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Adar 1, 5768, 2/7/2008

How Your Politicians Get Owned

by Tamar Yonah

Payoffs and Arm-twisting – How Your Politicians Get Owned

By now, there should be no one left who thinks that our leaders are either stupid or crazy because of the policies that they pursue.  They are neither.  They are educated people. Olmert and Livni both have law degrees and Ehud Barak is a former IDF general.  By now, any semi-intelligent person must have come to the conclusion that our leaders simply cave in to the international community’s demands.  The world has a plan.  It is a plan that dictates a Palestinian State to appease the Arabs.  The West needs Arab oil and cooperation, and the globalists want the Arab world to play ball,  join a trade block in this region called MEFTA (Middle East Free Trade Area) and come under the umbrella of the World Trade Organization.  (I plan to write a piece on this as well with references.)

Little Israel is the lamb on the alter.  We are the sacrifice for the appetites of the fat oil rich Arab countries.  Israel will be left as a limbless entity, completely dependent on the grace of the International community.  And that is how they want it.

So, how do they cajole, pressure, bribe and otherwise convince our leaders that their way is the only way?  It is not too hard when you are dealing with people who put their own self-interests before their nation. We saw it with Sharon, who, though he ran on a platform against disengagement, caved in when threats of jail time hung over him and his 2 sons. We see it again, with the scandals that are following Olmert.  These people seem to have put their own futures ahead of that of the country they are supposed to serve. And it is easy to cajole, bribe and threaten people who have little integrity or have something to hide in their past. The more corruptable a politician is, the easier to control him.

The irony is, that we don’t even have to be privy to what exactly was said, or threatened in these leader to leader meetings. The truth screams at us from the headlines.  Take a look at these:
 
(On the Winograd Report) Thursday, Jan. 31, 2008 Jerusalem Post from print edition  Winograd: The Summary - "The war was a missed opportunity, conducted with no understanding of how to use military power to achieve a political and diplomatic goal" 
(My comment: And yet they refuse to name PM Olmert and recommend his resignation.  The headline screams incompetence and direct bungling of decisions and utter failure in protecting the country and its citizens. But Olmert is treated like an etrog (carefully protected so one can pursue the peace process / left wing agenda).

Yaalon Says Politicians Know: To Be Coddled, Go Left 
Excerpt from article: "The phrase 'to etrog a politician' [meaning, to treat him very protectively, as one does with an etrog fruit during the Sukkot holiday] is not something I made up," Yaalon said. "It was made up by a journalist [Amnon Abramovitch].  I call upon some of those who are thought to be leading journalists - and there is no small degree of corruption there [in the media] that, I feel, causes politicians to understand that if they want to be 'etrog-ed' and 'forgiven' in matters of substance and professional failures, it’s a good idea for them to take certain approaches."

Winograd C'tee Member Admits: PM Spared Due to 'Peace Process'

Olmert Indictment Unlikely; Appeal Threatened
The official Israel Police investigative team has found some evidence that Ehud Olmert, when serving as Acting Finance Minister in November 2005, acted illegally in promoting his friends' interests during the privatization of Bank Leumi.  The team presented its findings on Thursday afternoon, but recommended to the State Prosecution that Olmert not be indicted.

Bush to Ministers: Keep Olmert in Power

Kept Secret Until After Annapolis: PA Police Murdered Zoldan 
"The information was withheld until after the Annapolis summit, however, and only cleared for publication after Prime Minister Ehud Olmert returned from signing a joint declaration with PA Chairman..."

Delek Hires Top Cop Moshe Karadi
Delek Israel, announced it has hired former police commissioner Moshe Karadi to run Delek Pi-Glilot, a fuel storage and distribution company that operates in Ashdod, Jerusalem and Be'er Sheva. In August, Delek Pi-Glilot won a Government Companies Authorities tender to run the fuel storage facilities in Ashdod.
Business Scene:  Former Israel Police Commissioner Moshe Karadi who resigned in February this year, following findings by the Zeiler Commission which concluded that police had grossly mishandled the murder investigation in the Perinian affair, has a new job. Karadi is moving into the private sector joining Delek Pi-Glilot, which coordinates supplies, storage and distribution for Delek service stations in Jerusalem, Ashdod and Beersheba. Delek CEO Eyal Lapidot this week announced the appointment of Karadi as general manager of Delek Pi-Glilot.

Last point: Avigdor Lieberman, head of the political party "Yisrael Beitanyu" (Israel Is Our Home) had a police investigation against him (and his daughter) while serving in the opposition.  After he joined the Olmert government, the police files against him and his daughter were more or less closed or put aside.  As soon as he left the government, their files were re-opened. See:

Exposé Links Olmert, Lieberman and Sharon to Jericho Casino
End of article states: "The investigation against Lieberman and his daughter have been ongoing for years, but suddenly became active again once he left the government last week."

