What the Guilty Verdict of Sgt. Elor Azariya Will Mean

 

Military court handed down guilty verdict finding Sergeant Elor Azariya guilty of manslaughter. The verdict was in at his arrest, with only the formalities left to complete, in this most obvious result in the universe. The media tried this case before the first military hearing or first witness was called. There was never the slightest doubt in the media, neither the Israeli nor the world, as the left slant of the media will always side against the military because they use violence instead of talking things out in a reasoned manner like they would as the real adults who keep us safe. The media has some less than reasoned beliefs; especially when it comes to the military, law enforcement or any other use of violence performed protecting the public. It’s that reasoned thing where adults would resolve such serious and difficult problems such as the five day weather forecast, political elections, budget issues and arresting violent, armed and dangerous felons or preventing terrorist attacks; oh, wait; the media run and hide when such problems arise and only come forth to complain about how law enforcement or the media used any amount of violence in resolving such situations. We are not going to debate the verdict or whether Sgt. Elor Azariya was justified or not and will leave that to the media, they will be salivating over this, and the demonstrators who will present the opposite views. Our apologies to the few media such as Arutz Sheva which will give all sides all the print they need to tangle and dice the verdict and evidence into second-by-second slices and view them from top, bottom, right, left, front, back, outside and inside and any other manner conceivably possible.

 

Our concern will take us on a different tack. This verdict will place the fear of imprisonment above and beyond the already burdensome Rules of Engagement (ROE), a military hierarchy which either fears or aligns themselves with the left, political establishment which also fears the media or is elected by them, and a public which is almost as equally divided. The losers from this verdict, other than Sgt. Elor Azariya, will be the soldier in the field who when facing any questionable situation where there might be any doubt or opening for leftist outrage will have an extra question in his decision protocols, will I face charges and is it worth my life to act or simply take cover and be safe from prosecution. Remember that at the other end of the infantryman’s rifle are very often terrorists who will have absolutely no decision protocols, they simply shoot first, second and continue to shoot until stopped, stopped by that soldier working through the ROE and now the political and legal challenges which are distractions far outside the norm for soldiers in what is in all honesty a combat zone. These soldiers are actually volunteers in a manner of speaking as if any Israeli teen upon graduating High School can find a means of avoiding military service by one of three alternatives, civilian service or seek some deferment or a long overseas vacation. The most honorable is civilian service but most Israelis choose the IDF and many religious Jews apply for the elite infantry units knowing they will face the harshest of training rigors and an uphill battle to meet and exceed all qualifications as well as have to compete against one another for the limited slots available. The highly motivated, altruistic, selfless, servants of Israel carry the weight of protecting their nation and its people on their shoulders. Now they also need to gauge the emotional state of the world, the probabilities of some prosecutor deciding to make a name for themselves before leaving the service and entering the work force hoping to polish up the resume and hoping if they do decide to use their weapon, whether the media might find reason to explode an expose doubting the need for discharging their weapon.

 

What seems to get lost in this mix is that these young people are facing terrorists who do not have ROE, do not wear uniforms, hide behind civilians, ambush civilians, hate life and worship death. The situation often is not cut and dry; and doubt, if permitted to permeate any situation, can be fatal as when fighting terrorism, delay results in the soldier’s life. These are the truths and we can rely that as time passes this decision will cause some unfortunate soldier to delay, consider one too many consequences, figure one too many angles, second guess before shooting and never get off that saving shot. It may well cost that soldier their life or worse, watching a civilian they were sworn to protect lose their life which would haunt them for the rest of their life. These are the stakes which these youth face regularly and adding more tension to their young lives is criminal, and we do not need any trial to figure this out. Was there no other means for the IDF handling this difficult situation? Unfortunate truth is, probably not after the media made such a monstrous crime of the century uproar about the shooting of a terrorist, injured and presumably subdued though not yet restrained, who had just stabbed another soldier and attacked others at the scene. Is such a mitigating factor? Apparently not in this or any case as they are enforcing the toughest and most moral code of any military in the world. For potentially making the IDF a target for recrimination by the world, its media and propaganda for the terror masters to radicalize more and more terrorists, Sgt. Elor Azariya may end up spending the next twenty years of his life in a military prison and his life will never be the same nor likely ever recover from this ordeal.

