Month: February 2024

LETTER FROM ISRAEL AT WAR – WEEK 21

“Friends, what Hamas started in Gaza on October 7, will not end in Gaza or in Jerusalem”

By Harris Zvi Green

February 23, 2024

My dearest friends,

Martin Luther King said:

 “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy”

The inflammatory antisemitic rhetoric in the context of the Israel-Hamas conflict is becoming increasingly dangerous. It’s unthinkable that this spike in antisemitism is occurring in the wake of the October 7 massacre. I would have imagined that the wanton killing and the perverted rapes would have provided an ideal opportunity for fair-minded people to speak out against these universally accepted evils. Sadly, that’s not been the case.

Most of the players on the international stage are doing their utmost to steer clear of any challenge or controversy that might put their leadership abilities to the test. They prefer comfort and convenience.

Today’s so-called leaders are conspicuous by their silence and their apathy. By Martin Luther King’s standards, they are not leaders.

I was deeply moved by the recent YouTube clip put out by South Africa’s Chief Rabbi, Warren Goldstein, following his diplomatic mission to Israel. Throughout the crisis, his courage has been an inspiration to all of us. The Rabbi has displayed the qualities of a leader during this stressful period of challenge and controversy. I’m sure Martin Luther King would concur.

Let’s return to the recent spike in antisemitic violence. These were inspired in different locations around the world immediately after the October 7 massacre. Demonizing Israel to justify the Hamas atrocities of October 7 was, and remains, a tactical priority. Mass marches in European cities supporting the Hamas cause began immediately after the massacre. The notorious “gas the Jews” demonstration at the Sydney Opera House took place on October 9. 

Sydney’s Sad Symphony. Only two days after Hamas massacres Jews in Israel, pro-Palestinian protesters gathered at the Sydney Opera House on October 9, 2023 and chanted “Gas the Jews”. Originally planned to be illuminated in the colors of the Israeli flag, instead the police advised the Jewish community to stay away from Sydney’s iconic Opera House. (AP/Rick Rycroft)

It never stopped there.

The number of reported antisemitic attacks in the UK in 2023 was more than double those reported in 2022. Following an arson attack on his constituency office, a member of the British House of Commons and a supporter of Israel, announced he would not seek re-election.

Brazil’s President, Lula da Silva, compared Israel’s war against Hamas to Adolf Hitler and the extermination of Jews by the Nazis in World War II. 

Lula’s Lunacy. Inciting antisemitism, Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva says Israel like “Hitler” committing “genocide” in Gaza (Ricardo STUCKERT / Brazilian Presidency / AFP)

A member of South Africa’s Parliament, Ahmed Munzoor Shaik Emam, ranted: 

“If the city of Cape Town is handed over to the Zionists, there will be a bloodbath. We will not allow you to make it a Jewish state”

Who elects racists like this to represent them in parliament? If this doesn’t constitute hate speech, what does? The number of Jews in South Africa has dropped from 120,000 in 1970 to less than 50,000. This number continues to plummet in the wake of South Africa’s growing hostility towards Israel.

South African MP Ahmed Munzoor Shaik Emam: “If the City of Cape Town Is Handed Over to the Zionists, there Will Be a Bloodbath; We Will Not Allow You to Make It a Jewish State.”

Friends, what Hamas started in Gaza on October 7, will not end in Gaza or in Jerusalem.

Israel has and will always serve as a magnet for world Jewry. In 1947, 4.5% of world Jewry resided in the Land of Israel. Fast forward 77 years. Today 45.3% of world Jewry resides in Israel. It’s estimated that in around 8 years from now, more than half of world Jewry will reside in Israel.

Given what’s going on in the world today, the demographics of the Jewish world will continue to change dramatically. More than 7,000 people immigrated to Israel since October 7. There’s been a significant increase in immigration applications from France, Canada, the US and the UK. Once flourishing communities will dwindle and age. The diaspora’s loss will be Israel’s gain.

The international community is systematically engaged in demonizing Israel. The most ridiculous conspiracy theories are gaining momentum. The victim of the October 7 massacre has become the criminal. The criminal has become the victim.

The UN is doing its utmost to protect the Hamas leadership and what’s left of its terror tunnel network and stockpile of armaments. A ceasefire in Gaza and the withdrawal of Israeli forces will not bring peace to the region. It will, however, guarantee another round of hostilities. More war, more bloodshed. 

Towns and villages along Israel’s southern and northern borders remain deserted. Around 200,000 people have been displaced from their homes. Places of work have been closed for almost five months. Security in these areas must be restored so these people can safely return to their homes and resume their livelihoods.

Israel’s Empty North. Without security, Israel’s northern citizens can’t return to their homes. An Israeli soldier near the Israel-Lebanese border patrols a path in abandoned Kibbutz Manara devastated by constant shelling from Hezbollah in Lebanon. (Photo: Amnon Gutman/Bloomberg)

Of course, the UN should be focusing its efforts on implementing Resolution 1701 adopted in 2006 which requires the disarmament of Hezbollah in South Lebanon. Failure to achieve this will increase the level of tension and make full-scale war inevitable.

The Secretary-General of the UN needs to be reminded that what’s happening in Gaza, isn’t happening in a vacuum. What might happen in Lebanon, could make Gaza look like child’s play.

The plight of the hostages continues to plague us. One hundred and thirty-four hostages have been held in captivity for the past 140 days in the most inhumane conditions. Amongst them is 1 year old Kfir Bibas and his four-year-old brother, Ariel. At the time of his abduction, Kfir was 9 months old. He is now 14 months old. Who’s taking care of him?

Does the World Care? Flash of orange as Shiri Bibas and her sons Ariel, 4, and baby Kfir, are violently abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023. (Screenshot)

Please spare a thought for Kfir and his fellow hostages.

Unfortunately, neither the UN nor the Red Cross are willing to take responsibility for their welfare. The calls for their immediate and unconditional release are no more than lip service.

