Bringing us up to date: Tuesday night, after a day of rocket attack from Gaza, all was relatively quiet. Then on Wednesday, serious rocket barrages began again. At that point, Israel’s response intensified, first with regard to the level of our military response – but in other ways as well. …
Read More »From Israel: “I Could Spit!!”
Not the most dignified of titles, but one that best captures my mood – and the mood, I will note, of a whole lot of other people here in Israel. This will be a short posting, very directly to the point. When I wrote yesterday about the rocket attacks from …
Read More »#IsraelUnderFire once again – 4 dead over 600 missiles hit Israel over the weekend
While we were sleeping – or at least some of us, those of us who live north of Rechovot and Ashdod – our Israeli compatriots were living through another hell of Hamas and Islamic Jihad’s making. The terror groups shot over 300 missiles into Israel over Shabbat, and the shooting …
Read More »From Israel: Throwing Up My Hands!
I would like to provide my readers with clear information on what’s happening in this part of the world. I would like a bit of certainty as we move forward. I would like to be able to report on an Israeli government stance that is reassuring. I would like a …
Read More »Arlene from Israel – A Second Look. Ceasefire.
I’m sure that – after today’s assessment – I will take a third and a fourth and fifth look at the ceasefire declared last night in Gaza. In many ways this is an evolving situation, more complex than it might have seemed at first blush. I begin by noting that …
Read More »Arlene from Israel – Worse and Worser.
The truth: There is no entirely satisfactory resolution to our war with Hamas (the war that is not called a war). Aside, of course, from that “ultimate” resolution in which we would fully retake Gaza and banish all terrorists and jihadis – thereby creating a peaceful situation in Gaza and …
Read More »Arlene from Israel – Off-Again On-Again War
If we listen to what Netanyahu said yesterday, he never really thought our battle with Hamas was going to be peacefully resolved – he refers to it as “on-going.” That would mean that even when there were negotiations proceeding during a ceasefire, he knew. Could well be. There were so …
Read More »Arlene from Israel – Déjà vu.
How many times? How many times do we count down as the final hours of a 72 hour – or 120 hour – ceasefire come to an end, aware that resolution of the issues between Israel and Hamas is exceedingly unlikely and wondering what will happen next?? The guessing is …
Read More »Arlene from Israel – Forecast Cloudy
Before I look at that forecast, let me mention “Kaitana Savta,” which translates literally as “Camp Grandma” (it sounds better in Hebrew). I am about to begin Kaitana Savta, which comes every year in August and is truly as much fun for me as for my grandkids. Starting tomorrow and …
Read More »Arlene from Israel – Soldiering On.
In spite of decidedly negative news I must address, below, I want to first share some very positive reports. We start with Ari Abramowitz – a host on Israel Inspired Radio and former co-host of Tuesday Night Live in Jerusalem – who wrote a Tisha B’Av message from his unit, …
Read More »Israel Advocacy Update: When The Fog Lifts.
Written by Emily Gian. Media and Advocacy Director, Zionist Federation of Australia. Over the past four weeks since Operation Protective Edge began, we have been subjected to images shrouded by the fog of war. We hear stories of destruction in Gaza, plumes of fire, rockets and missiles, dead bodies. A cartoon from …
Read More »Arlene from Israel – And Now?
I am chagrined but not exactly shocked by the latest turn of events here. As Shabbat went out, I had expressed surprise that – following the Friday ceasefire broken almost immediately by Hamas with an attack that included a suicide bombing and the kidnapping of Hadar Goldin – Netanyahu had …
Read More »Arlene in Israel – How It Is.
I begin by sharing this picture, drawn by an artist intent on paying tribute to our soldiers. Soldier as superman: His cape is his tallit. The artist is my granddaughter. A true story told last week by Col. Richard Kemp: He was given the opportunity to …
Read More »Arlene in Israel – Time to Finish the Threat.
It’s going on 72 hours since I’ve posted – the longest interval I’ve gone without a posting since this war with Hamas began. In that period, as I have attempted to track what is happening, I felt as if my head was spinning 350 degrees. Round and round. Here I …
Read More »Arlene in Israel – A Proud and Anguished Heart
July 22, 2014: A Proud and Anguished Heart. Before I share news, I want to take the liberty of talking, first, about the anguish in my heart – the tears that I carry inside of me – because of this war we are fighting. There is, above all, the sense of …
Read More »‘Arlene in Israel’ – War Update.
Today was a day on which I had planned to skip posting. A busy day, starting with an event in the Knesset this morning (about which more in time). But I know I must write to update my readers, even if very briefly. After I had written yesterday, news …
Read More »Arlene from Israel – PHEW!
What a roller coaster ride the last 24 hours has been with regard to our war with Hamas. Yesterday Egypt announced a proposal for a ceasefire: Both sides would stop firing, and then in 48 hours parties would convene in Cairo and – via an intermediary – discuss terms …
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