Ethiopian Jews in Israel

In this blog post, I will be analyzing Ethiopian Jews, specifically, a brief historic background of this ethnic group, along with how they are handling life in Israel. I will cover how and when most were brought to Israel, and also dive into the difficulties they’ve endured since arriving. I hope to achieve this topic by using sources that have information on the Ethiopian Jews, specifically Donna Rosenthal’s “The Israelis,” as well as other sources such as Haaretz News, and a research report done by Israeli organizations.

The Ethiopians are believed to be amongst the oldest Jews in the world. According Rosenthal, there is mass belief that the Ethiopian Jews began in the times of Moses, one of the most important figures in Judaic lore. It is believed that Moses had a black wife around the year 740 B.C.E who hailed from Kush, the name which is given to Ethiopia in the bible. Many scholars and historians are under the impression that these Jews are related to a legendary tribe named “Dan,” which, according to Encyclopedia Britannica, is one of the twelve founding tribes of the Jewish people. It is difficult to tell how Rosenthal feels about the Ethiopians, as she simply presents information, however one can guess that she admires their determination and survival skills. There is a large amount of confusion and even more questions that surround these Ethiopian Jews, but it is unlikely any theories are reliable, as there is little to no evidence to support these claims, and most of these claims are purely speculative.

Although their origin is unclear, what is clear is the impressive nature of these Ethiopian Jews. From their ability to survive and maintain a strict religion and tradition for thousands of generations, to the resolve and determination they showed in getting out of Ethiopia and into Israel, the Ethiopian Jews are a courageous bunch. Solomon Ezra, an Ethiopian Israeli Air Force officer, tells Donna Rosenthal about his experience in one of the most famous and daring mass exoduses in modern history.

Ethiopian Jews stuffed into a Jet during Operation Solomon, 1991

On May 23, 1991, the Israeli Air Force sent 33 unmarked El Al and Israeli Air Force aircraft to Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital. For months prior to May 23, Solomon Ezra had been bribing Ethiopian officials into smuggling Jews out of their villages and into the capital for evacuation. However, time was winding down and rebel troops were closing in on the Ethiopian capital; it didn’t look like their promises of Jerusalem was coming true. Finally, at 1:45 A.M., the Israeli Government granted permission to begin evacuation. That night, 14,324 Ethiopian Jews crammed onto 33 jets, one of which carried over 1,000 Jews, a world record. The average jet was able to hold about 500 passengers. When Ezra asked a pilot how many he is able to fit in a plane, the pilot told him he could cram in over 1,000 passengers. “It’s okay. I don’t want to leave any of my people behind.” The pilot told Ezra. “I never felt more proud to be an Israeli,” (Rosenthal 158) Ezra tells Rosenthal of his mission to save the Ethiopian Jews, and the willingness the pilots and his fellow Israelis had to sacrifice their well-being for people they did not know. Until this day, this operation, named Operation Solomon, is one of the most famous and impactful missions. It has changed the landscape of Israel since, in terms of social life, religious life, and day-to-day life.

Ethiopian Jew being arrested by Israeli Police

Ethiopians are doing what they can to make sure that sacrificing their way of life to a more modern life was not a mistake. However, they are finding this to be very difficult within Israel. In a recent article by Haaretz, Lee Yaron investigated the high rate of arrests against Ethiopian Israeli Jews. She goes into the reaction of the Ethiopian community, what is being done to stop this police prejudice against Ethiopians, and gives scenarios in unfair treatment of Ethiopians from police. Although she does not explicitly express her opinion, she seems to present a biased towards the Ethiopians, as she did not report any stories of Ethiopian violence against police. What Yaron found was that although Ethiopians make up 2% of the Israeli population, in 2007 police reported that of all 5,785 reported assaults against police, 6% were committed by Ethiopians. In 2015, that same 2% of the population accounted for 12% of 5,800 reported assaults against police. Yaron writes about an Ethiopian man who was arrested twice because police were suspicious of him breaking into cars. “For years we’ve been crying out over the police’s racist treatment toward us because of our skin color, which turns us into the immediate suspects. Now we have figures to back it up,” said Ziva Mekonen-Dagu, who is the head of the association specific to Ethiopian Jews.  Mekonen-Dagu also mentioned that the man’s nephew was arrested simply because he was walking through a nice neighborhood and police felt that he should not be in that neighborhood. Many police have recommended change through Ethiopian assimilation. Their recommendations included more Ethiopians in the police force and Israeli Defense Forces, as well as adding Amharic speaking police emergency hotline dispatchers. While the Ethiopians still see difficulties in everyday life, their community may be more on the rise than most people expect.

