Three Killed at Allenby Crossing
Once again, this week’s news begins with the tragic deaths of three Jews murdered in a terror attack. You may recall that I reported to you last week about the three police officers who were murdered at the Tarqumiye crossing near Chevron. This Sunday, another shooting attack took place at the Allenby Crossing on the border between Jordan and Israel, once again taking three lives. The terrorist was neutralized by security guards at the scene. An initial probe of the incident revealed that the terrorist was a truck driver who arrived from the Jordanian side of the border with a machine gun hidden in his vehicle. As soon as he arrived at the terminal, before the truck could be inspected, the terrorist opened fire on the Israeli workers, killing three men. The security guards used special measures in the course of neutralizing the threat, which apparently caused a loud explosion to be heard in the area.
The incident took place around 9:55 in the morning, when a caller notified the Magen David Adom hotline that several people had been wounded by gunfire. Emergency crews rushed to the scene and began treating the three victims, all men in their fifties who were found to be in critical condition and suffering from gunshot wounds. The paramedics reported, “This was a very serious incident. We found three men lying unconscious on the ground, each without a pulse or respiratory activity, with gunshot wounds on their bodies. We tried to resuscitate them, working together with IDF medics, but we were unfortunately compelled to declare them dead.”
This terror attack at the Jordanian border was especially unsettling, since Israel and Jordan enjoy relatively peaceful relations. Very few terrorists emerge from Jordan, and those who do commit acts of terror are generally written off by the Jordanian authorities as mentally disturbed individuals. President Yitzchok Herzog addressed this point in his public statement in response to the attack: “I heard with deep pain about the murders of Yuri Birnbaum, Yochanan Shchori, and Adrian Marcelo Podsmesser this morning in the abhorrent terror attack at the Allenby Crossing. I send heartfelt condolences to their families and friends, with a prayer that they will experience no more pain. The peace agreements between Israel and its neighbors are cornerstones of stability in this region, and we trust that all sides will conduct a thorough investigation of this serious incident, whose results will obligate us to stand strong against terror. We will continue fighting with determination against terror and against those who seek to undermine the security of the State of Israel and its citizens and the stability of the entire region.”
Sadly, eight people have been murdered in terror attacks in Yehuda and Shomron over the past month. On August 11, Yehonasan Deutsch was murdered in a shooting attack in the Jordan Valley. On August 18, another terror attack in the Bar-On Industrial Park in Shomron resulted in the murder of Gideon Peri. On September 1, three police officers were murdered in a shooting attack at Tarqumiye, near Chevron, and now this latest attack has resulted in another three deaths. It is truly horrific.
The Soldiers Were Unarmed
As usual, accusations have begun flying in the aftermath of the terror attack. It has now been revealed that despite the increased threat level on the eastern border, the IDF had posted unarmed soldiers with minimal training at the Allenby Crossing, the site where the terror attack took place. This lapse did not go unnoticed even before the incident. Two weeks ago, General Eliezer Toledano, the head of the Strategy Directorate of the IDF, visited the site and noticed that soldiers had been posted at the border crossing without being equipped with firearms. Toledano gave orders for the soldiers to be armed, but those orders still hadn’t been implemented two weeks later.
The operation of the Allenby Crossing and security arrangements at the site are under the jurisdiction of the Airports Authority. Soldiers from the Lions of the Jordan Valley Battalion are stationed near the border crossing, while the crossing itself is manned by soldiers from two divisions: the foreign relations division and COGAT (the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories). The soldiers in both divisions receive basic training in the IDF and are given the lowest level of training for the use of firearms (rifleman level 02); therefore, the army decided not to equip them with weapons. When Toledano visited the crossing, he gave orders for the situation to be changed immediately; he insisted that the soldiers should have a rating of at least 03 in their gun training and that all the soldiers at the site should be armed. But those orders were not carried out.
This morning, the IDF reported that after Toledano’s visit to the crossing, in light of the significant security threats, the army had decided to station additional soldiers from the Lions of the Jordan battalion in the area. The army also claimed that the soldiers would be sent for additional weapons training in the near future, and guns would then be issued to all the soldiers at the crossing. Meanwhile, the army reported that after the triple murder, large numbers of troops were sent to the area. The army also reported that the security guards at the terminal succeeded in neutralizing the terrorist after he opened fire in the inspection area. The three victims were civilian employees of the Airports Authority; they were not soldiers, nor were they employees of the Interior Ministry.
