Just in time for Shabbat

In a strident reversal of his own previous ruling, (where R' Elyashiv clearly ruled that Shabbat Elevators are absolutely forbidden, both going up and down), R' Elyashiv is reportedly going to change his ruling and permit the use of Shabbat elevators (at least for the elderly, sick, and pregnant) both going up and down.

This is a result of the Belze Rebbe requesting from Rav Elyashiv to meet with experts on Shabbat elevators.

More details after Shabbat on this breaking story.

(JoeSettler contributed to this report).

Visiting Israel?
Learn to Shoot at Caliber-3 with top Israeli Anti-Terror Experts!

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

Persil Gell Detergent: Banned and Forbidden!

This Mea-Shearim-style public notice "Pashkevil" screams the dangers and horrors of using "Persil Gell" (not to be confused with Agel) laundry detergent...how dare we switch to this new-fangled "gell" detergent, when our mothers and grandmothers used only powdered detergents?!

Awesome advertising gimmick :-)

Kudos/Hat-tip: Gideon, who found it at R' Slifkin's Website.

Update: Hat tip to Gideon’s WIFE who saw the pashkavel up at Bar Ilan intersection on Monday, and at first believed it was for real! But by the time she got her act together two days later to photograph it, it had already been covered up.

Visiting Israel?
Learn to Shoot at Caliber-3 with top Israeli Anti-Terror Experts!

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

Israeli Mannerisms

Found this great tidbit over at "Recessioning In Jerusalem"

Blogger Elaz attended the 2009 Israeli Presidential Conference in Jerusalem, and personally heard the following story from previous UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair.

Of note is a story he related about Netanyahu when the two of them were at a dinner party hosted by Netanyahu. It seems the waiter accidentally ladled the soup, matzo ball I presume, onto Netanyahu’s lap. The waiter, rather than gushing over with apologies to his head of state, proceeded to berate him for being in the way while he was trying to do his job. Netanyahu apologized profusely. Back at the convention, Blair asked rhetorically, in which other Middle Eastern nation might one witness such an episode with a similar outcome. Enough said.

I found this in-line with the discussion the other day about Israelis and perceived rudeness, etc.

Visiting Israel?
Learn to Shoot at Caliber-3 with top Israeli Anti-Terror Experts!

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

Restitution from Arab Countries: Who Gains?

Israeli political specialist Benny Mercury (Ben Caspit) has decided that that a recent Shas promoted and preliminarily-approved legislation, stating that any future political agreement that addresses compensation or relocation for "Palestinian refugees" must be accompanied by a parallel agreement providing compensation for Jewish refugees from Arab countries,-- will deadlock any future peace agreement.

Mercury believes that Netanyahu approved the legislation on purpose, to ensure he won't have to sign a peace agreement with the Palestinians.

The legislation states:

"The government of Israel with not sign, either directly or through a representative, any treaty or agreement with any country, party, or authority, that is a political middle east agreement, without ensuring the rights of Jewish refugees from Arab countries according to the Refugee Charter of the United Nations.

Any discussion in the matter of Palestinian refugees within the framework of peace negotiations in the Middle East, will require the government of Israel to discuss the issue of financial compensation for lost property, and equal compensation to that of Arab refugees that left their properties from the day of the founding of the State, and those of Jewish refugees from Arab countries." [NRG, Hebrew]

Mercury abhors anything to the right of Kadima, and is hardly a fan of Netanyahu, yet I think he missed the point completely.

PM Netanyahu supports this initiative not because it will deadlock future peace agreements, but it will actually give Shas and its voters a very clear reason to support a peace agreement which provides monetary compensation to Jews from Arab countries.

Unfortunately, choosing compensation money over destroying the settlements won't be that hard a choice for Shas.

Visiting Israel?
Learn to Shoot at Caliber-3 with top Israeli Anti-Terror Experts!

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

A Muqata History Post: 27 years since the Tyre (Zur) Disaster

Today, November 11, 2009 marks 27 years since the "First" Tyre/Zur Disaster -- a massive suicide bombing of IDF forces in Lebanon.

An Islamic Jihad terrorist detonated a car bomb against the IDF Command Center in Tyre/Zur, South Lebanon, killing 75 IDF soldiers, border policemen, and Shabak agents, and wounding 27 Israelis.

27 Lebanese terrorists also being held in the compound were killed.

The initial investigation by Israel claimed it was a gas leak, but over the years it is now accepted that a suicide bomber, Ahmad Qassir, detonated a Peugeot car packed with hundreds of kilograms of explosives -- at the base of the seven-story building, which served as IDF regional command headquarters for the Tyre/Zur region during the First Lebanon War.

A few days after the disaster, Israel commemorated the event with a national day of mourning, including the sounding of air raid sirens.

May their memories be a blessing, and their deaths avenged.

Wiki Hebrew, Wiki English


Visiting Israel?
Learn to Shoot at Caliber-3 with top Israeli Anti-Terror Experts!

