Israel Matzav: Maybe Bibi just doesn't like roses

Maybe Bibi just doesn't like roses

When I was in yeshiva here some thirty years ago, my Rabbi used to invite us regularly to spend the Sabbath in his home. We were a nice group of boys, and we always brought something with us: flowers, wine, chocolates.... Well, the Rabbi didn't like the flowers (although I believe his wife did), and one day he harangued us about it during our daily lecture.

"What good are flowers?" He asked. "Can I eat them? Can I give them to my children to play with?"

I suspect our Prime Minister feels the same way about flowers that my Rabbi did (I don't know whether he still does feel that way - maybe he's softened in his old age). Either that or he's way too worried about offending Mr. Obumbler.

But before I tell you the story, let's go to the videotape to get into the mood:



The story is that a group of American Christians wanted to send Prime Minister Netanyahu 800 dozen yellow roses from Texas - at a low price of $19.48 per bouquet - as a gesture of solidarity with Israel against President Obumbler. Netanyahu turned them down.

Has the fight between US President Barack Obama and Israel become so fetid that it can overcome the fragrance of more than 10,000 roses?

That appeared to be the case on Thursday, when officials in the Prime Minister’s Office made clear that they cannot accept a donation of more than 1,000 dozen yellow roses from American Christians who were upset by reports of Obama’s treatment of Binyamin Netanyahu in the White House last week.

Florida-based radio host and author Janet Porter was so incensed by what she thought was Obama’s inappropriate behavior that she called upon her listeners to give Netanyahu yellow roses to symbolize friendship, with each bouquet costing a symbolic price of $19.48.

The response was overwhelming as Christian supporters of Israel went online to the Web site of Porter’s Faith2action organization and ordered the flowers, which were to be accompanied by a card with the words, “Be encouraged, Americans stand with you,” along with a quote from a psalm: “The Lord builds up Jerusalem.”

Porter contacted respected Beit Shemesh-based florist Richard Kovler, who would be ready to deliver the huge amount of flowers after Pessah ends next week. But he needs someone in the Prime Minister’s Office to receive them.

When Kovler contacted the appropriate Netanyahu adviser, he was told that the Prime Minister’s Office could not get involved, because Netanyahu must be very careful to avoid anything that smacks of disrespect for the president at such a sensitive time.

Mrs. Porter sounds like one heck of a lady. Read the whole thing.

I wonder if some of the children's cancer support groups (like Zichron Menachem and Chai Lifeline) would be interested in those flowers. Hmmm.

Israel Matzav: Maybe Bibi just doesn't like roses