A LOVE LETTER TO THE PEOPLE OF MY COUNTRY

This article appears in Lay of the Land: https://layoftheland.online/2024/05/11/a-love-letter-to-the-people-of-my-country/

These past 7 months have demonstrated that Israelis are extraordinary in so many ways.

It has been over 7 months of agony. It feels like years. I do not remember life before 7 October – I do not think most people do either. There is 7/10 – and life before that, which is blurred and fuzzy. We are not the same people who went to sleep on 6 October. We never will be again. How could we be?

This year, the national holidays in Israel have a distinctly different tone. They are sacred days, filled with sorrow – and dread. Yom Hashoa (Holocaust Memorial Day) in the shadow of 7/10 was extremely poignant and difficult. The images of our brothers and sisters burnt to ash or herded onto the back of trucks and taken away as well as the raw, unbridled hatred that fueled the attack was reminiscent of the experiences of our ancestors – and family.

On 7 October, Hamas intended to terrorise. And they did. The trauma we have is so deep; it is at a cellular level. They came into the one safe haven of the Jewish people, our collective home and into our individual homes as families, and raped, mutilated, tortured, burnt, murdered and kidnapped. We thought it could never happen again – but it did.  We are so deep in our collective trauma that we have not even begun to emerge into post trauma but no sooner had the news broken, Israelis began to flex our well-toned resilience muscle. War and trauma are not new to Israelis or the Jewish people, but this time it was different. The level of depravity was beyond our comprehension – and many of us feel that we have been transported back in time, to the pogroms and persecution of our grandparents and great-grandparents.

We are now approaching two Days of Awe – Yom Hazikaron, Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and victims of terror – and Yom Ha’atzmaut, Independence Day. The two days take place one after the other so that we never forget the price we paid for what we have – a Jewish state. This year it is all the more emotional and heightened as we are fighting a war for our very survival – while antisemitism soars to astronomical levels.

Hamas made no distinction between any of us – left or right, religious or secular, Muslim, Christian, Jew, and foreign national – everyone was a target. Our answer to that, despite our differences, is to come together as a nation and focus on what is most important – supporting our bereaved families and families of hostages, demanding the immediate return of our hostages, ensuring the world does not forget what happened on 7/10 and standing behind our army.

In our grief, we each adopted a personal mission. Through our pain, we have each found a purpose and this article is my personal love letter to every single one of my exceptional fellow citizens and women. On 7 October, we experienced the worst of humanity. On 8 October, the best of Israel and the Jewish people trudged through their pain, shock and grief and rose to meet the challenges.

These Days of Awe, I want to express my profound love for my fellow citizens.

To the men, women and canines on air, sea, land, tunnels and airwaves, who are fighting not just for our survival, but for our very existence, there are not enough words to thank you. You are the best of us. You are our husbands and wives, sons and daughters, lovers, colleagues, friends and you are not just fighting for us, you are the vanguard in the clash between good and evil. We are proud of you, we stand by you and we know without any doubt that you adhere to the strictest moral and ethical code as you fight a monstrous entity that does not respect the laws of armed conflict, but instead uses their civilians as human shields. You can hold your head up high.

To our warriors, human and canine, who paid the ultimate price for our safety, your names will go down in the annals of our history, and we will honour you eternally. We will wrap our arms around your families. May your memories forever be blessed.

The 7th of October was the darkest day in Israel’s history, but it was also a day that ordinary people became superheroes. There were parents who drove down south to rescue their children in the carnage, risking their lives and saving many. Noam Tibon, a retired IDF General, and his wife got into their car and headed straight to Nahal Oz to help rescue his son and his family, trapped in their safe room.  Tibon and his wife would not only rescue injured soldiers, shepherding them to safety, but Noam engaged in combat with terrorists before managing to free his family. Civilians like Yusuf Marhat, a Bedouin bus driver who transported revelers to the Nova festival and then drove towards the carnage to rescue as many as possible. He saved many lives that dark day. Aner Shapira was amongst a group of people hiding in a shelter when Hamas opened fire on them and threw grenades in. Video footage shows Shapira throwing at least 7 grenades out before he was eventually killed. His best friend Hersch Goldberg Polin was taken as a hostage and remains in captivity. These are just a few of the many who drew superhuman strength to save as many lives as they could.

To every first responder who ran into the danger, we salute you. It was the call centre operators who took those first calls from terrified kibbutz residents. I keep thinking of the operator who took the distressed call of Avigail Idan’s siblings, who saw their parents murdered and did not know where their baby sister was. The siblings hid in a cupboard where their mother Smadar had safely hidden them before she was murdered. The operator told them to hide there “till the good people come”. Images of Jewish children hiding in cupboards from killers takes us back to that darkest time in our history. The remarkable first responders from Magen David Adom, firefighters, United Hatzalah, Zaka, IDF soldiers, doctors, nurses, police and all who ran into the gates of hell went above and beyond the call of duty. They were nothing less than magnificent.

The attacks of October 7 left many orphans. Statistics estimate 119 children who lost either one or more parents. Breastfeeding mothers rushed to donate their breast milk so that our smallest and most vulnerable treasures would receive sustenance. This is love in a profound time of sorrow.

The Beautiful Israel.  Young kids making sandwiches for soldiers who may be their fathers or mothers defending their country in the north and the south.

