Arabs and Muslims Run to Israel

And who can blame them?

Arabs and Muslims Run to Israel

By Khaled Abu Toameh
Hudson New York

July 28, 2010

Many Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip have a dream: to work or live in Israel. Some even say they are prepared to pay large sums of money to obtain Israeli citizenship.
Others pay a lot of money to Palestinian and Jewish traffickers who help them bypass checkpoints to enter Israel in search of work and good life.

These are not self-hating Palestinians. Nor are they "pro-Israel traitors" who support the Zionist movement.

Many Palestinians feel that neither Fatah nor Hamas has done enough to alleviate their suffering. Many Fatah leaders who stole billions of dollars of international donations earmarked for the Palestinians have invested their fortunes in hotels, tourist resorts and real estate firms in the West. Hamas, on the other hand, prefers to spend millions of dollars on purchasing [and smuggling] large amounts of weapons, including rockets and ammunition.

It is a disgrace for Arab and Muslim dictators, particularly those who make billions of dollars from selling oil, that their constituents have to seek work and refuge in Israel and the West. It is also a disgrace for Fatah and Hamas that thousands of Palestinians cannot find jobs or a good life in the two Palestinian states in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Arab and Islamic regimes are spending billions of dollars on building new mosques and madrasas while nearly half of their people are illiterate and live under the poverty line. University graduates in these countries are forced to search for work in the West because of poor working conditions and lack of opportunities.

The absence of good government, transparency, accountability and democracy in these countries is driving Arabs and Muslims to seek work and a better life not only in North America and Europe, but even in places like Israel.

A wealthy Arab prefers to spend millions of dollars on a private zoo than building a hospital or a university. Why should he when he and his family members could travel anytime they wish to receive medical treatment at Mayo Clinic or study at Harvard University?

In many ways, these Palestinians are not different from the African immigrants who try to infiltrate Israel every day through Egypt. The immigrants come from Sudan, Ethiopia, Eretria, Nigeria and other African countries.

Read the whole thing.

Technorati Tag: Israel.

Obama Could Do Worse Than Reading This 30 Year Old Article About The Middle East

We keep hearing about Abbas being the head of the Palestinian Authority.
We are reassured that he is a moderate.
Israel is told that Abbas is the go-to guy that Israel must deal with in order to bring peace.

Bunk.

If Abbas has to go to the 22-member Arab League in order to get the OK to attend direct talks with Netanyahu, that is not a leader who is control.

In an interview last year, Olmert describes the real concessions he made to Abbas on land, Jerusalem, and refugees--and handed Abbas a map to sign that he agreed to a final peace agreement:

"He (Abbas) promised me the next day his adviser would come. But the next day Saeb Erekat rang my adviser and said we forgot we are going to Amman today, let's make it next week. I never saw him again."

The point is that then, as now, Abbas is powerless to do anything without the agreement of the Arab world.

Daniel Pipes already wrote about this back in 1983. In How Important Is the PLO? he concludes:

Forget "Jewish Lobby"--Let's Just Get Right Down To It And Talk About "Jewish Money"!

Not too subtle:

McMahon Campaign Hits Grimm For Taking "Jewish Money" 

Mike Grimm, a G.O.P challenger for Mike McMahon's Congressional seat, took in over $200,000 in his last filing.

But in an effort to show that Grimm lacks support among voters in the district, which covers Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn, the McMahon campaign compiled a list of Jewish donors to Grimm and provided it to The Politicker.

Arab League Gives Abbas Go Ahead To....Do What He's Already Doing?

Back in December 2009, Abbas told Haaretz:

If Israel completely halts construction in the settlements, negotiations with the Palestinians on a final-status agreement can be completed within six months, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas told Haaretz Tuesday, adding that Israel needn't declare the freeze, just carry it out.

Abbas, who appeared self-assured and upbeat during the exclusive interview, said the Palestinians had no preconditions for talks with Israel [sic] but wanted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to meet his obligations to the road map, which calls for a cessation of construction in the settlements. [hat tip: Rick Richman]

We're well past Abbas's self-imposed deadline, everyone thought the peace talks were going nowhere and that Abbas conferring with the Arab League was just a formality--to support his boycott of peace talks.

But instead: Arab League endorses direct talks

Arab League foreign ministers on Thursday authorized the Palestinian Authority to enter into direct negotiations with Israel, but left it up to PA President Mahmoud Abbas to decide on the timing.

Help YUTorah Restore Lost Shiurim

From an email:

Help YUTorah Restore Lost Shiurim

A few weeks ago the YUTorah server experienced a major technical error and a number of audio files were deleted from the server. Since then we have managed to restore about half the missing shiurim. At this point we need your help to restore the rest. If you are a frequent downloader or have a podcast subscription to the following speakers:

• Rabbi Eliakim Koenigsberg
• Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz
• Rabbi Yaakov Neuburger
• Rabbi Michael Rosensweig
• Rabbi Yonason Sacks
• Rabbi Eli Baruch Shulman
• Rabbi Baruch Simon
• Rabbi Zvi Sobolofsky
• Rabbi Moshe D. Tendler
• Rabbi Jeremy Wieder

The affected shiurim were those given between February and June of this year, most notably from the daily shiur and daf yomi series.

Please contact us at office@yutorah.org so we can arrange to get those audio files from you to restore to the server.

In addition to the speakers listed above, we are also missing shiurim from: Rabbbi Elachanan Adler (Inyanei Tochacha series) Rabbi Dr. Apfel (Medical Halacha series) Rabbi Shlomo Einhorn (Kodshim Chabura) Rabbi Steven Pruzansky (Tehillim series) Rabbi Larry Rothwachs (Baba Kama series) Rabbi Jeffrey Sacks (History series) Rabbi Reuven Spolter (Parsha series) Rabbi Daniel Stein (Baba Batra series) Rabbi Michael Taubes (BCBM series) from February to June 2010 only.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Technorati Tag: Torah.

Israel Compiling Evidence For Compensating Refugees (Updated: Arab Response)

Actually, while there are Arab organizations doing exactly that for Arabs who claim to have been forced to leave in 1948, the Israeli government has officially started to compile information for over 1 million Jews who were forced to leave Arab countries

A new department set up by Ministry of Pensioners Affairs to manage the legal claims of Israeli Jews of Middle Eastern descent who lost their property when they left countries throughout the region has begun collecting information.

The office will help identify, locate and seek compensation for the assets of the more than one million Jews who came to Israel from Iran, Iraq, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon and Syria.

Egyptian Journalist: The Lebanon #Flotilla Wants To Break A Siege That Is Already Broken

You know, it's all very well for these self-proclaimed human rights activists to join Islamists with the sole purpose of creating media spectacles, but at some point--when it becomes clear that Gaza is not the prison they keep claiming--the show these people are putting on really does become absurd.

