Hamas in Freefall and Seeking Relief

 

Hamas has once more put out feeler presumably seeking to make amends with the Palestinian Authority. Their petition has an obvious outreach and a hidden attempt at subversion. Hamas leaders publicized their agreement to an Egyptian initiative to create a new peace agreement and arrange a meeting in Cairo between Hamas and Fatah leaders. This is irregular in that it was Hamas who complained about obstacles causing the collapse of the last attempt at reconciliation. What are the odds we give this attempt? Honestly, with the reasons given by Hamas and the set of principles and steps they would wish to precede any reengagement, probably ziltch. Hamas is in need of financial assistance and as the Palestinian Authority cut them off from funding, they are almost desperate. Thus, the initial Hamas demand is for the Palestinian Authority to remove all punitive measures against Gaza. Hamas also has made clear that they agree that the attacks against Israel must continue until the “aggressors” are defeated, emphasized that all means are legitimate until the “occupation” is eliminated and praised the “lone-wolf intifada” and promised that the violent Gaza riots would continue. Hamas did also echo that Jerusalem is a “red-line” which cannot be crossed and has blamed Israel with the United States for “plotting to harm UNRWA in order to eliminate the problem of the refugees.” These were their appeasement proposals for the Palestinian Authority, and one that will be generously accepted.

 

So what is the problem that will come between these two terrorist groups? Well, Hamas has demanded that in order to produce a reformation of the Palestine Liberation Organization, that there be held elections for the “Palestinian National Council.” Just so the world will know the truth, the reason that the Palestinian Arabs have not been permitted to hold elections since 2005 has been a punishment imposed by Mahmoud Abbas. He was quite upset that in 2005 the Palestinian Arabs were first permitted to vote for representatives from all Arab groups as demanded by United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and President George W. Bush, as they thought such freedom would spell a defeat for the terrorist groups and a victory for reconciliation and peace talks with Israel. Israel had told the United States that they were probably playing a very dangerous game which would likely backfire, Mahmoud Abbas told them that they were leaving the door open for Hamas to take control, and the leadership in the United States claimed that they knew best and no such result would be coming because all peoples are basically the same and desire peace over conflict. Well, Hamas won control over the Palestinian National Council, the Palestinian legislature, and would have replaced Mahmoud Abbas as President had he also been up for election, but he reserved his right to finish his term before facing elections. Well, the Palestinian Authority quickly imposed a quasi-control and Abbas took the bulk of power into his own hands all but dismissing the Palestinian National Council from having any input. This may have been in part what led to the Hamas coup in Gaza in 2007 where they simply pried control from the Palestinian Authority President and placed themselves in charge of Gaza.

 

One last point of history is necessary and it concerns President Abbas whose term ended in 2009 and there were to be elections held. Those elections had to be postponed due to difficulties. When the clock ran out on that postponement and two or three more, Mahmoud Abbas simply cancelled the elections and assigned himself another term, which ran through 2015. When elections came around for the Palestinian National Council in 2015 along with presumably elections for President, there were difficulties, which made such impossible at that time. Then they were again put off and in the end Mahmoud Abbas basically all but dissolved the Palestinian National Council and left himself as the sole power over the Palestinian Authority as well as his being the leader of the Fatah Party and in charge of the PLO. Mahmoud Abbas has concentrated all leadership in himself despite the reality that if there were any honest and open election, his best bet would be to be well out of town before the tallies were counted. Abbas has exactly no possibility of winning any honest and open election and the probability is any election would result in Hamas taking complete control of the Palestinian area, both in the Shomron (West Bank) and in Gaza leaving absolutely no room for anything President Trump could offer in his still to be released “Deal of the Century.”

 

What would happen should Hamas win a Palestinian honest and above board election monitored by the European Union, United Nations and the United States? That can be determined by revealing the current actions by Hamas and their declarations about their hopes for the future. Recently, Hamas decided that they are going to prevent further importation of fruit from Israel. Their reasoning is that as Israel has decided on closure of the Kerem Shalom crossing for non-humanitarian cases. Hamas would like everyone to take their reasoning without question that the move by Israel is out of spite and a punishment of Hamas and Gaza over the riots. They got the “due to the riots” part correct but the real reason for the closure has been in order to repair and rebuilding of the Kerem Shalom crossing, its conveyor belts which transport goods, the gas and fuel pipelines and the structures which have been grossly damaged by the rioting. The Kerem Shalom crossing has been firebombed and the pipelines broken open and set alight and much of the structures have suffered damage (see image below). Hamas used their own personnel in order to intentionally damage these support systems knowing the cost to Israel would be massive and that such repairs would take time, potentially months, and once they end their rioting and attacks on Israel, after waiting a few weeks they would be able to complain and blame Israel for lack of provisions and denying them gas and fuel and the world would have already forgotten, if they ever knew, that Hamas was responsible for the damage which shut down the crossing and the other required structures which are a necessity for the provisions to be delivered. And Hamas is attempting to now take control of the Shomron which would place them within direct targeting of Tel Aviv and surrounding region which is the heart of Israel.

