“We are the hollow men
We are the stuffed men
Leaning together
Headpiece filled with straw. Alas!
Our dried voices, when
We whisper together
Are quiet and meaningless
As wind in dry grass
Or rats’ feet over broken glass
In our dry cellar”
T.S. Eliot: The Hollow Men – 1925

Is the student strike coming to an end as in T.S. Eliot’s classic poem, The Hollow Men? After 31 days of protest and demonstrations, some of which actually became violent, the students appear to be ready to settle for an amended governmental agreement hacked out by the Shochat Committee, and approved by the Educational Ministry’s representative Ovadia Yeheskiel. The agreement calls for the sum for NS 45 million to be allocated to Colleges for covering educational costs. This may help students attending private colleges and paying annual tuition fees amounting to three times the sum paid by students attending government universities.
Another agreement earmarks a sum of N.S 20 million to be paid to educational colleges and partially reinstating sums that were cancelled by the government by budget cutting on educational allotments.

Did the students win their protest, or was this simply another lesson in futility, as what occurred as a result of previous student protests and strikes. For many students, losing a month of their educational time-frame is something that sums of money may not be able to cover; as if the money might benefit these students directly anyway. State university students need to realize that they pay a very small tuition fee in comparison with students in other countries, especially in North America. A reality that many students fail to realize is that some universities, notably Tel Aviv University, are already in dire financial straits, resulting in some study programs either drastically cut back or eliminated altogether.

The private academic institutions, often the only option available for students who don’t score high enough on their psychometric examinations, are the ones where government funding needs to be available. The tuition costs of these institutions average around N.S. 26,000 per year, considerably more than the N.S. 8,000 paid at the State run universities.

So what did the students gain from all of this hullabaloo? Actually, very little in comparison with what transpired during the protests. Many observers are saying that most of the strikers decided to end their strike when the reality of losing the academic became a stark possibility.

This may be why they are willing to reach this agreement, just to save face as well as salvage the school year. With all of this in mind, one might refer back to T.S. Elliot’s poem especially it’s ending in which the poet wrote:

“And that’s how the world ends; not with a bang but with a whimper”.

And apparently, this most recent student strike is ending is ending with a whimper as well.

President Carter has been called a bigot and anti-Semite for writing the book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” Former General Wesley Clark has also been accused for anti-Semitism for saying that the U.S. is being pushed to war by “New York Money People.” The show host wonders if anyone can criticize Israel without the backlash.

Liberal Rabbi Michael Lerner debates Harvard Professor Alan Dershowitz about the issue. Dershowitz said “I criticize Israel all the time” and said criticism of Israel is “good.”

Does speaking out against Israel really make you anti-semitic? Where is the fine line?

Sometimes things happen that make you realize that we have lost all hope. Moshe Chai-Israeli (62) was killed yesterday while crossing a busy intersection. He was caught between a tow truck and a cement truck and was crushed to death. After his death, caught on video, he was left in the middle of the intersection for a few minutes as cars, trucks, bus drivers and basically hundreds of people went on their daily routine.

If a society is measured by its weakest link then what does this say about us? If we are now at a stage where a human life is not worth the time of day, we have finally reached the lowest point in our existence.

When I was a kid living in Tel Aviv, one of the things you could always count on was that if you fell in the street people would rush to help you. In fact it was sort of funny to see how everyone stuck their nose in your affairs, but it was nice. Gave a feeling of family, warmth, things we as Israelis have always prided ourselves on.
That is now over. We lost something as a nation that made us special.

Moshe Chai Israeli. Moshe, the name of our biblical father. Chai, the name that means life and Israeli, basically all of us.

I believe in signs. I think that Moshe Chai Israeli dying unnoticed in the middle of the road is one of those signs. As a nation and country that has known the wrath of God in all its forms we really need to watch it now !!

Photo: Gil Yochana Ynet.co.il

Despite attempts by embattled Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to remain in office, a mass rally scheduled for 8 p.m. Thursday night may decide the fate of the man who has been shouldered with much of the blame for Israel’s failures in last summer’s Lebanon II war. The event, at Kikar Rabin in Tel Aviv, is expected to be attended by more than 100,000, including a number of well known media and entertainment personalities as well as yet-to-be-named politicians. Seemingly hemmed in on all sides by a number of protest groups, including striking university students (pictured) Olmert’s political future seems in jeopardy as a majority of the Israel public feel that he has failed in his position as head of government and should therefore resign his post.