MEMRI has translated an article by Ashraf Abu Al-Houl about the growing recreation industry in Gaza and the low merchandise prices:

Journalist Ashraf Abu Al-Houl wrote in Al-Ahram: "I was last in Gaza in mid-February. Returning three weeks ago, I found it almost unrecognizable... and the greatest surprise was the nature of that change. I would have expected a change for the worse, considering the blockade – but the opposite was the case; it seemed as if it had emerged from the blockade.

Turkey's Opposition Party Rejects PM Erdogan On Mavi Marmara

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, chairman of the main opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP, gave an interview to Turkey's Daily News:

Remarks of Kılıçdaroğlu on the Mavi Marmara humanitarian aid ship assault are quite interesting. The CHP holds the government party responsible because of the deaths on board. And the CHP asserts that the ship was sent to the area despite Israeli warnings and the government knew it. Kılıçdaroğlu claims some dark forces were involved in the crisis and the AKP aimed to change political agenda in the country. He asked the release of information that has been held so far.

Why The Flotilla Activists Are Hypocrites

Can these self-proclaimed human rights activists explain why they stood by quietly while Palestinian Arabs were massacred?

A couple of years ago, a Palestinian refugee camp was encircled and laid siege to by an army of tanks and Armored Personnel Carriers. Attacks initiated by Palestinian militants triggered an overwhelming response from the army that took the life of almost 500 people, including many civilians. International organizations struggled to send aid to the refugee camps, where the inhabitants were left without basic amenities like electricity and running water. During the conflict, six U.N. personnel were killed when their car was bombed.

Government ministers and spokesmen tried to explain to the international community that the Palestinian militants were backed by Syria and global jihadist elements. Al Qaeda condemned the government and the army, declaring that the attack was part of a "crusade" against their Palestinian brothers.

First Female Arab Combat Soldier in IDF is Proud to Serve Israel

Hat tip: Yaacov Lozowick:

“Look at the beret,” says Elinor, smiling from ear to ear, showing off the bright green beret that she earned after completing the trek which is part of her combat training in the Karakal Battalion. Her excitement is accompanied by a new historical precedent, since Elinor is the first Arab female combat soldier in IDF history.

Anyone Notice The Difference In How Cameron Speaks About Israel And Turkey?

While in Turkey this week, David Cameron, Prime Minister of Great Britain, came out against Israel on Gaza this week:

Cameron's criticism of Tel Aviv came when he called for Israel to relax its restrictions on Gaza. "The situation in Gaza has to change," he said. "Humanitarian goods and people must flow in both directions. Gaza cannot and must not be allowed to remain a prison camp."

He strongly condemned Israel after the assault on the Gaza flotilla. "The Israeli attack on the Gaza flotilla was completely unacceptable," he said. "I have told prime minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu we will expect the Israeli inquiry to be swift, transparent and rigorous. "Let me also be clear that the situation in Gaza has to change."

But don't worry--Cameron knows who his real friends are, as Barry Rubin points out: In Speech to Turkey, PM David Cameron Goes Full Idiot

When it came to talking about turkey, on the other hand, Cameron came out at his most obsequious, with comments such as:

Kuwaiti Supermarket Chain Has Problem With Hebrew--And A Far Bigger One With The US Government

From the Arab world, where it is important to take a principled stand on matters involving Israel:

And though the coffee filters you seek may be German and not Israeli -- Melitta in this instance -- it apparently makes no difference to the Lebanese branch of a major Kuwaiti supermarket chain, The Sultan Center, known by its acronym T.S.C.

At least one T.S.C. supermarket nestled in the quaint, largely Francophone neighborhood of Ashrafiyeh in Beirut recently sent back its shipment of Melitta coffee filters after discovering that the boxes had Hebrew script on the side.

Abbas Continues To Boycott His Own Peace Talks

True, as he continues to hold out, Abbas gets more concessions--that's how he got upgraded status for the PA office in Washington (which is actually the PLO office).

Now the EU is pitching in:

In a final thrust to persuade reluctant Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to enter direct talks with Israel, the EU coupled strong exhortations on Wednesday to Abbas to immediately begin them, with statements designed to give him confidence that once at the negotiating table, he will have strong support for a number of his key positions.

Hamas Targets Women's Underwear

At last, Hamas has found an adversary worthy of itself!

Hamas targets women's underwear in modesty drive 

The Islamist rulers of the Gaza Strip have ordered lingerie shops to display more modesty.

A week after banning women from smoking water pipes in public places, the Hamas-run police force has told stores selling women's underwear to remove scantily-clad mannequins and any posters of racy undergarments.

"These measures have stemmed from complaints and pressure by ordinary people. They have to do with upholding our traditions," police spokesman Ayman Al-Batniji said Wednesday.
Hamas leaders have repeatedly denied any intention to impose Islamic law on the Gaza Strip, home to 1.5 million Palestinians.

But Hamas police have broken up a hip-hop concert in the territory and tried -- unsuccessfully -- to force women lawyers in court and female school students to wear traditional Muslim clothing, a step that drew a public backlash.

Hamas's modesty moves were widely seen by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip as attempts to mollify more conservative Islamic factions that have accused the movement of failing to uphold Islamic Sharia law.

Perhaps someday, those who like to refer to Gaza as a prison will note who the wardens are.

Technorati Tag: Gaza and Hamas

Sarah Leah Whitson And Human Rights Watch Pay Their Respects To Hamas

Sarah Leah Whitson continues to work hard to improve the image of Human Rights Watch within the Arab world. Remember last year in May?

Human Rights Watch is gaining more recognition and support in Saudi Arabia and the Arab world. During their recent visit to the Kingdom, senior members of the organization were given a welcoming dinner in Riyadh hosted by prominent businessman and intellectual Emad bin Jameel Al-Hejailan.

Other prominent members of Saudi society, human rights activists and dignitaries were invited to the dinner held to honor the guests.

In an introductory speech at the dinner, Al-Hejailan said the credo of human rights is rising in the Kingdom. He commended Human Rights Watch (HRW) for its work on Gaza and the Middle East as a whole.

HRW presented a documentary and spoke on the report they compiled on Israel violating human rights and international law during its war on Gaza earlier this year.

Apparently improving HRW's image in Saudi Arabia was contingent on talking about all of the reports it had published about Israel. Which of course is understandable: after all, Whitson was in Saudi Arabia to get funding--and appearances of propriety be damned.

I discussed Whitson's claims and those of Human Rights Watch head Ken Roth about the trip here. Needless to say, the stunt was an embarrassment, exposing as it did the lack of neutrality and objectivity that one assumes such NGO's have.

