Other questions on the lips of many Israelis were, “We heard that the IDF destroyed most of Hamas’s long-range rockets on the first day of the offensive; how many are still left? Will the IDF finish the job and send ground forces into Gaza? If so, when?”
The answers to some of these questions might be known by the time these words are printed. We pray the mission will be crowned with success, that the threat to southern and central Israel be totally eradicated, and that we merit to speedily make our way to the Holy City with prayer and thanksgiving.
In other Jerusalem news, four Arabs were indicted this week on charges of stabbing a Jew over the course of the Sabbath two weeks ago in the Maaleh Zeitim neighborhood of eastern Jerusalem. The victim, who suffered “moderate” wounds, was Avraham Tau, son of the renowned rosh yeshiva of Yeshivat Har HaMor, Rav Tzvi Tau. The attack led to a demonstration by local Jewish residents who complained of Arab violence and harassment in the neighborhood and demanded more proactive law enforcement. Perhaps these relatively quick indictments are a signal that the point was well taken.
Maaleh Zeitim is an important milestone in the Jewish people’s return to Zion in modern times. It is situated both on the historic Mt. of Olives and in the midst of an Arab neighborhood, though its land has been owned by Jews since 1887. More on this critical, trail-blazing neighborhood in a future column.