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Sunday, October 4, 2015

Rabbi Nehemia Lavie,Aharon Benita Murdered by Arab Savage in Old City

Rabbi Nehemia Lavie (R), and Aharon Benita from Beitar Illit.

A Palestinian savage fatally stabbed two Jews as they walked in Jerusalem’s Old City and seriously injured a woman and a toddler, before he was shot and killed by an officer on duty, police said Saturday in the latest in a series of Palestinian attacks.

Jerusalem police chief Moshe Edri said the savage“stabbed an Israeli man, his wife and the toddler” multiple times in an alleyway before stabbing another man.
Both Israeli men succumbed to their wounds, he said, adding that the mother and the toddler are in serious condition. Israeli media later reported the toddler was lightly injured.
The victims were Rabbi Nehemia Lavie, 41, Rabbi Lavi, a father of seven, is originally from Beit El in Binyamin north of Jerusalem, but has lived in the Old City for the past 23 years. He is a rabbi at Yeshivat Ateret Kohanim. and Aharon Benita from Beitar Illit.
The toddler’s mother, 22, was in critical condition.

Police Spokeswoman Luba Samri said the Palestinian attacker took a gun from one of the wounded men and opened fire at police and tourists.
The Palestinian attacker was then shot and killed by an Israeli police officer who rushed to the scene. Police later identified him as Muhannad Halabi, a 19-year-old from Al Bireh, near Ramallah.
Hamas, the Islamic militant group that rules Gaza, issued a statement praising the attack which it called, “heroic.”
It was the latest in a series of deadly Palestinian attacks against Israeli civilians.
On Thursday, suspected Palestinian gunmen killed an Israeli couple in front of their children as they drove in the West Bank.
Multiple shots killed Eitam and Naama Henkin, residents of the Jewish West Bank settlement of Neria. Their four young children, including a four-month-old infant, were in the back seat of the car during the shooting but were unharmed.
Hamas welcomed that attack as well, but no Palestinian group immediately claimed responsibility for it. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has not commented on the latest attacks.
Israel forces were later deployed in the West Bank hunting for the gunmen.
The Palestinian Red Crescent said earlier that eight people were wounded by gunfire early Saturday in the northern town of Nablus. A Palestinian security official said seven members of the Islamic militant group Hamas were arrested. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief reporters.
The Israel military said troops operated in the area but would not elaborate further.
Israeli members of the Zaka Rescue and Recovery team push a baby carriage near the scene where a Palestinian was shot dead after he stabbed and killed two people in Jerusalem's Old City October 3, 2015. A Palestinian man stabbed and killed two people in Jerusalem's Old City on Saturday before police shot him dead, officers said, amid an uptick in violence in the city and occupied West Bank. Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad issued a statement claiming the attacker as one of its members. REUTERS/Ammar Awad -Israeli members of the Zaka Rescue and Recovery team push a baby carriage near the scene where a Palestinian was shot dead after he stabbed and killed two people in Jerusalem's Old City October 3, 2015. A Palestinian man stabbed and killed two people in Jerusalem's Old City on Saturday before police shot him dead, officers said, amid an uptick in violence in the city and occupied West Bank. Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad issued a statement claiming the attacker as one of its members. REUTERS/Ammar Awad -
The attack Saturday night follows a recent spike in Palestinian attacks and a hard-line speech at the United Nations by Abbas, the last of several that Israeli leaders have condemned as incitement. Abbas has said that Israelis desecrate the Jerusalem holy site with their “dirty feet.”
Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat said the “ruthless and cruel terrorism aimed at innocent civilians that attempts to disrupt our lives and hurt us is a direct result of incitement by the Palestinian Authority and routine incitement in mosques.”
He called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “act decisively against those who incite and encourage terrorism.”
Netanyahu is set to convene a meeting of top security officials when he returns to Israel on Sunday from the U.S.
Tensions have flared between Israelis and Palestinians in recent weeks, with much of the unrest focused on Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy site, known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary, site of the Al-Aqsa mosque.
