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HOW THE ARABS VOTE IN THE U.N.
Posted by Janet Lehr, July 31, 2004. |
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Below are the actual voting records of various Arabic/Islamic States which are recorded in both the US State Department and United Nations records: * Kuwait votes against the United States 67% of the time.
US Foreign Aid to those that hate us: Egypt, for example, after voting 79% of the time against the United States, still receives $2 billion annually in US Foreign Aid. Jordan votes 71% against the United States and receives $192,814,000 annually in US Foreign Aid. Pakistan votes 75% against the United States receives $6,721,000 annually in US Foreign Aid. India votes 81% against the United States receives $143,699,000 annually Perhaps it is time to get out of the UN and give the tax savings back to the American workers who are having to skimp and sacrifice to pay the taxes. Pass it along. Everyone needs to know this. Might even mention it to your congressman, who knows it anyway... what a disgrace... NO WONDER THE WORLD HAS NO RESPECT FOR THE U.S. |
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TRAVESTY INTERNATIONAL
Posted by IsrAlert, July 31, 2004. |
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This comes from Isralert subscriber/commentator Angela Bertz, in Israel.
On the evening of 27th March Shirli Fried 21, and her brother Tom 16 were in good spirits. They were making their way to the Park Hotel in Netanya, Israel to join their parents and three grandparents. It was the evening of Passover and they were running a little late. Before they could reach the hotel and in one terrible split second the five most important people in these youngsters' lives had been blown to pieces by a Palestinian homicide bomber. 25 more innocent people were murdered and 150 had been injured, some of them critically. It was one of the worst and most barbaric terrorist attacks Israel had ever suffered. Many of the elderly people killed had survived the holocaust and out of the ashes of Europe had come to Israel to build good honest lives for themselves, their children and their children's children. It came in a month when there had been 15 other such attacks. In fact March 2002 was the worst month of terrorism that Israel had ever suffered. One would have thought that after so many heinous acts Amnesty International, who claim to be "Protecting Human Rights around the World" would have issued 16 reports condemning each and every one of these terrible acts of Palestinian terrorism. In fact AI issued only one report and even though that pertained to the Park Hotel slaughter the heading "Deliberate Killing of Civilians is never Justified" was pretty benign and totally belied the atrocity of this appalling act. Your short 3 paragraphs was almost non-committal. While apparently recognizing it as "a grave breach of the fundamental principle of international humanitarian law" you then refuse to call Hamas a Terrorist organization, but make a pathetic plea to "armed Palestinian groups" to cease killing civilians. Shortly after these attacks Israel launched "Mission Defensive Shield". The Israeli army used foot soldiers to carry out house to house searches in the town of Jenin, which had long served as a center for training and sending homicide bombers into Israel. No aircraft was used out of concern for the large civilian population in the area. During this military operation Israel suffered the loss of 23 of its soldiers, who encountered armed Palestinians and booby trapped homes in many of the narrow alleys. The consequent outcry of this mission, reporting hundreds of innocent Palestinian civilian deaths and compared in some media outlets as "comparable to Stalingrad" has long gone down in the annals of military mythology despite the Palestinians milking the supposed slaughter literally to death, including a farcical movie called "Jenin Jenin". The number of Palestinians killed in Jenin has been placed officially at 56. Most of them were found to be wearing a combatant's headband. AI made it to Jenin in Mid April. Incredibly and despite the fact that Israel never used any of its aircraft in this region "scores of refugees" were interviewed by AI and described "massive bombardments with missiles from Apache helicopters". The number of AI reports on Jenin number around a dozen. They are all in condemnation of Israel's actions. Not one of them gives any background or the reasons to the incursions. Not one of them utters a word on the 23 Israelis soldiers that also lost their lives. It is blatantly clear that your organization pays a disproportionate amount of its time preparing inflammatory reports aimed at Israel, many times simply bleating the official and biased views of that Den of Iniquity 'The United Nations". You refer to Israel as "Israel/Occupied Territories. No other country is singled out for such a derogatory title. In fact with 404 reports and with the exception of the United States with 1178 reports, Colombia with 499 reports and just ahead of Israel, Indonesia with 409 reports no other country has received such attention. The Palestinian Authority, corrupt to its core, with the worse human abuse record against its children in the world has only 167. This is a disgrace considering it has committed over 100 suicide attacks against Israel, lynchings, shootings by the score and who in Israel will ever forget the brutal killing in May 2004 of 13 young soldiers, blown to pieces while trying to destroy tunnels in Gaza used to smuggle ammunition. We had to watch as their dignity was abused beyond anything humanly acceptable as Gazan ghouls raced with joy through the streets with their blown up body parts. They even stole an UNRWA ambulance hoping to extract painful concessions from Israel for the return of the blown up body parts. Where is the AI report condemning this cannibalistic act. The savage murder of a pregnant mother and her 4 little daughters appears under Israel and not where it firmly belongs under the PA section. The Palestinians have faced a report less than 10 times for their homicide attacks on innocent Israelis, yet they have committed over 100 attacks. Maybe AI has not had the time to bring so many gross infringements of human rights up to date. I used to respect your organization. However that was before I read through many of your reports on this region. I have sadly discovered that in many cases, you are about as one-sided, historically inaccurate and imbalanced as the UN. For instance you refer to "Occupied Palestinian Territory" as if such a notion ever existed. The Palestinians have never owned or ruled any region in this area. In fact they are nothing more than a modern mythical invention. They barely existed as a legitimate entity, let alone a race prior to '67 when Israel was attacked by all its neighbours. During this war of aggression Israel conquered and annexed the West Bank and Gaza from Jordan and Egypt respectively. According to International Law this makes both these regions Israeli and certainly not as you deem fit to describe them and our country as Israel/Occupied Territories. You may wish to take that into account next time you quote either Palestinian propaganda by rote, or as I found in many of your reports ridiculous statements issued by either the biased Arab League or the defunct and devoid of any moral standards UN organization. I would like to make one more point before I conclude and this refers to the following repugnant statement I found in one of your recent reports as follows; "Both the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) and Palestinian armed groups show an utter disregard for the lives of children and other civilians," Amnesty International said today. Such a statement is beyond all contempt. To compare a humane country like Israel that teaches its children to respect and rejoice in the dignity of human life with a society that has incited its people and especially its children in hatred 24/7 is nothing short of blasphemous. To make any moral equivalent between people that have for 4 years deliberately targeted innocent Israeli civilians in restaurants and buses by detonating an explosive belt and a sovereign state that has been forced to defend itself against these attacks shows an appallingly flippant disregard and ignorance for the conflict. The Palestinians have created a death cult and have for years systematically demonized their children, often using them as decoys, knowing full well Israel's abhorrence at killing children. In any given situation of combat, innocent people and these will include children will be killed. The PA openly calls for their children to congregate in dangerous areas. They are deliberately and systematically encouraging the next generation of homicide bombers. Young minds are brainwashed to believe, not in any hope for the future and what they can achieve through tolerance, but that their biggest accomplishment in life will come only in their death. It saddens me to think that your organization like many others, have simply become feeble minded apologists for Palestinian terrorism. IsrAlert, a Jewish advocacy network, is hosted by Harv Weiner. To subscribe to IsrAlert, send an email to isralert@aol.com |
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JOHN, GEORGE, OR JUDAH?
Posted by Ellen W. Horowitz, July 31, 2004. |
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Judah, too, will battle against Jerusalem.
(Zachariah 14:14)
I don't know about you, but I've been hitting the delete key a lot these past few weeks as a flurry of election email appears to be competing with the usual spam. It seems that that the main concern among many Diaspora Jews and Israelis alike is over which U.S. presidential candidate is best (or worse) for Israel.. I'm not sure what all the fuss is about- I haven't participated in an American election since making aliyah in 1986. The whole thing seems pretty cut and dried to me. Americans should be concerned with which presidential candidate is best for America and American interests, whereas Israelis should concern themselves with which Israeli leader is best for the Jewish State. But there appears to be a real dilemma for some Israelis holding dual citizenship and for those American Jews who pledge allegiance to the stars and stripes but who have hearts that beat with Israel. Dual loyalty issues are becoming more perplexing and stressful because American foreign policy decisions are increasingly out-of-sync with Israel's best interests (I'll let you in on a secret - some of those decisions are not in America's best interests either). America may be Israel's long-standing best friend, but the relationship which once placed mutual security interests at the top of the agenda is rapidly changing. We can all thrill to a joint Israeli-American Arrow missile project, but our hearts sink when we realize that Uncle Sam is up to his neck in an illicit affair with some of Israel's most formidable enemies - which translates into some inappropriate and harmful interference in Israel's internal affairs, in addition to some blatantly hypocritical foreign policy. So who's good for the Jews, Kerry or Bush? It doesn't much matter. But what should be of concern are some of the boys behind the scenes, both Democrat and Republican, who are definitely bad for the Jews - and many of them are Jewish. All the presidents' men, from the guys writing the speeches and handling the press conferences, to those advising and formulating policies, to the businessmen helping to bankroll the campaigns, to the diplomats and ambassadors, are the ones we Israelis should be wary of. Abarbanel and other commentators felt that it's the descendants of Judah who, after the destruction of both the first and second Temples, continued to hold positions of leadership in the Diaspora Jewish communities, as well as wield great influence in the secular political and economic spheres. "The scepter shall not depart from Judah" (Genesis 49:10). One has to wonder where Israel would stand today if the lion's share of that Diaspora talent, manpower and brainpower had been primarily dedicated to the development of the Jewish State. The dedicated American (first) Jew always answers, "Where would Israel be without America?" Shemayah said: "Love work; abhor taking high office; and do not seek intimacy with the ruling power." (Pirke Avot) But what if one's talents and skills are custom-made for leadership? The Court Jew has traditionally provided an important service for both the Jewish community and their country of temporary residency. But when the geopolitical sands and winds start shifting, even the most well-intentioned and upstanding Jewish public servant or private sector entrepreneur can lose their way in the storm. It's difficult to let go of the good life, limelight, influence and seductive smooth talk. If one doesn't know when to bow out, they could find themselves pitted against their own brethren. The same goes for any Jew walking the fine line of dual loyalties. [It;s interesting to note that some commentaries claim that the spies gave a slanderous report about the Land, because they feared losing their positions of power and leadership once the crossed over into Israel (Numbers13:3).] I suggest that world Jewry step out of the fog and stop trying to rationalize and decipher the various shades of grey in the upcoming election. For the Jew concerned about the future of his or her people, things may be very black and white. If you;re an American Jew (Jewish American?) and confused with regards to where you truly stand, take 'the Pollard Test'. It's really quite simple and will make things remarkably clear. Q: Is Jonathan Pollard a traitor? If you answered "no", then it's time to pack your bags and book your flight home. If you answered "yes", then you are undoubtedly American first and have consequently abandoned Israel. If you "don't know", then you have a lot to think about. For those of you who aren't quite ready for aliyah yet, but who claim to remain fiercely dedicated to Israel, take the test one step further and make the matter of Jonathan Pollard's continued imprisonment your campaign issue. Think any of the lions of Judah will pick up that bone, or will they choose to keep it buried? Who's good for the Jews? As you can see, the issue reaches far beyond choosing between the elephant or the donkey. I suggest that you look past the balloons and hoopla of America's partisan political arena and check out the lion's den behind that stars and stripes curtain. The on-going Diaspora (continued exile) and the Jew who promotes it and enjoys it is most definitely bad for Israel. Ellen Horowitz lives in the Golan Heights, Israel with her husband and six children. She is a painter and columnist. She can be contacted through her website http://www.artfromzion.com |
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U.S. OIL POLICY AND CORRUPT REGIMES IN PERSIAN GULF COUNTRIES
Posted by Morteza Aminmansour, July 30, 2004. |
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Currently, US domestic oil production supplies about 50% of total U.S. consumption. Foreign sources provide the rest, primarily Canada, Venezuela, Mexico and several African countries. The U.S. is strongly committed to production Persian Gulf oil, although only about 10% of oil used in the U.S. is imported from the region. During the cold war, U.S. strategy was primarily aimed at ensuring that Persian Gulf oil did not fall into hostile hands. Persian Gulf oil was and remains important because of its impact on the global economy. U.S. competitors in Japan and Europe depend more on Persian Gulf Oil than the U.S. does. 30% of European oil imports and nearly 80% of Japan's come from the Persian Gulf. The U.S. exerts significant influence on these countries through control of Persian Gulf Oil. The Persian Gulf corporation council states (Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Oman jointly posses 64% of the world s proven oil reserves. The most important among Persian Gulf states is corrupt Saudi Arabia, which alone controls 27% of the world's oil supplies. Oil represents the backbone of the Saudi economy. But despite its small population and its oil revenues reaching $45 billion, in the 1990-93 period Saudi foreign domestic debt climbed to $70 billion. Most of this was the result of arms purchases, largely from the United States. The rise of opposition forces within Saudi Arabia is linked to this pattern of arms spending as well as the corrupt practices of the monarchy. The stability of this region is baffling and discrimination against Shi'a Muslims has been rampant in several countries such as UAE and Saudi Arabia. Anti government religious militancy has grown. The Persian Gulf political Systems appear an anachronism, the last holdout of this system in a modern world. The region itself is in turmoil. Persian Gulf states are using variety of government's strategies to promote social order. The Persian Gulf countries are using a combination of several strategies: strong security service; Divide-and rule measures; ideological flexibility; token participation; accommodative diplomacy. These strategies preserve these states of social peace in an area of turbulence. In an era when democracy is the world's dominant political system, Persian Gulf regimes are traditional autocracies. Political alienation and corruption are widespread. Family members or those close to them dominate all-important positions those that control spending, internal security, and military. The traditional checks on government authority - a free press, an independent judiciary and a strong civil society - are either lacking or kept intentionally weak in the Persian gulf states. The alienation of social and economic elites appears to be particularly dangerous. Oil wealth has empowered the ruling families that control the state. Corruption and unaccounted for government spending levels are quite high. Money derived from the sale of oil noted in balance of payment statement often fails to appear in oil revenues reported in the state budget. In recent years, from 18 to 30 percent of the revenue from petroleum exports was not reported in budgets in Persian Gulf countries such as UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. This missing money billions of dollars a year enriches the ruling families. The Opposition groups frequently criticize the regimes for allowing ruling families mismanage the country (UAE). They are accused of squandering the wealth of the nation. Al SAUD family members are blamed for corruption and contributing to the country's economic woes. The per capita incomes of many Persian Gulf residents have plummeted. Saudi Arabia has perhaps 20,000 princes and princesses, all of whom received stipends from the Saudi state that range from thousands to millions of dollars a month. Bahrain's AL KHALIFA, while fewer in member, also maintain an extravagant lifestyle and are perceived to interfere regularly in business for their own enrichment. Al Persian Gulf governments are remarkably skilled at using economic control to ensure their power. Oil wealth allows the states to dominate the economy. In Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, perhaps 90% of citizens work for the government. For the last decade Persian Gulf monarchies have invested higher percentage of oil profits in land, hotels, real estate, factories and other enterprises in the U.S., Japan, Europe. Increasing income of the oil exporting states is linked to profits from unrelated businesses in oil importing states rather than from the sale of oil itself. This gives the Persian Gulf oil States some stake in keeping oil prices moderate. Because they share the financial interests in the oil-importing countries. The diversification also provides the Persian Gulf countries additional leverage to manipulate oil prices and production. The result is that monarchies can manipulate the world oil markets while remaining relatively protected. Despite their high dependence on Persian Gulf oil, neither Europe nor Japan plays a major role in strategic defense of the region. U.S. policy in Persian Gulf ignores some fundamental realities: For example Iranian regime was not isolated forever. European countries, China, Russia, and other countries with interests different from U.S Is all abandoning U.S policy to consider trade with Iran? The attempt to exclude Iran from influencing regional politics is unrealistic. The uncritical U.S support for corrupt Persian Gulf regimes and their human rights abuses have weakened both U.S. Policy and oil countries. The members of the Persian Gulf's ruling elite have a strong perception that the U.S. is forcing them to buy weapons that they do not need and not allowing them to diversify their weaponry by purchasing arms from Europe. Persian Gulf oil could be protected is economic rather than military means eliminating the military and political costs of dual containment. And could provide more jobs for people. The rulers of UAE and Saudi Arabia are greedy and corrupt, have not trained their people for life after the oil bonanza. Nearly all Gulf Arab men work for their corrupt governments, leaving productive labor almost entirely to foreign labors from East Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and poorer Arab countries. In 1981, the PGCC residents had an average per capita income of $28,000. Today is just $12,000. Meanwhile, the PGCC countries face daunting bills to renovate the infrastructure built during the oil boom. Due to the population explosion and aging Ryiadh has to deliver drinking water to poor neighborhoods with trucks. Cutting back on monarchical privileges would free up money for infrastructure and debt payments. But the corrupt leaders continue to insist that a revived market will save them and in this they are almost certainly mistaken. Only one of the royal family in Saudi Arabia invested $13 billion in foreign companies, because of the financial systems in the PGCC countries, almost none of his wealth - or that of the $800 billion in assets held by PGCC nationals abroad - will come soon. The economics of the Persian Gulf are likely to complicate the politics of the Persian Gulf. Nervous monarchies will be eager to appease the Islamists after all, they'd rather not have a revolution to put down and that in turn, will often run counter to U.S. interests. U.S. protection of Persian Gulf oil supplies should focus on internal threats resulting from the monarchies because of their denial of human rights and political participation and democracy in corrupt countries such as UAE, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. U.S. should consider negotiation with country Iran. U.S. should support and respect Iranian integrity and territorial right of Abu Musa, greater TONB and lesser TONB and policy in fighting aggression of corrupt regime (UAE) for unacceptable behavior after a UAE vessel allegedly entered Iranian waters around a disputed Persian Gulf islands and opened fire at an Iranian fishing boat and detained its crew. Iran had demanded an explanation. Emphasizing defense of the oil states from external threats ignores the more serious problems of domestic instability and political opposition to the corrupt ruling Persian Gulf regimes such as UAE, Saudi Arabia. Certainly Iran differs with the U.S. on many issues as the Middle East process, but Iran can be engaged on other issues such as Persian Gulf security. Western oil companies had no interest in territorial conquest and oil production placed few political demands on rulers and society, while the financial benefits from this industry allowed the state to silence the tribal challenges from the periphery. In some cases, such as Saudi Arabia, the foreign oil company, in the absence of a local entrepreneurial class, helped the state not only to defend itself against external challenge, but also begin a broad effort to modernize and eventually to control its own industry. Literatures :
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VEL D'HIV INFAMOUS ROUNDUP OF FRENCH JEWS REMEMBERED
Posted by IsrAlert, July 30, 2004. |
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Isralert@aol.com source:
http://www.crif.org/index02.php?type=manifestation&id=3420&menu=11&sm3=manifest
with thanks to isralert subscriber Moise Mondlak in Mexico
Six French cabinet ministers attended the annual ceremony in memory of the victims of the Vel d'Hiv round up. On July the 16th and the 17th, 1942, French policemen arrested 1129 Jewish men, 2916 Jewish women and 4115 Jewish children. They were herded in a indoor cycling stadium for several days without food or water, then transferred to the Drancy (near Paris) concentration camp and handed over to the Nazis who deported them to the Auschwitz death camp. None of the children survived. The ceremony was attended by Hamlaoui Mekachera, Minister of the War Veterans, Michel Barnier, Foreign minister, Gerard Larcher, minister of Labor, Leon Bertrand, minister of Tourism, Catherine Vautrin, minister of Absorption and Nicole Guedj, minister for the rights of the victims. IsrAlert, a Jewish advocacy network, is hosted by Harv Weiner. To subscribe to IsrAlert, send an email to isralert@aol.com |
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KNOWING WHAT WE ARE MISSING
Posted by Christian Action for Israel, July 30, 2004. |
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This was written by Jonathan Rosenblum in the Jewish World Review (www.jewishworldreview.com), July 27, 2004. For most Jews around the world, today will pass like any other day. They will not observe any of the traditional mourning customs for Tisha B'Av. Indeed they don't even know what historical events Tisha B'Av commemorates. If they were told that the mourning is for the destruction of the two Temples in Jerusalem, they would be puzzled about why such long ago events should occasion any great sadness. Even among those of us who fast the entire day and observed the other "afflictions" of Tisha B'Av, there are few from whose eyes tear will pour copiously during the reading of Lamentations, as was once common. We have lived so long in a world devoid of the sanctity represented by the Temple that we cannot comprehend what was lost. Nor can we conceive how that level of holiness could once again be part of our lives. The Temple Mount, where the Temples stood, is today less a symbol of our past than of how alienated we are from that past. Successive Israeli governments casually permitted the Moslem Wakf to systematically destroy all evidence of the Jewish connection to the Temple Mount. The Moslem Wakf was permitted, in recent years, to build two new large mosques on the site, one by converting the ancient stables of Solomon. All this work was carried out without any archaeological supervision, as required by the Antiquities Law. In the course of the work, thousands of tons of dirt were dumped unceremoniously in the Kidron Valley. Discovered later in the rubble was a three-foot long stone fragment, which one archaeologist called "the most important artifact ever recovered from the Temple Mount." The lack of regard for the site to which Jews throughout the millennia have always turned in prayer was fully reflected in the negotiations following Camp David. Prime Minister Ehud Barak agreed to cede all sovereignty over the Temple Mount in return only for a Palestinian acknowledgment of the Jewish claim of a historical connection. Even that Arafat was unwilling to grant. Arafat wanted the Jews to abase themselves by conceding that their holiest place is more important to Arabs than it is to Jews. Such abasement, he knew, would be one more cut in the ever more tenuous bonds joining the Jews of Israel to their past. (Natan Sharansky revealed recently that less than 50% of Israeli high school students living outside Jerusalem have ever visited the capital, much less the Western Wall.) The Palestinians understand, as we do not, that a nation without a past is a nation without a future. Palestinian legislator Selah Temari writes in his memoirs of his shock at seeing his Jewish jailer eating bread on Pesach. In response to Temari's query, the guard replied, "Do you really expect me not to eat bread today because of something that happened over 3,000 years ago?" That night, Temari relates, he could not sleep. In the course of the night, he went from believing that Israel was invincible to being convinced that the Palestinians could one day regain the entirety of the Land because the Jews have lost their sense of connection. The Temple, of course, was not just a building or a geographical location. When the pilgrims poured into Jerusalem from all over the Land for the Festivals, the Temple became the great symbol of Jewish unity -- a physical manifestation, write Nachmanides, of the unity at Sinai when we received the Torah as "one man with one heart." In the wilderness, the Jews lived surrounded by constant miracles. According to one interpretation, they cried on the night of Tisha B'Av night, after hearing the report of the Spies, because they doubted their ability to live in the same closeness to G-d upon entering the Land and resuming a normal physical existence. The Temple, the dwelling place of the Divine Presence on earth, provided proof that the relationship could be maintained even within the confines of the natural world. When, however, the people lost their internal unity and were no longer worthy of having the Divine Presence in their midst, the Temple was destroyed. Our alienation from our past and from the One Whose presence dwelt in the Temple G-d can only be remedied through an awareness of what we once possessed and are now lacking. "All those who mourn for Jerusalem," say our Sages, "will one day witness her rejoicing." Until we can cry for our estrangement on an individual and collective level from the irreducible point of divinity within, the pilgrims' song of rejoicing will not be heard. The website address of the Christian Action for Israel is http://christianactionforisrael.org |
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REWRITING HISTORY: ISRAEL HAS BEEN PALESTINIAN HOMELAND FOR "A MILLION YEARS"
Posted by Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook, July 30, 2004. |
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Denying Israel's right to exist by claiming the Jews have no historical roots in Israel is a backbone of Palestinian Authority (PA) cultural education, as is the attempt to reinforce Palestinian claims to the land by creating an ancient Palestinian history in Israel. A new poetry video called You and Us, broadcast on PA TV almost every day in recent weeks, uses both tactics. As shots of Israelis appear on the screen, an announcer's grave voice reads the poem's opening line: "You are phantoms in my land." The juxtaposition of text and visuals also portrays Israelis as "conquerors." The text of the poem states that the land has been Palestinian homeland for "a million years," since "the dawn of man's creation," and that no one occupied the land before the Palestinians' arrival. Scenes of Yasser Arafat accompany the repeated phrase, "This is the beginning," and the poem's final line refers to "revolution" as the PA flag appears on the screen. The following is the text of the poem, with a description of the accompanying visuals: "You are phantoms on my land [visuals of Israelis]
Itamar Marcus is director of PMW -Palestinian Media Watch - (http://www.pmw.org.il). Barbara Crook, a writer and university lecturer based in Ottawa, Canada, is PMW's North American representative. |
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DISPOSING OF JEWISH HOLY SITES
Posted by Emanuel A. Winston, July 30, 2004. |
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Arutz Sheva News published a story about Rabbi Shlomo Goren, IDF Chief Rabbi and Major General in 1967 who later became Chief Rabbi of Israel. (See attached) In brief, Rabbi Goren applied for a permit to pray on the Temple Mount on Tisha Be'Av in 1967 shortly after it was liberated by the IDF in the Six Day War of June 1967. His request was refused by the Ministerial Committee for the Safeguarding of Holy Places. As a relevant aside, this pompous title is an Oxymoron - given that since then this 'Committee' has allowed the digging under and destruction of the Temple Mount with barely a word or action halting this ongoing desecration by Muslim Arabs. In a way, however, this permitted desecration is part of the story. In several previous articles, I pointed out that, then Defense Minister Moshe Dayan handed over the keys and control of the Temple Mount to the Arab Muslim Waqf after Israel had liberated it from Jordan's 19 years of control and destruction. There was a deeper political reason for Dayan to abandon Solomon's Temple - the earthly House of the Jewish G-d. The Left Wing Party of Mapai held certain ideologies under the rubric of 'Zionism'. Some confused Zionism and the return of the Jews to the Land G-d promised us as the fulfillment and conclusion of Judaism. Regrettably, the two were worlds apart. Men like David Ben Gurion, Ezer Weizman, Moshe Dayan, Yitzhak Rabin, Shimon Peres, among others were in no way observant Jews. To them G-d was a convenient myth which was not questioned by the Jews of the World who poured money into the "Jewish State". When any of these leaders put on a kippah (Jewish skull cap) at such times they were talking to observant Jews, it was a convenient masquerade, But, it was a good show and there appeared a comraderie or melding of purpose. But, the ultimate goal of Mapai which morphed into the Labor Party was that Israel was to be a politically secular state. While giving lip service to rabbis or American fund-raising institutions of their dedication to an observant Jewish State, it was all merely lip service. The Jews never understood or perhaps didn't want to understand that the controlling politicians were primarily secular. They pandered to various religiously observant parties because they represented a sizable block of votes. From the earliest time of the new State there were plans to insure that religious Jewry never became a dominant force in the government of the new Jewish Nation. For reasons that baffle me, observant Jews never caught on. When Holy Sites were gifted away to the Arabs, the 'spin' or angle was that these were merely needed gestures to pacify the wild Muslim Palestinians and it would appease their tendency to violence. Of course, it never did but, the appeasement continued. When Moshe Dayan so cavalierly gifted the Temple Mount to the Arab Muslim Waqf in 1967, every warning signal should have lit up in the minds of observant Jews. Dayan, seemingly on his own, gifted the Soul Center of the Jewish people to a pagan, hostile religion. A great battle had taken place to return all of Jerusalem to the Jewish people and Dayan gave away the heart and soul of the Jewish people without any known or affective protest from the Jews. While he was for the moment a hero General, he should have been immediately sacked and tried for treason. Instead, like others who followed him, he was allowed to carry on his life of womanizing, stealing artifacts for his private collection and never called to account for giving away the most Holy Site for Jews in all the World. The disposal and/or abandonment of Holy Sites is not merely a haphazard pattern. This ranks as part of the basic ideology of those who deliver these as the Planning Committee that carries forward the Radical Left's earliest plans. Disposing of Holy Sites is one of the major imperatives of Leftist secular philosophy. Giving up the Temple Mount was not only an imperative but was mandatory if the political Left was to remain dominant in ruling the Nation. Consider Solomon's Temple through the eyes and philosophy of Ben Gurion, Dayan, Weizman, etc. If the observant Jews had access to and control of Solomon's Temple most assuredly they would have started construction of the Third Temple as detailed in Tanach (the Bible), observant Jews would have flocked to the site in ever greater numbers then those who now come to the Western Wall, the Kotel HaMa'aravi. Moreover, Jews who were only mildly observant or who had no belief in the One G-d would also be drawn to this mystical Holy Site. If you were a secular politician, your position in the Government would steadily diminish or your Leftist Party would disappear. Disposing of Holy Sites and land areas which hark back to Biblical times had to be abandoned. When Rabbi Goren was refused permission to pray on the Temple Mount, it was in a direct line to Dayan's disposing of that Holy Site to the Arab Muslims. When non-observant Prime Ministers refused to take any action when the Muslim Waqf started to dig out the interior of the Temple Mount (called Solomon's Stables), they were silent. Even as precious artifacts were dug out by machines and dumped in garbage piles in the Kidron Valley. Both the Arab Muslims and the Leftist Jews wanted all traces of any Jewish presence destroyed. I feel quite safe in saying that if the Ark of the Covenant itself was found, it would be impounded or destroyed to insure that there would be no center of religious gravity or symbol. When Bibi Netanyahu casually gave up 80% of Hebron and divided rights to space for prayers in the Marat HaMachpelah (Cave of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs) - the burial places of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, Ya'acov and Leah. Here again, the elimination of a Jewish Holy Site was in line with the basic plan to keep Israeli rule in the secular domain. Politically Bibi could not abandon the site in one fell swoop so the community of religious Jews was allowed to stay and the site of the Machpelah was divided so Jews could pray, separated from the Muslims. The end game plan was to wait for the Muslim Arab Terrorists (in the name of Allah) to kill so many Jews that it would be only logical to send in the military and forcibly remove the Jews in what would look like a noble rescue mission. The end product was that another key Holy Site would be removed from the world of observant Jewry. To further this process, several Jews, both men and mothers of many children have been arrested, placed in Administrative Detention, threatened with jail and to have their children placed in foster homes - all this was to pressure the Jews faithful who guard the Holy Site of Hebron to leave. In the early 1980s I wrote about the Labor leaders meeting illegally with Yassir Arafat to plan the forcible removal of Jews from the territories. These Jewish leaders not only engaged in treason to the State but also acted as enablers for Arafat's Palestinians to act as shock troops to drive the last of the hold-out settlers from their homes. This, in a normal court of law, would be considered co-conspiracy to commit murder. The Pioneering Settlers were indeed murdered and yet the Labor dominated Courts of Israel never pursued the matter. There were far too many Jewish Holy Sites such as Shilo where the Ark of the Covenant rested for hundreds of years before it was finally transported by then King David to the Temple Mount which became the site of his son King Solomon's First Temple. Here again a Holy Site was to be forcibly abandoned - among many others. The Oslo Accords allocated Jericho and Gaza First to Arafat's Palestinian Authority. The ancient synagogue in Jericho was destroyed and the Jews expelled. Gaza is the site of many Jewish ancient points in history. Gaza is now slated to be abandoned again but this time the 8,000 men, women and children are to be transferred out of their homes, farms, factories, schools, synagogues, infrastructure and water resources which are to be 'transferred' over to the Muslim Arabs who want to flood in from all over the Arab Muslim world. We all recall how Joseph's Tomb in Nablus (Schehem) was abandoned under order of the military as dictated by the Rabin/Peres government. The Arabs burned the Tomb, its contents of Torah and holy books while the IDF left one of their own bleeding to death without rescue To rescue him would have necessitated re-capturing Joseph's Tomb and that simply was not in the overall plan of de-Judaizing Israel. I am sure one of our Jewish historians can provide a list of all the Holy Sites abandoned or yet to be abandoned now by the non-Jewish Jew Sharon. Gaza has a deep historical place in Jewish history as does the Golan Heights. The De-Judaizing of Israel has been a careful step-by-step procedure so as to not alert or alarm local or world Jewry. There have been many religious cults throughout history. Conversely, there have also been anti-religious cults dedicated to dominating their selected adversaries. The more modern cult of anti-Jewish thinking is embodied in what today is called the Political Left. Strangely, they are de facto partners with Yassir Arafat who bitterly complained of the Judification of Jerusalem. These are strange but compatible bedfellows. Arafat wants all the Jews either dead or deported from the Jewish State. He ties his goals to Islam which he really doesn't believe in. The non-Jewish Jews of the Left sometimes use religious Jews to advance their agenda de-Judaizing Israel. Both engage in killing Jews or facilitating their murders and injuries to advance their ideology. To sum up: The early fathers of the Leftist movement wanted a secular State with a thin veneer of accepting religious Judaism as a necessary cover. An imperative part of this plan is to dispose of Holy Sites in any manner possible in order to remove any rallying symbols for observant Jews and thereby remove any political challenge to their rule. In effect, the concept of making Israel Judenrein is still operational. In this case, being free of Jews simply means that there will be no appreciable religious Jewry but, merely empty shells called Jews. As is often stated in Tanach, your worst enemies will come from within. Even as Sharon tries to transfer Jews from the Land and from their homes, in brazen hypocrisy he tells French Jews to flee France due to rampant anti-Semitism there even as he, Sharon, plays the role of the quintessential anti-Semite. Emanuel Winston is a commentator and Middle East analyst. His articles appear often on Think-Israel and Gamla. He is a member of the Board of Directors and a research associate of the Freeman Center For Strategic Studies (http://www.freeman.org/online.htm). |
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JEWS PARANOID OR NAIVE? MIGHT VERSUS FRIGHT
Posted by Richard H. Shulman, July 30, 2004. |
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Some Web writers suggest that we Jews are paranoid about Arab intentions towards us. Those writers ought to read the IMRA translations of the weekly theme from mosque sermons, repeated in broadcasts in S. Arabia, the P.A., and Egypt. That theme is: kill the Jews and Christians; kill Americans. The murderous Arab intent towards the Jews is explicit. Jewish concern is not paranoid. Gentile writers ought to worry about another 9/11. Arabs attempt to attack Jews, for being Jews, every day in the Land of Israel and in Europe. It is taking the Jewish people too long time to grasp the idea that certain gentile peoples want to push them out and wipe them out. The problem with the Jewish people is not paranoia but naivete. Jews would be better advised to be more suspicious. The Jews are insufficiently aware of the plots against them. They hope that Europe would use its influence to get the Arabs to stop terrorism, whereas Europe has a Mediterranean alliance against Israel. They think of the US as an ally against terrorism, whereas the US stays Israel's hand against terrorism. In fact, the traditionally anti-Zionist State Dept. has stayed Israel's hand against Arab imperialism repeatedly. Unfortunately, the far from paranoid Israelis consider their "best friend" to be that same US government that made them accept a first blow in 1973, staggering Israeli defenses. Those insufficiently suspicious Israelis failed to draw the obvious conclusion from Pollard's finding that the US was denying it promised vital intelligence about Arab military development and even was feeding it disinformation, for which finding, Pollard is disproportionately punished. The US and EU enemies of Israel pretend to be friends, and most Jews get taken in. Study their motives and judge by their actions. Become alert or succumb. This is not the first time. In the 1920s, the Zionist leader Jabotinsky warned the Jews of Europe that unless they fled, they would be exterminated. He saw the rise of an increasingly violent antisemitism there. He had foresight, but they had no sight. He was thought paranoid. They were murdered; he was vindicated. But the survivors failed to learn: Wise up or be wiped out! Now Jews who warn about the Arabs, and who oppose Oslo and "Disengagement" as empowering the enemy, are called paranoid. Those who mock warnings do them no good. MIGHT VERSUS FRIGHT When Israel acts weak, i.e., it makes harmful concessions to the undeserving Arabs, it claims to be acting from strength, based on having a modern army. This is an army, however, that hardly uses its planes and tanks and hardly pursues the enemy. It is inhibited by leftist and foreign sympathy for the Arabs, based on vested interests or on old biases phrased as human rights. The US also has a modern army not put to full use. Twice the US failed to move boldly to kill off the Republican Guards, now attacking its forces. Terrorists kidnap nationals of coalition members, until the members remove their forces or their aide groups. Terrorists flow in from other areas that breed Islamists or cooperate with them, because the US has insufficient forces or insufficient resolve in this partisan election period to attack more countries. How can the US attack more countries when the President does not recognize the extent and religious component of the world war we are in, the meager US forces are spread out in peacekeeping that the hypocritical international critics fail to do enough of, and the President is under fire for the limited warfare we wage? If he had properly defined the enemy, urged Congress to declare war on Islamism and its allies, not told us how fine Islam is, and coherently explained the war in Iraq, he might have positioned the US to move beyond Iraq and win. What good is our modern military technology, when, like Israel's, not fully deployed? I fear that although the US has disrupted terrorism, Islamism is winning. It even gets some help from the US (via subsidy to the P. A. coddling of S. Arabia, arms to unstable Egypt). Richard 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. |
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LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE HUMAN CHAIN
Posted by Moshe Feiglin, July 30, 2004. |
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Last week we published here a call to participate in the chain demonstration. In the same call we emphasized that it was clear that Sharon, who lacks democratic awareness, wouldn't treat the chain any better than he treated the Likud referendum, or his election promises. The importance of the activity was inwards, that is, to the belief-based public itself, and to the population of Israel, and not the leadership. We also remarked that at some stage or another the public will be obliged to go over to a protest involving broad-based non-violent civil disobedience, such as that done by Zo Artzeinu in the past. We had no "hidden" intention of blocking roads during the chain itself, but despite this the media reported Manhigut Yehudit's call to block the roads during this event. This doesn't bother us, and it simply proves that deep down both the Left and the Right understand that this is the step that should be taken, and any "wink" by us is immediately regarded as a plan of action. It is in fact important that public consciousness of the need for activities of this kind should increase. Non-violent civil disobedience is the sole democratic tool that can create an effective struggle throughout the country, with controllable conditions, while avoiding violence and degeneration into a civil war. Those who will wait until the last million and dream of tens of thousands holding out in Gush Katif are liable to discover that they've missed the train. In such circumstances the events that we are afraid of may well happen. Unfortunately history does repeat itself, and we have therefore seen fit to reissue (in a fourth edition) Moshe Feiglin's book, Where there are no men. For those who wish to conduct a real, effective, and non-violent struggle, it's worthwhile learning from the experience of Zo Artzeinu. (The price is $20 with free shipping! The book is in English, Hebrew and Russian. Send your $20 check to: Manhigut Yehudit PO Box 241 Cedarhurst, NY 11516 *Make sure to include a mailing address.) Manhigut Yehudit (Jewish Leadership) is a group of people inside the Likud party who want to see Israel adopt a more Jewish character. Moshe Feiglin, its cofounder, has emphatically said he does not want a theocracy, but he does want a State based on Jewish values. The Manhigut Yehudit website address is http://www.manhigut.org. |
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EGYPT'S RULING PARTY NEWSPAPER: THE HOLOCAUST IS A ZIONIST LIE AIMED AT EXTORTING THE WEST
Posted by IsrAlert, July 29, 2004. |
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This is a Special Dispatch of the Egypt/Arab Antisemitism Documentation Project, The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), July 30, 2004, No. 756. To view this Special Dispatch in HTML format, please visit: http://www.memri.org/bin/opener_latest.cgi?ID=SD75604 The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) is an independent, non-profit organization that translates and analyzes the media of the Middle East. Copies of articles and documents cited, as well as background information, are available on request. Dr. Rif'at Sayyed Ahmad, director of the "Jaffa Research Center" in Cairo and columnist for Al-Liwaa Al-Islami, which is the Egypt's ruling National Democratic Party's paper, published a two-part article titled 'The Lie About The Burning of the Jews.' In his article, Ahmad stated, using the work of Western Holocaust deniers, that the burning of Jews in gas chambers during World War II was a tale made up by the Zionist movement in order to extort the West and make possible the establishment of the Zionist enterprise. The following are excerpts from the article:(1) 'Did this Holocaust Indeed Take Place, and what is the Truth about the Numbers?' "The Zionist enterprise on the land of Palestine succeeded by means of lies and myths, from the myth of the 'Chosen People' and the 'Promised Land' to the lie about the burning of the Jews in the Nazi gas chambers during World War II. When these means were scientifically examined, it was proven that they were untrue, that their reasoning was weak, and that they cannot withstand the test of solid fact. "What interests us here is that this lie [about] the burning of the Jews in the Nazi crematoria has been disseminated throughout the world until our time in order to extort the West and make it easier for the Jews of Europe to hunt [sic] Palestine and establish a state on it, in disregard of the most basic principles of international law and the right of peoples to independent life without occupation. [This lie] was raised [also] so that [the Jews] would receive financial, technological, and economic aid from the West. "During the past 50 years, Germany alone gave a total of some $100 billion. Many European countries began to amend their laws so that they would be compatible with the Holocaust myth ... and they toughened the regulations, resolutions, and laws convicting anyone who mocks this lie or tries to [state that] the number of victims was smaller - as happened to Muslim philosopher Roger Garaudy in France. "This entire situation has turned the Holocaust - that is, Hitler's operation of burning the Jews in gas chambers - into a drawn sword at the necks of historians and serious researchers in the West, and even in the East. At the same time, [the Holocaust] became profitable goods for the Zionist entity... "At a conference of 50 countries held in Germany in April 2004, the German foreign minister delivered a speech called 'Antisemitism.' He demanded that the conference participants demonstrate solidarity with Israel and fight those who deny or cast doubt on the matter of the burning of the Jews in the Nazi crematoria. Several months ago in the city of Stockholm, Sweden, some 26 European and non-European countries passed a resolution to teach 'the false Nazi holocaust' that Hitler had carried out against the Jews, at all stages of study in the schools of the participating countries. At the same time, there were words of appreciation for the Israeli prime minister, whose entity is today implementing the same purported Hitler Nazism. "None of the senior officials who participated in the conference bothered to answer a number of questions: Did this holocaust indeed take place, and what is the truth about the numbers that were disseminated regarding it? [They did not answer the question of] what their opinion was regarding the slaughter in cold blood of children, men, and defenseless elderly in Palestine today, since September 28, 2002 [sic]. Is this not 'the new Nazism?' And how does their false European integrity and their false defense of human rights accept this? "To this day, none of these countries has answered these questions, and never will answer them, because they are hypocrites with regard to [the difference between] perception and analysis, and there is no chance of getting an answer from them. We can only present clear-cut evidence, and try to reread the story of this 'holocaust' with complete objectivity." 'Objective Essays by Zionist Authors Prove the Lie about the Burning of the Jews in Gas Chambers' "First, the facts about this lie and what surrounds it, as follows: "[The number] of victims as a result of World War II, due both to the crimes of the Axis countries and the [crimes of] the Allies, are, according to a few versions, about 50 million, whether as a result of the war or of Hitler's crimes. Of these, 18 million were Germans. Among the victims of this war were Jews, like other members of the human race, as war and cannon shells and planes are incapable of distinguishing between Jew and non-Jew. "Similarly, Hitler was against all nationalities that were not pure German, whether Jewish or non-Jewish. He was a fanatical German nationalist whose nationalism, which was against everything except Germany, included, of course, both Jews and non-Jews. "Objective essays by Zionist authors prove the lie about the burning of the Jews in gas chambers. Of these it is possible to mention, for example, Josef Ginzburg, a German [Jew] who lived under Nazi rule and fled with his family to America and from there went to Israel - about whose establishment he was enthusiastic. But after experiencing what he called its racist Nazi essence, he quickly left Israel and returned to Germany in the 1950s. There [in Germany] he wrote a number of important books about the 'holocaust,' denying that there had been gas chambers designed for burning the Jews. He said: 'This is nothing but a great lie, by means of which the extremist Jews wanted to extort Europe - particularly Germany - and to plunder the homelands of others.' And that is exactly what happened in occupied Palestine. "Josef Ginzburg was murdered by the Jews when he went to visit his wife's grave in Munich's Jewish cemetery, in retaliation for his attempt to expose their falsification." The Hoax of the 20th Century "The famous French historian and geographer Paul Rassinein [sic, reference to Paul Rassinier] tried to confront this falsification and lie from the outset. In 1948, he published an extremely important history book about this falsification, called 'Crossing the Line.'(2) In his book, he used exact numbers and statistics about the number of Jews in Europe - particularly in Germany - prior to and following World War II. He carefully compared these [with the number of victims], and concluded that the number of killed from among them as a result of the war or as a result of Hitler's persecution of them and others who were not German subjects did not exceed a few hundred thousand. [Rassinier wrote in his book], 'The number did not reach even one million killed, at most.' "Paul Rassinier was persecuted and stood trial. He, the publisher, and the author of the book's preface were all fined a large amount, just like what happened half a century later to the Muslim philosopher Roger Garaudy when he published his book 'The Founding Myths of Zionism,'(3) in which he refuted this same lie - the lie of the burning of the Jews in the gas chambers. And in a democratic country, France, he [Garaudy] was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment, fined, persecuted, and slandered. What kind of democracy is this, that does not tolerate the intellectual efforts of others on this world's historical issues?... "The American author and researcher Arthur Butz produced an important book titled 'The Hoax of the Twentieth Century'(4)... This book includes precise scientific data on the Auschwitz camp, where it was alleged that 1.2 million Jews were 'burnt.' Arthur Butz proved that at this camp dead bodies - of Jews and non-Jews - were burnt as a result of the war, and that their bodies were burnt so contagious diseases would not be spread by leaving them in the streets for a long time. [Similarly,] it is almost certain that it was not Hitler who built the crematoria, but the Poles, after the war, and that the odors emitted by the crematoria in which the bodies were burnt were also those of horses who died as a result of the war... He concluded from all this that the 'crematoria' ... were a lie that must now be exposed. Of course, Arthur Butz was attacked by world Zionism, and nearly paid with his life." 'No Matter what Proof We Present, [the Jews and] the European Politicians will Never Believe Us' "The evidence and the objective essays published in the world about this 'lie,' which the Jews have succeeded in exploiting with great wisdom, are continuing. The most recent important attempt, which also faced a Zionist counterattack, was that of British historian David Irving, who in 1990 stated before 800 people in Munich that there were no gas chambers at Auschwitz, and that the gas chamber in the detention camp there was erected by the Poles after the war - similar to the one erected by the Americans at Dachau - and that six million Jews were not burnt there as was alleged. "In January 2002, he again stated that it was inconceivable that the number of Jews killed as a result of the war reached this number [six million]... "In the same way, articles by Gilbert Aire [sic] appeared in the British [newspaper The] Independent, in which he considered the talk about the Holocaust as nothing more than a cheap fashion. Similarly, the essays of British authors Sam Shulman, Tim Cole, and Nata Shalter [sic], of the American author Peter Novick, and of dozens of other [authors] of conscience, who were very humiliated by the trade in the false Holocaust... "No matter what details and proof emphasizing the lie of the burning of the Jews in Nazi crematoria we present, they [the Jews] and the statesmen of Europe who trade in the Holocaust will never believe us. On the contrary - it is almost certain that they will accuse us of antisemitism... "Dozens of Western laws in the European countries have been changed to protect this false myth of the burning of the Jews. Dozens of curricula have also been changed. Today, it is possible to curse the monotheistic religions, but the 'holocaust' and its lie are above criticism and above opinion, and in Europe it is unapproachable. "All this proves that we are standing before new Western idol-worship that requires a genuine cultural revolution within it in order to destroy it - a revolution that will use facts and science against tales ungrounded in true reality and credible history." Endnotes:
IsrAlert, a Jewish advocacy network, is hosted by Harv Weiner. To subscribe to IsrAlert, send an email to isralert@aol.com |
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ARAB GUIDE TO THE 2004 ELECTION
Posted by IsrAlert, July 29, 2004. |
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This was written by Steven Stalinsky and appeared today on the Jewish
World Review website (http://www.jewishworldreview.com). Steven
Stalinsky is Executive Director of The Middle East Media Research
Institute (www.memri.org).
The Arab and Iranian press have increasingly discussed the upcoming American presidential election. Most journalists are pulling for a Kerry victory. Other commentators have said that the choice between the two is like "choosing between cholera and the plague." The Iranian press has been particularly active in monitoring the elections. The editor of the Egyptian Al-Gil newspaper, Nagi Al Shihabi, was interviewed by the Iranian Al-Alam TV on June 13, and said: "The U.S. wants to eradicate our religious and Islamic identity. Bush declared a Crusader war following the events of 9/11... The U.S. established its country over the body parts of 120 million Indians. We must first define the enemy. The no. 1 enemy of the Arab and Islamic peoples is the U.S. and not only Israel... Bush, Allah willing, will go to hell in this coming November." During his Friday sermon in the city of Qom, broadcast by Channel 2 of Iranian TV on June 19, preacher Ayatollah Javadi-Amoli called on Americans to vote against Mr. Bush: "We advise the people of America not to continue to tolerate this oppressing, ignorant, pillaging, criminal, and discriminating administration. In the future, do not vote for Bush and his ilk." Writing in the Tehran Times on June 17, Kian Nader Mokhtari praised Senator Kerry, and hoped that he would triumph over the "neo-Nazis" of the Bush administration: "It has long been a tradition in U.S. politics for irresponsible gun-toting Republican presidents to pass on unresolved dilemmas to their Democratic replacements, and Bush will be no exception... Kerry is exactly what the U.S. needs... Kerry's sensible and methodical approach will no doubt go some distance in solving the stinking heap of a mess left over by Bush and his neo-conservatives - for a minute there I was going to type neo-Nazis!... He [Kerry] may be remembered as the president whose decisions saved the U.S..." The Lebanese minister of information, Michael Samaha, also discussed the election on Syrian TV on March 30: "The most important thing that could happen in the coming American elections if Kerry wins is that the neo-conservatives leave. They have a complete ideology regarding their treatment of the world and specifically the Middle East and the Near East to which we belong. If they leave, the real American America will return." In an article in Al-Ahram weekly on April 18, an Arab-Israeli member of Knesset, Azmi Bishara, called on Arab-Americans to "rethink their alliance with Bush" and "shift their votes from Bush to Kerry." But not everyone in the Arab and Iranian press supports Mr. Kerry. In an interview with Al-Siyassah daily, Sheik Saud Al Nasser Al Sabah, who was Kuwait's ambassador to America from 1981 until 1992, said he hopes Republicans will stay in power: "If the American administration changes in November, it will be catastrophic... because those Democrats do not understand a thing about foreign policy, and they lack the determination to make decisions the way Bush made them in Iraq and elsewhere." He added, "Our only hope is that this administration will continue for the next few years..." California State University professor Asad Abu Khalil was interviewed by the Iranian channel Al-Alam TV on June 23. The professor said: "I say that decision-making in American foreign policy is done by more than just one group. There is, of course, the neo-conservative group, but there is another group which is more important and that is the Christian fundamentalists - the Christian Taliban, which is influential in the U.S., to which the American president belongs...The nature of the American empire may change under John Kerry, but we shouldn't do what some PLO representatives in Western capitals did, when they opened champagne bottles when the Labor party replaced the Likud?" The Saudi-owned Iqra TV hosted a political debate on March 24. The moderator asked the panel their opinions on voting for Mr. Kerry or Mr. Bush, "Sir, do you believe the American voter will vote for Kerry as a reaction to the position of Bush junior, who always supports Sharon? "A Palestinian politician and writer, Abd Al-Qader Yassin, said: "We need to choose between cholera and the plague." As November approaches, it is interesting to note that four years ago the Arab and Iranian press was giddy about a Governor Bush victory over Vice President Gore, which was seen as an end to the Clinton administration's Middle East policy. The same press is again calling for a change in the White House. IsrAlert, a Jewish advocacy network, is hosted by Harv Weiner. To subscribe to IsrAlert, send an email to isralert@aol.com |
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UNMERCIFUL MUSLIM CHARITIES
Posted by Richard H. Shulman, July 29, 2004. |
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The flaw in modern, mass democracy is its exaltation of individual privilege over individual responsibility. Democracy also has to balance individual rights and governmental power. Islamists seeks to curb both, until it can use the latter to crush the former. Prompted by citizens' demands for action against terrorist attacks, the current Administration is grasping for more power to thwart them. I think it is heavy-handed about it. Other critics, perhaps partisan, think this its excess intentional. It does coincide with governmental attempts to thwart citizen participation and oversight over a great giveaway and pollution of natural resources. In dealing with jihad, the government is needlessly inhibited by political correctness and tolerance of subversion. In decades past, more Communist subversion was dealt with for sensationalism than for safety. The Communists' spiritual heirs have come into position to demean reasonable efforts at public safety. Political correctness casts a veil of censorship over the political process. Our government, engaged in a world war on jihad, is afraid to clearly define it as such (and then gets criticized for invading Iraq as if for nothing). It is more difficult to fight back when the enemy is not identified and his tools are politically correct. Islamists are mass-migrating to the West. Most enter for jobs and contribute to terrorist fundraising agencies euphemistically called charities. Few American voices would shut off the terrorist infiltrating and fundraising at the source -- ports of entry -- because that contravenes the politically correct notion of multiculturalism and collective punishment. But this IS a collective matter. Rather than a few individual criminals unfairly spoiling the chance for betterment of life of the Muslim masses, the Muslim masses spoil the chances of the few individuals among them who wish to assimilate into the American way of life. The masses hate secular, Western ways and wish to remold our society after their failed one. They donate to terrorist fundraising agencies with nary an inquiry, despite the publicity about terrorist fundraising indicating that funds go for other than stated charitable purpose. Few Americans demand more monitoring of the fundraising agencies, because the latter call themselves charities. We must learn that the Islamists misrepresent their struggle against democracy in innocent guise. They likewise learn what words evoke negative emotions, such as "Nazi," and attribute it to Israel, although the Arabs were pro-Nazi. Hitler's autobiography and "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" remain bestsellers in the Arab world. They do not dislike Nazism when they accuse Israel of it, they cast at Israel whatever the rest of the world considers mud, though they, themselves, wallow in it like an unwashed pig trying to cool itself in summer. We must not let Arab semantic tricks divert us from our duty. When the government does indict an alleged charity, other terrorist front organizations, such as C.A.I.R., always and automatically denounce the indictment and the government. This can embarrass a government that takes that subversive organization at face value. A major public issue is whether moderate Muslims will reform their religion and delegitimize the Islamists within it. But are there many moderate Muslims? If so, why their widespread donation to phony charities? Do the Muslim masses not know that terrorist fronts pose as charities? Why not? Do they not realize that the fronts' subsidy of families of suicide bombers acts as an insurance policy for suicide bombers, hence encourages them? What they call donating to charity is financing murder, crimes against humanity. I think they know and approve. When the courts convict the fronts, where is the donors' outcry against the fronts that defrauded them and deprived genuine objects of charity? This silence damns the moderates or disproves their existence. Richard 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. |
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ARABS SHOCK EUROPEANS, REFUSE TO CONDEMN ANTI-SEMITISM
Posted by Janet Lehr, July 29, 2004. |
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Last evening Dr Stephen Berk, speaking at The Jewish Center of East Hampton, in addressing anti-semitism in America, credited the enormous effectiveness of a single book in fostering anti-semitism. Edward Said's Orientalism was published in 1978. In Orientalism, he laid down the rules for how the Middle East is studied and the perception of Israel and America. This is today's Bible, the Rosetta Stone of the Left. (Read the references below and attached on Edward Said. It may give you indigestion, but you need to know their script.). This article is entitled "Arabs Shock Europeans, refuse to condemn anti-Semitism" by Shlomo Shamir, Haaretz Correspondent. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/456967.html NEW YORK - Arab states at he United Nations are trying to foil a proposal to raise a vote condemning anti-Semitism in the General Assembly this September. At a closed meeting held recently in New York, UN ambassadors from Arab and EU countries met and the Arabs made clear that they do not accept the initiative for the UN General Assembly to condemn anti-Semitism. The blunt language used by the Arabs describing their opposition, and their plans to use diplomatic means to prevent the resolution from reaching a vote, shocked the Europeans, said a UN source. According to UN sources, the Arab delegates were also critical of a UN seminar on anti-Semitism held last month. A senior Western diplomat said that among the Arabs who spoke with the Europeans was PLO observer Nasser al Kidwe, and he was particularly outspoken in his objections to a UN General Assembly resolution on anti-Semitism. The source said Kidwe attacked the content of UN Secretary general Koffi Anan's speech to the seminar last month, particularly Annan's pride in the cancelation of the 1975 Zionism equals racism resolution. "The Europeans were depressed when they left the meeting," said the source. Jordanian Ambassador to the UN Prince Ziad Hussein argued that the resolution would reinforce the tendency to call any criticism of Israel, anti-Semitic. Moroccan Ambassador Mohammed Banone, said that the seminar against anti-Semitism was a terrible idea and a decision would only divide the world body. Arab League Ambassador Mahamas Hani warned that a UN resolution condemning anti-Semitism would have a negative impact on the Middle East. The proposed resolution would issue a general condemnation of all forms of anti-Semitism and acts of intolerance, incitement and harassment. The decision would also call on member countries to take steps to block anti-Semitism. Major countries have already committed to voting in favor. Last year, an Israeli initiative for a similar resolution failed. It is hard for me to believe that Columbia, the school of choice fifty years ago, for New York Cities best, brightest orthodox Jewish college boys has become a raging hot bed of pro-palestinian anti-semitism. Where are the alumnae? Please email this to Columbia and Barnard alums. "Columbia University Celebrates Edward Said" by Jonathan Calt Harris
on "National Review" April 15, 2003.
