and the Nevatim air force base in the Negev Desert, the security service said in a statement.

The security establishment was bracing and preparing for an increase in terrorist activity expected for the upcoming holiday season, as is the case every year.

Regarding Gaza, the Strip is now characterized by a “deceptive calm” – security stability alongside an accelerated military buildup.    

The three years since Operation Protective Edge have been the quietest period in Gaza for three decades with Hamas having difficulty presenting any political achievement for Gaza or providing any effective solutions to the civilian problems there.

Nevertheless, Hamas continues to invest considerable resources for the next battle with Israel, “even at the expense of the well-being of the civilians. The movement is already ready for another confrontation with Israel.” As a result, Hamas is deepening its strategic ties with the region's Shia axis, led by Iran, and is establishing an outpost in Lebanon. 

Where Do your Taxes Go? The Palestinian Terrorists of Course

In a recent MEMRI report 22 August, and following the passage of legislation in the U.S. Senate suspending aid to the Palestinian Authority (PA) because of the PA's extensive support for Palestinian prisoners and the families of Palestinian "martyrs" and wounded, it is being claimed in the PA that the payments and aid given to the prisoners and the families of martyrs are the same as welfare benefits given to needy families. This argument is based on the reasoning that in both cases, the family wage earner cannot work and the family is reliant on aid.

However, a look at the payments to the Palestinian incarcerated and released prisoners and their families, and to families of martyrs and wounded clearly shows that these payments are in no way comparable to welfare allowances such as those provided to needy families.

The prisoners and released prisoners, who are considered a "fighting sector," and the families of the martyrs and wounded do not receive welfare; they are paid what is referred to as a "monthly salary" or a "monthly allowance." Needy families receive what is referred to as "monetary aid," which is paid out only every three months, or quarterly, as well as "non-monetary aid."

The payments to the prisoners and families of martyrs are much higher than those to needy families, which are paid out by the PA's Ministry of Social Development.  The maximum monthly payment to a needy family is NIS 600 shekels per family – less than US $170 – while the maximum monthly payment to a prisoner is at least 20 times higher: it exceeds NIS 12,000 – currently about US $3,340. Furthermore, the monthly payments to prisoners and their families, released prisoners, and the families of martyrs and wounded are paid out regardless of the recipient's socioeconomic situation.

Furthermore, the prisoners and released prisoners receive a monthly allowance for themselves alone, not for their families, and its level increases in direct proportion to the length of their sentence, which obviously reflects the severity of the crime for which they are serving time. Thus, the highest payments go to prisoners who are responsible for terror operations in which people were killed (above NIS 12,000 monthly). Likewise, released prisoners who were incarcerated for over a decade also receive monthly salaries.

For full report see here

The Palestine National Fund: Encouraging Terror at the Expense of Palestinians

​This article reveals the scale of the budget, the large funds paid by the Palestine National Fund (PNF) to terrorists, and its promotion of terrorism against the state of Israel.

http://www.cogat.mod.gov.il/en/Our_Activities/Pages/PNF-Encourges-Terror-20.4.17.aspx

Since its establishment in 1964, with the purpose of serving as a body to manage Palestinian funds, the Palestine National Fund (PNF) has changed its objective. In recent years, a large part of the PNF’s budget has been diverted to support terrorists, at the expense of promoting the welfare of the Palestinian population. Due to this, on the 16th of March 2017 Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman designated the Palestine National Fund as a terrorist organization. Following the designation, Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories Major General Yoav (Poly) Mordechai instructed to revoke the VIP Permit of Ramzi Khouri, CEO of the PNF.

Commission for Prisoners Affairs: Same Body, New Name

The Palestine National Fund, whose sources of income and expenses are partially known, has become the primary funder of the Commission for Prisoners’ Affairs since 2014. The PNF began its funding of the commission after criticism was raised to the Palestinian Authority (PA) by key players in the international community regarding the activity of the Ministry of Prisoners’ Affairs. The international community's claim was that the Ministry of Prisoners’ Affairs should not allocate money from its budget to fund the welfare of terror operatives, as a reward for carrying out security offenses and at the expense of all Palestinians.  

