Stateless in Israel

A Diversion: My New Bike

2006-06-13T02:08:00.000+03:00

After a brief internet search for quality affordable bicycles, I recently ventured across the border into the strange world of Tel Aviv in order to buy a new Trek 4300 mountain bike at CTC (http://www.ctc.co.il), the Israeli Trek importers. I must say that the staff were very professional, knowledgeable and helpful to their corpulent, bearded, kippah-clad customer. I was sold, fitted, adjusted and out of the door with my new bike within 45 minutes, including idle chatter. Although I have always owned road bikes and view springs and shock absorbers on bicycles as overweight frippery, I figured that a mountain bike would be a good choice in case I ever wanted to squeeze in a few more miswoth by actually going for an off-raod ride through the Judean hills or something. Besides, the cheapest road bike I could find was a Trek 1000, which cost 2,000 sheqels more than the 4300.

After owning the bike for about six weeks, and cycling 15-20 km a day (well, "night" really - I tend to ride at about 2:00 AM), I decided to despense with all pretenses of off-road riding. I ordered a set of 26"x1.25" slicks from HaRim (http://shop.harim.co.il/default.php?language=en), ripped off the stone-crushers, and began happily zipping over the smooth asphalt of Ashqelon.

After a cup of Turkish coffee, followed by a particularly pleasant ride with my mp3 player, I promised myself that I would publish a list of my favoite cycling songs. So, here they are:

