PROLOGUE 

If there is no God, explain this:

            http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=e-y581HdWfY

            Yes, I loved Frank Sinatra. But he is not to whom I refer. I direct you to the sound of the Stradivarius. Listen to it again.

You see, the Nazis tried to silence it. When they rolled into Austria-Hungary, they shut down those great opera houses. The music was no more.

            And now, more than ever before, I understand the State of Israel. I understand how Jews triumphed over evil incarnate. I understand why they are so full of life. I understand why they take advantage of every moment of every day. I understand why they do good works to those who would do evil unto them. I understand why their faith in God is so deep, so pure, so unequivocal. I understand how that tiny nation survives in the face of terrorism. I understand how Israel continues to fight the war against bigotry so valiantly and tirelessly.

            Because the Nazis did not win. 
            The Nazis did not silence the music. They only quieted it for a little while.

           The Nazis did not destroy the Jews. They only persecuted God’s People for a little while.

            And now the music is back.

            And so is Israel.

LaDonna Rae Mosier

CHAPTER FOUR - TERRORISM 101 & THE “PALESTINIANS”

          Current events have changed my outline for this chapter. The recent death of Nelson Mandela has provoked a fierce debate over just who that man was. He is being hailed as a great peace advocate who ended Apartheid in South Africa after being wrongfully imprisoned and persecuted for his beliefs. Mandela, according to the prevalent rhetoric, was an admirable man who fought tirelessly for the oppressed, who should be remembered as an example of the rewards of perseverance, and who should be an inspiration to all.

            Please give me a moment while I become ill. I am familiar with revisionist history, but I have never seen such blatant propaganda arise in such a short period of time in my life. Permit me to set the record straight. Nelson Mandela was a terrorist. I will repeat: Nelson Mandela was a terrorist. He was not imprisoned for his political beliefs. He was imprisoned and sentenced to 27 years for his work in building rockets, land mines, etc., for training other terrorists, and for his own participation in terrorist activities.

            Following is a short list of Mandela’s crimes, from before, during, and after his years in prison:

           http://www.netcomuk.co.uk/~springbk/enemy.html

            As you can see, Nelson Mandela was a real pacifist, a champion of human rights; in fact, I do not know why the Vatican has not already recommended him for sainthood. It is maddening to listen to world leaders drone on at great length about this symbol of freedom, who openly endorsed and assisted the Palestinian Liberation Organization, Yasser Arafat, Muammar Gaddafi, Fidel Castro, and the like. His support of the Palestinians (yes, from behind bars) was partially responsible for the 1972 Munich Massacre and countless other terrorist acts perpetrated against Jews. Yet, even Israelis are extolling this man’s virtues. Such complete ignorance of the truth is incomprehensible to me.

            Since the subject of this book is Israel, and the journey on which she has taken me, I will begin with Israel’s long history of terrorism, enslavement, Apartheid, human rights violations, occupation…oh, wait a minute. Did the reader think I was talking about Israel’s perpetration of such atrocities? That is an understandable mistake given all of the anti-Israel, anti-Jew “information” that is bandied about incessantly. But no, I am referring to Israel’s millennia-old victimization by the abuses listed above. Oppression of Israel is nothing new; it has been going on since the days of Jacob. And, certainly, Jews are by no means the only victims of mass genocide and captivity. However, my focus is on Israel, so the discussion will center on its history.

            Anyone who is familiar with the Old Testament will recall countless times in which Jews were forced from their homeland into exile and/or enslavement. Beginning with Egypt, continuing on with the Babylonians, the Philistines, the Romans, the Byzantine Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and of course, the Nazis, Jewish history is replete with such stories. Hatred of Jews is so PERVERSE that America is hated precisely because of its support for Israel. Even individuals, such as myself, are singled out and despised if we dare to speak out on her behalf.

            But, why? What is the threat? Why are (at present) 15 million people world-wide the subject of a fear so deeply rooted that extremist elements will go to any and all lengths in their attempts to rid the planet of this people? For those who believe the Bible (the Tanakh), it is because of Israel’s repeated disobedience of God. There is something to be said for that explanation, but the picture is far darker, especially in this present age. How have people become so indoctrinated to the idea that Jews are “apes”, or “pigs”, or “dogs”, or “canaries”, or “mifchling” (German for “rats”)? Why do these same people believe the only “Solution” is to eradicate Israel?

          Modern-day terrorism has its roots in the Koran; indeed, this will come as a surprise to those who have not studied, but Hitler performed his deeds in part at the behest of the Muslim Brotherhood. The “Grand Mufti”, Haj Amin al-Husseini, was friends with Hitler, and he advised his friend to, “Kill all the Jews wherever you may find them”, advice the Fuhrer obviously took to heart. Yet, the Muslim Brotherhood is touted as being a “peaceful political organization”. It sounds pretty “peaceful” to me. But, let us go on.

          I recently encountered someone on the Internet who is doing a documentary on the September 11, 2012 terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya that killed Ambassador Christopher Stevens, his aide Sean Smith, and two CIA agents who came to their assistance that fateful night, Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty. He plans to explore the connection between Benghazi and al-Qaeda. What caught my interest after we began “talking” was that he intends to link the two with Syria. It soon became clear that he had no idea about the terrorist networks in the Middle East and how they are interlinked.

          In Syria, there are no fewer than nine terrorist groups, not including the tens of thousands of freelancers who flocked to the region out of sheer blood-lust. Hezbollah, the Muslim Brotherhood, the Taliban, al-Qaeda, Hamas, the FSA (Free Syria Army), al-Nusra, al-Shabaab (based in Somalia, of “Black Hawk Down” fame), and al-Sharia. Here is where the situation becomes slightly humorous. Hezbollah (supported by Iran) funds Hamas. Yet, Hezbollah is fighting with the Assad regime against Hamas, et. al. They are fighting the very people with whom they are allied?

