ISRAEL THY NAME Posted by kaustav chakrabarti, August 19, 2003.

A heavenly maiden with an orb of gold Sits by the Mediterranean Sea She gazes at the sailors and ships That pass by for eternity Who are you? fair maiden,they ask Whats your pedigree I am a Jew, she answers, and that's my destiny I am called Israel born of steel and fire I have gathered my children from many lands afar From East and West and South and North They came in multitude And they have made me what I am In everlasting gratitude I am their mother and they are my children That's how we both feel Israel (my name) is a reality That adversity could not kill.

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE BBC Posted by Danya Bokensoin, August 19, 2003.

I always wanted to be a Journalist. Journalism is absolute power. This is why I listen to the BBC just to see how they do it. It is now February 11/02, 7:30 A,M Israeli time. Lisa Doucette is the woman of the hour. That is, assuming you live far from here and would like to know what is going on in the Middle East, never having read a book on the subject. Today Lise has two exclusive interviews. One with Katherine Day of the European Union. The other with the man himself, Yassar Arafat. Both these `luminaries' seem to share a common goal, and Lise is going to help them achieve it. Katherine Day in her very determined way informs us that funding [to the tune of 100mil] will be given to the Palestinian Authority and Arafat, as Israel has destroyed its infrastructure that had originally been funded by the EU. Katherine will forge ahead on her mission with full determination. She will not be swayed or intimidated. She makes this perfectly clear. `The power of the European Union is not to be toyed with,' she says. She will move ahead without fear, Israel being the fearsome enemy here. What Lise fails to ask is: What about the plight of the Palestinian people? Would this contribution by the EU have any thing to do with the need for oil? Does Katherine Day or the EU really care about what happens to the Palestinian people? We will never know because this is not where Lise cared to tread. Instead Katherine Day was presented as a heroine on a mission. Next we are transported to Ramallah. We are speaking to none other than Yassar Arafat. Lise is smitten. We feel her go powerless to the charms of this dark-eyed ancient legendary Semite, `He breaks her female heart in two.' Lise chooses a one-on-one approach to this interview. Lise `feels for' Arafat as a put upon freedom fighter and presents him to us in that way. Arafat seems to be enjoying himself. He understands that he is speaking English, so he pledges allegiance to fighting terrorism, and with the help of Lise, he sounds earnest. To us he appears to be misjudged, in exile, and the victim of Israel. What Lise fails to ask is: Where has all the funding from the past thirty years gone? Why have the refugees been in camps since '48? Why has Israel been the only option for employment for the Palestinian people? Israel is very concerned over the abuses at check points. Why are there check points? [A poignant question for Arafat.] Lise did not think any of these points to be terribly important. Instead she pondered with Arafat the abuses bestowed upon him by Israel and the Bush administration. Oh yes! It was a heady experience for Lise. Next, Lise visited the Kotel in Jerusalem. She interviewed the leading Mufti, the leading Christian cleric, and no this is not a joke. The issue was what to do about the Jews and Temple Mount. The general humanistic view conveyed to the listening public was: YES - to the Christians. YES - to the Muslims. NO - to the Jews. Then to make her point perfectly clear, Lise managed to find the most wanton of raging transients in the area who shrieked into her microphone that the Jews should blow up the Mosque! Lise promptly took that to be the mainstream Jewish view. All in a day's work for Lise. To think with carefully crafted commentary you can achieve anything! I always wanted to be a journalist. Journalism is absolute power. That's why I listen to the BBC just to see how they do it. Danya Boksenboim lives in Tsfat (Sfad). She writes: " I wrote this February of last year. For the past ten years, Lisa Doucette has been covering the Middle East. She is considered to be one of the top people in BBC. One day I followed her through her paces as she incited violence upon us. Unrepentant, she is still going strong."

THE `RIGHT OF RETURN' IS A WRONG - NOT A RIGHT Posted by Jock Falkson, August 18, 2003.

Get out of the way! Here's the situation. Hundreds of thousands of Arabs fled what may then still have been "Palestine," mainly at the urging of the Arab armies poised to attack Israel in May 1948. They instructed local Arab leaders to get villagers and their families out of harm's way. They had to leave the field open for their divisions to achieve their war aims. Genocide, then loot and booty aplenty Arab war aims were simple: to exterminate the Jews of Israel and to wipe the one day old Jewish State off the map. It wouldn't take long, they assured the locals. Meanwhile they had better get out because once the war had started there was no way Arab tanks, artillery, mortars, machine guns and sky bombing could distinguish between Jew and Arab. They had to get out for their own safety. When it was over they would return to loot and booty aplenty. Enriched by Jewish homes, shops, factories, cars, farm implements. Everything Jews had owned personally and communally. The local Arabs didn't need much urging. They would have done the exterminating themselves if only they could. Over the years they'd indulged in many small operations, successfully killing and maiming numbers of Jews. Arab Final Solution Killing Jews is mandated in the Koran and energetically encouraged by their religious leaders, the mullahs and Imams. The local Arabs strongly supported the combined final Arab solution for the infidel Jews - a mission vigorously approved by tribal leaders, sheiks, muktars and muftis. Many locals remained to fight with the conquering Arab armies. It is necessary to reiterate that those who now want to exercise the "right of return" have continued to be our mortal enemies. They are the self-same Arabs who wanted to exterminate the Jews in 1948 and to wipe our Jewish State off world maps. Their children and grandchildren have imbibed this blood-lusty ideal. "The only good Jew is a dead Jew." Daily regimen of hatred and revenge Kept in appalling conditions, dependant on charity from the Arab kingdoms and the United Nations, the so-called refugees were fed a diet of anti-Jewish hatred and animosity. Their aims have never changed in the slightest. Jewish genocide still has the greatest appeal to the Arabs who want to return to Israel. Only now their numbers have increased from an estimated 600,000-750,000 to some 3,500,000! Compensation for failed genocide? These folk want to come back to where they claim they lived before. The ones who wanted us dead then still want us dead now. The ones who couldn't manage to do it themselves and had made way for their brothers in arms to undertake our wholesale murder and mayhem. Now they want us to compensate them for having failed to exterminate us! They cry and bleat their cause in the world as if we were to blame for their war of aggression. "Right of return" to the state they hate The simple truth is that they failed to exterminate us even with the help of the armies of Trans-Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Egypt. Incredibly, they preferred "refugee" status rather than return to the West Bank occupied by Jordan, and to Gaza, occupied by Egypt. Nor did Jordan and Egypt invite them back. But the current peace process has whet their appetite for their so called "right of return." Sponsors of the Road Map want to compel us to welcome back our unrepentant killers and their hate-imbued progeny. To introduce a blatant fifth column into our country with no loyalty whatever to the Jewish State, detesting its flag, abhorring its anthem. Commemorating their annual Nakbah They want Israel, the Jewish State, to compensate them for their historic failure to exterminate us. A failure they commemorate as their Nakbah - their catastrophe, now an annual day of prayer and mourning. We know they grieve for having failed to exterminate us, but what are they praying for? The welfare of the Jewish State? No. They pray for its downfall and elimination from the world stage. Who should pay compensation? Should Israel help them? Hell no! They were active accomplices to premeditated, mass murder. They were part of the plan to share the spoils, loot and property. In courts of law the world over they would be found guilty of a criminal conspiracy to commit Jewish genocide. Israel's message to the Arab refugee community is that you are being deluded if you think we will pay you for your "catastrophic" failure to wipe us out. We owe you nothing. You brought your punishment on yourselves. If anyone owes you it is the Arab states who urged you to flee the country. Collect from them. Don't delude yourselves You have educated and instilled Jew hatred into your communities for over 50 years. Your thirst for Jewish blood has not in any way been quenched. We know this and you know this. You are deluded if you think Israel is going to allow a Jew-hating community like yourselves back into the land of our forefathers. Jews not for the taking Nor would we allow you to become full citizens - so you could outvote in less than a generation. So you could take power in our country by democratic means. And impose your will upon us. Perhaps empower you to instigate large scale massacres, forced conversions to Islam, and economic exploitation. Go figure this anomaly! When Prime Minister Sharon announced the other day that Israel does not want to rule over 3,500,000 Arabs, there was unanimous head nodding and handclapping from Bush, the State Department, the Quartet, the EU, and the Palestine Authority. Huge relief, broad smiles, embraces all round. Only minds in blinkers may have missed the idiocy of their satisfaction. For these self-same Road Map sponsors now intend to force Israel to accept the Arab "right of return." If this crime is implemented the Jewish State will be back to ruling up to 3,500,000 Arabs! That's in addition to the existing 1,300,000 Arab citizens of Israel. Israel's Jewish population is 5,400,000. No way! Jock Falkson is an Israeli writer and translator. He can be reached by email at falkson@barak-online.net.

ONLY ONE OPTION. LIKE IT OR NOT Posted by Ken Heller, August 18, 2003.

Does anyone believe in the ridiculous formulary of "land for peace?" Is there anyone out there that would disagree with the premise that the Arabs don't want peace with Israel, that they want peace without Israel? Is there anyone out there that would say it is better to lose than win? Or that it is better die than live? From time immemorial the Arabs have hated Jews. They always will. It doesn't matter why, it only matters that they do. Unfortunately their hatred is all too well documented manifesting itself in Jewish bloodshed. Assuming that you all know the history of the region going at least back as far as the 20's in Hebron, the Arab (appropriately described in the Bible as the "human beast") has spilled much Jewish blood - and continues to do so today with impunity. The so called "occupied" territories the Arab always talks about wanting for his homeland is all of Israel not just Elon Moreh, Efrat, Ofra, and Hebron but also Petah Tikvah, Tel Aviv, Tzfat and Haifa. That too is well documented. You may simply refer to the PLO Charter that still calls for the total destruction of Israel or read the weekly transcripts of the sermons of their imams and mullahs. Israel's government and people and Jews all over the world must now recognize that after fifty five years of a continuous and brutal war for survival; after continuous attempts at acquiescing, capitulating and cajoling and after negotiating one agreement after another over the past decades (which have proven to be nothing more than death traps), it has come time for the implementation of the last and only realistic, responsible and sensible option left that will guarantee Jews will live in peace - TRANSFER of the Arabs, like it or not. Back in June, 1938, even David Ben-Gurion said, "I am for compulsory transfer; I don't see anything immoral in it." I am sure you share my deep sadness, frustration and anger that accompanies every headline that reports about bombs blowing up on buses, cafes, Seders, pizza shops, pool rooms, markets, discos along with the many casulaties which result. I am sure you share the same dread that courses through my veins as I read about the Yeshiva students being shot to death before, during or after Sabbath, of the families in their homes being gunned down by the "human beasts" and of the many mortars and rockets which attack communities in Gaza on a daily basis. Although the Sharon government has indeed intercepted dozens of homicide bombers no doubt resulting in the saving of hundreds of lives, and has arrested untold numbers of terrorists, the killing continues and really must be stopped totally. There is a phrase circulating in Israel, "Ein Aravim; Ein piguim" - a perfectly logical and sensible formula on which the government must base its new policies. It simply means, "No Arabs, No Terror." It is admittedly very difficult to argue with that philosphy. The solution has been staring us in the face. It is beautiful in its simplicity. "No Arabs, No terror." People talk of the "cycle of violence" but I see a "cycle of stupidity" and this is what causes additional great concern. There is no more time for the cat and mouse, tit-for-tat game of "you shoot me and I shoot you then you shoot me and I shoot you again." This strategy simply doesn't work. It's foolhardy. Terror continues. Jews die. It must be either entirely smashed or deported or both. Israeli leaders must be concerned not with the propagation of their power base and all the perks associated with government officialdom or what George Bush, Vladimir Putin or Jacques Chirac think but rather with the preservation of Jewish life and Jewish holy sites. Nothing more is as important. Can anyone doubt that? No more tit for tat. Transfer instead. It is time to terrorize the terrorists. It is my humble suggestion that the Israeli government begin to realize that Jewish life is paramount over all other priorities and begin to focus with all its resources to work out the logistics of transfer while in the meantime smashing enemy forces in our midst. Cancer must be excised or it will kill. Transfer is the answer! The only answer! The mantra should be heard throughout Israel beginning today and everyday until great pressure is applied to the government to accede to our wishes - our wishes to live. Rabbi Meir Kahane, hy"d, once asked, "The question is not how can we remove the Arabs, but rather how can we not?" Ken Heller is founder of  "Citizens Against Giving-up Eretz Yisrael," a grassroots, worldwide network of Jewish and Christian pro-Israel activists. He was a major organizer of the world-wide demonstrations on July 20th against the Road Map.

NOT NOW, NOT EVER Posted by David Wilder, August 18, 2003.

Yesterday I had a very interesting conversation with a correspondent who spent a couple of hours with me in Hebron. We sat for a while in my office, indulging in the usual question and answer period, while centering on several points which were of prime concern to this particular journalist. Later I took him to the various neighborhoods, showing him the results of three years of the Oslo War: bullet holes in walls, books, etc. He also conversed with some other Hebron residents. Talking on our way back to the office, the official `interview' over, he said to me, 'you know, I don't spend a lot of time in Israel - I've been here for a total of four or five months over the past few years, but being here now I get the impression that the chances of Israel surviving as a Jewish state are steadily decreasing.' I've spent time, and conducted conversations with many many people, including major international correspondents (and I would classify this person as `serious') but I've never before heard so pessimistic an outlook concerning the future of the State of Israel. I asked him what brought him to that conclusion and he replied that the cycle of violence was continuing, that a `real' agreement was very far off, if at all, and the only alternative, in his eyes, was `transfer.' I responded by asking if a Palestinian state would be an insurance policy for the existence of Israel? This, keeping in mind that in the past ten years, all agreements signed by the Palestinian Authority were violated to the hilt, leading to the murder of almost a thousand people and the injuring of thousands in the past three years. His answers began to become evasive - `I don't know, but it has to be given a try.' Going back to the T word - I mentioned that `transfer' is usually associated with racism and other negative `isms.' He interrupted, 'it's more like cleansing.' 'But,' I queried further, `Why,when transfer is spoken of concerning Arabs, it is considered to be racial bigotry, but if a `peace agreement' is reached, I will be `ethnically cleansed' from my home. After all, there will never be a Palestinian state including a Hebron with David Wilder living here. Why is it permissible for me to evicted from my home, while any such talk concerning Arabs is prohibited? His answer: `This is very complicated and I really don't want to get into it. But,' he added, `in the end it's the demographics that do you in.' As the discussion finished, I told him, `you know, looking at the situation logically and rationally, from the outside, like you, I might very easily come to the same conclusion. It doesn't look good for Israel, not demographically, not security-wise, turmoil from within and from without, threats from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, from almost all directions. It would be very easy to presume that Israel's future, as a Jewish state, is in jeopardy.' `But,' I continued, `you're missing something, and that is a Divine element. You have to understand that G-d didn't bring us back to Israel after two thousand years, to again expel us from our land. Realize that Jews held in the German extermination camps during World War Two, and from there to British detention camps, disembarked and made their way from ships to the battlefield in 1948. The military victories of 1948, 1967, and 1973 didn't happen by themselves. That fact that during the Lebanese War in the early 1980s Israel shot down over 100 Syrian M.I.G.s without losing any airplanes is statistically impossible. Yet it happened. And the deciding factor was, always has been, and always will be, the hand of G-d.' I had the opportunity to repeat this conversation yesterday afternoon to a group of 120 men, women and children visiting Hebron through. Speaking to them in the courtyard of the Tomb of the Patriarchs, we were rudely interrupted when the Moslem muezzin, escorted by a pack of soldiers, border police and regular police, made his way through the courtyard to a Waqf room near the entrance to the building, where he played a recording of middle afternoon Moslem prayers at full volume through the building's loudspeaker system, making it very difficult for our visitors to hear what I was saying. Again, an example of the same thing I mentioned earlier - if Jews were to blast their prayers over a loudspeaker we would be accused of religious coercion. When the Arabs do it, it is considered natural. But the noise didn't stop me, and I continued talking, or perhaps shouting is more accurate, to the group. One of the primary messages I tried to get across was the importance of such visits in Hebron. Thank G-d, this year tourism is back up, and we have groups touring the city almost every day. And not only Jewish groups. A few weeks ago a Christian group from Czechoslovakia spent a few hours with me, as did a group from Germany. On the fast day, Tisha b'Av, I spoke for an hour with a group from Holland. My friend and colleague, Rabbi Simcha Hochbaum, director of tourism for the Jewish Community of Hebron is busy with groups that sign up for our tours through the New York based Hebron Fund, literally seven days a week. I try to impress upon all of these groups the importance of their visiting Hebron. First of all, their very presence here proves to the Israeli government, the American government, and even to our Arab neighbors, that Hebron isn't a small, isolated community that nobody cares about. That fact that tens and hundreds of thousands of people of all religions and nationalities pour into Hebron speaks for itself. It's also essential that people see `the real Hebron,' as opposed to the Hebron of CNN, BBC or the New York Times. And perhaps most importantly, when people leave Hebron, they become our representatives, world-wide, spreading the `good word' so to speak, thereby encouraging others to visit us on their trips to Israel. Of course, in my eyes, the most significant step a Jew can take today is to come live in Israel, and thank G-d, that is happening. The conversation with my journalist friend ended on the demographic note. I told him, `You may be correct that demographics is a key to success. But wait and see. Just as over a million Russians have come to Israel since the fall of the Iron Curtain, so too will Jews flock to Israel, from North America, Europe, South Africa, Australia, you name it - they'll eventually all be here. Then the demographics will change, as will your basic premise, that Israel's fate as Jewish State is in danger. We have no intentions of leaving our land, not now, not ever.' With blessings from Hebron. David Wilder is the spokesman for the Hebron Jewish Community. The address of Hebron's website is: http://www.hebron.org.il.

AL-QA'IDA CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY FOR LAST WEEK'S BLACKOUT Posted by MEMRI August 18, 2003.

Al-Qa'ida's Abu Hafs Brigades has claimed responsibility for "Operation Quick Lightning in the Land of the Tyrant of this Generation," referring to the blackout last week in the Northeast and Midwest United States. A communiqué by the Abu Hafs Brigades was published at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/abubanan2/message/330. This is the third communiqué by the "Brigades" that is being published by the same web-group; in the first, they accepted responsibility for the downing of an airplane in Kenya. The second accepted responsibility for the Jakarta bombing of the Marriott hotel on August 5, 2003. The new communiqué says that in compliance with the orders of Osama bin Laden to strike at the American economy, the Brigades struck two important electricity supply targets on the East coast. The Brigades say that they cannot reveal how they did it, because they will probably have to use the same method again soon. The communiqué also claimed that the operation was meant as a present for the Iraqi people. The following are excerpts from a report by the London-based Arabic daily Al-Hayat about the communiqué: [1] The Blackout was 'a Realization of bin Laden's Promise to Offer the Iraqi People a Present' "A communiqué attributed to Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for the power blackout that happened in the U.S. last Thursday, saying that the brigades of Abu Fahes Al Masri had hit two main power plants supplying the East of the U.S., as well as major industrial cities in the U.S. and Canada, 'its ally in the war against Islam (New York and Toronto) and their neighbors.' "The communiqué assured that the operation 'was carried out on the orders of Osama bin Laden to hit the pillars of the U.S. economy,' as 'a realization of bin Laden's promise to offer the Iraqi people a present.' 'The Americans Lived a Black Day they will Never Forget' "The statement, which Al-Hayat obtained from the website of the International Islamic Media Center, didn't specify the way the alleged sabotage was carried out. The communiqué read: 'let the criminal Bush and his gang know that the punishment is the result of the action, the soldiers of God cut the power on these cities, they darkened the lives of the Americans as these criminals blackened the lives of the Muslim people in Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine. The Americans lived a black day they will never forget. They lived a day of terror and fear? a state of chaos and confusion where looting and pillaging rampaged the cities, just like the capital of the caliphate Baghdad, and Afghanistan and Palestine were. Let the American people take a sip from the same glass.' 'The U.S. will not Live in Peace until Our Conditions are Met' "It added: 'we heard amazing statements made by the American and Canadian enemies which have nuclear physics universities and space agencies, that lightning hit and destroyed the two plants. And we are supposed to believe this nonsense. If the blackout occurred in one or two cities, their lie would have been credible. But the fact is that the blackout hit the entire East and part of Canada.' "The communiqué continued: 'one of the benefits of this strike is that the U.S. will not live in peace until our conditions are met, such as releasing all the detainees including Sheikh Omar Abdulrahman, and getting out of the land of the Muslims, including Jerusalem and Kashmir.' "The authors of the communiqué said that the strikes aimed at 'hitting the major pillar of the U.S. economy (the Stock Exchange)' [and] the UN, which is opposed to Islam, and is based in New York. It is a message to all the investors that the U.S. is no longer a safe country for their money, knowing that the U.S. economy greatly relies on the trust of the investor.' 'The Gift of Sheikh Osama bin Laden is on Its Way to the White House' "The communiqué mentioned that some economists said the blackout in the U.S. and Canada would cost the U.S. Treasury no less than ten billion U.S. dollars and in order to 'break the hearts of U.S. officials, just know that the cost paid by the Moujahideen to sabotage the power plants was a mere seven thousand dollars. Die of sorrow!' "The communiqué ended with: 'we tell the Muslims that this is not the awaited strike, but it is called the war of skirmishes (to drain the enemy), and that the American snakes are enormous and need to be consumed and weakened to be destroyed. We tell the people of Afghanistan and Kashmir that the gift of Sheikh Osama bin Laden is on its way to the White House; then the gift of Al Aqsa, and do we know what is the gift of Al Aqsa, where and when? The answer is what you are seeing!' Endnote: (1) Published in English on Dar Al-Hayat website, August 18, 2003, http://english.daralhayat.com/arab_news/08-2003/Article-20030818-14bdd659-c0a8-01ed-0079-6e1c903b7552/story.html The Middle East Media and Research Institute (MEMRI) carries translations from the Arab press as well as in-depth analyses about the Middle East. Copies of articles and documents cited, as well as background information, are available on request.

RIGHT OF RETURN. THE ROAD MAP IS BASED ON THE SAUDI INITIATIVE Posted by David Bedein, August 18, 2003.

Nabil Shaath, the Palestine National Authority (PNA) Foreign Minister led the news on the Israel Broadcasting Authority TV's World News Hour On Saturday Night, August 16th. Shaath had declared in a Beirut speech that the US-sponsored road map would mandate the right of Palestinian Arab refugees to return to villages from 1948 which have been replaced by cities, collective farms and woodlands in the present day state of Israel. Surprisingly, Shaath was correct. All you have to do is to read the "road map" to know that The Saudi initiative, which supports the `right of return,' provides the basis for the Road Map. If anyone doubts Shaath's word, just read the official document which defines the road map, "A Performance-Based Roadmap to a Permanent Two-State Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict," which can be found at: http://www.un.org/media/main/roadmap122002.html. The road map definition clearly states that the US sponsored road map is based on "the initiative of Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah endorsed by the Beirut Arab League." All this is in keeping with the Palestinian State Constitution, authored by the same Nabil Shaath and ratified on March 26th by the US-funded PLC, the Palestine Legislative Council. That constitution legislates the "right of return" for all Palestinian Arab refugees and their descendents to return to the villages from 1948, even if they no longer exist. Thousands of maps recently issued and distributed by the Palestinian National Authority in Arabic and in English provide a clear guide for Palestinian Arab refugees and their descendants to forcibly take back the 531 Arab villages lost in 1948 which have been replaced by Israeli cities, collective farms and woodlands. Following Shaath's appearance on IBA TV, IBA Radio was quick to report that Shaath had reversed his position on the "right of return" during the next speech that he delivered in Damascus in which Shaath reportedly said that the "right of return" was "open for negotiation." However, IMRA news agency (www.imra.org.il) publicized the press release of the official news organ of the PA, The Palestine Media Center (PMC), which issued an immediate press statement following Shaath's clear declaration that the "right of return" was indeed the basis for the "road map." In the words of the widely circulated PA press release, found at: http://www.palestine-pmc.com/details.asp?cat=1&id=994, "The right of return for Palestinian refugees to their homes in Israel or the territories the Jewish state occupied in 1967 was guaranteed under the US-sponsored `road map' for peace. No condition has been set for a return (only) to an independent Palestinian state. The right of return is no longer an illusion. It is an integral part of the Arab peace initiative, which is one of the reference points in the road map," Shaath said, speaking at a hotel in the Lebanese capital Beirut. "I want to be clear: this right includes returning to an independent state and to Palestinian cities in the Jewish state. Whether a person returns to Haifa (Israel) or to Nablus (West Bank), their return is guaranteed," he confirmed. The minister was referring to the Saudi initiative adopted by Arab League summit meeting in Beirut summit in March 2002." Israel does object. But Israel stands alone in its objection. Shimon Shiffer, Senior Diplomatic Correspondent for Israel's Yediot Aharonot newspaper, reported on May 23, 2003, two days before the Israeli government ratified the road map that "The Americans rejected one of Israel's central demands, which states that the Palestinian Arabs would agree to concede the right of return in return for Israel's recognition of a Palestinian Arab state. They also rejected Israel's demand to remove the Saudi proposal (a full withdrawal to the lines of June 4, 1967, recognition of the right of return, in return for the recognition of Israel by the Arab countries and normal relations) as one of the main sources of the road map's authority." Israel has requested that the US, Canada, the EU and the Scandinavian countries who are involved in Middle East negotiations issue a clear statement of opposition to the Arab demand for the "right of return." However, none of them will do so. Checking with ranking diplomats from the US, Canadian, the EU and Scandanavia, I have discovered that all diplomatic missions in Israel, including the US, demand that Israel allow some refugees to return. They universally quote a recent Palestinian poll that "only 10%" of the Palestinian Arab refugees would want to return to their villages that they left in 1948. Well, since UNRWA counts 3.9 million people who qualify as "Palestinian Arab refugees," that would mean that Israel would have to absorb some 400,000 Arabs who would claim `their' homes and villages which are now in the heart of Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa along with hundreds of Kibbutzim and Moshavim. Israel stands alone in its position that Arab refugees and their descendants have no legal or moral right to take back their villages from 1948. However, the road map is based on precisely that presumption. Most Israelis do not know that. On Sunday, August 17th, 2003, official Israeli Radio and TV newsreels hardly reported the forthright statements of Nabil Shaath and the PA in support of the "right of return," leaving most people in Israel to wonder if the Palestinian National Authority really endorses the "right of return," which would mean the replacement of the Jewish state. That has been the pattern of Israeli media reportage of the PLO over the past ten years: a tendency to downplay any negative prognosis of the "peace process." Why should the Israeli state media worry the people of Israel with reality? David Bedein is Bureau Chief of the Israel Resource News Agency (http://www.israelbehindthenews.com).

WHY FENCE IN THE TIGERS Posted by Arlene Peck, August 17, 2003.

Sometimes I allow myself to be lulled into that false sense of fantasy that so many of us like to live. There was even a time when I listened to President Bush and felt a twinge of faith in his words. I even felt a little sorry for my columns about "Like Father, Like Son." After all, didn't he say we have a war on terrorism and a terrorist is a terrorist, etc? But that was before I felt that he spoke with forked tongue and it was going to be a case of "Do as I say, not as I do." I feel like Charlie Brown and the football that Lucy always withdrew just when he thought he was going to make the kick. Lately, though, George W. has been using the carrot and stick theory. On one side of his mouth he talks about what a friend we have in Jesus and Israel. Then, on the other side, he dispatches emissaries to go on television to tell us how disappointed and angry he is with the "Fence," which somehow is an obstacle to peace. Gee, wasn't that the mantra that his father used to say about the "settlements" and Shamir? Whatever, the whole situation has just gotten out of hand. Hamas, a violent terrorist group, is referred to as an organization whose havoc needs to be negotiated. They are never described as the animals they are but as "fighters," "militants" or "senior Hamas leaders" as though they were part of some yuppie organization just doing their job. As of late they seem to be the favored form of terrorists. Recently, the Bush administration assured them that they wouldn't be targeted for elimination in the war against terrorism. Instead, when they're out there bombing Israeli civilians, Secretary of State Colin Powell goes on camera and says, "The United States would continue to seek dialogue to persuade Hamas and the other Palestinian insurgency groups to end their attacks on Israel." Powell continued, "Such an approach has been part of the U.S.-led war against terrorism and efforts to reach peace between Israel and the Palestinians." Why is there a difference between Israel's terrorists and ours? We capture prisoners and nobody forces us to open the jails and let them out in the interest of "peace." Why are our fences any better than theirs? However, there is one important difference. The ones in Israel are built to keep out vicious murderers who want to sneak into the country. If it were up to me we would be sending American soldiers from all those countries that don't want us. Starting with France and Germany, let's deploy these troops along our border with Mexico to keep out the thousands of illegal immigrants. And they are only coming in to get better jobs and to be on our welfare rolls. The people from Tijuana aren't jumping over the fence to kill us. Why should Israel even be criticized for protecting its civilians? Because it is Jews who are being slaughtered? Can anyone logically explain to me why Israel shouldn't be encouraged to do everything in its power to prevent Palestinian homicide bombers from sneaking into Israel to do their damage? Is there a reason that the Bush administration can't accept the fact that terrorist infiltration comes from the West Bank? This properly is where the barrier is being erected. Gaza already has one in place and that is the reason why terrorists haven't been coming in from that hellhole to commit mass murder. These aren't the kinds of neighbors where it is possible to have a "mutual understanding." I relate them to a day at the zoo. I walk into the tiger and lion house and marvel at how nice they seem sitting in the sun and walking around. Yet, not for a minute do I wish to consider what it could be like without bars to separate me from them. Without that I know I'd probably never walk out of there alive. It's good to have a mutual understanding that they stay there and I'm on my side of the fence. There is a sound reason why the fence is snaking along the Trans-Israel Highway. That's where the Palestinian killers have been taking shots at Israelis. In this American-imposed Roadmap to Auschwitz, is Israel really expected to free all the incarcerated terrorists to do what they might have missed the first time around? Then, even though there is nothing in the Roadmap about a fence or releasing prisoners, Israel is still made a target of criticism for the crime of defending its beleaguered citizens. The Roadmap pretty much says what is supposed to be done. Yet, for some reason the Bush administration continues to add addenda and to accommodate Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen. Hey, we're dealing with a man who can't even make up his mind what his name is. So is it any wonder that Abbas keeps making new unjustifiable demands because as Arafat's wonder boy he feels he has the support of our government? Arlene Peck is a syndicated international columnist and talk show hostess. She speaks throughout the USA and Europe about Israeli and Jewish issues. You can read some of her columns on her website, http://www.arlenepeck.com.

COME HOME TO ISRAEL Posted by Ellen Horowitz, August 17, 2003.

Mel Gibson's "Jesus" set me to wondering whether this was the opening gambit of a new round of anti-semitism. Whether it is or it isn't, it is a good time for American Jews to take time-out for a reality check. We need to remind ourselves of who we are. And we need to ask ourselves, where are we standing and where are we going? Perhaps it's time to consider aliyah. The Patriarch Jacob spent years wheeling and dealing outside of his land. He went from being an innocent, scholarly type to a shrewd and successful businessman, thanks to his `hospitable' uncle, Lavan. For Jacob, it was a matter of survival. C'mon, a guy's gotta make a living, right? When he finally had enough of that scene, Jacob has some sharp words with his uncle and heads back home. But, before he re-enters the Land of Israel, he does some heavy soul-wrestling with an angel. When he prevails, he is told that he will receive a new name - Israel. In Hebrew, this name comes from Yishar El which means, `G-d's honest one.' Jacob is then able to enter the Holy Land with a pure heart, and a sore leg. Uncle Sam may or may not be related to the Biblical uncle Lavan, but they are both heavily connected to a `white house' and both have offered us Jews years of hospitality (for the price of our souls and those of our children). American Jewry, the writing is on the wall. It may be time to engage in some wrestling of your own. But a word of advice, unload some of that Diaspora acquired baggage first, as it's best to travel light. Ellen Horowitz lives on the Golan Heights with her husband and six children. She is a painter, writer and co-founder of Helping Israel (http://www.helpingisrael.com), a website that matches donors with equipment the Yesha settlements need to withstand Arab terrorists. She is currently writing a book, "The Oslo Years: a mother's journal," a collection of writings, headlines, drawings and activities over the last twelve years.

AN OPEN LETTER TO PM ARIEL SHARON FROM JONATHAN POLLARD Posted by ManhigutEn, August 16, 2003.

Recently having observed his 49th birthday, Jonathan Pollard took the opportunity to write an open and sharp letter to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. These are excerpts: First of all, my thanks. This may surprise you, but I am grateful to you. Allow me to explain by citing several of your recent initiatives as examples: We have learned that when you met with President Bush just prior to my 49th birthday in prison, you never mentioned a word about me - an Israeli agent in peril, whose release was promised to Israel by the former US president at Wye - a commitment which you personally witnessed! Before your trip to Washington, you signed a petition to President Bush along with 111 of your Knesset colleagues calling for my immediate release. But you went to Washington you left the petition at home in Jerusalem. The message to the Administration was perfectly clear: your signature on the petition was for domestic public consumption only - not because of any interest in seeing me released. You did not forget to take to your meeting with Bush the list of 440 Arab murderers and terrorists whom you have subsequently freed in a gesture to the US. You had no difficulty making the case to release these terrorists, but had "no time" and "no place" on your agenda to plead the case for me, a Jew who warned Israel about the weapons of mass destruction prepared by neighboring Arab states for use against her. We have learned that you continue to block the path to the White House for my rabbi, the former Chief Rabbi of Israel, HaRav Mordechai Eliyahu, to prevent him personally from seeking my release from President George W. Bush. We have learned that you refuse to give permission for Israeli officials visiting the U.S. to raise the Pollard issue with their counterparts in Washington. We have learned that you have made it clear to senior Cabinet Ministers - ones who previously visited me, and used to advocate for my release - that you will not tolerate their advocacy on my behalf. Sadly, they have had no moral qualms about dumping the issue of my release and instead retaining their seniority in your Cabinet. We have learned that you met with Pollard Knesset Lobby Head Mickey Eitan and Member Uri Ariel about me last week. You were very clear with them that you will do nothing to seek my release or to assist me. On December 3, 2002 you promised to meet with my wife, my attorney and HaRav Mordecai Eliyahu at your earliest possible convenience. After numerous phone calls to your office to set up the meeting we were told that you would call us when you have time. Eight months later, we still have not heard back from you. You have steadfastly maintained Israel's shameful failure to honor its commitments to me as an Israeli agent in captivity. In spite of damaging lies you leaked to the media through one of your cabinet ministers, neither my wife nor I have ever received a cent from the Government of Israel. You continue deny me the medical, moral, legal and financial support that Israel committed to in Supreme Court. Not only have you failed to seek my release, you personally have sabotaged it and undermined it at every opportunity. You feared neither G-d nor man when you told Rechavam Ze'evi, z"l that the only way you are prepared to bring me home is (G-d forbid) in a coffin. You never flinched when this was widely reported in the Israeli media. No shame, no embarrassment and not even a spurious denial. Arik, Arik, what is it that you have on your conscience that makes you fear and hate me so? In light of all of the above and much more, Mr. Prime Minister, allow me to express my gratitude. I am grateful that you have never feigned interest in my plight nor any concern for my survival. I appreciate that you have been utterly shameless about your indifference to my fate, even though you risk public disapproval. My wife, my attorney and my rabbi met with you two years ago and told you that if you did not act expeditiously to save me, they feared I would die in prison. You did not flinch and you did not react. In fact, you did not respond at all to their distress. You have been perfectly consistent since then, dismissing every opportunity that arises that might provide some measure of relief for me. ...Thank you for being so blatantly obvious about your intention to have me die in prison before you do anything to assist me. I am grateful that I no longer have to do anything at all to convince the Israeli people that you are not acting in good faith. I am sincere in my thanks. Your callousness gives me added strength and determination to survive - even as ill as I am, as worn out as I am, and as disgusted as I am. If it takes every ounce of strength in every fiber of my being, I will survive! With the help of G-d, I will live to see you reap the reward that you deserve for what you have bequeathed to me and to the people of Israel. That is why, Mr. Prime Minister, today on my 49th birthday in prison, I bless you. May you live a long life! May you live to see me returned home in spite of all odds. G-d willing, I promise to bless you again upon my homecoming. I will look in your eyes; I will shake your hand. You will see your whole life reflected in my eyes. It is a moment I look forward to. ...Mr. Sharon, mark my words: if you only feared G-d half as much as you fear the enemies of Israel, you would find the courage and the determination to do that which is right and that which is needed without hesitation. Only one who has no fear of G-d, and no sense of Jewish history or Jewish destiny could so thoroughly ignore the moral imperatives that are the foundation of our faith and the bedrock of our nation. Recent events in Israel demonstrate that you have an uncanny ability to tolerate the agony of our people at this excruciating time in our history. Be aware that this ability to block out their cries and ignore their suffering is no more than an extension of your ability to tolerate the agony of one Israeli agent. After all, 5 million is just 5 million multiplied by one. Am Yisrael Chai! Jonathan Pollard Manhigut Yehudit is actively fighting on several fronts for the release of Jonathan Pollard. Their website address is http://www.manhigut.org.

SWEDISH, POLISH, ENGLISH.    JEWISH. Posted by Gerald Honigman, August 16, 2003.

