Showing posts with label saving a life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label saving a life. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 27, 2025

When Cease Fires Are Used

 Nadene Goldfoot                                                

A ceasefire can be temporary with an intended end date or may be intended to last indefinitely.  How do mobs look at a situation?  Are they for or against the aggressor into another's country?  Are they even aware of which is which?  

The immediate goal of a ceasefire is to stop violence but the underlying purposes of ceasefires vary. Ceasefires may be intended to meet short-term limited needs (such as providing humanitarian aid), manage a conflict to make it less devastating, or advance efforts to peacefully resolve a dispute.

Humanitarian Aid?  Was this ever used in any previous war like WWII?  Did the Nazis care about people?  Did we?  Did the Japanese?  We dropped the atomic bomb.  Do our students know what drove the president to decide on that? 

There are instances of prisoners of war (POWs) in both Ukraine and Israel, though the contexts and circumstances differ. In Ukraine, there have been major prisoner exchanges between Ukraine and Russia. In Israel, exchanges have occurred between Israel and Hamas, often as part of ceasefire agreements.  

They can be agreed upon formally through treaties or informally through declarations. Ceasefires can also be unilateral, where one side declares a halt to hostilities without a corresponding agreement from the other side. 

    Invading is not a safe move, even for invaders.  

Russo-Ukranian:  The Kremlin has long tried to justify its invasion of Ukraine by claiming Nato is using the country as a proxy for war.;  They are the attackers of Ukraine.  On 24 February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, starting the largest and deadliest war in Europe since World War II, in a major escalation of the conflict between the two countries which began in 2014. 

In 2014, a series of events led to a significant escalation in the relationship between Russia and Ukraine, culminating in armed conflict and the annexation of Crimea. Protests against the Ukrainian government in Kyiv, sparked by President Yanukovych's rejection of a closer economic deal with the EU, were met with violent crackdowns. This led to the president's flight in February 2014, followed by the seizure of Crimea by Russian forces. After a disputed referendum (vote), Crimea was formally annexed by Russia, and pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine began to seize control of parts of Donetsk and Luhansk. The conflict has continued since then, resulting in a war in Donbas and a "frozen conflict" along the front line. (The eastern Ukrainians were turncoats!)

In May 2023, Donald Trump told the UK's GB news that as US president he would end the war within 24 hours, given that he had good relationships with the leaders of Ukraine and Russia. He added that it would be easy to conclude a ceasefire agreement to end the war.  Moscow claimed the diplomatic development after Trump branded Putin “absolutely crazy” for a record-breaking drone attack on Ukraine, and the Kremlin said the US president was being "emotional".  Mr Trump issued some of his sharpest criticism of Mr Putin after Russia fired 355 drones and nine missiles at Ukraine — the largest aerial attack of the more than three-year war.  That was the answer to a possible cease fire.  

   We will not forget October 7, 2023 Hamas in a horrid surprise attacking Israeli homes and killing all the people they could near the Gaza border.  The unsuspecting citizens were enjoying the end of a Jewish holiday with dancing outside; then slaughtered.                                              

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict:  An example of a ceasefire in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict was announced between Israel and the Palestinian National Authority on February 8, 2005. When announced, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat publicly defined the ceasefire as follows: "We have agreed that today President Mahmoud Abbas will declare a full cessation of violence against Israelis anywhere and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will declare a full cessation of violence and military activities against Palestinians anywhere." On November 21, 2023, Qatar announced that they had negotiated a truce between Israel and Hamas would pause Gaza war, allow for the release of some hostages and bring more aid to Palestinian civilians. As part of the deal.   50 hostages held by Hamas were released while Israel released 150 Palestinian prisoners.  a ratio 3 to 1 in the Terrorists' favor. A temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas went into effect on November 24, 2023, not November 21, 2023. A temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza Strip took effect from 24 November 2023 to 30 November 2023, during the Gaza war. 