In response to the accusations of negligence on the army’s part, the IDF spokesman related, “It was recently decided that IDF soldiers serving at the Allenby Crossing will carry personal weapons. The decision for the soldiers to be armed is being implemented at this time. We must emphasize that the soldiers who serve in the foreign relations center at the Allenby Crossing do not operate in the inspection terminal; they are stationed only on the base. In addition, security for the soldiers is provided by a combat force from the battalion regularly stationed at the crossing.”
Danger to Hostages Grows Daily
As you are certainly aware, the Israeli government has many worries to contend with. But no one can deny that the most pressing issue at this time is the fate of the hostages in Gaza. With every passing day, there is even greater danger that more hostages might die or be murdered. It is widely believed that Sinwar has given standing orders to the hostages’ captors to kill their captives, wherever they might be located, in the event that the Israeli army approaches them. And former hostages who were freed have revealed that the conditions under which they were held were akin to Gehinnom on earth. Some of the hostages died due to a lack of food or medication. At the same time, most of the public believes—and logic also indicates—that the highly vocal protests against the government are playing into Hamas’s hands. Netanyahu is in the unenviable position of having to do what he believes is right while enduring blistering criticism from the many people who are trying to discourage him, not to mention those who are accusing him of being guilty of murder.
A controversy is also raging over the Philadelphi Corridor. Netanyahu and several security experts claim that the only way to exert pressure on Hamas is to hold on to the corridor, while the terror group is demanding an Israeli withdrawal. Netanyahu and his colleagues are certain that if they withdraw from the corridor, the remaining hostages will be smuggled to Egypt through the tunnels and Hamas will have the opportunity to regain its strength. (If the hostages are taken out of Gaza, then there is no way to predict their fates. Consider the case of Ron Arad, who is still missing after many years.)
Last weekend, Netanyahu was interviewed by Fox News about the Philadelphi Corridor and the potential for a hostage deal. “I am flexible on some points, but I also have red lines,” he insisted. “Making concessions now would give them the license to kill additional hostages. It is heartbreaking, but we have to do what is necessary to safeguard the future of the state. I am not looking out for my political future; I am trying to protect the future of Israel.” Netanyahu blamed Hamas for the ongoing war: “They are refusing to return our hostages to us. Hamas is the obstacle to the conclusion of the war and the release of the hostages.” Regarding the Philadelphi Corridor, he insisted, “As soon as we leave the corridor, they will be able to smuggle the hostages out of Gaza. The only way to prevent that is to remain there. If we leave, we will come under tremendous pressure not to go back. We are a state with an army, not an army with a state. We were told twenty years ago [during the Disengagement] that if the need arose, we would be able to go back. But we left, they fired rockets, and we did not go back.”
Netanyahu added, “The Philadelphi Corridor is Iran’s gateway to Gaza. The vast majority of our cabinet ministers voted to remain there. Asking Israel to make concessions after these murders is tantamount to sending a message to Hamas that if they murder more hostages, they will receive more concessions. The absolute majority of Israelis are opposed to that. If we want to free the hostages, we must keep control of the Philadelphi Corridor. If we leave it, they will smuggle the hostages to Sinai, and from there to Iran or Yemen, where they will be lost forever. There is no truth to the claims that the dispute over Philadelphi is the impediment to a deal.”
As I have said before, no one should envy Netanyahu or the security cabinet for the difficult position in which they find themselves. They are responsible for making life-or-death decisions under incredibly difficult circumstances. We must hope that they will be blessed with the siyata d’shmaya that is so sorely needed.
Israeli Diplomats Asked to Refrain from Speaking Hebrew
Speaking of terrorists, I cannot fail to mention the shooting last Thursday at the Israeli consulate in Munich. The shooter, who was spotted in the consulate’s courtyard firing toward the building, was quickly neutralized by German police officers. Amazingly, the building was unoccupied at the time, since the staff was attending an event marking the anniversary of the massacre of Israeli athletes at the Olympics in Munich in 1972. The suspect is an 18-year-old Muslim who was identified in the media on Friday as Emrah Ibrahimovic from the city of Salzburg, Austria.
