In most publications, it is still not acceptable to publish a certain four-letter word in full. Likewise, it is phased out on electronic media. But not on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, when it was trumpeted by an angry US President Donald Trump, who was enraged that both Iran and Israel had continued to attack each other after he had brokered a ceasefire.
In Israel, it was broadcast repeatedly over the airwaves, though when reported in Hebrew news bulletins, a more polite wording was used in translation. Apparently, a taboo word stops being taboo when uttered in a news context by the President of the United States.
■ IT’S NO secret that Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have formed a mutual admiration society. It’s also understandable that they should conduct coordinated operations to prevent Iran from developing nuclear arms. But it’s not OK for Trump to interfere in Israel’s internal affairs by calling for the corruption trial against Netanyahu to be dropped on the grounds that, according to both of them, it is a witch hunt.
But let’s face it: The president took a similar attitude to his own legal problems, and given his relationship with Bibi, coupled with the nature of Trump’s character, he now thinks that he can tell Israel what to do. Israel may be America’s strongest ally, but it is not America’s proxy, nor is it a candidate for becoming the 51st US state.
■ FOR SOME people malice has no limits. The repeated threats and attempts to oust Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara have been reprehensible, but generally speaking, when one of the people in a disagreement suffers a personal tragedy, there is some expression of sympathy or empathy from the other side.
Zion Miara, the attorney-general’s husband, died this week after a 23 year battle with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), which progressively deprived him of the ability to move any part of his body. Prior to this affliction, Miara had been a member of Israel’s Shin Bet Security Agency with many heroic exploits to his credit. One would have expected the Hebrew newspapers to carry condolence notices from at least the Prime Minister’s Office and the Justice Ministry. But no – neither Netanyahu nor Justice Minister Yariv Levin were able to temporarily put their animosities aside to publish condolence notices to Baharav-Miara and her family.
■ THOUGH GEOGRAPHICALLY removed from the bulk of the Jewish world, Australia has one of the strongest of Zionist-oriented Jewish communities with affiliate branches of all the major Zionist organizations headquartered in Israel, such as the World Zionist Organization, the Jewish National Fund, United Israel Appeal, WIZO, Emunah, Habonim Dror, Bnei Akiva, Hashomer Hatzair, Betar, and Friends organizations which support Israeli universities, hospitals, orchestras, and more. All this is in addition to a broad range of local Jewish cultural, social welfare, sports, and memorial organizations.
Why is it important to state this? Because it explains why prominent Israeli figures as well as leaders of Jewish communities in the US and Europe are so eager to include Australia in their speaking tours. During Covid, and more recently during the period in which travel into and out of Israel was difficult, several well-known Israelis took to Zoom in order to speak to Australian audiences.
Among them is Prof. Yitshak Kreiss, Director-General of Sheba Medical Center, who will talk about running an underground hospital in wartime.
Not everyone is aware that prior to taking up his present role, he was surgeon general of the IDF.
Kreiss has led crisis missions worldwide and built Israel’s underground hospital infrastructure, now treating patients and their families under fire.
When Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba was hit by rocket fire, it was a chilling reminder that in Israel, hospitals, while citadels of healing, are also battlegrounds.
Kreiss will be speaking to Australian audiences via Zoom this coming Sunday, June 29 at 7:30 p.m. (AEST), which will be 12:30 in the afternoon in Israel.
■ APROPOS SOROKA, Bank Hapoalim was among the first to offer financial aid to the medical center. It has also been donating funds to Sheba Tel Hashomer, Ichilov, Rambam, Bnei Tzion, Shamir, Carmel, Poriah, Laniado, and Meir medical centers, which have treated large intakes of patients suffering from wounds inflicted by Iranian missiles. In addition to previous donations to Soroka, the most recent is in excess of NIS 1.3 million ($384,000).
Bank Hapoalim chairman Noam Hanegbi said that since the start of the war, the bank has continued its tradition of supporting vulnerable communities during emergency periods.
■ SINCE OCTOBER, 2023, the Foreign Press Association has periodically filed complaints regarding denial of permission for its members to enter Gaza and to report first hand on what is happening there.
