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Friday November 30, 2018
I've Been Thinking:
A Columbia University professor's office was sprayed with swastikas and other anti-Semitic symbols. At 11:30 in the morning she walked into her office with a group of students about to begin their psych lab and they were stunned and shaken.
The professor, Elizabeth Midlarsky, is a professor at Teachers College at Columbia. She is a psychology professor who also writes about the Holocaust.
The images were sprayed in red spray paint. Two were swastikas and one was the word "Yid" which is a derogatory word for Jew.
Columbia is an Ivy League school. It is on the Upper West Side of Manhattan a haven of Jewish life. Hardly a place where one might expect this. But it is also a bastion of anti-Semitism.
Universities are supposed to be place where ideas are freely debated. However, this kind of vandalism and defacing property as well as writing anti-Semitic graffiti is frightening.
They scrawl this images in order to instill fear.
Hopefully they will find the people who did this and punish them.
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Thursday November 29, 2018
I've Been Thinking:
Two Iranian hackers were indicted in the US yesterday. Two other Iranian hackers were sanctioned.
These four are allegedly responsible for the SamSam Hack. The SamSam Hack attacks a computer system and then encrypts all its files. The hackers then send a message to the computer explaining that if they pay in bitcoin, the files will be unlocked.
As a matter of good faith the hackers unlock one file.
Through this method SamSam hackers have extorted over $6 million and caused over $30 million in damage.
The cities of Newark and Atlanta have been brought to their knees. These hackers have attacked hospitals and universities and cities and courts.
They even caused the Port of San Diego to be ground to a halt.
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Wednesday November 28, 2018
I've Been Thinking:
US Ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, visited the Belzer Rebbe, The Grand Rabbi Yissachar Dov Rokeach.
The US Ambassador told the Grand Rebbe that US President Trump and his advisers all love Israel.
Friedman said: "President Trump and all his advisors are lovers of Israel and want peace in Israel. But it will only happen with the grace of Heaven because the peoples want peace, but the terror leaders are setting fire all the time."
He explained that Trump wants peace but terror leaders are setting the tone.
Friedman also praised the Rebbe for rebuilding his community after the Holocaust.
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Tuesday November 27, 2018
I've Been Thinking:
Czech President Milos Zeman is on an official trip to Israel. He visited Jerusalem and spoke in the Knesset.
In his address Zeman explained that he will do everything to help move his embassy to Jerusalem. The plan is to move the embassy to the Czech Cultural Center which is right next to the Cinamateque, an unofficial Jerusalem landmark.
In his speech to the Knesset, Czech President Milos Zeman's offered insight into European attitudes towards Israel. He criticized European "fear and doubt in supporting Israel."
Zeman said: "It is important and necessary to express our solidarity with Israel, since betraying Israel means betraying ourselves."
This is another in a series of examples of heroes stepping up and supporting Israel because, well, because it is the right thing to do.
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Monday November 26, 2018
I've Been Thinking:
The president of Chad, Idriss Deby, has visited Israel. The visit is newsworthy because Chad broke off diplomatic relations with Israel in 1972.
Upon arrival, the president of Chad met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In a joint press conference Netanyahu said: "The fact that you, the leader of an important African country, is coming to Israel to renew our friendship and our relationship, I think is a testament of what is going to happen with other such countries in Africa as well."
We are in a new diplomatic era.
African countries, Muslim countries, are reaching out to Israel - in friendship.
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Friday November 23, 2018
I've Been Thinking:
Hamas has received millions of dollars in aid from Qatar. The exact number, according to media coverage, is $18 million dollars.
Media coverage also says that the money they received was going to directly to pay for fuel.
Musa Abu Marzuq, a senior Hamas leader, was interviewed on Turkish media. When Abu Marzuq spoke about the transfer of Qatari funds to Gaza and said that the money "directly reached 50,000 poor families."
Abu Marzuq added that "most of the Palestinian factions are in agreement regarding a ceasefire arrangement with Israel." He did, however, also add that "the March of Return protests will continue until the blockade is completely lifted."
There is no way to know if Abu Marzuq's assessment is accurate.
