Many people know some of the story of Major Roi Klein, the father of two children, who jumped on a grenade during the fighting in Bint Jebail, shouted "Shema Yisrael" and in doing so shielded the men in his unit with his body. Major Roi Klein had gone in pursuit of IDF soldiers captured by Hizbullah. He was buried on his 31st birthday.
Major Roi Klein was the highest ranking officer on the scene and yet that was not unusual because in Israel, officers lead from the front rather than from the back. Israel was built on that tradition. The contrast to Olmert who sat in his office and his sons partied in New York and Paris while soldiers deprived of equipment and resources fought and died could not be greater.
Some people know that Major Roi Klein was a resident of the community of Harisha near the settlement of Eli slated for destruction. Some know that Major Roi Klein's widow Sarah and his two children are at risk of being evicted from their homes by a demand from Peace Now, whose membership includes Olmert's wife and lesbian daughter.
Fewer people know that Major Roi Klein did not have to die. Major Roi Klein had repeatedly asked his superior for permission to clear the area with air support or direct assault on Bint Jebail which harbored a nest of Hizbullah terrorists. He was refused permission because he was told it would endanger possible Arab civilians in the area. Instead his squad was ordered to advance directly into enemy fire. The cost of that refusal was the death of all those IDF soldiers at Bint Jebail including Major Roi Klein.
The story of Major Roi Klein's death is often told but what is not told is that he did not die in that instant and his last words were not Shema Yisrael. His last words before throwing himself on the grenade were Shema Yisrael. He did not however die immediately and before he did die, he expressed his bitterness and frustration at the way the lives of his men were thrown away by the orders that placed the lives of Arabs over the lives of Israeli soldiers.
Major Roi Klein was a hero but he did not have to die. The Battle at Bint Jebail did not have to end the way it did. The determination of a government and its politicized military generals to put public relations ahead of strategy and victory insured disaster. The Olmert government has been all too willing to give Major Roi Klein a medal but they won't even let his surviving family live in peace. They are willing to hold memorial ceremonies for the dead but not to hold themselves accountable for how those men died.
Time and time again, the Olmert government has placed the lives of Arab enemies over the lives of Israeli soldiers and civilians. The price for that has been paid in blood each time. Our blood. While the government remains unaccountable, the victims of their policies die and are crippled in Sderot and on the front lines of the war. It is time for the government to pay the price with their positions and their jobs.
Comments
Excellant post.
ReplyDeleteI concur. Excellent post.
ReplyDeleteWhat a tragic situation. I'm sure the IDF could have advanced the way Major Klein suggested; trying to minimize danger to the civilians as they pursued the enemy. No one likes to see innocent civilians hurt but there will always be collateral damage.
Besides, it's hard to believe hizbullah could be living among Arab civilians without their knowledge and support, making these "innocent" civilians not too innocent at all.
Bottom line is the IDF is obligated to protect Israelis (including themselves) not terrorist-supporting Arabs.
Shalom to all. Achi sultan, very thought-provoking post.
ReplyDeleteThe government is accountable: to Klal Yisrael. The government will attempt to hold itself unaccountable by claiming either executive privelege or state sovereignty.
The underlying ratiocinations to such action are simple and as old as mankind:
1. The elected made promises prior to election that are unfulfilled. Their post-election stances are completely opposite: stances that would never have allowed them to be voted in had they been revealed.
2. Once in power, the elected initiate policies that promulgate their continuity. Such continuance is not limited to a party. It is the establishment, not the party, that is upheld: the infrastructure is vaunted.
Here is the bottom line: a democratically-elected leadership that inculcates authoritarianism (openly as policy or "woven" into legislation for current or future use)cannot be removed by democratic means. There is fantasy and there is reality. The people? The people are sheep. If they see it on paper with an "official" seal, they follow it blindly...right into the gas chamber, into the "kraal," all the way to the bitter end.
Everybody wishes to recount the glory of G-D in allowing us to triumph over our enemies. Remember, our G-D's Name stems from hayah, to be, an action verb. It is up to the people to do something about it as directed by Torah. If we are to always submit completely to an authority that is wrong, then David would have turned himself in to Sha'ul and been executed.
We are so good at fighting as long as the enemy is "foreign" and readily differentiated from us! But on any other battle, we buzz around akin to hornets, making noise but never stinging.
Unless we do something, we're just a bunch of angry Jews standing shackled in invisible chains of complacency. The governments laugh: of Eretz Yisrael and those of the goyim. The "sheeple" will never have hadar...they'll grumble, but they'll only butt their horns into a wall or stand in their own dung, glaring.
Kahane was right. Boker tov.
