IDF Praises Yitzhar's Youth

In a move that has shocked Israel's media, the IDF Shomron Brigade Commander, Itzik Bar awarded an IDF commendation to...a 9-year-old resident of the Yitzhar community, Tuvia Shtatman. 

Three weeks ago at 6 AM on a Saturday morning, a Palestinian terrorist infiltrated the Shalhevet community of Yitzhar and set fire to a home. 

Nine year old Tuvia ran outside to see what was going on and began to alert people that there was a fire. The terrorist saw Tuvia, ran after him, attacked him, and stabbed him repeatedly with a knife. 

Not losing his cool, Tuvia continued to yell for help, and bravely fought off the terrorist, breaking the knife and throwing it to the side.  In response, the terrorist threw Tuvia off a 4 meter (12 foot) embankment, and fled.

Miraculously, Tuvia only suffered minor injuries.

This past Friday at the IDF Shomron headquarters, IDF Commander Itzik Bar presented an IDF commendation to Tuvia and stated, "I am astounded by the bravery and heroism of Yitzhar children -- despite [this young child's] slight build, he determinedly fought with the terrorist." [source]

For some reason, this story has not been picked up by Israel's mainstream media.

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

Olmert's Pogrom Against the Settlers

Shabbat Morning, 7:50 AM.

I was rudely awakened by my pager's buzzing, as an incoming message from the IDF spelled out that a terror attack just took place not from from us in the settlement of Yitzhar. A Palestinian terrorist infiltrated the Shalhevet Yam neighborhood of Yitzhar, set fire to a building, and stabbed a nine year old boy. The terrorist fled and was not apprehended. Security should be tightened in the surrounding areas.

Additional details came in ... the terrorist tried burning down a second home as well, and the 9 year old discovered the attack and started yelling for help. It was then the terrorist stabbed him 5 times in the back until the knife broke....he then threw him off the balcony of a caravan -- a 12 foot drop.

What we all found out on Saturday night was that the terror attack against the 9 year old was a minor detail -- the big story was the settler reprisal against the village that hosted the terrorist.

The IDF's inaction of not chasing after the terrorist infuriated the residents of Yitzhar -- this terror attack came on the heels of their fields routinely burnt down by Palestinians. Yes, the settlers reacted, took the law into their own hand and went into the village. Were their actions a beacon of democracy and good will towards their Palestinian neighbors? Nope. Should the IDF have done their job? Yes. Should the police have done their job? Yes.

No one did their job except for the Palestinian terrorist.

Yitzhar's community spokesman reported the following:

The stabbing attack and torching of an empty home in the settlement marked the "climax of the abuse perpetrated by Arab residents of the nearby village," Yitzhar Spokesman Yigal Amitai told Ynet. He also slammed the IDF conduct earlier in the day, referring to the army's failure to identify or capture the terrorist behind the attack.

"It's clear to everyone that this incident could have ended disastrously," Amitai said. "A whole family would have been butchered and burned. Yitzhar residents said that in recent months Arabs set seven fires in the settlement's wheat fields.

"To our regret, in all those incidents no real deterrent activity was conducted by the military and army," Amitai said.

The settlement spokesman also slammed the reactions issued by leftist Knesset members and groups during the Shabbat.

"They knew well that because of the sanctity of Shabbat we won't be able to respond in the media, and therefore took advantage of it," he said. Meanwhile, members of the Jewish National Front said that "the time has come for the Arabs to realize that Judea and Samaria residents aren't suckers…it would be better for the IDF and police to address Arabs who stab a nine-year-old Jewish boy, rather than target those who seek to defend themselves." (YNET)

The media pogrom against the settlers was swift and brutal, everyone conveniently refusing to condemn or acknowledge the severity of the terror attack that triggered yesterday's events.

MK Ahmed Tibi: referred to the settlers as "two-legged animals" following the riots. (ynet)

MK Zahava Gal-on: It's impossible to have a situation whereby the army is doing nothing while this is going on... the time has come to end the policy of inaction vis-à-vis the settlers." (ynet)

Peace Now Secretary General Yariv Oppenheim: "The settlers do not miss any opportunity to hurt Palestinians and endanger human life" (ynet)

But the best is reserved for Ehud Olmert to comment:

"There will be no pogroms against non-Jewish residents in the State of Israel -- a terror attack took place over the weekend in northern Samaria against a Yitzhar resident. A terrorist entered the community, a young boy was injured and there was an attempt to carry out a more severe attack. This is a serious and grave matter." (YNET)

It's much more serious and grave to Ehud Olmert that the Yitzhar residents should be upset at the torching of 2 buildings, upset at the IDF's inaction against terrorists, upset at the terror attack against a 9 year old -- and then they overturn a car and charge through the village which harbors terrorists....all that is much more grave and serious than the terrorist attack against a nine year old.

Yet let's take a step back. Can you imagine what the Arabs would do when there's an attack against them by a Jew? I'm sure they are the epitome of calm, and coldly calculated reasoned action. And if they would lose their cool, they would be soundly criticized by Ehud Olmert and the MKs of the left...?

Let's examine an actual case study from 2005.

Situation; Four people were killed and at least six others were wounded after army deserter Eden Natan Zada opened fire aboard a bus in the Arab town of Shfaram, in northern Israel.

Eyewitnesses said angry locals, or possibly bus passengers, managed to storm the bus following the attack and killed the shooter. Police reportedly had trouble retrieving the body, which was lying on the stairs of the bus, as a result of the angry Arab mob gathered at the scene.

Reaction against the terrorist: Prime Minister Ariel Sharon issued a special statement following the Shfaram shooting saying, “This is a vile act by a blood-thirsty Jewish terrorist who aimed to hurt innocent citizens.” “Terror by citizens against citizens is the most dangerous thing regarding Israel’s future and its democratic character,” the statement said

What happened to the blood thirsty Palestinian terrorist this past Shabbat that tried killed a 9 year old? Did anyone dare call him a vile, blood thirsty terrorist?

At the scene in Shfaram, a lynch mob disarmed the Jewish terrorist, and then rioted, taking the law into their own hands, and killed Eden Zada. In response to the possibility of charges being brought against those who took the law into their own hands MK Barakeh said, "We will take action to break any hand that is raised against us."

Balad chairman, MK Jamal Zahalka slammed the Haifa prosecution's decision to subpoena the Shfaram residents in the case: "This is an act of provocation. The police failed to find out who was assisting Zada and who sent him, and are blaming the victims. If they indict they will have riots on their hands"

Any comments from MK Tibi about the 2 legged animals in Shfaram?

Any comment from MK Zehava Gal-on the impossibility of a situation whereby the police is doing nothing while this is going on -- or has he time has come to end the policy of inaction vis-à-vis the Arabs?"

I don't recall Peace Now Secretary General Yariv Oppenheim saying the "The arabs do not miss any opportunity to hurt Jews and endanger human life"

And of course, Olmert was uncharacteristically silent then too.

It seems that its settler season again.

I was reminded of the painful artistic expression on road 60 near Beit-El, 10 years ago after many terror attacks on the roads.

A congregation of benevolent, smart and wise
gave guns to the foxes.
And as the days grew, the era of peace they hallucinated
turned [us] to a flock of ducks.






Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד