Independance Day

Fighter helicopters flying over
St. Peter's Church

It's Yom Ha'Atzmaut today ... or Independence Day of Israel. It's a national holiday in Israel and the custom is for families to go out barbecuing in the parks or at least on their balconies. It was very festive and some 50,000 people gathered at the beaches of tel Aviv to watch the airshow. This year there was the 3 new stealth fighter planes bought recently. Lots of oohs and ash from the crowds. And the aerial display by 4 fighter jets was much better than last year's. And of course the weather was great - sunny but a little cloudy.  http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4956430,00.html

3 new stealth jets

Our church of St. Peter in Jaffa has the best vantage point of viewing the airshow because it's the most prominent  building in Jaffa, jutting out on a cliff. The planes take the church steeple as a landmark where they end their fly pass.

Not everyone was happy though. Naturally the palestinians were not happy ... they lost their land when Israel was created. It was only expected that palestinians today marched in protest. But the highlight was from the ultra-orthodox jews. They do not recognise the State of Israel and many saw today as a disaster ... a country founded against God's will. And in late afternoon one of these jews tried to stab an Israeli soldier in the northern Jerusalem border with Samaria. He was shot dead.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4956479,00.html

And this morning we received news that bedouins of the Sinai peninsular killed ISIS soldiers as the desert tribes begin to fight back against the Islamic extremists who have infiltrated the peninsular, killing muslims and christians alike. This would be an important step for Israel's security in the south.    http://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/egypt/1.786689