Jonathan Calt Harris is managing editor of Campus Watch.
On April 16th, Columbia University will celebrate a "25th Anniversary Silver Jubilee" of Orientalism, a book by Edward Said, emeritus professor and leading spokesman for a the Palestinian cause against Israel. The event enjoys some high-level patronage; the university's provost, Jonathan Cole, will deliver the opening remarks. By celebrating Said's work in this manner, Columbia is endorsing its contents. Why would it do this? Because Said, although not himself a specialist on the Middle East, has laid down the rules on how the region is studied at his university (and on many other campuses too). His radical leftism, his apologetics for militant Islam, and his advocacy of Palestinian violence have become the norm. So paramount are his ideas at Columbia that an endowed chair has been named after him, virtually canonizing his views. Said's influence - especially his obsessive hostility toward Israel - has indeed been pervasive at Columbia. Some examples from its lineup of Middle East specialists: 1. Nadia Abu El-Haj, assistant professor of anthropology at Barnard. In her book, Facts on the Ground: Archaeological Practice and Territorial Self-Fashioning in Israeli Society, she argues that Israeli archeology is but a tool to fabricate an "origin myth" to "efface Zionism's colonial dimension." 2. Hamid Dabashi, professor of Iranian studies. He organized a Palestinian film festival "Dreams of a Nation" that featured posters of a blood-red Palestine replacing Israel and several films calling for the destruction of Israel. Dabashi once cancelled his class to participate in an anti-Israel rally, and recently joined Ayatollah Khomeini in condemning novelist Salman Rushdie for his "demonizing" of Islamic civilization. 3. Joseph Massad, assistant professor of modern Arab politics. His entire body of scholarship consists of manic anti-Zionism. He labels Israel "a Jewish supremacist and racist state" (yet Columbia allows him to teach a course titled "Palestinian and Israel Politics and Society"). He defends Palestinian violence, "It is only by making the costs of Jewish supremacy too high that Israeli Jews will give it up." He criticized Yasser Arafat for "concessions" to Israel, thus undermining "the right of the Palestinians to resist the occupation." 4. George Saliba, professor of Arabic and Islamic Science. He defends promoting an anti-Israel rally in class, calling it a place to get "accurate information on the Middle East," yet fuels false rumors about Ariel Sharon, "committing his massacres in Jenin." One student warns, "Take this class if you want to hear total and utter nonsense." Another notes, "He only lectured 14 of the 24 class sessions; the other 10, he either cancelled to promote 'Palestine' or showed a movie or played music." Joining this illustrious group in the fall will be: Rashid Khalidi, the new Edward Said Chair of Middle East Studies. Khalidi is yet another obsessive anti-Israel scholar. When Palestinians lynched two off-duty Israeli officers in October of 2000, proudly displaying their bloodied hands, Khalidi found fit to criticize not the perpetrators of the crime but the "prostitute" and "cynical" media that reported it. He glorifies anti-Israel violence as "civil society" poking "its way up through the concrete." He portrays the PLO as democratic and Arafat as an "elected leader." He claims Israel's army has used "awful weapons of mass destruction in Palestinian cities, villages and refugee camps, a naked lie. Delirious reactions to Khalidi's imminent arrival confirm the entrenched bias at Columbia. "Everyone in the Middle East area is thrilled," comments history professor Richard Bulliet. "There was a consensus that Khalidi would be the best for this chair," adds Lisa Anderson, dean of Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs. "Rashid is probably the best scholar we could have gotten," agrees David Cohen, vice president for Arts and Sciences. Such is what now passes for Middle East scholarship at Columbia University on the 25th anniversary of Orientalism. It would hardly seem worthy of a jubilee celebration. John Corigliano, a well-known composer and a Columbia alumnus, recently called the Middle East-studies department to task for its blatantly anti-Israel outlook. "I do hope the [Columbia] administration has the courage - for it will take a lot of courage - to stand up to demagoguery of this nature." No sign of that courage as of yet. |
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YOU'RE NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE
Posted by Judy Lash Balint, July 29, 2004. |
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This appeared on Front Page Magazine (www.FrontPageMagazine.com).
For the fledgling Christian Allies Caucus of Israel's Knesset it was quite a coup. Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) is the first US lawmaker to be hosted by the group whose prime goal is to strengthen ties with pro-Israel Christian groups around the world. Last week, at a special meeting in the Knesset, the senator from Kansas addressed Israeli parliamentarians as well as representatives of most of the Christian groups operating in Israel. Brownback was effusive in his support of Israel--not so unusual for a visiting US legislator. What was so notable that it caused the diverse group of Israeli Knesset members to sit up and take notice, were the senator's emotional and heartfelt references to his faith as the basis of that support. The senator spoke about his upbringing on a Kansas farm where the Bible formed the bedrock of his early education. "Ancient Israel was, and is, a living reality in my home. Its spirituality, wisdom, poetry, its majesty inspired and encouraged me all my life. You have helped form my soul and I thank you for it," Brownback told the forum. He explained how American support for Israel today comes from Christians raised on the Bible who appreciate the miracle of the revival of the modern state of Israel. After a brief analysis of the state of the common fight against terror mounted by Israel and the U.S, Brownback returned to his emotional message. " I love you and the people of America love you. We love the values you have given us that cost you so much to protect for thousands of years.. We love your spirit of determination and calling. We love your heart's desire for peace." In words rarely heard in the halls of the super-politicized Knesset, Brownback repeatedly referred to God's plan for the land and people of Israel. "The last time I was in Israel, I looked out the window of my hotel and saw the flag of Israel with the Star of David and the thought entered my mind, "God does keep His promises!" That flag which had been absent in this land for nearly 2,000 years was now flying again. What an awesome God we serve," Brownback exclaimed. There were nods of agreement among the Christians in the audience, and a flicker of a smile crossed the face of Christian Allies Caucus co-chair, MK Yair Peretz. The American senator admonished Israel not to be led astray by "the culture wars..[that] embrace relativism, redefine right and wrong, good and evil....The history of your survival and continued existence is filled with examples of what happens to a people when they walk away from God's sacred laws," he warned. Finally, in the most stunning and humble remarks ever uttered by a foreign lawmaker to the Knesset, Brownback said: "As a Christian, I thank you for my faith that is rooted in yours. And as a Christian, I deeply, deeply apologize for the pain and bloodshed and deafness to suffering that we have hoisted upon you and your ancestors. May this never, ever happen again!" The Christian Allies Caucus that sponsored the Brownback visit is the brainchild of MK Yuri Shtern of the rightist National Union Party, who co-chairs the effort to reach out to Christians with an unlikely ally, MK Peretz, of the populist Sephardi religious party, Shas. At the Brownback briefing, Peretz was the only legislator who used the services of an English-Hebrew translator. Shtern, a former activist who spent years in the struggle for free emigration from the former Soviet Union, views the Christian Allies Caucus as a way to both further Israel's relations with the Christian world, and to thank pro-Israel Christians for their support in recent years. "We need their help to fight the delegitimation of Israel that is really becoming stronger and stronger," says Shtern. "Israel has no better friend in the world than the United States, and that is in no small part due to our Christian friends in America, and we hope to see the same happen in Europe, and elsewhere," he adds. Shtern termed the Caucus a "political upgrade" of relations between Israel and its Christian supporters throughout the world. "We will not be demanding that Christians adopt any particular political viewpoint on the conflict here," said Shtern in clarifying the goals of the caucus. "We simply are reaching out to the Christians to support Israel on the basis of our fundamental right to live here in peace and security." Knesset members of several political parties were in attendance for the Brownback speech. A number of the Israeli legislators wandered in late, and it was obvious that the senator couldn't quite figure out who these casually dressed people were. Following the sustained applause after his remarks, almost all of the Knesset members engaged in dialogue with the senator. Freshman Likud MK Gila Gamliel, the youngest Knesset member, told Brownback that Israel's main problem is its status as the lone democracy in the region and US pressure for disengagement. National Union Knesset member Gilad Cohen wondered out loud if there was real US pressure or whether it was just that Prime Minister Sharon tells Israel that such pressure exists. The event received significant media coverage in Israel, and highlighted the evolving relationship between Israel and the organized pro-Israel Christian world. The Jerusalem Summit organization helped initiate the Caucus last January and the World Jewish Congress recently signed on as an official endorser. Reaction amongst Christians in Israel and abroad has been positive. Well known Christian broadcaster Janet Parshall says, "In a very formal way, the Caucus means there will now be the recognition of the work that Christians have done in support of Israel. That is a monolithic step forward, and it gives us, I think, an open door in a more broad fashion to articulate our support for the nation of Israel." David Parsons, Public Relations Director for the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem and a member of the Caucus notes, "This is another sign that the Israelis and the Jewish people are now genuinely reaching out to Christians. Christians have offered a hand of support and friendship for many years and they're taking it." "Jerusalem Diaries: In Tense Times" by Judy Lash Balint (Gefen) is available for purchase from www.israelbooks.com |
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THE STRUGGLE AGAINST PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL SUBJUGATION
Posted by Ruth Matar, July 29, 2004. |
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Dear Friends, A "post-Zionist leftist oligarchy" (consisting of the Sharon Government, the courts, and the leftist media) is trying to subjugate the People of Israel, both physically and spiritually. This "post-Zionist leftist oligarchy" is trying to convince the People that the only way that Israel can survive is by continual retreat from our Land. The battle cry is: "We must transfer the Jews from Biblical Gaza and Samaria. ... The Arabs are just too numerous. ... We have a severe demographic problem. ... The Arabs are soon going to be the overwhelming majority. We must, therefore, transfer the Jews from Gaza and Northern Samaria for the good of the rest of the nation." Whether this is the real reason for Sharon's shameful Unilateral Disengagement Plan, we are in no position to know. Why does Sharon want to disengage from the very people whom he encouraged to build their homes in Biblical Gaza, Samaria and Judea? After all, he spent many years of his life building up these communities. Is it possible that Ariel Sharon who we once considered to be a Lion of Judah, has lost all his courage in his old age? Whatever Sharon's reasons for his complete change of heart, he has now arbitrarily and dictatorially decided on a different direction. To achieve his own designs, Sharon is employing the most unconscionable use of power. The Jews who have built their homes in Biblical Gaza and Northern Samaria, did so with the encouragement of successive Israeli governments. Sharon himself, when he was Minister of National Infrastructure between the years 1996-1998 under Benjamin Netanyahu as Prime Minister, encouraged people to settle the Jewish Land. In any case, Sharon's now wanting to expel these people from their homes, is a prime example of Sharon's desire to physically subjugate the Jewish People. Just as detrimental as physical subjugation, or maybe even more detrimental, is his attempt at spiritual suppression. Sharon has become like one of the ten spies in the Bible, who brought to the Children of Israel an evil report on the Land that they had spied out, saying: "The Land through which we have passed, to spy it out, is a Land that devours its inhabitants! All the people that we saw in it were huge! There we saw the Nephilim, the sons of the giant from among the Nephilim; we were like grasshoppers in our eyes, and so we were in their eyes!" (Numbers 13:32-33) Is Sharon's ambition now to be the Prime Minister of a nation of grasshoppers? Sharon went up to the Temple Mount in September of 2000. A new war of terror started immediately, which had been planned by Arafat for several months. This war against the Jewish People is still going on and has already claimed more Jewish lives in four years, than in the seven years between 1993 (the beginning of Oslo) and 2000. Sharon promised the Jewish People security, but engaged only in a tit for tat policy, rather than going all out to defeat the Arab enemy. Even though Sharon supposedly defied the whole Arab world by going up to the Temple Mount in September of 2000, he then forbade Jews and Christians to visit this holiest of places until August of 2003. Sharon no longer seemed to show any interest whatsoever in claiming Jewish ownership of the Temple Mount, which is the holiest place in the Jewish religion. He permitted the Arabs to build additions to their Mosques using heavy machinery, and looked away when the Arabs wantonly destroyed Jewish artifacts from the First and Second Temple periods. This was done deliberately by the Arabs to destroy any evidence of prior Jewish presence on the Temple Mount. (Some such artifacts, which had not been destroyed, have turned up on the world antiquity market at tremendous financial gain for the Arabs.) When Israeli archeologists warned Sharon of dangerous cracks in the Southern Wall of the Temple Mount, and cautioned against the Southern Wall's imminent collapse, the Sharon government called in Jordanian engineers to do the necessary repairs. This in spite of the fact that Israel has engineers who are just as good, and probably better. Was this Sharon's way of disavowing his interest in the Temple Mount as a Jewish Holy place? Since June 7, 1967, when the Temple Mount was liberated, only Muslims have been allowed to pray on the Temple Mount, by order of then Defense Minister Moshe Dayan. Dayan insisted that Jews be allowed to visit the Temple Mount, but not to pray there. Dayan gave an explanation for his scandalous decision as follows: Since for the Muslims the Temple Mount is a Muslim Mosque for prayer, while for Jews it is merely a historical site recalling the past, the Arabs are not to be disturbed in acting there as they do now, and the right of the Muslims to control it must be recognized. How sad that Dayan was an assimilated Jew and completely ignorant of Jewish religion and unfeeling toward Jewish tradition. Dayan's terrible decision is still in place. Only Muslims are allowed to pray on the Jewish Temple Mount, and Jews and Christians are forbidden to do so. They are even forbidden to move their lips in prayer! This year Tisha B'AV started on Monday evening, July 26, 2004. Hundreds of people from across the country had planned on ascending the Holy Mount. They found out that the Temple Mount - Judaism's holiest site - was again closed to Jews, this even on Tisha B'Av while Jews are mourning the destruction of the First and Second Temples. Why did Sharon allow Internal Security Minister Tzachi Hanegbi to close the Temple Mount to Jews on Tisha B'AV? The reason, again, was the Muslim threats of violence if Jews were allowed to visit. If this is not spiritual suppression and subjugation, I don't know what is! On Sunday evening we were part of a magnificent human chain, with more than two hundred thousand participants, from Gush Katif to the Temple Mount. On Monday evening, Women in Green organized the reading of Eicha (Lamentations) at Safra Square and a Walk around the Old City Walls, with tens of thousands participants. This Walk has been held for ten years in succession, and just grows from year to year. In front of the Lions Gate, where Israeli paratroopers in June of 1967 liberated the entire Old City, Women in Green's co-founder Nadia Matar made a stirring speech which touched our hearts and brought tears to our eyes: "We must deliver an unequivocal message to all the politicians today who, once again, slander the Land and are willing to surrender parts of it: This shall not come to pass. The people shall not allow you, even if you cook up a majority in the Knesset and the government. The majority of the People of Israel, throughout the ages, clearly say: 'The Land of Israel belongs to the People of Israel, in accordance with the Torah of Israel, and no one has the right to cede it.' Don't delude yourselves: yesterday we stood in the human chain like nice and very disciplined children, and today we are holding a quiet and respectable march - but you should know that for us the Land of Israel is like our child, and if, Heaven forbid, the patently illegal order should come to take our child from us, the masses that we saw yesterday in the human chain, and today in this Walk, will be forced to react as a lioness defending her cubs against criminal and murderous hunters. "With G-d's help, we will not have to face such harsh situations. With G-d's help, in the coming months we will succeed in sending home, to early retirement, all the political leaders who today are betraying Zionism and Judaism, and thereby bury their plan of destruction. In their place we shall find true, proud Jewish leaders, leaders who shall fearlessly proclaim throughout the whole world: 'The Land of Israel belongs to the People of Israel, in accordance with the Torah of Israel'" *** Dear Friends: May we be worthy of redemption and May the Third Temple be built, soon, and in our days. With Blessings and Love for Israel,
Ruth and Nadia Matar established Women For Israel's Tomorrow (Women in Green), an activist group of women based in Jerusalem. Their website address is http://www.womeningreen.org |
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WELCOME, FIRST GRADE
Posted by Moshe Feiglin, July 29, 2004. |
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In the next school year there will be more children in the first grade wearing kippot than those with uncovered heads. However, in the current government coalition there are only four MKs wearing kippot. What do these data teach us about the religious society and about the social developments likely in Israel? We can see how the religious frameworks are disintegrating. What is happening in the Mafdal can be clearly seen and it is only a question of time when the current schism in the party will create a new political reality. It is reasonable to assume that Efi Eitam will leave in the end, set up a Torah-orientated national religious party of the Morasha kind (as once done by Rabbi Druckman), or join with Tekumah, and in one way or another find the method of merging into the Likud. Benny Elon, a brilliant politician, said explicitly after the Likud referendum, that this is the future direction of development. It is only a question of time when all his friends will understand that this is the sole meaningful path open to them. It is possible that those still firmly grasping the reins of the old Mafdal will succeed in obtaining the minimum number of votes required in a few more election campaigns, until the current loss of meaning becomes a terminal condition. Amongst the Haredi and Shas public the revolution is quieter, more hidden, and slower, but no less significant. The capability of the spiritual leadership to maintain discipline in the community is cracking. Haredi youth is no longer as obedient as in the past, the frameworks are becoming blurred, and the Haredi public is opening up to Israeli life. The political expression of this reality will take much longer, but it will take place in the end. These two processes - the demographic strengthening, and the fading of the religious political frameworks, create a disparity that must be balanced. This won't occur, as in the past, in the form of a meteoric strengthening of religious parties. These tools are no longer relevant, because they express a sectoral approach that has become out of date. It is far more reasonable to assume that this will occur as crystallization within the large national party. Already today about a third of Likud members wear kippot, and the same situation exists amongst members of the Likud Central Committee. Although the current leader of the Likud is making every effort to drain his party of its meaning, from both simple organizational aspects and its ideological content, the Likud, because it is a popular ruling party unifying a public whose central ethos is the Jewish identity, will overcome this problem also. In another twelve years, when the current first grade pupils graduate from high school, no-one will remember who were Silvan Shalom, Ehud Olmert, or even Ariel Sharon. Whether or not this will be the same Likud or an improved version of it, the State of Israel will be ruled by the national camp and a ruling party composed of a mixture of people wearing kippot and those who don't, united by their commitment to their Jewish identity. It is to be expected that this process won't take place smoothly. The Israeli Left does not possess real democratic consciousness, and it will make use of all the power multipliers at its disposal in order to continue to rule, whether directly, or indirectly (as in the current situation). In fact, the entire Oslo process was an attempt by the Leftist minority to impose its views on Israeli society, an attempt that brought disaster to the country. When the Oslo process blew up in the face of Israeli society, the Left turned to a direction that does not require an external partner. This was the origin of the separation fence and the disengagement plan. In both these cases the Left employed all the sources of power at its disposal, and the leaders of the Right, who were initially opposed, quickly aligned themselves and assumed the role of sub contractors for implementation. These activities will also explode in the face of the Jewish nation, in a far worse way. The process of integration of the national and belief-based publics will not be smooth, and its rule will encounter strong opposition that will not hesitate to break all the rules of democracy. However, it must take place, and the earlier we can make it do so the better it will be for everyone. Possibly the major problem that the national camp will have to solve after this integration is also hinted at by the Ministry of Education data. In the northern region, the majority of pupils starting the first grade next year will be Arabs. Manhigut Yehudit (Jewish Leadership) is a group of people inside the Likud party who want to see Israel adopt a more Jewish character. Moshe Feiglin, its cofounder, has emphatically said he does not want a theocracy, but he does want a State based on Jewish values. The Manhigut Yehudit website address is http://www.manhigut.org. |
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WHAT WILL BE THE EFFECT OF THE "FALSE ACCUSATION" IN FRANCE?
Posted by MRB, Communaute-Juive-France, July 29, 2004. |
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This was adapted and translated by E. Miriam Englander.
Dear friends,
One question - or rather questions without answers. I thought
that you might be able to help me see things more clearly. I thank you
for discussing it because something is not right.
What do you think about the sordid play acting that happened with the so-called attacked lady? [editor note: a (non-Jewish) woman complained that she and her baby were attacked by Arabs in the subway. It was a false charge - she has a history of making such accusations.] These are questions that us Jews should think about. Why is it that when there are real instances of aggression, when children were beaten up in May and June, we were not privileged to have had interventions from The President of the Republic
Strange strange!!! Someone was telling me yesterday this rabbi with his 'make-believe' attack really took you 'for a ride'! This person was in politics and from our point of view could have been referring to the rabbi who was beaten up last January. [The Rabbi was severely beaten.] Who is going to believe us when it is actually serious?
It's true that they say that we are becoming paranoid. But maybe we are right to be suspicious of the 'false accusation.' It seems to us that some people will really be able to profit from this! |
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AN ADVANCED IRAQI JET FOUND BURIED IN THE SAND
Posted by Israela Goldstein, July 29, 2004. |
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This is from MSS-3 DET 32 DET. LCPO,
MACS(SW) Larry S. Briggs,
WK - (619) 767-1491.
The Iraqi jet, an advanced Russian MiG-25 Foxbat, was found buried in the sand after an informant tipped off U.S. troops. The MiG was dug out of a massive sand dune near the Al Taqqadum airfield by U.S. Air Force recovery teams. The MiG was reportedly one of over two dozen Iraqi jets buried in the sand, like hidden treasure, waiting to be recovered at a later date. Contrary to what some in the major media have reported, not all the jets found were from the Gulf War era. The Russian-made MiG-25 Foxbat being recovered by U.S. Air Force troops in the photos is an advanced reconnaissance version never before seen in the West and is equipped with sophisticated electronic warfare devices. U.S. Air Force recovery teams had to use large earth-moving equipment to uncover the MiG, which is over 70 feet long and weighs nearly 25 tons. The Foxbat is known to be one of Iraq's top jet fighters. The advanced electronic reconnaissance version found by the U.S. Air Force is currently in service with the Russian air force. The MiG is capable of flying at speeds of over 2,000 miles an hour, or three times the speed of sound, and at altitudes of over 75,000 feet. The recovery of the advanced MiG fighter is considered to be an intelligence coup by the U.S. Air Force.. The Foxbat may also be equipped with advanced Russian- and French-made electronics that were sold to Iraq during the 1990s in violation of a U..N. ban on arms sales to Baghdad. The buried aircraft at Al Taqqadum were covered in camouflage netting, sealed and, in many cases, had their wings removed before being buried more than 10 feet beneath the Iraqi desert. X Marks the Spot The discovery of the buried Iraqi jet fighters illustrates the problem faced by U.S. inspection teams searching Iraq for weapons of mass destruction. Iraq is larger in size than California, and the massive deserts south and west of Baghdad were used by Saddam Hussein to hide weapons during the first Gulf war. U.S. intelligence sources have already uncovered several mass grave burial sites in the open deserts with an estimated 10,000 dead hidden there. In addition, Iraq previously hid SCUD missiles, chemical weapons and biological warheads by burying them under the desert sand. U.N. inspection teams found the weapons in the early 1990s after detailed information of the exact locations was obtained. Top U.S. weapons inspector Dr. David Kay is known to favor human intelligence as the primary means to find Iraq's hidden treasure trove of weapons and secrets. While there are rumors of Iraqi chemical and biological weapons being shipped to nearby Syria, the weapons may very well still remain inside Iraq buried under the vast desert wastelands. Some critics of the Bush administration have claimed that the inability of U.S.. forces to uncover weapons of mass destruction is proof that the president misled the nation into the war with Iraq. However, in recent days the critics have fallen silent as word quietly leaked from Iraq that major discoveries have already been made and are now being documented completely. Bush administration officials are keeping any such discoveries secret for the moment. |
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ZOA REGIONAL CAMPUS DIVEST-FROM-ISRAEL CAMPAIGNS
Posted by Deb Kotz, July 28, 2004. |
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This is very interesting and the first I've heard about these efforts.
Please check out the website if you get a chance. I'm not exactly sure
what action we can take to move this along, but if anyone has any
ideas let me know.
Boycott Watch can be reached at13938A Cedar Rd Suite 253, Cleveland, Ohio 44118, 216-765-2273, www.Boycottwatch.org Boycott Watch Contends: Divest-from-Israel Campaigns May Violate the Federal Antiboycott Law Summary: Campus and other divest-from-Israel campaigns may violate U.S. law aimed at protecting nations friendly to the U.S. from unsanctioned foreign boycotts. U.S. businesses need to be protected against secondary boycotts aimed at them as well. Boycott Watch and the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) are leading the fight against divestment and boycott campaigns against Israel. The Arab boycott of Jewish interests started as early as 1921, and it is still in effect today under the auspices of the Arab League and its Central Boycott Office. This boycott includes boycotting not only products produced in Israel, but also companies that do business in or with Israel. The boycott even goes as far as blacklisting ships that have docked in Israeli ports, regardless of the cargo's point of origin or ultimate destination. In 1977, Congress passed a law creating the Office of Antiboycott Compliance within the Department of Commerce, in response to the Arab boycott of Israel. The law prohibits U.S. persons from taking certain actions in support of an unsanctioned foreign boycott against a country that is friendly to the United States. Because Israel is an ally of the United States, and our government does not sanction the Arab boycott of Israel, the law prohibits actions that further or support the Arab League boycott of Israel. Over the past two years, a divest-from-Israel campaign has been gaining momentum on college campuses across the United States. In July 2003, the ZOA expressed its concern about the campaign and about an upcoming national student conference supporting the Arab boycott of Israel. The ZOA urged the Office of Antiboycott Compliance to investigate these activities as a possible violation of the antiboycott law. In November 2003, Boycott Watch sent a letter to the Office of Antiboycott Compliance, furnishing evidence that the divest-from-Israel campaign is a direct function of the Palestinian Authority, which is a member of the Arab League and a signatory to the Arab boycott of Israel. Last week, Boycott Watch furnished additional information to the Office of Antiboycott Compliance, about the Palestinian Authority's effort to establish an economic blockade of Israel in Malaysia. This would effectively expand the scope of the boycott and the Palestinian Authority's economic warfare against Israel. Boycott Watch is now advising all colleges and universities that divest-from-Israel campaigns on their campuses may be in violation of the U.S. antiboycott law. "Boycott Watch is a leading consumer watchdog organization and is committed to combating illegal boycotts of Israel in the United States," said Fred Taub, president of Boycott Watch. Taub attended a divestment conference at Ohio State University in 2003, and says that there was no question that organizers were advocating an illegal boycott of Israel, including divestment and direct boycott of Israeli goods. "The organizers even went as far as advocating boycotts against U.S. companies that do business with Israel, and some boycotters are creating a 'safe list' of companies to purchase from that don't do business with Israel. Asking companies to comply with that list or to furnish information in support of the list is illegal. The Arab boycott of Israel is being promoted in the U.S. and we will continue to lead the fight against it." Susan Tuchman, Director of the ZOA's Center for Law and Justice, encouraged others to join in this fight and contact the Office of Antiboycott Compliance to voice their concerns about the nationwide student divestment campaigns against Israel and urge that they be shut down. "The campaigns are obviously intended to hurt Israel's economy, but they also threaten our own country's trade and commerce, and may damage American companies that do business in or with Israel," according to Tuchman. The Boycott Watch letters to the Office of Antiboycott Compliance describing potential violations of the law are available on line at www.BoycottWatch.org. For further information, consultation or to schedule a lecture, contact Boycott Watch at 216-765-2273. The Zionist Organization of America can be reached at www.zoa.org and at 212-481-1500. Deb Kotz is an active member of the Brandeis Chapter of the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) and maintains an email list to distribute articles of interest to the local community. She can be reached at DebKotz@aol.com |
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THE FORCE OF THE LAW
Posted by Simon Kouhana, July 28, 2004. |
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This was distributed by Communaute-Juive-France. It is adapted from
the French and was translated by E. Miriam Englander.
Never, since the period of the Shoah has there been a comparable wave of anti-Semitism such as we have known for the past three years. General indifference that [this wave] have encountered has in all place made the Jewish people's trauma worse and has made its extreme isolation more obvious. That is such that since the first manifestation [of anti Semitism] in France, under Jospin, the executive branch refused to recognize it as anti Semitism. Parliament was silent. The legal branch did not make a big fuss. The intellectuals in society did not make themselves heard to denounce this terrible thing. Little by little, the Jews of France realized that some civil rights were not applicable to them. They therefore knew that the social-political world [of France] had suffered major changes. The media did not begin to break the silence until after the first delivery of the "Observatoire de Monde Juif". Before such a response from the Republic, to accusations that seemed to go completely against its principles, a new strategy was needed to face the gravity of this new situation. A new strategy: It was in that manner that the Forum for Jewish Citizens was created in February 2002 a couple of weeks before the legislative and presidential elections. The Forum for Jewish Citizens is a group for reflection that has given itself the mission of elaborating proposition to address public powers in order to eradicate remaining racism and anti-Semitism in France. Two major objectives were designated from the beginning. It had to do with, on one hand, on the level of public powers to contribute to a arsenal of legislative reform as well as disclaimers that are at once repressive, effective and helpful. Another important issue is to reestablish trust between the victims and those who hold public power. Our analysis has let us to establish that we are not able to wait for all of the social structures [to agree] and that we have to act from the top of the state. The opportune moment was the one during which the political representatives were the most receptive, that is to say election time. We have, as a first step, made both the candidates for presidential and legislative elections feel responsible. We have given them a petition that has more than fifteen thousand signatures in order to be able to demand a parliamentary commission to be put in place to investigate the wave of anti-Semitism. It had to do with putting up to date the issues that have led to an abuse of political power over the past two years. At the time of writing, this commission has not been established. The reinforcement of the legislative arsenal; the Lellouche law Our second demand, as stated in the petition, concerned the reinforcement of the legislative arsenal. In the first place, we stressed that the penal code is no longer up to date. We have therefore made note of the fact that in the penal code, the racist element is not recognized when dealing with violence against people or the damage done to property. It is therefore apparent that the legislature is not adapted to the new realities that exist, including remaining racism. When we had our meeting with the representative Pierre Lellouche, we asked him to present to the National Assembly a proposition to amend this defective part of the law. The text is based on the analysis that during this period of rampant anti-Semitism, only severe and methodical sanctions will be at all dissuasive in our attempt to remove this from our society. The first suggestion that this new law makes is to make the consequences of attempting to hurt people or property when driven by a racist sentiment. The second suggestion that has been accepted in this area is less well known. It concerns making the consequences of attacks against a meeting place of a cult, of a school or against a vehicle that is driven children worse. The objective, in this context, was to assure the protection of locations, particularly those that have to do with Jewish life. This law was adopted, unanimously by the parliament, it was published in the official journal February 3, 2003. Therefore, after having had to go up against a lot of reluctance to make ourselves heard, as well as a lot of skepticism in all circles, the Jewish Citizens Forum has illustrated the fact that an idea can become politicized and from there become a public action. We had to go further, to modify the procedure: Despite this not negligible result - the adoption of the Lellouche Law by the parliament - we had the feeling that this was largely insufficient. We had to go further, and in order to do that to modify to penal procedure in order to facilitate having someone found guilty. There were in our propositions certain amendments that expressed the idea that the time that it takes to appeal should be extended from three months to one year. We had to wait for over one year to get this result. The Guarde des Sceaux Dominique PERBEN integrated this proposition in a law that affects everyone called PERBEN II. Another proposition involved the amendment that a charge could be brought against a so-called rasicst act. We recognize that it is thanks to center groups that some of our propositions were presented to the Assembly and to the Senate. |
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"J'ACCUSE!"
Posted by Annie Cohen, July 28, 2004. |
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Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon urged French Jews to flee the country to escape a rising tide of anti-Semitism there. The latest French Interior Ministry figures show 510 anti-Jewish acts or threats in the first six months of 2004 - compared to 593 for all of last year, according to the Associated Press. (CNN reported only 67 attacks against Jews and 160 threats -- CNN also claims those to be French Interior Ministry figures.) Anti-Semitic acts against Jewish schools, synagogues and cemeteries have risen in France in recent years, coinciding with the growth of tension in the Middle East. Speaking to visiting American Jewish leaders in Jerusalem, Sharon said, "If I have to advise our brothers in France, I'll tell them one thing -- move to Israel, as early as possible. I say that to Jews all around the world, but there (in France) I think it's a must and they have to move immediately. " "We see the spread of the wildest anti-Semitism there," Sharon continued. "In France today, about 10 percent of the population are Muslims ... that gets a different kind of anti-Semitism, based on anti-Israeli feelings and propaganda." Sharon often calls on all the world's Jews to migrate to Israel. He acknowledged the French government was making efforts to stem anti-Semitism but added that the threat was so grave that French Jews should head for Israel without delay. Needless to say, Sharon's comments sparked a firestorm of criticism from the French. "France is not Germany of the 1930s," said Julien Dray, spokesman for the opposition Socialist Party. Parliamentary speaker Jean-Louis Debre called the comments 'unacceptable' and 'irresponsible,' saying, "These are matters which distort reality... and I think they are an expression of hostility towards our country," he said. Assessment: The French are especially sensitive to criticism, in particular, any criticism of the way it treats its Jewish population. The Jews are a blight on France's ledger sheet that Paris prefers to ignore whenever possible. French history is all about its greatness -- except for the whole 'Jew' thing. French schoolkids read all about Napolean, but not so much about Alfred Dreyfuss. Dreyfuss was a French military officer (and a Jew) falsely accused and convicted of treason in 1894. The French press then joined in, saying that, of course, a Jew would turn on the country and so forth. Dreyfuss was sentenced to life imprisonment on Devil's Island. Then, in 1898, the real traitor, a Major Esterhazy, was discovered and court-martialed. The French military closed ranks, and Esterhazy was acquitted in a show trial so transparent that French expatriate writer, Emile Zola, wrote his famous essay entitled, "J'accuse" (I accuse) exposing the whole affair. French historians don't dwell much on the Dreyfuss affair. It is a form of national amnesia, in much the same way that, during World War, EVERYBODY was in the Resistance except General Henri Petain. Petain was leader of the collaborationist Vichy Government that rounded up 75,000 French Jews for the Nazis and shipped them off to Auschwitz. Of them, only 2,500 returned. (Petain must have been quite an amazing man -- running the entire Vichy government all alone, as he evidently did.) In any case, the French are really mad at Sharon for bringing the whole 'Jew' thing up again. (I can tell because the keywords "French Jew" kicked back a whole page of headlines on Google saying, "French Officials Angry at Israeli Leader"). There is an old joke; "Why are there large trees along the Champs Elysee? Answer? So the Nazis could march in the shade!" There is much truth in humor. Unfortunately, France has learned virtually nothing from WWII. In 1945, Reverend Martin Niemoller wrote; "First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Socialists and the Trade Unionists, but I was neither, so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Catholics, but I was not a Catholic so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew so I did not speak out. And when they came for me, there was no one left to speak out." He was right. Shortly after writing those words, the Nazis came for him. There was nobody left to speak out for him as they put a rope around his neck and pushed him off a chair. |
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ENERGIZING TERROR
Posted by Emanuel A. Winston, July 28, 2004. |
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We are beginning to learn that Terror cannot be appeased. Not every leader or targeted nation has absorbed that painful lesson. Only after the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were hit by Muslim Arab Terrorists (15 Saudis and 4 Egyptians) did America and World Intelligence Agencies begin to focus on Global Terrorism and its interlocking network. Hot spots, like Israel, were ignored - other than attempts by some in the world community to blame the victim and press Israel to appease the Muslim Arab Palestinians. Even the victim nation had those within who became caught up in appeasing Terrorists, which only energized the Terrorists on to greater feats. Even then, the failed experiment of the Oslo Accords brought the discredited Yassir Arafat and his Terrorist cronies into power and control over the mostly peaceful and prospering Arab Palestinians, transforming their children's school curricula to hate and kill Jews, training their young men to kill themselves to blow up Jews. As the first gifts of appeasement failed, the designers of Oslo insisted on additional 'gifts' to pacify the Terrorists which generated even more murder. In effect, Oslo Energized Terror to higher and higher levels of effective Terror acts. Since Oslo almost 1500 Israeli Jews (and some 45 Americans) have been murdered, with tens of thousands more wounded, many maimed for life. There are many examples of leaders of nations in the Free West, experimenting with appeasement - only to find that they have thrown gasoline on an already blazing inferno. For example: When then Prime Minister of Israel, (former General) Ehud Barak had an 'idea' to abandon the defensive area, security belt in Lebanon that protected Northern Israel, with the urging of then President Bill Clinton, he was, in effect, energizing the Iranian/Syrian proxy Terrorists of the Hezb'Allah. Now Israel is facing 12,000 missiles from Hezb'Allah in Lebanon, some with Chemical warheads (courtesy of Syria). By running away in the middle of the night, Barak energized all the various Terrorist nations and their proxy Terrorist organizations to the degree that they all increased their activities exponentially. Barak's appeasement of Arafat and his midnight run away had proven that Israel's defense could be broken and even made to run in fear. Barak had 'energized' Terror and increased the expectations of Yassir Arafat that Israel could indeed be conquered. So, Arafat has put the map of his expected State of Palestine over all of Israel with Jerusalem as the capital of that State and Only that State - as he has proclaimed frequently since the day Oslo was signed on the White House lawn. When President Jimmy Carter (the peanut farmer) tried his 'holier than thou' approach to Iran, he engineered the fall of Iran into the hands of Ayatollah Khomeini. What followed was a complete takeover by Islamic Terrorists which remains in power to this day. Carter empowered a religious Terrorist Power structure which gave rise to a nation that not only exports Terror globally in the name of Islam but, now is very close to having operative Nuclear weapons. Good work, Jimmy! We recently observed the Spanish nation vote in a pacifistic government after the Arab Muslim - al Qaeda Terrorists blew up four commuter trains, killing hundreds and wounding thousands on 3/11/03. Now other Terrorists have been energized to make a massive attack against any Government prior to elections, knowing they have succeeded in literally choosing the government which they can intimidate. Hereafter, the Government of Spain belongs to al Qaeda or whoever threatens it. When Sharon first announced that he had the idea for evacuating Gaza to be followed by parts of Judea and Samaria, the Terrorists were given an enormous boost. AS when PM (General) Barak was driven out of Lebanon, the Terrorists were certain they have beaten the vaunted General Sharon. In the Middle East, when your enemy sues for peace and offers territory (won in a defensive war) as an appeasement, the Arab Muslims know it is just a matter of time before they can achieve complete victory by means of Terror. While the Israeli military may not agree, nevertheless, a declaration of retreat is a strong signal to Arab Muslim Terrorists to attack until they have it all. When the Philippine Government withdrew its troops from Iraq, because the Iraqi Muslim Terrorists threatened to kill a Philippine hostage by beheading him, that pull-out energized the mix of Terrorists (Mujahadin) that hostage taking and beheading worked. Now there has been a rash of hostages taken through the encouragement of those who retreat in the face of Terror. Most of the hostages have been those civilian workers who came to Iraq to help re-build her infrastructure after the years of Saddam's destroying local services. That message was not limited to Muslim Terrorists in Iraq. That deadly message went out over the whole globe to Terrorists, telling them that beheading hostages can force governments to comply with any of the Terrorists' demands. Hostage taking and beheading will now increase, exponentially, as each capitulation "energizes" the Terrorists to make ever greater demands. Imagine the capitulation by World Governments when the radical Islamic government of Iran has operational nuclear warheads on the long range missiles they already possess. While there is no perfect solution - to defeating Terror, there are some practical examples of success which could be followed: When the Israeli IDF (Israel Defense Forces) reluctantly entered the areas given up by Oslo to the control of Arafat in Jenin, Nablus (Schehem) and Bethlehem, they disrupted the network of Terrorists. When they entered Gaza in force, following thousands of Kassam rocket attacks, they found a well-integrated network of Terrorist gangs of Arafat's Tanzim, Al Aksa martyrs' brigades, Hezb'Allah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, etc. They found more than 90 smuggling tunnels from Egypt into Rafah on the Gaza side of the border. The Israeli raids kept the Terrorists off balance and on the run. Targeted assassinations of Terrorist leaders and planners kept them confused and non-operational. But now, despite fervent opposition from his own military leaders, Sharon wishes to pull a 'Barak' retreat from Gaza. He wants to gift them the homes, factories, farms, schools, synagogues, infrastructure, water resources - all built by the Jews. As Clinton made promises to Barak if he ran from Lebanon (unfulfilled), so too has Bush promised and threatened Sharon to run out of Gaza/Gush Katif. The Terrorists are jubilant and are even now fighting over the spoils they anticipate receiving once the Jews are forced out by Sharon. They are already "energized" to start planning their next moves from their Gaza Terror base in Israel's city centers. Clearly, as long as Sharon is Prime Minister, tied to the election policies of the Bush Administration, Israel will continue empowering Terrorists by showing weakness. (By the way, Kerry would be much worse.) It is really up to the people of Israel to decide what they need to keep for their sovereignty and their security - not the Prime Minister (who should listen to his people) or any American President. There are dozens of examples where Terrorists were 'energized' and empowered by a weak response to their acts of Terror. In 1991 when Sheik Obad Abdul Rachman tried to topple the Twin Towers, the FBI follow-up was weak - thanks to pressure from the Arabist U.S. State Department NOT to investigate the Arab Muslims and their organizations too closely. It became well known in the American (and other countries') Intelligence communities that, it was not a good career move to investigate Arabs in the U.S. or overseas, lest the State Department quash any investigation which could lead to the Saudis or other key Arab oil nations. Perhaps you will note how carefully the 9/11 Commission avoided any deep probe of the U.S. State Department and their connection to 9/11 before, after and now. America, Europe, the U.N., the E.U., have all collaborated in closing their eyes to the build-up of Global Terror networks for more than 30 years. In many cases , Terrorists were actually funded by their intended victims - which continues to this very day. When Yassir Arafat receives $200 million annually from Congress, facilitated by the State Department claiming that they are 'working to stop Terror', is there any doubt that this charges the batteries of Terror operations? When the European Union pours millions of Euros into phony projects for Terrorist groups, pretending its building schools - it is 'energizing' money for Terror. When UNRWA pays for schools and camps which teach Terror does this not also 'energize' Terror. The only solution to beat Global Terror is to wage an unending war anywhere that Terror exists. No winning the hearts and minds but, killing the Terrorists wherever they are found to be in action or preparation. Hunt them down mercilessly, with no attempt at pacification or appeasement because it just doesn't work. Any leader who espouses retreat and/or appeasement should be yanked out of office before he sacrifices his nation. If necessary, impeach him in the Knesset because the people insist that he is unfit for the office. 'Energizing' Terror is as much a crime as is the act of Terror itself. Emanuel Winston is a commentator and Middle East analyst. His articles appear often on Think-Israel and Gamla. He is a member of the Board of Directors and a research associate of the Freeman Center For Strategic Studies (http://www.freeman.org/online.htm). |
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ISRAEL NEEDS A WAR OF IDEAS
Posted by Michael Freund, July 28, 2004. |
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Strolling down the aisle of a Barnes and Noble bookstore in Manhattan, it was hard not to notice the pile of political tomes, and partisan screeds, that have hit the shelves in recent months. With the weather still warm, November's US presidential elections may yet seem far away, but that hasn't stopped America's publishers from rolling out plenty of reading material on the subject. Books for and against the Iraq war lay alongside biographies of both major candidates, while volumes bemoaning the supposed corruption of democracy, or the imminent downfall of civil liberties as we know it, seem to be almost as trendy. But what really jumps out at a casual visitor is the inexplicable level of vitriol, and downright hatred, that seems to be directed at US President George W. Bush, at least in terms of many of the selections currently available. We're not talking about learned assessments of his policies that differ with him on the substance of the issues, or even erudite appraisals of his worldview that find fault with his conceptual thinking. Instead, Bush has become the target of nothing less than a barrage of bitter, and often acidic, personal assaults. Take, for example, some of these provocative titles: "Worse than Watergate: The Secret Presidency of George W. Bush." Or how about, "The Politics of Deceit in the House of Bush." Then there is, "The Lies of George W. Bush," "The Bush-Hater's Handbook" and "How George W. Misleads America". Politics of deceit? Worse than Watergate? Have these people lost their minds? This parade of poppycock is remarkable not so much for the fact that Bush has his foes, as that is par for the course for any politician. But what is truly extraordinary is the tone of the attacks, which often appear to border on the downright irrational. Up to this point, there is very little to distinguish the above from what goes on in Israel, where the left regularly attacks the right with a vehemence and a fervor that can at times be chilling. But there is one crucial difference: in America, the right does not hesitate to fight back, proudly defending itself and its beliefs as it engages the left in an all-out war of ideas. And so, an American book consumer looking for a slightly different perspective on his Commander in Chief has plenty of other options to choose from. He can turn to volumes such as, "Bush Country: How Dubya Became a Great President While Driving Liberals Insane," or to "The Right Man: The Surprise Presidency of George W. Bush," to name just two. Indeed, a conservative fed up with the mainstream media need only flip on his radio to one of the numerous talk shows, such as Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity, which reach tens of millions of listeners daily, or change the channel on his screen to Fox News, to get a refreshing dose of news, views and opinions. And if he is feeling somewhat more literary, he can choose from among magazines and periodicals such as National Review, Commentary or the Weekly Standard, and arm himself with knowledge about the conservative viewpoint on a range of issues facing the republic, both foreign and domestic. Sadly, Israel's right has yet to produce an equally wide range of tools for getting its message across to the public. For the most part, right-wing leaders seem to think that appearing on the radio for a 90-second interview is sufficient. But that, at best, is short-sighted. Sure, there are think-tanks such as the Shalem Center, or weekly papers such as Makor Rishon and B'Sheva, all of whom are toiling hard to advance the cause. And Arutz Sheva, the radio station operated by Jewish residents of the territories, was truly a voice of sanity in the wilderness until it was unfairly silenced by the powers that be. But without an over-arching game plan, and the accompanying infrastructure necessary to back it up, Israel's right will have little chance against the entrenched power of the left. After all, this is far more than just an issue of rebutting some leftist position espoused on Israel Radio or TV. It is first and foremost a matter of recognizing that the right must engage the left in a daily battle for the hearts, but especially for the minds, of the Israeli public. This means deploying the talents and creativity of the right to build a superstructure of resources, one that runs the gamut from right-wing literature to right-wing newsmagazines and even to right-wing poetry, arts and culture. It means formulating a set of ideas and concepts and selling them to the public through every available avenue. And it means broadening the right's approach so that it embraces far more than just the territorial issue. Rather, it should offer Israelis a set of policy prescriptions, from welfare reform and fiscal policy to health care and education, one that would both sharpen the distinction with the left as well as underline the right's dynamism and appeal as the "thinking people's movement." For far too long, Israel's right has largely been defined by a single issue, offering the public little in the way of a comprehensive vision for what type of society and economy it truly wishes to build. If the right is to prevail in the war of ideas for Israel's future, then it must first begin, not just by suiting up and preparing for combat, but by making clear what exactly it is fighting for. Then, and only then, can it hope to prevail in the battle that lies ahead. The writer served as Deputy Director of Communications & Policy Planning under former Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. |
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SHARING THE PAIN - 2
Posted by Emanuel A. Winston, July 28, 2004. |
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Many on Israel's Left or even those coastal city dwellers have little sympathy for the Pioneering Settlers whom Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon pledges to eject from their homes. Perhaps it is time to "Share a Little of the Pain" Sharon intends for the Jews of Gaza/Gush Katif & the rest of YESHA (Yehuda, Shomron and Gaza) with the Golan, the Jordan Valley and half of Jerusalem to follow. The radical Left cannot imagine the pain of not being able to go into one's own home. The city dwellers also seem only to care when the Arab Muslim Terrorists threaten their lives in markets, restaurants or on buses. They accept Sharon's ideas that leaving Gaza will make it safer for all Israelis. Member of Knesset, Rabbi Beni Elon was asked what would happen if the Human Chain of Hope from Jerusalem to Gush Katif stepped forward from the side of the road to the center - in effect, stopping traffic for a while. He said he would be the first to sit in jail for civil disobedience, if that was necessary. I wonder what would people in Tel Aviv feel if they were driving to their homes and suddenly, for a time, they couldn't? I wonder if "Sharing the Pain", even for a brief time, would make them more aware of how the Jews of Gush Katif feel threatened with the loss of their homes forever? If I were a motorist stopped in traffic, I would be irritated. I might be less irritated if I were handed a short summary of why traffic stopped, explaining that for several minutes you will be kept from going home. That you are experiencing in a fraction of a moment the idea of not ever going home because your apartment or house has been confiscated and given to Muslim Arab Palestinians. That you may or may not be fully compensated for all you spent on your home - including your own labor. That, if you refuse to leave, you will be driven from your home by specially trained armed forces who have been selected and screened for a pathological lack of human concern for their fellow Jews. After you get over your anger about being held up in traffic for minutes or even an hour, perhaps you will start "Sharing the Pain" now intended for the Jews of Gaza. Discuss it with your wife, the kids, your neighbors as to what is fair or balanced. Can a majority tell a minority to give up their homes because it 'might' help the majority? The military thinkers have advised against bailing out of Gush Katif because if will reward Terrorism and give Global Terror a solid base of operation, training, weapons' gathering and manufacturing as well as safe houses to which they return after their Terror attacks. And, the military advisors point out that 'gifting' them Gaza and all the 21 Gush Katif farming communities, homes, farms, hothouses, factories, schools, synagogues, water and infrastructure - only brings them in closer range for their Kassam missiles, rockets and artillery to hit the cities of Ashkelon, Ashdod, Sderot, even Tel Aviv and suburbs - not to forget Sharon's own farm. These missiles have already hit these cities with casualties but, when the PLO is in full control, they can receive by sea, air and from Egypt even more advanced, sophisticated (even WMD - Weapons of Mass Destruction of NBC (Nuclear, Biological and Chemical ) with a greater and more accurate range than what they can make themselves in their 'metal' workshops. "So, Dear Driver and family, for a brief moment only, you are hopefully "Sharing Our Pain" at least in thought and imagination. Think about us when your are in your own house, looking at the walls, bookshelves, your kids' bedrooms, your kitchen. Think about your Jewish government telling you to leave or else. And, by the way, "Take the Bones of your loved ones buried in nearby cemeteries with you". Neither you nor your dead are welcome in the Land." Emanuel Winston is a commentator and Middle East analyst. His articles appear often on Think-Israel and Gamla. He is a member of the Board of Directors and a research associate of the Freeman Center For Strategic Studies (http://www.freeman.org/online.htm). |
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HOLYLAND FOUNDATION CHARITY INDICTED FOR TERRORISM TIES
Posted by Brenda Houston, July 28, 2004. |
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This was written by Jerry Seper and appeared today in The Washington Times (www.washingtontimes.com). A federal grand jury has indicted a Dallas-based Muslim charity, once the largest in the United States, and seven of its top officers on charges of providing financial aid to the terrorist organization Hamas and raising illicit cash for other extremist groups who espoused an "Islamic fundamentalist agenda." The Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, which U.S. intelligence officials have called Hamas' North American fund-raiser, was named in a 42-count indictment unsealed yesterday. It is accused of conspiracy, providing support to terrorists, money laundering and income tax evasion. "Today, a U.S.-based charity that claims to do good works is charged with funding the works of evil," Attorney General John Ashcroft said when detailing the indictment, which culminated a multi-agency, 2.5-year investigation. "To those who exploit good hearts to fund secretly violence and murder, this prosecution sends a clear message: There is no distinction between those who carry out terrorist attacks and those who knowingly finance terrorist attacks," Mr. Ashcroft said. The indictment said the Holy Land foundation was created to provide financial and material support to Hamas, a Palestinian terrorist group that has called for the killing of all Jews. It said that from 1995 to 2001, the foundation raised $12.4 million for persons and organizations linked to Hamas. Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Michael J. Garcia, who heads U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), said although the Holy Land foundation claimed it was collecting money for orphanages, schools, refugee camps and needy Palestinians, it instead used the cash to support Hamas' terrorist activities. Mr. Garcia said the foundation took advantage of U.S. tax laws to bankroll terrorism, adding that the indictment "illustrates how law-enforcement agencies can work together to fight terrorist fund-raising operations here in the United States." According to the indictment, the foundation and its top officers provided financial support to the families of Hamas suicide bombers, detainees and activists to support its terrorist infrastructure and that it targeted specifically for financial aid families of well-known Hamas terrorists killed or jailed by the Israelis. The officials charged were Shukri Abu Baker, the foundation's former chief executive; Holy Land Chairman Ghassan Elashi; and five directors and fund-raisers, Mohammad El-Mezain, Haitham Maghawri, Akram Mishal, Mufid Abdul Qader and Abdul Raham Odeh. Five have been arrested. Two others, Mr. Maghawri and Mr. Mishal, are not in the United States and are considered fugitives. The Holy Land foundation has denied any wrongdoing. On Monday, it filed a complaint with the Justice Department's Office of Inspector General, claiming the FBI's case was based on faulty translations of Israeli intelligence documents. John Pistole, the FBI's executive assistant director for counterterrorism, said the indictment is part of a national strategy seeking to disrupt terrorist activities by going after its financial base. Mr. Pistole said the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force, working with Homeland Security and other federal agencies, would continue to "follow every lead, employ all the intelligence and law enforcement tools at our disposal ... to stop those who would facilitate the terrorists' deadly plans." The Holy Land foundation was shut down in December 2001 after the Treasury Department ruled it a terrorist group, seizing more than $4 million in assets. Hamas, named in dozens of suicide bombings in Israel, was designated a terrorist organization by the State Department in 1995. Law-enforcement authorities said the Holy Land foundation is part of a nationwide conspiracy by Islamist extremists to divert cash to international terrorists through "front companies" and "phantom organizations" -- many located in Northern Virginia. |
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THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF TRANSFER
Posted by Professor Ron Breiman, July 28, 2004. |
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So sayeth Rehoboam Ben Shlomo: "My father punished you with sticks;
I will do it with scorpions."
