Jesus, a soldier at the checkpoint

Palestinian narrative and propoganda, as previously discussed, highjack Jewish history, rewrite it, colonialise it and after all the alterations and repackaging is sold to the west to garner sympathy for their deceitful narrative.

One of those that was made to appeal to Western crowd (and goes hand in hand with the modern Islamic-Christian dialogue that they exploit to advance their own agenda) is the story and identity of Jesus. The most basic claim is that Jesus (and Mary) is a Palestinian. Some will say he wasn't even a Jew, that if he lived today he would be mistreated by Israeli government and could not cross the border to his home in betlehem because of Israeli checkpoints. Than they talk about Jesus representation in Quran as Isa. Making Jesus the Palestinian who was killed by Jews, again. Again different types of narratives depends on the group or individual you might encounter and deal with, but the basic premise is Jesus was a Palestinian, Jews killed him. If he lived today he would be mistreated because he would have to stand in a checkpoint.

So in case you didn't know, the Christian bible a.k.a the New Testament that starts with the book of Matthew opens with Jesus genealogy from Abraham, through Isaac and Jacob (who was renamed Israel, by the way, not Palestine, and his descendants are known as Sons of Israel, and this land is named after him). Continues through generations to Kings David and Solomon and it even refers to the Jewish exile to Babylon. The first chapter of the first book of the Christian bible tries to make it as clear as possible the Jesus is literally a descendant of Israel, that he is one of the sons of Israel, not only that but part of Israels (and the tribe of Judah) royal lineage. Also refering to the first exile of the Jewish people to Babylon.

During that exile the sons of Israel were started to be referred to as Jews or Yehudim, because they came mostly from the part that is known till this day as Yehuda (Judea) were Jews or Israeli Christians who now live there are called “settleres” by Pro Palestinian propogandanists.

The book of Matthew that portrays Jesus story through his birth, familial exile to egypt to save him, and return to Israel, not Palestine, but instead of returning to Judea (again, not Palestine. Or West Bank) they go to Nazareth.

You can read more about Jesus story if you will open the Christian bible, and what better time would that be than Christmas, right? And interestingly enough Christmas and Hannukah will be celebrated this year on the same day! And you know who celebrated Hannukah also known as festival of dedication? Jesus! As mentioned in John 10:22-23. Hannukah is celebration of the Maccabeas/Hasmoneans against the greek empire and king Antiouchus anti-Jewish and anti-Torah laws. So the Hasmoneans revolted, won, purified from Idols the house of the Lord, the Temple, and restored the Jews their rights to observe the laws of God under Jewish rule, in Jewish kingdom in their land Israel.

So, today Bethlehem, the birthtown of Jesus, that resides in Judea, part of the land of Israel, part of the Jewish homeland, is now under full Palestinian Authority control. There's a shrinking community of Christians who live there. The Palestinians would like to blame Israel for that, except that if it's true than why the rest of Bethlehem residents only keep growing? Well, it's probably because the treatment they get by the Palestinian society in which they live in. you can start reading more about it in an article from August 2016 “The silent struggle of Bethlehem Christians” by Lela Gilbert.

So we have already established that Jesus, according to the Christian bible was a Jew, an observant Jew, that lived in Israel, spent atleast a part of his life in Judea, celebrated a holiday of decolonising his Ancestors homeland from Greek occupiers and re-establishing a Jewish kingdom and allowing Jews to follow their laws and God again.

We also know that today his town of birth, Bethlehem, is now controled by the Palestinian colonisers. And just like he and his family couldn't return to their home town because of fear of death by an occupying force, so today no Jew can actually live there and even might be executed, that Jesus modern disciples, Christians, who live there are being mistreated and haunted by the Palestinian Occupation.

So let's say Jesus was alive today. He would probably be an IDF reservist, probably an officer. If he was standing at a checkpoint, he would be the one there that keeps everyone safe from Palestinian terrorists. He would have to check ID's, make sure no one carries fire arms, explosives or try to go on a stabbing spree. Make sure no one tries to start a car-ramming attack. And then probably go back home to Nazareth Ilit.