Enough headlines and excerpts.  I think you get the idea.  It looks like our leaders are being cajoled, bribed, and threatened if they don’t ‘cooperate’. I just did a show this week with journalist Cale Hahn who wrote the article published on our website entitled:  Israel and the Dawning of the Police State.  In it, he states that at least since Benjamin Netanyahu was elected as PM, every Israeli Prime Minister has been targeted by high-profile criminal investigations just prior to and during "peace process" initiatives. Please listen ( CLICK HERE ) to the show, as it was very informative and enlightening in what goes on behind the scenes to keep our officials in line with land giveaways, and otherwise furthering of internationalist agendas.

After the show I did with Cale Hahn on how police investigations are opened against Israeli Prime Ministers during their terms in office, I received a letter from him in which he wrote:

Tamar- Certainly you saw this. Our interview was certainly timely, no?
The latest article that just came out regarding this ‘treating our Prime Minister like an etrog’ with the Winnograd report.
 
Other things which can be pointed out on how Israel's justice system is used to protect those who support the "peace process" and severely punish those who oppose it:

1.  Brothers Mordechai and Elitzur Harel received extremely harsh jail terms for planning a road block in Tel Aviv during the Gaza expulsion. They were held for several months without trial which had the support of Supreme Court Chief Justice Dorit
Beinisch.

2.  The Supreme Court specifically prohibited the Winograd Committee from recommending Olmert or anyone else be compelled to resign. This after the repeated petitioning of the court by the IDF's Solicitor-General, Col. Orna David.

3. Police Superintendent Chaim Moshe's treatment of three protesters in Jerusalem during Bush's visit including
confiscating informational leaflets, prohibiting freedom of expression and right to assembly as well as unlawful imprisonment.  All of this calls into question the status of basic civil liberties in Israel including the right to assemble, petition, free speech and a free and impartial judiciary.

Tamar, as I said at the beginning of the program, all countries around the world have politicians which break the law. Israel's politicians are no different. What is different in Israel is charges against these politicians are being brought up NOT TO SEE JUSTICE DONE, but rather to blackmail/pressure the politician into speeding along an internationalist agenda against the Jewish state. More and more, I believe some of those behind this agenda have the aim of so strategically weakening Israel as to see her destroyed.

You asked me where is this pressure coming from, who is behind it. The problem is there are so many with the motive, who do you finger? We can start with US corporations (specifically oil companies and defense companies), US politicians, US elites (see Israeli elites), Israeli elites (news media, entertainment media, justice figures, certain politicians, educators, the so-called “intellectual-class”), Israeli corporations and wealthy Israeli business individuals and consortiums (relations with the US tie in here), the UN (including the UN NGOs), the EU, Islamic States and corporations, Russia, Venezuela…

In short, look to Israel's enemies and to those who wish to accrue wealth, favor or power within Israel and/ or in the region.  The reality is the internationalist agenda is being forced upon Israel by a combination of most of the above interests coordinating deliberately or conveniently.
It is telling that former Israeli Police Commissioner Moshe Karadi received a juicy contract with an Israeli gas firm and Ehud Barak received employment w/ EDS, a company with significant defense related contracts in the US and globally.  He was also appointed a partner in SCP Private Equity Partners, where he identified companies for SCP to purchase that develop security-related products and services.

The Tanakh (bible) says in the book of Zekharyah 12:3 that the whole world will be gathered against Jerusalem. Are we seeing the fulfillment of this before our eyes? If so, is it surprising so many are working towards what would be Israel’s destruction?

All the best,
Cale




Shevat 25, 5768, 2/1/2008

Beautiful Israel

by Tamar Yonah

I am guilty of the sin of laziness.  Miri from Yesha has been snowed in for the last two days. Actually, so have I, and I love it.  Time with the family, games, playing in the snow, and hot coffee.  Miri wants me to write another blog to make things interesting. Sorry Miri, I will have to do 'al chet' on my luxuriating in the time off.  I was thinking of writing about the Winograd report that came out.  Actually, all of the state of Israel was 'panting' in wait.  And then when it came out, it was a totally neutered report.

The Winograd report, for those who don't know, is the Israeli government-appointed commission of inquiry, chaired by Eliyahu Winograd,  retired Israeli judge and was supposed to investigate and draw lessons from the Second Lebanon War. The report was supposed to point out the mistakes, blunders and yes, blame, for the failure of the war.  It did not.  After all the waiting, after all the expectations that now, this would be the end of Olmert as the Prime Minister and we would go to new elections, it was as interesting and effective as a re-run of Gilligan's Island. 