A translation by the highly respected Middle East Media Research Institute(MEMRI) on July 3, 2003 dealt with an interview with one of Arafat's chief lieutenants, Ahmed Qurei (Abu Alaa). Among other things, he was asked about the Arabs' problem with having the word "Jewish" placed in front of the words "State of Israel" at the summits leading up to the Roadmap. Here was his response: "What is the meaning of a Jewish state? Do we say...Sunni state...Shi'ite state....Christian state? These are definitions that will bring...turmoil." It is not unusual to hear critics of Israel, even some academics, proclaim, "if Jews can have a state, then why not Catholics, or Protestants, or Hindus, etc.?" a la Alaa. Now think about this for a minute. Someone from England is English, from Poland is Polish, from Sweden is Swedish, etc. While there are other ways of describing one's nationality or ethnicity (i..e. we're not Americanish), the addition of the suffix "-ish" denotes this as well. Indeed, that's how Webster's Collegiate Dictionary primarily defines it. So what's the Arabs' problem here? It's really very simple. If they admit that the Jews are a nation or a people, it makes Arab rejection of their national movement - Zionism - more difficult to defend, i.e. how could Arabs demand a 23rd nation for themselves while denying Jews their one? Well, they could - as they do with Berbers, Kurds, and everyone else living on what Arabs claim to be "purely Arab land." But it makes the selling of the argument to reasonable minds that much more difficult. So let's take a closer look at this issue. "Jew" comes from the name Judah, originally the Hebrew tribe named after one of Jacob's sons and later Judah/Judaea as the land was known in the times of the southern kingdom and the Greeks and Romans. Judaean equals "Jew." When Rome suppressed the first major revolt of the Jews for their freedom and independence after 70 C.E., it issued thousands of Judaea Capta coins that can be seen in museums all over the world today. Judaea was the land, Judaeans/Jews were the people of that land. Now here's the somewhat confusing part. That particular people also had a peculiar set of religious beliefs: They worshipped a totally spiritual G_D, whom no man could see and who demanded that man live by a strong moral code. The Roman historians - Tacitus, Dio Cassius, etc. - living at that time spoke about this peculiarity in their writings and had lots more to say about the Jews as a people. We'll return to Tacitus a bit later on. While Abraham and the Hebrew patriarchs lived centuries earlier, Jews emerged as a people/nation after the experience at Sinai, some twelve hundred years or so before Jesus. They came to inhabit a distinct land, had their own culture, language, history - and, again, their own distinct set of religious beliefs. The Amarna Letters, an amazing archaeological treasure from ancient Egypt, show repeated correspondence between Pharaoh and surrounding Hittite, Hurrian, Babylonian, Canaanite, Assyrian and other kingdoms. Guess what comes out, among other things, in the correspondence? Complaints about invasions by the "Habiru" and "Apiru" - the Hebrews. And the letters date back to just around the time scholars have dated the Biblical conquests of Joshua and the Hebrew people. Jumping ahead again to Roman times, listen to just this one brief quote from the many pages the contemporary Roman historian, Tacitus, devoted to the Jews: "It inflamed Vespasian's ire that the Jews were the only nation who had not yet submitted." Do you think Tacitus was talking about the Jews' "religious affiliation" or their identity as a people? We don't have to ask.Tacitus tells us. Are you listening, Mr. Qurei? Look at his quote above again. While it's true that one may join one's destiny to the peoplehood/nationhood of Israel via religious conversion to the faith of that people, faith itself - while a part of the picture - is still just that: one part of the picture. So, Ruth the Moabitess became a convert when she told Naomi in the Hebrew Bible, "Whither thou goist I shall go, your people shall be my people, your G_d, my G_d." Note, please, that even here, in the religious writings of the Jews, peoplehood is mentioned before religion - perhaps a coincidence, perhaps not. When Jews were repeatedly humiliated, massacred, demonized, etc. throughout subsequent centuries, as soon as Napoleon released them from the mandatory ghettos and granted them citizen rights, many tried to redefine themselves so that their peoplehood identity would not cause them future problems. But that didn't always work either. "Kanes" or their counterparts were tossed into the same ovens as Cohens, and the modern political Zionist movement gained its momentum because Alfred Dreyfus, "the Frenchman of Jewish faith," was still seen by his fellow Frenchmen - including enlightened ones - as simply another dirty, G_d-killing Jew. The late 19th century Dreyfus Affair opened another assimilated Jew's eyes, those of Theodore Herzl, who subsequently wrote Der Judenstat - The Jewish State - in response. It is indeed ironic when Arabs such as Abu Alaa and their supporters bring this identity issue up. As usual, they rely on the innocent ignorance of most of their audience on such matters. Consider, for example, how you identify an "Arab." Because of their widespread conquests and forced arabization (still going in places like North Africa, where the once majority Berbers' language and culture have largely been outlawed; in the Sudan, where millions of Blacks have been killed, enslaved, etc. resisting this; the gassings, massacres, and such in Syrian and Iraqi Kurdistan; etc.), the definition has come down to language spoken, paternal (so to claim the children of those conquered as their own) ancestry, and/or one's own actual or willingly adopted identity as such. Not exactly precise. So there's no "purity of blood" and/or nation demanded for the Arabs' own collective self-definition (even though there are ethnically pure Arabs). Last but not least, Islam is the forcibly imposed official religion of state of virtually all twenty-two Arab states that exist so far. Check out their constitutions, etc. And they let it be known in those same documents that the states are "Arab" as well - despite the blurriness of what that term really means and the presence of often millions of native non-Arabs in those lands. Yet this does not stop those like Mr. Qurei' from raising such issues of identity with the sole, microscopic state of the Jews. The reality is that this is just the latest chapter in the Arabs' perpetual campaign to delegitimize Israel. Gerald Honigman has lectured and appeared on TV, talking about foreign policy. He frequently writes on Israel, the Arabs and the Kurds. He lives in Flagler County, Florida.

WE NEED YOUR HELP FOR THE UPCOMING ANTI-ROADMAP DEMONSTRATION IN CRAWFORD TEXAS Posted by Ken Heller, up to August 16, 2003.

The group in Houston that put on one of the most successful Anti-Road Map demonstrations on July 20th has joined together with the folks from Dallas, who also participated on July 20th with a demonstration of their own, to organize an ambitious effort at Crawford, Texas on August 17th. The President very likely will be there but then again he may be taking fund-raising trips for the election next year. This Crawford demonstration is attracting people from as far away as Wisconsin! It promises to be a vigorous, day-long event with speakers, prayer, vendors, music, marches, bands and refreshments. The problem is these dedicated individuals are trying to do this themselves but being part of our larger Anti-Road Map group, they shouldn't be expected to shoulder this financial burden alone. If that were the case, the event would no doubt fall way short of our expectations and therefore would not be as effective as I am sure we would all like. WE SHOULD HELP THEM AS MUCH AS WE CAN. NOW! I am asking you to share this expense by making a contribution that your resources would allow. Remember, this is a demonstration in the President's own back yard with plenty of media around. This demonstration can put the whole movement on the map. Some of the costs involved in this endeavor include chartering buses, paying bands, purchasing PA system that would be mounted on the back of a truck, banners for the sides of the buses, food, advertising, purchasing air time on various media channels and stations, rental of the community center in Crawford, honorariums for highly recognizable speakers (if necessary), T-shirts, etc. Please make out your checks to: Cindy Maddox and mail to: 14010 Chevy Chase, Houston TX 77077. (email: cindym702@aol.com) Remember, time is of the essence. Thank you very much for your cooperation. Ken HERE'S THE LATEST INFORMATION FROM JODIE ANDERSON: The rally will assemble in Tonkawa Park, across 4th Street from the football field around  9 a.m. This is a beautiful park with lots of shade trees. Speeches start at 10 a.m. Protest will be staged at 3 p.m. in front of the national media headquarters at the Crawford School gymnasium. We will need to assemble around 2:30 p.m. to walk to the school. Press conference will follow at 3:30 p.m., possibly in the gymnasium. I need to clear this with the press corps. It appears that since Secretary of State Powell said he would be meeting with Bush at his ranch in mid-August to discuss the news that he would be resigning after one term because of a promise to his wife, the media WILL be there along with the President. We will march at 5:15 p.m. from the park toward the Bush ranch. A secret service roadblock is set up at the Crawford Town Limits, which is about 3/4 of a mile from where the march will start. We should arrive at about 5:30 p.m. at the roadblock and there be turned back by the secret service. We will march with American and Israeli flags and banners. Speeches will resume at about 8 p.m., after a break for dinner. Candlelight vigil will be at 9:30 p.m. DON'T MISS THIS. SURPRISES IN STORE. Bring your own food, water, tarpoleum (to string between the shade trees), lawn chairs, games for the young ones, candles, cigarette lighters and matches to light them, Israeli and American flags, banners and protest signs. Please keep the signs focused on terrorism, and releasing terrorist, also making our Holy sites an issue. Refrain from saying anything against our President. Dick Hellman from CIPAC will be speaking, and so many more now are calling, and coming. Please help us make this a success. Join in this rally with the Battalion Of Deborah, Women In Green, CIPAC, and AFSI For anymore details email Dave Thomas at the_dts@hotmail.com. Ken Heller is founder of  "Citizens Against Giving-up Eretz Yisrael," a grassroots, worldwide network of Jewish and Christian pro-Israel activists. He was a major organizer of the world-wide demonstrations on July 20th against the Road Map. You can reach him at KJHNHA@aol.com. Jodie Anderson is with the Battalion of Deborah, an activist Christian Zionist group.

SOLUTIONS Posted by Beth Goodtree, August 15, 2003.

Sometimes it takes an outsider to see a simple answer to a problem. As an American and a Jew, Israel's problems have always been my worries too, yet I do not live them, which gives me the benefit of perspective. It seems to me that some of Israel's more pressing problems may be solved rather simply, if only someone would make a few unpopular decisions. The first solution actually addresses two of Israel's most pressing dilemmas: the double-digit unemployment rate and terrorism. Israel has been having almost daily attempted genocide bombings. Most of these attempts are coming from non-Israelis who must first get into Israel proper. Meanwhile, Israel also has skyrocketing unemployment. She also has an abundance of foreign workers, some living in Israel, some commuting from the disputed territories. Starting to see a connection here? Part of a great old saying goes: "If I am not for myself, then who will be...and if not now, when" It strikes me as absurd, a shondeh even, that as long as Israeli citizens are unemployed, Israel is allowing non-citizens to take the jobs away from Israelis and the bread from out of the mouths of Israeli families. A policy should be immediately instituted whereby all businesses (with a few exceptions on a case-by-case basis) must let go of foreign workers in favor of hiring Israelis, until the economic crisis is over and there is no unemployment for Israelis. A side effect of such a policy would also be that would-be Palestinian genocide bombers would not have an excuse, such as work, to enter Israel. Besides, since the Palestinians want a country of their own so much, let them prove they can be self-sufficient and not dependent upon Israel for their jobs. The next solution actually addresses a number of Israel's problems. Firstly, if Israel were sitting on the greatest oil reserve in the world, and the Arabs had nothing but sand to sell, they'd all still be living in tents with their camels, Israel would have been given more land for her country and every nation would be courting her favor. So much of Israel's underlying problems, and even anti-Semitism, stem from an addiction to oil; it is way past time we addressed the issue. It's time to wean the baby. Just as America had its Manhattan Project during WWII, Israel must have a similar concentration of scientific effort to get the world off of an oil economy. And this should be as much a priority as the Manhattan Project, for Israel is at war for her very existence. Israel must develop a new competitive source of energy. The world will need one soon anyway, since our oil reserves are not bottomless, and if not Israel, then who' Developing such an energy source will allow Israel to write her own ticket. No longer will other countries think they have the right to tell her how to run her country or not defend herself when she is being Scudded. And without oil income, the Islamists will rapidly run out of funding for their genocidal aspirations. The last solution is a no-brainer. But it's hard to do. When my son was a bit younger, he was picked on by bullies. The reasons always changed, but still they would taunt him, harass him and make him into a pariah. His first inclination was to try to appease them. I warned him that such an approach wouldn't work, but he had to try. Sure enough, once he gave them his dessert, the next week these same bullies demanded his entire lunch. And it just got worse from there. Israel is in the same position. I am going to tell you what I told my son. You may never get these bullies to like you, but you can make them respect you. Israel, under Sharon's leadership and a too-often-divided Knesset, have lost the respect of the world's bullies. Every day for the past few years, I see Israel knuckling under to world pressure in the vain hope that the world will like her better. It ain't gonna happen. The only thing that has happened is that the world now not only hates Israel, it no longer respects her. It was only out of respect for Israel's military and her leaders' abilities to make hard and swift decisions that she hadn't been attacked more often. Yet now, Israel is attacked almost daily, whether by Qassam rockets, bombers or snipers. And every time Israel thinks about retaliating, she consults world opinion first. She also tailors her response according to world opinion. Get over it. The world that hates you isn't going to suddenly love you if only you'll follow their wishes. And your friends, like America, can't afford to abandon you when you fail to jump if we say 'frog.' In the end, America will stand by Israel. It is time for Israel to take firm control of her destiny. Beth Goodtree writes humorous articles and political commentary. This appeared as an Op-Ed piece in Israel National News (http://www.israelnationalnews.com) August 6, 2003. The author writes: " ...most of my readers who sent me mail [on Solutions] asked me to run for Prime Minister. While I find the notion of running for Prime Minister ludicrous, I...asked them...why they haven't recalled Sharon if they were so unhappy." Almost without exception, they all said the same thing: Sharon isn't a Prime Minister as much as a tyrant who arrests grassroots opponents and naysayers on trumped-up charges. They are all terrified to do anything.

RELIGION AND ISRAEL'S SURVIVAL Posted by Richard H. Shulman, August 15, 2003.

The Israeli Ministry of Religion pays the operating expense of houses of worship and of public schools, including Arab schools. Arab schools are separate ostensibly because they have a different language (and, I think, they instruct in their separate culture). The government pays only partial costs for private religious Jewish and Christian schools. When religious political parties ask for enough to pace surging demand for Jewish schools, the secularist parties, whose children's schools are paid for in full, complain that the religious parties are asking more than their proportionate share. They try to deny the funds, relying upon a cultivated prejudice against the religious. That denial may be a personal mistake. The secularist schools are failing both as places of education and as places of safety. The religious schools are succeeding so well in both that many secularist parents are willing for their children to be exposed to the religion, in order to get an education free of violence. Funding for mosques, shariah courts, and imams are not cut off even when they incite Israeli Arabs against the Jews. Why does Israel promote those who would overthrow it? Israel takes great pride in being a democracy that serves all its citizens, including those who seek its destruction. This is part of its bootlicking mentality. It can demonstrate it in front of the non-Jewish world, "Look how wonderful we are! Look how well we treat even our Arabs who hate us. Don't you want to accept such good, moral, humane people like us?" The non-Jews hate the Jews no less, despite this stupid humanitarianism. It is stupid, because it bolsters a campaign whose goal is totally inhumane - conquest, humiliation, dispossession, and genocide. Nor is world humanitarian. It pretends to be, so that under cover of humanitarianism, it can demand that Israel give the Arabs advantages in its war on Israel. Why this prejudice against Jewish religious schools? Whereas American Jewish secularists are indifferent to religion, Israeli secularists are hostile towards it and slander it. Any real grievance is overshadowed by pretended ones. Since the Israeli media and colleges are controlled largely by leftist secularists, the public has been indoctrinated to consider religious people their enemy. The rapid population growth of the religious portends the waning of the leftist elite's power, turning the religious sector into the leftist's looming bogeyman. Here is an example of the popular campaign against the religious. The religious is the least violent sector in Israel, but is portrayed as the most violent. The infrequent and minor violence by religious youth over Sabbath violations are inflamed by the police and exaggerated by the media. (Remember the Rabin/Peres dirty tricks campaign to blame provocateurs' violence on the whole religious and right wing? What Israelis like to call their "vibrant" media is like American 19th century yellow journalism and somewhat like the contemporary European media in its anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism.) Israel has about 18,000 (non-P.A.) prisoners. Although the ultra-Orthodox constitute 10% of the population, they don't comprise a proportionate share of the prisoners, which would be 1,800, but only 20! That means that other Israelis are about a hundred times as violent as the ultra-Orthodox, who are portrayed as violent. Next to fear of loss of power and fear of religious violence is fear of economic collapse. They base this fear on the general ultra-Orthodox practice of vocations that do not require a secular education and their general abstinence from college. The public anticipates ignorant administration of the country. (Leftwingers Peres and Rabin did not go to college. Peres is ignorant of history and Judaism.) This fear of the religious is fantasized without knowledge. Why do the ultra-Orthodox avoid the university and the army? Both institutions are run without sexual modesty; the government has a record of trying to break down Jews' religious adherence; there are other temptations that young people might find hard to resist; colleges have subjects that the religious find unnecessary or distasteful. (Reference here is to the same kind of decadence and useless consumerism that old-fashioned Western secularists and many Christians complain about in the US.) We have been discussing this from the viewpoint of the Ultra-Orthodox, when we use the term "religious." What about the Orthodox, who in the US would also be considered religious? The Orthodox, the ones who support the National Religious Party, integrate with the State's institutions. They have some of the finest fighting units in the Army. However, during the Army and university years, about 30% of their youth become secularist. It is true that afterwards, as they prepare for marriage, many return. The Ultra-Orthodox do not want their children subjected to the temptation of irresponsibility and hedonism, although they learn technical skills to earn a living. Suppose the ultra-Orthodox did come to rule the country. Would they still avoid going to college? They probably would institute some more non-coed schools and curricula they don't find offensive and that are professional. Their own Talmudic education (which deals more directly with life) develops analysis, creativity, and logic. It's like attending law school for 10 hours a day for eight years from the age of 13. Jewish law and Jewish education ought to be considered at least the equivalent of a college education. A proposal to equate a rabbinical degree to a B.A. was voted down by Knesset. That means that a chief rabbi would not officially qualify for a somewhat ordinary government post. Finally, the ultra-Orthodox have been called fundamentalist, and, therefore, in a trick of linguistic equivalency, compared to Khomeini fundamentalism. Secularists assume that the ultra-Orthodox Jews would, just as in Iran, oppress the country and ruin its economy. Some secularists would rather share power with the Arabs and the gentiles. These temporary allies of the secularists would oppress the country. They would turn on the secularists, something that the ultra-Orthodox would not do. The ultra-Orthodox teach love of one's fellow Jew, whereas the Arabs teach hatred of Jews. The secularists should emulate the ultra-Orthodox in that regard. The religious Jews do not have the same temperament as Khomeini. Judaism is a much gentler religion. What the religious would do with power, though, is not known. They have made no plans for it, immersed are they are now in a struggle to get by in the economy that the secularists hobble and the society that frowns on them. Probably business would close down on the Sabbath. Official public dress would have to be modest: the body would be covered to the knee, elbow, and neck. Judaism avoids the prurient fashions of the Christian world and the black covers-all of much of the Muslim world. Pork and pornography would be banned. There is not likely to be concern over what people do within their homes. Nor are the ultra-Orthodox anti-Zionist, as is feared. Zionism is traditional. The waves of immigration during the centuries of total Jewish observance of Judaism attest to that. What the ultra-Orthodox "want is to serve G-d on their ancestral lands and inheritance which was promised to them, and which contain the holy places." They do not have the modern or secularist Zionist notion of having ones' own country as do Westerners, living increasingly like hedonist pagans. I think that secular Israelis are not normal. They hate their religious origins. The Left takes up the enemy cause in large part. It sells out to the hostile West, and appeases the West and the Arabs. Who are those lost souls to hate those who maintain their own traditions with reverence and non-violently! If secular Israelis want to be normal, they'd find a way to accommodate their own religious in the Army and in fields that need their cultivated intelligence. Mr. Shulman writes" "A correspondent suggested most of these ideas, which stimulated more ideas from me. I hope nobody takes offense at my tendency to let out remarks more boldly than I took them in."

ISRAELI PUBLIC LIFE Posted by Yitzhak Klein, August 15, 2003.

The road map, like Oslo before it, does immense damage to Israel's interests. Like Oslo, the road map was thought up and adopted by Israeli politicians, who have a gift for shooting their own country in the foot. Such policies don't reflect the sentiments of most Israelis. They can be adopted because small, unelected but immensely powerful elites, in the courts, the state bureaucracy, the government-controlled electronic media, and academia, have inordinate power to decide who gets appointed to public office, what the rules of the political game are, and what constitutes legitimate public policy. Many of them are hostile to the idea of a Jewish state and think Israel is in the wrong in its conflict with the Palestinians. Many so-called right-wing politicians are afraid of their power, with good reason, and go along to get along. Unfortunately, Israeli public life is not a level playing field, and that's one reason why Israeli policy looks so different from what most Israelis would prefer. Israel would work better as a Jewish state if it worked better as a democracy - that is, if the will of the majority, expressed through the ballot box, had more influence over policy and these unelected elites had less. This problem needs to be exposed and understood. This is a sensitive topic because it involves criticising Israeli domestic institutions. Yet to ignore it is to pretend a central part of the problem doesn't exist - as if Oslo, the Road Map, and similar phenomena landed from Mars and didn't originate in Israeli elites with a lot of power who use it in the service of some very odd notions. The more people, in Israel and outside it, are aware of the problem, the greater the chance to do something about it. The Israel Policy Institute attempts to address these issues, in part by gathering and distributing information about how official power in Israel is used by some elites to harm Israeli interests. Dr. Yitzhak Klein (PhD, Government, Harvard 1988) is Director of the Israel Policy Center in Jerusalem (not to be confused with the one in the States). The Center is dedicated to strengthening Israel's character as a Jewish democracy, and opposing violations of the civil rights of Israelis occasioned by their advocacy of Jewish values and interests or by their membership in communities usually associated with Jewish values.

THE TRUTH ABOUT THE TRUCE Posted by Mike Evans, August 15, 2003.

Phase I of the Road Map calls for Israel to begin dismantling settlements in Gaza and the West Bank. Prime Minister Sharon has begun doing exactly that! At some point, Israel will be forced to freeze any and all old settlements. What requirements were placed on the PA in Phase I? The verbiage in the Road Map plan is precise. Abbas must begin "sustained, targeted, and effective operations aimed at...dismantlement of terrorist capabilities and infrastructure." What has been achieved thus far - nothing! Why? Abbas is afraid the wrath of Islamic Jihan, Hamas and the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade will be turned inward, and will result in civil war. What are the major terrorist groups up to these "truceful" days? According to Israel radio, Israeli Defense Forces Chief of Staff Moshe Ya'alon says that the Palestinians stopped a truck loaded with Qassam rockets at a roadblock in Gaza. The truck was allowed to continue on its way. Ya'alon also reports that cars loaded with Islamic Jihad terrorists were also allowed to pass the roadblock. The terrorist group al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade is replenishing its coffers with funds from Iran. Hezbollah is busy improving the Palestinians' fighting tactics including "well-planned ambushes and sniper attacks," reports the Baltimore Sun. Iran has also supplied arms and training to Palestinian militants. The Gaza strip head of Islamic Jihad admits using the guise of the ceasefire to re-arm his militant group. It raises fears of an outbreak of bloody terrorist activities when the truce ends next month. Mohammed al-Hindi said, "It is natural that we strengthen ourselves during hudna (truce.)" Earlier this week, a father of two, Yechezkiel Yakutieli, 42, was killed in the attack at a shopping mall in Rosh Ha'ayin. Members of Arafat's Fatah movement have claimed responsibility. Just minutes after that attack, 18-year-old Erez Hershkovitz was killed in the suicide bombing in Ariel. Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack. Mike Evans is founder of the Jerusalem Prayer Team of Euless, TX. He is an award-winning journalist and author of the current bestseller: "Beyond Iraq: The Next Move," in which he argues that the U. S. should use its control of Iraqi oil to break OPEC, and use Iraq as a base for the war on terrorism.

PA TEENAGER'S SUMMER CAMP NAMED FOR TEENAGE SUICIDE BOMBER Posted by Itamar Marcus, August 15, 2003.

Ayyat al-Akhras - a 17 year-old girl - was the youngest child suicide bomber, murdering 2 Israelis in a Jerusalem supermarket on March 29, 2002. The PA has named a children's summer camp in her name. This is the second summer in a row in which a camp was named for Akhras. It continues the PA policy of naming summer camps, sporting events and schools, after prominent terrorists. This naming of a children's summer camp for a teenage terrorist is particularity problematic as it is quite natural for children to see another child being honored as a role model. The following appeared in yesterday's PA daily. "Dr. Ahmad al-Yazji, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports attended a graduation ceremony of a summer camp named after the Sahida (Woman who died for Allah) Ayyat Al Akhras. It was organized by the Shabaiba [youth organization] of the Fatah in East Gaza...150 children aged 9-15 participated in the camp...Al-Yazji stressed the role of the struggle fulfilled by the Palestinian National Liberation Movement `Fatah' and saluted the Shahids (those who died for Allah), the wounded and the prisoners." (Al Quds - Aug. 14. 2003) Itamar Marcus is Director of the Palestine Media Watch (PMW), which translates directly from the Arab media - newspapers, film and schoolbooks.

THE ROAD MAP: A JEWISH PERSPECTIVE Posted by Rebbetzin Esther Yungreis, August 15, 2003.

There is something odious about the Road Map - it is rotten from its source. Stop and consider for a moment - who are its authors? Russia, who throughout Israel's existence has supplied Israel's enemies with the most lethal weapons? Russia, who has a long history of pogroms and persecution of Jews? The U.N., which from its very inception has shown its bias against Israel and sought every opportunity to condemn her? The U.N. who to this very moment in time denies Israel the right to a seat on the Security Council - a privilege granted to all other nations? The members of the European Union whose virulent anti-Semitism made the Holocaust possible? It is unconscionable that Israel, a sovereign, independent state, should be pressured to accept policies affecting her very survival from these nations. To be sure, there is also the U.S., the fourth member of the quartet. Yes, the United States has traditionally been a friend of Israel, but politics make strange bedfellows, and it is obvious that our president is trying to curry favor with the Arabs who feel violated by the Iraqi war. Furthermore, he has to pay his dues to Tony Blair, who made support for the Road Map one of the conditions for British participation in the invasion of Iraq. Based on these facts alone, the Road Map should be rejected out of hand by Israel. Prime Minister Sharon should remind President Bush (whose belief in the Bible is no secret), that even the best of plans, when they emanate from a malevolent source, are unacceptable. Such was the case with Laban. G-d warned him: "Stay away, do not speak with Jacob good or bad" (Genesis 31:24). The teaching is clear - if a plan comes from an evil source, then even when it appears to be good, it is bad. Hence the saying of our sages, "Not your sting nor your honey." But all this does not absolve us from remaining alert and assuming our responsibilities as Jews. Since our Israeli government leaders lack faith, vision and Torah, it is we who must storm the heavens with our prayers and tshuva, and it is we who must cry out in protest at the blatant injustice and hypocrisy of which the United States and the nations of the world are guilty. Consider the hypocrisy of the President of the United States in sending troops to combat terrorism in remote parts of the globe, but when Israel attempts to defend herself from the cold-blooded murderers who are within her borders, who have launched over 18,000 attacks against her since the year 2,000, the White House clamps down and expects her to turn the other cheek. Consider the hypocrisy of our American Administration which has adamantly refused to release the prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay, while at the same time demanding that Israel release terrorists who have cold-bloodedly murdered Israeli men, women and children. Are they to once again flood the streets of Israel, free to maim and kill? Does Washington really believe that these programmed-to-kill terrorists have become boy scouts during their incarceration? Consider America's INS policy which heavily screens new arrivals to insure that no one of questionable background be admitted, and consider the hypocrisy which demands that Israel allow terrorists to roam freely in her midst and refrain from even erecting a protective fence. But what is most outrageous are not the demands and the hypocritical policies of the non-Jewish world (after all, there nothing new about that), but that which emanates from Israel itself. One cannot help but wonder what there is in the psyches of Israeli government leaders that compels them to compromise the security of the land as soon as they take office. It was one thing when it was Peres or Barak who betrayed us, but Arik Sharon - the Lion himself? Who would ever have believed that he would cave in and refer to Yehuda and Shomron as `occupied land'? Tom DeLay, the Republican House Majority Leader, expressed it best when he said, "You could have knocked me over when I heard Sharon declare that the time had come to divide the land of Israel with the Palestinians.  Tom DeLay's words bring to mind King Solomon's parable of the two mothers who each claim to be the parent of the same infant. Solomon applied a simple test to determine the truth. The woman who refused to allow the child to be cut in two was the real mother. We can all echo Tom DeLay's shock. How can Sharon allow Eretz Yisrael to be cut, to be divided? It defies the imagination that we, who are a wise nation, should fall into the same folly time and again. Was it only yesterday that through Israel's influence, Washington rolled out the welcome mat for Arafat, the terrorist murderer? It was the Rabin-Peres government that enabled him to exchange his terrorist garb for that of a head of state. It was that same government that supplied him with weapons for his so-called police force - weapons that were quickly turned against us. Was it only yesterday that Arafat and Rabin embraced, sharing the Nobel Peace Prize. How long did that peace initiative last? Where did it lead us? How can we be so foolish as to once again fall into the same trap and open the door for Abu Mazen by endorsing a sovereign state for terrorists in our midst. Has anyone stopped to consider who this Abu Mazin is? Does anyone care to remember that he was Arafat's right hand man? - That he financed many terrorist operations, including the Munich Massacre? This same Abu Mazin has been quoted as saying that the Holy Temple and the Holocaust are myths. And just recently, he proclaimed that he has no plans to disarm Hamas or Islamic Jihad, for if the cease fire is working, he asked, "Why should I fight my brothers?" As for the cease fire? That's another joke. Haven't we yet learned that the Arabs are always willing to accept a cease fire when it is to their advantage to do so? They make no bones about their agenda which is `salami tactics' - call for a cease fire, collect some slices of land, and when you've extracted all you can, attack again and keep up the pattern until the entire salami becomes yours. Even as I write these lines, Israel intelligence reports that Hamas is taking good advantage of the three month cease fire. Israeli patrols have come to a halt, so it's a perfect time to produce rockets by the hundreds. What then is the solution? What should Israel and Sharon do? The answer is simple, and precisely because it is so simple, it continues to elude us. It is written in the Book of Psalms: "If only My people would heed Me, if Israel would walk in My ways, in an instant, I would subdue their foes and against their tormentors turn My hand." (Psalm 81). That could be our Road Map, if only we had faith and feared G-d as much as we fear man. Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis is the founder and president of Hineni, an international Jewish outreach organization. She is author of "The Committed Life" and the just released "The Committed Marriage" (HarperCollins, May 03). She has a weekly cable television program and has lectured world-wide.

IF YOU DO AND IF YOU DON'T Posted by Herb Sunshine, August 15, 2003.

Should Israel build a fence, the world calls it a wall. Should Israel retaliate against murder, the world demands restraint. Should Israel not retaliate, the murderers perceive our fear. Should Israel build up Yesha, the world says "don't create facts on the ground." Should Israel not build up Yesha, the Arabs will. When Israel frees murderers, the world says it's not enough, and when we don't free them,     we are obstructing the "peace" plan. Doing nothing is also a strategic plan.       So is military victory.           With love of Israel and with fear for its future. Herb Sunshine is a member of the American Bar and a retired Professor of Law. He lives in Jerusalem.

STOPPING TERRORISM Posted by Dan Schneiderman, August 14, 2003.

Let me play "pretend I'm the Prime Minister." I would park a missile boat off the coast of Gaza, about a half mile of shore. I would tell the "Palestiniains" and the rest of the world you see that boat? Well the next time a bus, supermarket, disco in Israel gets blown up that boat is going to fire 20 missiles into the heart of Gaza City. Ok? Let's see how long they continue to play this terror act after Israel follows through on something like that. In other words you kill twenty Jews, we kill 10 thousand of you. If the US complains just hold up pictures of Dresden, Tokyo, Hiroshima, Nagasaki not to mention Hanoi and Panama City. This would stop any critic of Israel flat in their tracks. NOT ONE US civilian was murdered by any of those regimes. It's time for Israel to act like a normal country if they are going to be treated like a normal country. I am not a fanatic. I want peace. I realize that some territorial concessions have to be made. I just feel the time is up. No more toleration of terror, None. But guess what? Israel has let out more prisoners today. Real nice. That sends a real nice message. You know the Israeli government is now the ones to blame for the terror NOT the "Palestinians."

LEADING EGYPTIAN CLERICS PREACH JIHAD AGAINST U.S.TROOPS IN IRAQ Posted by Aryeh Zelasko, August 14, 2003.

Egypt is the largest and most powerful Arab country. According to the US State Department, it is a moderate and progressive Arab country. The reality is that Egypt is as fanatically anti-everything as any of the other degenerate Arab states in the region. That has not, however, hindered the Americans from pumping Billions of their tax payers dollars into Egypt so as to rearm and modernize its military. The Egyptian rulers have been, and are today as well, hostile to any changes that might drag their population out of the squalor of Islamic ignorance and into a more developed state of, let's say, the late middle ages. Actually entering something as advanced as the early industrial revolution would probably completely unhinge their social structure. Just to put things in perspective Egypt's territorial area is 1,001,450 square km and its population is 74,718,797 (July 2003 est.). Its purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2002 est.) and the countries literacy rates for those over the age 15 and over is 57.7%. This breaks down to; males: 68.3% females: 46.9% (2003 est.). Not a small place and they have enough people to do something but all they can focus their energy on is hate and war. That is because the core of Islam is hate and war. Egyptian religious leaders preach jihad. "Prominent Egyptian Islamic scholars have issued Fatwas and religious opinions on the subject of Jihad against the U.S. before, during, and following the war in Iraq. These include the most prominent religious figures appointed by the Egyptian government to the highest religious positions, such as the Mufti of Egypt, Dr. Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, and the Sheikh of Al-Azhar, Dr. Muhammad Sayyed Tantawi. Other prominent Egyptian Islamic authorities who have come out in support of Jihad against U.S. troops include scholars from leading Egyptian universities, such as Cairo University and Al-Azhar University. From the Islamist camp, Islamist leaders such as Egyptian-born Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradhawi, one of the most prominent figures in the Muslim Brotherhood movement, have issued similar rulings." (Steven Stalinsky is Executive Director of the Middle East Media and Research Institute - MEMRI). The entire article can be read on http://www.memri.org/bin/opener_latest.cgi?ID=IA14503. Aryeh Zelasko made aliyah in 1977 and live in Beitar Illit, which is south of Jerusalem. He is Director of Sales and Marketing of Israel Visit (www.israelvisit.co.il) which provides information and an internet buying facility for American visitors to Israel.

THANK THE PRESIDENT Posted by Dutch Griffin, August 14, 2003.

I was notified to call the White House and thank the President for appointing Daniel Pipes to the United States Institute for Peace. I have called the White House many times, because the President is not doing the job I elected him to do. Appointing Daniel Pipes was the right thing, but he has a long way to go before I will thank of him for doing a good job. I can't thank him for doing one right thing when he is doing twenty things wrong. In manufacturing I am allowed five percent error. If I was only correct five percent of the time, I couldn't work. I expect much more from the President, and that is my comment to the White House. I cannot be thankful when we are financially and politically supporting Arab terror in Israel's territories. I cannot be thankful when we practice anti-Semitism by applying separate standards of prosecution to Jonathan Pollard. I cannot be thankful when we allow the enemy to dictate where we have our embassy in Israel. I cannot be thankful watching the President allow Colin Powell to plunder and blackmail Israel into an indefensible position. I cannot be thankful when Pres Bush does not act according to life and death historic truths; but rather is willing to sacrifice innocent children, mothers and fathers, to appease our enemies. I cannot be thankful when a shameful body such as the United Nations is headquartered on American soil. I cannot be thankful when the President allows Mahmoud Abbas to get away with statements like, "the PA authority has always condemned targeting civilians." I CAN ONLY BE ASHAMED. George W Bush knows that a printout of the PA expressions to murder Israeli civilians would blanket the entire District of Columbia. These same people drag moderate Muslims into the streets and tear their bodies limb from limb - absolutely preventing any discussion of peace on the Arab street. Tens of thousands have died all over the region during the forty year reign of Arafat's mob - not just in Israel. These people invented modern terrorism, and many of their victims have been Americans. I will not thank a President who cheapens spilled American blood, and becomes the high priest who sacrifices Jewish blood. Anyone can recognize that this is a war. I thought we were fighting a War On Terror. If we are allies, then why is our government unwilling to let Israel win? Have we become a terror-sponsoring state? BUSH IS POWERFUL ENOUGH. IF HE HAD COURAGE, PEACE WOULD BE A BYPRODUCT OF TRUTH. Read Psalm 83. Dutch Griffin is a Christian Zionist. He is currently visiting Israel, from which he has sent his friends - which include the editor of Think-Israel - wonderful pictures.

WHEN RESPECT IS LOST Posted by by Emanuel A. Winston, August 14, 2003.

President Bush, with the acquiescence of PM Ariel Sharon, has managed to undo the grudging respect which Israel has earned from the Arab countries who have lost 7* wars against the Jewish State. I said respect - not approval or friendliness. Muslims are mandated to make the world subservient to Islam. But, Arabs hate the Jewish State slightly more than they hate the West, particularly America. The Arab Muslims respect the military power of Israel as they respect the Superpower of America. For them, that does not mean that they desist from attacking both. It means they will wait for signs of weakness and continually build their military strength until they again attack with some probability of success. The current `Hudna' (cease fire) imposed upon Israel by the Bush Administration was a significant sign of impending weakness to the Arabs because Israel accepted it with barely an objection. Clearly for the Arab Palestinians, Israel was getting weak and its anti-Terrorist thrust was waning. This, of course, wasn't the first time total victory over Arab attackers was denied to Israel by Arabists in the U.S. government. The Bush Administration - driven on by an Arabist State Department, denials notwithstanding, may be one of the greatest threats that Israel has ever faced. They are tied in an unholy marriage to Arab/Muslim countries with oil. That means even countries like Egypt and Syria (without oil) must be treated with special deference as part of the whole Arab Muslim world - despite their growing armies and their assistance to Terrorists. The `Hudna' actually never began, given that the Terror assaults continued uninterrupted - as if Terror and a promised Cease-Fire were totally separate events. Since the beginning of the "Hudna" on June 28th until August 14th, 35 Israelis have been killed or wounded in 180 attacks by Arab Palestinian Terrorists. An additional 4 Israelis have been victims of suspected Arab Palestinian kidnapings. It is unknown if they are alive or dead today, August 14th. Israel did stop 36 planned "major" Terror attacks since June 28th before they could reap their bloody harvest during the first 6 weeks of the purported "Hudna." Powell phoned his Israeli counterpart, FM Silvan Shalom, demanding Israel NOT respond to the attacks, while ignoring Palestinian PM Abu Mazen's refusal to disarm Terrorists as required by the `Road Map.' The Muslim/Arab world is a composite of hostile, backward nations who compensate for their low productive status by claiming superiority as Muslims who follow Islam and Allah. They make submission to `humiliation' their `raison d'etre' for continuing war against those they call infidels (all non-believers, especially Jews and Christians). 2 pillars on which Muslim culture rests are "Pride" and "Shame." Their vaunted pride must be acknowledged and they insist everyone must understand the Shame of losing wars must be erased by winning the next war. Leadership of the West and Israel haven't come to grips with the psychology of Muslim/Arab culture. Each time Israel gives up her costly victories at the behest of the West, respect of the Arabs for Israel descends downward and the Arabs' belief in a coming victory rises. Respect for the enemy equals deterrence - in the Middle East and elsewhere. Muslims wallow in self-pity and victim-hood when they lose. The Arab world is a macho, testicle-driven society where they'll do anything, including (and especially) blowing up children and themselves to reclaim self-respect. They are, therefore, morally a lowly primitive people by any standards of civilized society. Their leaders keep their people undereducated, unproductive and dependent upon the West for technology, equipment and even education for those higher classes who can afford to send their children abroad for a university education. Without oil the world would have abandoned them as backward wastelands to be ignored. Youth of Arab nations escape into religious fantasy, dedicated to war with those the Mullahs call the `unbelievers' or infidels. As long as they have the black gold of oil, the Arab/Muslims can make demands on the West, particularly in accommodating the Muslims' hatred for the Jewish State. The existence of a tiny Jewish nation who is prosperous and whose gross national product (of industry without oil) exceeds all of their nations combined, and who is the third largest exporter of military equipment in the world, galls their self-esteem and generates great envy. 160+ million Muslim Arabs have not been able to conquer the Jews (only now 6 million) in the 7* wars which the Arabs began and ignominiously lost. But, their political, religious leaders tell the Arab street that one day they will win one war and recapture their self-respect and honor - and live in the Jews' beautiful homes. Regrettably, Israel's leadership has repeatedly squandered the only commodity with any meaningful value in the Arab/Muslim world: Respect that comes from fear of military superiority. Sharon's retreat at the orders of Bush, Powell, and the Arabist U.S. State Department has virtually erased his vaunted reputation as the `Great General.' To the Arab Muslims he now looks like a tired old leader, no longer the feared Lion of Judah. They speak of Sharon as a `trembling old woman' or a toothless lion in the cafes and `shuks' (marketplaces). Being caricatured as a woman is a powerfully insulting symbol of weakness in the male-dominated Muslim/Arab world. Israel's peaceful gestures of withdrawing Israeli troops from cities Israel turned over to Yassir Arafat under the Oslo Accords, the release of convicted and jailed Arab Terrorists, the lack of stern rejection of the Bush `Road Map' even as Abu Mazen abandons any sign of removing the Terrorist infrastructure - all of these are the signs of a failing Sharon and a weakened Israel. Muslim/Arab Terrorists know it's time to re-double their attacks which have already begun. Israelis are being killed daily, shelled, shot, knifed, blown up - despite the `Hudna.' Sharon follows Bush/Powell `diktats' NOT to defend Israel with tough, retaliatory strikes. The lack of response to the latest killings encourages greater attacks. The Sharon government is in a deep pathological state of denial, having committed to a Faustian bargain with the Bush Administration. Confidence of the Arab/Muslims grows in direct proportion to Israel's lack of will to defy Bush and fight Terror. This, of course, brings more Terror and war closer at an accelerated pace. Israel will, no doubt, pay a bloody price for showing weakness and loss of respect. Not so strangely, America will also pay a price as another Terrorist State of Palestine west of the Jordan is fathered by Bush - with a higher level of sophisticated International Terrorism, reaching into the heartland of America. As the U.S. trained Osama Bin Laden's Muslims to terrorize the Soviets in Afghanistan, the CIA is now training the Arab Palestinians in sniper fire and communications, tactics that will be used first against Israel and then against America. Showing kindness and generosity to backward people who've lost 7* wars brings the victor no appreciation or acceptance. American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are learning this lesson as guerilla insurgency grows along with almost daily American and British fatalities. Deposing Saddam, rebuilding Iraq's antiquated power plants and re-invigorating their oil industry to benefit their people are some things they want but there is no gratitude - only hate and more killing. Many of the so-called "foreign troops" killing American soldiers are Arab Palestinians, Syrians, Iranians, and/or Egyptians - using tactics taught them by the U.S. Israel learned this lesson again as Oslo failed, Terrorism grew and, finally, to break up the Terrorists' operations, bomb-building factories and arms' smuggling, Israeli troops were sent back into cities controlled by Arafat who had made them Terrorists' nests - just as he did in Lebanon. Israel had given up all they achieved in Lebanon 3 years ago when then PM Ehud Barak ran like a scared rabbit out of Lebanon - abandoning Lebanese allies and valuable equipment. The vacuum was quickly filled by Syrian and Iranian backed Hezb'Allah. The Arab Palestinians under Arafat took heart, concluding that the Israelis can be made to run. That abandoned equipment, including artillery, is now being used against Israel's northern communities. When Barak offered Arafat almost all of Judea, Samaria and Gaza - plus the Jordan Valley and a split of Jerusalem, instead, Arafat chose to launch the Rosh Hashanah 2000 War on September 28, 2000. Since then more than 850 Jews have been murdered, including more than 44 Americans, by Muslim Terrorists. Thousands have been wounded, many maimed for life, many are new orphans and widows. More than 1345 Jews have been murdered since Oslo was signed September 13, 1993 - with the `proportionate' number of wounded and maimed. Then came the insidious "Road Map," spoken by Bush in June of 2001 but, redesigned and bastardized by the `Quartet': the Arabist U.S. State Department, the anti-Israel U.N. (United Nations), the anti-Semitic E.U. (European Union) and Russia, whose anti-Jewish history and pogroms are infamous for their evil. Again, Israel was forced to dump her gains, withdrawing her troops from defensive positions, protecting her people and allowing a fake cease fire, a 3 month "Hudna," so the Terrorists could re-arm and re-organize. All this was imposed upon Israel after she successfully began the work of dismantling the Terrorist infrastructure - the first item listed in the `Road Map' for Prime Minister Abu Mazen to undertake - which he refused to do. Israel once had "red lines" which, when crossed by any enemy, were `Causus Belli' (causes for war) for defense, action and retaliation. Now, with Bush and Powell having forced restraint on Israel, Sharon has literally erased all "red lines." This now permits unrestrained Terror by the Arab Palestinians, Hezb'Allah, etc. - with no defense or response or retaliation. Israel has dug herself a deep pit with the shovel handed to her by the Bush Administration. The German Nazis also handed the Jews shovels to dig their own graves before they were shot. History does repeat itself - IF we don't learn from it. [paraphrase from George Santayana]. Without a doubt, this Israeli government and her Prime Minister have proven to be the most craven, incompetent and impotent to have ever ruled in Israel. I know, some think that no government can sink lower than that run by the Oslo gang of Rabin, Peres and Beilin. That contemptible Leftist group certainly generated a very large graveyard of murdered Jews. Granted, too, they set the stage for Arafat to accomplish his war by giving him their cities and areas close to Israel's population centers where they could build an army of Terrorists, many armed by the Rabin/Peres Oslo gang. But, it is Sharon and his Yes! men cabinet who have truly exposed Israel to utter extinction. There is little more to be said - except that Sharon must be voted out of government as simply too incompetent to run a nation in his advanced age. It's time to go, Arik. Go and live on your past glories of battle and do what old men do - dream the dreams of past victories and let new people save the Jewish nation and her people. Israel must renew the respect she earned by winning 7* wars and surviving interminable Terrorism, IF she is to sustain her sovereignty and the safety of her people. In the Middle East, respect only comes from fear of military superiority which Israel has but must implement IF she is to deter further Terror and future war. *  7 wars: 1948 War of Independence; 1956 Sinai campaign; 1967 Six Day War; 1970-1 War of Attrition; 1973 Yom Kippur War; 1982 Peace for Galilee; 1991 Desert Storm Gulf War (39 SCUDs) - Plus Continual Terrorism (defined as low-intensity warfare) from the early 1900s until today. Emanuel A. Winston is a prominent Middle East analyst and commentator. Many of his articles first appeared on the Gamla (http://www.gamla.org.il/english) and the Freeman Center for Strategic Studies ((http://www.freeman.org/online.htm) websites.

