PALESTINIANS PLOW TEMPLE MOUNT, AND WHAT DO THEY FIND? The Palestinian Arabs who have recklessly conducted demolition work on the Temple Mount, may have uncovered a section of the Bayis Sheini--the Second Temple.

Check out Gateway Pundit, who was sent pictures from the scene of how the Wakf digs a narrow channel on the Temple Mount to lay a small pipe for electrical wiring.

About the discovery itself, AFP reports:

Remains of the Jewish second temple may have been found during work to lay pipes at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in east Jerusalem, Israeli television reported Thursday.

Israeli television broadcast footage of a mechanical digger at the site which Israeli archaeologists visited on Thursday.

Gaby Barkai, an archaeologist from Bar Ilan University, urged the Israeli government to stop the pipework after the discovery of what he said is "a massive seven metre-long wall."

The question now is whether Olmert will finally take action.

So far they haven't. (video from One Jerusalem)


Also check out The Temple Mount Archaeological Destruction
[Hat tip: Larwyn]

Technorati Tag: Israel and Temple Mount.

THE PALESTINIAN CHOICE AFTER FATAH AND HAMAS IS NOT AL-QAEDA. While everyone has been operating under the assumption that the the battle for the hearts and minds of Palestinian Arabs was between Fatah and Hamas, the third option exists and is growing stronger--and we are not talking about Al-Qaeda.

According to The Telegraph:

But by night, the growing number of supporters of Hizb ut-Tahrir, the Islamic fundamentalists who reject modern democracy in favour of a pan-Islamic religious caliphate, are gathering in the West Bank to recruit the thousands who have grown disillusioned with the vicious stand-off between the secular Fatah and Islamist Hamas.

But the question of whom Palestinians are prepared to support is not the real story. TigerHawk points out the real implications:

The linked article from the Telegraph mostly focuses on Hizb ut-Tahrir, and whether it is in fact a dangerous foundational organization of the jihad. I think the Telegraph has buried the lede. The real story is that the quoted Palestinian Arabs have, first, given up on the idea that they can arrive at an effective government on their own; second, rejected popular sovereignty as a source of legitimacy; and, third, decided that Palestinian Arabs should not exist as a separate national group but as a constituency in a "caliphate" encompassing all Muslims.

In other words, these Palestinians agree they are not a nationality, that they should not determine their own government, and that they must be governed by others. They simply prefer that the "others" be Muslim rather than Jewish. And, when you get right down to it, what Arab Muslim wouldn't prefer that? Other than those who live inside metropolitan Israel, of course, who for whatever reason have chosen not to emigrate.

My question: What proportion of Palestinian Arabs would have to hold these views before the rest of the world admits that they are not, really, a nationality? [emphasis added]

Probably 100%--and then some.
The world is far too set in certain notions, that it can never let go and look at the Middle East in any way other than it has be led to.

See also Fatal Misconceptions.

[Hat tip: Larwyn]

Technorati Tag: Israel and Hizb ut-Tahrir.

ARAB CARTOONS ON THE HAMAS TAKEOVER: Finally, a benefit to the Hamas.

[Hat tip: Larwyn]

Technorati Tag: Hamas and Gaza and Arab Press.

PALESTINIANS ARE DIFFERENT: From American Thinker:

Occasionally those who keep them there tell the truth in public, as the PA Mufti just did. Of all the refugee floods in the last fifty-nine years, no other group has been kept in prison for the sake of future revenge. Pakistan was founded by millions of refugees from British India in the same year of 1948. But their descendants are not called refugees: They are citizens of Pakistan. Germans fled Russia and Eastern Europe following World War II and were integrate

...Today, Pakistan and India may not love each other, but they are living side by side. That's all that's needed.

Depending on your ultimate goal.

[Hat tip: Larwyn]

Technorati Tag: Israel and Palestinian Refugees.

A SHORT SURVEY OF MEDIA REPORTS ON THE CIVIL WAR: From Sigmund, Carl and Alfred.

[Hat tip: Larwyn]

Technorati Tag: Palestinian Civil War and Hamas and Fatah.

THE PA: "OCCUPATION UNDER THE GUISE OF SELF GOVERNMENT". So says Professor Jarbawi of Bir Zeit University. PrairiePundit has more on the disintegrating situation.

[Hat tip: Larwyn]

Technorati Tag: Palestinian Authority and Ali Jarbawi and Fatah and Hamas and Palestinian Civil War.