Following pressure from the international community, the Palestinian Authority decided to subordinate the Ministry of Prisoners’ Affairs to the PNF and changed its name to the Commission for Prisoners’ Affairs. It is clear that this new commission is similar to the ministry—in terms of managers, offices and even contains a nearly identical budget that stands at close to half a billion NIS per year. This new commission is a similar replica of the ministry, but with a new name.

The purpose of differentiating between the Palestinian Authority and the body financing the prisoners is to improve the PA’s image and make it difficult for Israel and the international community to uncover the source of aid money to terrorists in prison. However, their attempt failed and the plot was revealed. Since 2014, the Palestine National Fund has transferred payments to Palestinian terrorists, which often occurs even after these terrorists receive funds from the terror organizations with whom they affiliate. Additionally, the commission transfers monthly payments to released prisoners, amongst those are murderers and suicide attack planners. In fact, released Palestinian terrorists who currently live in Judea and Samaria receive a salary for their involvement in terror activities. Imagine what could be accomplished if instead of paying terrorists, the funds went to education, infrastructure and cushioning the cost of living for Palestinians.

12,000 NIS a Month for Terrorists in Prison

For those who wonder how much a prisoner receives—one who has been convicted of involvement in terror and now sits in an Israeli prison—the following figures will clarify the absurdity. A prisoner who is sent to prison for a term of up to two years will receive 1,400 NIS from the Palestine National Fund each month, and the amount increases in accordance with the prison term. A murderer of an Israeli citizen or one who plans a suicide bombing who has been sentenced to more than 20 years in prison, earns 12,000 NIS a month.

The large budget allocated to prisoners is even more absurd when it comes to the payments for released prisoners, especially when this money should be directed to civilian projects for the welfare of the Palestinian population. Released prisoners who have served five years in an Israeli prison, after being involved in terrorist activities, receives a monthly salary of 2,000 NIS from the PNF. A prisoner serving over 30 years in prison will receive 11,000 NIS per month from the PNF, an amount much greater than the average Palestinian salary. In addition, released terrorists who committed acts of terror against innocent Israeli citizens receive a one-time payment when they are released from prison. This payment can reach up to 25,000 dollars.

Furthermore, these payments can even be doubled. Prisoners who affiliate with terror organizations, such as Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, receive large sums of money from both the PNF and their affiliated organization. On the one hand, the Palestinian Authority uses their security forces to stop Hamas activists and prevent terror attacks. On the other hand, the PNF transfers money which encourages more terror attacks. For example, Ibrahim Ghaneemat, a Hamas operative directly involved with the murder of many Israeli civilians, received more than one million NIS since his arrest in 2005, of which over 700,000 NIS came from the Palestine National Fund, while the rest came from Hamas.

Payments to Encourage Terror

The payments transferred to terrorists in prison and to released terrorists encourage other Palestinians to join this cycle of violence and terrorism. Instead of investing money in educating children on peace and improving the standard of living for law-abiding Palestinians, the PNF exploits its budget to fund and celebrate criminals. This encourages more criminals to join the circle of violence, which cannot end if it continues as such.

It is enough to read the testimonies of Palestinians arrested for the second time by Israel to illustrate the fact that the Palestine National Fund—the PLO’s body—supports terrorist activity. These Palestinians continued to engage in terrorist activity in order to return to prison and complete the five-year minimum quota and thus, receive a fixed salary for life as a released prisoner. These attempts to fulfill a minimum quota have become an ugly phenomenon that must be condemned.

In addition, there is clear evidence that senior members of the PNF attempted to conceal from the world their money transfers to prisoners involved in terrorism against Israel. However, members of the international community quickly picked up and publicized this scheme. United States Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Ed Royce, said in November 2016 that “this ‘pay-to-slay scheme' must stop," adding that the most brutal terrorists enjoy the highest salaries.

The designation of the Palestine National Fund as a terrorist organization is an important step in making it clear, to Palestinians and to the entire world, that Israel will not remain silent about the funding of terrorists, whether imprisoned or released. The large amounts of money transferred by the PNF to these terrorists every month—who in many instances receive an additional salary from their own terror organizations—prove that the PNF encourages more terrorism against the State of Israel. These funds could be allocated to development and infrastructure for Palestinians, but the PNF chooses instead to assist those responsible for destruction and terror.