          The fact is, all of these groups are allied in one way or another. The Muslim Brotherhood (based in Turkey, our NATO “ally”) spawned both Hamas and al-Qaeda (contrary to popular conspiracy theories, America did not create them). The Taliban is an “extreme” version of al-Qaeda which branched off during the Russian war in Afghanistan. Al-Nusra, al-Shabaab, and al-Sharia are also branches of al-Qaeda, although they fight amongst one another. In other words, Syria is a terrorist cluster-f***. These groups do not even care whom they kill. If someone from al-Nusra cannot find a member of Assad’s army or Hezbollah, he will simply kill someone from al-Shabaab. Welcome to the mind of a terrorist. It is all about blood. Preferably Jewish, Christian, and/or American blood (in that order of priority), but if none are available, anyone will do.

          Back to Israel. In 1947, the Jordanians were offered a very lucrative land deal, which would have given them 85% of what became Israel. Did they accept it? No. Instead, they vowed to “shove Israel into the Sea”. The Arabic world tried to make good on this vow in 1948 when they attacked the newly-formed nation one day after its declaration of Statehood. Israel won the War of Independence, which the Arab world dubbed “an-Nakba”, which means “disaster” or “catastrophe”. An-Nakba became the mantra for all future attacks against Israel, and is the reason the Arab world refuses to acknowledge the State’s existence to this day. In 1949, Israel’s borders were established by the 1949 Armistice Line, the so-called “pre-1967 borders” that are the subject of heated debate today. But, was this “catastrophe” Israel’s fault for winning the War, or was it the Jordanians’ fault for refusing the deal offered in 1947? In the words of Shimon Peres, “We cannot apologize for their mistake”.

         Thus began the long string of organizations that have formed over the years with the sole purpose of destroying this tiny nation. While the list is almost limitless, I will cover the most notable. First was the fedayeen, who conducted commando raids into the mid-1950’s. On their heels came al-Fatah, (AKA “Asifa”, meaning “storm), although it was not named officially until 1965. This group continues its work to this day. In 1964, the PLO (Palestinian Liberation Organization) was formed, and from it came several offshoots, including the PFLP (Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine), the DFLP (Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine), and the infamous Black September. The ANO (Abu Nidal Organization) broke off from the PLO in the mid-1970’s and began its own reign of terror.

And, finally came Hamas in 1987. Remember the Hamas Charter? Much of it quotes Mohammed and the Koran. Following is the complete text with a brief introduction:

http://www.ascensionministries.net/theHamasCharter.php

            With this brief overview of groups dedicated, not only to the destruction of Israel, but to the “liberation” of “Palestine”, I will now turn to the history of the “Palestinians”.

The “Palestinians”

            A mural is being painted on the Western Wall that is the epitome of revisionist history. The portrait claims to show the 3,500 year history of “Palestine”. I have a question: The Tanakh is replete with stories of epic battles between Israel and the Babylonians, Israel and the Syrians, Israel and the Philistines, etc. One would think that a people who existed 3,500 years ago would at some point have been mentioned. After all, Israel and the Palestinians have been going at it for a while now. My question is, why is there not one mention of a battle between Israel and the “Palestinians”?

            Perhaps the answer lies in history. First, going back to ancient times, there was a place called Jordan. It was located inside of what is now Israel. Trans-Jordan (which is now Jordan) lay across the river. The two existed for several thousand years.

(To be Continued)

CHAPTER ONE - INTRODUCTION

              Some days, I am euphoric. Others, I am so depressed I can barely breathe. The rest of the time I run the gamut of human emotion. Such is the life of one who has dedicated herself to fighting a never-ending war: The war against bigotry, hatred, and ignorance. The war against anti-Semitism, which is not unlike the war America has fought against prejudice against African Americans.

           The similarity may not be readily apparent, so please allow me to explain. I am descended from William Phipps, the first governor of the state of Massachusetts. His wife, Mary, was almost killed in the Salem Witch Hunts. Phipps used his influence to save her life. The ignorance (based in fear of the unknown) of that blight in Massachusetts’ history was not forgotten, and when the Civil War broke out, Massachusetts created the first black regiment, led by Colonel Robert Gould Shaw.

            My family, like Colonel Shaw, fought and died for blacks in the Civil War. Why? Why did we care? We did not understand black culture. We knew very little (if anything) about African Americans. What did they like to eat? What songs did they sing? What (if any) spiritual pursuits did they have? We had no idea. So, why were we willing to die to bring an end to slavery? One reason: We knew that blacks (like all men) deserved to be free. This was a very simple motivation, but powerful nonetheless.

            How does this relate to Jews? The comparison should be obvious. What did people believe about blacks in the South (and unfortunately some still believe today)? “They are different from us. They like different music. They worship differently. They speak differently. They are a threat. We must keep them from learning how to read. We must not allow them to have an education. We must not allow them to vote. We must keep them in the cotton fields. We must keep them subjugated. Otherwise, they may decide to rise up and destroy the white race. They are a danger to us. If they will not cooperate, if they insist on asserting their right to be free, them we must beat them into submission. If that does not work, then we have no other alternative but to kill them.”

            Does any of this sound familiar? Why is it that the instant someone brings up the word “Israel” or “Jew”, all reason is removed from the discussion, and suddenly the people involved in the discussion become completely irrational? Ignorance. Fear. Most people would use the word “bigotry”. Bigotry is the result of ignorance, which breeds fear. Fear of the unknown. And, it is that fear which generates the hostility and hatred we see toward Israel today. To make matters worse, the mentality expressed in “Mein Kampf” still permeates many minds to this day. “They” (Jews) own the banks. “They” own the media. “They” control the government. “They” have all the wealth. “They” control the economy. “They” are trying to take over the world. “They” are a threat. “They” are a danger.

            People do not understand the Jew, and rather than study him and gain knowledge, people are content to pass along the latest conspiracy theories and even come up with a few of their own to explain the “oddity” that is Judaism. Jews do not go to church on Sunday; they go on the Sabbath (whatever that is). They do not even go to church; they go to synagogue (whatever that is). Jews do not celebrate Christmas; they celebrate Hanukkah (whatever that is). They light a candelabra Jews call a menorah (whatever that is). What are those funny little hats the men wear? Why do they speak Hebrew? What is the Torah? What is the Tanakh? Why do Jews not study the Bible?