Unlike his predecessors Peres and Beilin, whose failed plans gambled on tranquilizing the public with promises of "peace", and "a new Middle East," their successor, Arik Sharon, doesn't even bother to use an anaesthetic before laying his patients on the operating table. For some time now, no one has even brought up the concept of peace in exchange for land, or security. On all that Israel -- docile and frightened of Arafat and his henchmen-- has given up. From Beilin to Sharon, the common denominator has now become "transfer." We aren't talking about the neutral term "disengagement," or "evacuation" or "dismantlement." Not even about "banishment" or "uprooting." We are talking about "transfer." The transfer of Jews from their homes in their country because they are Jews. We are talking about the prohibition against Jews living in Judea-- the very source of the name of the Jewish people-- and the transformation of Judea, Samaria and Gaza into the only place in the world where it is forbidden for Jews to live. If that's not racism, then what is? And the judicial system, and the media - aligned as one with "peace," Geneva, and Oslo - are silent. What can we do to stop this transfer scheme? Here are the ten commandments: 1. Call transfer by its rightful name. Don't launder it with bland synonyms that sweeten the horrible decree. 2. Make it clear that this transfer is illegal, and impossible to accomplish according to the rules of any democracy. That any order to transfer human beings from their homes because of their religion or nationality has a black flag waving over it. It's an order impossible to give, and impossible to fulfill. And if a democratic majority in the Knesset supports it? Then the rule of thumb decided in the past by the Saintly Leaders of the Left - who threatened to lay beneath the wheels of any truck designated to transfer Arabs, even if the Knesset decided unanimously on the uprooting of Arabs from their homes - is this: Such a move would be anti-democratic and forbidden, and impossible to carry out. The same must hold true for the transfer of Jews from their homes. All the knights in shining armor doing battle for human rights and democracy need to be reminded that these principles hold true for Jews as well. And all those who support transfer--for one reason or another--should first practice on transferring Arab settlements sitting in the center of Jewish cities, to see if it's do-able, before they have the nerve to try transferring Jewish settlements. 3. Use the language of the human rights organizations, and to apply it to Jews. In contrast to the impression given by the media in Israel, Jews are also human, have citizens rights, and are equally permitted to gain legal backing from the Supreme Court when their fundamental rights and freedoms are eroded simply because they are Jews. 4. Make it clear that the transfer isn't feasible economically. The idea of taking Jews out of their homes as if they were objects without any rights or desires of their own is against every Zionistic, Jewish, human or democratic value. Even those evacuated willingly are entitled to decide where they want to live, and to receive compensation accordingly, and not to be "shifted" to some Godforsaken, cheap backwater that will be chosen for them. It is, therefore, recommended that the intended "evacuees" make it clear immediately that they are willing to be "evacuated" only to Herzliya, for example, and to ask for and receive compensation at that level. There is no country, even among the terror havens of the Islamic world, who would be willing to finance such a transfer. 5. Make it clear that a transfer isn't possible militarily. Even Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz and Interior Minister Tzachi Hanegbi know this, which is why they are trying to pass jurisdiction over accomplishing this contemptible task like a hot potato one to the other. Israel doesn't have the manpower to accomplish such a cruel ethnic cleansing, which is infeasible morally, and numerically. The minimum number would be five to one between the enforcers and the victims, that is to say a special force of 40,000 men, larger than the entire Israeli police force, or a huge chunk of the defense forces. 6. Place a human shield around neighborhoods designated to be transferred, in numbers that will make it a mission impossible. Such a shield will be very human, in contrast to those protecting Arafat with their bodies. Against the bureaucracy of transfer, we need to create a counter organization that will arise, and rally others to arise, against this attempt at ethnic cleansing. 7. Prevent provocations and injury of soldiers and policemen, which will play into the hands of the transfer architects and be used as instigation against the Israeli majority. The use of a single individual's evil act to instigate against an entire population is a well-known tactic that has been used often since the murder of Yitzchak Rabin. The use of a portrait of Yitzchak Rabin in a Nazi uniform by a Secret Service provocateur during anti-Oslo rallies had that exact purpose in mind. One of the slogans that routinely accompany "peace plans" is to ensure Israel's survival as a sovereign Jewish, democratic State. The opposite is true: The current plan will ensure Israel is neither sovereign, nor Jewish, nor a democracy. 8. Clarify that transfer will destroy Israel as a sovereign State. A State that retreats in the face of terror, that accepts terrorist ultimatums, and burrows itself into the ground or (in the words of Hezbollah head Nasrallah) "behind spider web barriers" will find itself swept out of the Middle East by the fire of terrorism which will be lit in the wake of its revelation of weakness. 9.Clarify that transfer will destroy Israel as a Jewish State: He who relinquishes claims to the Temple Mount (which Sharon turned over recently to Jordan...N.R.) relinquishes all claim to the land of Israel. Jerusalem, and first and foremost the Old City and the Temple Mount, are the heart of the Jewish people, and Judea and Samaria are its arteries, not Tel Aviv or Herzliya. On the 100th anniversary of Herzl's death we would do well to remember that Zionism arose in order to gather the people of Israel into the land of Israel, before there was a "green line," or " territories" or "the occupation" etc. The State of Israel that relinquishes the Temple Mount and recognizes her as being "abroad", is not a State and is not Jewish. 10. Clarify that transfer will destroy Israel as a democracy. Those who are willing to carry out a transfer of Jews from their homes in the heart of their country because they are Jews, destroy Israel as a democracy. How would we react, for example, if the government of France decided that it was forbidden for Jews to live in half of Paris, or the suburbs surrounding her? Israelis who ignore every Jewish value, and who are ready to hand over the Temple Mount to the enemy without even feeling a twinge of having made an enormous, painful sacrifice, would be on their hind legs barking at French anti-Semitism. But what is not permissible in France, is permissible in Israel? Won't the transfer of Jews in Israel give the stamp of approval to anti-Semitism the world over? Won't the transfer of Jews in their country discourage Jews from moving to Israel? (Please note, Mr. Sharon, who called for the Jews of France to make aliyah immediately because of French anti-Semitism). Professor Ron Breiman is Chairman, Professors for a Strong Israel (http://www.professors.org.il). |
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EUROPEAN UNION WAKING FROM COMA
Posted by Beth Goodtree, July 28, 2004. |
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For those of us who follow international politics, the European Union's typically critical stance regarding Israel has been unfathomable. Why would Europe, with its history of involvement with or against Nazis and genocide, its fight against Soviet oppression, and its modern turn towards peace and justice, consistently side with modern-day genocidal monsters? After diagnosing their reaction at the UN, the answer is simple: The EU has been in a coma. The EU's coma has not been merely about Israel, but about themselves. Like an unconscious person's inability to keep themselves clean and free of vermin, the EU has been oblivious to the human parasites plaguing their countries. Not a week goes by when one doesn't hear of Islamists invading with impunity some European society, changing the demographics and political character. Whether it was Germany's unwitting hosting of the 9-11 murderers, France's struggle against Islamic thugs, Spain's cowardly capitulation to Muslim terrorists, or England's hosting of hate-filled imams, Europe has been critically infected. Despite watching the almost daily carnage wreaked by Arabs upon innocent Israeli women, children and families, the EU has remained, if not silent, at the very least uncritical of a concerted effort to commit genocide upon the Jewish people. Until now. Now the EU has expressed "shock." In a suspiciously underreported story, Arab countries at the UN are trying to thwart a proposal to raise a vote condemning anti-Semitism in the General Assembly this September. According to a news article in Haaretz, "UN ambassadors from Arab and EU countries met and the Arabs made clear that they do not accept the initiative for the UN General Assembly to condemn anti-Semitism. The blunt language used by the Arabs describing their opposition, and their plans to use diplomatic means to prevent the resolution from reaching a vote, shocked the Europeans, said a UN source. According to UN sources, the Arab delegates were also critical of a UN seminar on anti-Semitism held last month. A senior Western diplomat said that among the Arabs who spoke with the Europeans was PLO observer Nasser al Kidwe, and he was particularly outspoken in his objections to a UN General Assembly resolution on anti-Semitism... Jordanian Ambassador to the UN Prince Ziad Hussein argued that the resolution would reinforce the tendency to call any criticism of Israel, anti-Semitic. Moroccan Ambassador Mohammed Banone, said that the seminar against anti-Semitism was a terrible idea and a decision would only divide the world body. Arab League Ambassador Mahamas Hani warned that a UN resolution condemning anti-Semitism would have a negative impact on the Middle East." (http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/456921.html) It is apparent that the EU has bought the Arab/Islamist lie that Zionism is separate from Judaism. One must wonder what Christian Europe has been doing when they've been in church. As Christians, they have as their holy books both the Hebrew bible and the New Testament, usually bound together in one large book. Haven't any Europeans ever read their holy books? The return of the Jewish people to their aboriginal and native Holy Land is the most important thing in Judaism. Jerusalem is mentioned over 700 times in the Hebrew bible, ZERO times in the Koran. Besides apparently never reading their own bible, the Europeans are alarmingly ignorant of history. There have been THREE Jewish states in the land of Palestine, there have been ZERO Arab states in the same land. Perhaps nothing proves the EU coma better than their oblivion regarding current events. The U.N. Commission on Human Rights has passed 26 resolutions condemning Israel for human rights violations, despite the fact that Muslims are allowed complete freedom of worship, freedom to live and freedom to thrive in Israel. The same UN Human Rights Commission has passed ZERO resolutions against any Arab country. This is despite the fact that Saudi Arabia has made it a capital offense to practice Judaism or Christianity, and the Palestinian Authority has an official government policy to make its territory Judenrein. So the next question is, now that the EU is waking up to the fact that the Arab countries, and perhaps most or all of the other Islamic countries think anti-Semitism is a good thing, what do they plan to do about it? Before Europe makes a decision, let me remind them of three things: Dr Mahathir, the former Prime Minister of Malaysia and former head of the OIC (Organization of Islamic Conferences) publicly stated this past year at the OIC 2003 conference: "They (the Jews) invented and successfully promoted...human rights and democracy so that persecuting them would appear to be wrong, so they may enjoy equal rights with others." And "The Europeans had to kneel at the feet of Muslim scholars in order to access their own scholastic heritage." And one more thing. The Muslims have a saying: "First the Saturday people, then the Sunday people." Good morning Europe -- after the Jews and Israel, you're next! Beth Goodtree is an award-winning writer, with a background in advertising. She writes political commentary and the occasional humor and science articles. |
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PIERRE GALAND USES POLITICAL NGOs TO PROMOTE DEMONIZATION/ANTI-SEMITISM IN THE UN AND EU
Posted by NOG Monitor Organization, July 28, 2004. |
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There are very few radical NGO activities in the United Nations or in Europe in which Pierre Galand does not actively participate. His rhetoric of hatred, anti-Americanism and anti-Semitism (disguised, as in the case of many other members of the political NGO community, in the language of human rights and sympathy for Palestinian victimization), includes references to Israeli "aggression", "war crimes", "colonization", "apartheid", etc. while referring to Palestinian terror as "heroic" and in need of international protection. Who is Pierre Galand?
Galand's radical agenda
Traveling the world to attack Israel Pierre Galand has participated in a very large number of international conferences, including:
Using the UN as a vehicle for anti-Israel incitement
Promoting the Palestinian agenda
In summary, the evidence demonstrates that Pierre Galand is a pivotal figure in the nexus between the extensive radical political and anti-Israel agenda of the UN, and the role of the NGOs in this process. These activities are also influential in the EU and its own close links with and funding for the highly politicized NGOs, such as Oxfam and MIFTAH. And as long as Galand is a visible figure in these circles, the radical political exploitation of the NGO network will clearly continue. The NGO Monitor organization (www.ngo-monitor.org) promotes critical debate and accountability of human rights NGOs in the Arab Israeli Conflict. The Monitor is produced by The Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs/Institute of Contemporary Affairs founded jointly with the Wechsler Family Foundation. |
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IRAN THREATENS TO DESTROY ISRAEL
Posted by Voice of Judea, July 28, 2004. |
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Iran sent threatening warnings to Israel not to even consider attacking Iran's nuclear reactors. Iran threatened to erase Israel from the face of the earth if Jerusalem should carry out an assault against her Nuke facilities. Sayid Massoud Yaziree, of the Revolutionary National Guard, in his interview to the Student Press Association added, "America is trying to make an impression by threatening to use the Israelis, their mad dogs." Israeli Chief of Intelligence said that Iran will have the bomb within 8 years and also warned that Hizbullah now has rockets that could effectively hit targets 200 kilometers away from Lebanon, placing Tel Aviv within range of the new rockets. Syria and North Korea are working on a joint project to create a missile that could shoot a chemical war-head 700 kilometers. Voice of Judea Commentary: If Israel should strike at Iran, the Hizbullah could attack Tel Aviv from Lebanon. Seems like Israel needs to take a 200 kilometer security buffer zone in Lebanon before attacking Iran. It would also be a very good idea for the remaining 20,000 Jews in Iran to try and get out, while they still can. Jews around the world might not be too safe either. The hour is growing later and Israel and world Jewry must implement a program of survival, before it is too late. It is obvious what Israel needs to do in order to eliminate the Iran nuclear threat. It is also obvious what step needs to be taken by world Jewry as Jew hatred and anti-Israel sentiments spread - It is time to come home to Israel! Galut-Exile and Geulah-Redemption can't forever coexist. You can subscribe to the Voice of Judea emails by sending an email to jsid@amanda.dorsai.org |
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UNITING FOR PEACE OR CUT AND RUN?
Posted by Lori Lowenthal Marcus, July 27, 2004. |
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Uniting for Peace, sounds lovely, utopian, doesn't it? Maybe not. Let's see. When the bullies in the schoolyard gang up against you, won't pick you for any teams, and jeer at your every effort to make friends, it can be awfully discouraging. But if your protector is the most powerful kid in the schoolyard, you always have an ace in the hole. No matter how many bullies try their best to pummel you, you can stay in that schoolyard, poked at, picked on, pretty unhappy, maybe, but basically safe. Israel is that social outcast in the world's schoolyard known as the United Nations. The UN Charter grants permanent members of the Security Council, of which the US is one, with what amounts to ultimate veto power over any Resolution. With this veto power, the U. S. is able to shield Israel from the bullies in the UN who try to pulverize her through their seemingly endless supply of twisted vitriol wrapped up and delivered in a UN Resolution. That may no longer be true. I'll wager that few have carefully read the densely packed and dimly reasoned advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, in which the court of kangaroos jumped on, and tried to crush the exposed neck of Israel, the courtyard nerd. No surprise there. But a few paragraphs tucked away in the Opinion sent a shiver down my spine. In a rarely utilized tool about which few are aware, there lurks a means to trump the veto power protection of the US for Israel. That tool, Resolution 377(A)(V), is known as the "Uniting for Peace" Resolution. This procedural anomaly allows a majority of the Security Council members to override a permanent member's veto of a resolution. That resolution can then be forwarded to the General Assembly for action on a measure that had otherwise, most would have assumed irreversibly, already been rejected. Resolution 377 can be an effective vehicle to finally squash the schoolyard outcast. The tool has not yet been fully exploited, but let's not wait too long -- there is no doubt it is coming. You see, Resolution 377 provides a backdoor passage through which the United Nations General Assembly can take action on a measure despite "a negative vote of a permanent member," when "there appears to be a threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression." In the parallel universe of the UN schoolyard, Israel is repeatedly condemned for trying to protect its citizens from endless efforts to end her existence. In this month's decision rendered by the UN's International Court of Justice, a misnomer if ever there was one, Israel's passive security barrier was pronounced a "threat to international peace." The training and letting loose of exploding humans, as we know, has never warranted official condemnation by either the UN or its puppet court. Everyone knows that a Security Council permanent member's "veto power" is sacrosanct, so how can this rarely used procedural maneuver be considered legitimate? And if such a tool exists, why haven't the swashbucklers brandished it before? Resolution 377 was conceived by the United States when North Korea invaded South Korea in June, 1950. The UN Security Council promptly voted to deploy UN troops to block North Korea's army. But eventually North Korea's protector, the former Soviet Union, began using its veto power to block Security Council votes relating to the Korean War. That fall, Resolution 377(A)(V) was adopted by the General Assembly. The thinking went something like this: The primary responsibility of the Security Council is the maintenance of international peace and security. But when the veto by a lone Security Council member blocks the Council from fulfilling its primary duty to maintain international peace and security, then, "the General Assembly shall consider the matter immediately" and make appropriate recommendations to the GA members for collective measures. In other words, a super-majority of the Security Council members can "unite for peace" and create an alternative, a novel, path of action. The distinguished academic and UN commentator, Ruth Wedgwood, described similar evolving inconsistencies as a natural evolution of cumbersome UN mechanisms. The mission-directed nature of the UN requires flexibility in its procedures so that it may achieve its raison d'etre. The question is, who is defining the mission? What actions by which nations actually threaten international peace and security according to the United Nations? Do the bullies get to decide? Resolution 377 was one basis upon which the ICJ rejected the lack of jurisdiction objections put forth by Israel, the US, and nearly all Western democracies. But the Resolution's invocation in this Opinion is an ominous harbinger. The day is approaching when a Security Council veto by the US will no longer shield Israel from the harm those recently coalesced and large voting blocs yearn to unleash. Count the votes and ask yourselves what the majority will do once the veto fetters are sliced. The bullies can smell a change in the air. The rules are about to change. It's time to build a new school, one with a level schoolyard ruled by democracy and decency, rather than by "a majority of tyrannies." Lori Lowenthal Marcus is a lawyer, a writer, and President of the Zionist Organization of America, Greater Philadelphia District. |
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OUR ENEMY -PASSIVENESS, THE SILENT KILLER
Posted by American Chin High, July 27, 2004. |
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The siege is on and no one screams. You are being striped of your basic rights, you are declared 'illegal,' and there is no protest. First it was the "notorious" so called: "world court", Your minimal self defense from the murderers is null and void, and you are the "bad guy" instead. WHY? Why did the "worlds court" so "worldly" decided that death sentence? The terror menace's fruits as epitomized by the Spanish election (that gave in to terrorists at their election, post the Arab Muslim jihad massacre at their train station), HOW WE AID OUR ENEMIES Who sets the rules of the game, excludes me for calling this life and death matters as such, but the enemy of life-values sees as it only as such, this determining it so cold, brutal and inhumane a 'Game.' It's them who decide what's an agenda at UN, or at world courts, no matter how many millions die and are being tortured in Sudan at Arab Muslim radical racists hands, no matter how many thousands worldwide are susceptible to world wide Jihadi menace, it is only they who altina=matley decides what's an "issue", where the menace is and consequently who the "bad" guy is, what's "urgent' and what's "burning?" "Thanks" to Jihadi crime especially at the 9/11 scale, Bali massacres, etc., they in fact gained, they gained the acknowledgment on a self made "victimhood" - the slogan is:" If you (the West) will just take care of this you'll be left alone"... HOW IT WORKS Noise, Noise, Noise! Very simple. If you want something to get done, you do, you act, you act, you make noise; alternatively if you are not acting, things are not moving to your favor, when your enemy is active, to destroy your security and image. How do illusionists fool themselves that anything will be "done" Automatically. Simple math, if you want to survive. In the face of your enemies that seek to threaten that very same survival, at least what you should so is act as hard, as noisy and above all, listen to the real trick, "on the attack," else you are guaranteed to lose. APATHEY?! Those that had not yet woken up were calm all these years that UN has not found oone little opportunity to convene on the Arab Muslim "Palestinian" baby butchers and it's leaders' role in the death-education. The average passive guy says: 'Oh well, a UN resolution don't mean much...' only influencing public opinion...' Well, What else besides 'Public Opinion' is leading the world? Giant US is crumbling its decisions under this Goliath. Do these passive people even realize the new phase of criminal comaprison of a "SouthAfricanization" tactics? Do they foresee the Renewed I-legalization of Israel's basic survival? CONCLUSION Unless we act at least as noisy as our [oiled] Arab Muslim propagandists, the victory of the bad guys is already guaranteed. Sorry Dear genuine peace loving brothers and sisters, but we/you have to, in order to survive. Wake up. What you can do... Educate Europeans and American ignorant about who really is the aggressor. Spread flyers, participate in related talk shows or C-SPAN's related
programs or BBC's and the likes,, Email, fax, snail mail, etc.,
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NO IRANIAN SURPRISES
Posted by Michael D. Evans, July 27, 2004. |
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The much-anticipated September 11 commission report has now been released, and details evidence that eight to 10 of the September 11 high-jackers passed through Iran a year prior to the attacks on the United States. The New York Times reports that Iranian officials have instructed border guards on Iran's western border with Afghanistan not to stamp the passports of Saudi citizens who may have been traveling to and from al Qaeda training camps in Afghanistan. An Iranian stamp in a passport would have caused closer scrutiny by U.S. immigration officials. Is this really a surprise? Iran has harbored, financed and cooperated with terrorists who have attacked the "Great Satan" since June 1985, when the United States began an embargo against Iran because of its sponsorship of international terrorism. These sanctions have been in place for more than a decade now, squeezing the Iran economy, which suffers from inflation running as high as 50 percent. Iran has been working day and night to stir up trouble throughout the Gulf region. Hezbollah factions have been infiltrated, and the seeds of a tremendous explosion on the world scene have been sown. The world was shocked when Israel captured the Palestinian ship the Katrine-A in the Red Sea on Jan. 4, 2002. The ship was loaded with Katyusha rockets with a maximum range of 12 miles, assault rifles, anti-tank missiles, mines, ammunition and explosives. Most of the weapons were Iranian. The truth is that Iran was flying up to three jumbo jets laden with military supplies to Syria each month. The majority of the supplies were being ferried directly to Hezbollah guerrillas for the war against Israel. At the same time, the Clinton administration was socializing with Syrian President Bashar Assad. On Nov. 13, 1995, an Iranian-backed Islamist organization, known as the Movement for Islamic Change, claimed responsibility for the bombing of the Saudi National Guard at Riyadh, in which five American servicemen and two Indian workers were killed. This was the first of two promised attacks. On June 3, 1996, Iran vowed to resist the embargo imposed by the United States, and then on June 9, Iran's spiritual leader called for Iran's military to prepare for war. Ten days later, the House of Representatives cast a unanimous vote in favor of imposing tighter sanctions on Iran. The principle was added to pending legislation. The intent of the bill was to cripple Iran's and Libya's ability to continue their support of international terrorism. A week later, during June 20-23, Tehran hosted an international terrorism conference during which it was announced that attacks against U.S. interests would be stepped up in the coming months. Two days later, on June 25, the truck bombing of the military housing camp in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, took place, claiming the lives of 19 U.S. airmen and wounding hundreds of others. The Islamic Movement for Change, which already had claimed credit for the Riyadh bombing, took credit for this attack as well. On July 16, the United States levied its version of sanctions against Iran and Libya. On the following day, July 17, the Movement for Islamic Change sent a chilling fax to the London-based Arab newspaper, Al-Hayat, warning: "The world will be astonished and amazed at the time and place chosen by the Mujahadin. The Mujahadin will deliver the harshest reply to the threats of the American president. Everyone will be surprised by the volume, choice of place, and timing of the answer. The invaders must be prepared to depart dead, for their time of mourning is near." That fax, intercepted by overseas operatives, was forwarded to U.S. agencies. Michael D. Evans is the author of "Beyond Iraq: The Next Move," and founder of America's largest Christian coalition praying for the peace of Jerusalem, Jerusalem Prayer Team.org. |
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POLITICO CHESS
Posted by Carrie Devorah, July 27, 2004. |
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The manifestation of 80 kilometers of unbroken prayer extending across Israel from Gush Katif to the Wailing Wall, was of a likes never seen before. People began arriving around 5pm, by bus, by car, by foot. By 6:45pm one voice of thousands filled the skies. By 7:00pm, sentimental hands were joined in accordance with rabbinic guidance. Separate sections for men and women were set up along Jaffa Street in Jerusalem. Rabbinical determination paskened men and women, unrelated to each other, could stand side by side, in support of their common goal. Organizers of the chain, from Gush Katif and the Yesha Council, said "Our message is straightforward." "We recognize that the fate of Gush Katif reflects the ultimate fate of the entire State of Israel." Veterans of Israel's War of Independence stood at the entrance to Jerusalem, their color guard a unique tapestry of historical politics, war and religion- living victims of terrorism, disabled vets, former prisoners, immigrants new to the Holy Land, reservists, Knesset members and families of the dead buried in Gush Katif. First in line, was Shlomit Shamir, a resident of Jewish Gaza, 40 years back. Last in line was Yael Better, his 6 year old granddaughter, placing the traditional note of supplication. It was more than symbolic. A few days shy of Tisha B'av, mourning the Temples' destruction, she asked, on behalf of world Jewry, for peace in an intact Holy Land. Yoel Tzur, Kfar Darom spokesman Asher Mivtzari wrongly said there would not be any holes in the chain. There were. The murdered were not there. Yesha veteran Yoel Tzur offered in prayer love for "this precious gift- the Land of Israel." He lost his wife and son in a terrorist attack 8 years ago. Also missing was a soldier, a twenty year old Israel Defense Forces officer, facing, if convicted of homicide, life imprisonment. The officer, acting correctly in his job, shot a British anti-Israel militant aiding Palestinian terrorists. The victim died of pneumonia after being transferred back to the United Kingdom for medical care. The British government's unprecedented "campaign of pressure, intimidation and diplomatic threats" to bring the IDF officer to trial deftly turned world attention away from British media's innumerable stories on deaths in British hospitals from unsanitary conditions. The Express, the Daily Mail and other publications report on bereaved families mourning loved ones across the country, dying in healthcare. British media front pages are plastered with concerns over a multiplying population asylum seekers with suspected connections to terrorist groups, supported by Parlementarians, despite the financial chokehold on the economy. Recruitment for PLO supporters is plastered on walls around the UK. But the value of a life of a Jew, soldier doing his job or otherwise, was stated into history during World War II. Author Edwin Black, in his book, "IBM and The Holocaust," documents the memorandum between the heads of IBM and The Reich, determining at which point Hollerith cards were an unnecessary expense. It was determined the life of a jew, enroute to the Ovens was not worth the price of one punch card. To a Jew, saving one life is as if to save the whole world. It hardly feels, it was a few months back, I visited at the Fairmont Hotel with Israeli media preparing to return home after Prime Minister Sharon met with President George W Bush. There is something to be said about catching newsmen in a relaxed moment. The Hands For Prayer bond strengthening Jewish resolve caused me to think about one newsman's words as we sat on sofas in the hotel lobby. "It is not what he said that scares us," he said referencing Sharon's closed door meetings Israeli media were excluded from until a formal statement was made, "it is what he didn't say, what we were not allowed to hear, that scares us to death." That day, my walk home took longer than it should have. I pulled my collar
up around my neck. There was no wind yet I was chilled then as I am today
by the political game of contemporary chess played with human lives.
Pregnant mothers, soldiers, and brothers lost to the touch of hands,
united in prayer.
/font>
Carrie Devorah is an award winning photojournalist based in
Washington DC. She is the sister of bomb murder victim Yechezkel Chezi
Scotty Goldberg murdered January 29 2004 on Bus 19, in Jerusalem, one
block away from Prime Minister Sharon's residence.
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ISRAEL'S SACRED PLACES
Posted by Bernard J. Shapiro, July 27, 2004. |
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When the late Israeli Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin, and Foreign Minister Shimon Peres signed the Oslo Accords on the White House lawn (September 1993), they initiated a process whereby Israel would lose control of its Sacred Places and its Holy Land. Even before Oslo, Moshe Dayan had surrendered the most sacred of Jewish Holy Places, the Temple Mount, to the Arabs. There is much more involved here than politics as ususal. I believe that there is something terribly dangerous about the removal of the Jews from their Sacred Places. All over the world, from Stonehenge in England to the great temples of India, one finds Holy Places with great mystical power for the people who inhabit those lands. Some shrines of the East draw believers from across the globe. The power of these places can not be explained scientifically. One only needs to step onto Mount Abu in India to feel the presence of great mystical forces. And then there is Banares, the Hindu's Holy City of Light casting a warm glow over the sacred Ganges river. Islam arose in the 7th century on the foundation of a pagan (Meccan) religion that worshiped a large black stone, known as the Kaaba. Muhammad learned the rudiments of Judaism from the many Jews living in Arabia. He created the Islamic religion by re-writing the Jewish Holy Scriptures (calling it the Koran) and fusing it with the local pagan customs. One pagan concept became horribly significant as Islam spread both east and west across the world. The reverence for the Kaaba and the belief that Arab power derived from it became a brutal principle in the conquest of other peoples. As Islam was spread by the sword, the Sacred Places of conquered peoples were destroyed and occupied. It became a standard practice to destroy an Indian, Persian, Zoroastrian, Buddhist, Jewish or Christian temple and build a mosque on its ruins. This was always interpreted by historians as a kind of one-upmanship; a way to demonstrate the superiority of Islam and humiliate the defeated. Koenraad Elst in his recent book, Negationism in India, writes: "In all the lands it conquered, Islam has replaced indigenous places of worship with mosques. In Iran, there are no ancient Zoroastrians or Manichean shrines left. In Central Asia, there are no Buddhist temples left. Similarly, in India (except the far South where Islam penetrated rather late) there are practically no Hindu temples that have survived the Muslim period (over 10,000 destroyed). But there are thousands of mosques built on the foundations of Hindu temples (for example, the Ayodhya temple)." In my opinion, this Islamic behavior was more than an exhibition of cruel superiority. It was based on the pagan belief that they would acquire the power of the defeated peoples by absorbing their Holy Places and making them theirs. Let's see how these forces play out in the Arab war of extermination against the Jewish people (incorrectly called the Arab-Israeli Conflict). After Israel was conquered by the Arabs armies, the Temple Mount was used to build the Mosque of Omar (Dome of the Rock) and the al-Aska Mosque. While Jerusalem is not mentioned even once in the Koran, modern Arabs make great pretense by claiming it as one of their holy sites. This, of course, is nonsense. The Arab claim that each and every Jewish Holy Place is rightfully theirs has become quite common and accepted by the Western media. First Jerusalem and the Temple Mount, then Hebron and the Cave of the Patriarchs, and on to the Tomb of Joseph (Nablus), the Tomb of Rachel (Bethlehem) and more. The Western Wall, the last remaining remnant of Solomon's Temple and sacred to Jews for over 2,000 years, had been in Jordanian-controlled Jerusalem since 1949. The Jordanians, acting with malice aforethought, had denied Jews access to their sacred Holy Place. I visited the Wall for the first time in 1967. When I placed my hands on this magnificent relic of our forefathers, I felt a surge of light and energy the likes of which I had never known. In what had to have been but the flash of a second, I felt at one with Jews from all periods of history. At the Passover Seder, we are told to thank G-d for delivering us from Egypt as though we ourselves had been brought out of bondage. At that moment in Jerusalem, this Seder message was very real for me. In an instant, I saw the continuity of Jewish history and its unbreakable connection with Eretz Yisrael (Land of Israel). I understood how modern Israel is the beginning of the Third Temple Period and the spiritual heir to Joshua, Saul, David, Solomon, the Maccabees and Bar Kokhba. I frequently write about the security reasons for incorporating Judea, Samaria and Gaza into the body of Israel. There is another side to this issue and that is the spiritual-religious side. The truth, which many find inconvenient, is that the Land of Israel was promised by G-d to Abraham and his seed in perpetuity. The Land of Israel is not speculative real estate to be bartered away for some high-sounding (false) promises of peace. The hills and valleys of Judea and Samaria contain the collective memory of the Jewish people. It was here that the Israelites first entered the Holy Land. And it was here they fought the battles, built the towns, elected their kings and were preached to by their prophets and judges. And it was on this soil that they wrote the Holy Scriptures we call our Bible. In my blinding flash of insight at the Wall, I also understood that Israel on its own soil was more powerful than the sum of its weapons and men. Jews who had wandered the earth powerless for two millenniums attained great power when re-united with the soil of Israel. What about the Arabs? They are destroying the Jewish people by taking over their Sacred Land. There is something very real and awe inspiring about the Jewish connection to Eretz Yisrael and the Arabs know it and seek to destroy that mystical connection. With profound stupidity and avarice, the political Left in Israel is cooperating with this evil project. And worse, some religious Jews and members of the Right are also going along with the dismemberment of Israel. Some say it will save lives to appease the Arabs. Foolishness. The predatory Arabs already smell victory and each new concession makes their lust for Jewish blood grow. Wouldn't the Arabs object to the removal of the Mosque of Omar (Dome of the rock) and the al-Aqsa mosque from the Temple Mount? Of course they would, but they have no legitimate rights in the area. There is no reason the sovereign State of Israel needs to allow this desecration of Jewish Holy Places to continue. Today, on the Mount, the Arabs are supreme. They are destroying all archaeological remnants of Jewish sites. They are storing weapons in their mosques to kill Jews. One thing is clear to me: the L-rd has blessed Israel by re-uniting Jerusalem and bringing Judea, Samaria and Gaza back under its control. It would be a horrendous sin against G-d and common sense for Israel to renounce this inheritance to which it is entitled. Israel holds these lands as a sacred trust for the Jewish people in perpetuity. It would not only be sinful, but also criminal, to abuse that trust by denying future generations of Jews their Holy Land - Land of their Fathers; the one tiny spot on planet earth given to them by G-d. Bernard J. Shapiro is the Executive Director of the Freeman Center For Strategic Studies and the editor of its monthly magazine, The Maccabean Online and the Freemanlist. This article was the cover editorial for the December 1995 issue of The Maccabean. |
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PEANUT BRITTLE...
Posted by Gerald A. Honigman, July 27, 2004. |
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Let's get something straight right from the get-go. I'm a registered Democrat (though have voted and will vote otherwise again on occasion) and play second to few on the same environmental issues that Jimmy Carter championed while in the Oval Office. I voted for him. So I'm not automatically triggered to be nauseated by the man. But it's when Mr. Peanut turns to Arab-Israeli issues that he totally loses it. His "truths" crumble before any objective assessment. He has never met an Arab disemboweler of Jewish babes and grandmas that he hasn't blamed the Jews themselves for. Pardon me if I'm not sounding too respectful, but the ex-President has been shown to be a blatant hypocrite and, despite delusions about his own self-worth (an argument could be made that the Camp David Accords occurred despite him, not because of him), an outright menace to the survival of a viable Jewish State. What's even more frightening, John Kerry has mentioned him as his potential special envoy for the Middle East (not that Bush's James Baker is any better). And now, there he was on July 26th, amid current genocidal atrocities being carried out by Arabs against Black African Sudanese just as he spoke, ranting on behalf of Palestinian Arabs at the Democratic Convention. No attempt at balance either. Carter's vision, like Chamberlain's at Munich prior to World War II as he betrayed Czechoslovakia (allegedly over a heavily German-populated Sudetenland), is to buy "peace" for America and the world via selling out friends...this time Israel. Missing was any mention about what the Arabs need to do themselves in order to allow peace to blossom, like stopping their hate mongering and terrorism and agreeing that others, besides themselves, are due a semblance of justice...for starters. All that we heard were simply more fulminations about what America must do to help Arabs who still will not accept an Israel regardless of size and despite any additional concessions it will make. His was the typically one-sided squeeze the Jews message that he has repeatedly given. Almost a year earlier, for example, in an Indian summer blast of hot air in the September 23, 2003 Washington Post ("The Choice For Israelis"), he proclaimed that the occupied territories and settlement issue were the main causes of Arab resentment and thus the violence as well. James Pinkerton reported similarly in the Houston Chronicle this past April. This is Mr. Peanut's standard line when it comes to Arab-Israeli politics. There's no rest for those who care, and we are forced to repeat some key facts, ad nauseam, with the hope that they will register with an ever-wider audience. So, here we go again... Surely Carter's aware of poll after poll taken among Arabs that have shown that even if Israel withdrew completely from those disputed areas (not "occupied Arab lands"), the Arabs would still reject Israel's right to exist. It's not how big Israel is but that Israel is that has always been the problem...and Mr. Peanut knows this. And he knows about the offers made by Barak and Clinton at Camp David 2000 and Taba which would have handed over 97% of those disputed territories--including one half of Jerusalem and a $33 billion bonus as icing on the cake--to Arafat's boys. And he knows what the bloody Arab "counter offer " has been...hundreds of deliberately murdered Israeli civilians. Arafat built that fence recently put on trial in Geneva. Yet Carter insists on prodding Jews to take suicidal chances and forsake security measures with a bloodthirsty enemy he wouldn't dream of asking others to do. Who's kidding whom here? Surely he knows that the PLO was formed in 1964...long before Israel was in the territories. And surely he knows that nothing has changed in the Arab mindset since then or before. Carter sees the Palestinian Authority websites, maps, schoolbooks, hears the imams calling for death to the Jews, etc. He knows full well that the proposed 22nd or 23rd Arab state -- third one to be created within the original borders of Mandatory Palestine as Britain received it on April 25, 1920 -- plans to replace Israel, not live side by side with it. The evidence for this is overwhelming. It's no accident that at the summits leading up to the roadmap, Ahmed Qurei'--latest Arafatian chief marionette--went on record opposing the use of the word "Jewish" along with "State of Israel." Of course, not a peep out of Mr. Peanut about this and its implications. And these folks still insist that Israel, after being made to return to its 9-mile wide, pre-'67 armistice line existence, then agree to absorb millions of real or alleged descendants of Arab refugees. The half of Israel's Jews who were refugees themselves from so-called "Arab" lands doesn't seem to register with him. And the lie that the so-called "Geneva Initiative," led by Carter's politically impotent Arab and suicidal Israeli friends, renounced the "right of return" was just that...a lie. At the close of hostilities after the invasion by Arab states of a nascent Israel in 1948, the fragile, U.N-imposed armistice lines made Israel a constant temptation to its enemies. Most of Israel's population and industry lies in that narrow waistband. Mr. Carter knows full well that you need a magnifying glass to find Israel in a map of the region...a microscope for a map of the world. He has frequently brought up U.N. Resolution #242 to support his position for Israel's departure from the disputed territories. Just like Chamberlain had to know that Hitler would not be satisfied with just the Sudetenland back in 1938 but sacrificed the Czechs anyway, the evidence is quite clear regarding Arab intentions in their well-known "destruction in stages scenario" for Israel. And Chamberlain--er Carter--knows this as well. Yet, while he's been a bit more careful in his wording of late, he still implies that a virtually total Israeli withdrawal is required by 242. That's what his continuous rants about occupation and settlements are all about. Nations have acquired territories, toppled governments, and such thousands of miles away from home in the name of their own security, but Mr. Carter can't seem to figure out that Israel's 9-mile wide, artificially-imposed existence (the '49 armistice lines were never meant to be final borders) was a travesty of justice in desperate need of rectification. Whatever the size or shape the proposed additional Arab state might eventually be, it must not come at the expense of security of the sole, miniscule state of the Jews. In the aftermath of the 1967 Six Day War Israel was forced to fight after it was blockaded at the Straits of Tiran and other life-threatening hostile acts, U.N. Resolution #242 did not demand that Israel return to the status quo ante. The architects of that resolution such as Eugene Rostow, Arthur Goldberg, and others all stressed quite the contrary, and their views are readily accessible. 242 called, instead, for the creation of "secure and recognized borders" to replace those fragile armistice lines. There is no way that Carter cannot know this, yet he pretends to be deaf, dumb, and blind because it goes counter to his own "vision." Most of Israel's settlements have been built on strategic high ground areas for this reason. Even with these left in place, Israel's width goes from 9 miles up to perhaps around twenty in that waist bordering the West Bank/Judea and Samaria. Most people in America drive further than that just to go to work. Any roadmap discussions must continue to take this into account. Those currently involving the debate over the path of the security fence are particularly relevant. While compromises are in order, Carter's demands, advice, or whatever on this issue (like that of the recent UN politicized mouthpiece, the International Court of Justice) are not. His brother Billy made lots of money endearing himself to Arab oil folks. I haven't checked Mr. Peanut's records yet myself, but I've been told he has received plenty of Arab donations for his views. On this issue, however, in all fairness, he certainly couldn't be worse than the Bushes and their own closest friends and political allies. Best buddy James Baker's law firm, for example, represents the Saudis in this country. Carter speaks of the territories as if Palestinian Arabs (many of whom were newcomers -- settlers -- themselves in Palestine) had exclusive rights there. Contrary to popular current protestations, these are not "occupied Palestinian Arab lands." Leading scholars such as William O'Brien, Rostow, and others have pointed out that these lands were non-apportioned areas of the Mandate, and all residents -- Arabs, Jews, etc.-- had the right to live there. Indeed, Jews had lived and owned land in Judea and Samaria until their earlier massacres by Arabs. And Mr. Carter knows this too... as he does the writings of the so-called "moderates" like the late showcased Faisal Husseini whose goal was/is still a purely Arab Palestine from the River to the Sea. Indeed, the "moderates" of the good cop/ bad cop game the Arabs have played to gain concessions from the Jews speak in terms of temporary, meaningless concessions to the Jews as the Trojan Horse that will be used to deliver the final prize, Arafat's modern professed version of the "Peace of the Quraysh." The latter were the pagan tribe the Muslim Prophet, Muhammad, made a temporary truce with until he gained the position and strength to deliver the final blow. Talk of a new "truce" with Arafat falls into this same category. Arabs offer this hudna while expecting Israel to yield to all of their demands. So it's time to call it what it really is... Jews have repeatedly offered Arabs reasonable compromises and an honorable way out of this bloody mess. It is Arabs who have rejected all of these. The plain truth is that any solution which is not another Final Solution will not be acceptable to Arabs...at least those with both the real power and the power to influence their own captive masses. And Mr. Peanut knows this too...which makes what he says and does even light years worse. Carter's constant demand that Israel cave in to such above hogwash is nothing short of hostile intent on his part towards the Jewish State. He expects no others to bare their necks so freely to their sworn murderous enemies as he does Jews. Indeed, the prospect of him having any influence over a potential Democrat in office is frightening. When I see Mr. Peanut show the same concern over the plight of millions of Blacks in Africa, who have been slaughtered, enslaved, turned into refugees, and the like, or that of some thirty million perpetually victimized, stateless Kurds, who have suffered likewise in the name of the Arab nation, as he does for creating a 22nd or 23rd state for Arabs (on the ashes of Israel...but fear not, he'll give a proper southern gentleman's eulogy), then I might give any credence to what he says again. For now, his blatant hypocrisy and double standards vis-a-vis Jews and Israel simply make him a spokesman for the Arab cause. Furthermore, knowing what his politics are like and that he has become a virtual attack dog on Israel, the Democrats had surely figured out beforehand what words of wisdom he was likely to spout as he was showcased at their convention on July 26th. And this, unfortunately, perhaps also says something as well. Gerald A. Honigman is a Florida educator who has created and conducted counter-Arab propaganda programs for college youth, has lectured on numerous campuses and other platforms, and has publicly debated many Arab spokesmen. His articles and op-eds have been published in newspapers, magazines, academic journals and websites around the world. |
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DIVEST YOURSELF FROM THE PREBYTERIAN DIVESTORS
Posted by Brenda Houston, July 27, 2004. |
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The American Presbyterian Church met and, after slandering Israel by calling it an apartheid state, voted to divest itself of holdings in companies that do much business in Israel. They are sooo concerned about the poor Palestinians and they have swallowed whole the disgusting idea that whatever these barbaric Arabs do is OK because their (non-existent) country is 'occupied' by Israel. Well, two can divest. My friend had a great idea. She called her broker this morning and asked if he was a Presbyterian. "Yes," he said, puzzled. "Well, I can't have you managing my money any more. I am divesting myself of Presbyterians, because they are divesting themselves of stock in companies that do business in Israel." The poor snook didn't even know about this resolution that was adopted in his name. Well, he does now. |
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FAILURE TO PREVENT 9/11 NOT A LACK OF IMAGINATION BUT OF COGNITION
Posted by David Holcberg, July 27, 2004. |
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Contrary to the claim by the 9/11 commission chairman, the failure to prevent 9/11 was not "a failure of imagination." It was a failure of cognition. For decades prior to 9/11, terrorist attacks against Americans were perpetrated without any noticeable response from the U.S. government. The first attack on the World Trade Center, for example, occurred back in 1993--and it was dealt with as a mere criminal matter. More recently, in 1998, Osama bin Laden declared war on the United States and publicly called for the indiscriminate murder of Americans all over the world as a religious duty. A few months later Al Qaeda destroyed the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. The United States did not respond in any significant way to these threats and assaults. The reason that the United States was taken by surprise was not a lack of imagination, but a lack of honesty in facing the facts--and a lack of courage to act against these obvious threats. As the commission itself reported, "The 9/11 attacks were a shock, but they should not have come as a surprise." David Holcberg is with the Ayn Rand Institute in Irvine, California (http://www.aynrand.org). He writes on environmentalism, science and capitalism. |
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RETURN THE ISRAELI FLAG TO THE TEMPLE MOUNT
Posted by Women in Green, July 27, 2004. |
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This speech by Nadia Matar, Chairperson, Women in Green, at the Tisha
B'Av Evening Walk around the Old City Walls of Jerusalem was delivered
in Hebrew. This an English translation.
On June 7, 1967, our paratroopers broke through the Lions' Gate, and liberated the entire Old City. At ten o'clock in the morning, three paratroopers, following Motta Gur's orders, climbed to the top of the Mosque of the Dome and unfurled an Israeli flag over it. Four hours later, at two p.m., Defense Minister Moshe Dayan arrived, surrounded by his entourage. Nadav Shragai writes in his book The Contested Mount: "Dayan was immersed in his thoughts when the IDF Chief Prosecutor Meir Shamgar drew his attention to the fact that the Israeli flag had been raised over the Temple Mount since the morning. Dayan ordered that it immediately be lowered. Then Dayan spotted a paratrooper company that was preparing for permanent deployment in the northern part of the Temple Mount, and he ordered that they, too, be removed from the Mount. "GOC Central Command Uzi Narkiss sought to persuade Dayan, and he reminded him that Jordan, as well, had kept a military unit on the Mount to maintain order. Dayan was not convinced. He told Narkiss that it seemed to him that the place had to be entrusted to the Muslims." Several days later, Dayan decided finally that the place and its administration were to be entrusted to the Muslim Wakf. At the same time, he decided to insist that Jews be allowed to visit the Temple Mount, but not pray there. Later on, Dayan gave an explanation for his scandalous decision - a decision that proved to all just how much Dayan was an assimilated Jew and an ignoramus. He explained that, "since for the Muslims the Temple Mount is a Muslim mosque for prayer, while for Jews it is merely a historical site recalling the past, the Arabs are not to be disturbed in acting there as they do now, and the right of the Muslims to control it must be recognized." A few weeks later, on Tisha B'Av 1967, 1897 years after the destruction of the Second Temple, Rabbi Goren, may the memory of the righteous be for a blessing, with several dozen other Jews, entered the Temple Mount plaza, where Jews -according to halacha-were permitted to be. They brought with them a shofar (ram's horn) and a Torah Ark with a Torah scroll, and they conducted the afternoon prayer service. This afternoon prayer service on the Temple Mount aroused a public storm in Israel and abroad. The media launched unbridled agitation against Rabbi Goren's initiative to renew Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount, and his request to conduct a mass prayer service on the Sabbath following Tisha B'Av was categorically rejected. The government told Rabbi Goren in no uncertain terms: If Jewish worshipers were to ascend the Temple Mount, they would be evacuated by security forces. In response to this terrible decree, Rabbi Goren wrote a letter to the Ministerial Committee for the Safeguarding of the Holy Places. His words could have been written today, almost forty years after we liberated the place of our Temple, while, to our shame, the Temple Mount is still closed to Jewish prayer. The following are a few passages from his letter: "Honored Ministers! Your decision by which you forbid me, as an individual, and the Jews as a whole, from praying on the Temple Mount shocked me to the depths of my soul. It follows from your decision that the only place in the world in which an express and specific ban has been placed on the Jew, as a Jew, to pray, is Mount Moriah, the mount of the Lord to which all of Israel's prayers are directed, the location of the nation's Holy of Holies. [...] "From the destruction of the Second Temple until three hundred years ago, the prayers of Jews on the Temple Mount did not cease. [...] The uniqueness of the Kotel (Western Wall) as a place of prayer is a historical innovation, and is not more than three hundred years old. It began after the decrees and limitations placed by the Muslim rulers on the Jews, and the abrogation of the 'synagogue' [...] that had existed for centuries on the Temple Mount. [...] In no manner or form is the Western Wall entitled to be a substitute for the mount of the Lord. The prayers at the Wall symbolize the exile of the people and its expulsion from the Temple Mount, while our prayers on the Temple Mount represent the return of the people to its land and the place of its Temple. "Who could conceive that Israel's security forces would be compelled to obstruct Jews from praying before the Lord, when the Temple Mount is under the government of Israel? And is this our situation now, after our dazzling victory? Did we await this, that the government of Israel would discriminate between Jew and Muslim, and place guards lest, Heaven forbid, Jewish prayer would be uttered on the Temple Mount, about which the Prophets prophesied, 'For My House shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples' [Isaiah 56:7]?" "Jewish history shall not forgive us for this. My request," Rabbi Goren ends his letter, "is to open wide the gates of the Temple Mount to all Jews and for everyone in the world. Save the Holy of Holies of the nation, do not hand over the Temple Mount to those who defile it. Signed in grief, in hope, and in blessing, Shlomo Goren, General, Chief Rabbi of Israel." My friends, the State of Israel exists for 56 years. Of these, we were truly, in the words of the Hatikvah, "a free people in its land" only for four hours. Those four hours were those in which the Israeli flag waved above the Temple Mount. For, as Uri Zevi Greenberg knew, whoever controls the Temple Mount controls all of Eretz Israel. Anyone with any sense knows that the Temple Mount is not holy for Muslims. The only reason why they are building mosques there is because this is the people of Israel's most sanctified spot, and their goal is to prevent us from gaining a foothold there. Turning the Temple Mount compound into a Muslim place of prayer is therefore not a religious act, but a political and warlike act, a sort of spiritual terrorist attack against the Jews. The order to lower the Israeli flag from the Temple Mount in '67 constituted the beginning of the continued withdrawal from, and collapse by Israel's governments to the Arab enemy. There is a clear and direct connection between the removal of the Israeli flag from the Temple Mount in '67 and the retreat from Yamit, from there to the criminal Oslo accords, from there to the Wye agreements, and from there to Ariel Sharon's ethnic cleansing plan to deport Jews and hand over broad portions of the soil of our homeland to the enemy. Obviously, anyone who abandons the Temple Mount, the very heart of the Jewish people, will eventually hand over the rest of the homeland to that same Arab foe. Rabbi Yisrael Rosen writes in his book Kumu Ve-Na'aleh (Come, Let Us Go Up) that our hold on Jerusalem is to be regarded as a barometer of the degree of the national revival of the people of Israel. A debased hold on Jerusalem hints at national subservience. Firm adherence to Jerusalem means standing with head held high and with dignity. According to this barometer, the national revival of Israel today seems at first extremely low. The children of Israel's adversaries play soccer in the place of our Temple; the Arab enemy engages in the destruction of all the antiquities and Jewish traces at the site, without interference and with our full governmental compliance. This is really depressing and frustrating. But here comes the good news. We, the people, are capable of changing the situation! Admittedly, we have many weak and tired political leaders, who are no different from the ten spies who slandered the Land of Israel. Those scouts were afraid. They did not believe or have the faith that we could conquer our Land. As is common knowledge, it was specifically for the sin of the spies that we were punished. G-d turned the day on which the Land was besmirched by these messengers, which fell on the ninth of Av, into a day of destruction and mourning. Today, we must correct this sin! Today, the people of Israel rejects the way our people reacted in the wilderness. Then, the response of the people was to believe the ten spies, to weep, to complain, and to tearfully implore Moses to return to Egypt. Yesterday we had a magnificent human chain, with more than two hundred thousand participants, from Gush Katif to the Temple Mount. Today, we have tens of thousands participants in the Walk, who encircle the Temple Mount as a bride encircles her groom under the wedding canopy. This Walk has been held for ten years in succession now, and just grows from year to year. All of this demonstrates that the majority of the people received the genes of Caleb ben Yefuneh and Joshua ben Nun, who believed in the justness of our Cause, and who did not fear to say "We will certainly go up, and we shall gain possession of it, for we shall surely overcome it" (Numbers 13:30). We must deliver an unequivocal message to all the politicians today who, once again, slander the Land and are willing to surrender parts of it: This shall not come to pass. The people shall not allow you, even if you cook up a majority in the Knesset and the government. The majority of the people of Israel, throughout the ages, clearly say: "The Land of Israel belongs to the people of Israel, in accordance with the Torah of Israel, and no one has the right to cede it." Don't delude yourselves: yesterday we stood in the human chain like nice and very disciplined children, and today we are holding a quiet and respectable march - but you should know that for us the Land of Israel is like our child, and if, Heaven forbid, the patently illegal order should come to take our child from us, the masses that we saw yesterday in the human chain, and today in this Walk will be forced to react as a lioness defending her cubs against criminal and murderous hunters. With G-d's help, we will not have to face such harsh situations. With G-d's help, in the coming months we will succeed in sending home, to early retirement, all the political leaders who today are betraying Zionism and Judaism, and thereby bury their plan of destruction. In their place we shall find true, proud Jewish leaders, leaders who shall fearlessly proclaim throughout the whole world: "The Land of Israel belongs to the people of Israel, in accordance with the Torah of Israel" - leaders whose first action will be to expunge the national shame from the Temple Mount. In other words, leaders who will remove the foreign intruder and who will return the Israeli flag over the Temple Mount, the very heart of our sanctity. This way, and only this way, with G-d's help, will the complete Redemption come, speedily and in our days, Amen. Ruth and Nadia Matar established Women For Israel's Tomorrow (Women in Green), an activist group of women based in Jerusalem. Their website address is http://www.womeningreen.org |
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THE WALK: REVIVING A TRADITION
Posted by Judy Lash Balint, July 27, 2004. |
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Jerusalem is a city of walkers. Walking is generally the most efficient way of getting around in a city with limited parking and narrow streets that seem to breed traffic jams. Jerusalemites walk from neighborhood to neighborhood on Shabbat, and think nothing of trekking for an hour to get to the Kotel on holidays. But it's the revival of an ancient tradition of walking around the walls of the Old City on Tisha B'Av that has captured the attention of growing numbers of Jerusalemites in recent years. This year marked the 10th anniversary of the revival of the custom, initiated by the Women In Green organization headed by Nadia and Ruth Matar. It's difficult to estimate the crowds, but it took the better part of half an hour for the masses to move out of Safra Square and set off on their way after a public reading of the Eicha dirge, penned by the prophet Jeremiah who witnessed the destruction of the First Temple. An easy 10,000 people took part in the march--just one day after most of these same folks stood for two hours as part of the human chain protesting the planned destruction of Jewish communities in Gush Katif. Tisha B'Av is the one day of the year when Jewish prayers are broadcast over a public address system, in contrast to the daily call to prayer blasted out five times a day over the city from mosques in eastern Jerusalem. It's actually a little disorienting to hear the Hebrew of Eicha amplified over the main city square. As the marchers move off following a huge banner proclaiming a slogan of allegiance to Jerusalem, organizer Nadia Matar reminds the crowd that this is not a demonstration or a rally, nor is it a social event. In fact, no reminder is necessary, as the restrained mass of Jews soberly sets out to encircle the gates of the Holy City. Scattered amongst the marchers are a significant number of non-observant Israelis. Women wearing pants walk side by side with others whose hair is carefully covered with a scarf or hat. A group of 45 young Austrian members of the International Christian Embassy stand out with their distinctly non-Semitic features and black T-shirts. This year, Nadia translated her remarks into French as well as English to accomodate the large number of French olim among the marchers. There are wheelchair "marchers" and a number of octagenarian walkers, some supported by younger relatives, who manage to reach the end of the hour-long route. As we pass New Gate near the Christian Quarter, it's clear that all traffic on Route #1 (the main north/south gateway through the city) has been redirected as we take over the streets and pour down the road toward Damascus Gate. Spotlights and snipers are dotted on the rooftops and helicopters hover about to monitor the event. Most of the Arab stores are shuttered tight, but one or two Arab women are looking out of the second storey windows of the Golden Walls Hotel on Saleh el Din Street. A few shebab (Arab youth) are loitering around as we stream past Herod's Gate watched over by the ubiquitous Israeli police burdened on this warm night by their bulletproof vests. This small Gate into the Moslem Quarter is shuttered tight with it's centuries-old wooden covering guarded by a lone policeman. Walking down the hill toward Damascus Gate we turn to look back at those behind us. People as far back as we can see - accompanied by huge Israeli flags, reviving an ancient Jerusalem tradition of encircling the walls on Tisha B'Av. It's a hands-on outdoor classroom for many parents. All along the way, fathers are explaining the significant sites to sons and daughters. "Saba fought here," one tall, bearded man tells his 10 year old son as we round the corner towards Lion's Gate, where Israeli paratroopers entered to liberate the Temple Mount in the 1967 Six Day War. "Look over there," says a young mother to her wide-eyed daughter. "You can see the stairs where the Jews used to go up to the Temple," she says as we walk up the hill in front of the southern wall. In front of us we see the Mount of Olives crowned with its Arab and Christian institutions. There's a refreshing feeling of freedom as thousands walk freely down the road that overlooks the oldest Jewish cemetery in the world. Many marchers wander over to the wall to gaze at the Kidron Valley below with Absalom's Tomb and the monument to the prophet Zecharia. Across the valley we can see the new Maale Hazeitim development that acts as a buffer between Abu Dis and the Temple Mount. Here at Lion's Gate, two members of Knesset address the masses who find resting places on the hard stone. The voice of MK Benny Elon echoes off the city walls and the ancient headstones as he begins his remarks by calling those seated around him, "This holy assembly..." Rounding the corner, we look up at the imposing Southern Wall of the Temple with the steps and Huldah's Gate, before making the ascent towards Dung Gate and the entrance to the Western Wall. Glancing backwards again, the sight of the masses of people still behind us is awesome. Quiet and dignified, the march has gone off without incident. Getting out of the area proves challenging, as the Egged bus company lays on dozens of buses to get people in and out of the Old City, causing their own traffic jams. At midnight, the road leading to Zion and Dung gates is blocked by a line of the green vehicles packed to overflowing with the faithful who will spend the night sitting or lying on the ground at the site of the catastrophe that gave us Tisha B'Av. It's just another sign that the people of Israel aren't about to give up.... "Jerusalem Diaries: In Tense Times" by Judy Lash Balint (Gefen) is available for purchase from www.israelbooks.com |
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SYRIANS FLEW WITH EXPIRED VISAS
Posted by Bryna Berch, July 27, 2004. |
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This article was written by Audrey Hudson and appeared today in The
Washington Times. An airplane passenger has reported the erratic
behavior of a group of Arabs, who made everyone nervous. This was
denigrated when it was reported it was a band of musicians. Now it
turns out their visas had expired.
