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Small Blessings, any Blessings Now

4/19/2024

21 Comments

 
I know that a lot has happened since the last time that I put my thoughts to you about the war in Israel and the battle for civilization in the West. 

I guess for election season reasons, the political advocates for Israel including Senator Chuck Schumer and the President himself have called for elections in our democratic country of Israel to remove “Bibi” Netanyahu from power thinking that would change the direction of our war against the evil and barbaric Hamas.  Almost 90% of Israelis, left, right, and center, want to proceed with the annihilation of Hamas, in Gaza,  who has said that they would commit October 7th like attacks on Jews, in Israel and elsewhere, over and over - until we are all eradicated.  We are a democracy, the only democracy in the middle east.  We will deal with all of our politicians, military and intelligence heads, for their betrayal of the public’s trust, before October 7th, once the war, or at least these phases of the war are over.  In spite of what the Israel experts in the New York Times, Washington Post, and all of the media channels say, Bibi’s party, that he heads, the Likud Party, was elected by the people of Israel.  
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4Z1UG 7KW Generator, converted to LPG, with neighborhood distribution panel. Includes GFI, KWhr meter, voltmeter, and circuit breakers for each plug. 
Israel is accused of genocide in Gaza.  The soldiers who are accused of this “war crime” are our sons, son-in-laws, fathers, uncles, and neighbor’s kids.  Unlike our enemies, we did not raise our soldiers to be genocidal.  Our boys are “working” in a hostile urban environment with an enemy, below ground,  in over 500 kilometers of underground tunnels, and who view the “innocent Palestinians” above ground as their human shields.  We all take it personally here in Israel, these accusations, especially when we pay a high price with now over 2000 dead and 7500 wounded, to warn the enemy with cell phone calls, leaflets dropped from airplanes, and loudspeakers of our military intentions before entering another Hamas enclave. Our boys go from building to building to clear them of weapons, found everywhere, and tunnel entrances, also found everywhere, instead of carpet bombing the Gaza strip from one end to the other. We go out of our way to protect a hostile and genocidal (witness Oct 7) population at great expense to ourselves. If Israel commits genocide - we are not very good at it by all counts. 

If we are to believe the Hamas Ministry of Health, whose numbers don’t make statistical sense, then of the 30,000 dead, Israel admits to killing about 13,000 Hamas terrorists.  Based on these numbers, then approximately 1.3 civilians are killed for every soldier.  This number is described by John Spencer, Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at the Modern War Institute as the lowest civilian casualty rate in the history of warfare, where in most conflicts around the world the civilian casualty number is 4 to 9 times the number of combatants killed.  Since 9/11, the United States killed over 462,000 civilians going after Saddam Hussein and ISIS.  

Nobody seems to be asking why Gaza refugees are being blocked by Hamas, the United States, the EU, the UN, and Egypt from exiting the Gaza strip under the rules of war.  In February 2022, 3.5 million Ukrainian refugees exited the Ukraine through Poland.  Why can’t Gaza Arabs leave?  The Egyptian side of the Sinai Peninsula is mostly empty.  There are 22 Arab states around Israel with a landmass 64 times larger than Israel. They share the same language, religion, customs, cuisine, and hatred of Israel.   Why are the Gaza refugees not taking refuge in those countries?  

At the Passover Seder, coming soon to a Jewish home near you, we ask, “why is this night different from all other nights?”.  I ask, why is this war different from all other wars?  Why are Gaza Arabs not allowed to leave the conflict zone?  Why is the United States and the West against our routing Hamas at the Egyptian border where Hamas has bypassed Israeli inspections and imported weapons and heavy machinery for years with Egyptian help.  There are tunnels under the border large enough for semi-tractor trailers to pass into Gaza.  Why keep 1.5 million Gaza refugees on top of Rafah while Hamas and our hostages remain below?  Why does the West give Hamas this defensive cover?   

Why is the USA and its allies not stopping the Iranian proxy, the Houthis, from pirating ships in the busiest shipping lane in the world through the Red Sea to the Suez Canal?  This routing of shipping traffic has shuttered the Egyptian economy that depends on canal traffic and has terrible consequences for everyone who depends on this trade. Two-Hundred years ago the US Navy struck at the Barbary Pirates to keep the shipping lanes open.  Why are these pirates different from all other pirates?

Why has the USA and its allies allowed an Iranian Navy ship used to provide tactical targeting information to the Houthis, to remain unmolested in the Red Sea as it directs missiles to targeted ships and Israel’s south?  Why is this bad guy different from all other bad guys? 
 
