Video: Latma -- Iran & Islamophobia And Rule Of Lawyers vs Migron

Here is this week's Latma.

If you're not sure about the point behind the musical segment "How'd The Lawyer Rise Above Us," read Caroline Glick on Migron and the threat to Israeli democracy:

the story of Migron and its pending destruction is the story of the power struggle between Israel's unelected, radical legal fraternity represented by the attorney-general, the State Prosecution he directs and the Supreme Court on the one hand, and Israel's elected governments - from the Right and from the Left - on the other.

Here's the video:

Arlene Kushner On Evacuation of Migron; Egypt Begins Withdrawal From Sinai

From Arlene Kushner

August 30, 2012

Not Pretty

Really ugly, if truth be told.  That's the situation in Migron.  The High Court released its decision yesterday:

The residents -- all of them, including the 17 who re-purchased the land on which their homes are sitting -- must be evacuated by next Tuesday.  By September 11, all buildings must be razed except for those on the plot of land that had been re-purchased.

Arlene Kushner On A Surprise In Migron And Other Developments

From Arlene Kushner:

June 28, 2012

"Not Just Wishful Thinking"

If you can be in Washington DC on July 19, please note:

EMET -- the Endowment for Middle East Truth -- is pleased to bring to Capitol Hill, Sgt. Benjamin Anthony, founder of the non-profit "Our Soldiers Speak."

Sgt. Benjamin Anthony (IDF. Res.), is a combat veteran and combat reservist in the Israel Defense Forces. As a heavy machine gunner, he has taken a full and front line roll in several of Israel’s most recent campaigns to defend it’s citizens in the face of new age terrorist activity, serving in large operations both within and beyond Israel’s borders.

Since his release from full- time service, Benjamin Anthony has established an organization - Our Soldiers Speak- a nonprofit-non-governmental body that has one aim, clear and singular: to bring the proud truth of Israel’s soldiers from the front lines of combat to the English speaking world, whenever and wherever audience is granted.

July 19, 2012, 12:000 Noon to 1:00 PM

Lunch to be served (dietary laws observed)