END MUSLIM EXTORTION Posted by David ben Ariel, August 14, 2003.

Why should Christians and Jews be forced to pay an occupying Muslim force to see the Rock where Abraham was about to sacrifice Isaac? There shouldn't be any entrance fee to the world's most holy spot! Why does Jerusalem permit militant Muslims to defy (on a daily basis) Israel's 1967 Law for the Protection of the Holy Places that supposedly guarantees "freedom of access" for all to their respective religious sites? Just let any Christian or Jewish journalist attempt to exercise this "religious liberty" and then report on how they've been taken into "protective custody" to protect them from angry Muslims who dominate the scene! Why not remove the threat? Why should Muslim money changers demand that Christians pay for the upkeep of their mosques? Especially when such offensive foreign shrines include inscriptions on their walls from the Koran that mock Christ and Christians? "This is the whole truth about Jesus, the son of Mary, which they are unwilling to accept: Allah forbid that He Himself should beget a son!" (Sura 19:35-36); "Say: 'Praise be to Allah who has never begotten a son, who has no partner in His kingdom" (Sura 17:111).Adding further insult to potential injury is the fact that Christians and Jews can only visit the site of where the Temple stood twice as paying tourists! Israel has no law against Christians or Jews praying or reading scriptures on the Temple Mount. However, it does have an unwritten agreement with the Wakf (Muslim religious authorities) that shamefully prohibits this. No sign is posted, stating: "WARNING! Christian and Jewish prayers are forbidden! Bibles not allowed inside by Muslim religious authorities. Proceed with caution!" Why should Muslims be granted jurisdiction over non-Muslims? This is upside down! Biblically, non-Israelites were forbidden upon penalty of death to trespass on certain areas of the Temple Mount. Now gentile foxes roam freely while the Children of Israel are closely supervised and treated like dogs! This deplorable situation must change!The true battle for Jerusalem lies at the heart of Jerusalem: the Temple Mount. Whoever controls the holy hill will exercise ultimate authority over all Israel. Until the Temple Mount is restored to its rightful Jewish owners it will increasingly become a mountain of troubles. Israel must reclaim Judaism's most holy site, ending its abomination of desolation, and prepare the place for its sole purpose: to house the Temple of Jacob's G-d! David Ben-Ariel's new website address is http://www.benariel.com.

WHO BENEFITS? Posted by Shoshana Rubin, August 14, 2003.

Who is benefiting from the `roadmap'? I looked up the word `benefit' in the dictionary, this is what it said: 1. An act of kindness; a favor conferred. 2. Whatever promotes the happiness and well-being of a person or thing, or adds to the value of property. 3. Pecuniary advantage or assistance. 4. A play, concert, or the like, the proceeds of which go to a particular person or cause. Bingo! Number 4 fits the `roadmap.' This is like a play and movie, a very bloody and bad movie, which never ends and only gets more bloody. We, the Israelis and the Arabs, are the stars, receiving very high ratings in every part of the world, especially in America, where the War On Israel is discussed on TV, radio and the internet all day, all night, all the time. There is a whole battalion of internet warriors that have developed, either loving Israel or hating her. Some have better points of view and articulation than either Sharon or Arafat. So, why are Israelis in such a depressed state of mind, while the Arabs are in a mindless state? America is benefitting from our long, bloody movie, no matter who wins. The American public is not asking to see their war on Iraq or anywhere else; this is as good as it gets, especially when the presidential elections are in 2004. It does not matter whether the actors are Sharon, Arafat, Abu Mazen, Hamas, Bush or Powell, as long as it's bloody. The high ratings are a guarantee for our destruction and death. "Whoever shows mercy when cruelty is warranted will ultimately become cruel when mercy is warranted." So sayeth our Lord. We have become merciful to the Arabs when we should be cruel. This is what we Israelis, the Arabs and the Americans are not understanding clearly about our purpose in the War On Israel. Why are we behaving like this? How many times in the past year have we heard Israelis explain the reasons we retaliate the way we do, is because the Americans are doing so in Yemen, Afghanistan and Iraq? Why do we not say that we are attacking enemy Arabs so they won't attack us? Not a difficult concept, except when it comes to us. Have we forgotten, in our pain and suffering and fear, that we are worth it, that we are worth fighting for? Have we forgotten that abandonment by the nations is a blessing and not a curse? The most fundamental law of the US Constitution is that "all men are created equal." And this was written and spoken proudly while the US owned slaves. It is loudly repeated with love and pride, throughout the US, on a daily basis. I can only look at our dependence on them and again think of that fundamental law of theirs, and want to ask them - why do you have borders, flags and armies? We are witnessing prejudice, of the worst kind. We expect nothing of the Arabs and we're not surprised when they don't give us anything. The Americans expect nothing from them, too. We expect everything from ourselves and so does everyone else. We must look at this foul kind of prejudice and examine it thoroughly. It is like cancer being allowed to grow, while we nurture it. We are encouraging the enemy by not doing and saying what we all know is the only solution -the enemy must be expelled or killed. We are not being honest. We are being merciful to the enemy when they deserve nothing less than cruelty. The US is encouraging and enabling our behavior and that of the Arabs. We should be hanging Arafat in the center of Jerusalem in a very public way and during daylight. Is Arafat better than Eichmann? A Jewish mother should be the one to hang Arafat. Why does Bush insist that Arafat be kept alive? Why isn't Sharon insisting on killing Arafat? Why are we in this very dependent position, like an alcoholic or an addict, so dependent on the US? Israel wants and needs her independence, she has grown very weary of trying to please the world, she wants to be loved by the Jewish people. The question we must now ask is do we want to live or do we want to die and is it really our decision or G-d's? Shoshana Rubin is a freelance writer who writes she is a lover of Israel and the Jewish people, a writer who finds herself living in a world that has contempt for all. This article appeared on Arutz Sheva, Israel National News (http://www.israelnationalnews.org).

NO MORE "LET'S PRETEND" Posted by David Wilder, August 13, 2003.

In the real world, two Israelis were killed in separate suicide bombings yesterday. It is time to stop playing "let's pretend." The road map, in both its conception and implementation, is based on the presumption that if we, the United States and Israel, pretend hard enough then reality will follow. It is not working. In his June 24 speech last year, US President George W. Bush cut through decades of "let's pretend" when he erected two pillars of moral clarity: first that Arafat must go, and second that the obstacle to a Palestinian state is not Israel, but Palestinian tyranny, corruption, and terrorism. Since then, the Bush administration has let these pillars crumble, while pretending that they still stand. Rather than the "new leadership, uncompromised by terror" Bush demanded on June 24, we are pretending that Yasser Arafat is gone, and that Mahmoud Abbas is untainted by him. As fundamentally, the road map, supposedly constructed to implement the June 24 speech, reverts to the same old attempt to pretend that Israel shares responsibility for being attacked, and pretend that Israel, rather than Palestinian behavior, is an equal obstacle to Palestinian statehood. But this is just the beginning. On top of pretending that Arafat is gone and that Israel must share blame for the transformation of the peace process into a war on terrorism, we are now pretending that the Palestinian Authority is on its way to complying with the road map, and that Israel is somehow in breach. Why is the PA not mopping up terrorist groups such as Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the myriad offshoots of Arafat's own Fatah? Let's pretend it is because Israel is building a fence. Or not releasing enough prisoners. Or dismantling enough outposts. Let's stop pretending. We all know that Israel will never, in the current context, release enough prisoners, dismantle the fence or enough outposts to satisfy the Palestinians and this assumes that it was legitimate for the Palestinians to make demands extraneous to the road map in the first place. Pretending that Mahmoud Abbas is an independent actor, a democrat, and will wipe out terrorism will not make it so. The "help Abbas" mantra has, if anything, exacerbated the problem by tolerating unending excuses for inaction, even as the infrastructure of terrorism is rebuilt and terrorist attacks increase. Yesterday's suicide bombings could easily have killed dozens of Israelis, as could have the many similar attack that have been thwarted since the hudna was declared. The game of tolerating missile attacks, suicide bombings, and shootings so long as "only" one or two people are killed is a cynical and bloody one. The lives that are lost and the families destroyed are not pretend they are real and cannot be made whole again. The US and Israel must speak clearly and with one voice: Either the PA crushes the terrorists now, unconditionally, and without excuses, or Israel will do so itself. It should also be understood that if Israel is forced to crush the terrorists by itself, the PA, as a government that harbors terror, will also be replaced. It is far from clear that such an ultimatum will impel the PA to act decisively; it is clear that absent such a stark proposition it will not. This is not just a test of whether the US and Israel have embarked on a process that does not repeat the mistakes of its failed predecessors. It is a test of the seriousness of the entire war against terrorism. The terrorists want to destroy Israel, not create a Palestinian state along side Israel. But even if the cause of a peaceful, democratic Palestinian state is legitimate, how does that cause justify tolerance of terrorism? On November 10, 2001, Bush told the United Nations, "There is no such thing as a good terrorist. No national aspiration, no remembered wrong can ever justify the deliberate murder of the innocent. Any government that rejects this principle, trying to pick and choose its terrorist friends, will know the consequences." It is this doctrine that is being put to the test, here and now. David Wilder is the spokesman for the Hebron Jewish Community. He wrote this analysis amidst the turbulence in Hebron, where, at about 12:35 at night, over fifty riot squad police converged on the Avraham Avinu neighborhood in Hebron. As reported by the Hebron Press Office, "Coming from different directions they pounded on the door of the Tur family in the Rinat Shalhevet apartment complex, (formerly the Arab market), and burst through the door, breaking the lock. Once inside they grabbed half-dressed Sela Tur, twenty three years old, and dragged him to an awaiting police van. He was reportedly taken in the direction of Jerusalem, accompanied by police and Israeli intelligence forces. Sela Tur is the father of three children, the oldest of whom is 3 years old. His wife Orit gave birth to their third child last week. There are currently rumors circulating to the effect that police have made widespread arrests throughout Yesha tonight, allegedly concerning `security crimes.'"

THE ROAD MAP DETOUR TO NOWHERE Posted by Leo Rennert, August 13, 2003.

As long as George Bush lets Colin Powell shape the Mideast peace process, he can kiss his road map goodbye. Shortly after two suicide bombings, Powell told a group of Israeli and Palestinian youngsters that violence won't deter the U.S. from seeking peace. By now, that's an old cracked record. Powell shed a tear that bombs went off "in the territories." Never mind that one terrorist struck inside the Green Line. Or does the killing of Israelis matter less if it occurs "in the territories?" Not a word about the Palestinian Authority's avowed refusal to shut down terrorist groups in flagrant violation of his own road map. Just empty assurances that the U.S., working in concert with the anti-Israel trio of U.N., EU and Kremlin, will plow ahead. Mr. Powell, we've heard this pap before. It's time for Bush to get real and serve notice that distractions like prisoner releases and the security fence won't fly. It's high time for a clear declaration (clarity is supposed to be Bush's forte) that the U.S. will not lift a finger to help the Palestinians pending the dismantling of Hamas & Co., as required by the road map. And that message needs to be addressed not only to the PA but, with some get-with-it-or-get-out bluntness to the secretary of state. Otherwise, Bush's role as peacemaker will be over. Forget about comforting words. We've been down that road before - as Clinton could tell his successor.

SAME OLD ARAB STRATEGY. SAME OLD JEWISH RESPONSE Posted by Richard H. Shulman, August 13, 2003.

TERRORIST STRATEGY.  Abu Mazen is implementing his old terrorist doctrine. It involves manipulating enemy society psychologically. He can't defeat them on the battlefield, but can defeat them in their minds. First, continuous, random attacks will erode Israel's will to fight back. The notion of "cycle of violence" almost excuses the terrorism. There is no such cycle. An attack may take weeks to plan, but when a bombing occurs, it is said to be in response to some Israeli action. The media report the claim as if genuine. Second, the terrorists make the enemy doubt its own stand's morality. The terrorists pretend that they are the victims, not the targeted society. (The world's media and great powers second the motion. The Jews are susceptible to the laying on of guilt.) LEFTIST SUPPORT OF THE ARABS.  The Left is eager to appease the Arabs, as if unaware that appeasement of totalitarians fails. It accepts the false allegation that Israeli possession of Yesha is "occupation." Then it incurs for Israel the opprobrium of being an occupier, which it is not. Usually, when that leftist newspaper, representing people without eternal moral values, and confused about their national rights and responsibilities, refers to "soul," it means the soul of the Israeli. The Left tries to make Israelis feel guilty, by suggesting that running Yesha corrupts them and turns them brutal. There was little of that. As for the Arabs, what kind of "souls" have they? They are corrupt, bigoted, barbaric brutal, imperialistic, and unconcerned for their own people. Given the opportunity to run their area themselves, they have stolen foreign donations, diverted them to war, and run down their infrastructure. They blame Israel, which gave them autonomy, for their misuse of it. How good for Arab souls is teaching them bigotry and murder? JEWISH RESPONSE.  "Both Israel and the US have been built around our core values of human decency and our ideals of a just and moral society. Both countries' military prowess is a direct result of our understanding that these values are worth fighting for. For both Israel and America, power exerted in defense of these values is power exerted morally."(Jewish Political Chronicle, 7/2003, p.10 from Caroline Glick, Jer. Post, 7/4). The victims of Arab terrorism must denounce the evil that their enemy represents. Israel doesn't do that, because it is confused and betrayed. It has the neurotic Jewish notion that bending over backwards and appeasing the Arabs would bring peace. As an example of the demoralized and inadequate Jewish response, this is how Israel handles activists from abroad and the Arab prisoners. "Israeli Police urged the deportation of 39 foreign, left-wing activists arrested along the separation fence for having interfered with security officials. The Population Administration Director rejected the request except for the one protestor who used violence. The Director would let the others off with a warning and the signing of an agreement not to defy military orders, not to impede security officials, and not to return to the area. If they did, they would be deported." (IMRA, 8/6). Since they knew what they were doing, they should not merely be warned. They should be imprisoned before being deported. A couple of years in jail would deter many others. National security is too important to sacrifice to misanthropes serving Arab aggressors. Nor can it be secured by warnings and promises. "Israel conditioned the release of convicted P.A. Arabs upon their signing of a declaration. The declaration promises to desist from a detailed list of actions against the security of Israel, on pain of having to complete the suspended balance of their sentences plus any penalty for the new crime. A released P.A. policeman told an Israeli newsman that he would continue his anti-Israel struggle, which he does not consider `terrorism'" (IMRA, 8/6). As if he didn't know what Israel meant! My associate told me he saw videos of some of the released terrorists grinning over the naivete of Israel imagining that they consider themselves bound by signature. Terrorists believe in deception, especially against infidels. Israel should have learned from all the Arab violations of agreements that Arab signatures are meaningless. Arabs can sign such a declaration sincerely, as far as "terrorism" is concerned, because they mean something else by it, due to Arab semantic tricks. One is tempted to think that Israeli officials collect the signatures in a pretense at maintaining security when releasing terrorists, just as almost everybody pretends that there ever has been a peace process. However, I think that the Israeli officials really are suckers. In any case, we see that this release is a tragedy in the making. Murders are coming. Pres. Bush promoted them. PM Sharon paved the way for them. His is the worst dereliction of duty short of training or arming them, as Rabin and Peres had done and as Presidents Clinton and Bush have been doing, the latter with Sharon's acquiescence. Sharon is bad for Israeli security. Mr. Shulman is a veteran defender of Israel on several web-based forums. He provides cool information and right-on-target overviews. He distributes his essays by email. To subscribe, write him at ricshulman@aol.com.

ARE DEMOCRATS CONCERNED ABOUT U.S. SECURITY? Posted by David Holcberg, August 13, 2003.

If Democrats were really concerned about America's security, they would be criticizing Bush not for attacking Iraq, but for not also attacking Saudi Arabia and Iran. Not for failing to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, but for failing to identify militant Islam as our ideological enemy. Not for increasing law enforcement's focus on Arabs and Muslims coming into America, but for shying away from really doing it. Not for failing to prevent the September 11 terrorist attacks, but for failing to act forcefully enough to prevent the next ones. But if Democrats changed their rhetoric and criticized Bush for all the above they would have to embrace self-interest as the basis for American foreign policy. But then they wouldn't be Democrats, would they? David Holcberg is with the Ayn Rand Institute in Irvine, California (http://www.aynrand.org). He writes on environmentalism, science and capitalism.

AMERICA'S STUNNING LACK OF JUDGMENT Posted by Michael Freund, August 13, 2003.

Standing before the Washington press corps on Monday, US State Department Spokesman Philip Reeker set a new departmental record for moral cowardice. Speaking just 24 hours after Hizbullah terrorists killed an Israeli teenager by firing indiscriminately across the Lebanese border, Reeker nonetheless could not bring himself to explicitly condemn this wanton act of murder. Instead, in remarks that - dare I say it - 'reeked' of moral relativism, Reeker stressed that it was incumbent upon all parties, Israel included, not to inflame tensions in the region. 'We have been in contact with the Israelis,' he said, 'and with the other parties, with Lebanon and Syria, urging them to exercise maximum restraint in order to avoid further escalation.' Huh? Apparently, even some of the reporters present could not quite understand the logic of putting Hizbullah child-killers and their Syrian paymasters in the same category as Israeli soldiers defending their country. According to the official transcript of the press briefing, one of the journalists then asked him, 'Phil, the call for maximum restraint last week, and I presume again today, applied solely to Lebanon and Syria, correct? There was no effort to call on Israel to exercise any kind of restraint in retaliating for these attacks?' Reeker's reply: the call for restraint applied to 'all countries.' Perhaps still finding it somewhat hard to digest, another questioner inquired, "Okay, so just to make sure. 'The parties' includes Israel, as well?" Reeker's response: 'Right. We have been in touch with everybody there.' Presumably, the reason behind the State Department's current bout of displeasure with Israel is that the Jewish state dared to retaliate, however mildly, for this latest Hizbullah outrage. Of course, the fact that Israel's response was limited to bombing the specific cannon used by the terrorists in their assault, and did not include a wider array of targets, does not appear to count for much with either Mr. Reeker or his boss, Secretary of State Colin Powell. The murder of a Jewish child, and the destruction of the cannon which killed him, are apparently viewed with equal alarm in the halls of Foggy Bottom. Equally astonishing, though, was Reeker's announcement that in the wake of the Hizbullah attack, Powell himself had called Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom to convey the need for 'restraint.' And yet, when it came to getting a similar message across to the Syrians and the Lebanese, the US Secretary of State did not bother to lift the receiver and dial his counterparts. Instead, as Reeker put it, the message was conveyed to them 'through our standard diplomatic channels', clearly implying that in Israel's case, non-standard channels had to be used, i.e. a phone call from Powell. Essentially, then, the State Department was making it clear that, in its view, the party most in need of restraint was - yes, you guessed it - Israel. To be fair, Reeker did call in his remarks for Syria and Lebanon to end their support for Hizbullah, and he did label the group a 'terrorist organization.' But his failure to distinguish between the bad guys and the good guys, and his grouping of Israel in the same league with Syria's thuggish regime, reveals a stunning lack of judgment. And in the post-September 11 world, it also demonstrates a remarkable level of hypocrisy. There is no longer any excuse for waffling on the issue of terror, and certainly not when it comes to the chief spokesman of the US State Department. As Winston Churchill once told the House of Commons, "I decline utterly to be impartial between the fire brigade and the fire." In this case, the US should bear in mind the difference between the arsonists (Syria and Lebanon) and the fireman (Israel). Instead of offering up the standard diplomatic blather about 'all parties' showing restraint, here's what Reeker could have said: 'The United States condemns Hizbullah's senseless murder of an Israeli youth, and demands that the Syrian and Lebanese governments act immediately to disarm and disband this terrorist group.' 'In addition, the United States recognizes Israel's fundamental right to defend itself, its citizens, and its territory, which is a central principle underlying the global war on terror.' Reeker's failure to draw a moral line in the sand, however, is far more than just a question of articulating American policy. It is also a matter of life and death. By muddying the waters, and blurring the line between Hizbullah's assault and Israel's response, the State Department is essentially delegitimizing Israel's efforts to protect itself, making it all the more difficult for Israeli decision-makers to pursue such a course. And that is precisely what the terrorists are hoping for, because it weakens Israel's ability and will to strike back at them, allowing them to continue to kill innocent civilians with impunity. Taken together with Powell's recent suggestion that Israel might face sanctions over the building of a fence to keep out Palestinian terrorists, it is hard to escape the feeling that there is a sinister pattern at work here, one in which the State Department would deny Israel the right to act for its own self-preservation. If defensive measures, such as building a fence, and offensive measures, such as taking out terrorist positions, are not legitimate, then how exactly do they expect Israel to protect itself? Or, to put it even more bluntly: by decrying Israel's attempts to defend itself, the State Department is figuratively hanging up a sign at the entrance to the Middle East which reads, 'Jews are fair game.' And if that isn't an act of moral cowardice, then what is? The writer served as Deputy Director of Communications and Policy Planning in the Prime Minister's Office. This article appeared in the Jerusalem Post today.

PLANET EARTH CALLS ASTRONAUT RUBINSTEIN Posted by Aryeh Zelasko, August 13, 2003.

If not for the fresh graves and the people still on IV drips, this statement would be hilariously funny. This is especially so when we consider how Rubinstein is likely to be a judge on Israel's Supreme Court in the near future. Do these politicians ever visit planet earth? Mr. Zelasko's letter is a comment on this news item from Israel National News (www.israelnationalnews.com), August 13, 2003: Attorney General Elyakim Rubinstein stated that the time has come for the PA to establish a system of law and order. As the attorney general began a meeting with President Moshe Katsav, he commented, `We do not see any signs of law and order in the PA.' He added that due to the lack of a government in the PA, he fears the prisoners being released by Israel will continue engaging in law-breaking activities following their release.

PREPARING FOR THE END OF HUDNA Posted by David Bedein, August 13, 2003.

Anyone who breathes the air of Israel during summer 2003 can discern plans for war in the Fall. Israel's press is replete with Israeli intelligence reports which convey the precise plans of Israel's adversaries for war in the Fall. The 167 Arab terror attacks which occurred during the first month of the "Hudna" served as a somber reminder to the prognosis of Arab terror attacks to come. Official Palestinian Authority media is replete with war preparations. PA TV and radio carry daily salutes to martyrdom and Jihad in the war to "liberate all of Palestine." PA TV and radio show Arab refugees from 1948 and their descendants conducting parades in their UN refugee camps, marching in heavily armed processions, demanding the fulfillment of what they perceive as the UN promise of the "right of return" to their "villages from 1948," while Arab refugees and their descendants demand that Israel "remove the settlements" as a condition for peace. Four million Arab refugees and their descendants openly define "settlements" on the PA media as Jewish cities like Beersheva, Ramle and Lod, which replaced Arab villages in 1948. The time has come to cope with reality. The PLO and Hamas and other Arab terror groups never agreed to any cease-fire. They did agree to a "Hudna," viewed in Arab Islamic folklore and defined in Islamic law as a respite between battles in a longer war against non-Arab Islamic infidels who are not a party to any such hudna. The PLO and Hamas planned their Hudna to last for exactly three months, and they mean it. All Palestinian Arab organizations conduct military training of their Palestinian Arab population, so that they can conduct a better organized and more cost effective war this time when the time for hostilities are scheduled to resume - at the precise end of the Hudna, on September 29, 2003, which this year marks the third calender day of the Jewish New Year. The ascension of Abu Mazen to a formal leadership position in the PLO has meant that the colorless PLO for the past generation may organize the finances and the armed forces of the Palestinian Authority in a better and more efficient manner, without lifting a finger to defuse the PLO. And the ubiquitous Arafat remains in the picture, running everything from his Ramallah Mukatta. Arafat plans the next stage of battle against Israel with an international character. For the first time in thirty years, Israel can expect that any outbreak of hostilities will be accompanied by active military support from Islamic countries in diverse directions - Syria, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Libya and maybe even Egypt. PLO and Hamas leaders make it quite clear that if Israel does not agree to the terms of the road map, then the Hudna will terminate on September 29th as planned, and the Islamic regimes in the middle east will not stand idly by. The Palestinian Authority published thousands of copies of the Road Map for every Palestinian Arab to read. Yet hardly any Israeli has ever read the road map. The "road map," as it is presented, is based on the Saudi Plan from March 2002, which mandates that Israel withdraw to pre-1967 lines and that Israel recognize the "right of return" for all Palestinian Arab refugees to return to their homes from 1948. Most Israelis do not know that. Elul, the Jewish month before Rosh HaShanah, the Jewish New Year, is traditionally a time in which Jews take stock and reconsider the way in which they have been organizing their lives and their existence. This year, the month before Rosh HaShanah will provide Israel and Jewish communities abroad with an opportunity to learn about what the road map portends. An aside: When the Oslo process was launched *Arafat declared time and time again that the diplomatic track would be used only now for a few years. *Arafat repeated time and again that he would operate according to Islamic custom and make treaties with the Jews which could easily be broken when the Jews would be weak. *Arafat often spoke of seven years of the diplomatic track, to be followed by the armed struggle. Very people took Arafat seriously then. Even when Israeli intelligence held open briefings throughout the calender year 1999-2000 in which the IDF warned that the PLO was taking irreversible steps towards a war in September 2000, very few people took Arafat seriously. The time has come to take Arafat and his allies with the utmost of seriousness, and to understand that * Arafat signed an interim accord at the time of the Jewish New Year in Sept 1993. * Arafat launched a war at the time of the Jewish New Year in Sept 2000. * Arafat and his allies promise to continue war at the time of the Jewish New Year in Sept 2003. No one in Israel is prepared for a peace based on the Saudi principles. The PLO and Hamas know that. The population of Israel is just now waking up to the reality that the terms of the road map are indeed based on a Saudi plan unacceptable to Jews. David Bedein is Bureau Chief of the Israel Resource News Agency (http://www.israelbehindthenews.com).

GROCERY STORE TERROR MURDER Posted by Harvey Tannenbaum, August 12, 2003.

Galit Yekutieli woke up early this morning. Galit is an accounts manager at Strauss Dairy. Galit wanted to prepare lunch for her son, Netanel, 11, and daughter, Shani, 8 to take to camp in Rosh Haayin on this summer day. Her husband, Chezi, 43, assured his wife that he would prepare lunch and was off to the market in Rosh Haayin to buy fresh rolls, fruits, and potato chips for his kids. This normal 'act' of a husband who was going to work later than his wife is something that one spouse would accomplish for another spouse to help out with the kids anywhere in the world. Galit drove off to work and Chezi, a house shiputznik(repair and fixit man) told his son, Netanel, 11, that he was off to the market to buy groceries. Chezi reminded his two children that today, he would take them to camp as he had work near the camp in Rosh Haayin. Chezi was standing near the bread section, trying to decide whether to buy rolls or a baguette, when the terrorist walked by, having eluded the security guard at the market's entrance. As Chezi stood there to buy groceries for his children, the terrorist blew himself up with a bomb belt. Chezi Yekutieli, 43, died instantly with his children's lunch ingredients in his hands. Galit heard the news bulletin as she was parking her car at Strauss Dairy to report to work. She called her children who were 'supposed' to go with Abba to the market, but chose to watch some TV, and wait. They were home, safe and sound. Galit continued to dial Chezi's cellphone which went unanswered at which time she called the police to give a description of Chezi, her husband of 13 years. Chezi Yekutieli was murdered at the bread section of his local supermarket by Arab terrorists. Tonight, Netanel, Shani and Galit have joined the numbers and statistics of a new widow and children without a parent/spouse caused by the Oslo War and Camp Hudna death count of 34 so far. Harvey Tannenbaum lives in Efrat. He is one of Jerusalem Diaries group. "Jerusalem Diaries: In Tense Times" (Gefen, 2002) by Judy Balint is available for purchase from www.israelbooks.com. To subscribe to the Jerusalem Diaries group, send an email to: jerusalemdiaries-subscribe@egroups.com.

WHAT THE CHECHENS HAVE LEARNED Posted by Yuval Zaliouk, August 12, 2003.

As expected, the Palestinians renewed their full terror campaign, thus burying the Road Map and slapping the face of President Bush. Two murderous attacks in one day, one by Hamas, the other by Arafat's own Al Aktsa Brigades. Yesterday, Hizballah shelled northern Israel killing an Israeli civilian. The "Hudna" in no more (and never was). A few short years ago, Prime Minister Ehud Barak, Sharon's predecessor, ordered the withdrawal of the Israeli army from southern Lebanon. The border to which Israel withdrew was drawn and approved by the United Nations. Israel was looking forward to some calm on its northern border as Hizballah had declared that once Israel withdrew, it will cease to attack. So much for that promise. Would any sane person order the withdrawal of the Israeli Army from the West Bank to borders ten miles from Tel Aviv? Please read this article by Evelyn Gordon all the way to its end. Evidently, a few commentators can see the truth through all the propaganda, spin and hype. On August 1, Russia suffered its eighth suicide bombing in less than three months. This time the target was a hospital; 50 patients and hospital staffers were killed. The previous attacks, whose targets included a religious ceremony and a rock concert, killed over 100 people. All were perpetrated by Chechens. What makes this sudden spate of attacks surprising is that though Russians and Chechens have fought two wars in the last decade, with the current one now in its fourth year, suicide attacks have until recently been almost unknown in Russia. Why, after 10 years of conflict, have the Chechens suddenly turned to suicide bombings? The classic answer given by Western apologists is "desperation," an irrational, emotional response to an intolerable situation. But suicide bombings are actually far from irrational. They are an eminently rational response to a world in which such bombings pay handsomely. The Chechens, after all, are not the only people who claim to be fighting for independence against a stronger nation from which they are ethnically and religiously distinct. The Palestinians make a similar claim. Indeed, the Palestinian case is far less desperate: Unlike Russia, which has thus far refused to relinquish any part of Chechnya, Israel offered the Palestinians a state on 97 percent of the territory they are demanding; it was the Palestinians who rejected the offer, launching a war instead. Furthermore, the Palestinian death toll after three years of fighting stands at about 2,300, whereas Chechen losses are more than six times higher, at about 15,000. YET DESPITE this, it is the Palestinians who have become the world's cause celebre. There has been an unending stream of UN resolutions condemning Israel, but very few condemning Russia. There have been incessant calls for boycotts against Israel, but no similar calls for boycotting Russia. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is covered daily on the front pages of the world's leading papers and nightly on the world's leading television news shows; the Russian-Chechen conflict is rarely mentioned. America, the world's only superpower, has declared the establishment of a Palestinian state to be a major foreign policy goal and has joined with the UN, the European Union and Russia to prepare a "road map" leading to this goal; but an independent Chechnya is not a US foreign policy goal, nor is there any international road map for creating such a state. Under such circumstances how could any semi-intelligent Chechen not wonder: What are the Palestinians doing right that we are doing wrong? One possibility, of course, is that the Palestinians are lucky enough to have Israel for their adversary, while the Chechens are stuck with Russia, a difference beyond the Chechens' power to change. But the other major difference is easily rectified: the fact that the Chechens, until recently, were waging a classic guerrilla war against military targets on their own territory, while the Palestinians' war consisted mainly of terrorist attacks on civilian targets in the heart of Israel. Since suicide bombings have drawn lip-service condemnations from the entire world, the Chechens might initially have believed this tactic ineffective. But once the road map was drawn up a document that not only exacts no price from the Palestinians for the terrorist war they launched three years ago but even accords them substantial political gains, only a fool could avoid the conclusion that terrorism pays. And though in Chechnya, unlike the Palestinian Authority, most people evidently still consider suicide bombings morally repugnant, there are always minorities to whom efficacy is more important than morality. It is therefore not surprising that the wave of deadly terrorism now afflicting Russia began soon after the road map's publication. The start of this wave, the attack on a Moscow theater last October, in which the terrorists threatened to blow themselves up along with 800 hostages, came weeks after the first draft of the road map was unveiled. One of the worst attacks to date, the suicide bombing of the government complex in Chechnya's capital, Grozny, which houses the pro-Moscow government the rebels want ousted coincided with the revelation that a "revised" version of the road map differed little from the original version. And the deadly spate of eight attacks in the last three months coincided directly with the onset of US pressure on Israel to not only begin implementing the map, but also to cave in to numerous additional Palestinian demands that do not even appear in it (prisoner releases, the fence). Could the timing be coincidental? Only if you believe that actions have no consequences. That, unfortunately, is what most of the world evidently does believe: that it is possible to reward Palestinian terrorism without encouraging other groups to adopt the same tactics. The Chechens are now trying to teach Russia otherwise. One can only hope that the world will learn its lesson before the terrorism plague spreads even further. Yuval Zaliouk distributes his essays by email, signing himself 'Truth Provider.' Evelyn Gordon is a veteran journalist and commentator. Her article appeared in the Jerusalem Post, August 11, 2003.

PA MUSIC VIDEO PROMISES MAIDENS OF PARADISE TO SHAHIDS 2 DAYS BEFORE SUICIDE BOMBINGS. Posted by Itamar Marcus, August 12, 2003.

An integral message of PA social-religious ideology is that great heavenly rewards await those who die the death of the Shahid, meaning they died for Allah. The PA defines all its terrorists, including suicide terrorists, as Shahids. One of the rewards promised the Shahid in PA Islamic teaching, is 72 dark eyed virgins - the `Maidens of Paradise.' This week a music video that depicts a Shahid joining beautiful maidens in heaven, broadcast hundreds of times over the past three years, returned to PA TV. The clip begins with scenes depicting a romance which is cut short when soldiers shoot the woman in the back. The woman goes immediately to heaven, where she joyously joins other young woman all dressed in identical long white gowns - the `Maidens of Paradise.' The maidens are dancing in water, a clear depiction of Afterlife in Islamic tradition, which, repeatedly in the Koran, is said to have "flowing streams." Later on in the clip, the man visits the woman's grave and the soldiers shoot him in the back as well. At the moment he falls to the ground, he immediately goes up to heaven and joins the "Maidens." The PA grants Shahid status to all those killed in the war including, suicide bombers and other terrorists. This clip has appeared hundreds of times on Palestinian television since October 2000, as the PA has taught men to believe that they will get these women, possibly as encouragement to would be suicide bombers. Now this clip has come back on the air. Today, Israel was attacked by 2 suicide bombers. There is no causal link between the recent broadcast on PA TV and today's bombing, but there may very well be a more important link. The political forces in the PA that control TV and gave the instruction to rebroadcast this music video encouraging Shahada are quite possibly the same political forces that gave the okay to go ahead with the attacks. Yesterday, the day before the bombing, in interviews on Israeli TV channel 10 and Galei Zahal (Israeli Army radio), I warned about the implications of the return of this music video: "That this message has returned quickly, after several weeks during which we did not see it, I view as being very serious, as they are showing men once again that it is worthwhile to become a Shahid." (TV-10) In the past PMW has demonstrated the direct link between PA terrorism and PA broadcasting, and has been able to accurately project PA intentions and actions based on PA media. This promise of `72 Dark Eyed Virgins' has also been taught on PA TV by PA religious leaders: "When the Shahid meets his Maker, all his sins are forgiven from the first gush of blood. He is exempted from the `torments of the grave' (Judgment); he sees his place in paradise; he is shielded from the great shock; and marries 72 Dark Eyed Virgins. He is an heavenly advocate for 70 members of his family. On his head is placed a crown of honor, one stone of which is worth more than all there is in this world." (Dr. Ismail al-Radouan, PATV August 17, 2001) The video can be viewed on the Palestine Media Watch website (http://www.pmw.org.il). Itamar Marcus is Director of the Palestine Media Watch (PMW), which translates directly from the Arab media - newspapers, film and schoolbooks.

