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
Also available on YouTube@The Israel Brief – Simply click on the red subscribe button to receive alerts when a new report is posted.
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.
Lay of the Land wishes all a peaceful New Year and the return of our hostages
As Israel and the Jewish World face relentless challenges, we will – as we have done for thousands of years – dip a slice of apple in honey to express our hopes for a sweet and fruitful year. May it also be a year that brings peace, security and a return of our loved ones held in captivity.
Articles
Please note there is a facility to comment beneath each article should you wish to express an opinion on the subject addressed.
(1)
REFLECTIONS ON A FATHER’S YAHRZEIT
Since ‘The Jewish War’ against the Roman Empire, some thoughts of The Jewish War of today. By David E. Kaplan
Heavenly Input. The writer (r) with his brother Sidney at the Kfar Saba resting place of their dear father, bringing Solly in for a three-way discussion on the Israel’s ongoing war with its fanatical enemies on multiple fronts.
British military expert in Israel says understanding the tunnels below Gaza is key to understanding the war above. ByRolene Marks
Below the Surface. “Every tunnel is connected to a mosque; to a hospital and to a school, and for Israel to neutralise these tunnels they need to go through the entrances located in these mosques, hospitals and schools.”All the while, a hostile global media contorts the facts by exploiting the visuals to besmirch Israel.
The UN is to Blame for much of the suffering in Lebanon By Jonathan Feldstein
Resolving Resolutions. In an interview this week, the writer was asked by a journalist what’s the point of Israel remaining a member in the UN. “To be honest, I didn’t have a good answer.” He attempts here to explain why.
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 UN is to Blame for much of the suffering in Lebanon
By Jonathan Feldstein
As the United Nations General Assembly was convening in New York this week, all eyes were on Lebanon, with daggers drawn to blame Israel. In looking to ascribe blame, paraphrasing Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, they should have looked no further than their own backyard.
To that end, I launched a plan to send mirrors to each of the UN Member states (and observers) to mount behind the microphone and their country’s name, so when they sat in the General Assembly and blame Israel, they can see where the real blame lies.
Let’s be clear, every death and all the destruction taking place in Lebanon now is because of Hezbollah, and its Iranian Islamic patron. The Islamic regime has been funding and arming Hezbollah for decades, having hijacked Lebanon and putting all its residents in harms way. The long-range missiles being destroyed in the private homes and garages of Lebanese civilians are not part of a “terrorist chic” interior design trend but a central pillar of the “Axis of Resistance” decades long plan to eradicate Israel.
Guilty of enabling all this is the UN and thus responsible for much of the death and destruction that’s happened so far, and what may come.
The best example is the flagrant violation of UN Resolution 1701 that ended the 2006 Second Lebanon War. Before the ink dried, Hezbollah and Lebanon were ignoring the text, and the UN turned a blind eye.
Resolution 1701 requires:
“Full implementation of the relevant provisions of the Taif Accords, and of resolutions 1559 (2004) and 1680 (2006), that require the disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon, so that, pursuant to the Lebanese cabinet decision of July 27, 2006, there will be no weapons or authority in Lebanon other than that of the Lebanese state.”
The Lebanese cabinet approved 1701, yet Hezbollah never had any intent to implement any of it. Already entrenched into the Lebanese parliament, with a military arguably stronger than the Lebanese Armed Forces, Hezbollah is the authority that calls the shots in Lebanon. The Lebanese Armed Forces has nothing to do with Hezbollah’s presence south of the Litani River. 1701 says Hezbollah cannot exist as a military in Lebanon, period. The UN and UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) never tried to enforce that.
Resolution 1701 was never implemented. While Israeli troops withdrew from Lebanon, Hezbollah failed to withdraw from the border with Israel. Not only did they not withdraw, but Hezbollah significantly increased their weapons in terms of quantity and quality, all backed by Iran. Today, they have an estimated 150,000 rockets and missiles of all varieties that can strike all of Israel, and numerous drones as well. Not only did they not withdraw but Hezbollah has deeply entrenched, excavating terror tunnels, weapon stashes, airstrips, and military installations.
Voting to Fail. While the UN’s Security Council unanimously adopted on the 28 August 2024, resolution 2749 (2024), extending the mission’s mandate until 31 August 2025 that further demanded the parties recommit to the full implementation of all provisions of resolution 1701 , Hezbollah has never done so and the UN has consistently allowed them to get away with it with disastrous consequences.
All of this has been under the noses of Lebanese civilians in whose cities, towns, and villages Hezbollah has made them human shields, and under the noses of UNIFIL. The truth is, the Lebanese civilians who allowed their country to be hijacked by the Shiite Islamists are also guilty. I realize that confronting Hezbollah is dangerous, but what did the neighbors think when a huge truck pulled up in their neighborhood, unloading a delivery that was several meters long? That it was IKEA?
One might say the UN failed, but failure requires an attempt. The UN and its complicit affiliate UNIFIL never made an attempt. That’s why they are to blame for what’s happening in Lebanon (and Israel) and those international players that made it possible.
Complementing this all, France is leading the charge with the US and others for a 21-day ceasefire. This is disgraceful because rather than calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities by Hezbollah after nearly a year of daily firing into Israel, they make a false equivalence between the terrorist aggressor, and Israel acting in defense of its population with brilliant precision in self-defense.
While condemnation of Israel is the lifeblood of the UN (with more anti-Israel resolutions each year than the sum of all the resolutions against actual terrorist states like Iran, Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, N. Korea, and more), maybe if they are looking deeply in the mirrors in front of them, they will have a reflective moment of introspection. Maybe, in the spirit of the season of the Jewish High Holidays, the UN will break out in mass repentance.
Dead in the water. This map of Lebanon includes the Israeli border and the Litani River where according to UN Resolution 1701, Hezbollah forces were to not cross from the northern side and which they ignored. (Photo source: CIA)
In an interview this week, I was asked by a journalist what’s the point of Israel remaining a member in the UN. To be honest, I didn’t have a good answer. Its dysfunctional, ineffective, financially reckless, and morally way off course.