My condolences to those mourning their nearest and dearest. My wishes to the injured for a complete and speedy recovery. May God protect our brave soldiers. May the hostages soon be reunited with their families.

Wishing you all Shabbat Shalom and better times ahead.

Am Yisrael Chai.

Harris Zvi Green.



“Zionism is an essential part of who we are, our identity, our soul…our bond with Israel is unbreakable,” South Africa’s Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein gives an emotional account of his trip of solidarity to Israel.



About the writer:

Harris Zvi Green was born in Cape Town, South Africa. Aged 77, he made Aliyah 53 years ago. An accountant by profession, he served as the Chief Financial Officer for a number of Israel based hi-tech companies. He is married to Phyllis. They have 3 married children ,13 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. Harris Zvi Green is a founder member of Truth be Told, an organization engaged in public diplomacy on behalf of Israel.





While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

Lay of the Land Weekly Newsletter- 25 February 2024

Unveiling the contours and contrasts of an ever-changing Middle East landscape Reliable reportage and insightful commentary on the Middle East by seasoned journalists from the region and beyond

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THE ISRAEL BRIEF- 19-22 February 2024
(Click on the blue title)



Lay of the Land’s Picture of the Week

BRINGING THEM HOME

With at least 134 Israeli hostages still held captive in Gaza, spirited Israeli soldiers like these
gesturing in their tank on the border with southern Gaza on February 15, 2024,
are not going anywhere. (Photo: Amir Cohen/Reuters)




Articles

(1)

WILL ISRAEL’S GAZA BORDER BECOME THE NEXT ‘DARK TOURISM’ DESTINATION?

Millions of tourists around the globe travel every year to some of the most depressing places on Earth: sites of horror, tragedies, disasters, and monstrous death.
By Motti Verses 

Sounds to Slaughter. The site of a music festival for peace and unity will forever – following the Hamas
massacre – be embedded in Jewish history as another place antisemites set about
for the mass extermination of Jews.

WILL ISRAEL’S GAZA BORDER BECOME THE NEXT ‘DARK TOURISM’ DESTINATION?
(Click on the blue title)



(2)

LETTER FROM ISRAEL AT WAR – WEEK 20

Who should adjudicate the crimes committed by UNRWA and its complicity in the October 7 massacre?
By Harris Zvi Green

UN’der UNRWA. “We did not know,” responded UNRWA head, pleading ignorance after Hamas data
center found under agency’s HQ. This follows multiple IDF discoveries of entrances
from UNRWA schools to Hamas subterranean terror tunnels.

LETTER FROM ISRAEL AT WAR – WEEK 20
(Click on the blue title)



(3)

SHORT-SIGHTED SOUTH AFRICA

Looking East instead of West, South Africa’s ruling ANC fails to see ills closer to home
By Kenneth Mokgatlhe

Close-Up on Chaos. South Africa’s ruling ANC is today unrecognizable from the once esteemed party of
Mandela. Were South Africa’s foreign policy to be premised on the principles and values of human
rights, why are its closest friends today mostly human rights violators and terrorists?

SHORT-SIGHTED SOUTH AFRICA
(Click on the blue title)



LOTL Cofounders David E. Kaplan (Editor), Rolene Marks and Yair Chelouche
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While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

SHORT-SIGHTED SOUTH AFRICA

Looking East instead of West, South Africa’s ruling ANC fails to see ills closer to home

By Kenneth Mokgatlhe

South Africa’s late unsung philosopher hero, Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe said during the launch of his Pan Africanist Congress party in 1959:

 “I wish to make it clear again that we are anti-nobody. We are pro-Africa. We breathe, we dream, we live Africa because Africa and humanity are inseparable.”

Sobukwe was a political strategist who was cognisant of the balance of power. While it is prevalent that he was inspired by the outcomes of the Bandung Conference in 1955 where 29 Asian and African countries resolved not to take either side of the East or the West, it is clear that Sobukwe acknowledged that African countries had a fundamental duty of building inclusive and effective state institutions, policies and systems to replace the foreign systems which were imposed by the colonialist.

Numerous African and Asian countries are still adhering to the principles of the Non-Aligned Movement in the current conflicts between Israel and Hamas as well as Russia and Ukraine. South Africa has recently made headlines when it took Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the accusations of genocide by Israel against the people of Gaza.

Pretoria’s foreign policy has shifted from the West to the East political and economic bloc. In 2010, under the country’s controversial former leader, Jacob Zuma, South Africa joined BRICS to become BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and SA) a move that was seen as the adoption of the “Look East Policy”. South Africa has sought to strengthen its ties with East powers such as Russia, China, Turkey, Iran, and others in recent years.

The Boys of BRICS. Clasping hands at the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg on August 23, 2023 are South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (centre) with from (l-r) Brazil’s President Luiz da Silva, China’s President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. (Photo:  Alet Pretorius/pool/AFP via Getty Images)

Ever since the ANC emerged as South Africa’s governing party in 1994, it has confounded many with a seemingly inconsistent foreign policy taking contradicting stances on global issues. End result, the ANC stands exposed as hypocrites. They do not see anything wrong with supporting and associating with Russia’s Vladimir Putin whom they believe is a hero for invading and mass killing Ukrainians but accuse Israel of committing genocide when it responds in defense of its people.

The ANC is complacent about what the ruling tyrant ZANU-PF party is doing to its oppressed people. Today, nearly four out of every five Zimbabweans just about survives in absolute poverty. Zimbabweans on average are poorer now than they were at independence in 1980. Zimbabwe’s grave humanitarian crisis is only being met by increased state repression. It is mind-boggling to think that while the Zimbabweans have been oppressed in the backyard of South Africa for decades, our ANC government turns a blind eye and instead focuses on issues taking place a continent away! If South Africa cares about the welfare of people and the abuse of human rights, why has it turned its back on the long-suffering neighbouring Zimbabweans?

Skewered Scruples. South Africa is failing but it is also failing its northern neighbour Zimbabwe too by turning a blind eye to gross human rights violations.

With the ANC’s erratic foreign policy – dubious at best on issues of morality – it came as little surprise to read about the unholy meeting between Cyril Ramaphosa and Mohamed Hamden Dagalo who is chiefly implicated in the 2005 genocide in Darfur, Sudan. Well, we should all remember that the International Criminal Court ruled that South Africa was guilty for failure to arrest the former Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir who is accused of war crimes, genocide, and violations of human rights. 

Embracing Killers. Judges at the International Criminal Court strongly criticized South Africa for its failure to arrest president Omar Hassan al-Bashir wanted on charges of “crimes against humanity” for his government’s violence in Darfur when he visited Johannesburg in 2015.

Instead, South Africa, under the ANC, is continuing to use every little chance they get to delegitimize the State of Israel. This obsession by the ANC has nothing to do with resolving the historical and political impasse between Israel and Palestine. Trivialized and politicized, the Israel-Palestine issue is now used as an electioneering weapon to deflect and defocus the attention and sobriety of voters who are so disillusioned with the bad record of Nelson Mandela’s party.

If we are really to believe that our foreign policy is premised on the principles and values of human rights, why does the ANC not apply the same humanitarian concern to its neighbour – the long-suffering people of Zimbabwe? 

I am just worried by the ANC’s growing and increasing coziness with Hamas, a terrorist group that does not have regard for the people they claim to be waging the struggle for. Does the ANC know that Hamas has been diverting funds meant for the civil services of the people of Gaza since 2005 to build tunnels and buy armaments in a bid to eradicate the State of Israel? And furthermore, is the ANC so ignorant that it is unaware that when Hamas supporters chant – including our foreign minister Naledi Mandisa Pandor – “From the river to the sea” that they mean the destruction of the Jewish State.

Morally Malignant Minister. Foreign Affairs minister, Naledi Pandor, panders to Hamas thus aligning South Africa with the perpetrators of a massacre of Jews.

A SEA CHANGE
Whatever happened to the ANC when on the eve of South Africa’s democracy three decades ago condemned the senseless attacks by the PAC against innocent civilians because they were White? The ANC then encouraged dialogue thus preventing a huge loss of life and lambasted those who were calling for white people to be driven off into the sea. That ANC is today is unrecognizable! Where they once stood for not driving the Whites into the sea, today they embrace killers whose sole aim is to drive the Jews of Israel into the sea. 



About the writer:

Kenneth Mokgatlhe is a political writer and columnist studying Master’s at Ben Gurion University in Israel.







While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

THE ISRAEL BRIEF- 19-22 February 2024

The Israel Brief – 19 February 2024 – Brazilian President persona non grata. IDF find medicines for hostages. El Al flight issue. ICC to hear crimes against humanity committed by Hamas.



The Israel Brief – 20 February 2024 – IDF screen footage of Bibas family. Has Sinwar escaped to Egypt. IDF to conduct internal investigations. Prince William statement. 



The Israel Brief – 21 February 2024 – US vetoes UNSC Resolution. Qatar says hostages receiving medicines. Status quo on Temple Mount. Is Sinwar sick?



The Israel Brief – 22 February 2024 – Terror attack. Devastating rape report (not for sensitive viewers). Knesset votes against unilateral two state solution. Hostage deal close? 





While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

WILL ISRAEL’S GAZA BORDER BECOME THE NEXT ‘DARK TOURISM’ DESTINATION?

Millions of tourists around the globe travel every year to some of the most depressing places on Earth: sites of horror, tragedies, disasters, and monstrous death.

By Motti Verses 

(Courtesy of The Jerusalem Post where article first appeared)

The Knot, the Desyatka, and the Kingsmills are names of hotels that most travelers are not familiar with. Those who do recognize the names are included in a specific niche that makes those hotels unique among global travelers. They are part of what experts call “dark tourism.” The Knot overlooks the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, which consists of the only structure that remains standing in the area around the atomic bombing of the city. The Desyatka is the only hotel located in the town of Chernobyl in Ukraine; before the ongoing war, it accommodated trips exploring the abandoned ruins and remains of the catastrophic disaster. The Kingsmills is located in Scotland, a few minutes’ drive from the site of the 1746 Battle of Culloden, the last pitched battle on British soil, where, in less than an hour, around 1,300 men were slain. The battle is the key topic of the popular Netflix TV series Outlander.

Killing Field. Close to Inverness, the memorial site of the Battle of Culloden holds a place in history as one of the most intense battles fought on Scottish soil.  On the 16 April 1746,in less than an hour, around 1,300 Scots were slain. It has become a major attraction in the wake of the popular romantic time-travel TV series, Outlander.

Millions of tourists around the globe travel every year to some of the most depressing places on Earth: sites of horror, tragedies, disasters, and monstrous death. According to the dark-tourism.com website, tourists who visit or think of visiting war museums and memorials, including the Berlin Wall when visiting Germany’s capital or the 9/11 memorial at Ground Zero when in New York, are, or potentially could be, dark tourists, even if they do not know it yet. And in the case of the 9/11 memorial, they will be in plenty of good company: It is the most visited dark site in the world today.

The term “dark tourism” was coined in 1996 by two academics from Scotland, J. John Lennon and Malcolm Foley, who wrote Dark Tourism: The Attraction to Death and Disaster. According to a 2022 survey under the name “The Rise of Dark Tourism,” conducted by Passport-photo.online, a US website, 82% of Americans have visited at least one dark tourism destination in their lifetime.

However, Dr. Eran Ketter, head of the Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management at Kinneret Academic College, has a more conservative approach. 

He articulates it as follows:

“Dark tourism is a minor sub-category in a segment called ‘Heritage tourism’ that consists of visits to places that embody the past or/and to places related to intangible heritage manifestations. Most of the world’s normative tourism is built around vacations, good times, and shopping. Visiting heritage sites is, in many cases, part of the experience. However, trips are certainly not built around sites to do with darkness. This is just another component. Fifteen percent of the tourism of Europeans is defined as ‘heritage,’ and this is quite a significant figure. It’s considered an enriching tourism characteristic of Americans, Europeans, and Chinese, dominated by well-established and educated adults.”