            By now, the reader is convinced I am Jewish. As much as I love the label, I am not Jewish. So then you ask, what led me to embark upon this journey? The answer is not a simple one but, in short, I owe Israel. I owe Israel a debt of gratitude I can never repay, because it is through my study of Israel that I found a faith I never thought I had. I will explain how that came to be as I retrace the path that brought me to this point.  

            I am a student of history. All my life I have studied some aspect of world events: World War I, World War II, the Kennedy Assassination (of course), the Holocaust, etc. The easiest way to ensure that I will watch a movie is to advertise that it is “based upon a true story”. Often, I follow up by reading books and/or watching documentaries on the subject. Sometimes a story “gets” to me. This is the same phenomenon with which journalists and reporters are familiar. The event touches my heart in a way that makes it impossible to let go. As a result, I dig into it even further.

            One such event was the Holocaust. Many things disturb me about this moment in history (besides the obvious). I understand the historical setting that permitted Hitler to rise to power. I understand how he was able to manipulate the public into believing Jews were the problem; Germans needed a scapegoat on which to blame their misery, and Hitler provided one. That is where my understanding ceases to exist. Please do not misunderstand what I am about to say. I do not, nor would I ever, blame Jews for the Holocaust. It is the psychology which I do not understand. What drives a people to accept their fate silently and without a fight? Yes, there were those who fought. I loved the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. Not only did Jews fight the Nazis; they planned that fight well in advance. This story was right up my alley.

            But, what about those who did not resist? At first, of course, Jews did not realize the magnitude of what was happening. They knew they were being persecuted, but given their history this was not a surprise. Jews were demonized. Again, it was nothing new in Jewish history. Then came the ostracization. And the yellow stars. And the “Juden Verboden” signs. Jews became outcasts, but again, this was nothing new in the history of their people. However, a dramatic change began to occur. Suddenly, Nazis were raiding Jewish homes, stealing not only their artifacts but kicking them out and commandeering Jewish homes for Nazis. Jews were segregated into ghettos. At some point, the proverbial handwriting was on the wall and could no longer be denied.

            Jews did offer some limited resistance. In the ghettos people learned to smuggle things in and out, whether it was food or messages. They learned how to continue with their traditions in secret, albeit always in fear the Nazis would burst in at any moment. But then came the round-ups. Jews were dragged from their homes and thrown into trucks. Anyone who struggled was beaten mercilessly. Some were shot. So people began to acquiesce. They believed if they cooperated things would be alright in the end. Rumors were plentiful, and there was talk Jews were being put into “work camps”. No one imagined the pure evil that was occurring.

            Those who were taken by the SS found themselves packed into trains like sardines. Some Jews died in transit from dehydration. Still, they wanted to believe God would protect them. Their imaginations did not conceive of what awaited them. I can understand to this point how Jews found themselves at Buchenwald, Treblinka, Dachau, Auschwitz, etc. It is what happened when they arrived that I will never comprehend.

            I have the most horrifying images seared into my memory. The films I have seen of what took place during the Holocaust present pictures of things no human being should ever see, nor should he or she even be aware such unspeakable acts even exist. How does one convince a person to dig his or her own grave? How does one convince hundreds, if not thousands, of people to dig a mass grave for themselves? How does one convince those same people to line up quietly alongside the grave and wait for the bullets that will send them into it? Yes, the Nazis had machine guns. But, surely if everyone rushed the guards someone would have survived? Is it better to accept certain death, or fight in the hope one might live? This is the perplexing question that has haunted me all of these years.

Upon arriving at the “work camps”, Jews were packed into “showers” for “delousing” by the hundreds. First, they were stripped naked and shaved of all their hair. Then, they were herded in like cattle. The strange thing about these “showers” was that there were no shower heads. When the Zyclon-B was dropped into the “shower”, the sickening realization finally swept through the room. But, did the Jews fight? Did they scream? Did they claw at the door and try to get out? Not according to Nazi diaries. In fact, the Nazis were astounded by what they heard coming from inside the “showers” as the Jews were slowly gassed to death. They heard singing. They were so dumbfounded, the Nazis even recorded the words that were being sung:

“I believe with perfect faith in the coming of the Messiah.

“Though He is delayed, I still believe.”

            Now comes the part that has me terribly conflicted. Those Jews who were deemed to be fit enough to work were spared “delousing”. Instead, they were assigned to remove the bodies afterward and take them to the ovens. How does one do that? How does one watch his people being slaughtered, help cremate them, and somehow comfort himself with the knowledge that at least he is still alive? In my mind, that is betrayal on the most fundamental level. True, the instinct to survive is the strongest instinct humans have. But, at what cost? And, if that instinct is so strong, why did it not manifest itself in other ways, such as fighting their captors? Submissive survival? I do not understand. Could I live with myself day after day, comforted by the knowledge that at least it was not me? I cannot wrap my mind around such a thing.

            You get the idea. I have more questions than answers about that demonic period of world history. I only mention it as the foundation for the future studies in which I engaged. No narrative of Israel’s rebirth can be complete without at least some reference to the Holocaust.

            The following is the foundation from which my journey began in earnest. In the late 1970’s, I had just reached the age of majority when a movie, billed as a true story, was released. True to form, I watched it. The story hit me in the heart in a way that defies words. I believe, from the standpoint of a single individual, it is the most gut-wrenching moment in history I have ever studied.

            The movie was “Raid on Entebbe”. (An excellent film, but Hollywood took some literary license with the story. What I will present here are the facts.) June 27, 1976, Air France Flight 139 (originating from Tel Aviv) is hijacked after a stop-over in Athens, Greece. It is taken to Benghazi, Libya, for refueling and then flown to its final destination in Entebbe, Uganda. At that time, Uganda was ruled by Idi Amin Dada, a self-proclaimed general who was “President for life”. Amin was one of the most sadistic, ruthless dictators in history. Despite outward appearances for the constant camera presence during the stand-off, Amin was complicit with the Palestinians.

