RUTHFULLY YOURS

https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/20925/israel-enemy-hamas

More than 30 years ago, these “elites,” overwhelmingly on Israel’s political “left” (think “peace,” as if most people in democracies do not want peace) played a significant role in convincing the Israeli government to sign the Oslo Accord with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), headed by Yasser Arafat. The assumption back then was that if you bring Arafat’s PLO from the Arab countries to Gaza and the West Bank and help them create a government and police force, the Palestinians would renounce terrorism and give up their dream of destroying Israel.

The Palestinian Authority, established in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 1994, had no intention of making peace with Israel, and still has not.

Palestinian leaders continue to praise terrorists as “martyrs” and “heroes” and pay monthly salaries to their families.

Many Israeli “elites” chose to turn a blind eye to the Palestinian leaders’ support for terrorism and incitement of violence and hatred against Israel. Some Israeli peace activists continued to argue that Abbas who, since 2014 has refused to resume peace negotiations with Israel, is somehow a credible peace partner.

“He [Arafat] did not negotiate in good faith; indeed, he did not negotiate at all. He just kept saying no to every offer, never making any counterproposals of his own.” – Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, quoted by Benny Morris from interviews in late March and early April 2202.

The Israeli pullout from the Gaza Strip in 2005 to enable the Palestinians to create a Dubai on the Mediterranean, instead enabled Hamas and other terror groups to turn the coastal enclave into a huge base for Jihad (holy war) against Israel. With the help of Iran, the terror groups smuggled weapons into the Gaza Strip from Egypt in tunnels dug under the border, and were taught to manufacture rockets and missiles. The Gazans also built a vast network of tunnels throughout the Gaza Strip, with many extending into Egypt.

It turned out the belief of Israeli “elites” that the expulsion of Jews from the Gaza Strip would contribute to peace with the Palestinians was a catastrophic mirage.

The Palestinians did not see the “disengagement” as an indication that Israel wants peace. Instead, many Palestinians viewed the withdrawal as an Israeli display of weakness and retreat in the face of rockets and suicide bombings. The thinking among the Palestinians became, “Oh, it’s working! So let’s do it more!”

In a similar way, Iran, Qatar, Hamas and Hezbollah have been gaining more confidence from the current anti-government protests in Israel, especially since the Biden-Harris administration began pressing Israel to make concessions, but never Hamas, Hezbollah, Qatar or Iran.

“Continue to exert psychological pressure on the families [of the hostages], both now and during the first phase [of the ceasefire] so that public pressure on the enemy government increases…. Arab forces should serve as a buffer to prevent the enemy [Israel] from entering after the war in Gaza ends, until they [Hamas] have reorganized their ranks and military capabilities.” — Hamas document, written in March for the terrorist group’s leader Yahya Sinwar, discovered on a computer allegedly belonging to him that was seized by the IDF.

https://www.frontpagemag.com/bibis-fault/

President Biden says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not doing enough to win the release of the remaining hostages held in Gaza by the terrorist group Hamas.

As the saying goes “with friends like these, who needs enemies?”

In his first statement since the recovery of six hostages murdered by Hamas, including American-Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Netanyahu refused all entreaties by the U.S. administration and other governments and protesters in Israel and the U.S. to agree to a ceasefire as a way to gain the release of the other hostages. What critics forget is that Hamas has refused all ceasefire offers, largely I suspect, because it knows the world will keep pressuring Israel to”do more” and not the terrorists to do less.

Too many seem to have forgotten, or ignored, the real culprits. It was Hamas that kidnapped and murdered innocent Israelis and took hostages last October. It is Hamas that has a covenant which calls for the creation of an Islamic state in all of Palestine and the obliteration of Israel. How do you negotiate with an enemy who believes their god has given direct orders to eliminate the Jewish state by any means necessary?

The answer should be obvious, but it isn’t to many who have the false view that what Israel does or does not do matters to her enemies. Pressuring Israel has also been the incorrect approach over several U.S. administrations and Labor governments in Israel. Hamas and other terror groups get land, ceasefires, prisoner exchanges and financial help, but give nothing in return.