Hamas has started to discuss a cease fire with Egypt to bring about a stable new status quo. But even if a cease fire with Israel is called, it is doubtful that it will be successful.
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Wednesday November 21, 2018
I've Been Thinking:
An explosive balloon, with a Palestinian flag attached, fell into a small moshav named M'lea located in the Gilboa region of Israel.
The Gilboa is 100 miles from Gaza. Moshav M'lea is located just a few miles away. It is just outside the northernmost part of Samaria and very close to Afula.
These balloons are becoming, more and more, a common weapon. They are being launched from all over the Palestinian territories. And they are being sent anywhere in Israel where Jews are living.
This time, Israelis sappers were called in and they diffused the explosive balloon.
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Tuesday November 20, 2018
I've Been Thinking:
The new sanctions against Iran have been having an impact. Iran is having difficulty importing the materials for their products.
Factories are shutting down companies are firing workers. Reuters ran a series of interviews with small business owners and each and every one bemoaned the current situation.
Unemployment in Iran is officially at 12.3%. But employment among young people 25%. This is particularly devastating because 60 percent of the 80 million people are under 30 years old.
In addition, unemployment among higher educated Iranians is over 50%.
Sanctions are hurting Iran -- but know that they are also hurting Iranians.
The hope is that the pain of the sanctions will urge the Iranian leadership to change their approach to the world. The question is whether or not they care.
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Monday November 19, 2018
I've Been Thinking:
Things are looking bad in the south of Israel along the Gaza border.
Israeli communities - towns and cities - wait in fear of the next series of rockets or kites or balloons coming at them from Gaza.
Meanwhile, in the North of Israel, Hezbollah is digging in and preparing to attack.
That, at least, is the evaluation of Israel's IDF Head of the Northern Command Major General Yoel Strik who said: "although Assad is stabilizing, we still face challenges ... Hezbollah is building infrastructure in the Syrian Golan ... We can see Iranian attempts to base themselves around the country."
When the Head of Israel's Northern Command says that the Hezbollah is digging in and that Iran is involved, we should all take notice.
Obviously this is all happening independent of the new relative stability in Syria and independent of Russian involvement.
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Sunday November 18, 2018
I've Been Thinking:
On the first night of Chanukah -- December 3, 2018 -- in Jerusalem, the Macy Thanksgiving Day Parade will take place. Of course it will still take place in NYC on Thanksgiving.
But this year the famous parade is going on the road. The parade will take place just outside the walls of the old city of Jerusalem in the area of Sultan's Pools.
Kong Fu Panda along with Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck will attend. Newer balloons like Pokeman and Spiderman will also be there.
The parade is being sponsored by the Ministry for Diaspora Affairs.
The ministry wants to build bridges and especially since the massacre of Jews in their synagogue in Pittsburgh. There are actually plans to bring a delegation from Jewish Pittsburgh to join the parade.
At this point gestures are important.
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Friday November 16, 2018
I've Been Thinking:
Israel is constantly being attacked. Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) is constantly trying to needle Israel.
George Mason University(GMU) in Virginia has a BDS student movement that is sending around a petition to ban Sabra Hummus. They want Sabra products off campus because Sabra sppports the IDF.
The students petition says "In accordance with the call issued by
Palestinian civil society for a boycott, divestment, and sanctions campaign against the benefactors of the illegal occupation, we demand that you cease to stock, offer, and buy the Sabra family of products. Sabra Hummus is co-owned by the Strauss group, which support the Israeli Defense Forces' Golani and Givati Brigades."
GMU is not the first university to attempt to ban Sabra.
Princeton and University of Ottawa has already unsuccessfully attempted to ban Sabra. The call failed for several reasons. Primarily because boycotts are illegal. It also failed because people like Sabra Hummus.
The petition links to specific IDF brigades. That is curious. The reason for the link is that Sabra's parent company Straus and PepsiCo sent care packages to soldiers in those companies.
These boycotts are without real merit. The students from GMU are targeting a company from White Plains, NY. Even if it was an Israeli company -- boycotts are not effective and of course they are illegal.