            After all of the passengers and crew were removed from the plane, they were taken inside the old terminal at Entebbe Airport, where the building was rigged with explosives to prevent anyone from trying to escape. Once Amin arrived, he “negotiated” the release of all non-Jews. Jewish hostages experienced déjà vu as passports that had been confiscated were sorted by nationality. All Jews were segregated and herded into a separate, more confined and less comfortable area of the terminal.

            To his credit, the Captain, Michel Bacos, refused to leave the Jews when the others were released, stating simply that he was responsible for all of his passengers. The Jewish hostages were eventually allowed to return to the larger room after everyone else had been evacuated. Then, the “negotiations” began. I put the word in quotation marks because these “negotiations” were never going to lead anywhere. The 103 hostages were, as they say, “dead men walking”. They were never going to be released. Israel suspected as much, which is why the Sayeret Matkal, the Special Forces branch of the IDF, began to put together a plan for a bold and daring rescue.

            I do not believe any other nation would have attempted such a mission. Entebbe was over 2,400 miles away. Israel would have to fly over hostile airspace undetected for virtually the entire 7 ½ hours it would take to get there. Four C-130’s, loaded with 200 commandos and equipment (one was converted to a hospital ship for the injured) would then have to land at Entebbe in full view of the Ugandan army undetected, travel over two miles from the landing strip to the terminal (again, undetected), and launch the attack to free the hostages. No small feat. Most would simply have called the idea insane.

             To make matters worse, the planes would ultimately be overweight by over 40,000 pounds, the day the mission was launched the ambient temperature was so hot the C-130’s had trouble getting lift and barely got off the ground before the end of the runway, and upon arrival there was the real possibility the runway lights would be off so the pilots would have to land “blind”. All of this was if they managed to avoid detection while flying over Arab countries that would gladly have shot them out of the sky. But, Israel was determined not to leave their own.

            The central character in the movie was Yonathan “Yoni” Netanyahu. The actor who portrayed him did an excellent job of capturing Yoni’s personality. There is a picture of him on the Internet which to me says everything there is to say about who he was. He is lying on his back with his hands behind his head, looking up at the camera and smiling. His eyes convey two messages: His intense love of life, and mischievousness. I have no doubt in my mind Yoni was a character, and my belief is affirmed by the intense love and loyalty demonstrated by those who knew him.

            By the time Israel’s daring plan was complete, the pilots had mastered the art of landing in the dark, and it had been decided to cross the miles from the airstrip to the terminal via vehicles resembling those of Idi Amin’s motorcade, as there was almost no chance Amin would ever be stopped in transit. As luck would have it, Israel had built the old terminal, so they had the blueprints to the building and were able to practice the breach in an exact replica. So, on Saturday, July 4^th, the planes went airborne, and “Operation Thunderbolt” was under way.

            The flights went without incident. Upon arriving at Entebbe, miraculously the runway lights were still on. This created yet another danger: C-130’s are rather hard to miss and the Ugandan army was on post. Could the planes land undetected? Miraculously, the answer was “yes”. There is no rational explanation as to how the guards not only did not see the planes, but did not hear them, either. So far, the operation was going more smoothly than anyone expected. The mock motorcade was unloaded, and commandos traversed the road to the terminal.

            Then things began to go wrong. Someone jumped the gun, so to speak, and shot one of the guards as the convoy passed the guard shack. One documentary I saw attributed this action to Yoni. My gut says that is a shameless accusation. He was a seasoned warrior, and not given to such impulsive behavior. However, the bottom line is the Israelis had now lost the element of surprise. A firefight ensued with the Ugandan army while commandos simultaneously breached the terminal. This is where the movie deviates from reality. In “Raid on Entebbe”, the central character of Yoni is depicted as almost a one-man rescue team, entering the terminal, fighting and killing terrorists, and then assisting the hostages in boarding the evacuation plane. The writers wanted to depict him as the hero he was. However, it was not necessary to embellish the truth; Yoni was most definitely a hero.

            The fact is Yonathan Netanyahu never made it to the terminal. He was caught in the firefight outside, and was ultimately shot and killed by the Ugandans. He was not the only casualty; three hostages also lost their lives. Two were shot during the rescue, because they did not stay down as ordered. The third, Dora Bloch, was a tragic story. She had become ill during the ordeal and had been taken to the hospital. After the successful raid, Idi Amin was so incensed he ordered his henchmen to kidnap her from the hospital. Amin butchered Mrs. Bloch. Despite the losses, the Entebbe rescue is hailed to this day as the most remarkable such mission ever undertaken.

As I said, Yoni’s story was especially poignant to me. As word of his death spread amongst the soldiers, their reaction was remarkable. One does not ordinarily see seasoned warriors react with such heartbreak. Yonathan Netanyahu was dearly loved by all who knew him. I have carried that feeling with me for all of these years. And it is his story that led me to another great man, someone whose leadership skills were readily apparent long before he ever hit the world stage, someone whom I have studied for decades and from whom I have learned much. The current Prime Minister of Israel, Yoni’s younger brother, Binyamin Netanyahu.

CHAPTER TWO - WARS AND TERRORISM

              The State of Israel’s brief history is replete with Arab aggression and terrorism such as that witnessed at Entebbe. On May 15, 1948, Israel became a nation. On May 16, 1948, five Arab nations descended upon Israel with the stated goal of destroying her. Egypt, Trans-Jordan, Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon all swooped in for the kill. Israel did not stand a chance. Or, did she? This was yet another inexplicable event. How did a nation the size of a postage stamp fend off an attack from all sides?  Anyone who gives warfare even a cursory glance would say Israel was doomed from the first moment. Yet, she prevailed. How? The War of Independence is just one of many stories in the history of Israel that makes one wonder about the existence and divine intervention of God.

            Miko Peled will take exception to the following account of the Six-Day-War. I will give him credit for having a very unique version of events. Billing himself on YouTube and elsewhere as “An Honest Israeli Jew Tells the Truth About Israel”, he shamelessly uses his maternal grandfather (who signed Israel’s Declaration of Independence) and his father (who was an Israeli general with the IDF) to promote his anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian propaganda. What I am about to recount are the facts.