The hilltop compound in Jerusalem’s Old City is a frequent flashpoint and its fate is a core issue at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is known to Jews as the Temple Mount, site of the two biblical Jewish temples. Muslims revere it as the Noble Sanctuary, where they believe the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven.
A Jewish man carries a baby injured in a stabbing attack in the Old City of Jerusalem on October 3, 2015. A Jewish family was stabbed while walking near the Lion's Gate in the Old City. The father died of his wounds. The terrorist was shot down by police. Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90A Jewish man carries a baby injured in a stabbing attack in the Old City of Jerusalem on October 3, 2015. A Jewish family was stabbed while walking near the Lion's Gate in the Old City. The father died of his wounds. The terrorist was shot down by police. Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90
Non-Muslim visitors are only allowed to enter the site at specific hours and are banned by police from praying there. Many Muslims view these visits as a provocation and accuse Jewish extremists of plotting to take over the site. Israel has promised to ensure the delicate arrangement at the site and insists it will not allow the status quo there to be changed.
But Palestinians say that in the last two months, there has been a new development where Israel has intermittently restricted some Muslims from the compound when Jews visit. Israel says this is to reduce friction, but Palestinians claim that Israel intends to establish Muslim-free Jewish visiting hours. The site is so sensitive that even rumors are enough to trigger violence there.
Halabi appears to have been motivated by the tensions over the holy site. On Friday he wrote on his Facebook page: “What’s happening to our holy places, what’s happening to our mothers and sisters in Al-Aqsa mosque? We are not the people who accept humiliation. Our people will revolt.”
Israel has blamed Palestinian leaders for incitement. There have been several days of clashes at the site over the past few weeks as Muslim protesters barricaded themselves inside the mosque while hurling stones, firebombs and fireworks at police. The unrest spread to Arab neighborhoods of east Jerusalem, where Palestinian protesters hurled stones at police and Israeli cars.
An Israeli died when Palestinians pelted his car with rocks and several others were injured in other incidents. Dozens of Palestinians were wounded in clashes with Israeli forces in violence that followed the Jerusalem unrest then. Israel responded last week by approving harsher measures that would loosen the rules of engagement for police to respond to stone throwers.
Israel captured the eastern part of Jerusalem, where the site is located, along with the West Bank in the 1967 war from Jordan, territory the Palestinians claim for their future state.
A wounded man is evacuated by ambulance after being stabbed by a Palestinian in an attack in the Old City of Jerusalem on October 3, 2015. A Jewish family and several passersby were stabbed while walking near the Lion's Gate in the Old City. Two victims died of their wounds. The terrorist was shot down by police. Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90 A wounded man is evacuated by ambulance after being stabbed by a Palestinian in an attack in the Old City of Jerusalem on October 3, 2015. A Jewish family and several passersby were stabbed while walking near the Lion's Gate in the Old City. Two victims died of their wounds. The terrorist was shot down by police. Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90
Israeli security personnel stand next to the body of a Palestinian man who was shot dead after he stabbed and killed two people in Jerusalem's Old City October 3, 2015. A Palestinian man stabbed and killed two people in Jerusalem's Old City on Saturday before police shot him dead, officers said, amid an uptick in violence in the city and occupied West Bank. Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad issued a statement claiming the attacker as one of its members. REUTERS/Ammar Awad Israeli security personnel stand next to the body of a Palestinian man who was shot dead after he stabbed and killed two people in Jerusalem's Old City October 3, 2015. A Palestinian man stabbed and killed two people in Jerusalem's Old City on Saturday before police shot him dead, officers said, amid an uptick in violence in the city and occupied West Bank. Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad issued a statement claiming the attacker as one of its members. REUTERS/Ammar Awad

Friday, October 2, 2015

Chag Samaich


Levayeh of the murdered Kedoishim Eitam and Na'ama Henkin


A crowd of 10,000 gathered Friday afternoon for the funeral of Rabbi Eitam and Na’ama Henkin, the victims of Thursday’s shooting terror attack near the Palestinian village of Beit Furik.
The couple, who was shot dead by a Palestinian terorrist while driving home, left behind four young children who survived without injury in the bullet-riddled vehicle.

