Ramat Shlomo, Israel and The New York Times

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The New York Times Agenda, Against Israel

Before illustrating the organized and vicious campaign in the New York Times and by the Obama administration against Israel, I'm showing you a couple of pictures to illustrate the location of Ramat Shlomo.  It's in a Jerusalem forest, former no-man's land.

I photographed these yesterday when traveling the "Ramot Road" on my way to downtown Jerusalem.  I rolled down the car-window, but we couldn't stop.  Ramat Shlomo was built on empty land, between other Jerusalem neighborhoods, Ramat Eshkol, French Hill, Ramot and the Har Chotzvim Industrial Park.

New York Times op-ed columnist, Maureen Dowd admits that she's a spokesperson for the Arabs repeatedly  mentioning that Arab officials  spoke to her about Israel.

 At least she's on the opinion page.

"Prince Saud al-Faisal, the Saudi foreign minister, warned me..."

 "Arab leaders groused to me..."

And about Obama and his advisers, I think they've gotten it all wrong.

“That’s not how you treat your best friend,” said one Obama official.

Reverse that, please.  You're neither acting nor speaking like a friend of Israel.  Israel ought to rethink its relationship to the United States.  Obama sure doesn't treat Israel like a friend.

Another of the New York Times op-ed columnists, Thomas Friedman, can't see the forest for the trees.

His recent article details the disagreements, anarchy and unstable leadership among the Pseudostinian, aka Palestinian sic, leadership, but he doesn't take his observations a crucial step further.  It's obvious that none of these Arab leaders, even the most moderate and western, are capable of guaranteeing peace and stability for the Middle-east and security for Israel.  It just won't work.

The entire concept of "two states" is an unworkable mistake.  It's like expecting Santa Claus to cover your credit card bill for Xmas presents.  America can live in La-la Land, but I'm too pragmatic for that.  My life and further and the future existence of my country require that I think for myself and not trust any foreign leaders nor the media. 

Dowd refers to a "defiant Israel."  Let her call us whatever she wishes.  I don't care what she thinks.  Her antipathy is obvious.

We in Israel must make our own decisions about what's best for our secuity and our future.  Let the world butt out!

Great News! "Peace" Talks Off! At least for now...

I consider this whole hysteria about the Ramat Shlomo housing to be the best thing that has happened to us during US Vice President Biden's visit
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Great News! "Peace" Talks Off!

From Haaretz: Biden to Israelis: Mideast status quo is unsustainable Vice President says that Palestinians, Israelis must decide for themselves if they want peace. PA: Peace talks off until East Jerusalem housing shelved PA says indirect negotiations with Israel on hold over plans for 1,600 Jewish homes in E. Jerusalem.

I like these "unplanned" happenings.  They are the work of G-d.  Since we can't rely on Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, G-d decided to shake things up no doubt.  That's the best way of describing the timing in the building approval announcement for more Jewish homes in Jerusalem's Ramat Shlomo.  Israel, the government, the Jerusalem municipality and many Ramat Shlomo residents refuse to recognize that the United States and the Arabs refuse to recognize Jerusalem municipal boundaries as "kosher," approved.

As far as they're concerned, Jerusalem's Ramat Shlomo, Solomon Heights, is no different from my Shiloh neighborhood of Ramat Shmuel, Samuel Heights.

I always get a kick out of it when G-d "interferes" to correct our bad planning.  Just this week it happened to me.  I had to take my father to Jerusalem for a few official errands.  It would require more walking than he usually does and I was very concerned and nervous about it.  So, I decided to try to find him a wheelchair.  I advertised in our local email list and was told to call a neighbor who lends one out.  When I went to her house to pick it up, her son couldn't find it.  All he could find was a "walker."  He convinced me that as long as my father could walk, that would be the perfect solution, rather than a heavy wheelchair.  And, no surprise it is.  Yes, is.  We've been taking it on our walks.  He rarely uses it, but when he does, he enjoys the speed and confidence it gives him.

 So, yes, I consider this whole hysteria about the Ramat Shlomo housing to be the best thing that has happened to us during US Vice President Biden's visit.

I'm NOT For Sale!

Rosh Chodesh Nissan, Women's Rosh Chodesh Prayers at Tel Shiloh will be next Tuesday, March 16.   Please join us and publicize it.   Thanks

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Tuesday March 16, 2010

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 9:30am

Also, please don't forget that I post much more frequently on Shiloh Musings and me-ander. Please visit those blogs, thanks.

I'm NOT For Sale!

This is also posted on Shiloh Musings, where there are some interesting comments; you may want to read and participate in the conversation.  Please do.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu thinks that he has solved the "problems" of his "Ten Month YESHA Building Freeze" by offering financial compensation, as if we can be bought off, or his policies only have financial repercussions and not security or national viability or negative "Hasbara," Public Relations.

 What follows is part of the official announcement:

Compensation Outline Approved for Elements Adversely Affected by the Temporary Suspension of New Construction in Judea and Samaria

(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)

In continuation of the Cabinet decision regarding the temporary suspension of new construction in Judea and Samaria, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today (Sunday), 7.3.10, approved the outline for compensating the various elements that were adversely affected by the decision. The outline was prepared by a team led by Cabinet Secretary Tzvi Hauser, with the participation of professional representatives from the Finance, Defense and Justice Ministries, as well as from the Prime Minister's Office. In the framework of the outline, it was decided to set uniform criteria, for providing compensation, on three tracks:

To those who purchased apartments, to contractors and those with building permits and one-time compensation to those local councils that were adversely affected by the decision.

The detailed criteria will be issued in the coming days.

Now I'm beginning to understand how Menachem Begin protested against German War Reparations, l'havdil, to differentiate-they're not the same, but...

The most important problems, dangers from the building freeze aren't financial, but obviously those whose pockets are affected have more influence than patriots like myself.  Paying off contractors doesn't solve the problem.  The government is just following old mistaken policies that we "settlers" have a price and can be compensated for "inconveniences" or G-d forbid forced eviction.  No way.  I'm not for sale! Building freezes for Jews, whether ten months, ten years or ten minutes are dangerous.  They encourage our enemies and strengthen them.

Israel isn't a viable and secure country without Judea and Samaria.  That is why Jordan allied itself with Egypt and Syria to attack us in June, 1967.  Every time we give the Arabs of Judea and Samaria more independence we're weakening our country.

No foreign country has ever come to our aid when we've been attacked and nobody will.  And if they ever would it would be to rule us. 

They'd rather add annexes to their very popular Holocaust museums. Building is life, living.  You can't buy me off.  I'm not for sale!