WILL ISLAM PREVAIL? Posted by Richard H. Shulman, August 12, 2003.

Although the clash of civilizations is at an early stage, people are assessing the balance of forces. Some Westerners think that Islam will prevail. They base their conclusion upon the weak will that lets political correctness keep the President from properly identifying the enemy, which is Islamism as much as terrorism. They see pro-terrorist Islamist organizations invited to the White House, as if moderate. They see Europe engaged in its own childish balking at US determination against terrorism. Those certainly are factors. On the other hand, a reaction to Islam is building up in Europe. Immigration rules are being tightened. Tolerance for Muslim criminals is declining. It is true that the West is a declining proportion of the world's population and wealth. As Islamic and Southeast Asian societies acquire power, they gain confidence to challenge the West. While the West still can, it should gain two easy victories. One is over Iran. Imagine turning Iran from a font of terrorism into a democratic bastion whose youth are favorably inclined towards the US! The other is over the P.A. If the US let Israel defeat the P.A. and recover the territories for the Jewish people, with the Arab populations receding from there, Islamist morale would tumble. Otherwise, ours would. Besides antisemitism, there is a subtle double standard against Israel. Even erstwhile friends of Israel are possessed by it. I don't suggest that the two sides be treated even-handedly, inasmuch as the Arab side is the aggressor. But it isn't even even-handed for people to: (1) Chide the P.A. mildly, urging it to try harder (i.e., to start trying) to crush terrorism; and (2) Chide Israel indignantly, urging it to make life easier for Arab terrorists - easier to come into Israel where the targets, and easier to provide for their families after their deaths. Indignation in the service of terrorism is itself unethical. It also is a subtle double standard to offer the Arabs Yesha, if they cease terrorism, and not to offer it to Israel, which never committed terrorism.

WHERE IS ROSH HA'AYIN? WHERE IS ISRAEL Posted by Leo Rennert, August 12, 2003.

Haaretz identifies Rosh Ha'ayin, where a suicide bomber killed an Israeli and wounded others, as located "near the Green Line." I wouldn't have been surprised to find that description in European and U.S. media, which for the most part sympathize with Palestinians - whether they be terrorists or not. But to discover that Haaretz also is complicit in this semantic game to delegitimize Israel makes one wonder where your real loyalties lie. Even a U.S. national network not at all sympathetic to Israel identified Rosh Ha'ayin as "near the outskirts of Tel Aviv." There are two reprehensible agendas at play when you identify Rosh Ha'ayin as near the Green Line: Your first agenda is that the Green Line should be considered the real, legitimate, ultimate eastern border of Israel. This, of course, goes counter to U.N. resolution 242, which called on Israel to withdraw from some, but not all, areas it conquered during the 1967 Six-Day War. The Green Line was not designed as a final border; but only as an interim armistice line. But by making the Green Line sacrosanct, you side with "moderate" Palestinians (however few there may be) who want to liquidate ALL Israeli settlements in the territories. Your other agenda, revealed by "near the Green Line," is to acquiesce in the aim of most Palestinians, including Hamas and other terrorist groups, to gobble up all of Israel. After all, Tel Aviv and Haifa are also "near the Green Line" - certainly by American and European standards of normal distance. So "near the Green Line" becomes a euphemism for "Palestinians, come and take it all." Is that what you want? During another era that I'm familiar with Haaretz's reporters and editors would have been considered Quislings.

ARE BUSH AND POWELL TRYING TO BRING ISRAEL TO HER KNEES? Posted by Emanuel A. Winston, August 11, 2003.

There is every indication that the current Bush Administration is out to bring Israel to her knees. The latest ploy is for Secretary of State Colin L. Powell to influence Bush to remove Doug Feith who is now U.S. Undersecretary of Defense for Policy. [1,2] This pressure comes from a gang of American Muslims, spearheaded by the Muslim group called CAIR (Council on American Islamic Relations). Dr. Daniel Pipes [3] (himself under attack by this same group) tells us that CAIR has seventeen operational offices in America. The American public has a dim view of Muslims since 9/11. As the Saudi subversion of America becomes clear, Americans simply do not trust Muslims either as a people or a religion. However, there are certain `black hearted' people in the current Administration who side with the Arab Muslims even as they are still killing Americans in Iraq, Afghanistan and have Islamic "sleeper" cells of terrorists here in America, ready to blow up our cities. Somehow Colin Powell leads the charge for the pro-Arab, anti-Israel State Department. If the State Department were not sufficiently anti-Semitic already, staff is being added to make their hostility more effective. As Powell moves to push Doug Feith out of position, he brings in James Baker's man from Rice University, Edward Derwegian. Baker is well known for his hostility to Jews and the Jewish State. But, he was clever. He employed Left Liberal Jews such as Dennis Ross, Aaron Miller, Daniel Kurtzer (current Ambassador to Israel), Martin Indyk (former Ambassador to Israel). Kurtzer, like Martin Indyk before him, causes Israel a great deal of trouble and both should have been expelled for interfering with Israel's internal affairs. The "Black Hearts" are gathering and President Bush is allowing it to happen. (If he doesn't know and they're doing it behind his back, that says more against Bush's competence than his evil intent.) This is a President with only one thing on his mind and that is being re-elected in 2004 - no matter who has to be sacrificed on the altar of oil, money and power. Some would call this a Full Court Press or a softening up attack but, clearly, the Black Hearts of State and the maggots of oil are going to give their best shot to their campaign to send Israel into extinction. To do so, they will have to get rid of pro-Israel good men like Doug Feith and add more pro-Arab subversives to accomplish their dirty work. Their attack plan has many facets: First, there are the Presidential threats to cut-off, aid, intelligence, spare parts, cancellation of contracts, more pressure to have Israel prohibited from selling locally developed arms to other countries, cut-off of aviation fuel and - not to forget - the loan guarantees. Israel is obliged to obey the Bush Family doctrine of subservience or face the full fury of a Super Power dedicated to appeasing Arab oil nations. Then there is the support of the Palestinians and Mahmoud Abbas (aka Abu Mazen) despite the fact that he has not done one thing he agreed to do in that vaunted meeting at Aqaba, Jordan. Mazen agreed to disarm Hamas, Al Aksa, and other terrorist groups. Then, shortly after he said he would NOT disarm the terrorists because it would cause a `Civil War.' In effect, Mazen continues to be Arafat's loyal lieutenant as he has been for more than 40 years. In brief, only Israel was to be pressured by Bush, Powell, Rice and Mazen was relieved of any obligation to discharge what he agreed to. This, of course, is an exact replay of what happened with Yassir Arafat and the different iterations of the Oslo Agreements. He broke every single line of every agreement and the State Department, the U.N. and the E.U. said not a word. Again, only Israel was expected to comply with one of the most onerous, one-sided agreements ever concocted. The present attack against Israel requires that anyone who supports Israel's fight against Terror must be sacked. Only the pro-Arab bureaucrats are to remain in the current Bush Administration - with more pro-Israel personnel dismissed every day. The Bush family's shielding of the Saudi royal family despite their on-going subversion of America by funding terrorists, who have and will again attack Americans, is treachery pure and simple. Clearly, such an act of betrayal of the safety of America for the oil factor deserves hearings for impeachment. This isn't the first time that Arabists in the American Government defended (or rather hid) what they knew about how Arab nations were subverting America. Today we fought a war about Saddam and his accumulation of NBC (Nuclear, Biological and Chemical) capabilities. We knew all that in the late 1970s and early 1980s. We knew it because we assisted Saddam in obtaining weapons, both conventional and non-conventional. (Former President Bush, Sec. of State Baker and Powell could tell us all about it - but - don't count on it!) Men like former Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger and Admiral Bobby Ray Inman knew and, with malevolent intent hid from the Israelis all we knew about the Arab countries unconventional NBC arms' capabilities - including missile throw weights and distances. That came apart when Jonathan Pollard exposed Saddam's capabilities to Israel who immediately began preparations to defend itself against gas and chemical attacks. An enraged Weinberger and Inman then coordinated the cut-off of all vital intelligence to Israel to prevent exposure that they were hiding what the Arab countries were doing and to prevent exposure as collaborators, shielding Iraq, Saudi Arabia and even Syria. When Pollard was caught for exposing this betrayal of a staunch ally, Weinberger not only forced a life sentence against Pollard through Judge Aubrey Robinson but started a campaign to sack Jews in the American Government, Jewish scientists and any Jew who might blow the whistle on any secret activities the Arabists in Government were conducting with or for Arab nations. These were always considered "Black Operations" which would have been considered illegal and even treasonous. Institutions like the Arabist U.S. State Department would have been emptied into federal prisons; presidents would have been impeached; CIA and other Intelligence organizations would have been stripped of their powers - or, at least, have their directors fired. It is little wonder that Weinberger and the Justice Department's favorite "guilty" judge (Aubrey Robinson) worked so diligently to give Jonathan Pollard a life sentence and successive Presidents refused to pardon him. Congress would have had to clean up government and perhaps we might not have had the 9/11 attacks or the Government cover-up of Saudi Arabia's involvement in betraying America. Clearly, once again there is a witch hunt, led by Powell - now Head of the State Department - with President Bush closing his eyes as the ever-present Arabists try to get rid of high-ranking Jews who could blow the whistle on their nefarious and treasonous activities. As in Richard Nixon's time, there are a lot of the President's men (Past and Present) who belong in Federal Penitentiary for betraying the nation as co-conspirators with hostile Arab nations and interests. (Interests shall mean oil corporations, arms industry, banks who launder money for Islamists, building corporations who get heavy contracts with Arab nations through bureaucratic U.S. intervention and campaign donor money, laundered through U.S. corporations and funneled back into the American election process. The Arabists in Government today take their lead from Arab-American organizations who supply both campaign contributions and voter pressure. Organizations like CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations) has seventeen offices across North America. Professor Daniel Pipes is under attack by this group for offering scholarly and irrefutable research as to what Islamists, including CAIR, are doing in America. They have launched a campaign to block Pipes appointment to the USIP (United States Institute of Peace). (1) It was imperative for fellow travelers of Arab nations to go into deep cover after 9/11. Jews in government present a problem because they see and expose the schemes taking place in the highest offices in the land. They publish what Islamic organizations are doing in raising money for terrorists or paying for Muslim children here in America to learn the hatred of Wahhabi-taught religion paid for by Saudi Arabia. These Muslim kids will be the deepest of "sleeper" Islamic agents who will be American - until they are called upon to serve Allah through Terror. The cover-up is extra-ordinary and is so massive that one cannot tell its full penetration into our society (like the Blind Man running into one leg of an elephant and cannot imagine the full scale of the beast).  9/11 allowed us to touch merely the Tail of Islam and, as the Blind Man, we cannot imagine what it is attached to. Having Doug Feith sacked or denying Dr. Pipes a position on the USIP (United States Institute of Peace) are merely indicators of what is being planned among the Arabists in Washington. P.S. DEBKAfile.com reports today August 11, 2003 that Bush and Powell have ordered Israel not to hit back in force against Hezb'Allah, the terrorists who shelled the village of Shlomi on Israel's northern border, killing a 16 year old boy. Bush and Powell don't want their `good relations' with Syria `disturbed' by exacting retribution from Syria, Hezb'Allah's sponsor. 1. "Insider fires a broadside at Rumsfeld's office" by Jim Lobe, Asia Times, August 7, 2003. 2. "Pro-Likud network walks through Washington's corridors of power" by Jim Lobe, Daily Star, Beirut, August 8, 2003. 3. "Where's the Muslim Debate?" by Hussain Haqqani Wall Street Journal, May 22, 2003. Emanuel A. Winston is a prominent Middle East analyst and commentator. Many of his articles first appeared on the Gamla (http://www.gamla.org.il/english) and the Freeman Center for Strategic Studies ((http://www.freeman.org/online.htm) websites.

TRY JUDAISM Posted by Eliyahoo, Youth For Moshiach, August 11, 2003.

Why just judge Jewish religion from a sideline? Try it... Taste it... Feel it... and... YOU will admire it. You will get a sense that Judaism is not what you have thought of it before. You will start having a different view on religious people observing traditional Judaism. You will see that what a Torah-believing Jew feels happiness and satisfaction in is different than you imagined. You will get the feeling of self control in you, when breaking away from previous unethical behaviour, and a sense that a Higher Mind is guiding you. In the beginning it's difficult but when you break into it, you would never give it up again. Why should the gentile world dictate our dress and entertainment codes. Let the gentile world learn from us and copy our values. We should be the exceptional religious nation with our traditional Jewish values, and be PROUD of it. Youth For Moshiah's website address is: http://hometown.aol.com/youthformoshiach/

MAGEN DAVID ADOM STILL DENIED ENTRY INTO THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS Posted by Amy Foreman, August 11, 2003.

Efforts are being made to keep pressure on the Movement to admit them, including the use of financial leverage. Much effort is being made in order to admit Magen David Adom (MDA) into the Movement under its current symbol. The United States and Israel continue to work together with other governments to determine when this step can be taken successfully.The U.S. provides $160 million a year to the Movement, of which $11 million goes to headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross. The lion's share of the funding is for humanitarian operations overseas. Congress had passed a law that applies to FY2003 Appropriations linking release of the headquarters portion (not the humanitarian funding) to a State Department certification that 'the MDA Society of Israel is not being denied participation in the activities of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.' That is what Secretary Powell certified last month. It is true that the MDA is participating in Movement activities. Last month, the MDA and ICRC signed their first cooperation agreement. Thus, for this year's funding, Secretary Powell's action was consistent with the language of the law. In order to raise the threshold for release of appropriated funds in FY2004, an effort is now underway to adopt new provisions and language within the State Department Authorization bill (H.R. 1950 and S. 925). This means that, if the new language is adopted, next year the State Department would have to provide more complete details about where responsibility lies in the overall effort to bring MDA into the Movement and the progress made towards this goal. The House version is the preferred one. It is important to note that Secretary Powell's action is unrelated to the use of financial leverage that has been utilized by the American Red Cross (ARC). Over the last four years, the ARC has withheld its administrative dues to the ICRC and Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies pending acceptance of Magen David Adom as a full member of the Federation. Contributions for humanitarian relief activity have been unaffected. This policy remains in place. Action Recommendations In upcoming meetings with your Representatives and Senators, please express support for the language in the House version of the State Department Authorizations bill (H.R. 1950) that relates to the MDA's full participation in the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. Send letters of appreciation to the American Red Cross for their continuing efforts to achieve recognition of Magen David Adom and for its full membership in the Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Letters can be sent to: Marsha Evans, CEO and President of the ARC, American Red Cross, National Headquarters, 2025 E Street, Washington, D.C. 20006.

SHLOMI SHELLING Posted by Honest Reporting, August 11, 2003.

On Sunday, Hezbullah terrorists fired shells on the northern Israeli town of Shlomi, killing 16-year old Haviv Dadon and wounding several other Israeli civilians. In response, the Israeli Air Force targeted Hezbullah launching pads on the southern Lebanese border. Since these two events occurred just hours apart, most news outlets issued one report to cover both. The question: Whose actions made the headlines? This is a classic example of media bias that HonestReporting has been addressing for years: Despite the fact that Israel was responding to a deadly provocation that violated international law, headlines portray Israel as the aggressor. For example: MSNBC: "Israel bombs Hizballah in Lebanon" Reuters: "Israeli Warplanes Raid South Lebanon" The Age (Australia): "Israeli planes strike Lebanon" Associated Press: "Israeli Warplanes Blast Hezbollah Areas" [An earlier AP headline seemed to confer statehood on the Hezbollah terror group: "Shelling in Hezbollah Kills 1, Hurts 4" ] By withholding the report of Hezbullah's deadly terror attack until the body of the articles, these media outlets falsely suggest that Israel initiated the violent exchange. By comparison, here's a balanced headline from the Casper (Wyoming) Star-Tribune: "Israeli boy killed in Hezbollah shelling; Israel responds by attacking targets in Lebanon." HonestReporting encourages subscribers to monitor your local paper. Did its headline focus exclusively on the Israeli response? If so, write to your local editor, emphasizing the following points: Why was the Israeli strike deemed more significant, justifying a headline, while Hezbollah's deadly terror provocation against civilians was relegated to the body of the article? Why did the headline deviate from chronological order by naming the Israeli strike before the terror attack that precipitated it? Given the fact that many readers see only headlines, doesn't this headline misrepresent the day's full events in the region? Thank you for your ongoing involvement in the battle against media bias. Honest Reporting comments on current media articles on Israel from the daily press. Their website address is http://www.HonestReporting.com.

JERUSALEM "MUFTI" APPOINTED BY PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY IS A FRAUD Posted by Sheikh Professor Abdul Hadi Palazzi, August 11, 2003.

During this [Twentieth] century, the title of "Mufti" has been abused in the Land of Israel ("Palestine"). The Board of Ulema (experts in Islamic law) of the Italian Muslim Association regards as frauds, usurpers and pseudo-muftis both Haj Amin el-Husseini, the Nazi collaborator and British Mandate appointed first "Grand Mufti of Palestine"; and Mr. Akramah Sabri, the present Palestinian Authority appointed "Mufti of Jerusalem and the Holy Land". A legitimate Mufti must have these qualifications: The Mufti must be appointed by a Caliph, or by the Caliph's delegate, or by one who exercises political sovereignty, or by a person or a group who is authorized by the sovereign power. The Mufti must be an expert in Islamic studies. The Mufti must be regarded as a trustworthy Muslim by the Islamic scholars who live in the area under his jurisdiction. Mr. Akramah Sabri, the present Palestinian Authority "Mufti of Jerusalem and the Holy Land," has been appointed by an organization (the Palestinian Authority) which is not a government and which has no jurisdiction in Jerusalem. In his public pronouncements, Mr. Sabri frequently contradicts the fundamental teachings of Islam and even unquestionable historical facts. After the death of the British Mandate appointed "Grand Mufti" Haj Amin el-Husseini, it became established tradition (accepted by all Muslim scholars and Islamic governments everywhere in the world) for the Mufti of Jerusalem to be appointed by the King of Jordan. This tradition is confirmed by the text of the Treaty of Peace between Israel and Jordan. Since Israel is the country that exercises sovereignty over Jerusalem, and since it agrees to "recognize Jordanian rights over Muslim Holy Places in the Old City", the only legitimate Mufti of Jerusalem can be a Muslim scholar appointed by King Hussein and approved by Israel. There is a legitimate, Jordanian appointed Mufti of Jerusalem (I do not even remember his name!), but he has been compelled to accept the Palestine Authority appointed Mufti, Mr. Akrama Sabri, and to keep silent. The pulpit of the al-Aqsa mosque is again used to preach fanaticism and even genocide, this time by Mr. Sabri, but no one reacts. King Hussein does not protest. The Israeli government (which prevents most Torah-observant ("orthodox") Jews from praying on the Temple Mount, is afraid to imprison a man such as Mr. Sabri. I am amazed that a government of Jews in a Jewish State permits a man such as Mr. Sabri, from the Temple Mount itself - the holiest place in Jerusalem, Israel's Capital City - to insult the Jewish People, the Jewish religion and to even call for the destruction of the State of Israel! I am praying to the Most High to help Israel in this difficult situation, and I ask you all to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Sheikh Professor Abdul Hadi Palazzi is Secretary General of the Italian Muslim Association and the Muslim Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of the Islam-Israel Fellowship, Root & Branch Association, Ltd. This letter was originally distributed by the Root & Branch Information Services on July 24, 1998

URI DAN: ATTACK THE MOMENT BEFORE ROCKETS HIT TEL AVIV Posted by Aaron Lerner, August 11, 2003.

Journalist Uri Dan appears as a regular guest interviewer on Israel Radio's morning magazine "Inyan Acher" ("Another Matter") to defend whatever policies Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is following at the time. Regardless of what Sharon does, Dan defends it. In fact, to date, journalist Dan has yet to entertain the possibility, at least on the program, that Sharon has ever made even the smallest of error. As such, he is- considered to accurately reflect the views of Sharon. This morning Minister Avigdor Lieberman (National Union) proposed that Syria, Lebanon and the Hizbullah be given 48 hours to stop action against Israel and after that Israel clear out the tens of thousands of Hizbullah missiles threatening Northern Israel. Uri Dan countered that there should be restraint out of an interest of having a national consensus before Israel takes action and that America will act. Lieberman countered that America demanded that the offices of the terrorists be closed in Beirut and they are still open and that Bush is enterring an election year and has other concerns. He also noted that Israel's policy of waiting has led to the situation that there are tens of thousands of missiles in Lebanon, rockets in Gaza and soon improved rockets in the West Bank that can hit northern Tel Aviv. Should Israel wait to act, Lieberman asked rhetorically, for northern Tel Aviv to be hit by rockets so that there is a consensus for action? "A moment before rockets hit northern Tel Aviv," replied Dan. Dr. Aaron Lerner is Director of IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis), which provides analyses of currrent events. IMRA's website address is http://www.imra.org.il

MAJOR-GENERAL AMOS GILAD ON THE COSTS OF THE LEBANON WITHDRAWAL Posted by Aryeh Zelasko, August 11, 2003.

My G-D save us from the stupidity of these Generals. While it is not an official qualification for someone to be a complete idiot to be promoted to the rank of General in the IDF, it sure seems to help. I have suspected for years that the primary purpose these mini-brains serve is to reveal that it has been Divine Intervention that has won all of Israel's wars. No one who has ever met one of them or read what these reality-challenged twits have written could possible believe that any of them has the ability to win a war. The darkest predictions on the eve of the IDF's unilateral withdrawal from Southern Lebanon in 2000 have proven to be optimistic in light of events that have transpired since that time. What in the world did these Generals think would happen when the IDF turned tail and ran away, abandoning the North and betraying our allies? That UNIFIL would protect the Northern border? That the Hizballah would do TESHUVAH? Mr. Zelasko's letter is a comment on this news item (Israel National News (www.israelnationalnews.com), August 11, 2003): Maj.-Gen. Amos Gilad, senior advisor in the Defense Ministry, said today that the darkest predictions on the eve of the IDF's unilateral withdrawal from Southern Lebanon in 2000 have proven to be optimistic in light of events that have transpired since that time. Gilad stated this morning that the Hizbullah now holds three times the number of Katyusha rocket nests in southern Lebanon than was estimated on the eve of the IDF withdrawal. The rocket nests' main function, he said, are to threaten Israeli towns in the north of the country. Maj.-Gen. Gilad also noted that the price in blood paid by Israel since the withdrawal is several times higher than that paid by Israel when it held the South Lebanon security zone, because the Hizbullah has been involved in the recent terrorist war against Israel. By way of example, Gilad mentioned the suicide bombing in Tel Aviv's central bus station this past winter, which took the lives of 22 people.

`STAND WITH US' REPORTS FROM ISRAEL Posted by Members of the StandWithUs Mission to Israel, August 8, 2003.

Israeli citizens to bless us for simply being here. Cab drivers and store owners are still very concerned about tourism, even though things are a bit better. The weight on people's shoulders is still palpable. They worry about the economy, and they feel isolated. Yet, through it all, the determination to survive and enjoy a quality of life (regardless of the tragic events of the last few years) is overwhelmingly clear, and can be felt on crowded malls and beaches, as well as pubs and shops. A Miracle Story of Survival. Yesterday we went to meet with Ronit, a beautiful woman who survived the bombing of bus number 32, approximately one year ago, in which 18 people lost their lives so needlessly. Part of her healing involves telling her miraculous story of courage, determination and survival to others. She is committed to making sure that people understand more fully the suffering of survivors of terror, and their families who are also so deeply affected by the tragedy. Ronit was a breast-feeding mother who placed her child at the neighborhood day care center and boarded bus number 32 for work on that fateful day. The terrorist boarded the bus one stop after Ronit, and blew himself up immediately, causing the roof of the bus to rip open. The blast blew Ronit up through the open roof and over the side of the bus. Imagine: witnesses reported seeing a woman go flying out of the bus. That was Ronit. Due to massive head injuries, she was in a coma for days. Here swelling was so severe that her husband had to request to see her jewelry in order to identify her. She went through rehabilitation for months. Her child no longer recognized her and refused to call her "Eema" (mother) for almost half a year. Ronit is truly a beautiful woman, and we had the privilege of meeting her in her home. We watched her as she held the baby that she has worked so hard to re-bond with since her accident. But make no mistake: Ronit has lifelong injuries: she has felt weak, she is dizzy, she has lost hearing in one ear, and has frequent headaches. She still has shrapnel in her body. Ronit is grateful to be alive and spends time with others who have survived terrorism. She has remained in touch with the medic who saved her life. She has become more religious, lighting candles every Friday night because of her own very special miracle of survival. There are thousands of stories like Ronit's as a result of the terrorism of these last few years. Each one a precious survivor of terrorism, everyday people that have sustained injuries and have memories of the terrorism that has changed their lives forever. The Koby Mandel Foundation. We met with Seth and Sherry Mandel, parents of Koby, the 13 year old boy who was murdered while he was hiking with his friend (Yosef Ishran) near his home in Tekoa. The Mandels have taken their pain and translated it into healing for others. They are the founders and full time staff of the Koby Mandel Foundation, which sponsors retreats for bereaved mothers, and camps for kids affected by terrorism. In its first year of operation, the foundation has brought light into the lives of over 1,000 children and adults. We gave them gifts for the children in camp this summer. Gifts that were sponsored by so many of you through your donations to the " baskets for victims of terrorism" fund. Thank you so much, on their behalf. Masada In order to visit Masada in the morning hours, we stayed at a beautiful spa hotel nearby, surrounded by the majestic mountains with the Dead Sea as one of the many amazing backdrops. Tisha B'Av in Jerusalem. Being at the Kotel (Western Wall) on the evening of Tisha B'Av was indeed a rich experience. There were thousands of people there with us; a rainbow of every kind of Jew. Our group deeply enjoyed the sights and sounds of the sea of people who gathered here to sit on the floor and mourn the loss of the Bait Ha Mikdash (the Holy Temple). We wore our StandWithUs tee shirts and many people came up to us and told us how much they appreciate our work. Gilo. We visited the community of Gilo, which was frequently in the news at the beginning of this Intifada. You will recall that snipers were shooting at the Gilo residents from the neighboring Arab community of Bait Jala. We saw the bullet holes in the Gilo apartment buildings, including holes on the outer walls of a school. We saw the bullet-proof security wall around a nursery school. We looked across to the neighboring hills of Bethlehem and Bait Jala, and we stood at the foot of the security wall that was built at the edge of the road by the residents of Gilo to protect them from the steady spray of sniper bullets during the early months of the Intifada. Kids for Kids. We met with Yishara Gold, founder and director of the beautiful Kids for Kids program. We gave her funds for gift baskets for 40 survivors of terrorism. Yishara shared their newest form of therapy with us: digital storytelling, where survivors make their own records of their traumatic experiences and losses. The Kids for Kids staff are very proud of this valuable way to help victims share their feelings. Nathan Sheransky. We had a private meeting with the Minister for Jerusalem and Diaspora affairs, Nathan Sheransky. This exchange allowed for an important dialogue regarding the vilification of Israel on campuses. This meeting underscores the vital role that StandWithUs (and each of you!) plays in the ongoing fight for truth in this war of words. Schneider Children's Hospital. We were privilaged to give out many gifts to all the children on the Oncology floor, and we left gifts for the young victims of terror in rehabilitation there (once again, donated by so many of you through the basket fund). We toured Sneiders beautiful facilities, and spoke with Cynthia Carel, MD, the director of psychological services for young victims of terror. Tell everyone: the pro-Israel community must come to Israel Stand With Us is a pro-Israel activist group based in Los Angeles. As they write on their website (http://www.standwithus.com), "It is our goal to educate at all levels, balance the media, help expose militant Islamic groups and leadership, expose the Palestinian-Arabic apparatus of hate and violence, improve public relations for Israel, perfect our Christian-Jewish-moderate Muslim alliance, and promote key charities that directly affect these efforts. StandWithUs will stand in support of any bill that inhibits or interferes with terrorism."

OUTRAGED Posted by Mike Evans, August 8, 2003.

I am outraged! Three hundred thirty-nine terrorists walked out of prison this week. Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat and PA Minister for Security Mohammed Dahlan tried to minimize the importance of Israel's Wednesday release of 334 Palestinian prisoners, according to a senior IDF officer. Palestinian officials scoffed at the release, calling it, "inadequate," a "sham," and a "theatrical" measure meant to look good to the Bush administration. The terrorists go free, and Israel is punished! Abbas is rewarded with millions in aid, and Israel is threatened with cuts in Congressionally-approved loan guarantees. The loan guarantees were approved by Congress several months ago and include $9 billion for infrastructure projects and an additional $1 billion to help Israel cope with the effects of the Iraq war. Israel is still paying the appeasement bill! A State Department official stated, "We have urged them [the Israelis] to consider the route that the fence is taking. They have affirmed that they are considering the route of the fence and are taking our views under consideration. All talk of deduction of loan guarantees is premature." Mike Evans is founder of the Jerusalem Prayer Team of Euless, TX. He is an award-winning journalist and author of the current bestseller: "Beyond Iraq: The Next Move," in which he argues that the U. S. should use its control of Iraqi oil to break OPEC, and use Iraq as a base for the war on terrorism.

WILL ISRAEL DEMAND THE RE-ARREST OF A FREED TERRORIST WHO HAS RETURNED TO ADVOCATING TERROR? Posted by David Bedein, August 7, 2003.

Ahmad El-Sukar was the Arab terrorist responsible for the murder of 14 and maiming 70 in a Zion Square bombing, when he placed a refrigerator bomb there on July 4, 1975. I was there in Zion Square that day, guiding a student group who witnessed the massacre. My social work teacher, Mira Berger, was one of the people who was murdered that day. Mira's profession was working with concentration camp survivors, thirty years after World War II. El-Sukar had lived in Chicago for many years under the cover of a businessman, and returned to his village near Ramallah in the mid-sixties, where he became active in the Fateh. El-Sukar was apprehended and sentenced to 14 life sentences. Abu Mazen and Arafat had made a special request of US Sec'y of State Colin Powell to free El-Sukar, because of their special relationship with El-Sukar, which spans more than fifty years. And Israel freed El-Sukar, 28 years after his crime. He signed a declaration that he would not engage in terror or incite to terror. The declaration also stated that if he violated the declaration that he understood Israel could put him back in prison to serve out the remainder of his sentence. I specifically asked the spokesman of the Israeli Prime Minister on the day of El-Sukar's release if a return to terror would mean his endorsement of terror activity by the official media of the PA. After all, El-Sukar, at age 68, might not be able to schlep refrigerators, but he might inspire others to emulate his act. The PM spokesman responded in absolute terms, saying that if El-Sukar would incite to murder, then he would be re-arrested. And yet, only a few weeks after his release, El-Sukar called for the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers at a rally in Bethlehem that was widely reported on Palestinian Authority radio and Palestinian Authority TV, reminding the crowd that "in return for three soldiers, Israel released 1,150 prisoners in the famous (Jibril) exchange." He also praised the Palestinians for killing one Jew for every three Palestinians killed. On August 7th, a meeting was held at the office of the Israeli Prime Minister. Ariel Sharon The PM office raised the concerns brought to him by journalists that El-Sukar had violated the terms of his release by demanding that Arabs kidnap IDF soldiers The PM office has said that the matter of re-arresting El-Sukar would now be discussed. As Dr. Aaron Lerner, the director of IMRA (http://www.imra.org.il) has pointed out, "When El-Sukar suggested that soldiers be kidnapped and praised the murder of Israelis he incited for terror. And when he incited for terror he violated the terms of his release. And when he violated the terms of his release, the sovereign State of Israel should have issued a warrant for is arrest But Israel hasn't. And El-Sukar knows this. And so do all the terrorists who signed similar declarations this week before they went home to prepare for the next round." Israel's sovereignty hangs in the balance, and so does its commitment to protect its citizens from PLO Arab terrorists to incite to murder. The question is whether Israel's Prime Minister will stand up to the US and the PLO to remove a murderer from the airwaves of the Voice of Palestine. Israel's independence is on the line. David Bedein is Bureau, Chief Israel Resource News Agency (media@actcom.co.il), a media firm based at the Bet Agron Press Center in Jerusalem, and at the Gaza Media Center under the jurisdiction of the Palestine Authority.

A LIBERAL'S ASSESSMENT OF SHARON ON HUDNA Posted by Yuval Zaliouk, August 7, 2003.

Take a look at today's article by the arch liberal, Yoel Marcus in Israel's most liberal paper, Ha'aretz. Yoel Marcus is a staunch critic of PM Sharon, as can be seen at the end of his article. However, even Marcus concedes that the latest allowances to Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other murderous Palestinian terrorist organizations, lead to a violent new clash between Israelis and Palestinians. In short, the latest concessions to the Palestinians, contrary to the "Road Map" to "Peace," turns the whole exercise into a farce, if not a major tragedy. Here is what Marcus is wrote: "...the relative calm achieved by the Aqaba accords is fragile, and the national mood, which is now sky-high, is skating on very thin ice." "There are a number of reasons for this. Heading the list is Abu Mazen's unwillingness to keep his pledge to disarm the terror organizations by force. And that pledge, mind you, happens to be the core of the road map. At Aqaba on June 4, Abu Mazen promised Bush, and declared publicly, that he would " invest all his efforts and use every resource to put an end to the armed intifada, and strictly and uncompromisingly stop the violence and terror." Somehow, this commitment disappeared on the way to Abu Mazen's first official visit to the White House." "...even if the truce with Hamas and Islamic Jihad is extended for another three months, the terrorist cells are still alive and well, stocking up on Qassam rockets that can reach the center of the country, testing even more deadly methods of attack, ready to renew the violence at the drop of a hat." "Sharon is 100 percent right in demanding a crackdown on terror as a precondition for moving ahead with the road map. He is right in not being pleased that the U.S. administration has changed its tune and is willing to live with the hudna as long as no bombs are exploding. American " discounts" like these strengthen Arafat and Hamas, weaken Abu Mazen, and could lead in the end to a brutal and bloody military confrontation between Israel and the Palestinians." ("Skating on Very Thin Ice," www.haaretz.com, Aug 7, 2003) Yuval Zaliouk lives in Israel and in Toledo, Ohio. He writes insightful comments about events in Israel in a bulletin signed 'Truth Provider.'

A TOTALLY BIASED STORY IN THE WASHINGTON POST Posted by Leo Rennert, August 7, 2003.

Dear Mr. Graham: If you need more evidence of the distortions and bias in the Post's reporting of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, I refer you to Molly Moore's story of Aug. 7 about Israel's release of Palestinian prisoners as Exhibit A. Citing the Israeli newspaper Haaretz as her source, Moore writes that Israel has arrested 320 Palestinians since the cease-fire began - "almost the same number as the Israeli government released today." In other words, a perfect revolving door. As many prisoners out of jail as new ones put behind bars. At least, that's the impression the reader is supposed to carry away. Except it is patently FALSE and Moore knows it. Because in the very next paragraph of the Haaretz article, it is made clear that only 146 Palestinians have been jailed since the cease-fire began, while a greater number - 174 - were promptly released following their arrests. So if you want an accurate count of how many Palestinians out of jail and how many new ones behind bars, it's 335 versus 146 - a more than 2-to-1 ratio. But of course reporting this would have deprived Moore of the neat revolving-door impression she was trying to falsely convey. Talk about selective use of facts to distort the truth! Besides the matter of the actual numbers, Moore offers no explanation at all of why Palestinians were recently imprisoned. No mention that since the cease-fire began, there have been 178 attempted terrorist attacks, including 118 shootings, and 36 large-scale terrorist attacks that Israeli forces fortunately were able to thwart. Still, three Israelis and a Bulgarian worker have been killed. A mother and her 3 daughters were injured as they drove near Bethlehem, from which Israel withdrew its forces upon a Palestinian pledge to assume security responsibility against terror attacks. Moore skews her entire story toward the Palestinian side. There are three paragraphs of Palestinian quotes before a Sharon spokesman is allowed a brief rejoinder. Throughout her piece, Palestinians are given precedence in describing their perceptions of the prisoner releases, while Israel is relegated to second place, always responding to Palestinian charges, instead of even once having the first say. Hamas is described merely as the Islamic Resistance Movement - not even by the Post's preferred euphemism of "militant group." To get a dramatically angry Palestinian comment, Moore relies on Saeb Erekat, without mentioning that he's an Arafat crony who has been sidelined by Mahmoud Abbas. The entire tone of the story is so skewed against Israel that one would readily accept the Palestinian thesis that this was just a PR coup by Israel, without giving a second thought that the Palestinians have done nothing to rein in Hamas & Co., as they are required to do under the road map. The predominant impact on the reader is that Israeli jails still remain full of persecuted Palestinians torn from their families - not the thousands of killers and organizers of suicide missions who have terrorized Israel and killed hundreds of innocent civilians over the last three years. I am not a great admirer of the New York Times, but you might want to peruse its version, which also might give you an idea of how far Moore strayed from fair, balanced reporting. Yours for more accurate journalism.

THE TIME IS RIGHT TO MOVE THE EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM Posted by Albert Bello, August 7, 2003.

It is about time to clarify the US stand regarding the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Since 1948 Israel asks Washington: when will the White House move the US Embassy to Jerusalem? After 55 years of asking the same question, the answer to Israel: The time yet is not right. So here are my questions: 1) Does Bush administration have any doubt about Israel's power to defend its sovereignty? If it has no doubt, who is Washington kidding that Israel may give up her 3000 years old "Jerusalem Capital of Israel?" 2) If Washington wouldn't agree with Jerusalem to be the Capital, how could US supports Israel throughout 55 years without raising an argument about this issue? In fact US, many times in the past, publicly promised to move the Embassy and later chickened out; it means: there is no argument but confusion. President Bush! There is no benefit of appeasing the terrorist world. Israel is a loyal ally of the United States of America. US benefits from Israel and Washington should not delay moving the Embassy to Jerusalem. United States, the world's superpower who earned the global highest respect by being truthful and open in her communication, what would the harm be by moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem, the Capital of Israel? The answer is: nothing. This sincere act - and the time is appropriate - will demonstrate and gain respect that Washington has no fear and no confusion with the Capital of Israel. Leaders of the Arab world know that the Capital of Israel is Jerusalem and there is no force in the world to make that change.

HUGE TISHA B'AV RALLY AROUND THE OLD CITY WALLS OF JERUSALEM Posted by Mark Alan, August 7, 2003.

I was shocked to see Thursday morning's paper devoid of any reference to what appeared to be at least 10,000 people who gathered to read Eicha and walk around the Old City walls. The walk was wonderful and the inspirational words on unity and returning to our roots was excellent. There should be coverage on this and other events that inspire the Jewish people to work on Jewish unity. Mark Alan lives in Los Angeles and publishes essays emailed as Mymagen@aol.com. This was written from Jerusalem. [Editor's Note: This was the eighth such annual event which the Women in Green sponsor each year on the evening of Tisha B'Av.]

WHAT PALESTINIANS REALLY DESERVE Posted by David Holcberg, August 6, 2003.

In response to Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas's demand for the release of every single one of the thousands of Palestinian terrorists held in Israeli jails, President Bush replied: "Surely, nobody wants to let a cold-blooded killer out of prison that would help derail the process" and "engage in terror attacks." But clearly Abbas's demand - and Palestinian popular support for it - is incontrovertible evidence that the Palestinian leadership - and the great majority of Palestinians - want exactly what president Bush said `nobody' wants: to free all imprisoned terrorists so they can resume murdering Jews. Last week, President Bush asserted that "The Palestinian people, like people everywhere, deserve freedom, they deserve an honest government and they deserve peace." The truth, however, is that the vast majority of Palestinians deserve none of these values. Do they reject arch-terrorist Arafat as their leader? No, they embrace him. Do they revolt against Arafat's brutal dictatorial regime? No, they support it. Do they condemn, jail or execute suicide bombers and terrorist murderers? No, they lionize them and hail them as heroes. Do they promote goodwill and understanding towards their Jewish neighbors? No, they preach hatred of Jews in their schools and call in their mosques for genocide of Jews. Most Palestinians actively or passively support a terrorist regime that is responsible for the injuries and deaths of hundreds of innocent Israelis, and thus have done nothing to deserve freedom and peace. Instead of striving for peace Palestinians have created a terrorist culture of hatred, violence and death. What do they deserve? Exactly what they have gotten so far: oppression, misery and death. David Holcberg is with the Ayn Rand Institute in Irvine, California (http://www.aynrand.org). He writes on environmentalism, science and capitalism.

