Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza

"Israel's policies in the territories have caused a humanitarian crisis for the Palestinians."

It's been called an "open air prison," said to be "one of the worst humanitarian crises in the 21st century." Well, here is the REAL story about the situation in Gaza. With facts from the United Nations illustrating Palestinian Arabs suffering from one of the highest obesity rates in the world and actual footage of plentiful markets and fine-dining restaurants in Gaza City, this is the what the media won't show you.

FACT

It is important to remember that Israel offered to withdraw from more than 95 percent of the West Bank and 100 percent of Gaza, and it is the rejection of that proposal, coupled with incessant Palestinian terrorism, that has forced Israeli troops to carry out operations in the territories. Though these actions have caused hardship for the Palestinian population, the IDF has continued to ensure that humanitarian assistance is provided to Palestinians in need.

During the three weeks of Israel's operation against Hamas, 1,483 trucks carrying over 36, 650 tons of humanitarian aid supplies have entered the Gaza Strip through Israel and these amount of aid had been increased after the operation:

Humanitarian Aid - Organizations and Donors to Palestinians:

* Jordan: Food, blankets, Medical equipment & medicine supply and blood units: 116 truckloads 2,538 tons.
* Greece: Medical equipment, food, blood units: 2 truckloads, 26 tons.
* Egypt: Food: 23 truckloads, 674 tons.
* Turkey: Medical equipment & medicine supply, 5 ambulances, food: 16 truckloads, 273 tons.
* Italy: Medical equipment: 1 truckload, 17 tons.

* Organization: ICRC - Medical equipment & medicine supply, 5 ambulances and car equipment: 48 truckloads, 327 tons.
* Organization: UNRWA - Food, Medical equipment & medicine supply, candles, generators: 310 truckloads, 5606 tons.
* Organization: WFP - Food: 127 truckloads, 3611 tons.
* Organization: WHO - Medical equipment & medicine supply: 25 truckloads, 300 tons.
* Organization: UNICEFF - Medical equipment & medicine supply:9 truckloads, 166 tons.
* Organization: MSF - Medical equipment: 1 truckload, 2 tons.
* Organization: MDM - Medical equipment: 1 truckload, 6 tons.
Other organizations: Food, blankets, medical equipment & medicine: 7 truckloads, 58 tons
Total International Community: 686 truckloads, 13, 604 tons.
Private Sector: 797 truckloads, 23, 046 tons.
Total Both: 1,483 truckloads, 36, 650 tons.

Note: This NOT includes Fuel & Gas







Humanitarian Aid After the Operation:

Hamas was accused of hijacking aid trucks and selling its goods during Israel's operation. Directly following the ceasefire Hamas and Fatah leaders began to blame each other for food and medical shortages in the Strip. Hamas accused Fatah of stealing aid from trucks in order to sell goods on the black market as well as detaining trucks along the Rafah border so as to prevent Hamas from restrengthening itself in the area.

On January 19, Jordanian sources confirmed that Hamas gunmen hijacked 12 trucks on their way to UNRWA headquarters.

Meanwhile, the medical clinic that Israel opened along the Erez border on January 18 remains empty. The treatment center is meant to assist 50 Palestinians at a time for wounds or other non-operation related illnesses. As of January 20, only seven Palestinian children came to the clinic for cancer treatments. The treatment center is stocked full with doctors and medical supplies as well as four ambulances but the Gazans are too afraid of Hamas forces to set foot inside or contact the Israeli-sponsored clinic. Doing so would be considered treason and Hamas operatives have been rapidly executing any Palestinian in Gaza who cooperates with Israel.

Report for May 2011:

* There was a 128% increase in the volume of truckloads transferred through the crossings compared to April 2011.
* There was a 31.5% increase in the number of patients and accompanying individuals who entered Israel for medical purposes compared to April 2011.