 

 

Knowing some will demand our opinion, I will speak for myself and not the remainder of our small staff, though the staff likely would agree. Was Sgt. Elor Azariya guilty of the manslaughter charge? That I cannot tell as I am not and never was a lawyer, intellectual, judge, politician or part of a paid media. Some of the above mentioned have the legal knowledge and possibly the background to judge fairly while others are simply presumptuous enough to claim that right. I can only speak as one who has carried a rifle and was in a combat unit though I fortunately never had to shoot any enemy targets, and in war that is what all enemy are, targets. The first thing in a case where an enemy has been taken prisoner but is not yet secured as they are seriously injured requiring medical attention, one must know the mind of the enemy. Would they still pose a threat and are they sufficiently guarded to prevent such threat. From what I have read, the terrorist in question was not being actively guarded, though there were sufficient soldiers that should he become a menace by one of their judgements of the terrorist’s acts and movements, then the terrorist would be neutralized, killed. This is what occurred and what was on trial here was the danger level the terrorist posed. Here we need consider the motivation to kill us the terrorists keep within them. We know they viscerally despise and hate us wishing us all dead. They would do anything to hurt and kill us. I guess the best way I could describe the level of animosity held by the terrorists is to point out that they would be willing to die to kill a little girl’s puppy because it would make her cry and place them in paradise as is his sick, perverse and beastly interpretation of his religion, and that level of hatred is only prevented from performing more acts of hostility and illogical violence when they are completely neutralized either through restraints or death. The terrorist was not restrained, you figure it out.

 

Beyond the Cusp 

 

Promise Israel Should Tell Obama

 

There has been much projecting on what President Obama might do to release his vengeance on Prime Minister Netanyahu and to hurt Israel permanently under International Relations. Israel should be wise and quietly relate to Administration officials that any drastic alteration from the agreed settlement reached through direct negotiations will be met with determination and resolve. Further information on what is meant by determination and resolve should be met that the degree to which such responses might take would be situationally dependent and would take actions measurable to any provocation or attack on the status-quo which the Administration was always so concerned about over the last eight years. Israel fully expects that said status-quo will continue and there will be no surprises or alterations placed on the balanced situation. This situational reactive desire will include any changes at the United Nations, The Hague or in any other international forum and not solely actions by the United States including lack of action allowing changes to occur. Should Israel find all things remain within the broader definition of the status-quo, then there would be no appreciable moves by Israel. Just believe that Israel is prepared to counter any move aimed at compromising Israel and the guarantees in place from before the election and including all expectations from promises and previous apparent intentions.

 

For the record, the rest of this editorial is purely the desired reactions BTC would hope have been communicated at least as strongly as above and potentially including some of what follows. One item which the world need understand is Israel will never allow any rescinding of our having annexed all of Jerusalem including the Old City, the Kotel and Plaza and the Temple Mount. These are all vital historic lands upon which there can be no debate, end of story. It is the intent of Israel to retail all of Area C which has been the intent from the very beginning of negotiations and Israel is adamant on this point. Area A will be permitted as Palestinian lands and agreements need be found to divide the lands in Area B such that each state has contiguous borders in the division in Judea and Samaria. All of these agreements depend on the Palestinians and the Arab nations recognize Israel as the home of the Jewish People and all reach a peace and agree that all hostilities will end. The situation is and has always been the Arab/Israeli conflict and not limited to just the Palestinians but the Arab and Muslim worlds. Any final agreement which falls short of this level of acceptance is a formula for eventual warfare and as such is unacceptable to Israel who desires peaceful and even beneficial relations with the other nations in the MENA nations (Middle East and North Africa – see map below). Israel will also retain the Golan Heights, particularly since there is no true Syrian government and the Islamic State, which is being enriched with Saudi Arabian funds and arms, could easily take these heights long enough to launch a severe attack upon Israelis residing in the Galilee. These same heights were previously used by Syrian snipers to practice their craft murdering farmers who were simply tending their fields and animals. That is another reason Israel must retain these high lands. Finally, the Jordan valley and overlooking heights will remain defended by the IDF as this is the first line for the defense of Israel. These minimal states need to be communicated through whatever channels used for official warnings and staunch positions. These are Israeli stances which have been presumably eroded but are being reestablished and former promises from San Remo through Article 80 of the United Nations Charter and the original mandate system. These promises need be realized and any compromise within the lands between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea will be permitted by the good graces of Israel and not through any external pressures or threats.

