Wednesday, November 28, 2012

A common Chanukah question



A common chanukah question:

Question: If my spouse lights a chanukiah in our home on time, and I will not come home until later that night, do I light when I arrive at home?

One's spouse may light on his behalf at home, exempting him from his obligation to light. However, there may be a separate obligation to see a chanukiah, personally. Therefore, assuming someone will be awake to see his chanukiah when he lights, the person who comes home late should state that he is not relying upon the lighting taking place in his home, and he should light upon arriving home.

[I used male pronouns to simplify the language, but I believe this applies equally to men and women.]

(Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 676:3, 677:3; Mishneh Berurah 677:14; Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 676:7; Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 5:43:1; Mishneh Halachot 15:207:1)

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Shaking the Rabbi's Hand

I received the following inquiry the other day, from a reader; it is mildly edited:

Just saw the Igros Moshe's teshuvah stating that if the minhag is to get a yasher koach from the rabbi after your aliyah, then that's a proper minhag and it shows respect to the rabbi, so it can't be voided without the rabbi's permission -- "whether those who aren't doing it have done so to spite the rabbi, or simply out of laziness."

1. I assume this minhag is far, far more prevalent in shuls with bima-in-front? Otherwise you're walking all over the shul.
 

2. Do you think this is a good minhag? When I was a teenager in the good-old-days, I was taught it's the way it was done (with the rabbi's seat way up on the bima, facing the crowd), so I did it. In subsequent years I've been to bima-in-the-middle shuls where it wasn't as prevalent -- and honestly I'd like to get back to the parsha, please; and a quick yasher koach often can turn into a conversation, for which this isn't the time.
 

(It seems not unlike the rabbi following around behind the sefer torah and shaking everyone's hand -- it can feel like "okay now it's shmoozing time everyone.")
 

Two to three hours whereby it's just us talking to the Ribono shel Olam, then you open a chumash and listen for Him talking back -- that's my ideal experience.

I see his point, certainly; any trip through the shul will involve extra greetings, and the face-to-face with the Rabbi may add to that. On the other hand, while acknowledging the distraction I must still note that the fundamental challenges to shul decorum are not a product of "Good shabbos" greetings and "Yeyasher Kochacha" congratulations. Further, it would be terrible to cause insult in the name of spirituality.

So I replied:

This is one of those cases (and there are many) in which we have competing interests. We want to emphasize respect for the Rabbi. And we want to maintain decorum - indeed, we are told that the person who receives an aliyah remains at the Torah through the next aliyah specifically so that he will have more time to return to his seat without causing disruption.

But since the prevalent minhag (even where the bimah is in the middle) is to shake the Rabbi's hand, I do believe it is profoundly disrespectful to decline to do so, regardless of the reason.


What do you think? 

Friday, November 23, 2012

The Religious Zionism of Menachem Begin

Next week, I expect to present a class on what I consider the unique brand of Religious Zionism of Menachem Begin. I hope to explain why I believe it unique at the class, but here is the source sheet. The quotes are from Menachem Begin, Basic Outlines of ourLife-Worldview and National Outlook, other than Source 9.


Is this vision secular or Jewish?
1.         A national movement - Page 31
What is a national outlook? Does a "national movement" exist at all, or is the Marxist theory correct… whereby every public movement expresses, or must express, the genuine material interests of one of the classes in a society possessing classes?
Indeed, it is in and of ourselves, as sons of Israel and as fighters, that we can find the proof - for the Marxist theory is meaningless - that a national movement exists. In other words, a movement that expresses what is common to all parts of the nation and bears the historical desires of the entire nation is, ipso facto, a national movement.

2.         Individual freedom - Page 11-12
Man must be free in his thoughts and in his belief; he must be free in giving expression to his thoughts, whether orally or in writing… The group of spiritual freedoms is inextricably tied with the group of political freedoms. The individual person must be free to assemble with other people, to express the belief that is common to them, in order to realize, or try to realize, their opinions. Man must be free to dispatch his representative emissaries to the various branches of government; he must be free to demand their resignations and replacement with other representative emissaries….
In our day, "economic freedoms" represent an inseparable part of the concept "human freedom" if not to completely remove from this concept its real content. A person must be free not only in his way of life and occupations, but also in his place of residence and his place of work… But "freedom of movement", "freedom of initiative" and "freedom of creativity" still do not exhaust the concept of human freedom in the economic sphere. A person – any person – must also be free from an absence of vital commodities, that without which he cannot make a living as a cultured person.

3.         Societal reform – Page 20
[T]he positive content of the idea of societal reform is the ceaseless coming together of the social extremes, coming together not in the "up to down" direction, that necessarily brings general descent and withdrawal, but in the "down to up" direction that brings ascent and progress. Just as it is possible "to bring groups together" by providing education to those that lack it, rather than taking away from everyone the possibility of acquiring wisdom and understanding, so one needs to bring together the extremities of the economic sphere and to ensure for those of meager means a constant benefit of conditions for their existence…
[T]he ensured provision of basic needs must be fixed as "the starting point" for every person. Ze’ev Jabotinsky defined these needs as housing, food, clothing, health care, and schooling (in Hebrew, his terms all began with the letter “Mem”: maon, mazon, malbush, mirpa, melamed) and he notated them as the five "Mems".