A Wall Street Journal editorial puts the blame where it belongs: “(the hostages) were killed in Rafah, where Biden and Harris delayed Israel’s entry with threats and by withholding weapons.”

 www.verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com 

When mainstream news about Israel is biased and bleak, I always turn to Michael Ordman for positive news. Here is another dazzling compilation to lift one’s spirits. Israel lives and enjoys the many blessings of democracy and freedom and success with incredible advances in medicine and technology that benefit the entire world. rsk

POSITIVE NEWS IN A WAR
 
The breath of life. (TY Sam Kramer) Kfir Zar’s lungs were badly damaged when Hamas fired a rocket at his tank in Gaza. He was put on a heart-lung machine until he received a double lung transplant at Sheba Medical Center from fallen soldier Dor Zimel. Kfir has now been discharged after nine and a half months of recovery.
https://www.afsmc.org/2024/05/dor-gave-kfir-the-gifts-of-breath-and-life/
 
Volunteers saved $50 million of produce. Israeli charity Leket Israel reported that since Oct 7, hundreds of thousands of volunteers, from Israel and around the world, helped rescue over 35,000 tons of Israeli agricultural produce that otherwise would have gone to waste.
https://www.jns.org/volunteers-saved-50m-in-israeli-produce-during-war-study-finds/
 
Navigating the “new normal”. Interesting article highlighting the resilience of Israelis who continue their “normal” lives in a war situation. https://www.timesofisrael.com/israelis-navigate-normal-life-amid-danger-and-anxiety-from-war-and-iranian-threat/
 
Respite in Connecticut. World ORT Kadima Mada brought a group of 21 Israeli teens to the USA for a two -week break with summer camps, parks, and counselling. Each student had lost a family member or friend in the Hamas-led terrorist attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7 or in the months of violence against Israel since.
https://www.jns.org/the-love-of-country-in-their-eyes/
 
 
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
 
Robot surgery to remove pancreas (and more). (TY Aubrey) Surgeons at the Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya are the first in Israel to use a robot to completely remove a patient’s pancreas and other organs. The 78-year-old patient had multiple cystic (non-malignant) tumors. After a few days, he was discharged home.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/in-israel-first-robot-is-used-by-doctors-to-completely-remove-patients-pancreas/
 
Robot can help rehabilitate stroke patients. Ben Gurion University researchers published the first long-term study of stroke patient rehabilitation using Socially Assistive Robots (SARs).  The robots used speech, facial expressions, and gestures to guide and coach patients and improve outcomes.  (See also here previously).
https://www.bgu.ac.il/en/news-and-articles/socially-assistive-robots-improve-stroke-rehabilitation/
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10496321
 
Hope for colorectal cancer patients. (TY Ron) Early results of a study at Israel’s Rabin Medical Center of 29 patients showed new treatment for colorectal cancer eradicated tumors in 65% of patients and prevented surgery for most. Combined immunotherapy and chemoradiotherapy substantially improved survival and quality of life.
https://www.ynetnews.com/health_science/article/s11krhyq0
 
Big data is revealing. A 2-year study by Tel Aviv University researchers is being hailed as a test for vaccines and also to give early warning of a potential pandemic. Smartwatch sensors from Israel’s Biobeat (see here previously) monitored the heart, lungs, blood oxygen, temperature, blood pressure, etc. of some 5,000 patients.
https://english.tau.ac.il/research/smartwatches-pandemic-prevent
https://nocamels.com/2024/08/smart-sensors-take-the-sting-out-of-studying-vaccine-safety/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666776224001017
 
New AI medical solutions. Israel’s AIDOC (see here previously) has announced seven new CE-approved AI solutions for European healthcare. They help analyze blocked blood vessels; a tear in the aorta; spinal fracture; a malplaced tube for opening the airway in the throat, and three cardiovascular and neurological conditions.
https://nocamels.com/2024/09/israeli-healthcare-firm-unveils-new-ai-solutions-for-europe/
 
Papaya to treat cystic fibrosis? Israel’s ODE Pharma has discovered that a molecule, code named ODE-001 and derived from the papaya fruit, reduces inflammation and deterioration in organs adversely affected by cystic fibrosis. One scientist who originally suggested the molecule is Nobel laureate Aaron Ciechanover.
https://nocamels.com/2024/08/startup-sees-potential-of-papaya-to-treat-cystic-fibrosis-in-kids/
https://pollen-group.com/portfolio/   https://odepharma.com/
 
Looking to stop cancer at cell level. Dr Gabriel Frank at Israel’s Ben Gurion University employs microscopy – examining cells using BGU’s powerful cryo-electron microscope, He has discovered that cancer cells rely on iron ions. The body’s Nuclear Receptor Coactivator 4 (NCOA4) controls the ion level and can kill the cancer.
https://www.bgu.ac.il/en/news-and-articles/bgu-microscopy-discovers-drug-candidates-for-cancer/
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-48151-1
 