Insights on Sad Sites. Israel’s global expert on travel and tourism trends, Dr. Eran Ketter says that ‘Dark tourism’ falls within the category of ‘Heritage tourism’ of which the sites of the Hamas massacre will in the future become like 9/11 and many other such tragic sites around the world. (Photo: Mishel Amzaleg)

The majority of dark tourism sites are located outside metropolitan areas. Memorial parks and battlefields are usually located in the remote countryside. Consequently, tourists who feel connected either personally, emotionally or historically curious will stay in city hotels and participate in day trips to sites associated with tragedy embedded in history. 

An example would be a Hampton by Hilton. Characterized as a global brand budget hotel, one of the 6,000 Hamptons around the globe is located in Oswiecim, Poland, a 10-minute drive to the Auschwitz concentration camp, probably the most horrific ‘dark tourism’ site imaginable.

“Why should travelers stay with you and not in nearby lively Krakow?” I asked General Manager Agnieszka Augustyniak.

“Oświęcim offers the past that goes way beyond the history of World War II. This is a site not simply depicting war but exposing mass murder of an unprecedented scale….an unimaginable scale!  Jewish residents in Oświęcim represented the largest community in the city prior to the war – 8,000 Jews out of 14,000 inhabitants. When you stay here in the city and grasp the rich past of Jewish life before the Holocaust and are then exposed to what transpired thereafter – the total extermination of Jewish life – you begin to comprehend the broader meaning of Auschwitz-Birkenau,” she explained.

SITES OF SADNESS

Steeped in a history of tragedy, it is understandable that Israel offers a number of ‘dark tourist’ sites. These includes Jerusalem’s Yad Vashem, the state official memorial to the six million victims of the Holocaust and Masada, an archaeological site above the Dead Sea where almost 1,000 Jewish rebels committed mass suicide rather than to fall alive into the hands of the Romans and be taken off as slaves. Their deeds 2000 years ago left behind a saga of courage, heroism, and martyrdom.

Following the Hamas atrocities in the Gaza border areas, the question arises: 

Will this become another sad ‘dark tourism’ destination when inbound tourism resumes and travelers feel safe enough to visit?

Since October 7, Sderot’s demolished police station, burned houses in numerous kibbutzim, and the Nova party site in Re’im are places that foreigners and Israelis visit. Some tourists go there on visits organized by civil society groups; others go independently to pay tribute. The number of visitors is enormous. Visitors walk silently; some cry or carry flowers and candles. Those sites will inevitably in time include official commemoration memorials. How they will look remains to be seen.

Trees and Tragedy. To honor their loved ones, families of October 7 Nova music festival victims participate in an tree-planting ceremony together with KKL-JNF at the Re’im Forest on January 21, 2024.(photo: Yossi Ifergan/KKL-JNF Photo Archive)

Clifford Chanin, director of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York City, might be the most experienced person on the planet as far as memorials are concerned. “We live in an era where people want speedy decisions. Commemorating the events Israel faced will need time and patience. Different opinions and debates are expected and legitimate within the communities on how a memorial should be built,” he said.

“Transparency of all views will finally lead to trust, and once all opinions are heard, a decision could be made. Preserving original, damaged structures and artifacts is also a serious challenge. The 9/11 Memorial was opened on September 11, 2011, on the 10th anniversary of the attacks. The museum was dedicated in May 2014, almost 13 years after the horrific incidents. Since then, around six million people visit the 9/11 memorial and museum every year. Visionary planning led to the development of the entire area, prioritizing housing and tourism. Lower Manhattan is now an attraction. There are significantly more hotels and restaurants around the memorial than before 2001.”

Honoring Resilience. Since the 9/11 Memorial opened on September 11, 2011, around six million people have visited the memorial and museum every year. There are today significantly more hotels and restaurants around the memorial than before 2001.

“Hospitality lodgings need a profitable business model aimed at numerous market segments. A hotel that serves dark tourism customers alone is a one-dimensional product,” explained Dr. Ketter. “As Israel allows visitors to stay in Metropolitan Tel Aviv hotels and book day tours to the Gaza borderland areas against traffic, I cannot see significant accommodation developments there. Ashkelon might enjoy economic tourism progress due to its proximity,” he said.

The annual Darom Adom festival celebrating the fields of red anemones that flower in the early spring months, Eshkol and Ashkelon national parks and even former prime minister Ariel Sharon’s grave might be additional attractions persuading tourists to stay in the area.

Everlasting Memories. Appearing as fresh graves, in reality they are sites where trees were planted by the families of October 7 Nova music festival victims. (Photo: Yossi Ifergan/KKL-JNF Photo Archive)

Future memorials in Israel’s devastated south are understandably not being officially discussed yet. The country is still at war. That time will come. During the recent Tu Bishvat holiday, celebrated as an ecological awareness day, trees were planted as well as 364 saplings at the site of the Nova music festival, where the Hamas atrocities occurred. The Jewish National Fund initiated the event in memory of all the murdered young people. Planting a tree is a symbol of hope, love, and life that will last for generations. 

Future tourists to the Gaza borderland will face not only the darkness that was but the beautiful Israeli spirit of what will be.


(*Note: As for now visits to the Gaza border kibbutzim are arranged under strict arrangement with the IDF.)



About the writer:

The writer, Motti Verses, is a Travel Flash Tips publisher. His travel stories are published on THE TIMES OF ISRAEL  https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/author/motti-verses/. 
And his hospitality analysis reviews on THE JERUSALEM POST, are available on his Linkedin page LinkedIn Israelhttps://il.linkedin.com › motti-verse…Motti Verses – Publisher and Chief Editor – TRAVEL FLASH TIPS
And his hospitality analysis reviews on THE JERUSALEM POST, are available on his Linkedin page LinkedIn Israelhttps://il.linkedin.com › motti-verse…Motti Verses – Publisher and Chief Editor – TRAVEL FLASH TIPS





While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

LETTER FROM ISRAEL AT WAR – WEEK 20

Who should adjudicate the crimes committed by UNRWA and its complicity in the October 7 massacre?