President Rueven Rivlin, MK Tzipi Livni, Eli Yishai, Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat, and minister Uri Ariel, were amongst those who gathered in Jerusalem’s Har Hamenuchot cemetery.
Rabbi Eitam’s parents, who made aliyah from America, are Rabbanit Chana Henkin, founder of the Nishmat Institute for Advanced Jewish Studies for Women in Jerusalem and Rabbi Yehuda Henkin, known posek (halakhic decisor) and author of the four volume set of responsa, Bnai Banim.
Torah and togetherness
Rabbanit Henkin eulogized her son Friday, noting that he had been a wellspring of support and nachas, joy and fulfillment, for her and the Rabbi.
“We had a special language between us of Torah and Halakha [Jewish law - ed.],” the Rabbanit stated. “You continued in the Torah ways of your father and grandfather, with talent, with integrity; you were a man of Torah in all things.”
“You wrote a book on Jewish law in your twenties; people did not believe you were so young,” she continued.
“It’s impossible to stand in silence in front of a mother and father who were brutally torn apart from their children,” Rivlin said while addressing to the crowd.

“We are facing a brutal wave of terror,” Rivlin said to the crowd of settlers. “And you are at the frontlines - paying a heavy price.”

 
Friends and family carry the bodies of Israeli couple, Naama and Eitam Henkin during their funeral at Har HaMenuchot Cemetery in Jerusalem on Friday, October 2, 2015, Israeli couple, Naama and Eitam Henkin, were shot dead last night while driving by the West Bank settlement of Itamar. Four of the couple's six children were in the car at the time, but were unhurt. Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90Friends and family carry the bodies of Israeli couple, Naama and Eitam Henkin during their funeral at Har HaMenuchot Cemetery in Jerusalem on Friday, October 2, 2015, Israeli couple, Naama and Eitam Henkin, were shot dead last night while driving by the West Bank settlement of Itamar. Four of the couple's six children were in the car at the time, but were unhurt. Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90
“We never stopped building because of the threat of terror and we will never cease to build because of terror,” the president added. He asserted that Israel would continue relentlessly in the fight against terror.
A large-scale search is still underway for the perpetrators of the shooting.  “Our forces know how to track down the perpetrators,” a senior security source said.
The IDF had no concrete intelligence alerts for this area prior to the attack; only a general security alert was in place.

The army believes that the same terrorist cell that struck on Thursday may have been responsible for an attack nearby by on August 30, when an Israeli civilian sustained a gunshot wound to the hand in a drive-by shooting.

A gunman in a vehicle fired shots at the driver at the Jit junction, before speeding away. An IDF guard at the nearby Efraim Territorial Division base evacuated the man to Meir Medical Center in Kfar Saba. The army said the man was lightly wounded.

On Thursday, Hamas praised the “heroic terror attack” and called for more “quality attacks.”