Upgrading emergency dispatch. Israel’s volunteer emergency medical organization United Hatzalah has just enhanced its dispatch center’s capabilities by upgrading to the APEX cloud-based system from Israel’s Carbyne (see here previously). United Hatzalah partnered with Carbyne (see here) after the Turkish earthquake.
https://israelrescue.org/stories/united-hatzalah-boosts-emergency-response-with-cutting-edge-technology/
https://carbyne.com/solutions/apex/
 
Oncologists base decisions on Israeli tech. (TY OurCrowd) A study published in Clinical Lung Cancer finds that 93% of oncologists adjust their treatment recommendations with the help of PROphetNSCLC, a test developed by Israel’s OncoHost (see here previously).
https://www.ourcrowd.com/startup-news/clinical-lung-cancer-publishes-study-93-of-oncologists-adjust-treatment-recommendations-with-oncohosts-prophetnsclc-test
https://www.clinical-lung-cancer.com/article/S1525-7304(24)00138-4/fulltext

https://www.frontpagemag.com/mass-insanity-in-response-to-hamas-brutality/

The entire world is witness to a form of mass insanity. In response to the brutal murder of more than 1,200 innocent people by a gang of savage terrorists together with the taking of more than 200 hostages, people and governments are supporting the murderers and, in so doing, are committing a moral sin of cosmic proportions. The collective disgrace is beyond comprehension.

The pressure seems to be focused on Israel, instead of on the Hamas murderers. The Biden/Harris administration, many Western governments, protestors on college campuses, and even Israeli citizens are siding with the terrorists. “Why isn’t Netanyahu doing more to gain the release of the hostages?” “Why aren’t we insisting on a ceasefire?” This is what happened after October 7th and it happened again this week when Hamas brutally murdered six hostages. What they are all missing is that Netanyahu didn’t kill those people, Hamas terrorists did.

Attorney Leo Terrell put it succinctly: “Where’s the pressure on Hamas?” Alan Dershowitz agreed. The question, Dershowitz said, is not why isn’t Israel doing more to gain the release of the hostages. The question is, why isn’t Hamas releasing the hostages? “Bring them home” puts the onus on Israel. The slogan should be, “Let them go.” Israel does not have a responsibility to sacrifice its national security. No, Hamas has a clear obligation to release the hostages.

The protests have nothing to do with ceasefires, Dershowitz says, they have to do with cease Israel. Hamas’ stated goal is the elimination of the State of Israel. If Israel agrees to a ceasefire, Hamas wins. Hamas will be free to reconstitute itself and continue its assaults on Israel. That is why Netanyahu is correct in aiming for the complete obliteration of Hamas.

https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/20922/israel-weaponization-of-hostages
https://melaniephillips.substack.com/p/the-oslo-effect

The demonstrators [in Israel] are backed by assorted military and intelligence types in a treasonous attempt to lever Netanyahu out of office by creating division and demoralization while Israel is fighting for its life. Their core claim is that Netanyahu is prolonging the war and condemning the hostages to death solely to appease extremists in his coalition and thus remain in power.

Of course, everyone desperately wants the hostages brought back home. But the idea that the ceasefire deal would achieve this is sheer fantasy.

Only a few of the hostages would be released in the first phase. Hamas would then use the ceasefire to regroup and rearm, spinning out the continuing negotiation farce to keep the rest of the hostages trapped and thus retain control of the Gaza Strip.

It would only ever release all the hostages (if at all) with Israel’s total surrender. That’s what those calling for an immediate ceasefire deal are actually promoting.

The only way to save the hostages is through military pressure. That’s one reason why it’s imperative for Israel to retain control of the Philadelphi corridor, the area of Gaza that borders Egypt.

The importance of this corridor cannot be exaggerated. Israel’s capture of it has uncovered deep below its surface an extensive infrastructure of giant tunnels into Egypt — thus revealing the principal route through which Hamas imported its rockets, weapons and ammunition. [Emphasis added]

Hamas needs to control the Philadelphi corridor in order to resupply itself. Without that, it will be finished. That’s why it’s insisting that there will be no deal while Israel remains in control.