Global Terror

The Global Terrorism Index (GTI) is an attempt to systematically rank the nations of the world according to terrorist activity. 

The index combines a number of factors associated with terrorist attacks to build an explicit picture of the impact of terrorism over a 10-year period, illustrating trends, and providing a data series for analysis by researchers and policymakers. It is the product of Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) and is based on data from the Global Terrorism Database (GTD) which is collected and collated by the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) at the University of Maryland.

Note that Israel is 33 in the list, better placed than France and Russia. The UK is only one place better off at 34 and the USA at 36 .

For more information  read here

Another day, another attempt to burn Jews alive

Posted on March 29, 2017 by Stephen M. Flatow/JNS.org

http://www.jns.org/latest-articles/2017/3/28/another-day-another-attempt-to-burn-jews-alive#.WN5WRtR96t8

A group of Palestinians tried to burn some Israeli Jews to death March 23. Just another day in the Middle East.

The four attackers drove up to the perimeter of the Jewish community of Beit El, north of Jerusalem, and began hurling firebombs toward homes there. A firebomb, also known as a Molotov cocktail, is of course a deadly weapon. It explodes on impact and unleashes a torrent of flames. We can all easily imagine what would happen if those firebombs had struck people or homes.

Fortunately, Israeli soldiers immediately fired at the would-be murderers, killing one and wounding three others. That should be the end of the story. But it won’t be. Here’s why.

To begin with, one of the terrorists was 17 years old. That means “human rights” groups will add him to their list of “Palestinian children killed by Israelis.” Even if a killer is just one day shy of his 18th birthday, that’s good enough to define him as a “child” in the eyes of those who want to smear Israel.

The fact that a Palestinian died, while no Israelis were burned to death as he had intended, meant that many news outlets portrayed the attacker as the victim. This is in accordance with the theory that whoever dies must be the victim and whoever killed him must be the aggressor. (Good thing the media didn’t use that measuring stick during World War II!)

Consider, for example, the story as presented by AFP, a major supplier of international news. Here’s how it began: “Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian teenager Thursday in the occupied West Bank and seriously wounded three other Palestinians, the Palestinian health ministry said in a statement.”

Since a significant number of readers don’t get past the first paragraph of a news article, the opening sentence is crucial. And the opening sentence here strongly suggests that the Israelis killed a Palestinian teenager, and injured three others, for no reason.

And here’s how the AFP story explained the broader context: “A wave of violence that broke out in October 2015 has claimed the lives of 257 Palestinians, 40 Israelis, two Americans, one Jordanian, an Eritrean, and a Sudanese national, according to an AFP count.” Notice how the violence just “broke out,” like a mysterious illness with no obvious culprit.

Here’s something else that few in the mainstream media will report: the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) immediate endorsement of the terrorists who tried to burn Jews alive.

According to the Palestinian news agency Ma’an, the governor of de facto PA capital Ramallah, Laila Ghanam, called the dead terrorist “a martyr.” She also tried to spread some fake news, declaring that the gang of four “had been driving peacefully” when cruel Israelis attacked them. “This is another crime,” the PA governor proclaimed. She also said “we wish a quick recovery” to the three wounded terrorists, presumably so they can resume trying to set Jews on fire.

You won’t read Ghanam’s remarks in The Washington Post or hear them quoted on CNN. That would remind the American public that Palestinian leaders support burning Jews to death, and publicly lie to cover for the would-be killers. And that would undermine the campaign to give the firebomb-throwers a sovereign state in Israel’s backyard.

We Can’t Let Radical Islam Take Over The World

Based on article by Lior Akerman  Feb 9, 2017  http://tinyurl.com/j4bfmrl  

All Muslims are terrorists.’ “Islam will destroy the world.” “All the Muslims want to kill us.” What are we to make of these political slogans? Is every person who calls out Allahu akbar intending to kill people? Let’s take a step back and learn some facts.