Rayburn House Office Building, Room B 340

RSVP to Info@emetonline.org

Share the word, please.

~~~~~~~~~~

Perhaps my need to report some news that is potentially positive is kicking in.  Today the state of the world still seems grim, but a tad less so.

The last residents -- 18 families -- of the houses in Ulpana slated for expulsion were moved out today.

With this, we have been mindful that one of the next issues to be faced is that of Migron, where there is also a Court-ordered expulsion, to be carried out before August 1. 

But according to information acquired by Israel Hayom: in an effort to prevent that expulsion, an American Jewish philanthropist -- whose name has not been revealed -- has bought land constituting more than 80% of Migron from the Arabs who claimed ownership.  

Yedidya Atlas: The “Objective Truth” in the Strange Case of Migron

The “Objective Truth” in the Strange Case of Migron

By: Yedidya Atlas

Sara Hirschorn, in her recent op-ed in The Times of Israel, “Who Has the Monopoly on Truth at Migron?”, challenged my article “Something is Rotten in the State of Israel: The Strange Case of Migron” criticizing Israel’s Supreme Court’s decisions regarding Migron. While she is certainly entitled to disagree with me, her article missed the point.

Sara’s main contention follows the argument of the late history Professor Peter Novick of the University of Chicago that there is no objective truth. However, whether or not, objectively or subjectively, this is true or even makes sense – it is not relevant.

By definition, in a court of law the truth is determined by accepted procedures applying to evidence. In the case of Migron, the Peace Now lawyers represented Palestinian Arabs who were purported to be the registered owners of the land upon which Migron is built. The court of law that dealt with validating or rejecting the plaintiffs claim was the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court.

In that case, the Arab plaintiffs who claimed to be the owners of what is actually only one quarter of the land upon which Migron was built were unable to produce evidence to prove their claim. In fact, Migron’s lawyer at the time, now Supreme Court Justice Hanan Melcer, proved that their claims were false, and in fact, the Peace Now lawyers of said plaintiffs subsequently withdrew their case.

Again, this did not stop Peace Now from pursuing their legally baseless petition in the Supreme Court. Justice Melcer, then Migron’s attorney, in his written response to the Peace Now petition to the Supreme Court wrote:

Read the whole thing

The author is a veteran journalist specializing in geo-political and geo-strategic affairs in the Middle East. His articles have appeared in such publications as The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Times, Insight Magazine, Nativ, The Jerusalem Post and Makor Rishon. His articles have been reprinted by Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the US Congressional Record.

Technorati Tag: Israel and MIgron.

Yedidya Atlas: The Strange Case of Migron

Something is Rotten in the State of Israel:
The Strange Case of Migron

By: Yedidya Atlas

Some years ago, a national-religious organization whose public operations had been authorized by Knesset Law found itself being challenged by the Leftwing MK’s who lost the Knesset vote in Israel’s Supreme Court – then at the height of the judicial regime of Chief Justice Aharon Barak. The legislative losers knew that even though they democratically lost the vote by a significant majority in Israel’s legislative body, they could count on the Supreme Court to ultimately cancel democratic Knesset votes if it wasn’t in line with acceptable leftwing politics.

The astounded directors of the aforementioned organization went to a top lawyer in Tel Aviv to represent them in their defense in the Supreme Court case. Said lawyer, unlike his clients, was secular and not politically to the right. Nonetheless, as befits a proper lawyer, he took the case and committed himself to present the best defense possible for his clients. In this case one might have thought it an easy task; the Law was clearly on their side. However, this lawyer who had spent two decades in illustrious government service prior to going out to the private sector, warned his clients that while he could produce a 400 page defense which proved their case, he could only buy them time as in the end they would lose irrespective of the fact that legal justice was on their side.

Why The Israeli Settlement Of Migron Is Legal And Should Not Be Demolished

In a January article, Arlene Kushner gave some background on the planned demolishment of the Migron settlement:

Migron is a community established in 1999, on a hill northeast of Jerusalem -- between the communities of Ofra and Geva Binyamin. Today, with over 250 residents, it is the largest of the so-called "illegal outposts."

The Ministry of Construction and Housing invested 4.3 million shekels in laying infrastructure for Migron through the Mate Binyamin Regional Council. As Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman recently said:

Migron is not an illegal outpost. It's a community where then-Defense Minister Moshe Arens and the [army's] GOC Central Command stood beside the cornerstone at its founding.

But, in 2005, a very dubious "Sasson report" made the claim that it was established on Palestinian land.

Arlene Kushner On Obama's Election Campaign Ads On Israel

From Arlene Kushner:

January 29, 2012

"Pushing Back, Pushing Forward"

There's a good deal happening, and much to respond to.  Please read this through and act.  I like to think of my readers as also actors in the important fights we are fighting  -- against some things, for others.  Your assistance does make a difference.

~~~~~~~~~~ 

I begin with a link to my latest article on Front Page Magazine, "Answering Obama's Israel Lies."  

It exposes the distortions and half-truths that have been put out in a campaign video purporting to show what a good friend to Israel Obama is.  Please, circulate broadly.

Here's the link to the original video, in case you haven't seen it.  It's making the rounds big time and must be responded to in a serious fashion, for it's so easy to be taken in if you don't know the facts.  When you DO know the facts, the response to this is some combination of rage and deep disgust.

Arlene Kushner On Migron

From Arlene Kushner:

January 24, 2012

"MIGRON in the spotlight"

My readers have heard from me about Mitzpe Avichai, and now it is time to turn our attention to Migron -- which presents some very serious issues.  You will learn things here that it is unlikely you've heard from your mainstream media sources.

Migron is a Jewish community on a hilltop in the Binyamin Regional Council in Samaria, north of Jerusalem.  With 49 families, it is the largest of the communities that are frequently referred to as "unauthorized settlements."

Arlene Kushner On Palestinians Playing "Let's Pretend," Will Migron Be Razed?

From Arlene Kushner:

January 2, 2012

"Let's All Pretend" 

Big headlines:  "Israeli, Palestinian officials to meet tomorrow in Amman: Meeting to mark first direct talks in over a year." 

Wow!  Are we on the way to peace now?  Did Abbas back off on his demand that Israel freeze all building past the Green Line before he would sit at the negotiating table?