Israel: Masada 2024?

For modern Israelis the Siege of Masada represents Jewish heroism — it is a cornerstone of national identity —a heroic 'last stand’ for Israel. According to the story, the heroic defenders of the stronghold held out against the Romans for three years, finally committing suicide rather than accept defeat. Moral: Israel cannot be defeated.

Soldiers inducted into the Israeli Defense Forces take an oath, “Masada shall not fall again”.

Masada

The Masada story took hold however in the 1930s when an Israeli archaeologist named Shmaryahu Gutman began organizing treks to Masada for youth organizations to promote Zionism. By 1948 Masada had become a cornerstone of the national identity,

The trouble is that, while Masada exists today as an archaeological site. the story is a myth. There is no evidence that it happened — not at least as we are told.

If there was a Siege of Masada at all, it probably took only six weeks. There is no evidence of a suicide or massacre— very few skeletons have been recovered from the site. The defenders of the site were Sicarii, a semi-religious militia using profits from robbery, contract killing and kidnapping to support a vague messianic ideology—not Jewish nationalists nor especially anti-Roman, just hoping for power.

In addition:

Judaism holds life to be the highest human value and never hopeless, even when it is difficult or tragic. Judaism regards murder and suicide as terrible sins.

Jewish law is quite clear.

Come to think of it maybe Masada and the Sicarii are the symbols of Israel today. Israel's Masada complex tells us more than Zionists would like to admit.

Is Israel Jewish?

Zionists are the latter-day Sicarii. At every turn, they break Jewish law.

On this anniversary of the Holocaust, it is clear that these people are as bloody minded as their Roman Empire predecessors, as intolerant and as exploitative and bent on outdoing not only them but Hitler's Nazis in every respect.

It is also increasingly apparent that Israel wants war in the Middle East—even though that would end with the destruction of Israel – not that the country’s leaders wouldn’t live on and prosper, as presumably the Sicarii did.

Israel seems to want war with everyone.

Right now, the Zionists are amassing forces and making preparations to attack Rafah on the Egyptian border— which could bring a military confrontation with Egypt.

Sisi is not strong enough to oppose public pressure – and his generals must fear a new generation of young officers, who if they're not tired of the corruption above, want a slice of the pie.

ZioNazi Tactics

Israel is also preparing for war with Lebanon -- which means with Hezbollah.

On February 14, it attacked civilians in southern Lebanon in retaliation for Hezbollah attacking a base near the northern Israeli town of Safad, killing one soldier and wounding six others.

When its soldiers die, Israel kills innocent women and children. This is exactly what the Nazis used to do in occupied Europe. The mentality is the same.

Amami Berjawi who died with her entire family.

Israel also instigated two attacks on an Iranian gas pipeline near the city of Borujen in the southwestern province of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari on February 14 and a chemical factory near the capital, Tehran, on February 15.

It wants war with Iran too!

Israel also attacked an apartment building in the south of Damascus. When will Syria have had enough?

Multifront Madness

Israel is setting up a multi-front war, no doubt hoping to repeat the mythical successes of the past—and. it would seem, assuming it will get American support in subjugating the entire Middle East.

But this is a different era. Aircraft carriers are obsolete. Airpower cannot be used as it once was. Nor tanks. Nor naval forces. Wars are different too— and the West does not have the advantages that it used to.

The Houthis proved this in Yemen, taking on the Saudis who were armed with the best military kit the British and Americans can supply including patriot missiles, F-15s, and Abrams tanks.

Israel lost against Lebanon in 2006.

Unlike 2006, Hezbollah now has the means to take the war to Israel inside Israeli borders, as in fact it is already doing with missiles, driving Israeli settlers from their homes. If Israel attacks Hezbollah today, its large but poorly trained reserve army will lose badly. Could the Lebanese occupy Galilee? Perhaps.

In a war with Israel the best thing is for Israel to lose territory. Only then can its opponents enforce compromise. Only then is there any possibility of negotiation.

