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Iran Teams w Venezuela
By Micah Halpern

Friday May 1, 2020

I've Been Thinking:

In a press conference at the State Department, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo implored countries to prevent Iran from flying over their air space.

More specifically, the United States secretary of state was referring to the way Iran’s Mahan Air has been flying over and delivering support to Nicolas Maduro’s Venezuela.

Reports say that Venezuela has paid Iran 6 tons of gold.

Pompeo said: "Over the last few days, multiple aircraft belonging to Mahan Air have transferred unknown support to the Maduro regime …This is the same terrorist airline that Iran used to move weapons and fighters around the Middle East."

Pompeo continued saying that the flights "must stop". He said that countries should prevent Mahan Air overflight rights "just as many have already denied landing rights to this sanctioned airline."

Iran and Venezuela are uniting to help one another. They are both also strongly committed to hurting the United States and her Western allies.

This is just the beginning.

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Israel to have Drive-in Concerts
By Micah Halpern

Thursday April 30, 2020

I've Been Thinking:


The entertainment industry has a taken a huge hit from Coronavirus. From Broadway to Fenway they are feeling the pinch.

Two Israeli live concert producers have come up with almost the same solution for producing live concerts while adhering to social distancing.

The solution is a variation on the theme of a “drive-in movie.”

They are proposing using outdoor space large enough to accommodate 1,000 cars, stages, speakers, performers and screens. They would restrict patrons to two people per car.

Food would be available, probably through delivery to the cars.

The organizers have scouted spots in suburban Tel Aviv and in the South of Israel near Beer Sheva. They are investigating sites in the Haifa area, too.

This flashback to the era of the drive-in is a very good idea.

Live performances with the windows down augmented by individual car speakers or phones with apps could provide for the perfect concert during the era of COVID-19. The stage can be used to screen movies when not being used for a concert.

The more things change, as the saying goes, the more they stay the same.

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Happy Birthday Israel
By Micah Halpern

Wednesday April 29, 2020

I've Been Thinking:

Today is Israel’s 72nd birthday.

It behooves us to take a moment and consider just how miraculous it is that Israel exists today.

72 years ago, when Israel was declared, it was doubtful that the Jewish State would last even a week. With the announcement came a war by the Arab states surrounding Israel to annihilate the newly announced Jewish State.

We all know the result of that war. And 72 years later, remarkably, Israel continues to grow and help and influence not just Jews around the world, but the entire world.

Traditionally, on Independence Day, air-force jets fly over the center of the country including bases that are open to the public. Not today.

Today, because of Coronavirus, those jets flew over every hospital throughout the country. A schedule was published. Those patients who could leave their beds went outside to wave.

It is inspiring to watch the videos.

The 72nd birthday of Israel is inspiring. Yom Huledet Sameach. Happy Birthday Israel. May it be a year of health.

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Bombings in Damascus
By Micah Halpern

Tuesday April 28, 2020

I've Been Thinking:

Several Damascus suburbs were bombed this week.

They were more than suburbs, they were the military bases of Iran, Hezbollah and other Iranian backed Syrian militias.

Israel was, most probably, responsible for the attack.

Here’s why:

These sites were hotspots. They were locations from which attacks against Israel were organized and staged.

Iran and Hezbollah, as well as the Syrian militias, are fighting on several fronts.
Their priority is defending Syrian President Bashar Assad. Their goal is attacking Israel.

They move weapons into Hezbollah storage depots in Lebanon. Israel needs to stop the advance of these weapons.

Iran often trains Hezbollah in advanced military strategies against Israel. Israel needs to interrupt this procedure.

The evidence isn’t is, but it is not unreasonable to think that Israel was responsible for the bombing of these suburbs.

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Boys Make Masks From Kippot for Homeless
By Micah Halpern

Monday April 27, 2020

I've Been Thinking:


Two brothers from Houston, Matthew and Jeremy Jason, collected kippot and then together with the rest of their family they added elastic loops and created face masks. Masks for COVID-19 social distancing.

The masks were then given to the homeless of Houston.

They called the campaign “Kippahs to the Rescue.”

The boys transformed 160 kippot that they had lying around the house. They were kippot from bar mitzvahs and weddings.

These kippot are all double lined. The double lining makes them perfect for filter masks. The elastics attached on the sides go around the ears.

