Watch Out for Floods/Winds: Sometimes the Weather Makes for Strange Bedfellows

Intense low pressure over the Baltic Sea will spin off a very deep trough, which should rotate through the Southern Mediterranean, into Egypt and back northward through Israel, before heading northeastward into Jordan and Syria.

Low pressure should develop to our southwest and strengthen on Monday. Plenty of deep moisture should accompany the storm and lead to severe flooding from Eilat northward into the Dead Sea and Jordan Valley regions. Dust mixed with the moisture should lead to strong thunderstorms with hail. As the storm continues to develop on Monday night into Tuesday, it should send a return flow of moisture back into Israel, leading to more heavy rain, especially over central and northern areas. Winds should reach gale or near gale, with higher gusts.

The occurrence of a winter storm system as Spring spring’s around the corner makes for strange juxtaposition or seasonal strange bedfellows.

One might feel the same about seeing a sign for a flight to Tel Aviv, departing at 7:30, right next to the 6:50 flight departing for Iran. You see, I was in Abu Dhabi for a meeting. The United Arab Emirates Program for Rain Enhancement Science awarded The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (led by Professor Daniel Rosenfeld)  a contract — with other principal investigators —  to make it rain — more. Weather It Is, LTD will provide consulting services, and so I made my way from Dubai to Abu Dhabi — where I had the best Tuna Sandwich I ever ate from Elli’s Kosher Kitchen.

Getting back to my original point — I wanted to go over to these erstwhile travelers and ask them: “how can you go back to Iran?”

In contrast to the Iranian government — whose motto is “Death to the Zionist Enemy,” the United Arab Emirates actually encourages coexistence between (of course) different peoples. Entering (and leaving) was efficient and friendly, and our stay was pleasant and opened my eyes to the possibilities for a more peaceful future.

Where does this strange idea for a peaceful future come from? I can’t say where exactly, but it’s spelled out in the big mall that abuts the world’s tallest building in Dubai — the Burj Khalifa.

There’s a big manifesto on one of it’s walls that lays out the principles of the state. There are eight, actually. The first principle is that the Union is the foundation and Dubai is an integral part of the Emirates — yet the Union’s laws supersede local laws. The second is that no one is above the law, including the ruling family of the emirates, and that the law does not discriminate between peoples, Muslim or non-Muslim. The third says that Dubai is a business capital that does not invest in politics or use politics towards business ends. Skipping to principle 5, the society is unique in that it is respectful, tolerant and distances itself from any and all discrimination and biases. Principles 7 & 8 speak about investing in talent and in future generations.

From my short visit, I can only say I commend the United Arab Emirates for not just talking, but putting into practice their beliefs’.

Yet, I couldn’t help thinking of our neighbors, supported so ardently by so many “well meaning” persons of the world. Just next door to use, the (HAMAS) principles are: there is us and there is you, and you — if you’re not dead  — will wish you already were. While their laws also supersede all else, they follow an immoral code outside the principles that should guide people and nations. So, everything is permissible so long as it is towards their goal and Iran’s goal of destroying any Jewish presence in the land of what was many years ago Judea and Samaria, became Roman Palestine, part of the Muslim Caliphate, and now is Israel (and Jordan). Lastly, they did (also) invest in talent — talent to build missiles, armaments, and military bases in homes, hospitals, play grounds, mosques and tunnels. They also invested in the future — as without children there cannot be soldiers and suicide bombers to be the vanguard of their conquests.

Stay safe.