By Harris Zvi Green

February 16, 2024

My dearest friends,

Lyndon B. Johnson said: 

“Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose.” 

The speed with which our headlines changed during the past week, clearly demonstrated this.

The best news by far was the release of two of the hostages who had been held in captivity by Hamas for 129 days. Another 134 hostages remain in Gaza. Contrary to the requirements of the Geneva Convention, they haven’t been visited by representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Nor did the medicines provided for them reach their destination.

The Red Cross doesn’t care. Qatar, who brokered the shipment, doesn’t care. South Africa doesn’t care. The UN doesn’t care. Hamas certainly doesn’t care. 

Any references made to the unfortunate plight of the hostages by the international community and the media are no more than lip-service. The awful truth is that nobody cares.

Since its inception in 1949, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has been an integral part of the Arab terror machine. Some weeks ago, entrances from UNRWA schools to the Hamas subterranean network of terror tunnels were discovered. The involvement of UNRWA personnel in the October 7 massacre is now an established fact.

Exposing Tunnels, Exposes UNRWA.  A soldier stands in a Hamas tunnel underneath a UNRWA school in Gaza City, February 8, 2024. (Emanuel Fabian/Times of Israel)

Earlier this week, a state-of-the-art Hamas data center, equipped with sophisticated computer servers, was discovered under the UNRWA headquarters in Gaza. As if this wasn’t enough, it transpires this data center was powered by electricity from the UNRWA building. 

Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA’s Commissioner-General, claims his organization had no knowledge regarding the goings-on under its facilities. Lazzarini is either a liar or totally incompetent. Probably both.

‘We did not know’. UNRWA head pleads ignorance after Hamas data center found under agency’s HQ.

On September 5, 2014, almost 10 years ago, I launched a Facebook group called Investigate UNRWA Now. My action was motivated by the brazen use of UNRWA facilities as missile storage units and safe havens for terror groups. 

At around that time, I initiated an internet petition calling on the Secretary General of the UN to conduct a transparent investigation into this and to bring the guilty UNRWA officials to justice. 1,593 people signed this petition.

UN’worthy to Head. Despite overwhelming evidence, UNRWA head says his agency knew nothing about terrorist Hamas data center directly under its Gaza City HQ.(AP/Bilal Hussein)

I’m a pensioner. I’ve never been an employee of UNRWA. I spent my entire working life working hard to make a decent living and raising a family. So, how is it, that, for the past 10 years, I’ve known about UNRWA’s complicity in supporting Palestinian terror, while UNRWA’s Commissioner-General claims he’s not aware of any such complicity? 

Lazzarini has brought UNRWA into disrepute. UNRWA’s mandate is to provide humanitarian services to the people of Gaza. In reality, UNRWA is a conduit for transferring funds to fuel the Hamas terror machine.

Let’s not forget that much of UNRWA’s funding is provided by the US and the EU. Lazzarini’s incompetence does not excuse these countries from adequately verifying how their taxpayer’s money is being spent.

The required course of action is clear. UNRWA must be dismantled and Lazzarini must be fired and charged at the International Criminal Court for his criminal incompetence which resulted in acts of genocide against Israel.

Earlier this week, I listened to an interesting webinar delivered by a former High Court judge in South Africa. The judge presented his views and interpretations of the rulings of the International Court of Justice against Israel. His explanations related to the legal considerations of the rulings. They also exposed the weaknesses of International Law when it comes to fairly adjudicating charges of genocide and war crimes.

In this respect, the comments made by the dissenting judge from Uganda that the conflict is political and should, therefore, be referred to the Security Council, are worthy of note.

There are differences between law and justice. Law is a system of rules and regulations established by governments to maintain social order and protect the rights of their citizens. Justice, on the other hand, embodies the principles of fairness, impartiality and the treatment of people based on rights, merits and equality.

I expect the rulings of the ICJ to reflect justice. The question is, can they?

Jurisdiction of the ICJ is partial. It is limited to states. The ICJ does not have jurisdiction over acts of genocide committed by Hamas and other Palestinian groups. How, then, can the ICJ adequately adjudicate the charges brought by South Africa, on behalf of Hamas, against Israel? 

The Hamas Charter is clearly genocidal. By not classifying Hamas a terrorist organization, the UN has negatively impacted its own credibility to address one of the worst terror attacks in history.

Motivating Murder. A close read of Hamas’s founding documents clearly shows its genocidal intentions.

Does the ICJ have jurisdiction over countries who provide military know-how and arms to Hamas? At the end of the day, Hamas is a proxy acting on behalf of those countries. It’s like hiring a “hit man” to take the “rap”. It’s the oldest alibi in town.

The ICJ is an organ of the UN and therefore has no jurisdiction over the UN and its agencies. Who, then, should adjudicate the crimes committed by UNRWA and its complicity in the October 7 massacre? 

If justice is to be done, the issues must be judged in their entirety without providing impunity to the political forces who control the purse strings.

The international community is doing its utmost to tie our hands behind our backs, but we will prevail. We have no choice.

Killers Let Loose. Hamas’s deliberate attack on Israelis and the atrocities it committed fall firmly under the category defined by international law as war crimes and crimes against humanity, and amount to genocide. (Photo: Hani Al Shaer/Anadolu Agency)

My condolences to those mourning their nearest and dearest. My wishes to the injured for a complete and speedy recovery. May God protect our brave soldiers. Their bravery was certainly put to the test in the operation that secured the release of the two hostages earlier this week. May the remaining hostages soon be reunited with their families.

Wishing you all Shabbat Shalom and better times ahead.

Am Yisrael Chai.