To the volunteers, near and far, who are diligently picking fruit and vegetables, thank you! You are helping to feed a country who faces the real threat of a lack of food security. Many of the agricultural workers who came from Thailand, Nepal and other countries returned to their countries in the wake of 7/10, leaving farms without labourers. Israelis sprang into action, making sure cows were milked, fruit, vegetable picked, and that the farms that form the country’s food belt have continued to function. Volunteers have been streaming in around from around the world to help – including a team of cowboys from the USA.  It has been an incredible show of love and solidarity.

Stepping up to the Plate. Braving warm smiles on faces traumatized by national tragedy, Israelis preparing food for their soldiers.

To my colleagues who are journalists or are in the field of public diplomacy – we are tasked with bearing witness, recording history and testimony and sharing it with the world. It has been at times, an agonizing task. We have had to see the images and footage from the atrocities that are unfathomable in their cruelty. We have had to see them again and again in order to ensure the story is told, the atrocities not denied or forgotten. It takes a massive toll. We will continue to speak.

To the lawyers who are defending Israel in the international courts against libelous accusations of genocide – some heroes really do wear capes. In this case, robes. You are our legal heroes in your robes, presenting Israel’s case with alacrity, dignity and forensic detail, compiling case after case that easily disproves the accusation of genocide. You have had to pore over the evidence of a true genocide, the atrocities of 7 October, in all of its savage imagery. This is unbearable but proves without a doubt who the perpetrators are – Hamas.  

To my sisters, the Zionesses roaring on behalf of our mothers, sisters and daughters who no longer have a voice, who were raped and tortured and then violated again by feminists and women’s organisations who not only denied the violence they endured, but built a wall of silence. We, the women of Israel, will tear down that wall by speaking up. We will not be silenced.

Country United. As they say an army marches on its stomach, it didn’t take long for Israel’s restaurants to get into the kitchen to feed their heroes. Within days of the war began following the massacre of October 7, even Israel’s top restaurants rallied to provide food for the soldiers.

Someone once said that an army marches on its stomach. The IDF must be the most well-fed army in in the world. Israelis and volunteers from abroad have been packing food parcels, donating, hosting barbeques on the border and ensuring that the army that defends its nation, eats well. Restaurant owners have koshered their restaurants to ensure that all food meets religious requirement and no soldiers is excluded from enjoying a delicious meal.  Druze women and restaurant owners have closed their restaurants to the public and are catering solely to soldiers. When they open to the public again, we will support them in our masses.

What’s Cooking? In wartime Israel, everyone does their part – even if that means cooking dinner in a parking garage. Seen here at the Keshet school in Jerusalem’s Katamon neighborhood, are student volunteers in their school’s parking garage, which also is functioning as a makeshift kitchen feeding as many as 300 people per day.(Photo by Neil Weinberg)
 

To the hostages – our brothers and sisters held in torturous conditions, and those who have been released – no amount of words do justice to explain your courage and your dignity.  Former hostages who have bravely shared about their horrific experience have done so with the greatest dignity and continue to fight for the 132 that remain captive. The stories are shattering – torture, starvation, systematic sexual abuse and more accounts that speak of unfathomable trauma. We will not stop until every single one of you is back.

The people who have vowed to rebuild their devastated communities and kibbutzim, you are the beacon of hope, of resilience. You remind us of what we have, what we cherish and what our commitment is.

Seniors in the ‘Service’. Volunteers sort donated resources for Israelis displaced by the October 7 attacks and Israel-Hamas war. (Photo: Foni Mesika)

Young people who have risen to the challenge. You are more than our greatest hope, you have more than proven our future is radiantly bright – you light the way. You have shown up in our darkest moment in the most magnificent way and while we look around the world at the chaos on campuses and in marches, alarmed at how the young and more often than not, gullible have been radicalized, we do not fear for the future of Israel. You are our future. You are the generation that will go down in the annals of history as one of our greatest. I believe that.

To you who has gone above and beyond and who I may not have mentioned, thank you. To every single one of us, navigating our own trauma and pain, but showing up, every single day, there is no greater love than the love we have for each other.

Every single one of us. Am Yisrael Chai!

IT IS TIME FOR JEWS TO DIVEST

This article appears in Lay of the Land: https://layoftheland.online/2024/05/06/it-is-time-for-jews-to-divest/

Jewish donors have given generously to universities – perhaps it is time to rethink that.

The title of this article grabbed your attention, didn’t it? Some of you may have thought I was meaning divest from Israel. Perish the thought! Phtew phtew! The threat of divestment has been held like a sword of Damocles over Israel and companies that invest in Israeli interests in anyway. A whole movement has sprung up around it and nowhere has this been more evident in its true intentions than what we are witnessing on campuses across the USA. Not to be alarmist, but what starts in the US often spreads across the world.

College Chaos. Posts promoting the “Popular University for Gaza” initiative posted on social media by National Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP)

Looking at images of the matching tents and how well organized and planned these protests and “encampments” are, one has to wonder, who is sponsoring them? How many of these protesters are even students? A large percentage of protesters are also faculty, which proves the point that many of us have been warning about for years. The university education systems has been financed and infiltrated by bad agents, seeking to spread their ideology to future policy makers.