PALESTINIAN JUSTIFICATIONS FOR KILLING JEWS. Posted by Barry Shaw, August 6, 2003.

I am grateful to Gloria Fischel for sharing her thoughts with me on this subject. It sparked me into highlighting a theme that has been emanating from Palestinian schools, Palestinian television shows, and Arab mosques around the Middle East and Europe. Everything written here is factual or declared publicly by our Arab neighbors. Indeed, many of the religious imams incite their congregation to go out and kill Jews without any reason or justification save for the fact that they are, simply, Jews. Just think back when, under the premiership of Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel opened an exit to an already existing tunnel by the Western Wall. It caused a riot by the local Arabs, and was condemned worldwide. That tunnel door has remained open for years with no earth-shattering consequence. So, share with me and Gloria some of the justifications given by our neighbors to come and kill us: A Jew visiting the Temple Mount, Judaism's holiest site, is justification for the recent three year violence, and for Arabs to kill Jews. Jews growing tomatoes near Gaza is a reason for Arabs to kill them. Jews building homes in Judea (from where comes the name Judaism) is reason to kill Israelis. A handful of Jews living in Hebron is reason enough for Arabs to attempt to repeat the massacre of Jews in the 1920s. Jews worshipping at Joseph's Tomb is reason to kill them and to destroy this holy Jewish shrine (then rebuild it as a mosque). Jewish children eating pizza in Jerusalem is offensive enough for Arabs to kill them. Jewish teenagers at a Tel Aviv disco is enough to make them a target for death. Jews gathering to observe the Passover tradition in Netanya is justification for a massacre. Not freeing Arab murderers (who wish to return to kill more) is justification to kill Israelis. Building a security fence to protect innocent women and children is sufficient justification for killing Jews. Declaring Israel to be the sole Jewish state is reason enough for Arabs to kill us. Not allowing four million Arabs, who have never set foot here, to enter Israel and swamp us demographically, is justification to kill Jews. Our very existence is justification for them to kill us in rage. Gloria and I am sure that you have your own contribution to this list. Pro-Palestinian supporters will, no doubt, add falsehoods like 'occupation', nonsense like 'settlements', or fabrications like 'refugees' to the list of justifications for killing Jews. Yet, these are the people that the world is pressing to establish their cursed springboard of a state alongside a weakened Jewish nation. If the truth were not so tragic, it would be insane. Barry Shaw writes essays about life in Israel under the title: The View from Here. He lives in Netanya, Israel.

POLICE HARASSMENT OF HEBRON RESIDENTS Posted by Hebron Press Office, August 6, 2003.

Item 1.  At three o'clock in the morning a large contingent of police and other security forces arrived at the Hebron Heroes neighborhood. After announcing that the area was a 'closed military zone' they began evicting people from the site. A large truck quickly destroyed the make-shift hut constructed several days ago. By dawn, little was left of the recently restored neighborhood. About ten people were arrested or detained by police for questioning. At about 8:00 in the morning a group of youth, refusing to acquiesce to demands to abandon the site, pitched several tents in the area of the neighborhood. An hour later, military police arrived and destroyed these tents too. A Hebron spokesman issued the following statement: Today we are witness to a series of contradictions. On the one hand, Israel is releasing hundreds of terrorists to appease United States demands to 'strengthen Abu Mazen's government.' On the other hand, hundreds of Israelis are searching for a young woman, who, according to media reports, was probably kidnapped by terrorists several days ago. Last night, and again this morning, the eve of Tisha b'Av, commemorating the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, Israel is demolishing small huts and tents in the first Jewish city in Israel, Hebron. ...[D]espite the fact that the terror infrastructure has not be destroyed by the Abu Mazen government - to the contrary, it has been strengthened - the United States is demanding that Israel refrain from protecting its citizens, and is attempting to pressure Israel to stop building a 'security fence.' In truth, the Hebron community also opposes construction of the fence, for other reasons. But it does not stand to reason that a foreign country will decide for Israel what we may or may not do to protect ourselves. Item 2.  This morning a police car, filled with plain-clothes detectives, arrived at the home of Livnat Uzeri, widow of Nati Uzeri, murdered by Arab terrorists last winter. Livnat was later expelled from her home, which was destroyed by Israeli security forces, together with much of her family's belongings. The detectives entered her home, at the north end of Kiryat Arba, behind the Yeshiva high school, and began searching it. When Livnat requested that they show her a search warrant they eventually presented her with an arrest warrant for a man named Yehezkel, whom they said, lived in her home. Livnat denied that the man in question 'lives in her house,' but the detectives paid no attention. During the search the detectives struck Livnat, throwing her to the floor and twisted the arm of her 11 year old daughter, before throwing her violently onto a sofa. The detectives tore her house apart, searching in desk drawers and dumping their contents on the floor, as well as in her washing machine. [Editor Note: they must have been searching for a very small man.] During the search a friend of Livnat named Uri Amsali arrived at the scene. Seeing the police and the search, he asked her, " what's happening here?" The police immediately confiscated his weapon and arrested him. When driving through Kiryat Arba to the police station, the detectives were stopped by Hebron-Kiryat Arba residents, trying to understand why Amsali had been arrested. Uri Amsali is a member of the Kiryat Arba emergency squad and was wounded during the deadly terror attack last November. In order to escape from the concerned citizens, the detectives drove like maniacs, almost running down several women and almost hitting another automobile, while driving on the wrong side of the road. Amsali was released a short time later and his weapon was returned to him. You can read the background for the attack in David Wilder's post of August 4th. Some 450 families make their homes in Hebron, the first city established by the Children of Israel in the Land of Canaan. Jews were expelled or massacred when Jordan conquered the city in 1948. Jews who returned to Hebron in the wake of the Israeli conquest in 1967 have confronted violence both from their Arab neighbors and the Israeli government. You can keep up with news from Hebron by going to their website, http://www.hebron.org.il.

SAVE ETHIOPIA'S FORGOTTEN JEWS Posted by Michael Freund, August 6, 2003.

This is an emergency. Drop everything else that you are doing, stop worrying about which movie you should see this evening or whether or not to redecorate the kitchen, and consider the following: the lives of some 19,000 Ethiopians waiting to make aliya are currently in danger, and the State of Israel is doing virtually nothing about it. The would-be immigrants, known as Falash Mura, are the descendants of Jews who converted to Christianity, many of them against their will, over the past few generations. They reportedly languish in horrible conditions, fighting off destitution, disease and despair as they wait to join their loved ones in Israel. The Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Shlomo Amar, visited Ethiopia last year and concluded that Torah law requires that the Falash Mura should be brought to Israel forthwith. On May 9, Rabbi Hershel Billet, in his capacity as president of the Rabbinical Council of America, wrote that, 'Like many other rabbis, I am wholehearted in my belief that the Falash Mura are part of the Jewish people and that it is a commandment that we relieve their suffering and bring them to Israel, their true home.' But despite the full backing of the rabbinate, as well as a February 16 cabinet decision by Israel's government aimed at expediting the Falash Mura aliya, there has been little forward movement on the issue in recent months. From January through May of this year, just 1,200 Falash Mura were allowed to immigrate to Israel. At that rate, it will take another seven years to bring over all the rest. But this is no longer just a question of speeding up the bureaucracy. It is now a matter of life and death. In the past few weeks alone, 12 Falash Mura are said to have died as a result of the frightful conditions in which they live, crowded together in compounds in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa and Gondar in the north of the country. Nine of those who succumbed were children. And now, believe it or not, the situation is getting worse. The latest reports from Ethiopia are grim, as the country again descends into famine. A July 30 UPI report described the current food crisis as 'far greater than the 1984-85 disaster that claimed 300,000 lives.' A study released last week by famine specialists from Harvard and Tufts universities described it as 'one of the most widespread and severe emergencies ever to strike Ethiopia.' The extent of the devastation is mind-boggling. A July 29 Boston Globe article reported that 'there is no doubt that tens of thousands' of Ethiopians have died as a result of the current famine, while 'many thousands more have suffered permanent damage' as a result of malnutrition and disease. The Ethiopian Government has already acknowledged that more people are now at risk than in the 1984 famine. Some 13 million Ethiopians are now in need of immediate food assistance (Voice of America, July 31). The drought striking the country inevitably makes food staples harder to come by, driving up prices and making it that much more difficult to keep people alive. Given the urgency of the situation, one would have expected the Israeli government to speed up the aliya process in an effort to save as many of the Falash Mura as possible. But that has yet to happen, thanks in no small measure to Interior Minister Avraham Poraz's long-standing hostility to the Falash Mura aliya. Citing, among other reasons, a lack of funds, Poraz has resisted efforts to boost the number of Falash Mura immigrants to Israel. The minister's intransigence led a number of aliya activists to file a petition with Israel's Supreme Court last month with the aim of forcing the government to comply with its own February cabinet decision. There is simply no reason for the government to be dragging its feet on this issue. Every day that passes puts additional lives at risk, causing needless deaths and suffering. Indeed, many of the Falash Mura waiting to make aliya already have family members in Israel. According to figures compiled by the North American Conference on Ethiopian Jewry (NACOEJ), there are a staggering number of families waiting to be reunited with their loved ones. Some 2,883 Falash Mura in Ethiopia have parents living in Israel, while 1,569 have children here, many of whom are serving in the IDF. It is our responsibility as Jews, as Zionists and as human beings to put an end to their suffering and bring this sorry saga to an end. We must raise our voices in protest, and urge the government to bring the remaining Falash Mura on aliya as soon as possible. If you are moved to do something about the situation, and I hope you are, there are a few ways in which we can all help. First, write to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, and to your local Israeli Embassy, urging them to put the Falash Mura issue at the top of the national agenda. Regardless of Israel's current economic straits, there can be no justification for leaving behind any Jew. Second, educate yourself and your community about the issue. Contact your local newspaper or television station, and ask them why they aren't covering the Ethiopian famine in general, and the Falash Mura question in particular. Third, join in the critical advocacy work being done by organizations such as NACOEJ (www.nacoej.org) or the Struggle to Save Ethiopian Jewry (www.studentstruggle.org), both of which raise funds to feed and clothe the Falash Mura. Without their support, many of our fellow Jews in Ethiopia would have died long ago. This is a critical moment for the remaining Falash Mura. Lives are at stake, and people are dying. We owe it to them and to ourselves to stand up and shake the heavens until they are brought home. The writer served as Deputy Director of Communications & Policy Planning in the Prime Minister's Office. He currently serve as Director of Amishav, a Jerusalem-based group which reaches out and assists descendants of Jews seeking to return to the Jewish people. This article was published today in the Jerusalem Post.

HOW TO GET THE FENCE BUILT Posted by Richard H. Shulman, August 6, 2003.

I read this: " Here's how you convince Israelis to spend half a billion dollars on a useless fence which will eventually be the final borders of a truncated state. You tell the PLO and Bush to oppose it. Then the confused Israeli thinks, it must be a good thing." Interesting reasoning! I think, however, that Bush and the PLO do oppose the fence, lest it be the final borders. That is because it includes parts of Yesha. The US and P.A. want the Arabs to get all of Yesha, for now. If they could roust a quarter-million Jews from Yesha, they would vitiate Zionism. They also would further reduce defensible borders and make more Israelis concentrated targets for an Iranian a-bomb. Mr. Shulman is a veteran defender of Israel on several web-based forums. He provides cool information and right-on-target overviews. He distributes his essays by email. To subscribe, write him at ricshulman@aol.com.

WANTED! A NEW ADDRESS FOR THE PALESTINIAN ARABS Posted by Arlene Peck, August 4, 2003.

Israel is a beautiful country. Unfortunately, it's in a very bad neighborhood. Its leaders somehow have the mistaken impression that releasing its captured Arab-Palestinian "bad boys" into the street are going to solve the problem of co-existence. Personally, I'd rather see Israel counter with a demand that wanted terrorist leaders be turned over to the IDF. That might end these ludicrous prisoner release demands by the Bush government. More importantly is the need for "transfer" or "emigration" of the enemy out of the Jewish nation. Because, without that, I truly believe that the state of Israel is in dire straits. When I was a kid growing up in Atlanta, if someone had a baby out of wedlock, it was a family shame. That folks, is what the discussion of "transfer" has become. Something to be whispered. Jews, by their very nature, are supportive of the 'underdog.' So the discussions of this topic are never brought into the mainstream. It's just too "politically incorrect" to talk about any solution that may prevent the demise of Israel. Everyone automatically associates transfer with thinking it means, "Forced eviction." Instead, I see it as the solution. To me, it's far better to transfer these people out of Israel completely. I'm talking about the thousands of vicious terrorists who have wreaked havoc on the Jewish people. The way I see it, at the moment, there is a tremendous influx of Arabs, including Palestinians from Israel, into the United States. Mosques are springing up at many corners. But, we're not calling it "transfer". It's called "immigration". They've immigrated so much in France that the country has totally lost its identity. I wouldn't be surprised to see the women in Paris wearing the latest styles of burkas soon. The only "human rights" the Palestinians want are for their fellow terrorists. The Arabs may kill each other on a regular basis but the one thing they can agree upon at any given time is the demise of the Jewish State. After that, they'll tackle the "Great Satan" Israel is only the canary in the tunnel. I fail to understand why memories are so short that people have forgotten that the Palestinian Arabs themselves never saw themselves as distinct "nation" apart from the Greater Arab Nation. It is only recently that they have had the very vocal push for their right of self-determination. Yet, while they call for self determination, they play up the fact of "collective punishments" from the Israelis who are no longer employing them. It confuses me why it's expected that the Jews in Israel be their source of income and success. This is something that is beyond me. The logical thing, to me, is to not employ Arabs. American money should not continue to be provided to the Palestinian Arabs, and these terrorists inclined should be encouraged, however disguised, to move to George W> Bush's Crawford Texas as the land of new opportunity. Their Arab brothers sure as hell don't want them. We know, all too well, how Arafat's generation has been carefully raised and nurtured the past fifty years on hate, death and destruction. These people are definitely not good neighbors. And, after their track record in Lebanon and Jordan no Arab country is going to bring these terrorists into their fold with their bombs and rockets. I don't give a diddly-squat about Oslos, Camp Davids, Madrid's, Sharm-el-sheiks, interim agreements, Aqabas, "goodwill gestures," truces, or Road Maps, Israel is going to be forced to trust no one but itself. Despite the fine print of what is supposed to happen in these agreements the Arabs have never accepted, and I doubt that they ever will, accept Israel's right to exist. So, knowing that, I believe that Israel has to do what is in its best interests as a sovereign country. It doesn't need pats on the head from George Bush or whoever follows him. She needs the will, and the power to do what is necessary to keep her people safe. I wonder, how Bush, Rice and Powell would react to the question of more liberal immigration laws, in order to enable there to be greater population diversity in the United States, and to correct past racism in our country? After all, Bush was pushing for the amnesty of three million Mexicans who had crossed the border in order to give him few more voters. Why not from a new Palestine? Hey, after all the aid he's been pushing their way, for sure he'd have built-in votes. Truthfully, we all know the reason why they shouldn't come to America. But, how about Jordan? After all, it is the true Palestine. They came from there and elsewhere. They should return there. The same way that Brasilia in Brazil was built as a solution for the extremely overcrowded conditions in Rio, Jordan is the ideal spot for their officially-acknowledged Palestinian homeland. Jordan is a poor nation and it can build an emerging city that would be a financial boon to both the Jordanians and their brother Palestinians. In fact, it could advance the entire region. The king of Jordan could be given allegiance for fifty years. They could be the beneficiaries of the billions upon billions of dollars that have been pouring into the corrupt government of Arafat and his cronies. Money, incidentally, which never reaches the intended. So, instead they could take a chunk of that empty country and build a nation. The now diverted money could be used in American products and Israeli know-how. Hey, all of those unemployed Arabs could now find work. In fact, now that they would be building their nation and not doing construction work for the Israelis they might not feel the need to sabotage the job as they did when I was living in Israel. At that time, they would put rotten eggs in the mortar, pee in the air-conditioning system and generally wreak havoc on the construction job. So, instead Israel decided to import workers from Romania and Thailand as laborers. Of course, the Arab nations would never agree to a plan that would succeed in taking away their use of the Palestinians as a cover for demonizing Israel. They would rather release their "bad boys" back on the streets of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Arlene Peck is a syndicated international columnist and talk show hostess. She speaks throughout the USA and Europe about Israeli and Jewish issues. You can read some of her columns on her website, http://www.arlenepeck.com.

THE MALL MODEL FOR MIDEAST PEACE Posted by Naomi Ragen, August 4, 2003.

I had an e-mail the other day from some fine fellow who was all upset. "According to you, there will never be peace between Israelis and the Palestinians," he fumed. Not so, dear sir. In fact, if you lived here in Jerusalem as I do, surrounded by Muslim Arabs ­you'd know that in many places, we already have peace. All you'd have to do is go to that great center of Jerusalem day and night-life The Mall, a large three-tiered structure housing restaurants (all kosher) movie theaters, and hundreds of stores of all kinds (I don't have to tell you, right? It's a mall.) What's different here, is that you will find sitting around the fountains outside Pizza Hut Arab families with children in baby carriages, munching pizza beside Jewish families from neighborhoods in Judea and Samaria. Look at them, enjoying the air conditioning, and happily feeding their little ones from paper cups filled with ice cream on a summer evening. All this without a Road Map. Without the release of terrorists. Without a Palestinian State. Without the permission of Yasir Arafat. Or Sharon. Or George Bush. Now, what lessons can we learn about how to actually achieve MidEast Peace from the Jerusalem Mall? I'll tell you. You can only enter the mall if you have no weapons. The reason Jew and Arab can sit peacefully side by side enjoying life and each other's company, is that anyone who wants to get into the mall is carefully checked for weapons before he's allowed to enter. That's right. All cars are checked, included the boot and back seat. People get their bags checked. They are wanded. Get rid of the terrorists. Get rid of the illegal weapons. Stop up the tunnels bringing weapons from Egypt to Gaza. Deport arch terrorists like Arafat. Keep all the jailed terrorists under lock and key, and destroy the Hamas and Islamic Jihad and Fatah to the last building and the last man. And then you might not have peace, but you will have Arab and Jew sitting side by side with their families on a cool summer evening, making an attempt to quietly live their lives and solve their differences. Naomi Ragen is an American-born essayist and novelist who has lived in Jerusalem since 1971. She has published five best-selling novels in the US, UK and Israel, and is the author of a hit play in Israel's National Theatre. She also publishes a regular newsletter by email. Her website is at http://www.NaomiRagen.com.

REFORM? Posted by Aryeh Zelasko, August 4, 2003.

As is well know, politicians live in their own world. They also have their own language and it is necessary to translate what they say into our own so as to understand what they are about. When they say that they; "...all supported the formation of a new political structure in Israel that is vastly different from the current system." it means that they have caught on that the country is about to become unglued and there is a serious danger of rebellion. And when they say; "...that they are in agreement as to the need for a change but are uncertain at present as to how this would be accomplished." it means they haven't figured out how to shuffle the chairs around in a way that looks like they changed things but managed to keep every thing the same. Mr. Zelasko's letter is a comment on this news item (Israel National News, August 4, 2003): During a meeting today of the Knesset Law Committee, Finance Minister (Likud) Binyamin Netanyahu, opposition leader MK (Labor) Shimon Peres and Labor MK Ehud Barak all supported the formation of a new political structure in Israel that is vastly different from the current system. Both Barak and Netanyahu, former prime ministers, support the formation of a presidential system modeled after the United States. Peres, also a former prime minister, supports a two-party system, adding that they are in agreement as to the need for a change but are uncertain at present as to how this would be accomplished.

PALESTINE: THE 23RD ARAB STATE Posted by Barry Shaw, August 4, 2003.

The world is clamoring to create yet another anti-democratic Arab regime in Palestine. Of course, they give lip service that what they really want is a shining example to the Muslim world. No really! Stop laughing! This is deadly serious - for us in Israel! Perhaps what is most serious is the lies and cover-ups perpetrated by Western leaders over their latest Palestinian pin-up boy. Mahmoud Abbas is a Holocaust-denier, the architect of the Munich Olympic Massacre, supporter of the murder of Jews living in Judea and Samaria, and yet, despite all this baggage, he is the new white hope of Bush and Blair. Past Western gambles have included Osama Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein. Could they be going for the hat-trick ? No, sorry! That would have been Yasser Arafat. The Palestinian Authority continues to cultivate virulent anti-Semitism in its media, schools, and mosques. it encourages, preaches, incites, and trains its young to kill Jews. Yet its Prime Minister is received in Western capitals. Mahmoud Abbas breaches the basic tenants of the road map by publicly and repeatedly declaring that he has no intention of reigning in, disarming, or disbanding, the numerous terrorist organisations that breed in his society. He states it openly to the Western media, in the White House, and before Congress, yet the Bush Administration declare him to be their man. He ignores Palestinian reforms by pronouncing that Arafat is still head honcho. And while Western diplomats are burying their heads in the sand so as not to hear these truths, Arafat is still funding, supporting, and organising current and future terror attacks against innocent Israeli civilians. The world is trying to ignore the fact that he has been hosting terror bosses who operate out of his Mukata compound. Kamal Anam operated two women suicide bombers from Shechem who picked up their deadly belts from him at Arafat's headquarters before setting out to explode them inside Israel, in either Netanya or in Tel Aviv. Fortunately, Israel managed to grab Fatah activist, Issim Faruh from Ramallah who assisted in this mission, and he spilled the beans. The Palestinian Authority, naturally, refused to arrest Anam, or enter Arafat's compound, to do what they are supposed to do under the road map rules. A poll conducted this year showed that 70% of Palestinians support the killing of Israelis by their suicide bombers. A Palestinian state will live in peace and harmony with Israel in exactly the same manner as Nazi Germany co-existed with Czechoslovakia after Hitler had acquired the Sudetenland with the help of Britain. "Land for Peace" and "Peace in our Time" will have the same result for Israel as it did for the Czechs. The Arabs frequently refer to the phased plan, the Trojan Horse policy. As Arafat explained on Jordanian TV shortly after Oslo, "Since we cannot defeat Israel in war, we will do this in stages. We will take any and every territory we can of Palestine, establish sovereignty there, and use it as a springboard to take more. When the time comes, we will get the Arab nations to join us in the final blow against Israel." This remains the unrequited Palestinian and Arab ambition. Nothing has changed. The world prefers to misinterpret and ignore all the signs and signals. Example 1.  One example is the point mentioned earlier of the Palestinian leadership openly declaring their refusal to abide by the first and fundamental requirement of the road map, namely putting an end to terror. And what was the response to this blatant breach? Nothing! No reprimand, no condemnation from the international community. Instead, diplomatic pressure on Israel to release captured terrorists. Example 2.  'Hudna' has been interpreted to mean ceasefire.' In fact, in Arabic it means 'respite.' In other words, a rest before renewing murderous attacks. Example 3.  The Western media chooses to report that this 'ceasefire' is holding. In fact, the IDF reports 167 terror attacks against Israelis since the Aqaba summit announcing the start of the 'ceasefire' agreement of the road map, just four weeks ago. Further, I can divulge that Israel's Intelligence and Secret Security forces have never been busier than they have been in recent days as Palestinian terror factions regroup, rearm, and plan further atrocities against Israeli civilians. Due to the effects of the road map implementations Israel's security forces are now put at an alarming disadvantage when violence erupts. They have been removed from the streets that provided vital information of impending attacks. Example 4.  The security fence has been interpreted in Western media reports as encircling and closing off the Palestinians. In fact, the wall is closing Israel off from the Palestinians. For once, we Jews prefer the security of our self-enforced ghetto. The Palestinians have behind them their fellow Arab nations with Jordan and Egypt as their friendly supportative neighbors. We Israelis are wedged between the wall and the sea - and we like to that way! The main reasons that the Palestinians are furious about this security fence is that their murderers and suicide lunatics will not get free and unfettered access to our women and children when their gross demands are not satisfied and they attempt to return to kill us. Palestine, the 23rd Arab State, may be the future, but that future must surely be in a generation or two, not in a year or two. They have done nothing to prove they deserve nationhood except develop a death cult, a murder industry, and a corrupt society. Nationhood requires proving to themselves, if not to others, that they will not tolerate armed terror gangs in their society, that they will not abide the law of the jungle, and religious fanaticism, hatred, and incitement. These elements must be flushed out of their system before their flag is allowed to fly. They have a long long way to go before they arrive at that happy day. Barry Shaw sends out essays from Israel, heading them as: The View From Here.

A SHACK BETWEEN KIRYAT ARBA AND HEBRON Posted by David Wilder, August 4, 2003.

Late yesterday afternoon my sixteen year old son approached me and asked that I show up at the Hebron Heroes neighborhood with my camera at about ten o'clock in the evening. He told me that another attempt was being made to reestablish the site, which has been created, destroyed and evacuated three or four times - I've lost count. The neighborhood, (labeled an 'outpost' by various political groups) was originated following the murder of twelve men - nine soldiers and three Kiryat Arba emergency squad civilians, on November 15 of last year. The day after the deadly attack Prime Minister Ariel Sharon visited the location and immediately declared that a new neighborhood, connecting Kiryat Arba and Hebron, should be created. Of course, this is the same Ariel Sharon who, a few years ago, publicly stated that Israeli youth should 'grab hilltops and settle them.' We know the fate of 'hilltops' settled by Israeli youth during the Sharon administration. Just as we know the fortune of the new neighborhood founded between Hebron and Kiryat Arba. Thank G-d, youth don't give up fast. Persistence is the name of the game. Time after time, winter and summer, youngsters from Kiryat Arba and Hebron have tried to reestablish the Hebron Heroes neighborhood. They pitch tents, build temporary fences, find some old furniture, and build make-shift huts in an attempt to establish a presence on the empty land between Hebron and Kiryat Arba. Sometimes near the road, other times closer to the fence surrounding the Kirya, wherever, never surrendering. The last time they were evicted was only a few days ago - when, at about four in the morning I received a beeper message requesting my presence, with my camera, to record the inevitable. By the time I arrived the males had already been evicted, but I was in time for the girls, who too, were pulled, pushed and carried away. Soldiers and police removed Israeli flags hung from short poles, flags, which more than anything else, signify our attachment to our land. The furniture, mattresses and other belongs were dumped on the ground in a pile, and from there, onto an awaiting army truck. It took only a short time for the kids to regroup, and last night they did it again. Small groups walked through the south gate of Kiryat Arba, carrying small sheets of corrugated metal, lined with wooden planks. Others carried down the tools, nails, etc. It didn't take much time until the new dwelling was standing, complete with a flag hanging from the roof. Of course, the Kiryat Arba-Hebron youth weren't the only ones to mobilize. A short time later IDF jeeps, officers, soldiers, and police had invaded the area. One of the officers, a Lt. Colonel name Tzachi, speaking to others surrounding him, showed his total ignorance of the events unfolding in front of his eyes. He said, 'I despise the use of young children who have no idea what they are doing.' This officer, presently a regiment commander, later stood about fifty meters from the group and announced through a megaphone that the area was a 'closed military zone' and that anyone not leaving within fifteen minutes would be arrested. At about eleven thirty the action began. Two policemen, backed by a bunch of soldiers turned cops, marched past the hut, turned left, and found themselves face-to-face with a group of young men. The police walked up to a tall sixteen year old and pounced on him, literally jumped him, as if he was a dangerous criminal. The already familiar free-for-all scuffle started and, after about fifteen minutes ended, with the boy being dragged off into an awaiting police car. He, along with three others, were arrested during the course of the next two and a half hours. I can testify that it isn't easy watching such scenes, especially when they turn brutal, as happened last night. One soldier, extremely agitated, screamed at some of the kids with fire in his eyes, 'I told you that I will grind you up.' Fifteen year old Betzalel Lebovitch, whose brother Elazar was killed by Arab terrorists a year ago on the eve of his 21st birthday, was standing next to me. He pointed at an officer and asked that I photograph him because, 'he is beating kids murderously.' As I aimed the camera several police and soldiers swooped down, grabbed Betzalel, and swiftly pushed him towards another police car. He too spent the night in jail. Not because he did anything, rather because he pointed his finger at a brute. The security forces tried again and again to reach the hut, but were unsuccessful. At about 1:00 AM a soldier lunged at a ninth grader named David, who is small for his age. The soldier, grabbing him in an almost strangling bear hug, started carrying him towards the police vehicles. A huge uproar centered around them and others who were trying to clear the way, leading to the boy losing conscious for a short time. After being revived, he was given oxygen and released. It was a pretty horrible sight. A short time later Hebron's military commander, Col. Haggai Mordechai finally showed up, and seeing the kids with torn shirts and scratched arms and shoulders, put an end to the madness. As Col. Mordechai sent his fighting forces away from the scene, a thirteen year old girl from Kiryat Arba named Liora, stationed herself in front of him, looked him in the eye and said, 'Why do your soldiers act this way' None of us want to hit soldiers, but why do they hit us' Why do they grin when talking about how they hit this person or clobbered someone else' Don't you understand that we are not against the army - we are here because twelve men were killed here, this is our land, and we don't agree with the government's policies' If the soldiers would respect us, nothing would happen. We would just go home. We would come back again, and again, but there wouldn't be this kind of violence. Why can't they respect us the way we respect them'? On Wednesday night, Tisha b'Av eve, sitting on the floor, reading the Book of Lamentations, I think I'll have a hard time concentrating on the book's major theme, that being the destruction, thousands of years ago, of the Temple in Jerusalem. I have a feeling I'll be thinking about that little hut, and asking myself, if we can't even build a shack, between Kiryat Arba and Hebron, how will be ever be able to rebuild our Temple - Beit HaMikdash? With blessings from Hebron. David Wilder is the spokesman for the Hebron Jewish Community. See more on the destruction of the outposts in the August 6th blog-ed entitled "Police Harassment of Hebron Residents."

HOW ABU MAZEN COMPLIES WITH ROAD MAP Posted by Richard H. Shulman, August 4, 2003.

Abu Mazen repeatedly declared that he would not disrupt the terrorist infrastructure. Then he visited Pres. Bush, who said, "I believe that the Prime Minister and his team is interested in routing out terror." (IMRA, 7/26.) How did Abu Mazen get away with his declaration of non-compliance with the key point of the Roadmap, in his trip to Washington to demand that Israel comply with agree-upon conditions and with gratuitous demands? Neither Pres. Bush nor PM Sharon care about Arab compliance. (The plan is for appeasement, not for peace.) Israel relinquishes control of P.A. cities without reciprocal P.A. action to destroy terrorism. Israel abandons checkpoints without studying the effect upon Israeli security. Meanwhile, the government of Israel keeps leaking its willingness to retreat from other security measures, such as allowing P.A. terrorists to keep assault rifles, allowing the P.A. to hire and arm terrorists instead of disarming them (and releasing Hamas terrorists). Pro-Israel Congressmen are shocked at Israeli dereliction of duty, but think they cannot criticize Israel for not being tough enough. We need pro-Israel congressmen not to defer to Israeli politicians who fail to defend Israel properly. Israelis hardly know what is happening, because instead of even claiming that Israel is taking the 'calculated risk' of sacrificing the security of its citizens in order to bolster Abu Mazen's standing, PM Sharon insists that he would never take an action that would impair Israel's security. The problem with Sharon is he has just two advisors and he acts ad hoc, planning only for the next news release and its effect on public relations, rather than planning strategically (Dr. Aaron Lerner, IMRA, 7/27). P.R. campaigns must look far ahead! Abu Mazen stressed that he cannot govern independently of Arafat, who is their leader, and that the US is beginning to agree that Israel should stop besieging Arafat. But, he says, the real test of the Road Map is Israel's response to it (IMRA, 7/27). To paraphrase Abu Mazen, the real test of the Road Map is Israel's compliance and not the P.A. non-compliance. How can Abu Mazen reveal such effrontery, and the media report it, with a straight face? A decade of PLO/P.A. non-compliance with agreed-upon "peace plans" should be a great scandal, along with continued US support for such violated plans. Obviously, the plans are phony. Why the governments and the media continue to support phony plans is something that Israelis should ponder. It does not augur well for their survival. Mr. Shulman is a veteran defender of Israel on several web-based forums. He provides cool information and right-on-target overviews. He distributes his essays by email. To subscribe, write him at ricshulman@aol.com.

THIS IS A SPIRITUAL BATTLE Posted by Terry Miller, August 3, 2003.

I am a Christian, with the same God as Israel's. I hope you believe in Him also. Many Israelis do not. They are secular, like many Gentiles. It seems to me that God is waiting for Israel to wake up and notice that Israel have no friends other than God and His followers. Your enemies laid the foundations for destroying Israel in 1948 when three events happened: Israel became a State; The WCC, the World Council of Churches was founded; and plans for the EU were made in a Roman villa. This is a Spiritual battle, the final one. Israelis has a short time left to make their peace with their God. Bush or Sharon will not help. You may find some help if you read the Tanakh and the new Covenant as well, to gain a complete understanding of what is happening. MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOURS and we pray for the peace in Yerushalem, ZION. This is a revised version of the original.

YOU SWORE ON THE BIBLE, SIR, NOT THE KORAN: A Letter To President Bush Posted by Jack Engelhard, August 2, 2003.

On January 20, 2001, you were sworn in as president by Chief Justice of the United States William Rehnquist. That in itself is remarkable, for, how many of us get to be a president? Even fewer can claim a father as a former president. But something equally special occurred that day. You raised your right hand and swore to defend the Constitution of the United States "so help me God." Meanwhile, your left hand was placed resolutely upon the Bible! Not the Koran, Sir - the Bible. In doing so, besides upholding a tradition that goes back to our founding fathers, you instantly and automatically made a covenant to uphold all that is virtuous to Christians and Jews. Equally, you confirmed your belief in the absolute and everlasting truth of God's words. (Truman is said to have bent over to kiss the Bible after being sworn in.) Perhaps at some future time the Koran will be used to swear in our presidents and cabinet officers, and Allah, instead of God, will be praised. Meanwhile, the Bible is the Holy Writ of this nation, and nowhere in these Scriptures of ours will you find any mention of a two-state solution. On the contrary, the Bible that you swore upon speaks vehemently about a One-State Solution, as I mentioned in an earlier letter to you. (Please review: "Mr. President, About That Palestinian State,"Feb.27, 2003, http://www.comteqcom.com/jackcolumn.php)" But in case you missed that one, here's a recap as it appears in Psalm 105: "He has remembered His covenant for ever, the word which He commanded to a thousand generations...The covenant which He made with Abraham, and His oath unto Isaac...And He established it unto Jacob for a statute, to Israel for an everlasting covenant...Saying, 'Unto you will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance...'" Could this be any clearer? Isn't this the language you like, Mr. Bush? Plain-speaking, direct, to the point, no equivocating? One State...a Jewish State...period! Or, as House Majority Leader Tom DeLay put it just a few days ago, bringing it all up to date: "I can't imagine this president supporting a state of terrorists." But obviously, Mr. President, that's exactly what you're doing, as if you've forgotten your Book, your God, your oath. Colin Campbell (I'm sure you know him as "The Newspaper Priest") reminds us that an oath is defined by the Greek and Latin poets as "the road from which no man returns." Sadly, you have returned upon your word, and have rendered unto Amalek the land deeded to Jacob. May I suggest that in your next Bible study class, you hook up with Tom DeLay. No backslider, he. The Very New York Times describes Evangelical DeLay as a leader of the Christian Zionist movement "whose strong support for the Jewish State is based on their interpretation of the Bible." In these studies, Mr. President, you'll find (as Campbell notes) that an oath is serious business, and goes back in time. At Beersheba, Abraham took an oath not to deal falsely with Abimelech. Jacob demanded an oath from his son Joseph: "Bury me not in Egypt, but in the Land of Israel." But here's the clincher, Mr. President. There was another father/son one/two punch that preceded you and your dad. Some 3,000 years ago, in the One-State Jewish Land of Israel, King David swore that "as the Lord lives" Solomon will rule after him. Actually, here's the real clincher, and again it comes from the same Bible upon which you were sworn into office: "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain." Jack Engelhard is the author of the international bestseller, "Indecent Proposal" (ComteQ Publishing), and is completing his latest novel, "The Uriah Deadline," a fictional thriller involving Mideast news manipulation. His columns can be read online at http://www.comteqcom.com/jackcolumn.php.

BAMBA, TAXIS AND TRUTH: A Return To Clarity Posted by Ellen W. Horowitz, July 31, 2003.

It's a given here in Israel, that cab drivers and kiosk owners have a certain political acumen. If you're ever confused about what you've been hearing on the local radio station or been reading in between those first sips of morning coffee, just hop into a Jerusalem taxi. After a 12 minute ride, you¹ll emerge with the clarity and insight of one who has spent 12 days at an ashram in Tibet. The only difference being that you'll still have that nervous twitch in your right eye and knot in your stomach. Well, what did you expect? This is the Middle, not the Far East and although your driver will address the current national and world situation with an utter simplicity that's not lacking in profundity, the TAO to him is simply an acronym for Terror, Arabs and Oil. He understands with sagacious depth that those three things are what makes our present world go round and that's the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I have a theory about these men behind the wheels and grocery counters. Their common wisdom stems from the fact that they never had the opportunity to wallow in the the hallowed halls of Oxford, Yale and the likes - whereas, the privileged among us tend to lose ourselves in a linguistic maze as tangled as the vines that grow up the walls of those distinguished institutions. Some will remain untainted (miraculously) and will only gain from their years of higher education. Others will receive degrees in journalism, communications, Middle Eastern affairs and diplomacy. They will then leave those polished academic corridors with a Masters in BS. Once they land a prestigious and challenging position with an international media service like the Associated Press, they will, with unparalleled enthusiasm, put those university-acquired skills to work. Two weeks ago the AP reported on the terrorist kidnapping of an Israel taxi driver. In a staggering use of verbiage, one brief report refers to the Palestinian criminals, Palestinian militants, the Palestinian Authority, Palestinian Police, the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades - a group affiliated with Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement, Islamic groups, members of the gang, and a suicide attacker. The reporter is obviously suffering from a classic case of over-education. He bends over backwards in order to avoid the very fundamental "T" word. Let's go back to basics, shall we? Q: Find the common denominator in all of those terms....You have ten seconds..........Time's up. A: I suggest that the missing link can be found in the term terror, as all of these groups use and endorse terrorist tactics. Rather elementary, isn't it? Your simple Israeli simply doesn¹t care about the hair splitting ideological differences behind Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Fatah, Al Alska Brigades, Hizbolla, Abu Nidal, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC), and Palestine Liberation Front (PLF)- because he or she knows that all that really matters right now is that `these guys wanna kill me.' Save the analysis for Harvard. I imagine the Arabs leaders at those summits rolling on their oriental rugs in hysterical laughter, as they devise and bankroll another dozen or so groups to keep thousands of American and Israeli intelligence agents busy running around and gathering historical/ideological background information. Take note America: It's all very imposing when those Fox, CNN and NBC correspondents discuss with Pentagon officials the subtle and intricate distinctions between the Sunnis, Shiites Baathists, Wahhabists, Al-Qaida and the Taliban. Meanwhile, while you're breaking your head and teeth trying to understand and say the names of these groups, your American soldiers are caught in the blistering desert sun, watching their buddies being cut down. Those guys must be asking themselves, `Let's see, was it about deposing Saddam or liberating the Iraqi people? Was it about WMDs (Weapons of Mass Destruction) or securing oil fields?' Darn shame the distraught GI can't take a bit of leave and hightail a taxi over to a Jerusalem kiosk. For the time it takes to purchase a package of bamba, the guy on the other side of the counter will tell it to him straight. He'll tell him that America was blindsided on 9/11 and lost 3000 American citizens. He'll say, `You guys have every right to kick ass.' What he means is: any regime that supports that kind of terror is fair game. And, you didn't have to spend months groveling, spinning stories and convincing Kofi Anan and Europe about your intentions. He'll also lean over and, in no uncertain terms, tell that soldier the naked truth. Too bad I can't use the vernacular in this article, but he'd basically whispers that America is sleeping with the enemy and we Israelis are the reluctant third party in this illicit threesome. Disaster is emanating from the eminent Saudi regime. Jihad and Mecca are at the foundations of a kingdom that American petro-dollars built. The sooner the relationship ends, the better for America, Israel and the good people of this world. The American GI finishes his bamba and gulps down the last of his overly-sweetened grapfruit drink. It's time to hail a taxi and head back to the sweltering tents of Babylon. As he turns, he can't help but notice the man with the slight smile who, through the whole conversation, was stacking boxes of Telma flakes in the corner of the store. That man never had the time to attend university or any glorified yeshiva, as he was too busy putting bread on the table for his family. Heck, he doesn't even fathom the Eastern philosophical idea behind that which drives him. The TAO says that Those who know, do not speak. Those who speak, do not know. What he does intrinsically know is that the world really isn't any more complex then it was at the beginning of time. The addition of man's ego and the media just make it seem that way. And, he's smiling because he knows that one day (may it come soon), `The humble shall inherit the earth, and delight in abundant peace.' (Psalm 37) Ellen Horowitz writes that she maintained a C average through high school, dropped-out after two years of college, and wrote this piece with a dictionary on her lap. She lives on the Golan Heights with her husband and six children. She is a painter, writer and co-founder of Helping Israel (http://www.helpingisrael.com), a website that supplies donors with the names of the various settlements and their specific equipment needs - ambulances, bullet-proof life jackets, night vision binoculars - that will protect them against Arab terrorists.