The suspect in the Munich shooting reportedly visited Berlin in February to purpose of gathering information about a lawyer representing Israeli clients. He also visited Munich twice, where he monitored an Israeli family and used his cell phone to take images of the area.
Meanwhile, the German media reported that security services in Europe recently exposed and thwarted plans for terror attacks targeting Jewish institutions in France and Germany. The reports indicate that Iran recently recruited individuals with criminal backgrounds to carry out those attacks. It is suspected that the terror group has already committed several acts of arson in France and has been monitoring potential targets in Germany, under the orders of Iranian forces. One member of the group is currently in custody in France, and the leader of the group has been identified as a drug dealer from the city of Lyon. The group is suspected of being responsible for four arson attacks against Israeli-owned businesses in southern France between December 28 and January 3.
It also bears mentioning that Israeli consulates throughout the world have been asked to take significant precautions at this time. It appears that some intelligence has been received about a serious plan to attack Israeli national symbols elsewhere in the world—in Europe and even in America. Israeli diplomats have even been instructed not to speak Hebrew in public. It is an unsettling situation, to say the least.
Rocket Fire on Shabbos
Once again, this past Shabbos saw dozens of rockets launched in the direction of Tzefas and Meron. The residents of Tzefas hurried into their bomb shelters, while the people of Meron and the nearby communities were asked to remain inside their homes. When the news was reported after Shabbos, the rest of the country simply shrugged and gave thanks to Hashem that no serious damage was done. It is only because we have grown accustomed to this phenomenon that we didn’t all dance with joy and exhilaration, but we should not allow our sensitivities to be deadened. The rockets that were launched on Shabbos targeted the entire Galilee, especially Tzefas and Meron, and appeared to be aimed both at army bases and at civilians.
Here is one routine-sounding news report: “A serious tragedy was prevented in the early morning hours at the entrance to the settlement of Ateret, thanks to an alert civilian who summoned police sappers to neutralize a booby-trapped car.” Notwithstanding the dry reporting, the details of this story are actually chilling. The car contained a massive quantity of explosives and was left at a nearby junction. The terrorist reportedly planned to set off the bombs using a remote detonator when a school bus carrying dozens of children passed by. Yisroel Ganz, chairman of the Yesha Council, declared, “A great miracle happened in Binyamin this morning.” Of course, it was only because of a decree in Shomayim that the civilian who notified the police was alert enough to spot the danger. Without that siyata d’shmaya, no one would have noticed it.
The media reported that over 200 bombings were thwarted during the past year. The Shin Bet admits that they cannot credit these successes exclusively to alert citizens, Arab collaborators, and effective intelligence; they add that they have benefited from “a lot of luck” as well. But we have a different term for what they call “luck”; we refer to it as siyata d’shmaya.
Many of us read these reports and proceed with our usual routines without giving much thought to the implications, but it is imperative for us to realize that we are being sustained by miracles. We should marvel at the fact that there were 25 rocket launches from Lebanon toward Meron on a single erev Shabbos, and no damage resulted. We should not allow ourselves to become inured to the news that missiles were launched and landed in open areas; every such landing is a tremendous display of chessed from Above and hashgocha pratis. If those missiles fell in inhabited areas, the results could have been disastrous.
Supreme Court and Justice Minister Take Conflict to New Heights
Let us now move on to two issues that are roiling the political and judicial establishments in Israel. But first, let me provide a bit of background information.
