Rock-throwing Arabs hit a soldier in his eye Monday and then rioted when solders fired back, aiming at the lower parts to minimize injuries in what is the latest of dozens of weekly Arab attacks that have been so routine that they are rarely reported.

The only exception is if someone is serious injured or murdered, which was the unfortunate case last week. In what was a real-life cowboys and Indians scene, Israeli police chased after an Arab vehicle carrying Arab workers without permits to work outside of Judea and Samaria.

The Arab driver tried to escape by reckless driving, and he crossed the white line, crashing into a car driven by a 29-year-old resident of Susiya, located between Be’er Sheva and Hevron.

The young man, Yenon Levanon, was killed instantly, and the Arabs were wounded lightly.

Murderous driving, usually by Arabs, is routine on the roads in the Negev, heavily populated by Bedouin, and throughout highways in Judea and Samaria.

The dangers are two-fold. If a driver is lucky enough to travel in his car without begin hit by an Arab driver who passes another passing car on a curve uphill, he still has to deal with dozens of firebomb and rock-throwing attacks.

This is not the “Third Intifada” that the IDF has been warning about; it is the continuation of the First Intifada from the late 1980s, which took a break during the euphoria of the eve of what was supposed to be the culmination of the Peace Process in the last 1990s, when the so-called “Second Intifada” or Oslo War began.

The State Dept. is careful to relate to President Obama every shack Jews erect in Judea and Samaria.

It is doubtful how much information he gets on Arab terrorist attacks, if the Associated Press is any guide.

Reporting Monday on Arab riots in support of Palestinian Authority prisoners on a hunger strike in Israeli jails, the news agency referred to “demonstrations,” such as one in Bethlehem where  Israeli forces dispersed several dozen activists who blocked a road on Monday.  AP added, “There were no reports of injuries.”

After telling readers that one hunger striker reportedly is in critical condition, AP reported, “Israel is holding some 4,500 Palestinians for charges ranging from throwing stones to undertaking deadly militant attacks. Their incarceration is a sensitive issue for Palestinians, who see them as heroes of the Palestinian liberation struggle.”

That is the end of the report , but it is not the end of the story. AP did not report that in the past week alone, Arabs carried out 29 Molotov firebomb attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians, including one on a public bus, another on a Jewish women driving near Kedumim, east of Karnei and Ginot Shomron in Samaria, and two on Rachel’s Tomb (Kever Rachel).

The Palestinian Authority claims Kever Rachel actually is a Muslim holy site, even though Islam was founded more than 2,000 years after Rachel died. The site is not holy enough to dissuade PA Arabs from attacking Jewish worshipers there. Besides firebombs, PA terrorists also hurled two grenades last week.

If Obama were to keep a diary of security incidents in Israel in just one week, he would discover:

– Hevron Arabs threw rocks on children in a playground in the Avraham Aveinu neighborhood of Hevron;

– PA Arabs fired at Kibbutz Migdal Oz on erev Shabbat, apparently careful to wait until the Muslim day of rest was over on Friday;

–  Arab Knesset Members, as part of their public service to the country, joined Palestinian Authority Arabs for Prayers at the Ofer jail, near Jerusalem, to show solidarity for hunger strikers. After prayers, hundreds of Arabs threw rocks at soldiers, two of whom were lightly inured;

– PA Arabs rioted at Efrat, a “settlement” of several thousand families five miles south of Jerusalem, at Beit Haggai, which borders Hevron to the southwest, and at Beit El, another “settlement” of more than 1,500 families in Samaria;

– Rock-throwing Arabs, trying to cause fatal accidents, managed to wound an eight-year-old in the face at Beit El and a driver whose windshield was smashed at one of the terrorists’ favorite locations, the village of Azoon on the road between Kfar Saba, at the northern edge of metropolitan Tel Aviv, and the Jewish communities of Maaleh, Ginot and Karnei Shomron;

IDF soldier Liraz Benvenisti, 20, on Tuesday evening left the base where he is serving, near the town of Gedera, and then disappeared. It is feared that he may have hitched a ride with Arab terrorists.

He is 5’7″, slim, brown eyes, short, black hair. He was last seen wearing IAF uniform and carrying a black handbag.

Last month, during Operation Pillar of Defense, Gaza terrorists announced they would be on the lookout for Israeli soldiers they could kidnap and use them in prisoner exchanges. IDF soldiers are regularly warned against hitchhiking.

Minister of Education Gideon Saar and high ranking officials of the educational system toured Hebron this morning, visiting the Machpela Cave, the Tomb of the Patriarchs, and participating in a Brit ceremony taking place at the time. Minister Saar was honored during the ceremony. The newborn was named Maayan Avishai, named after his uncle Avishai Schindler, who was murdered by Arab terrorists on August 30^th, 2010 together with three other Israelis.

Minister Saar later recited Psalms in the Abraham Hall at the Machpela Cave, and then visited the Avraham Avinu synagogue and finally, Beit Hadassah.