Around the year 600 CE, the prophet Muhammad began spreading the principles of Islam among pagans living in the Arabian Peninsula, but left the Jews and Christians alone since they were considered Ahle-kitab, (people of the book), who believed in one god. The Koran praises the Jews, calling them God’s first choice, and the second chapter, verse 21-22, even says the Land of Israel was given to the Jewish people and that the Jews must never leave the land. Of course, you’ll never hear any ISIS or Hamas leader quoting this verse.

In its early days, Islam suffered from a number of internal conflicts, but the main rift took place in 632 CE when Muhammad died without having appointed a successor, and two groups split over whether its next leader should be chosen democratically, or Muhammad’s relatives should rule.

The Shi’ites believed that Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law Ali was chosen by Allah to rule, whereas the Sunnis believed Muhammad’s friend and adviser Abu Bakr was the Muslims’ rightful caliph. Following the Sunnis’ victory, the Shi’ites split off and settled in northern Saudi Arabia and what is today Iran and Iraq. The hatred between these two groups has become even more extreme than their hatred of the Jews; a great example of this is the long-standing war between Hezbollah and ISIS.

The common denominator between these radical Muslim groups is their desire to establish a religious Islamic caliphate throughout the Middle East. From their point of view, all the countries in the region are the enemy – Jews and Muslims alike (but the Muslims first and foremost). ISIS claims it has branches all across the Middle East and Africa, whose goal is to overthrow existing regimes and establish a caliphate in their place.

But we should stick to the facts. At its height, ISIS numbered over 25,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria, plus thousands more in Boko Haram in Africa and in Islamic State groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

According to current estimates, Hamas has 15,000 to 20,000 fighters in its ranks, as well as tens of thousands of supporters.

In the Shia camp, Hezbollah has about 35,000 regular and reserves fighters and has a circle of support made up by tens of thousands of volunteers. If we add up all these figures, we end up with hundreds of thousands of radical Muslim terrorists who operate throughout the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, plus quite a large number of supporters.

There are more than 1.5 billion Muslims in the world. Yet, less than 0.01% of them are actively involved in terrorism, and a little less than 0.1% of them support terrorist organizations.

And according to all data available, a maximum of 10% of Muslims support the religious struggle to obliterate all other religions and install an Islamic caliphate throughout the entire planet.

So how did we arrive at the point where people all around the world are impacted so greatly and live in such fear? The surprising answer to this question lies in the West, where people support democratic and pluralistic regimes. In universal justice and laws, in freedom and human rights. Islamic terrorists don’t care about any of these ideals, and when Western leaders display weakness, are fearful of using military might, and obey strict international laws regarding military actions and punishing terrorists, this only serves to encourage terrorist organizations.

They are only concerned about their own survival, and not about the future of the world. In this fashion, ISIS has operated unhindered for years now. Boko Haram has murdered tens of thousands of people in Africa without anyone batting an eye. And this is how Hamas has remained in power all these years despite its reign of terror. And thus the Western world sits powerless in the face of these terrorist organizations.

This situation is not irreversible, but it does require a change in mindset and an internalization of the reality, especially among EU countries. There needs to be cooperation by world leaders if we are to take back control from this relatively small number of terrorists who are wreaking havoc on civilians the world over.

Making a successful change would involve:-

-                   - imposing emergency regulations in Western countries,

-                   - carrying out legislative changes that would enable security and intelligence                                  forces to do their jobs properly.

-        Western militaries must engage in action without fearing legal restrictions. Intelligence gathering agencies must share intel and carry out preventive actions that would neutralize terrorist cells. All of this activity must be backed by international law enforcement agencies.  

We must understand that we will not survive unless we follow the proverb “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” Since we live in a jungle, we must begin behaving like the savage tribes that live there. Otherwise, we will soon find ourselves turning into fodder for these murderous tribes.

It’s clear that Islam as a religion is not the problem, but only terrorists and leaders who are acting in the name of Islam. This threat has not taken over the world yet, but if we ignore what’s happening in front of our eyes and let more and more countries around the world crumple under radical Islam’s influence, the situation will continue to worsen significantly. We can’t let that happen.