No piece of evidence on the Israeli Ethiopians can be more reliable than one done by the State of Israel. In recent demographic research done with the Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute, Israeli Ethiopians and their trends within society were studied. The study showed information on many basic aspects such as basic population information, education level within Ethiopians communities, employment rates, and housing information. The study shows that the Israeli Ethiopian is fairly young, with 84% being under the age of 45, and 47% being under 19. This is a positive statistic, as it indicates increasing growth for their population and continued longevity. In the department of education levels, however, there seems to be a bit of a problem. While there is an increase in education level within the Ethiopian community, education level gaps remain between Israeli Ethiopian Jews aged 22-64 and non-Ethiopian Israeli Jews of the same age. The study showed that as each level of schooling increased (8 years, 12 years, and 13+ years) the gap increased with it. Ethiopians have 51.5% more students who graduate with 8 years, 5% less students who graduate with 12 years, and the most staggering and alarming number, 42% less students with 13+ years. College campuses, whether it is in Israel or abroad, are seriously lacking in the number of Israeli Ethiopian Jews. Another staggering statistic is Ethiopian unemployment rates. At the time of the study, Israel’s unemployment rate was 7% of the general population. Ethiopian Israelis, on the other hand, doubled that rate, with a 14% unemployment rate within the Ethiopian Israeli population.

Because of their ancestry and tie to their Jewish brothers and sisters, the Ethiopian community will be a part of the State of Israel for many years to come. The question, however, remains; how will they be treated in Israel? Will life for the Ethiopians further worsen, remain the same, or improve? Israeli citizens and communities will watch closely, and hopefully assist their fellow countrymen in living a happy and comfortable life in Israel. 

The Israeli Defense Forces

In this blogpost, I will be analyzing the army of the State of Israel, the Israel Defense Forces. Specifically, I will examine and touch upon the daily lives of the soldiers within their service, moral dilemmas the soldiers must face, and the effect their actions have on the image of the IDF on the international stage. I hope to achieve this by using sources that are most familiar with this topic, specifically Donna Rosenthal’s “The Israelis,” articles by reputable Israeli news sources such as Haaretz, as well as other sources. I hope to use these sources to provide a deeper insight on one of the worlds most advanced, powerful, and complicated armed forces.

The Middle East has been a very volatile region since the Crusades. There have been countless regime changes, tragedies, and hardships, along with many historical events and technological and educational contributions to the world. However, no time period in history has been more violent, unpredictable, and clouded than now, specifically the Middle East from the time of the creation of Israel in 1948. Since its establishment, the State of Israel has been involved in over 10 wars and conflicts, all of which are against neighboring countries. Of all the Middle East, the most turmoil and conflict surrounds the State of Israel. The importance of the army cannot be stated enough. According to Business Insider, Israel has the most powerful military in the Middle East. On the world stage, they are neck in neck with many of the world’s largest countries, ranking in at number 11. For a country that is 445 times smaller (in square mileage) than the United States, there is no denying how impressive Israel’s military strength is. But where does this strength come from? Is it as simple as saying that Israel has the two strongest allies in the world in Great Britain and the United States? Maybe, we can mention, as mentioned in the same Business Insider article, Israel’s 15 billion USD budget on Defense Spending. Many like to believe that these are the reasons, however, there are also many who believe that Israel’s military success with the IDF comes from day to day life, the military’s tactics, and their ability to be affective on the battlefield while following rules of humanity.