Since the October 7, 2023 attacks, there have been two ceasefires declared in the Gaza conflict:

  • November 2023 Ceasefire: A temporary, four-day ceasefire was agreed upon in November 2023, which was later extended for two additional days. This ceasefire involved the exchange of hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, and also allowed for increased humanitarian aid to enter Gaza.
  • January 2025 Ceasefire: A more comprehensive ceasefire agreement was reached in January 2025, involving a phased release of hostages and prisoners, and a planned negotiation for a more permanent end to hostilities. However, this ceasefire was broken in March 2025 when Israel launched new airstrikes and declared a resumption of combat. 
  • Israel's claim: Israel alleged that Hamas had violated the ceasefire agreement by failing to release a specific female Israeli civilian hostage, Arbel Yehoud, as stipulated in the deal.
  • Israel's response: In response to this alleged breach, Israel retaliated by temporarily delaying the return of Palestinians to their homes in northern Gaza.
  • Hostage Release: The situation was eventually resolved, and the hostage, Arbel Yehoud, was ultimately released. 

  •  Hamas has said it will only release the hostages in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal. Then it said it would release 10 at  one time, and the other ten (most likely only 20 alive) later.                                         
    Aid trucks;  from who, this is a problem-UN or private; Hamas steals the trucks, keeps the food, sells it at high prices, feeds themselves and doesn't concern themselves with their own people.  
     


    Money goes for ammunition and tunnels to use against israel, not food or medicine
  • Hamas has used cease fires for their advantage:  Regrouping and Resupply: A ceasefire can provide valuable time for a party to resupply troops, reorganize forces, and potentially strengthen their position for future engagements.
  • Gaining a Military Advantage: A party might use the lull in fighting to reposition troops, improve defenses, or even prepare for a surprise attack, according to Wikipedia. 
  • 2. Political :  It is well-known that a cease fire called by these terrorists are not aiming for peace.  Hamas goals are to wipe out Israel completely.  Attacks between Palestinians against Israel have been going on since Husseini was announced as the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem where he instigated attacks on the Jews in the 1920s.  Israel has been shot at for the past 105 years by Palestinian terrorists/sympathizers!!!!!
They may occur via mediation or otherwise as part of a peace process or be imposed by United Nations Security Council resolutions via Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter. They have no power, however, and the UN is known to be slanted against Israel since the UN's beginning in 1945.  USAID OIG independently found evidence connecting three current or former UNRWA employees to the October 7 terror attacks and affiliating 14 other current or former UNRWA employees with Hamas.

The United Nations has repeatedly voted on resolutions critical of Israeli policies, often resulting in negative votes from the United States, which holds veto power in the Security Council. Some of these resolutions concern Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories, the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories, and demands for a ceasefire in Gaza. The United States has historically used its veto to block resolutions it deems one-sided or that do not address the issue of Palestinian militant activity, according to Blue Marble. 

Ukraine and Israel have been attacked.  Russia won't give Ukraine a cease fire, and 
Israel cannot end this war with cease fires giving any advantage to the enemy. They 
cannot repeat this war over and over and over and over again as it has been doing. In 
the past, they did much for one hostage.  
  •  Gilad Shalit born August 28, 1986, an Israeli soldier, was captured by Hamas militants in a cross-border raid near the Kerem Shalom crossing in Israel on June 25, 2006. He was 20.   He was held captive in the Gaza Strip for over five years (1,934 days).  Hamas initially demanded the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Shalit.  Shalit was eventually released on October 18, 2011, as part of a prisoner exchange deal where 1,027 Palestinian prisoners were released in return. He holds dual Israeli and French citizenship, the latter via his grandmother.  
  • Ratio:  1,027/1 in Hamas's favor.  Not fair at all.  But saving one live person is likesaving the world, so our Rabbis say.   The quote "He who saves one life saves the world entire" is a famous quote from the Talmud, the Jewish law code. It is also prominently featured in the movie Schindler's List, where it's displayed as a significant moral statement. In the film, the character Itzhak Stern explains that the quote is from the Talmud and emphasizes its importance.                                             

  • Here, it's like:   can you put divisions in danger of their life to save but one?  They've been doing just such things in their defensive fighting against terrorists that have multiplied coming from 7 zones, fighting and also trying to free the Israeli hostages whose number keep getting smaller as their lives are taken.  They're being starved and beaten and raped.  No humanitarian treatment here for them.  Today is the 599th day of captivity.  
  