It’s not the first time that Israeli political leaders have resigned following wars and other trying events in which their leadership was questioned. David Ben Gurion resigned his prime minister’s post at least twice; and both Golda Meir and Menacham Begin resigned after receiving public castigation following the Yom Kippur and Lebanon I war. In the case of Olmert, however, he refuses to leave his ‘watch’ despite the devastating findings of the recently released Winograd Report. The same also holds true for Defense Minister Amir Peretz, who also is trying to stay put despite an even higher “vote’ on behalf of the Israeli public.

What remains to be seen is what will happen after the dust settles following tonight’s rally, where such ‘well-knowns’ as Aviv Gefen, Gilad Sagev and Nimrod Lev. Interest groups such as the Movement for Quality Government, Organization of Northern Border Communities, as well as a large contingent of army reservists who found themselves thrown into the heat of battle with virtually no preparation, and little or no food and water. “We want the P.M. to know just how we feel concerning what happened to us in Labanon” one angry reservist was quoted as saying. It’s questionable if any members of the Prime Minister’s cabinet will make an appearance, but for sure, many of the opposition Knesset members may show up for this event which may draw as many as 200,000.

As for both Olmert and Amir Peretz, they will probably not like what they see and hear should they both watch the spectacle on T.V. Judging from Olmert’s appearance at a ceremony to inaugurate the new National Police Commissioner, Dudi Cohen, Olmert’s already tired and drawn face may become even more pathetic on the “morning after”.
All the signs and banners telling both Olmert and Peretz to go home, will remain in the minds of many, especially the ones for whom the ‘party’ is being held.

In the beginning of the Second Lebanon War, early on, Hassan Nasrallah called to our leaders and warned that their inexperience should make them reconsider jumping into a war. In essence that is the conclusion of the Winograd Report handed out yesterday.

The report painted a clear, bleak picture of the three men that lead the country to war. Although the Winograd Committee was elected by Olmert and critics were quick to dub it a rubber stamp, this initial report shows they did the work required thoroughly, professionally and with a great deal of respectability.

Ignoring this report and not having these people removed from office (Olmert and Peretz), will both be detrimental and dangerous for Israel, and a step towards becoming a Third World Nation. The good news is that if we do become a Third World Nation, we won’t last that long anyway!

I went through a few pages and translated some excerpts of this frightening report. In case you want to read the initial report (all 171 pages) its available here in Hebrew (get a tissue out before you read this…).

Ehud Olmert was found to be the irresponsible, negligent in his duties and primarily at fault. As Prime Minister he was held accountable to the failures of the Second Lebanon War personally.

“his personal decisions, and the process in which decisions were made, was flawed. The Prime Minister took a position without getting a clear plan for action or asking for one – he therefore was unable to analyze the details of such a plan or approve it. Furthermore, Olmert never requested any alternative courses of action and did not display enough skepticism to the military options presented to him.
The Prime Minister also failed in leading the government to adopting ill conceived decisions, that he himself contributed to directly, in that he did not provide the guidance necessary for a clear decision making process. He also is accused of setting unrealistic goals and proclaiming that the war will not end until these goals were attained.”

As for Amir Peretz our so called Minister of Defense. The Committee clearly stated that he did not fulfill his duties as army chief. No real surprise there.

“His inexperience and lack of knowledge caused him to fail in all aspects of his job. During the whole period that was inspected by the Committee, Peretz did not request or examined a single military plan, did not check the readiness and preparedness of the armed forces. He did not examine in a broad view the methods of operation and how they relate to the intended goals proposed.”

“We believe that the decision by the Minister of Defense to accept the position, like the decision of the Prime Minister to appoint him the position, were political decisions that need to be examined on the political and public level only. One has to assume, for the benefit of the Minister, that if he had enough time he would have acquired the required competency. However, although lack of knowledge and proficiency in matters of his office should not prevent a man from taking a job, they are not to be celebrated or a reason for any pride. We found failures and deficiencies in every aspect of the Minister’s actions…he did not take necessary steps that would augment his lack of skill and experience, like for example, using a professional consulting system external to the security forces.”

Finally, Dan Halutz, the Chief of Staff. The committee laid at his feet an unprecedented amount of blame, never assigned before to a Chief of Staff. Halutz is now studying at Harvard Business School (MBA) and had Israeli reporters removed when they approached him for comments. The army is paying of course..