But since Jesus is not around right now, its regular Israelis guarding Israel at the checkpoints. Sometimes those are Jewish soldiers, sometimes its Druze soldiers, sometimes its Israeli-Arab soldiers, sometimes its Christians soldiers. All of them need to make sure that no Palestinian occupier terrorist will not kill fellow Israelis. And this holidays (and everyday) we should pray for their safe return and success in their mission.

#DecolonizeNow

Let's talk decolonization!

One of the weirdest things I have encountered during my work with foreign journalists who came to cover Operation Pillar of Defense and later on is that they had zero clue about Israeli society nor Jewish identity or sometimes even basic history. So their ignorance was pretty clear. Not all the journalists were like this but still plenty.

So those journo's had to get some background for their work and that's one issue. But later on I heard from activists, and later on saw for myself how individuals and organizations, some of them affect journo's who come here, work to recolonize Israel and Colonize Jewish and Israeli identity.

Before I get into more details about the phenomenon and what we should do about it, we need to talk about post-colonization. Altough the western society started to listen to the nations and people they occupied, enslaved, exploited and started accepting their narrative and giving some of them their freedoms back (sorry, there are still nations oppressed by western nations), it seems that the West didn't have enough of messing with the Jewish people.

After the Romans invaded our land, exploited our resources, enslaved us and exiled us they renamed the name of the land to offend us and to cut our ties to it. Later on when Christianity separated further from Judaism and started to grow both in numbers and influence they developed a theology of replacement. The Christians were the “New [sons of] Israel” and thus all God’s promises to the Jewish people are now either revoked or will come to pass to the Christians only.

So most of the Jewish people were exiled and during almost 2000 years of exile they kept spreading because that's what happens when your people are a persecuted minority under hostile empires or kingdoms.

Now finally during the 20^th century more and more Jews returned to their ancestral land and even got to re-establish their own state in their own land. But hold on! Now this land has a few more residents. Arabs, who kept coming from neighbouring countries following the bloom of the Yeshuv Ivri, the Jewish communities that existed prior to Israel's re-establishment.

Later on, in the 1960's Arab terrorists developed a new narrative, claiming they are indigenous people of this land and calling themselves Palestinians. This narrative kept mutating over the years. Now some individuals and organizations claim that Jews, Christians, Muslims and Druze were all Palestinians until the Zionists from Europe, who are considered “fake Jews” by them came. They also claimed there was peace and full coexistence between the groups while ignoring the bloodshed Muslims inflicted both Christians and Jews.

Of course many Arabs, and even more so today, prefer to see themselves as Israeli-Arabs, or similar definitions and reject completely the Palestinian identity and even more so the narrative. Most Jews reject this narrative as do most of the Druze that live in Israel.

Now we see the mutated narrative claiming that Israel is actually “Palestine”, that Arabs are indigenous to this land and have thousands of years long culture here, though its disproven by history, archaeology and common sense. They claim biblical Samson was actually Palestinian (funny, considering he was from Sons of Israel, a prophet for the Jewish God and fought the Philistines, those who the Palestinians are named after, who were actually invaders from Greece!) they also claim Jesus was Palestinian, which is funny because he was Jewish, the New Testament also mentions he celebrated Jewish holidays, that he came for the Jewish people first, visited the temple (that most of the Palestinians seem to deny its existence) and wasn’t a supporter of the Romans.

So, they claim they are Indigenous, they try gradually highjack Jewish legacy and history, they try to rewrite reallity but it isn't enough for them. One of the most interesting developments is trying to ruin the concept of Jewish Identity. They Claim that Jews that lived in Israel prior to the re-establishment are also “Palestinians”, they claim Jews who lived in Arab countries are Arab Jews (denying or forgeting how they mistreated them) but the Jews from western countries mostly Europe they try to portrait as White Colonialists. Trying to claim that Jews from Europe are mostly descended of people that were called Khazar. Trying to make an hirarchy in Jewishness and deciding who is Jew and who has a right to be a Jew. And I see some secular Jews in the US also started gradually accepting definitions that being Jewish is being “white” or something like that.