Yesha Galluzzo
Every stinging word the truth.
ReplyDeleteNothing is more aggravating than to read day after day the nincompoop Olmert is still in office, wiggling in and out of accountability like a mucous laden worm. No offense to worms.
The Left are running the show with a complicit media. Nothing will happen. It's business as usual until the Israeli people get fed up. I'm fed up here in the US where it doesn't count.
Sultan, I've often heard that 19 (or so) very wealthy Left-wing families run the country. That Olmert is their baby, so to speak. I know this sounds like an illuminati conspiracy theory but I actually read the article on YNET. Any comment?
There should be a bottom line, but I think nations today show there is none for them.
ReplyDeleteMost nations seem to be doing whatever will benefit them financially while their real citizens are under seige in one manner or another. It can be seen in Israel, America and some of Europe.
Governments feed themselves at the expense of their citizens.
yes k.a... unfortunately the idf worries about collateral damage and that has created a situation where the enemy hides behind civilians
ReplyDeletetrue yesha... but action requires leadership and we lack leaders
udiyah, there are 19 wealthy families who control most of the country and sizable chunks of the press
they're not an illuminati style board meeting deciding the fate of israel, but individually they have too much power
Hamas is offering Israel a videotape of Cpl. Gilead Shalit in exchange for releasing female prisoners. This is a perfect example of the corner Israeli govt. has painted itself in by always retreating from a position of strength and never demanding accountability from the enemy. Hamas has been so pandered to and catered to by he West they don't even feel the tiniest bit of shame for such a ridiculous offer. Olmert will have to run it past his wife since she wears the pants in the family.
ReplyDeleteGovernments don't give a flip about their soldiers. Look at the chemical experiments the US loves doing on it's soldiers without their knowledge it's happening.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to Evil Ehud? If someone ever gets up the guts to assassinate him and his evil cronies, it will be a day of victory for Israel...well, unless another moron takes over.
I read that two Udiyah. Can you believe it? How many prisoners were already released? And now the only thing Hamas is offering in return are tapes of Shalit.
ReplyDeleteHow long is the government going to let the poor boy languish under what are no doubt hellish conditions? I think that's why they won't any photographs of him. The country would demand his release or an immediate rescue mission if they saw what kind of shape he was in.
But having said that, no one knows when the first audio of Shalit was made. Is he still among the living at this point? The arabs lied about the civilian teenager Eliyahu Asheri (kidnapped around the same time as Shalit) who had already been killed and put in a shallow grave while the arabs were trying to make a prisoner exchange.
It makes my blood boil.
Her is a thught I had for dealing with the Darfur refugees that have entered Israel. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteSo much is being made about the refugees from Darfur. The Left is hopping mad that Israel doesn't throw open her doors to the masses of Darfur. The same left that claims we need to contract the size of Israel to help demographics. The world decries how Jews should do something, while much of the world ignores what is happening.
Here is my idea. Give these people temporary haven with the understanding that once there homes are safe they will go back. They will be treated as temporary tourist. That way they have a safe anchor. At the same time they should be housed in the Yeshv (West Bank). Of course, the world will protest and say you cannot inhabit occupied land. In response Israel will say that this is a temporary living arrangement that will be abandon the moment that these people can go home. Therefore, it is not a case of permenant occupation. In fact, don't even make it a government policy. Let the settlers invite them to set up a tent city nearby. All Israel has to do is to do nothing.
Of course, the so called moderate Arabs will start to attack these people. (Another example of Arab kindness for the world to see. It will be interesting to see what kind of press it gets.) The world will say that it is Israels responsibility to stop the killing. At that point Israel will provide arms to be used by the refugees in self-defense. Bet you these people will know what to do with them.
These people will be thankful to Jews for saving them and will even replace many of the foreign workers.
This might force the Arabs to settle things in the Sudan. Ditto for the UN. And, likely Egypt will tighten control of the border crossing.
So it is a win-win situation for Israel.
anonymous stated:
ReplyDelete"Give these people temporary haven with the understanding that once there homes are safe they will go back."
How bout the Israeli government take care of the Jews they threw out of their homes so arab b*stards could have a closer vantage point to send their rockets into Israel?
keli ata:
I don't trust arabs/palies/muslims as far as I can spit. They're liars. I can only imagine the worst. When have they ever treated a captive humanely? They kill and torture their own without wincing!
All a Jew has to do is accidently make a wrong turn and wander into one of their "villages" and he gets torn to shreds by the animals. Why do Jews have to build always with security in mind - with walls and alerts? Palestinians don't live like that. They don't have to worry about Jews breaking into their homes and killing their kids while asleep on their mickey mouse sheets. Jews don't swing toddlers by their feet and smash them onto rocks. No, the killing swine they sleep without a worry unless its to worry about cousin Ahmed molesting the children during the night.