Watch and read more about it here:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/TY6F1hUqYDw?version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparenthttps://isgap.org/follow-the-money/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zazcVU_rNyQ

For decades, many of us in the public diplomacy space have been warning that university campuses, especially the elite, Ivy League have become hotbeds of intimidation, harassment and at times, violence. The annual festival of hate known as Israel Apartheid Week, which makes its way across global campuses every March, has rendered campuses “no go” zones for Jews for over a decade. Universities did little if anything to protect Jewish students, hiding once again behind free speech. Jewish faculty who are Zionist have also been threatened and intimidated by anti-Israel students. This has exacerbated since the war between Israel and Hamas, which followed the invasion by Hamas terrorists, resulting in the murder, torture, rape, burning and kidnapping of civilians. In the last few weeks, this has spiraled into a serious of protests and encampments on universities across the United States.

It is not just students engaged in protests on campus. Faculty members are also supporting or participating in these protests.

Free speech is sacrosanct. Free speech is imperative in a democracy and the rights of anyone to exercise that freedom must be protected, no matter how obnoxious it is or how much we disagree with it. A line has been crossed. Protesters have not been criticizing Israeli policies or how the country is prosecuting its war against terror organisation, Hamas, following the atrocities of 7/10.

Together with Terrorists. Flags bearing the logos of the US-designated terror groups Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and Hezbollah are seen at the encampment protests at California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt (left) and Princeton University (right).

Protesters and their supporters are trying to hide behind free speech but the bile spewing from the mouths of the mob has crossed the line way into hate speech territory.

Hamas’s useful idiots on campus, employing rhetoric straight out of the Hamas Charter or Goebbels book of propaganda, have included comments and actions such as:

• Chants of “We are Hamas” and “bomb Tel Aviv“
• “October 7th will happen to American Jewish students 10,000 times over“

 “American Jews are Al-Qassam’s (Hamas military wing) next target“

• Jewish student stabbed in the eye.
• Israeli Arab activist, Yosef Hadad beaten up.
• Chants of “There is only one solution, Intifada, revolution”
• Chants of “Ya Hamas, give them hell”
• Liquid thrown at Jewish students to prevent them from getting to their dormitories.
• Human chain created to block one Jewish student from reaching her dormitory.
• Jews told to “go back to Europe!”; “Goodbye Nazis go back to Poland!”
• University Rabbi asking students to go home, as they are not safe on campus.
• School canceled and classes moved to zoom to protect Jewish students.
• Israeli flag burned.
• Chants of “Ya, Hamas we love you, we love your rockets too”
• Students encouraged to become martyrs for Palestine.
• Jewish Israeli Professor, Shai Davidai barred from campus because the university cannot ensure his safety.
• Chants of “NYPD, KKK, OIF (Occupying Israeli Forces) they are all the same”
• Calls to “globalize the Intifada”. Many will remember the intifada’s of 1987 and 2001 that resulted in a significant increase in terror attacks on Israeli citizens. In the early 2000’s, suicide bombings on buses and in restaurants and more were the grotesque signatures of terror.
• Khymani James, leader of the protests saying, “Zionists must die”. Likening Zionists to white supremacists and Nazis he claimed they are “all the same people”, adding: “The existence of them and the projects they have built, i.e. Israel, it’s all antithetical to peace. It’s all antithetical to peace. And so, yes, I feel very comfortable, very comfortable, calling for those people to die.” James also said, “I don’t fight to injure or for there to be a winner or a loser, I fight to kill.” James has been suspended from campus.

Israeli satire show “Eretz Nehederet” pretty much nailed it in the early weeks of the war with this biting satire:

All this and more is being screeched while parading and setting up encampments outside of buildings that bear the names of notable Jewish philanthropists. Jews have poured money into universities, hospitals and other institutions in order to largely benefit those less fortunate or to give back

Most students could not tell you which river or which sea they are chanting about. When future leaders use TikTok as a news source, takes their geopolitical analysis from a Hadid sister or wears that watermelon t-shirt promising a free Palestine at the expense of sovereign Israel, we can see that not only has the education system failed them – but we are seeing the collapse of western society in real time. The Ivy League universities are now looked upon as “poisoned ivies”.

‘Sign’ of the Times. Signs displayed at the Yale University encampment honor PFLP-affiliated Walid Daqqa (left) and Leila Khaled (right).

The problem that these protesters have is that Israel is demonstrating the audacity of self-defence against an enemy they are shilling for – but many have absolutely no idea just how brutal and oppressive those they are supporting are. When asked about the atrocities of 7/10 or how they feel about Jewish students fearing for their safety, the usual default response is “that is a false narrative”. Sigh.

It is clear that universities, many who receive vast amounts of cash from countries like Qatar, and whose faculty and students are being increasingly radicalized, have failed to educate the next generation. Students are ignorant of the facts and are virtually incapable of critical thinking.

If universities cannot and will not protect Jewish students and ensure their safety – perhaps it is time for generous Jewish donors to divest from them.

A Violent Sign. In front of supporters for Israel, a masked woman (possibly, like many others, a “hero” that is afraid to be identified) holds up a threatening Al-Qassam sign at a Columbia University protest on April 20, 2024. It is unknown whether she is affiliated with Columbia University. Al-Qassam is the armed wing of Hamas. (Photo: ABC News)

One has to wonder, if any other minority group were treated like this, what would the universities do? We all know the answer. They would not tolerate any of this. It is different for Jews – and that is rank antisemitism.

Many are asking: What “the day after” looks like for Gaza?

I think the other discussion we need to have is what does the day after look like for Jewish communities, Jewish students and faculty. How do Jewish students go back to classes, knowing that some of their professors engaged in protests that called for their extermination? How will they feel safe amongst their peers again?

