“We shouldn’t be going through what we’re going through. Am Yisrael should be happy.” I read this online somewhere this week. I agree.

Still, the week had its pluses. For example the ceasefire with Lebanon. While there are those Israeli die-hards who are wringing their hands and crying foul, I personally don’t understand them. While it is clear that Hezbollah has no intention of keeping all the requirements of the ceasefire, and that the Lebanese Army and especially the toothless and worthless United Nations forces (like everything else the UN touches) is completely useless, still we accomplished a number of important things by agreeing to a ceasefire.

First of all, as a resident of the North, I’m happy that the bombs from Lebanon have stopped falling on Nahariya, Tzfat, Kiryat Shmona and the Galilee. Even if hardly anyone was hurt, they destroyed property and sent us running to shelters — not a pleasant activity, believe me. Secondly, we managed to separate the Lebanese front from the Gaza front, something the that thug Nasrallah vowed would never happen. And thirdly, we accomplished the recognition that Israel is free under this agreement to respond to continued threats., which we have done, and often. Macron, that moron, complained Israel violated the agreement 52 times without checking in with him first!

As the IDF spokesman pointed out a few days ago: “The IDF acted during the day against activities in Lebanon that posed a threat to the State of Israel, violating the ceasefire understandings. In one case, armed operatives were observed loading a vehicle with RPGs, boxes of ammunition, and other military equipment.

A short while later, the IAF struck the vehicle. Hezbollah terrorists were also identified approaching Hezbollah structures in southern Lebanon. The IAF struck the terrorists. IDF forces subsequently located weapons, including grenades and guns, on the terrorists. A mosque loaded with weapons was located and dealt with. In addition, a short while ago, terrorist activity in a Hezbollah facility with rocket launchers was identified in the area of Sidon in southern Lebanon. The IAF struck the launchers. In an additional incident, the IAF conducted an intelligence-based strike on a military vehicle operating in the area of a Hezbollah rocket manufacturing site.”

As Abu Ali points out: “Israel is making good use of the ceasefire to operate at various points in southern Lebanon in a way that was not possible under fire, continuing to clear southern Lebanon of illegal weapons. Hezbollah supporters are losing their minds and having a hard time accepting the new situation.”

So yeah, good move! While everyone and his uncle is “taking credit” for the ceasefire, and even Macron, that weasel, backed down from his declaration that our Prime Minister would be arrested on French soil, hoping to be handshaking and looking intelligent (not happening), and Biden – who was photographed exiting a bookstore with the notorious anti-Israel screed The Hundred Years War on Palestine – was of course taking bows, and even Trump chimed in. But it was only Netanyahu’s agreement that made it happen. Thank you Prime Minister!

Of course, now we have to contend with a newly resurgent Al Qaida calling themselves “Syrian rebels,” courtesy of the Russians and Erdogan – that Hitler wannabee who needs to be kicked the hell out of NATO now. Rebels have worryingly taken over Aleppo in Syria and seem poised to topple Assad, that mentally-challenged nepo baby. The Russians have bombed the city of Idlib in Northern Syria. How many dead? Does anyone care? Is anyone calling for an immediate ceasefire? Don’t hold your breath.

While I’m happy to see statues of Hafez Assad toppling and Hezbollah flags being burnt, the rebels are even worse than the Iran-backed proxies (if any of us can get our heads around such a thing – difficult, but true.) The only thing that can be done is for someone better to take over Syria once and for all. If only there was such a candidate! This is the Middle East, after all. Islam isn’t big on decency.

For sure Israel is not a candidate. We are stretched thin enough militarily as it is. In fact, my beautiful twenty year-old granddaughter, who just passed her officer’s training course, is now stuck with a machine gun guarding distant villages because the ones who should be there instead are lazily wandering around in Bnai Brak and Jerusalem doing odd jobs and drinking coffee, pretending they are full-time yeshiva students. For shame.

There is now wailing about the five Gazans who were killed in an Israeli attack in Khan Yunis in their unmarked car . Of course, it is being claimed that they were all “noble humanitarians,” employees of the World Kitchen Organization. Too bad the IDF has identified at least one of them as a terrorist involved in October 7 atrocities. According to IDF intelligence, the terrorist was monitored and followed by the IDF and struck following credible information regarding his real time location. “We emphasize that it was a civilian unmarked vehicle and its movement on the route was not coordinated for transporting of aid.”

A missile from Yemen that was shot down, rained shrapnel over our cities, a large piece falling near a playground in Tzur Hadassah, which isn’t far from Hadassah Hospital in Ein Karem. While the missile was intercepted outside Israel’s borders, momentum carries the debris of the rocket and interceptors inside the country. No sirens sounded in Tzur Hadassah.

A Palestinian terrorist opened fire today on a public bus in Samaria. Five Israelis were wounded, two seriously. The terrorist was killed.

I’ll end with this week’s Haftarah, the portion of the Prophets read in the synagogue: “Edom [Israel’s enemy] says, ‘We have been thrown down and broken into pieces, but we will come back and build up the ruins.’ “ This is what the God of Creation answers: “They may build up, but I will throw down, so that, until the everlasting future, people will call them ‘the domain of wickedness’ and those upon whom the God of Love has poured His wrath.” Malachi 1,1.

Until next week…

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