You're so right about Olmert. How is it he still manages to wreak havoc among the living? Where is an Yigal Amir when we need one?
The only problem is, arabs are intellectually inferior to the rest of the world and are incapable of settling anything.
ReplyDeleteAm I being censored?
ReplyDeleteno, i just don't spend all my time on the blog's control panel so comments build up
ReplyDeleteI do not mean to minimize this governments failure in regards to the Jewish refugees from Gaza. To whatever degree Israel helps the people from Darfar let it benefit the nation. There people will defend themselves. Then it will be a case of arab fighting arab with some benefit to us. And these people could be sent as roving ambassators to tell other black muslim how there arab brothers think of them.
ReplyDeleteI think Israel has enough problems without adding non-Jewish, dirt poor refugees who will require government assistance.
ReplyDeleteBesides, if they are allowed into the country--even temporarily--and their children born in Israel wouldn't that make the children Israeli citizens? That's a problem the US faces with the children of illegal immigrants. And then it becomes a matter of can you deport the child if he's a citizen or keep the child in the country and deport the parents?
It would be a legal nightmare.
Taking in masses of Darfur refugees sounds humane however, I think once they get a slice of life in a modern society and culture they won't want to leave.
If I am not mistaken, wasn't that sort of the case with the so-called Black Hebrews in Damona? They came and never left. I'm not sure if they've gone from refugee status to full citizens as of yet. And despite offers to help them to convert properly to Judaism and stay in the country as converts they have refused the help of rabbis and have not converted to Judaism. So really, why are they there? I'm not bashing them but it goes to show it's easier to deny entry into the country than to try unringing a bell and get them to leave.
Finally, while I completely understand the belief that Arabs would somehow treat Jews/Israelis better when they hear reports from Darfur refugees the Palestinians are committed to not having just a small parcel of land to call their own. They want the entire country and will do anything to get it--lie, cheat, steal, kidnap, murder, bomb.
And despite numerous and repeated acts of humanity they continue to attack innocent lives in Israel. No matter how nice and compassionate and caring and generous Israelis are it wouldn't change the opinions of Muslims.
Sadly, no matter how often Israel gets kicked in the teeth it still continues to open its arms and be generous and caring, to a fault.
Like an abused child a large number of Israelis (or at least politicians) don't understand that they will never earn the love of their enemies.
not to mention that most darfur refugees these days are muslim
ReplyDeleteand yes once they're in the country, getting them to leave requires forcibly evicting them which is far more difficult and cruel and controversial
it's like letting homeless people shack up in an empty apartment in your house... once you do that, you lose the apartment
"I'm not bashing them but.."
ReplyDeleteGo ahead and bash the Black Hebrews. They call themselves the real Jews - that white Jews in Israel are imposters.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1132475710210&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FPrinter
http://www.segag.org/hateinfo/frbhi.html
I hear the arguements against placing Black Muslims on the WB. However, since the world claims that the WB isn't part of Isarel, there is little to fear that they or their children will be eligible for citizenship in Israel. The threat may be more for the PA. Plus, I just don't believe the world will sit quietly and allow this to happen. The world will insist that it be temporary. Egypt will tighten up the borders to prevent them from crossing. The soon to develop fighting between Arab and Black Muslims will be hard for them to hid. The Jews will be the White Knights to offer arms. The Arabs may be more inclined to stop the fighting in the Sudan to get these people out of the area. Yes, there are potential problems, but consider the up side. The effort should be organized by the settlers so the government will plead innocence. (Of course, that wouldn't likely happen.)
ReplyDeletesudanese black muslims are as likely to be recruited by arab terrorists as to fight them
ReplyDeletethey'll go to mosques run by the same saudi money
and inter-muslim enmities don't mean that the other side is our friend, witness sunnis and shiites
The world will probably put Israel on a guilt trip until they throw the doors wide open for them.
ReplyDeleteIsrael will then probably kick Jews out of their homes, along with killing a few dozen or so to prove that they welcome the refugees.
Next comes surrendering land to them to make them feel at home.
Nope. Nope. Nope. Really bad idea to let them in. Let the arabs take them like they should. Israel is too consistent in their behaviour. Not worth the risk.
I know that it all sounds weird. But, what if it works? Strangely there are a few Muslims that are pro-Israel. I know of a Muslim Doctor who would curse the Arabs every time there was a terror attack in Israel. Look at the Imam from India that just completed a visit to Israel. OK, don't totally trust them, but there are a few that seemingly support Israel.