Harris Zvi Green



About the writer:

Harris Zvi Green was born in Cape Town, South Africa. Aged 77, he made Aliyah 53 years ago. An accountant by profession, he served as the Chief Financial Officer for a number of Israel based hi-tech companies. He is married to Phyllis. They have 3 married children ,13 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. Harris Zvi Green is a founder member of Truth be Told, an organization engaged in public diplomacy on behalf of Israel.








While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

Lay of the Land Weekly Newsletter- 18 February 2024

Unveiling the contours and contrasts of an ever-changing Middle East landscape Reliable reportage and insightful commentary on the Middle East by seasoned journalists from the region and beyond

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What’s happening in Israel today? See from every Monday – Thursday LOTL’s The Israel Brief broadcasts and on our Facebook page and YouTube by seasoned TV & radio broadcaster, Rolene Marks familiar to Chai FM listeners in South Africa and millions of American listeners to the News/Talk/Sports radio station WINA, broadcasting out of Virginia, USA.

THE ISRAEL BRIEF- 12-15 February 2024
(Click on the blue title)



Lay of the Land’s Picture of the Week
HOSTAGE HOMECOMING

Warm Embrace. After 128 days in captivity, 2 Israeli-Argentinian men, Louis Har and Fernando Simon Marman are seen here back in Israel following a highly complex rescue operation in Rafah, Gaza.




Articles

Please note there is a facility to comment beneath each article should you wish to express an opinion on the subject addressed.

(1)

A ‘CASE’ OF LOVE

An old 1940s war romance unpacked from a suitcase in Tel Aviv’s Allenby Street
By David E. Kaplan

The Old Curiosity Shop. You see a decrepit suitcase discarded on a pavement and the
natural reaction would be to “Walk On By”. Not Allenby St. bookstore proprietor
Yossi Harper. His curiosity opened up more than just a suitcase.

A ‘CASE’ OF LOVE
(Click on the blue title)



(2)

CRY FOR ME, ARGENTINIA

From a curse to a blessing – have Argentina and Israel turned a tide in diplomatic relations?
By Jonathan Feldstein

Walk in the Shadow of Death. President Herzog guides visiting Argentinian President Javier Milei through a devastated landscape of what remained of the homes on Kibbutz Nir Oz following the Hamas massacre of October 7, 2023.

CRY FOR ME, ARGENTINIA
(Click on the blue title)



(3)

LETTER FROM ISRAEL AT WAR – WEEK 19

Shame on those who act against Israel in the name of “human rights” but then discriminate against my people and hold them to a different standard
By Harris Zvi Green

Selective Sight. Israelis (as seen here in Tel Aviv) are constantly concerned for their hostages who are not only buried underground in Gaza’s tunnels but are buried by the global media away from world attention.

LETTER FROM ISRAEL AT WAR – WEEK 19
(Click on the blue title)



(4)

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

HOMAGE TO THE HOSTAGES
A poem by Fonda Dubb

Homage to the Hostages. Stolen from Israel, our precious hostages lie isolated in a hostile dark.
Despite the disconnect from home, millions who knew them not, relate to them today as family.
Such are the people of Israel.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE
(Click on the blue title)



(5)

THE ARAB VOICE – February 2024

A selection of opinions and analysis from the Arab media

Two Arab writers opining on Middle East issues, address: the impact of the upcoming US elections might have on bringing about a ceasefire in Gaza – the “true objectives” behind Israel’s war with Hamas

THE ARAB VOICE – February 2024
(Click on the blue title)



LOTL Cofounders David E. Kaplan (Editor), Rolene Marks and Yair Chelouche
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While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).




A ‘CASE’ OF LOVE

An old 1940’s war romance unpacked from a suitcase in Tel Aviv’s Allenby Street

By David E. Kaplan

It was December 2023 and I was walking along Allenby Street in Tel Aviv. There had been air raid sirens earlier and there were the expectations of more. Allenby’s animated atmosphere was one still of shopping, but its mood was one of war. I was thinking, “Where to seek shelter?” should the shrieking siren sound when I raised my head and saw a sign. It was less of looking up and more of looking back, when I recognised the long-forgotten “HALPER’S BOOKS” and an arrow guiding me down a narrow alley to the tucked away charming second-hand English bookstore. It was 18 years earlier when I ran a story of its owner, a New Jersey native, Yossi Halper. I never would have believed the bookstore was still in existence but there it was and I could not resist entering. “Surely a different owner after all these years” I thought, but no, there was Yossi, like me, less hair on top more anatomy below and we greeted each with beaming smiles surrounded by books from floor to ceiling.

Past Unearthed in Allenby Passage. Yossi Halper (left) with the writer in his bookstore HALPER’S BOOKS in Allenby Street, Tel Aviv on Allenby Street in December 2023. (Photo David Kaplan)

Amidst the present war, our minds went back in time to another war and an ageless war romance – much like what must have been tucked between many of the book covers that surrounded us.

In 2006, a younger Yossi was riding to work on his bicycle when he noticed a decrepit old suitcase on the pavement in Allenby Street. Keen to stop and take it, he resisted the temptation and rode on to his bookstore. Unable to quench his insatiable curiosity, he went back, grabbed the discarded case and returned to his store.
What he unpacked were numerous romantic letters from the early 1940s from two young soldiers, written from their battlefronts to Ophra, a young pretty Tel Aviv girl with whom they were both madly in love.

Wartime Romance. Bookstore proprietor Yossi Halper holding up an article in the Hebrew press about the 1940’s romance between Rhodesian soldier Haig Kaplan  and Tel Aviv beauty Ophra Carsenty.

The one soldier was a local Jewish Palestinian serving in the Jewish Brigade, the other a Rhodesian, a lieutenant Haig Kaplan, serving with the Southern Rhodesian Armoured Car Regiment in East Africa. Haig had met Ophra while stationed with the Scottish Regiment in Palestine before being shunted off to confront Rommel’s African Corps. From the letters, it is revealed that Ophra, the daughter of a Hebrew teacher at the nearby Herzliya Gymnasia on Herzl Street and somewhat of a socialite, had met the dashing Rhodesian in uniform at a tea party for Jewish soldiers hosted by a South African. At the time, Haig was 21 and Ophra 23. They dated for two years during the British Mandate period and wrote letters weekly but not necessarily received weekly due to the unpredictability of wartime transportation and military censorship.