During the month of May, 4,031 truckloads were delivered into the Gaza Strip through Kerem Shalom Crossing, including:

* Aggregates: 530 truckloads
* Glass, Wood Profiles and Aluminum Profiles: 153 truckloads
* Cement: 218 truckloads
* Iron: 28 truckloads
* Total of Construction Materials: 929 truckloads
* Inputs for Agriculture: 96 truckloads
* Electric Products: 126 truckloads
* Clothing & Footwear: 89 truckloads
* Animal Feed: 520 truckloads
* Hygiene Products: 123 truckloads
* Transportation: 72 truckloads
* Textile: 26 truckloads
* Plumbing and Ceramics: 302 truckloads
* Essential Humanitarian Products: 583 truckloads
* Medicine and Medical Equipment: 32 truckloads
* Mixed Products: 204 truckloads
Total Truckloads: 4,031
Total Weight: 127,353 tons

IDF's Special Forces

Israel has 40 Special Forces units, here are few of them:

These are the most elite IDF sayeret units. As such they perform the most important missions of the IDF, usually of a strategic nature. Its soldiers undergo longer training regimes than other sayeret units and are also proficient in long range solo navigation (as opposed to other units where long range navigation is done with a minimum of 2 fighters).


Sayeret Matkal -
The IDF principal special operations/commando unit, used mainly to obtain strategic intelligence behind enemy lines, counter-terrorism, and to perform hostage-rescue missions outside of Israel's borders. Operatives from this unit have led, or been an instrumental part of, almost every notable counter-terrorist operation conducted on behalf of Israel from 1957 to the present

Shayetet 13 -
Within the IDF Navy exists an elite unite of commandos known as the Bat Men. The naval commando unit. Also in charge of maritime hostage-rescue missions. Part of the Israeli Navy, its selection and training is considered the most arduous of the entire IDF, due to its maritime role.

Shaldag Unit -
Shaldag is primarily tasked with targeting enemy structures and vehicles for assault by Israeli fighting aircraft. Using their high-energy laser designators, they can mark targets for fighter-bomber launched laser-guided bombs or Hellfire missiles from Israeli AH-64 helicopters. Many times this involves long range patrols to the target sites. Because of this Shaldag is also sometimes used for reconnaissance. They also provide assistance and operate in Counter Terrorism and hostage rescue operations.

Sayeret Duvdevan -
Duvdevan (Cherry) is an elite special forces unit, directly subordinate to the West Bank Division. Duvdevan are particularly noted for conducting undercover operations against militants in urban areas. During these operations, Duvdevan soldiers typically drive modified civilian vehicles and wear Arab civilian clothes as a disguise. Duvdevan is one of the most prestigious units of the IDF, and thus recruitment to it is highly desirable among recruitment-aged youths in Israel.

Yamam - SWAT Unit -
The Yamam is the elite civilian counter-terrorism unit in Israel. The Yamam is capable of both hostage-rescue operations and offensive take-over raids against targets in civilian areas. Besides military duties, it also performs SWAT duties and undercover police work. The Yamam has carried out many paramilitary operations. Some of the missions known to the public prior to the al-Aqsa Intifada.

Israeli SWAT Team Wins International Counter-Terror Competition at 2010
In a highly under-reported win, Israel’s Police Counter-Terror force, the “YaMaM,” won the international “Urban Shield” counter-terror competition against 27 top rated police and federal SWAT teams from around the world. Not only did Israel place first, but their point score was the highest ever in the history of the Israel Swat Team Police competition. The competition featured special counter-terrorism units from various countries and was held in California.

Yamas - Mistaravim -
Mistaravim, lit. Arabized, is the name given to those counter-terrorism units of the Israel Defense Forces in which soldiers are specifically trained to disguise themselves as Arabs in order to kill or capture a wanted terrorist. These are also commonly known as the 'Arab Platoons'. In Tom Clancy's Op-Center: Acts of War, it is stated that Mistaravim do not allow their real identities to become known to people outside their unit, and that even when they are undercover, they go to great lengths to avoid being recorded.

669 - Airborne combat search & rescue -
669, Airborne Rescue And Evacuation Unit 669 is the Israel Defense Forces heliborne medevac extraction unit, subordinate to the Special Air Forces Command of the Israeli Air Force. It is considered one of the IDF's premier elite units.

Oketz Unit -
Oketz operators are often assigned to other units in the case of a particular need for their specialist skills, such as in the extraction of terrorists from fortified buildings. Though not affiliated with the IDF Paratroopers Brigade, Unit Oketz operators wear the same distinctive red berets and the unit's graduation ceremony is held at the Paratroopers headquarters.

