Klein, The Fearless

 

What figure do you think we should pay most attention to here in Israel?

"The quickest barometer is the foreign exchange market. It provides an instant picture. If the exchange rate jumps, I know that something has happened. It’s the parameter that’s really closest to the markets."

If we look at the foreign exchange market, the shekel-dollar rate is fairly high. Will the depreciation continue?

"I hear many people say ‘the shekel will strengthen’ or ‘the shekel will weaken’ in the next month. There’s actually no way of deciding. Tossing a coin will do the job, really. In the long term, after the war, I believe that it will strengthen because of the structural factors in Israel. We have a surplus in the balance of payments current account. That is to say, in the end, more dollars come in than go out. In addition to that, we receive US aid every year. What’s more, the Bank of Israel’s foreign currency reserves stand at over $200 billion, and they’re the third highest in the world as a percentage of GDP. That’s a big safety cushion."

From Globes   "Harel's Ofer Klein is sanguine about Israel's macro position, sees strong growth once the war ends, and doubts predictions of deep Fed rate cuts. ...."but expectations are one thing and events are another. The market is in a state of manic depression. "

Needless to say, I agree. 

M16 Star talks

 The British Intelligence star Alastair Crooke just now gave an interview to Judge Andrew Napolitano. He is decidedly pro-Iran and anti-Israel, accusing Israel of having provoked Iran and waiting for a reprise and then planning a full escalation across the board to a World War III. He said that the timing is not good for the Democratic Party, but the West needs to reset because of its financial situation. He says that the real base of gold, oil,resources, etc. is too small to sustain the inverted financial pyramid. I understand he thinks that the West is too indebted and needs rewinding. These days Iran is carefully calibrating its attack on Israel, to avoid involving in the following phase the big powers - Russia and China. Israel, in his view, is definitely trying to provoke a general conflagration. 

The Jews like Smotrich are, he says, messianic. I always thought that Christians are the messianic cult, we Jews are rather skeptical about Deus-ex-machina salvation. Had been there, done that, enough once every two thousand years. 

Gaza Strip divided

 

The London Times writes about a successful attack against Hamas members in Gaza. The illustration shows the strip divided into five separate districts or cantons. Having each canton an individual identity will make it easier to take back and re-settle this piece of Eretz Israel. I am an Anglophile and have been one all my life. 

Our girls in Paris

 

The 7th medal for Israel in Paris. 

They hate us = We try harder. 

Second Foundation

 

Right: CIA map of Israeli settlements in Gaza Strip, Below: How those villages looked twenty years ago, and Down: How the place looks today. 

 Ariel Sharon made the big mistake of thinking that they were obstructing peace and if removed, the Palestinians will be happy and leave us in peace forever. 

I hope those beautiful Israeli villages will be refounded and reconstructed. 

But most, I feel the loss of the erased town of Yamit. You will not find it on any map.  

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Lithium Triangle

 

Lithium, the new gold, is found mostly in Northeast Argentina Chile, and Bolivia - see map. I have visited the Salinas Grandes salt lagoons, it is a sterile piece of desert. On the Atacama Altiplano there are large copper mines, they are well equipped to take advantage of this opportunity. Bolivia is unstable and socialist, Argentina - I don't know. 

Survival

 

I asked my father why the Jewish men in Hungary accepted unarmed uninformed labor service for the army in Ukraine, while a war was going on and it was known what was happening in Poland? They left their wives and children defenseless? It is the most elementary duty of manfolk to defend their people. They failed. 

I was ruthless. And there is no answer.