Voices from Combat

It's hard to believe that it's been close to six months since this past summer's conflict between Israel and Hamas. While the dust continues to settle, more and more new details are still coming to light. The IDF's controversial 'Hannibal Protocol' in particular. Ynet has recently released exclusive audio footage from the morning of August 1st 2014.

Taking fashion to new levels.

פתאום דווקא אין לכם בעיה לעשות פק"לים

צילום׃  מיכאל טופיול

לקבלת המפקד היכון להקשב!

צילום׃  מיכאל טופיול

פלוגות הלילה

Two members of the Special Night Squad under the command of the legendary Orde Wingate pose for a photo with their female companions. 

פיקיוויקי

Shomron

More terror in Samaria as a father and daughter were firebombed while traveling in their car on a rural road. Ayala Shapira, 11, is now fighting for her life after the attack.

Post by Ynetnews.

Joseph Sudek, Prague, 1924

British World War II poster aimed at reminding British military officers the importance of discretion.

Daesh in the Holy Land

He goes by the nom de guerre Abu Kassam, and he claims to be the one of the leaders of the Islamic State's branch in Israel. A branch with active members in 'The Triangle' and in Arab-Israeli towns in the northern part of the country. Yesterday he gave a televised interview to Israel's Channel 10. Among his threats: "In eight years we're in Jerusalem. The IDF will not be able to do anything to us".

Post by ‎הצינור‎.

!חג אורים שמח

Happy Hanukkah from the IDF!

  חנוכה עם החיילי צה"ל מפיקוד העורף

חיילת עם החנוכייה

החיילים

Tel Aviv winter, 1930s.
Rehov Nahalat Binyamin

חורף בתל אביב.
רחוב נחלת בנימין, בשנות השלושים.

VTLV

Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Dayan and IDF General Ariel Sharon celebrate the crossing of the Suez Canal into Egypt during the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

פיקיוויקי

Real Heroes

The Forgotten Jews of the Red Army (Eretz Yisrael)

About 500,000 Jews served in the Soviet Red Army during World War II. Most of those still alive today — about 7,000 — are said to live in Israel.

1) Boris Ginsburg joined partisans for two years and in 1944 he joined the Red Army as a combat soldier and fought till the and of the war.

2) Nahum Matovich, 87, poses for a portrait at his house in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon. Matovich was an air force bomber pilot on Ilyushin Il-4 bomber in the Soviet 18th Air Army and fought in Japan and Korea. He immigrated to Israel from Kishinev, today’s Moldova, in 1994.

3) Yaakov Vilkovich, 90, poses for a portrait at his house in the southern Israeli city of Ashdod. Vilkovich joined the Red Army in 1941, served in the 31st Army’s infantry battalion and fought in the Battle of Berlin in 1945. He immigrated to Israel in 1998.

Today's Latest

As Israel heads towards new elections, today's cover of Yediot Ahronot captures the chilling scene from the Har Nof synagogue attack in Jerusalem just two weeks ago. Two Israeli police officers can be seen exchanging fire at close quarters with the emerging Palestinian terrorists. One police officer heroically fell in the line of duty. The two terrorists were subsequently eliminated.

Operation Mincemeat

Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire, 1942.

British civilians and military personnel work together at code-breaking top-secret military communiques between Hitler and his armed forces. (BBC)

Code Breaking. BBC. Getty Images.

Even when doing commentary for HBO, Roy Jones can't help but bring out "R.J" for a brief appearance.

PICTURE: Worrying that Arab citizens within Israel (Akko) are marching now with green Hamas flags, via @paldf pic.twitter.com/yaXDmWfmJ0
— Aaron Magid (@AaronMagid) November 10, 2014

MTKL 2015 Indiegogo

Carrying on the long and glorious name of Sayeret Matkal...

Lido de Paris, circa 1930.

Old Pics Archive

With today's news that Washington wants NATO to help retrain the Iraqi army...

Post by Richard Turner.

Road to Liberty

The Jewish Brigade in World War II from the Spielberg Jewish Film Archive.

פיקוד העורף: חילוץ והצלה

Soldiers from the IDF Home Front Command's Search and Rescue Battalion trek through Israeli terrain during their final march to earn their coveted unit berets.

IDF Pikud Haoref soldiers on their Masa Kumta. IDF Spokesperson.

Kobane Must Not Fall

The Kurdish city of Kobane on the Syrian-Turkish border is now on the verge of falling to ISIS. I think it's fair to say that the time for real help is now. 

