We just passed a very different Rosh Hashana to the usual happy and sweet holiday. Around the globe in Synagogues people gathered and made prayers that were totally unthinkable only a year ago, when we blissfully entered the New Year in happy oblivion of what was waiting in store for us.
In Israel Sukkot is one of the happiest festivals with little booths built everywhere, in gardens, on balconies and in the streets. It culminates with Simchat Torah which is a loud and joyful celebration, but now marks the day a year ago, when the terrible attempted genocide was perpetrated and so many beautiful souls were taken in the most barbaric ways imaginable.
The scenes one year ago were out of a horror movie and 365 days later while the country is still in mourning, 101 innocents remain in the depraved hands of the terrorist group Hamas. It is thought that around 50 are still alive, held in dark tunnels with little food or sanitation , under guard with orders to be shot if a rescue attempt is made !
In this past year at a terrible cost, (728 soldiers and police fallen), the Hamas military might is all but destroyed. Hezbollah are severally crippled in the most ingenious and unexpected attack ever carried out by any country.
It is estimated that Hamas have held back a few rockets, possibly symbolically for today, but their ability to fire indiscriminately large barrages of rockets is now curtailed, thanks to the IDF and especially once they entered Rafah and cut off the supply chain coming from Egypt via the tunnels.
The status of Sinwar, their last remaining senior leader, is still unknown and we understand there has no communication for many weeks if not months. Operations continue in the area of Jabaliya and there are areas of central Gaza that are as yet untouched, and likely harbouring active terrorists. The weapons may be destroyed but the ideology lives on .
In last few days 2 soldiers were killed by fire from Iraq in the Golan Heights and 24 were injured.
The north is under increasing attacks from Lebanon, but the IDF continue to successfully target both Hamas and Hezbollah leaders, while quickly advancing in the South finding huge stores of weapons that are being destroyed.
Israel now knows that Hezbollah were planning their own 7th October style attack, and this has now been prevented : just in the nick of time. The group are critically wounded and dangerous as they hold a large stock of heavy rockets.
5 people have been injured after the air defences failed in Haifa . One man has been seriously injured in Tiberius from shrapnel from a large barrage of rockets.
The Hezbollah stronghold in the south of Beirut is being targeted by the IAF and huge secondary explosions are seen as caches of weapons are blown up. 150 targets have been struck in 24 hours. Hundreds of their terrorist fighters have been eliminated since Israel crossed the border.
Iran sent 180 ballistic missiles into Israel but did little damage and ironically the only death a Gazan resident illegally in Israel . The response by Israel is yet to be decided. Iran is trying to replenish supplies in Lebanon, and send troops but their planes are turning back.
The military and police are on high alert around the West Bank areas and an attack came at the Beer Sheba Central Bus Station taking the life of one young Police Officer and injuring 10. It is not the first attack known at this bus station, which is very busy, and full of soldiers travelling to and from their bases.
Seven were slain on the new light rail, last week in a terror attack in Jaffa , the beautiful old port area adjacent Tel Aviv and 16 were injured.
So while Israel remains on fire and is busy fighting for her very survival , and to protect her citizens, around the world the reaction to this war is astonishing . On Saturday there was a march in London supporting Hamas and Hezbollah and this is allowed and legal ! Hezbollah flags were seen freely flown outside the Ritz hotel. Banner saying “I love Hezbollah” are tolerated in the streets in the full view of the police .
These demonstrations paint themselves as caring humanitarian protests ; remember All Eyes on Rafah. The reality is they support the psychotic, barbaric attacks of October 7th and they started before Israel had even retaliated celebrating slaughter and led by a far left who look for any reason to demonise and de-legitimise Israel.
Western culture is being eaten alive, like a flesh eating disease that feeds on itself. The BBC and Sky News are particularly petri dishes for this pestilence that has now spread out across Europe , and into the education facilities in the USA in particular.
The muddled words from the POTUS really do not help. He only has his eyes, ( if he can see out of them at all), on propelling Harris into the White House. She doesn’t seem to mind which moral line she crosses to get there. The US, the greatest ally and supporter of Israel is in such a dilemma, as many do not want to see Trump back in power , but do not want another weak president who is prepared to leave Israel to flounder or worse still be defeated leaving them on the front line and Europe open to the next Islamic invasion.
In politics there are no friends, only interests, and it is in the interest of the US for Israel to be strong and able to defend herself alone, even if she does need a little help form her “friends”.
Entering the vigil in Hyde Park were perhaps 10 - 15,000 people who had to walk past stands saying get your free “…… here” ( and it wasn’t a bible ) , and on the way out there were Islamic prayer mats being set up. Ah, but we must remember Jews are not allowed to be provoked or triggered, that remains the prerogative rof those so easily offended haters.
The vigil was solemn, sad, heartbreaking but one felt wrapped in solidarity and care and in Jewish tradition the theme was HOPE, HaTikva. At least the families of the fallen and the kidnapped know they are not alone, and there are hundreds of thousands of right minded people who are praying and hoping that this nightmare ends and the appropriate mourning can begin .
Kind Regards
Carolyne Davis