The Israeli news is still mostly about the rioting in Egypt, of which no end seems to be in sight, even though President Mubarak resigned from his party (so far not from the presidency), and has a new deputy-president and intends to change his government. He says he won’t stand for president again, but wants orderly elections later this year. We too want orderly elections, but fear that the Muslim Brotherhood (who are best friends with Iran and the Hamas in Gaza) will take over, even by illegal means. And that spells no good for us.

 

And talking of Hamas, a senior Hamas commander, Ayman Nofal, who had been arrested by the Egyptians in the Sinai Peninsula in 2008 for allegedly hunting down Fatah members who had fled Gaza, managed to break out of prison during a jailbreak some days ago, and has managed to make his way back to Gaza again, where he was received like a king.

 

Another new worry for us is an explosion at a gas terminal in El-Arish which took place on Saturday. Evidently it caused damage to a gas pipe line leading to Jordan, but the pipe line leading to Israel has also been closed, the Egyptians say for safety sake and will be opend again in a fortnight (so they say). So far it is not known what caused the explosion (maybe sabotage??). Israel gets about 40% of its gas supply from Egypt, used mostly by the Israel Electric Corporation, and its Vice President said that for a limited period there is no fear of electicity failures.

 

My last subject for today concerns Jonathan Pollard who was convicted of spying for Israel, when he gave information concerning Iraq’s nuclear power building site, which Israel later bombed. There was no evidence that Pollard intended to harm the United States or help its enemies, but because of recommendations of the then-secretary of defense, Caspar Weinberger, he was given a life sentence, a far greater punishment than any other person who had ever engaged in similar behaviour. There are now a number of people in the U.S.A. and also our Prime Minister Natanyahu, asking President Obama to give Pollard a pardon after more than 25 years in prison, but so far no reply has come from the White House. We still hope and pray he will be released.

No more today. Shalom from Irene