Now, in response to the very strict censorship regulations imposed by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi and implemented by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, the FPA has filed an additional complaint over the interference in reporting caused by unclear censorship rules and arbitrary restrictions imposed by Israeli police on foreign journalists.
Throughout the war with Iran, some members of law enforcement, encouraged by confusing policy guidelines issued by the government, shut down or restricted broadcasts by association members, confiscated equipment, and denied access to civilian areas hit by Iranian missiles.
In one case, overzealous and untrained security guards interrogated reporters without any authorization to do so.
According to the FPA Board, the reporters involved were complying with censorship rules at the time of these incidents.
Yet, despite repeated outreach to the GPO and military censor, the police harassment continued until the final moments of the war, even as Israeli media worked unimpeded.
The FPA has condemned these aggressive and arbitrary actions, which resulted in needless chaos and confusion and hindered coverage of this important story for the outside world.
It also expressed deep concern that, according to official documents, the ministers of national security and communications have ordered police to apply different and far more restrictive rules for journalists working for foreign media than those for Israeli media.
This not only infringes on the freedom to report and freedom of expression, declared the board in a statement issued this week: it also makes no sense in an age when Israeli media is readily available worldwide on the internet.
The FPA has called on the GPO, military censor, and police to decide who is in charge in these situations and to come up with a clear set of guidelines to prevent this unprofessional and confusing situation from arising again.
Aside from all that, making life tough for representatives of foreign media is not the best way for Israel to win friends and influence people.
■ WHEN ISRAELI skies closed temporarily to incoming and outgoing flights, not only tens of thousands of travelers with confirmed airline reservations were affected, but also long-planned major events in Israel and abroad. It is already known that the Israel Festival was postponed; a new date has yet to be announced.
However, overseas events in which Israel was participating did go ahead. The problem was to get Israelis to these events. The solution for lecturers and conferences was Zoom, but in-person representation was needed for exhibitions.
The “Israel Ecosystem Village” pavilion at HLTH Europe, in the Netherlands, which was meant to host 50 representatives from Israel, was left almost empty. But even when they leave the country to reside permanently abroad, Israelis never cut the national umbilical cord. Some 40 Israeli volunteers from across Europe, including senior industry leaders, stepped in to run the pavilion, represent 19 start-ups and 12 healthcare organizations, and hold hundreds of pre-scheduled meetings.
At the heart of the pavilion stood Clalit Innovation, showcasing unique models for implementing data-driven healthcare solutions – including the OCEAN platform for secure real-time medical data sharing, an AI-powered preventive care system already operating in 1,000 clinics, and a nationwide innovation network of over 15 centers embedded in the field.
“The overwhelming response from Israelis across Europe was a powerful reminder of the strength of our ecosystem and the mutual responsibility that defines Israeli innovation,” said Shachaf Snir, Director of Internal Innovation and Business Development at Clalit Innovation. “When you’re part of an organization like Clalit – which provides care to over 50% of Israel’s population and operates across the entire continuum of care – you see firsthand how innovation can create real impact.
And how it can connect amazing people who dropped everything to come and volunteer in support of our mission.”
Behind this success stood a broad coalition of partners: the Israel Innovation Authority, the Health Ministry, 8400 Health Network, Startup Nation Central, the Economic Mission in The Hague – and a whole lot of Israeli spirit.
■ IN KEEPING with the instructions of the Home Front Command, Jerusalem’s Great Synagogue, which would have looked all but empty if it had confined itself to only 30 worshipers, was closed last Friday night and Saturday. But with the announcement on Wednesday of a change in instructions, the synagogue will be holding services tonight and tomorrow.
Following the miraculous military operation in Iran by the Israel Air Force, the services would have in all probability included the Hallel prayer extolling God, but coincidentally, tonight happens to be the new moon of the month of Tammuz, when Hallel is recited regardless of any other considerations. Halel will be sung tonight by Yitzhak Meir and his friends, and is likely to be very lively.
A little over two weeks later, the three-week-long period of mourning between the 17th of Tamuz and the 9th of Av (Tisha B’Av) will begin to commemorate the breaching of the walls of ancient Jerusalem, which led to the destruction of the First Temple. The Second Temple was also destroyed on the 9th of Av.
Both the 17th of Tammuz and Tisha B’Av are fast days, which may become days of celebration if a third temple is built.