Well, Don't Ask US for Help!

I'm often proud of the amazing extent to which Israel will go to help others. In far away lands, in harsh conditions - against fires, earthquakes, tsunamis, collapsed buildings, and even after terrorist attacks (as if we don't have enough of that here), Israeli teams fly off, often at a moment's notice, to help others. Children (and adults) from all over the world come to Israel regularly for operations that save and improve their lives.

Luckily though, some rational element of our psyche steps in and says - enough. We offered help to Iran after a bad earthquake. They declined the offer. We offered help to several countries in the Far East after the tsunami, some took our help and lives were saved; others stood on pride.

But this latest news item surely is an example of where the other party should NOT be requesting our help:

From YNET:

A huge blast late Wednesday rocked a training base run by Hamas in southern Gaza, and at least five people were hurt, witnesses and a health official said.

Hamas' military wing has dispatched earthmovers to the scene of Tuesday's explosion near Khan Younis, fearing people may be trapped under the debris. Six people were wounded in the explosion that rocked a Hamas training camp, which was apparently the result of ammunition stores being detonated.

As we say in Israel, "gvul" - beyond this, we won't go and no, we won't offer to help.

Even Under Fire - Israeli Doctors Save Lives...Ours...and Theirs

Since its founding in 1996, Save a Child's Heart has treated 900 children from Gaza and more than 1,000 from Iraq and other Arab states that have no relations with Israel, as well as countries across Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe, program director Simon Fisher said.

So writes Israel Insider in a detailed article about how Israeli doctors and health professionals continue to work to save the lives of Palestinian children and others from Arab lands, despite ongoing rocket attacks and worse - continued denials of all that they do. Worse even, is the slanted reports of journlists who too often ignore what Israel does and instead focus on what seems to be failures...again, while ignoring the cause.

This is an excellent article -well worth reading!


http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/Diplomacy/13014.htm

It's Happened Again

Yet again, a bulldozer has been used as a terrorist weapon to hurt innocent civilians. Today's terrorist has been identified as Ghasam Abu-Tir, a relative of Hamas lawmaker Muhammad Abu Tir (the guy with the funny red beard and gray hair).

The terrorist was 22 years old and a resident of an Arab neighborhood in Jerusalem. What is interesting is that, once again, the hero of the day is associated with the Kiryat Arba community.

53-year-old Yaki Asael from Susia, is an IDF Company Commander (res.), with eight children and six grandchildren. Asael owns and operates a vineyard and teaches Bible studies in the Kiryat Arba High School Yeshiva. Although 24 people were injured, Asael's quick actions probably saved lives.

What Israel will do as a result of this latest attack...no one knows. Stay tuned and pray for the wounded.