Found inside the Suitcase: Haig Kaplan sent a photo of himself (left) to Ophra, whose picture appears (right) on a British identification form along with her married surname Krinsky. (Courtesy of Yossi Halper)

With a wry smile, Yossi told me at the time of the 2006 interview that he surmised that from Haig, young Ophra received only letters, while from the local lad, probably also flowers. “Home advantage,” chucked Yossi. In the end, Ophra made her choice, and a devastated Haig admits in a last letter to Ophra on learning that she had become engaged to his rival, to burning all her letters.
Not Ophra. She kept all the letters from her two suiters and in the early 1950’s handed over a suitcase containing all the correspondence to her sister. It also contained invitations to British balls, photographs and other mementos of Tel Aviv life from the early 1940’s.
When the sister, who lived in an apartment in Allenby passed away in 2006, the suitcase was dumped outside on the pavement. Were it not for Yossi’s inquisitive nature, the story may have ended up there – amongst a heap of discarded household wares on a grey Tel Aviv pavement.
Shifting gear from bookstore proprietor to sleuth, Yossi set out to discover who were still alive of this love triangle.

Lieutenant Haig Kaplan stationed in Palestine during British Mandate. Ophra Carsenty of Tel Aviv.

As fortune would have it, about a week after finding the suitcase and reading
through most of the letters, a South African couple stopped by Halper’s shop, to whom Yossi could not resist asking: “I know it’s a long shot but you would not happen to know of a Lieutenant Kaplan who served in Palestine prior to 1948?” Jewish geography immediately kicked in with Jewish history as the reply came back: “We know Haig’s brother; he lives in Rehovot.” A city not far from Tel Aviv where many Jews from Southern Africa had settled, Yossi got in touch with the brother that led him to the long- jilted lover, who was living in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
“He was totally bowled over and very excited to speak with me about the letters,” said Halper. “He added a lot of information about his experiences including having a son that lived in Eilat.”
After serving in North Africa, Europe and East Africa and helping to bring World War II refugees to Palestine, Haig settled for the country life founding with fellow South Africans, Leib Golan, Monie Chemel and Harry Salber and other members of Southern African Habonim and HaTnuah HaMe’uchedet, kibbutz Ma’Ayan Baruch on Israel’s border with Lebanon.

Frontier Life. Haig Kaplan and his son Yoram (left) with fellow pioneering South Africans on kibbutz Ma’ayan Baruch. (Photo Yoram Kaplan)

It was here he met his wife, a Holocaust survivor, and the couple later moved to Rhodesia, today Zimbabwe. Next up for the intrepid bookstore detective was the hunt for Ophra, who a local journalist helped locate. At 94, Ophra was living in Tel Aviv and was happy to welcome Yossi and her “eyes lit up” when he handed her the old love letters. “She had the gentle bearing of an aristocratic woman,” said Yossi, “with beautifully coiffed hair, high heels and pearls.” He revealed that she had been born in Tel Aviv “to a fourth generation Israeli on her father’s side and a third generation Israeli on her mother’s side and had served in the air defense of the Civil Guard
managed by the municipality of Tel Aviv during the War of Independence.” She clearly recalled to Yossi “the celebrations in the street outside Independence Hall after Israel proclaimed statehood on May 14, 1948.” It was not to far from where I stood with Yossi at his bookstore now during the current war with Gaza in 2024.

Book Browsing. At the tail end of a short alleyway off Tel Aviv’s bustling Allenby Street is a door you enter to Halper’s enchanting word world – a labyrinth of over 60,000 books spanning five rooms, packed from floor to ceiling. (Photo: Yossi Halper)

Back in 2006, Yossi and Ophra talked for over an hour about her memories of Tel Aviv during the 1930s and ’40s. “Her family, the Carsentys, were one of the early settlers of Rothschild Boulevard then considered to be the outskirts of the city.” Ophra spoke of the orange groves near the family home, which her parents built in 1928. She also recalled the Arab riots of 1929, and the Hagana outpost that was set up on the roof of the home to thwart Arab attacks. What has changed I thought as I ask Yossi, “where do we need to run to if the siren goes.” Yossi’s mind returned to the earlier war of WWII and continued: “Ophra told me that Haig used to come to Tel Aviv quite often, with or without leave.”


Haig’s unit was primarily made up of the descendants of Scottish settlers living in then Rhodesia and the uniform was the Scottish kilt, which was frequently referred to in her letters with amusement. This came as little surprise after Yossi revealed that Ophra shyly related an occasion when Haig descended a ladder in a Tel Aviv bookstore in his Scottish apparel “showing her and her mother a bit more than they expected to see.” When Ophra first clutched the letters given to her by Yossi, as if a discovered treasure trove, she remarked while journeying thoughtfully back in time: “We were so young. We wrote about how we missed each other, how the days passed and when leave was expected.” Haig had written many of his letters in his tent by candlelight and
sealed them with wax. Others he wrote on scraps of paper or whatever else he could find to write on. One of the last letters Ophra received explained that he had not been in touch “because I was too busy burning your letters” after she had informed him that she met someone else and was engaged to be married.

Over a half century later, with both Haig and Ophra having lost their spouses, their letter writing was resumed. This was after Yossi put them in touch with each other. Over the ensuing years, Yossi kept in touch with Ophra. “She revealed to me that Haig apologized for burning her letters and said he had done it on impulse.”
When Yossi asked Ophra why she decided to save her collection of letters, she replied:
“I think that a written word has value – it is different than a spoken word; it’s wrong to burn words when they are written with emotion and meaning.”

Books Galore. From floor to ceiling, whatever your interests, Halper’s has you ‘cover’ed!

