Orit ben Tzvi, Author at Israel Rising

September 13, 2016September 16, 2016

REDEMPTION WATCH: Are the Anousim About to Return to Israel?

In 1492 the inquisition began and with it Spanish and Portuguese Jewry were forced to convert or fled to distant lands. Many ended up in the new world and as the Inquisition spread to the new Spanish and Portuguese colonies these Jews became even more hidden. These Jews became known as Anousim

Now Reconectar, headed by Ashley Perry is dedicated to linking up the nearly 100 million descendents of Spanish and Portuguese Jewry with an aim of bringing 1.5 million eligable descendents to Israel. Below is an excellent video about the intitiative.

September 12, 2016

Trump Advisor: “The State Department Should Be Ashamed”

In an interview with Haaretz, Trump’s Israel affairs advisor David Friedman agreed with Bibi Netanyahu’s assertion that the removal of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, a demand the PA and State Department make amounts to ethnic cleansing.

Below are Friedman’s comments:

“Prime Minister Netanyahu makes exactly the right point. The Palestinians want Israel to absorb countless ‘refugees’ – people who never lived in Israel and whose ancestors were never forced to leave Israel – while their so-called ‘state’ is required to be, as the Nazis said, judenrein (devoid of Jews). It is an entirely racist and anti-Semitic position.”

“Arabs live and work side by side with Israelis in the State of Israel. They attend universities, enjoy the strongest human and civil rights (including women’s rights) in the region, and have access to world class health care. There is no better place for Arabs to live in the Middle East than in the State of Israel. With this background in mind, the Prime Minister of Israel correctly observes that the Palestinian demand to remove all Jews from their ancestral homeland in Judea and Samaria is nothing short of an attempt at ethnic cleansing. The State Department should be ashamed of their misguided reaction to Mr. Netanyahu’s remarks.”

“The United States frequently refers to the ‘two state solution’ as two states for two peoples. The Palestinian response – which the U.S. State Department refuses to challenge – is ‘one state for two peoples (Israel) and a second state just for Palestinian Arabs.’ It is no wonder that the State Department under Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have lost credibility in the region.”

September 11, 2016

As the US Recedes from the Middle East, Putin Takes Over

With Russia’s growing presence in every area of the Middle East and eastern Mediterranean, the US increasingly finds itself shut out of the “Great Game” of the 21st century. Below is a list of moves where Putin has been able to get the best of the USA:

Creating an air defense umbrella over the eastern Levant
Becoming the dominant force in taking on ISIS
Resurrecting the government of Bashar Assad
Pushing Israel to a neutral position in regards to the USA and Russia
Prying Turkey out of the NATO alliance that is fighting ISIS
Luring Greece as a major partner
Projecting stable leadership in the region

The list goes on, but the point is clear that Russia is taking over as the next sheriff of the Middle East.

Israel Loses

For a long time Israel had viewed Putin as a positive alternative to the Arabists in the USA government. The pro-Russian faction in the Israeli government had pushed for an Israeli pivot thinking that Putin could be trusted not to force the “Palestinian” issues. With Russia’s announcement that they intend to host a peace summit between Israel and the PA, that assumption was buried. Despite Israel’s increase in trade partners and economic success, the government now understands that they are all alone.

September 9, 2016September 9, 2016

J Street’s New Mission: Destroy Regavim and Israel at all Costs

It has been revealed that Jeremy Ben-Ami head of J-Street, the anti-Israel organization based in America, sent an email out to the group’s supporters notifying them that he is personally applying pressure to the Obama administration in order to force the government to remove Regavim’s 501(3)(c) status in order to cripple the group’s fundraising power in the USA.

This threat is serious, but what is more serious are the implications of Ben Ami’s actions. Regavim’s goal has always been to pressure the government to enforce the already determined law or ruling by the Knesset or Supreme Court. By J-Street going after Regavim in such a public and base way, Ben Ami is essentially denying the legitimacy of Israel’s own governing institutions.

Taking down a group like Regavim will not only harm the Israeli right, but all corners of Israeli society as Israel’s government will be rendered ineffective.

Ben Ami’s tirade against organizations like Regavim who he claims uses US donations to destroy the “Arab village at Susiya” is ironic, since it is in fact J-Street itself that uses donations to prop up and create illegal facts on the ground in contravention of Israel’s own sovereign laws.

With the stakes high and during the presidential election, Ben Ami is rolling the dice to see if Hillary and Obama would risk alienating moderate Jewish Democrats precisely when they need them the most. Yet, that could be Ben Ami’s core strategy. J-Street has always sought tocreate fissures and divisions in the American Jewish community.

So far he is succeeding.

September 6, 2016February 22, 2017

Bibi Netanyahu: This is How to Fight BDS

As the BDS picks up steam around the world supporters of Israel are finding unique and successful ways to not only buy from Israel, but lend a hand to those pioneers on the frontlines of Judea and Samaria.

Lev HaOlam, an organization dedicated to sending monthly packages of goods produced in Judea and Samaria to Israel supporters around the world is one of the most successful organizations in breaking BDS activities.

“People who subscribe to Lev HaOlam are receiving every month a box full of those beautiful products and every product has its story, his connection the family that produces it. Where they live, why they live there,” says Nati Rom, founder of Lev HaOlam.

Lev HaOlam received a big endorsement last year when Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and the cabinet members came to visit their offices. The support was clear. “These attempts are part of systematic attempt to boycott the State of Israel,” the Prime Minister said.

With supporters of Israel around the world uniting, Lev HaOlam has seen a huge boost over the last year. Still, the organization says much more can be done. Afterall, the livelihood these producers in Judea and Samaria depend on their products getting sold. Without constant purchases, sustainability is hard. Lev HaOlam is filling in the gaps.