Day 173

Chaim starts by asking his viewers if they ever heard the saying about how if you keep feeding a crocodile, maybe he’ll save you to eat last? Or the hope that some people have that if there’s a storm, they can just put their heads down and maybe it’ll pass by and they won’t have to do anything about it?

Chaim says, quoting Winston Churchill, that the storm won’t pass, it’ll consume you if you don’t stand up and do something about it.

Then he reminds his viewers of the famous quote by the German Lutheran Pastor Martin Niemöller;

First, they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—

     Because I was not a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—

     Because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—

     Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

Chaim says there’s a great need to speak up for Israel at this time, and to illustrate that, he mentions the US abstention in the UN Security Council vote on Monday, which allowed a non-binding resolution to pass demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The resolution also demanded an immediate release of all remaining hostages, but Hamas ignored that part and so has much of the world’s media, focusing instead on the demand for a cease-fire and insisting that Israel submit to this demand but, again, not putting any pressure on Hamas to also cease-fire.

Chaim also brings up the issue of the US unfreezing $10 billion in Iranian assets, which they promptly used to support Hamas, Hezbollah, and their other terrorist proxy forces all over the world.

Nevertheless, the IDF has persevered in Gaza and gotten to a point where Hamas has been almost entirely destroyed. Their last stronghold where they’ve got some organized military formations is in the city of Rafah, and the IDF is planning to go into this city and clean out these last remaining formations. But there are also aproximately 1.3 million civilians in Rafah, and the IDF also has a plan to evacuate them safely so that Hamas cannot use them as human shields.

But the US and much of the rest of the international community has other priorities, and that’s why Hamas has been thrown a lifeline with this UNSC Resolution.

Meanwhile, Israel has coordinated with the US and other countries to deliver enormous amounts of humanitarian aid into the Strip, even as northern Israel continues to come under rocket fire from Hezbollah. But none of this is stopping Israel, and specifically the Aliyah Return Center, from helping the communities in the south of Israel recover from all they’ve been through.

Chaim concludes by inviting his viewers to read Psalm 23 over Israel and specifically the IDF soldiers, many of whom have suffered emotional and psychological trauma fighting in this war.

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

The video ends with the testimony of a man who lives in southern Israel and has been assisted by the Aliyah Return Center. In his remarks, he thanks the ARC and its supporers for all they’ve done for him, his family, and his community.