ISIS on the outskirts of Kobane

In a ceremony at the GOC Northern Command, Major General Yair Golan awarded citations to IDF soldiers and officers who had demonstrated resourcefulness during their operational duties over the past year. Citations of honor were also handed out to four exceptional reserve units of the Northern Command as well.

Recipients of IDF awards. IDF Spokesperson.

The arrest was made in the Arab town of Kafr Kanna in  northern Israel.

Materials apprehended by police as part of ongoing investigation involving suspect associated with ISIS. pic.twitter.com/P8Sb2DtSSg
— Micky Rosenfeld (@MickyRosenfeld) September 29, 2014

Lilywhites

VINE: Tottenham fans at the Emirates. #THFC https://t.co/PrDlEC1fjQ
— Talking THFC™ (@TalkingTHFC) September 27, 2014

Irak : Premières frappes françaises

On September 19th, two Rafale fighters from the French Air Force conducted their first attack strikes on ISIS targets in northern Iraq. This video shows the mission from the beginning to the end.

Update: The British House of Commons has voted in favor of joining the allied mission against ISIS. Within the next few hours RAF warplanes based out of Cyprus will likely be flying their first combat missions over Iraq.

Obligatory

It doesn't get much better than this for a Thursday night in September as a fan of the New York Football Giants and Yankees.

In Eli We Trust. NFL on ESPN.

Not in My Name

It's still too early to tell what the outcome will be regarding the current military actions against ISIS by Western and Arab nations allied against the brutality of the so called Islamic State. However, perhaps more important than anything in the battle against extremism is this:

Most Powerful Militaries

The current list of the world's most powerful military forces as published by Business Insider. Israel clocks in at number 11.

The Latte Salute

Ironically, this is right before he commended the US military for its dedication and professionalism. Not exactly what I'd call appropriate conduct for a commander in chief.

Post by ABC News.

Mike Harari Z"L

"We were never killers, we did what we had to do to defend Israel," said Mike Harari, who led the Mossad's special-operations division through a series of assassination operations against the terror leaders, including those responsible for the Munich massacre. (Ynet)

Mike Harari in Venice. Personal Collection.

BBC Documentary: IDF in the West Bank 1988

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Up to 130,000 Syrian Kurds were driven out of their homes this weekend by the latest ISIS advance and have made their way to Turkey.

Syrian Kurdish refugees pass Turkish soldiers on their way into Turkey. AFP

Syrian Kurdish refugees stream into Turkey. AFP

AFP

אהבה

A Jewish Brigade soldier kisses a departing loved one at a transit point for displaced Jewish refugees at the end of World War II.

Czechoslovakia, 1945. Yad Vashem.

Made in New York

The Captain. The definition of class. The definition of what it means to be a New York Yankee.

It's fair to say that the army flubbed it just a bit with this one. Not surprisingly, the Israeli blogosphere is having a field day with it. Let's just state that there have been finer points of service for those in Dover Tzahal and Galei Tzahal.

סטטוסים מצייצים

Know Your Enemy

Hezbollah has released footage from recent months of its fighters engaging in urban combat in the Khalidya neighborhood in Homs, Syria. Battle hardened from participation in Syria's bloody civil war, their extensive experience under fire is something that's not going unnoticed by commanders of the IDF. 

Italian memorial to Jewish brigade that helped liberate area from Nazis defaced with swastika: http://t.co/LM7K5Wb5tD pic.twitter.com/t2lchWB0XP
— Yair Rosenberg (@Yair_Rosenberg) September 12, 2014

Sabra Style

The Israeli Ministry of Absorption has long pushed the boundaries of acceptable fine lines in terms of its public relations campaigns geared towards Jews in the diaspora. It's fair to say that they haven't always gotten things right. The clash of competing ideas still remains a cause for discomfort for some and certainly results in the offending of sensibilities no matter how well crafted any PR campaign may be. 

While the irreverence and abrasiveness of past campaign ads surely isn't lost, the Ministry of Absorption's latest effort, which aims at encouraging young Jewish Americans to make Aliyah and study in Israel, illustrates one thing perfectly clear. If you're going to live in Israel and in the Middle East as a whole, you won't survive without a sense of humor. This much is undoubtedly true.

"Cosmopolitan" Beirut

Meanwhile in downtown Beirut.

It should be noted this is in downtown Beirut, not Dahiyeh. Harald Doornbos

Harald Doornbos

The Left in Tel Aviv

A photo taken from a recent anti-war rally in Tel Aviv during the closing days of Israel and Hamas' 50 day conflict.