For the uninitiated outside of Israel, we are fighting a five front war that includes Hamas in Gaza, Hamas in Judea and Samaria (aka West Bank) that includes the Palestinian Authority, Hezbollah in the North of Israel where over 100,000 Israelis have abandoned their homes because of highly accurate Hezbollah tank shells provided by Iran, the Houthis the Yemen Iranian proxy that is shooting Iranian supplied rockets and cruise missiles at Israel’s most southern city of Eilat.  Iran itself is number five, who just last Sunday launched an attack of over 300 drones, ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles at Israel, miraculously downed by the combined forces of Israel, USA, Britain, France, and Jordan.  

I have been busy preparing for the potential conflict with Hezbollah in the North who has over 150,000 highly accurate ballistic missiles in over 3000 villages in Lebanon supplied by Iran.  In a podcast interview with Col Miri Eisin  hosted by former PM spokesperson, Eylon Levy, Eisin points out that Hezbollah missiles have a range from Northern Lebanon to the entire country of Israel and have a targeting accuracy of 40 meters to predefined targets.  These targets include our critical power generation and distribution systems.  My preparations include a 7000 watt generator, converted by me to natural gas, to not only keep my refrigerator cold, but  to share my resources with my adjacent neighbors, who do not have reserve power.   Of course that assumes that our neighborhood is not reduced to rubble or vaporized in an attack in the meantime.  We pray for peace.  

It is interesting to note that on the brink of Armageddon, my thoughts and the thoughts of my friends and neighbors is to act kindly and help each other through this “parsha” or chapter in our lives here.  I feel frankly powerless, especially after last Saturday’s missile attack, to do anything more than be nice and helpful to everyone, as the sobering thought that it could all end sooner than later.  This resignation helps me to keep working, make podcasts, and sleep at night.  I am grateful for the small blessings, any blessings now. 

73 - Eric 4Z1UG
21 Comments
Jeff
4/19/2024 05:27:41 am

Eric,
Thank you for sharing your insight and perspective. May you and Karen have a peaceful Shabbat and Chag Kasher v’sameach.

Reply
Bill
4/19/2024 07:33:38 am

Eric, I’m praying for you, your family and all of Israel. Thank you for providing a true perspective of the situation in Israel. It’s unfortunate that the news media are no longer honest journalists and only publish lies that fit their narrative. Shalom.

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Dominic (Nick) Tusa link
4/19/2024 07:39:18 am

Eric,

The questions you raise about why America is politically and militarily interfering with Israel's fight for survival against Iran and its proxies are all valid. Frankly, my family and friends don't understand it either. If the US was attacked/invaded in that fashion, it is doubtful a response would be so granularly 'measured' or debated to the Nth degree. Stay safe, OM.

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Paul Mower
4/19/2024 08:11:03 am

We are also praying for peace. God bless you Eric.

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Elissa
4/19/2024 09:46:17 am

We are living in times where right is wrong, good is bad and truth is whatever you deem it to be. Thank you so much for communicating the truth, as you are living in the midst of the situation. May God bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you.

Reply
Riki Kline
4/19/2024 09:58:01 am

Thanks Eric for your excellent monologue. Keep up the good work, and be safe ! Chag Kasher v’sameach.

Reply
Eric 4Z1UG link
4/20/2024 02:45:39 pm

Thanks, Riki. I appreciate it.

Reply
Jim Heath W6LG
4/19/2024 10:52:00 am

Thanks for the explanation about what is happening. As I see it from California, Israel could do a better job of describing the situation and why it is necessary to do what they are doing. Best to you and your family from my family. 73, Jim W6LG

Reply
Eric 4Z1UG link
4/20/2024 02:14:44 pm

Dear Jim - thanks for your message. We have excellent daily briefings that sadly do not make most of the network channels in the USA. Please look at my links for up to date news on what is happening here. https://www.qsotoday.com/erics-news-links.html

Reply
Harvey
4/19/2024 01:10:53 pm

Am Yisroel Chai ( The people of Israel live and must live)
A tear almost daily to our family although not directly related.
Baruch Hashem there are people that care.