By colonizing Israel's history, Jewish identity and legacy they try to de-legitimize Israel's existence and Jewish right to have a country, especially in the Jewish homeland. And it's time that Jews and pro-Israel activist will recognize this is being done simultaneously, as a means of re-colonizing us.

So what to do? Decolonize! Study history! Fact-check! If someone challenges you with something than research it! Understand that Jewish identity isn't just plain religious or national identity, it's being part of a tribe who also share the same customs and faiths. Yes there are a few diffrences, 2000 years of being apart can do such a thing! And guess what! Even if someone has converted to Judaism he is part of the tribe now, and has the same rights and promises God gave to the people of Israel granted upon him.

So stand tall, sons of Israel, you are indigenous, you were colonized, occupied, exploited, exiled, enslaved and lost everything. Your nation was the first one to amaze the world by getting out of slavery and many attempts of genocide both physical and spiritual. Yet, you are still here! Embrace who you are!

#DecolonizeNow!

It's People Who Kill, Not Language

Suicide Bombings, Terrorism, Death and Terrorists are automatically associated to the Arabic language, some will say rightfully so, and some who will say its wrongful. Daniel Salame written about the suspicion he encountered as an Arabic speaker, with mixed emotions

During operation “Protective Edge” I was officer in active duty in the Air Force. A year after the operation, a special event was held in the Western Wall to give Torah Books to the families of fallen soldiers, donated by buisnessmen from North America. It took long time to plan this event, and it cost a fortune. The one who initiated and driven it was a Jewish buisnessman from Canada. I was invited to the event as an honorary guest of this dear, kind-hearted Jewish man, and it moved me very much.

Of course I had to send my personal details a month early so I will pass security checks by the American security and the Shin Bet (They secured the event tightly. God knows where my passport number and visa are passing now. Visa to the U.S okay? I am not dumb enough to give away my credit card details. I only keep them on my phone and various websites that no one has access to. Please don't tell anyone).

Embarassing, I don't know Jerusalem at all. I parked near the Ammunition Hill and from there I took the light rail. I was lost very quickly in the market near the Western Wall and arrived to place that was empty except for Arab merchants. One of them noticed I was lost, and asked me in Hebrew if I need help. I answered in Arabic that yes, I do need help, and I hesitated for a moment because I didn't know if it will be smart to tell him in Arabic that I'm going to a ceremony in which Torah books will be given in the Western Wall. If I still was on active duty they would make inquiry about it.

In the event I was sitted near many officers and IDF top-ranked officers. The IDF chief of staff and the director of the Shin-Bet sat in a row in front of me, the President of Israel and the chief rabbis where there, and other senior figures from politics and security, ambassadors of various states, and many donors and buisnessmen. I set with all of them in the VIP section, about a meter from the stage. I admit, it was one of the most touching moments in my life.

Next day's morning, on my way to work, I called my mother, excited to tell her about last night. I told her how it has been, she asked me when I returned back to Tel-Aviv, why I didn't call yesterday to say I got back home safely. I didn't spare any detail, after all I was excited to be a part of it. And as everytime we talk on the phone, we spoke in Arabic.

Before me a woman who walked down the street and she turned her head back to me every 4-5 seconds. She stared at me very rudely, and accelerated her steps to get further. For her dismay I walk in the speed I talk, so even though she tried to avoid me we both stood, shoulder to shoulder, waiting for the traffic lights to change so we can cross the road. I meant to stand near her. She moved to the other side and looked at me like I might jump on her and kill her. Just because I spoke to my mother in Arabic.

Many thoughts raced through my mind. I admit, I was angry, but I wanted to talk to her. I wanted to tell her “You shouldn't be afraid, I speak Arabic, but I'm not a terrorist”. I wanted to tell her where I was less than 12 hours ago, about all the honoraries from IDF, Shin-Bet and the Ambassadors I sat with, that she probably wouldn't get to be in their presence, or to get in. I wanted to tell her that I was an IAF officer (and still am in reserve duty). I wanted to calm her down and tell her everything is fine. I wanted to tell her that only few hours ago I was deeply moved when I saw parents who lost their children in the war, getting Torah books in their children honour with teary eyes. I wanted to say I wore the same uniform as they wore, and took part in the same war.

But I didn't say anything. Haven't said a word. I knew it wouldn't help. I thought that I didn't really need to explain myself to someone choose to be scared of me without knowing me, just because of my language.

To this day I'm not sure how I feel about it – angry at her, feel sorry for her, sad for her, sad for me. I don't know if it's racism, ignorance or fear from a language that directly associates to bombings and death.

In the first vist of Germany's PM in Israel in 2014, there was a huge discussion about if she should speak at the Knesset in German, and thus allowing the language of the Nazi's to be heard in the heart of one of Israel's most important institutions, Israel that rised from the ashes of the victims of the Holocaust. After considerations, Germany's PM read her speech in German and said that the atrocities were comitted by the Nazis not by the language.

I understood that I wasn't offended personally from this occurrence, after all she doesn't know me, she has no clue who I am. She head Arabic in a street in Tel-Aviv, and she might not be used to it. She wasn't scared of me, she was scared from my language and what she associates it with: Murder, Death, Bombins, Terror. Maybe she witnessed a terror attack, was present in a scary situation or lost a person dear to her in one. With all my justified anger, I thought to myself, how can I judge her?

The following day I went down the same street and went to buy coffee on my way to work. The clerk is an Arab and knows me for a long time. “Good morning Ahmed, my regular, please”, I said. “Why suddenly you ask your order in Hebrew and not Arabic?” he wondered. “I don't know”, I replied in Arabic, “I didn't even notice”.

Daniel Salame is an Israeli of Druze origin, he is a columnist in NRG and Social Media entertainer. He has given me permission to translate to the best of my ability this column. The original coulmn in Hebrew can be found here.

Teenager murdered, Rabbi murdered, Kindergarten ruined by rocket

A family lose their teenage daughter, a family lose their father, two Israelis are stabbed in Netanya and a rocket hits a kindergarten as incitement and terrorism continues.

I haven't written for a while, yet not posting or reporting about it doesn't mean the reality has changed. The violence continues. People were killed, people were injured, the pointless violence encouraged by terror groups that want to harm and divide.

Two days ago a terrorist entered the home of the Ariel family in Kiryat Arba and murdered their 13 year old daughter Hallel. A young, innocent girl, just starting her summer vacation. She was stabbed viciously more than 30 times. She died of her wounds. She didn't do anything to anybody. Just because she was a young Jewish girl. I was shocked to hear that her murderer, who was eliminated by the guard that he also stabbed, was celebrated as a hero in the Palestinian society for the act of murdering a sleeping innocent 13 year old girl.

His mother expressed her joy and pride in his act. To add to the horror you had to read the comments over social media. People took time to write short columns justifying her murder, as shocking as it sounds and also expressing their joy over her brutal death, as sickening as it was.

Later that day an Arab stabbed two Israelis in the market in Netanya. They were just doing their Shabbat shopping, not harming anyone but that didn't matter. The Arab just stabbed them and was shot dead by a passer-by. Later his accomplice was arrested at his home in Jaffa, an Israeli Arab who took his friend to Netanya solely for the purpose of killing Jews.

The brutal murder of Hallel seems to spark again the motivation for bloodshed among them. A day later a relative of the terrorist who murdered Hallel decided to take a knife and go to the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron. It is considered a holy site for Jews and Muslims and protected by Israeli Border Police. The terrorist tried to stab Policemen but thankfully didn’t succeed and was eliminated.

Hours later a squad of terrorists decided to do a drive by shooting. They opened fire on the car of Rabbi Michael Mark. They murdered him, severely injured his wife, and injured 2 of his teenage children, who witnessed their father's death while almost dying themselves.

Later that night, it was already Shabbat, a Rocket was fired from Gaza and hit a kindergarten. This is not the first time rockets have hit schools and kindergartens or even close by. It is a miracle that a rocket didn't hit that kindergarten during day hours when there are children and teachers there.

Again we see how Palestinian terrorism, that is encouraged and promoted by Hamas and Fatah, doesn't treat differently people who live in Judea and Samaria and people who live in the rest of Israel. It doesn't treat soldiers and civilians any different. It doesn't treat differently between children and adults. They want to kill Jews because they are Jews. No matter where they live, what their status is or their age, they celebrate each death. They justify every attack. It’s sickening. It's not heroic, it’s not a resistance. This is an attempted genocide of the Jewish people.

I will add a silver-lining before I end this post: We saw many Arabs and Muslims on social media who condemned all those attacks, condemned Palestinian terrorism and condemned the cynical use of Islam or Palestinian nationalism for justifying and encouraging those attacks. So many stood with Israel. Their voices become louder and louder.

I will add another detail. The past year many of the soldiers that have been hurt in this attacks were Arab soldiers serving in the IDF. The Hamas and Fatah terrorists want our people to turn against each other, but we will not let them or BDS do it. The bloodshed is the responsibility of terrorist organisations not of the Arab people or the Muslim community.

Israel will stand still, peace will be the answer and we will stop terror!

Palestinian officer shoots 3 Israelis, teenagers went on stabbing attack

From Teenagers to higher-ups in the PA security forces,Palestinian incitement reaches every Palestinians and encourage them to go out and murder Israeli citizens. While Ban Ki Moon excused such barbaric acts few days ago the rest of the world keeps its silence

Today (sunday, January 31^st) Amjad Sakari (34) The bodyguard of Ramallah's district attorney went to a checkpoint near Beit-El and opened fire injuring 3 (31 and 20 years old were severely wounded, 21 year old wounded and is in a better condition). The terrorist was shot by IDF soldiers.

Sakari served in a high prestigious position on the Palestinian Authority security forces, being the bodyguard of Ramallah's DA personal bodyguard.

Hours later, near Beit Horon another terrorist tried to drive his car into Israelis. Luckily he failed, was shot and evacuated for medical treatment.

The 2 attacks today follow a stabbing attack in Jerusalem yesterday evening (Saturday, January 30^th). 3 terrorists (16, 15 and 11) came armed with knives to Jerusalem and tried to stab people. They injured one (17) an immigrant from the U.S who moved to Israel about a month ago. His friend went to call the police to arrest them. The friend told: “The moment they pulled out their knives, 50 Arabs gathered around and started singing and dancing. It seemed they are going to kill us.” The three terrorists are now under arrest (they fled the scene, later on when their photos from security cameras were released 2 of them decided to turn themselves in).

The PA's incitement reached everywhere in Palestinian society, encouraging everyone from children to adults to take weapons and to kill indiscriminately Israeli citizens. Only few days ago they killed women and tried to kill others, including a pregnant one. This shameless acts of terrorism and hate must be stopped and dealt with immediately.

I call you to join the call to STOP TERRORISM and STOP THE INCITEMENT. It must end.

Dov Trachtman – Man in Fort

Holocaust Memorial Day disgraced by antisemites

Yesterday (Wednesday, 27.1) was the International remembrance day of the Holocaust. And around the world antisemites disgraced it.

In Pisgat Zeev. Israel a Jewish man, Menachem Rivkin, was stabbed multiple times in his chest in front of his wife. He is now treated in hospital he is in critical condition. The terrorist was caught and arrested.

Meanwhile Ayatollah Khamenei the puppet-master (“spiritual leader”) of the fascist Islamic Republic of Iran said on twitter “#Holocaust is an event whose reality is uncertain and if it has happened, it's uncertain how it has happened.” Let me remind you that Iran stated on numerous occasion that their goal is to destroy Israel. They are known to be sponsors of terrorist organizations and funded terror attacks and cells in the Middle East, North America, South America and Europe. I won't be surprised if they also funded terrorists in Africa as well. Their direct or indirect criminal attacks have killed not only Jews but also Muslims and Christians. They are as bad as ISIS. And they are working to get a nuke. And not just that they develop ballistic missiles that can carry nukes for long ranges that can get to Europe and further.

Jihadi Sid, Jihadi John successor in ISIS have uploaded a video in which he praises Adolf Hitler and went antisemitic rant. You and Khamenei are the same kind of scum. Doesn't matter if you claim to be Sunni and he claims to be Shiite. You both disgrace humanity and Islam.

Another scum on twitter named Werleman CJ tweeted “Is the Warsaw gaza Ghetto. #HolocaustMemorialDay” trying to draw similarities between Palestinians in Gaza to the prisoners in Warsaw during the Holocaust and by this disgracing the Holocaust and spreading nonsense.

And for last a post resurfaced of a French scum – Christophe Ringwald Z'auriez who joked about Yotam Sitbon, a baby who was hurt in a terrorist act few months ago and lost his leg. A baby! What he said roughly translates to “don't you have money so he could fall off his feet?” (its a sarcastic – black humor pun in French – few people have translated this for me). Now I heard he decided to apologize after being confronted about it on social media. He claims it doesnt reflect who he is.

I keep getting more and more updates about antisemitic attacks, physical and verbal, antisemitic graffiti and vandalism, antisemitic social media posts some around International Remembrance Day some older and not connected to it, just plain-old day to day antisemitism from around the world. And we keep our eyes and hears for you haters. And we will let the world know of your crimes. Jews will not stay silent.

Never Again means NEVER AGAIN

Dov Trachtman – Man in Fort

Woman murdered another stabbed in a grocery store

On the evening of the international remembrance day of the Holocaust, Jewish woman is murdered, another stabbed, and antisemitism around the world is on the rise, reaching new heights. Expressing antisemitic views became acceptable.
On Monday evening in Beit Horon 2 terrorists (ages 23, 17) entered a grocery store. They were armed with knives and explosives. They stabbed 2 women (ages 58, 23). The 23 years old, Shlomit Krigman have died from her wounds. A week before she was about to turn 24. The other woman still being treated in a hospital, hopefully she will recover. The terrorists were shot later by a security guard.

This adds to not only the murder of Dafna Meir but to the dozens of murders committed in the past few months. Also, Sunday evening 2 rockets from were fired into Israel. Terrorists keep trying to kill Jews. Of course the world keeps silent about it which is disturbing.

Tomorrow (Wednesday, 27.1) is the international day of remembrance of THE HOLOCAUST. During the holocaust the world stood by while Jews were murdered in masses in gruesome terrifying ways. Some have even cheered. The world seems to forget the lesson, now Jews are being murdered and no one blinks. Moreover, people feel alright to express their support for murder of the Jews.

On Sunday the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs presented a report with alarming data:
40% of Europe Union citizens hold anti-Semitic views, between January to May (2015) there was 84% increase in anti-Semitic attacks in France, There was an increase of 61% of anti-Semitic attacks in London, 75% of Jewish students in the US experienced or witnessed antisemitism.
This is just a tip of the iceberg. Lets not forget that about 2 weeks ago after another attack on Jews in France a local rabbi called the Jews to take off their yarmulke for their own safety.

Some might say “The Holocaust was long ago, and this antisemitism isn't related. Its political. And Terrorists aren't after Jews. Their problem is with Zionists”, or some other ignorant or worse, deceitful comments (like it could justify any of the hate crimes in any way). I will remind them that in his book, “Catch the Jew”, Tuvia Tenenbom reports how terrorists expressed their support for Adolf Hitler's crimes. A popular clothing shop in Gaza is called “Hitler” and their display mannequin are dressed as terrorists. Hamas charter also states that it has a holy struggle against the Jews (and not only against Zionists). And you should monitor their incitement in both traditional media and social media.

It's time to let the world remember the crimes committed by the Nazi's, the way the world turned its eyes away, and to let them face the fact that their doing it again. The only difference, now Jews have defence forces to protect them, and they are blamed for that.

Lets fight antisemitism and terrorism together, lets put an end to it.

Dov Trachtman – Man in Fort