“Zionists will pay the price for Netanyahu’s criminal policies everywhere,” the group said.‎
Israelis mourn on the grave of of Israeli couple, Naama and Eitam Henkin after their funeral at Har HaMenuchot Cemetery in Jerusalem on Friday, October 2, 2015, Israeli couple, Naama and Eitam Henkin, were shot dead last night while driving by the West Bank settlement of Itamar. Four of the couple's six children were in the car at the time, but were unhurt. (Credit: Flash90)Israelis mourn on the grave of of Israeli couple, Naama and Eitam Henkin after their funeral at Har HaMenuchot Cemetery in Jerusalem on Friday, October 2, 2015, Israeli couple, Naama and Eitam Henkin, were shot dead last night while driving by the West Bank settlement of Itamar. Four of the couple’s six children were in the car at the time, but were unhurt. (Credit: Flash90)
The fresh grave of of Israeli couple, Naama and Eitam Henkin after their funeral at Har HaMenuchot Cemetery in Jerusalem on Friday, October 2, 2015, Israeli couple, Naama and Eitam Henkin, were shot dead last night while driving by the West Bank settlement of Itamar. Four of the couple's six children were in the car at the time, but were unhurt. (Credit: Flash90)The fresh grave of of Israeli couple, Naama and Eitam Henkin after their funeral at Har HaMenuchot Cemetery in Jerusalem on Friday, October 2, 2015, Israeli couple, Naama and Eitam Henkin, were shot dead last night while driving by the West Bank settlement of Itamar. Four of the couple’s six children were in the car at the time, but were unhurt. (Credit: Flash90)
Friends and family carry the bodies of Israeli couple, Naama and Eitam Henkin during their funeral at Har HaMenuchot Cemetery in Jerusalem on Friday, October 2, 2015, Israeli couple, Naama and Eitam Henkin, were shot dead last night while driving by the West Bank settlement of Itamar. Four of the couple's six children were in the car at the time, but were unhurt. (Credit: Flash90)Friends and family carry the bodies of Israeli couple, Naama and Eitam Henkin during their funeral at Har HaMenuchot Cemetery in Jerusalem on Friday, October 2, 2015, Israeli couple, Naama and Eitam Henkin, were shot dead last night while driving by the West Bank settlement of Itamar. Four of the couple’s six children were in the car at the time, but were unhurt. (Credit: Flash90)
Friends and family carry the bodies of Israeli couple, Naama and Eitam Henkin during their funeral at Har HaMenuchot Cemetery in Jerusalem on Friday, October 2, 2015, Israeli couple, Naama and Eitam Henkin, were shot dead last night while driving by the West Bank settlement of Itamar. Four of the couple's six children were in the car at the time, but were unhurt. (Credit: Flash90)Friends and family carry the bodies of Israeli couple, Naama and Eitam Henkin during their funeral at Har HaMenuchot Cemetery in Jerusalem on Friday, October 2, 2015, Israeli couple, Naama and Eitam Henkin, were shot dead last night while driving by the West Bank settlement of Itamar. Four of the couple’s six children were in the car at the time, but were unhurt. (Credit: Flash90)
Friends and family carry the bodies of Israeli couple, Naama and Eitam Henkin during their funeral at Har HaMenuchot Cemetery in Jerusalem on Friday, October 2, 2015, Israeli couple, Naama and Eitam Henkin, were shot dead last night while driving by the West Bank settlement of Itamar. Four of the couple's six children were in the car at the time, but were unhurt. (Credit: Flash90)Friends and family carry the bodies of Israeli couple, Naama and Eitam Henkin during their funeral at Har HaMenuchot Cemetery in Jerusalem on Friday, October 2, 2015, Israeli couple, Naama and Eitam Henkin, were shot dead last night while driving by the West Bank settlement of Itamar. Four of the couple’s six children were in the car at the time, but were unhurt. (Credit: Flash90)
Friends and family attend the funeral of Israeli couple, Naama and Eitam Henkin at Har HaMenuchot Cemetery in Jerusalem on Friday, October 2, 2015, Israeli couple, Naama and Eitam Henkin, were shot dead last night while driving by the West Bank settlement of Itamar. Four of the couple's six children were in the car at the time, but were unhurt. (Credit: Flash90)Friends and family attend the funeral of Israeli couple, Naama and Eitam Henkin at Har HaMenuchot Cemetery in Jerusalem on Friday, October 2, 2015, Israeli couple, Naama and Eitam Henkin, were shot dead last night while driving by the West Bank settlement of Itamar. Four of the couple’s six children were in the car at the time, but were unhurt. (Credit: Flash90)




