Khalas

It seems the Egyptian military have taken propaganda videos to a whole new level.

Just because

Still Life

It's now been nearly two weeks since we've been hit with the biggest winter storm in decades. Despite no significant snowfall occurring in the Gush Dan region, the Tel Aviv - Ben Gurion Airport train line is still not yet functioning. A total distance of no more than 20 km. The city of Tzfat in the Upper Galilee is still paralyzed and encountering great difficulty digging themselves out of the snow and bringing in supplies. Jerusalem is still a mess. I know this was a big storm for Israel, and that things are always relative, but let's not get carried away. At the very most, a few feet of accumulated snow was recorded. It should not be taking longer than two weeks in order to get things running properly again.

במחנה

I'm not sure how you can possibly spin this as anything resembling a successful recovery effort. If you believe the government and what you're told, Israel responded better to this storm better than countries who deal with this sort of thing all the time each winter. Quite simply, that's bullshit of the highest order. If we're going to be holding ourselves to the same standards of Western nations, as Bibi Netanyahu insists, I think that means doing a bit better than we are. 

Michve Alon

Still the most picturesque base in all of the IDF.

במחנה

Just for a day

Whatever happened to these guys? 2013 missed you.

זהו זה

It's been well over 48 hours now since the last flakes of snow have fallen on Israel, yet not surprisingly, given our experience with this type of thing, large areas of Jerusalem and the north are still not quite back to full functionality. Classes at The Hebrew University were cancelled today, many main roads still haven't completely reopened yet and thousands are still without power in their homes.

As easy as it is to poke fun at the general hysteria and overreactions by the public and the government to what amounted to a few inches of snow in Jerusalem, and slightly more elsewhere in the country, I'll try and refrain from doing so. It can be hard though not to have an honest laugh after seeing scores of armed IDF soldiers in APCs sent to help in the effort against the storm. Truthfully, if it wasn't for them, things could've been a lot worse, and I think it's important to note that all members who devoted their time to emergency relief deserve a big thank you.

So, we may have been unprepared and most certainly overreacted to its severity, at the end of the day though, when the biggest winter storm to hit the Middle East in years leaves its mark, it's easy to see how it will be a hard one to forget.

Here are some last few pics from a memorable weekend.

Jerusalem. Times of Israel.

Jaffa Road, Jerusalem. Ynet

IDF soldiers contribute to helping fight the biggest winter storm in years.

No, please stop. Now.

Ok, so where do we even begin here? It should be already known that the settlers are not my favorite group of people here in Israel, in fact I lay much of the blame on them as to why the cause of peace isn't being further advanced on our end. Openly admitting to not being interested in a two-state solution and believing that maintaining Israeli control over Palestinian territories forever is a plausible plan for the future just doesn't add up to a very practical option. In fact, it seems quite messianic and insane, and more so, a recipe for the dissolution of Israel as a Jewish State.

What's just as frightening though is that in recent years, similar extreme views that used to be voiced by the fringe of the Israeli right are now being given greater credence than ever today. The emergence of populist figures like Naftali Bennett and his party Ha'Bayit Ha'Yehudi, as well as a new rejectionist front in Likud led by up and coming Knesset members like Danny Danon and Tzipi Hotovely are all indications that a new tide is turning. And despite their talking points, it's not turning towards a direction that will help Israel in the long run. I can only hope that somehow it gets hammered in, that like it or not, the two-state solution is the only game in town, and that sooner rather than later this is realized before it's too late.

And lastly, I think the settlers have been responsible for enough bullshit, they don't have to start taking bad pop songs and making them even worse. This is just wrong in every single way.

The Deep Freeze: Part II

While Jerusalem and Northern Israel are completely snowed and feeling the effects of the worst winter storm to hit the region in decades, here in Tel Aviv we've been left with just the remnants, mainly freezing rain and hail, and none of the fun. We may not have been spared the frigid temperatures or given the pleasure of waking up to an unexpected Middle Eastern winter wonderland, at least we can take delight in seeing just how beautiful this place looks when painted white under a proper snowfall.

Downtown West Jerusalem under the most snowfall in 60 years. Times of Israel

Times of Israel

Suburban Jerusalem blanketed white. Times of Israel

The Deep Freeze

It pains me to admit, since I've long prided myself in what used to be my natural tolerance for cold weather, especially since every time I see Israelis dressed as if they're going to the Arctic circle each winter, I can't help but laugh a bit inside. Now it looks like the joke is on me, because I can't lie, it is legitimately fucking freezing right now in the Middle East. From Istanbul to Damascus to Jerusalem, snow is falling and it hasn't stopped yet.

The Temple Mount. Haaretz

Jaffa Road. Jerusalem. Haaretz

Just another day on the job

It turns out the Nelson Mandela memorial in South Africa today was quite the opposite of a somber affair, still this is something you don't expect to see all too often. Could it be the most distinguished selfie of all time? Quite Possibly. Michelle doesn't seem that thrilled with the lack of inclusion though. Such are the benefits of being a head of state. 

Obama, Cameron and Danish PM Helle Thorning-Schmidt. AFP.

עד הסוף

Danny Matt z"l. From days in The Haganah and the Jewish Brigade in World War II to career service in the IDF. Truly one of the greats.

Third from the left, with Moshe Dayan and Ariel Sharon. 1955. Wikipedia.

"Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in a South African prison, got beaten and tortured every day for 27 years, and did it with no fucking problem. Made to do hard labor in hundred degree South African heat for 27 years and did it with no problem. He got outta jail after 27 years of torture, spent 6 months with his wife and says 'I can't take this shit no more!" - Chris Rock

RIP Mandela

כוח ימ"מ פורץ לבית באשקלון

Even for Israel, where out of the ordinary in fact has quite a different meaning. Still, this is not exactly the type of thing you'd expect to see as a bystander on the street. 

Yamam forces training in central Ashkelon

In The Ranks

It's hard to believe, but five years ago this month I was just a raw recruit having joined the army, on my through basic training at Michve Alon. And it still feels only like yesterday.

The Upper Galil from Michve Alon

 

Definitive Michve

In Madei Aleph

Quite the contrast to today.

Kabul, Afghanistan, 1972. History in Pictures.