4.         Classes remain forever – Pages 17-18
There will always be differences, some based on inherited characteristics, such as mental talent which are not dependent on the individual or the society, and others that are dependent to a greater measure on the free will of the individual as well as the general social "atmosphere", such as personal effort, energy and so on. On the background of these differences and their results, "classes" will grow in every period. It is possible to change the basis of the division of classes, to eliminate one basis and create a completely different basis, but the division itself into classes is impossible to eliminate, just as it is impossible to eliminate natural differences, the physical ones and more important, the psychological differences, between people. This law of history has become apparent over the many previous decades.



5.         Supremacy of law – Pages 26-27
I propose not being satisfied with "independence of the judiciary" but rather to engrave on our flag the supremacy of the law… The supremacy of the law will thereby be expressed in that a panel of independent judges will be granted not only the power to determine, in the case of a complaint, whether a rule or administrative statute of the institutions of the executive regime is legal or just, but also the power to decide, in the case of a complaint, whether the laws that are made by the house of representatives… abide by the fundamental law or contradict the rights of the citizen that are stated in the law.

6.         In order to create this reality – Page 31
Israel's historical desires, from the day of its exile from its land, have found expression in the prayer "renew our days as of old", indeed the prayer enfolds within it the two national aspirations: liberation of the homeland and concentration of the nation once again on its land. Of course, being interdependent, the two historic aspirations of our people who have fashioned its character from generation to generation, are in fact one aspiration. Concentration of the nation is not possible without liberation of the homeland; and, every stage of liberation of the homeland would be impossible without some stage of concentration of the nation on its land. The movement that carries both these aspirations, which are "the common elements" in national consciousness, over its classes, diasporas and generations, is the national movement in Israel. In addition, only a movement that carries both these aspirations in their entirety is a national movement. Any Jewish movement that has become estranged or is estranged from one of them – the estrangement from one of the aspirations is inexorably an estrangement from both – it is not a national movement, whatever its "Zionist" phraseology be as it may.

7.         This reality must be created in Israel – Page 35
From that day hidden beyond the historical horizon, and until this day, a process of thousands of years of existence, formation, persecution and resistance, we have stood against tremendous empires. We have fought, we have fallen, we have risen, we have been struck blows, we have been enslaved, we have rebelled, we have been oppressed, we have been redeemed, we have established, we have been exiled, we have been scattered to the four corners of the world, we have been persecuted from behind, we have been burned on the pyre, we have been nearly trampled out; but never did we concede one grain of our land. There is no example and no model in all of human history for this faith and for this preservation of faith that all the known winds of oppression and slavery in history have dashed into pieces. But who would deny that only by merit of this irregular faith, unnatural, imaginary, "almost inhuman" have we remained on the stage, despite the disappearance, without trace, of other great and mighty empires? Who would further deny that "unrealistic" faith can be quite realistic in its facts? Who would deny that only by merit of this "faith in fact" have we returned, after global wanderings, to the starting point, and we are again a nation?
But indeed, while we became a nation, there are rulers, heretics in Israel, that are prepared to sign in the name of the nation of Israel, that Jerusalem and Hebron and Bethlehem, Jericho and Nablus and all "the good broad land" that spreads forward, east beyond the Jordan, are not ours, but are the foreigner’s, the invader, the occupier – in perpetuity. Is there a political-historical crime that compares with this crime? What is the crime of "appeasement" of Chamberlain in Munich compared to the crime, that the heads of the government were about to commit at the expense of the tradition of the patriarchs and the future of the children?

Does religion fuel Begin's ideas, or is it aligned with his ideas?
8.         Religious language - Pages 39-41
Those who speak highly about the "ingathering of the exiles" but reject the idea of liberating the homeland, or deny it, are estranged also from the national outlook in its entirety which is to say they prevent in the end the concentration of the people on its land… I suggest a new definition of attainment for the concept of “concentration of the nation”. At this point in time, the implication of this concentration is a Jewish majority in the Land of Israel. Not an undefined "ingathering of the exiles"; not another Jewish majority in the State of Israel; not even a Jewish majority – in the Land of Israel, but rather a majority of the Jews in the country Israel.



