TO: Friends (and friends of friends) of Bridges for Peace
FROM: Rebecca Brimmer, International President and CEO - Jerusalem
DATE: November 3, 2006
Weekly News Update and Prayer Focus from Israel
Week Ending: November 3, 2006
Notice: The Bridges for Peace website is located at
www.bridgesforpeace.com. Tell your friends to check it out. We are your Israel
Connection.
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Z E A L O U S 8 : 2
Young Adult Tour To Israel
JANUARY 4 - 14, 2007
Click on the link for more information and to register.
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1) 5,000 Egyptian Troops Deployed Along Egypt�Gaza Border
2) Ground Forces Operating in Northern Gaza
3) Palestinian Group to Renew Terror Attacks
4) PA Receives Weapons Deemed Strategic
5) Holy War Against Gay Parade
6) An Appeal of Faith to President George W. Bush
7) Northern Farmers Enjoy Fruits
8) Lifeguard Discovers Ancient Anchorage off Netanya
9) New Hit in Japan � Pomelits from Israel
======================================================================
1) 5,000 Egyptian Troops Deployed Along Egypt�Gaza Border
Egypt has deployed 5,000 troops along its border with the Gaza Strip in
an effort to stem arms smuggling into the Palestinian territories and
forestall rumored Israeli plans to bomb the area. A small swath of land
along the border that the Israelis call the Philadelphi Route is where
perhaps hundreds of tunnels have been dug and are used to smuggle arms.
Although Israel capitulated on a number of security issues surrounding
Philadelphi in order to allow its unilateral withdrawal from Gaza to
proceed last year, the smuggling of arms has taken on new importance
since the 34-day war in Lebanon against the Hizbullah this summer. Military
experts see Gaza-based terrorists as working to duplicate the
successful Hizbullah formula of digging bunkers and stockpiling weapons,
including the anti-tank missiles that proved effective for Hizbullah.
While Egypt's efforts to prevent smuggling from their side of the
border have been considered lax at best until now, it has been shaken into
action by the realization that Israel is looking at options that include
occupying the entire Philadelphi Route or bombing the area with smart
bombs.
(By The Media Line, October 30, 2006)
Prayer Focus
Israel is facing dangerous situations on the borders with Lebanon and
Syria. Now the appearance of 5,000 troops along the border with Egypt
presents the likelihood of a third border being a threat to the security
of Israel. Pray for God to secure the borders and safeguard the
security of Israel.
Scripture
�Consider and hear me, O LORD my God; enlighten my eyes, lest I sleep
the sleep of death; lest my enemy say, �I have prevailed against him�;
lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved. But I have trusted in
Your mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation� (Psalm 13:3�5).
======================================================================
2) Ground Forces Operating in Northern Gaza
Givati Infantry Brigade soldiers, accompanied by tanks, armored
vehicles, and aerial support, entered the Beit Hanoun area of northern Gaza
during the night. The stepped-up military offensive is part of ongoing
efforts to bring an end to daily Kassam rocket attacks from northern Gaza
into the western Negev and Sderot areas. Israel Defense Forces [IDF]
forces report at least 15 gunmen have been hit.
PA [Palestinian Authority] sources reported during the predawn hours
that over 20 people have been wounded and 3 killed. The air force during
the night struck terrorists in two separate attacks in the northern
Gaza area. In one case, terrorists were detected while placing a bomb. The
operation is the largest launched in Gaza since the June 25 kidnapping
of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.
The Security Cabinet is scheduled to convene on Wednesday [November 1]
morning to discuss the ongoing operation. IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen.
Dan Halutz will brief the�cabinet, explaining the various aspects of the
ongoing counter-terror offensive. Newly appointed Minister of Strategic
Affairs Avigdor Lieberman will be taking part in the meeting, serving
as a member of the Security Cabinet as well as a deputy prime minister.
Defense Minister Amir Peretz continues to release statements that the
operation is in no way to be interpreted as an Israeli effort to retake
Gaza, stating [that] this is not the case. Galei Tzahal [Army Radio],
quoting �intelligence community sources� stated that the operation will
compromise efforts toward obtaining the release of Shalit, as well as
delaying any hope of the formation of a coalition government in the PA
between Hamas and Fatah.
In his address to the Knesset [Parliament] Foreign Affairs and Defense
Committee on Monday, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert indicated [that] the
military will be acting to halt rocket attacks, adding [that] the army
will not be retaking control of Gaza. Elsewhere in Gaza, the army was
building up forces in the Rafah area in the south on Monday, preparing for
increased activities toward halting ongoing weapons smuggling from
Egypt into Gaza. Residents of the area, as in northern Gaza, have received
advanced warning calling upon them to leave the area to avoid
casualties.
(By Arutz Sheva, November 1, 2006)
Prayer Focus
All indicators suggest that Israel is on the verge of mounting a major
campaign into the Gaza Strip. Pray that what needs to be done will be
achieved with minimum loss of life and destruction.
Scripture
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be
afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you
go" (Joshua 1:9).
======================================================================
3) Palestinian Group to Renew Terror Attacks
The Palestinian Resistance Committees (PRC) intends renewing its
campaign of attacks against Israeli targets in the West Bank, Gaza, and in
the �depth of Zionist territory,� according to the Israeli Internet news
service Ynet. Now that Ramadan is over, the attacks will begin, a PRC
spokesman said.
The reason for the resumption of strikes against Israel is the series
of operations in Gaza in recent weeks by the Israel Defense Forces, the
spokesman said. Israeli troops have uncovered several tunnels in Gaza
this month. The tunnels were intended to be used either to bomb under
Israeli positions or to gain entry to Israel.
(By The Media Line, October 27, 2006)
Prayer Focus
In the face of increasing threats, pray that the Israeli people will
turn to God for their deliverance.
Scripture
�Save me, O God, by Your name, and vindicate me by Your strength. Hear
my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. For strangers have
risen up against me, and oppressors have sought after my life; they
have not set God before them. Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is with
those who uphold my life� (Psalm 54:1�4).
