Arlene Kushner On The Betrayal Of Beit HaMachpela

From Arlene Kushner:

April 5, 2012

"Good News and Not"

We start with the good. Little Zakkai's surgery on his spine was yesterday and the word is fantastic:  The surgeons were able to work with an incision no longer than what had been opened in his first surgery, and found the tumor to be rubbery, so it sort of peeled off.  Little additional damage was done to his vertebrae, there was minimal muscle involvement, and not a lot of bleeding.  One spinal nerve was sacrificed. They believe they got all of the tumor that was in his back!  In two weeks he returns for similar surgery in his thoracic cavity (where the tumor may be growing against heart, lungs, etc.).  But for now he's recovering -- yes, already! kids can do that -- marvelously and will be released soon.

Baruch Hashem. And so happy for the parents, and other family members, who will now go into Pesach with easier hearts.  Do not stop praying until this is all over, please!

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And the bad?  Yesterday I wrote that if Barak acted in Hevron without Netanyahu's consent, we have one sort of a problem, and if it was with the prime minister's consent, we have another.  When I wrote, I did not know.  But word came out shortly thereafter, and the problem (which I see as the worse of the two alternatives) is that the prime minister did know.

Arlene Kushner On Ehud Barak, Politics And Why Beit HaMachpela In Hebron Is Legal

From Arlene Kushner:

April 4, 2012

"Barak Must Go!"

I begin with a couple of housekeeping matters:

In my last posting, I included a URL for a marvelous YouTube video that consisted of a message from the chief rabbi of South Africa, and Ya'akov Swekey singing "Y'hi She'amda."  David Orbach, Israeli journalist and musician, has contacted me to say that Yonaton Razel wrote the music to that song and should have been acknowledged in the video credits.  While I have learned that Swekey and Razel are good friends, it is my pleasure to acknowledge Razel's music composition here. 

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Then, please! if it is your habit to share information -- links to articles, videos, etc. -- with me by e-mail, hold off until after Pesach.  Thank you!

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Little Zakkai is undergoing surgery on his spine today.  Surgery is scheduled for 10:15 eastern daylight time (5 pm here in Israel) and expected to last 4-5 hours. There will not be word on his condition in sufficient time to share it today.  You can track updates at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/zakkai.  The thoracic piece of the tumor, which is also growing, will be tackled in separate surgery possibly within a matter of days.  Keep praying: Rephael Zakkai Avraham ben Yakira Avigael.   

This is what his parents wrote this morning:

"With much tears and fears, we just left our precious, happy boy in the caring and capable hands of a great team in the OR. And headed to the waiting room where we expect to spend the bulk of the day.


"Zakkai was amazingly radiant this morning, playing and charming the staff here. He gave us both kisses before the anesthesia took over and we pray he will continue to feel God's embrace and our and everyone's love and support through the day."

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Now as to why (Defense Minister Ehud) Barak Must Go!:

Quite frankly, I sit at my computer in a state of fury over what happened just a short while ago.  I had a posting already in progress, and you will see all that I had already written below. But this takes precedence.

As is often the case in situations awash in politics, the facts are difficult to pin down with precision.  But the story runs thus:

Near the Machpela (Cave of the Patriarchs) in Hevron, in an Arab neighborhood -- but in the part of Hevron controlled by Israel and not the PA -- stands a house that is being called Beit HaMachpela.

Credit: Gil Yohanan/YNet

It was purchased by a group of Israelis (I believe some 30-50 in number) from its Palestinian Arab owners.  Every indication I have is that the purchase was legal and papers are in order.