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

Director: Award Winning Israeli films are "mediocre or worse"

In a crushing interview with Haaretz, noted Israeli Director Dover Kosashvili trashes this past year's euphoria in the Israeli movie industry, calling films that won awards "mediocre or worse."

"They're celebrating like this is genuine success," but "it's a load of rubbish."

He attacked the unprecedented success abroad of movies such as:

Ari Folman's "Waltz with Bashir" (Golden Globe for best foreign language film and France's Cesar for best foreign film)

Samuel Maoz's "Lebanon" (first Israeli director to win first prize at the Venice Film Festival)

What's even more interesting, is his reason "why" such mediocre films are winning global awards. The Haaretz English edition left this out altogether, but the Hebrew edition partly explains it...and an interview I heard today on IDF Radio fully explained it.

The recent films all have a common theme: they show Israel spitting at itself and airing Israel's dirty laundry for all to see in public.

This would also explain the success of Yossi Sieder's films:

Beaufort A movie about a 22 year-old outpost IDF commander, and his troops in the months before Israel pulled out of Lebanon. This is not a story of war, but of retreat. This is a story with no enemy, only an amorphous entity that drops bombs from the skies while terrified young soldiers must find a way to carry out their mission until their very last minutes on that mountaintop. As LIRAZ lays the explosives which would destroy that very same structure that his friends had died defending, he witnesses the collapse of all he's been taught as an officer, and his soldier's mental and physical disintegration (IMDB)

Medurat Hashevet The story of a religious-socially shunned young widow, who wants to join the founding group of a new religious settlement in the West Bank, but first must convince the acceptance committee that she is worthy. Things get even more complicated when the younger daughter is accused of seducing some boys from her Bnei Akiva youth movement. (IMDB)

Ha-Hesder In a West Bank settlement, Rabbi Meltzer has a grand design: he's building a movement "to pray at the Temple Mount." His yeshiva has scholars, and the settlement is getting its own military company to be commanded by Menachem, a disciple of the rabbi. He also wants his daughter, Michal, to marry Pini, the yeshiva's best scholar. Michal has no interest in Pini, but she is attracted to Menachem. When she rebuffs Pini, he hatches a bold and secret plan. Is jealousy the motivation or something else? Meanwhile, the army and Moussad are closely watching the rabbi's activities and Menachem's military training. Settlers try to blow up the Temple Mount. (IMDB)

So...if you're an aspiring Israeli Director who wants to win a prestigious film award, just ensure it bashes the IDF, Israel, Right Wingers, Religious Jews, or Settlers.

Quality not Required.

Visiting Israel?
Learn to Shoot at Caliber-3 with top Israeli Anti-Terror Experts!

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

Massive Jerusalem Archeological Dig Planned

Wow.

A7 reported (and provided the above amazing picture):

Israel is planning a major archaeological dig under the Western Wall (Kotel) plaza, opposite the Temple Mount, officials announced Thursday. The excavations will create an archaeological park directly underneath the area where worshippers currently stand while praying at the Kotel.

The current prayer area will remain open, supported by pillars, while a new area will be added underneath, at the level at which worshippers at the ancient Temple stood in the past.

In other Old City news: New Tram/Subway to connect Kotel Plaza with Jewish Quarter -- specifically helping the disabled:

The tram will enable the elderly and families with small children to easily move back and forth between the two areas. Visitors to the Western Wall (Kotel) could have an easier time getting to the holy site soon. A new tram will visitors to reach to the Kotel Plaza from the Jewish Quarter, enabling visitors who have difficulty walking up and down the many steps between the two sites to more easily visit the Kotel. The tram, which is to be named for Baruch Klein, a resident of the Quarter who is financing the project, will descend from Tiferet Yisrael Street, and then enter a 56-meter long tunnel, where riders will exit. The project is being directed by the Jewish Quarter Preservation and Development Company. Company director Nissim Arazi told Israel National News that the tram could be extended to reach the Herodian Quarter (the Wohl Archaeological Museum) - an area with many well-preserved buildings from the Second Temple era that is impossible for individuals with physical limitations to reach. "Some 10 million visitors come to the Old City each year," Arazi said."The Jewish Quarter has been partially outfitted to enable disable people to reach important sites, but because of worries about preserving the site archaeologically, we were unable to build a connection between the Jewish Quarter and the Kotel Plaza. The tram will enable limited mobility individuals, such as the elderly or families with small children, to easily move back and forth between the two areas."

Visiting Israel?
Learn to Shoot at Caliber-3 with top Israeli Anti-Terror Experts!

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

US demands answers about illegal student's deportation

While this is apparently big news in the US, hardly anyone knows about this issue in Israel.

CNN reported last week that 21 year old Gazan college student, Berlanty Azzam, was apprehended at an IDF checkpoint between Ramallah and Bethlehem.

She said she was held at the checkpoint for five hours with no explanation, and then blindfolded, handcuffed and put into a military vehicle.