======================================================================
4) PA Receives Weapons Deemed Strategic
Israel has determined that the Palestinian Authority [PA] received
Russian-origin weapons capable of changing the strategic balance in the
region.
Officials said the Hamas-led PA has received a range of advanced
anti-tank missiles that could significantly threaten the Israeli military in
any operation in the Gaza Strip. They said the missiles could also
target civilian and military sites inside Israel.
"The Palestinians have received dozens of the anti-tank missiles that
were used by Hizbullah in the Lebanon war," Shalom Harari, a senior
consultant to [the] Defense Ministry, said. "These are weapons that break
the strategic balance."
Officials cited the deliveries of AT-14 Kornet anti-tank missile to the
PA. The missile has a range of 5.5 kilometers (3.4 miles) and [a] high
level of accuracy.
(Middle East News Line, October 31, 2006)
Prayer Focus
Remind the Lord of His promises to Israel, promises for her welfare and
not calamity.
Scripture
�No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which
rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of
the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is from Me, says the
LORD� (Isaiah 54:17).
======================================================================
5) Holy War Against Gay Parade
Haredim [ultra-Orthodox] keep threatening to strike the Gay Parade
scheduled to take place in Jerusalem in two weeks. Most recently, Jerusalem
Police Chief Major General Ilan Franko met Sunday [October 29) with
haredi leader Yitzhak Tuvia Weiss. Franko asked to learn about the stance
of haredi rabbis who declared their intent of a �Million Man Protest�
against the parade. Police did not release details of the meeting.
A source close to the rabbi said that Weiss told Franko that he cannot
promise the police chief that there won't be haredi violence at the
march. "The rabbi declared there'd be a war over this, that we couldn't
stay silent about it. We cannot give up or compromise about this," the
source said. Even an offer of compromise, that the parade be moved
further from the center of the city, was rejected out of hand by the haredim.
Haredi representatives told the police chief that they intend to go
"all the way" on the issue.
The Kol-Haredi telephone hotline, which supplies news updates from the
haredi sector, reported: "The meeting took place at the (spiritual
leader's) house�for over half an hour. The police chief arrived to see just
how serious haredi leaders are about this march. Do they intend only to
protest against the abomination, as is required, or do they intend to
rally without restraint and with full devotion?" queried the broadcast.
"The spiritual leader was clear. We will not give up. We will not come
to any dialogue or negotiation. We�re talking about our souls and our
obligations to oppose such things and erase this abomination from the
holy city, Jerusalem," it answered.
Kol-Haredi further reported that Franko had shown the haredim the
intended parade route, in the hopes of convincing them to stay away from
areas where it would run. In response, the rabbi responded, "We're going
to war on this issue. Not only in Jerusalem, but all over Israel, in
Beit Shemesh, Ashdod, and 15 junctions that will be hermetically sealed on
Friday [November 10], during the abomination parade in Jerusalem," he
elaborated.
According to the hotline, "We understand that Franko has the power to
cancel the parade if he feels that there is a danger to human life. This
is what we are trying to make him understand�there is a danger and
there will be a holy war on this issue."
The haredi countermarch is set to take place on Hillel Street, where
the march is set to begin. One plan that came up in haredi forums is to
infiltrate the march with some 50 men who "don't look haredi�who will
'blast' the parade from the inside," said a source close to Rabbi Weiss.
"He said every cop seen along the way should be beaten. After all, the
police will try and stop us�so we should be prepared and bring sticks
to hit them," he stated, adding "a direct order hasn't been issued, but
everyone knows [that]."
The haredim will most likely be joined in their protests by religious
group Agudat Israel. Despite pushing 90, movement leader Menachem Porush
is still active in advancing a countermarch to the rally. "We haven't
yet decided what to do, but we can't, without a doubt, allow such an
abomination to go by as part of the daily agenda in Jerusalem," Porush
told Ynet. His goal, he said, was to "take away their right to march."
In response, the Open House said, "It should be noted that the march
will not go through or next to residential neighborhoods, haredi or
otherwise. The unfortunately extremist attack-and-bargain strategy will not
deter us," they insisted. �The last few days have proven that we're not
just fighting for the rights of the gay community in Jerusalem, but
rather for anyone who believes in liberty and human rights. We call on the
community at large to join us in our struggle."
(By Neta Sela & Efrat Weiss, Ynetnews.com, October 30, 2006)
http://m1e.net/c?8029000-TYQudpR0VJlKE%402023867-PH2YHxCjcH6RA News
Articles
Prayer Focus
Pray, seeking the wisdom of the Lord in what is building up to be a
passionate confrontation in Jerusalem and throughout Israel. It is a war
in the heavenlies too!
Scripture
"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,
against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Ephesians
6:12).
======================================================================
6) An Appeal of Faith to President George W. Bush
Dear Mr. President,
I am writing to you because I am afraid. I have been closely following
the rhetoric of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over the past few
months, and I want you to know that I am gripped with a sense of fear.
I fear for the future of Israel and for that of the entire Jewish
people, as the would-be Hitler of Persia readies to do battle against us
with the most horrific of weapons.
I fear for the future of the West, because outside of Washington few
and far between are the leaders with the common sense and courage to
stand up to the Tyrant of Teheran.
And I fear for the future of the world, because if Iran's
fundamentalists get their hands on a nuclear weapon, it will only be a matter of
time before their extremist allies abroad become similarly armed.
Hence, I am writing to you because I am convinced that you alone
understand and appreciate the gravity of the current situation, and I pray in
my heart that you will not let it stand.
I appeal to you now, not as a political analyst nor as a newspaper
columnist, but as one man of faith to another: please strike Iran hard with
military force and dismantle their nuclear weapons program, before it
is too late.
I know you believe, as I do, that G-d guides the destiny of men and of
nations. And I know you believe, just as I do, that He raised you up to
the helms of power precisely at this critical period, to serve as His
agent and His instrument in this world.
The G-d of history has chosen you, Mr. President, just as He did
Churchill, and He has entrusted you with a sacred mandate: to save the world
from the designs of a madman.
I can tell you that in Israel, a sense of dread has slowly, but surely,
begun to sink in. As the Sunday Times of London reported earlier this
week, a growing number of my fellow Jews have begun to build underground
nuclear shelters adjacent to their homes.