Terror Takeover. Graphics circulated by student groups advertising the encampments at New York University (left) and The New School (right) utilize inverted red triangle imagery, which signifies support for VIOLENT Palestinian resistance against Israel. The symbol first appeared in propaganda videos promoted by the al-Qassam brigades, the military wing of Hamas.

Students attend classes with names of generous Jewish donors emblazoned on their buildings. If these universities are NOT going to protect Jewish students and faculty, perhaps it is time for donors to divest – and contribute to universities that WILL protect their human rights.

Star Wars – and Sirens

This article is featured in the SA Jewish Report: https://www.sajr.co.za/star-wars-and-sirens/

Where were you when Iran attacked Israel? This will become a question that Jews will ask themselves for years to come. Saturday evening, 13 April, began with a calm directive from the Israel Defense Forces Home Front Command that the country was on an emergency footing and restrictions were in place. We knew what was coming. Like many around the country, I prepared my safe room, closed the metal window shield, and waited for what was to come. Drones were reportedly making their way to Israel. What happened next was unprecedented, both in scope of attack and Israel’s defence.

For the first time in history, Iran attacked from Iranian soil towards Israeli sovereign territory. The attack came in five waves, with more than 300 projectiles fired, designed for maximum carnage. This was a significant departure from previous decades-long strategy to attack Israel and Israeli installations around the world via proxies like the Houthis in Yemen, who are disrupting shipping lines, Hamas, and Hezbollah, which routinely attack Israel. Iran said that this was retaliation for an alleged Israeli strike on a building adjacent to its embassy in Damascus that eliminated Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Commander Mohammad Reza Zahedi and several others.

“The numbers still aren’t 100% clear, but I understand that 120 ballistic missiles and about 30 cruise missiles were fired, as well as about 170 explosive drones – explosive UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles],” Israeli military spokesman Peter Lerner told CNN.

Israel’s defence was exceptional. Even though the steady thunder of fighter jets as they intercepted ballistic missiles kept most of us up, it was a reassuring sound to hear the mighty Israel Air Force along with the Royal Air Force (RAF) flying manoeuvres quite literally above me. I was treated the next morning to seeing two jets flying tandem with a large plane that was likely a refuelling plane.

Israel, along with an international coalition that included the United States (US), United Kingdom, France, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia demolished the Iranian attack. You read that correctly. Jordan opened its airspace, and scrambled F-16s to destroy incoming projectiles. The Jordanians said it was to “protect their civilians”, but two things are evident, first, the threat that Iran poses not just to Israel but to the region, and second, that in spite of harsh criticism over the past six months, our peace treaty is holding. A Saudi official connected to the Saudi Royal family told KAN, Israel’s national broadcaster, that the country had a system automatically to intercept any suspicious entity in its airspace.

That source also charged that Iran had instigated the Gaza war through its proxy group, Hamas, to disrupt US efforts for a Saudi normalisation deal. “Iran is a country that sponsors terrorism, and it should have been stopped a long time ago,” said the source.

Israel’s air defence array including Iron Domes, David’s Sling, Arrow 2 and Arrow 3 systems that are designed to destroy ballistic missiles in space, and exceptional flying by our fighter pilots along with the RAF. Sirens wailed in parts of the north and south and over Jerusalem. The images of Iron Dome defence missiles intercepting incoming projectiles over the Al-Aqsa Mosque will live in infamy. The visuals were like something out of a Star Wars movie.

US Central Command forces, supported by US European Command destroyers, successfully engaged and destroyed more than 80 one-way attack, uncrewed aerial vehicles and at least six ballistic missiles intended to strike Israel from Iran and Yemen.

Israel’s chief military spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, said on Sunday that France was among the countries involved in defending against Iran’s overnight attack on Israel.

“France has very good technology, jets, radar – and I know it was contributing in patrolling airspace,” Hagari said.

Israelis were jubilant on Sunday morning, albeit exhausted. Achieving a 99% success rate on an assault this massive was nothing less than extraordinary – and miraculous. We needed a win after months of derision from a world fast losing patience with the war in Gaza.

Where to from here, we wonder? There’s no question that Israel will have to retaliate to an unprecedented Iranian assault on its territory. We won’t just “take the win”, as suggested by US President Joe Biden. Will it be a kinetic strike or something else? Israel can strike a significant blow to Iran in many different ways, including diplomatic and cyber. Israel will want to capitalise on growing diplomatic support, but also deal the neighbourhood bully a long awaited pounding.

This was a moment we knew would happen eventually. This was a day of reckoning. As many around the globe worry if we’re teetering on another world war, Israelis remain resolute and resilient. As we approach Pesach and recount our delivery from slavery to freedom and the miracles that preceded that, I wonder to myself, is Israel the Moses ready to lead the world out of the tyranny of terror? We’ve never been more ready.

• Rolene Marks is a Middle East commentator often heard on radio and TV, and is the co-founder of Lay of the Land and the SA-Israel Policy Forum.

Interview on the Iranian attack on WINA:

It was my pleasure to speak to the amazing Rob Schilling on WINA on Monday night about the Iranian attack, if you missed our chat, here it is:

Interview on Nigeria’s News Central 15/4

THE PRINCESS, THE PRESS AND PRIORITIES

This article appears in Lay of the Land https://layoftheland.online/2024/04/10/the-princess-the-press-and-prioroties/

Are there parallels to the way the Princess of Wales and Israel are treated by the media?