Egoz Reconnaissance Unit -
The Egoz Reconnaissance Unit is an elite special forces unit that specializes in guerrilla and anti-guerrilla warfare among other things. The Egoz Battalion is part of the Northern Command's Golani Brigade. Before the year 2000, Egoz operated mainly in Israel's Northern Command, combating threats from the Hezbollah. Following Israel's withdrawal from Southern Lebanon, its operations were moved to the West Bank and Gaza Strip. In 2003 and 2004, Egoz prevented more terrorist acts than any other IDF unit.

Paratroopers Commandos -
Sayeret Tzanhanin is a commando force roughly analogous to the United States Army's Rangers. They are capable of airborne operations, and have conducted many long range patrols into Lebanon since the Lebanon War.

Sayeret Maglan -
Sayeret Maglan is an Israeli Special Forces unit which specializes in operating behind enemy lines and deep in enemy territory using advanced technologies and weaponry. The Unit specialize in long range missiles warfare using Anti Tank Guided Missile (ATGM). The unit is also involve in ground laser designation for the Israeli Air Force (IAF) attack helicopters and jets. The unit's name is derived from the Ibis bird. The Unit is also known as the "Missiles Hunter". The IDF keeps the unit's designated missions a secret and gives no information about it or the operations in which the Unit takes part.

Sayeret Yahalom -
Yahalom (Diamond) is a special elite Commando and combat engineering unit of the Israeli Engineering Corps of the IDF. Sayeret Yahalom is a classified unit and almost none of its special activities are exposed to the public. When its activities are published, they are usually just credited to a "combat engineering force";

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Heroes of the IDF

Two Fingers from Sidon - שתי אצבעות מצידון

Two Fingers from Sidon	Shtey Etzbaot mi'Tzidon	שתי אצבעות מצידון
Two fingers from Sidon I sit depressed all day tour of guard duties one looks who to shoot at I see a pretty girl in the village and I'm reminded of you Far from my eyes, far from my heart You forgot me, and that hurts I think of you a lot a scorned soldier in Lebanon Two fingers from Sidon opening of co-ordinates, first thing a bit secure, a bit scared in the bushes there's a road-side bomb a butterfly sits on a branch and I'm reminded of you Far from my eyes... Two fingers from Sidon I am guarding but dying to sleep hell, what are we doing I look in the telescope I see a far lit-up window and I'm reminded of you Far from my eyes...	Shtei etzba'ot mitzidon ani yoshev bedika'on kol hayom siyur sh'mirot mistaklim al mi lirot ro'eh yaldah yafah bak'far uvach ani niz'kar Rachok meha'ayin, rachok mehalev shachacht oti vezeh ko'ev choshev alaich hamon chayal shavuz, bilevanon Shtei etzba'ot mitzidon p'tichat tzirim davar rishon k'tzat batu'ach, k'tzat nif'chad basichim mit'an tzad al anaf yoshev parpar uvach ani niz'kar Rachok meha'ayin... Shtei etzba'ot mitzidon ani shomer ach met lishon mah osim la'azazel bamish'kefet mis'takel ro'eh chalon rachok mu'ar uvach ani niz'kar Rachok meha'ayin...	שתי אצבעות מצידון אני יושב בדיכאון כל ביום ביור שמירות מסתכלים על מי לירות רואה ילדה יפה בכפר ובך אני נזכר רחוק מהעין רחוק מהלב שכחת אותי וזה כואב חושב עליך המון חיל שבוז בלבנון שתי עצבעות מצידון פתיחת צירים, דבר ראשון קצת בטוח, אצת נפחד בשיחים מטען צד על ענף יושב פרפר ובך אני נזכר רחוק מהעין רחוק מהלב... שתי עצבעות מצידון אני שומר, אך מת לישון מה עושים לעזאזל במשקפת מסתכל רואה חלון רחוק מואר ובך אני נזכר רחוק מהעין רחוק מהלב

Ammunition Hill - גבעת התחמושת

Performer: The Central Command Variety Ensemble
Year Released: 1968

Credits: words by Yoram Taharlev; music by Yair Rosenblum

Comments: This song celebrates a grueling battle that was waged at the site of a police station built by the British in northern Jerusalem on a site called "Ammunition Hill". During the 1948 War of Independence, the Arab Legion conquered sections of northern Jerusalem which resulted in the creation of an Israeli enclave on Mount Scopus which was cut off from the rest of Israeli Jerusalem. Ammunition Hill became one of the Jordanians' fortified positions preventing the two segments from being united. During the 1967 Six-Day war, on June 6th, Israeli paratroopers were sent to capture the position but had received erronious information seriously underestimating the strenth of the Jordanian force at the position. Made up of bunkers and trenches the paratroopers fought a tough battle in which they conquered the position, enabling Israeli forces to liberate the Old City, though the force lost 37 soldiers.