"The shelters," says the Times, "are built to withstand radioactive
fallout, have fortified walls and doors, and generate their own
electricity and decontaminated air." Hundreds of such bunkers, reports the paper,
have been built in recent months, and "demand is soaring."
Mr. President, just the other night, I went out with my family for
dinner to a restaurant in Herzliya, the city named after Zionist visionary
Theodor Herzl, who foresaw the need to establish a safe haven for the
Jewish people. Our waitress was an attractive and cheerful young lady
who moved to Israel 16 years ago at the age of 4 from her native
Lithuania, where her family had suffered anti-Semitism and persecution.
But when we asked her if she was happy living here in the Jewish state,
the smile on her lips quickly faded. Glumly, she answered us with the
following words: "That Ahmadinejad of Iran, he scares me. It is a very
scary situation."
And indeed it is, Mr. President, because my people are in danger once
again. It was just six decades ago that the Europeans tossed us into
Hitler's ovens and turned six million Jews into ashes. Now, with no shame,
they stand by silently as Iran seeks to do the same.
The United Nations is a lost cause, and we have no faith in Russia,
China, or international institutions. The sad fact is that most of the
world will not shed a tear if Mr. Ahmadinejad succeeds in achieving his
dreadful aims.
Here in Israel, our own leadership is tired and weak. They have lost
their way, and they are no longer anchored in faith. As we saw this past
summer in the Lebanon war, they stumble about as though walking in
darkness, oblivious to the danger that stalks us all.
There is only one person now, Mr. President, who can stop this
terrifying scenario from coming to pass, and I believe that person is you.
I think of you often, and when I do, I am guided in faith to the fourth
chapter of the Book of Esther in the Bible, where the evil Persian
court officer Haman threatened the Jewish people with extinction. After
Mordechai the Jew got wind of Haman's plot, he passed along a message of
great urgency to Queen Esther: "Who knows, perhaps it was precisely for
a moment such as this that you have attained power?"
Mr. President, that message was as compelling then as it is today, and
I believe it is clearly directed to you too.
The decision you face is not an easy one, and I do not mean to suggest
otherwise. But there are moments when a leader, like Joshua of old,
must "be strong and of good courage" (Joshua 1), and not shy away from
doing what must be done.
In the case of Iran, there can be no room for retreat or for shrinking
back from the task at hand. The stakes are simply too great.
Iran can and must be stopped, and the only way to do so is through the
use of military force. Diplomacy and resolutions are a smoke screen,
and you know as well as I do that they will not slow Iran's steady drive
toward obtaining a nuclear arsenal. Only the long and powerful arm of
the United States, flexed with all its might, can and will be able to do
the job.
Sure, the critics and the naysayers will try to tear you down, just as
they have been doing since you the day you were elected. They will heap
scorn on you, call you a warmonger and worse, and denigrate you and
your family for many, many years to come.
But please don't allow them to deter you or to drive you to despair.
Don't let them drown out that still, small voice within, the one that
reaches into each of our hearts and calls out every day: "I am the L-rd,
and there is none else" (Isaiah 45:5a).
Mr. President, you know as well as I do that history's final verdict is
not written by academics, nor is it determined by the opinion-mongers
at the New York Times.
The one and only verdict, the one that really, truly counts, is the one
that is penned in Heaven, by He who gave each of us life. It is to Him,
and Him alone, that we will all have to answer.
In just over two years, you will leave office. In the greater scheme of
things, I am convinced that your legacy will depend largely on the
decisions that you make in the coming few months about what to do with
Iran.
I urge you, I plead with you: don't walk out of the White House in
January 2009 without having stopped Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Don't leave the
fate of Israel and the Jewish people hanging in the balance.
Remember the promise that G-d made to Abraham in Genesis 12:3a: "I will
bless those that bless you, and those that curse you I shall curse."
Note that when it comes to standing by Israel and the Jewish people,
there is no middle ground. G-d delineates two categories, and two
categories only: those who bless Israel, and those who curse it.
You are in a unique position to bless Israel, and through it, all of
humanity, by removing the nuclear sword from the hand of the Persian
executioner.
The same G-d who spoke, and said, "Let there be light," and there was
light, surely expects you to do nothing less.
I will be praying for you, as will many others, and I hope that you
take this message to heart.
Be strong, be strong, Mr. President, and through you, may we all be
strengthened.
(By Michael Freund, The Jerusalem Post, November 1, 2006)
Editor�s Note: We have known Michael Freund for many years, since he
served in an advisory capacity to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He
has spoken at many of our Solidarity Missions. He sent this article to
me earlier this week asking for our help to get it circulated as widely
as possible. If you agree with the sentiments of this article, we
encourage you to forward it on to others who can pray and also influence
others to understand the dangers faced by Israel and the Western world.
Prayer Focus
Pray that President Bush will receive this article and seriously
consider what actions God is asking from him at this critical time in the
history of mankind.
Scripture
�For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and
understanding; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to
those who walk uprightly�� (Proverbs 2:6�7).
======================================================================
7) Northern Farmers Enjoy Fruits
With the conclusion of the first round of testimony outlining Israeli
failures in the recent war effort, farmers in the north actually feel
the war was quite successful from their standpoint.
The Knesset [Parliament] Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee finished
hearing testimonies yesterday [October 29] from reserves soldiers who
took part in the recent war in Lebanon. Some 45 soldiers testified over
the past three weeks. They told of confused and often-changing orders
and strategies, officers who gave orders from behind�not in front
of�their men, shortages of supplies, and more.
But along Israel's border with Lebanon, farmers are quite pleased with
the way the war has turned out. Associated Press reporter Matti
Friedman writes of farmers in the northern city of Metulah who no longer take
their rifles with them to work in their orchards, and of farmers in
Moshav Zar'it who "are beginning to return to orchards they abandoned"
when Hizbullah terrorists controlled the Lebanese side of the line.
Though not necessarily confident that the situation will last for very
long, they are enjoying the new situation while it lasts. "The war
erased a threat we lived with for years," a Metulah man said. "We aren't
afraid of snipers or kidnappings anymore. We can breathe."