1. Amos Milburn - Down The Road A-Piece (Aladdin) 1946 (2:58)
A wonderful, rollicking jump tune.
2. Archies - Jingle Jangle (Kirshner 5002) 1970 (2:43)
3. Archies - Sugar Sugar (Calendar 1008) 1969 (2:50)
Bubblegum at its best.
4. Arthur Alexander - Anna (Go To Him) (Dot 16387) 1962 (2:52)
The original, later covered by a British group.
5. Avantis - Keep On Dancing (Argo 5436) 1963 (1:51)
The original, see the Gentrys.
6. Bill Deal & The Rhondels - I've Been Hurt (Heritage 812) 1969 (2:12)
7. Bill Deal & The Rhondels - May I (Heritage 803) 1969 (2:31)
Great "beach" covers of the Tams and Maurice Williams, respectively.
8. Billy Stewart - A Fat Boy Can Cry (Chess) 1965 (2:44)
9. Billy Stewart - Count Me Out (Chess) 1965 (2:31)
10. Billy Stewart - I'm No Romeo (Chess) 1965 (2:49)
Almost anything by the fat boy is excellent.
11. Bobby Fuller Four - I Fought The Law (Mustang) 1965 (2:18)
Poor Bobby. Do you believe that he really drank that gasoline?
12. Boyd Bennett & His Rockets - Seventeen (King 1470) 1955 (2:08)
Great King rockabilly.
13. Darlene Love - Today I Met The Boy I'm Gonna Marry (Philles 111) 1963 (2:48)
Excellent alliteration with the Wall Of Sound.
14. Derrick Morgan & Patsy Todd - Housewives Choice (Beverly's) 1961 (2:42)
Ska to cycle by. Backed by the Skatalites.
15. Don Covay & The Goodtimers - Pony Time (Arnold 1002) 1961 (4:47)
The original version of the Chubby Checker hit.
16. Drifters - Sweets For My Sweet (Atlantic) 1963 (2:29)
One of Bert Berns' many, many cha-chas.
17. Eddie Holland - Jamie (Motown 1021) 1961 (2:24)
A cha-cha by Eddie Holland of Holland-Dozier-Holland fame.
18. Gentrys - Keep On Dancing (MGM 13379) 1965 (2:13)
A cover of the Avantis -- but maybe better.
19. Gladiolas - Little Darling (Excello 2101) 1955 (2:22)
The original. Great drumming on the intro. The label says it's a calypso.
20. Royals - Work With Me Annie (Federal 12169) 1954 (2:52)
That's the Midnighters to you, bub.
21. Hank Ballard & The Midnighters - Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go (King) 1960 (2:25)
Good hill-climbing song.
22. Harry Belafonte - Jump In Line (from "Jump Up Calypso" - RCA Victor 238) 1961 (3:43)
Originally by someone called Atilla The Hun. Covered by Gary "U.S." Bonds as Twist Twist Senora.
23. Justin Hinds & The Dominoes with Tommy McCook & His Band - Carry Go Bring Come (Duke Reid) 1963 (2:44)
Rocking ska with a message. "Better to make a home on Mt. Zion high..." Yeah, mon.
24. Kai Winding - Time Is On My Side (Verve 10307) 1963 (3:10)
The original (believe it or not) by the Danish trombonist. Vocals by Dionne Warwick, her sister and aunt.
25. Ken Boothe - Artibella (Studio One) 1965 (2:36)
More rockin' ska with the Skatalites.
26. Little Willie Littlefield - K.C. Lovin' (Federal 12110) 1952 (2:40)
Original version of Kansas City with a heavy beat and slightly more earth lyrics. How Syd Nathan loved to cover his own songs!
27. Lou Johnson - (There's) Always Something There To Remind Me (Big Hill 552) 1964 (3:18)
Original version.
28. Nappy Brown (with Howard Biggs Orchestra) - Pitter Patter (Savoy 1162) 1955 (2:03)
29. Nappy Brown with Teacho Wilshire Orchestra - Open Up That Door (And Walk Right In My House) (Savoy 1187) 1956 (2:19)
Nappy's great. The president of Savoy claimed that when he first heard Nappy sing, he thought he was singing in Yiddish.
30. Nina Simone - Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood (Philips PHM 200-148) 1964 (2:44)
The orginal. A bit plodding, but nice.
31. Orlons - Not Me (Cameo) 1963 (2:33)
32. Orlons - Wah-Watusi (Cameo) 1962 (2:30)
Can't beat Philly's Parkway-Cameo label for music with a beat.
33. P.P. Arnold - The First Cut Is The Deepest (Immediate 41) 1967 (3:14)
The original. Recorded in London. The composer wrote it for her. He later recorded it himself.
34. Patty & The Emblems - Mixed Up Shook Up Girl (Herald 590) 1964 (2:09)
More Philly music produced by Gamble & Huff.
35. Redd Stewart & His Kentucky Colonels - Brother, Drop Dead (Boogie) (King 843) 1948 (2:27)
One of my favorites. There's something very "cyclable" about this 1948 King hillbilly piece.
36. Sammy Ambrose - This Diamond Ring (Musicor 1061) 1964 (2:29)
The oringal version.
37. Skatalites featuring Jackie Opel & Doreen Shaffer - The Vow (Studio One) 1965 (2:34)
Anything by the Skatalites is great cycling music.
38. Soul Brothers Six - Some Kind of Wonderful (Blue Rock) 1967 (2:44)
39. Soul Brothers Six - You Gotta Come A Little Closer (Blue Rock) 1968 (2:44)
Heavy rocking soul!
40. Tams - Hey Girl Don't Bother Me (ABC-Paramount) (2:21)
41. Tams - I Been Hurt (ABC-Paramount) (2:14)
Shaggin' music for your bike.
42. Tokens - The Lion Sleeps Tonight (RCA Victor 47-7954) 1961 (2:39)
The most popular of the zillion versions of this Zulu favorite, orignally recorded by Solomon Linda in 1938.
43. Trini Lopez - If I Had A Hammer (Reprise 20,198) 1963 (3:01)
The definitive version. Eat your bleeding leftist hearts out Pete and Woody!
44. Weavers - Wimoweh (Decca 27928) 1950 (3:00)
Speaking of Pete & Woody, they had a pretty big his with this in 1950, and never paid Solomon Linda a dime for it.
45. Wynonie Harris - Good Rockin' Tonight (King) 1948 (2:48)
Great cover of Roy Brown's original.

ONE DAY IN THE JPOST TALKBACKS...