Maybe expecting the UN to repent and develop a moral backbone is – like Dorethy’s dream – no more than a fantasy. It’s hard to imagine any meaningful transformation with its agencies complicit in supporting terror and a UN leader like Secretary General Guterres (whose immediate response to the October 7 massacre in Israel, was to rationalize “the context”. He set the tone by his wording at the time:
“It is important to… recognize the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum.”
When the Secretary General speaks on global affairs, his words are significant and potentially impactful and here we had, the UN’s top executive justifying and legitimizing the October 7th massacre! Instead of directing his wrath at the perpetrators of October 7, Guterres chose to blame the Israeli victims for their murder, their torture, their rape, their mutilation and there being taken as hostages. His declarations served only Hamas and their nefarious ends as his declarations today serve Hezbollah.
Powerless Patrols. Since its adoption, UN Security Council Resolution 1701 has been flouted by Hezbollah that has failed to respect the principle of a “buffer zone” in the south with no enforcement of the forces of either the UN or Lebanon, both seen here together uselessly patrolling the area. (Photo: Photo archives/Finul)
Following my plan to send mirrors to each of the UN Member states attending the UNGA, let me conclude by paraphrasing another children’s popular fable, with:
“Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the most to blame of them all?”
Clearly, when it comes to Gaza and Lebanon – a top contender is the United Nations.
About the writer:
Jonathan Feldstein - President of the US based non-profit Genesis123 Foundation whose mission is to build bridges between Jews and Christians – is a freelance writer whose articles appear in The Jerusalem Post, Times of Israel, Townhall, NorthJersey.com, Algemeiner Jornal, The Jewish Press, major Christian websites and more.
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 – 23 September 2024 – Situation in north and more on The Israel Brief.
You can underline text in Markdown by wrapping it in HTML <u> tags. For example, to underline the word “text,” you would write: <u>text</u>.
The Israel Brief – 24 September 2024 – Operation Northern Arrows on The Israel Brief.
The Israel Brief – 25 September 2024 – Operation Northern Arrows and the UNGA starts on The Israel Brief.
The Israel Brief – 26 September 2024 – Is Israel going to agree to a ceasefire with Hezbollah? This and more on The Israel Brief.
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).
Since ‘The Jewish War’ against the Roman Empire, some thoughts of The Jewish War of today.
By David E. Kaplan
Today my brother Sidney and I visited the grave of our father in Kfar Saba. It was his Yahrzeit (Anniversary of a death in Judaism), and standing over the stone of Solly Kaplan, and reflecting on what he would think of Israel’s present war embattled on multiple fronts, Sidney recalled our worldly-wise father remarking immediately after 9/11:
“Now, the world will understand Israel’s situation.”
While right about most things, how naively wrong our father was on this!
Reflections and Ruminations. The writer (right) with his brother Sidney Kaplan at the grave of Solly Kaplan in Kfar Saba, on the occasion of their father’s Yahrzeit. (Photo: D.E. Kaplan)
The world not only does not understand Israel, it chooses not to understand. The depth of global hatred towards Jews – once thought to be on the wane in the wake of the Holocaust – burst and exploded in sync and with the speed of the murderous hoards that broke through the fences from Gaza into Israel on October 7.
Solly, like most Jews never would have believed that so soon after the Holocaust, a world would again be so receptive to the mass murder of Jews – that countries world reflexively side with the killers and not the victims, and somehow cerebrally contort to justify the horror they support with “They deserve it; they had it coming”. In the immediate aftermath of October 7, very few countries condemned Hamas; resisted calling it a massacre and found reasons to justify their conduct. My native South Africa was in the forefront of this this posture as reflective in this all-revealing photo below.
Menacing Message. The poster held up here to welcome South Africa’s Minister of Justice Ronald Lamola at OR Tambo International airport, Johannesburg, reflects a global desire of the end of the Jewish state of Israel. (Photo: Alet Pretorius/Reuters)
Writing in The Jerusalem Post (Sept 23), Moshe Targin asks:
“Why do they oppose us with such intensity? Why does the hyper-liberal world react so viscerally to Israel? What stirs their agitation, driving them to fabricate wild claims and hurl accusations with unbridled fury?”
As we approach Rosh HaShana (New Year) and the anniversary of October 7, we ask these questions but in truth these are questions Jews have long asked without answers as persecution persists unabated.
Has anything changed over the last two millennia? Continuing, Targin writes:
“In this current struggle, our enemies are willing to concoct far-fetched notions and propagate blatant falsehoods, desperately clinging to their old convictions.”
All this was evident as I watched on TV in the hours before I went to the cemetery, as speaker after speaker of world leaders at the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) lambasted Israel for protecting its people, like any other member state of the UN would do if it had been attacked by marauding mass murders and who threatened to repeat such massacres in the future. They were quick to “concoct far-fetched notions and propagate blatant falsehoods” as South Africa’s president, Cyril Ramaphosa did by so-falsely accusing Israel of Apartheid.
In the service of terrorists. A man who should know the true horror of Apartheid, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa denigrates its meaning and significance by accusing Israel of “ perpetrating Apartheid” at the UN’s General Assembly’s 79th session. In the past, his ANC government has laid out the red carpet for Hamas’ terrorists visiting South Africa.(Photo:UN Photo/Loey Felipe)
There was hardly a note of criticism from most the speakers of the terrorist organisations initiating and orchestrating the killing – Hamas and Hezbollah. A welcome exception was the Argentinian president, Javier Milei who criticized the UN for its hypocrisies in criticizing Israel. For most the rest, the message of the UN was clear: Israel as an “Apartheid”, “colonialist”, “occupier” or whatever other false convenient label – and consequently has no right to defend itself. The indifference to the plight of Israel and Jews was reflected in a speech by the British Prime Minister at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, England, being held at the same time as the UNGA, where Keir Starmer called for “return of the sausages” instead of hostages. Yes, it was a gaffe but it was also a verbal slip that exposed deep rooted attitudes, unleashed by the likes of Hamas and Hezbollah.
Road of Death. Limor Weizman mourns for husband Lior, murdered at this precise location on Road 232 by the hoard of terrorists from Gaza. (Photo: Chutzpa Productions)
“I call again for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza,” said Prime Minister Starmer, “the return of the sausages – the hostages – and a recommitment to the two-state solution: recognized Palestinian state alongside a safe and secure Israel.”