It was the pearl clutch felt around the world. The Princess of Wales (Kate Middleton to the Google analytics fanatics) released a photograph for Mothering Sunday, which she admitted to slightly editing. The shock! The horror! The something we all do on a daily basis! The backstory is this – in January, Kensington Palace released a statement saying that the Princess had abdominal surgery and would be in recovery until after Easter. A month or two went by, this request was respected and then the Katespiracies started:

Where is Kate?

Has there been a divorce?

Is she still alive?

The Princess released a photo, taken by her husband, Prince William (maybe he is a lousy photographer) with her three adorable children. Every pixel was pored over and it was found that there was editing. The Princess apologized and owned up, a rare feat in a day when everyone in pursuit of greater victimhood status, blames others.  Now Princess Catherine editing a photo (who wants Prince Louis dislodging a royal booger or Princess Charlotte rolling eyes at her unruly sibling) should not result in a global meltdown – but it did. Frankly it just makes the future Queen more relatable and endearing to me, already a fan.

A Royal Flush. The media went into a tizz over an official image of the Princess of Wales together with her kids with major photo agencies pulling it from circulation over concerns it was “manipulated”” by “the source”.

Princess Catherine was brutally trolled and mocked online and savaged by the media. The BBC dedicated broadcast after broadcast to analyzing the photo, zooming in on the foliage and the patterns on Prince Louis’s sweater. It would have been nice if they had dedicated as much effort to analyzing the footage and phone calls that dispelled their allegations that Israel bombed the Al Ahli hospital on 17 October instead of running with the Hamas propaganda. Kim Kardashian trolled the future Queen on “the gram”. Kim is Klassy like that. Hands up if you have seen an unedited image of a Kardashian. No? Perish the thought of no airbrushing of the famous Klan. A ridiculous amount of time, social media space and broadcast time was dedicated to excoriating Catherine and her staff. “The Royal family is in crisis!” they bayed. The media have been dying for a “gotcha” moment and they got it. Many on TikTok, X and other social media platforms engaged in the most outrageous and abusive conspiracies and bullying behaviour, some even demanding pictures of proof of surgery. Cue the feminists who like they have been with Israeli women and girls raped, were silent. One kind of feels that they are feeling mighty smug to see a Princess in their mind, taken down a peg or two.

All sane people, which pleasantly amounted to most of us, felt protective of the princess and saw through this storm in a teacup.

Then came the bombshell that broke hearts around the world. The Princess of Wales in an extraordinary and brave address to the world shared that cancer had been found in tests conducted after her successful surgery and she was undergoing chemotherapy that would see her away from public duty until her doctors say she is healthy enough to return.

The Princess’s address cut into scheduled programming around the world and was the top story in Israel as well. People were shocked and heartbroken, most in awe of the tremendous courage it took to make that painful statement. Was Catherine forced to make such a statement because of the horrific amount of speculation and trolling? Some celebrities like Blake Lively apologized while Kim Kardashian has yet to apologise or remove her Instagram post.

She may be a public figure but is not public property – no matter how much taxpayer money funds the family. It amounts to barely two Pounds a year per person. Less than a cup of coffee.  Imagine that elements of the media and crazed social media nutballs and US tabloids learnt from the horrible hounding of Princess Diana. Sadly, they have not – and now history seems to be repeating itself at an alarming and dangerous rate.

This whole ordeal is a reminder that in 2024 any kind of mistake, even followed by an apology, is unacceptable. Thank G-d we are all perfect.

Now you may be asking, what on earth could any of this have to do with the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, following the atrocities of 7/10? The parallels are staggering – and proof that we live in a post-truth world – despite what many witness with their own eyes.

One of the first casualties of any war that involves Israel is the truth. No sooner had the Hamas-recorded footage of their rapes and massacre been broadcast all over social and mainstream media, the denials, calls for “context” and condemnation of Israel began. Israel had yet to begin their military campaign.

I could not believe that shortly after the horrific attacks that millions witnessed while hearing the gleeful cheering of the perpetrators, not only denied that it happened – but engaged in the most vile conspiracy theories. We watched the atrocities – and the denials in real time.

What starts with the Jews never ends with the Jews and the horrific campaign of online bullying and conspiracy theories is eerily familiar. It does not matter if you are country or future Queen, if the mob perceive privilege of any kind; you are fair game for conspiracy.

Depths of Depravity. The images from the October 7 massacre of charred bodies, babies riddled with bullet holes, elderly women shot in the head were nevertheless openly questioned by skeptics and antisemites. (Photo credit: Ronen Zvulun/ Reuters)

The same feminists who have spoken about the rights of women to make our own choices and have autonomy over our bodies have not only been silent about the rampant bullying of a woman in recovery from an operation, but gleefully participated in conspiracy theories about her whereabouts and why she is in recovery. They seem a little too smug and all too silent. They are the same feminists that not only have been silent about the rape of women and girls on 7/10 and of hostages still held by Hamas, but also doubt and question the overwhelming evidence. Me too – unless you are a Jew or future Queen?

The same demand of “proof” – and refusal to believe it when it is given. No sooner than the world witnessed firsthand the atrocities committed by Hamas on 7/10, than the denials began. Each theory was more grotesque.

“Israel hired actors”.

“The IDF killed them”.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu purposefully killed his citizens to justify an invasion of Gaza”.

Grotesque.