“The committee found Dan Halutz personally and professionally responsible for the fact that on the day of the attack he did not have any realistic plans for the possibility of escalation on the Lebanese front. He did not present to government, knowing their inexperience, the complexities of the arena, the army’s perceptions and the physical limitations in readiness. When Halutz received the Green Light, he avoided reserve army recruitment. He was a major contributing factor to the deficiencies and failures associated with the decisions of going to war. The army as a whole was uncreative in its approach.”

The committee clearly brings to light the festering infection at the core of Israel’s leadership. The lack of professional, educated, inspiring leaders has never been so apparent. In a final statement about the government’s role in the war the committee stated that the government as a whole should be held accountable. Ministers voted without knowing what were the exact plans going forward – that as a result of over relying on army reports.

“The government as a whole and each of its members is responsible. It acted in haste and without receiving any assessments that detailed the consequences of their decision on an overly aggressive military action. This decision was made without examining the possible results and demanding an orderly debate on the options. The government of Israel and each of its members, did not act using their better judgment, care and responsibility as required.”

That pretty much describes the problem with our people in government. The sad thing is that unfortunately I don’t think they have the tools to be good leaders, they are just not quality people. Each of them will sell their mother for money and the only benefit they see associated with being a member of government is their own personal wealth and power. Just look at the conviction rate and investigations of political figures and you’ll see the ideological bankruptcy we face.

This war is proof of how bad things can get when a used car salesman runs the show. When the Minister of Defense, a bumbling idiot, a wanabe socialist, bargains his way into the most sensitive position in the country and then war actually breaks out. The welfare of the country was sold for a political bargain price and the Hezbollah was there to call the bluff and serve us the bill - a body count of 139 people.

We need to start over. Get back to basics. Find the people that don’t want the job, that gave up and bring them back. The people that have been made sick by the low moral fiber that passes for leadership in Israel today.

Will Monday’s publication of the much awaited Winograd Report be reminiscent of Ernest Hemmingway’s classic novel: For Whom the Bell Tolls? The long prepared document prepared by a very distinguished committee headed by former Tel Aviv District Judge Eliahu Wingrad (pictured), is supposed to formally point out the faults of the Israeli government during last summer’s Lebanon II war, in which more than 230 Israeli soldiers and civilians lost their lives and the country’s entire northern region from Haifa and Afula onwards were bombarded during 34 days of constant Hezbollah launched missile attacks.

These attacks, which caused serious damage to many of Israeli towns and cities, including Haifa, also turned the country’s economy upside down and caused more than a million Israeli citizens to be either confined to very unpleasant conditions in crowded bomb shelters, or turned into refugees in their own land, forced to seek the kind assistance of people like billionaire Arkady Gaydamak, whose tent city in southern Israel gave temporary shelter while a hapless government failed to come to terms with a very unpleasant reality.

The report is expected to note the failures of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defence Minister Amir Peretz, and then IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz. But with all of this before us, is there really anything that hasn’t already been figured out by most of the Israeli public? After all, the reserve soldiers who were sent into battle without enough rations, ammunition – even water – do they need a long and very in depth report by a group to retired generals and legal experts to conclude what has already been thought out by nearly everyone with an IQ of at least 75? The report, which took more than five months to complete and at a cost of millions of shekels, is reported to find Olmert responsible for the results of the war, including lack of ability to care for the needs of nearly a fourth of the country’s inhabitants; Peretz’s failures due to his not being qualified for his position as Defense Minister; and Halutz’s failures due to his not having ‘on the ground’ military experience as a field commander (after all flying over a war zone is not the same as having to plow through it as many unprepared conscripts and reserve soldiers found out).

The committee also blames other IDF generals including Gal Hirsch and Udi Adam for their actions, and adds that lack of awareness of Hezbollah activity by former Prime and Defense Minister Ehud Barak, former Defense Ministers Shaul Mofaz and Moshe (Boogie) Ayalon allowed Sheik Hassan Nasrallah to strengthen his organization’s infrastructure in southern Lebanon during the six year period between the May 2,000 IDF pullout and the July 2006 war.

Though other details will most likely be revealed when the report is formally released at 3:30 p.m. on Monday (NOW !!), the resulting fallout to Olmert’s already troubled administration may result in early elections at most, or if not, at least a severe shakeup in Olmert’s cabinet.

Olmert commented recently that he knows he is not a very popular prime minister; and by the time the Winograd Report’s dust has settled, he may discover that his unpopularity is even more intense. After all, a lot of ordinary people were directly involved in this conflict – more than in most other major wars in Israel’s 59 year history.