Given the circumstances, you can be sure that Iran is now arming Hezbollah with the best that it can supply— including S300/ S400 analogs.

This would also be an opportunity for Syria to attack the Golan Heights.

Israel in a hurry

Iran of course hopes for time. It is still building up resources.

It's Israel that's in a hurry – if only because it has to do something before its economy collapses.

FT, normally pro-Zionist, reported a 20% drop in the Israeli GDP in the fourth quarter of 2023.

With the Houthis attacks on shipping to Israel, a drop in tourism, some countries boycotting Israeli products, the call-up of 300,000 reservists who had to leave their jobs, 500,000 affluent Israelis fleeing abroad, , the loss of the Palestinian market-for which Israel was until now the sole supplier and which supplied Israel with cheap labor – all those settlers who had to evacuate from their homes thanks to Hezbollah – and other factors – there is an economic tsunami building.

That 20% drop in Israeli GDP in 2023 was just the tide.

The Israelis assume that the Zionist Lobby and Zionist billionaires control the US government and will force it to bail them out if necessary. But will America have the means?

Moreover, the US no longer has the industrial base to support a major war, especially a multiregional war.

Then again, the longer Israel waits, the more compromised its military position. Repeat after me—Masada, Masada, Maaaaaaaaaaasssaaaadaaaa!

The Houthis lead the way

The Houthis have shown the Western and Israeli position is already compromised and are stepping up their attacks.

On February 18, they attacked the Belize-flagged cargo ship Rubymar causing catastrophic damage.

February 19, they attacked a Greece flagged bulk carrier in the Gulf of Aden – the Sea Champion and also another vessel – the Navis Fortuna – while shooting down a US MQ-9 Reaper combat drone over the Red Sea— like another one last year in November, with an Iranian-made 358 missile with electro-optical homing.

They have also started using underwater drones. All this indicates upgraded weaponry from Iran which, if nothing else, likes to test new weapons in the Yemen. These robotic torpedo drones are cheap and, if you have enough of them, effective.

And just recently they captured underwater electronic observation drone. Thank you US of A for the technology transfer.

How long before the Houthis hit a UK or US warship? What happens if they sink it? Biden's presidency would sink too. And Trump would have to navigate the pro-Israeli Republican minefield gingerly.

Sicarii Israel has two choices.

Choice one: negotiate

It can agree to a cease-fire with Hamas and negotiate – which would mean accepting a lot of Palestinian terms – as well as Hamas’ legitimacy as the de facto government of an independent Gaza if not of the West Bank as well. The zealots dominating the Israeli public won't allow that.

Choice 2: total war

Total war. The Gazan genocide shows how far they are willing to go—, depends entirely on American support. Zionists are quasi-religious fanatics like the Sicarii and ISIS— but should the Americans balk —they must go with Choice One. For Donald Trump the world is one huge spreadsheet.

The Wildcard

Nuclear weapons. They would have to be crazy to use them. But this is the Age of Crazy.

Masada

Then again, Masada never really happened.

In the last analysis, most people would rather live than die. The Sicarii didn't commit suicide – they just wanted money and power. Isn't that what Zionism is all about?

Personal Note: Rescue Dogs

People often buy purebred dogs by breed, assuming certain characteristics. With dogs, as with people, nurture matters as much as nature, however – as we see with Biden's dogs.

Purebred dogs unfortunately often suffer from genetic anomalies, which is why the US military now mostly uses Belgian rather than German Shepherds.

Mongrels are not guaranteed to be healthy or smart or easy to handle— but if you go to a shelter, it is pretty easy to judge and choose an appropriate companion.

The dog in the picture is named Asha (“Hope”), who was a street dog rescued by police from abuse in West Bengal. They thought to adopt her as a pet, but it turned out she was a talented service dog – primarily a sniffer – not only with a superb nose, but very fast and incredibly agile.

And very sweet.

Believe me: I speak dog.

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I reply to every coffee with a personal message and a special article following on previous articles.

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