But that didn't stop Whitson from paying a friendly visit to Hamas:

Oy, Does Iran Have Tzuris!

Michael Ledeen gives an update on the news in Iran--not good, if you happen to live in Iran. Here is a shortened version of the items he lists:

• First of all, there is still no end to the bazaar strike, even though the regime has taken very violent action against the strikers.

• The major natural gas pipeline between Iran and Turkey was sabotaged.

• Saturday – Sunday night there was a serious fire at the old petrochemical plant on Kharq island.

21st Century Statecraft In The Obama Administration--Same Ploys, Different Toys?

Twitter cannot stop a bullet.

That's the lesson of what happened last year. There was a lot of romantic outpouring here thinking that Facebook is going to stop the Revolutionary Guards. It doesn't. Thuggery, a determined regime that is oppressive, that will shoot, almost always wins.A hard but simple truth--especially when the Internet actually can be controlled.
Charles Krauthammer on the one-year anniversary of the election that spawned the Green Movement in Iran

Back in June the State Department's Special Advisor on Innovation Alec J. Ross and Policy Planning staffer Jared Cohen led a delegation of tech companies to Syria. But Ross and Cohen are not mere wonks, as they demonstrated while in Syria:

But it's not all work and no play for Ross and Cohen, who have been finding some time to take in the sights and tell us about it, 140 characters at a time. For example, according to Ross, on Tuesday Cohen challenged the Syrian Minister of Telecom to a cake-eating contest and called it "Creative Diplomacy." Match that, Tehran!

A Plague On Al Qaeda!

The downside is that the next batch of terrorists may not make the same mistakes:

Al-Qaeda cell killed by Black Death 'was developing biological weapons'

The group of 40 terrorists were reported to have been killed by the plague at a training camp in Algeria earlier this month.

It was initially believed that they could have caught the disease through fleas on rats attracted by poor living conditions in their forest hideout.

But there are now claims the cell was developing the disease as a weapon to use against western cities.

Experts said that the group was developing chemical and biological weapons.

Unfortunately, we are looking at a problem that is only going to get more sophisticated:

It was reported last year that up to 100 potential terrorists had attempted to become postgraduate students in Britain in an attempt to use laboratories.

Ian Kearns, from the Institute for Public Policy Research, told the newspaper: "The biological weapons threat is not going away. We're not ready for it."

Now would be a good time to start.

Technorati Tag: Al Qaeda.

Robert S. Wistrich: Antisemitism and Introspection--The Growing Sense Of Spiritual Disorientation In Israeli Society

Antisemitism and Introspection

by Prof. Robert S. Wistrich  

This year, Tisha B'Av (the annual Jewish fast day commemorating the destruction of both the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem) once again reminded us of the dangers of “gratuitous hatred” without rhyme or reason for one’s fellow Jews; the kind of hatred for its own sake, which seems more recently to have become part of our everyday Israeli reality. Divisions between Ultra-Orthodox and Secular Jews or the bitter antagonism towards the settlers in the West Bank are of course not new, but they have lost nothing of their malevolent edge. No less distressing are the actions of those Israeli lecturers who defend the international anti-Israel boycott in the name of academic freedom and the much larger numbers of those who denounce any criticism or sanctions against these boycotters as “McCarthyism”.

Such harsh polemics are happening at a time of unprecedented hatred towards Israel as a nation within the international community. The hysteria surrounding the Gaza flotilla brought this trend to new heights of hypocrisy. It reflects the ongoing campaign of branding Israel as the “Jew” of nations - libeling it as a racist, bloodthirsty, pariah-state. At the same time, American Jewish support for Israel’s policies, especially among liberals, has also been increasingly eroded. This has potentially dangerous consequences for our relations with the Diaspora, already tense over the issue of non-Orthodox conversions.

Is Obama Proof That J Street Does NOT Represent The Majority Of American Jews?

Jonathan Tobin argues:

Ever since November 2008, leftists have been trying to assert that the Jewish vote for Obama was proof that J Street and not AIPAC or other mainstream pro-Israel groups truly represented Jewish opinion. But if that were so, why would Obama be trying so hard to convince everyone that his administration was as reliable a supporter of Israel as any of its predecessors? Perhaps the answer is that Obama and his advisers know that many, if not most, of the Jewish votes he received came from people who were convinced by his 2008 campaign statements that attempted to show that he was an AIPAC-style friend of Israel rather than a J Street critic. And with the Democrats heading for a midterm disaster this November and putting their Congressional majorities in jeopardy, it’s no wonder that their caucus is producing memos drawing attention to the common ground between the administration and Israel rather than harping on settlement policy and the need for more concessions to the Palestinians, as J Street preaches.

One does get the impression that, as Tobin writes, members of AIPAC are friends of Israel--while members of J Street are critics.

And politicians know which one gets more votes.

Technorati Tag: J Street.

Internal Palestinian Memo: Resist Obama Pressure--Talking Directly To Israel Is Political Suicide

This to the leader who has been avoiding elections for a year and a half!

Those around Abbas are fighting the idea of direct talks with Israel tooth and nail: talk face to face:

A senior U.S. envoy warned the Palestinian president that he must move quickly to direct talks with Israel if he wants President Barack Obama's help in setting up a Palestinian state, according to an internal Palestinian document obtained by The Associated Press on Monday.

The 36-page memo, sent to senior Palestinian officials, advised Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to resist growing U.S. pressure, warning that rescinding his conditions for face-to-face negotiations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would be political suicide.

On the other hand, Obama seems to finally be applying pressure to talk directly with Netanyahu and stop relying on the US to do all of the work for him:

Let Me Get This Straight: Turkey Wants To STOP The Lebanon #Flotilla To Gaza?!

Apparently this caught Israel off guard--imagine how the Lebanese feel!

Officials in Jerusalem were surprised to learn that Turkey is working to prevent Lebanese ships from attempting to sail to Gaza in violation of an Israeli blockade on the Hamas-run territory, the Yedioth Ahronoth daily reported Tuesday.

Many Palestinian Arabs Like A One State Solution--Do They Know What They're Getting Themselves Into?

The LA Times blog, Bablylon and Beyond, reports an unscientific--albeit insightful--poll:

A poll on the Palestinian Ma’an news website that ended Monday showed that more than 56% of Palestinians support a former Israeli defense minister's idea to annex the West Bank and grant Israeli citizenship to its 2.5 million residents.

...What the poll indicates is that a slim majority of Palestinians in the occupied territories have given up on the idea of two states -- Israel and Palestine -- living side by side in peace and security. Many now prefer the one-state solution, which means Israel would incorporate the remaining parts of historic Palestine, excluding the Gaza Strip, which Arens seems to have ignored.

