Is Raf OK? -- Installment #164
2025-02-03 -- Tel Aviv
First Time Here? Readers suggest starting with the expanded Gaza Explainer in #133 and #120.
Update: Post email release, the translation of Relief Tet was corrected.
Tags: 5 Min Read; Relief!
I recently saw the 2009 German film The White Ribbon. For the second time. I thought I was going to a double feature, but it turned out to be a lecture followed by the film. The lecture? A discussion of the Hebrew release of the book School for Barbarians. This book, released in English decades ago, which describes the education system Hitler himself imagined in Mein Kampf, only became available in Hebrew recently, I understand. As part of the lecture, I was reminded that the 1944 Rebellion of the Aushwitz Sonderkomando was on October 7 of that year. (A key figure in this rebellion is Roja Robota.)
Prisoner Errata
Sidewalk Grandpa
I was introduced to the term "sidewalk grandpa" in a thread about released hostage Gadi Mozes, who paced 7 km a day in a tiny cell, using the tiles to measure his distance. The reddit thread with credit to the author, handle “shibalore” (spelling etc. from the original):
That's the thing. It's so hard to find the words unless you know them. They [sidewalk grandpas] are often sturdy as heck until the moment they drop (sturdy can have many variations, though. Sidewalk grandpas in walkers can still fit this description). They value effectiveness and efficiency and are very no BS (they waisted it all in their youth). If you won't do it right, they will do it themselves, even if you wish they wouldn't (because of their age). They're still kind and loving and somehow happen to be wherever you need them. They're often (but not always) right, too. They usually have a fairly black and white view of the world in a way that is not bad or naive (again, hard to describe).
There's so many good examples on 7 October. Gadi, of course.
Shlomo Ron is someone I think about a lot: his entire family was in his home's safe room (his adult children and grandchildren were visiting). Shlomo had a realization that if you looked at his home, there was no obvious indiciation that he had visitors, nor a wife; the home really just looked like an old dude lived there. So Shlomo said, "I'm gonna go position my recliner in front of my TV and watch a movie. If they come in here, they'll shoot me, take a look at the place, and move on because they won't think anyone else is here." His family protested. Why risk it? No, they couldn't let Shlomo do that. But in true sidewalk grandpa fashion, he brushed them off. Terrorists found him in his recliner, indeed shot him, and left. His wife and kids survived. Peak sidewalk grandpa behavior: stubborn, effective, correct, and loving (they're always very loving).
Shlomo Mansour, who at 86, picked such a mean fight with a bunch of terrorists that his equally elderly wife managed to escape their home (while under attack by a GROUP of terrorists) and hide out in a neighbors home. She survived. Also peak sidewalk grandpa behavior.
73 year-old Nova attendee Motti Zoherman was a regular on the festival scene. Motti was found dead in his car in Sderot, at the upper boundary of where terrorists were that day, he almost made it. But the body of Keshet Casarotti-Kalfa was also found in Motti's car. The men did not know each other. If you retrace the steps of Keshet and Motti that day, it is very obvious what happened: Keshet was last known to be with Shani Louk, Orion Hernandez-Radoux, and the rest of their friend group that morning. Keshet likely survived the ambush that killed Shani and Orion at the deadly Mefalsim bend and Motti had to have stopped pick up Keshet in the midst of gunfire. If you don't know, dozens of bodies were found on the Mefalsim bend. It was a massacre. Motti still stopped and said "hey kid, get in my car" and it worked. They were ambushed by a different group of terrorists, unfortunately, but that's still metal as hell. Dumb, brave, stubborn, and selfless. Sidewalk grandpa.
Dept of The Invisible
Items invisible in the Western media. (Now combined with the Postmark concept, to help consolidate topics by locale.)
Gaza
2 Min, Arabic w/English Subs
Above, the summary: They are asking: Open the crossings [e.g. fully open Rafah for exit] for us (so we can leave Gaza). [Note that the Rafah crossing has never been fully open for exit since 2006, as \Egypt and Hamas have always restricted exit. Ask yourself: Why would these entities restrict exit from Gaza over an 18 year span?]