An Orthodox Jewish woman is suing the Lucille Roberts health-club chain for allegedly pitching a holy fit when she insisted on wearing a skirt during her workouts in Brooklyn.
Yosefa Jalal, of Crown Heights, claims in court papers to be filed Friday that she was repeatedly harassed, threatened with arrest and ultimately had her membership revoked for following religious dictates regarding female modesty.
“I think it’s wrong what they did to me. I should be able to work out in a skirt,” said Jalal, 25.
“Just because I’m an observant Jew doesn’t mean that I should be treated like a criminal and shouldn’t be allowed to work out. It’s just not fair.”
Jalal’s Manhattan federal-court suit accuses the women’s-only fitness company of religious discrimination in violation of federal, state and city statutes.
The suit seeks unspecified damages, along with a court order forcing Lucille Roberts to reinstate her membership and prohibiting it “from discriminating on the basis of religion, and in particular, discriminating against observant-Jewish women.”
Jalal “observes the Jewish rules of modesty” and in public always “wears skirts and tights to cover her legs, and shirts that cover her elbows and come to her neck.”
After joining the gym in 2011, Jalal wore a skirt while working out at various branches where she used an elliptical machine and took weight-lifting, kickboxing and Zumba classes, the suit says.
Her workout attire first became an issue at a Kings Highway location, where she was told in 2013 and again the next year that she couldn’t wear her skirt.
Instead, she started going to a Lucille Roberts on Flatbush Avenue regularly until June 26 of this year, when a manager accused her of “ ‘trespassing’ because she was not wearing appropriate attire,” the suit alleges.
Jalal left to avoid trouble and later went to the local police station house, where she says a cop told her going to the gym in a skirt was not trespassing.
But when she returned on July 1 for a kickboxing class, a staffer interrupted the lesson and spoke to the instructor, who “stopped the music and told everyone they had to stop class until Ms. Jalal took off the skirt,” her suit says.
When the other women began screaming at her, she switched to an elliptical machine and was told that her membership had been revoked and warned that “the police are on their way.”
Jalal’s lawyer called it “completely indefensible.”
“We don’t have different health clubs for Christians, for Muslims, for Hindus and for Jews,” said Ilann Maazel, of Emery Celli Brinckerhoff & Abady. “Health clubs in New York City should be for everybody, whether you wear a cross, a Star of David or a skirt.”
A lawyer for Lucille Roberts declined to comment.

IN 12 MINUTE SPEECH TO AMERICA ABOUT MASS SHOOTING, OBAMA REFERS TO HIMSELF 28 TIMES


Less than six hours after the mass shooting today in Roseburg, Ore., President Obama called a press conference to demand new gun laws, a move he predicted would spur critics to accuse him of politicizing the issue. If they don’t accuse him of that, they might accuse him of making the tragedy about himself. 
During today’s 12-minute address, President Obama referred to himself 28 times. (For those counting at home, that's almost three times per minute.)
Note that in arriving at this calculation, we included mentions of "we" when he was clearly including himself as part of the plural pronoun; 
the many uses of "we" in referring to America at large were not included.

Thursday, October 1, 2015

Chilling: Netanyahu Glares at UN Delegates for 45 Seconds for Their 'Deafening Silence' on Iran Deal


At the United Nations General Assembly Thursday in New York City, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu renewed his warning about Iran’s path to a nuclear bomb. Considering the recent passage of the nuclear agreement with Iran, the prime minister’s comments were especially powerful.
“Iran is setting up dozens of terror cells,” Netanyahu said. “Imagine what they will do after the sanctions are lifted.”
“Unmuzzled,” Iran will “go on the prowl, devouring more and more prey,” he said.
In the wake of the nuclear deal, Netanyahu remarked, Iran is spending billions on weapons and satellites.
“Do you think Iran is doing that to advance peace?”
That question was perhaps a direct response to President Obama’s claim on Monday that the Iran Deal will ensure their nuclear program is “peaceful.”
Netanyahu rejected such assurances, saying the agreement does nothing to block Iran’s path to a nuclear weapon.
“When bad behavior is awarded, it only gets worse,” he said. “I’m gravely concerned the nuclear deal with Iran will prove to be the marriage certificate of that unholy union.”
Netanyahu acknowledged some "well-intentioned people" believe the deal is the only way to block Iran’s path to the bomb. Yet, “the best intentions don’t prevent the worst outcomes.”
In the most powerful part of his speech, Netanyahu stopped to directly address the nations in attendance.
“If Iran’s rulers were working to destroy your countries, perhaps you’d be somewhat less enthusiastic about the deal,” he said. “If Iran’s terror proxies were firing thousands of rockets at your cities, perhaps you’d be more measured in your praise.”
“And yet the response from every one of you here, utter silence," he said. "Deafening silence.”
After those remarks, he stood at the podium and glared at the delegates around the room for about one minute.
Watch the chilling moment above

Eitam and Naama Henkin Murdered In Front of Their Children in Shomron Shooting , Four Children survive: photos

Eitam Henkin HY"D

Naama Henkin HY"D
12:04am Funerals for Murdered Israeli Parents in Shomron terror attack.

