It's a long time from Succoth to Shavuot
It’s a long time from Succot to Shavuot.
No one one could imagine that not only would we still be at war since that Black Shabbat, but that the war would be intensifying and that 120 hostages would still remain in the hands of Hamas and their supporters. It is important to recognise that Hamas fighters are not operating alone, but have the support and assistance of not only Palestinian Islamic Jihad, but sadly also most of the civilians who live in the Gaza Strip.
The world has been shouting out the terrible price the civilians in Gaza have paid during Israel’s efforts to destroy Hamas and find the hostages, but this week it is proven beyond doubt that there is significant civilian involvement in both the taking of the hostages and their ongoing harsh captivity. Hamas continue to have huge support in Gaza.
The IDF carried out a daring and dangerous operation in rescuing four captives who were being held by a Doctor and a journalist. Al Jazeera have gone very quiet as they like to present themselves as bona fide reporters and not supporters of terror .
The young girl Noa Agamani, was kept as a slave in the house. The footage of the rescue shows three terrified young men huddled together without shoes. These are hostages whose condition was better than most, as we know from the accounts of those returned that some are being held in dark tunnels while being beaten, starved and sexually abused.
There are still young girls in the hands of Hamas and their partners in crime. We fear for their well being especially the two babies whose whereabouts and condition remain unknown. The cruelty of holding two small innocent children knows little comparison, save for the Nazis. The Jews were cruelly mistaken when they thought Never Again was Never Again.
Tragically, this past eight months we had all had to accept a new reality with the open support for the terrorists and the celebration of murder together with the cowardly and tepid response of world leaders sending out a clear message that Israeli lives do not matter.
Votes are of more consequence to politicians around the world than lives, and fashionable anti-semitism is once again acceptable and now protected by the police in the UK.
The war in the north is showing no signs of calming down, with rockets and drones now reaching towards Haifa. A red alert was heard in Haifa.
Overnight 50 plus rockets were fired at northern and Golan towns. The IDF are attacking in North East Lebanon and have hit what is believed to be a rocket factory. Military targets and Hezbollah structures are being hit in Southern Lebanon. The Hezbollah stronghold in the Bekaa valley has been targeted.
Hezbollah have a huge store of very sophisticated weapons and are using mostly small suicide drones as the Iron Dome cannot destroy them as a aeffectively as larger rockets.
Shia militants in Iraq are joining the affray sending a suicide drone to Eilat and another to the Golan overnight. It is reported that four hero soldiers have fallen.
The war cabinet in Israel is anything but united, and this week saw Benny Gantz, Gali Eisenhower, Avi Rosenfeld and Hili Tropper resigning in frustration. The whole country is frustrated at the lack of progress in securing a deal to release the hostages but showing weakness in our resolve to stand united despite political disagreements sends a message of hope to Hamas who have declared “we have Israel just where we want them”.
Another deal is being discussed but Hamas leaders sitting comfortably in overseas hotels and luxury apartments have little incentive to agree until their sponsors in Qatar and Iran put pressure on them. Turkey are offering them a sanctuary . That is the same Turkey that is part of NATO and wanted to join the EU. The same Turkey we all love to go to on holiday !
Hamas are seeking a total permanent and guaranteed ceasefire, so they can declare victory and take back the power with all the money that flows into the strip and bring more pressure on the world to recognise a Palestinian state, which will be their next step in destroying the Jewish state .
The flawed narrative that is a fashionable solution to the Arab/Israeli conflict is that a two state solution will bring peace. The reality is quite different. It may bring peace to the Islamists but the Jews who have been historically driven out of every place they have lived are not about to offer themselves up for sacrifice on the alter of the bleeding heart lefties who have designated Israel as the world’s bogey man, with no thought for the future of the ten million people currently living in freedom in the only democratic state in the Middle East !
The defeat of the Arabs in 48/49, 67, 73 brought humiliation to the Arab world and they have been trying to reverse the outcome ever since 1948. Each time Israel took more of the land designated as Arab land for security.
The humiliation of the Arab world being defeated by tiny Israel brought forth the birth of the Palestinian people who instead of accepting the numerous peace initiatives and starting state building, have been appealing to the conscience of the world with their false narrative while simultaneously building a killing machine and a civilian militia.
The world has conveniently turned a blind eye to their charters and have a biopic focus only on a two state solution.
Hamas cannot risk another humiliation and will fight until they are destroyed , especially as they have so much support around the world. Even if we reach a ceasefire now, if Hamas are left intact they will restructure and we will have to face war once again .
The wars have failed to destroy Israel, the boycotts have failed, the demonisation has failed, throwing money and aid at the Palestinian cause has dramatically failed, Appeasement always fails and this ongoing ridiculous narrative that we can have any peace with those who are determined to kill you is in itself the main barrier to peace in the region.
What we do need in the area is for Egypt to step up and honour its commitment to keep Gaza as a civilian area without terrorists nesting there.
The PA already controls much of the Arab West Bank and they too must honour their undertaking to start building a secure, terror free area that eventually Israel can trust enough to leave. That will take a different leadership and Iranian influence and the Moslem Brotherhood must be ousted from all areas.
Iran has become stronger through the weakness of the US and are reportedly making great strides towards nuclear breakout. The world abandons Israel at its peril and will let loose a tiger it cannot ride.
May we have a peaceful Shavuot and look forward to the release of the hostages as the first step towards a ceasefire .
Kind Regards
Carolyne Davis