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Thursday November 15, 2018
I've Been Thinking:
Czech Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek visited the Western Wall. He was escorted by Israel's ambassador to Prague, Daniel Meron.
This visit enraged Palestinian leadership. They assert that it was a violation of tradition and protocol. They said that third parties should not recognize areas that are in dispute - like East Jerusalem.
The official Czech response is that their foreign minister is in Israel for the 6th annual Czech -Israel Forum. He will also visit the Czech House near the Cinemateque movie theatre. The Czech House is the planned space for the Czech embassy when it moves to Jerusalem.
This trip is more than a simple visit. It is paving the way for moving the Czech embassy to Jerusalem. That is what irks Palestinian leadership the most.
All of these are very good signs from the perspective of Israelis and Czechs.
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Wednesday November 14, 2018
I've Been Thinking:
Hamas launched over 300 rockets, their intention is to to kill as many Israeli Jews as possible.
As fate would have it, one person was killed by the barrage. That one person is Mahmoud Abbash Asba, a 48 year old construction contractor. He was the only victim - and he is not an Israeli at all. Asba lived in Halhul, an Arab village one mile north of Hebron in the West Bank. Mahmoud Abbash Asba was a Palestinian.
The irony is striking.
Hamas terrorists try to murder as many Jews as possible and instead, they murder a Palestinian from Halhul.
Asba would sleep in Ashkelon near his work site during the week and go home on Friday to be with his family. He was in Israel illegally.
Hamas continues to claim that they shot their rockets into Israel to defend Palestinians. What they are is murderers, the murderers of Palestinians.
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Tuesday November 13, 2018
I've Been Thinking:
For Israel, yesterday was the worst of days since 2014.
Yesterday, Hamas launched over 300 rockets into Israel. That many rockets in one day were last launched into Israel four years ago.
Israel struck back hitting over 70 Hamas targets.
50 Israelis were hospitalized. Almost all were suffering from shock.
Three of those injured suffered physical injury.
When Israelis are injured and when rocket fire from Gaza increases to new heights, history tells us that Israel will respond with an increase in force.
Israeli special operations forces in Gaza are what began this recent crisis - there is no question or controversy on that. They were discovered mid-operation in Gaza, Hamas responded and continues to respond.
If Israel increases the intensity of their response, it may include more ground operations.
The situation is not good.
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Monday November 12, 2018
I've Been Thinking:
Israel operates in the Gaza strip more often than one would think.
Their last operation resulted in the death of a 43 year old commander, a Lt Colonel in the IDF. Another officer was wounded.
This is a huge loss.
When Israel goes into Gaza, they go with very clear and specific goals for the operations. They go in with small, highly-trained strike forces with a great deal of experience. They work well together and they work efficiently. They go in on the ground and then often take a vehicle or use one that has been arranged for them through local Palestinian assistance.
These small strike forces move quickly.
Their goals, normally, are to confirm information or to sabotage or destroy targets. Sometimes they are there to kidnap or assassinate terrorist leaders.
When something goes wrong there are contingency plans. In this most recent case, the team was discovered. A firefight ensued and that's when the commander was killed and the officer was wounded. Within seconds IDF helicopters came and fired on the Hamas positions giving cover to the IDF team. Other helicopters landed to evacuate the wounded and the rest of the team.
Knowing what to do when things do not go as planned is a critical part of every operation.
Hamas is still responding to the Israeli operation. They are lobbing mortars from Gaza into Israel. Of the 80 mortars lobbed so far today, one mortar resulted in a direct hit on an Israeli bus.
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Sunday November 11, 2018
I've Been Thinking:
14 years ago, on November 11, 2004, Yasser Arafat died in a hospital in France.
Since then, not much has progressed for the Palestinians. Actually, under the current Palestinian leadership, the Palestinian cause has stalled.
Many blame Israel. And yes, there are things Israel could have done to further urge Palestinian leadership and the masses into a mindset amenable to peace agreements. But the lion's share of responsibility sits firmly on the shoulders of Palestinian leadership.
Simply put, Palestinian leadership is afraid to take upon itself the responsibility of compromise. They do not have faith that their leadership will convince the masses that compromise will create a better life and a better future.