Ammunition Hill (Giv'at Ha'Takhmoshet)

"It was then the morning of the second day of the war in Jerusalem. The horizon paled in the east. We were at the climax of the battle on Ammunition Hill. We'd been fighting there for three hours. A fierce battle was under way. Fatal. The Jordanians fought stubbornly. It was a position fortified in an exceptional manner. At a certain point in the fight there remained next to me only four soldiers. We went up there with a force of two platoons. I didn't know where the others were because the connection with Dudik, the platoon commander, was cut off still at the beginning of the battle. At that moment I thought that everyone had been killed."

At two, two-thirty
We entered through the stoney terrain
To the field of fire and mines
Of Ammunition Hill

Against bunkers which were fortified
And 120mm mortars
A hundred and some boys
On Ammunition Hill

The pillar of dawn had not yet risen
Half a platoon lay in blood
But we were already there at least
On Ammunition Hill

Among the walls and the mines
We left only the medics
And we ran ahead without our senses
Towards Ammunition Hill

"At that same moment a grenade was thrown from outside. Miraculously we weren't hit. I was afraid the Jordanians would throw more grenades. Someone had to run from above and cover. I didn't have time to ask who would volunteer. I sent Eitan. Eitan didn't hesitate for a moment. He climbed up and began to fire his machine gun. Sometimes he would overtake me and I'd have to yell to him to remain in line with me. That's how we crossed some 30 meters. Eitan would cover from above and we would clear the bunkers from within, until he was hit in the head and fell inside."

We went down into the trenches
Into the pits and channels
And towards the death in the tunnels
Of Ammunition Hill

And no one asked where to
Whoever went first fell
One needed lots of luck
On Ammunition Hill

Whoever fell was dragged to the back
In order not to disrupt the movement forward
Until fell the next in line
On Ammunition Hill

Perhaps we were lions
But whoever wanted still to live
Should not have been
On Ammunition Hill

"We decided to try blowing up their bunker with a bazooka. The bazooka made a few scratches in the concrete. We decided to try with explosive material. I waited above them until the guy came back with the explosives. He would throw me package after package, and I would lay them one by one at the entrance of their bunker. They had a system of their own: first they threw a grenade, afterwards they fired a volley, and then they rested. Between volley and grenade, I would approach the entrance of their bunker and place the explosives. I triggered the explosives and moved away as far as I could. I had four meters in which to move because also behind me were [Arab] Legionnaires. I don't know why I received a commendation, I simply wanted to get home safely."

At seven, seven-twenty
To the police school
Were gathered all those who remained
From Ammunition Hill

Smoke arose from the hill
The sun in the east rose higher
We returned to the city, seven
From Ammunition Hill

We returned to the city, seven
Smoke arose from the hill
The sun in the east rose higher
On Ammunition Hill

On fortified bunkers
And on our brothers, men
Who remained there aged 20
On Ammunition Hill

Islam is Peace, Said the Muslims

Islam is Peace

Islam is peace said the Muslims as they wiped out the pagans of Arabia.

Islam is peace said the Muslims while they blew the worlds oldest Buddhas into bits.

Islam is peace said the Muslims as they massacred Lebanese Christians.

Islam is peace say the Muslim while still massacring Christians in Indonesia.

Islam is peace say the Muslims while still massacring people in Sudan.

Islam is peace said the Muslims who invaded Egypt and subjugated the Copts.

Islam is peace said the Muslims and kept massacring the Jews.

Islam is peace said the Muslims to the Zoroastrians as they fled to India.

Islam is peace said the Muslims who suicide bombed London and Madrid.

Islam is peace said the Muslims who slaughtered Hindus and Buddhists.

Islam is peace said the Muslims while they slaughtered Sikhs.

Islam is peace said the Muslims while they massacred Armenians.

Islam is peace said the Muslims while they blew up the WTC.