Last year Minister Saar initiated a new program whereby Israeli schoolchildren would visit Hebron and Ma’arat HaMachpela, the roots of the Jewish people. Since the inception of this program, hundreds of children have visited Hebron.

Today the Minister was accompanied by the senior staff from the education ministry, allowing them to experience the same tour given to Israeli school children.

The Education Minister is one of several senior officials who have recently visited Hebron.

This Wednesday marks Israel’s Memorial day for those who fell founding and defending the State of Israel, as well as civilians murdered by Arab terrorism. It is one of the most solemn days in Israel, even known as the “secular Yom Kippur” — and most of Israel’s population observes the day and respects it. Israel collectively embraces the families of the fallen, and air raid sirens commemorate the day with a gut piercing sound as Israel grinds to a halt and we recall those who gave their lives fighting against the Arab enemies of Israel.

And yet, there exists a new type of Israeli, who sees a moral equivalence between Israel’s fallen, and those of the enemy. The IDF soldiers who died defending Israel and Israel’s civilians who were brutally slaughtered by Arab terrorists are now commemorated in a morally-agnostic “Memorial Day Alternative Ceremony” — sponsored by “Combatants for Peace”

“For the last 6 years “Combatants for Peace” has been holding a joint memorial event, to commemorate the Israeli and Palestinians victims of the conflict. This memorial service is attended by bereaved Israeli and Palestinian families and accompanied by artists.” (CFPeace)

This “alternative ceremony” intertwines the truth with lies, fact with fiction, and morality with evil, by jointly memorializing the “Israeli and Palestinians victims of the conflict,” and disgraces the memory of those who fought for the Jewish State.

Contorting history to “morally understand” the “Palestinian Narrative” for the sake of a possible peaceful dialogue is bad enough. Jointly memorializing IDF soldiers and victims of Arab terror, with “Palestinian victims of the conflict” is simply too offensive to comprehend.

Those who wish to create such an alternative reality have no moral compass whatsoever.

I have three grandsons serving in the Israel Defense Forces. If any one of them were, God forbid, captured, I would demand that every Arab murderer be set free so that my grandson would come home alive and well. I would demonstrate, argue, demand, organize marches, cry, fight, and scream that my grandson be freed.

All of the Arabs lumped together are not worth the life of any one of my grandsons.

This was the approach of the Shalit family and it appears, as this is being written, that their son will, thank God, be coming home shortly.

If I were the prime minister of Israel, however, I would not free even one Arab murderer who might return to kill more innocent children or adults.

How could I decide that releasing even one Arab murderer of Jews was justified? How could I ignore the future tears of parents and grandparents of children who would fall victim to any one of these thousand terrorists being released? How could I forget the tears of children already made orphans by Arab terrorists? How could I stand quietly and watch the smiling faces of the murderers being greeted with such joy by their fellow Arabs?

The Israel government’s action of freeing a thousand terrorists to achieve the return of one Jewish son strengthens us morally – but weakens us physically.

As a parent, I understand the Shalit family and believe that what they are doing is right. But as an Israeli and a Jew – and as a parent, grandparent and great-grandparent of Jews living in Israel who will all now be placed in greater danger by these thousand freed terrorists – I cannot believe that any intelligent government leaders would agree to such a deal.

How soon we – and the world – forget what our Arab neighbors are capable of. The 9/11 atrocity is just a few years old. The monument to the thousands who were murdered is still being built, yet the world is already forgetting.

What do you think the Arab terrorists have learned from previous deals and from this deal? Murder Jewish men, women and children and then capture one Israeli soldier and negotiate for the release of any Arab murderers captured by the Jews. They can kill Jews, they realize, because Israelis are so compassionate and foolish that if the terrorists succeed in capturing even one Israeli, they can negotiate the freedom of many of the terrorist murderers.

To understand the Arab mentality, we need only remember the reaction of the Arab “man in the street” when Israel released terrorists in the past and when news came of the destruction of 9/11 – the dancing in the streets, the distribution of candy to children, the granting of pensions to families of terrorists. And then there were all the celebrations, videotaped for the world to see, glorifying the murder of innocent Jewish children and adults.

What does that say about the national character of the Arab world?

I am impressed by the Jewish compassion for even one Jewish soul. But I am appalled by the foolishness of our Israeli government. Jewish leaders are required to be concerned about all Jews. When we free a thousand terrorists – many with Jewish blood on their hands – we are again proving to the Arabs how weak and fearful we really are.

They understand that by capturing an Israeli boy or girl they can generate a huge amount of public pressure among Israelis to trade a thousand of their terrorists for one Jew. We also quickly forget how many soldiers sacrificed their lives in the attempt to capture many of these Arab terrorist prisoners.

If Prime Minister Netanyahu can no longer take the heat of the righteous pressure applied by families and friends of Jewish captives, he should resign and let someone stronger take his place.