2006-03-02T17:44:00.000+02:00

Kadima Supporter
Secular Sabra - Israel
03/01/2006 13:25

FYI I am not a Leftist . I like most people I know will be voting Kadima because we are sick of the Left and sick of the religious Right both the same. We want change and we want it NOW. We want Law and Order and the Seperation of Religion from State. We want out of Judea and Samaria and an end to the messianic anarchrists of the Hilltops and of the HillTop Youth. If I hate sir it is becuase you taught me to , it was Baruch Goldstien and Yigal Amir and all the others who have followed since that taught us just who you are. We want decency and sanity and an end to the Lawlessness of the settler movement. That is all folks.

To Secular Sabra: A SOLUTION
Uri DeYoung - Democratic Republic of Israel
03/02/2006 13:40

You are sick of the the religious Right? You want Kadima-style "Law and Order" and the Seperation of Religion from State? You want out of Judea and Samaria and an end to the messianic anarchrists of the Hilltops? No problem. Just leave us alone. Let us secede from your insane parody of a state. Don't "give" us anything - no soldiers, no policemen, no education, no courts. Just let us trade quietly with you - including arms and private security services. If we get by, great. If not, you'll have rid yourself of us and our communities.

to Uri DeYoung
Secular Sabra - Israel
03/02/2006 15:03

It's a deal. When do we finalise it ? Seriously, if we left you there alone you would be whinning and crying for us to come back in and save your tachets within two weeks. No way man, you come in behind the walls or go back to America and Russia. That land belongs to the Palestinians, be nice and come without a fight or you will be trounced again.

To Secular Sabra: NO THANKS
Uri DeYoung - Democratic Republic of Israel
03/02/2006 17:35

You seem to forget that a great majority of us have army training, many of us having served in elite units. Furthermore, there are plenty of excellent Jewish security firms (like the one guarding Erez) which would be happy to get contracts to guard blocs of villages. Without your members of Kenesset and your Supreme Court judges with their so-called "laws" tying our hands, we'll be able to deal with security much more effectively than your soldiers do. So, why would we want your "help"? The fact is that people like you can't bear to see others succeed where you've failed (and failed miserably). I suppose it will have to come to blows. Pity.

NO ELECTIONS -- NO TERROR

2006-03-01T13:08:00.000+02:00

Ah, it's election season here in the Democratic Republic of Israel.

On Sunday afternoon, a Kassam rocket fired from Gaza fell 50 meters from a school in the area of Mavqi’im south of Ashqelon.

Early Tuesday evening, two Israeli civilians, including a young teenage girl, were wounded in a terror stabbing at the Gush Etsion junction. An off-duty police officer and soldiers shot the terrorist, seriously wounding him.

On Wednesday afternoon, an Israeli was shot and killed in a terrorist attack at a gas station just outside the village of Migdalim, southeast of Shekhem. Then, in a second shooting attack within two hours, an Israeli was seriously wounded in a shooting near Nebe Elias east of Qalqilya in the Shomron.

On Thursday moning, a 30-year-old man was moderately wounded after being stabbed in the neck in the Atarot industrial zone near Jerusalem.

Defense Minister Shaul "Skull-Cracker" Mofaz says the terrorists are attacking Jews "to influence elections." If that's true, I have an idea. Let's secede from the criminals in the Kenesset and turn the defense of Jewish villages over to private companies. We'll "vote" with our pocketbooks when we pay our monthly fees; we'll get better security; and the "Palestianians" won't have to try to murder us in order to "influence elections." As a bonus, we won't have to pay the salaries of violent half-wits like Shaul Mofaz.