Anti-war rally in Tel Aviv. AP.

Givati Soldiers Dance Gangnam Style in Hebron/al-Khalil

The always splendid Yonit Levi with what is surely one of the more bizarre stories to have appeared in the past few years. This is an incident that happened last summer, where a couple soldiers from the IDF's Givati Brigade randomly ventured into a Palestinian nightclub in Hebron and joined in on the festivities with everyone.

משמר הכנסת

Knesset Guard. 1959.

Moshe Pirdan. 1959.

ISIS in Jerusalem

Yes, that would be the Islamic State flag being paraded on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, with the Al-Aqsa Mosque seen in the distance. This comes after numerous ISIS flags were seen at pro-Hamas rallies in the West Bank in recent weeks, and there were even reports of flags being flown from Israeli-Arab houses in northern Israel.

Cathy Alterman

Reality Check

Child abuse. Palestinian style.

Young Palestinian girl in Islamic Jihad headband and AK-47. AFP

Lost Bulgaria

A few vintage photos from the spectacular archive site "Lost Bulgaria". If there's anything that encapsulates the true authentic feeling of definitive Balkan noir, this is it.

From the Lost Bulgaria archives.

"It was the first day of school"

Palestinians: What do you know about the Holocaust?

The short answer to the above question is in essence, very little. It's one thing to lack knowledge about the Holocaust, that can be excused. However, blatant antisemitic and genocidal statements such as those praising Hitler are as clear of an example as any that one will find regarding the true face of the enemies we are up against. Unfortunately, this is the reality of the Palestinian street. A reality that echoes back in history to the days of the Grand Mufti Haj Amin al-Husseini and the Palestinian nationalist movement's alliance with the Nazis in World War II. Sadly, little has changed.

Palestinian supporters of the Nazis. Tapuz.

This is What "Victory" Looks Like

The Palestinian national movement in Gaza led by Hamas and Islamic Jihad once again has shown their true colors to the world at their latest "victory" celebration. Despite suffering innumerable losses in their 50 day conflict with Israel, Hamas leaders are doing their best to spin their mere survival into a perceived victory. Regime officials have gone on to declare their intent to "liberate" Jerusalem and all off the land "from the river to the sea", as is stated in the official Hamas charter. Pro-Hamas rallies were also held today in the West Bank in cities like Hebron, where revelers were seen clad in Hamas gear and brandishing fake rockets. One thing is for certain, this is certainly not what peace looks like.

Palestinian Islamic Jihad "victory" rally in Gaza City.

Masked PIJ fighters and Palestinian children in Gaza.

Islamic Jihad gunmen parade through central Gaza.

al-Qaeda on the Golan

Jabhat al-Nusra fighters fire a mortar next to a UN facility near the Quneitra Crossing in the Golan Heights. The al-Qaeda linked group has consolidated its power in southern Syria in recent months and is now in nearly complete control of the border area with Israel. It was reported yesterday that the group had captured over 40 UN peacekeepers near the Quneitra Crossing as well.

Jabhat al-Nusra fighters fire a mortar next to a UN facility. Oren Kessler.

Elmahdy vs ISIS

Here is something that won't be found in the Arabic media. Aliaa Magda Elmahdy, the notorious and hugely controversial Egyptian feminist is at it again. This time, Elmahdy and a partially veiled colleague have taken to protesting ISIS by being photographed menstruating and defecating on an ISIS flag while being hardly clothed. Ms. Elmahdy happens to be wearing shoes. Of all the actions taken so far by Ms. Elmahdy, this might be the one that clearly takes it all.

Aliaa Magda Elmahdy shows off her true feelings towards ISIS. FB.

מבצע "צוק איתן" עד כה

Assuming that this is the end of Operation Protective Edge. Here is the complete breakdown from the IDF of all the forces, all the troops, and all the arms deployed during the mission.

מבצע "צוק איתן" עד כה - כל הכוחות, כל החילות, כל הזרועות

15 Hamas Rockets Simultaneously Intercepted by Iron Dome

This is an amateur video shot from southern Israel at an army base which shows up to 15 incoming Hamas rockets being engaged by Iron Dome anti-missile systems and subsequently intercepted over the skies of Israel.

And Here it is...

This is what "victory" apparently looks like from the streets of Gaza.

Scenes of jubilation from Gaza. Haaretz.

Palestinian children in Gaza celebrate ceasefire "victory" with Israel. Haaretz.