It is not easy being a leader. It is very difficult being the prime minister of a Jewish nation. But it is wrong to free a thousand Arab terrorists to roam the world looking for more Jewish victims. Does anyone think Gilad Shalit’s freedom is worth more than the lives of those who, God forbid, will be murdered by these freed terrorists?

The Shalit family left the protest tent in Jerusalem they had occupied for more than a year and headed home after news of the impending release of their son was broadcast. One commentator suggested that they not dismantle the tent because it may, unfortunately, soon be needed by another Israeli family whose son will be kidnapped and held hostage by Arab terrorists demanding the freeing of other murderers.

I am happy for the Shalit family. (As mentioned earlier, this is being written before the actual finalization of the deal for Shalit’s release; I only hope Netanyahu was smart enough to make sure Shalit was alive before freeing any terrorists.) But I am sad for the rest of us. We may yet end up paying an even higher price for their son.

Dov Gilor is a longtime Jewish Press contributor and columnist.

Each day we read and hear about new atrocities carried out by Arab terrorists and we find that our reactions have become numbed. Our own Israeli government is so filled with a spirit of self-delusion that we wonder why every leader who reaches the Prime Minister’s chair suddenly develops an unshakable faith in Arab promises.

What would happen, I wonder, if Southern white supremacists would blow up a busload of black children and adults? The government would go bananas to apprehend and prosecute the perpetrators. They would not negotiate a “Black free” zone and offer the white supremacists time to regroup and rearm and live quietly in their own enclaves. Above all, the Southern blacks would not agree to a policy of appeasement and concessions. Yet, President Bush and world politicians demand that Israel negotiate and leave the poor “freedom fighters” alone. Isn’t American policy a two-faced policy to demand that Israel negotiate with and grant concessions to those who deliberately murder Jewish children?

It is also strange that the normally super-critical news media allows the Arabs to turn fiction into truth and to blame the victims for their own murders. Isn’t it strange that the normally aggressive news media calls “murder” killing? They write, “Twenty three killed by suicide bomber” instead of “Twenty three murdered by a terrorist murderer!” They make it sound so parve.

Everyone is affected and everyone is hurting, but Arik Sharon, in his old age, turns a deaf ear and a blind eye to what is happening and he continues to offer concessions and to capitulate to American pressure. I recently attended a Bris in an ultra-religious community in Jerusalem. The Chareidi rabbis are very careful not to deviate from the accepted text, and I was very surprised when the Mohel expanded the traditional blessing for a quick healing of the newly circumcised child by adding a phrase asking Hashem to also heal the recently wounded victims of Arab terrorism.

I wonder what our government expects to happen and what exactly is the plan. Do Sharon or Peres actually believe that Abu Mazen will actively prevent Arab terror? Does anyone really believe that the Arabs will be satisfied with the small subsection of the entire Palestine that Israel is offering to give them? Will they be happy with any partial division? Do our leaders really believe that the Arabs will stop trying to wipe out every trace of history that shows that Jews ever lived in Israel, as they are doing on the Temple Mount?

Does anyone actually believe that the Arabs want to co-exist with Jews in a Jewish state? Has any Arab stood up and said, “Let’s share our homeland with the Jews”? Does any Israeli really believe that the world will think any better of us if we make “painful” concessions and if we continue to quietly bury those murdered by Arab terrorists and not react with the full power of our armed forces? Are our leaders really so religious that they have implicit faith that their prayers for “reasonable” Arab leaders to arise from among the terrorist murderers will be
answered?

It is that time of year when all of us should examine our motivations and plans. It is time that
Jewish and Israeli leaders begin to seriously examine their dreams and motivations. It is time for American and world leaders to be honest with themselves. It is time to stop the murders of innocent Jews. It is time to realize that the fiction that “there is no military solution” is a ridiculous fiction. It is time to realize that no matter what we Jews do, the world will criticize us, so let’s do what needs to be done to make terrorism against Jews too costly for the Arabs.

Comments may be sent to: dov@gilor.com

There is growing fear that the anti-religious ferment in Israel reflected in the recent startling electoral victory of Tommy Lapid’s Shinui Party also spawned the horrific arson burning of five Sifrei Torah. Police are still investigating the cause of the fire, but arson seems certain. Although news coverage of the incident has been sparse, reports that have appeared have hinted that the perpetrators were not Arab terrorists, but rather anti-religious Jewish Israelis.

As reported in Arutz Sheva the other day, 50,000 people took part in a funeral for the five Torah scrolls. The remnants were taken in a ZAKA ambulance to the Ponevezh cemetery in Bnei Brak and buried there.

One spokesman reportedly told Arutz Sheva that “there is no question that the atmosphere of scorn for the Torah that is so prevalent in some circles is what allows this kind of horrendous act to happen.” It would appear that those who are in the forefront of the so-called “secular revolution” have a special responsibility to weigh the possible consequences of some of their exhortations.