In direct contravention of my wife's explicit instructions, herewith I inaugurate my first blog. Long may it prosper.

For some reason, I think I have something to say to you. You think you have something to say to me? Email me at: gideonsblogger -at- yahoo -dot- com

 
I wonder sometimes why I continue to blog items like this: Eleven Dead, 50 Wounded in Suicide Bus Attack in Jerusalem.

The murderer came from Bethlehem, a formerly Christian town that the Islamists have largely "cleansed" religiously under PA auspices. (Of course, it would be a major human-rights violation to undo that "cleansing" under IDF auspices. Palestinian Arabs seeking to invade Israel are the only ones with a natural "right to return.") The IDF has been in and out of Bethlehem more times than I can count. The time has come, past time, to end the charade.

I know Sharon is right in trying to keep things quiet before the Iraq war. But how many Jews are expendable in this fashion? And how sure can we be that after the Iraq war, Israel will be rewarded for restraint? Isn't it more likely that the reward for restraint will be demands for more restraint?

If Sharon doesn't start laying the groundwork for the expulsion of Arafat and the permanent reconquest of the territories, he'll be in a pretty tight box after the Iraq war.
posted by Noah at 11:27 AM