 

Gas Pipes Set Ablaze at the Kerem Shalom Gaza Crossing to Israel 

 

 

Rioters Ignite Provisions, Trailers, Electrical Infrastructure, Conveyor Belt used to Transferred Goods into Gaza

 

The closure is not a complete closure, simply closing the crossing to elective use by people and nonessential goods. As the government described the closure, the closure will not apply to humanitarian aid, including food and medicine, approved individuals such as medical needs and other emergency needs considered on an individual basis by the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories. This fact could easily be excluded from many mainstream media reports, as it is just a tiny detail. After all, it does not suit the profile that Israel is closing the crossing and that will endanger everyone in Gaza. Never mind that needful crossings will be evaluated on an individual basis, that makes Israel appear too humane. This will also be given as why there is about to be a shortage of fruits and vegetables in Gaza within the next week and continuing for as long as the Hamas government continues to prevent further importation of fruit from Israel, which will be the real reason, imagine that. But expect Hamas and other Arab notables to decry Israeli inhumanity causing the lack of fruit and vegetables in Gaza, it could never be that Hamas refuses to accept or even permit importation of these goods from Israel. This is the same game plan as back in May when Hamas refused medical aid from Israel while whining to the world how they were lacking basic medical provisions and Israel was refusing to permit their supplies from reaching Gaza. This is the same old sorry game played by Hamas, Palestinian Authority and everyone who has a desire to besmirch Israel.

 

Hamas has started a new program for the children, a summer camp. This is a wonderful training field for making young terrorists in training. Imagine the wonder and fun which these youths will be involved in at this new camp. This project began in early May continuing through these latest clashes in the Gaza Strip. Thus far, this camp has included about one-hundred-eighty Palestinian Arab youths with a number of whom having joined the group from Judea and Samaria (Shomron). The trainers of this military camp not only teach them how to use weapons, but also teach them methods of self-defense. There are individuals provided dressed in mock and real IDF uniforms upon which the youths get to practice their tactics and one-on-one encounter moves while shouting “Allah Akbar.” They will set-up scenarios such as a market or an alley in Jerusalem and others and teach them how they are to kill an Israeli soldier. One of the camp instructors was quoted stating, “These courses are meant to be a preparation, so that our youngsters will learn from a young age how to confront an Israeli and fight for Palestine’s goals and for the liberation of Jerusalem, until the day comes, when we will be able to retrieve our homeland from the Zionists.” In these courses the youth are taught use of an M-16 rifle by shooting at targets resembling Israeli soldiers as well as other skills, which are being taught even to elementary school children in grades four and five. The instructor was further quoted claiming, “None of the parents of these students has any objection to the children’s learning the use of firearms and firing and this program is fully executed.” This is all part of the Hamas program along with Islamic Jihad with Iranian support and funds in order to perpetuate the violence against Israel and the resistance to any prospective for peace.

 

They are raising their children in a swamp of hatred for the Jews, and not just Israelis. This can be seen in Hamas in Their Own Words, an article quoting Hamas leaders by the ADL. The thing to remember while reading these quotes is that Israel has completely removed every last Israeli, IDF soldier and everything else from Gaza and relinquished all claims to the area of Gaza giving over to the Arabs, initially to the Palestinian Authority who subsequently lost it to a Hamas coup. Despite these steps by Israel, Hamas still perpetuates that Gaza is occupied by Israel. Gaza is not occupied by Israel, though one could claim that Gaza is occupied by Hamas as they stole the land in a war of violence against the Palestinian Authority who was presumably the governance to which Gaza was passed over. Hamas is a recognized terrorist group by the majority of the world governments and organizations. Hamas operates at the behest of Iran who is able to command them to attack Israel at their pleasure. The current violence is strongly believed by BTC to have been ordered by Iran, as Iran believes they have sufficient deniability such that Israel would be condemned if they responded against Iran over Hamas terrorism. There is one more item we wish to propose more as a question for our readership than for our commentary. Why are there Palestinian Arab refugee camps within the regions ruled by the Palestinian Authority and within Gaza where Hamas and Islamic Jihad are the governing authorities? This leaves Palestinian Arabs living within barbed wire fencing and not permitted to work or often even to visit family and friends who reside within walking distances from the camps. There must be a reason why these Palestinian Arabs are kept in camps while everyday other Palestinian Arabs walk past these camps free to work, live and be free while these other Palestinian Arabs are kept incarcerated simply because they once resided on the wrong side of the Green Line. So, these refugee camps are full of Palestinian Arab refugees while Palestinian Arabs reside all around and Palestinian Arabs rule the region but UNRWA tends to the people within the camps in areas ruled by the Palestinian Authority and in Gaza ruled by Hamas. We just want to know why they keep their own brothers and sisters incarcerated. Is their hatred of Israel so deep that they are willing to treat their own people as prisoners without the rights of those just outside the fences? If such is true, then that is one of the saddest and most inhumane means of treating their own people and they claim that Israel is unhelpful when it comes to the Palestinian Arab refugees.

