Strongest Currency: THE SHEKEL

 

The Israeli Shekel added 22% vis-a-vis US$ this year. Meaning: Israeli export economy is very strong, and in fact, we are prospering. 

That while we are fighting a war against Iran, Lebanon, and the Houthis in Yemen, and of course, pacifying the rebellious Gaza Strip.  

Horse Country

 

#OnThisDay in AD 1241, the Mongol Empire defeated the Kingdom of Hungary at the Battle of Mohi. In the aftermath, 50-80% of settlements in the Hungarian plains were destroyed, as evidenced by the lack of parish churches in the central Carpathian Basin.

In Central Hungary, the Tisza-Duna lowlands were populated by Mongol/Cuman horse-loving nomads. This was the consequence of the planned Mongol extermination policy to create vast open pasture, similar to their homeland in Asia. Even today, the area is called puszta (from the root pusztitani = to exterminate) and is open horse land. The same policy was debated when conquering Northern China, but in the end, Genghis Khan and his sons decided to enslave and exploit the highly productive natives. 

Spanish Obsession

 

Front page of the Spanish daily ABC with an oversized picture of the Israeli premier, with the title that Netanyahu is menacing Spain.

It reminds me of Orwell's 1984 where they projected a pic of Emmanuel Goldstein for the daily two minutes of hate. 

No Ceasefire here

 IDF Chief of Staff Zamir during a visit inside Lebanon:

“We are not in a ceasefire; the IDF is in a state of war. Iran is much weaker, and Hezbollah understands it is isolated.”

Foundation of Maoz Tzur

 
In the ceremony of the foundation of Maoz Tzur settlement overlooking Route 433, Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana said, “What we are doing here today must be clearly stated: much of the world is not with us. Yet we have come, representing a broad cross-section of the government and the Knesset, to declare to the world, this is our land. We are not here as guests, nor are we here temporarily. When we are told to ‘go back to where you came from,’ we answer: we have returned to where we came from. The message from here is clear-we are here to stay for generations."

The pic represents the first foundation of Buenos Aires. The natives killed and ate the Spaniards, but the settlement was re-founded a second time and now has a population of 12 million. 

Spain changing sides

 Spain under Sanchez has refused to use American bases, and it is not strengthening its armed forces as NATO decided. Today, it is reopening its diplomatic relations with Iran while Iran is at war with the USA. Reading Spanish journals, I am surprised by their virulent antisemitism and shameless lies against Israel. Is Spain trying to profit from an anti-American position, such as gaining free access to the Hormuz or to trade with China? The democratic Assembly of Athens always reacted ferociously to the cities that tried to leave the Delian Alliance, just think of the Melians. 

Adult male Melians were massacred, and the rest were sold in slave markets. The land was divided among Athenian settlers. Spain is playing a dangerous game. 

 

Unquiet night

 

At 3 AM Israel, President Trump's fury against Iran was to start, so it was impossible to sleep. A pause was agreed upon a few minutes before the ultimatum, but the tension did not disappear. I woke up with a headache and am tired. What's more, with a sense that the war did not end. Pic.: an Iranian missile aimed at Tel Aviv.