Katespiracists demanded “proof of life”, some going as far to demand photos from her surgery. The infamous video captured of the Prince and Princess of Wales leaving a farm shop in Windsor had the crazies saying that it was “AI” or a “body double”. Some pundits even demanded she do more to be transparent with her medical records and there was news that the London Clinic reported a security breach with her file. Now we know she is being treated after cancer was found. I hope the ghouls who pushed conspiracies are happy now.

We are living in a post-truth world. Social media cannot be controlled – but we can control our behaviour on social media platforms. Misinformation is extremely dangerous and poses a threat not just to the truth, but to our safety as well. Imagine what it must have been like for the Princess of Wales to be the target of so many jokes and such scrutiny while trying to protect her children and deal with a shocking diagnosis and subsequent treatment. Imagine what it feels like for the Israeli people that the darkest day in our history is treated with contempt, denial and a staggering lack of empathy. Imagine how that affects Jewish communities around the world who are the targets of threats and hate for a war or policies they are not responsible for. There is only address for the world’s derision and that is Hamas.

There are many parallels in these two massive media events. We can only hope that lessons are learnt. I fear that they have not been.

Israel at war – 6 Months Later

It was an immense honour for me to be on a panel last night hosted by the @Genesis123F foundation talking about “Israel at war – 6 months later” – you can watch here:

Cry the beloved, resilient country

This article appears in the South African Jewish Report: https://www.sajr.co.za/cry-the-beloved-resilient-country/

I cry every day, and I’m not the only one. The tears are for the trauma we’ve endured, for those we lost, for those who remain captive in Gaza, and for those who pay the ultimate price in defence of our beloved country. The past nearly six months have taught me that the human body is capable of producing an infinite amount of tears. Sometimes there are tears of pride as well, and defiant resilience.

Israelis seem to appear to be going about their normal lives, but the reality is that we’re far from normal. We’re a country at war, deep in shock and trauma, but we all know what our collective mission is, so going about our daily lives is an act of resilience. We’re a country fighting an existential threat – our existence as the nation state of the Jewish people is at stake – and we must do whatever we can as individuals and as a collective to ensure yachad nenatzeach (together, we’ll win). We must win.

Many of us wear metal dog tags with the Hebrew inscription that translates to “our hearts are captive in Gaza”. They really are. We cannot rest or even begin to deal with our trauma until the hostages are home. Posters of the hostages are everywhere.

The atrocities of 7 October were a seminal moment in Jewish history that has deeply traumatised Israelis and our global Jewish community. Israelis are still in shock and haven’t moved to the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) stage. We’re anticipating a tsunami of mental health issues in the months to come.

A good friend of mine described his recent visit to Israel as “a visit to a Shiva house”. It’s the most apt description. It almost feels like a hush has descended over the country. Though we’re united, there’s growing anger at the way the government is conducting the war. Many feel that there isn’t enough focus on the hostages and too much on preserving legacies.

Israel is a country where our soldiers are our “citizen army”. It’s our husbands, sons, brothers, lovers, colleagues, friends, and family that are fighting this war, which is on our doorstep, and to date, we’ve lost 600. The loss is felt personally. When we read those ominous words “cleared for publication”, we all feel that familiar sense of dread. Do I know him? Even if we don’t, we feel the loss. We form honour guards in our cities when there are funerals, and it’s profoundly moving.

We’re worried about the safety of diaspora communities, and outraged at the blatant antisemitism around the world. Why does the world not understand that we’re fighting an evil enemy on behalf of all people who value freedom? We’re perplexed at the hostility shown towards Israel, although I do believe the silent majority stands with the Jewish state. I just wish they weren’t silent.

As the national holidays Yom Hashoah, Yom HaZikaron, and Yom Ha’Atzmaut approach, we’re filled with mounting anxiety. The emotional toll of these solemn days followed by an extremely subdued day of independence is a lot to bear. The Israeli Air Force has said there will be no flyover, a highly anticipated annual event of spectacular feats of flying. Cities, including mine, Modi’in, have said we’ll have no fireworks out of respect for our soldiers enduring PTSD and to be honest, we’re not in the mood for celebrating as we struggle to come to terms with our grief.

Israelis go about their daily routine without having to explain to each other what we’re feeling as individuals. It goes without saying. We all understand each other, just look into our eyes.

A good friend of mine wrote a book called Israsilience, which is filled with individual stories of Israelis who have shown resilience throughout our history. I draw strength from these stories of individual courage.

Resilience is what makes us a great nation – the stubborn seed of hope that’s always there in spite of the darkness. It’s the secret to the sauce, and it’s why we’ll be victorious. The ultimate act of resilience is to live. Even though sometimes we may be going through the motions, we still do it defiantly. This week marks six months since that Black Sabbath. It’s unfathomable.

Israelis say that we’ll dance again. We’ll live for those so brutally taken from us. It will just take time.

• Rolene Marks is a Middle East commentator often heard on radio and TV and is the co-founder of Lay of the Land and the SA-Israel Policy Forum.

The war we need to talk about

This article is featured in the SA Jewish Report: https://www.sajr.co.za/the-war-we-need-to-talk-about/

Hardly a day goes by without the ubiquitous beeping of incoming rockets or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in Israel’s north, a border area under immense threat from Iranian sponsored proxy Hezbollah. While the world focuses attention on Israel’s military operations in Gaza following the atrocities committed by Hamas on 7 October, the north is heating up. Hezbollah started firing anti-tank missiles and rockets on Israeli homesteads and positions in the north on 8 October.

