In fact, I ask all of you who are in the habit of writing to me/sending me material on a frequent basis to send me no e-mails until I've started posting again and it is obvious the hiatus is ended. Thank you!
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A thank you as well to those who caught the typo in my last posting: Turkey did NOT send out warships to accompany the flotilla.
That flotilla of two boats was boarded after the boats refused to alter their path towards Gaza. Navy ships escorted the flotilla to the Ashdod port and "activists" on board are being deported to their home countries. The Navy will examine the contents of the boats and any humanitarian goods will be sent on to Gaza.
It should all be so easy.
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The double focus in the news right now is on the PA and Iran.
Mahmoud Abbas reminds me a bit of a cornered animal (I'm using that analogy here because it's so apt, although I don't like to compare terrorists to animals, as the terrorists are worse). The more things fail to go his way, the more he strikes out: the harsher the condemnation of Israel, the greater his efforts to do Israel damage, and the more strident the declarations of what he will accomplish.
The PA -- at the bidding of Ban Ki-Moon -- decided not to apply to other UN agencies following its victory at UNESCO, but its member in UNESCO will be utilized to the hilt.
What Abbas intends here is directly in line with his original intention with regard to involving the UN -- make no mistake about it. He had made it clear from the start that this was not just about declaring a state, but, rather, "internationalizing" the issues in order to better delegitimize Israel.
So now, as a member of UNESCO, the PA wants to take Israel to court for "systematically destroying...Arab and Islamic culture in Jerusalem,” and for "stealing Arab and Islamic antiquities and assaulting Islamic and Christian holy sites."
Sigh... more trouble. Of course this is precisely the reverse of what actually transpires in the Old City of Jerusalem. While Israel is respectful of all religions in its archeological work, the Wakf, on the Temple Mount, did extensive excavations that dug up ancient Hebrew artifacts, and threw them in a garbage dump.
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Yesterday, on the first day of the Islamic feast of Id al-Adha, Abbas told reporters that:
"The fierce Israeli onslaught against our people and leadership intensified...after we went to the UN. But we will continue and we don't care about anyone."
"We don't care about anyone." Is President Obama listening?
Abbas expressed the hope that by the next Id al-Adha, the "whole Palestinian territories" -- which, I quite assure you, does NOT mean just the land beyond the Green Line -- and Jerusalem will have been "liberated."
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As to the UN, the betting from this corner now is that ultimately Israel will have to move militarily.
Yesterday, Defense Minister Barak gave an interview for BBC, in which he said that:
"We strongly believe that sanctions...could be effective if they are paralyzing enough, that diplomacy would work if there is enough unity." (Emphasis added)
But he added:
"No option should be removed from the table. The Iranian challenge is serious. This is something that should be prevented from happening." (Emphasis added)
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But now the Obama administration seems to be backpedaling with regard to sanctions on the Central Bank of Iran, even though experts say sanctions there have the best chance of actually stopping Iran.
The problem is that, when push comes to shove, there is -- contrary to reports I saw last week -- scant support for sanctions against Iran's bank in the European community. The EU does 25 billion euros in trade with Iran and some of this involves the CBI. There is fear that clamping down will "jolt" fragile markets. (Emphasis added)
Well, by all means, put the price of oil and other markets ahead of the risk of a nuclear Iran. They have no idea, or prefer not to consider, what will happen to "markets" if Iran does achieve nuclear capability.
And when we go in and do what has to be done, we are the ones who will be condemned.
What breathtaking fools these mortals be!!
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Let me end this subject with an upbeat Dry Bones:
Fits right in here, does it not?
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The challenge to the US government with regard to listing Jerusalem, Israel on US passports of citizens born in Jerusalem will be heard by the Supreme Court today. It will be some days until the Court rules.
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