IN THE UK: THE BOYCOTT'S BOYCOTT: From PrairiePundit's post it appears that not all condemnations of Israel are as automatic as they are in the UN.

[Hat tip: Larwyn]

Technorati Tag: Israel Academic Boycott.

MEMO FROM ISRAEL TO PALESTINE: From American Digest, by Gerard Van der Leun

Memo From Israel to Palestine
by Gerard Van der Leun

Re: Final Notice Before the Termination of Our Relationship (To be filed in your "Permanent Conduct Record")

Date: To Be Determined
To: The Palestinian People
From: The People of Israel

Re: Final Notice Before the Termination of Our Relationship
(To be filed in your "Permanent Conduct Record")

As you know from our repeated meetings over many years, we have repeatedly done our best to accommodate your incessant demands regarding employment, compensation, housing allowances, health benefits, and other items of mutual interest as we have endeavored to work together on "Project Peace in the Middle East."

We have, with your agreement and assurances of a better performance, given you time, money, professional help, medication and a more than reasonable offer of land for you to live in while you work out "your issues." In the course of these meetings we feel we have been more than forthcoming in our attendance to your "special needs."

From time to time we have accepted your written word that, given adequate resources, you would be working to resolve "your issues." We note, for the record, that at no time has your word proven to be worth the paper that we both so ceremoniously signed. Indeed, it has been our bitter experience that the working out of "your issues" most often involves explosive episodes on the streets of our country.

It has come to our attention, through a continuing rain of the body parts of our citizens onto our streets, that "your issues" do not seem to be resolvable through considered and mutually agreeable negotiations. The outcome of these 'negotiations' in the recent past seems to us to be one of we give and you take and then you kill us. We have decided that this is not a program that we wish to continue.

Read the whole thing.
[Hat tip: Larwyn]

Technorati Tag: Israel and Palestinians.

IF SDEROT WAS IN BROOKLYN: Please read this post at Gates of Vienna. In response to an email from an Israeli doctor, they use maps to illustrate what a similar situation would look like if the target was Brooklyn--and to imagine what the reaction (and outcry?) would be.

Take a look.
[Hat tip: Larwyn]

Technorati Tag: Israel AND Sderot and Kassams and Brooklyn.

A PALESTINIAN STATE--A WORK IN PROGRESS? Jules Crittenden notes the headlines about life (and death) in Gaza that have become more and more common. Key quote:

Iran, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tony Blair, the Iraq Study Group … all these people has said peace in Iraq hinges on peace between the Palestinians and Israel. No mention of peace between the Palestinians.

[Hat tip: Larwyn]

Technorati Tag: Palestinians and Gaza.

FAVORABLE POLL ON ISRAEL LEAVES OUT ONE THING: Democracy Project posts about a new poll out:

The two leading partisan pollsters, Republican-leaning Public Opinion Strategies and Democrat-leaning Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research conducted a survey (with link to questionnaire and results) of U.S. “opinion elite” attitude toward Israel. Opinion elite is loosely defined as college grad or post-graduate, all earning above $75,000, 99% saying they will vote in 2008,most regular readers of major newspapers, newsmagazines and TV news viewers.

The results are very positive for Israel, and the post duly lists them. But at the end of the post DP has a question:

While this poll is comforting to supporters of Israel, there is a key question not asked that would provide greater comfort. Since most Democrats and Independents have given up on the U.S. involvement in Iraq, how much can Israel depend upon their support when the going is tough for Israel? Talk is cheap. Blood and guts are dear.

Just asking.
[Hat Tip: Larwyn ]

Technorati Tag: Israel and Polls.

HEROD'S TOMB FOUND: Prairiepundit has a post on the find. He also makes an interesting historical point:

An interesting find that should trouble the Palestinians who want to deny any Jewish connection with the land. It is interesting that they have embraced the Roman name for the area, but they are unlikely to recognize the Roman Senate's proclamation that the ruler was King of the Jews and not King of the Palestinians. [emphasis added]

[Hat tip: Larwyn]
Technorati Tag: Israel and King Herod.

NEW TREND--DEFINING RELEVANCE IN THE MIDDLE EAST: American Digest has identified a new meme beginning to make the rounds:

The ever-expanding throng of those who want to "get out now even if we have to come back later" seem to be trial-balooning a new Middle East meme. To wit, "That troublesome region? Hah, it isn't really important. Just a bunch of Arabs and Jews bopping about. Who cares?"