How do you support “a safe and secure Israel,” when you deny licenses for arms to Israel during an existential war?
Nova Party Massacre. Where are these people in the photo today? Israeli youth celebrate at music festival a day before the massacre. (Photo: Ido Derbi)
Irrelevant to these delegates of world leaders at the UNGA was how a music festival turned into a nightmare scenario and young attendees faced unimaginable horrors. How the Supernova music festival, attended by about 3,500 young people, turned into a site of mass murder and sexual assault, including gang rapes and the desecration of corpses. How Road 232 connecting the Gaza border kibbutzim, which could have provided an escape route but instead became a road of death – a trap ensnaring fleeing young people who were met with death, sexual violence, including rape and mutilation.
Two thousand years after the first-century Roman-Jewish historian Josephus wrote The Jewish War, there is today a feeling of déjà vu. If Jews were then in their homeland of Judea defending themselves against the might of the Roman Empire, today again in a cataclysmic clash, not only against Islamic extremism but against a world bursting with antisemitism and favoring our killers at every international forum.
Hamas Horror. Photos like these of dozens of body bags of Israeli youth massacred by Hamas terrorist during the Nova festival is what the world and delegates to the UN are not interested in seeing.
There is however one big difference:
If 9/11 had no impact in changing global antipathy towards the Jewish state, October 7 impacted on Israelis and Jews all over the world to accept this and to no longer be under and false illusions. If people indicate they intent to kill us Jews, we have to take it that they mean in and we need to do whatever is necessary to prevent them from succeeding, including sometimes “paging” them!
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).
British military expert in Israel says understanding the tunnels below Gaza is key to understanding the war above.
By Rolene Marks
“This war from a military perspective is all about the tunnels. They are used for weapons manufacturing, for storage and for maneuvering. The golden rule for any military is your maneuverability,” says Major (ret) Andrew Fox, in an interview with the writer for JNS. We spoke of the vast damage in Gaza, the visuals of which has many in the international community responding with outrage.
Battle Hardened. Former British Army officer Andrew Fox served in Bosnia, Northern Ireland, and the Middle East as well as being a senior lecturer at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst.
While images of the destruction are used incessantly in the information warfare to typically elicit a robust response from the international community, to fully understand what is happening above ground however, you need to look below ground.
“The tunnels are a weapons system of their own,” asserts Fox. “People, think of them as hidey-holes; a way to avoid IDF airstrikes – and they are. But they are much more than that and to neutralise the tunnels, you need to destroy what is above them.” Fox explains how Hamas tries to weaponise Israel’s tunnel strategy to solicit international support to get it to stop. They have at times achieved success in this because “Every tunnel is connected to a mosque; to a hospital and to a school, and for Israel to nuetralise these tunnels they need to go through the entrances located in these mosques, hospitals and schools. All the while, a hostile global media contorts the facts by exploiting the visuals to besmirch Israel.”
Major (ret) Andrew Fox is a former British Army officer who completed three tours in Afghanistan, including one attached to the U.S. Army Special Forces. He also served in Bosnia, Northern Ireland, and the Middle East, was a senior lecturer at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, and currently serves as a research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society focusing on defense, the Middle East, and disinformation. Fox has visited Israel numerous times since the start of the war with Hamas following the atrocities of 7 October and has spent a considerable amount of time with the IDF in Gaza.
In recent weeks, Fox visited Gaza with a cohort from the High Level Military Group (HLMG) “an independent body of former chiefs of staff, senior military officers and cabinet ministers from NATO countries with many decades of expertise at the highest level of land, air and sea conflict and the legality thereof.”
On the Ground in Gaza. Andrew Fox being interviewed on i24NEWS about his experience and observations in Gaza.
The HLMG has filed a counter-claim at the International Criminal Court (ICC) following the announcement by chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, to issue warrants of arrest for Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Gallant.
Fox elaborated of what the HLMG observed, notably:
“The IDF rules of engagement; collateral damage; the presence of civilians; sites of a protected nature, and then what munitions are suitable in the specific circumstances.”
This explains why, “one in every two airstrikes is cancelled,” says Fox. “If the proposed attack fails any one of the established standards, they abort the mission. Our observations of IDF’s conduct in warfare is clearly correct, moral and legitimate.”
To prove “genocide” as South Africa has accused Israel of at the ICC, “you have to establish intent and you can’t take politicians comments in press conferences as intent,” says Fox. “Armies don’t take orders from press conferences; they take orders from war cabinets and the official chain of command.”
Regarding the issue of humanitarian aid, it is Fox and the HLMG’s assessment that Israel has gone beyond the requirements under international law . He elaborates on how Israel has “built and rebuilt damaged roads in Gaza” and food delivered through the border crossings is providing “a caloric 40% daily calorie intake higher than the accepted humanitarian standard.”
Understanding Battlegrounds. Acquainting themselves with the local situation, HLMG (High Level Military Group) members discussing an earlier Gaza Conflict with an IDF soldier on a field visit in southern Israel.
This the international media fails to report.
Israel has also facilitated polio vaccines, repaired damaged water pipes and restored electricity supplies. There have been 16,000 aid co-ordinations between the IDF and aid agencies, and “thousands more on top of that,” says Fox.
In recent weeks, UK government announced that they would retract their objection to ICC arrest warrants against Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu and its Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant. This change in attitude towards their ally was followed by Foreign Secretary, David Lammy’s announcement to suspend 30 out of 350 arms export licenses. The timing could not have been more hard-hitting as Israeli reeled with grief following the brutal execution of six hostages.
Opining on this decision, “The double insult is performative,” says Fox. “The ordnance licence suspensions will not impact at all to the war in Gaza. None of the thresholds of international humanitarian law were remotely breached. This is purely performative and spiteful.”
STAGGERING STATISTICS
Weighing in on the information battlefield, Fox relates the statistics of media networks that exposes their clear bias:
“The media have platformed Hamas. I have seen a study that looks at five key media platforms including Sky News, CNN and the BBC. 100% of the time, they cited Hamas fatality statistics. 75% of the time, they mentioned they were from Hamas but not always, 4% of the time they cited IDF statistics. That is the scale of the imbalance. I am trying to tell the truth as I see it and I have a better idea of the truth because I have been to Israel multiple times, I have been on the ground in Rafah, I have spoken to the IDF at every level,” said Fox. “I know it to be true; I have seen it with my own eyes.”