The justices of the Supreme Court, as everyone is aware, are primarily liberals who believe strongly in judicial activism. They have no qualms about striking down laws passed by the Knesset or dictating to Netanyahu what is considered a “reasonable” appointment—and overturning any appointment that they consider unreasonable. That is the reason that the right-wing government is working hard to curb the Supreme Court’s power and, at the same time, to ensure the appointment of judges who will be less aggressive and less active. Two or three such judges have already been appointed. The problem is that the judges hold a majority on the Judicial Selection Committee, together with the Israel Bar Association, which is also dominated by leftists. Justice Minister Yariv Levin has managed to inject a few right-wing figures into the committee, but not enough to effect a change. He has therefore decided to take advantage of his power as the justice minister to decide when the committee will convene. At this time, Levin is locked in conflict with the committee over the appointment of a new chief justice for the Supreme Court. Ever since the previous chief justice, Esther Chayut, stepped down from her position, Justice Uzi Fogelman has been serving as acting chief justice in her stead. It is traditional—albeit not required by law—for the justice with the greatest seniority to be chosen as the next president of the Supreme Court. If the committee follows this tradition, the position would be given to Judge Yitzchok Amit, who is extremely radical and whom Levin does not wish to appoint. While Levin worried at first that no other judge would submit their candidacy for the position, Justice Yosef Elron decided to place himself in the running. That alone came as a serious blow to Amit.
When Yariv Levin saw that it would be impossible for him to arrange for Elron to be tapped as the new chief justice, he made a simple decision to refrain from convening the committee, thus blocking the appointment of anyone as a successor to Chayut. A full year has already passed, and Yitzchok Amit still hasn’t been appointed the new chief justice of the Supreme Court. Eager to get the process moving, the judges made sure that someone would petition the Supreme Court against Levin’s decision, and their verdict in response to that petition did not surprise anyone: They ordered the justice minister to convene the Judicial Selection Committee immediately. In the current situation, that would mean that the position of chief justice would essentially be handed to Amit.
Levin did not conceal his outrage at the court’s verdict, which he slammed as an “irresponsible and illegal order,” vowing that he would not work with a chief justice who would be considered illegitimate by a large portion of the public. “The injunction that was issued, which has no equivalent in any western democracy, did not come as a surprise to anyone,” Levin fumed. “This injunction, which directly violates an explicit law and was issued amid a severe conflict of interest, represents a forcible takeover of the Judicial Selection Committee and the usurping of the justice minister’s authority, in violation of the law.”
Levin did not mince words. He continued, “This order is a direct continuation of the improper process of appointments in the judicial system, as we saw in the case of the appointment of the attorney general (see below). For this very reason, I began working to change the situation when this government was formed. When the war broke out, I decided to halt the legislation and deal with issues on which there was broad agreement. However, instead of embracing this decision, the judges cynically exploited it to strike down a Basic Law and to meddle in security issues while showing extreme concern for the conditions of the terrorists’ imprisonment.”
Levin Is Urged to Ignore Court’s Ruling
The major question now is whether Yariv Levin will obey the Supreme Court’s ruling. If he refuses to do so, there will be a major crisis, but many people are indeed calling on him to defy the ruling.
After the Supreme Court’s verdict was publicized, Communications Minister Shlomo Karai attacked the court. “I call on my colleague, the Minister of Justice, not to violate the law,” he said. “The law states that this authority belongs to the justice minister. Any attempt to seize the authority from him by force is illegal and should be invalidated.” Karai (who wears a yarmulke) added, “If the honorable justices wish to violate the law, then let them do it themselves rather than forcing law-abiding citizens to do it. After all, they can issue a verdict to determine who will be the chief justice, who will be the president, and who will be the prime minister. They have no laws; they have no checks and balances. But it is forbidden to cooperate with them. This is in violation of the law! It is time to stop the judicial dictatorship.”
The chairman of the Constitution Committee likewise spoke out against the Supreme Court ruling. “The legislator decided to maintain balance between the branches of the government on the Judicial Selection Committee,” he wrote. “The committee includes three representatives of the court and two representatives of the government. To create balance in the committee and to ensure that the appointment of judges remains under the control of the public and their elected representatives, the law states that the justice minister controls the committee’s agenda. This is the legislator’s ruling, and in a state of law, everyone is obligated to obey the law, including the courts.”
The situation today, in which the Supreme Court has lacked a chief justice for nearly a year, is unprecedented. In recent months, Yariv Levin has insisted on appointing conservative justices who meet with his approval, but those candidates were rejected by Acting Chief Justice Fogelman. His last compromise offer called for Justice Elron to be appointed as the new chief justice for one year, which would effectively put an end to the seniority system; however, Fogelman vehemently rejected that idea as well.