PICTURES OF SADISTS & RAPISTS

2006-02-21T06:24:00.000+02:00

Please print the pictures of these nice policemen and post them around Israel.

http://www.eretz.org/eretz/zechuyot/misdar-zihui-1.htm
http://www.eretz.org/eretz/zechuyot/misdar-zihui-2.htm
http://www.eretz.org/eretz/zechuyot/misdar-zihui-3.htm
http://www.eretz.org/eretz/zechuyot/misdar-zihui-4.htm
http://www.eretz.org/eretz/zechuyot/misdar-zihui-5.htm
http://www.eretz.org/eretz/zechuyot/misdar-zihui-6.htm

SHAS, THE PARTY OF NO PRINCIPLE

2006-02-15T06:24:00.000+02:00

News Item:

Yishai: 'Greater Israel' outdated

Retaining all the settlements in Judea and Samaria is unrealistic, Shas ["Sepharadi Guardians of Torah" party] chairman Eli Yishai said Monday.
"The vast majority of settlers understand today that we will have to make territorial compromises," he said in an interview with The Jerusalem Post, just days after the National Union and the National Religious Party formed a joint list with the understanding they would not join a government that supports territorial compromise.
"Talk about holding onto all our settlements was relevant 20 years ago," he said. "Today it is outdated."
Yishai emphasized Shas's moderate diplomatic stance at a time when polls forecast Kadima and Labor, two parties that support territorial compromise, obtaining nearly half of the seats in the Knesset.
"We and the Palestinians drink the same water, breathe the same air; we have to move ahead," he said. "Palestinians also understand that terrorism does not pay, and economic pressures will eventually force them to negotiate with us."
"[Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef] never changed his opinion in support of territorial compromise within the framework of a peace agreement," Yishai said. Nevertheless, he reiterated Yosef's opposition to unilateral territorial concessions or negotiations with Hamas, saying, "The disengagement from Gaza will go down in history as a colossal mistake."
"The rav foresaw the rise of Hamas after disengagement," Yishai said. "It strengthened the radical elements. We could have signed a peace agreement with [Palestinian Chairman Mahmoud Abbas] and strengthened more moderate voices."
Regarding the demolition of nine homes in the Amona outpost on February 1, in which more than 200 people were injured, Yishai said that if he had been in the government he would have allowed settlers to dismantle the buildings on their own.
But he also denounced settler violence, saying, "I am against radical behavior. There is no excuse for raising a fist against a policeman or a soldier. Extremists among the settlers are making the situation ugly."

Outdated? Funny. Many Jews say the same thing about kashruth and Shabbath. In fact, there are many Jews who think that the whole Torah is "outdated."

It sounds to me as if Shas, the party that brought us the Oslo Accords and the ensuing murderous Arab rebellion, has become a gang of black-hatted Reconstructionists, picking and choosing only those miswoth deemed "relevant."

You know, it's one thing to sit in the Kenesset and schnor money for one's institutions without caring much about the goings on in the state; it's quite another thing to abandon one's alleged ideology (Torah) and actively preach anti-Torah concepts in order to pander to populist stupidity. Shas is an embarassment.

PRIVATE SOLDIERS BEST IDF, WIN TRIP

2006-02-10T00:16:00.000+02:00

News Item:

Erez guards to receive trips to Europe, Eilat

The civilian security guards who were on duty at the time of the attack on the Erez crossing Thursday morning, as well as Givati Brigade soldiers who participated in the gun battle, will be awarded a trip to Eilat with their partners, Eli Orgad the owner of the White Snow Security company told The Jerusalem Post.
"All those who were on duty in the morning will receive a holiday for two in Eilat, all expenses paid," he said.
On hearing of the attack, Orgad arrived at the site accompanied by a psychologist, who was on hand to speak to the guards and assist them, he said.
"There are not enough words to praise their actions and their rapid response," he said referring to his employees.
Hadass Markovitch and Amos Segev, two guards who helped to kill the terrorists, will receive a trip for two to Europe, at a destination of their choice, said Orgad.
The company was established 25 years ago, and last month started operating at the crossing.
Currently 100 security guards are deployed at the crossing, but in the future the number will swell to 200, he said.
"Since our arrival at the crossing, the Palestinians are aware of the changes in the security detail and know we mean business," he said.

That last line... what does that mean?

Could it be that the enemy is more frightened of private security firms than they are of the much lauded IDF? Is the posting of private guards more of a deterrent against terrorism?

Here we have a clear, concise answer for those who worry about who will defend our villages in Judea and the Shomron after secession.