THE CHILDREN TOLD THEM THAT THEY WERE HUNGARY Posted by Edmond Silber, July 31, 2003.

I recently read the following in the Jerusalem Post: Ten Israeli children were arrested in Hadera yesterday on charges of burglary. The children were found by police stealing food from apartments in the area, according to Israel Radio. The children were seen taking meat, fruit and bread from one house and taking the food to an abandoned home where they were storing the food, part of which they planned to sell, Israel Radio reported. Israeli Police, who reported that the children were nine-years-old and younger, said that the children told them that they were hungry. The Israeli Police commented that they see a direct link between these arrests and the current financial depression facing Israel. At the time of our last solidarity mission to Israel last year, one night in Be'er Sheva, we unfortunately witnessed the serious problem that many Israeli families are confronted with every day. Yes, Israeli children suffer from lack of food and malnutrition. If the average rate of unemployment is beyond 11% in Israel, it is of more than 20% in Beer Sheva. During our stay in Be'er Sheva, we gave up a few evenings to help distribute pamphlets in front of the main entrance of a super market. We asked people to make a small second order for families in need. We asked people to drop their second orders in a large crate which was placed at the front exit. As bad as the economic situation is, Israelis give a lot. And the immense crate kept filling quickly. Marcel Lalloum is retired and devotes all his time to volunteering. From 5:00 AM until midnight that's all he does. His list of people is provided by the social service center of Be'er Sheva. As the crate filled, other volunteers helped Marcel Lalloum transport the orders to a warehouse. Marcel Lalloum's problem is not the giving part, nor is it the lack of food. Instead it is his small truck, which can only carry so much to transport all this food to the warehouse and to deliver to people in need. Marcel explained to us that if he had a real truck, he could have all the supermarkets of Be'er Sheva with crates, and people would drop off food. Right now, he delivers to 350 families twice a month. But there are 2000 needy families that aren't being serviced for lack of transport. After meeting and seeing the work of Marcel Lalloum we promised ourselves that upon our return to Montreal, we would undertake to raise funds and collect enough money to buy a truck. The truck will be used for providing hungry Israelis with food. This project has received the full blessing of organizations under the umbrella of the FEDERATION CJA in Montreal. Every dollar given will directly go to this project. So please give what you can, but give. And even a little more. Each dollar raised will directly go for the purchase of this truck. Please share the purpose of this project with others. Collect all that you can. Please make checks payable to: FEDERATION CJA (Tsedakah Truck), c/o Kathy Assayag, 1 Carré Cummings Montreal, Qué H3W 1M6 (514) 345 -2645 ext 3251. Please say that it is for the 'BE'ER SHEVA FOOD DELIVERY TRUCK', and if possible email me the amount you have made, so that I can keep track of all the donations. We hoped to be able to dispatch this truck by last Pasover. Unfortunately we have only raised, thus far, 40% of the $60,000.00 needed for the new truck. WE NEED YOUR HELP. Please give generously. Should you have any questions please do not hesitate calling me at 514-340-9427 or email me at esilber@sympatico.ca Edmond Silber is on the National Board of Canada Institute for Jewish Research.

BUSH'S REACTION TO ISRAEL'S SECURITY FENCE Posted by David Holcberg, July 31, 2003.

While President Bush was right to criticize the Palestinian Authority for not acting against terrorism directed at Israel, he should be ashamed of criticizing Israel for building a security fence. Note the absurdity of the criticism's moral equivalence: while the Palestinian Authority does absolutely nothing to stop terrorists from organizing, training and slipping into Israel to murder and maim, Israel is criticized for building a fence to protect itself from such attacks! Such criticism is no different, in principle, than criticism directed against a man who builds a fence to protect his family from criminal neighbors. President Bush's misguided criticism implies a moral equivalence between those who act in self-defense and the terrorists who initiate violence against them, and it can have only one result: to facilitate the terrorists' attacks while undermining their victims' ability to defend themselves. David Holcberg is with the Ayn Rand Institute in Irvine, California (http://www.aynrand.org).

HAPPY HUDNA! Posted by Michael Freund, July 30, 2003.

Today marks the one-month anniversary of the Palestinian terrorist organizations' decision to declare a temporary hudna, or ceasefire, in their ongoing campaign of murder and mayhem against Israel. Reading the press, it would be easy to conclude that this is a date almost worthy of national celebration. Take, for example, a July 17 Associated Press dispatch, which asserted that, 'A temporary ceasefire declared by Palestinian militants on June 29 has brought a dramatic drop in violence.' And then there was Monday's issue of the UK Guardian, which declared that there has been 'a sharp decline in violence since the end of June.' Dramatic drop in violence, sharp decline in terror - it almost makes you want to fling open your windows, sweep your arms through the air, and declare to the world: Happy Hudna! But the reality, of course, is that there is very little to celebrate. For, despite the media's predictable attempts to cheerlead on behalf of the Palestinians, the fact is that anti-Israel terror has far from petered out. According to statistics compiled by the IDF, there have been a total of 167 Palestinian terrorist attacks against Israel in the four weeks since the hudna went into effect. That averages out to about 6 Palestinian attacks per day, every day, over the past month. 167 attacks. Think about that number for a second. 167 individual, separate attempts over a 30-day period to murder as many Jews as possible using knives, bullets, bombs and stones. Is this really something to cheer about? After all, a ceasefire means that the Palestinians are supposed to cease the firing (hence the name). Does it really matter if instead of trying to kill Jews 300 times per month they have decided to temporarily 'cut back' to just 167? Others have cited the 'relatively' low Israeli death toll in July as proof that the ceasefire is working, since 'only' 3 Israelis and one foreign worker have been killed since the hudna went into effect. Aside from the immoral nature of such a statement, which necessarily devalues the lives that were lost and the families that were destroyed, such an assertion is also patently false. It mistakenly assumes that the ceasefire is the primary reason why there has been a drop in the number of Israeli fatalities, ignoring the role played by the army's efforts to prevent attacks. Thus, for example, in the second week of July, the IDF captured three would-be suicide bombers in Hebron before they were able to carry out their attacks. On July 21, soldiers operating near Shechem (Nablus) found and dismantled a suicide belt containing 10 to 15 kilograms of explosives, while the day before a Palestinian near Jenin was killed when a bomb he was carrying exploded prematurely. In other words - it is not that the Palestinians haven't been trying to kill Jews of late, it is just that they haven't been succeeding. If any one of the dozens of attacks thwarted by the army over the past month had not been stopped, the death toll for July might very well have been 40 instead of 'just' 4. Hence, to give the Palestinians even a measure of credit in this regard is simply absurd. Indeed, Palestinian Prime Minister Abu Mazen has made plain that he has no intention of disarming or disbanding the terrorist groups, who are now reportedly using the hudna to build over 1,000 Kassam rockets with a range of up to 20 kilometers for use against major Israeli cities (Jerusalem Post, July 22). And so, even with the ceasefire in place, the violence continues and the Palestinian terrorist build-up proceeds apace. In effect, then, the only thing that has really changed during the past month is the level of gullibility demonstrated by our leaders, who are quick to forget that the country is still under attack. The first step toward emerging from this crisis is to return to our senses. Israel must remain firm in demanding 'zero tolerance' for terror. And 'zero tolerance' means zero attacks. Period. Making excuses for the Palestinian leadership's failure to quash terror, or minimizing the extent of the violence itself, is merely a recipe for further bloodshed and carnage. For by doing so, we come perilously close to accustoming ourselves to terrorism and even accepting it as part of our daily lives. And that is something which no nation in the world should ever have to tolerate. Only by dismantling the Palestinian terrorist regime that has arisen alongside Israel, and removing the terrorist threat once and for all, can we possibly hope to enjoy true peace and security. And only once Abu Mazen and his Hamas and Islamic Jihad accomplices are removed from the scene, will we truly be able to say, with feeling and even a measure of joy: happy hudna to all, and to all a good night. The writer served as Deputy Director of Communications & Policy Planning in the Prime Minister's Office under Benjamin Netanyahu. The articles appeared in the Jerusalem Post, to 'celebrate' the first month of Hudna.

CLOSING THE TEMPLE MOUNT Posted by Leo Rennert, July 30, 2003.

Israel may come to regret its decision to reimpose a closure of Temple Mount in Jerusalem to Jews and Christians in response to virulent incitment by Yasseer Arafat, who threatened a wave of renewed riots. It's not just that such a backward step is "sad and offensive" to Jewish sensibilities, as Abraham Foxman, director of the Anti-Defamation League, called it when he was barred from visiting the Temple Mount. The new closure sets a dangerous precedent for the fragile road-map peace process because it sends a signal that if Arafat or Hamas or Abbas play the threat of renewed violence to gain this or that concession, Israel will fold. The Temple Mount was opened to people of all religions after the 1967 War and remained that way for 33 years. During that time, non-Muslim visitors didn't intrude on religious services in Al Aqsa Mosque and everybody got along. After a 3-year Jews-out hiatus during the latest intifada, Israeli police in June began to allow small groups of Jews to visit Temple Mount. Arafat responded with a spate of incendiary warnings that were picked up by Arab League Secretary-General Moussa and the Arafat-installed Mufti of Jerusalem. Abbas also chimed in. Their agenda is to deny Jewish religious identity in the holiest of Judaism's sites. Israel's acquiescence is a dark chapter in the history of our people. This was also published in the Jerusalem Post, Readers' Letters.

NY TIMES MISREPRESENTS JERUSALEM Posted by Richard H. Shulman, July 30, 2003.

Greg Myre explained that Israel claims all of Jerusalem, while the P.A. Arabs "want the traditionally Arab eastern sector." Shimon Peres' new scheme is to let the shrines be run by the UN (NY Times, 10/23). Not true: (1) The Arabs want the entire city, indeed, the entire country. So indicates their doctrine, maps, textbooks, and speeches. However, for tactical reasons, as to pretend having reasonable demands, the Arabs advance partial claims, as just to eastern Jerusalem. Once having secured lesser claims, the Arabs then raise more claims, and the struggle goes on. Of course the struggle goes on. It is not over discrete territory but that Islam wants exclusive rule. (2) Actually there is no "eastern Jerusalem." The term refers to territory in both eastern and NORTHERN parts of Jerusalem, legally annexed to Israel from Judea. It was annexed because it either was vacant and Jerusalem needed room for growth, or it originally was part of a city divided by Arab aggression. Israel reunited the city. The annexed territory includes the Old City, traditionally Jewish. It became famous as the site of the ancient Jewish temples, Judaism's holiest place, of which the Western retaining wall remains the visible symbol. For the past couple of centuries, the majority population in the Old City had been Jewish, until Jordan seized it via aggression, expelled the Jews, and re-designated much of the "Jewish Quarter" as "Arab Quarter." Is Jerusalem Islam's third holiest city? Throughout history, the Muslims neglected Jerusalem and treated it as unholy, until infidels regained control over it. Then the Muslims demanded it as holy. Like pulling the stinger out of a bee and letting the bee die, the Arabs want to pull Jerusalem out of Israel to let Zionism die. As for Peres, he favors anti-Zionist proposals. Since the UN spends half its time promoting anti-Zionism, it is not surprising that he calls for UN supervision of the holy sites. Considering that the UN is the enemy of Israel, shouldn't Peres be treated as one? Mr. Shulman is a veteran defender of Israel on several web-based forums. He provides cool information and right-on-target overviews. He distributes his essays by email. To subscribe, write him at ricshulman@aol.com.

A CULTURE OF DEATH Posted by Scott A. McConnell, July 30, 2003.

After a meeting this Tuesday with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, President Bush called on Arab states "to reject the culture of extremism and violence" that is a fundamental cause of terrorism. Unfortunately, the president's call will fall on deaf ears. Palestinian culture is a culture of death. In this culture it is considered proper and moral to dress children in the garb of suicide bombers, to idolize those who kill themselves in the process of murdering women and children, to teach in school that Jews are evil and must be swept into the sea, and to govern through economic and political corruption, and through torture and murder. Palestinian culture is irrational and dangerous and not open to reason. Israel, like any free state, has the right, if attacked, to destroy such an enemy. The blame for the violence rests not with the culture of life defending itself but with those death seekers who believe only in destruction. When will Americans and their media get it? Scott McConnell is with the Ayn Rand Institute (http://www.aynrand.org) in Irvine, California.

VIOLENCE, DEAD BODIES AND SERIOUSLY WOUNDED IN A PA TV CLIP Posted by Itamar Marcus, July 30, 2003.

The Palestinian Authority rebroadcast yesterday an old clip, filled with violence, stone throwing and shootings. It includes 24 graphic scenes, including many close ups, of dead and seriously wounded Palestinians. It is the type of clip the PA used to broadcast hours a day during the height of the conflict. The following are the words that accompany the film.     Killing, Bombardment and house demolition     That will not hurt our strength.     By God, we shall say hello to you, oh Jerusalem     We will take our freedom.     We are your boys Palestine     This is the Intifada generation     We will attack while the stones are in our hands     By God, [may] your struggle be like this.     We will not surrender, and no to humiliation     Even if the airplanes are bombing us     until the liberation of Palestine     our blood will not be in vain     We are your people. Oh old one [Arafat is seen on screen]     We are the heroes of stone! Itamar Marcus is Director of the Palestine Media Watch (PMW), which translates directly from the Arab media - newspapers, film and schoolbooks. Its website, http://www.pmw.org.il, provides in-depth analyses of Palestinian Arab society, as seen through its media.

THE STATE DEPARTMENT'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE Posted by Richard H. Shulman, July 25, 2003.

The State Dept. has established a committee to evaluate the efficacy of State Dept. policy and to recommend policy. ZOA accuses the State Dept. of appointing anti-Israeli extremists, indeed, of stacking the committee. The chairman, Edward Djerjian is an associate of former Sec. of State Baker, probably the most anti-Israel US Secretary of State. Mr. Djerjian criticized the Clinton administration for maintaining sanctions on Iraq but not forcing PM Netanyahu to "carry out the peace process" (as if Arafat were doing so). He preferred keeping the Gulf War coalition together (to do what?) to letting the Clinton Administration act itself. He (slanderously and ignorantly) declared that both sides commit terrorism and that Israeli "obstruction" causes terrorism. He called Israel's Har Homa housing project in Jerusalem an obstacle to peace. He eulogized Syria's Hafez Assad over "the tremendously powerful force of his political intellect and his negotiating skills," omitting his brutal dictatorship and hosting of terrorism. Ignoring the fact that Hizbullah attacks on Israel were aggression, he called for all sides not to escalate. John Zogby, another member, signed an ad declaring Israel an apartheid state, which should be replaced with a "democratic secular Palestine" (though the PLO is Islamist - neither secular nor democratic but genocidal). He worked for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, which called Israel Nazi-like and campaigned for a Palestinian Arab terrorist fled to the US after crippling and murdering Americans in Israel. Then there is Stephen P. Cohen of the Israel Policy Forum, an Israeli Labor Party offshoot in the US later led by the head of Peace Now. He blames Israel's self-defense against pre-existing terrorism as the cause of terrorism. (Without evidence) He accused Israel of conspiring to expel the Arabs of Yesha. He equates the violence on the two sides, regardless of whether it is legal or illegal. He proposes re-dividing Jerusalem (which had led to Arab sniping and religious discrimination and desecration, before), by giving the holiest Jewish part to the Arabs. Mr. Cohen secretly made millions of dollars in commissions on deals between Israeli companies and the P.A., from the Oslo process that he championed publicly. He, too, praised former Syrian dictator Assad (who committed aggression and refused to make peace) as determined to make peace. Another member is Shibley Telhami, who answered a question about 9/11 by telling NPR that he opposes attacks on civilians but we must understand the causes, which in Israel makes the Arabs feel hopeless. (He is wrong about Israel, but even if right, it would not excuse terrorism.) Although he condemned suicide bombers, he asserted that they arose because of the "occupation" by Israel. (Not only is it not an occupation, but the PLO quarrel with Israel is that it doesn't believe that infidels should be independent in Israel.) Contrary to overwhelming evidence, he denied that the P.A. encourages children to attack Israelis and rewards their families. He equated PM Barak (a bungler but not a murderer) to Arafat (a murderer but not a bungler). Member George Salem accused US Jewry of dragging America into the war on Iraq (IMRA, 7/19). As usual, I omit other charges whose offensiveness is not clear. Those members are ignorant of right and wrong, biased against Israel, and pro-terrorist. The State Dept. enlists them as a crutch for anti-Israel advocacy, which is harmful to the US. The report did not describe the rest of the committee. Mr. Shulman is a veteran defender of Israel on several web-based forums. He provides cool information and right-on-target overviews. He distributes his essays by email. To subscribe, write him at ricshulman@aol.com.

RELEASING ARABS, JAILING JEWS Posted by Jack Golbert, July 23, 2003.

The Israeli Supreme Court has clarified the grounds of incarceration of Yitzhak Pas and Moti Shevu. They are not accused of crime but the security authorities believe there is a probability that they will engage in acts of terror against "Palestinians". In other words, the government has placed them in administrative detention in order to protect the Arabs from what the government fear they might do. The same Israeli government has just released hundreds of "Palestinian" terrorists who have actually engaged in acts of terror against Jews and it is in the process of releasing hundreds more. That means that the government of the State of Israel protects "Palestinians" from what Jews might do but will not protect Jews from what "Palestinians" have actually done in the past and will surely do again in the future. Furthermore, the Israeli government denies Jews' most basic civil rights in its zeal to protect "Palestinians" from Jews. But "Palestinians" convicted in a court of law of terrorist acts against Jews are allowed to go free. The Israeli government has abdicated enforcement of its own laws against its Arab citizens. How can it claim any legitimacy in its enforcement of its laws against its Jewish citizens. If there is no law, then no one can object that people take the law into their own hands. Jack Golbert is a practicing member of the Israeli bar. He cofounded Netzah Yisrael (http://netzahyisrael.org), a network that seeks to establish new institutions of social organization in Israel.

AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE EUROPEAN UNION Posted by Aryeh Zelasko, July 21, 2003.

The European Union has from its very inception been hostile to Israel. This quite naturally reflecting the hostility of its founders. It is in the interest of the Jewish people to minimize our economic, political and cultural connections with Europe. This is also true about America. From an economic point of view, we have much more of a future in Asia than in Europe or America. Politically as well, Asian countries can be used to offset the influence of Europe and America. Closer ties to India, China and Japan can only help reduce the near colonial status of Israel and help restore some of our independence. Due to the predominance of Jews from Europe in establishing the State of Israel and the economic support of Jews from America, Israel has almost exclusively look West. Let us hope that more will be looking to the East. Mr. Zelasko's letter is a comment on this news item (Israel National News, July 21, 2003): The Press Trust of India yesterday (Sunday) reported that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will be visiting India in September, the first such visit by an Israeli prime minister since the two countries established full diplomatic relations 11 years ago. The prime minister will be discussing the mutual security interests of the two countries in the fields of counterterrorism and other security-related fields. The report also indicated that the Israeli delegation accompanying Sharon will include high-level business figures. Israel is currently in the process of selling the Phalcon early-warning aircraft and the Arrow-2 missile to India, after having received American approval for the transfer of US components to the Indians.

GAZA: PERES AND WEAPONS Posted by Richard H. Shulman, July 21, 2003.

Peres Wants To Expel Jews From Gaza. Back as head of the Labor Party, Shimon Peres is campaigning for unilateral transfer of all the Jews in the Gaza Strip to Israel. He is soliciting support from other parties. The Gaza Coast Regional Council countered with a criticism of Peres' tragic policy "that brought entire battalions of terrorists to the area, and that has led to the covering of Gush Katif with concrete pillars and barbed war - yet he is not ashamed to try to form a Knesset front to expel the Jews of Gush Katif from their homes." The Yesha Rabbis Council noted that it was Peres and associates who armed the terrorists (IMRA, 7/13). Peres committed what NY State prosecutors would call a criminal conspiracy to transfer territory and arms for murdering his people so as to drive sentiment for transferring his people. Now he proposes further, unilateral concessions that wouldn't help stop the jihad to conquer Israel but would feed Arab belligerence. Peres' record disqualifies him. Arabs Continue To Smuggle Weapons Into Gaza. Israel knows of at least four tunnels smuggling weapons from Egypt to the P.A.. The IDF is not closing them during the Arab-declared ceasefire. The Arabs did not declare a hold on rearming, so the tunnels must be humming. When they end the ceasefire, they will be able to kill more Israelis. The Army would prefer to block those tunnels, for the soldiers had worked hard every night arresting terrorists and destroying tunnels, built at great expense to the P.A.. The IDF reports that the P.A. has 24 bomb factories, 20 weapons smuggling enterprises including 4-13 tunnels, and 50,000 illegal weapons. It would require the P.A. first to dismantle the heavy weapons, then to monitor the small arms. The lifting of travel restrictions in Gaza enabled terrorist organizations to train their members in making and firing rockets and in infantry combat. Wanted men were able to reach their destinations. IMRA wonders whether the 50,000 weapons are going to be ignored (7/16). The government of Israel chose to stick with this disadvantageous (and violated) ceasefire, because of inability to explain its refusal palatably. What an example of ineptitude in public relations! (IMRA, 7/13 from Amos Harel of Haaretz.) Israeli Radio reported a "significant reduction in incidents" in Gaza. Dr. Aaron Lerner notes that the report failed to indicate that IDF non-interference with P.A. smuggling reduces the number of battles (IMRA, 7/13). More battles like those that Israel won at low cost to itself and at high cost to the P.A. in trained manpower, equipment, and smuggling are better than a ceasefire that lets the P.A. rearm so renewed warfare would mean higher Israeli casualties. The IDF would not break the Arabs' unilateral, conditional, and violated ceasefire if it closed the tunnels. Closing the tunnels would draw enough P.A. fire to overwhelm the charade of a ceasefire. That would remove antipathetic Road Map pressure on Israel. Since Israel doesn't close the tunnels, it is cooperating with the antipathetic Road Map pressure on itself! Treason! The Israeli Army bars caravans from entering Yesha (lest they form new outposts). Many of these caravans are destined as synagogues or housing in existing towns. By barring them, the Army is preventing further migration of Jews into Yesha, a freeze (Arutz-7, 7/14), but not further migration of Arabs, who steal land and build haphazardly. Mr. Shulman is a veteran defender of Israel on several web-based forums. He provides cool information and right-on-target overviews. He distributes his essays by email. To subscribe, write him at ricshulman@aol.com.

HOW AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN CHILDREN CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE NEW PEACE EFFORT Posted by Bryna Berch, July 20, 2003.

Arafat and the other Arab terrorist leaders only send somebody else's children out to become suicide bombers. People have suggested they should use their own children to set the Palestinian children a good example. Why stop there? The UN, the EU, the USA State Dept and most of the media claim that if only Israel makes concessions - releasing murderers from prison and destroying outputs - the Arabs will respond in kind and there will be peace in the Middle East. If they sincerely think that, why not put this belief to the test? Let them put their own children in the position they are putting Israel's children. Let each of them - from Colin Powell on down - contribute a child or grandchild. The children will be placed in the different towns in Israel, including the settlements. Without fanfare. With no bodyguards. Their residences won't be advertised. They will take buses like everyone else. They will eat at fast-food joints like everyone else. The plan will have ancillary benefits. The children will be cheaper and more effective than the peacekeepers America is sending in. And the parents will have a vacation.

RUSSIA SIDESTEPS ARAB OIL by Hans de Vreij, July 18, 2003.

In a major new development, Russia will soon begin supplying the Asian markets with crude oil, effectively breaking the near-monopoly that Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States have held for years. A pipeline running straight through Israel will transport the oil from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea. One of the practical consequences is that Asian consumers will soon pay less for petrol and heating oil, but there will also be wider strategic ramifications. (Russia will ship its oil from Novorossiysk on the Black Sea, to Ashkelon in Israel, through the Tipline to Eilat and then ship again from the Red Sea to Asia.) Asian buyers pay a lot, relatively, for their crude oil. The Arab producers on the Persian Gulf can set higher prices for exports to Asia, because there are few alternatives. Sending supertankers around the Cape of Good Hope is expensive, and the Suez Canal in Egypt is not an option; the Egyptian authorities do not allow the really big tankers to sail through the Canal. The result is that Arab oil sellers, in particular Saudi Arabia, charge customers in Asia an average of two US dollars extra per barrel. Reversed line. Now, Russia will start supplying the Asian markets with up to one million barrels a day, using a pipeline that runs from the Israeli port Ashkelon on the Mediterranean coast to Eilat on the Red Sea. The 'Trans-Israel Pipeline', or Tipline, has been used in the past to pump relatively small quantities of Egyptian crude oil from Eilat to the Mediterranean. But since the second Palestinian Intifada began in 2000, these exports have virtually stopped for political reasons. Under a deal concluded between Israel and Russia last year, the pipeline has now been upgraded and made ready for two-way traffic. This week, an Indian tanker in Eilat was filled with the last remaining Egyptian oil left in the pipeline and associated storage facilities. Russian crude oil will soon start flowing. With the exception of the Arab oil producers, all parties involved will benefit from this new supply line. Asia will pay less for its oil, and Israel will become less dependent on Arab supplies and in addition earn money through the transit fees for the Russian oil. Russian foothold. Russia itself has finally found a way to ship its crude oil from terminals in the Black Sea to customers in Asia in large quantities and at competitive prices. This will strengthen its position on world energy markets, where it has already become a major player. Russian products, mainly natural gas, now meet a third of Europe's energy needs. From a political point of view, the deal strengthens ties between Russia and Israel. It also sidesteps Saudi Arabia, which will be applauded by the US and other Western nations. For its part, Russia is no great friend of Saudi Arabia either, suspecting political groups in that country of providing financial and other aid to armed insurgents in Chechnya, just as the West sees ties between Saudi factions and the al-Qaeda network. In this sense, the new Russian oil supplies to Asia have far wider ramifications than merely lower fuel prices for the car owners of Asia. Hans de Vreij is Economics Editor, Radio Netherlands (www.oneworld.net). This article is archived as http://www.oneworld.net/external/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rnw.nl%2Fhotspots%2Fhtml%2Foil030718.html.

ORWELLIAN DESCRIPTION OF TERROR BASES IN SYRIA Posted by Leo Rennert, July 17, 2003.

I suppose if you're allowed into Syria to report on how Palestinian terror groups still use Damascus as a prime base for their operations, you're apt to pull your punches in describing who these people are and what they're really up to. But Dexter Filkins' article in the New York Times about the free-wheeling activities of Hamas, Islamic Jihad and several other terror groups despite Syrian pledges to shut them down reaches truly Orwellian dimensions. Killers who freely admit that their targets are innocent civilians are sanitized as "militants" engaged in an "armed struggle against Israel." Of course, they are nothing of the sort. They are, by their own definition, proud terrorists bent on eliminating Israel. In 1933, shortly after Hitler took power, German university students organized a series of book burnings, putting to the flames works by Jewish, Marxist, British, American and other authors who were deemed un-German. In one such spectacle, 25,000 books were torched. Up in flames went books by Freud, Einstein, H.G. Wells, Upton Sinclair, Jack London, Erich Maria Remarque and many others. This is how the Times described the orgy of book burnings: "The Nazi excesses in behalf of unity and the tilts against imagined foes of the Reich reflect the people's emotional need for a feeling of confidence in themselves as a nation. The present German excesses are best understood in the light of the troubled German past, the peculiar German aspirations and the turbulent German temperament. The new air of strident confidence is a reaction from the despair of a decade ago." (The New York Times, "The German Mind In a Ferment," April 30, 1933.) Has the Times learned nothing about the proper use of English in the last 70 years? Leo Rennert lives in Bethesda, Maryland. The initial version of this essay was a letter to the New York Times commenting on their choice of words.

AN AMERICAN TOURIST IN ISRAEL Posted by Mark Alan, July 16, 2003.

Is Israel safe? I found out only this morning that less than a kilometer away from where we were in Yafo yesterday, an Arab terrorist from East Jerusalem took a long knife and attacked about 6 people along a street, killing one. The man who died heroically shielded his girlfriend from the terrorist, but suffered fatal wounds in the process. So, there we were the next day, walking around Yafo - oblivious to the recent murder. Is it any different in LA? How many of us walk across Alcott St. hours after a mugging or assault? Did you go to the City Walk recently? There was a murder there not too long ago also. It's like this. When you walk or drive in Israel it feels just as safe and just as normal as it does in the U.S. Except for the fact that you see a lot of Jews and a lot more Hebrew signage, the street-life is similar. What I hope I will never see - either in Israel or in America - is street violence or terrorism. Just as in the US, one must be aware of one's surroundings. The seemingly impossible can come from anywhere and at any time. I remember 2.5 years ago a friend and I had dinner in Sabarro's on Rehov Yafo in Jerusalem. Six months later, the restaurant was destroyed in a bombing that killed over 15 people. Was I afraid when I was there? No. Am I now? No, not really. For one thing, nearly every restaurant has a guard in front of it. I used to marvel at how many soldiers armed with machine guns could be seen in and around the city. Now, I see more armed civilians and security guards then ever before. Unfortunately, Jews are armed. Fortunately, that makes for a much safer city. I've also seen foot and motor-patrols along bus routes. Even though I'm not traveling by bus, I've been at bus stops when a bus-patrol car pulls up and two security guards get out to inspect the waiting passengers. I've also seen armed guards getting onto buses. Does the increased security make me more afraid? Not at all. It is as it should be. No where else in the world can so many people be armed with lethal weapons and so little use of them is made. Can you imagine what would happen in America if every tenth person was carrying a side-arm? There would be shootings and murders on every other block. Here, with so many weapons, the streets are peaceful. Despite the tension of daily living, Israelis know who the real enemy is. And they are armed only in the very unlikely event that the seemingly impossible, happens. The young man killed two nights ago was a security person who normally carried a gun. Had he carried with him on his date that night, not only would be probably be alive today, but the terrorist would have been dropped dead in his tracks without spilling any innocent blood. What bothers us about terrorism is the illogical hatred of Jews, manifested by Arabs against our brethren in Israel. This illogical hatred is not as obvious in the U.S. although I believe it does lie just under the surface of certain Americans' culture. What makes terrorism seem imminent (even though it is extremely unlikely to affect us) is our imagination. We terrify ourselves by imagining the circumstances of Arab terrorism. When a jewelry store owner is gunned down in the back of his store, or a mugging victim is beaten by his attacker, or a person is killed in a drive-by shooting, we don't personalize it (as Jews) and we seem to think that the circumstances would never have involved us. But when an Egged bus is attacked, we see our fellow Jews attacked and we can imagine having been on a bus just like that. The one thing terrorism does better than even a massive war is cause most Jews who care about being Jewish to identify with the victims and to feel the terror of the attack. Terrorism makes us identify and sympathize with each other. If we could only find ways to identify and sympathize with each other without the terror, maybe Hashem would find less reasons to unleash the rabid dogs against us. G-d should have mercy on us and we should have mercy on one another. Mark Alan and his family are making an extended stay in Israel. He writes essays emailed as mymagen@aol.com.

DOES THE STATE DEPARTMENT NEVER CHANGE? Posted by the Root and Branch Society, Ltd, July 14, 2003.

(The quotes are from William Stevenson, A Man Called Intrepid: The Secret War - The Authentic Account of the Most Significant Secret Diplomacy and Decisive Intelligence Operations of World War Two.) "Americans in high places were aiding and abetting the work of Nazi agents " "He [Joseph Borkin, of the Department of Justice] was one of many middle-level officials who had trouble getting action against German and other foreign cartels, although he was convinced this was morally the proper course of action. Opposition to these troubled souls, and to the F.B.I., seemed to come from the State Department and its friends in higher business levels." "'President Roosevelt himself proposed in his Fireside Chat after re-election in 1941 to say that American citizens in high places were aiding and abetting the work of Nazi agents', the B.S.C. [British Security Coordination] Papers noted. 'The President sent a draft of the speech to the State Department. It was returned with the words 'in high places' ringed in red. When Roosevelt asked who was responsible, he was told 'State - they think the words dangerous.' The President said sharply, then let's change the sentence to read - 'There are also American citizens, many of them in high places, especially in the State Department...'" "'This gives a taste even this late in time', the B.S.C. [British Security Coordination] Papers continued. 'Borkin was one of many frustrated men who ran into mysterious resistance at higher levels'." (A Man Called Intrepid, pages 286-2870 The Root & Branch Association (http://www.rb.org.il) Lecture and Conference Series, inaugurated in January, 1995 at the Seymour J. Abrams Orthodox Union Jerusalem World Center, celebrates its ninth year of continuous operation

WE ARE OUR OWN WORST ENEMIES Posted by Arlene Peck, July 14, 2003.

I have a celebrity interview television show which has been running for the past twelve years and seen all over Southern California. Three years ago I tried to call the Consul General of Israel, Yuval Rotem, to go on as my guest, and was stonewalled at every opportunity. 'He was too busy'...he couldn't get back to me...and of course he never did. Eventually I just gave up and never did that show with any high officials at the Israeli Consulate. I was, however, angry enough to write a column called 'The Other Side,' which was my rationale of why the press sometimes was so terrible in its dealings with Israel. If my overall treatment was any indication, Mr. Rotem apparently saw the column, and from that time on I have been persona non grata at the Israeli Consulate. My name was even taken off the invitation list to the Independence Day reception, an event to which I was regularly invited. Of course, being sent to Israel as a journalist to report on what I experienced, as I had been a few times previously by other administrations, was now totally out of the question. I wonder if they think I'm too "politically incorrect." Remember, I'm the girl who was dropped from the Jewish Post & Opinion after almost thirty years when the new management came in and thought I was "being mean to the Arabs" and not writing about how we "should work to live together in peace and harmony." I failed to be touch-feely and "understanding of their plight." Recently I was told that there had been a change of guard and a new Consul General had arrived. So I called the Israel Consul to ask if I could have someone, higher up, who could go on my television show as a guest. I told the Press Attache that I would run the show and keep repeating it at several studios around the Los Angeles area for possibly years. Within twenty minutes he called back and said, 'I'm sorry, the Israeli Consulate has nobody that can go as a guest on your show.' That's it! Out of the entire Consulate office they couldn't find one official who could go on my show to speak up for Israel. Not one! Eventually I ended up having as my guest singer Pat Boone (who is the official Christian ambassador for Israel) and Len Lesser, who was Uncle Leo on "Seinfeld." We even spoke about Israel. In any event, I don't know about you, but I frankly find it deplorable that egos get in the way of good being done for the "cause." And as long as I'm on that topic, I also called several leaders of various Jewish organizations, who told me that they would have loved to have gone on television with me. Since by this time it was the following day, several already had appointments they couldn't change. Yet not one of them thought to say, "Gee, I can't go but the topic is something that needs to be discussed and I'll find you a great alternate guest." Of the ten calls that I made, only one responded encouragingly. This was Shimon Erems, who's been a guest several times before. This amazing man is the umbrella head of dozens of Jewish organizations, and he did give me a list of five people who he thought were good, committed speakers. The only one that I was able to reach told me, when he realized where it would be airing, 'I'm sorry, I don't go on cable!' It's no different if you have to deal on a personal basis with too many of our Jewish organizations. There is just no time to support Israel. Hey, if I'm representing the press and am getting a "hard time" from Israel's representatives abroad, then maybe it's time for Israel to become aware of the problem and make appropriate changes - whether it be in the representatives themselves or in their behavior. Arlene Peck is a syndicated international columnist and talk show hostess with a television show of mostly celebrity interviews. She speaks throughout the USA and Europe about Israeli and Jewish issues. She has traveled to the Middle East more than twenty-five times, and she covered the war in Lebanon in June, 1982. She is currently working on a book about her interviews and experiences.

ONE PRISONER ISRAEL ISN'T RELEASING Posted by Aryeh Zelasko, July 10, 2003.

The State of Israel has given Arab murderers tens of thousands of guns, allowed them to import entire arsenals of weapons and encouraged the training of these terrorist murderers by foreign Governments. They have also given the terrorists Hundreds of Millions of Israeli tax dollars and allowed foreign Government to give them even more money. They have released hundred of convicted Arab murderers and thousands of their direct accomplices. All of this was done, the Government of the State of Israel says, in order to bring Peace to Israel. While all of this has been happening, any Jew who has shown active resistance or opposition to the Peace or had the misfortune of getting caught up in "peace of the brave" has suffered either persecution, imprisonment or worse. Please remember and never forget that it is the official policy of the Government of the State of Israel that David Sharvit poses "too great a threat to the public" to be allowed to return to his home but Abu Mazan, the murdered of Israeli Olympic team and many others, was invited to sip tea with Sharon in the Prime Minister's office! Mr. Zelasko's letter is a comment on this news item (Israel National News, July 10, 2003): 35-year-old David Sharvit is serving a 30-month sentence for possessing an unlicensed weapon. About eight years ago, Sharvit shot in the air and was convicted of wounding a stone-thrower. He was sentenced to five years in prison. The court also ruled he may no longer be licensed to carry a weapon. During his last trial for the unlicensed weapon, Sharvit, a resident of Har Bracha and the father of five explained that living in the Shomron and having to drive through Arab communities to make his way to and from home, compelled him to buy the shotgun due to the ongoing Oslo War. He was sentenced to 30 months in prison and to date, has served over 25 months. The general rule is that inmates are released after serving two-thirds on good behavior. Prison officials agree that he has been a model prisoner, but the parole board denied him an early release. The president and minister of justice have agreed however to reduce his sentence by three months. The family feels that David is being treated unfairly, adding that an appeal seeking his release filed in December 2002 was rejected. Officials ruled David poses 'too great a threat to the public.' Friends of David and his family are now raising funds, seeking to assist him in rebuilding his life upon release from prison in the coming months. Anyone wishing to assist may forward donations to "The Committee for David Sharvit," Bank Mizrachi, Karnei Shomron branch (#483), account number 126430."

HANNAH SENESH Posted by David Ben-Ariel, July 10, 2003.