Israel is one of the few countries in the world which require all citizens to participate in the military at the age of 18. For men, this mandatory service lasts for 3 years, and for women, the service lasts 2. Because of this mandatory service, one can assume that there would be many parents who are unhappy with this rule, and fear to lose contact with their children for extended periods of time. However, due to Israel’s size, Israeli soldiers serving in the IDF are welcome to go home from the base at the end of the night. Contrary to other countries such as the United States, France and Great Britain, Israeli soldiers are primarily stationed within their own borders, which makes it easier for soldiers to keep strong ties with their family members. I cannot imagine any sources on the matter of the IDF more reliable and detailed than that of Donna Rosenthal’s work, “The Israelis.” Rosenthal documents the lives of soldiers and citizens living in Israel. Rosenthal interviewed Liron Heffetz, a soldier in the Israeli Defense Forces. Liron discusses what it is like to be in the army, specifically about weekend leave, and tells Rosenthal, “My parents treat me like a king. Mom makes my favorite foods. I sleep past noon and spend a lot of time playing piano and reading.” (Rosenthal, 50) Rosenthal also mentions that most commutes home are only a couple of hours, which makes it easy for soldiers to visit their families. Also, the family unit plays a large role on the soldiers’ attitudes towards their service. While some may take it as a burden and do not find anything positive in their service, others find honor and pride. For example, Liron takes great pride in his grandfather. His grandfather was one of the many who was instrumental in the founding of the Israeli Air Force, along with Israel’s commercial passenger airlines, El Al. Liron explains his grandfather’s influence and the amount of respect he has for him, and recounts to when he was drafted and decided to volunteer for the combat unit, saying “When I volunteered for a combat unit, he was proud. I know he’s afraid for me, so I don’t tell him or my parents everything.” (Rosenthal, 50) Military service, of course, is very dangerous, and can leave many families worried. When your home is also the battlefront, every little second can be the difference between life and death. Which is why army members must be vigilant and act quickly and decisively.

Rosenthal documents stories from Sergeant Eli Rosenfeld, and his experience serving in a combat unit in the West Bank. Because of such a high frequency in attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians, the line between ordinary Palestinian and terrorist often gets blurred, and for many soldiers, it is hard to differentiate. Often times, if differentiation takes too long, or is acted upon too quickly, an innocent life can be taken from either side. Sergeant Rosenfeld further explains to Rosenthal the difficulties the soldiers face in the matter. He compares the West Bank with the Lebanese border, and he believes it is far more tedious and challenging to be a soldier in the West Bank than it is the Lebanon border. His reasoning is, “because it’s urban fighting and we see faces up close. Everywhere we see Palestinians. They hate us, but most are innocent. The terrorists hide among hundreds of thousands of civilians who look just like them.” (Rosenthal 65) Sergeant Rosenfeld describes a moral dilemma that soldiers often face, saying, “‘is that figure behind that boulder a man or a woman? It’s a boy. He looks like an innocent sixteen-year-old. But a sixteen-year-old just blew up a candy store. He looks unarmed. But wait! Is something bulky under his sweater?’” (Rosenthal 65) One wrong moment of judgment can not only take a mental and emotional toll on the soldier, but can spell doom for the IDF as a whole in the eyes of the rest of the world.

Hebron Shooting, March 2016

In March 2016, an incident happened in Hebron that spelled doom for the IDF. After thwarting two attackers who stabbed an Israeli officer, an Israeli soldier shot and killed an attacker who was on the ground, detained, and not moving. Not only did this act not bode well with the international community, but it was act of insubordination against the IDF and its moral and ethical code, and it did not bode well with the IDF’s leaders and officials. New York Times writer Isabel Kershner wrote an article on the incident in late March. She quoted Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner, an IDF spokesman, who said, “The IDF views this incident as a grave breach of IDF values, conduct, and standard of military operations.” Another condemnation came from within Israel’s government, this time from Israel’s Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, who addressed the public in a statement via video. In this video, he said that what the soldier did “completely contradicts IDF values and its battle ethics; even in a moment of great anger we must not permit such unbridled and uncontrolled behavior.” The IDF has done everything they can in assuring the Israeli people and the international community that this single act of insubordination does not reflect the IDF or its standard operating procedures.