And what an incentive they offer to their soldiers: trips to Eilat and Europe! It makes the state's custom of awarding cheap brass medals attached to pieces of colored schmatah seem pretty niggardly.

HOMESTEADERS ARE OWNERS

2006-02-09T15:38:00.000+02:00

News Item:

Outpost residents respect law, want respect

Tamar Asaraf home in Hayovel is six months old ... Though Asaraf said her home is on public land that her family properly leased from the state, Peace Now claims the permanent homes here, as well as some of the caravans, are built at least partly on Palestinian land.
The organization has petitioned the High Court to force the government to carry out demolition orders on the permanent structures here and in Haresha, a community northwest of Ramallah. The two communities thus have the unwanted distinction of being the next two illegal outposts where forced evacuations and demolitions could occur.

Though Hayovel sits atop a mostly baron hill studded with shrubs, where cold winds penetrate even thick clothes on a winter's day, the spirit of the place drew Asaraf to move here eight years ago, she said. Nevertheless, if the police do come to demolish her home, Asaraf would not protest violently, nor passively, as did many in Gush Qatif, to spare her children the experience. She said that few people here, if anyone, would react like the protesters at Amona, an assertion backed up by Shlomo Bushan, 26, a former resident of Neveh Deqalim who came here after the disengagement from the Gaza Strip.

"We don't support what the people in Amona did; the people here aren't like that," Bushan said. "We don't intend to struggle. It would probably be the same as it was in Gush Qatif."

The attack on Jewish homesteaders in Judea and Samaria is nonsense. Neither the Arabs nor the State of Israel have any justification for expelling Jews from homes built on unoccupied hilltops.

First of all, Arab claims to property on barren, unused hilltops are simply spurious.

How do the Arabs think that they acquired title to the land? Do they think that they may claim title merely because their ancestors once grazed sheep on it? Or did they actually build something there, cultivate it, or fence it in? If so, where is the evidence?

Perhaps they claim that their grandfathers were Arab notables who once received land grants from the Ottoman Empire -- like William Penn who received "rights" to all of Pennsylvania from King James? But, this claim rest upon the assumption that the king is the sole owner of all the land in his kingdom, and that he may transfer ownership of large tracts as he sees fit.

The "law and order" fanatics us accuse the settlers of the "crime" of building on "state land." But how did the land become "state land"? Simple: the Israeli government unilaterally gave itself title after the Six Day War. But, this is merely a modern version of the "divine right of kings to be the sole owners of all land in the realm" doctorine above. This doctorine, when applied to royalty, is utterly rejected today by the entire civilized world -- including Judaism (correct me if I'm wrong). But, when we resurrect this false belief and couch it in modern terms -- replacing the king with "the majority" or "the people" -- the concept of "state land" begins to sound reasonable to us.

In truth, neither nomads' grazing habits, nor imperial Ottoman land grants nor the State of Israel's land-grabs can establish justifiable property rights. The fact is that UNUSED, UNALTERED land is UNOWNED land; and Jewish homesteaders have every right to settle it.

So, why are the people of Hayovel so opposed to fighting for their rights? It seem to me that their pacifism it is the result of two basic errors:

They accept the state's "right" to do whatever it likes with the land; and
they harbor a sneaking suspicion that they really have stolen "Arab land" that once belonged to rustic bedouin shepherds.

Our task is to educate the homeowners of Judea and the Shomron. They must know that they are 100% justified in building where they did, and that the government is 100% wrong in trying to expell them. Without a firm belief in the justice of their cause, the settlers will continue to shy away from active resistance; and the government will continue unhindered along its wicked path of expelling Jews willy-nilly from their land.

AMONA: YOUNG LADIES AT WAR

2006-02-07T11:43:00.000+02:00

News Item:

Were settler girls sexually assaulted?

Disturbing accounts: Settlers claim that police officers molested girls during outpost evacuation, Ynet receives additional testimonies from educators and rabbis regarding girls complaining of sexual abuse by police.
"Police officers rubbed up against us and touched our chest and intimate body parts. They used dirty words while doing it. One policeman said: 'Come, I'll screw you'…We felt like we were being raped." (The testimony of a girl in Amona.)

