PLANT A TREE Building dedication Ken SCHACHNOW FOR ALL OCCASIONS Sales Representative Ottawa Torah Centre Chabad DIRECT: 613.292.2200 TREES $18 | TREE BANK $150 FOR 10 TREES OFFICE: 613.829.1818 [email protected] to cut ribbon on new facility, EMAIL: [email protected] KELLERWILLIAMS 613-798-2411 VIP REALTY www.kenschachnow.com September 15 > p. 15 Brokerage, Independently Owned And Operated Ottawa Jewish Bulletin SEPTEMBER 8, 2014 | 13 ELUL 5774 ESTABLISHED 1937 OTTAWAJEWISHBULLETIN.COM | $2 Truce marks end to Israel’s longest, bloodiest war in Gaza A truce in Israel’s 50-day long war with Hamas and other terrorist groups in Gaza came into effect on August 26 as this issue of the Ottawa Jewish Bulletin was in production. As we went to press on August 29, the truce appeared to be holding. Israel-based JTA reporter Ben Sales looks back. TEL AVIV (JTA) – A rocket barrage fell on include “any signifi cant political achieve- PHOTO: HADAS PARUSH/FLASH90/JTA Israel, a boom sounded over Tel Aviv and ments for Hamas, which is a terrorist Israeli soldiers attend a ceremony at the Mount Herzl Military Cemetery in Jerusalem then it was over – at least for now. organization which doesn’t accept our honouring Lee Matt, who died in July while fighting in Gaza, August 21, 2014. After 50 days of missiles, airstrikes, existence here,” said Tzipi Livni, Israel’s ground operations, tunnel incursions, justice minister. Netanyahu emphasized that Hamas The agreement was the culmination of truce talks, ceasefi re proposals, death and Livni added that the truce should be was struck hard, including the deaths of Egyptian-led ceasefi re efforts that were destruction, Israel and Hamas agreed to “part of an overall accord with those who about 1,000 fi ghters and the destruction ongoing throughout the confl ict. Earlier an open-ended truce on August 26. seek peace.” of tunnels and rocket launchers. He called in August, Israel and Hamas had agreed The ceasefi re announced by Egypt Hamas did not achieve any of its it the worst blow to Hamas since its to a string of temporary ceasefi res, which stipulates that Israel and Egypt will open demands in the wake of Israel’s operation founding. ended when Hamas resumed rocket fi re all border crossings to allow international in Gaza and “begged” for a ceasefi re, said The Israeli leader asserted that the on Israel. humanitarian aid and construction Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netan- goals of the military were met: to hurt The fi ghting was Israel’s third major materials to enter the Gaza Strip. yahu, August 27, in his fi rst public state- Hamas and to bring prolonged quiet to confl ict with Hamas since 2008, following The agreement requires Israel and ments after the truce came into effect. Israel’s southern communities. confl icts in 2008-2009 and 2012. This one, Hamas to cease hostilities, but, according The Israeli military, Netanyahu added, “We brought in ground troops for that however, was the longest and costliest to reports, does not include commitments achieved its goals. reason,” Netanyahu said. “When the between the sides since Israel withdrew to allow an international airport and He said Hamas’ demands included mission was complete, we withdrew our from Gaza in 2005. seaport in Gaza. After a month, should promises of an airport, seaport and the troops so as not to give Hamas the More than 2,000 Palestinians and 71 the quiet hold, Israel and Hamas will release of prisoners in Israeli jails. Several opportunity to kill or kidnap them.” Israelis died in the latest confl ict, which restart indirect negotiations in Cairo on of the demands reportedly will be Netanyahu said his government will try wounded more than 10,000 Gazans and easing Israel’s blockade of the coastal discussed in a second phase of the to take advantage of “the new diplomatic 500 Israelis, according to Israel’s Foreign strip and disarming the enclave. Egyptian-brokered ceasefi re after one opportunities” created through the Gaza Ministry. Also, 20 Palestinians died in The end of the operation should not month of quiet on the Gaza border. operation. See Truce on page 2 Mitch Miller helps bring hockey Meet Rabbi Norman Klein, interim Yonaton Curry on his personal inside: to Israel > p. 3 rabbi at Temple Israel > p. 11 solidarity mission to Israel > p. 12 World Class Outsourcing ... and more! 613-744-6444 613-244-7225 Providing quality service 613-744-5767 613-244-4444 to the National Capital Region Publication Mail Agreement No. 40018822 since 1947! www.boydgroup.on.ca 2 September 8, 2014 OTTAWAJEWISHBULLETIN.COM Truce: Gaza operation deals heavy blow to Hamas Continued from page 1 of negotiations and discussions. But protests in the West Bank against Israel’s certainly there’s a long road ahead. And operation, according to a report in the we’re aware of that and