An article written by Gili Cohen for Haaretz touched on the aftermath of the Hebron shooting. Cohen reports that the Israeli soldier who shot and killed the Palestinian man in Hebron, Elor Azaria, is set to begin his trial and determine his fate and guilt involving the Hebron shooting. Initially, the choices were for Azaria to be charged with murder or manslaughter. As the case went on, opposition began to realize that to make a murder case, they would have had to show criminal intent, and would lose the case all together. As a result, the prosecution has charged Azaria with Manslaughter. The indictment presented to Azaria cited their reasoning for prosecution, saying when Azaria shot the unarmed man he was in “violation of the rules of engagement, and without operational justification, while [Abdel Fattah] al-Sharif lay wounded on the ground...and did not pose immediate and real threat to the defendant, civilians, or soldiers in the area.” However, Azaria and his defense believes that shooting al-Sharif was justified. Azaria told the Military Police, “I used reasonable force with one shot. I shot one bullet to neutralize the threat I felt.” He continues on and says “if he’d had an explosive belt, I wouldn’t be in court, but in a cemetery. I wouldn’t have shot him if I hadn’t felt a tangible threat.” Support for both the prosecution and for Azaria came from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu defends the soldier, and claims that he believes the soldiers are fighting off the very thing they are being accused of: murderers. He also expressed his understanding, saying that as a parent of a soldier, he understands where soldier’s parents are coming from in supporting Azaria. He has done his best to reassure the public that the military tribunal in which Azaria’s fate will be decided will be merciful and have in mind all events and facts of the incident.

Israeli citizens calling for government support of the IDF Soldiers

The fallout, including Netanyahu’s message, has caused great confusion in Israel. Amos Harel wrote an analytical article for Haaretz in which he analyzed the aftermath of the Hebron shooting, and the effect it had on Israeli public opinion of the situation. Throughout the article, Harel shows the amount of confusion that surrounds the public eye on the Hebron shooting case, as the public has gotten mixed signals from the government, whether it’s from Prime Minister Netanyahu or from IDF leaders. It is hard to tell whether or not Harel is accurate in his writing, as he speculates the affect that this case is having on the Israeli political stage, and in the public eye. Harel claims that it is difficult for soldiers to leave their personal political ideals at home while they are participating in their service. Harel thinks this because many times the IDF’s conduct and values tend to contradict many of the soldiers personal beliefs. The biggest issue, Harel writes, is containing the issue so that it does not affect the IDF in the eyes of the public. Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot has done all he can to appease the public, uphold the law, and protect his soldiers at the same time. Eisenkot’s biggest challenge, Harel says, is keeping the image of the IDF in the public eye intact. He writes, “But the incident in Hebron has sharpened the dispute over basic values, and that dispute must be conducted without undermining public faith in the IDF – something Eisenkot views as critical to the army’s functioning.”

Elor Azaria, who is to be tried for Manslaughter

The people of Israel, along with everybody outside of Israel who is following this story, is awaiting a trial and verdict on the fate of Azari. Many are curious to see how the IDF will handle this, and what consequences, if any, their decision may have. 

"Would You Like Some "Hommos" With Your Shwarma?" Homosexual Life in Israel

This blogpost will explore the dynamics within the lives of homosexual citizens of Israel their family lifestyle in Israel. It will examine the different behaviors, feelings, and political aspects that come with being a homosexual citizen in Israel, and how life is according to the main sources on this topic, “The Israelis” by Donna Rosenthal, and “Conceiving Judaism: The Challenges of Same-Sex Parenthood” by Sybille Lustenburger.

Israel is one of the world’s holiest and most religious countries. It is one of the religious homes for Muslims, a holy and spiritual place for Christians, and the homeland for Jews and their most sacred sites, to name a few.  Generally speaking, the 21^st century has seen a major disconnect between religion and non-traditional lifestyles. For example, the fight in the United States for marriage equality and gender equality. In many of the world’s most dominant religions, homosexuality, as well as transgender and other groups of peoples who do not fit the heterosexual group, are looked down upon and condemned by the more observant and religious members of each religion.

This is not the case in Israel. Israel has one of the most tolerant and free governments and societies throughout the entire world. In 2012, Haaretz News reported a 2011 poll conducted by GayCities.Com and American Airlines which showed Tel Aviv as the best travel destination in the world forhomosexuals, an entire 29 percentage points ahead of one of the world’s hottest all around travel cites, New York.  