Matthew, one of the brothers, said: “In less than a week we were able to collect enough of them to make 160 face masks … My parents, brothers and I worked very hard to sew elastic bands on them, and they were ready to be delivered by Friday.”

Good for them!

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Cyber Attack hits Irael's Water
By Micah Halpern

Sunday April 26, 2020

I've Been Thinking:

Sometime between Friday night and Saturday night terrorists attacked Israel’s water system.

The attack came in the form of a cyberattack and it focused on chlorine and pumping departments.

According to an internal memo between the head of Israel’s water department and the head of Israel’s cyber security, the attack was repelled and Israel successfully defended itself. No damage was done. The memo ordered everyone to change their passwords - especially those in the chlorine control department.

If that was not possible, they were instructed to remove themselves and to take their system offline immediately.

This attack was sophisticated. It penetrated deep into the system. It leads me to infer that the attack came from one of three sources: either Iran, Russia or China.
Iran, Russia and China are the three biggest hacking governments in the world.

Penetrating Israel’s security requires a great deal of computer and hacking power.

This was not a high schooler having a good time or winning a bet.

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Israel Lifts Restrictions
By Micah Halpern

Friday April 24, 20Friday April 24, 2020

I've Been Thinking:


Israel has decided to permit the re-opening of certain stores and services.

Stores situated on streets (but not in malls) may open. Barber shops and hair salons may also open.

Gyms, restaurants and cafes may not open yet. Delivery from those establishments will continue.

Each store must position an employee with a digital no-touch thermometer outside the door and everyone who enters must have their temperature taken. That includes employees.

Violating distancing laws could lead to half a year in prison and/or hefty fines.

Social distancing must take place within the stores and barriers must be placed between customers and employees. In barber shops gloves must be replaced after each client.

A store that is 250 sq ft large may only have 6 customers at a time while a store with 325 sq ft may have 8.

The government will discuss opening other business next week.

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Iran Responds to Trump
By Micah Halpern

Thursday April 23, 2020

I've Been Thinking:

There is more happening in the spat between Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and the United States taking place in the Persian Gulf.

Head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, Hussein Salami, has responded to US President Trump’s tweet threating Iran by telling the US Naval fleet that next time the Iranians threaten them, shoot them down.

The Revolutionary Guards head responded on National Iranian television and said: "I have ordered our naval forces to destroy any American terrorist force in the Persian Gulf that threatens the security of Iran's military or non-military ships. Security of the Persian Gulf is part of Iran's strategic priorities."

General Salami was indignant. He said that whatever happens in the Persian Gulf is under their purview and control of the Gulf is Iran’s strategic goal and interest.

Speaking on National TV is significant. It demonstrates to the people of Iran that Iran is standing up to the United States.

What wasn’t covered in the Iranian press was another message from President Trump, tweeted later in the day on Wednesday. This tweet clarified the earlier aggressive Trump announcement about the US Navy protecting itself. Trump’s message was: “I have not changed the rules of engagement.”

Context and clarity count.

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Trump Says Shoot Down Iran
By Micah Halpern

Wednesday April 22, 2020

I've Been Thinking:

Following up on yesterday’s entry about Iran toying with US Naval forces in the Persian Gulf when 11 Iranian naval boats toyed with the US Navy’s 5th Fleet …

In a tweet, President Trump explained that he gave a direct order to the US Navy to shoot at the Iranians if this were ever to happen again.

The president’s exact tweet was: "I have instructed the United States Navy to shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass our ships at sea."

At the same time, Iranian media announced that the Iranian Revolutionary Guards successfully launched a satellite into orbit.

It’s all happening as Iran confronts the devastating effects of Coronavirus.

Trump is pushing back by ordering not just warning shots but orders “to shoot down and destroy any and all.”

This is not an ambiguous command. It is very clear. Now let’s see if Iran does it again.

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Iran Toys w US
By Micah Halpern

Tuesday April 21, 2020

I've Been Thinking:

The US 5th Fleet protects the Persian Gulf.

For sixty minutes yesterday, that’s one full hour, 11 Iranian Navy small boats dangerously and provocatively danced around the United States fleet. Included in the US fleet are the USS Paul Hamilton, a destroyer ship and the USS Lewis B Puller, a Naval Landing Base, home to a team of Apache attack helicopters.

The US Navy used tried to contact the Iranian vessels using speakers and even loud bursts of warning sirens. Finally, the Iranian boats responded and then left.
FARS, an official Iranian media outlet, mentioned the incident but without giving details.

