We Have Hope... we have Hatikvah

On the Gaza situation ....

Alas this is a war that needs to be fought; no civilised country can allow terrorists to bomb civilians and their territory without reaction and therefore with regret Israel must strike back at the terrorists who control the Gaza strip. It is not a war of Israel's desire, but of the terrorists who control Gaza. Whilst we all look forward to peace, real peace; a Jewish homeland, a Jewish state, side by side with a homeland for Palestinians, but Israel cannot surrender at the point of a gun or due to barbarous terror & hate. If Hamas would lay down arms and the terrorists renounce violence, then there could be peace or at least the start of peace. What will happen now is uncertain. The best outcome is for Hamas to be overthrown by Israel and then a multinational peace (NATO/UN/RUSSIAN) keeping force sent to Gaza to rebuild and restore law and order & to govern whilst the future status of the territory is negotiated as part of the wider peace settlement. Long shot, but I believe in Hatikvah. I believe in Hope.

So long as still within the inmost heart a Jewish spirit sings,
so long as the eye looks eastward, gazing toward Zion,
our hope is not lost: that hope of two thousand years,
to be a free people in our land, the land of Zion and Jerusalem
Our hope is not yet lost,

The hope of two thousand years,

To be a free people in our land,

The land of Zion and Jerusalem.

Our hope is not yet lost,

The ancient hope,

To return to the land of our fathers,

The city where David encamped.

As long as tears from our eyes

Flow like benevolent rain,

And throngs of our countrymen

Still pay homage at the graves of (our) fathers;

As long as our precious Wall

Appears before our eyes,

And over the destruction of G-d's Temple

An eye still wells up with tears;

As long as the waters of the Jordan

In fullness swell its banks,

And (down) to the Sea of Galilee

With tumultuous noise fall;

As long as on the barren highways

The humbled city gates mark,

And among the ruins of Jerusalem

A daughter of Zion still cries;

As long as pure tears

Flow from the eye of a daughter of my nation,

And to mourn for Zion at the watch of night

She still rises in the middle of the nights;

As long as drops of blood in our veins

Flow back and forth,

And upon the graves of our fathers

Dewdrops still fall;

Hear, O my brothers in the lands of exile,

The voice of our Prophets,

(Who declare) That only with the very last Jew —

Only there is the end of our hope!

Go, my people, return in peace to your land

The balm in Gilead, your healer in Jerusalem,

Your healer is G-d, the wisdom of His heart,

Go my people in peace, healing is imminent... "

Hashem may you establish abundant peace upon Your people Israel forever, for You are King, Master of all peace.He who makes peace in His high heavens, may He make peace for us and for all Israel, and let us all say Amen

"The L-rd will be King over the whole earth. On that day there will be one L-rd, and His Name the only Name." [Zechariah 14:9]

May Hashem allow us to see the arrival of Mashiach [Messiah] and the end of all wars & universal peace. Amen