 

(MENA)
Middle East and North Africa
Including Turkey and Iran
With North Central Africa

 

Israel must take whatever defensive measures and precautions necessary to assure that should there be a parting vengeance shot from the White House in a manner which would be difficult or impossible for the Trump Administration to counter and return everything to the equilibrium which existed before any action by a parting President Obama, then Israel will have procedures and actions which would assure Israel’s rights and safety for the future. These are warnings and military planning with troops drilled and practiced for carrying out whatever is necessary to execute each of the responses to any of a complete series and span of potential attacks at the status-quo. Israel should be prepared to limit the Palestinian Authority (PA) to Area A and limited parts of Area B but none of Area C and if the Security Council were to pass an enforceable resolution, then Israel need act even if it causes a potential for a confrontation and be prepared to hold their ground and should world powers then demand Israel relent and it becomes apparent that an actual confrontation is in the making, then Israel will have little choice but to slowly pull from lands as necessary and also terminate all water, power and other services which the PA is behind on their payments. The world might be capable of forcing a settlement on Israel giving the PA everything that President Obama has continuously threatened to recognize, namely the pre Six Day War borders on Israel, there is absolutely no reason for Israel to power, water, feed and totally support such an open and immediate threat to her safety. There is no means other than invading an independent nation, Israel, and take control of the power grid, water systems and other utilities and even broadcast frequencies so as to provide free everything for the PA and force Israel to provide such support through invading a sovereign state, an act of war. That begs the question as to which nations would attempt an invasion just to enact such a spiteful assault by Barack Hussein Obama as he leaves office. One would hope none of the main powers would enforce such but Israel should be prepared for even the most unlikely of situations, the world backing a temper tantrum. Israel actually could annex all of Judea and Samaria followed by deportation of every officer from the PA and all of the security personnel, particularly the ones with terror ties which include the majority of the police and security personnel. This must be one possible solution which should be reserved only should President Obama attempt to give all of Judea and Samaria to the PA as a gift and claim the United States recognizes their invented nation. Such cannot be permitted to stand as within days either Hamas or Islamic State would take possession of the lands which then would allow them to pose a direct threat to Tel Aviv, Ben Gurion International Airport and the majority of infrastructure, business and residential neighborhoods, a completely untenable situation. This is the threat and potential situation facing Israel and why the leadership must make any action by President Obama have consequences which are spelled out in advance such that there can be no surprise or claim that the reaction was not anticipated. The real aim is to preserve the status-quo such that the system can continue for as long as the world demands that terrorists of the PA must be coddled as if they actually cared for the people residing under their corrupt rule. The day will come, possibly soon, when the people living under the PA will demand real leadership and an end to their impoverished state directly due to the thieving of their leadership. On that day the Israelis will know that the Palestinian people are ready to have peace and a future for their children and themselves.

 

Beyond the Cusp

 

Hubris Thy Name is France

 