ReplyDeleteHowever, apparently 500 of these people have been given permission to stay. So as long as we have a few let us use them in a way that helps us. By placing them in the WB we may avoid the issue of citizenship, since the world will not permit them to stay. Leave the government out of it and have the settlers invite them.
There was an interesting Poll taken of what people think of Israel and the PA (I think it was listed in Arutz Sheva). In Europe it wasn't so good. But, the same Poll taken in several African States favored Israel.
OK these people are Muslim, but they have been seriously abused by Arab Muslims too. Maybe they will want to protect themselves, which may be to our benefit too.
Israel should never concern itself with other nations til they concern themselves with their own nation first
ReplyDeleteNo mohammedans are pro Israel.
ReplyDeleteNO arabs, no sudanese, no non jew should live in Israel at all.
Israel can't/won't even properly take care of their own. It's a disgrace. Let Israel take care of their own first -- the hungry, the Holocaust survivors and the expellees of Gush Katif...
ReplyDeleteI pity these people but why should Israel do what 22 muslim nations won't.
"Israel should never concern itself with other nations til they concern themselves with their own nation first"
ReplyDeleteWhat the hell does this mean? I can't help asking. In another post you wrote that Jews need to get back to their Torah. Are you saying Jews are generally unregenerate and impervious to moral persuasion? Are you saying most Jews don't concern themselves with the welfare of the State of Israel? This is the cognitive picture you are giving of Jews on this blog page. You sound like an untuous Christian.
You sound like those Christians who "preach" that the Jews deserved the Holocaust because they rejected JC.
"Governments feed themselves at the expense of their citizens."
Well, dahhh. And frost darkens the pumkins. What distant planet are you writing from?
"no non jew should live in Israel at all."
ReplyDeleteAs a Noachide, this is my view also. This is why the term "Christian Zionism" is such an oxymoron.
demand from Peace Now, whose membership includes Olmert's wife and lesbian daughter.
ReplyDeleteI am not a fan of Olmert, but the sexuality of his daughter has nothing to do with this at all.
i would contend that it does and it's a reflection of his family
ReplyDeleteYou are not permitted to give up and go away, Lemon. Is this all the fight you have left in you? That's even more irresponsible than falling short of perfection (the sin you accuse me of). Get up, dust your gloves off, and get back in the ring. "The best horse is just a carcass when it dies."
ReplyDeleteI was not being abusive. I am not your enemy: I am fighting the same enemy you are. However, the Jews are already being excoriated by the entire world, Islam included, and so it seems to me a tiny bit detrimental to their collective morale for one of their friends (you, Lemon) to be disparaging them also.
"That which we call sin in others, is experiment for us." Ralph Waldo Emerson
hockey, your attitude and behavior is groundlessly hostile and aggressive toward other commenters
ReplyDeleteI'm really going to have to ask you to cut it out and move on
I'm not interested in fights in my comment section and I'm not interested in people being driven away or accused of things which they did not do
Lemon, I apologize for being aggressive and hostile. Please don't leave because of me and my bad manners. I promise to behave myself from here on in.
ReplyDelete"I am not a fan of Olmert, but the sexuality of his daughter has nothing to do with this at all."
ReplyDeleteI am with Sultan on this one. Who Olmert's family is, who their affiliations are - Machsom Watch, Yesh G'vul - present the perfect magnifying glass for determining who Ehud Olmert is.
Ehud Olmert's wife is rumored to be a founding member of Machsom Watch - the hags who hounds soldiers at the check points for doing their jobs.
Both Olmert's sons left Israel. One, an adherent of Yesh Gvul (an organization that refuses to serve in Judea and Samaria) was charged for desertion and lives in New York. The other, who never did any army service lives in Paris. .
Dana, Olmert's daughter is also an activist in Machsom Watch. An out lesbian who protested front of Peretz's house and publicly called him a murderer for the Gaza Beach bombing -- which HAMAS was responsible for (what the heck, it's hard to forgo a photo-op like that, eh)?
All of this spells danger for Israel. Throw Shimon Peres into the mix and the danger grows exponentially.
A nation which can prefer disgrace to danger is prepared for a master, and deserves one.
- Alexander Hamilton
I think my last post got lost...anyways, thank you for the links Udiyah. Very enlightening.
ReplyDeletei would contend that it does and it's a reflection of his family
ReplyDeleteYou have to do more than contend. Give specific examples and spell out why it is relevant.
if you need it clarified further, I think Udiyah has done a stellar job of that
ReplyDeleteit sketches out the pattern of degeneration among Olmert's children
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