This past Sunday, The Telegraph published a damning expose showing the BBC’s bias and violation of its own impartiality clause.
In Andrew Fox’s opinion, a number of components need to be understood in order to have a better understanding of this war and Israel’s response to the massacre of 7 October, the taking of hostages and the tunnels.
Menacing Maneuvering. Large enough for trucks, an unusually large tunnel uncovered by the IDF on the Gaza-Egypt border area. (Israel Defense Forces)
One area where the IDF could improve, is running its information campaign in parallel with its military campaign. This is a lesson for all Western militaries.
There are many lessons that other militaries can learn from Operation Iron Swords and the IDF’s conduct. Fox believes this war will be studied hard and other militaries can learn from the IDF about “urban maneuverability”. Militaries will have to look at urban warfare above and below ground at the same time, how to integrate air power, how to integrate drones, coordination and other factors that have never been done before. Today, “The IDF are clearing out tunnels today far more rapidly than in the beginning of the war,” because, “The Israelis have had to learn it on the job,” concludes Fox.
Hamas’ Underworld. Hamas exploits the Palestinian population of Gaza by building tunnels beneath densely populated areas. Seen here is an access point to one of the many tunnels.
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).
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
Also available on YouTube@The Israel Brief – Simply click on the red subscribe button to receive alerts when a new report is posted.
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.
As the war shifts focus, a direct hit of a Hezbollah rocket from Lebanon on residential area of Kiryat Bialik, a northern city in the Haifa District.
Articles
Please note there is a facility to comment beneath each article should you wish to express an opinion on the subject addressed.
(1)
THE ISLAMIC KINGDOM OF JORDAN
Could Jordan’s royal appeasement of Islamic extremism lead to the fall of the Hashemites? By Jonathan Feldstein
Sounds of Silence. While in 1997, Jordan’s King Hussein travels to Israel visiting Israeli schoolgirls in hospital shot by a Jordanian soldier from across the border and pays a condolence visit to the family of one of the victims, his son, the present king, is silent on the recent Allenby terror attack where 3 Israelis were shot dead by a Jordanian. Why?
Trying to buy acceptance by selling their souls ByStephen Schulman
Selective Morality. “Do Jewish lives not matter?” asks the writer of his fellow co-religionists in Australia and South Africa who preach the much-vaunted “tikkun olam” and “calling out injustice” when their social conscience appears to be exclusively focused to finding reasons to besmirch Israel.
From ancient traders to modern tourists, the changing landscape of Israel’s Negev desert. By Motti Verses
Desert Awakenings. The writer marvels at the sunset at Ein Avdat, a majestic canyon near Kibbutz Sde Boker where Israel’s first Prime Minister, David Ben Gurion settled, switching city life for pioneering challenge. Doing so to set a personal example for others to follow, how has this played out? A personal perspective of exploration and reflection.
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 – 16 September 2024 – Rocket fired at centre of Israel from Yemen. This and more on The Israel Brief.
The Israel Brief – 17 September 2024 – Is the PM about to replace the Defense Minister? This and more on The Israel Brief.
The Israel Brief – 18 September 2024 – Hezbollah pager explosions and more on The Israel Brief.
The Israel Brief – 19 September 2024 –First the pagers then the walkie-talkies – this and more on The Israel Brief.
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).
From ancient traders to modern tourists, the changing landscape of Israel’s Negev desert.
By Motti Verses
Revered as the founder of the Jewish state and a strong believer in the future of Israel’s arid desert – the Negev, David Ben-Gurion dreamed of developing this region and pursued his vision by personal example. At the age of 67, together with his wife Paula, the couple left the ‘city life’ of Tel Aviv to make Sde Boker, a pioneering kibbutz in the Negev their home. Living in a modest dwelling, it remained his home until his death in 1973.
Prime Minister to private citizen. Capturing the lifestyle of a kibbutz pioneer, the simple bedroom of Ben-Gurion kibbutz Desert Home bedroom. (photo: Motti Verses)
Declaring that it is in the Negev “that the creativity and pioneer vigor of Israel shall be tested,” Ben-Gurion linked the ingenuity and determination of the people of Israel to meet the Zionist challenge of “making the desert bloom”. For decades, his dream inspired Israelis of all backgrounds and ideologies to follow with a sense of collective purpose. However, the outcome fell vastly short from what he had envisioned. While Ben Gurion dreamed that by 1968, 500,000 people would live in the Negev, the population did not reach this figure until 2003 – well over three decades later. The main towns he envisaged as potential growth centers like Dimona and Mitzpe Ramon remain relatively small and the southern Red Sea city of Eilat has shown to be commercially marginal as a port, so seen in recent times that while Yemen Houthis are blocking free passage through the Red Sea, goods to Israel are being rerouted to its Mediterranean ports, ensuring the flow of international trade.Even though agriculture and mining, while impressively innovative did not meet Ben Gurion’s expectations, prosperity did however come but from an industry, the great leader himself did not vision at the time – TOURISM.
Not long before October 7 2023, the Ministry of Tourism formulated an ambitious plan to transform the Negev into a global tourist hotspot that would attract annually over a million tourists from around the world. The plan involves the construction of a multitude of tourist attractions in sync with the Negev’s unique desert environment including inter alia, nature parks, hiking trails, cycling tracks and of course alluring hotels.
While Ben Gurion never saw the potential in his time of tourism, ironically, many of the Negev’s tourist attractions today have a strong connection with the visionary leader. Visitors attracted to this dry region will likely not miss out on visiting Ben-Gurion’s Tomb National Park located a few kilometers south of Kibbutz Sde Boker where he lived with his wife. The surrounding landscape is pleasantly populated with large herds of Nubian ibexes, majestic desert goat creatures so distinguishable by their horns. The male ibex grow giant horns that are arched backwards used mostly for sparring with other males for the right to mate with the females of the herd. The females’ horns are short and pointy.
Biblical Landscape. A panoramic breathtaking view from Ben-Gurion’s Tomb National Park of the Zin Valley, the longest wadi in the Negev that attracts visitors from across the country. (Photo: Motti Verses)
The surrounding landscapes are stunning. One can take a classic desert hike in the Zin Valley enjoying amazing views of the wilderness that will include Ein Akev, the biggest spring in the Negev and the ancient Nabatean city of Ein Avdat.