According to the post, the thinking behind a one-state solution is that Palestinian Arabs would, in time, become the majority in Israel as a result of their higher birth rate, and would eventually take control of the country.

The only problem with that idea is that it does not take into account the actual demographic data.

Suddenly, Obama Is A Big Fan Of Flags--The Palestinian One

It seems ironic that Obama, whose feelings about the US flag have garnered criticism both during his campaign and since, should go out of his way to allow the Palestinian to be flown.

The Obama administration seems to think that the US has granted the PA office in Washington, DC a major upgrade in status:

The US State Department announced that the diplomatic recognition of the Palestinian Authority in the US will be upgraded to the status of “delegation general” Israel Radio reported Friday.

Seems Anyone Can Join The Second Goldstone Commission: If You Have The Anti-Israel Bonafides

About 10 days ago, I wrote about the new committee chosen to investigate the implementation of the Goldstone Report. I noted that Navanethem (Navi) Pillay, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, had chosen South African lawyer Ahmed Motala to coordinate the work of the new committee.

This is the same Motala who wrote:

The war in Gaza and the killing of innocent Palestinians is not about Hamas, but entirely about the forthcoming elections in Israel. Binyamin Netanyahu of Likud, Tzipi Livni of Kadima and Ehud Barak of Labour are all vying for the position of Prime Minister. What better way to gain the support of the Israeli electorate than to wage a war against Hamas; to give no quarter to the enemy and kill innocent civilians.

Motala not only considers Israel's leaders to be bloodthirsty--he considers Israelis to be bloodthirsty as well.

Now it turns out that there are questions about the neutrality of the head of Goldstone Commission II itself, German jurist Christian Tomuschat:

Video: Palestinian Corruption and Humanitarian Aid

From the YouTube page:

The Palestinian Authority is accused of corruption by many but receives more humanitarian aid per capita from the international community than any other country in the world. The billions of dollars that are meant for schools, hospitals and infrastructure have been spent on luxury villas, casinos and payments to terrorists.

You can get more information at:
www.FreeMiddleEast.com

Join their Facebook page at:
www.facebook.com/freemiddleeast



Technorati Tag: Abbas and Palestinian Authority.

(What's Left Of) Your Tax Dollars At Work--In Gaza

Those who make a point of making an issue of the US money that goes to Israel, always seem to overlook the money that goes to support Israel's terrorist neighbor. While Israel's defenders can point to the return on investment that Israel provides to the US, no one has tried to make an argument for what the US is getting in return for the money it sends to Hamas and Gaza:

The U.S. debt will top $13.6 trillion this year and climb to an estimated $19.6 trillion by 2015, according to a Treasury Department report to Congress. Bankruptcy filings are nearing the record two million dollar level of 2005, and unemployment is nearly 10%, yet, in mid-June, President Obama pledged a $400M aid package for supposed housing, schools, water and health care system projects in the West Bank and Hamas-ruled Gaza. He described these projects as a "down payment on the U.S. commitment to the people of Gaza who deserve a chance to take part in building a viable, independent state of Palestine, together with those who live in the West Bank."

Forget Syria--Hezbollah May Be Indicted For Assassination Of Former Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri

After years of dawdling in the investigation into the role Syria played in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, now it turns out that members of the terrorist organization Hezbollah may be indicted.

As if there is a difference:

The leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group said Thursday that its members will be among those indicted in the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri - a move he dismissed as politically motivated.

Yes, Obama Does Talk About US-Israel Relations As Eloquently As Past Administrations--But So What!?

From Laura Rozen:

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman (D-Calif.) sent fellow House Democratic Caucus members a memo Thursday outlining what he called the Obama administration's and Democratic Caucus's "unprecedented support for the State of Israel."

"I think you will find it useful to make the case that House Democrats and the president are as good if not better than any Congress or Administration that has come before," Berman wrote.

In The West Bank, 'Editing' Extends From School Textbooks To Boney M

Try telling the Arabs in the West Bank that it's just a song:

When the iconic 1970s disco group Boney M rocked Ramallah this week, the local music festival prevented the band from performing one of its biggest hits.

Lead singer Maizie Williams said Palestinian concert organizers told her not to sing "Rivers of Babylon." The song's chorus quotes from the Book of Psalms, referring to the exiled Jewish people's yearning to return to the biblical land of Israel.

Palestinians often question the Jewish historical connection to the Holy Land. Organizers said they asked for the song to be skipped, deeming it "inappropriate."

Muslim Scholars Have Seen The Devil--and He Is On The Manchester Team Jersey

I suppose it must be reassuring to know that Muslim scholars can see past the images on the logos of these teams and see what is really behind them:

MUSLIM scholars in Malaysia have identified the latest menace to their faith: football shirts.

Senior clerics have declared the official kit of some of the world's most celebrated soccer teams, including Barcelona and the national teams of Brazil and Portugal, have the power to erode religious faith and must not be worn by Muslims.

Two French Muslims Wearing Burkinis Banned From Pool

Looks like they taking banning the burka seriously in France:

Two Muslim women were ordered out of a swimming pool in France because they were wearing 'burkinis'.

They jumped into the water wearing garments that covered their entire bodies, including veils over their heads.

How To Get Your Middle East Article Ignored By The Mainstream Media

The short answer of course is to not mention Israel.
But there is also a list of things that the media does not think is worthwhile reporting.

Let's face it, the mistreatment--if not persecution--of Arabs by Arabs just doesn't interest the mainstream media. As Khaled Abu Toameh notes:

The demolition of an Arab-owned illegal building in Jerusalem is, for most of these correspondents, much more important than the fact that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in Lebanon continue to suffer from a series of humiliating restrictions.

Not only are Palestinians living in Lebanon denied the right to own property, but they also do not qualify for health care, and are banned by law from working in a large number of jobs.

Michael Totten On "The Kindness Of Israelis"

Michael Totten writes about a topic rarely covered--in fact, some may be of the opinion that it does not even exist.

He points out that everyone knows about the legendary kindness of Arabs, but

Less well-known is the hospitality of Israelis. Their reputation is on-par with that of New Yorkers. Aggressive security officials at the airport, yelling taxi drivers, and occasionally abusive wait staff can put people off. That sort of thing, though, accounts for less than 1 percent of my experience when working in Israel.

A few days ago, I announced that I’m leaving for Israel this week now that I’ve finished and sold my book, and the same thing happened that always does when I mention in public that I’m on my way over there.

Obama To Abbas: Talk. To. Netanyahu; Abbas To Obama: Huh?

This is pitiful. There is absolutely no excuse that Abbas will not make in order to avoid taking the first step that the whole world takes whenever one party has to negotiate with another party--sit down and talk:

Abbas was speaking during a closed meeting of members of the Fatah Revolutionary Council in Ramallah.