And from a military point of view, many eyes will now be focused on new IDF Chief of Staff Gaby Ashkenazi to try to set things right in Israel’s armed forces. The only thing is – things have to be set right at the top as well; for as a former U.S. President, Harry S. Truman, once said, regarding ultimate responsibility: “the buck stops here”.

Wishing you all a happy 59th..
Moshik says hi

Wishing you all a happy 59th..
Moshik says hi

To someone visiting Israel or even a new comer, these days must seem very strange. As someone who has lived here all his life though, having gone through the emotional rollercoaster every year, there is a certain balance to these two days.

Memorial Day started at 8:00 PM this evening with a siren that caught me on the way home (2 blocks from home actually), and like everyone else I stopped, got out of the car and stood in silence as the siren blared. These next 24 hours will have us dig deep. Today we get out all the old pictures and memories of the fallen. We dust them off and we take a good long look. We listen to the families who still have a gaping hole in their life. A hole that time will never fill. The stories are sad, heart wrenching, surprising and uplifting all at same time. We have a great deal of stories to tell today and they all need to be told. Since the beginning of Jewish settlements in Israel, over 22,305 lives have been lost in wars and acts of terror. 233 were killed this past year, 119 of them were soldiers killed in the Second Lebanon War.

Today you hear all sorts of stories. It makes you realize how detached we get when we are busy living our lives. I mean we feel the tinge, the pain, when we hear about a soldier killed on the news, but today we see how deep the wound is. Today we see the whole story we knew was there when we heard it on the radio.

The stories about the father’s premonition, who called the army’s Special Family Services and said he was worried about his son. At the same time his son Yaniv, was killed in Lebanon. He was told that evening when soldiers appeared at the door.

A story about a couple who at the age of 47 and 53 lose their 20 year old son and 12 months later have a third son. The fallen son was in an elite unit and was killed by friendly fire. His younger brother (18) now asked his parents for a permission letter to join a combat unit. They painfully agree.

The story of an Ethiopian boy who makes it to Israel, goes to a school on a Kibbutz and is filled with ambition to become a real Israeli. He joins the army, becomes a paratrooper and later a Lieutenant Colonel. When he falls he leaves behind a huge void for both family and community that sees him as the light of their life. A community center for Ethiopian children is dedicated to him now. His mother says she now feels she is an Israeli, not an immigrant.

There are so many stories and so many good people. Salt of the earth people: Russian immigrants, Ethiopian immigrants, religious, secular and all 100% Israelis.

Tomorrow night we will celebrate Independence Day. We will celebrate our 59 year old country. Celebrate living free in a country we more then earned.

The body of Dr. Liviu Librescu, a Holocaust survivor and lecturer at the Virginia Tech School of Engineering for more than 20 years, was brought back to Israel following his death at the hands of the 23 year old South Korean student who killed not only the 76 year old professor, but 31 others as well.

Dr. Librescu, who at the age of 10 was interned with his parents in a work detention camp in Romania during WWII, became a hero on Monday, April 16, when he barred the door to his classroom with his own body to prevent the slayer from entering – an action that is now being credited with saving the lives of at least twenty students. For that heroic action, Dr. Librescu paid the ultimate price – his life.

When interviewed following the carnage that still has the campus of nearly 30,000 students, and Americans all over reeling from the sadness and shock of this tragedy, several of Librescu’s students said that his actions probably saved their lives. “I probably wouldn’t be here today if Professor Librescu hadn’t acted like he did – he is a real hero” one student was quoted as saying. While Dr. Librescu blocked the doorway, many of his students were able to escape by jumping out the classroom windows.

Dr. Librescu’s son, Joe, who lives in Israel, said that his father had lived a very “eventful life”, having had experienced both the horrors of the Holocaust and the severe hardships of life under the regime of Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu before immigrating to Israel in 1977. Professor Liberescu had managed to gain distinction in Romania in the field of engineering science and mecanics; and was invited to do research at Virginia Tech in 1986, where he continued on as a research fellow and lecturer.

It’s ironic that the tragedy in which so many died, including Dr. Librescu, occurred on Holocaust Remembrance Day, when thousands of Holocaust survivors, many living in both the U.S.A. and Israel, still feel the grief and pain of perhaps the world’s worst human nightmare.