 

Beyond the Cusp

 

What Makes a Couple of Normal Days in Israel?

 

These are simply a few randomly chosen acts of hate filled violence spread across two days, five stories with three telling of attacks in Israel including one on the Temple Mount from an unexpected source; one story from Wellington, Florida in the United States; and then lastly the reality that Israelis make remarkable recoveries and the situation that was arranged probably from Above that all from the horrific scene and terror attack were together again and shared the joy for one family nearly a year later. All of these stories likely would never even reach the average Israeli, especially if they get all of their news from the standard mainstream media even here in Israel; so we obviously cannot fault the world for not reporting that which is ignored by much of our own media. Partly the blame goes to the fact that one could pick any day or so and find these same examples to choose from a number of other events as these were not by far the sole attacks.

 

There exist stretches of roadways and even secondary highways where those traveling know full well they need to be on guard to look for ambushes where rocks and bricks will be thrown at their vehicle and thus they must prepare to hit the gas and speed to safety on the other end once the rocks stop striking the vehicle and they can return to normal speed, breathe a sigh of relief that they survived the gauntlet once again and bless Hashem for their successful passage and surviving in relative safety only He can provide. The stories of woe are those which catch a motorist by surprise as they did not normally drive this heightened area full of perilous threats along this stretch of road and they mistakenly try to turn and escape and are set upon mercilessly and become sitting ducks stuck on the roadway. Then we have a tragedy which may or may not make the news depending on the news volume that day and maybe the next. This is especially true if there was no loss of life and either they escaped on their own with a valuable lesson learned or they were saved and the lesson imparted and hopefully heeded.

 

The unfortunate reality in Israel is that the daily onslaught has certain levels which have become so commonplace as to be considered acceptable as long as it remains within certain limits. It is as if we in Israel, at least as far as reporting on terrorist events, have adopted what then Senator John Kerry as the Democrat candidate running against George W. Bush for the Presidency where Kerry claimed, “We have to get back to the place we were, where terrorists are not the focus of our lives, but they’re a nuisance.” President Bush criticized Senator Kerry stating, “Just this weekend, Senator Kerry talked of reducing terrorism to, quote – ‘nuisance’ – end quote, and compared it to prostitution and illegal gambling.” We could add to this point, Gentlemen, welcome to our reality, our world.

 

Our first story was related by twenty-six-year-old Yehuda who survived his attack and related his experience as he lie recovering in a hospital. These events occurred Monday morning and took place at the gas station on Highway 443 located northwest of Jerusalem. There exist points of travel along Highway 443 where attacks occur regularly and are usually barrages of rocks upon the passing cars. These attacks usually occur when traffic is lightest and thus the attackers consider themselves safe as they would easily outnumber the occupants of a single vehicle or even two vehicles. This event was different and far more dangerous as Yehuda was stabbed in the back and shoulder while filling up his car at the gas station. Yehuda related his harrowing terrorist assault which easily could have resulted in worse wounds or even have murdered him as, according to the recounting on Army Radio:

“I was on the way to Jerusalem from my home, and he (the terrorist) took advantage of the opportunity when I got out of the car and he stabbed me. He came at me from behind, I felt suddenly that I was stabbed, and I ran, I fled from him. I ran, I fell, and got up and ran again, and again I fell. He of course chased after me, and stabbed me again at every opportunity.” Yehuda recounted how he fled and the reaction of the few onlookers who were probably there to assist the terrorist in making an escape. Yehuda continued, “I shouted ‘help me, help me.’ I ran to my car while still bleeding and just drove off. They watched (a group of Arabs standing and viewing the events from a short distance obviously amused) and chuckled and didn’t come to help. Even after I was stabbed. He just didn’t stop until I managed to escape with the car.”

