You know, when I see the Gazans clutching bags of donated flour like girlfriends, it doesn’t break my heart. The fact that they are hungry seems to be simply justice, considering what they did in only a few hours on October 7 to sabotage Israel’s food supply.
Gaza Reaps What it Sows
As WSJ reporter Rebecca Sugar wrote on February 26: “Terrorists targeted farmland, livestock, plants and infrastructure as they made their way across the western Negev, which produces roughly 70% of the country’s vegetables, 20% of its fruit and 6% of its milk. “The attack was designed to intentionally destroy agricultural production, but more than that, it was meant to destroy the identity of the region, to break the community.
“Hamas terrorists damaged greenhouses and barns, many beyond repair. They slashed crop nets and flooded orchards. They burned irrigation pipes and shot at fertigation systems. They destroyed the filtration system for the local reservoir. Soil compaction and pollution from Israeli tanks brought in to expel the terrorists has also damaged roughly 10% of the area’s land.
“Foreign nationals from countries such as Thailand, Nepal and Tanzania who worked the farms returned to their native countries after the attacks, leaving many crops unharvested. Israel’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development anticipates this year’s tomato harvest will be about 30% of its normal yield nationwide. Known for producing some of the world’s sweetest tomatoes, Israel is now importing them. Lettuce and onion shortages are expected, and up to 20% of strawberry fields were abandoned. Estimates of income losses and infrastructure damage total more than $500 million.”
Danielle Abraham, executive director of Volcani International Partnerships, a nongovernmental organization that addresses global hunger using Israeli technological innovation, calls it “agricultural terrorism.”
Insurance doesn’t cover damages from acts of war. Moran Freibach is the agricultural manager of Nahal Oz, a kibbutz in the Negev. There, Hamas broke or stole much of his farm equipment for which he has received only about$ 12,400. The new tractors he bought on credit cost nearly $100,000. He took the financial risk, he said, because he wants to save the farm.
Ms. Abraham is trying to complete an inventory of destroyed and stolen farm machinery, but she doesn’t expect the government to finance it all. To that end, she has opened an NGO called “Regrow” whose aim is to help these devastated farming communities, and in so doing, help Israel to regain its food supply, and reestablish farming communities in the Negev.
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More Palestinian Lies
Wasn’t it just yesterday that I was talking about how much I hate liars? And here I am today with this information: The Hamas “Ministry of Health” announces that Israel has “massacred” Gazans on the beach. The Palestinian Authority says, yes, of course, 70 dead. Then Al Jazeerah writes, no 57. Then later the number goes up to 105 and still climbing. I have no idea how many are dead and injured, but one thing I can tell you for sure: it wasn’t Israel. Videos showing thousands of Gazans attacking aid trucks and massive gunfire against them by Hamas might have a little to do with these deaths, however many there are.

But why not blame Israel? Hey, it will play in Peoria, garnering international support for pressuring Israel into a ceasefire.
Palestinians know very well that Haniyeh has rejected ceasefire after ceasefire proposal from Israel for the return of our hostages. Hamas doesn’t want a deal, where they actually give up something, even if it’s a woman they stole and have raped and imprisoned against her will. They want to keep raping her, and get a ceasefire for nothing. They hope Israelis will just go away and let them go on torturing dozens of her kidnapped citizens.
It’s a cynical plan dependent upon useful idiots like the delusional soldier Aaron Bushnell as well as those who have mistaken his insanity for saintliness. Hamas is focussed on coming up with enough “heartbreaking” phony photos to distribute worldwide to mount American and British pressure.
Listen, I have a great idea for Hamas. Since the Palestinians are now at pains to argue that Mr. Bushnell, who left behind a cat and a refrigerator full of root beers, was sincerely brokehearted over plight of the “poor Palestinians,” I’d like to suggest the following: Why not urge Palestinian leaders responsible for all this to show equal heartbreak by following Bushnell’s saintly example? After all, if a man who grew up believing in Jesus can self-immolate for Muslims, how can Muslims who believe in Mohammed do any less ? Hey Haniyeh, are you listening? Be a hero, and take Sinwar with you. I’ll even donate a flammable liquid and a brand new lighter to the “cause!”
The latest attempt to help the poor Gazans without releasing our kidnapped, includes the ludicrous and laughable attempts of Jordan and Eygpt to drop supplies to the cut-off north by parachuting it out of planes. Such a noble idea, except the winds of God took the boxes out to sea, or to land in areas controlled by the IDF, or into Israel itself, altough a few lucky Gazans did manage to hit the jackpot. Thanks Jordan, Eygpt! I hope the stuff you sent has rabbinical certification. We’ll make good use of it, especially our farmers in the Negev.
And I’ll end with this, which has got to become a regular feature of my column: Biggest liar of the day. And today the award goes to the mayor of Deir al Balah who complained that the IDF has destroyed the city’s wells and sewer system and now the municipality can’t supply services to half a million refugees.
How sad! Except that the IDF hasn’t yet reached Deir al Balah.

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