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It stinks By Yossi Sarid Tags: Israel, IDF, settlers What is actually new about that invention that scatters demonstrations and is called "The Skunk"? It has a "source in the Border Police" waxing lyrical: "Here the effect is tremendous. People can't stand themselves and they leave the site." For over 40 years we've been stinking, in the words of the Border Policeman, we can still tolerate ourselves and we have yet to leave. Colonel Amir Baram just ended his term as commander of the Samaria Brigade. In a summarizing report, he identifies Daniella Weiss of Kedumim and Gabi Ben Zimra of Ma'aleh Levona as "major provocateurs," and warns of the harm caused by the gangs of settlers, which is steadily escalating without anyone stopping it. In contrast, another brigade commander, one Udi Ben Moha, who began his tour of duty three months ago, identifies the provocateurs elsewhere; he wakes up to work on the left side: Were it not for the presence of the leftist groups in Hebron and its satellites, in his opinion, the city of apartheid would be a model of coexistence. Advertisement How is it that such a huge gap separates two brigade commanders? The occupation is the same occupation, the Palestinians are the same Palestinians and the settlers are the same settlers. There is no real difference between the strong-armed men in Yitzhar and the empty-headed ones in Hebron. The explanation is simple: One brigade commander is leaving the territories, the other is just beginning. Baram, free and carefree, can permit himself to describe the reality as it is, to tell the truth he did not tell previously; poor Ben Moha has no choice but to distort. He knows, does the Hebron brigade commander, that his future lies not with the leftists but with the settlers; only they are capable of determining the fate of his career, for better or worse. The Israel Defense Forces is the traditional collaborator of Rabbi Moshe Levinger and his sons and grandsons, and must adapt itself to the smell of the surroundings. Thus, one brigade commander decided to rid himself of the odor as he left, whereas his colleague is fated to putrefy in his tent. Who are we to complain about a poor officer with a miserable job, if the defense minister himself exudes a bad smell over his surroundings; he, too, lives and draws strength from the mouths of settlers. He has promised the High Court of Justice a thousand times to evacuate the outpost of Migron, which was born in sin and lives in crime, and failed to keep his promise. Now he will move the outpost by a few hundred meters, but not before all the new houses are built, another vision for evacuation and construction. It is not Ehud Barak's first rotten agreement with the heads of the Yesha (Judea and Samaria) families, and which he will make the judges swallow. The High Court, its tresses shorn, will also swallow whatever Barak feeds it. This week "baseless hatred" made another round on the furrowed back of Tisha B'Av. Pay attention to the chronicles as they really occurred, and not as they were distorted deliberately or by mistake. Messianic fanatics were the ones who caused the destruction of the Temple, and they are the sons of Belial, the rabble rousers of Hebron and Yitzhar and Havot Gilad and Ma'aleh Levona. And the leaders were scared to death of them; thus, due to the sins of the Sicarii [Jewish extremists during the Temple period] and their fallen vassals, we were exiled from our land. Many are already in exile. Bookmark to del.icio.us   'Material girl' turns 50 Pop icon and kabbalah enthusiast Madonna celebrates her 50th birthday. Barak vs. The Treasury Defense Minister says budget cuts foolish in light of the threats Israel facing.

Read & React Nasrallah: 'Failed' IDF generals caused Georgia defeat in war Responses: 239 Brenda Shaffer: By not aiding Georgia, Israel harming efforts on Iran Responses: 90 Police admit 'turning blind eye' to settler violence Responses: 81 Marwan Muasher: The Arab Peace Initiative still stands Responses: 147 Russia signs cease-fire agreement with Georgia Responses: 98 More Headlines 00:59 Georgia: Russian-backed separatists seize villages, power plant 23:00 Head of World Congress of Russian Jewry accuses Georgia of genocide 19:24 Barak slams push to cut defense budget for 2009 11:25 IN DEPTH / The Russian empire strikes back 22:50 'We are running out of time for a two-state solution' 14:23 Israeli envoy meets UNIFIL chief over praise for Hezbollah, censure for Israel 11:36 Jewish World / Looking for love on Israeli Valentine's Day 08:14 Haaretz newsletter: All the news from Israel direct to your inbox 00:15 Palestinian PM meets Barak in T.A., demands Israel halt construction in West Bank 19:54 Lebanon expects full diplomatic ties with Syria within 2 months 17:18 Two children, aged 9 and 14, drown off Israel's shore Friday 22:46 Pop star, icon, and Kabbala aficionado Madonna turns 50 17:52 British military helicopter makes emergency landing in Israel Previous Editions Select Day 15 aug 14 aug 13 aug 12 aug 11 aug 10 aug 08 aug 07 aug 06 aug 05 aug 04 aug 03 aug

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