Aftermath of Fire in Haifa

The disaster around us in Haifa with the multitude of fires that swept through the city resulted in a very heavy price being paid. Over 1800 homes were damaged by the fire and of those 527 are uninhabitable.

Travelling around the city at the beginning of the week we were able to see the severity of the fire in a number of neighborhoods. Thankfully personal injuries were minimal, the majority of people requiring treatment, suffered from smoke inhalation.

At the end of our street, the fire swept up a wadi exiting on to the street between a Golden Age Home and a private home. The first was saved with no damage whilst the private home was devastated.

The building next to this private home was also affected but with minimal damage. Here lives friends of ours, a 93 year old Professor of the Technion with his wife. He told me the story how he was having a massage when he was concerned about what was going on. As he completed getting dressed there was a knock on the door and was told to evacuate immediately. He didn’t even have time to get his wheel chair (he has great difficulty walking) before he was helped out of his home and dumped on a bench on the other side of the road.

With the kindness of motorists they were able to get to a point where they could contact their daughter to come and pick them up. Thankfully they have returned home already and all their prized family possession were intact.

This cannot be said for other friends who lost all their possessions. They are now looking around to rent accommodation in order to bring a bit of stability to their lives. Our community is looking to help in whatever way they can. In this case treasured possession have been lost. Can they ever be recreated – unlikely.

So were we being responsible in staying in our home when we were advised to leave? Certainly those families with children took a wise decision and left. We eventually did have cases packed in the event we had to leave. We did not realise just how close the fire was burning to our home.

      The fire in the Haifa area has been designated aa a terrorist act. What started           in one area quickly spread to other areas as the wind carried the sparks from           one area to another.

     Other fires around the country have also been designated as terror acts and so        far 13 suspects have been arrested, some from Palestinian territory and a                number of Israeli Arabs. Two of the arrested were caught by being seen with an      infra-red camera trying to light a fire near the city of Ariel.

     If some are found guilty, with a somewhat sick thought I suggested that Israel        should negotiate with the USA for rental of places in Alcatraz to get the                    perpetrators as far away as possible. Or is that an abuse of “human rights?” 

Good Morning Germany, Good Morning Europe

No it is not Haifa, it is not even Israel but for heavens sake, is Germany or Europe as a whole not prepared to defend its values

This report from Germany is just the start. When is somebody going to WAKE UP!! 

• "In Berlin or in the north of Duisburg there are neighborhoods where colleagues hardly dare to stop a car -- because they know that they'll be surrounded by 40 or 50 men." These attacks amount to a "deliberate challenge to the authority of the state -- attacks in which the perpetrators are expressing their contempt for our society." — Rainer Wendt, President of the German Police Union.
• 
  
• "Once Duisburg-Marxloh was a popular shopping and residential area. Now clans claim the streets for themselves. The police are powerless. The descent of the district is nightmarish." — N24 Television.
• 
  
• Police say they are alarmed by the brutality and aggression of the clans, who are said to view crime as leisure activity. If police dare to intervene, hundreds of clan members are mobilized to confront the police.
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• A 17-page report prepared for the NRW State Parliament revealed how Lebanese clans in Duisburg divide up certain neighborhoods in order to pursue their criminal activities, such as robbery, drug dealing and extortion.
• 
  
• "Further data collection is not legally permissible. Both internally and externally, any classification that could be used to depreciate human beings must be avoided. In this respect, the use of the term 'family clan' is forbidden from the police point of view." — Ralf Jäger, Interior Minister, North Rhine-Westphalia.
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• Two police officers stopped a driver who ran a red light. The driver got out of the car and ran away. When police caught up with him, they were confronted by more than 50 migrants. A 15-year-old attacked a policeman from behind and began strangling him, rendering him unconscious.

Another Rocket in the area? OK - Let's Get on with the Music Festival

The Israeli military hit more than 50 terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, following Palestinian rocket fire at Israel's southern town of Sderot.

Israeli commanders said the retaliatory strikes marked the greatest blow suffered by Hamas since Operation Protective Edge in 2014.

The rocket fired from Gaza landed in a residential area, exploding next to a house and causing no damage or injuries. Police and Homefront Command forces cordoned off the area while sappers safely removed the projectile from the premises.