The article is archived at
http://insider.washingtontimes.com/articles/normal.php?
StoryID=20040727-123853-7608r
Almost all of the Syrian musicians who were questioned by law-enforcement officials after exhibiting suspicious behavior aboard a Northwest Airlines flight were traveling on expired visas. The 14 men in the band were questioned by several agencies that make up the Joint Terrorism Task Force after the pilot aboard Flight 327 from Detroit to Los Angeles on June 29 radioed for law-enforcement assistance. A spokesman for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed that 13 of the 14 musicians entered the country May 30 and the visas expired June 10, but the men were not detained. The 14th musician is a U.S. resident and citizen. The backup band was hired to play with Nour Mehana, widely referred to as Syria's Wayne Newton, and were flying on one-way tickets with a return trip on JetBlue. "The bottom line is there should have been an ICE agent called in to participate in the questioning, but there wasn't," spokesman Dean Boyd said. "We believe if an ICE agent were there, they could have detected the visas had expired." The Washington Times reported last week that flight crews and air marshals say terrorists are testing airline security and conducting probes, and cited several incidents including the one involving the musicians that set off alarms with security officials. Since the report, several other pilots and marshals have come forward and confirmed that groups of men are conducting what looks like dry runs for a terrorist attack. "We are being constantly surveilled and probed" by terrorists, one air marshal said. A spokesman for Homeland Security disputed reports from crews and marshals and said they had "no intelligence that terrorists are conducing test flights on airlines." "We are aware of suspicious incidents around the country and all sectors of the economy, each of these incidents are being examined," spokesman Brian Roehrkasse said. The musicians, whose in-flight antics caused alarm among the flight crew and drew the suspicion of air marshals, had P3 entertainment visas and performed at a number of different venues across the country. They departed the United States on dates between July 10 and July 15. "Everything that we and other agencies have found indicates, and we are very confident in saying, these individuals were not terrorists by any means," Mr. Boyd said. The legality of the band and travel dates has not eased the concerns of air marshals, pilots and some plane passengers, who saw their behavior. Before September 11, the hijackers were "just flight students," said one U.S. air marshal. "Everything boils down to creativity and resources. And the more creative you are, the less resources you need." None of the 19 hijackers who carried out September 11 attacks were on terrorism watch lists and all had legally entered the country on tourist or student visas. Three overstayed their one-year visas. The September 11 commission report criticized the CIA for not placing hijackers Khalid Almihdhar and Nawaf Alhazmi on the watch list prior to the attack even after the men were linked to the August 1998 bombing of two U.S. embassies in East Africa. Similar activity was reported by flight attendants on American Airlines Flight 1732 from San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Feb. 15 to New York's John F. Kennedy Airport. The six men involved worked for a cruise ship and were carrying musician's cases with instruments. "The best way to travel is in large groups, no one would give it a second look," the marshal said. However passengers and the flight crew aboard Flight 327 were closely watching the Syrian musicians. According to passengers Annie and Kevin Jacobsen, the men sat throughout the plane pretending to be strangers, then stood nearly the entire flight in congregations of two and three and consecutively fielded in and out of bathrooms at intervals. One took a McDonald's bag into the lavatory, then passed it to another Syrian. The musicians also carried cameras and cellular phones to the bathroom. When the pilot announced the landing and to fasten safety belts, seven of the men jumped up in unison and went to the bathroom. Upon returning to his seat, one man mouthed the word "no" as he ran his finger across his throat. Syria is one of seven countries designated as state sponsors of terrorism by the State Department, but Damascus has cooperated with the United States in the fight against al Qaeda, according to the State Department report for 2003, issued April 29. "They came from a country known to support terrorism and no one noticed their visas had expired?" one pilot asked. Air marshals and pilots say terrorists are actively testing airline security and the behavior of the musicians mirrors a test run. "Organized terrorists have been and are doing probes," a second air marshal said. The Jacobsens' account is credible "because it is eerily similar to previous incidents that have happened on planes." The Jacobsens have become the subject of ridicule on some blogs and criticized in one media report by an unnamed government source, but the Federal Air Marshals Association (FAMA) issued a statement Sunday backing the family. FAMA also called on the government to release the recording of the pilot's call to air traffic control for law-enforcement assistance. The unnamed source suggested Mrs. Jacobsen was hysterical and was the reason that law-enforcement officials were called to the airport. Pilots and marshals say the flight crew and onboard marshals were obviously concerned and the Joint Terrorism Task Force would not be deployed in routine cases of upset or unruly passengers. "Dealing with upset plane passengers is not exactly new," the pilot said. The second air marshal said the Jacobsens did exactly what President Bush and Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge have asked U.S. citizens to do: Be vigilant and report suspicious behavior. |
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MIDDLE EAST MANIPULATIONS
Posted by Richard H. Shulman, July 27, 2004. |
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STRANGE DOINGS IN S. ARABIA Al Qaeda condemns the Saudi kingdom, but murders foreigners and not the ruling princes. Saudi security forces allow terrorists to escape. The government says it has shut down the terrorist fundraisers, but the "charities" continue, as do the schools designed primarily to indoctrinate. The government still promotes Islamism and does not supervise donations by wealthy individuals, some of which goes to terrorism. The media supports Iraqi terrorism. It presents the beheading of Paul Johnson as revenge for thousands of deaths at Falluhah that did NOT occur (MEPF, 7/13 from Miriam Gardner of American Yated Neeman, 7/9). That's paranoia! "Revenge" against someone rebuilding the country. They stereotyped him. America fought against Arabs. He's American. Slay him! What are we to make of these strange, seemingly self-contradictory doings? First, the government is divided against itself. Some princes, the ones not in full charge, side with the terrorists against their own government. Second, the government is going through the usual Arab procedure of promising to end terrorism but continuing it. It may plug one avenue of terrorism, but leave another open. The government still believes in Islamism. It has yet to realize that an alliance with Islamism cannot endure, because the Islamists eventually consider themselves purer (and probably are, ideologically) than the government allied to them. At least the Saudi rulers fail to fully perceive the threat to them. They, of all people, should realize the subversive nature of Islamism. Unless they shut off all the avenues of terrorism, more police will assist more terrorists. KURDS REPLACING ARAB USURPERS Tens of thousands of Kurds are reclaiming their land seized by Arabs at Saddam's instigation. More are coming into camps near land they have not yet reclaimed. Ten thousand Kurds want to reclaim Kirkuk, which also is claimed (with some legitimacy) by Turkmen. The Kurds are pressing US authorities to let them n. They are transforming the demographic and political life of northern Iraq. Displaced Arab usurpers are in camps too. The US allots $180 million for them, just as it had tried to take care of the previously displaced Kurds (Op. Cit.). Why no vaunted Saudi "charity?" The Kurds may end up regaining the oil-bearing areas they had been chased from. They had better move fast, before the new, Arab-dominated government builds a strong army that might block them or worse. Being enacted before us, though with little publicity, is the age-old process of ethnic migration and displacement and replacement by force. By contrast, Zionism sought to regain its patrimony peacefully and by purchase. It did not engage in ethnic cleansing. Instead of recognizing Zionist decency, the world accuses Israel of forcible expulsion, a thing the Arabs had done to the Jews. Whoever the refugees, the US spends its money trying to succor them. The world doesn't recognize that decency, either. Instead it focuses only on unpopular US decisons. The world, societies, and individuals are complex. America as more than one facet. The US has its good side and its bad side, its good officials and its bad ones. Some people see one facet, and some see another. Let us view the diamond as a whole, sparkle and flaws. POWELL "BLOWS IT" AGAIN - This Time On Sudan Asked if the US would intervene militarily to stop the Arab genocide in Sudan, Sec. Powell said, "There is not a simple military solution at hand." He did not quite categorically rule out the use of force, but he plumped for diplomacy as if he had ruled out force (Benny Avni, NY Sun, 7/23, p.1). Diplomacy is like poker. One doesn't show one's hand, so as to allow bluffing the other players into folding. Powell tipped the US hand. One can almost hear the sigh of relief among Sudan Arabs. Now they know the US is not likely to act like a great power in this, moving fast and hard. The US is going to hope that diplomacy, alone, will work. Powell works with the UN, which uses diplomacy to prevent ethical solutions. Diplomacy means that Arab and Chinese diplomats obstruct, while Arab jihadists assassinate. Next year, the scandal will be why, years after the Rwanda mass-murders, the US let it happen in Sudan. The dead will not be comforted. The Americans who were pleased at the time that the US did not go to war over this, are likely to be angered next year that the US did not go to war over this. The only thing consistent in politics is inconsistency. What should our war-weary Sec. of State have replied, instead? This way, but more polished: "The Defense Dept. and the CIA are drafting plans for military force. Naturally, however, the US prefers a diplomatic solution. We expect the Sudan, itself, to intervene militarily and promptly, as promised, and against the Jinjaweed militias instead of for them. There is no time to waste; we will not brook procrastination in the guise of diplomacy and false promises." The problem with that reply is that the US may not lack the forces to implement it. This problem must be addressed. The difficulty with addressing it is that the country is not unified. The extreme partisanship of the current political campaign impedes consensus and guarantees that any policy, sensible or otherwise, would be challenged. Runaway tax breaks and welfare programs for the rich and runaway Medicaid/Medicare programs deprive the government of funds for "discretionary" spending. If the US were caught bluffing much, it would lose credibility. Although in a world war against jihad, the US has not mobilized the resources to wage it. HOW DOES THE U.S. BEND ISRAELIS AROUND ITS PINKY? It is easy for the US to flatter Israeli Prime Ministers - they are inexperienced and egotistical. The US makes them feel important in global affairs and to the US. Merely pawns on the State Dept. chessboard, they accept US assurances and Presidential promises. They are bemused by the promises before them, and not skeptical after promises to their predecessors were broken. Neither do they realize that a President's promise, if even sincere, require Congressional allocation of funds. Those funds have not been forthcoming (Winston Mid East Analysis, 7/19, e-mail). Another explanation is the two governments' public professed affection for the other. Israel means it. The Presidents do not. When Israel asserts an independent course, official US friendship evaporates; the State Dept. speculates that it may "reexamine the relationship" between the two countries (meaning no aid and no UNO veto). Not that Israelis notice, the threat means the relationship is based on intimidation. They react timidly. Were they wiser, they would themselves reexamine the relationship. They would be dismayed what they find. Were they truly educated and thinking people, and knew their own history, they would not need to undertake a study. They long ago would have freed themselves from the talons of the US eagle. Israel would make itself an economic powerhouse and a moral beacon. It would pay off the US loans and reject US aid and its conditions. HOW THE U.S. WRAPS U.S. JEWRY AROUND ITS PINKY US Jews, heirs to centuries of political oppression and insecurity abroad, crave psychological reassurance that they are valued, equal citizens here. They accept less than equality if the President flatters them with attention. Never mind that he usually is a politician elected because upstanding citizens haven't the money or the inclination to compromise their ideals, and compete for the job. The President tells Jewish delegations that they are important to the peace process. They, in turn, fall silent over US mistreatment of Pollard (such as denial of medical treatment and ears of solitary confinement). They silence US Jewry rather than alarm them about the US betrayal of Israel to the Arabs (Winston Mid East Analysis, 7/19, e-mail). When the Jews act independently, the Administration (Democratic or Republican) releases hints about their having dual loyalty. Accusations of dual loyalty are not made against other groups, such as native New Yorkers who fly the Puerto Rican flag or Greek Members of Congress who took Greece's side against Turkey, several years ago, etc.. THE BASIS OF OSLO The Oslo plan anticipates some Jews will be murdered (Op. Cit.). A poor basis for "peace!" IMPETUS FOR P.A. TERRORISM Iran is backing most P.A. terrorist groups. Israel does not have enough troops in Gaza now to stop the arms smuggling. (Imagine if PM Sharon removes the rest of the troops!) Iran also is trying to organize Israeli Arabs to commit terrorism (IMRA, 7/21). Should the EU and Sen. Kerry propose "constructive engagement" with Iran? RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POVERTY & TERRORISM? Arab terrorists are excused by Western liberals, who attribute their anti-social behavior to poverty. The attribution is unsubstantiated and insubstantial. Does poverty engender terrorism? The poorest city in Israel is Bnei Brak, a city of Jews, of whom 95% are very religious. The Israeli city with the least crime is Bnei Brak. Conclusion: poverty does not necessarily result in crime, not if the society lives by the moral commandments of Torah. No wonder gentiles had to concoct the nonsensical blood libel against Jews in Europe - they couldn't find anything genuine to charge them with as a group (Miriam Gardner, commentator). Arab society is one of violence, self-aggrandizement, and corruption. Islam seeks to dominate by any means, however, violent and deceitful, including jihad with its mass murder, ethnic cleansing, and rape, sometimes preceded by infiltration and pleas for equal rights for Muslims. Arabs attack unprotected women and children, especially foreign ones. Terrorists, often middle class, support themselves partly by criminal activities. In Israel, the Arabs do not recognize the legitimacy of the government, though it be elected and they be well represented in Parliament. They sneak in, steal land, build illegally, evade taxation, and threaten law enforcement officers. Neither do they recognize the legitimacy of Israeli administration of the Territories, though that came about in accordance with international law via defense against Arab aggression (and no Arab government is legitimate). They do not recognize the right of other societies to resist jihad. They do not recognize the rights of individuals in other societies and not many rights of individuals in their own. They repress by force, if needed. Another mistaken excuse for Arab terrorism is that Arabs are "desperate" for a solution. Nonsense. They want war rather than a peaceful solution satisfactory to both sides. They don't want the other side to survive. The series of Oslo accords were the supposed solution they signed onto. They did not intend to abide by it, as Arafat told his fellow Arabs. They simply use Oslo and Road Map all the better to wage war. THE TRUE MEANING OF "LAND FOR PEACE" "Land for peace" amounts to land for pledges for peace (Dr. Aaron Lerner, IMRA, 7/22). For years, Israel has withdrawn and the Arabs have pledged. Nevertheless, the Arabs continue to make war according to their doctrine for the conquest of Israel in phases. Phase 1 is Israeli withdrawal from the Territories. Let Israel not withdraw in accordance with the Arab war plan and call it peacemaking! ISRAEL HELPING THE ARABS In furtherance of its plan to abandon Gaza to the Arabs, Israel is working with the World Bank on economic development of Gaza and to disengage the P.A. economy from Israel. The World Bank praised Israel's cooperation (IMRA, 7/21). Gentile powers tend to praise Israel when it turns against its own interest in national survival. To boost the economy of the jihadist enemy is quite anti-Israel. To assist the Arabs in taking over another part of the Jewish homeland is quite anti-Zionist. How far the Jewish state has fallen! The P.A. Arabs will not appreciate this help by Israel, just as they do not appreciate Israel for building their colleges, reviving the Gaza aquifer they had ruined, raising their standard of living they have since ruined by war and corruption, and lengthening their lifespan. Their hatred is not in relation to what Israel does but out of religious bigotry. They also have damaged Israel's economy. It therefore is criminal negligence for Israel to spend further sums to boost the Arab economy instead of to repair its own. EUROPEAN UNITY In the UNO, the EU voted against Israel's fence. It reached "consensus at the price of descending to the lowest common denominator," and "accepts the UNO and P.A. position" regardless of Israel's justification for the fence. This "raises doubts as to the ability of the EU to contribute anything constructive to the diplomatic process." This "raises doubts?" There are no doubts; there is certainty. This is one of many confirmations. The EU has been financing the terrorist P.A. and opposing Israeli defense against terrorism for years. Were the Israeli government patriotic and sensible, it would deny the EU any role and treat it economically as a trading partner and politically as an enemy. ARAFAT COMBINES SECURITY FORCES Arafat agreed only to cosmetic changes in control over security forces. It was a sop to the resigned Prime Minister. Arafat retains control. The P.A. warned P.A. journalists to report only on matters "that consolidate the internal front and national security." In other words, don't report dissatisfaction with Arafat's rule (IMRA, 7/21). The dictatorship remains. There never was any basis for hoping it voluntarily would dissolve. Neither is there hope for successors to be democratic. Nor is there reason to anticipate reform or repentance in those jihadists. Official Arab proposals for reform usually are cosmetic. What hurts more is that official Quartet proposals for reform usually are a charade designed not to be carried out, but to make Israel think that it must give up what belongs to it and what keeps it secure from those jihadists. Many Israelis fall for the charade. Richard 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. |
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ARAB WOMEN SINGERS COMPLICIT IN RAPE IN SUDAN
Posted by Appoline, July 27, 2004. |
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This was written by Jeevan Vasagar in Nairobi and Ewen MacAskill and
is archived at
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sudan/story/0,14658,1264901,00.html
While African women in Darfur were being raped by the Janjaweed militiamen, Arab women stood nearby and sang for joy, according to an Amnesty International report published yesterday. The songs of the Hakama, or the "Janjaweed women" as the refugees call them, encouraged the atrocities committed by the militiamen. The women singers stirred up racial hatred against black civilians during attacks on villages in Darfur and celebrated the humiliation of their enemies, the human rights group said. "[They] appear to be the communicators during the attacks. They are reportedly not actively involved in attacks on people, but participate in acts of looting." Amnesty International collected several testimonies mentioning the presence of Hakama while women were raped by the Janjaweed. The report said:"Hakama appear to have directly harassed the women [who were] assaulted, and verbally attacked them." During an attack on the village of Disa in June last year, Arab women accompanied the attackers and sang songs praising the government and scorning the black villagers. According to an African chief quoted in the report, the singers said: "The blood of the blacks runs like water, we take their goods and we chase them from our area and our cattle will be in their land. The power of [Sudanese president Omer Hassan] al-Bashir belongs to the Arabs and we will kill you until the end, you blacks, we have killed your God." The chief said that the Arab women also racially insulted women from the village: "You are gorillas, you are black, and you are badly dressed." The Janjaweed have abducted women for use as sex slaves, in some cases breaking their limbs to prevent them escaping, as well as carrying out rapes in their home villages, the report said. The militiamen "are happy when they rape. They sing when they rape and they tell that we are just slaves and that they can do with us how they wish", a 37-year-old victim, identified as A, is quoted as saying in the report, which was based onmore than 100 testimonies from women in the refugee camps in neighbouring Chad. Pollyanna Truscott, Amnesty International's Darfur crisis coordinator, said the rape was part of a systematic dehumanisation of women. "It is done to inflict fear, to force them to leave their communities. It also humiliates the men in their communities." The UN estimates that up to 30,000 people have been killed in Darfur, and more than a million have been forced to flee their homes. Peace talks between the Sudanese government and two rebel movements broke down on Saturday when the rebel groups walked out, saying the government must first disarm the Janjaweed. Another human rights organisation, Human Rights Watch, today publishes alleged Sudanese government documents showing that it was much more closely involved with the Janjaweed than it has so far admitted. The documents, which Human Rights Watch said it had obtained from the civilian administration in Darfur and are dated February and March this year, call for "provisions and ammunition" to be delivered to known Janjaweed militia leaders, camps and "loyalist tribes". One document orders all security units in the area to tolerate the activities of Musa Hilal, the alleged Janjaweed leader in north Darfur interviewed by the Guardian last week. Peter Takirambudde, the executive director of Human Rights Watch's Africa division, said: "These documents show that militia activity has not just been condoned, it's been specifically supported by Sudan government officials." The official government line is that it did not arm or support the Janjaweed, though its presence was useful in helping to combat rebels in Darfur. This was distributed to the Communaute-Juive-France members. |
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JIMMY CARTER SHOWS HIS COLORS
Posted by Yuval Zaliouk, July 26, 2004. |
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ear friends,
We just listened to Jimmy Carter's speech at the Democratic Convention. His message about the Middle East conflict was unmistaken: The USA must help the Palestinians, THEM, in order to diminish the Arab world's animosity against America. Put differently, America must sell Israel to the Palestinians. Not a word from this man about the injustice to Israel, about Palestinian terrorism, about the corruption in the Palestinian authority and about the importance of securing Israel's safety. The man disguises himself as a champion of democracy and international cooperation, yet Israel, the only democratic country and the strongest ally of the USA in the world, is a cheap price for him to pay. Remember friends, Carter did not repeat Kerry's statement about the necessity for the US to be "evenhanded." Carter outright called for support to the Palestinians only. This whole alleged Arab "animosity" against the USA is a complete propaganda lie. It is a ploy aimed at reducing the effectiveness of the first USA President in decades who understands that the Arab world fears any democratization of the Middle East. Another truth is that the Arabs hate Arafat and the Palestinians much more than it hates America. Carter lives and fantacises in the distant past. In the new realities of the Middle East, Carter and his defunct policies are extremely dangerous. If John Kerry is elected and accepts even one iota of Carter's policies, all the fundamentally important work of the Bush's administration to reform the Middle East will go down the drain. Israel will be forced to make concessions to the murderous Palestinians at great peril to its security. The Palestinians will take it as an encouragement and increase their demands as they always do, Arab market style. Let us hope and pray that Carter's speech tonight is ignored and forgotten. Let us hope President Bush is elected to continue his important mission and policies to once and for all reform the Middle East. Yuval Zaliouk writes the Truth Provider columns. To subscribe, send an email an email to ynz@netvision.net.il |
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TEMPLE MOUNT BLAST ONLY A HOAX
Posted by Voice of Judea, July 26, 2004. |
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Freshly pasted posters were recently spotted in Jerusalem today, on billboards outside of the Schneller Army Base, carrying the following message: "FAST OF TISHA B'AV CANCELLED!" "The Fast of Tisha BAv has been canceled, now that Jewish 'extremists' have succeeded in demolishing the Dome of The Rock. Tractors are making there way through the Old City to begin clearing the rubble and rebuilding the Holy Temple." Voice of Judea Commentary: The posters which have been ripped down almost as quickly as they were pasted up can teach us much about ourselves and our present situation. This poster is a hoax, but then we are the ones living the big lie. We sit on the floor, spreading ashes on our heads and mourning over the greatest tragedy in Jewish history - the destruction of the Holy Temple. In the meantime our ministers and leaders warn of their greatest fears - "right wing fanatic extremists will damage the mosques on the Temple Mount and cause WWIII". Their fears are unbased for too many reasons to list. No right-wingers are plotting any such attack, and no world war would be ignited by Jews asserting their sovereignty on their holiest site. And if such a war would begin, it would be no different than Jews defending their right to live in any other part of Israel. Nobody ever said that it would be easy to come home and rebuild a national homeland. If we have no right to our holiest site than we have no right to the pubs and cafe's in Tel Aviv either. The rhetoric and nonsense spewed by our so called leaders is no better than reading this hoax on a ficticious poster. However, the brilliant poster caused me and others passing by to pause and to stand in confusion, asking ourselves, "Hmm are we mourning about the destruction of the Temple? What are we doing to liberate the mount - Are the "fanatics" who Minister HaNegbi warns us about the real problem? If the greatest tragedy on the Jewish calendar is in fact the destruction of the Temple, then why would we mourn the destruction of the mosques that have usurped the Beit HaMikdash? Every Jewish child is taught that we must pray for the restoration of the Temple in Jerusalem. That which every child is taught to yearn for appears to be Israel's leaders greatest nightmare. The majority of affiliated Jewry mourn the destruction of our Holy Temple and cry out not only for the restoration of the Bet HaMikdash but for the return of justice and true judges to the land and for the installation of true Jewish leaders who are loyal to the aspirations and hopes of every Jewish child and loyal to the G-d of Israel. HaNegbi, the Minister of Internal Security seeks headlines as he leads a ficticious campaign to quash invisible Jewish terrorism. Ironically, he is son of Geula Cohen, former member of the militant Lehi underground organization of the 1940's. Speaking of irony and oxymorons - is Hanegbi Minister of Internal Security or Internal Insecurity? HaNegbi lives in fear of the Mosques being destroyed. For him there could be no greater tragedy. As we usher in Tisha B'Av, the faithful Jews will be mourning for the very opposite reason indeed. But let us not blame our leaders alone for disregarding the aspirations of the majority of Jews. For the Midrash in Tehillim explains that thousands of Jews died in a plague during the era of King David's rule because the Temple remained unbuilt. And the Midrash asks, then, why did the nation suffer, and not King David himself? The answer given is that the people should have done more to rebuild the Temple, in spite of their leader. So let us not simply mourn the destruction of the Temple and then go home, justifying our apathy. Let us not simply blame our foolish, timid, myopic leaders and justify our own inaction. Let us think about the hoax on the poster and the big lie that we all continue to live. Just in case the Minister of Insecurity is reading this and is a bit confused, don't worry Mr. HaNegbi, the poster is a hoax, the mosques are still on the Temple Mount, there is no construction of the Temple underway just yet. Don't worry we can still enjoy a merry fast and go hang out at the kotel this Tisha BAAv. May we all rejoice in the rebuilding of the Holy Temple speedily in our days, in spite of the great agony and pain that this future reality might bring to the hearts of a billion Muslims as well as to some of our more moronic Jewish leaders. You can subscribe to the Voice of Judea emails by sending an email to jsid@amanda.dorsai.org |
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"COURT" ON THE FENCE
Posted by Irwin N. Graulich, July 26, 2004. |
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Only when barbed wire fences were put up around Jews was the world's evil finally satisfied. That will never happen again, despite the fantasies of the UN, France, The International Court in The Hague and the Arab/Muslim world. When Israel defends itself militarily, it is called occupation. When Israel protects its citizenry, it is called aggressive. When Israel erects a fence to keep terrorists from blowing up Jewish babies in pizza parlors, it is called apartheid. The International Court of Justice has a problem with Jews who escaped being gassed in Auschwitz. No wonder. The Court's president, Shi Jiuyong of China represents a despicable Communist government that jails people who dare say, "I disagree." Judge Shi recently delivered an address on the occasion of a visit by the head of the Swiss Federation praising Switzerland's long history of "neutrality and justice (sic)." Correct, that is Switzerland, a country that could not make up its mind during WWII between the morality of Hitler or Churchill. Neutral my tuches. The Swiss gave aid and support to the Nazis. Other stars on this World Court include Judge Bruno Simma, born in the midst of Nazi Germany. Imagine the values he learned from his parents and former SS neighbors; Awn Shawkut Al-Khasawneh, a Jordanian who attended the Islamic Educational College in Aman where non-Muslims are guilty, even if proven innocent. And of course, we have Nabil Elaraby, an Egyptian judge which is in itself an oxymoron. What kind of justice can you possibly uphold if you were schooled within a fundamentalist dictatorship? So there you have just some of the cast of characters. "Saturday Night Live" could not possibly have assembled a more incompetent group of buffoons to make worldly moral decisions. And their sister organization, the massage parlor located on First Avenue more commonly referred to as the United Nations has not faired much better. There are 58 Muslim nations, totally embarrassed that there is one tiny democratic Jewish state with 5 million people, stronger and more successful than all 1.2 billion Muslims worldwide. With honor being the most important value and shame being the most despised in Islamic societies, those "brave warriors" have finally realized that they cannot defeat Israel or America in any military endeavor or civilizational accomplishment. Therefore, Arabs and Muslims have developed a totally new strategy which many of the remaining leftist/socialist nations embrace, selfishly fearing their own 9/11 for non-support. It is no wonder Israel is hated. How do you explain to Muslim children that Israelis can wear attractive bathing suits at a beach, have a boyfriend or girlfriend of their choice, watch MTV and surf the Internet? How do you explain that some of the best hospitals and most important technological breakthroughs are coming out of Israel, while you have to marry your father's choice, wear a burka or wash dishes in a primitive household for the rest of your life? Why the uproar over a security barrier which at some point could be taken down? It offends both Arab and Muslim honor that all Israel needs is a fence to keep those "great warriors" away. The Palestinians are insulted that concrete slabs and metal wire can prevent macho terrorists from blowing up school children on buses. However, when they fight with actual weaponry, Arik Sharon winds up surrounding the 200,000 strong Egyptian Third Army, who surrender in tears to a few thousand Yeshiva boys. Talk about offending macho Arab/Muslim honor. Therefore, because Israel has an undefeatable "offense," the Arab "offense" had to change from physical to verbal, leaving Israel to use merely "a fence." Using lies and inappropriate language such as occupation, colonialism, imperialism, Nazi-like, land grab and freedom fighter, are all attempts at showing that the little "fence" is not a fair "offense." The Palestinians cry like infants at the UN, itself a rather infantile organization, most of whose members have verbal diarrhea. The politically Right-leaning, almost fascistic Arab world has adopted the philosophy of the Western world's Left by shifting blame away from the individual, and holding "inanimate objects" responsible for their problems and deficiencies. The Left in America and throughout much of the world does not assume personal responsibility. Instead, they blame societal violence on television movies, out of wedlock births on lack of condoms, the large increase in the prison population on poverty (lack of money) and increasing murder rates on guns. The Islamic world has learned well from this strategy and now blames " a fence" for all their troubles. The only fence that should be dismantled is the one around the UN, running from 42nd to 48th streets, and eventually turning that vile building into a much more useful homeless shelter. The General Assembly has once again shown its true colors and proven that the only nations with a moral backbone besides the United States are Australia, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau. Get out a map, because those are indeed the only countries worth a visit! Irwin N. Graulich is a motivational speaker on morality, ethics, Judaism, religion and political issues. He is President and CEO of a corporate communications, marketing and branding company located in New York City. He can be reached at irwin.graulich@verizon.net |
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ABOLISH THE EUROPEAN UNION
Posted by David Ben-Ariel, July 26, 2004. |
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This was written by Robert Locke and appeared on the Front Page Magazine
website. It is archived at the EuroSceptic website
http://www.eurosceptic.com/sources_of_information/articles/abolish_the_eu.htm
It was written two years ago but it is still pertinent.
AMERICANS SUFFER FROM A CURIOUS DELUSION: Reading their newspapers and perusing their atlases, they continue to believe that such geographical entities as France, England, Italy and Germany are nations. But in fact they are, or more accurately are rapidly becoming, mere provinces of the Holy Belgian Empire: the European Union (EU). This empire has been getting continually more malignant for years without attracting significant conservative opposition on this side of the Atlantic. But American conservatives should realize that it represents the European manifestation of the odious ideology of globalism, or the liquidation of nations. It should therefore be abolished forthwith. The EU seems to have a unique talent for bringing out the worst in its member states. It is like the universal alloy of medieval alchemy: a mixture of all metals that turns out to have the liabilities of each and the virtues of none. Each of its member states has its own dishonorable reasons for participating in it. For example, one motivating factor behind the ongoing attempt of the EU to become a superstate is the colossal unresolved guilt felt by Germany about her Nazi past. Germans would very much like to abolish Germany as a nation and declare themselves citizens of "Europe" so that their consciences wouldn't have to bear the burden of being Germans. After having tried to liquidate the other nations of Europe by the sword twice in one century, they are now trying it a third time to weasel out of their well-deserved guilt over the first two. It is an utter scandal that nations like Britain, France, and soon Poland, which sacrificed millions of lives fighting German aggression, are being asked to liquidate their nationhood to expiate German crimes. Another motivating factor behind the EU is the determination of French bureaucrats to rule Europe. France, because of her history, the structure of her government, and her educational system, produces the most ambitious bureaucrats in the world. Her tradition of dirigisme or state-directed capitalism is precisely suited to present world economic conditions, in which competitive pressures make expanding socialism impossible but the inexorable will of the state to grow has not gone away. They are convinced that the expanded powers of the EU will by nature fall into their lap, the Germans being too shy about asserting their power, the British not being statist by instinct, the Italians being too disorganized, and everyone else being too small. Those Italians who like the EU like it because it absolves them of the need to get their own national act together and fix the most chaotic government and economy in Europe. Rather than fixing their own budget deficits to save the ever-falling lira, they adopt the euro. Rather than fixing their own government, they prefer to sign away their sovereignty and with it, the ability of future generations of Italians to be masters of their own political destiny. The idea of an Italy governed in all essentials by foreigners in Brussels doesn't seem to scare them or bother their national pride at all. Other nations, like Spain, Portugal, and Ireland, have knuckled under to the EU essentially on a basis of bribery. They have been paid billions in subsidies to support obsolescent farming sectors in exchange for compliant votes to expand EU powers. It is a classic case, writ large, of the old warning about selling one's freedom in exchange for welfare. The other openly admitted motivation for the EU is to create a political entity large enough to blunt "American hegemony." Given that it is US hegemony over Europe since WWII that has given the continent the greatest peace and prosperity it has known in the 20th century, this is for a start monumentally ungrateful. Given that Europe cannot even deal with local crises like the wars of the Yugoslav succession without American help, it is pathetic. Despite all talk of a common foreign policy, the minute bullets start to fly, pronouncements of European unity vanish and the member states go their separate ways. And what wonderful geopolitical agenda does Europe intend to pursue once it stands tall next to America? What terrible harm at our hands does it propose to rectify? No one has answered this question because frankly, the motivation here is pure ego, leavened only by the cynicism that passes for political sophistication in Europe. Fortunately, Europe is unlikely to ever match American military power, since it cannot afford to match our defense budget and maintain its bloated welfare states. This is not even to mention our 40-year technological head start; the European armies, with the limited exception of the Americanized but very small British military, are perfectly nice 1960s-era militaries, a joke compared to our Star Wars forces. All of Europe put together cannot field a single state-of-the-art stealth aircraft. The other great aim of EU supporters is that it be their last chance to salvage the statist, over-regulated, socialistic economic policies that have been pushed to the wall by the worldwide free-market revival of the '80s and '90s. It is no accident that the movement to turn the EU from a free-trade area to a superstate rose with this free-market revival. Their essential premise is that these failed policies will work if the political unit of their operation is large enough. Naturally, this is absurd: the Soviet Union had nearly 300 million people and couldn't make socialism work. The justification for this claim is the idea that there is no real superiority to free-market policies and that these policies have only been offering them competition because they are embodied in the United States, which uses its vast size to bully other nations into adopting them. (I have discussed the tendency of the world's losers to see their self-inflicted problems as caused by America in another article.) So if the EU is large enough, it will be able to sustain these discredited ideas by hiding behind a protectionist shield. They will of course eventually discover that this won't work, that mistakes are mistakes regardless of scale, but the attempt could doom a generation of Europeans to continuing economic sclerosis. Some examples of the dirigiste economic policies of EU nations: High taxes on everything from incomes to retail goods. High social charges on employers. Legally-entrenched labor union power. Laws against firing people, which just cause employers not to hire them in the first place. Massive subsidies for obsolescent industries like agriculture and steel. Cozy cartels to restrict competition and divide up markets. Massive government intervention in business decisions. Outright government ownership of sectors of the economy. Anti-business cultural attitudes. Protectionism against American and Asian goods. There is no meaningful doubt that the nations of the EU pay a high price for its dirigiste practices. For the last decade, the EU's unemployment rate has averaged roughly double that of the United States. Since 1980, the US has created 30 million new private-sector jobs; the European Union a net of zero. (Source: National Center for Policy Analysis). Fortunately one of the saving graces of Europe has traditionally been competition between governments. For example, the most economically free nation in Europe (thanks to Margaret Thatcher, not the current Labor government) is currently Britain, which has been attracting investment away from more regulated economies in Europe as a result. The French fume about this and call it "social dumping." British workers call it an unemployment rate far below that of France. The EU would like to end this ability of nations to compete by having lighter tax burdens. It would like to "harmonize," as it says in its inimitably dishonest eurobabble, tax rates across nations. It also raises taxes simply by having a budget, which taxpayers of the member states ultimately finance. Like every undesirable thing in politics, the EU has its own characteristic varieties of sophistry that are used to justify it. The key piece of sophistic reasoning used to justify the European Union is the claim that opposition to the political construct that is the EU constitutes opposition to the existential fact that is Europe. Anyone who opposes expansion of the powers of the EU is tarred as "anti-Europe," which has become an epithet exceeded only by "racist" in its ability to both mean nothing and brand its victim a pariah. But Europeans have been benefiting from their relations with other European countries for millennia without the benefit of this superstate. It is entirely possible, indeed desirable, to be pro-Europe and anti-EU. Another EU sophism: the benefits of free trade within the EU require its existence. False: all they require is the absence of tariffs between the member states, as the old Common Market, predecessor of the EU, used to provide. The European Union uses the promise of free trade as a tool to bribe the nations to its East to submit to its political control. I am not Polish, but it makes me want to cry to see this proud, nationalistic nation, which has suffered so many cruel affronts to its independence in its history, being prepared for subjugation to Brussels, along with Hungary and the Czech Republic. All the preposterous claims about the economic benefits of membership in the EU crumble on contact with the fact that some of Europe's most successful economies, like Norway and Switzerland, are outside it, and one of the most successful countries inside the EU, Britain, has the least degree of economic submission to it, having not adopted its currency, the euro. The lies spouted in favor of the euro are a rich topic in their own right. The fundamental premise underlying the euro is the same bald empirical falsehood that underlies most EU thinking: bigger is better. When it comes to economics, one can compare the success of the currencies of Russia and Singapore, or Brazil and Switzerland, and come to one's own conclusions. Supposedly, having a common currency is necessary to weld the individual economies of Europe into one big economy. Naturally, since the euro is backed by the sagging over-regulated economies of Continental Europe, it has been sinking relative to the dollar and the pound since it was established. It was issued in 1999 at a value of $1.17; it is now trading at 94 and has been lower. This loss in value is not an abstraction: it has wiped billions off of the value of pension funds, especially German ones, which used to be denominated in the rock-solid mark. Britain, which remains outside the euro, has less inflation, less unemployment, and more growth, than the average of those nations within it. And the euro does not promote foreign investment: in 1999, Britain attracted a grossly disproportionate 40% of all US and Asian investment into the EU. However smoothly its spokesmen would deny it in public while admitting it in private, the EU is a threat to the national sovereignty of its member states. Sovereignty sounds like an abstraction, but in fact it refers to the ultimate ability of a nation to control its own destiny rather than being dictated to by others. For example, EU laws override the laws made by the parliaments of the member states. This means that the entire body of English common law, for example, a treasury of liberty, which has grown up over nearly a thousand years, is now disposable. The British parliament cannot legislate for its own people without the permission of bureaucrats in Brussels. The EU is exceptionally dishonest in how it goes about coercing its member states. Its fundamental modus operandi is what has been called "union by stealth," namely the surrender of national sovereignty to the new superstate so gradually that the electorates of the member nations don't notice until it is too late. Stealth combines with the narcotization of European electorates by bloated welfare states to make this possible. It is the same tactic of "progressive" revolutionaries that we have seen in America: push through fundamental changes not by arguing that they are good, but by pretending that they don't matter. It is government by anesthesia. The politicians responsible have consistently lied about the nature of the changes they have made. It is well understood that the EU could never survive real democratic debate. Claude Cheysson, the former French Foreign Secretary who subsequently became one of France's European Commissioners, famously observed that the superstate-building Maastricht Treaty could only have been constructed "in the absence of democracy." Politicians as a class love the EU. It gives them the ability to wield power through insider wheeler-dealing, without the accountability of pesky national electorates or judiciaries. Leftists especially appreciate its ability to impose laws that would never be passed by their national legislature. The EU is governed by an unelected Commission; the "European Parliament" is an inert joke. The issue is usually fudged by resorting to the kind of technical discussion of the structures of government, rife with meaningless phrases like "pooled sovereignty," that have come to be known as eurobabble, but the blunt fact is, the EU has no democratic legitimacy. The legal basis for the imposition of its laws on its member states is only a series of treaties that they have signed, starting with the Treaty of Rome in 1957. The treaty that contained the fundamental basis for surrender of sovereignty was that of 1972, but this was not given its full force until the treaties of Maastrich of 1993 and Amsterdam in 1997. The fundamental problem with these treaties, as a matter of basic sound political philosophy, is that they surrender or alienate the right of self-government of the nations that sign them. Our Declaration of Independence rightly observes that the right to self-government is "unalienable;" i.e. that no government elected by the people can abolish that right or surrender it to someone else, for the fundamental reason that no government owns the right to self government, but merely holds it in trust temporarily for its owners, the people It follows that the treaties that form the basis for the EU are fundamentally invalid on philosophical grounds and the EU superstate should be considered an illegitimate government against which patriots have a right to rebel. The EU is a mortal threat to the civil liberties of those who live under it. It is currently trying to impose on those member states, like Britain, whose citizens currently have a right to trial-by-jury, a legal system known as Corpus Juris - a judicial system under which Trial by Jury and the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty will be abolished. The EU is trying to extend the preposterously strict and anti-free speech hate crimes laws of Germany, a product of that nation's unique and horrifying history, to all the other nations. It would like to make such acts as "disparaging" another religion illegal. Magazines like this one are probably already in violation of the law in some member states and could soon be illegal in the whole Union. Thank God, I must say, we are Americans. Almost needless to say, like all other non-democratic governments the EU has no respect whatsoever for gun rights. It is trying to impose a requirement that communications providers snoop on their customers' communications and store them indefinitely for police use. It is trying to abolish Europe's network of extradition laws. It is trying to create a central register of "troublemakers" called the Schengen Information Registry which will be used to deny demonstrators freedom of movement between member states. The fundamental form of the political order that the EU is trying to impose can be described as soft totalitarianism. Soft totalitarianism shares with the various forms of "hard" totalitarianism that have been tried (fascism, nazism, communism) the aspiration of total government control over the life of its citizens. But soft totalitarianism does this by means of bribery (i.e. the welfare state) and bureaucracy, rather than by means of concentration camps and the knock on the door at 3 AM. Those who would scoff at this, I challenge to name one thing that the EU is not trying to regulate. This is an entity that regulates how curved a banana can be. The bureaucracy of the EU has a well-earned reputation for heavy-handedness, arrogance, incompetence, and deafness to the public. The European Commission is seriously corrupt. So much so, in fact, that in the Spring of 1999 the entire commission had to resign due to corruption charges. After this, of course, many of them kept on working for the EU in other posts. The Brussels headquarters has become a feather bed for the unelectable political cronies of all the member states. There should be no mystery why the EU is the way it is: most continental European states have no indigenous traditions of democracy. What democracy they have was imposed at the point of American bayonets. Or if they do have a democratic tradition, it is one of unstable, ineffective democracies that destroy themselves. Since one of the fundamental requirements of a viable democracy is the rule of law, it comes as no surprise that the EU is utterly lacking in this quality. It compiles governing statutes that run to thousands of pages, and then casually flouts them for brazen political reasons. For example, it established elaborate convergence criteria for national debt levels of member states being admitted to the European Monetary Union (an institutional arrangement that led the way to the euro) and then ignored them in order to get Germany, Belgium and Italy in. And the supposed independence of the European Central Bank crumbled when the French government demanded a special say over things. The cultural agenda of the EU is to liquidate the sense of national identity in its member states and replace it with enthusiasm for "Europe." But not Europe as a meaningful pan-European culture in its own right, Europe as a bloodless bureaucratic construct. As a result, emotional attachment to this new superstate is weak. The EU's own surveys show that only a tiny minority (5%) of the EU's inhabitants consider themselves essentially "European" in identity, 85% instead viewing their nation as their sole or principal affiliation. As the EU survey ruefully admits, "a sense of sharing a common identity does not appear to have become more widespread over the years." Tony Blair, whom Margaret Thatcher rightly described as animated by "a doomed ambition to rule Europe," would like to be the first president of a united Europe. In pursuit of this ambition, he has, to be perfectly blunt, become the greatest traitor in the history of Britain, selling out to foreigners contemptuous of Britain's blood-bought political values not just her secrets or her interests but her very sovereignty. He has almost certainly made a private deal with the rest of the EU to be given this post in exchange for eventually submitting Britain to the euro. Margaret Thatcher's greatest regret, she has said, is that she allowed the EU to acquire too much power. Americans should consider the threat to Britain as a threat to themselves, as the EU, with its incoherent but lethally mischievous foreign policy, is a threat to the special relationship between America and its most loyal ally. The European Union, by funding the Palestinian Authority, has directly and knowingly financed terrorism. Its member states continue to trade with Iraq, Libya, Cuba, and other nations implicated in the support of terror. It is a distinct possibility that, in the long run, the EU will not be content with governing only Europe. Because of its lack of respect for, or foundation in, real concrete European identity, it is quite capable of redefining itself at some point to embrace the nations at its fringe, like North Africa, and then amorphously expanding to include them. Naturally, anyone who opposes this will be labeled a racist. The EU is quite plausibly the nucleus of an aspiring soft-totalitarian world state; it is in fact far more likely to fulfil this role than the justly-despised UN. I apologize if this sounds alarmist, but history clearly teaches us to think ahead to the logical implications of things that are just beginning. Fortunately, there are signs that Europe is awakening to the monster in its midst. A number of right-wing politicians like Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi (closest American equivalent: Ross Perot) are actively fighting to curb the EU. Poll evidence regularly indicates that a narrow majority of British voters now favors outright withdrawal from the European Union under certain circumstances and 60% favor leaving the EU if the alternative is joining the euro. A majority of citizens in eight of the European Union's 15 member states are dissatisfied with the way the EU is progressing towards closer unity. Unfortunately, the welfare machine constructed to narcotize European electorates after WWII produces a far more passive electorate than in the US, far more used to being fed faits accomplis by their political masters so long as the public teat keeps giving. So what's the solution to the EU? Simply disband it. Let the
nations of Western and Central Europe engage in free trade with one
another. That's it. For once, a complex problem has a simple solution.
David Ben-Ariel is author of "Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and
Fall" http://www.pushhamburger.com/david.htm.
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DO NOT TO NEGOTIATE WITH IRAN'S MULLAHS--ELIMINATE THEM
Posted by David Holcberg, July 26, 2004. |
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What is the White House doing about Iran's production of nuclear weapons? Insisting on a diplomatic solution through negotiations! But it is precisely this wrongheaded approach that failed to prevent the current crisis--and which will allow Iran to become a nuclear power soon. Negotiations are moral--and practical--only between individuals who are open to reason, who respect each other's rights, and whose purpose is to exchange values for mutual benefit, without coercion. But the Iranian leadership is wildly irrational, has no respect for individual rights, and seeks--by threatening nuclear attacks against the United States (the "big Satan")--to further advance the spread of Islamic totalitarianism over the globe. The proper approach to eliminate this threat against the United States is not to negotiate with Iran's mullahs--but to eliminate them. David Holcberg is with the Ayn Rand Institute in Irvine, California (http://www.aynrand.org). He writes on environmentalism, science and capitalism. |
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ARAB PALESTINIANS MADE MILLIONS ON FENCE CEMENT
Posted by IsrAlert, July 26, 2004. |
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This was written by Inigo Gilmore from Jerusalem and is archived at
http://portal.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/07/25/wmid25.xml
Palestinian businessmen have made millions of pounds supplying cement for Israel's "security barrier" in the full knowledge of Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian leader and one of the wall's most vocal critics.A damning report by Palestinian legislators, which has been seen by the Telegraph, concludes that Mr Arafat did nothing to stop the deals although he publicly condemned the structure as a "crime against humanity". The report claims that the cement was sold with the knowledge of senior officials at the Palestinian ministry of national economy, and close advisers to Mr Arafat. It concludes that officials were bribed to issue import licences for the cement to importers and businessmen working for Israelis. One of the report's three authors, Hassan Khreishe - an independent legislator and long-term critic of Mr Arafat - last night called for the Palestinian cabinet to resign. "Wealthy Palestinians with connections at the highest levels have been making millions helping Israel build this wall while Arafat and the Palestinian Authority have been urging people to fight against it," said Mr Khreishe, a council member from the West Bank city of Tulkarm. "Why Arafat did nothing about it, we just don't know. These people are traitors who have brought shame on us, and they should be punished." An official in Mr Arafat's office said: "We will not comment because this file has been closed and it is now in the hands of the attorney general." Growing resistance to corruption in the Palestinian Authority is posing the most serious internal challenge to Mr Arafat's leadership. Last week, gunmen staged a number of kidnappings and attacks on security buildings in the Gaza Strip and West Bank. Thousands of Palestinians demonstrated about high-level corruption and the appointment of Mr Arafat's cousin, Moussa Arafat, as security chief in the Gaza Strip. The report reveals that the cement originally came from Egyptian companies which supplied it at a huge discount of $22 (£12.50) a ton to help rebuild dilapidated Palestinian houses or buildings bulldozed by the Israelis. Between September 2003 and March this year, 420,000 tons of cement were allegedly sent to three big Palestinian companies. According to the report, however, only 33,000 tons were sold in the Palestinian market. The vast bulk was transported to Israel on trucks owned by the three firms. According to Mr Khreishe, the cement was then sold with a mark-up of at least $15 a ton - and possibly as high as $100 - making profits of well over $6 million (£3.4 million) for company executives. The Legislative Council launched an investigation after Egyptian journalists stumbled upon business links between a German Jewish businessman and the Palestinian companies. According to the report, on November 9 last year a letter was sent to Mr Arafat by the Palestinian Authority comptroller, revealing that open-ended import licences for the cement had been signed by Maher al-Masri, the economy minister. The Palestinian Authority comptroller asserted in the letter that the cement was destined for the wall. The letter was allegedly received and seen by Mr Arafat on the same day that he urged people to demonstrate on the first international "Day against the Wall". According to Mr Khreishe, Mr Arafat took no action to stop further imports, which continued for another five months. Ministry officials said that Mr al-Masri was unavailable for comment. The minister was quoted on a Palestinian news website challenging the claims, although he conceded that some cement had been transported to Israeli businessmen. "There is an exaggeration," he said. "The goal is to distort my reputation." He said that his own investigative committee found that only 14,500 tons of concrete were transported to Israel. He conceded that two ministry officials carried out some "suspicious administrative violations" in relation to the permits, and that there was not full co-ordination between the economy and finance ministries regarding the cement quota. The ministry had issued permits for 233,000 tons, he said, and had then cancelled permits for 65,000 tons. The revelations in the report are highly embarrassing for Mr Arafat, who has been pushing the international community to condemn the 425-mile barrier, of which about one quarter has been built. Israel says that the barrier is vital to protect its citizens from suicide bombers and terrorist attacks. Palestinian leaders argue that it is designed to deprive them of a state, and is cutting off Palestinians from their land, schools, doctors and relatives. Last week, the United Nations condemned the barrier and demanded that it should be torn down. IsrAlert, a Jewish advocacy network, is hosted by Harv Weiner. To subscribe to IsrAlert, send an email to isralert@aol.com |
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PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH DEFAMES CHRISTIANITY
Posted by Unity Coalition for Israel, July 26, 2004. |
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This was written by by Dennis Prager and appeared in Jewish World Review.
I have argued in this column that the greatest sin is committing evil in God's name. As bad as the evil committed by secularists, such as communists and Nazis, has ever been, the most grievous evil is that which is committed in the name of God. For not only do religious evils harm their victims, they also do lasting damage to God-based morality, which those of us who believe in God and religion consider the only viable antidote to evil. That is why Islamic terror is so evil. Not only because it targets the most innocent of people for death and torture, but because it does so in the name of Allah and Islam. Incredibly, The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) joins the list of religious groups committing evil. In the name of Jesus, it has called for the economic strangulation of Israel. They have equated the Jewish state with South Africa during apartheid and called for a universal divestment from it. The Presbyterians are the first Christian church to do this, and, ironically, the divestment campaign came the very week that the Roman Catholic Church signed a document equating anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism. It takes a particularly virulent strain of moral idiocy and meanness to single out Israel, not Arafat's Palestinian Authority, or terror-supporting, death-fatwa-issuing Iran, or women-subjugating Saudi Arabia, for condemnation and economic ruin. One of the most decent societies, one of the most liberal democracies in the world, is fighting for its life against Islamic fascists who praise the Holocaust and publicly call for the annihilation of Israel -- and the Presbyterian Church calls for strangling Israel! Apartheid state? This Goebbels-like Big Lie, concocted by the world's anti-Israel and anti-American Left and by those who want Israel destroyed, is now an official doctrine of the Presbyterian Church. Israel is a nation whose population is one-quarter non-Jewish Arab, with the same rights, including voting and its own political parties, as Jewish citizens; a nation whose second official language is Arabic, the language of those who wish to annihilate the Jewish country; a nation that occupies a tiny sliver of land known as the West Bank only because Jordan, overwhelmingly composed of Palestinians, invaded Israel in 1967 in order to destroy it and thereby lost its ownership of the West Bank. As an American who fights to preserve Judeo-Christian values as America's primary value system and preserve Christianity as the specific American faith that embodies those values, I can only say this: the God that the 431 leaders of the Presbyterian Church worship is not my God, any more than the Allah of the Islamic fascists that Israel and America fight is my God. The Bible that these Presbyterians read is not my Bible. The religious values that these Presbyterians hold are not my religious values. This is not a difference about immigration policy, affirmative action, taxation, bigger or smaller government, welfare policies, gun control, or a myriad of other moral issues over which decent, God-fearing people can disagree. This is one of the morality-clarifying issues of our time. To single out Israel for economic strangulation while that good nation fights for its life is an act of such immorality that holding that view precludes one from the title "good" or "God-fearing," for if they are true to God, I am false to Him. If they are good, I who support Israel am bad. If their Bible teaches them to strangle Israel and support Yasser Arafat, I am guided by a different Bible. They have drawn a line. It is now time for good people, Presbyterians specifically, Christians generally, to distance themselves vigorously and publicly from this morally sick church. And it is time, once again, for Jews to realize that the enemies of the Jews in our day are to be found on the Christian Left while their friends are far more often on the Christian Right. Many serious Christians ask, "What Would Jesus Do?" If Jesus were here, he would probably be at Israeli hospitals comforting fellow Jews who were deliberately blinded, paralyzed and brain-damaged by Jew- and Christian-hating Palestinian terrorists. He would surely not be with the Jews' enemies, among whom are now the leaders of the Presbyterian Church, USA. The National Unity Coalition is "the largest worldwide coalition of Jewish and Christian organizations, with more than 200 groups representing millions of people dedicated to Israel. Though we have many different backgrounds, we have one common goal: A Safe and Secure Israel." "Israel is not just a Jewish issue. Millions of Christians resolutely endorse the principle of peace with security for the state of Israel. Because we work closely together and speak with a united voice, our message is being heard!" |
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DOCUMENTING BBC DOCUMENTARIES
Posted by Honest Reporting, July 26, 2004. |
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Dear HonestReporting Subscriber, Foreign visitors to England are generally impressed not only by Buckingham Palace and buttery scones, but also by the high quality of British television. In-depth, non-commercial TV in the UK is enabled primarily by massive public funding of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), which receives about £3 billion ($5.5 billion) in public tax money a year. The BBC's highly influential international branch - BBC World Service - draws from these funds to bring their programming to no less than 152 countries worldwide. The generous BBC budget and lack of commercial pressure allow it to broadcast one type of content - documentary films - that has unique potential to add quality context to day-to-day news. But a new, in-depth study released by London attorney Trevor Asserson's bbcwatch (http://www.bbcwatch.com/) indicates that the BBC has used their documentary films on world events not to provide essential, impartial news context, but rather as a platform for an unremitting ideological mission: 'a campaign to vilify Israel.' Of the seventeen documentary programs the BBC produced on Israel over the past four years, only one presented Israel in a positive light; the other sixteen were overwhelmingly pro-Palestinian, casting Israel as a brutal aggressor nation. These programs are generally well-advertised several days beforehand, and are typically broadcast at peak viewing times. Here are just a few of the anti-Israel documentaries aired by the BBC recently, with bbcwatch's comments:
The documentary was broadcast shortly after the Iraq war had ended. "The inference behind these opening remarks, which is repeated throughout the film, is that Israel would have been a more appropriate target than Iraq for the coalition forces to attack."