Abbas was quoted by some Fatah operatives as saying that Egypt and Jordan supported the PA’s refusal to move to direct talks unless progress is first achieved on the issues of security and the future borders of a Palestinian state.

“We can’t go to direct negotiations like blind people,” Abbas was quoted as saying.

Another Error In The Goldstone Report--When Will Goldstone And Travers Deign To Respond?

Back on January, Elder of Ziyon wrote a post entitled: Goldstone ignored his own UN-supplied evidence--about the contradictions in the Al Badr flour mill incident which Goldstone claimed was a prime example of Israel targeting civilians

Now after Israel's release of it's second report in response to the Goldstone Report, the error made by the Goldstone Report in this case is even clearer.

Video: For The Sake Of Nakba

The group that made this video is on Facebook

From the video's YouTube page:

U.S. Court Fines N. Korea For Terror Plot--In Israel

If you are wondering why you have not heard about this till now, that's because it happened 38 years ago--but don't let that fool you: the suit demonstrates that North Korea is closely involved in terrorist attacks on Israel now as well:

A federal court has found North Korea guilty of aiding terrorists and has fined Pyongyang $300 million in connection with a 1972 terrorist attack in Israel.

However, it is unlikely North Korea's totalitarian regime will recognize the U.S. court's decision and pay the fine.

"North Korea's demonstrated and well-known policy to encourage, support and direct a campaign of murder against civilians amply justifies the imposition of punitive damages against it," Judge Francisco A. Besosa of the U.S. District Court in Puerto Rico said in a ruling Friday.

Report Proves Abbas Continues To Lie About Ending Demonization Of Israel In June

In a post yesterday, I posted again a copy of the May report from Palestinian Media Watch giving examples of how Abbas broke his promise and continued to incite hatred against Israel--and I mentioned that a June report was forthcoming.

Here it is: documentation of how Abbas has continued to demonize Israel and incite hatred against Israelis and Jews:

What Does J Street Have Against Democracy?

The J Street crowd and the so-called liberal Zionists (mostly liberal, not so Zionist) like to characterize their positions as merely in conflict with the “right-wing” Netanyahu government. But their outlook is in conflict with the Israeli people. And the American left’s support for Obama’s Israel policy (well, what used to be his policy before he tried making up with Bibi) has been overwhelmingly rejected by Israelis. The left likes to warn (threaten?) Israel that it can’t be a democracy unless it disgorges itself of the Palestinian population. But the central feature of a democracy is that voters elect their government and ultimately determine the course of their public policy. That is simply not acceptable to Jewish leftists, who, it seems, want neither a secure Israel nor a democratic one.
Jennifer Rubin

Technorati Tag: J Street.

Obama's Friend And Mentor Planning #Flotilla To Break Gaza Blockade (Illegally)

No, I'm not talking about William Ayers (who helped organize the Gaza Flotilla along with his wife)--I'm talking about the other friend and mentor that Obama denied being friendly with: Rashid Khalidi:

Rashid Khalidi, a friend of President Obama's active in Palestinian causes, has signed an appeal for funds to send to Gaza an aid ship that would be named after the president's best-selling book, "The Audacity of Hope."

A group calling itself U.S. Boat to Gaza is seeking $370,000 in the next month to send the ship in an effort to thwart the Israeli blockade on the Palestinian enclave controlled by the militant group Hamas.

A number of other prominent individuals are listed as support the appeal, including Angela Y. Davis and Alice Walker.

Whatever else you may think of the idea, the fact remains that the way Khalidi is planning this is illegal. Andy McCarthy, former Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, points out:

Abbas Continues To Break His Promise To Stop Inciting Hatred Against Israel

Both parties are taking some steps to help create an atmosphere that is conducive to successful talks, including President Abbas’ statement that he will work against incitement of any sort...
Statement on Special Envoy George Mitchell's Trip, May 9, 2010

Later today, Itamar Marcus of Palestinian Media Watch is going to present a report illustrating how Abbas continues to incite hatred of Israel--after promising to stop doing exactly that:

The report, which Marcus said he would be presenting to American officials in Washington on Wednesday, said that the PA continues to teach on PA educational TV that Israeli cities across the entire country, including Jaffa and Haifa, are Palestinian cities; that official PA media deny Israel’s right to exist by using terminology to refer to Israel as “the homeland occupied in ‘48”; and that the conflict with Israel is defined by PA-appointed political and religious leaders not as territorial but as ribat – a religious war for Allah.

To get an idea of what Abbas is up to, here are some of the cartoons from Fatah newspapers that have appeared over the last few months--featured on Cartoon Collection the PMW website:

Video: The New--And Oppressive!--Gaza Mall

You can also watch other videos by Elder of Zion



Technorati Tag: Gaza Mall.

Latest Country To Outlaw Muslim Veils Is--Syria

France, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands are all considering banning the body-covering niqab, and have been accused of violating freedom of religion. I suppose since there is no real freedom in Syria to begin with, they will not get much criticism on this:

Syria has banned the face-covering Islamic veil from the country's universities to prevent what it sees as a threat to its secular identity, as similar moves in Europe spark cries of discrimination against Muslims.

Have You Noticed Where J Street's Contributions Go?

AIPAC’s mandate is to support the decisions of the democratically elected government of Israel, be it left, right or center. J Street makes its own policy and does not necessarily, to say the least, accept the decisions of the policies of the government of Israel.

Listen, I represent the democratically elected government, and that government reflects the will of the people of Israel, and what they perceive as the interests of Israel. [J Street is an organization] taking issue with that, and that in itself is a source of disagreement.[emphasis added]

Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren

In What's Wrong With J Street, Michael Lame writes in Haaretz that J Street:

is an overtly Democratic Party organization. JStreetPAC, its political action committee, endorsed and distributed campaign contributions to 41 candidates in 2008: 39 Democrats and only two Republicans. In 2010 it has endorsed 58 candidates: 57 Democrats and one Republican. Most other pro-Israel PACs split their donations more evenly between the two major parties.

Read the whole thing.

The fact that J Street's contributions are overwhelmingly Democratic is significant, if for no other reason than the significant difference in how Republicans and Democrats both feel and vote about Israel.

For example, on December 31, 2008, Rasmussen published a poll on reaction to Israel's Operation Cast Lead. Among the results:

Sponsor Of Islamist Terrorists Attacked By--Islamist Terrorists

Above, are pictures of Mohammad Rigi, left, and Abdolbaset Rigi, who detonated their explosive vests outside a mosque in Zahedan, killing 28 people

We are used to seeing pictures like this--of suicide bombers before they have gone off to blow themselves up along with Israelis or American troops. But the terrorists pictured above specifically went out to kill Muslims. In Iran.