In the six years between Israel's panicky pullout from southern Lebanon
in 2000 and the recent war, Hizbullah terrorists set up bases and
military posts just over the border, overlooking and threatening the Israeli
farming villages. In 2004, a Hizbullah sniper shot to death two Israeli
soldiers who were fixing an antenna next to Zar'it.
But now, "instead of Hizbullah," one woman said, "we see the Lebanese
army and the UN. We have a real sense of relief." Another man,
however�an Israeli apple grower�is quoted as saying the change is merely
illusory. Hizbullah was not destroyed, he feels, but is just waiting for the
opportunity to return. The terrorists' "yellow flags are gone, but
they'll be back," he said.
Most strategists in Israel agree that Hizbullah is continuing its
build-up of arms and fortified outposts, and that the next war is likely
just a matter of time.
(By Hillel Fenkel, Arutz 7, October 31, 2006)
Prayer Focus
Thank God for this period of relative �peace.� Pray that Israel will
remain strong and vigilant and not let down her guard.
Scripture
��and all of them conspired together to come and attack Jerusalem and
create confusion. Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and
because of them we set a watch against them day and night� (Nehemiah 4:8�9).
======================================================================
8) Lifeguard Discovers Ancient Anchorage off Netanya
A Netanya beach lifeguard who stumbled on an iron anchor while out for
a swim led marine archaeologists to uncover the first evidence of an
ancient anchorage for sailing vessels in Netanya, the Israel Antiquities
Authority announced Tuesday [October 31].
The lifeguard, Ofer Harmoni, 37, summoned the archaeologists to the
scene after noticing the iron anchor near the Netanya shore during a
swimming workout two weeks ago. The authority�s marine unit subsequently
uncovered five large stone anchors dating back 4,000 years during an
underwater survey at the site.
The anchors, which archaeologists date to the late Middle Bronze Age,
have a single perforation, are 0.9m [3 feet] high and 0.6m [2 feet]
wide, and weigh 150 kilograms [330 pounds] each.
Two smaller stone anchors for small boats and two iron anchors which
date to the Byzantine period (5th�7th centuries AD) were also removed
from the seabed.
One of the smaller anchors was found in an upright position with one
fluke embedded in the seabed, and the other anchor was found lying on the
deck of a boat that had probably sunk there.
A small millstone that was probably used by the crew of the Byzantine
boat was found nearby.
Kobi Sharvit, director of the Marine Unit of the Antiquities Authority,
said that these were the first finds indicating the existence of an
anchorage site for sailing vessels thousands of years ago in Netanya.
�The scattering of anchors along the seabed within such a limited area
and the diversity of types and different periods demonstrates that this
region was used as an anchorage for sailing vessels during antiquity,�
he said.
Harmoni, who has served as a lifeguard at the beach since he was 17 and
has previously found antiquities there, said that he was just doing his
job. �This will go down in the history books,� he said.
(By Etgar Lefkovits, The Jerusalem Post, November 1, 2006)
======================================================================
9) New Hit in Japan � Pomelits from Israel
Some half million crates of Israeli pomelit fruits were exported this
week to Japan, where they are rapidly becoming a major hit. Two
shiploads of the Israeli fruit left for Japan this week, after having undergone
a careful check by Agriculture Ministry supervisors. Though a ripe
pomelit is generally yellow, it is shipped to Japan while still green, the
color symbolizing health and flowering in Japanese culture.
The pomelo is a citrus fruit, somewhat larger than a grapefruit but
with a similar flavor and a thicker rind. The pomelit is a hybrid of the
two fruits. The Agriculture Ministry notes that pomelit juice has
special qualities enabling the reduction of blood pressure and cholesterol
levels, as proven by studies in Kaplan Hospital in Rehovot and the Hebrew
University of Jerusalem.
Another 500,000 crates of the fruit are soon to be on their way to
European markets. The citrus export season in Israel begins in September,
and so far some 25,000 of the anticipated 160,000 tons, up 15% from last
year, have been exported. Some 36,000 tons of citrus fruits are to be
sent to Eastern Europe, also a large increase over previous years.
Aryeh Shreiber, Chairman of the Citrus Fruit Growers Association, says
that the citrus fruit sector has flourished once again over the past
years. Citrus fruits are grown in 200,000 dunams [50,000 acres] of
orchards around the country, and thousands of families work in farming,
packing, and related industries.
(By Arutz Sheva, October 30, 2006)
======================================================================
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TO: Friends (and friends of friends) of Bridges for Peace
FROM: Rebecca Brimmer, International President and CEO - Jerusalem
DATE: November 10, 2006
Weekly News Update and Prayer Focus from Israel
Week Ending: November 10, 2006
Notice: The Bridges for Peace website is located at
www.bridgesforpeace.com. Tell your friends to check it out. We are your Israel
Connection.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
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Z E A L O U S 8 : 2
Young Adult Tour To Israel
JANUARY 4 - 14, 2007
Click on the link for more information and to register.
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Zealous8:2 is a ministry of Bridges for Peace.
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=========================================================
1) Want to Win the Media Game? Don't Apologize
2) Decision Due on Gay Parade
3) MK Eldad � Mazuz Must Apply "Parade Principle" to Temple Mount
4) Arab/Muslim States � The Next War Is "Imminent"
5) Women Act As Human Shields in Beit Hanoun
6) Network of Islamic Jihad Women Exposed
7) Sderot Kids Can't Remember Life without Kassams
8) MKs Try to Extricate Gush Katif Expellees from Mire
9) The Nations Coming to Learn How the Desert Bloomed
10) Proposal for a Red�Dead Sea Canal
__________________________________________________________________________________________
1) Want To Win The Media Game? Don't Apologize
The difficult images broadcast on Wednesday [November 8] from the
accidental shelling of a residential house in Beit Hanoun shocked the world.
Viewers were aghast at the scenes of packed morgue refrigerators, [the]
bleeding wounded, and their distressed families.