Corruption in Attorney General’s Appointment
Levin mentioned the corruption involved in the appointment of an attorney general, which is another story that deserves a closer look. The previous attorney general was Avichai Mandelblit, a fairly affable man who wears a yarmulke and considers himself an Ashlag chossid. Before his appointment as attorney general, Mandelblit served as the chief military prosecutor and then as the cabinet secretary and was considered a close associate of Binyomin Netanyahu. He was responsible for Netanyahu’s indictments in several criminal cases that seem to be utterly baseless.
When an attorney general is appointed, the government must convene a committee containing several public representatives who will evaluate the candidates and make their recommendations as to who should hold the position. In this case, a committee was formed under the leadership of former Chief Justice Asher Gronis. That alone was not a problem. However, it has since been revealed that the Israel Bar Association, headed by Efi Naveh, appointed a member of the committee named Yechiel Katz, who was tasked from the outset with ensuring that Mandelblit would receive the position, in full collaboration with Naveh. Katz managed to convince his colleagues that Mandelblit was the best candidate for the position, and he also kept Mandelblit abreast of the committee’s deliberations. To make matters worse, he briefed Mandelblit before his interview, revealing to him the questions he would be asked and instructing him on how to respond. He also participated in the interview and posed a number of easy questions to help Mandelblit score points with the committee members.
Based on recordings that recently came to light, Naveh and Mandelblit spoke up to 12 times a day during that period. It has also become clear that Katz transferred extremely valuable internal information from the committee to Mandelblit via Naveh. He was also given instructions on how to undermine the other candidates, including senior judges and officials in the state prosecution.
One recorded conversation took place on the eve of Mandelblit’s appearance before the committee. In this recording, Naveh is heard telling him, “The only thing that will probably come up is the argument that you are presently subordinate to the prime minister, you work for him and he is your boss, and now you are going to enter a position in which you might be affected by this relationship. Your judgment will have to be unaffected by him, and they will ask if your close relationship with the prime minister will affect you.” Naveh advised Mandelblit to address this point even if the question wasn’t asked. Katz also convinced the state prosecution to support Mandelblit by warning them that if they did not vote for him, a different candidate backed by Netanyahu, who was despised by the prosecution, would be considered instead.
When this revelation was reported to the public, it evoked a flurry of outraged reactions. Mandelblit tried to petition the court to block the release of the recordings, but his efforts failed. One noteworthy reaction came from Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich, who declared, “The Mandelblit recordings are very sad, and they demonstrate the pathetic situation of the Israeli judiciary and the rot and corruption that have spread through it over the years. This affects the attorney general, the state prosecution, and the Supreme Court as well. This is how prosecutors and legal advisors have received their positions—through backroom deals and unsavory maneuvers. This is how judges have been appointed, criminal cases have been fabricated, and the rule of law has been exploited in a cynical and corrupt fashion. It is sad and frustrating that serious people are defending this decay solely because it temporarily serves their interests; they do not understand that the tables will eventually turn against them.”
Celebrating Shlomo Wolbe’s Bar Mitzvah
I don’t know how you would feel if you received an invitation to the bar mitzvah of a young man with a name identical to a famous gadol, such as Yaakov Kamenetzky or Shmuel Berenbaum, but I can tell you that I was deeply moved when I received an invitation to the bar mitzvah of Shlomo Wolbe. I also found the location very interesting: It was held at the old shul in Motza, a place that I have never previously visited, even though it is only a few minutes from Yerushalayim.
Shloimele Wolbe, the bar mitzvah boy, actually lives in Monsey. His parents, Betzalel and Sarah Wolbe, live near his paternal grandparents, Rav Avrohom and Rebbetzin Faigy Wolbe. (The rebbetzin is a member of the Shapiro family, a well-known family in the Belzer chassidus). I have written about Rav Avrohom Wolbe, the son of the illustrious mashgiach Rav Shlomo Wolbe, once or twice in the past. Rav Avrohom lives in Monsey and is involved in teaching and providing encouragement for young men. His son Betzalel (better known as Tzali) and his daughter-in-law Sarah (nee Krohn) practice hachnossas orchim in their home on an outstanding level.