French diplomats told Haaretz, describing the situation after the meeting between French envoy Pierre Vimont and Israeli officials Monday where the Israelis restated their refusal to cooperate with the French peace plans, the French representatives stated, “Envoy Pierre Vimont’s discussion with Israeli government representatives in Jerusalem was sincere and difficult. The negative Israeli response was predictable, and we will take Israel’s position into consideration. However, we plan to carry on promoting our peace initiative.” Apparently the French establishment is determined to pursue their designs on formulating a peace proposal based on the defunct two state solution, which they feel and believe is fair and acceptable to the nations they are able to gather by year’s end even if Israel is not included in the formulation of the solution. Israeli refusal is based on the insistence for direct party to party negotiations to resolve any differences. Since Israel rejected the French proposals, the Palestinian Authority (PA) accepted the French proposal and is seeking for the Arab League and Nonaligned Nations (NAM) joining the French negotiation in order to formulate a proposal which will facilitate the eradication of Israel through Arab Palestinian refugee and their descendants right to return to within Green Line (1949 Armistice Lines), all five to eight million making Israel just one more Arab majority state which will vote to deport, murder or otherwise deal with their Jewish minority. The PA is simultaneously seeking a preferably binding Security Council Chapter Seven resolution making all Israeli existence beyond the Green Line illegal under International Law believing that United States President Obama will not veto and might even propose such a measure in his closing weeks before the new President, Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, a decision still being voted upon as we write, is inaugurated and such returns to being a dicey issue which remains a third-rail issue.

 

The French, with Egyptian assistance, have already made one run at this which started to be setup back in February 2016 and held in June, with no agreement being accepted by the attending nations and the French vowing to hold a follow-up by the end of the year. France is intending to form a coalition of the willing to reach a completely fleshed-out agreement accepted by and signed onto by the majority of the attending nations whether either concerned party, the Israelis or PA, approve or even accept the invite to join and assist in the drafting a resolution. The French believe that their record as world leaders stretching back century after century to the modern day giving them the right to design, implement and enforce any solution resolved by their conference. The first failed attempt consisted of largely European, Arab and Muslim nations plus the United States breaking-up with acrimony and disagreement leaving the French empty-handed with no two-state agreement to implement by any and all means necessary. How the French plan on forcing any agreement has also not been discussed with some believing that the French conference would be the first step to a Security Council Chapter Seven initiative then enforced using troops under the United Nations command relieving the French of posting an enforcement military contingent. The French even had to pull from the military contingent of NATO as they were unable to continue to provide their share, despite the limited demands being asked, and preferred to sit snug realizing there could be no actual threat to their nation as the Soviet Union threat was gone and any other threat would require hitting France’s neighboring countries thus giving them ample warning time to seek a solution.

 

All this still begs whether the world is ready to place military troops inside Israeli borders engaging the IDF in a general state of war? Would Russia sign on to a second front in the Middle East against the one nation capable of assisting their efforts in what remains of Syria and working against the Islamic State? What about China? China and India are both trading partners with Israel and potential recipients of military and dual use technologies as well as advanced in crop production, irrigation, resource management, computing sciences and numerous other scientific and social areas of research and development from Israel and these trade and sharing relations, to quote a song, have only just begun. Neither nation is to be expected to turn against Israeli interests making an antagonistic enemy out of a developing friendly nation. Other nations from the Middle East are currently so involved in internal conflicts that their participating in any joint military endeavor is next to or absolutely impossible. Examples include but are not limited to Syria, Libya, Yemen, Iraq, Afghanistan and others. Whether the United States would be even approachable to participate depends heavily on who becomes the next President and which party controls Congress. Canada is currently one nation which can be expected not to attend any such conference, let alone actively participate in any actions against Israel. There are other nations which would never act against Israel even if simply because of emergency aid received often starting early after the emergency and almost always remains being amongst the last to depart and giving a level of aid only matched by the United States. Such nations would include Haiti, Japan, Philippines, Nepal and others. These facts might make fielding a military force capable of engaging the IDF adequately with sufficient force to alter the current realities on the ground. Further, placing troops for making an assault against Israel might be problematic as Jordan and Egypt both have peace treaties with Israel which would preclude their permitting any military force to be mounted from their fronts, their borders.

