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Among the targets for the IAF are mosques and other munitions storehouses, Philadelphi Route tunnels between southern Gaza and Egypt, terrorist cells, homes of top terrorist leaders, Kassam rocket manufacturing sites, and Hamas military installations.
It was originally estimated that Hamas might fire some 250 rockets a day at
The government approves a unilateral truce in
Likud head MK Binyamin Netanyahu declares that the war against Hamas was stopped in the middle: “The IDF has dealt Hamas some very hard blows on the head, but regrettably the job has not been finished… Hamas still controls
Drilling for
Despite high hopes, years of effort, hours of prayer at and tens of thousands of phone calls to the White House, U.S. President George W. Bush leaves office without pardoning Jonathan Pollard. Esther Pollard prays at the Western Wall (Kotel) for several hours on this day for a last-minute release of her husband from prison.
Despite the tremendous disappointment, efforts to secure his release from prison resume almost immediately.
With the war in
Feb. 10. ’09 – Election Day
Kadima wins the election with 28 seats, topping the Likud’s 27. However, the nationalist/religious camp wins a decisive victory, garnering 65 Knesset mandates, compared to only 55 for post-Zionist and pro-Arab sector Kadima-Labor-Meretz and the Arab parties. Twenty-one women are elected – the most ever – as are 28 religious Jews and 13 Arabs.
Peres Asks Netanyahu to Form Government based on the recommendations of 65 of the 120 Knesset Members. This is the first time in Israeli parliamentary history that the head of the largest party is not granted this privilege. President Shimon Peres also takes the unprecedented step of advising the Prime Minister-designate what type of government he should form: “I have decided to bestow the task of forming the next government on MK Binyamin Netanyahu, while noting that a majority of the delegations expressed their wish that the government formed will be a broad government, and requesting that this desire be taken into account in the forming of the government.”
The religious-Zionist press is replete with calls along the lines of “Let’s not be afraid to rule.” Emanuel Shilo, editor of the weekly B’Sheva, writes: “Kadima overtook the Likud by one Knesset mandate, but this should not confuse us: The clear meaning of the election results is a victory by the Jewish-nationalist camp over the liberal-left camp… The religious-nationalist camp now has a clear chance to form a stable coalition… Netanyahu wants a partnership with the left [in order] that the various power centers in our society and state will somehow agree to accept his regime. But Labor has been defeated and wants to stay in the opposition, and Kadima wants nothing less than full partnership and rotation in the Prime Minister’s chair. Therefore, what Netanyahu did not want to do out of courageous choice, he will apparently be forced to do out of necessity."
Dudu Alharar – musician, actor, producer and TV/radio personality – writes: “The nationalist-Zionist camp has a clear majority to form a government and firmly lead the country towards a Jewish-Zionist-democratic state, in that order… The Likud did not win these elections; it simply heads the camp that won. Without this camp, the Likud has no right to tread in the corridors of governmental power.”
Jewish Agency spokesman Michael Jankelowitz refuses to say how the ten Ben-Yisrael family members were rescued, citing security concerns, but says they had been threatened by Al-Qaeda.
Mar. 13, ‘09 - PA TV Celebrates Massive Terror Attack
The PA’s ongoing incitement against Jews and Israel features an upbeat, hour-long special commemorating the most murderous terror attack in Israeli history: the 1978 Coastal Road Terror Attack, in which Palestinian terrorists hijacked a tourist bus and went on a shooting spree down the highway, murdering 13 children and 25 adults. The show calls the attack "important," "special,” and "heroic."
Several weeks later, a Fatah official in a PA TV panel says, "Our goal has never been peace. Peace is a means; the goal is
March 13 – More Talk of Shalit Deal; Media is Criticized
Israel Broadcasting Authority’s Yaron Dekel writes: “The media's overwhelming endorsement of a trade of Palestinian terrorists for Gilad Shalit does not serve our national interest.”
Reports of an “imminent” deal, involving the release of at least 1,000 terrorists in exchange for Shalit, sprouted from time to time throughout the year. The last sign of life from Shalit was received in the form of a letter he wrote, received in
Mar. 18, ‘09 - PA's Fatah Violates Roadmap Demand to Recognize
Senior Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan confirms that Fatah, which leads the Palestinian Authority, does not recognize
Dahlan explains that the PA recognizes
A month after having been given the task of forming a new government, PM-designate Netanyahu has still not succeeded in securing Labor's agreement to join a national unity government. Netanyahu asks President Peres for a two-week extension to allow him to build his desired coalition with the nationalist parties – except for the National Union – and Labor. Some Likud MKs express their discomfort with Netanyahu's endeavoring to avoid forming a homogeneous coalition of 65 nationalist MKs, questioning the heavy price he is willing to pay Labor – such as giving the small 13-MK party five ministerial portfolios.
Pioneers continue their campaign to make former IDF army base Shdema, south of
Mar. 23, ‘09 – UN Report: Israel
The small outpost Maoz Esther, near Kokhav HaShachar north of
Defense Minister Ehud Barak has committed to destroying some 25 Jewish community outposts in
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu receives Knesset approval for
The coalition was formed in a piecemeal manner. First to sign with the Likud was Israel Our Home, headed by Avigdor Lieberman, followed by Shas and the Jewish Home. The Labor Party was a surprise addition shortly before the deadline, followed by the hareidi-religious UTJ party. Ongoing negotiations with the National Union went nowhere.
A Palestinian terrorist infiltrated the Judean community of Bat Ayin over the Passover holiday, and attacked two boys playing outside their homes. Though a resident struggled with him, he escaped, and was caught only months later.
April 8, ‘09 – Rare Blessing Over the Sun
Passover Eve, Jews gather around the world to recite the Blessing Over the Sun, just before burning their chametz (leaven) for the week-long holiday. The short blessing is said once every 28 years.
PM Netanyahu demands PA recognition of
“Israel expects the Palestinians to first recognize Israel as a Jewish State before talking about two states for two peoples,” Netanyahu is reported to have said. His office later denied that he made this a condition for negotiations – but he did make it a prerequisite for a Palestinian state in his famous Bar Ilan speech, delivered in response to Obama’s June 4 speech in Cairo.
Ten days later, PA Chairman and Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas openly refuse to recognize
Education Minister Gideon Saar institutes a new program by which all elementary school students in the country will visit
May 1, ‘09 –
Representatives of the State of Israel and the
On hand to greet the Pope are President Peres and most of the government; the Chief Rabbis greet him later at a separate reception. He spends his first full day visiting the
In the first
Marking the occasion, the Knesset releases a Yiddish-Hebrew lexicon of phrases often spoken in the Knesset (such as “Ich hob eich nisht geshtert, toshter nisht mir!, meaning, "I didn't interrupt you, don't interrupt me!"). The date marks 150 years since the birth of famous Yiddish author Shalom Aleichem. Eleven MKs list Yiddish on their official Knesset webpages as one of their spoken languages.