Resource:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-russia-war-putin-trump-prisoner-exchange-latest-news-b2758434.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceasefire#:~:text=Kashmir%20conflict,-Main%20articles:%20Indo&text=A%20UN%2Dmediated%20ceasefire%20was,Valley%20during%20Ramadan%20in%202018.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilad_Shalit

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Yom Kippur's Prayer to Include

Nadene Goldfoot                                                                            

Yom Kippur in Jerusalem

Praying for Israel.
May 14, 1948
"Do you realize what has happened in these last 65 years? Our holy tongue has been revived, our inheritance has been claimed, our Land has been settled and today - 5774 - for the first time in 2,000 years; the majority of the world's Halachic Jews are living in Israel!! These facts cannot be ignored and we must give thanks and praise to the Creator of the world for allowing this to happen!" by Shmuel Sackett.  This year, be sure to pray for Israel's well being and continuance.  

This is the time to ask for G-d's forgiveness for our sins.  We're not angels, but we try to be as good as humanely possible.  We've been given 613 rules of conduct to be a civilized nation besides our 10 Commandments. 

 For me, the Golden Rule stands as one of the more important lessons for us: to not do to others what we do not want done to us.  Very often this shows us the differences in people and their standards of morality.  There are those who have never heard of this lesson of life and continue to due inhumane harm to others.  They should know this story:  Once there was a gentile who came before Shammai, and said to him: "Convert me on the condition that you teach me the whole Torah while I stand on one foot. Shammai pushed him aside with the measuring stick he was holding. The same fellow came before Hillel, and Hillel converted him, saying: That which is despicable to you, do not do to your fellow, this is the whole Torah, and the rest is commentary, go and learn it."(Hillel-from the Babylonian Talmud).                                                         

                                                             Jerusalem Below
To me, it's a sin to believe propaganda which  has said  that we have slaughtered people such as when our IDF had to go into Gaza after being attacked.  They should know by their own research and heart, not by hearsay, what our army does.  If they did they would know our young IDF have been praised by other nation's generals for taking precautions not to injure civilians but have even put their own lives in harm's way to follow our morality established so long ago by Moses. If our own people understand our principals from our religion, they would know how we lead our lives, in sickness, in war and peace.   

We're not complete pacifists like Gandi was in India as we have learned that we must  protect ourselves and our people, for there are people who hate us without reason, but we as a people know how precious life is. For us, to save one life is to save the world.  (Mishnah)-Babylonian Talmud   
  • Whoever destroys a soul, it is considered as if he destroyed an entire world. And whoever saves a life, it is considered as if he saved an entire world.

"If Hamas lays down its weapons there will be no more war, but if Israel lays down its weapons there would be ?  no more Israel" Netanyahu.  

For those who have committed the sin of not defending Israel, but have been sucked into siding with those who want to destroy us, know that the Mandate for Palestine  of July 24, 1922, was a legally binding document published by the League of Nations, which came just before the UN. It was a legally binding document that laid down the Jewish legal right to settle anywhere in western Palestine, the area between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, an entitlement unaltered in international law.   "51 countries unanimously declared that "whereas recognition has been given to the historical connection of the Jewish people with Palestine and to the grounds for reconstituting their national home in that country."  

Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour of England simply continued with England's feelings at that time with his Balfour Doctrine showing their favor and sympathy for "the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people.  

Washington added in September 1922 the Lodge-Fish Joint Resolution signed by President Warren Harding which said, "Favors the establishment in Palestine of a National Home for the Jewish people. "

"Not once are Arabs as a people ever mentioned in the Mandate for Palestine."  We've led an unnatural life since 70 CE when Jerusalem fell to the Romans, and after 2,000 years of constant anti-Semitism, were finally recognized and   rewarded with our ancient territory once again which was without ownership.  Yet 1.7 million Arabs are citizens with us in this, our Eretz Yisrael. of our own choosing .  

Our people are young and busy.  They have little time to worry about Israel if they don't live there, but feel secure, a first in our 2,000 history of living in the diaspora.  It is high time for this sin of omission to be thought about, to ask forgiveness for being so smug about their security, and pray for Israel's life.  

Resource:  http://www.jewishisrael.org/eng_contents/articles/Sackett/sackett018.html?utm_source=Shmuel+Sackett%3A+The+Prayer+You+Must+Say&utm_campaign=update&utm_medium=email
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Benjamin_Netanyahu
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090127063400AALd9Y0
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Quote/hillel.html
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Talmud 

- Mishnah Sanhedrin 4:9; Babylonian Talmud Tractate Sanhedrin 37a