* * * As continually noted by HonestReporting (and by journalist Tom Gross in a recent article, "Living in a bubble", National Review Online), these BBC documentaries are part of a deep-seated, institutional anti-Israel bias, a culture that drove the senior BBC Arabic Service correspondent in Gaza, Fayad Abu Shamala, to announce at a Hamas rally in May 2001 that journalists and media organizations, including the BBC, are "waging the campaign shoulder-to-shoulder together with the Palestinian people." (http://www.honestreporting.com/articles/reports/BBC_In-depth.asp) Indeed, the bbcwatch report found that despite the BBC's legal obligation from its charter to "provide a properly balanced service consisting of a wide range of subject matter," ensuring that "no significant strand of thought should go unreflected or underrepresented," the BBC actually devotes a highly disproportionate amount of space to the Israeli/Palestinian in general, and to the Palestinian point-of-view in particular. This further strengthens what viewers sense from any particular documentary on its own - the BBC has an overriding, active agenda to indict Israel not only for local problems, but for much of the world's ills. Moreover, the reputation and broad reach of the BBC ensure the immense and potentially dangerous influence of its material, fanning the flames of worldwide anti-Semitism. Reports bbcwatch: "It is not fanciful to contemplate that, by portraying Israel in an unnecessarily negative light, the BBC might itself unwittingly encourage aggression not only against Israelis, but also against UK Jewish citizens." ACTION ITEMS: It is high time that the BBC be forced to compete in the open marketplace like all other news agencies. In that scenario, the general public could demand journalistic integrity from the BBC front office, editors and reporters, ensuring that BBC documentaries show both sides of the Mideast conflict, and putting an end to the BBC's relentless campaign to vilify the State of Israel. bbcwatch laments the fact that the BBC has been almost completely non-responsive to their previous critiques. Fortunately, however, there's another path of action - the BBC's Royal Charter and funding are presently under British governmental review. HonestReporting encourages subscribers to support the cancellation or non-renewal of the charter by writing to UK Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell, bringing bbcwatch's latest report to Ms. Jowell's attention as her department considers the ongoing public funding of the BBC. Send email to Tessa Jowell at: tessa.jowell@culture.gsi.gov.uk If you'd prefer to comment directly to the BBC, write BBC Director General Mark Thompson: mark.thompson@bbc.co.uk Subscribers are encouraged to read the full bbcwatch report, and their other three in-depth reports, on the bbcwatch website (http://www.bbcwatch.com/). Thank you for your ongoing support in the battle against media bias. Honest Reporting monitors the media for inaccuracy and unfairness in how they report the news about Israel. Ther website address is http://www.honestreporting.com. You can help support their research online or by sending contributions to: HonestReporting, 400 South Lake Drive, Lakewood, NJ 08701-3167. |
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ANARCHY IN GAZA AND OTHER ITEMS
Posted by Richard H. Shulman, July 26, 2004. |
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CAN ISRAEL EXPLOIT ANARCHY IN GAZA? As Arafat becomes more unpopular in the P.A., anarchy spreads. As anarchy spreads, Arafat becomes more unpopular. Likud Health Min. Naveh sees this as an opportunity for Israel to get rid of Arafat, for "no one in the P.A. would regret is departure" (Arutz-7, 7/18). Min. Naveh assumes that the Arabs would react in the way that a Westerner considers rational. They didn't in the past. Israeli moves against Arafat restored his popularity. When it is the infidels who crack down on him, the Arabs rally to his side. Assassination or expulsion would turn him into a martyr. I think he should be liquidated and his assets seized, but Min. Naveh ought to realize the consequences. One consequence might be to give a new lease on life to the terrorist P.A.. Since Arafat's Arabs overwhelmingly favor terrorism. Arafat would be replaced by someone with perhaps a different style but with the same brutal fanaticism. HOW THE P.A. ENDS GAZA CHAOS Arafat has warned those of his people whom the foreign media employs as reporters and photographers to ignore armed clashes in Gaza (James Taranto, NY Sun, 7/22, p.6). His warnings are backed by force. When the major Western media falls silent on the subject, our people will assume that order has been restored. We lost some freedom of the press, and don't realize it. MURDERED ISRAELI JUDGE THREATENED PLO Without having investigated, the Israeli government contends that a judge was murdered for criminal reasons (Foreign Ministry, 7/20). Barry Chamish points out that the judge had been ruling Arafat and his organizations financially responsible for punitive damages for terrorism. He identified Arafat's assets. Thus he was a threat to the PLO, which was saved many millions of dollars by his assassination. This smells like a cover up (e-mail). The alacrity with which the Establishment asserts that he must have been murdered by criminals whom he ran afoul of does seem suspicious. Chamish investigates what murder victims were known for and who would gain from their liquidation. POWELL PRESERVES EGYPTIAN MILITARY BUILD-UP The House of Representatives defeated a bill to delete $570 million from US military aid to Egypt. Sec. Powell warned that a cut would damage relations with a close ally at a "sensitive moment" (IMRA, 7/18). Or would it reflect damaged relations and is the damage warranted? When isn't it a "sensitive moment" in the Mideast? I think the phrase was inserted for its emotional power upon naifs who consider themselves sophisticated. The designation of the anti-American Egypt as a "close ally" ought to be reevaluated. The US still gives money to enemies and calls them allies for accepting it. Isn't it strange that we give a couple of billion dollars a year so that worthless aggressor state can rebuild its army for future war, and when Congress starts to withhold money from it because of its anti-American propaganda and policy, it is told that would "damage close relations?" Note that Congress heeds a failed Sec. of State. UNO FOULING UP ON SUDAN Ten of thousands of black Sudanese have been killed and millions displaced by the Arabs in the Darfur region. A million more lives are at stake. Each day of failing to stop the ethnic genocide imperils thousands, as Human Rights Watch warns. The US urges speed and sanctions on all guilty parties; the UN urges delay and not sanctioning some. (Much of the world, including fellow Americans, considers the UN legitimate and progressive, and the US not legitimate or decent.) The evidence about this genocide is in. The government is behind it and in it, with Arab tribes. Sec. Gen. Annan, however, urges waiting to see if the President of Sudan would disarm the Arab tribes, as he had promised Annan a couple of weeks ago. Earlier Pres. el-Bashir had denied that the militias were rampaging, then he denied that the government armed and militarily supported the militias, then he promised to stop the militias. (Typical Arab deceit and delay.) China and Pakistan kept from a vote the US resolution for sanctions both on the militia and on the government of Sudan, so they could propose diluting it. The Pakistani delegation insists that the resolution be balanced, so as to denounce both the militia and the rebels (if there are any yet defending themselves as is their right), but not the government. Reacting to Sec. Annan's notion of working through the government, Human Rights Watch remarked, "You don't impose sanctions on the puppet (the militia), you impose sanctions on the puppet master." "The idea that the government would be in charge of disarming and stopping the militias it has backed was 'absurd.'" (Benny Avni, NY Sun, 7/22, p.7.) The world must be policed. The UN cannot do it. That leaves the US. The US needs to throw off UN restraint. Sen. Kerry wants to rely on the UN, and is pulling Pres. Bush with him. KERRY DUPLICITOUS ON POLLARD Candidate Kerry was asked about Pollard. Campaign aides recommend the Jewish Virtual Library report. The Library, however, reiterates the old canards about Pollard: (1) He sold US secrets to Israel. No, he did not sell them. Money was not his object. He aimed to save Israeli lives from a subversive US policy. Officially the US was supposed to give Israel intelligence about Arab troop movements and war preparation. Unofficially, the US withheld it or disseminated disinformation to maximize Israeli casualties. (Pollard did a humanitarian deed that kept many of our Israeli relatives alive.) (2) His was a rogue operation. No, Israel eventually acknowledged he was its agent. (3) The Library omits mentioning the reneged US promises to release Pollard. (4) 60 Senators, including Kerry, signed a letter opposing that release. Their false grounds were that Pollard damaged US national security and endangered US agents. He was not indicted for that. (Some intelligence officials originally felt that way. Later, Ames and another spy were determined to be the culprits.) (5) Israel unilaterally broke an agreement with the US by spying here. No, the US already had been spying on Israel. The US broke trust. The Library is supposed to promote US-Israel relations, but is sabotaging them (IMRA). Why? Kerry's position on Pollard is the kind of evasion and dissembling that critics accuse him of having in general. It is not right to keep someone in jail disproportionately to others and on false pretenses. It is worse to protect the subversives who necessitated what Pollard did. Above, I praised the US government for wishing to halt the Sudan genocide. In the Pollard affair, the US government was promoting genocide, against Israel. I laud Pollard's courage to break the law. There is a higher law than the one that the subversive US government officials hypocritically cite against Pollard. He was willing to pay the usual price. In their vindictiveness and fear of exposure, they charge him ten times that price. THE "TWO STATES SIDE-BY-SIDE" DELUSION New P.A. textbooks came out. They do not envision two states side-by-side, as so many commentators propose Israel make some deal with the P.A. to allow. Rather, they envision one state, an Arab one, absorbing both areas. The books do not teach about peace and co-existence necessary for that side-by-side "solution." Instead they teach the virtue of martyrdom against Jews, whom they defame, along with Judaism. The history lessons are bigoted and false (Margot Dudkevitch, NY Sun, 7/22, p.7). Share the sea, side-by-side with the hammerhead shark, Israel is advised, it just wants a fair share to swim in. All Israel has to do is give the hammerhead its kibbutz-grown carp, to show the harmmerhead goodwill. One industry is a small sacrifice for peaceful coexistence, Israel is told. Although the shark has chewed on Israel before, proving less than goodwill, these commentators do not urge the shark to sacrifice a fin to Israel, to show its goodwill. It is fine to imagine how the hammerhead ought to behave. But it is wiser not to dive into those waters after having experienced how the hammerhead usually behaves. If the Arabs did have some notion of peaceful coexistence, which they and their religion do not, there still should not be a "two-state solution." Calling it a solution implies that there would remain a problem. However, since the current problem is Arab intolerance, then the development of tolerance among them would render moot the question of setting up another Palestinian Arab state. Yes, "another," because there already is one, not that there is a separate Palestinian people to justify it -- Arabs are Arabs, with minor regional differences. SEEKING INFLUENCE BUT BEING INFLUENCED The US claims that arms sales to the Arabs make the Arabs dependent on it (for spare parts, training, etc.). Actually, it makes the US economy dependent on the sale of arms to those clients (Winston Mid East Analysis, 7/19, e-mail). The Arabs are learning to make the spare parts. Nor does the US deny the Arabs what they request, any more. S. Arabia, for example, repeatedly violates with impunity agreed terms for not enhancing certain planes and not stationing them within striking distance of Israel. The US claims either are fatuous or, more likely, are rationalizations to convince people tending to oppose such sales. It is the old trick of giving someone a reason that satisfies him but which one does not believe, oneself. GETTING HARDER FOR ARABS TO BLAME EVERYTHING ON FOREIGNERS A Saudi wrote that his country's preachers, teachers, public speakers, intellectuals, and columnists blame on foreign conspiracies the country's problems with education, unemployment, capital flight, immorality, corruption, crimes, and car accidents. The author asked, who raised non-thinking children? Who designed the impractical curriculum? Who devised the economic plans? How realistic he seems to be, but don't get your hopes up. He goes on to suppose that Israelis hate S. Arabia (IMRA, 7/17 from Saudi News). Most Israelis don't hate the Arabs, though they have cause to and it would be normal. Israelis would like to make peace and friendship with the Arabs. Israelis are very tolerant. The problem is that the Arabs are not. Israelis are called apostles of apartheid, for wanting to keep the Palestinian Arabs at arms length, but those dear Palestinian Arabs keep trying to get close to the Jews in order to murder them. How would you deal with the fanatical Arabs, were you there? Richard 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. |
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AN AMERICAN IN IRAQ
Posted by Carrie Devorah, July 26, 2004. |
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Though I had personal reservations on hardships of life in Iraq, I was beginning to accept what mainstream media was reporting. Until dinner the other night. A gentleman, just back home from Iraq, was job hunting, his three month contract for rebuilding Iraq colleges and libraries, completed. My eyebrows had raised upon hearing Iraq had horseracing, a symphony, antiquity laden museums with a curator who has a price. Seeing the Mickey Mouse t-shirts flapping in news clips made me wonder about the bhurka burdened women shown time and again. Then I photographed 7 men whose right hands were severed at the order of Sadaam Hussein. The Mouse in the land of maniacals puzzled me. The man said his job was to replace in colleges, looted computers, equipment and air conditioners, after the American invasion of Iraq. He said Iraqi colleges had not bought books in almost twenty years. Air conditioners, he clarified, were not authorized on his shopping list. Then, there was the stumbling block. The man said he could not do his job. No money. It seems, the $84 million Congress appropriated towards restocking Iraq, could not be accounted for. Stuck somewhere between here and there, he surmised. Complicating things further, for him, was labor. Soldiers told him it was not their job to transport books. Even from table to tailgate. Age 55, the man said he physically stooped, picked up and loaded the books destined for the Colleges, while soldiers half his age, looked on. The man said home in Iraq, for three months, was the green zone, a four mile perimeter surrounded by war zone. He would not venture out at night. During daytime, he travelled with or without companions. Women had no choice but to travel with forced patrols. If they chose to go out. Many didn't. At first, he was housed in large communal constructed tents with about 50 men. After a time, he was transferred into a trailer with a roomie half his age and life experience. He said the menu was consistent, day in and day out, although, he grinned, it was prepared by the CIA, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. Rice, veggies and lamb, Monday. Tuesday, Wednesday. All week. No pork. No horse. Wasn't sure about camel. No McDonalds. He did hear Burger King, has a concession at the PX. With media focused against Americans Infidels, and women cloaked finger to toes in bhurkas, I assumed TV, internet and movies were forbidden in Iraq. The man said one of the first things he noticed was Iraqi children hawking grainy bootlegs of newly released American movies. And yes, Iraq has internet. Funny, I told him, once, I noticed Iraq on a website drop down list. I didn't take it seriously. Neither did I take seriously to where locals typing in Arabic in the London internet cafe where I live, were sending messages abroad. The man said satellite dishes dot Iraqi landscape. Residents outside the green zone, gets upwards of 200 channels. In the green zone, foreign workers get less than twenty. Iraqi's choice of American TV shows is eclectic. He said they watch porn but don't discuss it. Classic movies are popular shows to watch. Their number one choice surprised me. Oprah, dishing a steady diet of celebrities, parenting, kids, decorating, weight loss and beauty joined by Dr. Phil, Bill Clinton, Tom Cruise and Catwoman Halle Berry cracking her whip. Their perception of American relationships is shaped with Matt and Melinda $92,000 in debt; Matt and Nicole after Matt lost his job; and Twyla and Todd having a "rock star wedding on a tuna fish budget." O's democracy lessons on how to get rich or when life isn't fair - her monthly inspirations include Maya Angelou's "I go forth alone and stand as a thousand," a far cry from fundamentalist Koran. George Eliot is quoted, "Who has felt the beauty of a woman's arm?" Gloria Steinem's selection is "Each individual woman's body demands to be accepted on its own terms" under bhurkas, I guess, or inside the green zone, the way they did under Sadaam's regime- skinny jeans and shortened tops. The chap did note his interpreter has not reported to work in a month since he left, a small matter of death threats. I looked down at my plate. Emptied. My veal cutlet was picked clean. On my walk home, I thought how the influence of diplomacy appears to be shifting from political scientists to the inspiration for beating swords into plowshares lying in the hands of a young girl from the South, who has already beat the odds. Carrie Devorah is an award winning photojournalist based in Washington DC. She is the sister of bomb murder victim Yechezkel Chezi Scotty Goldberg murdered January 29 2004 on Bus 19, in Jerusalem, one block away from Prime Minister Sharon's residence. |
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SPECIAL MESSAGE FOR TISHA B'AV FROM ARNOLD ROTH
Posted by Judy Lash Balint, July 26, 2004. |
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This essay is by Arnold Roth. He can be reached at roth@runbox.com Dear friends: Two weeks from now, on Sunday 8th August, our family and friends will go up to our daughter's grave and remember the third anniversary of her murder. (The details of the event are at the end of this note.) As in the past two years, the azkara ceremony will remember the lives of two girls - Malki and her friend and neighbour Michal Raziel, inseparable companions in life, buried side by side, forever 15 and 16 years old. It is the evening before Tisha B'Av as I write this. No other day in the Jewish calendar serves more effectively to sharpen the divergent outlooks which mark Jewish life. And no other period is so difficult to explain to people who are outside the circle of Jewish experience. A war has been raging here in Israel for nearly four years. For people who make their homes in Southern California, North London or in places like Mexico City or Melbourne, it's easy to see this as being of limited relevance. If you define your life purely in terms of the work you do, the political views you hold dear or the football team you support, then a local conflict in distant Asia Minor is not going to keep you awake at night. Whatever it may mean, it's no threat to your personal well-being or state of equanimity. But if you were raised to feel connected to people whose grandparents and more distant forebears shared the same experiences as your own, then things look and feel different. There are some who feel the flow of the Jewish people's history in a personal way. Whether I wanted to or not, I became one of them. My mother was fifteen when the Nazis rolled into her town. My father survived six years of ghetto and concentration camps, and went to his grave 22 years ago with a German bullet still lodged in his flesh. I grew up with the involuntary cries of my parents in their sleep, reliving unspoken actual experiences, unable to escape the nightmares. My generation was raised without grandparents. While our families were small, our parents invested in us - in every sense of the word. They nurtured within us a sense of participating in something larger than ourselves. The chain of Jewish life was made palpable. It connected us to uncles and aunts, to people whose lives had ended violently and before their time, and to the generations who came before them, and before them and before them. We knew, and cherished, the ties that bound us to Israel (I remember it being called 'Palestina' in that more innocent age). We understood and took for granted the basic decency of our own people. Malka Chana, our daughter, arrived in Israel as a two year-old in 1988 and never left it again. Her love for the land and its people was a reality that anyone who knew her could see. Her attachment was deeply emotional. But for some other people, Jewishness seems to be a burden to endure or - worse - a cheap trinket to be exploited for its shininess. Because several of them have been interviewed in the Israeli press recently, I will mention the American college students of Jewish backgrounds arriving in Israel and calling themselves 'peace activists'. Affluent and spoiled products of shopping-mall society, they consent to being positioned on the front lines of often-violent political demonstrations at the security barrier or confront IDF soldiers from behind their foreign passports. They make no secret of the lies they tell to sneak on-board the community-subsidized Birthright program. They boast of the fabrications and alibis they are taught to cook up (sometimes in co-operation with well-known Israeli political groups) to get through the arrivals process at Ben-Gurion airport. They tell journalists about their newly acquired knowledge of Arabic. They show endless understanding of the 'desperation' that kills innocent Israelis in restaurants and buses - condemning terror, of course. Their cold distance from the struggle, challenges and achievements of Israeli society, the ignorance they display of Jewish history and society, their knowing or unknowing complicity in acts of terror, are a sad side-show. It is their disconnectedness from everything Jewish which is the real story. The phenomenon is far from unknown among native Israelis. Behold the Israeli fringe academics calling down European boycotts upon their own universities; the political wanna-be's hiring out their services (and the fat fees and 'grants' they are awarded are a matter of public record) to publicly bewail Israeli guilt in international political gatherings, church meetings, journals and blogs; and the preening apostles of mutual understanding who invite the press cameras along to record their personal 'peace' pilgrimages to the head of the Arafat regime in Ramallah as they whisper in his ear. Feh! Al eleh ani bokhia. For these Jews, we can only weep. I was a speaker on Israel's behalf when the International Court of Justice held its hearings in The Hague this past February. Hundreds of Israel's supporters carried portraits of dead Israelis - victims of Arab hatred - outside the court and through the streets of that cold town. Our message could hardly have been expressed more clearly: we are for life, both our side's and the other side's. We derive no pleasure and no advantage from the confrontation between our two sides and we wish it would end. Their prosperity, their success, their well-being are to our advantage, if only their rulers would allow it. The suffering of which they complain has far more to do with decisions taken in Ramallah and Gaza than in Jerusalem. Our message fell on deaf ears. I spoke, personally, to thirty or more representatives of the media during those hearings. I have taken part in many more press interviews before and since. It's dis-spiriting to me in the extreme how little knowledge or insight there is to be found, on the whole, among the journalists who convey the events of our day-to-day lives to their readers, viewers and listeners. You can only grit your teeth and try to cope with frustration when some of the world's most influential sources of information get the basic story so completely wrong again and again. Look at the past 24 hours of reporting. Why did editors yesterday headline Vanunu's malicious claims about Israeli nuclear recklessness but ignore his pathetic assertions - made at the same time, in the same interview - that Israel was behind JFK's assassination? (Might this perhaps have undermined the man's credibility?) European Union foreign minister Christopher Patten has won unlimited column inches during the past two years denying and denying and denying that EU grants are used by the Palestinian leadership for funding terror. But the same media ignored directly-quoted words of a genuine insider - the recently-deposed speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council - that the Arafat regime has no need of foreign aid because it has billions of dollars of its own "but no one knows anything about the funds". If it were not for the energetic work of www.honestreporting.com, www.camera.org, www.eufunding.org and others like them, there would be no reason for hope at all. In the context of good work, I want to mention what is being done in the name of our daughter. Since it began operations in January 2003, the Malki Foundation has delivered practical and valuable support for hundreds of families in Israel coping with the challenge of home-care for a disabled child. Most of these families are Jewish; some are Christians and Moslems. Our message is not a political one, but a humanitarian one. I hope you will consider making a donation on Malki's yahrzeit. Full details of how to make your donation a tax-deductible and how to donate by credit card are at www.kerenmalki.org/Donating.htm Unlike some other high-profile charities, Keren Malki operates along modest and low-cost lines but achieves a lot. For families caring for a child with serious disabilities, we provide two programs. In the first, specialized home-care equipment is made available at no charge through our partnership with Yad Sarah. In the second, we enable home-based therapy services by providing substantial reimbursement of expenses for five specific forms of therapy: occupational therapy, physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, therapeutic horse-riding and speech therapy. As a matter of firm principle, our support is given only for therapy services provided by licensed professionals who issue receipts. We want to expand the range of services, and at some point, as our ability to fund them grows, we will, iy"H. Everyone who knew Malki and her quiet acts of hesed will know how fitting a memorial this is. We will gather at the adjoining graves of Malki and Michal on Har Tamir in Jerusalem's Har Menuchot cemetery on Sunday 8th August 2004. The event is called for 6.00pm. For those coming from Ramot, there will be a free bus which leaves the Ezra youth center (corner of Abba Hillel Silver and Truman Streets) at about 5.00pm and will return there after the azkara. Those who care about Jewish destiny, who feel the pain of Jerusalem on the 9th of Av, who cry for our losses in this cruel war being waged against us by the forces of barbarism and darkness, understand the power that comes from linking arms physically and in spirit with fellow Jews. We Jews are far from being in a state of unity. To the extent that we look to leaders for inspiration, it has to be said that this is an especially uninspiring time. Each of us has his or her personal ways of dealing with these challenges. Far be it from me to give guidance to others, but the Jewish way has always focused on the doing of practical good deeds - maasim tovim, maasei hesed. In the merit of those actions, may we be granted to see peace and harmony quickly, and an end to the tears of Jewish children and their parents. "Jerusalem Diaries: In Tense Times" by Judy Lash Balint (Gefen) is available for purchase from www.israelbooks.com |
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EU TO ISRAEL: "TAKE DOWN YOUR ANTI-TERRORIST BARRIER"
Posted by Jock L. Falkson, July 26, 2004. |
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It is particularly galling as an Israeli to note the EU's unanimous vote for the destruction of Israel's anti-terrorist barrier. Buoyed by the opinion of the International Court of (in)Justice, the EU declares that Israel, the victim of the Palestine (Terrorist) Authority's reign of terror, has no right of self-defense. Because the barrier, which Israel is erecting to prevent the inhuman Arab suicide squads entering our country, also inconveniences some residents of the so called West Bank. The obvious way to ensure an easier flow of traffic and people is for the Palestine (Terrorist) Authority to conduct their own intensive searches on their side of the crossing points. Why don't they do this? Isn't it obvious that had they done so there'd never have been any need for an anti-terrorist barrier in the first place? UN Enthusiastic About Destruction Of Israel's Anti-Terrorist Barrier The vast majority of the UN nations openly or secretly, inadvertently or naively, aid the Palestine (Terrorist) Authority, which in turn funds, aids, equips, educates and incites their people to commit terrorism and to glorify terrorists. How could masses of war materiel enter secret tunnels which have their inlet/outlet in the Egyptian controlled Sinai, unless Cairo approved? Virtually nothing crosses from Jordan for the opposite reason: the Jordanians don't permit it. They successfully guard their border to ensure there are no breaches. Nothing happens on Syria's border either. The Syrians don't allow it. Palestinian inconveniences, real and imagined, are adjudged by the EU as more deserving than Israel's desire to save Jewish lives. Should we be all that surprised? Perfidious Germany
Perfidious France
Perfidious Holland
Perfidious Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia
Perfidious Greece, Hungary
Courageous Denmark and Sweden
"My mind is made up - don't confuse me with facts" The EU has swallowed the big lie that Israel "occupies Palestinian territory." They are determined to morph that lie into truth in complete disregard of the facts of recent history.
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana has threatened Israel in the characteristic bully-boy manner: "The EU is a very important international power and is going to play a role here, whether you like it or not," he said. The inference is clear. It will be a pro-Palestinian role, that much is obvious. Israel has nothing to lose by declaring Solana persona non grata. To be put on Jock Falkson's email list, email him at falkson@barak-online.net |
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NYC SOLIDARITY RALLY WITH GUSH KATIF/GAZA
Posted by AFSI, July 26, 2004. |
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Americans For a Safe Israel/AFSI called for a solidarity human chain demonstration at 6 P.M. on Second Avenue between 42nd & 43rd Streets in New York City on Sunday, July 25. Over 500 people answered that call on the same day that the Gush Katif/Gaza organizers experienced their huge success when over 200,000 people formed a human chain of solidarity from Gush Katif to the Kotel in Jerusalem, Israel. Helen Freedman, Executive Director of Americans For a Safe Israel, led the demonstration, reminding those assembled that Gaza has historical, biblical, and moral entitlement for the Jewish people. She also declared that rewarding terrorism in Gaza by expelling the 8000 Jews living there, and turning their homes over to terrorists, would carry dire consequences for all of Israel, as well as America and the entire western world. Carrying signs reading, "Sharon - Let the people STAY", "As Gaza Goes, So Goes all of Israel", "The Land of Israel belongs to the People of Israel," and "Pres. Bush, Honor G-d's Covenant with Israel," the crowd roared with approval as all the speakers echoed the themes that terrorism must not be rewarded, that Jews must not be expelled from the land given to them by G-d, and that no man could break G-d's covenant with the Jewish people. A logical conclusion was that there cannot be a "Palestinian" state inside Israel. The Chabad Lubavitch had arrived at the gathering in buses that carried women, children, and men to acclaim the Rebbe's message of "Not One Inch." We were honored to hear holy words of support for Gush Katif/Gaza from Rabbi Leibl Groner, the late Rebbe's secretary, Rabbi Yossi Jacobson, noted speaker, publisher and teacher, a Rabbi from S'derot, just outside of Gush Katif, and other distinguished Chabad rabbis. Chabad children took turns reciting prayers for the welfare of all the land of Israel, and Assemblyman Dov Hikind gave a ringing endorsement of the communities of Gush Katif. Charlotte Wahle, of AFSI, spoke about her solidarity trip to Negohot, while Glenn Richter, of AFSI and AMCHA, described the great success of the human chain in Israel. He announced a prayer service to be held on Tisha B'Av, Tuesday, July 27, at 2 PM at the Isaiah Wall, opposite the UN. Plans have been made to have a live telephone hook-up with residents of Nevei Dekalim in Gush Katif/Gaza. Christian Zionists who had traveled from Norway were there to lend support. They were warmly welcomed, as were those who had traveled across America from California. Participants had come from all over the tri-state area to join AFSI and Chabad in the New York City human chain of support for Gush Katif/Gaza. It was this togetherness that made the event so successful. Those who wish to make tax deductible contributions to the embattled residents of Gush Katif/Gaza are invited to send their checks, made out to FRIENDS OF GUSH KATIF, to Americans for a Safe Israel/AFSI, 1623 Third Ave., Suite 205, New York, N.Y. 1012 Americans For a Safe Israel/AFSI is a pro-active pro-Israel advocacy group. AFSI may be contacted by mail at 1623 Third Ave., Suite 205, New York, N.Y. 10128 (Tel: 212-828-2424; Fax: 212-828-1717); by email at afsi@rcn.com; or by accessing its website: www. afsi.org. Helen Freedman is Executive Director. |
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FEMALE IDF SOLDIERS SEDUCED BY ARAB TERRORISTS AT BORDER CHECKPOSTS
Posted by Voice of Judea, July 26, 2004. |
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1- GAZA CONNECTS TO JERUSALEM - HISTORIC HUMAN CHAIN Sharon's plans to disengage from Gaza suffered several devastating blows yesterday. Police reports claim that 130,000 people locked hand over a stretch of 90 kilometers, effectively creating a human chain connecting Gaza to Jerusalem. This unprecedented show of force has even the most extreme left-wing correspondents declaring that "one can not be emotionally moved by this complex and creative initiative...This show could only have been pulled off by the 'settler' camp - and regardless of your view about them, their love of the land is one of the nice and moving aspects of Israeli society..." (Front page, Maariv, 8th of Av). Indeed, it was an emotional experience watching the tears flow from the tens of thousands and hearing the national anthem of Hatikva being sung by men, women and children comprising a 90 kilometer chain of humanity who spent hours under the scorching sun to band together and shout forth their love for the land of Israel and their connection to Gaza. No democracy can ignore this outpour of support for the Jews of Gaza and this defiant opposition to the government's plan to expel the Jews from their homes in Gaza and Northern Shomron. In fact, a regime need not be a democracy to cave in to public opinion and to the will of the masses. Sharon had a rough day. If the huge national protest was not enough he got another political smack in the head when Silvan Shalom, his government's popular Foreign Minister organized a political rally attended by more than 1000 supporters, where he announced that he is jumping ship and now opposes Sharon's efforts to invite Labor into a national coalition. Without Labor, Sharon will have a more than difficult task moving forward with any effort to transfer the Jews out of Gaza. Sharon received a political boost from Arafat, when Arafat said that he would wait to outlive Sharon, hoping that Sharon and Bush will be history after elections, next fall. Sharon responded, "I did not know he was waiting for me to fall. I thought that it was only the Jews who wish my political demise". Voice of Judea Commentary: How sad, that Sharon, one of the greatest Generals who ever lived and formerly one of the most popular, legendary Israeli figures, will be remembered as a leader who was hated by his own people for betraying the land and the nation at the end of his political life. Even the international community and the Arabs that he seeks to appease in his old age, refuse to recognize the great sacrifice he has made in return for their fraudulent peace. In the end, he has sacrificed his land and his nation's security in return for nothing. His plan does not even seek reciprosity. And Arafat will yet outlive Sharon. The Bible teaches us that even the evil King Pharoah of Egypt, with a heart that was hardened by G-d payed some attention to his people and their wishes. In the meantime, Sharon continues to ignore his crumbling party that has voiced their opposition to his plans and he continues to ignore mounting public opposition. 2- FEMALE IDF SOLDIERS SEDUCED BY ARAB TERRORISTS AT BORDER CHECKPOSTS A new explanation is being given to explain how some Arabs are managing to sneak through Israeli fences, barriers and checkpoints. The Arabs have not developed superior technology to outwit the new and sophisticated Israeli border control features. They have simply reverted to good old tactics of romantic intrigue and seduction of female Israeli soldiers, who man some of the most vulnerable check points in Judea, Samaria and Gaza. According to an article published in Maariv, on the 26th of July, 04, "Soldiers testified that some of the female soldiers made friends with Arabs and gave them security secrets...they met at the checkpoint near Kalandia - female soldiers and Arab men who they checked...the love spread and so did the secrets on the phone...one of them told her Arab lover everything: Where is the guard house, and where are the observation points and when we switch the guards...The IDF spokesman said that he found no reason to make an issue of it..." One soldier said that one of the female soldiers was seen meeting intimately with an Arab in a small tent used to change clothing, between shifts. The IDF investigation was unable to prove the allegations that were made by the male soldiers at the Kalandia checkpoint. Voice of Judea Commentary: What are female soldiers doing at such a vulnerable crossing? What is the IDF doing to prevent such relationships? Last week, Israeli radio reported that a Jewish female soldier was being investigated after her weapon was taken from under her bed in a hotel in Tiberias. She had rented the hotel room together with her Arab boyfriend. It is extremely sad and mind boggling to consider the fact that Jewish girls in Israel are assimilating to death, mingling and intermarrying with Arabs. It is not only a spiritual and religio-national problem of the first order but a security issue which can't be ignored. Recently, articles have been published about the influx of Arab Israeli youth into Ashqelon and on Ashqelon beaches, where many Jewish girls are dating young Arabs. While most Israelis between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one are serving in the army, far away from home training and fighting for Israel's survivial, young Arabs are conquering the beaches, the discos and the hearts of young Jewish girls. One 17 year old Jewish girl, a recent immigrant from Argentina, told a local Ashqelon radio station, "Most of my friends have Arab boy friends, they are handsome and sweet, and they see no reason not to have a good time with them. I, too, almost fell into this trap, when an Arab named Muhammed from Um El Fahem, asked me out and he told me his name was Moshe. I only learned later, that his real name was Muhammed. I did not leave Argentina to marry away from my faith, but many of my Israeli friends don't agree with me. To be honest, I am scared to walk on the shore, early in the morning with throngs of Arab boys making remarks and whistling..Some of my friends like the attention. I stay home, instead of jogging in the morning, as I used to. I am frightened, just like I used to be in Argentina." When the radio interviewer asked her if she did not feel like a racist, not wishing to befriend non-Jews, she said, "I did not run away from Argentina and come home to Israel, a Jewish state to be with non-Jews and to marry my enemy." Unfortunately, thousands of young Israeli girls do not see things that way and intermarriage is rapidly growing in Israel. The recent headlines about Ashqelon, Tiberias and female IDF soldeirs suspected of delivering weapons and secrets to their Arab lovers are only a tiny part of the problem. 3- VOICE OF JUDEA APPEAL SAVES VOLUNTEER DOG UNIT The recent urgent appeal that was broadcast by the Voice of Judea last week on behalf of the dog unit of the Gedud HaIvri was successful in raising the urgently needed funds to keep this life-saving program alive. The Gedud HaIvri is a volunteer unit that helps patrol Jewish towns in Yesha and that breeds, trains and places special patrol dogs and their handlers in towns where they are needed to help sniff out bombs and terrorists. The Gedud HaIvri has placed guard dogs in Kedumim, Rehelim, Nofei Nehemia, Tapuach, Tapuach West, Bat Ayin Bet, Kiryat Arba, Har Sina, Patish, Hill 26, Alei Zahav, Eir David's project in Jab Al Mukhabar, Ateret Kohanim's project near Ras Al Amud, Karmei Tzur, Tzefat, Yitzhar, Mitzpeh Yitzhar, Itamar and elsewhere. Courses are offered to members of emergency response teams, security personnel and any civilian who wishes to to learn canine security and who is prepared to volunteer to do guard duty with the dogs. The cost of sponsoring a dog and a volunteer handler for a full year is 10,000 dollars for the first year and 5 thousand dollars for every year thereafter. The cost of sponsoring the training course for a month is 2000 dollars. Checks can sent to Gedud HaIvri - Jaffa Road 210 - Apt 14, Jerusalem
Israel
Credit card and paypal contributuions can be made at http://www.defendisrael.net/donate.shtml In USA Tel. 718 874 2057
SPECIAL THANKS TO CRAIG FEDER FOR MOBILIZING DOCTORS FOR ISRAEL'S DEFENSE AND FOR HELPING WITH THE GEDUD HAIVRI CANINE UNIT. You can subscribe to the Voice of Judea emails by sending an email to jsid@amanda.dorsai.org |
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JOINING HANDS AND WHAT TO DO NEXT
Posted by Anita Tucker, July 26, 2004. |
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"Joining Hands" written by Naomi Regan, an American-born novelist and
playwright who has lived in Jerusalem since 1971. Naomi also publishes
a regular email newsletter, to which you can subscribe by sending an
empty email message to: NaomiRagen-on@mail-list.com.
David Bedein is Bureau Chief, Israel Resource News Agency. (http://Israelbehindthenews.com). The subject of Israel destroying the thriving Jewish communities in Gush Katif in exchange for -- well, no one has quite figured that out yet -- has been on my mind ever since the "plan" was proposed by Mr. Sharon. I read the "plan" carefully, and all I could see was a series of destructive acts against peaceful Jewish communities, without any up side. It didn't promise peace. It didn't even promise better security. In short, there was no logical reason at all to do it. I was even present at an interview with Mr. Ehud Olmert, who staunchly backed the plan, and tried his best to defend it. "If it saves even one life.." he said vaguely. Did he mean it was dangerous for Jews to live surrounded by Arabs? Dangerous for the soldiers who protect them? If that was the argument, then it held true for me as well, living in Jerusalem, surrounded by Arab villages. And it was certainly true of the entire State of Israel, being as it is in the Middle East, surrounded by Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Iraq...etc. There was no one to negotiate with, and therefore, we needed to unilaterally set our own boundaries and break off from the dangerous Gaza Strip, the next argument went. When they said "break off" did that mean no more Gazan workers coming into Israel every day? And what, exactly, was going to stop Palestinians from turning the area into a terrorist training camp, even closer to Israel's population centers, once peaceful Jewish homes and businesses were bulldozed? What was going to stop the Kassam rocket launchers from being moved even closer, sending bombs into the bedrooms and nursery schools of Ashdod and Ashkelon? I didn't get answers to those queries either. So, when it was announced that a protest was being organized that would create a human chain from Gush Katif to the heart of Jerusalem, I decided to join hands. It was an amazing sight. Hundreds of people snaking down highways, lining the streets of Jerusalem. Children, and teenagers in bright orange, waving flags. Mothers, fathers, grandparents. I saw Benny Elon, the Knesset Member. I saw the legendary Geulah Cohen. I saw my lawyer, and women from my synagogue. Streets had been designated for different neighborhoods, and I found my friends and neighbors standing together. Ushers took great care not to allow roads to be blocked, so as not to create traffic jams. There were no hate signs. No violence. Later I heard that David Hatuel, whose wife and four daughters were slaughtered by terrorists, was also there. He told reporters:"Sadly, I came alone, but the connection I felt from everyone here on erev Tisha B'Av is quite amazing. This will broadcast to everyone that we have the will to continue to pursue our lives in all parts of the land of Israel," he said. As I walked through the streets of downtown Jerusalem, I remembered how only a short time ago, they were deserted, a ghost town, people fleeing the silent reminders of shattered glass and human flesh and blood-soaked pavement. How much we had all lived through! Yet now there didn't seem to be standing room. There didn't seem to be a iota of fear. These streets had been claimed once again, I thought, the silence banished. It was an act of tremendous courage. These people, these brave, wonderful people, deserve better leaders, I thought. Leaders who are worthy of their hope and faith and courage and fortitude. And as we joined hands at ten to seven, and began singing Israel's national anthem, HaTikvah (The Hope) I really did begin to feel hopeful. Perhaps this horrible mistake, pushed forward by a government that has betrayed the democratic process in pursuing useless and harmful policies that were voted out resoundingly by the people who put them into office, could be stopped. If you too would like to join hands in stopping it, here are some excellent suggestions by David Bedein:
Anita Tucker lives in Gush Katif, Gaza. She can be reached at tucker@isdn.net.il |
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A DAY AT THE WESTERN WALL
Posted by Mordechai Ben-Menachem, July 25, 2004. |
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The AISH website has a movie made about the Western Wall that you can download. Go to http://www.aish.com/a/wall.asp THIS MUST DEFINITELY BE VIEWED BY EVERYONE! AND DISTRIBUTED! Mordechai Ben=Menachem is at Ben-Gurion University and can be reached at quality@computer.org |
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THE PALESTINIAN NATIONAL MOVEMENT
Posted by Barry Rubin, July 25, 2004. |
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Yasir Arafat, architect of the Palestinian national movement, is now concluding his career by being its undertaker. A number of recent events show the spread of chaos and conflict among Palestinian groups to new heights. This is only the beginning. A key problem is going to be their inability to create an effective administration for the Gaza Strip after Israel's withdrawal. Arafat's combination of dictatorship and ineptness is best illustrated by his nepotistic choice, withdrawn after a few days, of his nephew Musa Arafat, head of Military Intelligence and probably the single most unpopular Palestinian security official, to run the area. None of these problems can be credibly blamed on Israel. By throwing away the chance for peace in the year 2000 and instead launching a four-year-long war they cannot win, Arafat led his people into a dead end. Aside from this strategic inflexibility and tactical extremism, Arafat and his colleagues--as well as the Islamist groups like Hamas--have put the priority on destroying Israel rather than ending the occupation and obtaining their own state through a compromise agreement. Despite many euphemisms designed to excuse anti-civilian terrorism, the primacy on violence has poisoned the movement. Palestinians have been repeatedly told by leaders, activists, media and clergy that only maximal demands are patriotic and that moderation is a form of treason. Arafat's whole career shows that he will not yield power, delegate authority, or even name a successor. This ensures that the Palestinian deadlock will remain as long as he lives. Just as Arafat will firmly clutch the steering wheel as he plows the Palestinian vehicle into a stone wall, no one will try to hard to grab it away from him. Not only does Arafat refuse to be pushed aside but anyone trying will be branded as a foreign agent by his many rivals. Moreover, Palestinian factions and secondary leaders are too divided to unite around any other candidate. For years, Arafat has successfully played off all these people. None of them will cede precedence to anyone else. The result will not be civil war so much as a situation in which no one governs but local warlords each tries to control their own turf. To make matters worse, no one is going to save the Palestinians from themselves. Despite their rhetoric, Arab states will not lift a finger to rescue the Palestinians. Egypt has tried to help out in Gaza but Arafat has sabotaged its efforts. In general, Arab regimes are content merely to vilify Israel and demand that the United States solves the problem for them. Europeans are also becoming fed up with Arafat and his colleagues, especially given their theft or misuse of aid money. The growing anarchy is fueled by deep divisions among Palestinians. These include those inside the territories against those living in Arab states, West Bankers versus Gazans, members of the dozen security forces against each other, ambitious individuals trying to position themselves as the future leader, and nationalists against Islamists. Even Arafat's own group, Fatah, is very badly divided into at least four major factions. First, there is the historic leadership, mostly returnees to the West Bank and Gaza Strip from long years in exile, which still dominates all the movement's ruling bodies. This group includes Prime Minister Abu Ala, whose efforts to resign have been blocked by Arafat; the PLO; Palestinian Authority (PA); and Fatah Central Committee. These people are loyal to Arafat, holding office and enriching themselves due to his patronage. On the West Bank there is the self-proclaimed "grassroots" activists of the closely associated Tanzim organization and terrorist al-Aqsa Brigades. This loose grouping, led by Marwan Barghouti who is currently in an Israeli prison, have been posing as Arafat loyalists since he also favors continued armed struggle. Perhaps the most worrisome factor in Palestinian politics is that these people view an alliance with the radical Islamist group Hamas as its strategy for success. This is a formula for endless warfare. But in Gaza there is the faction led by Muhammad Dahlan, head of the Preventive Security force there. This is the most pragmatic group, the only factor that believes that ending the fighting and getting a state by making peace with Israel is the best alternative. Yet this is merely one more local faction trying to gain control through force rather than by building a mass base. Finally, there are all the other security forces, from the regular police to Musa Arafat's men, each of which wants to empower and enrich itself. They will follow Arafat as long as he is alive but will not cooperate with any other leader, nor participate actively in calming the situation or fighting the corruption of which they are major beneficiaries. Growing anarchy among Palestinians, with no solution in sight, has tremendous implications not only for that immediate conflict but also for regional developments and U.S. policy. Most immediately, there will be no stability in a post-occupation Gaza Strip, no Palestinian element willing to act decisively to end the violence, and no Palestinian leadership ready to make peace with Israel. The fundamental problem is not that the Palestinians are being offered too little but that they will continue to demand too much while being unable or unwilling to implement any agreement. This situation is unable to change during Arafat's lifetime. Indeed, given the lack of a designated successor--or any conceivable figure on whom Palestinian leaders might agree for this post--it will continue for some years after he leaves the scene. Understanding that, unfortunately, the Israel-Palestinian conflict is going to be irresolvable for some time to come must be the starting point of U.S. policy and assessments of the region. Professor Barry Rubin is Director of The Global Research in International Affairs Center (GLORIA) and Editor of Middle East Review of International Affairs (MERIA). His columns can be read online at http://gloria.idc.ac.il/columns/column.html. |
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PICTURES OF THE HUMAN CHAIN IN JERUSALEM
Posted by Jacob Richman, July 25, 2004. |
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Hi Everyone! I posted on my website 112 pictures of the Jerusalem section of the Human Chain that went from Gush Katif in Gaza to the Kotel in Jerusalem. The 56 mile chain was a solidarity event with our brothers and sisters in Gaza. The pictures were taken on July 25, 2004 from 17:00 - 19:00 The pictures cover Yaffo Street from Kikar Davidka to the Old City to the Kotel. When the first page comes up, press the F11 key on the top of your keyboard for a full page view. Use the icon buttons on the bottom of each page to navigate. http://www.jr.co.il/rally/r024.htm May all those fasting on Tisha B'Av have an easy fast.
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THE HOPE
Posted by Judy Lash Balint, July 25, 2004. |
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At precisely 7 p.m. this evening, more than 120,000 Israelis spread over 56 miles between Gush Katif and Jerusalem, to join hands and sing Israel's national anthem, Hatikva, or The Hope. The human chain, the third largest such event in world political history, could be seen as a desperate attempt to impress upon Israel's political leaders and those pressuring them from abroad, that public opinion regarding the so-called disengagement plan is not overhwhelmingly on Arik Sharon's side. Conventional wisdom here holds that one of the reasons Prime Minister Sharon is pursuing the unilateral pullout from Gush Katif is that he is responding to public demand to disengage from the area. Today's show of strength might just give hom a more balanced view. The chain that was organized over the past three months, was divided into 8 parts. Each section of the way was designated for particular communities, so people knew where to stand. In Jerusalem, the route snaked from the western entrance to the city down the length of Jaffa Road and on into the Old City, through Zion and Jaffa Gates and down to the Kotel. At the beginning of the two hour chain, chaos reigned. Hundreds of people poured into Jaffa Road wearing the orange T shirts and baseball hats of the anti-disengagement campaign, or in regular clothes adorned with The People Are With Gush Katif stickers. Many carried large Israeli flags, or wore them as capes--but no one really knew what to do. This was different than the mass demonstrations that had taken place many times before at this spot near Zion Square. This time there was no platform, no speeches, no music--just the power of the people. The 500 young men designated as ushers, ran up and down the streets filled with people with no idea how to get the crowd to stand in line and link hands. Crowds gathered at all the major intersections along Jaffa Road, but it took more than an hour until the idea caught on to actually spread out and show their strength of numbers. "They just don't know how to do this kind of thing," bemoaned Chaim Rosenthal, a frustrated activist and immigrant from Boston. Rosenthal, a forty-something with the look of a 60s era hippie, recalled the civil disobedience of his youth. "We knew instinctively how to get these things going," he said. Down at Jaffa Gate, things were slightly more organized, with rows of flag-waving Israelis joined by large numbers of tourists and Christian visitors. At the Kotel, the final stop for the chain, hundreds of people tried to figure out what to do with themselves, but in the end, things worked out. Huge silver shofarot (trumpets) were blown and a note was placed in the wall by the last link in the chain, Gush Katif resident, six-year-old Yael Better, who placed her hand on the ancient stones of the Kotel while more than 2,000 people in the courtyard sang the Hatikva.The first person on the chain in Nissanit was her grandfather, Shamir Yitzhak, who was evacuated from the Gaza Strip when Egypt captured the area in the first Arab-Israeli war in 1948. "I don't know if it will have any influence. But we at least want to show the government that this can't be given up easily," said Mordechai Better, Yael's father. "It's not something that can be removed in a minute. There are three generations here." Also present at the Kotel was bereaved father and husband David Hatuel, whose pregnant wife and four daughters were murdered in their car in Gush Katif just a few months ago. He told reporters that he was overwhelmed by the unprecedented event. "Sadly, I came alone, but the connection I felt from everyone here on erev Tisha B'Av is quite amazing. This will broadcast to everyone that we have the will to continue to pursue our lives in all parts of the land of Israel," he said. Back on Jaffa Road, the crowds swelled to five or six people deep as the 7p.m concluding hour approached. Buses and taxis continued to run down Jerusalem's main road, with many drivers honking their support to the demonstrators. Press photographers perched on the back of motorcycles and drove slowly up and down the street to capture the scene. Barbara Green and her two children dressed in Gush Katif orange were standing just west of Zion Square. The residents of Hashmonaim had returned just a few days ago from a two year sabbatical in Seattle. "We're here because we want the government to see that people are really upset about this," Green insisted. "We can't have another Yamit," she added, referring to the deliberate destruction of a Jewish town in the Sinai in the 1980s in the interests of peace. Meantime, while the chain was in formation, Kassam rockets hit the community center in Neve Dekalim, the largest Gush Katif town. Six children were injured. The human chain was the first item up on the evening news, with commentators noting that this first-of-a-kind manifestation of public opinion would go down in the annals of Israeli political history. For those who stood together singing The Hope, it was the successful conclusion of yet another battle in the war to preserve Israel's integrity. |
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A NEW WORLDWIDE JEWISH ISRAELI RADIO STATION
Posted by Arik Lev, July 25, 2004. |
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Please listen to the new radio station at http://www.kolhalev.com that serves the Jewish and Israeli community around the world. For your enjoyment, we have a new show each day replete with beautiful Jewish and Israeli music, as well as interviews with leading personalities discussing politics, history, Torah, finance, the arts, and more. At Radio Kol Halev you will be able to request your favorite songs, send your regard to your friends, or discuss current events on the air with one of our interviewers. We also have great prizes for you and you can even meet friends or love through our radio station, for we intend to connect Israelis and Jews around the world. We would greatly appreciate if you would email this request to listen to Radio Kol Halev to all your Jewish and Israeli friends and ask them to forward this email to all their friends too. We are confident that you will enjoy our daily programs and we welcome your comments, suggestions, or critiques. Please email us your pithy remarks at ariklev@yahoo.com Thanks and hope to hear from you soon, Radio Kol Halev, the radio station on the World Wide Wed for Jews and Israelis around the world. |
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APRIL MAGIC
Posted by Gerald A. Honigman, July 25, 2004. |
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I don't know. Maybe it was just an exercise in rallying support among millions of key Evangelical Christian voters and winning over some Jews in what promises to be a very close election come November 2004. Dubya, after all, won last time around in a highly controversial election by, literally, just a few handfuls of votes in Florida. But maybe--just maybe--while it undoubtedly involved this, perhaps there was something else astir as well. I've gotten ahead of myself, so let's backtrack a bit. Israel's Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, made a very hard decision last April. After decades of supporting the construction of Israeli settlements in disputed territories Israel wound up with as a result of having to fight a defensive war for its life in June 1967, the Old Warrior decided that the costs outweighed the gains of keeping Jews in Gaza. While it is true that, while their numbers drastically fluctuated, Jews had lived in Gaza for millennia; that, since the days of the Pharaohs, Gaza had been used as an invasion route into Israel proper by those aiming to destroy or subjugate it; that Gaza had become a hotbed for terrorists aiming to destroy Israel; that Jewish communities set up in Gaza were not on Arab-owned land; etc. and so forth; it is also true that many--if not most--Israelis were looking for a way out of Gaza if the proper conditions presented themselves. Israel had long been under pressure to take some steps to revive the all-but-dead, so-called roadmap for peace with Palestinian Arabs. While the latter was seen, at least in a few circles, to exist in such a moribund state due to the unwillingness and/or inability of the Arabs to control their own disembowelers of Jews, this key factor did not matter nearly as much as it should have. So the squeeze was put on the Jews. While such hypocrisy was by now expected from Europe and much of the rest of the world, the folks at Foggy Bottom also habitually indulge in this sort of behavior, coming up with absurd, alleged "moral equivalencies" and the like. Lacking any Anwar Sadat or King Hussein-type to deal with among Palestinian Arabs (i.e. Arab leaders willing to allow for a viable Israel still existing on the morrow after a peace treaty is signed), Arik decided to make a unilateral move to break the stalemate while also supposedly enhancing Israel's overall security position. The latter assertion is hotly debated given certain "facts of life." In April 2004, Sharon thus came up with his Gaza withdrawal plan. In addition to the removal of Gaza's 8,000 Jews, some settlements in Samaria, the northern West Bank, were also placed on the eviction notice. The world had been clamoring for such Israeli moves for decades. Those who had conquered territories sometimes hundreds or thousands of miles away from home in the name of their own nations' security somehow couldn't figure out the life-threatening problems Israel was constantly faced with due to the armistice lines imposed upon it in 1949 by the United Nations. As is well known by now, those lines made Israel a mere 9-miles wide at its strategic waist, where most of the nation's population and industry are located. One needn't be Napoleon to figure out what this all meant to a nation grossly out-manned and out-gunned, surrounded by enemies sworn to its demise. And, as would become the norm, the UN had only stepped in after the Jews turned the tide of the Arab invasion in 1948 to snuff out both their own lives and the life of their sole, miniscule, reborn nation. Israel was never meant to be a 9-mile wide rump state...but that's how it was left when the lines were drawn in '49 marking the point where the Jews finally turned back the invasion of a half dozen Arab armies supplied to the teeth with weaponry left over by the Allies from World War II and led, in Transjordan, by British officers. The UN stepped in to limit Arab losses, not to prevent their blatant aggression. This behavior would be repeated in subsequent decades as well. Arab settlers from elsewhere then, once again, poured into these disputed territories. As leading international legal scholars like Eugene Rostow have pointed out, the latter had largely been unapportioned state lands belonging to the original Mandate, open to settlement by Arabs, Jews, and others as well. After 1949, however, only Arabs were able to move here with Transjordan's internationally unrecognized land grab. Purely Arab Transjordan, comprising all the land on the east bank of the River, had already been created by the British in 1922 from almost 80% of the original 1920 borders of the Mandate of Palestine, and Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria - the "West Bank" - had been massacred by the Arabs in the 1920s. During this same time period, the League of Nations Permanent Mandates Commission documented massive waves of Arabs (scores of thousands in just a few months alone) pouring into the Mandate from Syria, Egypt, North Africa, and elsewhere as well. Many more Arabs entered under cover of darkness and were simply never recorded--more "native Palestinians." Thanks to the Jews, the Mandate was economically booming, drawing Arabs in from the entire region. While this has been repeated ad nauseam, it must be stated yet again. The architects of famed UN Security Council Resolution 242 (Rostow included), carefully worded the final, accepted draft so that Israel would not be expected to have to return to its pre-'67, suicidal armistice lines. Indeed, the resolution called for the creation of "secure and recognized borders" to replace those lines. The bulk of Israel's settlements have been placed with such a strategic territorial compromise in mind. While some will have to go as a trade off for a real peace agreement, others will have to stay. The area under discussion is tiny to begin with. When Egypt held Gaza and Jordan (name changed after it came to hold both banks of the River) held the West Bank for almost two decades, no one called for the creation of an additional Arab State...their second, not first, one in "Palestine." But, after 1967, the world demanded the latter of the Jews, expecting them to bare their necks to bring this about (while ignoring the plight of 30 million stateless Kurds, millions of Black African Sudanese, and others as well being slaughtered in the name of Arab nationalism). And the American Foggy Folks constantly make the point that the additional Arab state must not be a bantustan. Guess what? Justice does not demand that the boundaries and such of any 22nd or 23rd Arab state -- that there really is no room for -- come at the expense of security for the sole state of the Jews. Despite all of this, Sharon sought to break the log jam with his April 2004 unilateral withdrawal proposals. So, the hypocrites should have applauded Arik's decision, correct? Guess again... The Arabs, of course, viewed it simply as another victory in their destruction in phases scenario. Terrorism works, Lebanon again, and so forth. That's the message, unfortunately, they got from Arik. And rather than feeling compelled to come up with some real conciliatory moves of their own, they simply made more demands for additional, unilateral Israeli concessions. Since the failure of their "one fell swoop" plan for Israel's destruction in June 1967, they adopted a strategy to politically force a return to the indefensible armistice lines of 1949. Given new technologies, massive buildups of Arab armed forces, the continuing Arab birth rate, and the like, the return of Israel to its pre-'67 lines, coupled with a demand for a "return" of millions of Arabs to the Jews' rump state, would be the beginning of the end. The Arabs openly acknowledged all of this. Even their "moderates" called Oslo and other so-called plans for "peace" merely a Trojan Horse, designed to bring about Arafat's so-called "Peace of the Quraysh," the temporary hudna designed to buy time while weakening the Jews for the same final blow Muhammad dealt to his pagan enemies almost fourteen centuries earlier. That Arabs have responded this way was no shock. But they have been supported in this behavior by most of the world as well. And then there was the magic of April... There had been talk before Sharon came up with his withdrawal plan that he would get some backing from Washington on some other key matters. There is an indisputable set of facts regarding the Arab-Israeli conflict. If there will ever be peace between Arab and Jew, Arabs will have to give up their eternal plans for Israel's destruction. Had they done this, Arabs could have had their second state in Palestine decades ago. Fair and just plans were presented and rejected over the decades by the Arabs themselves--certainly far more than Arabs had ever offered to any of their own national competitors. The reality is that they still want that additional state to exist in place of, not along side of, the Jewish one. Enter George W. Bush... Standing near Sharon, in a news conference being watched on television all over the world, an American President--the first since Truman in 1948--finally took a political stance that might yet lead to peace. Dubya stated, before millions watching him, the two key ingredients for such a recipe: Israel should not be expected to return to the indefensible armistice lines of 1949 (and he called them just that, not "borders"), and real and fudged Arab refugees would have to go to the proposed new Arab state, not overwhelm the Jews in Israel. Half of Israel's Jews were refugees from Arab/Muslim lands. Einstein was not needed to figure this recipe out. But Arabs had long been given reason, via the world's actions, to hope that Israel would yet become an updated Czechoslovakia with the West Bank as its Sudetenland. All that was missing was a proper Chamberlain and conditions allowing for another Munich sellout to achieve "peace." President Bush's words, as simple as they were, are the magic ingredients necessary if there is ever to be peace between Arab and Jew in the Middle East. Unfortunately, they proved to be fleeting. No sooner than they were spoken, the Foggy Folks began to water them down. Again, no surprise here. They fought Truman over the very rebirth of Israel a half century earlier. But, to make matters worse, something even more disturbing next transpired. America's Iraq prison scandal erupted. This, added to an already increased overall level of Arab animosity surfacing regarding Iraq, the Arab-Israeli conflict, etc., led the State Department to quickly search for additional ways to appease the Arabs. Puff... Gone, apparently in an instant, was the magic of April. Both the State Department and the President himself soon made statements which basically retracted much of what Dubya had said earlier. What does this say to Israel? At the first sign of problems, its best friend, America, is willing to retract its support of what all other nations would naturally expect...the right to protect itself from an alleged "peace" that is really designed to bring about its very destruction. President Bush still has time to make this right. While I'm not an optimist by nature, perhaps he really was, after all, testing the waters this past April. One thing is certain, regardless of what's at play. If Arabs ever expect to get anything meaningful regarding that additional state, they will have to come to terms with reality and understand that others, besides themselves, also have a right to a bit of justice in the region. When they do this, they will find an Israel forthcoming in its willingness to meet them more than half way. Gerald A. Honigman is a Florida educator who has created and conducted counter-Arab propaganda programs for college youth, has lectured on numerous campuses and other platforms, and has publicly debated many Arab spokesmen. His articles and op-eds have been published in newspapers, magazines, academic journals and websites around the world. |
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HUMAN CHAIN TODAY!