Resting Place. Ben-Gurion’s Tomb National Park in Sde Boker hosts ibexes enjoying the greenery (left) and the graves of David Ben Gurion and wife Paula. (photo: Motti Verses)
Closer to ‘home’ is Ben Gurion’s desert home, today an illuminating museum. Preserved in its original condition as Ben Gurion requested, it is a testimony to the lifestyle of a community that founded and established the Jewish state in the early days. The hut still holds Ben Gurion’s original furniture from the 1960s, and you can see his kitchen, bedroom, and a library full of books in multiple languages. Few know that his books, apart from those in Hebrew, include books in English, German, French, Arabic, Latin, Russian, Turkish and Greek.
Learned Leader. A man of books in multiple languages is all too evident at Ben-Gurion kibbutz Desert Home – today a well visited museum. (photo: Motti Verses)
It is fascinating that the trendy developments taking place today in the Negev follow in the path of the ancient Nabateans, an enigmatic ancient tribe mentioned numerous times in the bible. They controlled trade along the famed Incense Route that stretched from southern Arabia through their capital Petra to the land of Israel, via the Negev desert. They originally constructed small waystations in the Negev that in time grew into larger settlements and as the Nabatean community in the Negev grew, new towns were constructed in the desert wilderness.
This ancient mysterious tribe we know so little about, fascinated Ben Gurion, who admired their talents, particularly in agriculture – as it was an achievement to master cultivation in a dry arid desert. You can still see the remains of the Nabatean networks of small channels and aqueducts in order to make the most of the only 80 ml of rain to irrigate their terrace farms. They appeared out of history as a role model for Ben Gurion and it is little wonder he referred to them as an example of the possible realization of his vision. He marveled how they, in order to produce olive oil, grew olive trees in the desert. Few know that when Ben-Gurion was the chairman of the board of the Jewish Agency during WW II, he even proposed to place the capital of the future Jewish state in Mamshit that had been one of the major cities of the Nabateans in the Negev, starting out as an ancient caravan stop.
So too had been Sde Boker, akin to a “caravan stop”, for until 2020, this kibbutz was just a stopover for visitors and tourists on route to elsewhere. That was until Isrotel, one of Israel’s leading hotel brands, inaugurated in the middle of the Covid pandemic, its latest hotel – Kedma. Nowadays, when Israel is preoccupied with the crisis of war, the hotel quietly marks its 4th anniversary. To discover more of this relatively new alluring addition to the desert landscape, I headed south with my beloved family, following in the path of the ancient Nabateans.
Commercial Nomads. A painting of the Nabateans – the controllers of trade routes – depicted by an anonymous painter, on sale in a gift shop in Petra Jordan. (Photo: Motti Verses)
“We at Isrotel believe strongly in the desert and we proudly proclaim it by ever-expanding our presence in the hospitality industry in Israel’s desert region,” says Lior Raviv, Chief Executive Officer of Isrotel. “We started at ‘Pundak Ramon’, which was our first hotel, currently under renovations, and then our majestic ‘Beresheet’ overlooking the awesome Ramon Crater. Our newest Negev addition to the Isrotel family is ‘Kedma’, inwalking distance from the home of David Ben-Gurion.”
Desert Delights. “We believe strongly in the desert” says Lior Raviv, Chief Executive Officer Isrotel (right) to the writer. (Photo: Motti Verses)
Lodge-style and built on one floor, “It provides an authentic desert experience and is proving a super popular hotel,” he says.
The 2-hour drive south from central Israel in the last week of August, confronting busy traffic, was surreal when then finding it a challenge to find a parking spot in the desert, next to the Kedma hotel. This came as a surprise considering the reality of the country being at war. Also surprising was my erroneous assumption that in the heat of an intense Israeli summer, local Israeli tourists, especially families, would prefer a waterfront location. I was wrong!
Serene Sights. Kedma, a Khan style resort, offering 163 rooms and suites built around a courtyard with a serene pool (Photo: Motti Verses)
The moment we stepped into the busy Kedma lobby for our group check in, I found myself completely captivated by the interior design. A Khan-style resort, Kedma offers 163 rooms and suites built around an expansive open-air courtyard with a serene pool. It is surrounded by luscious fruit trees, most of them mentioned in the Bible, together with plants, creating an environment of a desert oasis. The impressive designs of the Lobby and restaurants captures the ambiance of the desert and structurally pays tribute to the Nabateans and the ancient Incense Route. Impatiently I rushed to hear the explanations of the award-winning interior designer, Ruth Arad. “The design is conceptually rooted to the desert and inspired by the ancient Nabatean route used for transporting spices and fragrances,” she says. “The main lobby is long and narrow, symbolizing the endless wandering in the desert. The lounge is presented with a tent-like structure using ropes, fostering intimacy and connection. The main dining room reflects a desert Sukkah and an atmosphere of minimal illumination while dining in the evenings,” she explains.
I admired the use of the Islamic-influenced ‘Moucharaby’ windows characterized by the use of grills to replace glass and shutters. Quite extraordinary!
Road of Revelations. The long narrow Kedma lobby, symbolizes endless wandering through the desert along the ancient ‘Perfume and Incense Trade Route’.(Photo: Motti Verses)
The ceilings in most of the outside open areas are low and the lighting twinkles like stars. We loved the ground sitting with cushions and feeling like Nabateans in designated corners with a fireplace in the center, enjoying a typical desert oasis night atmosphere.
Lounge and its Legacy. The Lounge projects a desert tent-like structure using ropes, fostering intimacy. (Photo: Motti Verses)
With the Kedma a buzz with mostly local tourists this past August, we entered the main restaurant gravitating to the Buffet table offering a delicious array of food that would have the ancient Nabateans salivating. We were.
Pulsating Past. The dining room – a design deeply rooted in the connection to the desert, with a Sukkah in the center (Photo: Motti Verses)
Cutting through the queues and the noise, the service was tops. I assumed that the resort enjoying a ‘full house’ had to do with the relatively safe geographic location far removed from the war in Gaza and in the north of the country. However, my assumption was wrong. “We have been busy all the time since the opening four years ago. Guests just love it here,” says General Manager, Boaz Zur and I fully understand why.
