(For the purposes of this posting, I am now the Flashreport Middle East Correspondent)

Just before last Christmas my local Rabbi, Isaac Jeret, invited California Republican Party Chairman Ron Nehring and me to visit Israel, as guest of the Friends of the Israeli Defense Forces. Only 4 days on the ground going to places few can visit, we jumped at the chance.

I’ve never been to Israel. Until 9-11, I was agnostic between the struggles of Arab countries and the state of Israel.  Never a friend of  too-generous  “foreign” aid, I had a laissez faire attitude. After the brutal realization, that for over a hundred years brewed a massive resurgence of extremist Islam that threatens western civilization, I reconsidered and now believe Israel is a vital link in our war against Islamic Terror.

We visited the HQ of the Southern Frontier along the Gaza front. We met with the general in charge at the Re’im Base. We witnesses instruction to IDF soldiers how they are taught  to minimize civilian injuries. IDF soldiers risk or suffer casualties, by avoiding, I believe too often, population centers for Hamas rocket launching sites. We met with young Americans at the Army mess hall, who volunteered in the IDF before going to college. They were boys from Portland, Dallas and the Bronx. They love America and see Israel as American’s first line of defense.

Our delegation then drove to the Egyptian border to meet with the famous IDF Bedouin Battalion. Bedouins are not Arabs. They are not drafted. They are volunteers in the IDF; many of the Bedouins are career soldiers.

Then we learned the details which lead to “Operation Cast Lead.”  For years, Israeli communities, next to Hamas controlled Gaza, suffered under an avalanche of thousands of kassam rockets, unguided artillery steel rockets filled with explosives. At the city of S’derot there are two underground playgrounds for kids, because civilians have only 15 seconds of warning with each attack.
 
During the fighting to quell the relentless attacks, the IDF would declare a unilateral cease-fire to truck tons of medical supplies and food into the war zone, for the Arabs. Is there a single Arab country that would do the same in the last 1000 years?  And, Operation Cast Lead was a complete success. The population of S’derot has doubled with the return of its citizens in the last 12 months.

Next, we were briefed in the north at the Golani Brigade Training Base near Nahariya.  Ron and I were invited to witness war games nearby with young IDF soldiers practicing in terrain that looked similar to Lebanon. 

The key reason for Israeli’s survival rests largely on the shoulders of 18 year old kids. The draft is mandatory for every man and woman when they turn 18. No college, but military service for all. This experience creates the cultural core of Israeli society. After the three years of service, you stay with your unit until you turn 40. You make lifetime friends. Many stay with their  unit until years after ‘retirement’.  I’ve wondered how long Israel can survive against its 100 million hostile neighbors. After meeting the young men and women there is no doubt of the verve and dedication of one of the world’s best fighting forces.

We inspected the so-called “Wall” in the West Bank. Actually it’s a fence that keeps would be terrorists out of Israel. Suicide bombings have dramatically decreased — with the building, of what I call the Peace Fence. Most of the “ wall “ is not a wall. In fact, some  Arab communities are demanding to be included inside the fence, for their self protection.

Let there be no doubt. Israel is a thriving country—and serves as the only sanctuary for Jews anywhere in the Middle East. With the growth of Nazi style anti-Semitism in Europe, generally exported there by immigrant Muslim communities, Jewish survivors from the Holocaust are literally seeing the exact same attacks  they saw in their youth.

Conservatives have a duty to learn more about Israel. Along with Iraq, Israel is has a working democracy instilled with Western Values. If you think Obama is unpopular in the US, polls show that the vast majority of Israeli’s are very unhappy with Obama.

The Political Gordian Knot is to help American Jews rediscover Israel. After my visit to the old City of Jerusalem there cannot be any rational reason to argue for equivalency  between the culture of Israel and the rigid despotism of most Arab governments.  Just recently, when  Blue Dog democrat Congressman Marion Berry [Arkansas] , announced he was retiring – he stated that the extreme Left has fully captured the democrat party. That extreme Left hates Israel.  When American Jews see in Israel what most conservatives appreciate, the political dynamics in the US would be dramatic.

This entry was posted on Sunday, January 31st, 2010 at 12:00 am and is filed under Blog Posts.