How Far Is Obama Willing To Go To Avoid The Stigma Of Being Another Carter

Walter Russell Mead writes that the chance that Obama will go ahead and attack Iran in order to stop it from acquiring nuclear capabilities is greater than people imagine:

In particular a nuclear Iran will kill the two dreams at the heart of President Obama’s foreign policy and indeed of his view of the world: the dream that the genie of nuclear weapons can be forced back into the bottle and the dream that the nations of the world can build a post-Westphalian international order in which the world’s governments are bound by deepening networks of laws.

Read the whole thing.

Meanwhile, Michael Totten agrees:

Biden Fined For Campaign Violations--Should Obama Be Next?

Apparently things like this still matter--even 2 years later:

The Federal Election Commission has penalized Vice President Joe Biden’s 2008 presidential campaign $219,000 for accepting over-the-limit contributions and a discounted flight on a jet owned by a New York hedge fund. His campaign was also charged with sloppy record keeping.

Sloppy record keeping? Hey, that rings a bell:

Donor Patrol: Obama’s Online Site Accepts More Fakes

Erika Franzi, a 36-year-old mother of four, had been following recent news reports examining how people using obviously fake names had made thousands of dollars in contributions to Senator Barack Obama’s presidential campaign without being detected.

So this afternoon, sitting in her family room at her home in Weaverville, N.C., while her two-year-old was watching “Sesame Street,” Ms. Franzi got on her laptop to conduct an experiment. She used her debit card to make a $15 donation to Mr. Obama’s campaign.

Ms. Franzi, who described herself as conservative and preferring Senator John McCain over Mr. Obama, used the name “Della Ware” and entered an address of 12345 No Way in Far Far Away, DE 78954. Under employer, she listed: Americans Against Obama; for occupation, she typed in: Founder.

To her surprise, she said, her contribution went through in “fewer than three seconds.” Then, in order to be fair, she repeated the experiment on Mr. McCain’s Web site, entering the exact same information. Three times, she said, she received the message: “We have found errors in the information that you submitted. Please review the information below and try again.”

Can Mubarak Do A Better Job Than Mitchell?

From the LA Times Blog, Babylon and Beyond:

WEST BANK: Mitchell fails to get Palestinian approval for direct talks with Israel

Special Middle East peace envoy George Mitchell, on a new round of his proximity talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, seems to have failed Saturday in getting a Palestinian agreement to resume direct negotiations with Israel, suspended since December 2008.

Abbas Just Can't Stop Demanding Concessions Before Negotiating--Let's See What Concessions He Already Turned Down

For Abbas, negotiations are not meant for ironing out differences or creating peace--they are a carrot to hit Israel over the head with in order to get more concessions.

• PA: Either Israel declares it backs Palestinian state, or no talks (April 10, 2009)
  
• Abbas Says Israeli Settlement Freeze Not Enough (November 28, 2009)
  
• Abbas urges US 'endgame' unless Israel halts settlements (January 17, 2010)
  
• President Abbas: No Direct Peace Negotiations before Progress in Proximity Talks (July 10, 2010)
  
• Abbas says Israel must accept 1967 borders as baseline if direct talks are to resume (July 17, 2010)
  
• Abbas says Israel must accept foreign border force (July 17, 2010)

Of course, the underlying assumption is that once the two sides meet face-to-face, peace can be achieved (especially if enough concessions can be forced out of Israel).

In that context, it might be helpful to recall that in an interview in Novermber 2009, Olmert noted that he met with Abbas over 35 times--and made the following proposals to Abbas:

Gazan Businessmen Demands Hamas Embargo As Israel Relaxes Restrictions

In Gaza, this is what passes for normalcy:

Gaza Juice Maker Seeks Protection as Israel Relaxes Blockade

Israel’s blockade of the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip has been a bonanza for Palestine Food Industries Co., the only functioning juice maker in the Gaza Strip, with sales increasing ten-fold as the embargo kept out competition.

Now, as Israel relaxes its restrictions, the company has joined fellow manufacturers including Pepsi-Cola bottlers Yazegi Group in demanding that Hamas protect local industries and refuse imports of juice, soda and snack foods. Officials of the Islamic movement have heeded the calls and are barring entry of such items as Israeli grapefruit juice and potato chips.

Hey Guys--Let's Cruise The Gaza Mall!

Deena here is not impressed by all the goods available to Gazans with the new looser restrictions on Gaza:



So Deena, you want concrete and building materials?
You got it!
(And this is while your people fire rockets on Israeli civilians--imagine what life would be like if you didn't?)

Welcome to the new Gaza Mall!

Not too shabby:

Obama Administration Has A New Angle In Its Claim To Support Israel

The Obama administration has been working on its claim to support Israel, and truth be told--it has gotten better than this embarrassing moment during a State Department press conference back in November--when the State Department spokesperson tries desperately to point to some kind of accomplishment in Obama's efforts for Mideast peace--and keeps getting fisked on the spot by the questioner:

QUESTION: You mean you got the Israel Government to say, yes, we’re willing to accept a Palestinian state? You got Netanyahu to say that, and that’s his big accomplishment?
MR. KELLY: That is an accomplishment.
QUESTION: But previous Israeli administration – previous Israeli governments had agreed to that already.
MR. KELLY: Okay, all right.
QUESTION: So in other words, the bottom line is that, in the list of accomplishments that Mitchell has come up with or established since he started, is zero.

YU: Tisha B'Av To-Go

Shiurim On Tisha B'Av from Yeshiva University

From 5770:

Download all of the shiurim in a PDF

Individual Articles download

• Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik z"l - "Tziyon Halo Tish"ali"
• Rabbi Norman Lamm - "Why So Angry, O Lord?"
• Rabbi Azarya Berzon - "Three Moadim or Four?"
• Kinot Insights from Members of the YU Torah Mitzion Kollel of Chicago
• Rabbi Josh Flug - "Does Tisha B"Av Have the Status of a Festival?"
• Mrs. Yael Goldfischer - "Examining the roots of Tish"ah b"Av in Sefer Devarim"
• Rabbi Dr. David Horwitz - "Jeremiah, Hurban, Rambam and the Intellectual Love of God"
• Rabbi Daniel Mann - "Bechi Ldorot"
• Ephraim Meth - "Torah Study on Tisha b�Av"
• Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner - "Yachin and Boaz: The Pillars of our Faith"
• Collected Insights from Members of the RIETS Kollel Elyon

-----

From 5769:

Download all of the shiurim in a PDF

Individual Articles download Rabbi Reuven Brand - "History Re-actualized" Rabbi Daniel Z. Feldman - "The Double Kindness: Nichum Aveilim" Rabbi Joshua Flug - "Tisha B'Av: A Day of Multiple Perspectives" Ms. Estee Goldschmidt - "The Thin Line Between Love and Hatred" Rabbi Eliakim Koenigsberg - "What Mourning Means: Reflections of the Rav on Tisha B'Av" Ms. Miriam Krupka - "The Legacy of Yirmiyahu" Sarah Medved and Esty Rollhaus - "Megillat Eicha: Catastrophe, Creativity, and Catharsis" Dr. David Pelcovitz - "Coping with Loss and Terror: Jewish and Psychological Perspectives" Rabbi Jacob J. Schacter - "Tisha B'Av: Some Introductory Thoughts" Collected Insights into the Tisha B'av Kinnot

Technorati Tag: Tisha B'Av.