"The IAF targeted terrorist infrastructure in response to projectile fire at the city of Sderot, which violated Israel's sovereignty and placed Israeli lives at risk. Hamas is the sovereign ruler of the Gaza Strip and it will be held responsible for any terrorist attack emanating from Gaza." an IDF statement said.

The attack disrupted the Live Sderot music festival that had been taking place in the city. Mayor Alon Davidi consulted with police and military officials, and was granted permission to resume the festival, which saw some 5,000 visitors. Israelis gathered to celebrate.


"We'll prove to anyone who wants to harm us and disrupt our lives that they can't do that," said one festival goer. "Naturally, we have some concerns over the rocket fire, but rocket or no rocket -- life has to go on."

Is It Safe to Visit Israel?

by Rabbi Tzvi Nightingale

http://www.aish.com/jw/me/Is-It-Safe-to-Visit-Israel.html?s=mm

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There is one fiction about Israel that is common even among some very good friends and supporters of Israel. And that is the notion that Israel in general and Jerusalem in particular are dangerous places to visit. In the minds of many, terror is ever-present and the recent stabbings of innocents has only abetted this notion.

An issue that come up when recruiting for trips to Israel is how safe is it to visit there. Spouses and parents worry greatly when their loved ones go to Israel and even my son, Yoni's school almost called off their graduating class Israel trip a few months back. 

During my visit two weeks ago, we had the good fortune of meeting the mayor of Jerusalem, Nir Barkat. He pointed out that there is a universal method and statistic to judge how safe a city may or may not be. And that is to see how many murders there are per 100,000 residents.

When you do your homework on this issue, you will find that

-        Caracas, Venezuela is the most dangerous city in the world with 120 murders per 100,000 residents.

-        St. Louis tops the US cities with 59;

-        Detroit has 44.

-        London, England with 1.5.

-        And guess where Jerusalem finds itself on this scale? Alongside London with 1.5. So let me ask you, when you hear of someone going to London, do you wish them, "Come back safe"? Do you worry for them?

If you expand your research beyond Mr. Barkat's presentation and look at the overall crime index of cities worldwide you will find that once again

-        Caracas is the worst of the 277 cities studied with an index of 85.9.

-        Detroit comes in at number 12 with an index of 75.75,

-        Miami at 66 with a score of 57.41,

-        London at 120 with a score of 47.24 and

-        War torn Calgary is listed at 212  

-        Jerusalem is way down at number 236 

So as Mr. Barkat related to us, when people regularly wish us a good trip when we visit Israel and "to come back safe", he turns that greeting on its head and when he knows someone visiting the USA with its much higher murder and crime rate, he wishes for them to return safely from the USA to Israel.

People have this false impression of Israel because whenever any act of violence between Palestinians and Israel occurs, it becomes sensational international news. But almost all of the shootings and stabbings in St. Louis, Detroit, Miami or even Calgary are merely local news that never make it beyond their respective newspapers.

Truth be told, I admit that when I was leaving Jaffe Gate after Shabbat at nighttime and passing many Arab young men, I did glance over my shoulder. But at the same time, whenever I drive I-95, I am also glancing over my shoulder to check my blind spot for drivers zipping into the next lane or drivers distracted by texting as they lane-drift like drunks. In fact, last year when my daughter, Tzippy spent the year in Israel and the stabbings were more frequent, people would ask me if I was worried about her. And I always answered the same way, "I am more worried about my son Yoni driving up and down I-95 to school each day than Tzippy walking the streets of Jerusalem."

So if safety is your issue and that is what animates much of your life, then it might be time to pick yourself up and move to Jerusalem – a lively and vibrant city where little children walk the streets alone, thousands hang out late into the night at bars and restaurants, where the Light Rail Train zips within inches of people (including me) along Jaffe Road without incident, barriers or lawsuits, and where violence and crime is at one of the lowest rates in the whole world. Not only will you be safe in Jerusalem, but you get all the great spiritual benefits that go along with being at the place that Jewish tradition calls The Gateway to Heaven and where you can touch and feel God's Presence.