Aryeh's Israel Outlook

[Published on Times of Israel  here  8 August '24] This Waiting Game Must End: Hit Iran at a Time of Our Choosing, on Our Terms The mood in Israel seems reminiscent of everything I’ve ever heard or read about May 1967.  (And not just in Israel but among Jews and other supporters of Israel around the globe.) We all know (hate that phrase but it fits here) that Israel’s 1967 opening military operation was and is the   paradigm of a legitimate pre-emptive defensive first strike   under the laws of war and the UN Charter, still taught in law schools (in the West, where it counts). Can anyone question that the same legitimacy applies now to a long-overdo attack on Iranian military installations, nuclear plants, and leadership – as ToI r eported  Israel is considering? Historical analogies only go so far, but… in this case there’s another element which is worth noting (which The Times of Israel leaves out in its article – David Horovitz take note?): Iran on April...

 [Published on Times of Israel here June 7 2024] Israel: Welcome (& celebrate!) the recognition of the “State of Palestine” The recent recognition of “Palestine” (without borders) by Ireland, Norway and Spain has engendered all sorts of criticism and scorn, not least by Israeli leaders, focused on how it seemingly rewards the Hamas massacre of October 7 th . There are two problems with that line of argument.  First, many counter: “Hamas doesn’t represent the Palestinians” (i.e. there are other leaders not tainted by the horrors of the Hamas attacks).  True or not – mostly not, as the PLO and Fatah, led by Mahmoud Abbas, are responsible for at least as many attacks, if not more, than Hamas – this counter-argument suggests that holding all Palestinians responsible for the Shabbat bloodbath of Oct. 7 th  is somehow an unfair form of collective punishment. Second, the reference to Oct. 7 th  doesn’t address the claims to independence of those Arabs who self-ide...

[Published on Times Of Israel  6 February '24] If the Biden administration needs to prove their pro-Palestinian bona fides, I can recommend 100 ways. Decrying a non-existent "increase in settler violence" and sanctioning individuals isn't one of them. Here's the scoop (wonder how much of this CNN , BBC , BBC World Service , Fox News , The New York Times etc. will cover?): 1. There was a 50% DECREASE in incidents of Jews "attacking" Arabs in Judea & Samaria (the "West Bank" of the Jordan River) in Q4 '23 over Q4 '22. At least get your FACTS right. 2. Many of even those "attacks" were Jews defending themselves or standing their ground, not actual "attacks". (It goes without saying, but I’ll say it here, that I & the vast, VAST MAJORITY of all Israelis condemn and oppose violence against innocent civilians whether Arab or Jewish.) 3. Israel has a police, security forces and justice system (including under the...

  Israel’s Hostage Crisis: Tragic and Beautiful "As of the air date of this episode [January 4 '24], there are still some 130 hostages held in captivity by Hamas in Gaza. That they were kidnapped to begin with is not only an inhuman war crime, but every day they are held in captivity Hamas’ crimes are made worse. Aryeh Green is an intelligent writer and gifted communicator, and we address one of the most horrible issues in Israeli society today: the unconditional release of ALL the hostages. The conversation is inspiring , but the issues are challenging , even painful . Listen how Aryeh describes the situation as " both tragic and beautiful .'" Listen here . (https://www.charismapodcastnetwork.com/show/inspirationfromzion/fc5ad722-ae2f-4ba8-b349-9e482f450f3b/-Israel%E2%80%99s-Hostage-Crisis%3A-Tragic-and-Beautiful)

 [Published Jan 14 '24 on the Times of Israel - here .] The end game(s) are clear; either you support Israel or you support evil JAN 16, 2024, 9:36 AM Serenity in turbulent times. Photo credit: Author A simple statement by a moderate centrist Israeli. Our  end game  is clear (as explained to my brother this evening): In this war, our  short-term  goals, as stated by the government of Israel and supported by the vast majority of our people, are: (1) Destroy Hamas , capture or kill its members (leaders and fighters – some 20-30,000 total); (2) Ensure the release  of all remaining hostages; (3) Prevent Hamas  from ever being able to operate or rule in Gaza again. Our  long-term  end game in the coming months/year: (1) Help the international community to set up a  responsible interim government in Gaza  – democratic, respecting civil/human rights, interested in real peace with Israel and all our neighbors (may include remaining in Gaza ...

 [ - published Nov. 17 '23 on Times of Israel - here. ] Omer Bar Tov in the NYT Has It Wrong – Genocide is Hamas’ Goal, not Israel’s NOV 17, 2023, 7:44 PM Omer Bar Tov may be considered an expert on genocide. But even though he’s an Israeli Jew (living in the US), he seems to know nothing about how the Israel Defense Forces and our society approach military operations. His writing also reflects little understanding of politics (Israeli or otherwise) or international relations… and no common sense. And his Nov. 10 th   NYT article   accusing Israel of approaching genocide  seems to have none of the moral clarity this author  called for  from the West regarding this current stage of the struggle by the free world against the Islamist totalitarian ideology of Hamas and their sponsors and supporters (including Iran, Qatar, Turkey and their fellow travelers in Europe and America). Bar Tov’s entire argument is based on a combination of conjecture, numbers of cas...