Many people have theories as to where the flexibility, social freedom, and societal acceptance come from. To be clear, Israel is a state that operates on the state religion, which is Judaism. Judaism does not condemn homosexuality, rather, prohibits sexual acts that are seen as untraditional, which in this case, would be same-sex acts. Yair Ettinger reported for Haaretz that, oddly enough, societal acceptance and support comes from the most unusual place in Israel; the group of Orthodox Rabbis, the spiritual leaders of Judaism. In an open letter to Israeli citizens, a group of Orthodox Rabbis urged citizens of Israel to accept and welcome their brothers and sisters, saying, “Although forbidden sexual relationships must not be permitted, there’s room for leniency in attitudes towards social inclusion and for accepting them into the community.”  

Israel's flag alongside Israel's unofficial "gay pride" flag

But just like a straight citizen, being a gay citizen comes with difficulties. Family life can be truly affected when a family member who is homosexual is thrown into the fray, regardless of whether it is in the United States, Israel, or whether it is Christianity, Judaism, or Islam. Homosexuality is not fully accepted everywhere, and it still has a long way to go to be understood. In Donna Rosenthal’s book entitled, “The Israelis,” Rosenthal documents different stories that can help non-Israelis see what Israeli life is like for Jews, Muslims and Christians living in Israel. In the chapter “Oy! Gay?”, Rosenthal explains an account of a middle-aged Jewish man name Shai, who is married to a woman, but is struggling to discover he is homosexual. Shai elaborates on the experience of telling his wife that he is gay, by saying “During an argument, I lost it. I snapped back, ‘You want therapy? Go find a therapy group for wives of homos.’ That word hit her like a bomb.” (Rosenthal 373) He continued onto to explain that he and his wife would separate, and he moved into his own apartment, and that they would not tell their families, out of fear that they would not understand or accept him. He even went as far as to say, “If my father found out, he’d sit shiva (mourn for the dead).” (Rosenthal 373)

In another account, Rosenthal describes a Muslim Arab Israeli citizen named Omar, who lives near Haifa. Omar recalled what it was like when his father found out about his sexual orientation, and it was not pretty. “When my father found out, he went crazy. He said he couldn’t accept that his only son would not marry, would not give him a grandson to carry on the family name. He yelled “Inta luti!” (You’re a homo!). Being called a luti is tantamount to being condemned to death. I had dishonored our family’s dignity.” (Rosenthal 373) In some circumstances, people must hide who they truly are and how they truly fear, out of fear of being abandoned or pushed aside by their families and friends.

However, not all circumstances in Israeli family life resemble Omar and Shai’s. When you join the army, the group of the army in which you enter becomes your second family. They are your brothers and sisters, and you protect and love one another with your lives. So, when the brother of Nurit, a young lady who Rosenthal documents, goes to the army as a homosexual man who has not come out to his family, he is easily accepted. Nurit tells Rosenthal, “’My brother was in much better shape than me. He was out to everyone in his unit and his commanders knew. They were totally supportive. Being gay doesn’t clash with being a good soldier, so gays are accepted. ‘” (Rosenthal 374) This differs greatly from the United States Military policy (until recently), where they were on a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. Israeli military officers don’t care; rather, they prefer to know so that they can create a safe and comfortable environment for soldiers that are risking their lives to protect the land of Israel. Rosenthal does not offer her opinion on homosexuals in Israel, rather, documents stories and scenarios from different homosexuals and their families to provide perspective to the readers.

