Straddling the Fence by Thomas L. Friedman

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-L-Friedman-Reporting-Straddling/dp/B007Q91SDG/ Just reviewed a great video about The Wall in Israel by Thomas Friedman " Straddling The Fence " Review on Amazon.com This was a great piece of honest journalism showing both sides of the story as best as possible about the building of the Wall more or less along the green line. However , since the report , still when Yassir Arafat was alive , we now know that he started the intifada with its suicide bombings as revealed by his wife but known by all Israelis. Unfortunately, today, while suicide bombings in Israel are down , probably because of " The Wall" many places in the Arab world that supported suicide bombings against Israel now have suicide bombings themselves on an almost daily basis - Syria, Iraq , to name a few countries. Unfortunately , in his analysis of the situation , Friedman when talking about one man one vote forgets that the Arab and Bedouin and Druse population in Israel are citizens of the state of Israel, serve in the army if they want, and have the vote. So too Palestinians that choose to from Jerusalem. However, Israelis see the Palestinians as part of the greater Arab nation and as such, have to worry about a homeland for the Jewish people first. The only one among the many Arab states. For a viable Palestinian State that official Israel also supports, the two state solution is viable, however, other neighboring nations will have to help re-draw the Ottoman Empire map and also give back lands they were arbitrarily given too much of, for a Palestinian state. That is why there is probably no peace today, for a fear of having to donate lands to the Palestinian cause. Jordan made peace with Israel for this exact reason because she was afraid of the notion that is felt by many Israelis that "Jordan is Palestine", and Egypt did not want to incorporate Gaza into Egypt for a similar reason. On another note, America today is even more supportive of Israel strategically and politically, than since this report , not as Friedman predicted. Author of "Leaving Home Going Home Returning Home: A Hebrew American's Sojourn in the Land of Israel".

Relaxing Zen From Israel Relaxation De-Stress video

A relaxing video of scenes from Israel by biofeedback specialist Jason Alster MSc . Let serenity surround you with harmonious elements from the natural environment. Peace of mind from simplicity let's you escape to far off places.

http://www.amazon.com/Relaxing-Zen-from-Israel/dp/B0077FY4S0/
Relaxaing Zen From Israel

IAF operation in Syria- speaking with sign language

From my perspective, when parties don't communicate by talking with each other directly , then they go through diplomatic channels. this has been the case between Israel and her Arab foes / neighbors. However , when they don't even communicate through channels then they speak through sign language. The IAF attack on Syria was a case of just that. It gave a sign to Syria , but it gave a sign to Iran and Hezbullah. More like " put up or shut up". Israel is basically giving a few messages.

ONE- if no one will help the rebels against ASSAD aggression then it works two ways. No one will help ASSAD against Israeli operations. 

TWO- Israel is going to decide her own destiny.

THREE - The USA and France have strikes away from their borders against terrorism so Israel is justified next to her border.

FOUR - Unlike the Syrians who have borders to run to, the Jews don't. So let's nip it in the bud.

FIVE- It is Iran and Russia giving help to Syria and Syria and Iran then passing that help to Hezbullah. By attacking Russian armament in Syria going to the Syrian Iranian proxy Hezbullah then Israel hits 4 birds with one stone. 

SIX - for those who question the strategic alliance between the USA and Israel, then think again, you just got a lesson. The USA picked a winner in Israel. 

SEVEN- Lebanon. The Lebanon people should understand that their country would be brought into another war not of their choice if the missiles and biological/chemical  agents would have ended up on Lebanon soil- illegally. 

EIGHT- The Israelis. It's country will defend her people.this is in stark contrast to what is happening in Egypt . Libya, Syria, Lebanon. etc. and thus the strength of Israel. 