Those who knew Dr. Librescu personally, including colleagues, students, and members of his own family, say that he was thoroughly dedicated to his profession and had refused to retire; feeling that he was needed as an academic leader.

For those who lived through and survived the terrible years of Nazi tyranny, it has often been said that they were being saved for some kind of higher purpose. In the case of Dr. Librescu, that purpose was demonstrated many times during his life and appears to have culminated with his brave and heroic act to save the lives of many of his students.

One of three academic lecturers from Israel on the Virginia Tech campus, Dr. Liviu Librescu was brought back to Israel for burial. Perhaps this is most fitting as the State of Israel, has become a symbol for Jews everywhere to live in their own homeland and not be subject to whims of some king or political despot, as had been the fate of the Jewish People for more than two thousand years.

Being a Holocaust survivor, what more fitting way to leave this world than as a hero, trying to protect those he taught, guided, and loved. His life – and death, should be an example to us all.

The body of Dr. Liviu Librescu, a Holocaust survivor and lecturer at the Virginia Tech School of Engineering for more than 20 years, was brought back to Israel following his death at the hands of the 23 year old South Korean student who killed not only the 76 year old professor, but 31 others as well.

Dr. Librescu, who at the age of 10 was interned with his parents in a work detention camp in Romania during WWII, became a hero on Monday, April 16, when he barred the door to his classroom with his own body to prevent the slayer from entering – an action that is now being credited with saving the lives of at least twenty students. For that heroic action, Dr. Librescu paid the ultimate price – his life.

When interviewed following the carnage that still has the campus of nearly 30,000 students, and Americans all over reeling from the sadness and shock of this tragedy, several of Librescu’s students said that his actions probably saved their lives. “I probably wouldn’t be here today if Professor Librescu hadn’t acted like he did – he is a real hero” one student was quoted as saying. While Dr. Librescu blocked the doorway, many of his students were able to escape by jumping out the classroom windows.

Dr. Librescu’s son, Joe, who lives in Israel, said that his father had lived a very “eventful life”, having had experienced both the horrors of the Holocaust and the severe hardships of life under the regime of Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu before immigrating to Israel in 1977. Professor Liberescu had managed to gain distinction in Romania in the field of engineering science and mecanics; and was invited to do research at Virginia Tech in 1986, where he continued on as a research fellow and lecturer.

It’s ironic that the tragedy in which so many died, including Dr. Librescu, occurred on Holocaust Remembrance Day, when thousands of Holocaust survivors, many living in both the U.S.A. and Israel, still feel the grief and pain of perhaps the world’s worst human nightmare.

Those who knew Dr. Librescu personally, including colleagues, students, and members of his own family, say that he was thoroughly dedicated to his profession and had refused to retire; feeling that he was needed as an academic leader.

For those who lived through and survived the terrible years of Nazi tyranny, it has often been said that they were being saved for some kind of higher purpose. In the case of Dr. Librescu, that purpose was demonstrated many times during his life and appears to have culminated with his brave and heroic act to save the lives of many of his students.

One of three academic lecturers from Israel on the Virginia Tech campus, Dr. Liviu Librescu was brought back to Israel for burial. Perhaps this is most fitting as the State of Israel, has become a symbol for Jews everywhere to live in their own homeland and not be subject to whims of some king or political despot, as had been the fate of the Jewish People for more than two thousand years.

Being a Holocaust survivor, what more fitting way to leave this world than as a hero, trying to protect those he taught, guided, and loved. His life – and death, should be an example to us all.

The body of Dr. Liviu Librescu, a Holocaust survivor and lecturer at the Virginia Tech School of Engineering for more than 20 years, was brought back to Israel following his death at the hands of the 23 year old South Korean student who killed not only the 76 year old professor, but 31 others as well.

Dr. Librescu, who at the age of 10 was interned with his parents in a work detention camp in Romania during WWII, became a hero on Monday, April 16, when he barred the door to his classroom with his own body to prevent the slayer from entering – an action that is now being credited with saving the lives of at least twenty students. For that heroic action, Dr. Librescu paid the ultimate price – his life.

When interviewed following the carnage that still has the campus of nearly 30,000 students, and Americans all over reeling from the sadness and shock of this tragedy, several of Librescu’s students said that his actions probably saved their lives. “I probably wouldn’t be here today if Professor Librescu hadn’t acted like he did – he is a real hero” one student was quoted as saying. While Dr. Librescu blocked the doorway, many of his students were able to escape by jumping out the classroom windows.