A huge talking point within the debate of homosexuality is the legitimacy of children raised by same-sex couples. Are they legitimate children? In the case of the Jewish children raised by same-sex couples, are they legitimate Jews? How do we differentiate? Sibylle Lustenburger has the answer for that. In an analysis of Jewish Israeli life entitled, “Conceiving Judaism,” Lustenburger addresses many points on the topic of homosexuality amongst Israeli Jews. One of these topics is the topic of the children of same-sex partners and the legitimacy of the child within the Jewish community. According to Lustenburger, “According to Jewish Law, a child’s legitimacy does not depend on the marital status of the parents. In other words, children raised by same-sex couples are not necessarily halakhically illegitimate.” (Lustenburger 144) Lustenburger goes on to differentiate between a legitimate child and a “bastard” child, saying, “The Jewish concept of a mamzer (mamzerim, pl.) often translated as ‘bastard’, refers not to a child born out of wedlock but rather to a child conceived in a prohibited relationship, such as incest or several other categories. Furthermore, most Orthodox rabbis generally do not view reproductive technologies as illicitly tampering with nature; instead, they see them as a remedy approved by God against childlessness (Wahrman 2002: 14-16).” (Lustenburger 144) Lustenburger then tells readers about how same-sex partners have legitimate children in the eyes of Judaism. “None of the numerous rabbinic texts on reproductive technologies addresses same-sex parenthood. Since gay and lesbian relationships are not recognized, same-sex parenthood simply does not exist in the rabbinic imagination.” (Lustenburger 144) This being said, the traditional laws for determining the religion of the child applies, which would be the method of conception, the religion of the child’s biological parents, along with many other rules.  Like Rosenthal, Lustenburger seems to only provide information to readers, rather than explicitly express personal opinions on the topic.

All throughout Israel, across the many different religions, nationalities, ethnicities, and cultures, there are many mixed feelings about homosexuality. Many Israelis are accepting and supportive of homosexuals, whereas many Israelis are unaccepting and condemn homosexuality. Many accept others being homosexual, but are not ok with their own family being homosexual. The only thing that is clear is that homosexuality is accepted by the state of Israel, and that homosexuals have a safe, friendly, and beautiful environment to enjoy when it comes to Israel and its cities. 

A Step in the Right Direction for the Agunot

A recent article written by Jerusalem Post writer Lahav Harkov tackles an ongoing struggle within Israel’s borders, which is the issue or marriage equality. This article highlights for the readers the issue that the certain group is struggling with, the reason that the law remains the way it is, and what the Israeli government has done in order to bring awareness to the issue and show support for this group.

International Aguna Day, as Israel’s Knesset committee for the Advancement of the Status of Women and Gender Equality has called it, is a day that coincides with the Jewish holiday of Purim. International Aguna Day is meant to show support and solidarity with Jewish women who are bound to their husbands and are unable to get a divorce.

Purim, which is generally celebrated in early or mid-March (the timing differs because the Jewish calendar does not coincide with the calendar used globally), consists of quite a few days. On the first day of Purim, those who observe Purim participate in what is called the Fast of Esther. Esther, one of the main protagonists, and the heroine of the story of Purim, was a woman who also dealt with a very complicated and restricting marriage with the King of Persia, Achashverosh (more commonly known as “Ahasuerus” in English).  In Judaism, she is considered one of the most important figures to the freedom of the Jewish people, male figures included.

Agunot, which is the plural term for an aguna, describes a woman who is stuck in her marriage for various reasons. In Hebrew, aguna literally means “anchored” or “chained”. In Jewish law, the only way for a woman to legitimately complete a divorce is to receive a “get” from their husband, which is a divorce document that consents the wife to go through with the divorce if she wishes. In Israel, because marriage affairs are handled by the Rabbinical Courts which are in the Religious Services Ministry, it is required that all Jewish couples who wish to go through with a divorce follow Jewish law.

MK Aliza Lavie, who called for the meeting to support agunot

Also, the Harkov touches on the fact that many Knesset members were very active and vocal in the process of establishing International Aguna Day. Yesh Atid Member of the Knesset Aliza Lavie called for the meeting and stressed the importance of international recognition of the struggle of the agunot to the Knesset’s Committee for the Advancement of the Status of Women and Gender Equality. The Committee Chairwoman, Joint List member Aida Touma-Sliman also voiced her distaste, and mentioned that she hopes that there is change in the handling of marriage affairs within the Israeli government, which she believes will lead to the freedom of choice for agunot who are struggling. Another issue was brought up by Kulanu Member of the Knesset Rachel Azaria, who mentioned that even in the most extreme cases of inhumane actions taken out against family members, husbands have the deciding factor on whether or not a woman is allowed divorce. These women who are in the Knesset, amongst many others, spoke out against the growing issue of the agunot in hopes that the Rabbinical Courts in the Religious Services Ministry were listening.  