Only In Israel: Protesters Decry Jews Moving Into Jewish-Owned Homes

Michael Freund writes about left-wing protesters, of whom over 100 have been arrested, and 44 have been indicted--all because ideology trumps historical fact:

The scene of the action is the Shimon Hatzadik neighborhood, which the media prefers to call by its Arabic name (what a surprise) of Sheikh Jarrah.

LOCATED JUST north of the Old City, the area is home to the tomb of Shimon Hatzadik (Simeon the Just), a high priest who served in the Second Temple and who was among the last members of the Men of the Great Assembly (Anshei Knesset Hagedola) more than two millennia ago.

For centuries, the site was popular with Jewish pilgrims, and in 1876, the tomb and a surrounding plot of 18 dunams (4.5 acres) were purchased by a committee of Jews. Dozens of families subsequently moved in, with the neighborhood eventually serving as home to a thriving community of hundreds of Jews.

Protesting In Israel: Anthracite Instead Of Apartheid

Seems like every activist on the planet can find something to protest in Israel--but this one is different from the ones that get the most media attention:

Hadera: 8 Greenpeace activists arrested

Eight Greenpeace activists were arrested Thursday morning as they entered an coal-fueled electrical power plant in Hadera in an attempt to disrupt coal breakdown operations.

The activists entered the power plant through the sea with inflatable dinghies and climbed up ropes to reach an elevated seaside coal dock.

Greenpeace spokeswoman Hila Krupsky says activists climbed on to a massive crane and unfurled a huge, Hebrew banner reading "coal kills." She says the protest held up coal deliveries.

The electrical company's security guards called local police and eight activists were detained, three Israeli nationals and five foreign citizens.

If nothing else, I supposed it makes for a change of pace.

Technorati Tag: Greenpeace.

It's Easier To Be Optimistic About Mideast Peace If You Ignore Palestinian Polls

Ignoring Mideast polls been going on for so long that it is becoming an art form. Ranging from Condoleezza Rice to Zbigniew Brzezinski back in April, polls have been ignored or have been referred to unnamed--only to be contradicted with the results of real named polls.

This week, Morton Klein of ZOA issued a press release that contradicts Obama's talk about progress towards peace between the PA and Israel:

Why Are 2.5 Million Muslims Threatening To Leave Facebook?

It's not about issues of privacy.

2.5 Million Muslims Threaten to Leave Facebook

Facebook has a new PR issue on its hands.

Apparently, its made as many as 2.5 million customers mad enough to threaten a boycott.
The group claims to represent Muslims who are mad about the removal of four Facebook pages. 

These are the pages no longer available on the site:

• Facebook.com/Rassoul.Allaah
• Facebook.com/Logo.Ramadan
• LikesFacebook.com/I.Love.Mohammed
• Facebook.com/Quran.Lovers

The deadline is a week from today. The group claims it has hundreds of thousands of users who are ready to jump ship to another site called madina.com, which is a Islamic social networking site.

It still is not absolutely where this is headed, until you see the list of demands:

Washington Post vs. New York Times: Just What Is An Op-Ed For, Anyway?

I cannot vouch for what they think today, but back in 2007, they were saying 2 very opposite things.

The occasion was an op-ed by Ahmed Yousef, advisor to former Hamas PM Ismail Haniyeh, on the same day in both the New York Times and Washington Post--June 20, 2007, following the bloody coup where Hamas kicked Abbas and Fatah out of Gaza.

The ombudsman for The Washington Post at the time, Deborah Howell, defended Wapo's op-ed, favorably comparing the credentials of terrorist Ahmed Yousef and fashion editor Robin Givhan:

When Accused Of Lying, Abbas Did Not Deny It

In The two faces of Mahmoud Abbas: He says one thing to the Palestinians, another to Obama, Elliot Abrams, deputy national security adviser under Bush, writes about confronting Abbas with false statements he has made:

"I say in front of you, Mr. President, that we have nothing to do with incitement against Israel, and we're not doing that," claimed Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas during his visit to the White House in June.

It is unfortunate for the prospects of Middle East peace that this denial by Abbas (who is also head of the PLO andFatah) was just plain untrue. In fact, this two-faced stance of Abbas and his cronies - proclaiming peaceful intentions to the international community while inciting their population to hatred of Israel - is one of the primary impediments to any sort of solution to the longstanding crisis.

Looks Like Iran Is The One That Needs A #Flotilla--Lots Of 'Em (Maybe Gaza Can Help)

It's no wonder that Iran backed out of sending its own flotilla to Gaza. At the time, Iran claimed to have backed down because of Israeli threats.

More likely is that Iran is the one that really needs a flotilla:

Iranian unrest grows over economic woes

Last year's Iranian political demonstrations have given way to economic protests that could prove more worrisome for the Tehran government.

PA Leadership Demands To Be Babied

With Obama agreeing on the need for Abbas and Netanyahu to actually negotiate face-to-face, the PA's fallback position is that if there has to be direct talks, then somebody else must be there to hold their hand:

[Foreign Minister Riyad Al] Maliki criticised the international community saying it had "pushed us -- Palestinians and Israelis -- to talk in a room and closed the room." 

The "occupier and occupied" sitting together in the same room "can't be the best atmosphere, a conducive atmosphere for any kind of positive outcome. There is no parity at all," the minister said.

Racist Chosen To Join Goldstone Committee II

We already saw from the first Goldstone Report that what members write are of no consequence when considering their objectivity and qualifications.

Christine Chinkin was chosen to be part of the Goldstone Commission in spite of the fact that she signed an open letter during Operation Cast Lead, condemning Israel for war crimes.

Now, in choosing a committee to investigate the implementation of the Goldstone Report, the UN has outdone itself. Navanethem (Navi) Pillay, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, has chosen South African lawyer Ahmed Motala to coordinate the work of the new committee.