Numerous politicians and commentators screamed �war crime� into any
available microphone, [but] virtually nowhere to be found was any mention
of Israel's raison d'�tre [justification for existence] for the ongoing
Gaza offensive.
So how does one deal with the damage inflicted on Israel's image in
what is slowly becoming the most important theater of operations�the media
arena? The experts weigh in.
"What happened in Gaza is the village of Qana�take three," says Dr.
Ra'anan Gissin, former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's media adviser and
strategist who now works as a foreign media expert.
"The first time in 1996 caught us unprepared," says Dr. Gissin, "and
the incident even led to the collapse of the government. The second time
was during the second war in Lebanon, and it became apparent that we
didn't draw the necessary conclusions from how to deal with such an
incident. So what to say now about the third time? I guess we didn't learn
the lessons this time either." According to Gissin, Israel must deal
with the Palestinians on two fronts: "The ground one and the virtual
front, the media front."
"We have to understand that we have no choice but to win on all the
fronts," says Gissin, "because if we don't win, our range of our freedom
to act will narrow...So how is it done? You must broadcast the images of
the terror groups hiding their rockets and launching those rockets from
those residential areas. The world doesn't see enough of those images.
Take one cell, don't destroy it, follow it, and then show the world the
images of the rockets being fired from within neighborhoods. Because if
you kill the cell, and the world never sees it�the world won't believe
it ever existed."
Gissin also stresses the importance of understanding how to present the
tragedies that befall Israel. He brings up Sharon's well-turned-out
restraint after the Tel Aviv Dolphinarium discotheque Hamas bombing, in
which 21 Israeli youths aged 14�25 were killed and over 100 were wounded.
"The world saw the images of that horror for 48 hours, and we were able
to get the necessary breathing room to operate�including the ability to
go to Operation Defensive Shield (triggered by the 2002 Netanya
Passover Hamas bombing in which 30 Israelis were killed) with very little
international resistance."
Of course the necessary PR array requires investing the necessary
resources. Gissin notes that Hizbullah invests 15% of its Iranian-given US
$100 million in operating the Al-Manar television network. Israel's
spokespeople need to be the right people for the job, says Gissin, not just
"eloquent English speakers."
Gissin says that Israel Defense Forces [IDF] officers are often sent to
explain Israel's position, but because they are not trained spokesmen
they often "say the wrong things at the wrong time." But the most
important thing he says is to win many media battles before something like
Beit Hanoun happens, because "after that there's not much you can
do�their pictures will dominate."
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was quick to apologize for the deaths of
civilians, but Zvi Mazel, Israel's former ambassador to Egypt and Sweden,
has a slightly different strategy. Mazel is of the opinion that Israel
mustn't apologize for Beit Hanoun.
"The world must be told in the clearest manner that the responsibility
lies solely with the terror organizations, which [brought] it on
themselves. Foreign Minister [Tzipi] Livni should have convened the foreign
press by that afternoon and explained to the journalists that terror
groups operate from within the civilian population with the intent to draw
the IDF there."
Mazel says that the world must understand that despite Israel's
withdrawal from Gaza, the Palestinians continue to relentlessly launch Kassam
rockets at Israeli towns with the intent to kill. "The world must
understand that the lives of Israeli citizens have become hell�they can't
work, they can't live, not to mention the economic damage. If Livni and
her friends were saying that, then our situation would be completely
different."
Mazel also disapproves of Israel's terminology. He says that Kassams
should be called "missiles," meant to kill civilians. "Terror groups are
committing crimes," he says, "and I believe that the foreign press
won't be able to ignore that reality if it is presented in the clearest
possible manner. We have nothing to apologize for�we are operating against
an enemy which calls for our annihilation, and that enemy forces us to
fight in populated areas."
"I think that someone has lost it in this country�it's becoming obvious
that the Israeli government doesn't know how to defend the state of
Israel on the political and explanatory front."
(Excerpts from an article by Roee Mendel, Ynetnews.com, November 8,
2006)
http://m1e.net/c?8029000-aZFFxp39yP8DM%402040544-TYv.PBFp3j.6s
Prayer Focus
Pray that Israel will learn the best ways to deal with the media, so
the world understands the whole picture of the issues that Israel faces.
(Read more in articles 5 and 6.)
Scripture
"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all
liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him" (James 1:5).
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2) Decision Due on Gay Parade
The High Court of Justice will hand down its decision Thursday
[November 9] on whether to allow homosexual activists to march in Jerusalem
Friday amid worldwide protests from religious leaders and demonstrators.
Despite petitioners� warnings that allowing the event would likely
result in violence and possibly bloodshed, the judges did not appear to
favor any move to relocate, postpone, or block the parade. �The question
of violence must be dropped, because there is no question of finding a
balance between freedom of speech and violence,� said Judge Procaccia.
�The police will not give in to it, and the court will not give in to
it.�
What the petitioners seemed unable to accomplish, however, the current
security situation may. Jerusalem Police Chief Ilan Franco announced
last night [November 8] that he will ask Attorney General Menahem Mazuz
to delay the parade in view of the nationwide security alert.
Israel police are operating on a Level III alert following the Israel
Defense Forces' Wednesday morning artillery fire against
rocket-launching areas that killed 19 civilians in the northern Gaza community of Beit
Hanoun. Palestinian Authority leaders and terrorist organizations have
called on Israeli Arabs to attack Jews both in Israel and worldwide.
Police reported more than 80 terror alerts by 8:00 am this morning,
including 15 �hot alerts,� referring to credible intelligence information
of specific planned attacks. �If the state of alert forces us to take
away a large number of policemen from the parade, we may have to
postpone it,� said Attorney Eran Ettinger from the state prosecution. The
alert status is expected to move to Level IV Friday morning if the parade
is held as scheduled.
(Excerpts from article by Artuz Sheva, IsraelNationalNews.com, November
8, 2006)
Prayer Focus
Pray that the courts will give a righteous judgment, and the parade
will be canceled.
Scripture
"For the LORD is righteous, He loves righteousness; His countenance
beholds the upright" (Psalm 11:7).