 

The terrorist was eventually neutralized, according to reports and whatever neutralized may mean. Was he arrested or killed as he continued his attacks possibly turning and attempting to strike the police? While the threat was still looming another almost victim managed to escape injury and took refuge in his vehicle locking the doors and then had the presence of mind to video-record the terrorist attacker lurking outside while brandishing the knife. You can play the Video while below is picture from the video clearly showing the knife in his hand.

 

 

Knife wielding terrorist was outside vehicle at petrol station threatening driver with a knife, circled. Terrorist had already stabbed one motorist multiple times before the victim was able to escape. This is getting to be a daily news event from somewhere, either in Judea or Samaria, often Jerusalem and has even struck in Tel Aviv and the Galilee.

 

 

Our next report concerns a married couple from the southern Mount Hevron area who were attacked Monday morning while out jogging by a large group of Arabs and European anarchists. The presence of European anarchists is not uncommon where there are possibilities that Israelis might actually defend themselves which will provide them with filmed shots of Israeli aggression and the futile attempt by the unfortunate wretch unable to ward off the unprovoked assault by the Israelis. The Europeans shot their film and got nothing to sell to media, usually television and cable news networks who pay handsomely for such films, especially if they have been edited to emphasize the desired line of out of control Israelis and poor defenseless Arabs trying in vain to escape unscathed from the incident. Never mind that this couple was set upon by the mob with rock throwing and beatings with long and sturdy sticks.

 

Miri Madan told news services of their ordeal stating, “We went on a morning jog toward the neighboring community of Maon. Before Maon, I felt bad. It was hot. We wanted to cut toward the main road.” This required the couple take a dirt road that bypasses a small Arab village. Once the couple was spotted by one villager he whistled and others relayed the call and before you knew it there was a small hoard ready to attack. Roughly twenty Arabs escorted by a group of European anarchists who were armed with cameras as the hoard encircled the couple. Miri Madan continued the recounting stating, “They approached us. I wanted to go back but they called an Arab vehicle that threatened us from behind, so that we couldn’t escape from them. We tried to talk to them and to explain that we are just on a morning jog, that we only want to reach the road, that we do not mean to pass through [their village] and that I don’t feel good, but it didn’t help and they continued to threaten us that they’d kill us and slaughter us and threw rocks at us. When we saw that we had nothing to do, we went in the direction of the rocks and luckily we emerged with injuries that are not serious. They did hit us though, and they kept throwing rocks and sticks at us from behind as we emerged.”

 

These types of attacks often are brought upon joggers as well as hikers. The story seldom changes much as it is often around twenty actual attackers setting upon two and rarely even three victims who are blocked from turning back or are set upon so quickly and ferociously that there is not opportunity to flee. Initially the only times Israelis ran into such ambushes was when the attackers were accompanied by Europeans to film the events looking for an Israeli defending themselves which allows them to turn the story around. After a while these attacks became more commonplace with an Arab filming the events with the same goal, getting a video or single pictures depicting Israeli on Arab violence to sell to the media. Now these ambushes occur almost daily somewhere where a gang of Arab youths can catch an unsuspecting Israeli or two and assault them. After the victim has escaped the attackers disperse before the police arrive, the timing of such they have down to a science in order to escape arrest. A report such as this one can be viewed daily on many of the small district news which covers such news events as they have proven so common as to no longer be newsworthy. There will be no reporting live at five with our intrepid a reporter standing with security and possibly IDF soldiers off camera telling of the dangers joggers and hikers face at this specific spot which the assault took place that morning. Now such reports are buried inside deep in the local news section or if there was somebody clinging doggedly to life, it might get bumped to lead the local news or, dare we say it, make it into section A. This couple barely made the news, which is another way of relaying that they will be just fine and survived their ordeal. That only leaves us with questions; Who will be next? Where will the next attack occur? Will it merit coverage? Where can we find actual video? And what made this attack coverable? Most of the answers to the questions will likely be in the negative as they gave no promises.