The funerals for the murdered Israeli parents -- Rabbi Eitam and Naama Henkin -- will be tomorrow (Friday) at Jerusalem's Har Hamenuchot cemetery at 11am.


May G-d avenge their deaths.




A Palestinian savage murdered  two Israeli parents in a shooting attack on their vehicle in Samaria, between Elon Moreh and Itamar on Thursday night; Four of their young children survived the attack without injury and were rescued by emergency responders from the bullet-ridden vehicle.

Magen David Adom paramedics and IDF units pulled the children out of the car near the Palestinian village of Beit Furik, and paramedics declared the parents dead on the scene after failing to detect vital signs.

A 4-month-old baby, a 4-year-old boy, a seven-year-old boy and a nine-year old boy survived the attack without physical injury, after witnessing their parents being shot dead before their eyes.

Boaz Malka, a MADA paramedic who arrive on the scene, said, "It was a very difficult scene. We saw a car in the middle of the road, and next to it, a man in his 30s lay on the ground with upper body gunshot wounds. Inside the car a woman sat, with severe upper body wounds.

They had no vital signs and to our sorrow we had to declare them dead on the scene.

The IDF was sweeping the area for suspects. 

Reacting to the shooting, Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon said "this murderous terror attack this evening is a clear continuation of the incitement against the State of Israel and its civilians, and repeated attempts to carry out terror attacks."

"The war against terrorism requires determination from us, a steel hand, and patience. We are fighting against a blood-thirsty relentless enemy, and with great sorrow we sometimes absorb losses on the way. At this time, the IDF and the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) are pursuing the murderers. We will pursue them and we will not be silent until we place our hands on the murderers, and those who sent them."


Bullet holes seen in the vehicle from shooting that left Israeli couple dead. Credit: IDF Spokesperson's Unit

In light of the shooting, right-wing politicians accused Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's incitement for the attack, which came a day after he threatened to stop abiding by all agreements with Israel in a fiery speech to the United Nations General Assembly.

Likud Minister Miri Regev said, "24 hours after the violent speech of the arch-murderer Abu Mazen [Abbas], a husband and wife were killed in Israel."

She called on Israel to take harsher steps against Palestinian terror.

Education Minister Naftali Bennett (Bayit Yehudi) said that Abbas's "call to arms was taken up tonight in Israel, and it is red with blood."

Bennett added that "A people whose leaders encourage murder will never have a state, and this must be made clear. Now the time of talking is done and the time for action has come."

Meanwhile, Hamas praised the "heroic terror attack" and called for more "quality attacks."

The group said that "Zionists will pay the price for [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu's criminal policies everywhere."

Putin Bombs Our "Allies" in Syria ...US Screwed!

RUSH: 
Now, Syria.  Let me see if I can make sense of this for you.  'Cause what's happening in Syria, based on what we learned yesterday about Putin -- and what he said to the UN about us abandoning our role, our moral leadership there -- as best I have been able to assemble this, here is what's happening.  
Over the past few weeks we have learned that Russia is sending military planes and soldiers to Syria.  We didn't like it.  When asked about it by the United States, Russia said, "Mind your own business; it's none of your business.  What are you gonna do about it?" 
They, of course, knew we were gonna do nothing about it.  
Then at the UN Vladimir Putin announced that Russia was gonna take the lead in fighting ISIS because we had given up, essentially. The Western world had decided it wasn't worth it, it wasn't worth the risk, that we had abandoned our moral leadership.  
Putin at the UN says, "Do you realize what you've done?"  So he decided to swoop in and single-handedly take the lead in fighting ISIS, which Obama still will not refer to as a terrorist or Islamic extremist group.