Dr. Librescu’s son, Joe, who lives in Israel, said that his father had lived a very “eventful life”, having had experienced both the horrors of the Holocaust and the severe hardships of life under the regime of Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu before immigrating to Israel in 1977. Professor Liberescu had managed to gain distinction in Romania in the field of engineering science and mecanics; and was invited to do research at Virginia Tech in 1986, where he continued on as a research fellow and lecturer.

It’s ironic that the tragedy in which so many died, including Dr. Librescu, occurred on Holocaust Remembrance Day, when thousands of Holocaust survivors, many living in both the U.S.A. and Israel, still feel the grief and pain of perhaps the world’s worst human nightmare.

Those who knew Dr. Librescu personally, including colleagues, students, and members of his own family, say that he was thoroughly dedicated to his profession and had refused to retire; feeling that he was needed as an academic leader.

For those who lived through and survived the terrible years of Nazi tyranny, it has often been said that they were being saved for some kind of higher purpose. In the case of Dr. Librescu, that purpose was demonstrated many times during his life and appears to have culminated with his brave and heroic act to save the lives of many of his students.

One of three academic lecturers from Israel on the Virginia Tech campus, Dr. Liviu Librescu was brought back to Israel for burial. Perhaps this is most fitting as the State of Israel, has become a symbol for Jews everywhere to live in their own homeland and not be subject to whims of some king or political despot, as had been the fate of the Jewish People for more than two thousand years.

Being a Holocaust survivor, what more fitting way to leave this world than as a hero, trying to protect those he taught, guided, and loved. His life – and death, should be an example to us all.

The final body count still isn’t in yet as the normally quiet Virginia Poly Technical University, and Americans at large are still reeling from Monday’s mass shootings which have left at least 32 people dead and another 29 injured – some critically.

The carnage began at 7:15 am Monday, EDT, when a lone gunman shot and killed 2 students at a dormitory on one part of this Shenandoah Valley campus, located more than 200 miles from Washington D.C. Though belatedly told to keep inside and away from windows, many students did not heed these advisories, and just two hours later, the real blood bath began when the killer, 23 year old Cho Seung Hai, a South Korean national and Virginia Tech English Major, suddenly began to open fire on students at another part of this sprawling campus of more than 25,000, virtually lining up people and shooting them in cold blood.

The mayhem which resulted, and in which the killer himself also died, has left an entire nation stunned, and became breaking news all over the world. Witnesses said that the gunman was looking for a former girl friend, and seemed to know where to be – and when. The killings are said to be the worst school shooting incident ever in America and many are comparing it with the shootings at Columbine Colorado High School, nearly eight years ago, when more than 12 students and teachers were killed.

While Columbine may have been the most recent tragedy of its kind before the V. Tech massacre, it was still not as bad as one which occurred on August 1, 1966, when a young man named Charles Whitman climbed to the top of the University of Texas Clock Tower in the City of Austin, and there, armed with a high powered rifle, killed more than 15 students and teachers in a four hour shooting rampage. Whitman, who had earlier killed both his mother and grandmother, had been suffering from a brain tumor which pathologists believe caused him to commit mass murder. His killing spree finally came to an end when Texas law enforcement officers managed to reach the top of the tower and end Whitman’s rampage by shooting him to death. Whitman, a former Eagle Scout, never had the opportunity to explain why he did what he did; and all law enforcement officials could do was speculate what caused him to kill not only his immediate family but so many others as well.

With yet another horrible shooting incident transpiring, this time even more deadly, law enforcement authorities and educational administrators in the sleepy college town of Blacksburg Virginia, will be trying to determine how such an incident could have happened; and on a scale rivaling some of the worst recent Baghdad terror attacks.

Gun control advocates will definitely have good points to say in regards to easy availability of semi-automatic weapons and ammunition, which can be readily purchased at gun shops and sporting goods stores; often without the need for a police permit. That a long gunman could come onto to a school campus armed to the teeth with an “ungodly amount of ammunition”, as described by one witness, is frightening in it self. Issues such as the availability of firearms and lack of proper security at educational institutions are areas that should be addressed and dealt with as quickly as possible.

Whatever measures that might be taken, however, won’t bring back the scores of dead, many of them young undergraduate students, who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The trauma won’t go away so quickly either; and for many people, especially the parents of the dead students, their lives will be changed forever.