This is the same Motala who wrote:

Goldstone Report Part II: New Committee Just As Biased As The Old One

For Immediate Release: July 14, 2010 Contact:  Anne Bayefsky info@EYEontheUN.org

UN Moves Forward to Implement Goldstone Report

New UN committee members and UN staffer have anti-Israel connections.

This article by Anne Bayefsky appears today on WeeklyStandard.com.

Among the multitude of attacks on Israel that the United Nations has sponsored over the decades, last year’s Goldstone report on the 2009 Gaza war stands out for its dangerous distortions of fact and law. Now the UN Human Rights Council has sponsored a second-team of investigators to press forward with the report’s implementation. Just as with round one, the United Nations has guaranteed the result of round two by selecting individuals whose independence is compromised from the start.

This second rendition of Goldstone was crafted by a March 2010 resolution of the Human Rights Council. That resolution first declares that Israel – and only Israel – committed “unlawful acts” in the Gaza war. And then it establishes a committee of experts to monitor and assess all judicial and other proceedings taken by Israel to respond to the General Assembly’s endorsement of the Goldstone report and its long list of supposed Israeli crimes.

"Humanitarian Activists" Trying To Bury Palestinian Rape Of One Of Their Own

From Haaretz:

MESS Report / Are the Palestinians silencing the attempted rape of U.S. peace activist?

The story of the Palestinian popular protest against Israel in several West Bank villages has recently garnered worldwide praise. However, as with any other massive movement, the popular protest too has its darker sides. The Palestinian Authority, as well as the leaders of the Palestinian popular protests in villages such as Bil'in, Na'alim, Umm Salmuna, have been trying to keep the following story away from both public knowledge and the media's eye: One of the more prominent Umm Salmuna activists – a village south of Bethlehem, long entrenched in a battle against the West Bank separation fence – is suspected of the attempted rape of an American peace activist who had been residing in the village as part of her support of the local protest.

Jew-Baiting In Great Britain

In The Hidden Costs of Jew-Baiting in England, Richard Landes (who blogs at The Augean Stables, and maintains The Second Draft) contrasts the vitality and intensity of London with another aspect--one that it does not brag about, but is becoming more and more evident. Landes writes about a conference by The International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists on Democratic and Legal Norms in an Age of Terror. 

Panels discussed everything from the Goldstone Report, to the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement, to “universal jurisdiction” (lawfare against Israelis brought in foreign courts). Here, in the Khalili Lecture Theatre of the SOAS (School for Oriental and African Studies), Jewish lawyers discussed a grim reality whose only public appearance on an everyday basis is the drumbeat of calumny that a boisterous elite — NGOs, journalists, academics — rain down on Israel.

Suit Claims Al-Jazeera Intentionally Helped Hezbollah Fire Rockets Into Israel

Reported in The New York Post:

Missile suit vs. Jazeera

Dozens of people injured by Hezbollah rocket attacks on Israel sued al-Jazeera news outlet yesterday for allegedly helping the terrorists aim their deadly missiles.

The Manhattan federal court suit -- which seeks $1.2 billion in damages -- says al-Jazeera journalists "repeatedly and intentionally" transmitted "real-time audiovisual footage" of bomb strikes in the Holy Land during July and August of 2006.

Archaeological Find: The One The Arabs Did Not Destroy And Wish They Did

From the Jerusalem Post:

Hebrew University excavations recently unearthed a clay fragment dating back to the 14th century BCE, said to be the oldest written document ever found in Jerusalem.

The tiny fragment is only 2 cm. by 2.8 cm. in surface area and 1 cm. thick and appears to have once been part of a larger tablet. Researchers say the ancient fragment testifies to Jerusalem’s importance as a major city late in the Bronze Age, long before it was conquered by King David.

And this comes on top of a find earlier this year with similar implications about the importance that Jerusalem had as a city during that time:

In February, Hebrew University excavations led by Mazar in the Ophel area found ancient stone fortifications dating back some 3,000 years to the time of King Solomon and the First Temple.

Archeologists said that the 70-meterlong and 6-m.-high wall indicated that there had been a strong central government in Jerusalem at the time, which had the manpower and resources to construct large-scale fortifications.

Back in February, Jonathan Tobin wrote about how the archaeological find challenged the pro-Palestinian narrative:

Video: Former Lebanese Minister Wahhab: I Like the Germans Because They Burned the Jews

Former Lebanese Minister Wiam Wahab is decrying how the UN is used by the US and Israel(?) to destroy Lebanon, when talk turns to the World Cup, and who he and his family want to win.

The interview concludes with Wahab saying:

I support Germany in politics and Brazil in soccer--
I like the way Brazil plays.
But I like the Germans because they hate the Jews and they burned them [laughs].

The first time you play the video, it jumps to the end where Wahab makes the comment.



Technorati Tag: Wiam Wahab.

#Flotilla: Israel Presents Military Conclusions On Mavi Marmara Incident

It is best to read the conclusions of Israel's military examination of what happened aboard the Mavi Marmara directly from the IDF Spokesperson site--if for no other reason than to see what was actually said as opposed to reading the spin in the media.

Maj. Gen. (Res.) Giora Eiland noted that he was was nominated by the IDF chief of the general staff, Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi 5 weeks earlier to conduct a professional military investigation of the events that occurred on May 31st. He concluded that there were some professional mistakes made, but at the same time there were positive aspects, as well--specifically, the manner in which the Israeli commandos behaved, the decisions that they made and the way in which they took control of the ship. All told, there were at least 4 incidents where Mavi Marmara passengers shot at IDF soldiers and there is good reason to believe that the first incident of live fire shooting on the ship was by passengers of the Mavi Marmara.

Major General Eiland noted that the classified suggestions that he made were accepted in an open and willing manner by the officers who received them.

Here are the issues addressed:

Nicholas Kristof Gets Ahead Of Himself

In Waiting For Gandhi, Nicholas Kristof has the following bizarre bit:

Another problem with these protests, aside from the fact that they aren’t truly nonviolent, is they typically don’t much confound the occupation authorities.

But imagine if Palestinians stopped the rock-throwing and put female pacifists in the lead. What if 1,000 women sat down peacefully on a road to block access to an illegal Jewish settlement built on Palestinian farmland? What if the women allowed themselves to be tear-gassed, beaten and arrested without a single rock being thrown? Those images would be on televisions around the world — particularly if hundreds more women marched in to replace those hauled away.

“This is what Israel is most afraid of,” said Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi, a prominent Palestinian who is calling for a nonviolent mass movement. He says Palestinians need to create their own version of Gandhi’s famous 1930 salt march.

Huh--say again?

What if the women allowed themselves to be tear-gassed, beaten and arrested without a single rock being thrown?