Now, that was supposed to explain Russia's military presence in Syria, that Putin was taking three-day in fighting ISIS.  
That is a key point in understanding what's going on here.  
Our secretary of state (who once served in Vietnam) John Kerry -- Jean-Francois Kerry -- and Obama said they were open to the idea of Russia -- and, by proxy, Iran -- joining the fight against ISIS.  
Now, in Putin's mind, we haven't joined anything; we are abandoning it.  This is also key to understand.  In Putin's mind, what he said yesterday at the UN, we have essentially checked out of the hotel. 
And they've checked in, and they are single-handedly fighting ISIS. 
So Kerry, in a face-saving move, goes out and says, "We are open, of course," as though we're still the world's lone superpower, which we aren't because Kerry and Obama don't even want to be.  
Kerry goes out and says with his "superpower secretary of state" attitude that we're perfectly fine. We're open to the idea of Russia and Iran joining the fight against ISIS, when in truth we have abandoned it.  
Last night there were reports that Russia had warned us to get all of our planes out of Syrian airspace because they were going to mount an attack. 
Now, I don't know how it is in this administration, but any previous administration, if a Soviet leader had called and warned us to get out of Syrian airspace, we would have had some choice words for the Soviet leader, and we would have told him, "You don't dare launch your aircraft or else."  
But we're not dealing with administrations like we've had in the past.  Putin (essentially Russia) warns us to get all of our planes out of Syrian airspace.  We scoffed at the warning. 
 This morning there were reports that Russia had indeed conducted its first bombing mission. 
And this is what CNN was all excited about.  It's been practically wall-to-wall news this morning on CNN that Russia had indeed done its first bombing mission in Syria, 'cause everybody assumed he was bombing ISIS, 'cause that's what he said he was gonna do, and we had welcomed it. "Oh, sure! You want to join us in the fight against ISIS?  Head on in here, Vladimir. We'd be happy to have you and the Iranians come in and partner up with us." 
Except Putin threw a change-up curveball and didn't attack ISIS.  No, no, no.  This is where it gets really, really interesting.  They didn't bomb any ISIS targets.  
Instead, Putin and Russia bombed "moderate" rebels that are our allies. (laughing) I'm sorry.  I shouldn't laugh.  Russia targeted "moderate" rebels that are supposed to be our allies fighting ISIS, and all this time we welcomed them in, under the premise that they're gonna join us in hitting ISIS targets. 
Putin comes in, but he doesn't hit ISIS targets. He hits our allies, the so-called moderate rebels.  There are now unconfirmed reports that Russia hit a CIA-vetted moderate Syrian rebel group that was receiving US anti-tank missiles.  So instead of Russia targeting ISIS, which they led everybody to believe they were gonna do and which we welcomed them to do, they hit a moderate rebel group that the CIA had vetted and told Obama they're us, they're our allies, they're good people, we can partner up with 'em.  That's who Russia hit.
So the Russians hit these moderate rebels because they, the moderate rebels, want to bring down Assad even more than they want to defeat ISIS.  And Putin does not want to get rid of Assad.  And nor does Iran want to get rid of Assad.  So while we thought Russia was coming in to bomb ISIS, and we're creating the illusion or operating under the illusion that we are doing the same thing, they hit our allies. 
This is serious, serious stuff.  And Kerry, here, grab sound bite 25.  
This is Kerry.  
They've been running around all day today trying to get comment from Russian and American officials about this.  
This was at the UN this morning, Security Council meetings on counterterrorism, John Kerry spoke about the battle against ISIS and these Russian air strikes in Syria, and here's a portion of what he said, and I'll characterize it after you hear it.
KERRY: 
If Rusia's recent actions and those now ongoing reflect a genuine commitment to defeat that organization, then we are prepared to welcome those efforts and to find a way to deconflict our operations and thereby multiply the military pressure on ISIL and affiliated groups.  But we must not and will not be confused in our fight against ISIL with support for Assad.  Moreover, we have also made clear that we would have grave concerns should Russia strike areas where ISIL and Al-Qaeda affiliated targets are now operating -- are not operating.
RUSH:  Well, that's exactly what they're doing, Secretary.  They're attacking targets where our allies are operating, not ISIL.  So if Russia's recent actions, we're prepared to welcome them.  Our people are clueless here, sadly, is what it seems like and don't know how to react to this. So the best they can do is to go out and act like Russia is following through on what it said it was gonna do.  This whole statement from Kerry sounds like it's predicated on his belief that they're hitting ISIS.  First half of this statement, he thinks they're hitting ISIS. 
He knows they're not.  He's trying to tell anybody listening, "Hey, they're hitting ISIS. We agreed to it and we're all-in for 'em, but if they veer from this then we're gonna have a sit-down with 'em."  
That isn't gonna happen.
The only reason Putin's doing any of this is because he's confident as hell we're not gonna do anything about it.  What is this deconflict anyway?  And to find a way to deconflict our operations and thereby multiply the military?  We are so, so screwed.