Such police behavior is disgusting and any cop who participated in it should receive a good thrashing in the nearest town square.

On the other hand, what did the girls and their parents expect? The same families who would never think of sending their girls to train as combat soldiers (and rightly so!) proudly sent their daughters out to war in Amona.

Truth be told, the "national-religious" camp has always had an ideological problem with proper separation of the sexes in public gatherings. Their youth group Benei `Aqiva has been grappling with this question for decades. Witness this week's rightist pep rally in Jerusalem. I wouldn't want to give anyone ideas, but a policeman who wanted to "cop a feel" from a "settler chick" could simply have stood in Zion Square on Monday night as throngs of teenaged girls pressed up against him. Our hareidi friends never would have allowed such a mixed gathering, and neither should we.

If we should be more careful about s'niuth (modesty) at our protests and youth rallies, we should be especially careful when we go out to engage in physical confrontation with the police and soldiers, for many of whom the concept of sexual modesty is a subject for sneers and dirty jokes. Young ladies and their parents should realize that physical confrontation enflames men's hormones -- in fact, among the the nations of the world, one of the most enticing fringe benefits of war is the number of young ladies available for rape.

So, the next time we go out to confront the state, let's leave the baby strollers at home. Leave our small children at home. And leave our wonderful, modest Jewish daughters at home. In my opinion, and I believe that halakha concurs, young ladies do not belong on the battle field.

FREE MARKET SOLUTION TO BUS ATTACKS

2006-02-05T11:26:00.000+02:00

News Item:

A 60-year-old woman was killed Sunday morning when an Israeli Arab stabbed five Israelis in a service taxi in Petah Tiqwa.
Magen David Adom paramedics evacuated the woman to Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva, where she succumbed to her wounds.
Four other passengers were wounded in the incident. Two men in their 30s were listed in very serious and serious condition, while two other people were in moderate condition.
The 23-year-old attacker reportedly boarded the taxi in Petah Tiqwa. When it stopped near the Ossem factory on Rehov Jabotinsky, he pulled out a knife and began "wildly" stabbing the other passengers, eyewitnesses said.
Several passersby and workers from the factory surrounded the stabber, beat him with wooden planks, and restrained him. The man was taken into police custody and interrogated.
Police said that his motive appeared to be nationalistic.

What a pity that the State of Israel doesn't have the time, resources or manpower to deal with "minor attacks" such as this one. They simply don't have the personnel. The Israeli police are too busy galloping across the Samaritan hills, imposing law and order in the "lawless" Shomron, beating up unkempt settler children who want to live on unoccupied hilltops and raise goats.

Then, there's the matter of those vigilante passers-by who beat the alleged attacker with wooden planks. What sort of thing is that? It seems that even the staid citizens of Petah Tiqwa are becoming a bunch of wild-eyed anarchists as the state throws itself into the business of naked oppression at the expense of its alleged raison d'etre, keeping of the peace.

It would all be quite funny if someone's savta weren't lying dead in Petah Tiqwa.

So, how do we help prevent future attacks of this sort?

The answer is: allow individuals and companies to discriminate. The bus or cab driver is the first line of defense against terror attacks. He must be allowed to refuse any suspicious-looking fare, even if "suspicious" means looking "too Arabesque." Companies known to discriminate well will find themselves in great demand. Companies which habitually pass up our Yemenite and Sephardic brothers, fearing that they are "terrorists," will find themselves shunned by these communities. Very quickly, drivers will develop a keener eye. If not, other companies will enter the fray with drivers more adept at differentiating between wild-eyed Moslems and our darker complected brothers.

Another line of defense is to stop accepting cash fares on buses and sherut taxis. Accept only pre-paid tickets. This puts part of the responsibility for screening upon the cashier who can speak to the customer, detect a suspicious accent and request some sort of reliable ID (not necessarily a state-issued one). Tickets might also be purchased from automatic vending machines with pre-paid magnetic cards which could double as picture ID cards. Again, such pre-paid cards would be available only from trained cashiers.