we’re going into Guardian. this eyes wide open.” The fi ghting created ghost towns Hamas saw many of its attempted across Israel’s South and devastated Gaza, attacks on Israel frustrated. Iron Dome destroying thousands of homes. Israeli intercepted nearly all of the rockets forces delivered a punishing blow to Hamas aimed at city centres, and the Hamas during the confl ict, with airstrikes Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stopped destroying thousands of rockets and Hamas’ infi ltrations into Israel close to ground troops eliminating much of its the border. tunnel infrastructure both under the Nevertheless, Hamas killed 64 Israeli Israel-Gaza border and across Gaza. soldiers in Israel’s ground invasion of An Israeli airstrike on August 21 killed Gaza – the highest death toll for Israel three senior Hamas commanders and the since the Second Lebanon War in 2006 – chief of Hamas’ military wing, Moham- in addition to six civilians. med Deif, may have been killed in a Despite being ineffective, Hamas separate attack the day before. rockets proved to have an increasingly Israel’s aggressive military tactics, long range – mortar fi re reached nearly along with a high Palestinian civilian all of Israel for the fi rst time. While death toll, drew widespread international residents of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem were criticism. largely able to carry on with life under In July, the United Nations Human the protection of Iron Dome, they found Rights Council said it would send a themselves running for shelter daily at fact-fi nding mission to investigate the sound of warning sirens, an experi- PHOTO: DAVID BUIMOVITCH/FLASH 90 possible war crimes committed during ence that had previously been confi ned An Iron Dome missile defence battery launches near the southern Israeli town the fi ghting. Israel has indicated that it principally to southern Israel. of Ashdod on July 14, 2014. Each interceptor missile costs Israel $50,000. likely would not co-operate with the And Hamas rocket fi re on central Israel investigation, alleging anti-Israel bias. led a number of international airlines to and murder of a Palestinian teen, who As in previous confl icts, a vast majority Even the United States, an Israel ally, cancel fl ights to and from Israel for two was burned alive by a group of Israeli of Israelis supported the operation, with issued harsh criticism following an Israeli days in July, leaving Israelis feeling isolated. extremists in a likely revenge attack, 95 per cent of Israeli Jews in favour, airstrike that hit a United Nations school The U.S. Federal Aviation Authority further stoked the fl ames. according to the Israel Democracy on August 3, and tightened its controls instituted a 24-hour ban on fl ights to Israel, Israel began its campaign with air- Institute. But the confl ict also opened on weapons shipments to Israel. which some criticized as unwarranted. strikes across Gaza, targeting Hamas divisions within Israel’s governing American assistance to Israel continued Hamas celebrated the cancellations in a weapons and infrastructure, but also coalition, as more hawkish ministers during the confl ict, though, as the U.S. statement as an “air blockade.” killing hundreds of civilians. But, follow- called for the IDF to deal a harsher blow approved an added $225 million for The confl ict began on July 8 following ing Hamas attempts to infi ltrate Israel by to Hamas and opposed the various Israel’s Iron Dome missile defence a barrage of Hamas rockets on Israel. tunnel and sea, Israel launched a ground ceasefi res. Residents of the South, who system. Tensions between the sides had risen invasion of Gaza on July 17, which lasted have withstood rocket fi re for more than U.S. State Department spokesperson after Hamas operatives in the West Bank two weeks. a decade, also have called for a continued Jen Psaki said the U.S. “strongly sup- kidnapped and murdered three Israeli The ground operation ended as Israel operation. ports” the truce. teens on June 12. Israeli troops swept the and Hamas agreed to the fi rst in a string “Any concession to Hamas is a surren- “We view this as an opportunity, not a West Bank in the ensuing weeks, arrest- of temporary ceasefi res. During the calm, der to terrorism,” Ashkelon Mayor Itamar certainty,” Psaki said. “Today’s agree- ing hundreds of Hamas members, the sides engaged in Egyptian-mediated Shimoni said August 26, according to ment comes after many hours and days according to Israel. The July 2 kidnapping negotiations begun early in the confl ict Haaretz. “The residents of the South on a long-term truce. But the talks ended wanted to see this campaign resolved, August 19 without an agreement as but that will probably not happen.” Hamas broke the ceasefi re and resumed – This article incorporates rocket fi re.