[See also Sept. '10 post, "Political & Civil Events"]
After Hamas took over Gaza in 2007, Israel imposed a naval blockade to stop the importing of rockets & mortars and thereby impede further attacks. In May 2010, six ships in a Gaza Freedom Flotilla organized by a Turkish group tried to break the blockade. Israeli naval commandos boarded the ships from speedboats & helicopters to escort them to Ashdod's port for inspection. On one ship, Mavi Marmara, clashes broke out when activists violently resisted. In suppressing the resistance, Israeli commandos killed nine activists. But many Israeli commandos & others were also wounded. After widespread internat'l condemnation & reaction, Israel eased its blockade on Gaza.
Again in 2011, a coalition of activists tried to launch an even larger flotilla. This time Turkey abstained from the effort due to US pressure. Greece prevented ships from leaving Cypress or other of its ports in June '11. Instead, Greece offered to transport the goods to the nearest Israeli port. Activists resisted this offer. An organizer admitted that this was not an effort to deliver goods -- but to break the blockade. On 7/20/11 Israel peacefully intercepted the only ship left in the flotilla.
Crisis with Turkey. On 9/2/11 the UN Palmer Commission determined that the Gaza blockade was legal but that Israel had used excessive force to subdue the 2010 flotilla. It also noted Turkey's role in provoking confrontation. Still, Turkey downgraded its relations with Israel, absent a formal apology & compensation. It threatened gunboat diplomacy & dissolved military ties with Israel, while keeping strong trade relations. Having been snubbed by the EU, Turkey was playing to the anti-Israel, Arab world. Would Israel support the Kurds & Armenians against Turkey? Would future BYU field trips to Turkey be impacted? [See Sept. '11 post, Turkey F.T.]
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Glenn Beck in Israel. In advance of his "Restoring Courage" rallies here in Aug. '11, TV host Beck (LDS) & his party visited Jerusalem. Some of them also attended JC Sabbath mtgs. On Mon. 7/11/11 he told a Knesset committee on Diaspora Affairs (Danny Danon, Chair) his purpose was not political but to bring global support for Israel's opposition of evil & its efforts to survive. His visit to East Jerusalem stirred some Arab opposition. A few Palestinian MKs warned of possible violence if his Aug. 24th rally is held next to the Temple Mount.
The Fri. 7/22/11 Jerusalem Post Magazine put Beck on the front cover with the headline, "The man with a message: Controversial American TV personality believes Israelis should have the courage to admit that you are good." The inside title is: "Israel -- You are not the bad guys!" In his interview, he urged Israelis not to dilute or downplay the courage of their convictions -- but to know that many others in the world stand by them. He did not oppose a state of Palestine & refused to discuss politics outside of America.
On Sabbath, 8/20/11 Bro. Beck (and his 2-day beard) attended a JC Sacr. Mtg. He left early so as not to draw attn. to himself. He hosted rallies in Israel the next 3 days -- but JC had no role whatsoever with any of them. On 8/21 about 3,000 attended his kickoff event at the ancient Roman amphitheatre in Caeseria. On stage with him were historian David Barton, Rabbi Shlomo Riskin (of Efrat in the West Bank), author Mike Evans & Rev. John Hagee (head of Christians United for Israel). All expressed support for Israel's survival and stand for peace.
Beck's 8/23/11 rally at the new City Hall's large plaza -- honoring holocaust victims & survivors -- was also well attended & uneventful.
On 8/24/11, 1,700 persons attended the final, main event at the Davidson Archaeological Center -- next to the Temple Mount south stairs. [See Aug. post, "NT Archaeol. Jerusalem"] It was also beamed to 1,400 Christian locations around the world.
It was moved up from 7:30 to 5 pm so as not to conflict with the Muslim sunset prayers at Ramadan. There were no further Palestinian protests -- but about 30 "Peace Now" US & Israeli leftists demonstrated near Dung Gate, with slogans like "Go Beck home" and "Peace Takes Courage."
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More West Bank Settlements
On 8/10/11 and again on 9/27/11, Israel's Interior Ministry approved expanding settlements in annexed Jerusalem areas (Gilo, Ramat Schlomo, Pisgat Ze'ev & Ariel -- some pending since V.P. Biden's visit last March '10.) P.M. Benjamin Netanyahu said approval of 2,700 new units was "nothing new" -- the same process done for the past 44 years, since the 1967 war. By 2010, over 311,100 settlers lived in the West Bank.
This action was partly in response to summer-long mass protests against rising prices and less affordable housing. Tent cities were set up in Jerusalem & TLV.
On 9/3/11, in "March of a Million," 400K in 6 cities rallied for "social justice" -- Israel's largest protest movement ever. Tent cities were then dismantled; people returned to work and school.
This action was partly in response to summer-long mass protests against rising prices and less affordable housing. Tent cities were set up in Jerusalem & TLV.
On 9/3/11, in "March of a Million," 400K in 6 cities rallied for "social justice" -- Israel's largest protest movement ever. Tent cities were then dismantled; people returned to work and school.