The US Navy issued a statement that they were in international waters. The statement read: "The dangerous and provocative actions increased the risk of miscalculation and collision ... and were not in accordance with the obligation under international law to act with due regard for the safety of other vessels in the area."

Iran is pushing the envelope. Iran is trying to draw the United States into conflict.

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Russia Intimidates US Navy
By Micah Halpern

Monday April 20, 2020

I've Been Thinking:

On Sunday, for the second time in 4 days, a Russian fighter jet danced around US reconnaissance planes.

This was not simply a fly by or a fly over.

The Russian SU-35 flew multiple times around the US P-8A, an unarmed craft that only receives and sends information. One of the techs on board the US plane filmed and then tweeted about one of the incidents.

The United States Navy acknowledged the events.

This US plane is attached to the 6th Fleet, the massive US presence in the Mediterranean. Since it began its mission the 6th Fleet’s mission is to check aggression in the area and maintain peace in the region.

On the other hand, Russia’s presence in the region is to gain power and influence.

This was not reckless. This was intimidation. It may have been the actions of officers in the arena and not in Moscow – we do not know. Maybe they were trying to impress Iran. These actions against a US plane are not in Moscow’s best interests.

Games of this sort have the potential to explode.

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3 Scenarios
By Micah Halpern

Friday April 17, 2020

I've Been Thinking:

Here is what I see happening in Israeli politics.
There are three scenarios:

One - highly unlikely - Blue and White and Likud will sign an agreement to create a unity government

Two - more likely – efforts to form a unity government will be unsuccessful and the country launches into a fourth election

Three - most likely – Netanyahu successfully cobbles together a government

A Likud government, if successful, will not be the most stable. But then again, most governments in Israel have not been stable. Neither will it be the shortest government in history.

The 16th Israeli government was the shortest government in the history of Israel.

Golda Meir was elected in December of 1973 just after the Yom Kippur War. Her government was formed on March 10 and on April 11th Golda resigned. The government was replaced on June 3rd. The government lasted 85 days if you calculate from March through June. By the shortest standard of measurement, from March to April, Golda’s government lasted 32 days.

Another Bibi government would certainly last longer.

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20 Die in Amsterdam Home
By Micah Halpern

Tuesday April 14, 2020

I've Been Thinking:

The Jewish old age home in Amsterdam had 120 residents. Since Purim, only 5 weeks ago, 20 of those patients have died.

There are approximately 15,000 Jews in Amsterdam today. The death of 20 elderly Jews has sent a chilling current of fear and terror through the Jewish community of Amsterdam.

Amsterdam is a city with a long and rich Jewish history. It was also the home of Anne Frank.

The threat of Coronavirus frightens everyone, for this community it is now even more frightening.

It has been determined that the virus began spreading at the old age home’s Purim party. Twenty deaths already and many more who will probably die.

The virus is particularly deadly to the elderly, they comprise the vast majority of coronavirus fatalities. This is one of many ghastly examples.

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Leaders Shouldn’t violate social distancing
By Micah Halpern

Monday April 13, 2020

I've Been Thinking:


Israel is considering - and will probably institute, another total lockdown from Tuesday through Sunday.

In the end, there will probably be a compromise and the lockdown will be in force from Wednesday night through Saturday night.

In the midst of these lockdown discussions Israelis are voicing their distress over the behaviors of their beloved president, Reuven Rivlin, and of Prime Minister Netanyahu over the first day of Passover.

President Rivlin’s daughter Rivi and her children left their home and came to eat with him in his home. And Prime Minister Netanyahu’s son Avner came to visit and eat with his parents.

Rivlin apologized saying since his wife died his children have been helping him around the house and in his presidential tasks.

The problem is — that is exactly what most children do for their parents.
These children, like all others, must stay away.

There are no exceptions.

There is one law for everyone. Not one law for the people and another law for the families of leadership. That would be a classic form of corruption. Even more, leaders should live according to a higher, more demanding, standard.

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Bibi is a Master
By Micah Halpern

Sunday April 12 2020

I've Been Thinking:


With Covid-19 taking over the headlines and with our concerns over spending Passover away from family and with matzah all around us tempting us to overeat and indulge in one of the few pleasures still available and permissible, we tend to forget that other events are still occurring. Events that should be, and are, of concern.