Most all of us expected the report to bring down the Olmert government.  After all, heads had to fall. Amir Peretz who was the Minister of Defense, lost his position.  The Chief of Staff of the IDF, Dan Halutz  was also forced to resign, and so, it made sense to believe that the Olmert would follow.  After all, 'the buck stops there'.  But no, the report was so obscure, that it was almost a joke.  They didn't mention any names, not even Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's name.  They did not give conclusions of their 'findings', as they were concerned that future Prime Ministers might hesitate to make difficult decisions in the future, for fear of a commissions' nasty reports (Ch.3, para. 12).

The report could have read:
"There is someone who works in the government who erred greatly which led to the failure of the Second Lebanon War and destroyed Israel's deterrent factor.  It also led to the deaths of many soldiers who, if the government person was more prepared and experienced, could have prevented the loss of life.  We're not SAYING that the one responsible is the HEAD of the Government.  We mean, it COULD be, but we're not actually saying it EXACTLY. And we're not IMPLYING that there weren't irresponsible BLUNDERS, but maybe we shouldn’t be so hard on these dunce heads because it might make some people defensive and maybe, heaven forbid, bring down the government that has to stay in power (as U.S. President Bush wants) ."

Oh, Puleeze,,,,

I have to admit, though I tuned in for the special press conference and was listening to the report, it bored the heck out of me. I knew that I SHOULD watch and listen to it, but I kept switching channels looking for a re-run of Gilligan's Island.

WHO GOT TO THESE PEOPLE?  Who 'convinced' them not to name names in this long, long 617 page report?  Who convinced them not to point out blame with names, so those responsible could actually take responsibility for it?  The nation was waiting for justice to take place so we could possibly go to new elections. 

Who didn't want new elections to take place besides the weak Olmert? 

Let us go back a few weeks in the news and recall the visit of U.S. President Bush.  He came here in order to prop up Olmert, in order to push forward his vision for a New Middle East with the establishment of a Palestinian State. As soon as he stepped off the plane, he is reported to have said to one of our ministers, Eli Yishai, not to leave the government.  "Tomorrow we will have a long, intensive talk in the course of which I will try to convince you not to leave the government…” Bush said.  Now, whenever someone says they want to have ‘intensive talks’, you can be sure there is going to be a LOT of arm twisting, threats and whatever else it is going to take to get their agenda through. Bush was here for approximately two days.  After meetings and photo ops, Bush then left the country with these words to the Israelis:  Keep Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in power. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/124883

So WHO wanted to keep Olmert in power, that COULD?  Who had the means to do so?  Whose people got to the Winograd commission and neutered them, making sure no names were mentioned, so ‘the buck stops here’ man didn’t get the finger pointed at him? I don’t claim to have the answer.  However, I find it hard to believe that after all the hoopla about the damage the report was going to bring to Olmert, and then it turns out to be a nothing report, that SOMETHING must have happened.  You decide. 

 And so, I will write no more here about the 617 page Winograd report that was so intense, and yet didn’t finger Olmert, the main one, who if he had any honor, would take responsibility and resign.  I have nothing more to say about it.  Instead, I am looking out my window, watching the beautiful snow melting off my car, and I want to relish these last two days at home with my family when we had no school, and we were with family throwing snow balls, building igloos and snowmen in the beautiful Land of Israel.

I am going to leave you with these two beautiful pieces and a thought as well.
What would have happened if our ancestors, whose blood flows through our veins, rejected the land of Israel?  See this clip below, and remember how it must have been to leave the super power of the world, Egypt, and go into the desert with an old man, Moshe, just for the privilege of living in The Promised Land.  See below, and only then continue to read (please).  Make sure your speakers are open, and thanks to the reader who sent me this a while back.... 

And last, I thank again our brave and idealistic ancestors who came to Israel when it was a barren desert land, filled with swamps, malaria, and corrupt, hostile Moslem, Ottoman government.  There were no universities, no operas, no good shopping, no beautiful gardens, no high paying jobs, only what looked like an awfully hard future of back breaking work, malaria, and Arab raids.  Yet they came, against all logic.  Why?  Because they yearned for the Land.  They yearned to work towards something bigger than themselves.  And they put their ‘safety’ secondary to their dreams.  It’s bigger than you and me.  As Joseph Trumpeldor, the ardent zionist said, “Tov la-moot, b’aad artzaynu”  -it is good to die for one’s land.”

Please view below, this powerpoint presentation of beautiful, beautiful Israel. (I wish I knew who to give credit to, it is just magnificent.) 

It is because of those before us, and those here today, that we have merited G-d’s gift to the Jewish people.  After viewing the presentation, ask yourself what you can do for Israel to further her advancement, and to further the building of G-d’s precious land.  Don’t miss viewing these awesome, beautiful photos (make sure your speakers are on.  A window may pop up asking you to OPEN or SAVE the powerpoint.  Choose OPEN.)  Click HERE to view, it will take a moment to load. Don't click when it comes on, the presentation will move by itself after a short pause.