Zionist Union Member of the Knesset Revital Swid made a call for the imprisonment of men who refuse to grant agunot a get to obtain divorces. This forced the hand of the Rabbinical Courts, as an administrator of the Rabbinical Courts has made an oath to visit the men who are imprisoned for refusing to issue a get before the Jewish Holiday Passover, which is set to begin April 22. To clarify, it is completely legal by Israeli Law to refuse to issue a get, however Rabbinical Courts frequently use imprisonment as a form of sanctioning men who refuse to issue their wives a get.

Harkov did mention that while there seems to be no progress towards an immediate solution, something very promising has come out of the commotion caused by the committee and those who called for International Aguna Day. The Director of the Organization for the Resolution of Agunot, Rabbi Jeremy Stern, believes that the Agunot problem in the United States will be remedied by the next 10 years, because using a completely legal halachic prenuptial agreement has become very common and popular in the United States. However, nothing was said about the agunot problem in Israel.

Oral News Report

Oral News Report

What Happens When You Bring An Umbrella To A Knife Fight?

An article was posted by Arutz Sheva, an Israeli national news company, regarding the recent string of terror attacks in Israel, and the Israeli’s response to these attacks.  Arutz Sheva interviewed a Member of the Kenneset, Amir Ohana, a new comer to the Kenesset and a member of the Likud party, on his lobbying efforts for reforms in Firearm Laws in the State of Israel. This article posted by the news company reviews Ohana’s stance on current gun laws, what he thinks should happen, and why they should happen. This article also reviews terror attacks that were carried out by Hamas operatives onto the citizens of Israel in the past few months.

Likud MK Amir Ohana

To begin the interview, Ohana cited official state percentages regarding private firearm ownership in Israel. According to Arutz Sheva and MK Ohana, between 2 and 4 percent of private citizens in the State of Israel own a firearm, as opposed to the percentage of the United States, which they both stated to be 112, due to the ownership of multiple firearms for some of the firearms owners in the United States. Ohana was very clear about his intentions in regards to legislation for firearm distribution in the State of Israel. In his video interview with Arutz Sheva, he called for slow and regulated easements on current legislation, and he would like to eventually change that legislation. Currently, Israeli firearm regulation is strict, barring the recent lifting of restrictions to the standing legislation.

According to the Law Library of Congress, Israeli firearm legislation, in short, is restricted and highly regulated by the Israeli government, who issues the firearms to a certain group of people; those who are employed by ministries within the Israeli government, leaders of communities within Israeli towns who have been cleared by the government, military personnel, and those who cover a plethora of background and qualification tests, including residence and prior training on the handling of firearms. The only military personnel that may carry fire arms outside of the base and while they are on duty are those who are in combat units, and those who are stationed in the West Bank and other specified areas. Ohana would like to make large changes in legislation, but would like to still restrict it to those who fit a certain list of qualifications, such as law-abiding citizens with clean legal and medical records (in regards to mental health), and above all he would like for all military personnel, including the Reservists in the Israeli Defense Forces, to be able to carry military issue assault rifles even when they are away base.

The reason Ohana feels so strongly about correcting the current legislature on firearms is due to the recent string of terror attacks performed by Hamas operatives onto Israeli citizens. According to Israel’sMinistry of Foreign Affairs, since September 13, 2015, 33 people were killed along with another 375 injured (4 of who was Palestinian). These recent attacks have varied through different, methods, although the most frequently used method is stabbing attacks. 195 stabbing attacks and attempted stabbing attacks were made, while 77 attacks involved a gun, and 39 were ramming attacks involving vehicles.  

Arutz Sheva broke a story a week prior to Ohana’s interview, about a terroristattack carried out on Israeli civilians. During their Sabbath shopping on a Thursday evening, Israeli shoppers were attacked at a super market by two terrorists with knives. One of these terrorist killed an Israeli man who, without any weapons, attempted to disarm and stop this terrorist. The other terrorist was shot down and thwarted by a civilian legally carrying a firearm before the terrorist could attack anybody else.  Ohana uses this scenario as a prime example to bolster his argument in the Kenesset, and help the people of Israeli defend themselves against what seems to be the inevitable and relentless threat of waves of Palestinian terror attacks carried out against Israelis.