            June 5, 1967. Tensions had grown increasingly worse between Israel and Egypt for years, as well as with Syria. In May, Egypt had cut off the Straits of Tiran (Israel’s main shipping lane), ordered the UN Emergency Force to leave (UNEF had been protecting the Israeli border since 1956), and Egyptian President Nasser declared his desire to “exterminate the Zionist existence”. Syria followed suit, eager to participate in Israel’s destruction via the Golan Heights, which had been a hotbed of Syrian aggression for months. By the time war broke out Egypt, Syria, Iraq, and Jordan had all joined forces to “wipe Israel off the map”.

            Peled goes to great pains to explain how Israel was the “aggressor” in this “unprovoked” war, but history does not support his ridiculous assertion. In reality, Israel launched a pre-emptive strike against Egypt, using the element of surprise to gain the advantage against what would have been a formidable attack had she waited. The results were staggering. Israel destroyed the Egyptian and Jordanian air forces as well as half of Syria’s, and even took out an Iraqi air base…all in the first day. By June 10^th, Israel had won an astounding victory, although that victory would eventually be undermined by politics involving the United States and the United Nations.

            Before I leave this discussion of the Six-Day War, I should clarify something that has been the source of much confusion over the years. Up until June 9, 1967, the people we call “Palestinians” were known as Jordanians, because they came from Jordan. What we now call Jordan was, at the time, Trans-Jordan (so-named because it was across the river from Jordan). On June 10, 1967, literally overnight, the Jordanians became Palestinians. Who/what was responsible for this change in identity? Yasser Arafat. The entire Palestinian identity was created as a propaganda tool. To make it abundantly clear: There is not now, nor has there ever been, a “Palestine”. 

             Munich, Germany. 1972 Summer Olympics. Black September, a Palestinian terrorist organization, breaks into 31 Connollystrasse, which housed the Israeli athletes during the Games. One coach was killed instantly, another (a weight-lifter) slowly bled to death from the wounds he incurred during the initial assault, and the remaining 9 athletes were taken hostage. What occurred afterwards can only be described as farcical; in fact the Germans made the Keystone Cops look competent! Authorities surrounded the dormitory and began negotiations. Eventually, they were able to talk the terrorists into allowing a “neutral” party to enter the apartment in order to check on the condition of the athletes. This is the one and only thing the Germans did right during the entire fiasco.

            During the visit, German authorities were able to assess the entire scene. How many terrorists were there? (Unfortunately, they thought there were only five; evidently, Germans do not know how to count to eight.) What was the condition of the hostages? Where was everyone located? What is the layout of the apartment? Where are the windows? Where is the furniture? How best to breach the dorm? The Germans had everything handed to them on a silver platter. Every Hostage Rescue Team dreams of such a scenario. The only thing left to do was to plan the breach and execute the rescue, right?

            Wrong. The terrorists demanded a bus so they could transfer the hostages to the airport, where they wanted an airplane to fly them out of Munich. What did the Germans do? They provided the bus and allowed the hostage transfer! Anyone familiar with hostage rescue tactics knows how utterly stupid that decision was. But, it gets worse. Much worse. The Germans planned a counter-assault at the airport. The plan was to have snipers in position so that when the terrorists began to transfer the athletes to the awaiting two helicopters, they would be able to kill the terrorists and end the siege. There were several things that went wrong with this ill-conceived plan.

1)      The snipers in question were not actual snipers. They were beat cops who had been recruited for the rescue.

2)      The helicopters landed in the direct line of fire. Snipers were on either side of the tarmac, and the helicopters were placed directly in between.

3)      The helicopters were supposed to be positioned facing east, enabling easy access to the hostages when the time came to help them escape. Apparently, Germans do not know east from west, because the choppers were erroneously positioned facing west.

4)      The sniper (known as “Sniper #3”), who was charged with shooting the leader of the terrorist group, “Issa”, missed the shot. Granted, it was night, and he did not have a scope nor night vision goggles, excuses the Germans gave ad nauseum after the Munich Massacre. However, it was a 100 meter shot, he had a rifle, and the tarmac had overhead lighting. This was the most important shot “Sniper #3” would ever make in his life, and he missed the “kill” shot, only hitting “Issa” in the leg. The gunfire alerted the terrorists, who then opened fire on five of the athletes in one of the helicopters, and threw a hand grenade into the helicopter containing the remaining four.

All eleven Israeli athletes were lost that day. Of course, it was Germany and they were Jews…but no, that would not have had anything to do with the slop of this operation, or would it?

            Yom Kippur is the holiest day on the Jewish calendar. It is a day of atonement in which all sins against God may be forgiven. Jews fast for almost 26 hours, during which time they do not work, instead spending most of the time in synagogue services. On October 6, 1973, Egypt and Syria decided to take advantage of Yom Kippur by attacking Israel in retaliation for her successes in the 1967 war. Thinking they would have the advantage against a nation caught off guard, Egypt and Syria staged a two-front assault.

            Egypt wanted the Sinai back, which Israel had retained after the Six-Day War, Syria wanted the Golan Heights, and soon Iraq joined the fight. Meanwhile, Russia was providing support to Egypt, and Syria was being aided by Jordan. Once again, by all appearances Israel was outnumbered and caught off guard. Militarily, Israel did not stand much of a chance against such an onslaught. However, within a few days Israel had mobilized and was able to repel the invaders successfully, albeit not without cost. On October 25, 1973, a cease-fire was negotiated with Egypt and, having lost its ally, Syria was forced to retreat. Several years later, a peace agreement was reached between Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachim Begin (1979), and the Sinai was returned to Egypt.

            No mention of the Yom Kippur War would be complete without including then-Prime Minister Golda Meir. She was lambasted after the attack, accused of not protecting Israel adequately. Meir was so distraught she was on the verge of suicide. In desperation, she called the United States for assistance. The “Great Statesman”, Henry Kissinger, upon hearing her plea for help, remarked sarcastically, “Let the Jews bleed a little.” As if they had not already bled enough. But, to his credit, then-President Richard Nixon was reminded of something his mother had told him. She said that if he ever had a chance to help the Jews, that he should do so, advice Nixon had taken to heart. So, Nixon came to Prime Minister Meir’s rescue, and in so doing likely saved her life.