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Mike Murphy
4/19/2024 01:13:16 pm

Eric, I pray daily for the peace of Jerusalem and for wisdom, strength, courage and resolve for your leaders. שלום לך ולמשפחת

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Jerry
4/19/2024 02:12:52 pm

I totally understand what's going on in American politics. The Democrats are terrified (and rightfully so) that they will lose the next election and Trump will be the President. That will be the beginning of the end of their violations of the Constitution, their control and their party as they know it. The people in power will no longer be in power and some may very well end up in prison.
As a result, they are doing everything they can - legal or not. Their sham impeachments Trump, their politically motivated criminal cases, their open border policies, their student loan "forgiveness" programs and more are all attempts to get more Democratic votes and fewer Republican votes.
Their support of Gaza is part of that. It is an attempt to get more Muslim votes, And with the mainstream media preaching Israeli genocide, the Democrats believe they can do it.
Nick above said he doubted the US response would be similar if we were attacked/invaded in that way. Well, we were on another 7th - December 7th, 1941. And our response was far from any restraint.
I, for one, applaud the IDF for the restraint they are using and attempts to minimize civilian casualties. Sure, you could totally flatten Gaza fairly safely with bombs and missiles. The civilian casualties, of course, would be huge but the Israeli casualties would be minimal. But you consider human life sacred and are willing to take more casualties on your end to spare civilian casualties.
As opposed to Hamas, Hezbollah and other Iranian backed terrorist groups (and now even Iran itself).
Who's doing the real genocide here?

Reply
Thomas White
4/19/2024 02:54:27 pm

Eric, may the Lord bless you, your family, and all of Israel, and keep you from harm.
One answer, and an unhappy one, to your question about USA support, is that all the people who protested the Vietnam war on the 60s, either had kids just like themselves, or taught school, turning out a large group of very far-left, anti-americans. If the US conservatives want to support Israel, or Ukraine, the “Democrats” are violently against support.
All politics are local. Our stupid politicians want the leftists votes and money.
All the conservatives, and all the moderates, support Israel. The leftist control the media and the politicians.
Keep the faith, keep praying.
And, as was said on December 7, 1941, on a ship in Pearl Harbor: “praise the Lord and pass the ammunition”.

Reply
Vern Jackson
4/19/2024 03:08:21 pm

Eric,
I pray for the safety and well being of you, your family, friends,and
neighbors in this time.
I do believe that God's Word says that He will never allow Israel
to be destroyed, but that does not mean that things can't get
very bad.
The leaders in the US and much of the state controlled media
have to answer to many sides, and therefore the current
administration cannot tell the truth, much of the time.
Again, my prayers in this time of evil and God Bless.
Vern

Reply
Eugene O'Neill
4/20/2024 08:26:55 am

I will pray for your country. You and your family to keep safe. Be well

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Tim Sprouse
4/20/2024 12:37:50 pm

Eric, this is what I believe concerning the nation of Israel. Further more I believe God has given over our leaders here in America to a reprobate mind as written in the scriptures. I will be praying for the peace of Jerusalem and you and your family's protection.
Genesis 12:1-3 King James Version
12 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
Our government here in America.
Romans 1:28 King James Version
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

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Eric 4Z1UG link
4/20/2024 02:21:19 pm

I appreciate all of the kind remarks and comments to my posts.

If you are celebrating the upcoming Passover holiday in a few days - have a "kasher Pesach samach". We will re-live the bitterness of slavery in Egypt and the taste of freedom in our land - our yearly ritual for 2500 years. The "land" is Israel, the home of the indigenous Jewish people. "Next year in Jerusalem"

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Dave Machart (K5ZFA)
4/21/2024 08:05:10 pm

Again, thank you for the update; I am following the Israeli side of the news using your links and also the "Behold Israel" channel on Telegram that does not get filtered by our media. Amir Tsarfati makes many of the same points as you have so clearly stated here in this much appreciated blog.
I am continuing to pray for Israel, you, and your family in a time such as this!!

Reply
Gary Tibbetts AE1TG
4/22/2024 03:52:24 am

Exceptionally well written Eric.
Your point of view, details and background provides us with a perspective not seen elsewhere.

I could not agree with you more and offer my empathy.
May God continue to guide His people.

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Ray - N4GYN link
4/27/2024 10:39:38 am

AMEN!

Reply
Ray Bailey N4GYN link
4/27/2024 10:38:27 am

The reason the US is not doing the right thing is because of the current presidential leadership (or lack thereof), and Satan's influence on so many non-believers. May God bless you and yours, Eric. If you have not already discovered this site, you will find here the big picture of things to come. God's plan. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob!
Shalom,
Ray N4GYN

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    Eric Guth, 4Z1UG / WA6IGR, is the host of the QSO Today Podcast, and an amateur radio operator since 1972.  Eric has lived and worked in Israel since 2000. 

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