Even our leftist friends, who wring their hands in concern over the transportation needs of the Arab community, might find these solutions interesting. After all, under a completely free market in public transportation, Arab drivers and companies could concentrate upon servicing the special needs of their communities -- even passing up us "sons-of-pigs-and-monkeys" if they so choose.

If Israeli public transportation were opened up to unlimited competition and the restrictions against discrimination lifted, we would very quickly find that we had safer, cheaper, and more responsive PT alternatives. Most importantly, we'd have fewer dead grandmothers on our cities' streets.

IDF: WE CAN'T HELP IT!

2006-02-04T21:16:00.000+02:00

News Item:

Four members of the Amar family of Karmiya were wounded on Friday in a Qassam rocket attack, including their seven-month-old son Osher. Israel Radio reported that Osher had regained consciousness at Beer Sheva's Soroka Hospital after doctors managed to absorb all of his cranial bleeding.

The family, evacuees from the former settlement of Nisanit in northern Gaza, were sitting inside their "caravilla" (trailer-villa supplied by the Israeli Expulsion Authority) when the rocket fell outside their home. The combination of the home's thin cardboard walls and the force of the rocket that was packed with explosives and shrapnel caused extensive damage to the home.

Meanwhile, Defense Ministry sources denied charges on Saturday that Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz and the entire security establishment were failing to provide maximum security for residents of the South, who are frequent victims of Qassam rocket attacks.

"Recently the defense minister allocated an additional NIS 30 million to the existing budget of NIS 85 million invested in enhancing the security of residents of the South," the source said.

Mofaz has additionally demanded that the relevant authorities responsible for providing the security measures beef up their activities, the source said.

At present, Israel has no intention of cutting off the electric power in Gaza or shutting down the border crossings between Israel and Gaza, in response to such attacks, the source added.

"While Friday's attack and the harming of a baby is regrettable, one should remember that the Islamic Jihad are responsible. A terror organization who acts independently has no sentiment for the Palestinian public. Therefore, the question that needs to be asked is whether taking such drastic measures will succeed in halting the rocket attacks or harm the Palestinian public not involved in terror," the source said.

Residents of Karmiya decided Saturday to temporarily relocate to a recreational site in Ashqelon. Members of the community held an emergency meeting Saturday evening, during which they discussed methods of raising funds to protect their homes. The residents planned to demonstrate Sunday in front of the Defense Ministry, demanding greater protection against rocket attacks.

THE FREE CITY OF YITSHAR

2006-02-03T01:38:00.000+02:00

News item:

The IDF has announced that it has removed soldiers securing the Jewish village of Yitzhar in Samaria this afternoon. Military sources in Central Command said the decision to pull the soldiers out on today came after "a spate of recent verbal and physical attacks on soldiers guarding the settlement." A soldier was allegedly beaten to the ground and his communication device was taken from him.

Great! Now that the government has given up the pretense of "protecting the settlements," the residents can stop paying taxes and spend the money on a REAL security service -- one that doesn't hide behind cement barriers, afraid to shoot back at the enemy. Rest assured that a private security firm will never try to evict its employers.

-- Uri DeYoung, Democratic Republic of Israel

From Jerusalem Post Talkback:

Re: Democratic Republic of Israel
Sgt. Barney Rosen - USA
02/03/2006 01:09

Democratic Republic of Israel, where have we heard that before? All of the communist dictatorships use that title and how democratic were they. The freaks inhabiting this "Democratic Republic" are lucky they are dealing with Israeli soldiers, this old Viet nam veteran would stomp them at least and depending on what they did would use his weapon.

Whoa, sarge! Put down the weapon for a minute! The "Democratic Republic of Israel" refers to the current state that worships at the armpit of unlimited democracy -- like the commie "workers' committees" which claim the right to do what they want with the property of others. It was my obtuse commentary on the current State of Israel. Sorry. My fault. However, if you'd bothered to read what I'd written, you'd see that I'm no communist.