Hannah Senesh Oh Hannah, dear Hannah - the Daughter of Judah's kings The Princess of many poems, the Queen of whom stories gleam What more could I write of you, compose another melody? A gem polished by Destiny, Our Heritage, our Precious Legacy... Whenever we think of you it causes such personal grief But remembering your strong character We're renewed in National Strength! Oh Hannah, dear Hannah - our Sister unseen Your heroic wonder and awe Within our hearts will never cease! Mr Ben-Ariel write, "I wrote this Oct. 10, 1989, while participating in a work/study program on the kibbutz where the famous Israeli paratrooper Hannah Senesh lived before her fated mission during WWII. A copy of it rests in a museum there dedicated to her memory. After Hannah's untimely death, her diary was discovered at Kibbutz Sdot Yam (mentioned in Leon Uris' Exodus). It was later published to share this wonderful Jewess and patriot with the world." (Copyright held by David Ben-Ariel.)

ROAD MAP Posted by Alan D. Sapowith, July 10, 2003.

Once again we are about to embark on the quest for peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis. The Road Map calls for Israel to give up the settlements, evacuate the "occupied lands," and a Palestinian state. In return, the Arabs are to stop terrorism and recognize Israel's right to exist, tangible land for the intangible promise of peace. Going back to the '67 borders would leave Israel a waist equivalent to the distance most Americans travel going to work each day. Why should Israel, with all its power, fear such a move? After 2000 years of persecution culminating in the holocaust, followed by a half century of wars and threats of annihilation by its neighbors, all the while bearing the brunt of 60% of the UN's sanctions, and with essentially no allies, Israel has every right to be fearful. They do not have the area or population to sustain the loss of even one battle. What tangible, measurable thing can the Arabs offer to induce Israel to throw caution to the winds and accept the Road Map? Stopping terrorist attacks sounds good, but even if they are temporarily stopped who can tell what is being planned once the Palestinians have their state? Why not address the root cause of terrorism? Contrary to what we have been told, the root cause is not poverty, occupation, settlements, it's 50+ years of the constant din of Arab invective on the radio and TV, and in the mosques and schools. Stopping these harangues and replacing them with arguments for peace will go a long way in convincing the Israelis that this time the Arabs mean to keep their promise of peace. Mr. Sapowith lives in La Jolla, California. This letter was also published in the San Diego Union's "Letters to the Editor."

THE MEANING OF HUDNA Posted by Yuval Zaliouk, July 8, 2003.

I know you wondered where I was...Well, your Truth Provider took a short summer Hudnah. I needed this Hudnah not to stop my activity, but to regroup, recharge, rearm and maybe rest a little. The word Hudnah, my friends, is an Arabic word describing an Arab concept emanating from Arab culture. It does exist in western culture and does NOT mean a western style ceasefire or a truce. It certainly is not an undertaking or a settlement. All it means is a very low level 'time out.' A temporary, transient situation before the resumption of an on-going war. Normally, a Hudnah would be declared between the warring parties. However, the Palestinian terror organizations agreed to a Hudnah not with Israel, but as a flimsy internal arrangement between them and Abu Mazen. The survival of this Hudnah depends entirely on the success of a blackmail scheme aimed at forcing Israel to release Palestinian prisoners outside the frame of the already agreed Road Map. After three years of bloodshed and hundreds of innocent Israeli victims, Israel is now requested to make dangerous gestures in return for what? A Hudnah... Will the Palestinians ever be requested to make some gestures of their own? Will the media demand of them compliance with the Road Map? A Road Map that does not mention the release of any Palestinian prisoners. Deja vu all over again, we are staring at another Oslo debacle! Yuval Zaliouk lives in Israel and in Toledo, Ohio. He writes insightful comments about events in Israel in a bulletin signed 'Truth Provider.'

NEW DEATH THREATS TO KOLA BOOF Posted by Nafisa Goma, July 8, 2003.

Appearing June 26th on the popular Los Angeles news program The Front Page with Carl Nelson, novelist and poet Kola Boof was bombarded with phone calls during the live 90 minute broadcast from members of the Nation of Islam as they vehemently disagreed with Boof's comments about Louis Farrakhan, defended sex roles in Islamic religion and protested Boof's notorious viewpoints regarding racism and sexism in the Arab world and the thriving North African slave trade. Kola Boof had originally been invited on the news program for the purpose of making the public aware of the recent "Arab Jihad firebombing" of her bestselling short story collection, "Long Train to the Redeeming Sin" (which not only forced the author out of print, but caused her to be dropped by her Moroccan publisher). Boof pointed out that she herself was born Muslim, the daughter of an heroic Arab Muslim slave abolitionist, and said that she did not consider the Nation of Islam to be an "authentic" Islamic religious institution but a political organization. She claimed that she had nothing against the Nation of Islam. She said that her beef was with the real Islam in her native North Africa and went on to tell many harrowing stories from her childhood - such as witnessing an Arab woman being burned alive in public for failing to produce sons. All hell broke loose when Kola Boof claimed that she spoke for millions of Nile River Africans who support Israel instead of Palestine - citing the fact that African slaves are sold to Palestine and that black women amongst the Palestinians are "routinely sterilized" to keep the true color of the "colorstruck" Palestinians from returning. Boof pointed out that the Israelis give guns and other weapons to the black African men of South Sudan - "so that we can fight against the Islamic slave traders. The Arabs should not treat us this way. We have no other choice but to kill them." U.S. Muslim callers also became even more outraged when Kola Boof said that "homosexuals" are God's children and should not be persecuted. Boof stated that her closest friend is a lesbian - but that she herself is a "man-worshipper." Boof said: "Arab Muslim Imperialism has crippled Africa for a thousand years with slavery. Arab Imperialism is older and crueler than European slavery. It is time for the Arab man and the White man...to get the fuck out." Today, a full week after Boof's dramatic radio interview, the death threats from men calling themselves members of the Nation of Islam have increased to such a number that Boof, several months pregnant with a baby boy and already the mother of two boys - 5 and 3 - issued a press release: "I never wanted to get into a fight with the Nation, but if that's what they want...then fine. Even if they kill me, I'll still win. See if I don't." After Sudanese diplomat Gamal Ibrahim issued a fatwa, Sept 26, 2002, sentencing Kola Boof to death for blaspheming Islam, a Shariah court in London called for her beheading.

CIRQUE DE TROMPE-L'OEIL Posted by Chaya Rivka Schiloni, July 6, 2003.

The Side Show.  If it weren't tragic it would be amusing. But the specter of potential murder casts its familiar pall over the families in Hebron, Jerusalem, and the other towns and cities tainted by terror. Many Israelis have emailed describing their stunned response. Bitter words and sighs are the outward expressions of the disbelief, anger, fear and betrayal that these families feel, as once again their would be murderers are released. Until only a few days ago, IDF soldiers had orders to fire on armed Arabs in the town of Hebron. Very simply, these orders recognized the fact that the Palestinian Authority considers people in houses, gardens, apartment buildings, schools and pedestrians on the streets legitimate targets. Since November 15 in fact, when the IDF withdrew from protecting certain areas of Hebron, 27 Israelis have been killed, many sniper style, including the Levy family, out for a walk in the town center on a Saturday night two months ago. That's almost three dead every month from terrorist acts. Many more times the numbers of attempted attacks have "failed" and not killed a Jew. Even Jews who want Jewish cities like Hebron to be handed over to the future Palestinian state are shocked that the IDF is abandoning civilians to attacks that are ongoing. Now the IDF soldiers have been issued new orders. They are not to fire at armed Arabs because they may be Palestinian Arab police. And if after playing the lethal guessing game they decide that the gun wielder is not a "policeman" but a terrorist, they must notify the PA and give them the opportunity to make the arrest first. Of course this is ludicrous, but what makes it even more so is the penchant that the Palestinian Arabs have for costumes. The terrorists are famous for dressing as yeshiva students, Chassidic Jews, and IDF soldiers. What are the chances that a PA police uniform is morally off limits to these imposters? What are the chances that they can't buy them by the truckload, the way kalishnikovs are bought? Since many of the current PA "security" forces either fully support their terrorist brethren or moonlight themselves as terrorists, and have been recruited to make up the new PA police forces, how can an 18 year old Jewish soldier standing at his lookout be expected to make a judgment call that the entire free world finds impossible to make? Only when blood is flowing on the ground can an accurate assessment be made, perhaps the soldier's own. Tying both hands behind his back as he tries to tame the tiger. Under the Big Top.  The latest revival of the familiar Arab-Israeli circus act in which Israel releases terrorists to the Palestinian Authority, the Palestinian Authority keeps them in custody for a few days, and then organizes their "escapes" or dismisses all the charges against them is once again in the center ring. The only "prisoners" the Palestinian Authority consistently keeps behind bars or executes are those who are considered "collaborators" with Israel. Many of these people are "disappeared" like the opposition voices in Iraq and Columbia. The terrorists, however, who are often from the ranks of the Palestinian police forces or security forces or related to them, are accidentally on purpose released under "protective custody" which in effect, means no custody at all. Now, in the name of diplomacy, most nations will have to make unsavory choices. Pardon tax evaders perhaps, or gloss over sexual crimes committed by national leaders. Shake hands with regimes because of oil or land or money. But no nation on earth other than Israel is required to co sponsor would be genocidal acts against its own people. Which gives it a very special place on the world stage. Chaya Rivka Schiloni is Director of Mid East Education Team (http:www.meetnet.org). She produces multi media events, workshops, and other programs to counter anti-Israel bias in media, politics and academics. She lives in Ithaca, New York.

LESSONS TO LEARN FROM ENTEBBE Posted by Arno Weinstein, July 3, 2003.

Since 1976 the 4th of July marked two significant events in the free world, one ensured the dominance of Western thought throughout the world and the other taught us how to keep civilization alive. The American Revolution, as a seminal event, needs no embellishment here, however the other event might. Twenty-seven years ago, on July 4th, elite Israeli Special Forces rescued 105 Jewish and Israeli hostages from the hands of Arab Palestinian terrorists at the Entebbe airport in Uganda. The fact that twenty-seven years have passed since the otherwise left-oriented government of Israel took dramatic efforts to destroy the murderous purposes of terrorists won't be marked with great fanfare. There wont be television specials, in-depth analysis in the newspapers, nor will pundits around the United States opine on the rescue at Entebbe. For shame, on the contrary, we should all be stirred to righteous determination while the heroics of Entebbe are retold once again. It comes as no surprise, however, that Entebbe will again be forgotten. There is no sorrow over the fact that the great courage of the IDF is ignored, but rather what is so very distasteful is that the lessons of Entebbe have been lost. Following the evil terror actions of 9/11, Entebbe should have been America's blueprint for the War on Terror. And for a brief moment in time it actually appeared that it was. But alas, 'The Road Map' is upon us. And that is a tragedy, because this summer, with the imposition of 'The Road Map' to peace and the outrageous notion of terrorist 'cease fires,' it is very instructional to review just how Israelis and the western world used to respond to terror. The action of Entebbe not only saved lives, but also produced new facts on the ground and important policy commitments. The years of the mid-1970s were among the worst for Israel in the arena of international relations. In the aftermath of Israel's nearly disastrous Yom Kippur War, the United Nations had turned sharply and most viciously against Israel. Yassir Arafat was permitted to address the UN General Assembly. The UN General Assembly ultimately passed the infamous 'Zionism is Racism' resolution. The PLO's terrorists were being hailed by Europeans as well as America's new left as freedom fighters. In Africa and Asia, communist guerillas hailed the terrorists as comrades in arms. Domestically, Israel was not fairing any better. Israel's economy was on the decline and unemployment and inflation were on the rise. A retired general, Yitzhak Rabin, led a government mired in controversy, partisan political infighting and scandal. The nation's morale had sunk to unprecedented depths. In 1977, an Israeli electorate grown weary of the Israeli left's incompetence and stagnation voted in Menachem Begin. He and the heirs of the Jabotinsky Zionist tradition had won leadership for the first time in Zionist history. In the midst of these troubled times, the PFLP (the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine) with the aid of German terrorists hijacked an Air France jetliner filled with Israeli and Jewish passengers and flew them to Entebbe, Uganda. The ordeal of the hostages in Entebbe, and the flamboyant antics of Uganda's Muslim dictator, Idi Amin, drew the attention of the world away from the American bicentennial celebration. As the terrorist threat to randomly murder a Jewish or Israeli hostage every hour until their demands were met, more attention was drawn to the drama. The Israeli response to the terrorists was simple and direct: 'Israel does not negotiate with terrorists!' The success of the rescue operation, launched after Israel used the subterfuge of a compromise, was spectacular. Over ninety hostages were rescued, with just a few hostage casualties; the one fatality among the Israeli commandos was Col. Yoni Netanyahu, whose younger brother Benjamin would later be elected Israel's prime minister. Israel was seen by world opinion as having triumphed over international terrorism. The morale of the Israeli people was lifted. The Israeli army regained its reputation earned in the stunning victories of the Six Day War and its self-confidence was restored. The PLO and other terrorist groups would start a long decline in the aftermath of Entebbe and especially after Camp David and the retreat of the PLO from Beirut during Israel's Peace for Galilee campaign in Lebanon and remain irrelevant to Middle East current events until after the launch of the first intifada uprising in 1987. The lessons to learn from Entebbe are simple and yet profound. When the victim of terror stands tall with conviction and moral clarity. Further, when instead of cowering, the victim unapologetically faces down evil, when its does not retreat from its responsibilities to its citizens and it perceives that it is right and its enemies are wrong - the world can see that its cause is just. When the United States and most importantly, Israel, follows the lessons learned from Entebbe, they will regain power and prestige and its enemy's retreat and decline. Appeasing the enemy never works. And on this 227th anniversary of American Independence, let us remember that the British were not driven from American soil through appeasement but by a triumph of arms. So too, will the terrorists be defeated by strength, perseverance and moral vision. If President George Bush has lost his bearing, it must be Israel and American Jewry that redirects this administration's direction. Celebrate and honor the 27th Anniversary of Entebbe. Arno Weinstein is the Executive Vice President and National Director of the American Friends of Israel's National Union (www.TheNationalUnion.com). The National Union is Israel's largest politically conservative voting bloc and holds two cabinet posts and seven Knesset seats.

ISRAEL'S "COLIN" CANCER Posted by Irwin N. Graulich, July 3, 2003.

It all looks so healthy and wonderful from the outside, just like any cancer patient at the outset. The Israeli soldiers withdrawing happily, while Sharon and Abbas smile from their podiums and shake hands. The cure has finally come to the sick body called The Middle East. However, cancer is silent and deadly. When it eventually spreads, it suddenly engulfs the entire body. Colin Powell's major success stemmed from following other people's orders during the first Gulf War. Even the great General Patton never associated military skills with diplomatic prowess. Somehow, the Secretary now fancies himself as a Winston Churchill, when in fact, there is a closer analogy with Neville Chamberlain. Unfortunately, Jews always seem to endure the consequences of naive politicians whose misguided convictions sincerely believe in negotiating with evil. Colin Powell suffers from the American Viet Nam Syndrome. Obviously, he experienced war at its worst, and therefore, has a visceral reaction towards it. His illness has similar ramifications to a woman who has been raped and can never see the beauty of sex again. There are good wars and bad wars, just like there is good sex and evil sex. Had the Allies begun the war against Hitler sooner, many millions of lives would have been saved. As a great military leader once said, "Beware of a military man (or did he say Secretary of State) who later becomes a peace activist." Not understanding the fact that fighting evil in a war is a great moral accomplishment, can have very dangerous consequences. Powell's obsession with equality and peace, a philosophy he inherited while working with Presidents Carter and Clinton on Haiti, has blinded his judgment. Imagine treating the KKK and their victims equally in order to extract some sort of lynching cease fire. When "peace" is worshipped before "decency," a la Jack Straw and Europe, terrorism and gas chambers cannot far behind. The Powell belief system reinforces the State Department's essence that the United States must be an "honest broker." This reduces America to the status of referee at a boxing match, although in this particular fight, we are not dealing with two equally moral players who follow the same rules or have the same goals. The truth is that the present Palestinians are made up of largely anti-American, pro-terrorist people led by the founder of modern terrorism Yasser Arafat, versus the Israelis who represent a struggling democracy modeled after America. Of course these two groups must be treated differently, despite the EU rhetoric. Powell has embraced a European mentality that Jews not be permitted to fight terrorism in the same manner as everyone else. There must be a "negotiated" ceasefire with Hamas, Islamic Jihad and al Aqsa. And if Jews dare kill terrorist leaders, that will somehow hinder peace talks. Powell and Straw are the immoral diplomatic twins, who truly behave in a similar manner. When Syria lashed out at Powell for his comments about their harboring Iraqis, the American "statesman" was speechless. Jack Straw could suddenly find no words for Iran when they raked him over the coals recently. A deafening silence by two leaders who usually love to hear themselves. The Powell Doctrine is filled with misdirected compassion for the weaker party, because he believes that the more compassionate, the nicer you are as an individual. He has even begun using the old cliche "cycle of violence" to describe the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. That is because Powell's flawed thinking primarily emphasizes even-handedness, no matter who is involved. Any diplomat that does not hate evil above all, will begin to hate the victims that want to destroy evil...in this case, Israel. Secretary Powell and his European allies worship words, not good actions like Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld. That is the essential reason Powell is beloved by the Palestinians who talk a lot, make promises, yet do almost nothing. They readily admit to no intentions of destroying terrorist groups and insist on the release of group members from Israeli jails; ultimately making them an integral part of the government and police force. The Powell solution is self evident of a twisted moral equivalency which insists that Palestinians stop murdering innocent Jews, while Jews must absolutely cease building new housing projects. What a road map to peace. In Jericho, the Secretary of State spoke about the mourning of both Palestinian and Israeli lives, as if Israel has even once specifically targeted innocent civilians. The Powell peace process encourages militant Islam because it rewards terrorism with a state. So mark your calendars. Within 3 months, when another suicide bomber from one of those streets in the West Bank named after a "martyr'" walks into a Jerusalem restaurant and murders another 20 people while maiming 100 others, you can thank the "Colon" Powell peace "cure." There is symmetry in nature that God has created. The world functions to a large degree like our bodies. Cancerous "evil" blood cells must destroy healthy blood cells. Perhaps that is why the Arab and Muslim world are so pro blood ties and tribal. Whether it is in the "colon" or anywhere else, those bad cancerous cells would rather die than live with healthy cells, not caring if that body is Jewish, Christian or anything else. Similarly, it seems that Palestinians and other Arab states would rather die than live in peace with a healthy Jewish state. This simple analogy is the reason why virtually every Arab and Muslim nation opposed American intervention in Iraq. They would prefer an evil, cancerous Arab dictator than a healthy American heart. Mr. Graulich is a motivational speaker on morality, ethics, Judaism, religion and political issues. He is President and CEO of Bloch Graulich Whelan, a corporate communications, marketing and branding company in New York City. This article was also published in Jewish Indy (http://www.jewishindy.com), July 3, 2003.

THE MEETING BETWEEN SHARON AND ABBAS Posted by Scott McConnell, July 1, 2003.

This week's meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas will not advance the prospects for peace in the region. The Arab-Israeli conflict is not about Jews or land or settlements or even 2,000 years of history. It is about ideas. The Middle East conflict is about reason vs. faith, the individual and his rights vs. the collective, self-defense vs. the initiation of violence, freedom vs. dictatorship. Which side are you on? I am on the first of each of these and that is why I support Israel, because it is too. Whatever its inconsistencies, Israel values the crucial ideas of Western civilization: reason, rights and freedom. Only when the Palestinians accept and live by these values will they be worth negotiating with. Ideas do have meaning - and consequences. Scott McConnell is with the Ayn Rand Institute in Irvine, California.

WHAT TO DO WITH THE TERRORIST GROUP HAMAS Posted by Yaron Brook, June 27, 2003.

It is immoral and irresponsible for Israel to agree to a three-month cease-fire with the Hamas killers. Any cease-fire with terrorists is a moral abomination - it is an abdication of the responsibility to protect Israeli citizens by hunting those cold-blooded killers down to the last man. If bin Laden called for a three-month cease-fire with the United States, would Mr. Bush agree to that? Would he say, as he did with regard to Hamas, "I will believe [a cease-fire] when we see it?" Such a statement implies that he believes the Hamas killers are capable of keeping their word or that they deserve anything but death sentences. The only reason Hamas would propose a cease-fire is to strengthen its position to commit even more horrific atrocities against Israel later on. You do not deal with terrorists - you kill them. Yaron Brook is Executive Director of the Ayn Rand Institute in Irvine, California.

ISRAEL'S WILL TO WITHDRAW Posted by Gerald Flurry, June 26, 2003.

What is happening in Israel today? For the past decade, the Jewish nation has tried to negotiate peace with the Palestinians. The process has been an abysmal failure. The basic assumption behind the process is that the best way to secure long-term peace is to withdraw. For example, three years ago Israel pulled its troops out of Lebanon, which were stationed there to prevent assaults on Israelis from the terrorist group Hezbollah. The problem is, Hezbollah didn't stop its attack. It simply moved its attack right up to the Israeli border. Still, it appears the Jews see no other option but to continue this flawed strategy. The American president is pressuring Israel to allow the creation of a Palestinian state within a couple years. Many Israelis agree this is the solution. Some of the Jews do see where the problem lies. Here is what Shmuel Schnitzer wrote in the Israeli newspaper Maariv, Sept. 14, 1994 (emphasis mine throughout): "For the first time in 2,000 years, we are preparing to deny our historical rights, both the divine promise and in terms of referring to the land by the name of its people, The Land of Israel, a land which belongs to the children of Israel, from then and to eternity. "SUDDENLY, WE ARE GRIPPED BY A WILL TO WITHDRAW. A delight in withdrawing, euphoria in cutting ourselves off from it. Pulling out of Eretz Yisrael (the Land of Israel) will be a holiday. We shall say: 'Goodbye, not au revoir.'" Israel today is making the same mistake ancient Israel made. And unless they repent, they are going to have the same tragic end! The problem is that God has broken their will, or the pride of their awesome power, because of their sins (Lev. 26:19). And the problem is only going to get worse until they repent! Mr. Schnitzer continued, "First we referred to parts of the homeland as 'territories.' That's a term which evinces no love, no link. 'Territories' are not ours. We never dreamt of territories, nor prayed to return to them. We didn't nurture them with the blood of our young men. We didn't hear in them the calls of our prophets and we didn't bury our forefathers in the 'territories.' We didn't fight over the 'territories' with the Canaanites and the Egyptians, the Babylonians, Greeks and Romans, the British and the Arabs. We didn't read of them in the Book of Books, nor yearn constantly for them. "WE ARE A GENERATION THAT IS BETRAYING ITS FOREFATHERS, THEIR FAITH AND THEIR SACRIFICE. We are now engaged in tearing out the heart of the land from ourselves, undercutting everything which we nurtured. "AN ENTIRELY NEW JEWISH PEOPLE IS BEING CREATED BEFORE OUR VERY EYES. A nation which doesn't belong to its land, which doesn't continue the past, which will inherit nothing and is promised nothing. THE BIBLE IS NO LONGER OUR CALLING CARD. IT'S A MERE HISTORICAL CURIOSITY" (ibid.). God clearly gave the Jews their land. But the 'peacemakers' don't like to refer to it as a gift from God, because they have no faith in God. So we see a 'new Jewish people' unwilling to fight as in the past. Now they have a broken will. A U.S. intelligence document stated that the Arabs now believe the Jews have lost their will to fight. Few reports could signal a greater danger! The Arabs will exploit this weakness. You can be certain of that. Mr. Schnitzer wrote, "Suddenly, paths of peace are more important than the paths down which we traveled for 2,000 years, more important than our prayers and our faith. "I ask myself what kind of Jewish people will this be with no attachment to its land, without all the places of the book of Joshua, the wonderful vistas there, WITHOUT THE INTENSITY OF THE PROPHETIC VISION, without the heritage of our fighters who spilt their blood for the country which was promised them and their descendants? "This is the will of the majority, and we are told that in a democracy the majority's will is that which counts. "But let us not forget on the eve of our holiest day (the Day of Atonement) that while a majority can rule, it hasn't a monopoly on truth and on good sense. A majority can make a tragic mistake, create a golden calf and dance about it." (ibid.). The Jewish people are now looking to the will of the majority, not the great God who gave them their own land. Events show that the peace pacts are more important to them than their faith in God. That is a sure recipe for disaster! Gerald Flurry is a minister of the Philadelphia Church of God, a Christian Zionist group. This article also appeared in The Trumpet (http://www.thetrumpet.com), the website of the Philadelphia Church of God. The Trumpet features articles on Israel, the European Union, the peace process and the Middle East. The website distributes Mr. Flurry's booklet, "Jerusalem in Prophecy" on Israel's future.

UNMITIGATED CHUTZPAH! Posted by Henry J. Moscovic, June 17, 2003.

In 1999, the Western world led by the President of the United States, purported to be so morally outraged by alleged Serbian ethnic cleansing in Kosovo that they launched a massive non-stop aerial bombardment of Yugoslavia for 78 consecutive days and nights. Now, these same nations, led by President Bush, demand the speedy JUDAIC CLEANSING of Judea, Samaria, Gaza, the Golan Heights and East Jerusalem; all vital historic and strategic parts of tiny Israel. A policy, obviously reminiscent of the Nazis, and yet incredously supported by liberal Jews. Many of who proudly struggled for the civil rights of African-Americans but who now righteously want to deny these same inalienable rights to hundreds of thousands of their own brethren in the Promised Land. What unmitigated chutzpah! Therefore, it is imperative that all concerned Americans immediately inform the Bush Administration and Congress that auto-Judaic cleansing cannot lead to peace, but only to disaster, and is a wholly unconscionable policy for the United States to advocate. Moreover, if President Bush is concerned about re-election he certainly should not cravenly appease unrepentant bloody-red Arab despots and terrorists, to the existential detriment of America s only true and proven ally in the Middle East of the past 55 years. Mr. Moscovic lives in Flushing, New York.

FOR SALE: MORTAR UMBRELLAS Posted by Aliza Karp, June 17, 2003.

Mortar umbrellas for sale? Is there really such a thing? No! But the concept has become a reality. Simply because, in Gush Katif, it is raining Mortars! Many of us, whose lifestyles have never equipped us to be familiar with explosive devices don't even know what Mortars and Kassams are. Let me introduce you. They are projectiles only a few feet long, but very dangerous. They whiz to their destination, sometimes crashing through rooftops, and explode when they land. The Kassam being more powerful than the Mortar. They are common in areas where there is a `security' fence. These little ditties go right over the fence to target the `secure' people on the other side. The fence, of course, protects the ones sending the missiles. Speaking of security fences, as the citizens of the Holy Land are worrying about the life threatening formation of a terrorist state and a devastating economic crisis, millions upon billons of shekels are being invested in a security fence that is being built at the speed of insanity. Gush Katif is nestled behind a security fence. When the Mortars started vaulting the fence, someone got smart and made the fence higher. Ah-ha! But the next day the Mortars were aimed higher and the rain continued. Between the time that Operation Defensive Shield began a year ago Pesach, for about a year, the conditions in Gush Katif had stabilized as compared to the previous year and a half, beginning Rosh Hashana 2000. But now, with the new `gestures for peace,' much of the army's hard earned efforts have been undermined, as the terrorists gain new self-confidence. With daily or semi-daily regularity - occasionally as many as eight times a day - Arutz Sheva dutifully reports that bombs are falling. For example, this morning: reported at 6:30am, `Arabs fired four Mortar shells at Jewish communities located in Gush Katif'; at 9:00am, `Arab fire Kassam rocket in Gaza Strip,' As far as the general press is concerned, Mortars and Kassams are such a regular occurrence, they are no longer considered news altogether. Dear readers, try to imagine, in your own neighborhood, where ever you are, that you would hear a whiz followed by a crash and an explosion and then see your neighbor's kitchen windows pop out. It's hard to imagine. Even that it should happen once, is hard to imagine. Now, try to imagine that it happens a few hours later across the street and then on the next block. Houses are popping! And it's not even news! Absurdity or reality? Or both? But don't worry. Anyone old enough to remember Frank Zappa, knows that `it can't happen here.' The terrorists are not terrorists, they are freedom fighters. Once they gain freedom they will self-morph into flower children. No need to worry to that they might use their new country as a base for world- wide terror. And if you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you? or would you prefer a shipment of mortar umbrellas? There is more to the Gush Katif Road Map trauma, and it actually involves the roads. These last few weeks, there is a predictability, that on a daily basis, the main roads, the only roads in Gush Katif, will be closed for few hours? but which hours and which roads is not predictable. This is always and inconvenience and often costly, especially in an agricultural community where produce must get to the packing station and out to customers as quickly as possible. To allow for Jewish traffic to flow without having to interfere with Arab traffic, there is an overpass adjacent to the Kisufim junction, the entrance to Gush Katif. The Arabs drive under the overpass, get out of there cars and climb up to make their `gestures for peace.' Once spotted, all traffic ceases while our soldiers scan the area to clear the way so the `extremist settlers' can drive home safely. Recently, many of these extreme settlers spent the Shavuous holiday with friends and relatives in other parts of the country. When they arrived back at Kisufim junction, already late at night, it was closed due to `peace' activities. Gush Katif activist, Rachel Saperstein, and her husband Moshe, were amongst those stranded until 2am. She reported that everyone got out of their cars and shared Yom Tov stories. There was no all-night café nearby, so they also shared leftover cheesecake. They were not angry. They appreciated the dedication of our soldiers, and were once again reminded "that the Guardian of Israel never slumbers nor sleeps." (Tehillim) The news can tell us about the number of bombs, Mortars, Kassams, whatever their fancy names. And the news will tell us about fatalities, yes injuries, no injuries and damage to property. But it is also important for us to know the personal damage, the emotional damage that the people of Gush Katif endure and confront with unusual fortitude. Via email, Anita Tucker of Netzer Hazani described a recent attack on the Arama home: "Last night Oshrat and the 6 orphans were in their home. The very youngest children were sleeping and the older children were helping the younger ones get ready for bed. The shrapnel from the mortar explosion in their back yard caused the window in that very bedroom to shatter, perforated the shutter and dug holes in all the walls of the room. "Thank God no one was physically hurt, and as the radio reported: `only slight damage to property.' "However, I have no doubt that in the hearts and minds of Oshrat and the six children, they relived the moment in their car when they witnessed their wonderful father murdered by these same cruel Islamic terrorists. How do we measure this damage? "As always, we look forward to the God-initiated, real peace."

WELCOME TO THE MIDDLE EAST Posted by Yuval Zaliouk, June 16, 2003.

What a spectacle: Jews beating Jews... The shameful spectacle of Jewish IDF soldiers beating up Jewish dwellers in Samaria is a first step to the demise of Zionism. All it managed to achieve is that millions of Arab and Palestinian enemies are rubbing their hands with joy and satisfaction. Why? Because three years later, their own Road Map is starting to materialize: Israel is demolishing Jewish homes while their terrorist gangs thrive uninterrupted. Terror works! PM Sharon and the government of Israel are fulfilling their Aqaba promises while Palestinians ignore theirs. As the IDF was demolishing Jewish homes in Samaria, a Palestinian terrorist did exactly the same in Israel: He exploded himself, demolished a grocery store and murdered its owner. So who needs the IDF? Let the Palestinians do the job... Ask yourself: What is Israel trying to do, defend itself or get brownie points from the US? Is this a Road Map to peace, or is President Bush and the "quartet" leading us on a road to Israel's demise? Remember the conditions set by the President in June 2002? First the complete eradication of all Palestinian terrorist organizations and full democratization of the Palestinian Authority, only then the Road Map. Eradication of the terror infrastructure, NOT a Hudna, ceasefire. What is Abu Mazen, with the help of the conniving Egyptians, is trying to negotiate with Hamas? A Hudna of course. In a true fashion of horse traders in an Arab market, Hamas is upping the price. Eventually, they will be appeased and get their way: A temporary Hudna. Someone, Colin Powell(?), will praise the great achievement and force Israel to increase the speed of its self destruction. I predicted this scenario a long time ago. You read it here. Israel is being cheated again, just like in Oslo. In the clash between western society and ideals and savage Arab mentality, the latter has the upper hand. Shame on you west. Bravo to the Arabs! Meanwhile in Iraq, the body count continues on both sides: More innocent American soldiers are killed daily (Iraq, my friends, is not 1945 Germany and Japan. Arabs prefer poverty and dictatorship over American gifts and ideals). On the opposite side, Sadam's killing fields and mass graves yielded 250,000 bodies so far, and the count continues. Welcome to the Middle East! Yuval Zaliouk writes essays as the Truth Provider.

MY CREDO: only Arab acknowledgment and acceptance of the State of Israel will bring peace. Posted by Martin Kessler, June 16, 2003.

Last year I visited Israel as a volunteer with the IDF [Israel Defense Force] This occurred during a time when much bloodshed was let on both sides of the conflict. I also was privileged to visit with the Director of the Israeli/Palestinian Research and Information Center [www.ipric.org.] at Tantur at Gilo Junction who provided me with several of their publications, from which I have learned much relating to virtually every aspect of the Israeli/Arab-Palestinian problem. I went to Israel primarily to determine if my evaluation and analysis of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict simply as a layman was correct. I have come back strengthened in the belief that my appraisal of the problem is sound. I have also come away with a confirmation that my analysis of the current conflict is quite accurate and, sad to say, not at all optimistic that a permanent solution will be achieved soon or even within the 3-year estimate made by the Bush Administration. The minimum conditions for a peaceful resolution are no where near the point that one could predict an end to hostilities at some reasonable date in the future and the depressing thought is this, that the one fundamental condition for achieving peace is not even being publicly discussed in any serious way among the principal parties even at this date, so you can see just how far we are away from a solution. For example, here are some selected issues that are heatedly debated which pre-occupies the minds of those closely concerned with an interest to the conflict, such as (1) the status of Jerusalem, that is, whether it shall be a capitol of a state, and whether sovereignty shall be shared or not, (2) the ending of the military occupation, (3) Israel withdrawing to this or that border, (4) the reformation and introduction of democracy within the PLO, (5) whether Chairman Arafat goes, or stays, or is essential, or is irrelevant, (6) the plan to withdraw the Israeli army from the legally occupied territories in the west bank and Gaza, (7) how to end the suicide bombers, (8) termination of the Intifada, (9) the end of all terrorism mutual hate, (10) and, lastly, what issue could be more heatedly debated than this: the issue of the establishment of a Palestinian state. All of these issues, and any other you can think of, means absolutely nothing to the solution of the conflict. Have I made myself clear? Repeat: Absolutely nothing! All such issues are secondary, cosmetic, compared to the one essential element required for peace: Arab acknowledgment and acceptance of the State of Israel. Acknowledgment and acceptance of the State of Israel puts an end to the entire conflict. Without that condition, the conflict will never be resolved. Is this so difficult for any Israeli to understand? I find it impossible to believe there are Israelis who actually think pursuing peace - whatever that word means - will bring peace The sentence following will appear paradoxical to some and even shocking, but read this carefully, for it becomes obvious to any discerning mind when reflecting on the objective record of the past 55 years: I am telling you that the path to peace is precisely in not pursuing peace. The government of Israel must stop pretending the creation of another peaceful Arab state next to Israel will bring peace. Let me explain. My thinking is predicated on the concern for the State of Israel to exist, now and forever. And for it to continue to exist, it must be accepted as a valid sovereign nation among the nations of the Middle East. This concern becomes a presupposition to be foremost in mind and overriding in any discussion of the conflict. One must keep this essential critical thought always in mind when thinking, speaking, reading, writing, or talking about the "Israeli/Arab/Palestinian Problem." My belief is that for "peace" to be attained, or have the expectation of being attained, the State of Israel, in order to ensure its own existence, must not initiate, continue to carry on any contact, or hold any discussion with Arabs any longer in search of a peace between the parties, that it has become a pointless exercise too costly to continue in terms of life and limb should now be obvious even to a casual observer. After frustrating and fruitless years of "negotiating," would it not occur to you that it is time to bring this impotent "process" to a close? Israel must cease all current negotiations regarding the creation of a "Palestine state." Carrying on discussions with the Palestinians gives them an identity and status they have not earned, or deserve, at this time. Unfortunately, there has been established by the Oslo Accord a relationship between the State of Israel and a non-State, the PLO, much to the detriment of Israel. Israel now recognizes this as the second biggest blunder since the creation of the State of Israel. Students of Human Behavior have taught us that in any relationship, whether between individuals or between groups, the following axiom is universally true: "He who cares the least, controls the relationship." Accordingly, let Israel not be so vocal and anxious to bring about still another "peaceful" nation state to worry about. Israel must begin to care less, to show indifference, to be less available, in any and all other matters relating to any Arab or Palestinian issue. For the most part, Israel must simply and pointedly ignore the Palestinians. Up to this point in time, if one is truly objective and honest with oneself, one must ask what good has all the work and effort and agreements accomplished for the Israelis in its relationship with the PLO? Does not the answer to this question clearly support the point I am making? Can no one read the past to infer or predict the future? How many more years and how many more successive White House "peace meetings" and solemn "signings" are required for Israel to grasp the futility of negotiations with the Arabs and the PLO? First, there was Arafat and Rabin at the White House, then Arafat and Netanyahu at the White House, then Arafat and Barak at the White House! What's the point! What will it take for the Israelis to finally get it through their heads that the Arabs do not really care - I have said that correctly - do not really care whether there is or is not created still another state in the region to be called "Palestine?" The creation of a state to be called "Palestine" - a state with no known resources, social or economic assets to covet; a state that may likely be a burden to them, a state that will contribute nothing to their stability, their security, their economy, and a threat to the continuation of their power to rule. What possible benefit can a new state adjacent to Israel have for the Arabs? The answer is obvious. What the Arabs really desire most of all is the ultimate destruction of the State of Israel and creating still another state in the region to be called "Palestine" is a step towards the achievement of their objective. The Arabs are not prepared to compromise on this fundamental desire, neither now nor in the foreseeable future. Why is that so difficult to comprehend as the basic force driving all Arab thinking, of which only Hamas has the courage to state so publicly? The issue is so crystal clear: Israel must finally stop fantasizing and unilaterally announce what its borders shall be - from the Jordan to the sea, or whatever border will assure - not its security, that is misguided and shortsighted - but its survival! Security, if you have not been able to grasp, is not the issue. The issue is survival! Israel must then have the courage to pointedly ignore any objection to the manner of resolving the nation's current conflict in its own interest, as I feel it must to ensure its own existence. If the now-stateless Arabs within annexed territory wish to pledge their allegiance to a sovereign body, they may elect to move to an Arab country or to Norway, which will accept them willingly, for they appear to have taken a special interest in the Palestinian issue and in the Middle East in general. Decisive and unilateral action by the Israelis may cause several other European states to rage and rant, but that too shall pass as their demographic, namely, immigration, problems are becoming of more immediate interest to them than what will become of the "poor Palestinians." They are also beginning to discover that their financial contributions to support the Palestinians has enriched some PLO Palestinians with lavish living accommodations and secret bank accounts, but has done little to alleviated the "plight of the Palestinians." To make this point even more forceful, the surrounding Arab states care little for the "plight of the Palestinians." This is obvious and evidenced by their lack of firm resolve to do something about it, other than lament and protest whatever the Israelis do. Do not their words speak louder than their actions? For example, Jordan, a predominately Palestinian state wherein Palestinians now call themselves Jordanians, has imposed onerous restrictions and conditions on Palestinians who wish to travel to Jordan. A Palestinian must post a bond in order to obtain permission to travel to Jordan. Can I make my point any clearer? If the Arab states thought they could succeed by force of arms, they would invade Israel without a second's hesitation, for the creation of Israel is the bane of their existence. It is fervently believed to be thesource of irreparable harm to their dignity; as they say, their "catastrophe." I say this notwithstanding the "peace" agreements Israel has with Egypt and Jordan on paper. The unwillingness of the Arabs to accept defeat and make peace with Israel is the one and only reason for the continuation of the conflict. Until the rulers of the Arab masses change their thinking, or until they finally come to genuinely accept Israel in their midst, notwithstanding their loss of "dignity" suffered as a result of the humiliation by having been soundly and repeatedly defeated in a contest of war with Israel, war will be the constant state of affairs, regardless of any other factor in the region. While the Arabs may question the wisdom, but, observe, not the legality, of the United Nations partitioning the property in 1947 as they did and where they did, nevertheless, it was done. Had the Arabs accepted the fait accompli, we would have had 5 less wars to worry over and their "dignity" would have never been impaired, tarnished, or brought into question. Is that not obvious to everyone? They hate Israel for all of that more than they want peace! Furthermore, I say stop all discussions about "Two States for Two Peoples." There already exists two states. There is a Jewish State and there are all the other Arab states, which, as the past clearly shows, act as one, think as one, and wage war as one. Failure or misplaced timidity on the part of Israel to take bold, affirmative steps now - steps to resolve its conflict unilaterally in whatever is in its best interest - will only result in another 50 years of war. There will not be a better time than now to take the initiative for its survival, or Israel will be destined to just keep on bleeding and attending successive fruitless meetings and "signings" at the White House. With Arafat or another "Arafat!" Israel does not have enough blood to bleed forever! Israel must also not permit the Arabs to term the current occupation "illegal." There is nothing "illegal" about it. The occupation is the result of conquered territory, and in accordance with International laws of war an occupation is legal, provided it is temporary. "Temporary," however, is not defined. Israel should, therefore, proceed to annex any territory needed for its survival. Failure to do so earlier is the first biggest blunder Israel ever made as a result of its wars. Many of the Arab nations are new nations, and have only themselves become "nation states" within the past 60 years, well within our recent memory. In addition to Israel, we have Lebanon, Oman, Syria, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Iran, Bahrain, and Kuwait. These are all new to the business of nationhood. And the Kingdoms or Republics of Saudi Arabia and Iraq and Turkey were only officially recognized since 1923 as "nations," as distinct from tribal fiefdoms. Until the Arabs come to their senses, Israel must of necessity stand ready as a loaded gun, cocked and ready to go off. It cannot afford to lower its guard - it would be national suicide. Never in the history of the world has a nation depended on its army for its survival. States have engaged in wars, their armies and navies have been defeated, yet the nation - as a sovereign State - continued to exist. I admonish you with this thought: if the Israeli Defense Force is ever defeated, the sovereign State of Israel will cease to exist! Mark my words. This was written August, 2002.