Israel has long anticipated that should war break out on one front, it will inevitably break out on others as well. Israel isn’t only fighting Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in the north, it’s also dealing with increased tension in the West Bank, especially during Ramadan; opportunistic Iranian attacks; the transfer of weapons from Syria; and the Houthi threat in the Red Sea.

Hezbollah poses a significantly greater threat than Hamas. The Iranian proxy has unequivocally violated United Nations Resolution 1701, which calls for Hezbollah to remain north of the Litani River. The UN Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) recently had its mandate extended, yet has done nothing to rein in Hezbollah aggression.

Hezbollah is Hamas on steroids. Hezbollah’s equivalent of Hamas’s Nukba fighters, known as the Radwan forces, are a lot more sophisticated and better trained, and Hezbollah’s arsenal of rockets is estimated in excess of 160 000. These rockets, which are significantly more sophisticated than those fired by Hamas, have the entire state of Israel covered. It’s a terrifying thought.

As the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) evacuated southern communities in preparation for the military operation into Gaza, so northern communities evacuated as well. Towns and kibbutzim on the border are ghost towns, and the impact of this on farms and the regional economy has been massive.

Lebanese residents in the south of the country have also been evacuated, and an estimated 91 000 have fled their homes.

Hezbollah has fired thousands of rockets at Israeli positions, causing a massive amount of damage to hundreds of buildings and homes. In recent days, it caused widespread destruction on a wine farm and to chicken coops. Hezbollah has also fired towards IDF military positions, and Ziv Hospital sustained a direct hit. Several soldiers and civilians have been killed.

To date, there has been no condemnation from the international community, but diplomatic efforts are in place to try prevent a widespread war from breaking out. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has repeatedly warned Hezbollah not to test the Jewish state, saying, “The noses of our fighter jets are pointed north.”

Hezbollah is recognised as a terror organisation by several countries, and has been described as a “state within a state”, having representation in the Lebanese government.

Najib Mikati, the prime minister of the interim government in Lebanon, said the Lebanese government would continue to work for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and to return south Lebanese residents to their towns. He said he was certain the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip would include the countries of the region, and they would have “long-term stability and peace”.

Hezbollah is a proxy of Iran, and is unlikely to take directives from the interim government.

In response to escalating attacks on Israeli sovereign territory, Israel is striking Hezbollah targets, some as far into Lebanese territory as Baalbek, 265km from the border.

On Tuesday, 26 March, Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese media outlets Al Jadeed and Al Mayadeen reported that Israel had struck terror targets north of Baalbek for the first time since the Gaza war began. The strike, near the north eastern town of Zboud, was in response to the missile fire carried out by the terror group against the Mount Meron air traffic control base.

In spite of rumoured cautions from Iran for Hezbollah not to enter into a full-scale war with Israel, there’s growing concern that Israel will inevitably have to enter the south of Lebanon in order to push Hezbollah north of the Litani River, in compliance with UN Resolution 1701.

Israel wants quiet on its northern border and for residents to return to their homes. I’m sure Lebanese civilians want the same for their residents of the south. Let’s hope Hezbollah wants that as well, but emboldened by Hamas’s invasion of Israel on 7 October and its sworn solidarity with its ideological brothers, it seems less likely by the day.

A RETURN TO THE SOUTH

This article appears in Lay of the Land: https://layoftheland.online/2024/03/19/a-return-to-the-south/

Revisiting Israel’s devastated south, you want to cry while your soul wants to scream.

To truly understand the magnitude of destruction, devastation and loss on 7/10, you must bear witness. Pictures and footage in the media do not do enough justice. I headed down south with my good friends, the Fisher family who have been collecting the generous donations that people are contributing to give to soldiers.

Air Delivery. While food is being also delivered by land and sea, the writer observes from the Nahal Oz army base in Israel, food being parachuted into Gaza from planes above. (Photo:  Amy Fisher)

Nahal Oz Army Base

 First stop was Nahal Oz army base, mere metres away from the Gaza border, to deliver loads of stuff that wonderful people have donated and organised by Maeghan Fisher, for the HUGELY appreciative soldiers. After a lesson in effective tank combat, we walked around looking at the massive destruction on the base caused by Hamas terrorists on 7/10. Buildings are pockmarked from bullets and grenades; evidence of looting and wholesale destruction is everywhere. The shattered glass, burnt palm trees and the smells tell the story about that darkest day in Israel’s history. Exactly 5 months before, Hamas murdered, raped, mutilated, kidnapped and burnt over 1200 during in their orgy of terror. As we walked around, a Jordanian aid plane airdropped aid into the Gaza strip. Aid is distributed daily by land, air and sea, despite what you may see in the media. I saw it with my own eyes.

In the cheder ochel (dining room) the coppery smell of blood is pervasive, even though it has painstakingly been removed. It is an assault on the senses.

Evidence of Evil. The former command centre on Nahal Oz, where soldiers, including the female “Tatzpitaniot” were murdered, raped, burnt and abducted. (Photo: Rolene Marks)

The most devastating area is the command centre, where soldiers, including the female “Tatzpitaniot” were murdered, raped, burnt and abducted. The hairs on the back of my neck rose. It is a place where evil reigned supreme – and the evidence is everywhere.

I thought about Naama. And Noa. Shiri. Eden. Agam. Roni. All of them. I walked into what was the command room at Nahal Oz and I felt the presence of them saying:

 “Tell our story, don’t let the world forget us“.