Awakening the Senses. Soak up converging cultures in the Hotel’s luxurious unique Hammam (steam bath). (Photo: Motti Verses)
And when I teasingly challenged interior designer Arad of “Where in Kedma is the spirit of Ben Gurion?” she was spot-on with a spirited response:
“He is everywhere here. The founder of Israel had a vision to make the desert bloom, well, we fulfilled his dream. He wanted the Negev to offer employment opportunities, well, Kedma is a desirable sought after workplace and as far as hoping to change a negative mindset about the desert, this green oasis as you can see is super popular. People are flocking here. Did you not say you had to look for parking when you arrived? No, I’m sure Mr. Ben Gurion is smiling down with approval, particularly as we are in close walking distance from his home.”
The jaw dropping Israel Negev desert and the Kedma by Isrotel Khan/ 9/2024 MOTTI VERSES
*Feature picture: The writer looking at sunset at Ein Avdat, a magnificent canyon in the Negev south of Kibbutz Sde Boker. (Photo: Motti Verses)
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 TIPSAnd 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).
Many moons ago, in fact in 1963, I had the dubious honour of being called up for compulsory military service in the South African Defence Forces. Basic training took place in Potchefstroom, in a large camp, 1200 km away from my birthplace of Cape Town. Recruits came from all sectors of SA society: Afrikaners, English speakers and a few Jews. We were all shapes and sizes, straight-laced and oddball, roughnecks and cultured. Most I have forgotten, but one particular individual remains in my memory.
Frankie hailed from Durban. He was short, to put it mildly, not good looking and a singularly unpleasant character. He also had, as he deeply felt, the misfortune to having been born a Jew: a sad state of affairs to which he set about to actively correct. Frankie would take great pains in declaring to all and sundry that not only did he not identify with his religion but disassociated himself from its practice. On Friday nights when the Jewish soldiers were taken to the synagogue for the service and then often invited for supper at the homes of the congregants – a welcome short break from army drudgery – Frankie out of solidarity with, and trying to be ‘one of the guys’ would stay on the base. To the best of my recollection, even when Passover arrived, forfeiting more than a week’s holiday leave, he demonstratively remained there.
Did he succeed in being accepted as ‘one of them’? Did he manage to slough off his born identity and meld with the greater group? Did this concerted effort boost his popularity? Not really. His toadying and groveling were of no avail and his efforts to ingratiate himself with the non-Jewish majority earned him no respect and no exalted status. Frankie’s nickname was ‘Ikey’, the little Jew who was seen by all as a bit of a curiosity. He was a sad, pitiable individual.
Why write about such an insignificant person? Simply because today, with this avalanche of wide spread antisemitism engulfing all Jews irrespective of their views and affiliations, there are many little ‘Ikeys’ running around, hoping for acceptance, and seeking to prove to one and all that they, unlike their co-religionists: are progressive, liberal, anti-racist, enlightened anti-Zionists, endowed with an elevated moral status and heightened sensitivity.
The Jewish Council of Australia, (JCA) formed in February 2024 is an excellent example of this pathetic genre. It purports to represent a growing number of Jewry and bleats the old hackneyed tropes that:
“The aim of Zionism — as with other versions of settler colonialism in countries like Australia — is to replace the indigenous people on their land with settlers. A lot of early Zionist ideologues were very open about this fact; the point was to conquer the land. The early Zionist project culminated in the expulsion of 750,000 Palestinians from their land during the Nakba”.
Rogue’s Gallery. Says Jewish Council of Australia (JCA) Executive Officer Dr Max Kaiser, an historian and lecturer at the University of Melbourne: “Israel is a rogue state”.
This pathetic and deeply flawed generalization, ignoring history, archeology and the Bible is a typical example of this stunted ideology blinding its believers to reality.
There has been a huge rise in antisemitism in Australia, but one of the esteemed cofounders of this organization in a prime example of warped logic and self-deception claims:
“The harassment of Jews has come from fervent supporters of the Israeli government among the Jewish community as well as from “more blatant and openly violent” neo-Nazis”
Shortly after October 7th, on the steps of the Sydney Opera House, there was a mass demonstration of Muslims in support of and in jubilation joyously celebrating the massacre with shouts of “Gas the Jews” and other virulently antisemitic slogans. Naturally, in their eyes, the Muslims who were there and the leftist students at the universities harassing and intimidating Jewish students were as pure as the driven snow. And lest we forget, all those Hamas and Hezbollah flags at the anti-Israel demonstrations. Who were their supporters that were waving them? Were they the “fervent supporters of the Israeli government among the Jewish community”?
The Writing is on the Wall. By aligning itself with anti-Zionists, the Jewish Council of Australia (JCA) helps sow the seeds of antisemitism in Australia, physically endangering the Jewish community. The JCA calls for Australia to cut all military ties and sanction Israel. Here we see the result – graffiti painted on a suburban wall in Melbourne that reads “KILL JEWS – JEW LIVES HERE” .
The organization’s mission statement that “We are committed to the values of tikkun olam (repairing the world), calling out injustice, challenging assumptions and promoting debate” is an exercise in unashamed hypocrisy, blatant bias and pure pusillanimity. Hamas and Hezbollah are universally proscribed terror organizations whose covenant openly declares their aim of destroying the state of Israel. On October 7th 2023, Hamas invaded Israel indulging in acts of brutality and sadism that flew in the face of all civilized behaviour and shocked the world. Twelve hundred innocent people both Jews and Muslims of all ages and gender were murdered in an organized orgy of rape, sodomy, torture, maiming, burning alive and mass shootings. Two hundred and fifty more ranging from infants to infirm old people were kidnapped, held and are still being held in inhumane conditions. They have been starved, subjected to physical and psychological torture and many have been murdered.