Posted by Arutz-7 News, July 25, 2004. |
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Today is the day, and the excitement in many areas is palpable: An as-yet unknown number of tens of thousands of people will take part in the Human Chain for Gush Katif this afternoon. The chain will begin in the northern Gaza community of Nisanit with Yitzchak and Shlomit Shamir, two of the residents of the original Kfar Darom community of the 1940's - a reminder that Jewish settlement in Gaza did not begin only in the past 35 years. The Shamirs' granddaughter, 6-year-old Yael Better of N'vei Dekalim, will close the chain by placing a note in the Western Wall - a prayer asking the Creator to nullify the decree of expulsion of Jews from their homes in the Land of Israel. It is assumed that it will take some two hours to organize the chain - the first one in the history of the State of Israel - and people are set to begin arriving at their places, or at one of the more than 40 parking lots along the 80-kilometer route, at 5 PM. Some 1,000 volunteers will be on hand along the route, as well as hundreds of policemen, to ensure order and safety. At 6:45, with everyone hopefully in place, prayers will be held; at 7 PM, everyone will join hands and show their support for the Land of Israel and its residents, and opposition to giving up portions thereof. The Chain Task Force is busy 24 hours a day preparing the complex logistics of this initiative, as phone callers to the headquarters can verify. The Chabad Rabbinical Court, as well as Rabbis Avraham Shapira and Mordechai Eliyahu, have called on their followers to take part in the chain. The Young Israel movement - which has two synagogues in Gush Katif: in Netzer Hazani and Ganei Tal - has decided to interrupt the meeting of its national leadership scheduled for today in order for its members to take part in the Human Chain. The meeting will resume afterwards. Two large sections of the route have been reserved for total separation between men and women: near Kiryat Malachi and along Jaffa St. in Jerusalem. In addition, in order that unrelated men and women not hold hands with each other, the Chain Headquarters says that if siblings and spouses cannot be found to link each other, "lo no-ra - it's not so terrible" if people merely stand near each other and don't hold hands. Special sections will also be reserved for special groups. At the entrance to Jerusalem will stand veterans of the War of Independence; IDF disabled veterans and terror victims; former Prisoners of Zion; new immigrants; Knesset Members; reserves soldiers, and mothers of soldiers, serving in Gush Katif; Druze citizens; Professors For a Strong Israel; and people from around the country whose relatives are buried in Gush Katif. The six Knesset Members of the National Religious Party will stand together, despite the fact that two of them have quit the government. What of "holes" in the chain? Kfar Darom spokesman Asher Mivtzari says, "There won't be any - except in places where the police, for reasons of public safety, don't allow us to stand. For instance, we're supposed to stand behind barriers, but in certain spots along the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway, there aren't any barriers. But you have to understand: 800 [the number was later updated to closer to 900 - ed.] buses will be bringing people in from all over the country, and we know of thousands of cars, and many people from towns along the route, such as Kiryat Malachi, Masuot Yitzchak, Telz Stone, and many others, will simply walk to their places in the chain." At least two of Israel's three public television channels are planning to put helicopters in the air to cover the event. |
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HEAR O ISRAEL!
Posted by Anita Tucker, July 25, 2004. |
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This essay was written by Rabbi Shlomo Aviner
Hear O Israel! Today you are setting off for war. War over Gush Katif. War over the Land. War over the nation's soul. It is not a war against our brothers, but a war in favor of remaining connected to our brothers. Hence we must all enlist in the great Israeli chain to be formed on Sunday, July 25th. Perhaps our government has somewhat forgotten that its members are not those who determine our fate. Rather, they are just representatives of the nation. The government is meant to serve the people. The people are not meant to serve the government. Therefore, let it be known that we will be in the chain of July 25th. Perhaps the government has forgotten that we weren't born yesterday. Rather, we are a venerable nation who once dwelled in our land from Tiphsah even to Gaza (I Kings 5:4). We longed for our land for thousands of years, and now, through G-d's kindness, we are returning to it. This is exactly what we shall say when we form a human chain on July 25th. Perhaps the government has forgotten that this land is not its private property. Rather, it was liberated and rebuilt by us with blood and sweat. This land is not just any old real estate. Rather, it is made of iron. It is our life's blood. Therefore, we shall certainly be in the chain of July 25th. Perhaps our government is unaware that it is not they who determine history, but the people who do so. Had they learned history, they would know that a government that ignores the people cuts off the limb on which it is sitting. Even dictatorial regimes have fallen because of this, for such is the judgment of history. Therefore, we shall mention once again that the people are greater than the government and greater than the media and we shall proclaim this in a mass outcry like the voice of G-d through His prophets, when we are in the chain on July 25th. It would be very grave if the government whose task is to unite the people were unaware that it was dividing them, cutting them with a knife, causing civil war. Therefore, in order to prevent a rift in the nation, in order to stop it with our bodies, we will all be there together, and each Jew individually. We will come from all parts of the nation, religious and irreligious, Haredi and Zionist, Ashkenazim and Sephardim, Yemenites and Ethiopians, rich and poor, old and young, men and women, boys and girls. We will come from the whole breadth of the Land, the Golan Heights and Kiryat Shemoneh, Tzefat and Tiberius, Judea and Samaria and Hadera, Afula and Nazareth, Nahariah and Acre, Haifa and its suburbs, Netanya and Herzliya, Raanana and Kfar Saba, Tel Aviv and Petach Tikva, Bnei Brak and Givatayim, Ramat Gan and Rishon LeZion, Holon and Bat Yam, Rehovot and Ramle, Lod and Beer Sheba, Ashdod and Ashkelon, Ofakim and Netivot, Sederot and Kiryat Gat, Yerucham and Dimona, Eilat and Mitzpe Rimon, Arad, Jerusalem and Gush Katif. We will all be there in the chain on July 25th. Perhaps this is all happening because our government has not noticed that the locomotive of national rebirth set out from the train station already 120 years ago, and it is racing forward at high speed, charging along its route, passing one station and another. None of the petty calculations in a man's heart will be able to stop it. None of the intrigues and deceits and back-room dealings will be able to stop it. The train is traveling over mountain and through valley, by way of Aliyah and settlement, the nation and the army, as the people and land become stronger and stronger. That is what we will set out to say on July 25th, the day made by G-d. On that day, the people will have their say. They will express their message of truth and justice, faith and hope, and their message will win out. We shall all be as one man with one heart, in a great chain of 100,000 people stretching across a hundred kilometers. All of us, with one voice, shall extend from Gush Katif on the western edge of the Land, to the heart of the Land at the Western Wall facing the Temple Mount. At 6:30 PM we shall all sing HaTikva, the song of hope, the song of faith, for we shall all be in the chain on July 25th, the 7th of Av, 5764. Anita Tucker lives in Gush Katif, Gaza. She can be reached at tucker@isdn.net.il |
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LEFT OUT OF 9/11 REPORT
Posted by Moshe Brodetzky, July 23, 2004. |
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How about the mosques?
An article by Andy Newman (in the New York Times well over a year ago
said " A Farooq Mosque in Brooklyn, a six-story converted factory
trimmed in orange and gold, has been many things to many people during
its life: a mystery, a noisy neighbor, a source of suspicion, and, for
thousands of Muslims who live or work along Atlantic Avenue, the main
street of Arab Brooklyn, a place of worship. Last week, the mosque
became, not for the first time, a symbol of terror. A federal
affidavit unsealed on Tuesday describes links between the mosque,
several Brooklyn businessmen and a cleric in Yemen who, prosecutors
say, claims to have funneled more than $20 million to Al Qaeda. "They
did their fund-raising right here in our own backyard," Police
Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly said. But while Al Farooq has been the
spiritual home of some infamous men - including, briefly, the blind
Egyptian sheik eventually convicted in the 1993 World Trade Center
bombing and the man who killed Rabbi Meir Kahane in 1990 - the role of
the mosque and its members in supporting more recent terrorist
activity remains unclear.
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HEZBOLLAH'S WEST AFRICAN DIAMOND TRADE
Posted by IsrAlert, July 23, 2004. |
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This is from Middle East Intelligence Bulletin
(MEIB), which is published jointly published by the United States
Committee for a Free Lebanon and the Middle East Forum
It is archived at http://www.meib.org/articles/0407_l2.htm
It is worth reading the article in the original because it contains
direct links to articles with additional information.
lthough the Bush administration has succeeded in reducing international sources of terrorist financing since 9/11, the Lebanese Hezbollah movement is still flush with cash these days. Over the past three years, the militant Shiite organization has managed to strengthen its military apparatus, greatly augment its strategic rocket arsenal, start up Palestinian terrorist cells, and establish a presence in Iraq, while continuing to develop its extensive social welfare network in Lebanon. Iranian aid, estimated at up to $100 million per year, remains the bedrock of the Hezbollah's financing, but there is no conclusive evidence that funding from Tehran has substantially increased. While the group's illicit finance network in the Triple Frontier region of Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil has brought in tens of millions of dollars since the late 1990s, this cash flow is believed to have declined somewhat as a result of close cooperation between US and South American officials. Moreover, in the last few years US authorities have had substantial success in reducing the (much smaller) flow of Hezbollah financing from smuggling networks in the United States. However, it appears that one lucrative source of Hezbollah financing is still growing: the diamond trade in West Africa. Lebanese first arrived in West Africa around the turn of the century, fleeing dismal economic conditions and population pressures at home. The penniless, mostly Shiite, immigrants were welcomed by the British colonial authorities, who saw in their arrival an opportunity to displace local merchants in commodity trade with the African interior. Provided with loans and other incentives, the Lebanese came to dominate produce and retail trade within a few decades, breeding widespread resentment among locals. After diamonds were discovered in eastern Sierra Leone in 1930, Lebanese traders quickly gained control of this lucrative market. Lebanese merchants play a major role in the region's economy today, particularly in the Ivory Coast (home to over 100,000 Lebanese), Senegal (roughly 20,000), and Sierra Leone (roughly 6,000 today; about 30,000 prior to the outbreak of civil war in 1991), and have developed strong ties governing elites in all three countries. During the 1980s, Hezbollah developed an extensive network of operatives in West Africa.[1] However, it was much less successful than the rival Shiite Lebanese Amal movement in raising (or extorting) funds from local merchants. Amal held the upper hand because of its longer presence in the country (Amal leader Nabih Berri was born in Sierra Leone), and because religious fundamentalism has always been weak among Lebanese in West Africa. The most lucrative source of funds was the Lebanese diamond traders of Sierra Leone, the most powerful of which was Jamil Sahid Mohamed, a childhood friend of Berri. Jamil was the right-hand man of Siaka Stevens, the president of Sierra Leone from 1971 to 1985, and "acted as a kind of super-president, occasionally vetoing ministerial appointments, even reversing ministerial decisions."[2] Stevens' successor, Joseph Momoh, forced Jamil into exile and sought to cut his regime's ties to Lebanese merchants by inviting Israeli diamond traders into the country. When civil war broke out in 1991, a number of powerful Lebanese gem merchants, led by Jamil and Samih Osailly, helped the brutal Liberian-backed Revolutionary United Front (RUF) sell diamonds from mines under its control. Most, however, left the country to escape the ravages of war. Since the end of the civil war in 2002, Lebanese traders have become reestablished in Sierra Leone. In the Koidu region - the site of West Africa's richest diamond deposits and the focal point of the country's civil war - the majority of diamond buyers are Lebanese. Although most are licensed, they are also heavily involved in smuggling diamonds out of the country. According to the US embassy in Sierra Leone, around $70-100 million worth of uncut gems are illegally exported each year, comprising about 60% of the country's total diamond exports.[3] Most of this money goes to the merchants, who fix their prices, not the miners, who have no one else to sell to. Now that Jamil and other Amal-backed merchants have been sidelined, Hezbollah has had a free hand in tapping into this revenue flow. The fact that most Lebanese merchants have close family and business connections in Syrian-occupied Lebanon makes them extremely vulnerable to Hezbollah threats. "There's a lot of social pressure and extortionate pressure brought to bear: 'You had better support our cause, or we'll visit your people back home,'" explains Larry Andre, the deputy chief of mission for the US Embassy in Sierra Leone. "They're asking for contributions ... Will they use threats? Sure," says Joseph Melrose, one of Andre's predecessors.[4] Because so much of the trade is illegal, victims of Hezbollah extortion are reluctant to seek protection from the authorities. A glimpse into the scale of Hezbollah profits from the diamond trade came in December 2003, when a Union des Transports Africains (UTA) airliner loaded with Lebanese passengers crashed off the coast of Benin - on board, according to news reports and Western diplomats in Sierra Leone, was a Hezbollah courier carrying $2 million.[5] Whereas Hezbollah derives revenue in Sierra Leone primarily through extortion of Lebanese merchants, in the Congo, which has been wracked by civil war since 1998, Hezbollah operatives "muscled their way into the business" and began purchasing diamonds directly from miners and local middlemen at a fraction of their market value.[6] The highest quality stones are sold in the Belgian diamond marketing hub of Antwerp, while the bulk are sold in emerging diamond markets where the organization can operate more freely, such as Bombay and Dubai. After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, Belgian intelligence discovered that al-Qaeda had bought up to $20 million worth of diamonds from Samih Osailly, who shipped the gems from RUF-held areas of Sierra Leone through Liberia.[7] Although al-Qaeda and Hezbollah are usually mentioned in the same breath when terrorist links to the diamond trade are discussed, the two organizations have been involved in very different capacities. Al-Qaeda buys diamonds as a way of hiding money (there is no inexpensive and reliable method of tracing their source), while Hezbollah is involved to make money. In November 2002, 52 countries engaged in the diamond trade adopted an international certification regime designed to stop the flow of "conflict" diamonds into the global market. The new protocol, known as the Kimberley Process, requires that all rough diamonds passing through or into a participating country be transported in sealed containers and labeled with certificates of origin. On July 10, the Republic of Congo, which has limited diamond production but is a source of re-exported blood diamonds from Congo and the Central African Republic, was expelled from the Kimberly Process (meaning that it now cannot legitimately export diamonds). However, it is unlikely that any of the major diamond-exporting countries of West Africa will face such sanctions because the Kimberly Process lacks a regular, independent monitoring agency. According to a recent report by South Africa's Institute for Security Studies there is "no mechanism to keep a check on abuses that are carried out by, or with the complicity of, the state and its agents."[8] In light of the political strength of Lebanese merchants in Sierra Leone (which allows them not only to export diamonds freely, but also to re-export conflict diamonds purchased elsewhere in West Africa), Hezbollah's profits from the diamond trade are safe for the time being. Related Articles: Matthew Levitt, Hizbullah's African Activities Remain Undisrupted, RUSI/Jane's Homeland Security and Resilience Monitor, 1 March 2004. Notes [1] "Hezbollah Network in West Africa, Report Says," The Associated Press, 27 November 1989. [2] War and Peace in Sierra Leone: Diamonds, Corruption and the Lebanese Connection, The Diamonds and Human Security Project, 2002. [3] "Hezbollah Profiting from African Diamonds," The Associated Press, 29 June 2004. [4] "Hezbollah Profiting from African Diamonds," The Associated Press, 29 June 2004. [5] "Hezbollah Profiting from African Diamonds," The Associated Press, 29 June 2004. [6] Douglas Farah, "Digging Up Congo's Dirty Gems; Officials Say Diamond Trade Funds Radical Islamic Groups," The Washington Post, 30 December 2001. [7] Douglas Farah, "Digging Up Congo's Dirty Gems; Officials Say Diamond Trade Funds Radical Islamic Groups," The Washington Post, 30 December 2001. [8] "Lure Of 'Blood Diamonds' Brings Risk, Hardship," The Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2004. |
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DOGS CAN SAVE LIVES IN ISRAEL
Posted by , July , 2004. |
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A soldier was wounded by an Arab terrorist in Shavei Shomron. The
Arab terrorist opened fire on an IDF patrol, along the fence
surrounding Shavei Shomron, THursday night. The Arab escaped inspite
of the fact that troops returend fire in his direction.
In Lod, another soldier was stabbed by someone described as looking "like an Arab". Wednesday, another soldier was stabbed in northern Israel by an Arab Israeli terrorist. Voice of Judea Commentary: It is unthinkable that an Arab terrorist can come right up to the fence of a yishuv that houses an entire army base, sneak alongside a patrol of soldiers, shoot and wound one of them, and escape while a large group of soldiers have him in their range of fire. If every yishuv, especially those with regular patrols in vulnerable areas had one working patrol and tracking dog, these dogs could detect suspicious movement before the Arab could surprise the patrol. In fact, the element of surprise would shift in the favor of the patrol, with the dog capable of sniffing out the Arab infiltrator from a further distance than the Arab could effectively surveil the patrol. Moreover, even if the Arab succeeds in getting close to the patrol and opens fire, the dog could effectively be brought in to attack the source of fire and direct the troops to the terrorist, while helping to neutralize the terrorist at the same time. The Gedud HaIvri has offered to train local response teams to use just such canines to detect and respond to Arab terrorist threats. To find out more about signing up for canine security courses, volunteering on "settlements" to do security with canines or to help sponsor the purchase of more security dogs, please call 718 874 2057 or in Israel 054 876 709. Visit www.defendisrael.net for more information. Checks can be sent to IBF - Israel's Best Friend - C/O Internet - Moriah Street #3 Jerusalem, Israel 94386 You can subscribe to the Voice of Judea emails by sending an email to jsid@amanda.dorsai.org |
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THE HUMAN CHAIN CAN NOT BE AN ISOLATED EVENT
Posted by Carmine Monaco, July 23, 2004. |
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I'm Carmine Monaco, I write from Italy and I am a supporter of Israel.
I have been National Adviser of Italian Federation of Italy-Israel
Friendship, and I have lost my job because of this my activism (the
antisemitism is extended to friend of Israel too), but I would give my
life for Israel and for my Israelian friends. Now I am the Responsable
of the Observatory on Racisme and Antisemitism of the Lega Italiana
dei Diritti dell'Uomo. I know the Arabs and the Islam and I don't
believe in peace with Arabs; I live in Europe and I know many people
of this "democratic" Europe, and I don't believe in Europe as a
democratic union of democratic countries. I'm sure that Europe is
responsible for this situation in Middle East, maybe even more than
Russian and Arabic leadership.
But I have to ask to these people that will form the chain: what they will do after the chain? They can stay in Israel? They can serve in the IDF? They can give money and sacrifice and blood to defend the 8.000 Jews living in Gaza? If this is possible, ok!, let's go and do the chain for Gaza. But if this is not possible, we must support Ariel Sharon and his plans because there is no alternative. For Israel this is a terrible economic period, there is no job, no money, few friends, few business. We must fight with all the "civil" world just to defend the FENCE! My friends in Tel Aviv are going around in Restaurant asking for food that they give to poor people, in secret, because they respect the dignity of the persons. I want to form the chain, I'd want Gaza, I'd want Giudea and Samaria too, but I know that now this is impossible. So I say that this chain is a noble initiative but this act that can not be a isolated event: we should stay there and support Israel with all our energy and political, economical and personal resources. Israel need energy, resources, ideas and more people that want to live there, real friends of Israel, of course. My best wishes
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TWO GROUPS OF MIDDLE-EASTERN INVADERS CAUGHT IN COCHISE COUNTY IN PAST SIX WEEKS
Posted by Marcel Cousineau, July 23, 2004. |
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Don't count on the U.S.to be the vanguard against fanatical
Islam,we're almost dead in the water. Our CLUELESS Politicians are too
stupid to close the border and while they go on vacation the enemy
penetrates our porous border to attack us from within. The major media
do not touch this so as not to alarm the comfortable and spending
population. This is a news item from the Tombstone Tumbleweed of
Tombstone, Arizona and is archived at
http://www.tombstonetumbleweed.com/tombstone/default.asp#iframe1
Information officer Andy Adame, from the Border Patrol Tucson sector says, "I guarantee it's not true." However, seasoned Border Patrol field agents have shared some disturbing information with the Tumbleweed as well as other civilian sources with the hope the information will make it to the general public. The Tumbleweed has verified information that a flood of middle-eastern males have been caught entering the country illegally east of Douglas, Arizona. The increased patrols in the Huachuca Mountains area of Cochise County seem to have diverted the flow of OTM's, "other than Mexicans" east to the Chiricahua Mountains. Adame, who says many of the agents in the area are "green", questions why they would have shared the information with the Tumbleweed or any other source. "Our policy is to turn any OTM's over to the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security," Adame said in a phone call made to the Tumbleweed Wednesday morning. For reasons of National security, Adame said his agency cannot talk about the origin of nationaity, however Adame says that since October 1, 2003, the beginning of the fiscal year for Border Patrol, agents in the Tucson sector have apprehended 5,510 illegals from countries other than Mexico or other central or South American countries. Adame described them as "people from all over the world". In the last month, the Tumbleweed has confirmed at least two documented accounts of Border Patrol agents encountering large groups of non-Spanish speaking males in the Chiricahua foothills and on trails along the high mountain areas. On or about the early morning hours of June 13, 2004 Border patrol agents from the Willcox station encountered a large group of suspected illegal border crossers, estimated to be around 158, just east of the Sanders Ranch near the foothills of the Chiricauha Mountains. 71 suspected illegal aliens were apprehended; among them were 53 males of middle-eastern descent. According to a Border Patrol field agent, the men were suspected to be Iranian or possibly Syrian nationals. "One thing's for sure: these guys didn't speak Spanish and after we questioned them harder we discovered they spoke poor English with a middle-eastern accent; then we caught them speaking to each other in Arabic... this is ridiculous that we don't take this more seriously, and we're told not to say a thing to the media, but I have to," said the agent, who spoke to the Tumbleweed with the promise of anonymity. Adame confirms the groups of illegals were apprehended on those dates in the same area but stated, "There were no middle easterners in the group. Every single one of them was Mexican." The field agent stated the men were wearing the traditional uniform of migrants - baseball caps, tennis shoes, some had work boots, denim jeans and many had t-shirts with patriotic American flags and slogans. The agent added the following description "A curious thing I noticed was that they all had brand new clothing and they looked as if they had just been to the barber shop--you know--new haircuts. They were clean cut and they all had almost the exact same cut of mustaches." The information was corroborated by a local rancher in the area who reports that sightings of groups similar to these are on the rise. The rancher reports that groups of heavily armed paramilitary drug smugglers have also been seen in the same area. "We've had groups in the hundreds coming through again. They were gone for awhile but now they're back. And of course we have the drug mules again and many are carrying automatic weapons. Many other ranchers in the area have been frustrated with the lack of response from Border Patrol. After calling over and over again to the Willcox headquarters, we might get a response a few hours later. We call them in to the Border Patrol, we only have the Willcox station, and they're so darned far away. By the time they send in the helicopters these groups are long gone. I don't know how many they catch but they're coming through here heavy right now." On or about the evening of June 21, 2004, agents from the Willcox Border Patrol station apprehended 24 members of a larger group of Arabic speaking males located just east of the Pierce/Sunsites area of Cochise County. At least half of the males escaped capture and disappeared into the United States. |
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'JEWISH JERICHO' STILL BREAKING DOWN WALLS
Posted by David HaLevy, July 23, 2004. |
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When the nation of Israel entered the Land of Israel after leaving slavery in Egypt, Jericho was the first city to be conquered. Today, although among the first cities to be abandoned under the Oslo Accords, Jews are returning to Jericho. Five years ago, a civilian Jewish presence returned to the biblical boundaries of the ancient city of Jericho as Mevo'ot Yericho - Jewish Jericho - was established with permission from the administration of then-Prime Minister Ehud Barak. The community remained small, with only two couples and a few singles for the first few years, but it has grown from five to 20 families in the last ten months. Jericho is one of the most ancient cities in the world, and is also the site of the oldest synagogue in the world, known as the Shalom Al Yisrael ('Peace unto Israel') Synagogue. A yeshiva (Talmudic academy) was set up at the ancient synagogue in following the 1993 'Gaza and Jericho First' phase of the Oslo Accords. The Accords guaranteed Jewish access to holy sites, including the Jericho synagogue and Joseph's Tomb in Shechem. After the Arab destruction of Joseph's Tomb, the yeshiva was the next casualty of the 'Temple Mount War.' On Rosh HaShanah, the Jewish New Year, 2000 the ancient synagogue was burned down and Jews were banned from setting foot in the ancient holy site. Though the Oslo Accords included an explicit statement that Jews should be allowed continued access to Jewish holy sites in Jericho under Palestinian Authority rule, and even though the IDF recently re-entered Jericho to round up wanted terrorists - no Jews have been granted access to the synagogue since the Rosh HaShana riots. With the destruction of the Jewish presence inside the downtown area of Jericho, Mevo'ot Yericho (literally, 'the Gates of Jericho') became the vanguard for Jews who wished to have continued access to the holy sites of Jericho. David and Rebecca HaLevi were the fifth family to join Mevo'ot Yericho. David HaLevi spoke with INN's Ezra HaLevi (no relation), describing what life was like in 'Jewish Jericho.' "Mevo'ot Yericho encompasses thousands of acres of land," said HaLevi, "all legally belonging to the Yishuv. What's more important is that the yishuv has deliberately grown in the direction of the Al Na'aran Shul [the Shalom Al Yisrael Synagogue] - one of the oldest synagogues in the entire world. We hope that as we grow and establish our presence here more permanently that we will be able to increase 'safe' access for the entire Jewish People to this holy site. Though there are only 20 families living here, we are always hosting people who want to visit the first city conquered by the Jewish People as we entered the Land of Israel under Joshua." Asked what makes Mevo'ot Yericho unique, HaLevi - founder of K'Cholmim - said, "the yishuv [settlement] is made up of an exceptional mix of people - there are olim [immigrants] from a dozen different countries, and a cross-section of Israelis from Keshet in the Golan to Dimona in the Negev. It is located in the Plains of Jericho, where the border between the Jewish tribes of Efraim and Binyamin was, and in the shadow of the Mountains of Moab, across the Jordan, where the tribes of Gad, Reuven, and Menashe lived. This is the place where God said to Joshua at the end of the fourth chapter of the Book of Joshua: 'You should remove your shoes for the land upon which you stand is holy.' This is Jewish history in the raw, and it is important to us that it remains part of our present and future as well." Asked if there were any downsides to life in a somewhat isolated community, HaLevi replied: "There is a general perception in Israel that communities must be ideologically and religiously homogenous. As a result, the local council, which currently makes decisions for the yishuv, has rejected six families whom the actual residents of Mevo'ot Yericho would have been glad to welcome as part of the community." Asked why the families were rejected, HaLevi said: "All different reasons. This one was too 'black hat', this one was too secular, another is too into Rabbi Kahane - basically if you don't fit the mold of the folks in charge of absorption into a community, that is that. Walls have been built between Jews that need to be knocked down as though they were the walls of ancient Jericho." [Jericho was conquered by the Jewish people under Joshua by encircling the city seven times and blowing rams' horns after which the walls crumbled to the ground] HaLevi feels that a new approach must be taken in order to expand
the communities in Judea, Samaria and Gaza whose future depends
largely on their size. "One of the greatest things that the new wave
of North American Aliyah (immigration to Israel) can bring to Israel
is the paradigm of a civil society - that just because someone is
religious or secular, Chabad-Lubavitch or Hareidi-religious,
Sephardic, Ashkenazi, any shape or color, there is no reason they
can't live side by side. We came to Mevo'ot Yericho as the only olim
(immigrants) from North American and were amazed at the excitement
with which our new neighbors embraced this truth. And so even though
the bureaucratic machine hasn't yet understand our point, we hope that
as we grow stronger the necessary changes will be made from within."
David HaLevi is in the United States this summer, speaking on
behalf of Mevo'ot Yericho and the 'outposts' of Judea, Samaria and
Gaza and raising funds for a 'mikvah' (Jewish ritual bath) which would
serve as the first mikvah in the southern Jordan Valley in modern
times. HaLevi can be reach at David@kcholmim.org This article appeared today in Arutz-7 and is archived at http://israelnn.com/news.php3?id=66168 |
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INSTANT SPIRITUAL GRATIFICATION
Posted by Ruth and Nadia Matar, July 23, 2004. |
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It is a world of Arab violence, where a Jewish Judge is killed because he seemingly allowed a lien to be put on Palestinian Authority funds. It seems that the Arab Authority might be held responsible for Arab terrorist activity which destroyed Egged buses and killed innocent Israeli civilians. The Moslem approach by their Leaders and Clerics to Arab violence and inhumane killings has, in effect, encouraged the continuation of Arab terrorism in Israel and elsewhere. All you have to do is objectively examine what is occurring to the civilian populace in Israel today, and the total absence of Moslem condemnation of what the Arabs are doing there, to come to only one conclusion: The Moslems will not criticize their fellow Moslems, under any circumstances, morally, or otherwise. Certainly, asking where in the Koran it is written that permits such immoral atrocities to be committed, will not result in your receiving any satisfactory answers. Nor will you find any basis for the discriminatory practice of the Moslems on the Temple Mount. Moslems will not permit either Jews or Christians to pray there. The fact is that intolerance of other religions is basic to Moslem theology, and is strictly observed by all practicing Moslems. Other religions are assigned an inferior status wherever Moslems control any country. Even where they do not control a country such as in Israel, they practice such discrimination wherever they are able. That is why Women in Green are emphasizing this ironic aspect of the Moslem position on the Temple Mount. Where the Jewish Temples once stood, and despite the fact that the Moslems chose this site as holy because the Jews considered it holy, they are denying the right of the Jews to pray there. We do not have, unfortunately, the kind of Jewish leadership which has the necessary faith to stand up to this Moslem arrogance. Notwithstanding, the basic democratic concept of freedom of religion requires that we have the right to pray at the holiest site in Judaism. We shall moreover, insist on our right to build the Third Temple there. As we walk around the Walls of the Old City, we recall with pride the magnificent accomplishments of the Jewish People towards making this world more spiritual. Not only did this people give the concept that there is only One G-d in this Universe, but it gave to the world the Book of Books, the Bible. In that Bible, the Ten Commandments are basic requirements of minimum human behavior. We have also contributed the concept of an all seeing G-d judging our behavior, and that moral rectitude must accompany our every action. The spiritual nature of the Walk is therefore extremely important, and those who are contributing financially to make it possible are deserving of praise. Make the effort to join with us, either directly or indirectly by sponsoring a Walker. The spiritual gratification is almost instantaneous. Ruth and Nadia Matar established Women For Israel's Tomorrow (Women in Green), an activist group of women based in Jerusalem. Their website address is http://www.womeningreen.org |
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YESHA HOMESTEADS
Posted by Professor Ya'akov Golbert, July 22, 2004. |
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Four hundred dunam opposite Karnei Shomron can be bought and the Moshava started on this land that is already registered in Tabu. The adjacent land can be homesteaded and ownership registered after the land is worked. The farms where houses can be built right away are only within this 400 dunam. Houses cannot be built on the land outside this area as ownership has to be first recorded on the homesteaded land and that may be after ten years. In the meantime, you would have full use of the homestead farm and would be a registered farm that is insured. Privately owned land is also available near Kedumim and a moshava may be started in that area as well. If you are interested in buying in, please email me at Shmuel@emigrations.net and I will email you the map and aerial photo. We will schedule a YeshaHomestead meeting after Tisha B'Av. Speaking at that meeting will be young Jewish couples that moved into isolated Arab housing in Shomron and homesteding the adjacent land. If anyone wants to offer their living room for the next meeting, please let me know. |
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PROFESSORS GROUP: "PEACE NOW" INCITING TO CIVIL WAR
Posted by Bryna Berch, July 22, 2004. |
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This is a news item from Arutz-7 (http://www.IsraelNN.com). They can't
get straight what an 'unauthorized output' is. Peace Now - in the
interests of accuracy, they should change their name to 'Kill Jews
Now' - counts abandoned buses as outposts. Peace Now reminds me of
the traitor senator in The Manchurian Candidate - "there are 265
Communists in the Defense Department... There are 57 Communists in the
Defense Department."
Peace Now has once again stirred up a hornets' nest by coming out with another list of what it calls "unauthorized outposts." The extremist left-wing organization deigns to show that Israeli authorities are lying to the Americans by understating the amount of newly settled locations. Security officials say it appears that Peace Now counts even abandoned buses as "outposts." The official Defense Ministry list of outposts in Judea and Samaria includes 28 locations, of which 7 are no longer relevant. Of the remaining 21, three of them are Migron, near Psagot, with no fewer than 43 families; Givat HaRoeh opposite Eli, with 17 families; and Givat Assaf, on the junction between Beit El and Ofrah, with 14 families. The Peace Now listing is almost twice as long, and includes several that are listed as "unpopulated," some that are being used by the army, and others that are recognized neighborhoods of existing communities. One of the Peace Now "outposts" is "The Eli Coach," a container serving as a cafe, while another one is an abandoned structure on a key junction on the Jerusalem-Tapuach highway. Professors for a Strong Israel stated today, "Peace Now is a movement that denies not only Zionism, but even its own name. It talks of peace, but incites to civil war." The Yesha Council stated that, contrary to the Peace Now report, there are no new outposts near Ofrah. "We are proud of the flourishing growth of the settlement enterprise," the Council statement reads, "which succeeds despite both terrorism and the brotherly hatred of Peace Now." Two emissaries of U.S. President George Bush recently met with Defense Minister Sha'ul Mofaz on the matter of the outposts, indicating that Israel was not dismantling the outposts quickly enough. Brig.-Gen. (ret.) Baruch Spiegel met with US Ambassador Dan Kurtzer last night to come to an agreement on the exact number of outposts. Minister Mofaz ordered aerial photos be taken of Judea and Samaria every two weeks in order to monitor the situation. One of the towns on the Peace Now list - though not on the Defense Ministry list - is Kidah, east of Shvut Rachel and Shilo. It has grown recently to nine families, with four more planning to move in, and many development plans on the burner. Kidah is part of the Shvut Rachel bloc, which also includes Aish Kodesh (7 families), and Adei Ad and Givat Achiyah (close to 20 each). Asked where the families come from, a Kidah spokesman by the name of Itamar said, "Almost all of them come from other Yesha communities. That's in general how it works: Families from Yesha move to the new, pioneer communities, while families from within pre-1967 Israel move to the established communities to take their place. This way we're always advancing our lines." |
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GAZA ARABS AND EGYPTIANS
Posted by Richard H. Shulman, July 22, 2004. |
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ARAFAT'S ARABS CREATING OWN HELL The P.A. is going broke. Unofficial gunmen are taking over cities, as the official gunmen desert the security forces. Anarchy is rising, and so "life in the P.A. territories has truly become hellish." Most of the Arabs know better than to blame Israel for this, though 29% still do (Daniel Pipes, NY Sun, 7/20, p.9). The EU, UNO, and US long have been blaming Israel for Arab woes. Don't they know better? If the P.A. is going broke, it means that Arafat still is not taking graft rather than using what he has extorted to save his people. This is Israel's opportunity to get rid of the P.A. and of these Arabs. Israel should stop letting any of them work for Israelis. It should deduct from revenues usually going to the P.A., to reimbuse or compensate for unpaid services to the P.A. by Israel and Israeli civilians and for expenses caused by the P.A. war on Israel. Then it should stop transferring tax revenues altogether. The Arabs soon would leave for greener pastures. ISRAELIS STOP "UNDERSTANDING" THE ENEMY Polls in Israel show opinion shifting. A recent poll probed deeper and more reliably by asking clearer, sharper and more comprehensive questions about the fence and "understanding" the Arab enemy. Here are typical opinions about what abandonment of Gaza would cause: 51:32% Escalate P.A. motivation to fight Israelis. Probably more do, but are afraid to admit it.
Israelis see rockets fired over the fence. They can't help but realize that the fence doesn't suffice and, with the help of the Supreme Court that changed the route of the fence, actually moves the Arabs closer to Israel. They may be coming to realize that "understanding" the enemy is tantamount to acquiescing to it. It doesn't bring reciprocal enemy "understanding." Neither will concessions (Winston Mid East Analysis, 7/14, e-mail). The trouble with polls is that they are not standard. Leftists cite approval of their policy from polls that phrase questions in generalizations. For example, a poll asking whether someone is in favor of "motherhood" probably would find most are. If the poll broke down the subject, so that one question was, "motherhood by drug addicts," most probably would be against. WHAT WOULD AN EGYPTIAN PRESENCE IN GAZA MEAN? Known as PM Sharon's sycophant, Uri Dan rebuked his idol for having forgotten what Egypt is like. Mr. Dan surmises that Egypt may use its presence in Gaza, if invited as PM Sharon would like to do, to spy on Israel. After all, Egypt's envoy to the P.A. on refurbishing the P.A. military is Egypt's intelligence chief. Egyptian intelligence already has been "extracting information from talkative Israelis. Dan is skeptical that the trained P.A. military would block terrorism (IMRA, 7/18). He just is skeptical? What does he think the PLO lives for? Is he stuck back in the Oslo days when Israelis wanted to believe that the PLO had reformed and only Hamas and Islamic Jihad remained terrorist? The news is full of attacks by P.A. and PLO troops, exceeding those of the others. Israelis need to observe more and talk less. HAS THE U.S. MADE ISRAELI PEACE POSSIBLE? It has, to an extent, wrote David Twirsky. The US: (1) Overthrew the Saddam regime; (2) Will keep enough forces "in the region to fight terrorist regimes and unconventional weapons;" (3) Intimidated Libya to cooperate; (4) Likewise, got Iran to allow unclear inspection; and (5) Got Syria to offer to negotiate peace (American Jewish Congress "Congress Monthly, March 04, p.3). All wishful thinking. It would be surprising if any of this pans out. (1) Yes, the US overthrew the regime in Iraq. The new one remains hostile to Israel. It is going to rebuild its army, to what extent is unclear. We have to wait and see. We should not base policy on what we hope Iraq will do. (2) There is no indication that the US regime will carry the war on terrorism any further, if that regime is even given further tenure. The US is promoting terrorism by subsidizing the terrorist P.A. and promoting its aggrandizement at the expense of secure borders for Israel. The US is building up some unstable Arab armed forces, including those of chief terrorism sponsor S. Arabia and of imperialist Egypt. The US has pared down and spread out its armed forces so dangerously, that it repeatedly recalls the same reservists to fight in the small-scale Iraqi theater, reservists who are not likely to reenlist. (3) Ghadaffi claims he is standing down his nuclear development. Does his claiming so make it so? Why give a terrorist the benefit of the doubt? Why credit the Bush Administration for mere a possibility? Wait and see; watch and be suspicious; praise when fulfilled. (4) Iran repeatedly deceived inspectors. There is no basis for believing the promises now of those proven liars. (5) Syria offered to negotiate, but it does not offer peace. Arabs don't. They offer truces. To make concessions to them, which is what they want to dicker over, when in fact they consider the arrangement an interlude between wars, is to negotiate not peace but one's eventual downfall. Indeed, Syria is demanding the strategic Golan Heights (and water reserve) from which it used to bombard Israel and invade. The Golan is part of the Jewish homeland, now incorporated into the Jewish state. There is no reason to proffer the Heights to the artificial state known as Syria. The obvious clue to Syria's intentions is that its demand includes a small area it once seized from Israel and which would give it rights to draw from Israel's chief water reservoir. This issue exposes the problem with our Presidential candidates on terrorism. Sen. Kerry wants to work with other countries and the UNO. Are those others reliable? They are reliably hostile to the US and to anti-terrorism. Thus Sen. Kerry favors a failed policy. Pres. Bush took a half step and made great speeches. Then he rested on those laurels. His fellow "conservatives" praise him regardless of his being inconsistent with those speeches. People give him credit for what they think he means to do. However, he is not doing anything more. He may be somewhat intimidated by the partisan cries against his policy. The State Dept. deflected anything positive he said about Israel and the best he said still would leave Israel with vulnerable borders and the Arabs seemingly entitled to something from Israel. THE PEACE PROCESS IN GAZA In Gaza, Arabs train boys how to kill Israelis, civilian and military (IMRA, 7/13). Perhaps Pres. Bush should say that Islam "ought to be a religion of peace" but the P.A. it isn't. Richard 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. |
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BODANSKY'S REVELATIONS: PART II
Posted by Marcel Cousineau, July 22, 2004. |
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This was written by
Professor Paul Eidelberg.
Throughout 2002 and before it launched its attack on Iraq in March 2003, the United States sought to gain the cooperation of various Arab regimes. The attempt was futile and revealed the ignorance of the Bush administration even as regards seemingly pro-American Arab states. The elimination of Saddam Hussein could not but pose a threat to the autocratic nature of these states. Besides, and as Bodansky points out, "For the Saudis, any semblance of cooperating with the United States in the occupation and destruction of Baghdad - regardless of the fact that they hated Saddam Hussein - was sacrilegious" (p. 62). Moreover, U.S. occupation of oil-rich Iraq and the establishment of a pro-American Iraqi government would undermine Saudi influence and importance in Washington. This also applies to Egypt, a key player in the Middle East. Despite these obvious facts, the Bush administration, while preparing for "Operation Iraqi Freedom," insisted that Israel maintain a "low profile" and act with restraint vis-a-vis Arafat's Palestinian Authority. To placate Washington, prime minister Ariel Sharon, on September 29, instructed the Israel Defense Forces to comply with American requests to ease the siege of Arafat, and to withdraw from Arafat's compound in Ramallah. Even more significant, Sharon bowed to Washington, at Israel's expense, by not exposing Arafat's connection with Saddam Hussein. "It is impossible to say no to our big friend [the United States]," Sharon told the newspaper Yediot Aharanot. But this is precisely what Arabs states were saying to Washington, including Egypt, which receives two billion dollars each year in U.S. military aid. In November, Cairo said no even to "Washington's request for special security measures in the Suez Canal during the passage of navy warships on their way to the Persian Gulf" (p. 62). While receiving nothing from Egypt, the U.S. received crucial intelligence about Iraq from Israel. Yet Washington expected Israel not to become involved in any military campaign to topple Saddam, regardless of any sort of attack on the Jewish state. It mattered not to the administration that Israel had documentary evidence that Iraq was directly responsible for Palestinian terrorism. The evidence showed that Saddam and Arafat, acting in collusion, ordered suicide bombings in Israel to distract Washington from its war plans against Saddam's regime. Nevertheless, Washington applied constant pressure on Jerusalem to make concessions to Arafat, and warned Sharon not to do anything once the war started "even if Iraq launched missiles at the tiny state"! Jews were expected to bleed for their big American friend. And bleed they did. Some 130 Jews had to be murdered by Palestinian terrorists in March 2002 before Prime Minister Sharon screwed up enough courage to launch "Operation Defensive Shield." Moreover, the operation was terminated before the IDF could completely destroy the weapon factories in Jenin, the venue for suicide bombers. Jews had to be reduced to body parts to placate the United States, or rather, to preserve Ariel Sharon's "friendly" relations with George W. Bush. Here, a slight digression. While Israel dutifully supplied the U.S. with intelligence about Iraq - intelligence that would save American lives - Jonathan Pollard languishes in prison for having (illegally) supplied Israel with such intelligence, but which Washington withheld in violation of the Strategic Cooperation Agreement between the two countries. Jewish blood is cheaper than American blood - or so we must conclude not only from Washington's attitude toward Israel, but also from the submissive attitude of Israel's prime minister, Ariel Sharon. After a mid-October meeting with Bush who called Sharon a "close friend" and affirmed Israel's right to self-defense, "Sharon came out of the Oval Office," writes Bodansky, "deeply insulted and personally hurt when, at the last minute, a six-page 'position paper on the future of the Middle East that included veiled threats to Jerusalem was stuffed into his hand." Bodansky goes on to say: Sharon had not expected "his friend" Bush to sandbag him, especially in light of Sharon's close cooperation with America, even at the cost of Israeli lives. Despite Sharon's indignity, Israel made unilateral concessions to the Palestinians that enabled greater movement to would-be martyrs and bomb-makers. As a result, Israeli citizens suffered some of the most lethal strikes in recent memory, including, on the morning of Sharon's meeting with Bush, a bus bombing in which fourteen civilians were killed and close to fifty wounded (p. 65). Some critics will say - and rightly say - Israel desperately needs a prime minister that can say no to Washington and uphold Israel's interests. But has the Knesset nothing to say in this matter? Isn't the Knesset also responsible for the well-being of the Jewish people? And if the Knesset lacks the power to constraint the prime minister, must there not be some deadly flaw in Israel's system of government? |
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DO NOT LET JEWISH HISTORY BE ERASED! DO NOT LET JEWISH GRAVES BE DESECRATED!
Posted by Ruth Matar, July 22, 2004. |
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The other day I turned on the radio and I heard Ariel Sharon say in his heavily accented English: "The Disengagement Plan is the most important item on our agenda, AND WITH G-D'S HELP WE SHALL SUCCEED!" What incredible chutzpah! Sharon well knows that the Almighty promised His Holy Land to the Jewish People. This Promise certainly includes Judea, Samaria and Gaza! He can't really seriously be calling for G-d's help. Does he not realize that G-d does not change his Word? Sharon might be justified in calling on his newly found godless cronies - Shimon Peres, Yossi Sarid, Tommy Lapid, et al - to come and help him. Sharon's statement is the height of attempted obfuscation bordering on blasphemy. Ok, let's again make this clear once and for all! Gaza is Jewish land promised by Hashem in the Bible as an everlasting inheritance; it was in fact apportioned to the Tribe of Judah (Joshua 15:47 and Judges 1:18) as part of Israel's eternal patrimony. A few examples of the Jewish presence in Gaza since Biblical times:
Most physical evidence of the Jewish presence in Gaza since Biblical times has been deliberately erased by the Arabs, especially at the time of the first Intifada (1987-1993). The Arabs feel that if they erase such physical evidence, they will be able to convince the world of their Big Lie, that they are the original inhabitants of the Holy Land. Rabbi Najara was not only the Rabbi of Gaza, but he was also a famous poet. The following is a translation of one of his most well-known poems "Yoh Ribbon Olam ve-Allemayya", a poem that appears in the Jewish prayer book, and is sung every Sabbath: "Lord of all worlds! All Your creatures praise You. Even if we lived a thousand years, we could not recount the extent of Your greatness. God, save Your people from their exile and rebuild the Temple, and there, in Jerusalem, we will really be able to sing to You!" The poetry of Rabbi Najara is beautiful, inspiring and a tribute to Hashem. But poetry can also be vile, inciteful and a call to terror and violence. One of the most famous Arabs poets today is Mahmoud Darwish, whose poems deal mainly with the Arabs Jewish conflict. (By the way, Yossi Sarid who was Minister of Education under Prime Minister Ehud Barak, made the incredible demand that the poetry of Darwish become part of the curriculum for Jewish children.) The following are lines from one of Darwish's most popular poems: "DIG UP YOUR DEAD Desecration of Jewish graves occurred already while Ehud Barak was Prime Minister. Ehud Barak allowed the burning and vandalizing of graves such as the Tombs of Joseph and Joshua in Samaria, and Jewish graves in Hebron. Now, shamefully, Prime Minister Sharon is planning to make Mahmoud Darwish's poem even more of a reality. Shame on you Ariel Sharon! Would you even contemplate digging up the bones of your beloved wife Lilly? Or of your son who died at a young age? The widely accepted and most important code of Jewish law, The Shulchan Aruch, states as follows (Yoreh Dea, 363:1): "You are not allowed to remove the dead and the bones, not from a respectful grave to a respectful grave, not from a disrespectful grave to a disrespectful grave, and not from a disrespectful grave to a respectful one. (It goes without saying that it is not allowed to remove from a respectful grave to a disrespectful one.) The only cases where transfer of the dead would be allowed are if it was the will of the deceased, or if the remains are being transferred to Israel." Member of Knesset Gila Finkelstein of the National Religious Party delivered a speech in the Knesset on July 7, 2004, which dealt with the human suffering of Sharon's Disengagement Plan: "The subject we are dealing with is very painful, perhaps the most painful in the history of the State of Israel: the uprooting of thousands of Jews from their homes and the land on which they built their lives and families over the course of decades. How symbolic it is that this session is taking place as we begin the 'Three Weeks' mourning period during which we grieve over the Destruction of the Temple and the onset of the Exile... "Fellow Knesset Members, it is only natural that a tense argument also rages around the question of who will carry out this dreadful evacuation [- the police, or the army]? Who will be the ones to enter the homes and remove their inhabitants? "Who will lift up the three Cohen family children - those heroic youngsters from Kfar Darom who lost legs [in a murderous Palestinian terror attack on a school bus - ed.] - and take them out of their house, the house to which they returned after the attack when they made a courageous decision to show that terrorism had not won? "Who will knock on the door of Chana Bart - that gentle but determined woman who defeated terrorism, who managed to give birth even after she was so seriously wounded - and ask her to wheel herself over in her wheelchair to the special bus waiting for her outside? "Who will help David Hatuel [whose pregnant wife and four children were murdered by Palestinian terrorists] to fold up all his memories into his suitcases? And who will pile on to the evacuation trucks all those men, women and children, our brothers and sisters, the flesh of our flesh? This will be an impossible psychological burden, one that is liable, Heaven forbid, to be the lot of both the evacuees and the evacuators! "I shake as I imagine the unit that will come to remove the dead from their graves, including the victims of murderous Arab terrorism. On whom is it possible to place such a terrible mission, accompanied by its psychological tensions and eternal scars? "I'm unable to find an answer to this question: On whom can the mission of emptying the homes be placed? Of taking the pictures down from the walls, and of removing the mezuzuot from the doorposts? What about the Torah scrolls and the synagogues? Who will make the final check to ensure that nothing was left behind, before the bulldozers come in and turn the life and vitality that was there into a pile of ruins? "The Defense Minister says that the soldiers are unable to bear such a burden. He is right! The job of IDF soldiers is to wage war against the country's enemies, and to maintain security and peace for Israel's citizens. How can we give them the job of evacuating and removing pioneer settlers? "The Minister of Public Security declares: The police are also unable to bear this load. And he too is right! Policemen are not made of different human material than anyone else. They too will not be able to withstand the emotional and psychological pressure. "Both of them are right! Because neither the soldiers, nor the police, nor any Israeli could stand up to this job without having its sights and sound pursuing him for the rest of his life! "I have been informed that a special unit is being established for this evacuation mission. The hidden and not-hidden assumption is that if we train a special force, and provide it with 'mental preparation,' and guide and train it for a few months - in the end, this unit will be able to carry out this mission without batting an eyelash. These soldiers or police will be able to separate absolutely between their emotions and the beliefs on which they were raised, and the mission they must carry out. "To this naive and problematic idea, I say the following, as one who has been involved in education for many years: "Do not destroy the souls of our youth! Don't destroy the souls of our soldiers and our policemen, don't try to turn them into unfeeling robots, and don't teach them how to evacuate Jews from their homes without emotion. If you do this, you will destroy their souls from within - the souls of the soldiers and policemen, and the soul of the entire society. "I am sure that my words are not foreign to those on the Left. They have said... countless times, 'The occupation corrupts.'... I would like to say, 'The expulsion corrupts,' at least to the same extent, if not more. "Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I propose that the task of evacuating the residents be placed neither on the police nor on the soldiers. It should instead be buried altogether." *** The Jews of Gaza have been targeted by more than 4,200 Palestinian rockets and mortar shells in the past four years. They have been demonized and delegitimized by the media, disparaged by the left, and threatened with expulsion by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Despite the threat of withdrawal hanging over their heads, it turns out that in the first six months of 2004, the number of Jews living in Gaza actually soared, growing at a rate three times faster than last year. (By the way, Sharon has made it clear that anybody who moves to Gaza now, will not be compensated.) I firmly believe that, as long as we remain confident in Hashem and the justness of our cause, no power in the world can dislodge us from our Land, our Biblical patrimony. As Menachem Begin noted in his book "The Revolt", "FAITH IS PERHAPS STRONGER THAN REALITY, FOR FAITH ITSELF CREATES REALITY." With Blessings and Love for Israel,
Ruth and Nadia Matar established Women For Israel's Tomorrow (Women in Green), an activist group of women based in Jerusalem. Their website address is http://www.womeningreen.org |
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THE DISENGAGEMENT PLAN
Posted by Yrachmiel Elias, July 22, 2004. |
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This was on Radio Free Israel.