CELEBRATING AN INDEPENDENT PALESTINE Posted by Zoltan Boka, June 16, 2003.

You won't hear this from anyone else - certainly not from Europeans or American liberals- but a Palestinian state already exists. Yes, really. It's a state called Jordan. Bordering Israel to the east, Jordan's population is, as of 2000, 76% Palestinian and 24% Beduin. Granted, that doesn't satisfy Arafat or Abu Mazen, his puppet Prime Minister, but who said that Palestinians - or anyone else - are entitled to a state exclusively comprised of their own kind? After all, more than 15% of those living within the pre-1967 borders of Israel are Arabs and you don't hear Sharon complaining. This de facto Palestinian state has been one ever since 1948 - not 1967 - because many Palestinians refused to tolerate non-Muslims in their midst, thus leading them to migrate eastward the second the first Shoah survivor stepped off the boat. They crossed the border eastward and slowly took over the formerly Hashemite kingdom. (Hashemites trace their roots back to the 6th century and claim to be direct descendants of Mohammed. Palestinians, by contrast, are largely Egyptians - Arafat was born in Cairo.) Needless to say, the bloodthirsty reputation of Arafat and his thugs proceeded them, leaving ordinary Jordanian Bedouins terrified of the influx, particularly after 1965 when the Palestinian Liberation Organization was founded. The PLO's 1965 founding had nothing to do with disputed West Bank lands that were the spoils of a war started two years later. Rather, as Arafat and his now-deposed patron, Saddam Hussein, made clear, their aim was a state from "Jordan to the Sea," or rather, in place of Israel, not alongside it. King Hussein reigned over Jordan from 1953 until his 1999 death from cancer, leaving the country to his son, Abdullah. King Hussein's own ascent to the throne came when his father was assassinated by a Palestinian who was angered by an unwillingness to massacre all the Jews of Israel. Out of a sense of frustration, and to appease mounting pressures in his own backyard, King Hussein invaded Israel in 1967, although he was initially content to sit the war out and let Syria and Egypt destroy themselves. He was rapidly beaten back and in the process lost some territory. There is nothing unusual in that - countries lose territories in wars all the time and the victors are rarely shunned worldwide for taking the spoils of war. In 1970, Palestinians attempted to cross from the West Bank into Jordan, and were met with a hail of bullets. Most turned back and as many as 10,000 perished. With a birth rate that is double the number of babies born to Hashemites, it is certain that Jordan will be even further dominated by Palestinians in the future. Indeed, King Abdullah's wife is a Palestinian. In spite of their supermajority, Palestinians are not allowed to be army officers, college professors, professionals or political leaders and as such languish in poverty while seething with resentment. This is truly lamentable of course, but is a result of Hashemite bigotry not Israeli oppression. Perhaps Arafat started the intifada in the wrong country - he should instead fight for equal rights in his de facto homeland. Mr. Boka - "a Hungarian Jew by birth, a Manhattanite by residence" - has written on life in New York City, from school funding reform to the Cold Duck Complex music band. He is starting an internship with the Jerusalem Post and hopes to write on "life in Israel - in absorption centers, the Armenian Quarter of the old city, the kibbutz winery near Sde Boker in the Negev and similar human-interest topics."

A NEW BOOK BY THE CHILDREN OF GUSH ETZION Posted by Susan Wolf, June 14, 2003.

My name is Susan Wolf and I work for the Gush Etzion Foundation (http://www.gush-etzion.org.il). Next week we are publishing a book called Courage and Hope; Inspirational Writings by Youth in Gush Etzion. This is a collection of stories, poems, essays and drawings by youth in Gush Etzion. On the back cover, there is a 2 paragraph endorsement by Natan Sharansky. We are selling the book for a nominal price of $6, with all proceeds going to charity. The main reason for the book is to give our youth an opportunity to express themselves and have a dialogue with youth, and adults all over. It is truly inspiring to see the message of courage and hope and optimism that come across, despite the situation.

TRUE BELIEVERS Posted by Gerry Shacter, June 14, 2003.

I tuned into Fox on the evening of 06/1/2003 and witnessed an interview with a 'Hamas' functionary in Israeli custody. Custody is a concept to which Hamas and its kind do not subscribe. They either love you or they kill you - custody is not an option. This functionary, a clerk for the cause, made it crystal clear that his desire was the end of Israel, insofar as its location in the Middle East is concerned. Actually I think that his real desire is the end of Israel - period. He expressed no qualms about targeting Israeli children. He sounded quite convinced of his righteousness. His tone was easy. He could have been describing a soccer match. His cause, the end of Israel, the end of any society other than one fitting his designs, justified the use of any means, and he would kill whom he would kill. The interviewer asked whether or not he would stop the killing if told to do so by his handlers. Yes, he would stop, he said, but he made it clear that such a stoppage would only be a tactical pause on the road to their ultimate aim. I felt my rage grow as I watched this average looking guy so benignly explain his ways. He could have easily passed for a grocer or a bus driver as he casually justified the killing of families for a cause, a cause become more precious than life itself. My heart actually quickened in its rage as he spoke, and it wasn't because I was pedaling an exercise bicycle at the time. I had stopped my cycling when I became unable and unwilling to continue out of respect for the video carnage that preceded the interview, the sight of the bloody bedclothes of the child killed by command of the interviewee. I use the word killed because the interviewee and his kind do not understand the concept of murder. To them, when the guilty die, they are guilty, and when the innocent die, it is martyrdom. The more I watched him and the more he spoke, the more I hated him. Fortunately for the state of my mental health, unlike my Creator, I can find occasional respite from such 'news' through sleep or commercials, and it was through the latter and a subsequent lighter newsy offering that my rage subsided and enabled me to return to my stationary ride. As the evening wore on, what was left of my rage had morphed into a feeling that this Hamas enthusiast was really nothing more that a mere facsimile, a shadow of a human being. He was devoid of any secondary feeling or notion other than what his handlers molded him to be. He had become, quite simply and pathetically, pathetic. A beast of the field laying waste to life and property is not hated. It is simply a fact with which to be dealt, to be captured and perhaps killed, but hated? Hatred has no place upon the head of a machine or animal whose motive is so simple and mechanical. And so it is with this Hamas enthusiast. All that we hold dear has been twisted within him into a framework of infinite coercion and self-justification. After all, how much more justified can you feel than to adhere to an organization called 'Hamas' or 'Party of God'? What wrong can you feel under such an umbrella? What argument can hold water to the mindset of such adherents? This isn't just the stuff of 'G-d is my Co-Pilot.' This isn't G-d flying the plane either. This is 'belief' in G-d becoming G-d. Whatever he believes becomes the word of his Creator. It is self-worship. They have come to worship what they say and what they hear. There is no analysis, no debate. They worship amidst their frenzy of group reinforced mores, reaching a crescendo in an explosion of flesh. They see themselves everywhere. Palestine? They never had a State called Palestine and they were never the lands exclusive occupants. Do you think that they truly care for Egypt or Jordan or Syria, or indeed, for Palestine? Ridiculous! These are nothing more than stepping stones to their true aim, a world free of anything other than their own spotlight, a world free of freedom, a world of 'My Way or the Highway.' The formula is simple - others have followed it too. You inject the worst of what humanity can be, and how easily you can go from describing a quiet scene, perhaps in a manger, to the very same place - 'My Way or the Highway.' The arm is raised, knife in-hand, and down it comes in complete defiance, their faith become a hapless tool whose end is whatever they decide it to be. Enthusiasm, just the word to describe those willing to enrobe in a belt of bombs and explode themselves into the flesh of bus riders and market-place strollers. Enthusiasm, the hallmark of the young, prey to the all-encompassing perversion of those proclaiming to have tamed reason itself, bounding it into a comfortable and closed milieu where conscience becomes rapturously complicit in heinous acts made righteous on the ottoman of twisted faith. The terrorism of enthusiasm, steeped in the comfort that right is in whatever their wise and well-read ones say, their revered arbiters of faith and politics, their beloved thought factories, the incontrovertible ones, the longshoreman's believers, pathetic one and all, and so lethal.

ISRAEL AND THE IRAQ WAR Posted by Albert Bello, June 14, 2003.

USA and Israel agreed to resume peace talks and the road map to be introduced only after the end of the war on Iraq; in other words when streets of Iraq will return to peaceful normal life and obtain civil order, then Israel and the Palestinian officials will commence negotiations. According to the every day news, regardless whether Saddam Hussein is dead or disappeared, I fear most of the Iraqi and foreign militants with personal weapons still hiding around. These militants, who are seeking to belong, have nothing to do at the present and have no purpose in the future. They may come out and organize a resistance (Intifada) for the cause of Palestine against the Coalition Force that may prolong this war beyond our prediction. If that would be the case US may pressure Israel for concessions to find a way out of this scenario and appease the Arab world. Until the streets of Iraq are safe and secure enough to declare the end of war, Israel should refuse to resume negotiations. Albert Bello lives in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

WHEN APPLES AND ORANGES ARE EQUAL Posted by Evelyn Hayes, June 14, 2003.

When I talk about Saddam Hussein and Arafat and lump them into the same adjective, people many times say I am lumping apples and oranges. Yes, I am lumping apples and oranges, Iraq and the Jihad Arabs of Ram Allah and Gaza, Jenin and Tulkaren, Hevron and Bethlehem. I am lumping all the Jihad terrorists no matter they jihad themselves, their neighbors, Israel or America. They both hate and hate-sell Israel, America and all dhimmis whether Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Coptic, Jewish, peacenik. They both burn flags both Israeli and American flags and pummel people including peace-was-ers Letting the apple and the orange rot and bare more rot is letting the latent become potent. They both big lie with a lot of big deceptions and bad government. They both have their people parading against Israel and America, peace and democracy, riled and unruly or their people are dead collaborators. They both accumulate millions upon millions without trickle down economics and steal from their starving people. They both threaten with weapons of mass destruction and their threats have poisoned, killed, be-headed, mangled and maimed and would unpeople the whole world. Remember, Iraq funds terrorism of suiciders and even burnt his own oil wells. Remember, Arafat is implicated in the murder of Americans abroad and has been instrumental in revolutioning unfreedoms in Lebanon. When I talk about apples and oranges, of one or another, Saddam Hussein or Abdul Rauf elCodbi el Husseini, we know they are historically connected to the mufti Hussein and the holocaust. If we talk of gassing or germing, aren't both humanicide, with the aim to wipe out all democracy and democrats as well as republics and republicans. They are both aiming for a world order that disorders. When an apple is rotten and an orange is rotten, they are both rotten. Evil is the opposite of good, attacks good, turnspeaks good into bad and themselves into good. Iraq and Arafatistan, both unskinned, with another skin or mask of any other dictators are both equal. If it's jihad against dhimmi Israel or dhimmi America both jihads are laden with destabilizations leading to mass murder and world destruction. If its jihad against all dhimmis, France and Germany, Belgium and Amsterdam, India and Pakistan, Russia and Canada are equal targets in the Medina Piece a la Mohammed. Its evil against good and calling one an orange and another an apple doesn't solve the problem. Destroying the destructive forces in Iraq will leave destructive forces in Arafatistan. A palestinian state for terrorists will keep the rotten apples and regenerate the same old foe and it will be another costly folly. Both infrastructures need antidotes so the world can get better and the disease stops spreading. Letting the rotten linger keeps jihad fuming. Those who think they came eradicate evil in Iraq, and give it a state in Israel will only get a relapse. Bad oranges infect the bunch. Bad apples infect the batch. Saddam Hussein and Yassir Arafat al-Hussein are one enemy of peace and morality, democracy, liberty and life itself. Stopping killers and letting killers go leaves killers still activated and able to jihad, one against many, a little bug against the mighty, a snag in a victory incomplete. Democracy must defeat evil tyrants equally. The author is a pro-Zionist poet.

A SOLUTION FOR THE MID-EAST PROBLEM BETWEEN ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIANS Posted by Richard A. Wing, June 14, 2003.

It is proposed that a partitioning of the Sinai Peninsula take place to form a new "Palestinian State". Because the Gaza Strip and the West Bank territory are too small a territory and so intermixed with both Palestinians and Iraeli people living amongst each other (and not peacefully) and each with burgeoning populations, it seems only logical that what the Palestinian people need is a land of their own and what Israel needs is a defensible border. The Palestinians need a land large enough to where all displaced Palestinians can move, and where they can be autonomous. After scrutinizing the map of the area, only one place comes immediately to the fore: the Sinai Peninsula. Therefore, it is proposed that our statesman, Mr. Colin Powell, go to President Mabarak of Egypt and make an offer to purchase the eastern half of the Sinai Peninsula and thereby start a dialogue to negotiate a price that would satisfy Egypt for giving up this mostly vacant land mass. The purchase price can be divided amongst all the supporters of a Palestinian State, as well as amongst those other nations who have criticized Israel's military incursions into the West Bank territories and the Gaza strip in order to obtain a semblance of security for their citizenry while attempting to dismantle the Palestinian terror network reeking havoc on its populace! Also, the same countries who help pay for this new land for the Palestinians can be assessed an additional amount to help pay for the relocation of the Palestinian people who wish to move to their new land. Those who don't wish to move must swear allegiance to Israel or what ever country they are living in, and whose government allows them to stay, such as Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, etc. As an initial negotiating starting point, It is suggested that the following borderline be drawn in the Sinai Peninsula as a western border for this new state and with it's eastern border being the current southwestern border of Israel.... Southernmost point (nr Nabq)------------------28.160N, 34.455E Mosa, gebel-----------------------------28.535N, 33.975E Ginera, Ras el----------------------------29.015N, 33.950E hilltop (nr Nakhl)--------------------------29.860N, 33.830E YiAllag, gebel----------------------------30.360N, 33.532E Mediteranean Coast------------------------31.045N, 33.145E End of barrier island------------------------31.255N, 33.270E (Minor variations to this border could be negotiated if a couple of small towns are deemed important enough to remain Egyptian!) With this purchase accomplished, the Palestinians can be moved to the new land of Palestine. Israel would then be able to formally annex and take over full control of the West Bank territories and the Gaza Strip. And both peoples would have adequate growth room for their exploding populations. America and the other countries sympathetic to the Palestinian's plight could help build the new nation through technology and financial aid. Also, as part of the deal, Israel would make Jerusalem a free city, open to all peoples, creeds, and religious visitors to all the revered sites there. If the Palestinians turn down such a plan, then they truly do not want peace and a land of their own (but only want to destroy Israel) and then could be legitimately deported from all of Israel to the surrounding sympathetic (to the Palestinian cause) countries, e.g., Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and/or Egypt, etc. Although this would be additionally de-stabilizing in the area, it will still allow Israel to annex the West Bank and Gaza formally, and create the needed defensible border it must have to adequately provide security for its people (but which would probably cause another full scale war to take place to finally resolve the situation). I recognize the fact that one of the reasons the Sinai Peninsula is so lightly populated is the fact that water is not readily available. However, with modern technology, which has come a long way in making for efficient desalination and reverse osmosis plants, now is the time to put it to use to make this area fertile. It can be done with less money than is now being spent to support these two peoples in their present situation of continuous war. Also, because of the current light population, Egypt will not lose anything by giving up this territory and can gain by what it reaps from the sale thereof, and additionally can gain face worldwide by its largesse in supporting the distressed Palestinians in the formation of a new state of their own, (As a side issue it also gains a better buffer between itself and Israel). It becomes a win-win for all concerned. As this is the great discussion on the world stage now, since the world looks to the US for a solution, how the US solves this problem will be how the world looks at us for generations to come! These two peoples will never have peace if they are allowed (and required) to live in such close proximity as they do now, especially when they both claim the same land. Forcing them to do so, can only lead eventually to full-scale war and defeat for one - more probably the Palestinians due to the superiority of the military of Israel. There are many problems to overcome to implement this plan, but this plan at least offers the chance of a negotiated peace. It is notable that the Palestinians seem to be quite a pariah of a people, since none of the surrounding countries really want them on their land, while still giving lip service to the Palestinian cause. I think that the Israeli government will readily endorse this plan and after review there is a good chance for a speedy approval by the Palestinians, too, when they realize what they have to gain - large land mass; aid from other nations to form a new state; and access to both the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea for trade and business. In view of today's violence in Israel, this plan's implementation takes on additional urgency and validity! Richard A. Wing is a retired US Navy Flight Officer with Vietnam experience.

A DISASTEROUS RECIPE Posted by Chaya Jane, June 13, 2003.

I am not a scholar, nor a historian...nor a religionist. Simply, I am a Jew. And a woman who can follow any recipe, to a "T". Therefore, I wonder about the recipe for disaster currently being concocted by this so-called Quartet. Who are they, exactly? Musicians? What music do they compose? Death Marches? Somber, sad, lonely dirges. Who are they, exactly, and HOW DARE THEY? For that matter, how dare ANYONE, including Bush, Blair, Chiraq, the Germans, DARE to mix such a deadly brew and try to force feed it to our people. Why must we pay it any attention? Why must we lend it any credence. Why must we respond at all? Because of oil? Because of immeasureable anti-Semitism. ONE, just one good reason. Such a poisonous brew. Senseless. Where does it follow, as far as Israel is concerned, that the DEAL was to oust Saddam Hussein, and the reward for standing by and doing nothing to protect him, was a reward...a Palestinian state. "As night follows day?" No. Not at all. I don't understand. George Bush set out to revenge his father. Another case of "don't mess with my family." Okay. Perfectly natural. But why does Israel pay the bill? It's like adding rock salt to a glass of milk. Mr. Bush got to drink his milk. And Israel, what? Turned into a pillar of salt. Such madness. One need not be a rocket scientist to understand that this particular case of 2+2 DO NOT EQUAL 5. A teaspoon of this, a soupcon of that, a dash of olive OIL, and what do we have? A WARLOCK'S BREW. NO, NEVER AGAIN!

ISLAM'S CODEPENDENTS Posted by Michael Fisher, June 13, 2003.

The world media and the world leaders act as if they are codependent with the Islamic world when it comes to Israel, though many have decided to stop being codependent when it comes to the terrorists in the rest of the world. Does the world need a psychiatrist? Can someone explain this? Is it reverse racism towards third world peoples (they can be excused from acting like barbarians)? Is it anti-semitism? Is it real politic (one of the few countries with no natural allies, we share neither religion nor language nor culture with any other country). Oil? Liberalism turned against us (we're now Goliath)? The sheer number of Islamic votes in the UN and their monotonous solidarity? Or any of the myriad things that set Israel apart? Whatever the reason, this system functions to allow different rules of conduct to prevail when Palestinians act against Jews or the State of Israel; and different rules of conduct to apply to Israel such as, 'No, you are our ally but you can't fight in this war to defend yourself, it might offend people.' or 'Yes, we know you are close to overtaking Cairo and Damascus after they tried to destroy you, but you can't win too completely.' This system, schizophrenic though it may seem, appears to have recently given unspoken license to the left (long the champion of broad mindedness, the definer of "liberalism") to act in certain contradiction to the tenants of their professed beliefs and principles, and ignore, pardon, vindicate, and even to become perpetrators of, the very anti-Semitism they mobilized against as their own cause not so long ago. There is a deja vu that reminds us of the absence of protests by many in the free world when it came to the murder of Jews by Germany and later by Stalin, 'We can't bomb the trains to the concentration camps, can't you see we're busy fighting a war?' Today, few people around the world, outside of the American right, seem to notice that a gross miscarriage of justice prevails when it comes to Israel and the Jews. In fact, the media, and many in the public at large, accept terrorism and lies against Israel and Jews without question.

PALESTINIAN MARTYRS Posted by Merle Terlesky, June 13, 2003.

What a brilliant site indeed. I really enjoyed reading the article "Anatomy Of An Illusion: The Israel-Palestinian Two-State Solution" posted by Eric L. Rozenman, June 10, 2003." It was very informative and well written. I am a long time non-Jewish evangelical supporter of Israel. I live in Canada. I often have my letters printed on the JP online edition. Believe it or not despite the violence, I so much want to visit Israel. However lack of funds stops that. The 2 state solution is a farce as it sits right now for one major reason. It would be a state instead of Israel not a peaceful one beside it. The Palestinians as a whole see no problem with suicide killers and they joyfully call their sons "martyrs" who carry out the killing. Martyr? Is that when you run toward a pregnant Jewish woman with a bomb and kill her, yourself and the unborn baby? Or is a martyr one who gives his/her life in the Warsaw ghetto uprising against Nazi tyranny. I don't recall any Jews walking into German cafes and killing all the civilians there in occupied Poland? Not that I am comparing Israel to Nazi germany, not at all. I am making a comparison as to a real martyr and a sole killer. Hamas says its a "war crime" to target their leaders? Really, hmmm since when is a nation not allowed to defend its own security from terror? Iraq is not applicable because in itself it was a nation of terror. Until Hamas is smashed and Arafat liquidated as well as new mind set amongst Palestenians, peace is nothing more than the paper it is written on. shalom to you all

ONLY ISRAEL HAS VALID REASON TO BE 'TROUBLED' Posted by Steven Zak, June 13, 2003.

President Bush has cultivated an image - straight talker, loyal, resolute. If you believe that, you might be interested in some lakefront property in Riyadh. The Mideast's only non-thugocracy, Israel, aided the United States in our war against Iraq and aids us still with the region's most valuable intelligence. And what's the measure of Bush's "loyalty"? His "road map" to "peace" - a bit of State Department perfidy that would require Israel to abandon half its minuscule bit of land to terrorists. The road map would create a second Palestinian state (yes, second: Jordan is the first) by the end of - and, no, this isn't a typo - 2003. And what about Israel's security? It's guaranteed, Bush assures. Yet Wednesday, a bomb-packing thug killed 16 innocents on a bus in Jerusalem and wounded 75 others - many of whom are described as "clinically dead." Just one of a handful of extremists trying to "derail" the peace process, as Bush would have it, and all the more reason to press on? Hardly. In the first three days after Bush's June 4 summit in Aqaba, Jordan, Arabs committed 24 terrorist attacks against Israel, including shootings, bombings and rocket attacks. In the past three weeks alone, Israel has suffered 256 terrorist incidents - 256! - including mortar attacks, bombings, stabbings, and hit-and-run attacks by motor vehicles. And what is Bush's response? To crack down on Israel. Two days ago, Israeli defense forces attempted to take out Hamas terror kingpin Abdel Aziz Rantisi by firing on his car. This Bush found "deeply troubling." Troubling? Rantisi has American as well as Israeli blood on his hands. He took credit, on behalf of Hamas, for the bombing last July at the Hebrew University's Frank Sinatra International Student Center, which killed three Americans, among others. He recently called for suicide bombers to kill Americans in Iraq. He is also implicated in the bloodbath that killed five Israeli soldiers Sunday, and declared recently from his hospital bed, "I swear we will not leave one Jew in Palestine." And Bush is "troubled"? So should we all be that our president would presume to lecture Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon about the path to peace. Fortunately, Sharon may finally have learned not to listen. After Bush's rebuke, the old general said that Israel will "continue to fight the heads of the extremist terrorist organizations - those who initiate, those who fund and those who send terrorists to kill Jews." Good for him - he's showing resolve. Somebody has to. Steven Zak is a lawyer living in California. This article appeared on the Opinion page of the Atlantic Journal Constitution, June 12, 2003.

WILL YOU BE ONE THAT ANSWERS NOT A WORD? Posted by Yaakov Lewis, June 13, 2003.

The Road Map to peace has been published, or has it? The President of these United States has said that he has published a road map to peace but in fact it is a road map that will lead to destruction. Not only the destruction of the nation of Israel but also that of the U.S and Britain. This road map seeks to divide the land of Israel into two States. One to be called Israel and the other Palestine. The problem is one that few have considered. That is who this land belongs to! It would seem that The President, Mr. Bush, believes the land belongs to him and that he can do with it as he pleases. So he has chosen to divide it between the Israelis and those calling themselves 'Palestinians.' Here are the facts. Number one, there is not now nor has there ever been a people called 'Palestinians.' The Palestinian charter written by the hand of that satanic minister, Yasser Arafat, was devised and written for one purpose and one only, that being the destruction of the nation of Israel. Anyone who can read could have read this charter at anytime they wanted as it has been published for many years now. I am reminded of the scripture which says, 'Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?' The answer, of course, is no! A leopard cannot change his spots nor the Ethiopian his skin. These things are not possible and neither is it possible for one such as Yasser Arafat, the murderer of thousands, to change his thoughts. Those thoughts were always set on murder and they shall always be set on murder. A murderer is a liar and in this instance Arafat is both. He will say or do anything to achieve his end goal: the destruction of Israel. He is a terrorist something this country has pledged to fight. Why now do we find ourselves aligned with the very murderer who has sought the destruction of Israel and the U.S.? President Bush, who has an honorable goal of peace, may we all seek peace, does not know the scriptures. He claims to be a 'Christian' and to want to go by the Bible. Yet, he opposes the very Bible he claims to represent because he does not know the scriptures. If he did know the scriptures then he would also know that to divide the land of Israel is to place the nation of Israel and the dividing nation or nations at severe risk. Consider what the prophet of old was told by The HOLY ONE of Israel who said plainly that this land was His Land and that it was not to be divided. Read the whole chapter of Joel 3 and see for yourself that this so called road map to peace is nothing short of a road map to destruction. Hear me now. Unless this President sets out to change this course we are now going to see destruction greater than that which was seen in New York when the towers fell. That nightmare will seem like nothing when The Sovereign LORD visits His wrath on the responsible nations. HE The HOLY ONE spoke and we had better listen. Joel 3:1 'For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, 2 I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.' It should be abundantly clear that dividing the land causes His people, Judah, that He has brought back into the land to be scattered. Lest we have forgotten The Sovereign LORD has said in Genesis 12: 3 'And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.' To scatter His people is to curse them and those that curse the nation of Israel will be cursed. To each of those who represent this nation: I call upon you and The Sovereign LORD calls upon you to make your choice. Just as Elijah on the Mount called Carmel spoke these words so I write them to you today. 1 Kings 18:21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.' Will you answer Him and Choose The LORD? Or will you be silent and follow the Road Map to Destruction? As for me and my house we shall serve The LORD! Jim and Linda Lewis live in Jacksonville, Arizona.

CYCLE OF VIOLENCE Posted by Alan M. Kohn, June 13, 2003.

"News" stories about the "cycle of violence" in the Middle East show that journalists do not understand what is actually happening. Arab militants from several organizations, including Arafat's Palestinian Authority, have been sending a daily stream of suicide bombers, snipers, rocket and mortar attacks against various Israeli targets, especially civilian targets, for more than two years. Most of these attacks have been successfully blocked by Israeli forces, but some of them get through. The recent bus bombing in Jerusalem was not a response to the Israeli attack against the Hamas leader in Gaza which occurred less than 24 hours previously. The bus attack had been planned and action begun to complete this attack several days before the actual execution. Extremist Arab forces started a de facto war against Israel the day after then Prime Minister Barak offered the Palestinians almost everything they had demanded for the sake of peace. The Palestinians have proved that they do not want a peace of any kind. They want "all of the Zionists gone from the area or killed." Israel cannot make a peace. The United States cannot make a peace. The United Nations cannot make a peace, unless and until the Arab forces decide that they will accept the reality of the Israeli State that already exists as authorized and approved by the United Nations in 1948. The "cycle of violence" mythology only helps to provide an excuse for the Arab forces to continue their long standing and repeated attacks against the nation of Israel since the first day it came into existence. Mr. Kohn lives in Casselberry, Florida.

ISRAELIS ARE NUMB Posted by Bryna Berch, June 12, 2003.

Frankly, I think Israelis are numb, furious but shoveling the hurt inward instead of letting it out. They have to snap out of it before Bush's new roadmap is set in concrete. I really don't think Sharon expected this. He's probably as numb as everyone else. Except he has the settlers to blow off steam at. You know there's a problem because Peres is mouthing off again about how important it is to keep the RoadMap on track. Do you remember when people were saying Sharon must have some great scheme because what he was doing (or not doing) was so dumb? Now people are saying it about Bush. He must have some clever scheme going, because the roadmap is so stupid. I think he got snookered by Powell and his arab buddies. The whole thing is likely to unravel, but Jews can't just sit around like sitting ducks, waiting. If Israel is strong and Bush knows he needs the Jewish and Christian Zionist vote, he'll backtrack. The real problem is: IT IS HARD FOR AN AMERICAN POLITICIAN TO PUSH FOR ISRAEL WHEN ISRAEL IS SO DAMN ACCOMODATING TO THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION. WHEN ISRAEL STARTS SAYING NO LOUD AND STRONG, SHE'LL HAVE MORE PEOPLE IN HER CORNER. Of course, I don't know how that will happen, given the number of chickens in the Likud.

TROUBLED TIMES Posted by David Vance, June 11, 2003.

Who will tell the President when his judgement is plain wrong? The answer has to be his genuine friends, those around the world who have stood shoulder to shoulder with President Bush in his courageous leadership of the international democratic community since 9/11. Having admired his steely resolution in response to Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein, many of us witness his growing intolerance towards Israel with mounting trepidation. Few would argue that Hamas is anything other than a barbaric gang of terrorist thugs with no respect for the sanctity of human life. Abdel-Aziz Rantissi, the propagandist-in-chief for Hamas in Gaza City, was almost brought to justice at the sharp end of an Israeli rocket attack today. Unfortunately he escaped with only minor wounds and promptly threatened that Hamas would avenge the attack and continue to fight Israel until every last Zionist was gone. Now that s moderation for you! Unbelievably, President Bush has rebuked Israel for doing that which his own forces have done in Afghanistan and Iraq, namely proactively hunting down terrorists! The IDF made it clear that Rantissi had preached and directed murder, sabotage, terror and incitement for many years They do not intend waiting for Rantissi to direct more death and grief their way. Yet President Bush is reputed to be deeply troubled by this IDF attack. His spokesman said that it does not contribute to the security of Israel . Wrong, Mr. President! It may not contribute to the appeasement route mapped out by the State Department and its Quartet allies but if it saves Israeli lives then that can be but good. Predictably, the overwhelmingly left wing anti-Semitic British and Irish press have lauded the President s comments. Bush is praised for facing down Sharon. These are the same newspapers that were calling Bush a war criminal only two months previously! If it is acceptable for the USA to pursue and kill Al Qu eda terrorists wherever they can be found then why is it not acceptable for Israel to pursue and hunt down Hamas killers? Are Israeli lives worth less than American lives? How many more innocent Israelis have to die before the President realises that his reckless desire to push the pusillanimous Roadmap undermines his own doctrine and costs him support? Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the Al Aqsa Brigades must be militarily crushed before the road to peace can be opened up. Abu Mazen, the new golden boy of the Middle East, has made it clear that he has no intention whatsoever of moving against these killers. How can he when he is part of the apparatus of terrorism? Instead he demands a series of Israeli concessions before he even considers trying to obtain a temporary ceasefire. If Abu Mazen won t go after them, Prime Minister Sharon must. Just a few months agoy during the build up to the liberation of Iraq, President Bush visited Northern Ireland and expressed his full support for the peace process well established there. He appeared oblivious to the fact that that peace there has been purchased by Bill Clinton and Tony Blair facilitating the release of convicted murderers, the dismantling of border security, the destruction of the rule of law, and the placement of the godfathers of terrorism into Government. Ring any bells? Meanwhile the IRA, the primary beneficiaries of this peace process, have been busy training FARC guerrillas in Colombia, helping Palestinian killers build better booby trap devices in Jenin, and sourcing new lethal weapons from Eastern Europe. Yet they are no longer classified as a terrorist group. Wrong again, Mr. President! The President cannot have it both ways. Either all forms of terrorism are wrong and must be treated with equal firmness or the Bush doctrine itself is a self serving hypocrisy. The war against terror cannot be piecemeal. All terrorist groups must be brought to justice. By making excuses for Abu Mazen's morally repugnant tolerance of Hamas, the President plays into the hands of his enemies whilst alienating his true friends. Troubled times indeed! David Vance is the editor of A Tangled Web (http://www.atangledweb.blogspot.com), an online Unionist newsletter that seeks to help maintain Northern Ireland as an integral part of the United Kingdom. He wrote "Peace In Our Time?" in the June-July 2003 edition of Think-Israel.

WHAT "PEACE" LOOKS LIKE ON THE GROUND Posted by Anita Tucker, June 11, 2003.

It looks like the media in Israel and the US have orders from Bush assistants to ignore the truth of what is happening here because "Bush MUST be pictured as being successful in his ROADMAP initiative." Please make sure the world knows the real truth! Here in Gush Katif all that our IDF accomplished in last half year of intensive cleaning up and pressure on terrorist organizations is going down the drain as our government artificially acts as if peace is at our doorstep. The last week and a half here feels and sounds like Sept. 2000. The main road out of Gush Katif is closed several time a day and night because of Palestinian Terrorist shooting at us as they try openly to murder Israeli soldiers and citizens on both sides of "green-line" (our side is now B"H greener). From the "safety" of my home, I hear shooting, bombs, mortar explosions many hours of the day and night. Ah! "PEACE" is here! Please forward this to all your addresses and let the truth get out. Bush's initiative has not stopped the Palestinian Islamic terrorists from their vicious evil murder attempts. The last three years has proven that the Islamic Palestinian terrorist Authority respect us only when we are strong and determined - when we act weakly and uncertain they know they can try to wipe us out, wherever we are. Anita Tucker lives in Netzer Hazani, Gush Katif.

THE LAST RED LINE Posted by Herbert B. Sunshine, June 8, 2003.

Individuals unite to form governments to accomplish what they, as individuals, cannot. Foremost among their fundamental needs is that of security and defense. Among political scientists, this exchange, individual rights for common security is known as a Social Contract. The Father of American democracy, Thomas Jefferson, drafted a Declaration to the King of England against whose government, the American colonies had a long list of grievances. The Declaration speaks to events in Israel today. "When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the bonds which have connected them.." "Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed." "when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government and provide new guards for their future security-" Israel today has abandoned its Creator and worships the god America. We have traded our sovereignty over Holy Land for a dubious promise that our objections to the creation of a terrorist neighbor will be taken into account. The government of Israel has disregarded the will of its people, ruling instead, by a cabinet, appointed by an executive who is unresponsive to public opinion. On the life and death issue of the surrender of our lands and its inhabitants, there will be no vote of the elected Knesset; there will be no vote of the citizens affected. Despite promises tht our security will not be compromised, a sovereign state will be shoehorned between the Jordan and the Sea. Our Prime Minister has declared that the "transfer" of Arabs is "racist," the removal of Jews from Judea and Samaria is not. Tolerating the murder and maiming of thousands of Jews, the government of Israel has foregone a military solution. Dominated by the opinion of the "world" deaf to the word of the God of Israel and the tenets of Judaism, the government of Israel has surrendered unconditionally, shamefully and totally to a gang of murderers. There is no security. There is no peace within our Land. What Jewish home is safe from removal? What Jew can be certain that he will be living under Israel's protection? We are deceived and betrayed. The pronouncements of our government are more propaganda than fact. The media is controlled; opposition television and radio is raided and closed. Citizens are jailed without charge, the right to bail or access to legal representation is denied. The Courts are appendages of the political arm; their rulings reflect the ruling class. Therefore, the Jewish citizens of Israel declare that there be: Immediate cancellation of the dangerous "road map" which contains no mutuality of obligations. The submission of the question of Arab sovereignty in the Israel to a vote of the people; a binding referendum. Calling general elections for the Knesset, and separately, for the Prime Minister and for the Judiciary. Knesset candidates shall represent districts to which they are responsible. The drafting of and submission to a vote of the general electorate, a written Constitution, calling for separation of powers, checks and balances, and a bill of rights for Jews, specifically the right to bear arms The cancellation of Article 7A of the fundamental laws permitting a political party to ban another party from seeking office. A truly democratic government is the instrument of the will of its people. At present, the government of Israel is the enemy of the Jewish people. There is only one more red line; that of the blood of Jews whose government tolerated their murder in our Holy Land. The American Declaration concludes: "with firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortune and our sacred honor." The author is a member of the American Bar and a retired Professor of Law. He lives in Jerusalem.

RIGHT OF RETURN: ISRAEL IS HELD TO A DIFFERENT STANDARD Posted by Ruthy Light, June 1, 2003.

When you're not serious about negotiations, you ask for the moon and you get two advantages: You have a built-in excuse not to budge from your position or, if you lower your demand, you can claim great sacrifice and insist on being rewarded. That is the Palestinians' position regarding the "right to return." The Palestinians are not the first population to become refugees. Many wars have resulted in the displacement of millions of people since World War I. Case in point: On the eve of Israel's War of Independence there were nearly 900,000 Jews living throughout the Arab world, some dating back 2,600 years. These Jews were expelled and their assets seized by Arab governments. In all, 700,000 Jews were welcomed and absorbed by Israel. Conversely, the 650,000 Palestinians who were encouraged by their leaders to make room for the invading Arab armies were never accepted nor absorbed by their Arab brethren. Palestinians are considered second-class citizens in most Arab countries, and are denied citizenship and property ownership in order to perpetuate their tragic fate. The Arabs know too well that Palestinian refugees remain the most effective weapon against Israel. The United Nation Relief Work Agency estimates there are 3.8 million Palestinians today worldwide, which means that every Palestinian is de facto a "refugee." However, the 1949 Geneva Conventions do not recognize the right of return, and the 1951-1967 convention relating to the status of refugees makes no mention of descendants - so the status is not inherited. Moreover refugee status is inapplicable to a person who has acquired a new nationality. What nation, after consistently winning wars started by hateful neighbors, is expected to enter peace negotiations under the continued threat of daily violence? Israel is again held to a different standard and the Arabs' intransigence and aggression are rewarded. This first appeared in the Toledo Blade

 

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