 

Our next story made the news as it was noteworthy to make a record of an official WAQF officer who assaulted Israeli Border Police and was arrested for his efforts. Here is the video of the events and the arrest of the perpetrator WAQF monitor being subdued. There were apparently a number of people who received a measure of the pepper-spray utilized by the security officers making the arrest. This was a form of man bites dog and the Islamic WAQF officials are assigned to enforce the rule of law for the Jordanian force left in place as an offer of friendship and tolerance which has backfired greatly. I doubt General Moshe Dayan would have done as he did in June of 1967 and permitted Jordan to continue their control over the Temple Mount knowing what that would bring in the future. Perhaps this event could be the perfect time to extradite the members of the WAQF who actually work for the Jordanian leadership as agents of a foreign power who have out-lived their usefulness and Israel will now take over providing security and order to the Temple Mount and assume responsibility for the holy sites upon the Temple Mount. Such a move is long overdue and the time is ripe for such a move. A member of the WAQF acting in such an unholy manner brings down shame on them, the WAQF and the Jordanian who are responsible for all the actions committed by these guardians. Recalling the WAQF to Jordan in order to save face is an offer that should be made and made now in response to this irreconcilable behavior. Access for all peoples and permission for all people of all faiths the freedom to pray as they please thus opening the Temple Mount a place holy to three major faiths and respected by many people of all faiths.

 

The fourth story comes from Wellington, Florida in the United States where we have mentioned a number of times have started to see increasing anti-Semitism. The attacks have mostly been random events of hatred committed by sole individuals but the undercurrent makes it appear to have more interconnectivity. We have suggested that when one has been arrested for an offense against a Jewish target or any hate crime, their computers should be searched and see what such material they have and check their activity logs and any videos linked to in their computers. A warrant should not be overtly difficult if the person has been arrested for actions which raise the suspicions for the basis of hate crimes having been perpetrated. The actions of the person caught on camera leave little doubt as to the hate-filled anger. The question is against whom as the perpetrator in addition to vandalizing Temple Beth Torah also vandalized seventeen vehicles on nearby streets which might tend to make one believe that perhaps the entire criminal action was truly random. Below are the captured video and a news report from Wellington.

 

 

 

Our final story is one of recovery and joy. First though we need go back to October 22 of last year and recall the terror attack on the Jerusalem light rail by a terrorist where he rammed his vehicle through the Givat Hatachmoshet (Ammunition Hill) Light Rail stop injuring eight people and murdering Chaya Zisel Braun who was merely three months old, far too short a life for her. Ziyad Dawiat, a veteran Magen David Adom paramedic and ambulance driver, remembered having transported little Chaya Zisel Braun that fateful night. That was then and this is now. Ziyad Dawiat, our intrepid veteran Magen David Adom paramedic and ambulance driver, received a call to assist a woman in labor and giving birth at home. He thought nothing about it and headed off to perform whatever duties were required. He had been on a number of such calls and was probably happy for bringing a life into the world which has to be the favorite call they need make as too often they meet people leaving this domain, not entering it. Shmuel Braun met Ziyad Dawiat, our fated veteran Magen David Adom paramedic and ambulance driver, and was immediately overcome with excitement and was exuberantly happy at seeing the number twelve Ambulance and began jumping and waving and pointing and repeating “twelve, number twelve” and continued his zealous happy dance.

 

According to Ziyad Dawiat, our fated, bemused veteran Magen David Adom paramedic and ambulance driver, described the event, “He was very emotional and I didn’t know why. Meanwhile I could see a woman who was about to give birth. I went into the house and helped her, and after helping her to recover, the story came out.” The Brauns recounted the account of the night of October 22, 2014 and how Ziyad Dawiat, our fated, bemused, astounded veteran Magen David Adom paramedic and ambulance driver, had been the one who had attempted to treat initially and transported little Chaya Zisel Braun to the hospital and they thanked him for all he had done then and now. After the retelling, Ziyad Dawiat, our fated, bemused, astounded, at a loss for words, veteran Magen David Adom paramedic and ambulance driver, recounted, “After the parents, with great emotion, told me the story, I remembered who they were. Shmuel told me that whenever he sees the number 12, he remembers his daughter, and prays that he will be spared further suffering. I didn’t know how to respond, to congratulate him on his new baby or commiserate with him for his loss.” After transporting mother and her baby daughter to the hospital for a quick routine checkup Ziyad Dawiat, our fated, bemused, astounded, at a loss for words, exhilarated thanking Hashem for completion of a hole now closed making him whole again, veteran Magen David Adom paramedic and ambulance driver, exclaimed, “I never dreamed that I would be able to close a circle in this manner with the Brauns. But it’s a small world. I intend to keep in touch with them.” So the Braun’s now have their new baby daughter. May she bring them much joy and, as it did for Ziyad Dawiat, by now simply our friend and ambulance driving hero, may it close much of the hole and make their family whole again; Baruch Hashem.

 

Beyond the Cusp