It is by Uzi Benziman.
In two weeks, the Prime Minister's Office will hold a press conference in which it will announce the initial implementation of the disengagement plan. The movement toward disengagement is being felt only to a limited extent in the area in question: There is no palpable new activity that heralds the onset of the evacuation or the relocation of infrastructure. The Israel Defense Forces are still deployed as before. The settlers feel the influence of an impending disengagement only in terms of government funding: they are met with delay and refusal when they try to take advantage of a mortgage, and they are prevented from entering empty apartments. Their leadership is aware of written instructions from the head of the Prime Minister's Office to other ministries, demanding that they cease investment in the Gaza Strip. Professionals who have been appointed to implement the disengagement are stuck in a cloud of uncertainty: On the one hand, they are under the impression that the prime minister is determined to turn intention into action; on the other hand, they are not sure that disengagement will be the result. Their deliberation and decisions reflect this uncertainty. They must prepare the practical structure to implement the plan, while simultaneously avoiding steps that will create irreversible facts. They ask themselves what their situation will be if the evacuation is ultimately not carried out. Practical preparations of many important elements of the disengagement plan are already complete. These are elements that could, in fact, make the government's intention to implement the plan a reality. Yet, despite this, the disengagement has not been launched, for lack of an order by Sharon. The moment of truth Apparently, when the moment of truth is at hand, responsible parties are reluctant to push the button. The prime minister has avoided ordering the IDF to start the necessary preparation of military infrastructure to facilitate a move from Gaza to areas inside the Green Line, Israel's pre-1967 borders. Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz and Public Security Minister Tzachi Hanegbi have each charged the other with responsibility for maintaining order during the evacuation. National Security Council chief Giora Eiland is anxiously awaiting the moment when responsibility for implementing the plan is taken from him and handed to the head of the Disengagement Administration, who is yet to be appointed. Those who are translating the plan into a language of action project pessimism regarding their ability to carry out the plan at all, and certainly within the time frame defined by the government. This mood apparently explains the complacency of settlers. According to the settlers' Yesha Council, settlement residents are busy planning poolside vacations rather than making preparations to overturn the disengagement plan. From the vantage point of the defense establishment, preparations to redeploy the IDF following the evacuation of Gaza and four settlements in northern Samaria are complete. If an order comes from the political echelon, the IDF can redeploy its forces tomorrow. In any case, in order to complete the mission according to the government's deadline of the end of next year, the IDF and the Defense Ministry must begin working in the coming weeks. They need to establish alternative sites, within the Green Line, for military camps and bases. The IDF estimates that NIS 1.5 billion will be required to cover the cost of the evacuation. They have yet to receive one shekel of this sum from the treasury. Other aspects of the disengagement are preoccupying the defense forces: formulating principles of conduct regarding treatment of Palestinians and settlers during the evacuation, should the IDF be charged with the task; the approach to fighting terror on the "morning after"; how to maintain a presence on the Philadelphi Route following withdrawal; how to meet intelligence needs in the new reality created by the evacuation; how to approach negotiations with Egypt. The defense establishment is recommending that settlers already be offered advance compensation if they volunteer to leave, in order to trim the size of the population expected to forcibly resist evacuation. Despite the government's postponement of the decision to implement the first stage of the withdrawal to March 2005, the defense establishment stresses that, in order to prepare infrastructure to implement such a decision, they must begin to establish that infrastructure now. The National Security Council foresees heavy obstacles on the way to implementation of the disengagement plan. According to one of the council's members, "a land mine" which could explode and ruin everything is planted in every aspect of activity that has to do with implementation of the plan. The council points to political, societal, defense, administrative and international factors that could ambush the prime minister on his way to implementing his initiative. In the political arena, Sharon is presently suffering from the lack of the stable majority that is necessary to approve the bill regarding the implementation of the plan, and to get the government in motion to make decisions vital to implementation. In the societal sphere, broad grassroots resistance to the plan could prevent its realization. In the security plane, Palestinian terror organizations are making every effort to confound the withdrawal, in order to portray it as an escape under fire. Palestinian efforts could intensify violent aspects of the conflict, creating circumstances that would prevent disengagement. On the administrative front, arguments about who will bankroll the plan's implementation continue to crop up between the treasury and the Defense Ministry, revealing anew the extent to which each office views events from its own narrow vantage point. In the international arena, pressure is being felt to attach to the withdrawal from Gaza an Israeli obligation to withdraw from other territories in the West Bank, and to relinquish the unilateral element of the initiative. The Administrative Committee, led by Justice Ministry Director General Aharon Abramowitz, has announced that, if the government's disengagement decision were more concrete and detailed, the committee could accelerate the establishment of the practical framework in order to make it a reality. The committee's role is to translate the intentions of the civilian evacuation from northern Samaria and Gaza into practical language. Committee members are convinced that they are partners in an intense effort to make real the sincere intentions of the prime minister. So far, the committee has formulated the rules for the evacuation of settlements and the compensation of residents, and has proposed alternatives to meet their employment and residential needs. The bottleneck to progress is the establishment of alternative settlement sites for individuals willing to voluntarily evacuate current settlements. It is impossible, within a year and a half, to build settlements inside the Green Line. An effort must be made to find transitional solutions that are acceptable to the evacuees. The first implementation proposed by the committee is the compensation of factory owners in the Erez industrial zone. Gaza settlers who are evacuated voluntarily will, apparently, also receive advance compensation. Despite that, committee members believe that decreasing the number of settlers will not diminish the expected clash with those who resist evacuation. They do not expect the private compensation system to lead to abandonment of entire settlements before the day of reckoning. Committee members ask themselves how they can distribute advances before they have been approved by the government, and before the Knesset has established principles of compensation. They wonder if this will not inevitably lead to complications in the country, but allow that uncertainty is the coin of the realm in this process. Even after the Erez industrial zone is evacuated and settlers are offered their advances, the question of whether or not these steps will assure the implementation of the disengagement will continue to hover. The Finance Ministry rejects claims that it is delaying implementation of the plan. It says it has yet to receive, from the defense establishment or others, an orderly request of any sort for an additional budget to finance the disengagement. The prime minister did declare last week that the national budget would account for the increased cost of implementing his initiative. However, the treasury assumes he meant the 2005 budget, and not this year's ongoing budget. In any case, if the decision is made to evacuate the Erez industrial zone now, and even if monetary advances are offered to Gaza settlers willing to evacuate, the treasury will provide the compensation, in accordance with principles outlined by the Administrative Committee. These principles include compensation for the loss of a place of residence, work place, agricultural land, moving costs, the cost of vocational counseling, etc. The bottom line: Every agency that deals with translating the disengagement plan into practical language says the timing of the actual implementation depends more on a decision by the political echelon than on technical difficulties. Commentary: Ya'acov Golbert - Legal Council, Radio Free Israel: Fascinating. Sharon seems to be planning to take the costs out of the Defense budget. There is no need to discuss the intents of the unJews from Oslo onwards and to date. The Oslo partnership never keyed on peace but used the word to combine efforts by them and their "partners" to destroy Jewish Heritage and those living by that. Dr. Yehuda Tzoref: The gist of Uzi Benziman's article, as far as we are concerned, lies in the sentence: "In the societal sphere, broad grassroots resistance to the plan could prevent its realization." So, even a henchman of disengagement admits the power of grassroots campaign.Yrachmiel ben Menachem Mendel Elias is with Radio Free Israel (http://www.radiofreeisrael.com). "Radio Free Israel is the only voice of pure truth broadcasting to the Jewish People world-wide over the internet." |
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OK TO KILL JEWS? AND OTHER ITEMS
Posted by Voice of Judea, July 22, 2004. |
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1- ROCKETS FLY HIGHER THAN FENCES A rocket fired from Gaza landed this morning in a room in which were sleeping a mother and two children - and no one was hurt. Voice of Judea Commentary: Hmmm. How exactly will Sharon by running away from Gaza, and building a "security" fence stop Kassam missiles from falling in the Negev or in Petach Tiqwa and Kfar Saba? The wall won't stop infiltrators and certainly won't stop rockets and missiles. The more Israel withdraws, the more chaos and violence will overtake the areas they vacate. 2- Iran nukes loom Israeli intelligence believes Iran will have nuclear weapons by 2007. The projection was made by intelligence chiefs in a report to government ministers in Jerusalem on Wednesday, Israel Radio said. Recent U.S. assessments have predicted Irans atomic program will produce nuclear arms by the end of the decade. In their report, intelligence chiefs also warned that missiles held by Syria and Hezbollah posed a serious threat to Israel. Voice of Judea Commentary: Time to take out Iran's reactors. The Iran nuclear threat supported by the conventional threats comprised by the Hizbullah, Syria and Egypt could make a simultaneous assault on Israel a very problematic scenario for the survival of the Jewish state. 3- Group: Israel should avoid Iran An Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear facilities would adversely affect U.S. interests, according to an influential U.S. think tank. JTA Voice of Judea Commentary: That which is perceived to be good for America might be catastrophic for Israel. Israel needs to do that which is best for Israel. Every INDEPENDENT and sovereign nation is entitled to act in their own best interests. Naturally, an Israeli attack on Iran would be fantastic not only for Israel but also for the United States, just as Israel's raid on Iraq's nuclear reactors saved countless Israeli and American lives. One more reason to demand the release of Jonathan Pollard, the man who most facilitated Israel's ability to destroy Iraq's nuclear capability. Time to make "Havdalah" over Iran and to free Pollard. What's the connection? It is simple. If America was so kind to Israel they would not object to Israel taking steps to secure her survival. If America was so pro-Israel, they also would have released Jonathan Pollard long, long ago. He has received the harshest sentence in American history for a spy who handed vital classified information to an ally. 4- MAARIV: MUSLIMS TAKING OVER THE WORLD? Maariv July 20 ran an article detailing the rapid growth of the Muslim population throughout the world, particularly in Europe, and about the logistical support being offered to Arab and Islamic terrorists by young European-born Muslims. Voice of Judea Commentary: Another good reason for Jews to get out of Europe and for Israel to disregard European public opinion. 5- WHO WANTS WHO DEAD? In his testimony before the Israeli Knesset Foreign and Defense Committee, Tuesday, Avi Dichter, Israel's Shin Bet Head warned about a risk to Sharon's safety posed by the "extreme right" in Israel, and warned also of the radicalization of Israeli Arabs who are more openly supporting extremist Islamic terrorist movements. Today, another Israeli Arab was apprehended after seriously stabbing an Israeli soldier, at the Golani intersection. Voice of Judea Commentary: Are these fears founded? As for the radicalization of Israeli Arabs - This is no secret. Every day, Arab Israelis are being caught and charged for their role in terrorist attacks. This problem needs to be addressed by Israel immediately. The only way Israel could maintain domestic security and neutralize the threat of local Israeli Arabs killing Jews, is by removing hostile Arab elements from the land of Israel. Israel will need to decide if they will allow the majority of Jews to dictate policy and if the Jewish character of the state and the survival of Israel as a Jewish state are more important than the conceived values of a pure western style democracy. According to recent polls, such as the one released last month from Haifa University, a significant majority of Israelis support the removal of the Arabs from Israel. Will a majority of Jews and the survival of the Jewish state be good enough reasons for Israel's leaders to consider such a move, or will they continue to avoid the painful issue? As for the alleged allegations that right-wing "extremists" want Sharon dead. If Dichter had any evidence of such a conspiracy he would have arrested the culprits long ago. This is nothing more than scare tactics aimed at demonizing the right. The only evidence Dichter was able to provide was, hold on to your hats, testimony against a 15 year old boy who banged on the window of a car being driven by a soldier who participated in the dismantling of the Tapuach West synagogue. When Dichter speaks of Arab Israelis posing a threat he has hundreds of cases of very real terrorism to speak of. When he speaks of dangerous Jewish radicals he substantiates his outlandish claims with absolute nonsense. In the meantime, Sharon continues to thin out the troops in and around "settlements" and to disarm many "settlers". While the Knesset recently agreed to allocate millions for "settlement" security, a new clause calls for a complete ban on funds for the security of new hilltops. Sharon promised the Americans that immediate and concrete action would be taken to tear down Jewish hilltops in Judea and Samaria. Is abandoning the "settlers" who live on the hills and disarming those who live on the most vulnerable hills, the type of effective action Sharon is taking to guarantee these hills will become Judenrein? Is he counting on the Jews running away after the first couple of massacres occur? Who wants who dead? 6- OK TO KILL ORDINARY JEWS? (IsraelNN.com) Supreme Court Justice Michael Heshin today requested the army define immediate military needs in association with a petition filed against the IDF by the Adallah human rights organization, seeking to prevent the demolition of ten buildings in southern Rafiah. The IDF told the court the demolitions are to satisfy immediate military needs. Judge Heshin issued a temporary order prohibiting the razing of the buildings pending the outcome of the legal proceeding. Voice of Judea Commentary: Today's and yesterday's newspapers are full of harsh statements made by fellow judges demanding justice, and that no rock be unturned in the investigation into the murder of Tel Aviv District Court Justice Adi Azar outside his home, Monday. There was never such an outcry by judges against the murder of innocent Jews in Israel. In fact, many blame Israel's ultra-liberal, pro-Arab judiciary for "encouraging Arab terrorism" with the restrictions and obstacles they place in the way of the IDF's war against terror and their harsh sentences against the rare cases of Jewish avengers. Judges who do not shop in the open markets and who do not ride on terror stricken buses, and who have bodyguards, should not have the right to determine alone, where the line should be drawn in balancing "democratic rights" and security needs. Recent reports are indicating that the murder of Azar may have had personal motives. Regardless, one is left with a bad taste. Almost as if the murder of regular ordinary Jews is not so bad. We will feel more comfortable with judges placing restrictions on the IDF, when we see them take a real stand on behalf of ordinary victims. We will feel more comfortable riding buses and shopping in public places when we see the judges and politicians sitting next to us, just like the regular, ordinary victims who are sentenced to suffer the consequences of their pro-Arab verdicts. 7- ARAB TOUGH GUYS - NOT SO TOUGH AFTER ALL Today's Maariv ran a small piece about wanted Arab terrorists in Shechem who are willing to promise to be "good terrorists" and to stop plotting attacks against Israel, if Israel will stop hunting them down. Voice of Judea Commentary: Well, so much for all of the nonsense about how assassinating Arab terrorists will only make them more angry and get them to kill more Jews. More importantly, we learn once again that the terrorist leaders who send their disciples out to murder Jews with the promise that they will inherit 70 virgins in heaven, are in fact, the cowards that we always knew them to be. In a sick and twisted oped piece written in today's Maariv, Amit Cohen places the blame on Israel for the Hizbullah murder of the two IDF soldiers in Northern Israel, yesterday. "Whoever gave the orders to kill the Hizbullah terrorist in Lebanon yesterday could have expected..." Cohen goes on to draw a distinction between the assassination of terrorist leaders in Judea and Samaria with the assassination of terrorist leaders in Lebanon. Cohen concedes that such assassinations in Judea and Samaria are effective, but that in Lebanon it won't work. Ironically, even the Americans admitted that Israel's assassination policy in Judea and Samaria has effectively reduced terror. Cohen and the Americans can no longer deny the fact that the Israeli assassinations in Judea and Samaria have drastically hurt the terrorist infrastructure there and drastically reduced the amount of terrorist attacks. How nice of them to now admit the obvious! We are not completely senile. We remember how they blasted Israel over recent years. Surely, they don't expect us to take them seriously now as they try and prevent Israel from taking necessary action in Lebanon to eliminate mass murderers. It is simple: killing those who wish to kill you, strengthens your chances of survival. Allowing mass murderers to operate with impunity and without fear is very dangerous for the health of those who they wish to annihilate. Even Cohen's acrobatic pen can not magically make terrorists disappear by offering them long life and immunity. You can subscribe to the Voice of Judea emails by sending an email to jsid@amanda.dorsai.org |
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MY VISIT WITH JONATHAN POLLARD
Posted by Shmuel Sackett, July 21, 2004. |
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Moshe Feiglin and I visited Jonathan Pollard in prison.
It's not every day you spend with 2 1/2 hours with a Jewish hero and a true Eishet Chayil. It's even less frequent to meet people whose love of our Nation, Land and G-d knows no bounds. I don't know what I did in life to merit this meeting but I thank G-d for the opportunity He gave me - and my best friend Moshe Feiglin - for making a dream become a reality. Last week, (25 Tammuz / July 14th) Moshe and I traveled to Butner, North Carolina to spend time with Jonathan and Esther Pollard. The visit was arranged by the Israeli Consulate in Atlanta, and facilitated by Rabbi Pesach Lerner, Executive VP of the National Council of Young Israel, whom Jonathan refers to as his "brother". Rabbi Lerner is very outspoken on behalf of Jonathan Pollard and always ready to help him - 24 hours a day. In today's world of apathetic, timid and scared Jewish leaders it's a pleasure to know that someone like Rabbi Lerner is defying this trend by taking a stand, unafraid to defy the establishment on behalf of a Jew who many would love to forget. Butner, North Carolina is typical of "middle America". Winding country roads, houses separated by corn-fields and not a soul to be seen. After driving through this town - which appears to have missed the technology revolution -we came upon a wide building surrounded by several concentric layers of barbed wire fencing. Suddenly, the peaceful, serene feeling left me and one of imprisonment and bondage took its place. Welcome to the Federal Correctional Institute at Butner, where - as the famous song goes - "you can check in any time you want... but you can never leave." Moshe and I were accompanied on our visit by Rabbi Lerner, Aviv Ezra (Israel's Deputy Consul General in Atlanta) plus an official "observer" from the US Intelligence community. The first thing Jonathan said to me was, "Please thank your son, Gabi, for his wonderful letters. I am not allowed to write back so people mistakenly think I never received them. Please tell him - and everyone else - that I get each letter, read and enjoy every word and sincerely appreciate the fact that people take time out of their busy schedules to write to me." Later that day I told this to my son and he was ecstatic! "Jonathan Pollard reads my letters and even remembers my name! I'm going to tell more people to write him as well." (Note: Please see the end of this article for Jonathan's contact information). Prior to this meeting I read a lot about Jonathan Pollard. I've followed the case since its beginning, read hundreds of articles, talked to many people and now I had the tremendous "zechus" (merit) to meet Jonathan himself. It's a terrible shame that much of what is being written and said is simply false...a 100% lie. Allow me to list the facts, including Jonathan's own 3-point plan for his release: Fact #1) Jonathan Pollard is a brilliant man. His mind is clear, he is focused and he knows exactly what he wants. His love of Jews is infinite and his love of the Land of Israel is second to none. He is deeply religious and is connected to our Father in Heaven as no man I have ever seen. Jonathan knows about all the people who have double-crossed him and all the promises that have been broken. Yet, despite all this he remains totally sane and optimistic about the future. Most men would have cracked long ago but not Jonathan. No sir!!! He is happy, emotionally strong, confident and psychologically fit. His truth and faith in G-d is unquestionable and my personal "Yirat Shamayim" (awe of Heaven) is pale when compared to his. Fact #2) Esther Pollard is an incredible person. She has given up her own life to work towards the release of her husband. Esther and Jonathan think as one and work closely together on designing and implementing his freedom campaign. Living in a tiny room in a dingy motel room a few miles away, Esther has no life other than Jonathan's. She is with him every second she is allowed and when not physically at his side is busy writing, calling, faxing and emailing on his behalf. When I saw them together in the prison I thought of Rabbi Akiva and his wife Rachel. How many years did Rachel wait - all alone - for her beloved? How old was Rabbi Akiva when he started coming close to G-d? How proud was Rachel when her husband defied the authorities to sanctify G-d's Name? This famous Jewish couple lived 2,000 years ago in Israel yet, last week, in Butner, North Carolina, I felt as though I was sitting with their reincarnated souls. Fact #3) Everybody imaginable has let down these two holy Jews. From Israeli Prime Ministers, cabinet ministers and MK's to Jewish American leaders, activists and Rabbis. Members of Jonathan's own team double-crossed him 20 years ago and more deals have been broken that can ever be recorded. People have used Jonathan and Esther for their own personal gain - both politically and monetarily - without ever "delivering the goods" when it came time to do so. As stated before, this would have broken the spirits of most people yet Jonathan and Esther are strong and well focused in their program. Talking to them and hearing their story is like watching a movie about "Gam Zu L'Tova"(this too is for the good). Everything rotten that can possibly happen actually did... yet they persevere in their journey with hope in their hearts, love in their souls and smiles on their faces. Fact #4) For years I believed that the fate of Jonathan Pollard rested in the hands of the Israeli leadership. Many have argued against me and have made valid points... or so I thought. Now that I had the privilege of spending 2 1/2 hours with Jonathan, I see quite clearly - without a shadow of doubt - that I was indeed correct. His release is solely on the shoulders of Israel. While Jonathan believes and relies quite heavily on the power of prayer (see below, fact #6) in the world of "teva" (nature) it is the responsibility of those in power in Jerusalem to secure his release. Weak and poorly planned attempts have been made in the past as well as a lot of "window dressing" to give the public the impression that a bona fide plan is in place, only to have been torpedoed by the Americans. Unfortunately, experience has shown that regardless of what the USA has done the leadership from Israel could have closed a deal. This leadership failed Jonathan each and every time because they were worried more about public opinion than authentic Jewish values. When an Israeli government arises that bases itself on Jewish concepts and turns Israel into a real Jewish State, Jonathan Pollard will be freed immediately! This is why Moshe Feiglin and I, founders and leaders of Manhigut Yehudit, have gotten more involved than ever in the Pollard case as it is yet another example of what happens when Jewish leaders hide from their identity and heavenly mission. Whether it is giving away G-d's Land, allowing enemies to terrorize our people or ignoring a Jewish hero as he languishes in prison - the common denominator is always the same: Lack of pride in who we are and an embarrassment to have been chosen by the Almighty. Jonathan himself told me, "In Israel today, we have freedom but we do not have independence." This is the root of 99% of our problems and only a change at the top - at the highest level of Israeli leadership - will change this tragic course and set our Jewish Nation back on track. Fact #5) Jonathan Pollard has designed a well thought-out three point agenda which, he believes, will secure his release. He and Esther explained it to me in great detail. These are basic steps that every government takes whenever it wants to secure the release of one of its captives. It usually takes these steps quietly, behind-the-scenes and then implements them as government policy and as its public position through its diplomatic staff and top officials. In all other cases the captive has never had to plead with his government to take these steps; they have all been taken automatically, as part of the process of bringing a captive home. Only in the case of Jonathan Pollard were these steps never taken. Here is the 3 point agenda as designed by Jonathan himself: a) Formalization of a clear government policy on this case - If the government cannot bring itself to articulate the most basic facts of this case how can it possibly formulate a plan of action? Simply put, the government must dedicate itself towards the release of Jonathan Pollard in words and deeds. The Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and Defense Ministers must publicly declare their concern for Jonathan Pollard and the State's determination to bring him home. A government which is serious about getting Jonathan home, must once-and-for-all formalize and articulate a policy to that effect and implement that policy both at home and abroad. b) Implementation of Jonathan's captivity status - In 1998 the Israeli government officially recognized Jonathan as an Israeli agent. By definition, that declaration made him a captive, but unfortunately Israel never acted upon it. Therefore, Israel has been able to duck all responsibility for him; financially, legally and morally. The implementation of Jonathan as an official "captive" would give the Government of Israel a say in the way he is treated and would be able to demand urgently needed medical care and humane living conditions. It would give him a right to financial and legal assistance as defined by the Ministry of Defense. Furthermore, it would give his wife, Esther, a monthly stipend for living expenses and something she does not have now: medical insurance! In short, it would mean an end to the abandonment of Jonathan Pollard and the restoration of the rights and protections owed to him by the State of Israel. c) Regular prison visits from Israel's U.S. Ambassador - Whenever Israel is serious about the release of a captive, senior diplomatic staff are always engaged. A prison visit from the Ambassador - backed by clear government policy (point "A") and armed with the formalization of Jonathan's captivity status (point "B") - would raise the profile of his case and would signal that Israel is serious about securing his release. It would also allow the Ambassador to ensure that Jonathan receives appropriate medical treatment and humane living conditions. It would allow the Ambassador to insist that Jonathan no longer be forced to do slave labor in prison, as he has done the last 19 years! When Jonathan explained this three point plan to Moshe and myself we were amazed. Nothing is radical or extreme, yet, to date, it has not been implemented in whole or in part by any Israeli government. Fact #6) A lot of you reading this may be getting frustrated and depressed. How can this be? How can a Jewish hero languish in prison 19 years? These are the wrong questions to ask! Instead, ask, what can we do to help? Is there anything simple Jews can do to ease his burden, take his mind off his pain and help him get released? Here are several suggestions: 1. Pray for Jonathan Pollard. His Hebrew name is Yehonatan ben Malka. Say Tehillim and ask Hashem to free him. A special Tefilla (prayer) has been written by the great Tzaddik, HaRav Mordechai Eliyahu specifically for Jonathan. HaRav Eliyahu is the former Chief Rabbi of Israel and Jonathan's personal Rabbi and spiritual advisor. This prayer - in both Hebrew and English - is available on the web: www.jonathanpollard.org/prayers.htm 2. Special prayer cards are currently being printed and will be distributed to any shul, school or individual that requests them. They will be sent free of charge. Please call Manhigut Yehudit at (516) 295-3222 or (888) 217-4820 or email me at: shmuel@manhigut.org to place your order. Make sure you leave an address and quantity needed. They will be mailed out during the month of Elul. 3. Write letters to Jonathan. He loves to hear from children and adults alike. Address to: Jonathan Pollard - 09185-016, FCI Butner - PO Box 1000, Butner, North Carolina, 27509-1000 4. Follow the case and all developments on Jonathan's official website Justice for Jonathan Pollard www.jonathanpollard.org ; Subscribe to his email update list. 5. Send emails of encouragement to Esther Pollard: justice4jp@aol.com 6. Contribute money towards his expenses and struggle. He and Esther do not receive any financial assistance from the Government of Israel or from the organized American Jewish Community whatsoever! They live in extreme financial distress. Tax deductible donations should be made payable to "Manhigut Yehudit" and mailed to: Manhigut Yehudit - PO Box 241 - Cedarhurst, NY 11516. Please indicate on the check that the donation is for Jonathan Pollard. Every dollar received will be given directly to Justice4JP. Receipts will be mailed to all donors. In the merit of these positive actions, may Hashem - the One who released Joseph from jail and our entire Nation from slavery in Egypt - free Yehonatan ben Malka and bring him and his amazing wife, Esther, to a new life in the holy city of Jerusalem. Manhigut Yehudit (Jewish Leadership) is a group of people inside the Likud party who want to see Israel adopt a more Jewish character. Moshe Feiglin, its cofounder, has emphatically said he does not want a theocracy, but he does want a State based on Jewish values. The Manhigut Yehudit website address is http://www.manhigut.org. |
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CATHOLIC FRIENDS OF ISRAEL
Posted by Joseph Alexander Norland, July 21, 2004. |
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On June 29, I posted on IsraPundit an article introducing Catholic Friends of Israel (CFOI) and quoting from an interview given to Steve Fantina by CFOI's director, Don Kenner. That interview having raised in my mind a few additional questions, I asked Don for an e-interview to be posted on IsraPundit. The ensuing Q&A are given below verbatim et literatim. I am most encouraged to learn that Israel is finding friends even where prima facie one would not think to look. I am grateful to Don for taking out time for this interview. IsraPundit: Other than maintain the CFOI site, in what activities is CFOI engaged currently? Don Kenner: The website, the blog, letter-to-the-editor campaigns, op-eds, and contacts with lay Catholics are our main activities at the moment. [For examples of op/ed pieces see FrontPageMag, as well as the articles listed in the CFOI site under 'a propos' - Ed.] We protested (faxes,emails, phone calls) a fundraiser in a Berkeley Catholic Church for the International Solidarity Movement, our position being that politics aside, no Catholic church should be raising money for an organization that aplogizes for terror. We owe this future focus of the group to a Catholic woman in California who saw the ad for the fundraiser and contacted us. IsraPundit: Are you able to speak about your pro-Israel message in churches? Don Kenner: There are generally two kinds of Catholic churches: those that allow political activity and those that limit on-site speakers and groups to the pastoral concerns. The former tend to be left-wing and the latter tend to avoid politics. Personally, I would rather speak to groups of Catholics in their homes, but we aren't there yet. IsraPundit: Your site states that "We believe there are millions of Catholics who represent an untapped resource for support of the Jewish State and its right to defend itself from terrorism." To what extent have you indeed met with popular support among Catholics? Do you find that the readership of your site is increasing? Don Kenner: I fervently believe that most Catholics in North America have sympathy for Israel's plight and justifiably see their war against terror as linked to our war. The average Catholic soccer mom who writes the checks to the local Church certainly does not support the PLO, ISM, Palestinian "resistence" or any other pro-terrorist abomination. Most Catholics, and this includes many in Europe, see radical Islam for what it is: ravenous and unreasonable. The readership of our site is increasing steadily. I'm only now learning the various ways that one gets known on the net and in the blogosphere. We have much to do to get our site out to lay Catholics and sympathetic clergy, but our email box is filled with people around the world who thank heaven we exist. IsraPundit: What data make you believe that "Most Catholics in North America have sympathy for Israel's plight"? Don Kenner: Most American Catholics are typically American. These lay Catholics are patriotic, suspicious of an over-reaching government, and hard line when it comes to things like terrorism. They sympathize with Israel in the same way that most Americans in general sympathize with Israel. In other words, the phrase "Most Americans sympathize with Israel" does not change when one uses the subset "Most American Catholics...". Apart from that general observation, I also have specific indications:
Think of the Church as having three levels: 1) The Vatican/the Bishops, 2)the Middle Management (Priests, local Church and parish officials, directors of ministries, etc.), and 3) lay Catholics. There is much focus on 1), but in fact it is 2) where the problems with anti-Israel bias reside, and this "middle management" does not represent your average lay Catholic when it comes to controversial issues. This rift has been exacerbated since 9-11. IsraPundit: In your interview with Steven Fantina, you stated, "We are still just a speck in this large pond. Getting the CFOI website better-known in cyberspace is our first priority." How successful have your efforts been on this front? Do you find that the readership of your site is increasing? Don Kenner: I look forward to the day when we are no longer a speck (with a speck's finances), but I do think we are slowly becoming an influential speck. By this I mean we are read by some very influential people who are close to the center of this conflict. We seem to have touched a nerve. Many people, both Catholic and non-Catholic, believe that CFOI is long overdue and fills a very legitimate need. This dovetails with our own belief that a "dissident" organization is not needed (or desired) on this question; a group of faithful Catholics who support Israel can garner support. IsraPundit: What are your plans for the coming year? Don Kenner: We will soon get our non-profit status. This allows us to solicit money to cover expenses and provide for expansion. Revamping the website. Campaigning to stop ISM fundraisers in Catholic Churches. An e-newsletter. A working relationship with the Canadian Coalition for Democracies (CCD) that would help CFOI get a foothold in the Great White North. Hopefully more analysis of how Catholic publications (especially the major ones) cover the Arab-Israeli conflict. Greater communication with sympathizers in Italy (our phone bills to Rome are outrageous!). We're still looking for that one op-ed that really gets us noticed. We are limited by our Director's diminished writing skills, no doubt a result of his publik skool edukation. Or maybe its all the wine we Catholics drink. Finally: we plan much sincere, heartfelt prayer that whoever wins the Presidential election will have the good sense to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem. IsraPundit: Are you considering ties or collaboration with other religious groups, such as Christian Zionists? Don Kenner: I've been the lone Catholic at a Christian Zionist conference and have always been treated with kindness and respect. However, many Protestant evangelicals regard us Papists as either fools or Satan's concubine. There is much suspicion and often the cause of a safe Israel is used as a cover for debating doctrinal issues. Don't misunderstand me: I thank G-d every day for my evangelical Christian brothers. On both Israel and many other issues we share common ground. I hope that ALL supporters of Israel can work more closely together in the future. I often find myself defending Protestant fundamentalists to my fellow Catholics, and just as often defending my Church against wild, conspiratorial accusations by both Protestant and Jewish activists. Here's a recent one: the Vatican is manipulating Arab opinion to effect an Arab-Christian take over of Jerusalem so that Rome can, once again, control this holy city. I hope everyone reading this interview can see past this, but I've twice had this put to me and been dared to deny it. Needless to say, the last person who suggested such a thing was Franco, and the idea was rejected. Realize this: the same news organizations that write outrageous falsehoods about Israel also apply the same lack of professionalism and ideological rigor to their coverage of the Catholic Church. Often it's the very same commentator. When James Carroll divined that the essence of Catholicism was antisemitism, many of our Jewish friends nodded in assent, but when the same James Caroll compared the cutting down of olive trees with suicide bombings, they were less impressed with his acumen. We were not surprised to see the anti-Catholic bigot beating up on the Jewish state. (See CFOI article dated March 20, 2004.) IsraPundit: Have you succeeded in getting the attention of people like William Bennett, Sean Hannity, Deal Hudson (editor of Crisis magazine), Rod Dreher (Dallas Morning News), Katheryn Lopez (National Review), Richard John Neuhaus (First Things), all of whom you mentioned in your interview with Steven Fantina? Don Kenner: We have had little success in this area, but to be fair we haven't been breaking our backs to get conservative Catholic celebrities to notice us. I would love a plug from any one of them, but most do not know we exist. I've offered the website to a few of them for their perusal and commentary, but haven't heard anything. Honestly, there's nothing in it for them. They'd be doing us a favor, and if it turned out we were a bunch of closet heretics who also wanted transgendered Priests, then they'd be the laughing stock. I imagine the few who have looked us up would like to wait and see if we're sane. We need to pay our dues and not just ride their hard-earned coat tails. Also, I've noticed that we are a bit more, shall we say, uncompromising in our support of Israel than some conservative Catholics. They would no doubt see their position as more nuanced, less rigidly Zionist, than ours. One of the people mentioned above has disagreed with CFOI on the anti-terrorism barrier (we are very much in favor of it). But let me say that all of those Catholics you listed (and the recently converted Laura Ingram) are my mentors. It is not an exaggeration to say that all of them are responsible, in some way, for my forming CFOI. I hope that does not cause them too much pain! IsraPundit: How did you research the Israel/Arab conflict so as to become a pro-Israel advocate? Don Kenner: Twenty years ago I believed in a one state solution (Palestine) and thought insane anyone who considered the Jewish state a permanent entity. Everyone I knew believed this, so it made sense. But even at the time I knew my knowledge of the Arab-Israeli conflict was limited to a few Chomsky-like platitudes. So how did I change? This may sound strange, but after a period of ignoring the whole Mid East conflict, it was my conversion to Catholicism that set me on the road to Zionism and clear-headed thinking about the Jewish state. The example of the Holy Father with regards to Catholic-Jewish relations, coupled with the simple admonition that Catholics are called to seek the truth, set me on this course. I'm not saying that all my political opinions are a natural outgrowth of my following Catholic teachings; I'm not that arrogant. But the oft-implied opinion that Catholics should naturally remain "neutral" or support the Palestinian "cause" is not derived logically from the teachings of the Church. It is this research that was most important to me. That said, it must be stressed that CFOI is not a theological organization. We deal in the facts of the matter, the actual history of the region, as opposed to neatly-constructed fairy tales that (conveniently) only go back to 1967. IsraPundit: A news story in Ha'aretz, 7 July 2004, reported that "The Catholic Church condemned anti-Zionism as a cover for anti-Semitism by means of a joint statement issued by a forum of Catholic-Jewish intellectuals this week." How significant do you deem this statement in terms of changing the official Catholic anti-Israel stance? Don Kenner: Since the signing (ten years ago) of the Fundamental Agreement between Israel and the Holy See, I don't think there has been anything like an 'official Catholic anti-Israel stance'. The statements from the Vatican, from Bishops, and from other Catholic leaders have been varied and uneven, with the most positive declarations coming from Pope John Paul II. There have been many sad and ridiculous statements from Catholic Bishops, statements that are rarely criticized by Jewish leaders in the U.S. (A little help, please!!). As to equating anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism, it is on target and overdue. There have been other indications that the pro-Israel (or at least not pro-Palestinian) forces in the Church were making their views known. As you might imagine, we at CFOI are elated with the statement. IsraPundit: Will this statement have any impact on such practical issues as Israel's security barrier, which a gathering of Catholic bishops condemned? Don Kenner: I regard the American Catholic participation in that one-sided, insensitive, ahistorical, and morally inane statement against Israel's security barrier to be the lowest point in the history of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (Yes, I know there was a paedophile priest scandal that year as well). I wrote an angry op-ed on this subject (some say too angry) and pretty much said my piece there. Between the aforementioned statement by the Catholic-Jewish intellectuals and the realization that the barrier is saving Jewish children from the oft-stated Palestinian aim of "finishing Hitler's work," I pray that a change of heart will lead to a change of position, but I won't hold my breath. What we need is a declaration by courageous, faithful Catholics that the Jews have a natural right to defend themselves from terrorism, consistent with Catholic teachings on subject. Too many hard politicos of the left have carved out a pro-Palestinian trench in our Churches. A little sunlight is the best disinfectant. IsraPundit: What have been CFOI's achievements since its inception? Have you made any breakthroughs with regard to the objectives you mentioned in your interview with Steven Fantina? Don Kenner: Getting our organization and our website better known has been our major accomplishment in the few months since that interview. We've had a flurry of requests from other organizations wanting to interview, collaborate with, or link to CFOI. Word is starting to get around and my slow Summer has been pretty busy. We haven't had that huge jump in major media coverage that would put us on the big political map, but I've been content to work out our bugs in the less-penetrating glare of cyberspace. Soon we will play the larger arenas. IsraPundit: Do you support the so-called "two-state solution"? Don Kenner: Israel acquired the disputed territories from invading Arab countries. If she wishes to trade some of it away to achieve security, it would seem silly for a bunch of Catholics to protest. However, I believe that the land-for-peace scheme has been an unmitigated failure, precisely because the so-called peace partners want to liberate "occupied Tel Aviv." Officially, CFOI takes no position on what a just peace should entail, but we certainly have our opinions on what doesn't work. We reject on factual and moral grounds any reference to the disputed territories as "Palestinian land." IsraPundit: Are you aware of any sister-organizations in other countries? Don Kenner: I know of no other pro-Israel Catholic organizations in any other country. We hear rumours from Italy, but they are unconfirmed. IsraPundit: Have you any impression as to what kind of people support you in terms of gender (more man than women?), age (more old than young), location (mainly New Englanders?) and similar demographic variables? Don Kenner: More women than men. Definitely young, probably under thirty, for the most part (perhaps we should run a dating service on the side!). Mostly, North American (North East US predominately). Australia, Italy, and Brazil send the majority of our non-US emails of support. IsraPundit: Is there any message you would like to relay to IsraPundit readers? Don Kenner: Tell your aging, wealthy, Catholic friends that they no longer have to leave their fortune to their agnostic children, because you have found a worthy recipient of their largess. Seriously, though, thanks to Israpundit for this chance to get the word out about Catholic Friends of Israel. IsraPundit: Finally, could you give us some biographical notes about yourself? Don Kenner: Trained as an archivist, I used to work in rare books, but now happily work in Catholic education. Married with children. I write occasionally for FrontPageMag and Townhall.com. With regards to the latter, I review books for Townhall. This is a way to get our website and name out there. Not all the books concern Israel, but I did review Saul Singer's "Confronting Jihad." At Townhall's request, I also reviewed "The Persecution of the Catholic Church in the Third Reich." These pieces are also linked on our Book Review page, which is linked on the left side of our homepage. IsraPundit: Thank you, Don, for this interview. For the sake of Israel and for the sake of our own democracy in North America, I hope that your organization is successful. Joseph Alexander Norland is co-host of IsraPundit, a pro-Israel advocacy website. Its address is http://IsraPundit.com |
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"CHRISTIANS AND JEWS: COMMON GROUND AND COMMON CAUSE": Statement of Senator Sam Brownback
Posted by Mordechai Ben-Menachem, July 21, 2004. |
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This was delivered to the Knesset, State of Israel, July 19, 2004.