9.         Religious language – "All of it is mine", a Betar song (cited on page 31)
From the day I was called to the wonder of Betar and Zion and Sinai,
a brother's hand has imprisoned me and my mother's house is closed to me…

10.      Religious roots of the three goals – Page 30
It is possible to prove that this outlook on life, clarified here in its basic outlines in previous sections, is an original Jewish outlook. In my saying this, I am not claiming that the good of our outlook on life is solely and exclusively its Jewish source for, without doubt, we must also learn from other nations, to learn – not duplicate. But it is a fact that our outlook is nursed on the sources of Jewish thought, from the strengthening wellsprings of our national tradition, from the roots of the nation's soul, as it was molded in an amazing war for existence as the messenger for those near and far. Are the ideas of a person's freedom and social reform not embodied in the basic fundamentals of Israel's Torah, in a verse which embodies a complete philosophy: "because man was created in the image of G-d"?
If man was created in the image of the King of Kings, surely he cannot be a slave who need fear the ruler over him.
If in the image of the Creator of All man was molded, surely he will be unable to direct all his thoughts and all his desires to his primary needs, which are, in part, also the basic need provisions, if he will suffer from a want of basics. In this verse you will even find the aspiration for equality. There is no going down or bringing down, but a constant rising or bringing up, inasmuch as man – every man – is created in His image. And the commandment "you will love your fellow-man as yourself"; and the rule "man lives not by bread alone", are they not marvelous expressions of the aspiration for social reform, to abolish suffering and want?
And as regards "the supremacy of the law", this is but a characteristic of our nation’s esprit, that in an entire historical period the nation's leaders and rescuers have been awarded the crown of ‘judge of all things’? And indeed the words "justice" and "law" are an ancient Jewish expression together in one breath, and they have become a saying of Israeli wisdom in one sentence: "justice and law". From this you may infer that as there is no law without justice, indeed no justice is possible without law.

11.      The Torah's freedom imperative – Page 13
Israel's Torah hates enslavement as well as “willing” slaves. Our Torah commanded – already in those days! – that one is to punish severely, by executing a mark of disgrace, on a Jewish man that will declare "I love my master," and would prefer his material security over his spiritual freedom.

12.      The vision of the Prophets – Page 17
Israel's prophets and seers, from whom we have inherited the aspiration for justice that guide our repose, elevated visions that are very difficult to realize. There were those that introduced the vision of social justice, to "repair the world in the Kingdom of G-d" and those that highlighted the vision of world government: "and everyone will make one association". That gave mankind the vision of world peace: "and nation will not raise sword against nation". However, they did not delude their generation or the coming generations; they admitted that the realization will be difficult and saw it only "at the end of days". They made their vision a sort of "guiding star" by whose light man wandering in darkness will proceed and find his path and even reach his objective. Their vision is a vision of truth, because even beyond the historical horizon, beyond "the end of days", they did not promise to abolish any difference. Indeed, "at the end of days" nation will not raise sword against nation, but even then there will be many "nations"; and while "at the end of days" devouring hatred will disappear for "the wolf will lie down with the lamb", but even then the differences between one species and another will not be eliminated. In other words - if one expands the symbolic meaning of the metaphor – the differences between a person and his fellow will not disappear with the desired disappearance of the hatred between them.

13.      Implicit religion – The perfectable world – Page 16
No form of society lasts forever. The truth is that there is no form of society whose power is eternally valid for the present and the future. Whoever says that there is no need to change the existing form of society ignores the natural aspiration for justice and whoever says there is no possibility to change the existing conditions in society ignores the law of historical development.

14.      Implicit religion – We must perfect it – Pages 28-29
Certainly, in regard to judges, one should also not invalidate the measure of realistic truth that is embodied in the well-known statement of Marx summing up his materialistic philosophy: "existence determines consciousness". But historical experience directs us that the greater measure of realistic truth is in the complete reversal of Marx's statement that is perhaps a summing up of idealistic philosophy: "consciousness determines existence". It is not "the existence" of our people that makes it carry the belief in one G-d that has any image of one. On the contrary, "the consciousness”, the belief in monotheism, is what has determined to a decisive measure the existence of our people, whether it has lived in its country or whether scattered among the nations. It was not the "existence" of the "BILU pioneers", mostly children of wealthy people, which determined their consciousness; on the contrary, "their consciousness” is what motivated them to determine their existence not in the comfortable homes of their fathers, but rather in an abandoned land, on land infested with swamps and fever… It is not "our existence" as individuals that made us, in the period of direct British enslavement, enter the underground and become fighters; on the contrary, inner consciousness, clearly the labor of Ze’ev Jabotinsky, is what determined "our existence" as rebels against the foreign rule.
It would be possible to expand upon these examples. But there is no need for additional cases for once something is proved, there is no need to add proof. The vision of "determining existence through consciousness" passes through history – and uniquely through the history of Israel.

15.      Implicit religion – Living ideals – Pages 30-31
We must prove "the living connection", and not just "the nursing connection", between ideas that are based on our "world outlook", upon the foundations on which the national outlook is built.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Anonymous #OpIsrael, where were you?

Anonymous, where were you when you could have done some good?

You are now attacking hundreds of websites, and the privacy of institutions and individuals, claiming that this is a mercy mission on behalf of suffering Palestinian Arabs in Gaza.

Where were you when the Syrian government was murdering thousands of its citizens for the last many months?