The deadline for Benny Gantz to form his government is hours away.
Before Passover Gantz asked Israel’s President, Ruby Rivlin, for an extension of that deadline. The request was denied.

Over the past few weeks Gantz supporters have bolted. Seeing an opportunity to reclaim his position as the sole prime minister of Israel, Netanyahu has requested that the president ask him to form a government.

Netanyahu has 59 of the 60 Knesset seats sewn up and secure. All he needs is one more, two would be better.

More than once over the years an Israeli prime minister has successfully cobbled out a government by swaying parties and people to join his coalition. The modus operandi is to offer sweet treats. The sweetest and most obvious treats are power and positions.

Once upon a time all you had to offer was a Mitsubishi - not even a Volvo - but those days are long gone.

If Netanyahu successfully forms a government he will have done it by pulling Gantz’s Blue and White party apart. The only thing that united them was their hatred for Bibi which, if Netanyahu is successful, makes it all the more ironic.

But when Bibi Netanyahu and Benny Gantz United to fight Covid-19, those who hated Bibi most jumped ship. It was a perfect plan, laid out by Bibi, to lead Blue and White to self destruction.

We will know what happens in a few more days.

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Muslims Suffering from Coronavirus
By Micah Halpern

Wednesday April 8, 2020

I've Been Thinking:

The month of Ramadan starts on or around April 23. (The dating of Ramadan will be the subject of another entry.)

Ramadan is a month long fast during which Muslims fast during the day and break fast with friends and family and night.

That break fast is called Iftar.

In addition to massive family gatherings, most communities host public Iftar for the general public - especially the poor.

Egypt has just announced the cancellation of Iftar celebrations. They are asking that Muslims break fast in private and do not engage in large celebrations.

Under normal circumstances the fast ends with prayers in Mosques. People return home with friends and extended family. This Ramadan, that must not happen.

The last ten days of month of Ramadan taken on even more intensity. They are called Itikaf. Muslims spend more time in Mosque, repenting and the final fast days have even more significance.

Egypt and hopefully, other leaders in the Arab and Muslim world, will step up and enforce social distancing—not permitting either Iftar or Itkaf.

We are monitoring Muslim leadership. Hopefully, they will react with a strong united voice, standing up against this silent mass murderer named COVID-19.

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BDS Will Take Vaccine from Israel
By Micah Halpern

Tuesday April 7, 2020

I've Been Thinking:

Omar Barghouti is the founder of BDS.

Barghouti recently gave a webinar on the Arabic Facebook page discussing how Palestinians need to continue to fight “Normalization with Israel.” Normalization is code for accepting Israel’s right to exist. It is a term used constantly in Arabic and in translation.

While addressing this issue, the founder of BDS said that if Israel develops a vaccine against COVID -19 there is no problem with Palestinians getting that vaccine. He explained that there would be no issues of hypocrisy and no conflict with the goals and values of BDS.

He said: “if you use medical equipment from Israel – it’s not a problem. Cooperating with Israel against the virus – to begin with, we didn’t consider it normalization…

The BDS announced normalization criteria long ago. If Israel finds a cure for cancer, for example, or any other virus, then there is no problem in cooperating with Israel to save millions of lives.”

However, Barghout did add, “up until now, we have not been in a situation where we need Israel urgently and no one else can save us but Israel. If that will happen, saving lives is more important than anything else.”

The webinar was created because Palestinian leadership foresees a massive humanitarian crisis in the West Bank and Gaza and they are blaming Israel for that crisis in advance.

Ideology only goes so deep for BDS.

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New Masks for Beards
By Micah Halpern

Monday April 6, 2020

I've Been Thinking:

Israel, like the United States and many other countries, is now requiring that facial cover be worn when going outside.

But masks do not properly fit bearded men. So now Israel is certifying the safety and production of masks that properly fit men with beards. This will be useful.

There is also discussion in the Chief Rabbinate, as well as in Israel’s Ministry of Health, about asking men - or even permitting men - not to shave so that they can properly wear masks.

The same discussions took place back in the Gulf War when everyone was required to wear a gas mask and beards prevented a proper fit. Then, too, there were special masks for bearded men but they were limited in number and were also heavier and less comfortable.

These masks are not N-95’s. They are surgical style masks that properly and more completely cover the nose and mouths of those with beards so that there is no seepage or spillage when exhaling.

Remember, in this case the mask protects others from you – not you from others.