Well, perhaps if she was in the West Bank legally, she might have been treated slightly differently. This is one of the more common ways Israel finds terrorists. The method works.

"I did not know what they were going to do with me or where they were taking me," Azzam said in a interview.

Of course she knew was happening - she was here illegally, she never applied for permission to stay.

As it turns out, Azzam was being removed from the Palestinian West Bank and brought to the Gaza Strip. She called the experience "frightening and dehumanizing."

Yes, Gaza's a frightening place. I wouldn't want to be brought there. Oh, her family lives there? Does she know that Hamas and Fatah terrorists are students too? Does she live in a vacuum and think this is Disneyland?

The Israeli military released a statement saying Azzam was "residing illegally" in the West Bank and had overstayed a permit "allowing her to stay in Jerusalem for a few days in August 2005."

OK, so she was granted permission for a few days to be here 4 years ago, she broke the law, stayed here illegally, and now expects that the United States will bail her out?

The same United States that routinely deports illegal Mexican migrants?

Breitbart notes that: The United States deported more than 154,000 Mexicans and Central Americans in the 2008 fiscal year, in a 46 percent rise on the previous year, an official statement said here Thursday.

What?! The United States of America that deports tens of thousands of illegals, is criticizing Israel?

The same United States that blindfolds, handcuffs and deports illegals?

Immigration lawyers complain that their clients have been moved frequently among INS facilities and often have been difficult for the lawyers to find. Some detainees have been handcuffed, blindfolded and forced to take lie-detector tests, the lawyers say. A few, their lawyers say, have been asked to be informants and offered immediate release if they agree.

She was here illegally, she never applied for permission to stay.

Mark Regev, a spokesman for the Israeli government, said he was not aware of any policy to remove Palestinians from the West Bank to Gaza and said that in the past there have been concerns about Hamas using access to the West Bank as a way of placing their activists in universities.

CNN ends it with:

Officials at Bethlehem University said they were worried that Azzam's case could set a precedent for the removal of more of their students who come from Gaza and questioned why it was a problem to allow her to finish her studies.

"She has been here [illegally] since 2005," said Brother Jack Curran, a vice-president at the Vatican-sponsored university. "Name one security concern that she has been involved in."

"It's really not about political posturing," he said. "It's about a young woman's life and her dream and her goal for her university education [illegally]."

Did I mention she was here illegally, she never applied for permission to stay?

For the USA to "demand answers" from Israel over something the US routinely does, is simply the height of hypocrisy.

Perhaps Berlanty Azzam should grow up, officially request permission to study and stay like everyone else, before she goes off crying about her "deportation."

Its called -- the law. Try and follow it sometime,s and maybe the results will be different.

Visiting Israel?
Learn to Shoot at Caliber-3 with top Israeli Anti-Terror Experts!

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

Lebanon: Global Warning against 'Massive' Israeli Attack

I saw this early today and didn't think much of it, but now Hebrew Israeli websites are picking up on it as well.

Lebanese news-site Naharnet reports:

Lebanon has reportedly received warning of a "massive" aggression Israel plans against Hizbullah, the daily An-Nahar reported Tuesday. The report by An-Nahar Washington's correspondent Khalil Flaihan said international military authorities have warned Lebanon that Israel plans to launch a massive attack targeting Hizbullah positions.

It said Israel is also likely to "widen its aggression to include large areas of Lebanon" under the pretext that Hizbullah continues to receive "heavy and sophisticated weapons" via Syria.

Diplomatic sources in Beirut did not rule out the possibility that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could raise the issue of the seized ship alledgedly carrying weapons for Hizbullah and the explosions that took place in Khirbit Selim and Teir Felsay as well as the Katyusha firing from the southern town of Houla.

The sources pointed out that Natanyahu would exploit these incidents to accuse Hizbullah of breaching Resolution 1701 "posing a real threat to Israel's security and that its armed forces are ready for any emergency."

They said the U.S. and French presidents, however, are unlikely to approve any new Israeli offensive against Lebanon.

1. I wonder if Netanyahu and Obama discussed this last night? I just saw the following headline article on the JPost website -- I wonder if this gives any credence to the Naharnet report?

Unusual media blackout follows Netanyahu, Obama meeting

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu held a lengthy meeting with US President Barack Obama Monday night which addressed the Middle East peace process, Iran and Israeli security.

The one-hour-and-forty-minute parley was accompanied by an unusual news blackout, as the standard photo op and press availability were not held. In addition, Netanyahu canceled a scheduled briefing with Israeli reporters and Defense Minister Ehud Barak scrapped plans for radio interviews following the talks.

2. If this really is that serious, then Israel would need to act, regardless of "permission" from the US and France. France? Since when does Israel ask France for permission before doing anything?!

3. I don't think this is really in the works right now...[updated in light of the JPost headline emphasis...who knows...]

Visiting Israel?
Learn to Shoot at Caliber-3 with top Israeli Anti-Terror Experts!

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד