Remembering and Answering - Israeli Style

Two weeks ago, Achikam and David were murdered while hiking with a friend near Nahal Telem. Achikam and David, despite being wounded during the initial attack, were able to return fire and kill two of their attackers, thus saving their friend's life. This brave act also enabled Israeli security forces to identify who the attackers were - once again members of the Palestinian "Security" Forces, Palestinian policemen that are supposed to be on the side of the Palestinian Authority, which is supposed to be on the side of trying to make peace with Israel.

This week, in memory of that terrible incident, young Israelis, friends and family members of the two young men, gave back a most Israeli response - they hiked to the place where the young men were murdered.

As reported by Israel National News:

Soldiers Hike to Telem in Memory of Amichai and Rubin

(IsraelNN.com) About 100 soldiers from elite IDF units hiked to Nahal Telem near Hevron Friday morning, in memory of their friends, Cpl. Achikam Amichai and
Staff Sgt. David Rubin, who were killed there two weeks ago. They were joined by
family members.

Amichai and Rubin served in the elite Shaldag unit and the Naval Commando, respectively. The IDF provided security for the memorial hike.

Goood News and Bad News

Well, according to Israel National News, the good news is that most Saudi Arabians want to improve relations with the US (this according to a recent poll).

The bad news for Israel...they want us dead.

So...there are times in life when you just have to smile quietly and just realize you can't accommodate all the folks, all the time. You win some, you lose some. And all of that.

I don't plan on letting that stop my plans and it isn't exactly like I didn't think that was the case...so, for all's well that end's well - guess it's time for Israelis to accept the bitter truth. I don't think they like us too much.

:-)

According to Israel National News...

Slightly more than one half of Saudi Arabian citizens would like to see the state of Israel destroyed, according to a telephone poll. 51.3% of the people surveyed said that they "oppose any peace deal that would recognize Israel's existence and would prefer that all Arabs keep fighting until there is no Israel in the Middle East."

In addition, 89% had an unfavorable opinion of Jews.

The survey was conducted for Terror Free Tomorrow, among a random sample of 1,004 Saudi Arabian nationals. The organization, which has leading American politicians on its advisory board, emphasized that the survey found most Saudi Arabians favor improving relations with the U.S. and have "turned their back on Bin Laden."

Teach the Children?

There are things we teach our children, here in Israel, that they should not have to learn. No child should learn to look for suspicious people who they think might blow up the bus that they are on. No child should learn how to put on a gas mask. And no child should learn that a siren means run for your life, because you have only seconds before there will be an explosion.

But...if they have to live it, perhaps it is just that we have to see them run and feel their fear. Someone posted just such a countdown on YouTube.

First, picture it in your mind - children in kindergarten...suddenly, a siren, and the children run as they count...until the explosion.

"Tseva Adom" - Color Red...the children have learned a routine of counting down the 15 seconds they've got until the explosion of the rocket...

Once they get to '0', they start singing out load, so they won't hear the explosion of the rocket...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFss6p5sTPE&feature=related

In the saddest sense of the word, this is Israel.