Where were you when Hamas praised the blowing up of a bus of civilians in Tel Aviv this morning?

Where were you before there was ever a Gaza blockade, when Hamas launched daily rockets into Israel without any provocation other than the existence of Jews in land they wanted?

Where were you when Hamas kidnapped Gilad Schalit and held him without any of the requirements of the Geneva Convention, without even a Red Cross visit?

Where were you when Hamas included in the Objectives of its charter, "Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it" (The Martyr, Imam Hassan al-Banna, of blessed memory)."?

Where where you when Hamas included in its charter, "Our struggle against the Jews is very great and very serious. It needs all sincere efforts. It is a step that inevitably should be followed by other steps. The Movement is but one squadron that should be supported by more and more squadrons from this vast Arab and Islamic world, until the enemy is vanquished and Allah's victory is realised."?

Where were you when Hamas wrote in Article Eleven of its charter, "The Islamic Resistance Movement believes that the land of Palestine is an Islamic Waqf consecrated for future Muslim generations until Judgement Day. It, or any part of it, should not be squandered: it, or any part of it, should not be given up. Neither a single Arab country nor all Arab countries, neither any king or president, nor all the kings and presidents, neither any organization nor all of them, be they Palestinian or Arab, possess the right to do that. Palestine is an Islamic Waqf land consecrated for Muslim generations until Judgement Day. This being so, who could claim to have the right to represent Muslim generations till Judgement Day? This is the law governing the land of Palestine in the Islamic Sharia (law) and the same goes for any land the Muslims have conquered by force, because during the times of (Islamic) conquests, the Muslims consecrated these lands to Muslim generations till the Day of Judgement."?

Where were you when Hamas wrote in Article Thirteen of its charter, "Initiatives, and so-called peaceful solutions and international conferences, are in contradiction to the principles of the Islamic Resistance Movement. Abusing any part of Palestine is abuse directed against part of religion. Nationalism of the Islamic Resistance Movement is part of its religion. Its members have been fed on that. For the sake of hoisting the banner of Allah over their homeland they fight. "Allah will be prominent, but most people do not know."
Now and then the call goes out for the convening of an international conference to look for ways of solving the (Palestinian) question. Some accept, others reject the idea, for this or other reason, with one stipulation or more for consent to convening the conference and participating in it. Knowing the parties constituting the conference, their past and present attitudes towards Muslim problems, the Islamic Resistance Movement does not consider these conferences capable of realising the demands, restoring the rights or doing justice to the oppressed. These conferences are only ways of setting the infidels in the land of the Muslims as arbitraters. When did the infidels do justice to the believers?
"But the Jews will not be pleased with thee, neither the Christians, until thou follow their religion; say, The direction of Allah is the true direction. And verily if thou follow their desires, after the knowledge which hath been given thee, thou shalt find no patron or protector against Allah." (The Cow - verse 120). There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavors. The Palestinian people know better than to consent to having their future, rights and fate toyed with. As in said in the honourable Hadith:
"The people of Syria are Allah's lash in His land. He wreaks His vengeance through them against whomsoever He wishes among His slaves It is unthinkable that those who are double-faced among them should prosper over the faithful. They will certainly die out of grief and desperation."

Where were you when Israel left Gaza in 2005, and Palestinian Arabs had control of their borders and their own self-government, and they elected Hamas, which pledges to obliterate Israel?

Where were you when the corrupt government of Hamas abused its own people for its own enrichment for years, as the Daily Star in Lebanon wrote?

Where were you when Hamas violated basic Women's Rights, as recorded by the Gulf News and LA Times and Justice for Gaza?

Or how about these times:
The Gaza crossings were open following Disengagement, monitored by EU agents to prevent weapons smuggling, starting in November 2005. Since then, Hamas has used them for attacks repeatedly, and forced both the EU and Israel to close them.

Here’s a timetable, followed by the relevant CNN articles as proof:

December 2005
- EU monitors left the crossings because they felt they were endangered by Hamas… and Israel re-opened the crossings anyway.

June 2006 - Hamas commences launches rockets into Israel for the first time since Disengagement. Israel keeps crossings open anyway.

July 2006 - Israel closes the crossings in response to the kidnapping of Gilad Shalit… then re-opens them anyway.

December 2006 - Israel closes the crossings in response to smuggling, and EU monitors close them because they feel they are in danger… and then Israel re-opens them anyway.

June 2007 - Israel closes the crossings in response to the Hamas takeover of Gaza, because the official Hamas charter calls for the destruction of Israel… then Israel re-opens them.

January 2008 - Israel closes border crossings in response to Hamas rocket attacks… then Israel re-opens them.

April 2008 - Israel keeps border crossings open despite Hamas terror attacks at the crossings


Here are the CNN links:

November 14, 2005
RAMALLAH, West Bank (CNN) -- Israeli and Palestinian leaders neared an agreement on Gaza border crossings Monday, officials said, prompting U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to extend her visit to the region.