 

The dream the French envision will not only be a nightmare for Israel should some agreement be concluded but also a nightmare for any and every nation choosing to join in being resolved to force any two state solution which addresses also the right for the Arab Palestinian refugees being relocated within Israel and splitting Jerusalem. Those opting to provide troops will be on the front lines of the war prophesized to incur the greatest casualties of any war throughout history making the blood and bodies to be piled deep upon the plains at Megiddo and others being cut to pieces against the sharp shards of the injurious bolder which is Jerusalem. The New Testament relays the story in Revelations which describes a final battle between good and evil. This is, in appearance, exactly the plan by the French as they appear to include initiating a war solely for and by themselves where no others are pressed into war. But even if France is foolhardy enough to initiate such a war believing that such a conflict would not soon balloon up and explode in their faces, then they are horribly ignorant or simply foolhardy to such a point taking risks beyond any an informed and sane person would pursue. But then again we are speaking about the forcing of an Arab Palestinian State, which would soon fall to Hamas or Islamic State if not a marriage of the two, against Israel so completely losing one’s sanity is all but required when addressing this problem.

 

Armageddon Before and After

 

Where the French may dare to go has been covered by their leadership though there does appear to be minimal wiggle-room such that they could back down from the threatened result even should the French proposals fail to gain any traction. This determined alternative was stated as France officially recognizing a Palestinian State and potentially delivering them with France even recognizing the actual borders. Should France take such a foolish direction it would all but guarantee a raised level of conflict and a far lesser possibility for the two parties negotiating one with the other. The PA has always had a singular goal from its very start as the PLO (Palestinian Liberation Organization, a terrorist group) back in 1964, a full three years before the Six Day War of June 1967 when the perverse concept that Judea and Samaria along with Eastern Jerusalem including the Old City, the Kotel and the Temple Mount were being occupied by Israel, not liberated from the nineteen years of Jordanian occupation; and that is, was and continues to be the destruction of Israel, all of Israel by any and all means necessary. The reality is that Judea and Samaria were Jordanian occupied lands before their liberation by Israel in the Six Day War. That is the dirty little lie the world has swallowed and used to attempt to assist the Arabs in destroying Israel. Each time a nation recognized an Arab state anywhere in Judea and Samaria and especially any part of Jerusalem the possibility that the Arabs, many of whom were placed there by Jordan during their occupation from 1949 through June 1967 were and remain the real “settlers” as they were in many cases forced to resettle so as to create the appearance of Jordanian ownership. In some cases they were moved into the homes the Jews lost when they were forced from their homes, lands and businesses by the Jordanian troops as Jordan refused to permit a single Jew to remain on their lands during the occupation. That is the reality which in far too many cases is driven by anti-Semitism in the form of either anti-Zionism or anti-Israelism; the three are interchangeable as to hold any one implies your support for the other two.

 

France is not forwarding anything new and the PA is continuing with their enforcement of the Khartoum Resolution of 1 September 1967 which included the Three No’s. These Three No’s are, no peace with Israel, no negotiations with Israel, no recognition of Israel. This was broken by Egyptian martyred President Anwar Sadat. He broke the silence and negotiated peace with Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin while United States President Jimmy Carter was presumably facilitating but later it was learned that Carter kept pressing Sadat to demand more of Israel and almost cost the two nations’ peace. President Carter was a virulent anti-Israel politician and thought Egypt should have demanded the Israelis return every inch of land and admits the Arab refugees and their children and children’s children making Israel simply another Arab state. Sadat was more interested in making a real and lasting peace. He attained his vision before the Muslim Brotherhood had succeeded in assassinating this man with a vision. That has been a problem in the Arab and much of the Muslim lands, few leaders have visions of peace and there lies the wall the French will hit. The question is will they learn or simply recognize a state where the sole desire is the destruction of an existing state and after that returning to their respective tribes leaving the land barren again, as it was in the latter half of the Nineteenth Century when the first Zionists returned joining the remnants of the Jewish Israelite civilization still residing in Jerusalem, Hevron, Shechem and throughout the Galilee, Judea, Samaria and even the Negev Desert. There is another reality; the land was mostly empty until the Jewish Zionists constructed the waterworks irrigation systems. After much of that work had been accomplished, the Arabs arrived for the better economy and that is their reason for remaining. Should the world end their payments to these terror masters, they would leave never to be seen again. The few who would remain would be those willing to work and make something with their lives and with those Israel will be capable of negotiating a lasting peace. Think about that France, if you can see past your hatreds and anti-Semitism.

 

Beyond the Cusp

 

*Tomorrow Reaction to President Elect Donald Trump and what that entails for the future.