Another Gazan who returned north:
"I went to Beit Hanoun to look for the house... I searched for two hours... There is no house... There is a pit in its place... There is nothing to look for there... There is no water... I am returning to Mawasi in Khan Yunis (in the southern Gaza Strip)."
Within Gaza: Netzarim Crossing
This is a crossing within Gaza, from south to north. All vehicle traffic moving south to north within Gaza must go through this passage, which is a major checkpoint. It is equipped with a giant X-Ray machine that scans all vehicles for weapons. [How effective that can be when it is thought that at least half of the Hamas tunnel system survives... I don't know.] It is staffed by Egyptian military and by a U.S. security contractor: UG Solutions. This firm is said to employ 100 former U.S. Special Forces soldiers.
American mercenaries enforcing internal security in Gaza.
I did not foresee that...
Rafah Crossing
The town of Rafah, Gaza's major border crossing to Egypt, has reopened. It is controlled by Egyption and Israel-approved Palestinian forces (e.g. Fatah forces). There are also E.U. representatives or forces present. Every day, fifty injured Gazans may exit for treatment abroad, each accompanied by up to three family members. Fatah activists claim that Hamas has secured most of the exit slots for their own families. Hamas has asked to dramatically increase the number allowed to leave.
Hostages Released. And Mass Murderers
Israel released 110 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the three Israeli hostages. Among them, 32 are serving life sentences, and 48 have long sentences. About 30 of them, convicted of murder and involvement in terror attacks, will be deported from Israel.
Notable among those being freed is Zakaria Zubeidi, a leader of Fatah's Al-Aqsa Brigades in Jenin. Zubeidi escaped from Israel's Gilboa Prison in 2021 and was involved in several attacks, including the 2002 bombing in Beit Shean, which killed six people; and Mohammad Abu Warda, a Hamas operative involved in two 1996 bus bombings in which 45 Israelis were killed.
Yemen and the Houthis
There are reports that the Houthis are allowing ships to pass, even ships that were on their public black list.
Relief Area
Alef: Eretz Nehederet: Bibi, Are You Listening?
Bet
Turns out my barber in Jerusalem gave haircuts to the released Thais.
Gimmel
Dalet
Gazans! If you don't to go Jordan and Egypt, there is always another option...
[Reference to Musk's rocket to space, or Mars]
Hey
Far Right Minister Smotrich, in front of his normal signs ("Don't Stop The War!" "No Peace Deal!" "The Ceasefire is Against the Law") laying out a Welcome mat (for the hostages, as otherwise he would be too cruel to conscience).
Vav: Gimme the Meme!
Top: Victory over Hamas!
Zayin
(Yeah, I’ve used it before….)
It is estimated that there remain about 150 miles of Hamas tunnels under Gaza. (The IDF thinks it has found and neutralized about half.)
What could go wrong?
Chet
Released hostage Ofer Bibas reportedly asked for beer when he first landed in Israel. [Which he couldn't have prior to the medical screening, so they had to say no.]
Tet (not funny)
An inversion on the prevalent poster of Bibi that says “You are the chief; You are responsible/guilty.”
Sarah, Bibi's wife, who reportedly weighs in heavily on major decisions. And is a long time alcoholic.
"She [Sarah] is the chief. You [Bibi] are guilty."
In other news, the railway line from Sderot to Ashkelon has reopened. First time since October 7 that it is running. Additional good news is that the newly appointed IDF Chief of Staff, General Eyal Zamir, is widely considered a responsible and non-political decision (and reportedly was named over Sarah’s objections, as she wanted a politically aligned appointment). In recent months, a number of senior officers who were on duty in October 2023 have retired.
Here is something wild:
Above: Israel is considered (at the moment) in first place for the upcoming Eurovision. (The actual contest is not until May, I imagine anything can happen between now and then….)
I am heading out on vacation for a few weeks. Anticipate fewer posts (I do!).
To Peace,
Raf
(Thank you A.K., M.T.)