The American Interest showcases this devil-may-care attitude with The Irrelevance of the Middle East by Philip Auerswald: "As the 21st century unfolds, the Middle East (leaving Israel aside for the moment) will matter less and less to the United States and to most of the rest of the world." You've got to love that aside about leaving Israel aside.

Not to be outdone in the historical revisionism sweepstakes, Edward Luttwak at The American Spectator is out of the blocks and sprinting towards the exit with: "Arab-Israeli catastrophism is wrong twice over, first because the conflict is contained within rather narrow boundaries, and second because the Levant is just not that important any more."

I wrote about Luttwak a few days ago, and am of two minds about it. How much has world, and UN, involvement helped Israel in the past many years--as opposed to tying her hands or forcing her into concessions?

At this point though, does Israel have the ability--never mind the leadership--to defend itself on its own? IMRA in April 2006 noted that the US no longer saw Israel as a strong and reliable ally.

Ocean Guy, on the other hand, agrees with American Digest--in an excellent post, noting the very real threat of Iran and nuclear arms.

This is a meme that may well be on its way to becoming a policy.
[Hat tip: Larwyn]

Technorati Tag: Israel and Philip Auerswald and Edward Luttwak.

TENET, POLLARD, AND IRAQ: American Thinker notes that in his new book, Tenet--who claims to have opposed 'the rush to war'--also claims to have scuttled the release of Pollard during the Clinton administration by threatening to resign.

To prevent Pollard's release, Tenet threatened to resign--but not in opposition to a war?
[Hat tip: Larwyn]

Technorati Tag: George Tenet and Jonathan Pollard.

OBAMA ON THE PALESTINIANS: The American Thinker notes Obama's 'damage control' over his controversial statement: "Nobody's suffering more than the Palestinian people."

During the first Democratic presidential debate Obama claimed that what he actually said was

nobody has suffered more than the Palestinian people from the failure of the Palestinian leadership to recognize Israel, to renounce violence and to get serious about negotiating peace and security for the region.

Except that Obama didn't say that--as The Des Moines Register points out.
[Hat tip: Larwyn]

Technorati Tag: Barack Obama.

PALESTINIAN CHILDREN SELLING LIVE ARMS: Gateway Pundit has the photos.
And if a child blows himself up in the process, does anyone honestly think there will be outrage?
[Hat tip: Larwyn]

Technorati Tag: Palestinian Children and Child Abuse.

OBAMA AND SOROS: The American Thinker raises questions about how just how far Obama actually distanced himself from Soros and his anti-Israel comments.
[Hat tip: Larwyn]

Technorati Tag: Barack Obama and George Soros.

HAS PELOSI LOST THE PRESS? Reaction to Pelosi's trip has not stopped, and Gateway Pundit has some of the latest, including another editorial from the Washington Post--No Results in Damascus with the byline:

Having finished hosting U.S. politicians, Syria's dictator has returned to jailing dissidents and sponsoring terrorism.

Even the Reform Party in Syria is looking up to President Bush--and not Pelosi.
[Hat tip: Larwyn]

Technorati Tag: Nancy Pelosi.

ISRAEL ON THE WAY TO PEACE? From American Thinker:

Specifically, the Arab League, led by the Saudis and Jordanians, has now publicly offered to recognize Israel. That offer comes with conditions that make it unworkable on the surface, although it may provide a basis for further negotiation. But the big breakthrough is implicit, as usual in the complex maneuvering characteristic of that part of the world. When the United States recognized Communist China after many years of passionate refusals, all the preliminary negotiations were conducted in secret between Henry Kissinger and Chinese Foreign Minister Chou En-lai. Nixon's public trip to China just put the official stamp on well-established secret understandings. There are now many reports of secret conversations between Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel.

I'd feel a lot better about this possibility if I thought that the current Israeli government could actually negotiate in its own best interests.
[Hat tip: Larwyn]

Technorati Tag: Israel.

AIPAC TRIAL MAY BE POSTPONED: Seems the law could be getting in the way according to American Thinker:

Due to the inability of the prosecution so far to come up with a means of presenting its case that passes both constitutional and judicial muster, the case against two former AIPAC officials is likely to be postponed from its initial June 4 trial date.

Part of the prosecution's problem seems to be whether the classified information in question is actually damaging to national security.
[Hat tip: Larwyn]

Technorati Tag: AIPAC.