I know, this is old, and it's just a link... but it's hilarious. I can't help myself.
In June of last year, IDF chief of staff Moshe Ya'alon completed his three year tenure, and was retiring. As a sendoff, the IDF High Command made a little tribute. Singing. A song they made up.
It's kind of scary, kind of funny...
Give it a look.
(If you don't know Hebrew, you might enjoy this anyways... but you won't understand a lick of what they're saying.)
23.5.06
Does anyone sane really doubt it?
I swore I wouldn't beat this topic to death, but I can't help myself.
For those of you who frequently read CNN, I'm sure this will come as no surprise.
In recent weeks, tensions between the Hamas-led Palestinian government and the Palestinian security apparatus (mostly run by followers of Fatah, the ousted party) have been slowly escalating. At least in the Gaza Strip, it seems rather likely that a full-scale civil war will erupt. What amused me, though, was CNN's reporting on the issue. At the end of the article detailing yet another confrontation between police (Fatah) and Hamas' new pseudo-legal security force, CNN said:
CNN always tacks this on to articles about Hamas. It's like they just have to tell us that an organization that has murdered several hundred civilians and is fighting its own police force isn't completely bad, so it's all right. They also always mention that Israel and the US 'consider' them a terrorist organization; technically true, but neglecting that the rest of the Western world agrees with the US and Israel. Do we need to say that Al Qaeda is 'considered' a terrorist organization? *shrugs* Okay, fine, that's CNN's shtick.
Now here's what gets me. The reasons why Hamas has gotten more legitimacy in the world are threefold:
1) Social welfare programs in Gaza
2) Popular election to run the PA
3) A cease fire with Israel
Do I need to bother to address the first? So what if they give some charity on the side? It might explain their popularity, but that hardly absolves them from being terrorists. (For those who would like to argue that the social and military arms of Hamas are entirely separate, there are a whole host of proofs that you're wrong. I won't belabor the point here; google should help you.) CNN's silly for bringing this point up time and time again.
Okay, but what about the second? If they run the Palestinian government, doesn't that give their military operations an aura of legitimacy? After all, some definitions of terrorism include that it must be carried out by non-state actors. Otherwise, it's just a 'war crime' or somesuch.
Firstly, not all definitions agree. As Hamas still intentionally targets civilians, one could argue that it's a terrorist government. Additionally, one could quite reasonable argue that the PA is not a state actor... it's certainly not sovereign. Lastly, most of the Hamas military wing is not yet part of the Palestinian government's security apparatus, making its military operations fit the definition of terrorism regardless.
...which brings us to the last reason one might not consider Hamas a terrorist organization: the 'cease fire'. Now, neglecting whether this cease fire has held (it has not), I bring the latest ridiculousness to your attention. As you well know, Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip (particularly Sderot and Ashkelon) have been experiencing high levels of rocket fire on a daily basis. Most of these attacks are orchestrated by the Popular Resistance Committees, an umbrella Palestinian terror group.
The founder of the PRC is now the head of Hamas' new security force.
So, let me get this straight: Hamas is following a cease fire by putting their security force under the authority of the man who's in charge of daily attacks against Israeli civilians?
*shakes head* I just don't understand it.
And now Ha'aretz reports that Hamas is so 'moderate' that they are willing to indefinitely extend their cease fire with Israel if Israel pulls back to the 1967 armistice lines. Note that this makes no mention of peace or joint recognition, or much of anything. Just an extended cease fire, to give them time to rearm for the next push.
For those of you who frequently read CNN, I'm sure this will come as no surprise.
In recent weeks, tensions between the Hamas-led Palestinian government and the Palestinian security apparatus (mostly run by followers of Fatah, the ousted party) have been slowly escalating. At least in the Gaza Strip, it seems rather likely that a full-scale civil war will erupt. What amused me, though, was CNN's reporting on the issue. At the end of the article detailing yet another confrontation between police (Fatah) and Hamas' new pseudo-legal security force, CNN said:
Israel and the U.S. State Department consider Hamas a terrorist organization, though it also operates an extensive social services network in the Palestinian territories.
CNN always tacks this on to articles about Hamas. It's like they just have to tell us that an organization that has murdered several hundred civilians and is fighting its own police force isn't completely bad, so it's all right. They also always mention that Israel and the US 'consider' them a terrorist organization; technically true, but neglecting that the rest of the Western world agrees with the US and Israel. Do we need to say that Al Qaeda is 'considered' a terrorist organization? *shrugs* Okay, fine, that's CNN's shtick.
Now here's what gets me. The reasons why Hamas has gotten more legitimacy in the world are threefold:
1) Social welfare programs in Gaza
2) Popular election to run the PA
3) A cease fire with Israel
Do I need to bother to address the first? So what if they give some charity on the side? It might explain their popularity, but that hardly absolves them from being terrorists. (For those who would like to argue that the social and military arms of Hamas are entirely separate, there are a whole host of proofs that you're wrong. I won't belabor the point here; google should help you.) CNN's silly for bringing this point up time and time again.
Okay, but what about the second? If they run the Palestinian government, doesn't that give their military operations an aura of legitimacy? After all, some definitions of terrorism include that it must be carried out by non-state actors. Otherwise, it's just a 'war crime' or somesuch.
Firstly, not all definitions agree. As Hamas still intentionally targets civilians, one could argue that it's a terrorist government. Additionally, one could quite reasonable argue that the PA is not a state actor... it's certainly not sovereign. Lastly, most of the Hamas military wing is not yet part of the Palestinian government's security apparatus, making its military operations fit the definition of terrorism regardless.
...which brings us to the last reason one might not consider Hamas a terrorist organization: the 'cease fire'. Now, neglecting whether this cease fire has held (it has not), I bring the latest ridiculousness to your attention. As you well know, Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip (particularly Sderot and Ashkelon) have been experiencing high levels of rocket fire on a daily basis. Most of these attacks are orchestrated by the Popular Resistance Committees, an umbrella Palestinian terror group.
The founder of the PRC is now the head of Hamas' new security force.
So, let me get this straight: Hamas is following a cease fire by putting their security force under the authority of the man who's in charge of daily attacks against Israeli civilians?
*shakes head* I just don't understand it.
And now Ha'aretz reports that Hamas is so 'moderate' that they are willing to indefinitely extend their cease fire with Israel if Israel pulls back to the 1967 armistice lines. Note that this makes no mention of peace or joint recognition, or much of anything. Just an extended cease fire, to give them time to rearm for the next push.
19.5.06
Tikkun l'korim recommendations?
Note: Those of my readers who don't know what I'm talking about, don't worry; you're not supposed to. If you're really curious, toss me an IM or email or whatever, and I'll explain.
To the rest of you:
I've recently been looking for a top-notch Tikkun to replace my aging and inaccurate one (an old black one from Ktav Publishing that used to be my father's). Much as the old one has a lot of sentimental value, I've found myself increasingly annoyed with its inaccuracy in nikud and trope, not to mention somewhat shoddy typesetting.
So, for any of you who know (or who have leiner friends who would know), I am looking for a Tikkun with the following attributes:
1) Accuracy. Preferably, the text should be based on the Keter Aram Tzova directly (and not on some later mikraot gedolot printing; many of those were prone to errors that have been propagated in later printings). Obviously, this isn't possible for a good chunk of the text, but I'd like all of the text to be accurate to the most authoritative text for each part. (For those of you who are about to recommend the Koren text, please think again. There are multiple Tanachim that disagree with the Koren text on a few points. I personally would bet that R' Mordechai Breuer's Tanach is probably the best text; however, I have not been able to find a tikkun that claims to use this text. Also, I'm not a big fan of the 'Keter Yerushalayim' formatting. If you can convincingly prove to me that Koren (or Adi, or whatever) is a better version, then I'll consider it.)
2) Vavei Haamudim - I'd like the pages to be aligned like the 'classic' column alignments that are found on many of the scrolls... not an absolute requirement, but I'd like it.
3) It must have not only parshiot and haftarot, but also all five megillot.
4) It might be nice (but NOT required) for a short section on nikud rules, rules of k'riat hatorah and aliyot, etc. Nikud is probably the most important.
5) I'd like to have it have a difference between kamatz katan/gadol... I know the rules, but sometimes it's good to have corroborating evidence on tricky cases.
6) If each line could mirror on both sides of the tikkun, that would be great (ie, every word is at the same line, and same PART of the line on both sides).
...if I think of any more criteria, I'll post them. Cost is no object.