Americans now mourn the loss of so many innocent people, whose lives have been snuffed out by a killer who seemed to have no regard to human life. Are incidents such as this an omen for the future, as more and more violence takes place in American society? Can anything be done to stop these kinds of tragedies from occurring? Hopefully yes.

The final body count still isn’t in yet as the normally quiet Virginia Poly Technical University, and Americans at large are still reeling from Monday’s mass shootings which have left at least 32 people dead and another 29 injured – some critically.

The carnage began at 7:15 am Monday, EDT, when a lone gunman shot and killed 2 students at a dormitory on one part of this Shenandoah Valley campus, located more than 200 miles from Washington D.C. Though belatedly told to keep inside and away from windows, many students did not heed these advisories, and just two hours later, the real blood bath began when the killer, 23 year old Cho Seung Hai, a South Korean national and Virginia Tech English Major, suddenly began to open fire on students at another part of this sprawling campus of more than 25,000, virtually lining up people and shooting them in cold blood.

The mayhem which resulted, and in which the killer himself also died, has left an entire nation stunned, and became breaking news all over the world. Witnesses said that the gunman was looking for a former girl friend, and seemed to know where to be – and when. The killings are said to be the worst school shooting incident ever in America and many are comparing it with the shootings at Columbine Colorado High School, nearly eight years ago, when more than 12 students and teachers were killed.

While Columbine may have been the most recent tragedy of its kind before the V. Tech massacre, it was still not as bad as one which occurred on August 1, 1966, when a young man named Charles Whitman climbed to the top of the University of Texas Clock Tower in the City of Austin, and there, armed with a high powered rifle, killed more than 15 students and teachers in a four hour shooting rampage. Whitman, who had earlier killed both his mother and grandmother, had been suffering from a brain tumor which pathologists believe caused him to commit mass murder. His killing spree finally came to an end when Texas law enforcement officers managed to reach the top of the tower and end Whitman’s rampage by shooting him to death. Whitman, a former Eagle Scout, never had the opportunity to explain why he did what he did; and all law enforcement officials could do was speculate what caused him to kill not only his immediate family but so many others as well.

With yet another horrible shooting incident transpiring, this time even more deadly, law enforcement authorities and educational administrators in the sleepy college town of Blacksburg Virginia, will be trying to determine how such an incident could have happened; and on a scale rivaling some of the worst recent Baghdad terror attacks.

Gun control advocates will definitely have good points to say in regards to easy availability of semi-automatic weapons and ammunition, which can be readily purchased at gun shops and sporting goods stores; often without the need for a police permit. That a long gunman could come onto to a school campus armed to the teeth with an “ungodly amount of ammunition”, as described by one witness, is frightening in it self. Issues such as the availability of firearms and lack of proper security at educational institutions are areas that should be addressed and dealt with as quickly as possible.

Whatever measures that might be taken, however, won’t bring back the scores of dead, many of them young undergraduate students, who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The trauma won’t go away so quickly either; and for many people, especially the parents of the dead students, their lives will be changed forever.

Americans now mourn the loss of so many innocent people, whose lives have been snuffed out by a killer who seemed to have no regard to human life. Are incidents such as this an omen for the future, as more and more violence takes place in American society? Can anything be done to stop these kinds of tragedies from occurring? Hopefully yes.

Following the resignation of Israeli Police Chief Inspector Moshe Karadi, and the turning down of Karadi’s recommended successor, Prisons Chief Wardon Yaacov Ganot, the recommendation of Central District Commander may finally be a turning point for Israel’s stained police department leadership.

Cohen, who is now said to be a “good, dedicated cop who came up through the ranks” is still to be approved by the Knesset before he can begin to work toward creating a better image in the country’s law enforcement service, an image recently drug through the muck of scandal and controversy.

Those who know Commander Cohen, including former Inspector General Yaacov Aharonisky, have great confidence in the man who is said be a good leader and fair career officer who “knows the police department from the inside out “. A 30 year police force veteran, Cohen has held a number of posts and appears to have a good record in so far as his various duties.

If approved, he will have some considerable public relations and rebuilding tasks ahead of him to restore public confidence in a police force that many regard with skepticism for the least part, and outright distrust otherwise. Corruption, which is rife in the government, is also very much publicized in the police force, which has caused several high ranking officials to leave their positions.

Cohen was recommended for the post by Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter, who himself has been criticized for his support of other police officials whose activities came under public scrutiny. These included Chief Prisons Warden Ganot, who himself turned down the Chief Inspector’s position after his not-so-rosy record was brought to light.