END TRANSCRIPT

Sunday, September 27, 2015

Chag Samaich


Congressman drinks Pope's "Sherayim"

It seems that the minhag of chapping shrayim from Rebbes is really "darkei Amorie" a goyishe minhag that the chassidim adopted!
Here we see Congressman Brady chapping shrayim from the Pope!



When Pope Francis concluded his historic address to Congress on Thursday, dozens of lawmakers followed as he left the podium, hoping to clasp the hand or touch the garments of His Holiness.
Then there was Rep. Bob Brady (D-Pa.), who instead dashed to the podium to swipe the pope’s drinking glass.
The half-full glass of water has now become something of a holy relic for the congressman.
Brady took the glass back to his ­office, where he drank out of it, and held it up for his wife, Debra, and staff members so they could drink from it as well.
“How many people do you know that drank out of the same glass as the pope?” he boasted to the Philadelphia Daily News.
He then poured the water into a bottle so he can sprinkle later it on his four grandchildren and one great-grandchild, he told the Washington Post.
Anything the pope touches becomes blessed,” Brady told the paper.

Modal Trigger

“I think so and no one is going to change my mind.”
This isn’t Brady’s first heist.
The congressman confessed to the newspaper that he also stole the water glass used by President Obama during his first inauguration.
He didn’t drink out of that one, though. He just put it in his curio cabinet at home, where this one, too, will go.
First, though, he’ll have Philadelphia police fingerprint it, to document its authenticity, he told the Philly Daily News.
Brady represents part of Philadelphia and plans to follow the popular pontiff there this weekend.

Friday, September 25, 2015

Pope Francis honors the 3,000 9/11 victims with moving speech condemning senseless acts of violence during interfaith ceremony


Pope Francis, center, looks on as Jewish and Muslim representatives shake hands during a multi-religious prayer for peace at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York City, New York, USA, 25 September 2015

In the most emotional speech of his American tour yet, Pope Francis mourned the lives of the nearly 3,000 victims of the 9/11 attacks and condemned senseless acts of violence while speaking in the foundations of the former Twin Towers. 

Speaking at an interfaith ceremony at the National September 11 museum, the pope said there should be opposition to 'any attempt to make us all the same.' Rather, he encouraged all to 'say yes to our differences, accepting reconciliation.'

Francis visited the museum after praying beside the memorials' twin fountains and meeting with several victims' families. Earlier in the day, he gave a rousing speech to the United Nations General Assembly, as he continues his six-day, three-city tour of the U.S.

As he took the podium this afternoon, Pope Francis quickly apologized that he would giving his speech in Spanish, saying his skills in English were not as good.

He then reflected on his feelings upon visiting the site where so many lives were lost.
'I have many different feelings,' the pope said. 'I'm moved by being here at Ground Zero where thousands of lives were taken in a senseless act of violence. You can feel the pain here. It's palpable.'