Comparing the USA to Israel

Even since my book / memoir was published about life in Israel in 2010
 "Leaving Home Going Home Returning Home : A Hebrew American's Sojourn in the Land of Israel"
I find that I am most asked the following question - What differences do you find between the USA and Israel. Well I was just asked this at a recent art workshop I gave in  Ogunquit,  Maine and it gave me time to reflect. Well I answered , " Really  the USA has become more like Israel and the rest of the world more like the USA.  Yes the world is becoming flatter with internet and social media. But how is it that the USA is becoming like Israel.There are constant cutbacks.  Well , as an economy goes down things happen. You have problems making your monthly payments. Companies go from a weekly pay check to a bi-weekly paycheck. In Israel you get paid monthly I assume to save on accounting costs and it also keeps your money in the employers hands longer. Bureaucracy goes up. On the good side , I learned in Israel to check where every cent goes. you do not have the freedom to waste money. I am now doing the same here. Also, in Israel people pay by check because credit card payments get out of hand and you do not know what the companies do with recurring billing. This is happening to me here now too. So I am going to go back to paying by check . etc etc etc etc . But all in all , there are more similarities between the USA today than there were in the past and I am sure this is happening all around the world.

https://www.createspace.com/1000252310

Iran nuclear explosion- the moral of this story?

As the news of the possible Iran nuclear explosion is being debated as usual it is what is not being said that reveals the most in the Middle East. That is , if there was or was not an explosion, then the CIA and Mossad should know for a fact if their knowledge of what is really happening at these facilities is accurate. But, this confusion leads me to think- Does Israel or the USA really know what is happening in Iran?

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/01/29/white-house-debunks-iran-nuclear-explosion-but-iran-denies-planting-story.htm l

Iran nuclear explosion

A Tale of Seven Cities

A tale of Seven  cities. Jerusalem, Washington, Cairo , Damascus, Gaza , Ramallah, Tehran. It was the best of years and it was the worst of years. Well more probably it was the worst of years. Wherever there is a call for the destruction of Israel - there is civil war or instability. Tehran ( embargoes) , Cairo ( its support of Hammas) , Damascus, Gaza on one side and unstable, while Ramallah ( two state solution), Washington, Jerusalem, are stable.  Food for thought.

https://www.createspace.com/1000252310

The Israel Card- sanctions are a two edged sword

The Israel Card- Israel took chances for peace, from agreeing to " land for peace" after the six day war to the Camp David agreements, "The Oslo Agreements" then the "Road-map for peace  " then the "two state solution". All along losing a bargaining chip for peace and not getting any peace. Remember at Camp David Menachem Begin just wanted to offer autonomy to the Palestinians and this was a large appeasement at the time. Now look where Israel is. The peace lover that she is. Now what are Israeli chips not used till now. Sanctions are a double edge sword. Israel can sanction visitors from countries sanctioning Israel from entering the country and thus the holy sights. After all these are under Jewish control, and the world takes for granted that Jews were not allowed to visit their religious sites under Arab rule. It was Israels mistake to hand over Christan and Jewish religious sights to Arab Palestinian and Jordanian control . It can be taken back, easily. Then there is the point that Israel can form alliances with Eastern Europe, Russia , Canada or even China if she needs too. This is not against the USA , but opening up to others that the USA would not like Israel to be too close to. It is not that the USA is supporting Israel as much as the USA wants Israel technology  for herself. Yes , the Einsteins living in Israel are a commodity . That is, Israel can also even become a non- aligned country as Israelis come from many countries especially Russia. From Israel's point of view- big war is coming sooner or later, and the west will align with Israel in the end, she has no choice - going with the victor and all . The more control and space Israel has on her own territory which includes the west bank- the better. And if Israel is less aligned - she has a freer hand to operate as she did in the 1967 and 1948 wars. Remember , the USA put sanctions on arms to Israel during the Lebanon war and after that war became even closer friends, after Hezbullah killed so many marines for thanks for the shift in American pro Arab friendship in Lebanon. America turned around and became an even closer friend of Israel.  Israel's big mistake has been to make too many sacrifices for peace and give up too many chips for American appeasement with her Arab friends that now out number Israel as a friend . What the world is going to see in Netanyahu and Lieberman is that the Israelis and the Jews see themselves as the ones giving compromises for peace  ,because they want to for peace not because they are being forced too. If the peace comes as a forced agreement , then the world will see from Israel a shift to become a  major world player and not the Holocaust Jew, that Europe still thinks about. The Israelis are now a Spartan nation that stood up to suicide bombing- including myself and my own children. The Israelis are not afraid of sanctions. and to make up for manpower, Israel it seems is making an army of robots , drones, pilot less boats and anti missile missile systems- which means her enemies are nude to an Israeli attack.  and of course , many Israelis - not the majority though - think they have God on their side- the God of the Bible the God of the Jews. Sanctions indeed can be  a double edge sword.