November 25, 2005
(CNN) -- A main crossing from southern Gaza into Egypt, closed in September as Israeli forces withdrew from Gaza, is to open Saturday following a U.S.-brokered deal between Israelis and Palestinians....
While control of the crossing is being transferred to the Palestinians, dozens of monitors from the European Union will remain for at least 12 months and will have the final word in any dispute about who and what is allowed in and out of the territory.
The border will be open only four hours a day at first, but officials say it eventually will operate 24 hours a day.

December 20, 2005
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- A Palestinian police protest Friday prompted the departure of European Union monitors for safety reasons and the temporary closing of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, authorities said.
Meanwhile, gunmen attacked a Gaza police station where their relatives were being held and killed a 14-year-old Palestinian, said Palestinian security officials.
The Rafah crossing disturbance involved 100 policemen, who staged a sit-in within the terminal to protest the shooting death of a policeman Thursday.
According to Palestinian police sources, the officer was killed by the family of a drug dealer caught at the crossing terminal.

December 30, 2005
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt was closed for several hours Friday after a Palestinian police protest forced European Union monitors to leave in fear for their safety, authorities said.
In other signs of the chaos in Gaza, a 14-year-old Palestinian was killed Friday when gunmen attacked a police station where their relatives were being held, Palestinian security officials said.
And, no progress was reported in winning the release of three British hostages, kidnapped by Palestinian gunmen in Rafah earlier in the week. (Posted 11:55 a.m.)

January 3, 2006
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Random kidnappings. Daily exchanges of gunfire between police and armed militants. Different neighborhoods patrolled and controlled by competing militias.
It appears as if Gaza has degenerated into anarchy.
In just the past 10 days in the 146-square-mile territory (about twice the size of Washington, D.C.):
• Three Palestinian government offices were occupied by gunmen.
• Armed militants detonated explosives in a United Nations club.
• Three British nationals were kidnapped at gunpoint.
• An Italian man was abducted.
• Two rival families unloaded weapons at each other in a personal dispute.
• A Palestinian police officer was killed in a shootout between police and militants.
• The Palestinian-controlled border crossing was shut down by police angry at the death of their colleague, prompting European Union monitors to leave.
• Palestinian police took over government offices in their continuing protest.
• Israel launched air strikes on suspected militant targets.
Gaza was not supposed to turn out this way.
Last summer, Israel ended its 38-year military occupation of the area. For the first time in history, Gaza came under Palestinian rule.
No Ottoman Turks, no British mandate, no Egyptian control, no Israeli occupation. And in November, the Palestinian Authority took control over an international border crossing for the first time in history.
But since then, it's the absence of law and order in the territory that's been its most notable feature.

June 12 2006
Five Qassam rockets landed on the Israeli side of the Gaza border Monday morning, causing no injuries or significant damage, the Israel Defense Forces said.
The Monday launches followed a series of at least 70 rockets fired into Israel from Gaza since Friday, wounding four Israeli civilians, the Israeli forces said.
Two rockets landed near the security fence separating Gaza from Israel and three others landed near an Israeli community, the IDF said.
On Saturday, Hamas' military wing, Izzedine al Qassam, said it had resumed rocket strikes against Israel after a hiatus of more than a year.

July 15, 2006
The crossing has been closed since June 25, when three groups of Palestinian militants, including Hamas' military wing, captured an Israeli soldier.
Israel sent forces into Gaza and clamped down on residents' movements after the capture of Cpl. Gilad Shalit, 19, and the killing of two of his colleagues.


December 14, 2006
RAFAH CROSSING (CNN) -- Gunfire broke out and a border crossing was closed after Israel blocked Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya from crossing into Gaza from Egypt on Thursday.
Israeli intelligence believed Haniya was carrying "dozens of millions of dollars" of suspected Iranian money to finance militant activity, a senior Israeli security source told CNN.
Sources in Haniya's Hamas party said after Haniya was initially blocked, he planned to try to cross without bringing in money. But the European Union, which has monitors at the crossing, closed it after Hamas militants fired on terminal guards loyal to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Militants also used explosives to put a hole in the wall at the border crossing.
Later Thursday night, however, Haniya was allowed to cross after an hours-long wait. His supporters fired gunshots in the air.

January 26 2008
Palestinians in Gaza have faced difficulty obtaining supplies since Israel sealed its border with Gaza one week ago in an effort to quell rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel.

June 18, 2007
Karni Crossing, the main Israel-Gaza border crossing, has been closed for six days. According to B'Tselem, Erez crossing was closed on Saturday and Nahal Oz was closed on Sunday.
In addition, the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza has been closed since last weekend.