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3) MK Eldad � Mazuz Must Apply "Parade Principle" to Temple Mount
In a letter sent to Attorney General Menahem Mazuz on Tuesday [November
7], MK [Member of Knesset/Parliament] Aryeh Eldad of the National
Union-NRP party called for the state's chief legal counsel to apply the
principles he elucidated regarding the Gay Pride Parade in Jerusalem to the
rights of Jews to worship on the Temple Mount.
As of now, police enforce a ban on Jewish worship on the Mount,
Judaism's holiest site, due to threats of violence on the part of Muslims, who
were allowed to maintain jurisdiction over the mosques on the Mount
even after Israel conquered it in 1967. The ban is in effect despite
Israeli lower court decisions stating that, in principle, Jews should have
freedom of access and worship on the Temple Mount.
"I was surprised to read and to hear that you ordered the police to
make the parade possible despite the widespread public opposition and the
concern that mass disturbances would arise in its wake...the first
signs of which are already visible in the field," MK Eldad wrote. "At the
same time, I am convinced that your position on the matter is one of
principle, and you emphasize that freedom of expression and the right to
protest must be ensured. However, for reasons of preserving public
safety and out of a concern over possible mass disturbances, the Israeli
police�with the full backing of the Attorney General's office�denies Jews
freedom of worship on the Temple Mount."
On Monday, Mazuz rejected a police recommendation to ban the parade.
Further addressing the apparent inconsistency in the application of the
law in the capital, Eldad pressed [Mazuz]: "You support the 'modest'
right to protest of the [homosexual] community in Jerusalem, but you must
surely know that a Jew caught standing with closed eyes and murmuring
in a whisper is ejected from the Temple Mount."
(Excerpts from article by Arutz Sheva, IsraelNationalNews.com, November
7, 2006)
Prayer Focus
Pray that Israel�s leadership will determine the law of the land
wisely.
Scripture
"When leaders lead in Israel, when the people willingly offer
themselves, bless the LORD!� (Judges 5:2).
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4) Arab/Muslim States � The Next War Is "Imminent"
Israeli news media reported this week that the next war between Israel
and the Arabs is expected to break out in [the] summer [of] 2007, and
that the Israel Defense Forces [IDF] is doing everything to ensure it
will be ready when the time comes.
But foreign journalists, also this past week, have estimated that
Israel could clash with the Syrian army and Lebanon's Hizbullah before the
end of 2006.
In that event, given that this time window closes in less than eight
weeks, it is unclear how "ready" Israel's defense forces will be.
Haaretz said Monday [November 6] that Syria and Hizbullah�the former an
Iranian ally, the latter an Iranian proxy force�"are likely to start a
war against Israel next summer." This is the assessment of Israel�s
senior military echelon that, according to that paper is making "all
preparations�to ensure maximum preparedness in advance of summer 2007."
Reporting for the London Daily Telegraph on November 3, John Keegan
said Israel would soon have to strike Hizbullah hard. The Lebanese
terrorist organization had reconstructed its fortified zone in southern
Lebanon and was racing to replenish its depleted missile supplies. Hizbullah
is �also creating a fortified zone in the Gaza Strip and building up
its stocks of missiles there.�
The outcome of all this arms buildup would soon see Israel once more
facing a missile attack on two fronts. Keegan�s deduction: �The conflict
is inevitable and unavoidable. What is certain is that� probably before
the year is out�Israel will have struck at Hizbullah� in southern
Lebanon."
One reason the IDF believes in an inevitable attack is the Arab sense
that Hizbullah came out on top of the war last July. The IDF's inability
to stop the Katyusha and other missile fire from Lebanon into the north
of Israel, and its ongoing powerlessness to put an end to Kassam rocket
fire from the Gaza Strip, have badly eroded its deterrence.
Following the July war�in which Israel failed to achieve any of the
goals it announced when it decided to attack southern Lebanon�Jordan's
King Abdullah told Time Magazine that, in the Arab mind, Israel was no
longer considered an "invincible force."
(By Stan Goodenough, Jerusalem Newswire, November 7, 2006)
Prayer Focus
Pray that the people of Israel will prepare their hearts to face war.
Pray that they will draw close to God, who alone is their true
protection.
Scripture
"Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; though
war may rise against me,, in this I will be confident�For in the time
of trouble, He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His
tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock and now
my heard shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me" (Psalm
27:3,5�6a).
__________________________________________________________________________________________
5) Women Act As Human Shields in Beit Hanoun
On the way from Erez Crossing to Gaza City is the [Palestinian] town of
Beit Hanoun. Entrance to the town has been blocked�since the beginning
of the Israel Defense Forces�s [IDF's] Operation Autumn Clouds.
Two Palestinians were killed there Sunday [November 5]; and since
Wednesday, 48 have been killed. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency
reported that, in the last two days, the IDF hasn't allowed any water or
food to enter the town.
A group of [Palestinian] men and youth made their way out of Beit
Hanoun. About 10 women and young girls accompanied the men. The men were
released a few minutes prior from the yard of the agricultural college.
The IDF had gathered all the boys and men of the town in the college.
There, they were investigated and then either released or sent to jail in
Israel for further investigation.
Hamed Abu Arbeed and another six or seven men and boys were allowed to
leave the college and the town. The town's women escorted them on their
way out�The townspeople are well aware of the "brave role" the
[Palestinian] women play in the battle. "We are their human shield and our role
is to ensure that the IDF doesn't harm these youngsters on their way
out," said one of the women. "The Israelis always say they make mistakes
and unintentionally kill, but they shoot in order to kill. Many men and
boys have been killed this way."
(Excerpts of article by Ali Waked, Ynetnews.com, November 6, 2006)
http://m1e.net/c?8029000-5fH0Om0cJSnYA%402040545-DWPIEfVBKwsIo
Prayer Focus
Pray that the IDF will have wisdom in dealing with terrorists who use
women and children as human shields.
Scripture
�Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up; fighting all
day he oppresses me. My enemies would hound me all day, for there are
many who fight against me, O Most High� (Psalm 56:1�2).
__________________________________________________________________________________________
6) Network of Islamic Jihad Women Exposed
During the months of August and September, the Shin Bet [Israeli
internal security] exposed a network of women operating for the Islamic Jihad
as part of the organization's terror infrastructure in the West Bank.