            But, this book is about my journey toward faith, and there is a little-known incident that occurred during the Yom Kippur War that begs the question of just Who is protecting Israel. As the Israelis launched their offensive against Syria, one night a group of IDF soldiers were charged with the task of crossing through the Golan Heights to a pre-determined location in order to mount an offensive at dawn. As they began their mission, the soldiers quickly found themselves in a mine field. At night, with very little light, there was only one way to clear the mines: they would have to use their knives to feel around for them and then disarm the explosives one-by-one. This task would at least take all night, thus costing the soldiers the advantage of surprise. Nevertheless, they had their orders, so they began searching for the mines.

            Suddenly, a fierce dust storm came out of nowhere. It was blinding, and the soldiers were further discouraged because now they could not even search for the mines; it was all they could do to try and shelter themselves from the pelting sand. The soldiers did the only thing they could do: they hunkered down and waited until the storm passed. After a while, the dust storm did indeed stop just as suddenly as it had begun. When the soldiers looked around, miraculously all of the mines had been exposed! They were able to cross the field quickly and without fear of being killed. Was this just a fluke? A strange act of nature? A coincidence? Or, perhaps, just perhaps, Divine Intervention?

            Being victimized by terrorism has become a way of life for Israel. To list all of the terrorist attacks against that great nation would require a separate book. However, I would like to touch on some of the most notable in an attempt to dispel, once and for all, the myth that the Palestinians want “peace”. Let me begin by quoting a portion of the Hamas Charter (1987), which will give you an idea of just what it is these terrorists want:

“The day of Judgement (sic) will not come about until Muslims fight the Jews (killing the Jews), when the Jews will hide behind stones and trees. The stones and trees will say o muslims, o Abdulla, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him.”

            This philosophy is nothing new in the history of the “Palestinians”. In 1947, when the Jordanians (now known as “Palestinians”) were offered a very lucrative land offer (the 1947 Partition Plan) in which they were offered 85% to 90% of what is now Israel, the Jordanians refused the offer, instead vowing to shove Israel into the Sea, an endeavor to which they have worked steadily ever since.

            I have already covered Munich and Entebbe, so I will begin my list of terrorist events with Dawson’s Field. Between September 6^th and September 9^th, 1970, a total of five airplanes were hijacked by the PFLP (Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, an offshoot of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, or PLO). TWA Flight 741 and Swissair Flight 100, both originating in Germany, were taken to Dawson’s Field near Zarka, Jordan. Pan Am Flight 93 was taken to Cairo as the terrorists were not certain the newly-created 747 could land at Dawson’s Field. BOAC Flight 775 was later hijacked on September 9^th, and was also taken to Zarka.

            Terrorists attempted to hijack a fifth flight, El Al Flight 219, which originated from  Amsterdam, but were unsuccessful when two of the hijackers were refused boarding by Israeli security (instead, they bought tickets for the Pan Am flight and participated in that hijacking), one of the remaining hijackers (Patrick Arguello) was killed in flight by an Air Marshall, and the final hijacker was injured (Leila Khaled). The PFLP later demanded Leila Khaled’s release after taking BOAC Flight 775, and used the hostages as their bargaining chips in negotiating with the British. 

            Predictably, non-Jewish hostages were released, with the PFLP holding all professed Jews and those whose passports indicated they had begun their travel from Israel. The remaining hostages were removed from the flights hijacked on the 6^th and, on September 12^th, the terrorists blew up the three planes.

            All five incidents ended without a single injury or the death of any of the hostages. However, the passengers on Flight 93 in Cairo came within seconds of becoming victims of an Israeli 9/11. Flight Director John Ferruggio was the hero who saved the lives of the hostages. After the plane was diverted to Beirut, where the terrorists picked up more associates and explosives, he sensed what was going to happen and instructed the passengers to disembark the instant the aircraft came to a stop. They did so, and no sooner had everyone cleared the plane the Palestinians ignited the explosives, turning the aircraft into a fireball.

            The hostages from all four flights who had not been released were held captive for over two weeks until the British agreed to release Khaled, and the miraculous footnote to this story is that not one passenger was lost during what became known as “Black September” (the source of the name used by the group in the Munich Massacre).

On May 3, 1972, the PFLP recruited three members of the Japanese Red Army to storm Lod Airport (now Ben Gurion International). During this siege, 26 people were killed and 80 more were wounded with assault rifles and hand grenades. Two of the three Red Army members were killed, with the third, Kozo Okamoto, being captured and imprisoned.

In a town called Ma’alot, on May 15, 1974, members of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP, another PLO offshoot) went on a killing spree that ultimately took them to Netiv Meir Elementary School, where they took 115 people hostage, 105 of whom were children. Once again, the terrorists’ demand was the release of prisoners, including Kozo Okamoto of the Lod Airport Massacre. Thus began a two-day standoff that ended in incomprehensible tragedy. Negotiations had been ongoing, and it appeared that an agreement had been reached. The children were told they were about to go home. Then the terrorists proceeded to splatter them all over the walls with machine guns and hand grenades. As the children screamed, and asked “why”, they were told, “Because you are going to grow up to be Israeli soldiers”. Twenty-five were slaughtered, and many more were maimed.

         March 4, 1975. Palestinians attacked the Savoy Hotel in Tel Aviv, taking the guests hostage and demanding the release of prisoners being held by the Israelis. The terrorists gave Israel a deadline of four hours. Instead, Sayeret Matkal stormed the hotel, killing seven of the Palestinians. They captured one other. Unfortunately, eight hostages also died in the incident, along with three soldiers.