April 20, 2008
Palestinian militants detonated two car bombs at an Israel-Gaza border crossing in what the Israeli military said was an attack timed to coincide with Passover. The week-long Jewish holiday began at sundown Saturday.
Under dense fog, the attackers approached the Kerem Shalom border crossing early Saturday in two explosives-laden vehicles disguised as Israeli military vehicles, according to the Israeli military. The two car bombs killed the four attackers and seriously wounded an Israeli soldier. Twelve other soldiers suffered moderate or minor injuries, the military said.
According to the Israeli military, an "alert" Israeli force detonated a fourth booby-trapped vehicle before it could detonate Sunday near the security fence surrounding Kibbutz Nirim.
"The terrorists planned to execute a wider attack, possibly kidnapping [Israeli] soldiers," according to the Israel Defense Forces. "This is the fifth attack in 10 days upon a central life-line crossing such as Kerem Shalom and Nahal Oz fuel terminal."
Israel sends nearly 200 humanitarian aid trucks into Gaza every week through the Kerem Shalom border crossing, which separates southern Gaza and Israel. Last week, Israeli troops stopped an infiltration attempt by a group of Palestinian militants at Kerem Shalom, killing one and wounding another, according to Palestinian security sources.
On April 9, Palestinian militants infiltrated Israel through the Nahal Oz border crossing and fired on the fuel terminal there, killing two Israeli civilian workers. In response, Israel halted already reduced fuel shipments to Gaza.

November 13, 2008
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency, which provides assistance to some 80 percent of Gaza's 1.5 million people, said it was forced to suspend deliveries of fuel and humanitarian relief on Thursday because Israel closed its border crossings with Gaza.
The move comes amid escalating hostilities on the Gaza-Israel border, which is threatening a five-month truce between Israel and Palestinian militant factions in Gaza.

Or how about these events:

AUGUST 12 2005 - A Foundation purchases Gaza greenhouses for the Palestinians
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- A private foundation has raised $14 million to buy most of the greenhouses in Jewish settlements in Gaza, a representative of former Israeli Knesset member Yossi Beilin said Friday.
The Economic Cooperation Foundation will transfer the money to the settlers and the greenhouses will be handed over to the Palestinian Authority.
The money was raised by International Quartet special envoy James Wolfensohn, a former World Bank president who also contributed $500,000 of his money.
Beilin is one of the heads of the foundation and was involved in the talks.
The announcement of the deal comes three days before the Israeli government will officially inform 9,000 Israeli Jews in 21 settlements in Gaza and four small settlements in the West Bank that they must leave as part of the government's disengagement plan.


September 13 2005 - Gazans demolish and loot what Israel left them
GAZA CITY (CNN)-
Palestinians rushed into former Jewish settlements in Gaza on Monday after the last Israeli troops withdrew. Most of the housing in Gaza had been flattened by the Israelis, but Palestinians set fire to abandoned synagogues and other public buildings.
Palestinian Authority security forces did not move to stop the crowds even though Abbas said the plan was to turn the former synagogues and other public buildings into community facilities for the Palestinians.


February 12, 2006 - Palestinian representative in the US insists that Hamas will act responsibly
BLITZER: Well, is it realistic to assume that Putin and other Russians might be able to influence Hamas to accept those conditions that the Israelis, the U.S. and others have put forward, that they accept Israel and that they renounce terrorism.

SAFIEH: I believe that Hamas is going to behave with great responsibility, surprising many.


May 1, 2006 - Gaza envoy Wolfensohn resigns, says issues 'above my pay grade'
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- James Wolfensohn, the U.S. special envoy for Gaza disengagement, is stepping down from that position, he and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced Monday.
Wolfensohn, the former head of the World Bank, said that the issues at work in the Mideast have now gone "above my pay grade."
"With the government of Hamas having taken over with the Palestinians, it's a very difficult movement to be able to try and negotiate any independent type of arrangements that would affect the future of Gaza and the West Bank, because of the emphasis that Hamas puts on the destruction of the state of Israel and the less-than-communicative relationship with that state," he said in a joint appearance with Rice.
Rice agreed that the work needed now in the region is beyond that of a special envoy, and she said she was not seeking a replacement for Wolfensohn. (Posted 7:43 p.m.)


May 18 2007 Israel warns of harsh response to Hamas rockets
GAZA CITY (CNN) -- Israel's response to rockets launched from Gaza into its cities has been "measured" so far but could grow harsher if the attacks continue, Israel's ambassador to the United States said Friday.
"The basic contract between a government and its citizens is to provide them with safety," Sallai Meridor told reporters.
Israel launched more airstrikes against Hamas targets in Gaza on Friday, the second day it targeted the militant group in retaliation for dozens of rockets it says have been fired from Gaza into Israel during the last several days...
Israel said Qassam rockets launched from Gaza hit a school and a synagogue in Sderot, near Israel's border with Gaza. Two other rockets hit a home and nearly hit a gas station, the military said. Officials said more than 90 rockets from Gaza have landed in Israel since Tuesday.