While I'm at it, if any of you have come across a good technical text on leyning (things like differences between conjunctive and disjunctive te'amim, and the rules of when one note becomes another), along with a good refresher on really esoteric bits of nikud in Tanach... I would be deeply indebted to you for a reference. I'd prefer if it were in English, but I can bull my way through the Hebrew, if necessary.
Thanks!
To the rest of you:
I've recently been looking for a top-notch Tikkun to replace my aging and inaccurate one (an old black one from Ktav Publishing that used to be my father's). Much as the old one has a lot of sentimental value, I've found myself increasingly annoyed with its inaccuracy in nikud and trope, not to mention somewhat shoddy typesetting.
So, for any of you who know (or who have leiner friends who would know), I am looking for a Tikkun with the following attributes:
1) Accuracy. Preferably, the text should be based on the Keter Aram Tzova directly (and not on some later mikraot gedolot printing; many of those were prone to errors that have been propagated in later printings). Obviously, this isn't possible for a good chunk of the text, but I'd like all of the text to be accurate to the most authoritative text for each part. (For those of you who are about to recommend the Koren text, please think again. There are multiple Tanachim that disagree with the Koren text on a few points. I personally would bet that R' Mordechai Breuer's Tanach is probably the best text; however, I have not been able to find a tikkun that claims to use this text. Also, I'm not a big fan of the 'Keter Yerushalayim' formatting. If you can convincingly prove to me that Koren (or Adi, or whatever) is a better version, then I'll consider it.)
2) Vavei Haamudim - I'd like the pages to be aligned like the 'classic' column alignments that are found on many of the scrolls... not an absolute requirement, but I'd like it.
3) It must have not only parshiot and haftarot, but also all five megillot.
4) It might be nice (but NOT required) for a short section on nikud rules, rules of k'riat hatorah and aliyot, etc. Nikud is probably the most important.
5) I'd like to have it have a difference between kamatz katan/gadol... I know the rules, but sometimes it's good to have corroborating evidence on tricky cases.
6) If each line could mirror on both sides of the tikkun, that would be great (ie, every word is at the same line, and same PART of the line on both sides).
...if I think of any more criteria, I'll post them. Cost is no object.
While I'm at it, if any of you have come across a good technical text on leyning (things like differences between conjunctive and disjunctive te'amim, and the rules of when one note becomes another), along with a good refresher on really esoteric bits of nikud in Tanach... I would be deeply indebted to you for a reference. I'd prefer if it were in English, but I can bull my way through the Hebrew, if necessary.
Thanks!
18.5.06
A good job?
Much of the criticism against the US government's involvement in Iraq (and the rapidly deteriorating situation there) has drawn an implicit - and sometimes explicit - difference between our war in Iraq, and the widely-supported 'regime change' in Afghanistan. Most people believe it was a reasonable response to a direct threat to American national security, and that the war was carried out in a careful manner, leading to eventual success in toppling a regime and installing a democracy.
I would like to quote from the US State Department's travel advisory to Afghanistan as of January 9:
Oho! Sounds like the job isn't finished. But at least the US military force is maintaining order and safety for most of the country, right?
Hmm. Okay, fair, they're fighting a war. It's bound to have things like landmines and such. But at least American military operations are protecting foreign (and American) citizens... at least in Kabul?
Okay, okay, but at least it's not getting worse?
Oops.
I would like to quote from the US State Department's travel advisory to Afghanistan as of January 9:
The ability of Afghan authorities to maintain order and ensure the security of citizens and visitors is limited. Remnants of the former Taliban regime and the terrorist al-Qaida network, and other groups hostile to the government, remain active.
Oho! Sounds like the job isn't finished. But at least the US military force is maintaining order and safety for most of the country, right?
U.S.-led military operations continue. Travel in all areas of Afghanistan, including the capital Kabul, is unsafe due to military operations, landmines, banditry, armed rivalry among political and tribal groups, and the possibility of terrorist attacks, including attacks using vehicular or other Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), and kidnapping. The security environment remains volatile and unpredictable.
Hmm. Okay, fair, they're fighting a war. It's bound to have things like landmines and such. But at least American military operations are protecting foreign (and American) citizens... at least in Kabul?
Attacks on international organizations, international aid workers, and foreign interests have continued throughout the year. Foreigners in Kabul and elsewhere throughout the country were targeted for violent attacks and kidnappings.
Okay, okay, but at least it's not getting worse?
Improvised explosive device (IED) and particularly, vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) attacks, are on the rise.
Oops.
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