Then one day, a couple years later, their communication abruptly ended. Haig had died suddenly from a stroke. And so, their second session of letter writing came to an end. Through this all, they never saw each other again since the 1940s. “Even now when I reread these letters, they touch me. I feel very connected,” Ophra told Yossi shortly before she too finally passed away ending a saga that was revealed in a discarded suitcase on Allenby Street in downtown Tel Aviv.

“Case finally closed,” mussed Yossi.





While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

THE ISRAEL BRIEF- 12-15 February 2024

The Israel Brief – 12 February 2024 – 2 Hostages rescued. Tunnel found under UNRWA school. Biden and Bibi speak. Al Jazeera journalist moonlights as terrorist.



The Israel Brief – 13 February 2024 – UNRWA offices to be shut. Did hostages receive medication? NY Times say Shifa used as Hamas command centre. Plans for Rafah. 



The Israel Brief – 14 February 2024 – Footage of Sinwar. Families take Hamas to ICC. Situation in North. Hostage deal. 



The Israel Brief – 15 February 2024 – IDF special forces in Nasser hospital. Hezbollah threaten Israel. President Herzog flies to Munich Security Conference. SA appeals to ICJ. 



It was a profound honour to be interviewed on Legacy Conversations, and address former  defense force personnel from South Africa and other countries about Zionism, 7/10, and Hamas psychological warfare here: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8noLW1d4Bfs






While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

THE ARAB VOICE – February 2024

Two Arab writers opining on Middle East issues, address:

  • the impact of the upcoming US elections might have on bringing
    about a ceasefire in Gaza
  • the “true objectives” behind Israel’s war with Hamas.

(Translation from the Arabic by Asaf Zilberfarb)


US ELECTIONS AND A CEASEFIRE IN GAZA

By Ahmed Abdel-Tawwab
Ahram, Egypt

February 2nd 2024

Israel is keenly aware that time is not on its side given various factors with the most critical being the approaching climax of the US presidential campaign. Israeli leaders recognize the unique
demands of these elections, with the reelected president historically seeking to defuse contentious issues amid polarized internal opinions and increasing criticism. President Joe Biden,
who is no exception to this trend, is perhaps even more compelled to adhere to it. Gaza stands as a key priority among the fronts he will seek to pacify without deviating from his unwavering support for Israel. However, amid the elections, public outrage over alleged Israeli war crimes and the US administration’s consistent backing of Israel has created a vulnerability ripe for exploitation by Biden’s rival, Donald Trump.

Diverging Concerns? Is US backing of Israel in its war against Hamas in Gaza undermining President’s Biden’s re-election prospects, who is seen here (left) with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the start of an Israeli war cabinet meeting in Tel Aviv on Oct. 18, 2023. (Photo: Miriam Alster/AFP via Getty Images)

Signs of the Biden administration’s bid to ease tensions in Gaza have begun to surface, with reports suggesting an impending agreement between Hamas and Israel on fundamental points of contention. This potential agreement could see the release of Israeli prisoners by Hamas in exchange for the liberation of a significant number of Palestinian detainees by Israel. Negotiations continue on the duration of the ceasefire, with Hamas aiming for a longer period, while Israel is resistant to anything beyond a few months. While these reports could be deliberate leaks to gauge reactions, the current climate appears conducive to such a proposal. The suffering in Gaza and its impact on Hamas’s decision-making, coupled with an opportunity for Israel to manage its military setbacks, present a compelling case for all involved parties.
– Ahmed Abdel-Tawwab


WHAT ARE THE TRUE OBJECTIVES BEHIND THE WAR?

By Sami Abdullatif Al-Nisf 
Annahar, Kuwait

February 2nd 2024

Since the outset of the ongoing Gaza war, the focus has been on deciphering the true intentions behind the conflict and whether the stated aim of eliminating Hamas truly represents Israel’s
underlying objective. It has become increasingly apparent that the conventional approach of seeking victory through direct confrontation may not be feasible, given the nature of the adversary. There is a recognition that Hamas cannot be vanquished by conventional
military means, which leads to contemplating the genuine purpose of the war. Amid this contemplation, a disturbing prospect arises: the notion of an undisclosed and enduring goal emerging from the conflict – the permanent desolation of Gaza without any prospect
of rehabilitation, essentially consigning it to a state of perpetual ruin and decay.
The prospect of Gaza being reduced to a dilapidated territory devoid of any possibility for growth or recovery appears increasingly plausible. The wider context of conflict and
displacement within the Arab world further compounds this distressing outlook. The absence of basic amenities and infrastructure, coupled with the disarray and suffering of its
inhabitants, portends a future bereft of progress or prosperity, amplifying the sense of despair and hopelessness.

Nature of War. Ignoring Israel’s right to remove an existential threat from Gaza, the writer focuses on the physical devastation as an indicator of Israel’s intent to drive residents to leave Gaza.  

This ominous trajectory is reinforced by reports indicating reluctance among
numerous nations to participate in the reconstruction of Gaza, citing concerns that any efforts to rebuild would only be undone by future hostilities. Compounding this, the resistance to the
implementation of a neutral Arab or international authority to prevent further conflict instills a sense of futility in the prospect of rehabilitation. Moreover, the current and anticipated plight of the people of Gaza is poised to push them toward eventual acquiescence to the notion of relocation, whether to neighboring or distant countries, effectively fulfilling a long-term, albeit
insidious, objective of the conflict. Notably, Israel has unequivocally declared its intention to withhold essential resources such as electricity, water, and financial support from
Gaza in the future. Furthermore, there are indications of intent to obstruct employment opportunities for Gazans within Israel, exacerbating the deprivation faced by the region. Additionally, the potential reduction of American aid, particularly to UNRWA, which
supports a significant portion of Gaza’s populace, further exacerbates the precarious situation.
In conclusion, contemplation of the full spectrum of potential outcomes is essential to guard against the unanticipated and ensure preparedness in the face of future uncertainties, a prudent
approach given historical precedents.
– Sami Abdullatif Al-Nisf





While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).