March 3 2008 - Israel Withdraws Troops from Gaza after entering to destroy rocket launchers
Israeli infantry started withdrawing from the town of Jebalya after midnight following several days of fighting, the military said, but the government vowed it would continue its offensive against rocket squads…
Despite the lopsided death toll, Hamas sent a message to reporters calling the pullout a retreat by the "cowardly'' Israeli military. But Israel said the withdrawal didn't signal it was scaling back its Gaza operations.
"Our efforts against the rocket launchers and those who operate them will continue unabated until Israeli children will no longer be attacked while sitting in their own classrooms, and until their families can sit in their own homes without fear of a rocket crashing through their roof,'' government spokesman David Baker said.
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said a full-scale invasion was still possible, and Israel might try to bring down the regime of the militant Islamic Hamas. "We will use force to change the situation,'' Barak said at a meeting late Sunday of security commanders, according to a statement from his office.


May 10, 2008 - Rocket launches from Gaza into Israel increase
There has been a steady increase in rocket and mortar launchings from Gaza since Hamas took over in June 2007. There have been approximately 2,000 launches from Gaza since the start of 2008, about the same number as were launched in all of 2007.


Anonymous, where have you been?

Hypocrites.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Supporters of Hamas, are these your values?




Let's review their values, taken from the charter of Hamas (featured below in bold and underlining):
* Israel must be obliterated
* The struggle is against Jews; Jews are not allowed in Palestine
* There can be no peace with Jews

Let's review their history:
Gaza was controlled by Egypt until 1967, when Arab nations instigated a war, and lost it in the war.
Nonetheless, Israel gave Arabs control of Gaza in 2005 - despite decades of Arabs using it as a base to kill Jews - and they continued to use it as a base for attacks.
Israel imposed a blockade against weapons coming in, while continuing to provide daily humanitarian aid. The result was only a growth of attacks.

And let's look at what Hamas has created:
Hamas has established a society in which only the corrupt leadership become wealthy, in which women are oppressed, and in which non-Muslims suffer.

Read these articles:
Hamas Corruption Weighs Heavily on Gaza (Daily Star, Lebanon)

Women's Right to Inheritance Violated in Gaza (Gulf News)

Palestinian says women's rights forgotten in Gaza (LA Times)

Islamization of the Gaza Strip (Wikipedia)

Women's Rights deterioriating in Gaza; gays, Christians also suffer (Justice for Gaza)

Is this really what you support?


Objectives
The Covenant of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas)


In The Name Of The Most Merciful Allah

"Ye are the best nation that hath been raised up unto mankind: ye command that which is just, and ye forbid that which is unjust, and ye believe in Allah. And if they who have received the scriptures had believed, it had surely been the better for them: there are believers among them, but the greater part of them are transgressors. They shall not hurt you, unless with a slight hurt; and if they fight against you, they shall turn their backs to you, and they shall not be helped. They are smitten with vileness wheresoever they are found; unless they obtain security by entering into a treaty with Allah, and a treaty with men; and they draw on themselves indignation from Allah, and they are afflicted with poverty. This they suffer, because they disbelieved the signs of Allah, and slew the prophets unjustly; this, because they were rebellious, and transgressed." (Al-Imran - verses 109-111).

Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it" (The Martyr, Imam Hassan al-Banna, of blessed memory).

"The Islamic world is on fire. Each of us should pour some water, no matter how little, to extinguish whatever one can without waiting for the others." (Sheikh Amjad al-Zahawi, of blessed memory).


In The Name Of The Most Merciful Allah
Introduction
Praise be unto Allah, to whom we resort for help, and whose forgiveness, guidance and support we seek; Allah bless the Prophet and grant him salvation, his companions and supporters, and to those who carried out his message and adopted his laws - everlasting prayers and salvation as long as the earth and heaven will last. Hereafter:
O People:
Out of the midst of troubles and the sea of suffering, out of the palpitations of faithful hearts and cleansed arms; out of the sense of duty, and in response to Allah's command, the call has gone out rallying people together and making them follow the ways of Allah, leading them to have determined will in order to fulfill their role in life, to overcome all obstacles, and surmount the difficulties on the way. Constant preparation has continued and so has the readiness to sacrifice life and all that is precious for the sake of Allah.
Thus it was that the nucleus (of the movement) was formed and started to pave its way through the tempestuous sea of hopes and expectations, of wishes and yearnings, of troubles and obstacles, of pain and challenges, both inside and outside.
When the idea was ripe, the seed grew and the plant struck root in the soil of reality, away from passing emotions, and hateful haste. The Islamic Resistance Movement emerged to carry out its role through striving for the sake of its Creator, its arms intertwined with those of all the fighters for the liberation of Palestine. The spirits of its fighters meet with the spirits of all the fighters who have sacrificed their lives on the soil of Palestine, ever since it was conquered by the companions of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him salvation, and until this day.
This Covenant of the Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS), clarifies its picture, reveals its identity, outlines its stand, explains its aims, speaks about its hopes, and calls for its support, adoption and joining its ranks. Our struggle against the Jews is very great and very serious. It needs all sincere efforts. It is a step that inevitably should be followed by other steps. The Movement is but one squadron that should be supported by more and more squadrons from this vast Arab and Islamic world, until the enemy is vanquished and Allah's victory is realised.
Thus we see them coming on the horizon "and you shall learn about it hereafter" "Allah hath written, Verily I will prevail, and my apostles: for Allah is strong and mighty." (The Dispute - verse 21).
"Say to them, This is my way: I invite you to Allah, by an evident demonstration; both I and he who followeth me; and, praise be unto Allah! I am not an idolator." (Joseph - verse 107).
Hamas (means) strength and bravery -(according to) Al-Mua'jam al-Wasit: c1.
Strategies and Methods
Strategies of the Islamic Resistance Movement: Palestine Is Isalmic aqf:

