We previously wrote about the Golan here and here, but with Olmert’s confirmation that he has agreed to cede at least part, if not most, of the territory to Syria, it is time to re-visit the subject.

OK, so Olmert is a retard, but how little must he think of the Israeli people to try this fast one. The agreement calls for Syria to utter a cleverly crafted phrase, like “we denounce all terrorism” in exchange for the return of territory legitimately won by Israel in war – the time honored method of land transfer.

Every piece of land belonging to somebody today has at some time in the past been acquired through conquest. America is probably the only country to have paid for land in cash (Louisiana and Alaska). Historically, land has always been paid for in blood. That is just how it is. Anybody who tells you differently is either naive or lying. Anybody who tells you that times have changed is a fool or worse – a Liberal.

The Golan is strategically important. It gives Israel the high grounds overlooking Syria.

Israeli soldiers died defending the territory in 1973.
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Syria is mobilizing for war. Ehud Olmert, the Prime Minister with 3% approval rating, can’t find good reasons to hold on to the Golan and is preparing to surrender it.

On the odd chance that Prince Ehud reads this Blog, here are a few good reasons.

In 1973, in the Valley of Tears hundreds of Syrian tanks launched a surprise nighttime attack on a ridge defended by a few tanks of the Oz brigade. The invaders came prepared. They had night vision; the Israelis did not. The defensive line collapsed and the Syrians penetrated deep into the Israeli formations. The Israeli commander reported that he was amazed at how bravely and skillfully the Syrians fought. He realized that he was facing annihilation and there was no immediate help coming. A strange calm came over him as he thought, “I am stronger than they are; I am braver than they are”. He communicated to the other tanks commanders, “I’m moving back to my original position; we must hold the original line; everybody who can, move up with me!” Read more >

Welcome Lizards. Little Green Footballs has linked to our site bumping our traffic up by orders of magnitude. Thank you, Charles! EU Referendum, our favorite UK Blog, also linked to Preparing for War Circa 1967, thank you! By popular demand, here is an encore pictorial essay on the Six Day War.

The Wailing Wall a couple of days after we liberated Jerusalem. Read more >

On June 8, 1967, exactly 40 years ago, I entered Old Jerusalem. Like the other soldiers around me, I had a sense of the monumental significance of the unfolding events. 2000 years of longing had just been satisfied. Raised on a secular social democratic diet, we nonetheless studied the bible and Jewish history in school, as was mandatory in Israel at the time. So we stood shoulder to shoulder at the Wailing Wall with tears in our eyes.

Prior to the start of the Six Day War Israel went through a month of preparations. Here are some scenes published, starting May 23, in what the Air Force called Readiness Bulletins.

Say it with flowers. Read more >

Yesterday was the 40th anniversary of the start of the Six Day War. I served in that war. I remember the purpose and resolve of the nation. We knew that the enemy wanted to destroy us while we only wanted to be left alone. We knew that we were honorable and good and that they were blood thirsty savages. Much of the clarity and courage we had then have been lost.

We commemorate the anniversary by publishing some photos from that era. Way back then we were not afraid to name the enemy. We were proud to use the biggest bombs we had. We did not call Islam the Religion of Peace. We named each military operation as we pleased and if the enemy did not like it, we rubbed his face in it. “Infinite Justice” would have been a wonderful name for an operation to avenge the 9/11 attacks, precisely because the enemy found the name irritating. Kind of like using pig skin to bury their dead. Works every time.

On the morning of June 5, 1967, I was manning my post on the Jordanian border. I did not know that just before dawn General Mordecai “Motti” Hod issued the order.

URGENT

From: Air Force Commander 050800

To: All Units

The Egyptian enemy has risen to exterminate us. The IAF, the clenched fist of the IDF, received the order to lead the battle. And so begins the third leg in the battle for our survival.

As in 1948 and 1956 the enemy is coming from all directions.

The spirit of past heroes goes with you into battle. Let the memory of Joshua, King David’s warriors, the Maccabees, and the soldiers of the 1956 Sinai war, be the source of your inspiration. They will give you the strength to crush the Egyptian enemy who threatens our nation. With a decisive victory we will secure peace for ourselves, our children and future generations.

Soar and swoop down on the enemy, bomb them to rubble, remove their fangs, and scatter them in the desert so that the People of Israel may live eternally secure in their homeland. —

General Motti Hod did not understand Islam and had no way of knowing how things will evolve. The magnificent victory did not bring “peace for ourselves, our children and future generations”.

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