Islam is peace said the Muslims while they wrote on a sign "behead those who say Islam is violent".

And now Muslims say Islam peace while they... ___________!

Please submit suggestions to fill in the blank spot! We have SO many to choose from...Please post a comment.



A little xample of what Islam is:

The Shabak (Shin Bet)

The Israel Security Agency was established soon after the founding of the state; however its functions, structure and powers were not comprehensively legislated until 2002. It’s motto, inscribed on the organization seal, is “Defends and Shall Not Be Seen.” Until this time, they were decided by governmental decisions alone. Over the years, various powers granted to the ISA had been anchored in law, such as the 1979 Wiretapping Law, the 1981 Protection of Privacy Law, and others. Nonetheless, these laws were specific and limited in scope, while the overall status, structure, functions and powers of the ISA, as well as the method of supervising its activity, were defined only with the passage of the ISA Statute.

On June 30th, 1948, a month after the establishment of the IDF, and in the middle of the War of Independence, the Haganah Intelligence Service was called to a meeting. Its commander, Isser Be’eri, announced the dissolution of the Intelligence Service, and the reorganization of the secret services.

In this way, the Israeli intelligence community, which consists of the following bodies, was established:

a) The Intelligence Service, serving as army intelligence and including counterintelligence, later to become “Aman.”
b) The “Political Division,” responsible for intelligence operations abroad, later to become the “Mossad”
c) The Internal Intelligence Service – later to become the ISA, under Isser Harel. Its primary responsibility included all issues of internal security, most importantly, the countering of right-wing political subversion.

The danger of a civil war seemed to the prime minister at the time, David Ben Gurion, real and imminent, and much more dangerous than the damage that could be caused to the state and the police by espionage or by Arab subversion.

This fear regarding the weakening of governmental authority only increased following the Altalena affair and the assassination of UN representative Count Bernadotte, immediately after the establishment of the state. On February 8th, 1949, the existence of a Security Service was established for the first time in official law, although it was not revealed to the public until 1957. The Service was entrusted with further missions, including the countering of espionage and subversion in the Arab sector, and the responsibility for the security of vital institutions and infrastructure within Israel as well as in embassies abroad.

The ISA was spread geographically throughout the country, and was aided by several hundred employees active as case officers, interrogators, operations officers, Sigint producers, analysts, technology and administrative staff, security officers, and security guards.

In the 1950s and 1960s, the ISA’s primary activity was to aid the military administration, to counter extremist right and left-wing underground groups, and to uncover foreign agents, largely from Arab countries and from Eastern Europe, who had been planted in Israel.

Since 1967 the ISA has doubled its power and strength in Judea and Samaria, the Gaza Strip, and the Golan Heights, with the purpose of preventing terrorist activity on the part of the residents of the territories. Following the hijacking of the El Al plane to Algiers in 1968, and the murder of the Israeli sportsmen and sportswomen in the Munich Olympics, the ISA established a worldwide security apparatus, in order to protect Israeli targets from the growing terror threats.

The 1980s and 1990s were characterized by continued struggle against terrorist activity, aid provided to the IDF in Lebanon, the exposure of the “Jewish Underground,” the exposure of a number of cases of espionage and treason, and wide-ranging involvement in the political process granting autonomy to the Palestinians, which included continuous contacts with PA officials.

In addition to numerous successes which remain classified information, the ISA has also known difficult times: the “Bus 300” Affair; painful terrorist attacks in Israeli cities which exacted high prices in lives; and the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.

Since then, the organization has learned lessons and implemented conclusions, and has placed great emphasis on being a body that places top priority on self-evaluation and drawing conclusions from the past.

The Al-Aqsa Intifada, which began in September 2000, set off a wave of violent terror unprecedented in the history of the state. The ISA successfully and efficiently adapted its human, operational and technological resources in order to stand at the forefront of the intense battle to counter these terror attacks.

In February 2002 the Israeli parliament established the “ISA Statute” – a step which was taken due to an initiative by the ISA itself, which accompanied the entire process of legislation.

Hostile activities, unfortunately, have not ceased, however the ISA’s contribution to state and public security, especially in minimizing fatalities, have earned high praise in the security apparatus and amongst the public. The ISA and its employees continue, as always, to serve as the hidden shield of the people of Israel.

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