Article Eleven:

The Islamic Resistance Movement believes that the land of Palestine is an Islamic Waqf consecrated for future Muslim generations until Judgement Day. It, or any part of it, should not be squandered: it, or any part of it, should not be given up. Neither a single Arab country nor all Arab countries, neither any king or president, nor all the kings and presidents, neither any organization nor all of them, be they Palestinian or Arab, possess the right to do that. Palestine is an Islamic Waqf land consecrated for Muslim generations until Judgement Day. This being so, who could claim to have the right to represent Muslim generations till Judgement Day?
This is the law governing the land of Palestine in the Islamic Sharia (law) and the same goes for any land the Muslims have conquered by force, because during the times of (Islamic) conquests, the Muslims consecrated these lands to Muslim generations till the Day of Judgement.
It happened like this: When the leaders of the Islamic armies conquered Syria and Iraq, they sent to the Caliph of the Muslims, Umar bin-el-Khatab, asking for his advice concerning the conquered land - whether they should divide it among the soldiers, or leave it for its owners, or what? After consultations and discussions between the Caliph of the Muslims, Omar bin-el-Khatab and companions of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him salvation, it was decided that the land should be left with its owners who could benefit by its fruit. As for the real ownership of the land and the land itself, it should be consecrated for Muslim generations till Judgement Day. Those who are on the land, are there only to benefit from its fruit. This Waqf remains as long as earth and heaven remain. Any procedure in contradiction to Islamic Sharia, where Palestine is concerned, is null and void.
"Verily, this is a certain truth. Wherefore praise the name of thy Lord, the great Allah." (The Inevitable - verse 95).
Homeland and Nationalism from the Point of View of the Islamic Resistance Movement in Palestine:

Article Twelve:

Nationalism, from the point of view of the Islamic Resistance Movement, is part of the religious creed. Nothing in nationalism is more significant or deeper than in the case when an enemy should tread Muslim land. Resisting and quelling the enemy become the individual duty of every Muslim, male or female. A woman can go out to fight the enemy without her husband's permission, and so does the slave: without his master's permission.
Nothing of the sort is to be found in any other regime. This is an undisputed fact. If other nationalist movements are connected with materialistic, human or regional causes, nationalism of the Islamic Resistance Movement has all these elements as well as the more important elements that give it soul and life. It is connected to the source of spirit and the granter of life, hoisting in the sky of the homeland the heavenly banner that joins earth and heaven with a strong bond.
If Moses comes and throws his staff, both witch and magic are annulled.
"Now is the right direction manifestly distinguished from deceit: whoever therefore shall deny Tagut, and believe in Allah, he shall surely take hold with a strong handle, which shall not be broken; Allah is he who heareth and seeth." (The Cow - Verse 256).
Peaceful Solutions, Initiatives and International Conferences:

Article Thirteen:

Initiatives, and so-called peaceful solutions and international conferences, are in contradiction to the principles of the Islamic Resistance Movement. Abusing any part of Palestine is abuse directed against part of religion. Nationalism of the Islamic Resistance Movement is part of its religion. Its members have been fed on that. For the sake of hoisting the banner of Allah over their homeland they fight. "Allah will be prominent, but most people do not know."
Now and then the call goes out for the convening of an international conference to look for ways of solving the (Palestinian) question. Some accept, others reject the idea, for this or other reason, with one stipulation or more for consent to convening the conference and participating in it. Knowing the parties constituting the conference, their past and present attitudes towards Muslim problems, the Islamic Resistance Movement does not consider these conferences capable of realising the demands, restoring the rights or doing justice to the oppressed. These conferences are only ways of setting the infidels in the land of the Muslims as arbitraters. When did the infidels do justice to the believers?
"But the Jews will not be pleased with thee, neither the Christians, until thou follow their religion; say, The direction of Allah is the true direction. And verily if thou follow their desires, after the knowledge which hath been given thee, thou shalt find no patron or protector against Allah." (The Cow - verse 120).
There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavors. The Palestinian people know better than to consent to having their future, rights and fate toyed with. As in said in the honourable Hadith:
"The people of Syria are Allah's lash in His land. He wreaks His vengeance through them against whomsoever He wishes among His slaves It is unthinkable that those who are double-faced among them should prosper over the faithful. They will certainly die out of grief and desperation."