Arabs claim that more settlements prove Israel has rejected a peaceful route to Palestinian statehood. (In turn, Israel has insisted on peace talks without any preconditions.) About 2 M Israelis have moved into some 200 West Bank settlements since 1967. No new settlements were approved in 2012 -- but 3 disputed ones were formalized & the court-ordered evacuation of a 4th was delayed. In April '12 U.S. envoy David Hale tried to revive peace talks.
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Unilateral Palestinian Statehood?
On Sat. 8/13/11, PA's Foreign Minister Riad Malki informed the UN that the PA would request recognition of Palestine as a sovereign state. (Formal notice was sent to the UN on 9/9/11, despite US' best efforts.) In response, some Israeli (& U.S.) leaders urged Israel to annex more West Bank area or to curtail services & funding to the PA. Both sides braced for trouble.
On Fri. 9/23/11 PA Pres. Mahmoud Abbas spoke to a full U.N. General Assembly & presented a petition for Palestine to become the UN's 194th official member. Israeli P.M. Netanyahu addressed a mostly-empty assembly. He stressed the need for his nation's security, for its official recognition by the Palestinians & for resuming direct negotiations w/o major preconditions. Also on 9/23/11 the "Middle East Quartet" (US, EU, Russia & UN reps) called for talks & a stay on any UN action until after 12/31/11. Israel accepted, but PA rejected, this proposal. There was some celebrating & flag-burning protests on the West Bank but no serious unrest. Mr. Abbas returned home to a hero's welcome.
UN rejection; Unity Govt. On Fri. 11/11/11 a U.N. Security Council report (supported by only 8 of 15 Council members) rejected statehood. Then Abbas (PA Pres.) called on Hamas to join in forming a "Unity Govt." To pave the way, Salam Fayyad agreed to resign as the PA Prime Minister. Hamas considered him too moderate & "a U.S. lackey."
UNESCO Membership. In Paris on 10/31/11, 2/3rds of its 194 members approved Palestine as the 195th member of UNESCO. USA cut off its budget support ($60 M or 22%).
On 11/1/11, Israel stopped transfers of customs taxes collected for the PA. That badly impaired many PA operations dependent on such funds. Still, PA threatened to seek membership in 16 other U.N. entities.
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Peace Talks in Jordan. On New Year's Day 1/1/12, King Abdullah II announced that the chief Palestinian & Israeli peace negotiators would be restarting talks in Amman that month.
On 1/17/12 King Abdullah met with Pres. Obama in Wash. DC to discuss the small progress made in the first 3 talks since Sept. 2010.
By Feb. '12, the talks had stalled and finally collapsed.
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Attacks in Southern Israel. On Thurs. 8/17/11, the worst trouble since March '11 started near Eilat on the Red Sea. Several terrorists from Gaza and/or Egypt ambushed passing vehicles, killing 9 on a desert road near Sinai's border. IDF & Egyptian military quickly killed the terrorists. The IDF mistakenly killed 6 Egyptian soldiers -- so, another crisis. Egypt increased security in the Sinai & Gaza, at Israel's urging & approval.
Overnight, IDF jets struck key targets across Gaza. On 8/19/11 militants in Gaza resumed Grad & Kassam rocket and mortar attacks on Israeli coastal cities and inland to Beer'sheva -- over 100 by 8/25/11.
On 8/21-25, a rain of small, cheap rockets killed a Jew near Beer'sheva & injured others, provoking more Israeli retaliation. Some were intercepted by Israel's new Iron Dome defense shield. A Tamir interceptor missile costs about $50K. One battery can protect +150 sq. Km. It will take 13 batteries (each with radar, also @ $50K) to protect all of Israel. Initially, 3 were installed -- for Ashkelon, Ashdod & Beersheva.
Some also consider this to be a new Al Queda/Hamas initiative to undermine Israel-Egypt relations and unravel their 1978 Camp David Peace Accord. Israel is considering another incursion into Gaza -- like Operation Cast Lead in 2009. That could create another global backlash against Israel.
On Sat. 10/29/11, rocket fire from Gaza resumed, killing one & injuring four persons. This came after IDF had struck an Islamic Jihad cell in Gaza that same day. (Israelis killed 5 terrorists who had fired an unprovoked Grad missile at Rehovot on 10/22/11.) Some 40 missiles came at Ashdod & Ashkelon in the following week. Iron Dome batteries (including this one near Ashdod) intercepted some Grads during the week and IDF retalliated each time more missiles were fired.
Hamas refrained from more rocket fire in Nov. But on 12/8-9/11, about 12 rockets hit southern Israel after an IDF car bomb had killed 2 Palestinian terrorists in Gaza City on 12/8/11 -- suspected of plotting more attacks from Sinai as in Aug. IDF strikes on rocket sites caused a few deaths & injuries. No deaths or damage were caused by the rockets.
During 2011, over 600 rockets, mortars and Grad missiles were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel. Many were intercepted by the Iron Dome defense. After every rocket attack, the IDF responded against Gaza.
The week after we left Israel came the worst violence in 3 years. The IDF killed a Hamas leader who may have planned the Aug. 2011 Sinai strike and was planning another. Gaza militants fired 100s of rockets and mortars. Israel shot down 90% of those headed for populated areas. It also closed schools for 4 days and retaliated, killing 25+ Palestinians. On 3/13/12, Egyptian military finally brokered a cease-fire. After Egypt has a new constitution & presidential elections later this year, will its military have the same moderating influence?