When I arrived at the bar mitzvah, my first order of business was to take a look around the shul and its courtyard. It is one of the most famous shuls in Eretz Yisroel and has served a community that has seen its fair share of hardships. When I approached the baalei simcha to wish them mazel tov, I was surprised and pleased to discover that I was also acquainted with the grandfather on the other side, Rav Yisroel Yitzchok Krohn, a highly accomplished individual who has made enormous contributions to the Jewish community and has raised a beautiful family. I have long aspired to interview him for this newspaper, since he was close to many gedolei Yisroel, especially Rav Chaim Pinchos Scheinberg, and undoubtedly has many fascinating stories to tell. Almost fifty years ago, he was the first person to establish a learning program during bein hazemanim providing cash stipends to the participants. He has also overseen an extraordinary project matching bochurim who learn mishnayos with people who wish to sponsor the study of mishnayos in memory of their loved ones. For the time being, Rav Krohn has refused to grant me an interview, so I can report only that I was pleased to see him and wish a hearty mazel tov to the entire family.
Ben-Gvir Assaulted on the Beach
I have many things to write about, but I have already written too much. But I should mention that the Knesset has already begun discussing the state budget, which includes a number of budget cuts affecting various ministries for the purpose of defraying the enormous costs of the war. The discussion began with a very long and interesting speech delivered by the finance minister; perhaps I will write about it in greater detail in the future. A somewhat related story is the recent expedition of gedolei Yisroel to America, Panama, and Europe, which likewise deserves to be the topic of a separate article.
I could also write about the recent attack on Minister Ben-Gvir, who was visiting the beach with his son when a young woman threw a handful of mud at him. The police arrested her, which triggered a massive public outcry. Some have pointed out that other such incidents did not elicit outrage on nearly the same scale. For instance, there was the case of the man who threw a shoe at a judge and was sent to prison for three years, or the neighbor of former Attorney General Mandelblit who shouted “Shabbos Mishpatim—for shame!” and was arrested and taken to jail on Shabbos, despite the fact that she was religious. In those cases, no one uttered a peep in protest.
Another important news item is the upcoming election of the next chief rabbis, which will be taking place very soon, by order of the court. This is a source of tremendous tension, and there is an effort underway to have the election postponed until the end of Kislev—but even that is fairly soon.
Meanwhile, Yair Lapid is continuing to make a laughingstock out of himself every time he opens his mouth. Whenever he says anything, it is soon discovered that he made the exact opposite statement at some point in the past. Today, Lapid is strenuously pushing for an immediate hostage deal and the release of terrorists from Israeli prisons. In the past, however, he objected to releasing terrorists, since it had been proven that they often commit more murders after being released from prison. This week, Lapid infuriated many people in the country with an outrageous letter that he sent to the senior figures in the coalition. “This state is falling apart, and the hostages are dying one by one,” he wrote. “You are a partner in the greatest tragedy in the history of this state. You must demand a hostage deal and announce clearly that if it isn’t implemented, you will no longer be able to serve in the coalition.”
Not only does this letter serve Sinwar’s cause, it is also a shameful show of hubris and brazenness on the part of a man who has never proven himself capable of anything, other than spending a brief time as a boxer and serving for a long, cushy stint on the staff of the IDF magazine Bamachaneh. Lapid pretends to be the responsible adult in the government, but he is really the exact opposite: He is irresponsible and childish. And in my view, his letter is an affront to the murdered hostages and a display of hatred that has utterly twisted his capacity for reason.
When the hostages’ families blame Netanyahu for their loved ones’ deaths, some of them are motivated by hatred for Netanyahu while others are simply speaking out of unfathomable pain. But what about Lapid? What gives him the right to exploit the hostages’ deaths for political gain? Yet he has made the appalling accusation that Netanyahu and his “cabinet of death” made a conscious decision not to save the hostages, and that Netanyahu is avoiding making a deal with Hamas for his own political reasons.
There is still much more to write about, such as the state comptroller and the investigation into the Simchas Torah tragedy. In this case, as well, Yair Lapid injected his own foolish comments into the controversy. But I will stop here and leave these topics for a different time.