Their presence is everywhere – and so are the candles and flowers from heartbroken friends and family. It almost reminded me of the children’s memorial at Yad Vashem – Israel’s National Holocaust Memorial and Museum.

It is impossible not to cry. The soul wants to scream. It was here Hamas shot, raped and burnt our girls. Some were burnt to ash. It was from here the world watched as Naama was dragged, bleeding from her crotch to Gaza. She is still there. It is from here that Noa Marciano was taken hostage, her remains recovered by our soldiers. At least her parents had a body to bury, a place to go. Others were burnt to ash. To ash. It was here where Eden saved her fellow Skyriders – and paid with her life. She fought like a lioness. We will roar in her memory. And the smell. The room reeks of smoke and burnt plastic. Bullet holes are everywhere. My hackles were up. I thought of their last moments here. It was here I saw a female soldier, at this place of devastation, of holiness, tears streaming down her face. We looked at each other. We did not need to say words. We knew what each other felt. March is Women’s History Month. Please speak for Naama, Roni, Agam, Noa, Eden and all of our women. They no longer can. Bear witness and speak.

Illuminating Lives lost. Memorial candles to the fallen at Nahal Oz. (Photo: Rolene Marks)

The Graveyard of Cars

The eye sees cars. The soul feels people. Families were in some of these cars. Young festivalgoers desperately fleeing were in some of these cars. Soldiers, police and rescue personnel who were racing to the scenes of slaughter were in these cars. You can see the level of carnage. Many cars burnt, every car pummeled by bullets, some, including an ambulance, hit by rocket-propelled grenades. Many have stickers indicating ZAKA cleared it of human remains but the truth is not every speck of DNA was cleared, and so this is holy ground. You see the white pickups mounted with machine guns and mangled motorbikes used by the terrorists, who indiscriminately fired on everyone. We know some of the individual stories of occupants. Some have car seats for babies or toddlers. Agony. Then you look inside. A hairbrush here. A toy there. A container. Personal objects. This place will eventually become a museum. People will learn about their owners. People will learn how on a sunny Saturday morning became the darkest day.

Car Cemetery.The skeletal remains of vehicles that came under surprise attack from the over 3000 terrorists that invaded Southern Israel from Gaza on October 7. (Photo: Rolene Marks)

Nova Festival Memorial Site

They came to dance. They came to celebrate peace – and hopefully, those on the other side of the border would one day feel the same. They were full of life, a vibrant testimony to joy. The Nova memorial site has changed since I visited in January – but the ground still cries out with the blood of the many victims. The trees whisper. Remember what happened here and make sure the world does not forget. This is holy ground.  Next to the memorial site, trees have been lovingly planted for each life taken. Trees are sacred in Israel and it is a fitting memorial. The reminders of beautiful lives brutally ended or taken hostage in Gaza are everywhere. The heart aches. The soul screams. It is impossible not to see the horrific, depraved carnage in your mind’s eye. Each memorial pole has become a shrine, a personal testament to each beautiful soul. We know many of the individual stories but each one is deeply personal.  

Came for Love and Peace. The site of the Nova Music Festival massacre where photos appear of the murdered. (Photo: Rolene Marks)

There is a tent where a constant stream of prayers for the souls of the murdered and the freedom of the captives are intoned. Tiny miguniot (shelters) line the roads in the south. A stark reminder that rockets have pummeled this area for decades and that dark Saturday, hundreds ran for the shelters as rockets rained down and Hamas terrorists murdered innocents. I am always struck by how small they are. Big enough to take 10 people – not 20, 30, terrified individuals that could not be protected against the bullets and grenades. ZAKA stickers placed on the outside are a reminder that these shelters became places of death and devastation. Israelis in our sorrow are determined to honour our murdered. We will dance again. We will!

Tomorrow’s Trees. In honour of all those murdered, an open field where saplings have been planted – one for each person murdered. (Photo: Rolene Marks)

Shova Junction

Light in the darkness. In a place of sorrow, new life starts to grow. Red anemones dot the fields and areas. Citizens are starting to slowly return home and rebuild. While we are a country in deep trauma and pain and at war against a monstrous enemy, we focus on building. Perhaps that is the secret to our success. We are a stubborn people, hoping for peace, looking to the future. It is too soon and we are in too much pain to talk about peace solutions with our neighbours, but the stubborn hope is there, underneath the layers. You can only destroy darkness by shining light. We ended the day in the most hopeful of places. Shova Junction. On 7/10, emergency personnel and the IDF evacuated the wounded to the junction so that helicopters and ambulances could work safely, away from threats of terrorists with RPG’s. The residents of the Shova moshav, organised by the irrepressible Dror and his two brothers, started to bring food and coffee for exhausted first responders. The junction grew and grew and is now a place that is packed with food and everything our soldiers could possibly need, most of it donated by many generous people around the world just wanting an opportunity to say thank you to our warriors. None of them is photographed out of respect for their personal safety. Music plays, hugs and a hot meal and whatever they need is given to them. We owe each one a debt we can never repay but we can take care of them. Under the protective plastic that covers the tables, are letters to soldiers, lovingly written by children in South Africa that they can read. A group of 10 soldiers led by a religious man gathers for evening prayers. A soldier strums a guitar nearby. It is an oasis of joy and peace. I give Dror a hug. He calls me “Shova sister“. We embrace the amazing Racheli who is an embodiment of the spirit and resilience of the area. And hell yes, we can all agree FCK HMS!!! Am Yisrael Chai!

Photo:  J. Zwerling