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COVID Tests Slow- Chemical Shortage
By Micah Halpern

Sunday April 5, 2020

I've Been Thinking:

COVID-19 testing should be at its peak – and yet it is slowing down.

Why? How can that be? The increased availability of test kits and the institution of self testing has resulted in a dramatic shift, allowing hospitals and doctors to test many more people than they could several weeks ago.

BUT there is now a shortage of reagents. In other words, labs that run the tests do not have the chemicals needed to stabilize the virus and evaluate the test.
That’s why. That’s how.

The reagent in this case is Guanidine Thiocynate. The compound is known as GITC - it renders the virus safe and allows the tester to focus on the RNA and run the coronavirus test.

Weeks ago, when Israel saw that they were running low, a lab at the Rabin Medical Center started to find an alternative. After all, they reckoned, GITC is a chemical – maybe they could they make a facsimile. They now think that they have succeeded.

This past week, as Israel ran low of the reagent, testing in Israel has been dropping. Hopefully, if the facsimile reagent is successful, those testing numbers will once again be able to rise.

This alternative could be critical in the continued fight against COVID-19.

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Health Minister - Irresponsible
By Micah Halpern

Friday April 3, 2020

I've Been Thinking:

Israel’s Minister of Health and his wife have tested positive for coronavirus. He is 71 years old.

After the news broke it forced the prime minister back into isolation until he could be tested. Prime Minister Netanyahu had just come out of isolation because his adviser on the Hareidi community had tested positive.

Other cabinet ministers and advisers are in isolation until their tests return.
Health Minister Yaakov Litzman is under attack for having spurned his own regulations against group prayer. Witnesses say that on Monday Litzman prayed in a Ger community prayer house.

Considering that nearly 30% of positive cases have been contracted in synagogues, it is likely he picked it up there.

If the story about Litzman engaging in group prayer is true, it was an extremely irresponsible act. If true, the prime minister should immediately relieve him of his duties and remove him from his post.

Even better, Litzman should resign. This would send a message of how very important social distancing is for the safety of the country.

Unfortunately, these scenarios are extremely unlikely.

While it is true that prayer in public is important in Judaism and Jewish law, saving a life in undoubtedly more important than public prayer. And killing is forbidden. When people flaunt social distancing regulations and go to synagogues the likelihood of someone dying because of that act is great. It is a simple and proven chain reaction.

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Cabinet Breifed on Mini Series
By Micah Halpern

Thursday April 2, 2020

I've Been Thinking:

I’ve Been Thinking:

Israel’s cabinet has been meeting regularly to update and decide how to confront the pandemic called COVID-19.

The cabinet is also briefed on how others are handling this crisis.

During one meeting the prime minister showed a clip of how Iran is dumping and burying hundreds of bodies in pits with bulldozers.

Or at least, that’s what he thought he was seeing. In truth, it was actually a movie clip from the Hallmark Network’s 2007 miniseries called Pandemic and starring Dustin Hoffman.

Obviously, Netanyahu did not know this. But neither was this clip vetted. The country with one of the greatest intel systems in the world made a big error. And so have lots of other people who have seen this video.

Iranians in the Diaspora have been circulating the clip. They want to paint the current leadership in Iran as evil. They are correct, they are evil. But there is enough real evidence of the bad acts of Iranian leadership - one need not spread untruths.

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Exit Strategy for COVID-19
By Micah Halpern

Wednesday April 1, 2020

I've Been Thinking:


The crisis of COVID-19 continues.

We should not yet begin to think that an end is in sight or to develop an exit strategy. Before that can happen, several other things must happen.

The growth of new cases needs to top out. When that happens, we will see it in the bell curve. The bell curve will show that in local studies, over a sustained period, fewer and fewer people have been infected.

The number of critical care patients needs to drop. Fewer and fewer people need to be on respirators. The key word here is “fewer” not “few” as in total numbers.

It is percentages, rather than numbers, that are the essential figure.
When that happens, when hospitals and their ICU’s are not backed up, we can begin an exit strategy. That strategy will probably come stage by stage, step by step, location by location – from community to county to city to state to country.

And it will also be determined by health status. Healthy with low risk communities will be the first to be able to ease up – not eliminate, merely ease up, on restrictions.

Monitoring of numbers is essential throughout the process.

If we are not cautious and very careful, we can create a revolving door situation. That is not what we want. It will only delay, dangerously delay, our eventual return to normalcy – or at least to what will be our new normal.

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