Friday 3 December 2010

Fires in Israel

41 people have died, more than 13,000 evacuated from their homes, villages and a kibbutz completely ruined and forests still burning in the Carmel Mountain area of Israel because of a blazing fire that Israel’s evidently bankrupt fire-fighting system does not seem to be able to contain.

Israel on Fire I

Various countries are coming to Israel’s aid, sending fire fighting planes, other equipment and material. Bulgaria has even sent a team of 100 to help.

Lately, Israel is rightly preoccupied with the notion that it is being delegitimized in the world. Israeli politicians should not mistake humanitarian aid for political support.

Israel on Fire II

How would Israel have reacted had the fires in the Carmel been the result of a Hezbollah attack? Fortunately, that is not the case – otherwise we would have had a full-blown war in the Middle East.

How much death and misery would the world have been spared had the attack on the twin towers in New York been just an attack of a madman or the same damage caused by an earthquake? No Iraq war, no Afghanistan war and a weaker Iran and this is just for starters.

Israel on Fire III

Two years ago, ultra-religious Israeli Member of Parliament Mr Benizri explained that an earthquake that had taken place at the time was God's punishment for gay sex.

Now Benizri (like quite a few of the other ultra-orthodox party leaders) is in jail for corruption. I wonder whether his experience in jail has changed his mind about the evils of homosexuality or has he added the fires in the Carmel Mountains to the catalogue of God's wrathful acts?

6 comments:

  1. Israel on Fire I

    ... nor does one need to mistake aid for political support.
    But it is well worth registering who does come to Israel`s aid in its hour of genuine need - and who doesn`t.


    Israel on Fire II

    ... and how much death and misery would the world have been spared had the attack on the twin towers in New York not happened in the first place!!!


    Israel on Fire III

    ... like most religious zealots, the man is a Silly Billy,
    No doubt he is lodged comfortably where he resides at present.

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  2. I have been reading and enjoying your blog. I will try to come to the seminar at Conway Hall on 18/12.

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  3. Ich habe beide blogs gelesen und unterschreibe sie voll !

    Eben habe ich gehört ,dass zwei " verdächtige Brandstifter" festgenommen wurden-sowas hatte ich befürchtet und befürchte noch mehr ,dass daraus "Reichstagsbrand Täter,Marius van der Lübbe" werden könnten !

    Es wäre zu schön ,wenn aus solch einer Katasrophe ein Hauch von Frieden entstehen könnte ,immerhin hat die Türkei Hilfe gesandt !

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  4. I am a devoted reader of your blogs and share most of your ideas.

    With regard to your "Israel on fire 3" blog, you should consider that punishment is a bi-directional.

    In 2005 during a meeting with several "light" religious friends in Jerusalem, they celebrated and toasted the hospitalisation of PM Sharon after evacuating Gush Katif settlements in Gaza strip. It seemed to me primitive and disgraceful. I turned our discussion to a commercial track, which was the main purpose of the meeting.

    However, we must be careful with comparisons stemming from prejudice and emotional revenge.

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  5. Israel on Fire III is a good one!

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