According to Ohana, in the past few months, 8 attempted attacks were suppressed by armed citizens in Jerusalem.  Ohana believes that this type of reward is much higher than the risk of an armed Israeli citizen committing mass shootings and attacks, much like what we see in the United States. His hope is that with clear, honest, and strict legislation, the distribution of firearms can be managed by Israelis and they can keep terror attacks from Palestinians onto Israelis from happening, and keep mass shootings by Israeli citizens from happening as well. 

In this article, the author and interviewer, Ari Soffer, remained neutral and did not provide his opinion. He only listed factual evidence based off of state numbers and other stories broken by the news company he reports for, and only mentioned the things Ohana mentioned during their interview. 

Man Dies in Gaza Tunnel Collapse

Israel Defense Forces searching a Terror Tunnel in Gaza. 

In his most recent article entitled, “Hamas operative said killed in fresh Gaza tunnel collapse,” Raoul Wootcliff, an editor for a news company named The Times of Israel, elaborated on a recent incident in Gaza earlier in February involving a Hamas operative. Wootcliff writes about the incident and the Israeli and Egyptian response.

 According to the Palestinian media reports, a Hamas operative was killed earlier this week due to the collapse of a terror tunnel which ran through the border of Egypt and Gaza. Wootcliff continues to say that throughout the past couple of months, there have been roughly 11 dead due to incidents occurring in Hamas’s terror tunnel system. This specific incident came on the day after another operative died in the terror tunnel system.

Since the discovery of the tunnel system in a 2014 conflict between Israel and Hamas, the Israel Defense Forces have launched multiple efforts, with cooperation and assistance from Egyptian leadership, to snuff out these tunnels and destroy them. Hamas has been using a system of tunnels called “terror tunnels,” to navigate undetected under both the Israeli and Egyptian border. This tunnel system has been used to smuggle weapons, missiles, ammunition, and materials into and out of Gaza. Most recently, the terror tunnels were used for Hamas operatives to get into Israel and carry out violent attacks onto Israeli civilians.

One of Wootcliff’s more major talking points was the press conference of Israeli Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, whose comments have drawn a lot of attention. Wootcliff tells us that based off of his comments, the media has strongly speculated recently that the Israeli Defense Forces have been doing everything in its power, a majority of the time in secrecy, to combat and suppress the construction and usage of Hamas tunnels with the intention of being used to carry out attacks onto Israeli civilians, Arab and Jews alike.  Eisenkot told the media, as Wootcliff reported, that the Israeli Defense Forces have deployed well over 100 engineering vehicles on a search and destroy mission on the border of Israel and Gaza. The objective for these vehicles is clear; find the tunnels, and destroy them.  Israel, currently dealing with increased tensions and threats from ISIS, Iran, and Hezbollah on the Northern border, is looking for an efficient way to put to rest the looming fear of terrorist waves coming out of Gaza via terror tunnels.

Wootcliff continues, and touched on Israel and Egypt’s joint efforts in squashing the terror tunnels. Other than complete destruction of each tunnel they find, the Israelis and Egyptians have found that flooding the tunnels with seawater has been extremely effective. He cites Israeli Energy Minister, Yuval Steinitz, and his confirmation of tunnel flooding by the Egyptian military on the southern border of Gaza; however these floods were done at the discretion and desire of the Israeli Military.

Wootcliff used many facts from many different sources, Palestinian, Egyptian and Israeli. Nearly all of the sources Wootcliff used seemed to be reliable sources. His article was less statistical and more conversational. Wootcliff remained neutral, objective, and impartial while writing his article. He neither offered his opinion on the matter, criticism of the countries involved, nor showed sympathy for the deceased.

In my opinion, while death is tragic in its own right, there was some sort of moral and karmic balance here. Hamas does not shy away from their intentions with the tunnels and what they are used for, and the usage of the tunnel could potentially have led to death Israeli civilians. I agree with the efforts on the Egyptian and Israeli sides to destroy the terror tunnels, as it can potentially bring stability to the region. Preventing terror attacks, and stopping the flow of weapons into and out of Gaza to kill innocent civilians is a great objective to have, and I personally stand behind whatever country or entity choses to make this their objective.