Egozi’s Fury – North Korea is Testing the World’s Patience

Egozi’s Fury – North Korea is Testing the World’s Patience

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It is not difficult to notice the weakness of America, that has become a paper tiger during Obama’s presidency.

This weakness has been exploited by two – Russia’s president Putin and the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

While Russia is not threatening the world but rather just does whatever it desires without taking  into account the US, in fact North Korea actually endangers it.

North Korea conducted nuclear tests time after time. It recognizes that Obama is weak, lacks determination, and consists of no real threat.

We could have sat back and enjoyed the show “See how North Korea is humiliating the USA”, however this show endangers us, too. The close relationship between this isolated state and Iran, the assistance it extended to Syria in building a nuclear reactor that was destroyed by Israel, according to the international media.

So North Korea carries on with the development of nuclear weapons and long range missiles. The US is simply not a factor in the equation.

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The circumstances of the underground parking lot collapse in Tel Aviv are still being investigated. However, it is already clear that there is no quality inspection regarding construction. The issue has been pushed aside, and none of the committees that have dealt with it during the years could not bring about any change.

Everybody ignores the matter, but sometimes disasters do happen. And this is in a country where an earthquake might occur at any minute, as well as rocket attacks.

The spheres of responsibility are unclear. There is no law enforcement. In short, a total chaos. The subject is raised only after a disaster occurs, but then nothing changes, and the lack of functioning of the ministries that are supposed to deal with it prevails.

In Israel – it’s always the same. Numerous ministers. Numerous titles. Zero action.

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The relatives of the Israeli citizen Avera Mengistu, held by the Hamas in the Gaza Strip for already two years, organized a demonstration last week, raising Israeli flags at the point where their son had crossed the fence and been seen for the last time. The family protested against the continuing captivity of Avera, and called on the prime minister to return him to his home and family.

Apparently none of the ministers referred seriously to the family’s claims. But someone in the government lets terrorists imprisoned in Israel enjoy “deluxe” conditions. This is not clear. Israel  repeatedly withdraws, Instead of putting pressure over the Hamas. Concrete is being delivered to Gaza and used for the building of tunnels and fortified posts.

The organization’s prisoners held at Israeli prisons enjoy improved conditions. The government offers some explanations, but none of them actually sounds logic.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks decisively and raises his voice when referring to the Hamas. But in practice, he eases the tone in Gaza as well as in Israeli prisons. Something is totally wrong.

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I heard the announcement of Ofir Akunis, Minister of Science, Technology and Space, that he would summon the heads of the Israeli space industry to an urgent discussion on the situation of the industry following the explosion of the Amos 6 satellite.

It is interesting that such a discussion is only being held now. The Israeli space industry has been in an acute crisis for years, and no one has done anything about it.

It seems that the ministers of all the governments during recent years regard the space industry as a vague issue that they do not have to deal with. On the other hand, they always accept any invitation to the inauguration ceremony of a building or a lab pertaining to this industry, just to get media cover.  

Israel develops and manufactures advanced communications and intelligence satellites. However, these programs are divided among the ministries of defense, communications and science, and there is “total chaos”, a source told iHLS last week.

According to the source, there was no serious government discussion on the needs of the Israeli space program for years. “If an emergency situation regarding this issue is not declared – all the knowledge accumulated in this field will disappear. The experts will relocate to other countries, where they will be offered enormous salaries, and Israel will remain without a thriving space program”, the source added.

He evaluated that although Israel has accomplished impressive technological achievements in the space sector in the past, without a clear plan – the whole program might go downhill.

The intelligence and communications satellites capability constitutes a prime defense need for Israel. It is a capability that a state in Israel’s situation must nurture and cultivate persistently, with the support of large budgets.

With no program and no budgets for the continuation of development, there would have been no space industry in Israel, were it not for the initiatives of industries such as IAI, Elbit and Rafael.

None of the relating ministers has ever contacted the general managers of these companies to ask for information on the subject. From their point of view the subject does not exist. Lack of attention, lack of understanding, mere laziness – you name it. The result is upsetting.

Arie Egozi i-HLS Editor-in-Chief
Arie Egozi
i-HLS Editor-in-Chief