In late Jan. and early Feb. 2012, U.N. Chief Ban Ki-Moon came to Israel, the West Bank and Gaza in an effort to restart peace talks -- his 3rd visit. He has discouraged PA's unilateral efforts for statehood at the U.N.
On 2/2/12, while Ban was still in Gaza, 12 rockets were launched into Israel. All landed in empty fields without any deaths or serious damage. Ban condemned the attacks but also urged Israel to be more conciliatory by opening its borders to Gaza and stopping settlements on the West Bank. Gazans stormed the U.N. entourage because Ban did not urge the release of more Gaza prisoners in Israel.
On 2/3/12, just after Ban left Gaza, the IDF responded with attacks targeting two weapon storing facilities, three terror tunnels and a weapon mfg. facility in Gaza.
Nearly 100 rockets & mortars from Gaza hit Israel on 10/24/12 -- the most since June. It came after a visit by Qatar's head emir -- to sponsor $1/2 billion in new Gaza constr. IDF retaliated against Hamas leaders, smuggling tunnels from Egypt and 4 rocket launch squads.
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Crisis in Egypt. On Fri. 9/9/11 mobs invaded the Israeli Embassy in Cairo, breaking down the outer security walls & all but 1 steel door that protected 5 security guards. The mobs destroyed documents, started fires & replaced the Israeli flag with their own before police & military dispersed them. The Israeli ambassador, family & 80 staff fled the country. But steps were soon taken to re-establish diplomatic ties.
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The "Irvine 11" Case. On Fri. 9/23/11 Orange County Sup. Ct. Judge Peter Wilson (also my former L&W law partner, below left, with his wife Judge Glenda Sanders) upheld a jury verdict & sentenced 11 UC Irvine Muslim Students to 56 hrs. of community service + probation. These protestors were guilty of disturbing the peace & interfering with the free speech rights of Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren (below rt.) While speaking at UCI on 2/8/10, Oren was shouted down at least 10 times by these students -- who had to be removed by police. The Jerusalem Post on 9/28/11 (p. 1 of "Comments & Features") praised this result as a protection of campus free speech while also criticizing the OC Register for claiming that this quashed free speech rights of the Muslim students.
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Major prisoner exchange. On 10/18/11 both Jews and Arabs had some cause to rejoice. After 5-1/2 years in captivity, a young Israeli soldier was exchanged for 1,027 convicted Palestinian prisoners, including terrorist killers. On 6/25/06, Gilad Shalit was kidnapped inside Israel, while on a night tank patrol, via a Hamas militant raid thru tunnels near a Gaza-Israeli border crossing.
Shalit, pale & gaunt (above), saluted his Prime Minister upon release. This was considered a "kidnapping" because he was given no human rights under the Geneva Conventions -- no visits from the Red Cross & no contact with his family, plus a ransom demand. Top Hamas ldrs. feted the release of their own, promising to kidnap others until all Palestinians were freed by Israel.
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Full Lunar Eclipse. Early in the morning of Sat. 12/10/11, skywatchers atop Mt. Scopus viewed the earth's shadow on the moon as it passed between the sun & moon -- causing a total lunar eclipse. That was the last one until 2014.
Above is a Jerusalem mosque silhouetted against the fading moon.
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Haredi Radicals. There were 1.3 M ultra-orthodox Jews in Israel in 2011 -- doubling every 12 to 20 years. In Haredi communities, no skin other than face & hands is to be shown. Some Haredim extremists spat on an age 8 girl walking to school on 12/26/11 -- as being "immodest," despite her long sleeves & skirt.
Journalists entering Beit Shemesh to cover this story were stoned.
Women are also segregated and even excluded in some Haredi communities, especially in buses. On 12/28/11 in Jerusalem's Levi Eshkol community, a young IDF soldier who refused to sit in the back was called a "whore" & "shikse "(gentile woman). Women are also banned from singing in public there.
Haredim -- exempt from taxes, military service & standard curriculum -- live on state subsidies. Their main functions seem to be studying Judaism & procreating.
Unrest at the Temple Mount. On 2/24/12, after Friday prayers at Al Aksa Mosque, two weeks of civil unrest erupted into riots by several hundred Palestinians. They were subdued by Israeli police & military; 10 were arrested after 15 Arabs & 11 soldiers were injured. No JC personnel were were to enter the Old City that day.
Trouble started with stoning of persons at the Western Wall & Mughrabi Gate (the Temple Mount entry for all non-Muslims) -- following a series of inflammatory right-wing internet articles urging Jews to exercise sovereignty over the Temple Mount.
Police blocked Jewish access to the mount and pursued Arab youths who had barricaded themselves inside Al Aksa Mosque. Ensuing West Bank riots resulted in at least one Palestinian death by an IDF soldier.
That was the first real trouble at the Temple Mount in our 18 months there. We hated to see this season of peace disrupted by extremists -- on both sides.
[More input on these subjects posted as later developments occur]
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