          These attacks are but a brief overview of the terror Palestinians have inflicted on Israel. Then of course, there are the homicide bombings: buses, cafes, and the like. The “rock”-throwing. The fire-bombs. The Molotov Cocktails. The rockets. Oh, yes, the rockets. Almost 13,000 fired at Tel Aviv, 9,000+ having been fired from Gaza since 2005 after Israel withdrew from the region. But, the Palestinians want peace. At least, that is what I keep hearing. I thought all of the violence was because Israel was “oppressing” the Palestinians. So, after successfully driving Israel out of Gaza, what is their problem now? Remember the Hamas Charter? Well, it goes much deeper than that, and we will take a close look at what is really happening in Israel shortly.

CHAPTER THREE - BRINGING IT HOME

               My alarm went off at 0800 CDT. I got up, turned on the news as was my habit, and made myself some coffee. When I returned to the television set, the cable network was showing a close-up of what appeared to be a very bad fire in a high-rise building. There was no caption on the screen, so I waited for the anchor to announce what was happening. As I listened, the camera shot pulled back and the graphics department put up a note at the bottom of the screen: “Plane hits World Trade Center”. I had not yet taken a drink of my coffee, but I was now wide-awake. It was Tuesday, September 11, 2001.

           My internal radar was off the charts, and my mind was reeling. How does a plane hit the World Trade Center? The reports were conflicting. It may have been a small aircraft. It may have been a commercial airliner. As is often the case, eyewitness accounts were as varied as the people being interviewed. The only thing that was certain was that World Trade Center One (North Tower) was on fire and had a gaping hole about a third of the way down from the top. I immediately discounted the idea of a small aircraft. It did not seem to me that a Learjet or a Cessna could have created the damage I was seeing; as a matter of fact, I was pretty sure a plane of that size would largely have broken up had it hit the reinforced steel of the Tower.

            So, was it a commercial airliner? That idea seemed to be far-fetched to me. How does a commercial plane hit the World Trade Center? Maybe the pilot had a heart attack. Well, there is a co-pilot. What if they both had a heart attack? There is a third officer who can fly the plane if need be. Could it have been a mechanical malfunction? Possibly. The problem with that theory was that a majority of commercial pilots are former military, and I knew those pilots would put the plane in the ground before they would ever hit the World Trade Center. As the pundits on television were discussing this “accident”, I was rapidly coming to the conclusion that it was no accident.

            While I was continuing my analysis, suddenly Jon Scott’s voice changed, and he slowly announced, “We are just getting word…that a second…a second plane has hit the World Trade Center. This is no accident, folks. This has to be terrorism.” No sh*t. My ear was now glued to his voice. He was running down the list of possible suspects, the first of whom was Osama bin Laden. As I listened to him, I was simultaneously going through a checklist in my own mind while at the same time I was kicking myself. Jon Scott mentioned the 1993 bombing, and the USS Cole. For all of my study of Israel and its history with terror, I had all but ignored the terrorist acts that had occurred against America, and in particular, Osama bin Laden.

            I remembered seeing Buddhas being blown up in Afghanistan. I remembered seeing women walking around wearing something called a “Burka”. I remembered watching an episode of one of my favorite television programs, “Seventh Heaven”, in which the plight of women in Afghanistan was featured. I remembered thinking how “those people” lived in the Stone Age, shaking my head, and promptly dismissing it out-of-hand. And now, I was trying desperately to recall everything I had heard about Osama bin Laden, which admittedly was not much. I had not been paying attention, and on September 11^th, when I was not fighting to keep myself from crying, I was chewing myself out for being so stupid.

            Reports were coming in so quickly I was struggling to keep up with them. There were possibly more planes that had been hijacked, destinations unknown. President Bush was in Florida visiting an elementary school promoting his “No Child Left Behind” program. And the camera was on the Twin Towers, recording every final moment of their existence. At first, there was no footage of the plane that hit the North Tower. But, the news network kept replaying the sickening image of the second plane hitting the South Tower over, and over, and over again. Each time, my pain was renewed, but I had already decided to watch it just as many times as it was aired so that I would never forget this day.

            Then came the sucker-punch. My father was career Navy, and I am an Air Force veteran. When the report came in that the Pentagon had been hit, my horror turned to rage. Only a military person will understand what I am about to say. While I realized I was watching the 2001 version of Pearl Harbor, and the news was speculating that tens of thousands of people were dead in the World Trade Center, and I was beside myself with grief, it was the Pentagon that made 9/11 personal to me. You do not hit my Pentagon. For a brief moment, the horror of that morning had been replaced with an irresistible urge to kill.

            But that relief did not last long. As I continued to watch the towers burn, suddenly the South Tower pancaked. The unthinkable had happened. The entire building had come down, and people in the streets for blocks were running from an unfathomably large, rolling cloud of dust and ash. I was becoming claustrophobic just watching the scene unfold on television. It seemed to be an eternity before the air began to clear enough that people were again visible, slowly emerging from the places they had hidden to try and avoid the death cloud. Like everyone that day, I was aghast, yet I found solace in one thing: the North Tower was still standing. Ridiculously, I comforted myself by saying, “At least one tower is still there. Everything is going to be OK”. I clung to the North Tower for dear life. Looking back, I realize how insane such “consolation” was, but at the time it was my coping mechanism.

            Reports continued to come in that more planes were under terrorist control, and finally the TSA ordered all planes grounded. At that point, I realized I was going to be late for work, but I was not going anywhere until I knew the situation was under control, so I called in and told my employer I would be in later that afternoon. Frankly, I did not want to go to work at all, but my company had many clients in New York City (some in the World Trade Center), and I could imagine the mayhem that was occurring.

            There was a report that a fourth plane had come down in a place called Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Speculation was rampant that it had been shot down by the military. Pundits were saying it may have been headed for the White House or Camp David. Personally, as terrible as it may sound, I was not upset by the idea of a fighter pilot taking the airliner down. Not long after 9/11 a pilot was interviewed who had been scrambled to New York City after the first plane hit the North Tower. He was asked if he would have fired had he gotten the order. I said to myself, if I had pulled in behind that United flight before it hit the South Tower, I would have shot it down without orders. I flashed back to an incident from Pearl Harbor. While the Pacific Fleet was being decimated, a soldier had been ordered to guard the stockpile of ammunition. When personnel ran to the locker to get the ammo, the soldier at first refused to open it. Growing up in the military, having been in the military, I know there are times orders go out the window. I know beyond any doubt I would have told that soldier to stand aside or I would have shot him myself! Such was the feeling I had on September 11^th. Washington, D.C. can bicker all it wants. That plane is coming down, and they can court-martial me.