What has been the reaction of the enlightened council’s founders to these atrocities? Not a bleat or a squeak in condemnation. The silence of the grave. Do Jewish lives not matter? Where is your much vaunted tikkun olam and calling out injustice? Where is your social conscience? Is it only limited to finding reasons to besmirch Israel? The world is rife with injustice and persecution. China persecutes the Uyghur people and is engaged in carrying out their cultural genocide. It persecutes the Falun Gong sect and engages in organ harvesting. It supports the evil regime of North Korea notorious for its human rights violations. Why your silence? But then, pragmatism dictates keeping your mouths shut. After all, Communist China is an important trading partner with big investments in Australia, most sensitive to any criticism and swift to react. We wouldn’t like to ruffle its feathers, would we? What about the millions of children starving in the Sudan? Hamas in clear contravention of norms has used and is using hospitals, schools and private homes as launch pads for attacks against Israel. Its warehouses are overflowing with food and medicines that were destined for and stolen from the civilian population, but never a word said, your only criticism has ever been against Israel. Your actions carry the strong stench of hypocrisy.
South African Jews for a Free Palestine (SAJFP) is an organization in a similar mould whose lengthy and wearying mission statement/catechism contains an odious concoction of all too well worn poisonous ideological tropes, distortions and deliberate lies that easily outdoes the Australian one. For all of us who do not have the fortitude to wade through this self righteous, verbose swamp, its content can be summed up in a few words: Israel, an apartheid state, is the pawn of Western imperialist, colonialist powers and Zionism is a corrosive force that corrupts and destroys. A few choice examples from the catechism: Zionism “is built on inequality, exclusion, settler-colonialism and violent ethnic cleansing and asserts an ethnic supremacy which is fundamentally racist.” It also demands that all Jews place the state of Israel at the centre of Jewish existence, distorting and destroying other cherished parts of Jewish identity.”
Israel is also quite obviously an apartheid state, for “it also discriminates against Mizrachi, Arab and African Jews. SAJFP rejects the unfounded assumption that all Jews are white or access white privilege.” – a statement so ridiculous and twisted that it is beneath all contempt.
A prime example of ideological contortionism: “Zionism is not Judaism and the effort to conflate the two is itself a form of antisemitism because it reduces a diverse and dynamic cultural and religious group to a nation state.”
While the organization states: “SAJFP takes an anti- violence position” they also: “support the rights of the Palestinians to resist their oppression” and since they view: “the occupation of Palestine as violence”, they consequently “support the rights of the Palestinians to rise up against these (and other forms) of violence.” It doesn’t require much effort to read between the lines and see why the SAJFP, true to form, has shockingly remained silent about and tacitly condoned the October 7th massacre.
Seeking Acceptance. Are these Jews in South Africa protesting for a “free Palestine” or Jews protesting to be free of the burden of being Jews?
Amongst other of their organized activities, on the 9th August, the SAJFP dutifully picketed the Cape Town Holocaust and Genocide Centre because they felt it did not relate to the “genocide” in Gaza where they likened the behaviour of the Israeli army to that of the Nazis. In keeping with their self righteousness, the members recited the Kaddish (mourner’s prayer) for the Gaza dead. The report on their site of this event ends with: “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will soon be free.” – the well-known clarion call, genocidal in intent, for the destruction of the Jewish State.
South African Jewry is currently experiencing a growing tidal wave of institutionalized and violent antisemitism that does not distinguish between the ideologies of the members of the community. SAJFP carries on its banner that: “it is fundamentally opposed to antisemitism.” Has it ever raised its voice in protest? Does their site mention any activities against or any condemnation whatsoever of this despicable phenomenon? Of course not, but if you are looking for information about BDS, cutting all ties with, sanctioning Israel and its elimination, then you have come to the right place.
Jews for Jewish Destruction. Negating the thousands of years bond of Judaism to the state of Israel, these South Africa Jews support the BDS movement that promotes “cutting all ties with Israel…. sanctioning Israel and its elimination.”
The civilized world swiftly condemned the October 7th massacre and expressed its outrage and revulsion. Tragically, these two Jewish organizations, in their blind adherence to their distorted ideologies, have chosen to remain silent. They have a legitimate right to disagree with Zionism and to their opinions whatsoever. But, to willfully ignore the sadistic murder of twelve hundred of their fellow Jews, man, woman and child and the plight of another two hundred and fifty who were kidnapped and if still alive, are suffering in inhumane conditions simply because they are not on their side of the political spectrum is incomprehensible and unforgivable. It is the silence of assent. They have demonstrated an utter callousness and are devoid of one iota of compassion. They have negated their own Judaism and humanity.
Jewish history is tragically replete with so many instances of obsequious ‘little Ikeys‘bending over backwards to placate others and how they ended. Jewish humour reflects its history, the Jewish condition and its accumulated wisdom. It is mainly in a low key and very often is a ‘bittere gelegte‘ (Yiddish for bitter laughter) containing a poignant message that conveys unpleasant truths. There is a story of two Jews that walked into a bar. One was orthodox and a Zionist, the other was a confirmed atheist and fervent anti- Zionist and the bartender said:
“We don’t serve Jews here!”
Let all these misguided ideologues read and take heed.
About the writer:
Stephen Schulman is a graduate of the South African Jewish socialist youth movement Habonim, who immigrated to Israel in 1969 and retired in 2012 after over 40 years of English teaching. He was for many years a senior examiner for the English matriculation and co-authored two English textbooks for the upper grades in high school. Now happily retired, he spends his time between his family, his hobbies and reading to try to catch up on his ignorance.
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).
Could Jordan’s royal appeasement of Islamic extremism lead to the fall of the Hashemites?
By Jonathan Feldstein
September continues to go down as a bad month for peace in the Middle East, particularly relating to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Israel, and Palestinian Arab terrorists.
This week we mark the anniversary of the failed Oslo Accords, which was supposed to accept Israel’s legitimacy and right to exist, end Palestinian Arab terror, and usher in peace. The Oslo Accords were signed in 1993. Oslo became a foothold for Yasser Arafat, the PLO, and Hamas, to bring their genocidal terror closer to and within Israel’s borders. Thousands have been killed and injured since and as a result.
This week, a Jordanian national opened fire at the Allenby Bridge (King Hussein) border crossing between Israel and Jordan, killing three Israelis.