The vast majority of the military and security officials who belong to the authoritative Israel Defense and Security Forum are adamant that Israel must not cede control of the corridor. The forum’s chairman, Brig. Gen. Amir Avivi, said last week that tens of thousands of rockets and thousands of Hamas Nukhbah terrorists were waiting inside the Egyptian Sinai to go into Gaza through Philadelphi.

http://’If I didn’t believe Netanyahu, I wouldn’t stay in my job for another second’ – JNS.org

I first met Tal Gilboa in July 2023. Little could we have imagined during our upbeat encounter that a mere three months later, her beloved nephew, Guy—the 22-year-old son of her sister, Meirav, and brother-in-law, Ilan—would be hauled off violently to Gaza by Hamas terrorists. That he is still there today, a full 11 months later, is even more unfathomable.

Tal is on her second stint as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu’s adviser on animal rights. She served in that role during his previous government—the one that was replaced by the rotation coalition headed by Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett.

When Bibi returned to the helm in December 2022, he hired her again. An endeavor dear to both was promoting cultured meat and lowering its cost through the use of Artificial Intelligence.

I’d been familiar with her appearances on political panels on TV, and knew that she was the winner of the Israeli version of the reality show “Big Brother” in 2014. My interest was really piqued, however, when she became a target of left-wing attacks for her refusal to toe the intersectional line of her self-described yet anything but liberal peers.

When I went to work for a brief period at the Prime Minister’s Office, I introduced myself to her by revealing that I’d written an op-ed a year and a half earlier about the hypocrisy of her critics.
Given the way she’s been treated since Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre—despite her nephew’s abduction from the Nova Music Festival—I felt it was time for another piece defending her against the slander to which she has grown so unfairly accustomed. But I opted, instead, to let her speak for herself.
The following are excerpts from our interview, though full disclosure requires that it be described as a conversation between two friends who share similar perspectives.

https://www.jns.org/a-hollow-peace-cairo-facilitated-weapons-smuggling-to-hamas/

Israel has uncovered 180 tunnels under the Philadelphi Corridor, Gaza’s strategic border with Sinai. Observers say those tunnels served as 24-hour weapons supply lines for Hamas, not just under the watchful eyes of Egypt, but with its willing assistance.

The revelation of Egyptian complicity raises troubling questions about Israel’s purported ally.

“The feeling in Jerusalem now is that Egypt is ungrateful,” Yoni Ben Menachem, Middle East intelligence analyst for the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs (JCFA), said on Thursday.

Israel helped Egypt in its campaign against the Islamic State in Sinai. It allowed Cairo to double its forces in the peninsula, far more than was allowed by the 1979 Israel-Egypt peace treaty. Israel even conducted bombing raids against the Islamic State at Egypt’s request. In 2014, Israel intervened on behalf of Egypt with the U.S. to ensure American aid continued.

“Now it turns out that the Egyptians have been playing a double game,” Ben Menachem told JNS. “They’ve been letting Hamas smuggle weapons for many years, especially after [Egyptian President] Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi came to power 10 years ago,” he said.

Smuggling isn’t only through the tunnels, he added, but through the Rafah border crossing, thanks to bribing of senior Egyptian officials.

https://mailchi.mp/dd9d88d97a17/israel-current-events***

As rural philosopher Dr. Gary Allan melodically lamented back in 2005: “Life ain’t always beautiful. Sometimes it’s just plain hard. Life can knock you down, it can break your heart”. He subsequently encourages us by crooning: “But the struggles make me stronger. And the changes make me wise. And happiness has its own way of takin’ its sweet time”. This song basically describes this past week in Israel. 

After the dramatic, still clouded in much secrecy, rescue of an Israeli-Arab hostage last week from a tunnel in Gaza, the first of its kind, many were hoping for more such rescues in the near future. Very unfortunately, this week as Israeli soldiers approached a tunnel where hostages were being held, the terrorists, following general orders from Hamas leadership, executed all six hostages at point blank range and fled. IDF personnel found the bodies about 2 days later. They were recovered, returned to Israel and identified. One of those killed was Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, hy’d. Sadness enveloped the Jewish/civilized world. Although there were certainly some on US college campuses who were undoubtedly elated by the news. 

After over ten months of captivity and on the brink of rescue, terrible tragedy. Prime Minister Netanyahu has repeatedly declared that military action will lead to the release of the hostages, either through rescue or an acceptable agreement. The Israeli left has accused him of being disingenuous and has demanded a deal with Hamas at virtually any price. As a result of the loss of the 6 hostages, the left has taken to the streets to protest.