This was cleared for publication Tuesday [November 7].
The network is split into two terror cells that have carried out
shooting attacks and laid roadside bombs around Ramallah. The network has
even operated an explosives lab. The Shin Bet and the Israel Defense
Forces [IDF] have arrested a number of the network's members.
One of the senior women arrested is Wadha Faqhaa, 24, from Jilzon,
[who] dealt with transferring finances to one of the cells. During her
interrogation, she said that she received funds from the organization's
command center in Syria.
The defense establishment noted that in recent years, the phenomenon of
infiltrating women into Fatah and Islamic Jihad positions�in
organizational roles, logistical aid in the West Bank, and running charity
organizations as a front for organizational activity has been common.
Because of the senior positions of the women and their linkage between
the organizational operations and the terror operations, the Shin Bet
pointed out that some of the women dabbled both in terrorist activity
and in financing it.
In the northern Gaza Strip, on the other hand, a female suicide bomber
from the Al-Quds Brigade, the military arm of the Islamic Jihad,
exploded herself Monday near IDF forces operating in Beit Hanoun. The suicide
bomber, Marvat Masud, was killed, and a soldier was lightly injured.
The incident took place at about 3:30 p.m. when the woman arrived at a
temporary checkpoint set up by Givati soldiers in town.
Women's participation in terror activities was also manifested on
Friday [November 3] in Beit Hanoun. IDF soldiers besieged a mosque in the
town and called on dozens of wanted Palestinians to exit the building and
turn themselves in. Following heavy exchanges of fire between the
gunmen and the soldiers, most of the suspects escaped dressed as women and
merged into a group of women protesting in the area.
(By Efrat Weiss, Ynetnews.com, November 7, 2006)
http://m1e.net/c?8029000-MsNOsHEIiaWmg%402040546-tb6OaFxW5vyiI
Prayer Focus
Pray that this new development will be exposed for what it is, and that
the world media will not paint the IDF as the offensive party in this
sensitive situation.
Scripture
�Behold, the wicked brings forth iniquity; yes, he conceives trouble
and brings forth falsehood�His trouble shall return upon his own head,
and his violent dealing shall come down on his own crown� (Psalm 7:14,
16).
__________________________________________________________________________________________
7) Sderot Kids Can't Remember Life without Kassams
To the children of Sderot and the western Negev [just two miles from
the Gaza Strip], life in the shadow of Kassams has been a traumatic
experience for a long time; so much so, some of them even say that they
don't remember life without them. The Committee for Children's Rights heard
testimonies Tuesday [November 7] from the mouths of some of those kids
who have been under constant threat of rocket attacks.
"We have no normal life. We never know what will happen the next hour
when Kassams fall; we are not only afraid for ourselves, but also for
our families. It's traumatic to think that someone close to us will get
hurt. It's just terrible," said Bar, one of the children who testified
before the committee.
To much surprise, Bar said that he was quite envious of the children of
the North. "As far as I am concerned, Kassams can land here all the
time, and we will stay in bomb shelters just like what happened in the
North. It is better than living in tense anticipation that any minute
Kassams start falling on us. We need to get into Gaza and take care of the
problem," he said.
During the visit, the children, like the Knesset [Parliament] members,
were found to be just as divided on the methods of action to solve the
problem. Yossi from Sderot is convinced that there is a need to act
with force, and for every Kassam that lands in Israel, the IDF should fire
three shells at Gaza. Ofri, from a Negev kibbutz, says, however, that
another war will not do any good, only negotiations. She says there are
good people in Gaza, just like they think there are bad people in
Israel.
The children said that because of the Kassams, they have problems in
studying, concentrating, and they are lagging behind compared to children
in other parts of the country. "I have a hard time concentrating in
school, and the Kassams affect my entire life," said Niv. "Every time I
want to do something, I give up, because I think that the alarm will go
off at any moment. I can't study, and I can't even play soccer," he
added.
Niv's classmate Gon explained their learning conditions in recent
times: "Because not all of our classrooms are protected, we have to study in
shifts. We have no gym class, because there is no safe place to
practice, and the Yitzhak Rabin ceremony was also not conducted as planned.
During the night, we can't fall asleep because of the drones and
helicopters flying overhead; and during the day, we can't concentrate because
we are too tired."
The fear of Kassams has seeped so deeply into the children's psyche,
that they can't remember life without them. Liza from Sderot said that
she can't remember life without Kassams, but she remembers the day she
started being afraid that something would happen to her or one of her
friends. It was the day a girl she knew was killed by a Kassam rocket.
(By Miri Chason, Ynetnews.com, November 8, 2006)
http://m1e.net/c?8029000-VPZrn2xRgwhkw%402040547-5ytqV9d/ikPIE
Prayer Focus
Pray for the well-being of these precious children. Pray that they will
know the peace and comfort of God that surpasses all understanding.
Scripture
"He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He
increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men
shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their
strength" (Isaiah 40:29�31a).
__________________________________________________________________________________________
8) MKs Try to Extricate Gush Katif Expellees from Mire
Of the 1,600 families that were thrown out of their homes in Gush Katif
nearly 15 months ago, some of them agreed to move to Amatzia, between
southern Judea and Kiryat Gat. The understanding was that a road would
be paved between their homes to the town of Shomeriya, 7 kilometers [4.3
miles] to the south, where the children were to go to school.
The government originally set a paving deadline for the beginning of
the school year and then another one five weeks ago, but the road is
still not ready. In fact, due to the recent rains, the road has become
muddied to the extent that it is no longer passable. This morning [November
6], faced with the option of taking a bypass route via Kiryat Gat�some
seven times longer than the straight route�the parents decided to keep
their children home instead.
The parents also note that the route has no cell-phone reception,
presenting a security hazard. Miri Farija, whose three children traveled
every morning�until today�on the hazardous route, said, "Every journey
fills both me and my children with dread, uncertainty, and the fear of
getting stuck without being able to call them. We feel helpless."