Shevat 18, 5768, 1/25/2008

Modern Day Miracle In The Land Of Israel

by Tamar Yonah

I was sent this email by a friend of mine, who knows the son of the person who saw this....  yah, it's one of those stories, BUT, I did confirm it by calling New York and speaking directly with Rabbi Bloom, who should be, G-d willing, on my radio show next week to speak about this.  The original email was written I believe, by the Rav's son in law, Eliyahu Rubinovich.  Here is what was written in the email:

"Rabbi Shmuel Bloom of Agudath Israel of America is a busy man involved in important matters concerning Klal Yisroel.

Why would he, then, spend a considerable amount of hours traveling to look at bananas (all the way up north near Tiberias) during his recent trip to Eretz Yisroel?

(Aerial photo of Israel)

A completely secular farmer whose produce is bananas decided that he would undertake to keep Shmitah this time around. He approached the Keren HaShviis for assistance and they stipulated that he would be registered in their program if he would also undertake to be personally Shomer Shabbos throughout Shmitah. He agreed. Keren HaShviis (Here, I was told by Rabbi Bloom, that it was actually the Otzar Bet Din of Bnei Brak) undertook to cover his farming expenses in return for which all the produce would become the property of Otzar Beis Din and would be distributed in full accordance with Halacha.

Israel has suffered a significant cold spell over the past 2 to 3 weeks. Bananas don’t like cold. Cold doesn’t like bananas. Needless to say, they don’t get along. When bananas are still growing and get hit with frost, they turn brown and become rock-solid hard.

The hero of our story, Gibor Koach the banana farmer, knew he was in deep trouble when the relentless cold hadn’t let up for over a week. He lived a distance from his orchard and hadn’t yet seen the damage with his own eyes. He began to receive calls from his neighbor farmers, who have orchards bordering his, complaining bitterly that their entire banana crop had been destroyed by the frost. He decided it was time to inspect the damage up close, no matter how painful it may be.

He drove up close to Tverya (Tiberius) to inspect his orchard, as well as those of his neighboring farmers. As he passed from one orchard to another, he was overwhelmed by the damage. Not a single fruit had survived, no tree was spared. His neighbors took quite a beating. All the bananas were brown, hard as a rock.

He could only imagine how bad his trees must have gotten it.

Yet when he finally got to his orchard, he was awestruck! ALL of his bananas were yellow and green. It’s as if his orchard was not part of this parcel of land. His orchard bordered those of his neighbors, but not a single tree of his was struck by the frost. It’s as if a protective wall kept the damage away. At first he thought he was imagining it, and as he rushed from one section of his orchard to another, the realization that more than the farmer keeps the Shmitah, the Shmitah keeps the farmer hit home.

He immediately called his contacts at Keren HaShviis and yelled into the phone, “Karah Nes, Karah Nes!” ( A miracle happened, a miracle happened!)

A miraculous modern-day manifestation of “V’Tzivisi Es HaBracha”.

There is no way to explain this other than that HaKodesh Baruch Hu keeps His promises. He says keep Shmitah, and I’ll take care of you. He sure does!

Keren HaShviis reports that farmers that until now refused to keep Shmitah, have been turning to the Keren following the losses suffered as a result of the frost, they are now ready to commit to Shmitah observance.

And so, Rabbi Bloom took the time to travel all the way to Tverya (Tiberias) and back to witness this awe-inspiring phenomenon. During the previous Shmita (2000-2001) Agudath Israel of America provided over $1,000,000 to Keren HaShviis. It plans to do even more this time around."

Above Photo: Standing amidst the destruction of the non-observing fields where everything is brown.

Below Photo: Rabbi Bloom with rabbis from the Otzar Bet Din standing next to yellow and green bananas of the field that sanctified Eretz Yisroel and the Shmitah year.

     Below: Good, unharmed bananas from the Shmitah observing field.



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The Tamar Yonah Show

by Tamar Yonah
A biting & sometimes humorous analysis of current events, Israeli politics & the Jewish World.
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Tamar Yonah is one of Israel's most popular English-speaking radio show hosts. She made Aliyah from Southern California and after serving in the Israeli army began a prolific career in radio, including production, news and program development. She was the original creator and producer of 'The Aliyah Show' and still works whenever and however she can in that field. Tamar is a political activist, wife and mother residing in Judea and Samaria and currently hosts several top-rated shows, including Weekend Edition, The Tamar Yonah Show and TnT Dynamite. Her award winning blog covers current events, religion, politics and anything else that's on her mind.