Hamas militants lead Gazan crowds in celebrations. Haaretz.

Propaganda Push

This is what Hamas perceives to be the Israeli mentality behind the decision to consent to today's ceasefire deal. Everyone knew that it wouldn't take long for images of victory to be presented by both sides. Incoming reports have already detailed celebrations taking place on the streets of Gaza. While the IDF notched many significant achievements, from the Israeli perspective, this is not the lasting image of what deterrence is supposed to look like when all is said and done..

pic.twitter.com/jyz0VfsV9m
— Qassam_Arabic@ (@qassam_arabic1) August 26, 2014

Day 50 of Operation Protective Edge

As we reach Day 50 of Operation Protective Edge, a time frame no one imagined would be approached, it seems more evident than ever that the current military strategy being employed by Israel against Hamas in the Gaza Strip is in need of an alternative approach. It has already been proven time and again that terrorist groups like Hamas cannot be deterred by punitive strikes and limited operations alone, including the assassinations of their leaders. The only way to stop Hamas terror from continuing is to definitively go all the way. This is a realization that the Israeli government must have internalized by now.

With a complete lack of regard for all tenets of basic humanity, Hamas has shown it doesn't care how many Palestinians are killed or how much the IDF destroys Gaza. However, here is where one of the more troubling dilemmas stands. Despite its limits in scope, the IDF's ground campaign directed at dismantling Hamas attack tunnels emanating from Gaza was unquestionably very costly from the Israel side. The results of which were 64 soldiers being killed. If anything though, now it appears as if Hamas has turned the tables on Israel. It is now in the position of deterring a further IDF ground operation by its refusal to capitulate, and more so, by its ability to continue to launch deadly attacks against Israel. This is what's most dangerous. The initial goal of Operation Protective Edge was to restore IDF deterrence against Hamas, now it appears things are the other way around.

The results of a direct hit from a Hamas rocket on a home in Ashkelon. AFP.

To unequivocally stop Hamas, what's needed is to go straight to the center of the matter and destroy the Hamas military capacity to inflict harm on Israel. This means eliminating their command and control centers deep in the Gaza Strip and wiping out Hamas rocket producing facilities and launching sites from the ground. It won't be easy, but if Israel wants to eliminate the terror threat from Gaza, it's undeniable that this is what needs to be done.

As long as Hamas still maintains the ability to fire rockets and mortars and cause harm to Israel while disrupting life for millions of Israeli citizens, it's obvious that a new approach is needed. A reported 70% of residents of Israeli communities surrounding the Gaza Strip have now abandoned their homes and fled. The economy of southern Israel is in tatters. It is simply an unsustainable situation.

Hardly anyone would have expected that we would now be in Day 50 of this operation, with Israel now being dragged into exactly the type of war of attrition Hamas wanted all along. This is something that the Netanyahu government swore to avoid from the beginning. It's painfully clear that Hamas is not going to disarm through any diplomatic agreement. It will only be done when they are brought to their knees by force. To do so, Israel must be prepared to take the necessary steps to act or we will only continue to see the terror threat from Gaza increased in the coming years.

The remnants of a Hamas rocket following an impact on a kindergarten playground. Haaretz.

With his polling numbers plummeting fast, it seems that Prime Minister Netanyahu is left with no good options. Either reach a ceasefire agreement with Hamas that will undoubtedly result in concessions from the Israeli side and would give the appearance of a Hamas victory, or conduct not another limited operation, but a broad military campaign aimed at crippling Hamas' ability to wage war on Israel. No matter what, we can be sure that if any ceasefire agreement is in fact reached in the next upcoming days, both sides will be nonetheless clamoring to claim victory.

UPDATE: Reports are coming in that Israeli cabinet ministers have been informed that Israel has accepted the latest Egyptian ceasefire proposal. A proposal which has already reportedly been accepted by Hamas and other Gaza militant factions as well. This news comes just as an IDF soldier has been rumored to have been killed in a mortar attack down south, with several others critically wounded. If a ceasefire agreement is truly reached at this juncture, it will certainly only leave us with many more questions than answers. 

Paris: Liberation. 70 Years On.

As Paris celebrates 70 years of liberation from the evil tyranny of Nazism, we remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of freedom, liberty and humanity.

Free French forces battle in the heart of Paris. August 1944. AP.

 "La Nueve" by Paco Roca. France 24.

Massive crowds celebrate liberation at the Place de la Concorde. BBC.