While news stories were still swirling about what happened with Flight 93, the North Tower came down. For the first time, I collapsed on the floor in a heap and wept uncontrollably. There was no longer any lifeline. The horror was complete. The continued speculation that tens of thousands of people had just died right in front of my eyes was incomprehensible. I could not even fathom that number of people disintegrating in an instant.

When I tired of watching the same news repeated over and over again, I began channel-surfing to see if I could find new information. It was during my search that I learned to hate Brian Williams of NBC. I had watched Andrew Card, Bush’s Chief of Staff, enter the classroom and whisper in the President’s ear. We all knew what was being said. The reporters who were present had been receiving continuous updates. The camera zoomed in for Bush’s reaction. He bit his lip slightly, nodded his head almost as a reflex, and turned his attention (as best he could) back to the class. What a incredible leader. Our nation was under attack, the President had a million things going through his mind, and yet he had the discipline not to panic the children. After the reading was over, he made a brief statement, and was then flown to a military base while plans were made for his protection. Ultimately, he was taken to Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska, which is the Strategic Air Command base.

I admit I wanted to hear from the President. My heart ached for reassurance. However, practically speaking I understood the first priority was to ensure his safety. The last thing we needed on that terrible day was for our President to be assassinated. The Secret Service was doing its job, and doing it well, albeit over President Bush’s protests. He wanted to get back to Washington, D.C. and reassure the nation.

Tell that to Brian Williams. I landed on NBC just in time to hear him say, “At some point, the President is going to have to come out of hiding and address the American people”. “Come out of hiding?” Are you mad? Are all Canadians as obtuse as you? If it had been possible I would have jumped straight through the television set and strangled him to death with my bare hands! I understood the delay; so did any thinking American. What an outrageous comment to make. As it is, when President Bush finally overrode the Secret Service and insisted on speaking to the American people from the White House, I was scared to death. Mr. Bush, WHY did you have to make that speech in front of a window? I could barely focus on what the President was saying because I kept expecting an airplane to come crashing through at any moment. I guess the psychologists were right about PTSD. Nevertheless, I will never forgive Brian Williams for that biased swipe at our leader on that fateful day. How completely shameless and despicable.

Good news was announced on Wednesday, September 12^th, if you can call it “good”. Tens of thousands of Americans did not die in the bombings the previous day. “Only” 3,000 were dead. “Only”. True, it was miraculous that most of the people in the towers were able to escape despite the loss of all but one elevator and blocked stairwells. But, then there were the revolting images of people jumping from 80+ stories high, and the nauseating sound of bodies landing on the concourse. And, shrill sirens. I did not know what that high-pitched whine was that could be heard non-stop during the news coverage. Because of all of the breaking information, it was two days before I discovered what that noise was. It was the sound of firefighters’ emergency beacons. Beacons that were never turned off until the batteries went out, because the firefighters had been killed.

Out of all the shock, and the horror, and the rage rose the proverbial Phoenix that Friday, when President Bush flew to NYC. Again, I was terrified for his safety, but talk about a leader rising to the occasion. Sans Teleprompter, sans script, his impromptu words resonated with every American and will go down in history as some of the greatest words ever spoken in a time of national crisis: “I can hear you! The rest of the world hears you, and the people…and the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon!”

            For a week, television stations aired nothing but news of the terrorist attacks. I watched the images every chance I had, long after the psychologists began warning people to turn off the coverage to avoid PTSD. I was aware that Americans have very short memories, and I wanted to make absolutely certain that September 11, 2001 was seared permanently into my mind. I was still angry with myself for being caught unawares, and I vowed to make certain I never made that mistake again. After this appalling, world-altering event, my kinship with Israel became real in a way I never thought possible. As a result, I began delving into terrorism in earnest. It was important to me to understand these people, what they do, why they do it, and how to stop them. (Not to be confused with those who said we should “understand why they are mad at us”. I could not care less “why they are mad at us”).

            Back to Pearl Harbor one more time. I never understood Cordell Hull (then-Secretary of State). Two Japanese ambassadors were in his office talking “trade” when he received the phone call notifying him of the attack at Hickam Field. Reportedly, he shook his head sadly and asked the ambassadors to leave. Bull sh*t! He had a .45 in his desk. Why in the world did he not send them both back in body bags? The time to talk “trade”, or explain to me why I am an “infidel” and that America is the “Great Satan”, is BEFORE you kill 2,000 or 3,000 Americans! Afterward, do not get anywhere near me.

            George W. Bush later called it “blood-lust”. I did not have a name for how I felt. I just know the next four weeks were the longest of my life. While intellectually I knew it would take some time to mobilize, and I also knew without any doubt that (unlike Clinton) President Bush was going to retaliate, I was so impatient. I drove everyone at work insane. I woke up to the news. I listened to the news on my way to work. On every break I put a walkman radio in my ear and listened to more news. I could not wait to see something exploding besides the World Trade Center.

            That Sunday I was sitting on my bed doing homework for the night classes I was taking at Wichita State University. October 7^th, at approximately 1300, I saw the “breaking news” graphic on my television. My heart began racing. Had we finally done it? To my intense joy, the answer was “yes”. Reports were that we had begun bombing Tora Bora with “bunker-buster” bombs. However, there was no video. I wanted video! A couple of hours later, I got my video.

            The media was positively comical, but I grew to love Secretary of Defense Donald “Rummy” Rumsfeld because of it. From the very first news conference, mere hours after we began attacking in Afghanistan, here came the reporters. “When is this war going to come to an end?” “What is your exit strategy”? I do not know where that man got his patience. I think after about the thirtieth day (if that long) of being asked “When is this war going to come to an end?” I would have replied, “May 30, 3:15:25 p.m. EDT.” What the h*ll were those people thinking? Well, at least they provided a little comic relief.

            Now it is time for an elementary course on terrorism.