The Knesset [Parliament] Audit Committee's subcommittee on the
Disengagement held a session today on the continued suffering of the displaced
Gush Katif and northern Shomron residents. Chairperson Amira Dotan
(Kadima) issued a call to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to get personally
involved in speeding up the process of dealing solving the residents'
ongoing problems.
One former Gush Katif resident said that the meager financial
compensation offered the residents for their businesses does not reflect the
difficulties they have in starting new ones. "If they had continued to
live in Gush Katif," she told the committee, "they would have continued
earning money, coming home to their families every day proud of their
day's work. Instead, they are now stuck at home and have become tattered
dishrags."
MK [Knesset Member] Ze'ev Elkin (Kadima) noted that over 60 MKs had
signed a bill calling for changes in the Compensation/Evacuation Law, and
said that even if Prime Minister Olmert objects to it, "he will have to
follow the law as it is legislated." Elkin called for a clear timetable
to solve the residents' problems and said, "It is clear that the
Disengagement itself was not carried out the way the residents'
rehabilitation is being carried out�or else it never would have happened."
The head of the Gush Katif Residents Committee, Lior Kalfa, said, "The
stuck-in-the-mud school bus from Amatzia is a reflection of the
situation in which all the uprooted residents are stuck...A year and three
months after the expulsion, and not even one permanent house has been
started for even one resident!"
A major issue of concern is the youth, and MK Elkin noted that the
Education Ministry had actually decreased its funding for educational and
social help programs. The Knesset Committee for Children's Rights,
headed by MK Shelly Yechimovitch (Labor), visited some of the residents' new
temporary communities this week and heard firsthand of the
"deterioration of the orange youth." The committee members were informed of high
drop-out rates, young marriages, lack of trust in the state and
government, loss of parental authority, attempted suicides, drugs, and other
problems.
Yechimovitch, a staunch supporter of the Disengagement, said, "After
the State implemented such a controversial and traumatic process and
brought these communities to an end, it must take responsibility for
dealing with the problems of both the youth and the adults. It is not being
done at this time, and we in this committee will enlist to help, to the
best of our ability, in obtaining allocations and in pressuring the
government to help in education and welfare."
(By Arutz Sheva, IsraelNationalNews.com, November 6, 2006)
Prayer Focus
Pray that the Israeli government will not continue to delay in meeting
the needs of these displaced families.
Scripture
"Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come to You. Do not hide Your
face from me in the day of my trouble; incline Your ear to me; in the
day that I call, answer me speedily" (Psalm 102:1�2).
__________________________________________________________________________________________
9) The Nations Coming to Learn How the Desert Bloomed
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev is hosting a major international
conference this week on combating desertification, with experts coming to
study Israel's successes in "making the desert bloom." The conference,
entitled "Deserts and Desertification: Challenges and Opportunities,"
is sponsored by the Blaustein Institute of Desert Research (BIDR),
Ben-Gurion University, the United Nations Convention to Combat
Desertification (UNCCD), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
With the exception of several field tours into Israel's reclaimed and
existing desert areas, the daily lectures will be taking place on the
S'dei Boker campus of Ben-Gurion University. The conference is focusing
on how to confront and ameliorate factors leading to desertification,
with much emphasis on the Israeli experience and its lessons for other
nations.
The approximately 300 attendees hail from 20 countries spread over 5
continents. The conference is part of international activities marking
2006 as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification, as
declared by the United Nations. The UN designation was made in recognition of
the acute problem of desertification or land degradation worldwide.
Desertification, according to BIDR's conference Web site, is
responsible for the loss of agricultural productivity, famine, and population
displacement, as well as the escalation of poverty; it affects about 400
million people in developing regions, especially Africa.
Israel was selected as a unique and uniquely appropriate venue for the
desertification conference due to its rich history of rolling back the
desert through innovation and tenacity.
When the state was established in 1948, much of its semi-arid regions
were degraded and the Negev Desert had expanded northward all the way to
the Tel Aviv�Jerusalem corridor. Since that time, a combination of
intensive dryland agriculture, afforestation, and economic initiatives
[has] reclaimed tens of thousands of hectares for farming, residential
construction, and industrial parks.
(By Arutz Sheva, IsraelNationalNews.com, November 7, 2006)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
10) Proposal for a Red�Dead Sea Canal
In two weeks, Vice Premier Shimon Peres will present his proposals to
the cabinet for the "Peace Valley" development of the border region
between Israel, Jordan, and Palestinian Authority [PA] controlled areas. At
the center of Peres's "Peace Valley" plan is the building of the
"Red�Dead" canal to run from the Israeli port city of Eilat on the Red Sea,
200 kilometers [124 miles] to the Dead Sea.
The canal will drain 650 million cubic meters [850 million cubic yards]
of water annually and will serve to replenish the Dead Sea, which has
been evaporating rapidly in recent years. The canal will also lead to
the construction of two artificial lakes in the Aravah Desert. Peres's
plan calls for several hotels and holiday villages to be built along the
banks of the lakes.
Peres has�secured the support of King Abdullah of Jordan and PA
Chairman Mahmoud Abbas [Abu Mazen] and is also looking to recruit
international investors for the plan. Peres also recommended a shared airport be
built for Eilat and Aqaba, 3 kilometers [1.8 miles] from Eilat on the Red
Sea in Jordan.
Under the Peres plan, there would be greater cooperation between Israel
and Jordan for the mining of copper in the Aravah Desert, expanded
"pre-seasonal" desert agriculture programs, and greater development of the
tourism industry in the area.
In addition, the plan includes a railroad line to run from Arabid in
Jordan to Haifa in Israel, the construction of schools and shared
research facilities in the Jordan Valley and the Yarmuch Valley in Jordan, and
the building of an industrial area next to Jenin in the West Bank.
King Abdullah has called for the construction of an airport at the Dead
Sea to serve the export of agriculture from the area. Abdullah also
stated his desire to see the Jordan Valley used as an agricultural trading
market for the Arab world.
(By Aluf Benn, Haaretz Correspondent, November 7, 2006)
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Editor-in-Chief: Rebecca Brimmer
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Staff Reporter: Ron Ross
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