June 21, 2010 Israeli Government Gives In to Pressure Lift Most of Seige of Gaza

The The Netanyahu government continues its tradition of being reactive to events. Today the government was forced to agree to the removal of restrictions on all goods, with the exception of weapons, going into Gaza. Leaving aside whether the blockade on Gaza was a good idea or not, giving it up unilaterally, without even receiving a Red cross visit to Gilad Shalit in return, shows the total lack of creativity (an understatement) of this government. These actions could have been avoided if the Netanyahu government had agreed to an international commission the day after the flotilla disaster, or announced a new peace initiative. By agreeing to lifting the blockade now, Israel made Erodwan the hero of the Middle East, undermined the Palestinian Authority, strengthened Hamas, and left the fuming and frantic Shalit family high and dry.

The Israeli TV has given more coverage to the events in Kyrgestan than the US media (with the exception of NPR). Tens of thousand have been made homeless there, in ethnic violence that claimed scores of lives. There was some discussion tonight on Israeli TV, as to why there is so little coverage of this event-- compared to what Israel is forced to endure. One of the Israeli correspondents gave the standard reason: after all what conflict would you rather cover? The one where you can stay in a five star hotel; where almost everyone speaks English? and you, the journalist, have no chance of being killed or kidnapped? I wonder where that is... Of course the other explanation is that Zionism failed miserably and instead of making the Jews normal, all it succeeded in doing was creating a Jewish state, and a situation in which that state is treated like the Jews have always been treated. The WSJ had an interesting OP-Ed piece by Shelby Steele Israel and the Surrender of the West. One of the world's oldest stories is playing out before our eyes: The Jews are being scapegoated again.

Tomorrow should be another "interesting day" in the fight between the Haredim and the court. The court is suppose to hear the case on whether the Haredi women should be incarcerated– after failing to show up when the men did. Either outcome is not going to be good. If the court gives in, it will have clearly caved to Haredi pressure, fearing the reaction if it goes ahead an orders the women to be arrested, as the Haredi community has announced they will not stand for this and they plan to resist, callng this a Yehareg Vaal Yavor(Be killed rather then trangress). I guess it was fine for the men to martyr themselves for "God"by going to jail, but the woman are something else altogether.