Murder at the Border. Three Israeli civilians – Yuri Birnbaum (left), Yohanan Shchori (center), and Adrian Marcelo Podzamczer – were killed when a Jordanian truck driver opened fire on them at the Allenby Bridge Crossing between Jordan and the West Bank. Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad both welcomed the attack despite that dozens of trailers cross daily from Jordan, with goods from Jordan and the Gulf to supply the West Bank market. (Courtesy)
This week, throngs of Jordanian civilians marched in solidarity with the terrorist at his funeral, celebrating the murder of three Israeli civilians.
This week, Jordan held elections resulting in the Muslim Brotherhood Islamist Action Front (IAF) winning 31 out of 138 seats in Jordan’s parliament, tripling its representation. While the total voter turnout was a mere 32%, Israel’s war against Hamas was a motivating domestic issue drawing more voters to the Islamist party. The election result is a direct result of rabid public statements by King Abdullah II, and especially his wife, Queen Rania, brazenly fomenting broad public anger for and disdain at Israel, emboldening the Islamists domestically, and other Iranian terrorist proxies.
Last week of course we remembered the mother of all Islamic terrorist attacks on September 11, the ideology behind which is still alive and “well”, threatening all of us in Israel, the US, and around the world.
While quietly King Abdullah cooperates with Israel, the US, and others to preserve his monarchy, and participate in a coalition to prevent Iran from attacking Israel, by making vile anti-Israel statements, he emboldens the Islamists domestically, in Iran, and elsewhere, who would overthrow him in an instant. By supporting anti-Israel sentiments and actions in Jordan, he is enabling his own downfall.
Iran’s influence has played out through increased smuggling of weapons, cash, and terrorists across the 192-mile Jordanian-Israeli border, with a growing number of Jordanians as willing partners. It’s no secret that Iran has set its crosshairs on the Hashemite Kingdom, and will use King Abdullah’s own weakness against him, turning it into the Islamic Republic of Jordan at the earliest opportunity. In addition to the increased Iranian influence threatening King Abdullah and his monarchy, it also threatens Israel and the entire Middle East which is why it has such willing partners among Jordan’s growing extremist Islamists.
Devious and Duplicitous. In clear violation of its peace treaty obligations with Israel, the Jordanian leadership allows itself to join the fanatical Islamic bandwagon and be drawn into parroting the false propaganda and hostility toward Israel. Seen here are King Abdullah and Queen Rania arriving at the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee in Washington. (Photo Jonathan Ernst/Reuters).
Underscoring Jordan’s increased radicalism, in addition to the IAF Islamist victory this week, the celebrated Jordanian terrorist Maher Dhiab Hussein al-Jazi who murdered three Israelis was a Bedouin from the southern Jordanian region of Husseiniya, and member of the prominent Huitat tribe. Bedouin are not Palestinian Arabs who make up the majority of Jordan, and considered to be loyal to the King. Maybe not so much anymore, and maybe they now represent an additional internal threat.
Fifty-four years ago, in September 1970, King Abdullah’s father, King Hussein, dealt with a different domestic threat very differently. Black September was a bloody conflict fought between the King’s loyal Jordanian Armed Forces and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) terrorist group. From September 16-27, 1970, King Hussein’s army crushed an armed insurgency featuring PLO hijacking of civilian planes to Jordan, and threatening his legitimacy. Rather than giving an inch to the PLO terrorists, King Hussein obliterated them, killing tens of thousands, and expelling the PLO presence that had entrenched itself in Jordan. (It’s worth noting that nobody protested Jordan’s slaughtering of so many Palestinian Arabs.)
Why is the threat against Jordan, the King, and the Hashemite monarchy still so real? Jordan is a state that was simply made up in 1921, after Britian lobbed off some 80 percent of the territory of what was referred to as “Palestine” to reward its Hashemite allies. Initially it had the imaginative and geographically correct name, Transjordan, reflecting that it was the eastern part of the British Mandate for Palestine, the other side of the Jordan River, with no previous unique history. The Hashemite monarchy was founded as the Emirate of Transjordan after Britian imported the Hashemite clan that was indigenous to Arabia, to create two new states – Transjordan and Iraq, under King Abdullah I and his cousin King Feisal, respectively.
Neither Fesial nor Transjordan lasted long. Feisel was overthrown and murdered in 1958, ending two decades of Hashemite rule. Transjordan achieved independence in 1946, and rebranded its name to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in 1949. Abdullah I became Jordan’s first king in a territory that was mostly ethnically Palestinian Arab, with a small minority of Hashemites ruling. He was assassinated by a Palestinian Arab in 1951, and succeeded by Hussein.
Jordan and the Hashemites had largely been a moderating force since before Israel declared independence. King Abdullah I was known to have met with Israeli leaders in secret, to prevent what became the War of Independence which Jordan, in concert with other Arab armies, lost. King Hussein maintained contact with Israeli leaders that could have prevented Jordan entering, and losing in the Six Day War. After a Jordanian soldier killed several Israeli school girls, the King made an unprecedented gesture, visiting the mourning families and apologizing.
Sad Evolution of the Hashemites. A far cry from his son’s conduct today, the present king of Jordan, King Abdullah II, in 1997, the father, Jordan’s King Hussein travels to Israel to visit Israeli schoolgirls in hospital shot by a Jordanian soldier from across the border and who is seen here paying a condolence visit to the family of one of the victims of the terror attack. (Photo: Avi Ohayon/GPO)
I wish it would remain this way, but it seems that in order to preserve his reign today, King Abdullah II is saying, doing, and enabling things that are hostile to Israel, embolden the extremists, and which ultimately will threaten him and the 78-year-old kingdom. The last thing he would do would to be to apologize for, much less visit the three families that are mourning, the murder this week at the hands of a Jordanian truck driver.
Rather than maintaining the “legacy” of September being a bloody month that empowers terrorists, King Abdullah should start today, to build warm public relations with Israel, in his own interest, that of his monarchy, of Israel, and the Middle East on the whole. Rather than appeasing Islamists, especially this month, Abdullah would do well to learn from his father’s precedent, and prevent the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan from becoming the Islamic Republic of Jordan.
About the writer:
Jonathan Feldstein - President of the US based non-profit Genesis123 Foundation whose mission is to build bridges between Jews and Christians – is a freelance writer whose articles appear in The Jerusalem Post, Times of Israel, Townhall, NorthJersey.com, Algemeiner Jornal, The Jewish Press, major Christian websites and more.
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).