This caused Dichter to begin a frantic search for a ‘few good men’ who might qualify for the publicized and highly controversial Chief Inspector position. These included Police Commander Mickey Levy who asked not to be considered.

The police department has recently been involved in a number of controversial crime episodes including a number of unsolved murders and rapes. Perhaps the most noteworthy event in which the Police were embroiled was the escape and two week par amblings of convicted serial rapist Benny Sela; who, when captured, was held up to the press like a captured animal. This brought a lot of “attention” to Israel’s finest including various comedy characterizations in such television programs as “Eretz Nehederet”. It also resulted in Tel Aviv District Commander David Zur being turned down for the Chief Commissioner post.

Cohen thus has some very dirty laundry to wash, and hopefully he will be able to restore some confidence in a law enforcement body which has been regarded as even more ridiculous than anything that even TV comedian Eli Yatzpan has been able to personify.

It may still be too early to wish Cohen well as he is still considered a candidate. If he does succeed being appointed, then all everyone can do is wish him well.

Picture Haaretz.

The furor over Balad Party leader Azmi Bashara’s political future makes many Israelis wonder if he may be the beginning of other Arab Israeli Knesset parliamentarians going over to “the other side”. And that ‘other side’ may be Israel’s enemies, including radical Islamic countries like
Syria and Iran.

Mr. Bashara’s radical political views in respect to being a member of the Israeli Knesset have often gotten him into trouble with the Israeli government, particularly among the more right wing political spectrum, including the Likud and other parties who take a dim view of such actions. Bashara’s frequent trips to neighboring Arab countries, resulting in his hob-knobbing with such people as exiled Hamas leader Khalid Mashal and Syrian leader Bashar Al-Assad, has resulted in many Israelis calling for his ouster from his parliamentary seat as well as indictment for seditious anti-government activities. Other Arab Knesset political leaders, including Taal Party leader Dr. Ahmad Tibi seem moderate in comparison to Bashara, who has been advocating the disillusion of the Jewish character of the state in favor of a secular one.

Presently “languishing” in a posh Amman Jordan hotel suite, Bashara is now pondering both his political as well as personal future. Carefully weighing his options, he is considering returning to Israel and coming into the line of fire by an unfriendly, Jewish parliamentary majority; who seem bent on kicking him and possibly his political party of Israel for good. Or, to voluntarily give up his Knesset seat and show his true personal and political “spots” by officially emigrating to either Syria, Lebanon, or Jordan.

Syria, and possibly other countries unfriendly to Israel may want to use Bashara as a propaganda tool against the Jewish State by having him send a clear message to other Arabs holding Israeli nationality that the time has come for them to decide as with whom their loyalty really lies. For Bashara himself, it’s becoming more and more evident regarding where he wants to be; and that place is not within a Jewish dominated and governed republic. One might wonder if Bashara would consider becoming involved in Palestinian politics; but most likely, even he is not that stupid, judging from the current state of anarchy which is tearing the Palestinian Authority apart and which almost led to civil war.

Most Israelis would like to see Bashara exit Israeli politics and the country as well. His continued presence in both has been damaging to all, to say the very least. Other Israeli Arab politicians, many of whom live very comfortable lives in the Jewish Republic, must now decide who really butters their bread; for life in most neighboring Arab countries, including Egypt and Jordan, may not be nearly as pleasant as life within the ‘confines’ of the State of Israel.

At the end of the day, many Israeli politicians may decide that they have never had it so good, Bashara included.

Olmert sure can pick them.
Now we have a new scandal brewing with the Minister of Finanace Hirshzon getting investigated by Police on some “strange” deposits in his account and enevlopes of cash that seem to appear every time he is about to go on a trip abroad. Guess being a mediocre, absentee Minister of Finance is not bad enough for Hirshzon…

In the meantime you can be sure that the latest edition to Olmert’s parade of thiefs is cooking something up. A tiny little note in today’s newspaper told us of “Israel Beytenu” head, Avigdor Liberman, plan to help the “new needy”. He suggests a plan that will help expedite the process of getting an Israeli passport for wealthy russian investors (AKA Oligarchs) who need said document to travel. Now you know that Liberman is doing this from the kindness of his heart - right ? I wonder how much he charges for a passport from these nice millionaires? I wonder what type of international scandals and damage they can do to Israel as they run about their business…

Moshik! shows Olmert in front of the Winograd commission answering questions