Extremists advocate black and white answers only - they refuse to compromise and they threaten anyone who speaks of an agreement with Israel as a traitor and a collaborator. And both leadership and the masses cower in fear and toe the line of the extremists.
Palestinian leadership even mimics extremist ideas in order to save public face which then gives rise to the question whether they actually want peace at all.
Classic examples of capitulation to extremist demands are the official PA policies of paying stipends to arrested terrorist and to the families of killed terrorists, and the offer to those who spend twenty years in Israeli prison for terrorist crimes to purchase car free of tax.
Since Arafat's time, things have really not improved.
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Thursday November 8, 2018
I've Been Thinking:
The Saudis are not permitting Palestinian Arabs to attend the Hajj. Since 1978 Palestinians have joined the Hajj. They use temporary Jordanian passports in order to enter Saudi Arabia.
No Israeli is permitted to enter Saudi Arabia and certainly not the holy city of Mecca.
In order to side step that issus Jordan, gave Israelis this temporary status.
There are two interesting issues at stake. 1st is that Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank are included in the ban. 2nd is that this is all happening at a time when Israel and the Saudis are having secret meetings. It was rumored that Israeli PM Netanyahu met the Saudi Crown Prince in Amman Jordan recently.
Israeli press has also reported that they sold the Saudis their Iran Dome.
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Wednesday November 7, 2018
I've Been Thinking:
Roni Trabelsi is the new tourism minister in Tunisia. This is important news because Roni Tabelsi is Jewish.
Trabelsi is the second Jewish minister in the history of Tunisia. The last Jewish minister was a financial minister to the king of Tunisia in 1860.
Trabelsi is a successful businessman. He actually lives in France, but is also a Tunisian citizen. In the past Trabelsi had been a candidate for this cabinet post but was passed over for the position.
He owns a very large tourism company in Tunisia called Royal First Travel.
Not very long ago Tunisia was home to over 150,000 Jews. Today there may be 1,200 Jews residing there. Not more.
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Tuesday November 6, 2018
I've Been Thinking:
Iran has announced that they have discovered a new attack similar to Stuxnet. They claim that the attack was launched by Israel. General Jalali, the general in charge of defending Iran general said this:
"Recently, we discovered a new generation of Stuxnet which consisted of several parts ... and was trying to enter our systems."
I do not know whether Israel attacked Iran's computers. But I can certainly say that Iran must know that they are perfect targets.
This is the era of computer warfare and it is no surprise that the Iranians were attacked.
I doubt. however, that they successfully cleaned their systems of the infection.
If it is anything like Stuxnet the infection is dormant and cannot be found until it is called back in to action.
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Monday November 4, 2018
I've Been Thinking:
The newest US sanctions on Iran kicked in today.
These sanctions involve the energy sector.
Countries and companies around the world are biting their nails waiting to see what happens now between the United States and Iran.
For an indication, here's what Iranian President Rouhani said: "We are in a situation of war. We are in the economic war situation. We are confronting a bullying enemy. We have to stand to win."
Iran is assuming the position of victim of an evil aggressor. They are portraying the United States as an enemy and they are speaking in terms of war - economic war as well as real war.
Rouhani cranked up the rhetoric when he compared US President Donald Trump to Saddam Hussein of Iraq, one of world's most vicious dictators and the arch enemy of Iran. He said: "Yesterday, Saddam was in front of us, today Trump is front of us. There is no difference. We must resist and win."
Positions have been set.
The United States made the first move.
How will Iran counter?
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Friday November 2, 2018
I've Been Thinking:
Palestinians have been burning tires. One of the tools they use to obscure the field of vision of Israeli soldiers is burning tires.
So Israel initiated a ban on bringing tires in to Gaza. Eventually, Israel figured, they would run out of the tires.
And now, a shortage of tires has emerged in Gaza. There is a shortage of tires for burning and there is also a shortage of tires for cars.
With a short supply and a high demand, the price of tires will skyrocket. The price of tires has hit $350 a pair - that is an increase of 300% since the burning of tires began.
An essential good has now become a luxury good in Gaza.
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