Jerusalem, Israel - U. S. Senator Sam Brownback addressed a special meeting of the Christian Allies Caucus, bringing a message of solidarity to the MKs, government officials, and Christian leaders that were in attendance. Among the issues raised by the Senator in his remarks were the necessity of moving the American embassy to Jerusalem, Israel's right of self defense in the face of Palestinian terror, and the dangers posed by U.S. military aid to Egypt. Senator Brownback also spoke at length about America and Israel's shared democratic values and the rise of democracy around the world. "There are 46 non-democratic countries in the world today, and we are on the path to zero." The Knesset Christian Allies Caucus was recently formed to increase communication and promote cooperation between Israel and Christians around the world. It provides Christian churches and organizations with formal and direct lines of communication with the Knesset. The 12 Knesset Members who comprise the Caucus come from six different parties in the Knesset: Likud, NRP, Labor, Shinui, National Union and Shas. Dmitry Radyshevsky, Director of the Jerusalem Summit, arranged Senator Brownback's visit to the Caucus, which Mr. Radyshevsky attends regularly. "We must be united," said Mr. Radyshevsky. "We defeated Nazism and Communism by standing together, and now as we see the face of that same totalitarian enemy in radical Islam, we must do so again." The complete text of Senator Brownback's address can be found at http://www.israelunitycoalition.com/html/article.html?id=3918 You cannot know the honor this is for me to be here addressing you. Since my earliest memories growing up on a farm in Kansas in the heartland of America, I have read and studied and been taught about you, the people of Israel. I was raised and steeped in the Bible while growing up. Ancient Israel was, and is, a living reality in my home. Its spirituality, wisdom, poetry, its majesty inspired and encouraged me all my life. You have helped form my soul and I thank you for it.The bedrock of support for Israel in America today is comprised of Christians, like myself, who were raised on the Bible, and who see in the Jews of Israel today the inheritors of the tradition of ancient Israel. I've had the great joy of seeing modem Israel, the living spirit of its past. Israel's chain of history and its will to survive with purpose and meaning is a true miracle. I have been to Israel several times. The last time I was in Israel, I looked out the window of my hotel and saw the flag of Israel with the Star of David and the thought entered my mind, "God does keep His promises!" That flag which had been absent in this land for nearly 2,000 years was now flying again. What an awesome God we serve. "As a member of the United States Senate, my message to you today is to be encouraged. We are with you. We are with you as your allies in this war against terrorism. We are with you in the United Nations. We are with you as your friends as a wave of anti-Israel and anti-Semitic rhetoric is once again on the rise... Yet it is another cause that draws me here today ... that of peace and reconciliation. We're living in a critical time of history. The war for Western civilization - and our very way of life - is being fought not only in Baghdad and Kabul, but it is being fought in Jerusalem as well, and has been for a long time. This battle pits democracy against totalitarianism. It pits freedom against subjugation. It pits a culture that values life against a culture willing to throw it away without remorse or regret. While the global war on terrorism is our common cause now ... peace and reconciliation are our objectives. Through time immemorial, the people of Israel have simply sought and taught of peace, of a time when swords would be beaten into plowshares, and children would be taught war no more. When the lion would lay down with the lamb and there would be no more tears. Yet today we are beset with hostilities. Nations are embracing terrorism. Hatreds exist without reason. One must ask, "Can peace and reconciliation ever be realized?" I say "yes" and I say "now." Peace and truth go together. We must speak of peace with all who embrace peace and speak the truth about those who do not. Evil must be identified for what it is and once so exposed, it becomes weak and ultimately falls. That is the lesson of Ronald Reagan, when he called the Soviet Union an evil empire. It was an evil empire. Reagan called it as he saw it, because it was the truth. And once exposed for what it really was... It fell. That is the lesson of the Axis of Evil. It is. And it will fall. Evil cannot stand the light of truth. Because light always defeats darkness. A lie cannot stand truth. Truth always wins. ... although it can take some time. It requires patience, as difficult as that might be sometimes. But if there is a people whose history embodies that virtue it is the people of Israel. You had the patience to wait for nearly two thousand years before the Star of David would fly again in Israel. God is not neutral in the affairs of man. He is on the side of justice. Terrorism is evil and must be rejected by all civilized people and every nation. Terrorism terrorizes the innocent, is practiced on the vulnerable and is a tool only of dark souls. It must be confronted and renounced by all humanity. I call on Syria and Iran, Sudan and North Korea to embrace the nobility of their heritage and renounce terrorism. I applaud Libya for renouncing weapons of mass death. In fact, Libya recently agreed to open a corridor for humanitarian assistance to get into the Darfur region of Sudan. That is truly a remarkable achievement and I applaud them for it. I encourage all nations to embrace the longings of their own people and give them the right to select their own leaders. What a difference that would make. Leaders responding to the yearnings of their own people rather than the blind lust of power. While democracy is not perfect, it certainly is preferable to any other form of government known to man...AND...it is the clear course of history. There are currently 46 non-democratic countries left in the world and that number was recently reduced by one: Iraq. Unfortunately, the bulk of the remaining non-democratic nations are in this region. For a nation to grow, its people must be empowered. Empowered with liberty and justice and the rule of law, not of dictators. A free people can do impressive things. Just look at your own. ... and mine. Now let me speak directly to the people of Israel. I love you and the people of America love you. We love the values you have given us that cost you so much to protect for thousands of years.. We love your spirit of determination and calling. We love your heart's desire for peace. David Ben-Gurion believed it was Israel's duty--or calling, if you will--to be an exemplary society, a model people, a light unto the nations. It was essential for the fledgling Jewish society to become the beacon of moral, social, and humanitarian values. Ben-Gurion realized that this was not a distant philosophical wish, but instead an essential prerequisite to the survival of Israel as a nation-state. Necessary ingredients for a democratic and free nation. Another fact that is true and bears telling is that Israel has the right of self-determination and self-defense. It has the right to build a security fence to protect its own people from terrorists. This is a country that was justly founded and that, since its conception, has been continually attacked from within and without. No other nation and no other people have shared the history that you have lived through. You have survived despite countless threats and designs against you. We stand with you and all peace loving people, now and forever. We revere Jerusalem. Your capital, your only capital throughout history, and what will remain your capital. And by the way, Israel is the only place in the world where the United States does not have our embassy in the capital city. It is time, past time, for America to move our embassy to Jerusalem, and to recognize by this act that Jerusalem, undivided, is the capital of Israel. Many Americans pray for the peace of Jerusalem regularly. By doing so, we embrace what Jerusalem means. It is a city like no other. A symbol of man's ultimate destiny. A shining city upon a hill. A city to be full of souls that are at peace with God and one another. Yes, we pray for the peace of Jerusalem. We ask you to never walk away from the lessons your ancestors carried with so much courage against such overwhelming odds. Lessons they have passed down through the generations for all of us in the world today. Lessons of God's favor and where His wrath lies, of what is good and just, and what is evil and destructive. If your nation, in the culture wars of today, embraces relativism, redefines right and wrong, good and evil, many will be led astray. Truth does not change. The whims of man cannot change eternal truths. We defy them to our penalty as we defy the laws of physics to our penalty. The history of your survival and continued existence is filled with examples of what happens to a people when they walk away from God's sacred laws. Laws that are written into our hearts. As a member of the United States Senate, my message to you today is to be encouraged. We are with you. We are with you as your allies in this war against terrorism. We are with you in the United Nations. We are with you as your friends as a wave of anti-Israel and anti-Semitic rhetoric is once again on the rise. I thank you for bringing the message of God to a world that did not know Him. And for continuing to carry that message in the face of thousands of years of persecution, suffering and death. As a Christian, I thank you for my faith that is rooted in yours. And as a Christian, I deeply, deeply apologize for the pain and bloodshed and deafness to suffering that we have hoisted upon you and your ancestors. May this never, ever happen again! Our past and our present and our futures are intertwined together. So, in my parting, I pray for Israel. That in this season of ingathering you will be a blessing to all nations. That you will be a Holy Nation. A nation of the righteous leading the world in righteousness. It is your duty and destiny. And when you do your duty, the rest of us will be blessed and able to do ours. Thank you and God bless you. |
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DICHTER'S IRRESPONSIBILITY
Posted by Ruth and Nadia Matar, July 21, 2004. |
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A recent article appearing on the Jerusalem Post website reported on the appearance of Shin Bet leader Avi Dichter before the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. In that appearance Dichter made the extraordinary and inflammatory statement, based on a "gut feeling", that there were radical settlers who wanted Prime Minister Sharon dead. Immediately thereafter a member of the Committee, the notorious leftist Ran Cohen of Meretz (Yachad), naturally interpreted Dichter by saying: the meaning of Dichter's comments were that "settlers" wanted Prime Minister Sharon killed, just like Rabin was. For a person holding a high security position in the government, it was irresponsible of Dichter to issue such an accusatory statement. It turned out that he has no basis whatsoever for this accusation, nor any secret security information to back it up. To accuse by innuendo is outrageous as to those who are objecting to Prime Minister Sharon's Disengagement Plan. That Plan would transfer and evict Jews from their homes, in Jewish communities in Gush Katif and Northern Samaria. At a time when full discussion of Sharon's proposal is urgently needed by everyone in Israel, the attempt to stifle such debate and discussion by Dichter is both anti-democratic and a clear suppression of "free speech". It was to be expected that the far left would pick up on this thing of the murder of Rabin to thwart free discussion on a fundamental question of Jewish transfer. Heretofore, Yossi Sarid and others have explicitly stated they would not obey any law which would transfer Arabs from their homes. Surely, what is applicable to Arabs in Israel should apply as well to Jews. After all, the return to Israel from the four corners of the earth to their Homeland in Israel was foretold by our Prophets, and is a modern day continuing miracle. To take a position opposed to the Prime Minister's Disengagement Plan, is a vital aspect of democracy. It also flagrantly disobeys the Will of G-d, as clearly expressed repeatedly in the Bible. The Promised Land includes Gaza, Judea and Samaria. Any eviction of Jews from their homes clearly violates long existing Jewish values and beliefs concerning their Promised Homeland. Dichter's "gut feeling" statement of a person who heads and important security section requires his removal. Such a blatant attempt to gag opposition to the Sharon's ethnic cleansing and anti-democratic Plan, warrants stringent action. It is not enough apparently that Sharon, acting like a dictator, has disregarded the democratic vote of his own Party members in Likud. In addition, to use the repressive tactics of Dichter to assist Sharon in quenching opposition, is deplorable. Dichter is no longer worthy of retaining his responsible post. He should be replaced immediately. Ruth and Nadia Matar established Women For Israel's Tomorrow (Women in Green), an activist group of women based in Jerusalem. Their website address is http://www.womeningreen.org |
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BLOGGING IN YESHA
Posted by Bryna Berch, July 21, 2004. |
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This was a news item in today's Arutz-7 (http://www.IsraelNN.com). How wonderful that Jewish town in Biblical Israel won't need to depend on CNN and BBC or Israeli TV to tell their story! Residents of Judea, Samaria and Gaza (Yesha) are turning to 'blogging' to tell the world why they have chosen to live on the front lines. Politics, religious faith, history and everyday events are woven together in a fascinating tapestry of life in Yesha. INN's Ezra HeLevi spoke with Yoel Ben-Avraham, the founder of a purely "Yesha" blog - http://wwwYeshaSpeaksOut.org. It is intended to show what life in Judea, Samaria and Gaza is really like for the Jews who have chosen to settle there. Ben-Avraham says it was the 1993 Oslo Accords that made him realize the importance of getting the message out through alternative sources of communication. Since the beginning of the 'Oslo Process,'" he says, "there has been a real need to counteract the negative effects of hostile media, both Israeli and foreign, that effectively de-legitimized the Yesha settlement movement. When both government agencies and world media systematically distort every quote and every fact to create the perception of wrongdoing and malicious intent in everything we as Jewish residents of Yesha do, there is a need to counteract this campaign." In recent years, the advent of blogging technology - enabling real-time web publishing without knowledge of technical HTML code - has made the implementation of Ben-Avraham's plan eminently do-able. "In the early days of the Internet," he says, "until perhaps as late as two or three years ago, it would have required a significant investment in people and resources to create a site similar to Yesha Speaks Out. It is the maturation of technology that makes it possible to create a multifaceted site capable of publishing material by dozens of contributors for a modest investment." Ben-Avraham made Aliyah [immigrated to Israel] at the age of 21 after converting to Judaism. He lives in the Shomron community of Shilo with his wife Sharon and six children, one of whom serves as an officer in the IDF Paratroopers. He now works as an Information Technology and Technical Training professional, and of late has participated in an occupational retraining program for hareidi-religious Torah scholars interested in entering the Israeli software industry. Ben-Avraham saw that "individuals whom we would have thought were our natural allies" had actually rarely had "meaningful contact with the residents of Yesha. Even when they participate in 'Missions to Israel,' for the most part they meet government-approved contacts, which do not always have the best interests of Yesha on their personal or political agenda. That is when the idea of creating an Internet service that would permit people 'in the field' to communicate directly with potential allies abroad was transformed from personal pipe dream to communal necessity in my eyes." Yesha Speaks Out features a growing list of contributors hailing from throughout Yesha, writing about politics, daily life, isolation from their families around the world, religious faith, organic farming, meditation and much more. The number of both writers and visitors on Yesha Speaks Out keeps growing, and Ben-Avraham now has plans to produce an online compendium of all Yesha's communities, as well as every known archeological site of Jewish or Biblical importance in Judea, Samaria and Gaza. |
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SHARON PLAN FORWARDED Posted by Emanuel A. Winston, July 21, 2004. |
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LET ME SAY IT AGAIN! Ariel Sharon, a master strategist, is setting the stage for a mass round-up of anyone considered influential who is protesting his "Disengagement" (read: dismemberment surrender) Plan". Using teh GSS ( General Security Services) as has been done before for political purposes, clearly Sharon is setting the stage for Adminstrative Detention which mean jailing anyone Sharon considers suspicious. As for those who wish G-d would intercede and take Sharon as He did Korach, well, even the Thought Police cannot stop people from thinking dire thoughts. Can Sharon's GSS sow Terror by arresting a hundred (or a hundred thousand) or more men, women and children who only want to live freely in their own homes? Will he do this to push his "Plan"? I think he will try. So, don't be surprised at a staged incident that will trigger a round-up of Jews. (Sounds familiar?) Does anyone hear Eichman chuckling? This was written by Steve Weizman, Associated Press Writer, Israeli and Global News JERUSALEM - The head of Israel's internal security service has warned that as many as 200 Jewish settlers want to see Prime Minister Ariel Sharon dead (1) because of his plan to dismantle settlements in the Gaza Strip (2) and the West Bank. Lawmakers who took part in Tuesday's closed-door session of the parliamentary Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee said Shin Bet chief Aviv Dichter claimed that 150-200 extremists among the total 230,000 settlers were speaking and writing in violent terms. But he told the committee that his agents had not uncovered any specific assassination plot. "He said there were dozens of people, with the backup of maybe 150 more, who want to see the prime minister dead," committee member Ran Cohen of the dovish Yahad Party told Israel Radio. "I would put it that they want the prime minister murdered." Settler leader Benzi Lieberman said Dichter may have been overstating the threat, mindful of the intelligence community's failure to prevent the 1995 assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin (news - web sites). "He should arrest and charge these people, we cannot let something like political murder repeat itself," Lieberman said. "I think that he is to an extent covering himself." The pro-settler National Union Party issued a statement calling on Dichter to either take action or resign. Dichter said that while Palestinian suspects could be rounded up and imprisoned without trial, he could not do the same with Israelis. "If he needs legislative tools he must ask us for them," lawmaker Haim Ramon said. Dichter, touched off a political storm at a recent Cabinet meeting, when he warned of growing militancy among hard-line settlers. In response, police stepped up coordination with the prime minister's security detail. Sharon, a former army general, complained that after spending his life in wars defending the Jews, he now needs "protection from Jews." Tension spiraled after Sharon pledged Israel would abandon the Gaza Strip and four West Bank settlements by the end of 2005 as part of a strategy to reduce attacks on Israelis and preserve Israel's Jewish character by vacating territory with large Arab populations. In 1995, when Rabin spoke of giving up occupied Palestinian areas, settlers routinely referred to him as a traitor, and hard-line rabbis said he was subject to a death sentence. Avigdor Neventzal, a senior Jerusalem rabbi, made a similar statement last month, saying anyone who removes Jewish settlements from the West Bank could be subject to death under biblical law. Although Neventzal said the sentence wasn't applicable in modern times, some politicians said extremists could view his ruling as legitimizing murder. Shaul Yahalom of the National Religious Party, closely linked to the settlement movement, said Tuesday it was a basic democratic right for someone to want the prime minister dead, as the wish was not acted upon. "When someone says something like that but doesn't say he wants to commit the murder, doesn't take action, doesn't build up a cache of weapons, just wishes the prime minister dead for one reason or another, do we arrest a person like that? " he said. "We are losing our minds and all the principles of real democracy." Notes: (1) )Weitzman, "Israeli Minister Warns of Extremists" "JERUSALEM -- Israel's public security minister on Saturday warned that Jewish extremists could attack a site holy to Muslims and Jews, hoping to provoke violence and wreck Israeli plans to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank. Minister Tzachi Hanegbi said he had no knowledge of any specific plot to attack the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem -- the third holiest shrine in Islam -- but intelligence assessments said the danger of such an action was growing." (2) http://yahoo.com/search?fr=web-storylinks Emanuel Winston is a commentator and Middle East analyst. His articles appear often on Think-Israel and Gamla. He is a member of the Board of Directors and a research associate of the Freeman Center For Strategic Studies (http://www.freeman.org/online.htm). |
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LEGAL EXPERTS AND POLITICIANS REGRET
Posted by Elyakim Haetzni, July 21, 2004. |
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Now legal experts and politicians are having regrets: Why did we boycott the proceedings of the International Court of Justice at The Hague, why didn't we take advantage of our right as a State, to ensconce one of our judges on the tribunal, why did we abandon the forum to the Arabs? But these questions are merely formal. The material question is, what would have been our argument had we appeared there? What would our judge have written? To this question the Israeli establishment has no answer. And thus, the nation with the highest claim to justice in the world is acting like someone who "has no case"! What indeed would the Israeli elites have argued had they appeared and participated? The right to self defense? That battered, worn-out slogan - Security! Security! Security?! It never even occurred to them to raise the claim for rightful ownership of the Land of Israel, which, in fact, was the main issue that loomed in the background of the entire proceedings. The issue of self defense, on the other hand, was completely irrelevant, because the tribunal did not deny Israel's right to defend itself against terrorism, and didn't negate its right to build a fence or a wall on its sovereign territory, namely, on the green line. The court based itself on Israel's admission that Judea, Samaria and Gaza are "occupied territory" and that the Palestinians have a right to establish a state on that territory. And indeed, if this is so, what right does Israel have to build a barrier on land it doesn't own? Only in rare cases in history have self-denial and betrayal come back with such a vengeance so swiftly. Yes, Israel should have been present at the international tribunal in The Hague - to cry out the Jewish age-old credo that the Land of Israel belongs to the Jewish people. In principle, it is true that a "wall" cannot be built on occupied land, except that in the hands of Israel - the Land of Israel is not occupied! For 2000 years, in all parts of the Diaspora, we were not afraid and didn't shy away from declaring this publicly, it was our badge of identity. Have we been cursed that precisely in our own country we behave like a thief who has no way of justifying the possession of stolen property? This is the opportunity to mention a precedent: The Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice at The Hague itself on the issue of Namibia. The Arabs based their arguments on this precedent, while we deliberately ignored the main part of this opinion, which could have served as first rate support for our case. And this is the way the story goes: Germany had a colony in the southwest corner of Africa, which was taken away from it in the wake of its defeat in World War I, together with the rest of its colonies. This area was awarded to the state of South Africa in the form of a Mandate, just like the Land of Israel was taken from the Turks, Germany's allies, and given to the British in the form of a Mandate called "Palestine". Who did the giving? - The League of Nations, the UN's predecessor, the seat of which was in Geneva. The meaning of the word 'Mandate' is authorization: the League of Nations authorized the Mandatory Power to administer certain territories for a purpose that was defined in the Instrument of the Mandate. In other words, South-West Africa and the Land of Israel were given to the state of South Africa and to Britain, respectively, in trust, under explicit terms. Upon the outbreak of World War II the League of Nations was dissolved and the regime of Mandates collapsed. Later, South Africa adopted a racist Apartheid policy which it implemented in South-West Africa - Namibia - as well. When it was claimed that according to the Mandate, racist discrimination was not allowed in Namibia, South Africa replied that there was no longer a Mandate, because the League of Nations had become defunct. The issue was submitted to the International Court of Justice in The Hague, which issued its statement of opinion, that indeed the 'Mandate' itself does not exist anymore, but that the substantive obligations arising from the terms of the Mandate continue in force, being the raison d'etre and original objective of the whole mandatory arrangement, and as such - "the sacred trust of civilization". In time, South-West Africa became an independent state, Namibia. On a portion of the western part of the former British Mandate of Palestine, the independent State of Israel was established, while to the east of the Jordan River, which also constituted part of the Mandate, the sovereign Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan was created. Thus, there remained in the world only one single area, formerly a Mandate, and now still devoid of sovereignty, and that is YESHA - Judea, Samaria and Gaza. Because of the similarity between the situation of Namibia before attaining sovereignty and YESHA, it should have been undisputable for the Namibia precedent to apply. This means, that whoever holds this territory should be obliged to implement there, as a "sacred trust of civilization" - the terms of the British Mandate, that letter of instructions, which constituted the very purpose of the Mandate. And what was this trust and purpose? - The explicit "recognition to the historical connection of the Jewish people with Palestine and to the grounds for reconstituting their national home in that country." This is the exact wording in the preamble of the Mandate, and there is no denying that it included, and continues to include, all the territory of Judea, Samaria and Gaza. And it is also written there, that "close settlement by Jews on the lands, including State lands - in cooperation with the Jewish Agency" shall be facilitated. Why was it so hard for Israel's representatives to bring before the Court that very same precedent and to claim: What this court decreed to be a "sacred trust of civilization" in Africa should justly be considered a sacred trust here in former Palestine as well, and therefore the historical right of the Jewish people to reestablish its national home in Judea, Samaria, Gaza (YESHA) is no less a sacred trust! Which means that we are not 'occupiers' in the Land of Israel and the fence we built is not on foreign territory. Show me another litigant in the whole world who has available to him such a strong argument, supported by such eminent legal scholars as the renowned Professor Julius Stone and the great experts on international law Eugene Rostow and Steven Schwebel as well as others, who abandons his just case, removes himself from the court and behaves like an accused criminal who has nothing to say in his defense! No wonder the International Court, citing the Namibia case, referred to no other than the Palestinian claim as constituting that "sacred trust of civilization", completely disregarding the Jewish claim, which was not even raised before that forum. And thus, in the Palestinians the ancient biblical motto has been realized: Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? They killed almost 1500 Jews with their terrorism, and they are also claim to inherit the Land of Israel, a land that is not theirs. In the light of the Namibia precedent the betrayal by the Sharon Government, of Zionism and the Zionist mission on behalf of the Jewish people, truly cries out to the heavens. In a Government meeting Sharon called the Court's statement of opinion a 'whirlwind', and of this it has been written: "For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind". You, Ariel Sharon, have sowed this wind, a malignant and treacherous wind - you have betrayed the Land of Israel, the settlement movement, your friends, your party, your constituency, and with your own hands you have brought upon yourself and upon us this incriminating verdict of the International Court of Justice. Nobody harbors illusions as if the representatives of the countries who comprise the tribunal and who are known to decide in accordance with the instructions they receive from their respective Governments, would necessarily have accepted the claim of rights of the Jewish State over the Land of Israel. They were bound to have found an excuse to evade the validity of the Namibia precedent. But the entire proceedings, and consequently the verdict, would have been acted out on a different basis, with Israel taking a reasonable and sound initial position. The debate would have shifted to a completely different level, that of the right of ownership over the Land. Here, only here, we would have had a strong and convincing claim, that this is in the least a territorial dispute between two nations, hence a non-justiciable, political issue, concerning which the Court obviously has no authority to intervene. Otherwise, the Kashmir conflict between India and Pakistan, the Basque conflict in Spain, the Chechen conflict, the occupation of Iraq, etc. etc., should all have been transferred from the battlefields and from the foreign offices and referred to the Hague Tribunal! Only our own position that the heart of the Land of Israel is "occupied territory", designated for Palestinian sovereignty - is to blame for the sensational change of roles by the International Court of Justice, replacing the Jewish people, the true beneficiaries of the "sacred trust" of the British Mandate, with the Palestinian imposters. This is the sad reward, deserved by the Jewish people and its leader, for the betrayal of the Land of Israel, entrusted to them thousands of years ago. The author is a lawyer and a former member of the Knesset. He lives in Kiryat Arba and is a member of the Steering Committee of Yesha (Council of Jewish Towns in Judea, Samaria and Gaza). |
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AMERICAN WARS
Posted by Yashiko Sagamori, July 21, 2004. |
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Thus conscience does make cowards of us all; And thus the
native hue of resolution Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of
thought; And enterprises of great pith and moment, With this regard,
their currents turn awry, And lose the name of action.
- W. Shakespeare, Hamlet If our war on terror were a boxing match, which side would you bet on? No, I am not asking you which side you support. I am asking you to predict the outcome. It's not a trivial question. On the one hand, our military budget exceeds the combined military budgets of all the other countries of the world. Our weaponry is based on the most advanced technology. Our soldiers are wonderfully trained and motivated. When the United States decides to do whatever it takes, no army in the world can withstand our onslaught. On the other hand, when was the last time the United States decided to do whatever it takes? We haven't won a single war since August 1945, and we will never know if we could win that war without nuking the enemy. We lost a war in Korea. We lost a war in Vietnam. In 1979, Iranians entered our embassy and took our diplomats hostage. From any minimally reasonable perspective, it was an act of war. The United States failed to come to the battlefield and lost. In 1983, 241 US marines were murdered in Beirut. In response, an American battleship bombarded an empty Lebanese mountainside with huge artillery shells, each the size of a Volkswagen Beatle, but much heavier and, I believe, much more expensive. The target area was carefully selected to avoid even a remote possibility of casualties or property damage. Having accomplished that purely symbolic mission, the United States left Lebanon and never came back. If that was not a devastating defeat, then our misadventures in Mogadishu can be considered a victory as well. Throughout the 1980's, a number of Americans were abducted in Lebanon. Many were held hostage for years, some were killed. They were targeted for one reason only: they were Americans. The United States had failed to respond to the challenge. That was clearly a defeat. In 1991, we invaded Iraq and effortlessly demolished the most powerful army in the entire Arab world. We had approximately 300 servicemen killed, more than half of them by the so-called "friendly" fire. Saddam's losses were not officially announced; various sources name figures ranging from 50 to 200 thousand. It means that to kill one coalition soldier, the Iraqi army had to sacrifice roughly 350 to 1200 of its own; try to visualize this overwhelming ratio. The slaughter demonstrated to Islamic regimes throughout the Middle East that they were still in power only because the United States allowed them to stay in power. It put us in a position to impose wide changes in the region, changes that would benefit both this country and the world and make casualties on both sides and astronomical costs this country had incurred meaningful. President Bush-41 had a unique historic opportunity to really make our world gentler and kinder. Instead, we packed our lethal toys and departed, leaving Saddam Hussein in power, not even trying to take advantage of our victory on the battlefield. To explain such an absurd turn of events, George Bush Sr. prudently referred to the limitations of the UN mandate, which authorized us only to liberate Kuwait. Thus he accepted the de facto power of the UN to use our military for its purposes, even when it was against our own interests. That was a clear sign of dangerous erosion of our sovereignty. That was one more victory of the American soldiers turned into an embarrassing defeat by the American politicians. Nothing that transpired during the Clintons' 8 years in the White House can possibly be interpreted as a victory for the United States. In Somalia, in the Balkans, in Haiti, the US military was defending not the national interests of their country, but political interests of the Clintons. Future historians will be better able to assess damage caused to the United States of America by its 42nd president, including the statistically improbable number of dead bodies whose former owners used to be connected to him in some unfortunate way. What we know today doesn't probably scratch the surface, and yet, it's terrifying. Some of our most important nuclear secrets were hand-delivered to Communist China as a payback for financing Clintons' electoral campaign. Clinton sponsored the Oslo accords, sacrificing Israel to a vain pursuit of his Nobel ambitions. His was the first American administration that adopted the "two-state solution" as the US strategy in the Middle East. His supporters trumpeted the state of economy during his presidency, but his economic bubble burst having barely survived his departure from the White House. Then came September 11, 2001. Honesty demands that I admit to my naivete. When the World Trade Center came down, killing 3 thousand innocent people, I felt pain and anger, but I also felt optimism. It had to be a turning point in the history of the planet. It had to be the point where the United States of America, chronically well-fed for too many generations in a row, nearly comatose in its stupefying comfort, helplessly sinking in the dementia of political correctness, would wake up and respond appropriately, ensuring that, from then on, anyone entertaining bin Laden's fantasies would spend the rest of his days in the local loony bin. Instead, Americans responded by driving around with American flags of various sizes and degrees of depreciation attached to their automobiles. The only practical implication of channeling popular emotions into that safe venue was the increased gas consumption, which, as we all understand, helped finance terrorism, albeit marginally. Unsatisfied with such turn of events, a few redneck idiots attacked Sikhs whom they had mistaken for Muslims because of their turbans, which Muslims usually do not wear. Meanwhile, Muslims all over the world, from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to Cairo, Egypt, to Ramallah, Israel, to Paterson, NJ, to Brooklyn, NY, to Dearborn, MI, were openly celebrating what they perceived as their victory. Americans drove by, flags waving in the wind, without ever trying to stop the obscenity. War or no war, the sanctity of the First Amendment remains our highest priority, helping those who want to do away with all our liberties. The reason for my naive optimism was very simple. The attack has proven that Israel and the United States, as well as the rest of the civilized world, were facing the same enemy. Those who had any doubts were convincingly reassured by the Saudi prince who came to New York to enjoy the view of still smoldering handiwork of his countrymen and coreligionists and bluntly proclaimed that the United States had been punished for its support of Israel. I thought the time had come for the United States to shed its insincere allies, join the true one (sadly, the only one), declare a war against the worst enemy humanity had ever faced, fight it with courage and honesty, and win. That wasn't how things turned out. President Bush declared a war on terror and lost it before his speech was over. He lost it the moment he emphatically announced that Islam was not the enemy. It was contrary to the facts; it was contrary to common sense; it was contrary to common knowledge. Americans knew Islam was our enemy. Muslims knew Islam was our enemy; they were regularly reminded about it in every mosque on earth. But President Bush chose to remain politically correct in the face of the worst danger this country and the entire world had ever faced, and knowingly misidentified the enemy. The only worse scenario I can imagine in these circumstances would be the president of the United States really thinking that Islam was not the enemy. Or am I giving Mr. Bush too much credit? To prove his sincerity, President Bush invited Iran and Syria to join his war and, a few weeks later, struck Israel with his abridged version of the Oslo scam, the "roadmap". Iran and Syria wisely declined; Israel cowardly accepted. So, how is our war on terror going? Obviously, it's been a smashing success. We have demolished unfriendly regimes in two hostile countries. Media bias against President Bush somewhat sours up reports on our achievements in Iraq and Afghanistan. And yet, some important news do reach us. In Afghanistan, women can vote now; in an even bigger step towards democracy, Afghan men now have an option of trimming their beards or even shaving them off altogether. Private, unofficial reports from Iraq by some of our more eloquent servicemen make rounds on the Internet, proudly describing the vast improvements to the lives of ordinary Iraqis we have brought there. They tell us about the growing school attendance, production of electricity, and other aspects of daily life in Iraq, so vitally important to the American taxpayer who is, inevitably, footing the bill. One of such letters mentions instructions in "field sanitation and hand-washing techniques", which shows the level of people we are pushing towards democracy there. Aren't these sure signs of our overwhelming success? No, they aren't. This was supposed to be a war on terror. It was expected to make the United States of America safe from terrorism. Whatever improvements in generally unpleasant lives of people, who hate us senselessly, shamelessly, and passionately, can be implemented as a side effect of our victory, are welcome of course, but they cannot serve as criteria of our success. They do not define our victory or defeat. If even a single American soldier has to die in order for Iraqi kids to be immunized and learn to wash their hands, I'd rather they go unwashed and without immunizations, like all good Arabs do. On July 15, almost 3 years after 9/11, the New York Times reported that Pentagon is planning to close its day care center for fear of a terrorist attack. Half the times anyone who mentions the upcoming elections uses the phrase terrorist attack in the same sentence. Apparently, our war of terror has gone the way of our wars on drugs, on poverty, and other purely demagogical campaigns that chronically waste tons of money and aren't even expected to achieve anything of practical value. Only this war, in addition to hundreds of billions of dollars, is costing us lives of our soldiers. Obviously, we are losing. We have already lost much more than 3 thousand people and one of our most beautiful architectural complexes. We have lost our status of superpower. A superpower is defined by a single quality: it's untouchable. Nobody can attack a superpower and live to brag about it. Islam attacked us and survived unscathed. Our response has been carefully designed to avoid harming Islam in any way. It means that even today, decades before its official establishment, the Caliphate already enjoys the status of superpower, which we have lost. And yet, President Bush was right to invade Iraq. He just misstated our goals there, just as he misidentified our enemy in this war. While our war plans were still in the works, President Mubarak of Egypt warned that the US attack on Iraq would destabilize the entire Middle East. That was a perfectly reasonable expectation. The Middle East is the soil on which terrorism grows. It's pretty obvious that Muslim terrorism cannot be uprooted without fundamentally overhauling the Middle East. Since Iraq possessed the strongest army in the region, it was a logical starting point in our noble endeavor. Unfortunately, that wasn't how the Administration defined our goals in the war with Iraq. We invaded Iraq in order to get Saddam's weapons of mass destruction. To the utter embarrassment of Mr. Bush, we haven't found any. Now, the Administration is busy explaining that the war was, nevertheless, justified; nobody listens. There has been a reasonable suspicion that Saddam used months of pre-war diplomacy to relocate his WMD to Syria. Recent reports mention evidence that Iraqi chemical weapons might have been moved to Jordan. In any case, after Colin Powell's dazzling solo in front of the UN Security Council, the United States fell flat on its face. Now, Iran, which should've been next on our list of regimes to be demolished, can afford to pursue its nuclear goals with impunity. So, instead of fighting terrorism, we are building democracy in Iraq. Strangely, it reminds me of Marxism-Leninism. Marx's theory stipulated that Communism would be established all over the planet in a sweeping worldwide revolution. When Lenin saw an opportunity to grab power in Russia, he amended Marx's doctrine with his weak-link theory that stated the possibility of establishing Communism in a single country. Now, a century later, George Bush is building democracy in a single Arab country. Godspeed, Mr. Bush. But will democracy in Iraq help Mr. Rumsfield keep his kindergarten open? Yashiko Sagamori is a New York-based Information Technology consultant. To read other articles by the author, go to http://www.middleeastfacts.com/yashiko/ or email ysagamori@hotmail.com This article was written exclusively for the Forwerts. |
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BUSH ADMINISTRATION HAS LONG IGNORED SAUDI LINKS TO TERRORISM
Posted by Dafna Yee, July 20, 2004. |
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Question: How can Bush claim to be fighting a war on terrorism when he panders to terrorists and their financiers? Answer: By making lots of speeches saying that the Saudis are America's friends and our partners in the fight against terrorism and people accepting what he says and not what he does. (Not to mention spewing garbage about Islam being a "Religion of Peace" to get Arab votes!) This was written by Bill Gallaher, a Peabody Award winner, who is a former Niagara Falls city councilman who now covers Detroit for Fox News. His e-mail address is WGALLAG736@aol.com. This article appeared in the Niagara Falls Reporter (http://www.niagarafallsreporter.com/gallagher92.html). Know these truths and you have an excellent grip on the forces that encouraged bin Laden and drive the worst terrorism we have experienced and still face. These are also truths the Bush Administration refuses to acknowledge. Since Sept. 11, I have frequently used this space to write about the Saudi treachery, the Bush Administration's coddling of it and the media's general lack on interest in pursuing the obvious. Now, some bombshell reports are directly linking money from the Saudi royal family right into the hands of Sept. 11 terrorists. Stephen Schwartz knows the truth. "Despite the proliferation of terrorist groups with diverse-sounding names and backers, the real source of our problem is the perversion of Islamic teachings by the fascistic Wahhabi cult that resides in the heart of the Saudi establishment." That's an establishment the President of the United States and his father, the former president, personally protect. Along with other influential political and business leaders, the Bush Administration has countenanced the unimaginable and convinced a cowardly Congress and gullible public that our "real enemy" is Iraq and Saddam Hussein. Russian President Vladimir Putin has a far more realistic grasp of what the United States and our allies ought to be doing to combat terrorism than the Bush Administration, and he had the courage to say publicly what American and Western political leaders shy away from. Last Friday, while Bush was visiting the Russian leader in his home town of St. Petersburg, he got a candid earful he'd never get from that vastly overrated sycophant, national security advisor Condoleeza Rice. Putin bluntly suggested to Bush that the disappearance of Osama bin Laden was a significant piece of unfinished business as the Bush Administration concentrates its attention on a possible war with Iraq. Then, standing right next to the swaggering Texan, Putin poked at George W.'s often flawed memory. "We should not forget about those who finance terrorism," he said, and reminded the American president that most of those who committed the Sept. 11 attacks "are citizens of Saudi Arabia and we should not forget about that." Bush must have cringed when he heard those words that have never passed his lips. A congressional committee looking into the Sept. 11 attacks has concluded that the FBI and the CIA, in their investigations, did not pursue leads that might have linked the terrorists to Saudi Arabian senior government officials. The New York Times reports the committee has uncovered evidence that two of the hijackers got money and support from two other Saudis while they were all living in California and planning mass murder. Michael Isikoff of Newsweek reports federal sources tell him they've got the goods on a money trail that goes right back to the Saudi establishment and a Bush family intimate. Khalid Almidhar and Nawaf Alhazmi arrived in Los Angeles after attending an al-Qaeda session in Malaysia where they got their Sept. 11 marching orders. They arrived in Los Angeles and received a welcoming mat from Omar Al Bayoumi, another Saudi national. Bayoumi threw a party for the boys and paid the rent on the apartment they used. Newsweek learned Bayoumi was getting payments at the time of $3,500 a month from an account at the Riggs Bank in Washington, D.C. When he left the United States in July, 2001 the checks kept coming and the terrorists got a new paymaster. He was Osama Basnan, a known al-Qaeda sympathizer who threw a party the night of Sept. 11 and proclaimed, "What a wonderful, glorious day it has been." And who was the great benefactor of these Saudi Wahhabis? She was Princess Haifa-al Faisal, the daughter of the late Saudi King Faisel. She is also the wife of Saudi Ambassador to the United States, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, a longtime intimate friend of the Bush family. He is always welcome at the president's ranch in Crawford, Texas, where those his grace shines most upon are invited. Prince Bandar was the only member outside the Bush family invited to George the Elder and Barbara Bush's 50th wedding anniversary celebration. Now his wife's checks are showing up in the hands of terrorists. In the immortal words of Ricky Ricardo, the Prince and Princess have some "'splaining to do." And so does the president. An administration spokesperson says it's not unusual for wealthy Saudis to help those from their country in need, and adds, "The facts are unclear, and there is no need to rush to judgment." Rush to judgment! If the Bushies had found checks from Saddam Hussein's family linked to Sept. 11 terrorists, they would have bombed Baghdad and invaded Iraq long ago. But remember these are "our friends," not just plain Saudis, but the royal family flavor. This response fits a long pattern of the Bush Administration covering for their Saudi pals, regardless of the facts. But this time they may have gone too far. The Bush State Department still fails to provide satisfactory explanations about why the Sept. 11 hijackers were given visitors' visas when their applications should have been denied. No one from the administration has ever explained who lifted the post-Sept. 11 no-fly order to allow bin Laden's family members to leave the United States in private jets. My judgment is that it had to have been the president himself and he did at the behest of friendly Prince Bandar. The FBI never got the opportunity to carefully and properly interview the bin Laden siblings and other kin. Who ordered that? Why does the Saudi government refuse to turn over people like Bayoumi, who's believed to have returned to his native land? Why does the Bush Administration not even protest when the Saudi government repeatedly refuses requests from our investigators to interview known terrorists? Why does the president warmly greet and shake hands with a Wahhabi cleric who, while home in Saudi Arabia, preached in mosques that Muslim men had the right from God to rape and enslave Jewish women? The leaders of the congressional intelligence committees are pressing hard for the release of classified reports that show the evidence of the Saudi money flow to the terrorists. But the Bush Administration, led by Attorney General John Ashcroft, adamantly refuses to declassify the evidence. In the Watergate scandal, we learned the valuable lesson to "follow the money." The lesson still applies, but mark my words, the president will do anything and everything in his power to protect the Wahhabi-Saudi hypocrisy and the details of that entangled connection to his administration. He's caught in it himself, and only unrelenting pressure from the American people will make him come clean. Dafna Yee is director of the Jewish Watch Dog (JWD). Its website is http://jwd-jewishwatchdog.home.comcast.net |
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MOLLY MOORE ENCOURAGES EMPATHY FOR TERRORISTS
Posted by Eric Rozenman, July 20, 2004. |
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It would be hard to invent a better example of what's wrong with Washington Post coverage of Arab-Israeli news than the paper's July 19 front-page story. The headline is "In Jenin, Seven Shattered Dreams; Boyhood Hopes Forged on Theater Stage Dissolve in Reality of Intifada." The text virtually bleeds unwarranted pro-Palestinian empathy. Post correspondent Molly Moore presents Arab murderers as youths who lost their way amidst destruction and death precipitated primarily by Israelis. The only Israelis presented with any of the human touches Moore lavishes on Palestinian subjects are an utterly unrepresentative mother-son pair, one of whom justifies Arab terrorism. By its subject matter, its dominance of the front page, prominent color photographs and full-page continuation, "In Jenin, Seven Shattered Dreams" typifies the factual inversion and psychological bias that distorts much Post Arab-Israeli reporting. Again, a major dispatch, of dubious news value, portrays Palestinian Arabs as victims, Israeli Jews in general as aggressors. Moore reports on "seven neighborhood boys who bonded on the stage of an experimental theater group" in the glow of the 1993 Israeli-Palestine Liberation Organization accords. But in 1995 its Israeli backer died and the project failed. Simultaneously, says Moore "the hopes stirred by the Oslo peace agreement collapsed into disappointment throughout the Palestinian territories. Mounting frustration gave birth to the current intifada in September 2000." The boys, in Moore's lachrymose style, took "the tortuous journey from childhood ambitions acted out on a stage of dreams to manhood in a secret society of Palestinian suicide attackers and armed fighters." Now, four are dead -- terrorists killed by Israel, though Moore never accurately describes them -- one jailed, one unemployed and the last, Mahmoud Kaneri, a stonemason. Moore's focal point, Kaneri is "a towering man with limpid eyes the color of rich toffee." Romance novel descriptions like that of Kaneri have become a cliche in Moore's Palestinian features. More important is her assertion that "creating headstones for the fallen is his therapy." It illuminates The Post's non-journalistic, social worker approach to Palestinian Arabs, an approach that treats dead terrorists as "the fallen." Moore claims that Palestinian "hopes collapsed into disappointment." In reality, Palestinian violation of the Oslo Accords and related agreements destroyed an almost euphoric Israeli belief that peace was at hand. Yasser Arafat's PLO and Palestinian Authority refused to eliminate terrorist organizations like those which Kaneri's boyhood pals joined. Palestinians refused to end anti-Israeli incitement in schools, mosques and in PA television, radio and newspapers. They failed to demilitarize the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Instead, the PLO and PA collaborated with terrorists, intensified incitement, and connived in the proliferation of weapons. Terrorist attacks including suicide bombings rocked Israel within months of Oslo, not only after September 2000. The "mounting frustration" Moore cites as a cause for the last four years of violence is psycho-babble; Arafat's rejection of a state on 97 percent of the West Bank and Gaza, including eastern Jerusalem in exchange for peace with Israel sparked the current terror war against the Jewish state. Moore's dispatch follows two days of Post coverage of anti-Arafat turmoil in the Gaza Strip, reportedly led by younger members of Hamas (Islamic Resistance Movement), Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade of Arafat's own Fatah group. Even that coverage minimized or ignored criticism by representatives of the United Nations and European Union of the Palestinian leadership for corruption and lack of interest in peace-making. Moore's desolate coming-of-age narrative of a Palestinian band of brothers lets The Post change the subject altogether, avoiding news in favor of the paper's psychologically rigid view of Arab-Israeli matters in which peace-loving Palestinians are battered into being reluctant terrorists through Israeli brutality. Hence the final quotation praising terrorism, or what this most unrepresentative Israeli calls "fight[ing] for their rights," from the son whose mother launched the Palestinian experimental theater: "'From my perspective, it's a success that people stood up and fought
for their rights,' said Mer Khamis, who said he recently lost his
contract to work in Israeli theaters because of his pro-Palestinian
sympathies. 'Arna [his mother] told them to fight for their rights'."
Eric L. Rozenman is CAMERA's Washington representative.
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PLEASE SAVE HIS LIFE
Posted by Jennifer Zimmer, July 20, 2004. |
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My husband, Stuart Zimmer, is dying from kidney failure. We have three children: ages 4, 2 and 5 months. Stuart is suffering on dialysis and his doctors are unable to control his blood pressure, which is high enough to cause a stroke or worse. He is only 35 and otherwise fit & healthy. He desperately needs a kidney transplant to stay alive. So far, 30 friends, family and total strangers have been tested, but none were compatible. Since he had a previous surgery and blood transfusions, he is highly sensitized and difficult to match. Now, I am appealing to our community in hopes of getting a match for my husband. I pray someone will read this and understand. Every day, 12 people die waiting for a donor. I don't want my precious husband to become a statistic. If you or anyone you know would consider being tested as a
potential donor, call NY Presbyterian Hospital at 212-305-6469 and ask
for Joan Kelly. You can also reach her at Compatible donors should be between 18 and 65, in good health and
have Type B or O blood. If you have high blood pressure, a blood
disease or diabetes, you cannot donate. The donor's surgery is now
very simple and laparoscopic. The donor is hospitalized for 2-3 days,
with only a small "bikini line" incision. Most donors are back to work
within a week with no dietary or lifestyle restrictions. There is no
cost to the donor. You can live a long, healthy life with just one
kidney! In fact, many people are born with just one.
Please share this with friends, family and colleagues. With the
right transplant, Stuart will have many more years to enjoy our babies
and lead a full, productive life. In the meantime, please pray for
everyone awaiting vital organs to live.
Thank you with all my heart for reading this. Please contact me
with any questions.
G-d bless you,
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SHARON REGIME - WHAT TO YOU THINK OF IT?
Posted by Richard H. Shulman, July 20, 2004. |
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Israel has disrupted some right-wing families by putting the husbands in administrative detention. (The charges usually are solely harassment, eventually dropped. Thus the detention is used not to prevent a crime but to commit one. It abuses emergency powers. It is a fascist technique.) Now the Sharon regime charges the wives, left on their own, with child neglect. The women stand to lose their children. This is part of the scheme for putting over the abandonment of Yesha. Such tactics aim to demoralize likely opponents. Actually, the children were not neglected. They get inspired from their parents' examples of courage. But by dragging mother and children to police stations, they can get traumatized. The police should be charged with child abuse (Winston, Mid East Analysis, 7/6). Israel's leftist media describes the "settlers" as extremists. Leftists outside the media describe them as deserving of their being attacked. I ask, what is more extremist and deserving of punishment than the government's incarcerating the husbands on false pretexts and then falsely charging the women with child abuse! Babies have been torn from such mothers and left on their own, when the mothers were arrested for some minor protest, while Arabs were not interfered with even after having rioted. The minor charges were a pretext. Richard 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. |
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PIMPING FOR PALESTINE
Posted by Bruce S. Ticker, July 19, 2004. |
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The World Court at the Hague has loudly told the global community that terrorism and an average legal argument will spell victory at the World Court. By omission, the Court told Palestinian Authority Muslims who make human bombs of their own children in order to kill other children that they have every right to do so because they are "occupied" by Israel. The World Court decided Israel has no right to defend itself by erecting an Anti-Terror Wall to keep out suicidal, genocidal killers. Was the Muslim slaughter of Jews in Hebron, Jerusalem and elsewhere in the pre-World War II years due to the Anti-Terror Wall of 2004? The Palestinians have become the Chosen and the Jews have become the Condemned. The path of the barrier, according to the court opinion read by Judge Shi Jiuyong of China, "gravely" violates Palestinian rights, "and the infringements from that route cannot be justified by military exigencies or by the requirements of national security or public order." The World Court decided that the Holy Land with its olive groves, grapes and rocks are more important than the lives of Israeli citizens. How many Arab olives are worth one Jewish child? How many Arab grapes are worth one Israeli soldier? How many Arab rocks are worth one Jewish family? The only surprise about the World Court's decision is nobody is surprised, not in Israel nor the Middle East, not in America, in Canada, Latin America, Australia, India, Asia, Africa nor Europe. How normal is it to expect to be treated unfairly, cynically and with prejudice? The democratic, human- rights abiding World Court has sent the undemocratic P.A. Muslims a silent and clear message: You have the right to murder and maim Jews wherever you find them and we, who are pimping for Palestine, have no ruling if you choose to murder your own children in order to murder Israeli children because we find the Wall of 2004 to be an obstacle to "national security or public order." The Western world is digging its own grave. When Muslims loudly and often declare, "Thanks to your democratic laws, we will invade you. Thanks to our Islamic laws, we will conquer you," does anyone believe these Islamic invaders and conquerors will listen to the esteemed World Court at the Hague? The Palestinians have become the darlings of a cruel, perverted, Leftist Western mentality. This decision by the World Court reveals the reason the citizens of Israel should become more independent for if the West is drowning in self-hatred, how much more do they hate the Jew and blame him for their own self-loathing? Bruce Ticker's website address is http://www.crisisisrael.com |
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SOLIDARITY RALLY ON SUN. 1:00 PM AT ISRAEL EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON DC
Posted by Deb Kotz, July 19, 2004. |
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Please, please try to attend this rally on Sunday. And bring your kids! They will be forming a human chain around the Israeli Embassy to show solidarity with residents of Gush Katif and protest the removal of these settlements in Gaza. A chain is being formed in Israel stretching from Gush Katif to Jerusalem. It's really important for us to turn out for this and make our voices heard. STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE JEWS OF GAZA
FOR INFORMATION:
Embassy of Israel
METRO: Red Line / Van Ness Station. Exit station and go to Van Ness St. and walk to International Drive (about 200 yards). CAR: Take University Blvd. towards Wheaton and continue as University Blvd turns into Connecticut Ave. Take Connecticut Ave. to Van Ness St. and turn right. Proceed to International Dr. (on street parking available). News Item from Arutz-7:
The big event will be held this Sunday, but solidarity chains will be held in New York, Atlanta, Australia - and even in summer camps around the globe. Last-minute preparations for the Human Chain stretching from Gaza to the Old City of Jerusalem are feverishly underway, with only two days left until the big event. Some 100,000 people are expected to stand in pre-assigned spots along the 90-kilometer route, holding hands in solidarity with Gush Katif and in opposition to the plan to uproot a portion of the national homeland and close to 8,500 people from their homes. In general, residents of the south have been assigned to stand along the way from Gaza to the Re'em Junction near Kibbutz Chafetz Chaim; those of central Israel will man the route as it turns east towards Latrun; and those of the north and Jerusalem will link hands the rest of the way. Each city has been assigned a specific sector. Residents of Be'er Sheva will stand near Kiryat Malachi; those of Ashdod and Ashkelon will stand between Ashkelon and Masuot Yitzchak; residents of Hadera, Afula and environs will take up positions between Shaar HaGai and Mevaseret; and those of Jerusalem and Maaleh Adumim will stand in Jerusalem. The unofficial website of Gush Katif has, for the first time, opened an English site. Information on the Human Chain, for instance, can be read by visiting http://english.katif.net/index.php?sub=4 Israel supporters in Atlanta have announced that they will hold a solidarity chain on Sunday, at 1 PM outside the Israel Consulate. AFSI is arranging a similar chain on Sunday at 6 PM, outside the Israel Consulate in New York City, at 2nd Ave. and 42nd St. Similar events will be held in Australia, Canada, and London. Children in summer camps and activists in bungalow colonies will also take part. Chabad camps in New York, Australia, Russia and elsewhere have arranged for children's chains in which at one end will be a child holding a sign saying Gush Katif, at the other end will be a child holding a sign saying Kotel [Western Wall], and in between will be signs of the other cities along the route. |
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JOIN THE NEW YORK SOLIDARITY CHAIN WITH GUSH KATIF- SUNDAY, JULY 25, 6 PM
Posted by AFSI, July 19, 2004. |
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SOLIDARITY CHAIN
WITH GUSH KATIF
SUNDAY, JULY 25, 6 P.M.
THE ISRAELI CONSULATE
2ND AVE. AT 42ND STREET
NEW YORK CITY On Sunday, July 25, a human chain will be created in Israel, stretching from the Temple Mount in Jerusalem to Gush Katif/Gaza. Over 120,000 people will participate. The large majority will be Israelis, but supporters from all over the world will be there with them to show solidarity with the 8,000 Jews of Gush Katif who are threatened by Prime Minister Sharon with expulsion from their homes and lands. This is the eve of Tish'a B'Av, the day on which we mourn the destruction of the First and Second Temples, and the expulsion of the Jewish people from the holy land. The human chain will be a living testament to the determination of the Jewish people to prevent the repetition of destruction and expulsion, and to prevent the encouragement of terrorism by rewarding terrorists with Jewish holy land. BE WITH US TO FORM A HUMAN CHAIN OF SOLIDARITY. WE MUST STAND WITH OUR ISRAELI BRETHREN TO DEMONSTRATE TO THE WORLD THAT AS GAZA GOES, SO WILL GO ALL OF ISRAEL, AMERICA, AND ALL OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION.
Americans For a Safe Israel/AFSI is a pro-active pro-Israel advocacy
group. AFSI may be contacted by mail at 1623 Third Ave., Suite 205,
New York, N.Y. 10128 (Tel: 212-828-2424; Fax: 212-828-1717); by email
at afsi@rcn.com; or by accessing its website: www. afsi.org.
Helen Freedman is Executive Director.
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THE HUMAN CHAIN
Posted by Dr. Ron Breiman, July 19, 2004. |
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Professors for a Strong Israel calls on its hundreds of members, and on the many hundreds of thousands faithful to the Land of Israel, to join in the Human Chain that will stretch from Gush Katif to Jerusalem, heart of the nation, on Sunday, 7 Av (25 July), from 5 to 7 PM. The Human Chain will make palpable the mass resistance to the ethnic cleansing of Jews from Gush Katif. We call on the government to withhold from the IDF and the police the patently illegal order to uproot Jews from their homes in their land. This order, which must not be given and which must not be obeyed, will create an irreparable rift in the army and in the nation. We declare that ethnic cleansing is contrary to the values of Judaism, of Zionism, and of democracy. Carrying it out would also be a violation of the Basic Law: Human Dignity and Freedom. Dr. Breiman is Chairman of Professors for a Strong Israel (PSI). |
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MUSLIM THERAPY
Posted by Irwin N. Graulich, July 19, 2004. |
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It doesn't make any sense. Most Islamic terrorists come from middle to upper class families. A billionaire, Osama bin Laden is their leader. The children of well to do families flew hijacked airplanes into the World Trade Center and join al Qaeda. Perhaps they all need a "Wilderness Program." The Jews underwent their therapeutic healing process for 40 years in the Wilderness after leaving Egypt, while American Christians had their clinical treatment while founding and settling the Wilderness of America. Today, much of the Muslim world is in constant turmoil, turning out sons and daughters with horrendous anti-Western values and ideas. The hatred for America, the most moral nation in history is unprecedented and the continuous blame of Jews and Israel for most Islamic shortcomings is indeed irrational. The morally confused left, Europe and Scandinavia continually use the poverty excuse and Middle East policy as root causes. Similar excuses were used to explain Nazism. Poverty--what a joke. Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of modern evil is perhaps the richest nation per capita on earth. The oil wealth in Kuwait, Iran and other Islamic Middle Eastern countries refute this fraudulent Marxist economic theory. No. It is their horrendous value system caused by a seriously flawed psychological belief, uncovered by Freud and Jung. The Islamic world is a society dominated by "shame." Pride is an overwhelming value, where an obsession on dishonor means tremendous weakness. This is the underlying reason why America and Israel are hated with such passion. The incredible successes of our religious societies coupled with overwhelming military power gives "Muslim penis envy" a new meaning. Instead of saying we admire America and thank them for liberating us from a Saddam; instead of praising America for developing their oil wealth; instead of welcoming a new democracy, Israel, into the Middle East whose technology and medical centers can truly improve their lives; instead of trying to emulate these two countries...the Islamic world has attempted to destroy them so that their own societies do not appear quite as flawed by comparison. Muslims need to find behavior moderation through learning coping strategies that deal directly with the fact that we have created much better societies. 58 countries and 1.2 billion people must come to that realization and attempt to improve themselves. It is a "Guilt vs. Shame Theory." In lieu of using guilt in a positive way over their inadequacies, shame overwhelms them. Shame is a very dangerous emotion where someone will do almost anything to hide what they or a family member has done, or perhaps not been able to accomplish. It can bring on the realization that the individual is a horrible person. "I, or my family member, did something atrocious and we are truly despicable human beings. Therefore, I do not mind killing myself or sending a family member to die in order to blow up innocents." No wonder many fathers in the Arab world actually murder their own daughters in "honor killings" because of a premarital sex act. Guilt is a healthy Christian and Jewish emotion that says, "I made a mistake and I am upset over it." However with guilt one simply feel that hard work will correct the problem. Shame means the individual can never get better, because that is how you and your society were made and it can never be corrected. Modern American therapists attempt to transform shame into guilt. Guilt means there is an ability to change by developing a positive attitude. Shame always makes the individual feel terribly inadequate. No wonder that terrorist leaders are so angry and irrational. They get their negative coping skills from shame, because trying to hide from shameful feelings and thoughts leads to even more shame and irrational radicalism. Terrorism is the reaction to these emotions caused by bad values and horrendous religious interpretations. It has nothing to do with poverty. The terrorists are simply ashamed that we are better at virtually everything we do, so they turn to terrorism. They become proud of terrorism and then ashamed of their actions, so they initiate more terrorism which continues the vicious cycle. Unless these fundamentalist societies change to mirror Western democracies with a focus on this life and not 72 virgins in heaven, Islamic terrorism will continue. Unless they are shown the rewards of a life where ethical monotheism is the prime motivator and not a religious system that seeks to dominates the world, Islamic terrorism will continue. Unless they establish healthy patterns of communications and do away with a manipulative, lying press, Islamic terrorism will continue. Unless they focus self-control on character building and learning lessons from life's journey, Islamic terrorism will continue. bin Laden and his associates have become "teenagers in crisis" with classic cases of anger, resentment and oppositional, defiant behavior. They do not know boundaries nor take accountability for their evil deeds. They have made and continue to make all the wrong choices. They have never grown up or matured emotionally. Where have we parents heard all this before? Irwin N. Graulich is a motivational speaker on morality, ethics, Judaism, religion and political issues. He is President and CEO of a corporate communications, marketing and branding company located in New York City. He can be reached at irwin.graulich@verizon.net This article appeared today on the www.JewishIndy.com website and is archived at http://www.jewishindy.com/article.php?sid=3676&mode=thread&order=0 |
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ARAFAT'S RETIREMENT IS LONG PAST DUE
Posted by Morris Amitay, July 19, 2004. |
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Too few people in political life know when to make a graceful exit. This is especially so in countries ruled by despots who try to hang on to power until their last dying breath. Whether it was Generalissimo Franco in Spain who hung on and became the butt of late night show humor, or modern day tyrants like the late Hafez el-Assad of Syria (whose finest moment was his last) or King Fahd of Saudi Arabia - still being propped up, after ten years of being all but comatose. Not quite on their last breaths we have Mugabe in Zimbabwe, Qadhafi in Libya (relatively young, but in power since 1969), and President for life Mubarak, (24 years and counting) in Egypt. The latter, reportedly, more seriously ill than widely reported, is grooming his son Gamal to replace him, much like Assad who did a similar favor for the Syrian people, by giving a crash course in terrorism to his ophthalmologist son, Bashar, before shuffling off this mortal coil. Right now, the most noteworthy example of a dictator grimly hanging on is the godfather of modern terrorism, Yasir Arafat. In ill health for years, and having narrowly escaped death when his plane crashed in Libya more than a decade ago, Arafat is desperately holding on the levers of power as head of both the Palestinian Authority and the PLO. Now he is being openly challenged in the streets of Gaza and by his own handpicked Prime Minister; who like his predecessor, has been hamstrung in attempts to bring about needed reforms. But as Arafat seeks to hold on to control over the various Palestinian security services, his divide and conquer tactics appear to be failing. Criticism has even recently come from biggest booster over the years, the UN, so his days appear to be numbered. More and more Palestinians who did not return with the Rais (the boss) from Tunis, and who have not profited from the endemic corruption in the PA are questioning what benefits Arafat has brought to the Palestinian people. Riots and kidnappings of Arafat's cronies are bound to raise the level of opposition. It remains to be seen, however, whether the UN, the Europeans, and Israel's still delusional left wing can rescue Arafat from the mounting fury of his own people. By now, anyone who believes "we can do business with Arafat" as the "legitimate elected leader" of the Palestinians is either a fool, or a knave, or both. Arafat continues to be a living lie as evidenced by his own lurid pronouncements. Why should anyone, even Israel's usual detractors, give the slightest credence to Arafat's recent charge that Israel was responsible for a homicide bombing of its own citizens in order to make the Palestinians look bad? Admittedly, conspiracy theories run rampant in the Muslim world, but why would anyone in the West at this point believe anything Yasir Arafat has to say? He truly fits the description of someone you can tell is lying because his lips are moving. Yet why do so many Europeans, and notably the French, still court this wily terrorist? The only conclusions to be drawn from France's continuing love affair with Arafat is that it demonstrates a hatred of Israel, of Jews, and, of course, of America in the person of the President - Frances' own "Great Satan". Sadly, but predictably, the UN and a majority of its members remains a bastion of support for this failed despot, sometimes more out of habit than conviction. Unable or unwilling to directly confront our own country (or still needing our largesse), a host of failing, undemocratic states treat Israel, supported by the US, as a convenient whipping boy. The absurd ICJ verdict on the Fence, and anticipated United Nations General Assembly action against Israel are only the most recent manifestations of the moral bankruptcy of this world body. When the history of this period in world affairs is written, scholars may well ponder what possible attraction Arafat, an utterly contemptible figure could have had to so many. If some viewed him as the leader of an oppressed people seeking independence, surely by now it is clear that Arafat is the main reason for the sad situation the Palestinians find themselves in. Offered almost 100% of what he ostensibly sought - an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital - Arafat, by refusing this offer demonstrated that his ultimate goal was no less than the destruction of another state, Israel. And if this meant nurturing an entire generation on hate, terror and deprivation, so be it. For Arafat, this was a reasonable price to be paid for him to achieve his desired place in his own demented version of history. The time is long past due to relegate Yasir Arafat to the very bottom of the trash bin of history. His true legacy will be measured in the thousands of dead Jews and Arabs. Right now, the noblest contribution he could make with his life, is to end it - and the sooner, the better. Morrie Amitay is a former Executive Director of AIPAC and founder of the pro-Israel Washington PAC (www.washingtonpac.com). |
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"DEPRIVING THIS LIFE OF GRACE AND REFINEMENT; THE NEXT OF ITS DIGNITY AND SANCTITY"
Posted by IsrAlert, July 19, 2004. |
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This is an excerpt from Mark Steyn's "Blunkett's ban will fan the
flames",
which appeared in the Telegraph, July 13, 2004. It is archived at
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/
opinion/2004/07/13/do1302.xml&sSheet=/portal/2004/07/13/ixportal.html
In The River War (1899), Winston Churchill's account of the Sudanese campaign, there's a memorable passage which I reproduce here....: "How dreadful are the curses which Mohammedanism lays on its votaries! Besides the fanatical frenzy, which is as dangerous in a man as hydrophobia in a dog, there is this fearful fatalistic apathy. Improvident habits, slovenly systems of agriculture, sluggish methods of commerce, and insecurity of property exist wherever the followers of the Prophet rule or live. A degraded sensualism deprives this life of its grace and refinement; the next of its dignity and sanctity. The fact that in Mohammedan law every woman must belong to some man as his absolute property - either as a child, a wife, or a concubine - must delay the final extinction of slavery until the faith of Islam has ceased to be a great power among men. "Individual Moslems may show splendid qualities. Thousands become the brave and loyal soldiers of the Queen: all know how to die. But the influence of the religion paralyses the social development of those who follow it. No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytising faith. It has already spread throughout Central Africa, raising fearless warriors at every step; and were it not that Christianity is sheltered in the strong arms of science - the science against which it had vainly struggled - the civilisation of modern Europe might fall, as fell the civilisation of ancient Rome." Is that grossly offensive to Muslims? Almost certainly. Is it also a rather shrewd and pertinent analysis by one of Britain's most eminent leaders? I think so. IsrAlert, a Jewish advocacy network, is hosted by Harv Weiner. To subscribe to IsrAlert, send an email to isralert@aol.com |
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LOSING ONE'S BEST FRIEND - LARSEN AND ARAFAT
Posted by Reuven Kossover, July 19, 2004. |
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David Frankfurter wrote an essay on Larsen of the
UN losing Arafat's friendship when he had the temerity to criticize
him. (see below).
Reuven Kossover comments.
Your analysis of Arafat's denunciation of Larsen, declaring him "persona non grata" is interesting but you're only looking at the frosting of the nasty cake called "Snuff Israel." The details of the statement are not important. That Arafat saw fit to condemn it is. Arafat saw something in this statement that you didn't notice. Try to look underneath what you see. Arafat is a crook who has stolen over a billion dollars. Larsen is a crook, supported by Peres' money. Why should Arafat get pissed with the pot calling the kettle black? Arafat is a big boy. He understands the facts of life. But nobody has been Arafat's friend lately. Have you noticed this? All the various "supporting" regimes have been putting pressure on the putz. Even Kofi Anan has been holding his nose when he endorses Arafat. Arafat's only "crime" has been attempting to do away with Jews. The line given Paul Newman in the movie "Exodus" is as true today as it was in 1933 or 1947, the year Ari ben Canaan is supposed to have spouted it, "Jewish blood is cheap, cheaper than herring." So Arafat hasn't done anything "wrong". Killing Jews is no crime in the eyes of most of the world. What gives? Larsen is Peres' poodle. Peres is the Vatican's poodle, the EU's poodle (remember how Peres promised the Vatican the Temple Mount and denied it when the diplomatic pouch containing the message was intercepted?) The situation in Judea, Samaria and Gaza has degenerated into anarchy. Anarchy is not a comfortable situation for the ones who run this planet. So, if I may play on the words of Dr. Seuss, "Someone, someone has to shovel the shit. Who is the someone??" Let's take a look. Arafat is not the someone. That's what all those not so friendly remarks about him are indicative of. The latest "Abu Koos'ema" puppet in the "premier's" office in Ram'allah has proven that he hasn't got the chestnuts for the job. The Americans are putting pressure on Sharon to pull out of more and more settlements. The Americans are building a base in the northern Negev. They don't really want Israeli troops occupying more of Judea and Samaria. They want them occupying less. In the eyes of Larsen and the European scum, the last folks for that job are the Israelis. The Europeans have a conniption fit every time the Israelis sell Ahava lotion in Europe! The Egyptians can't seem to be talked into going into Gaza. The Jordanians can't seem to be talked into going in Judea and Samaria. Who's left? Well, there are the Russians. But their eyes appear to be cast on other Moslem domains, the rebellious ones in their own federation and the former Soviet republics in Central Asia. There are the Chinese, but their jaws are dripping wet with the possibilities of gobbling up Taiwan and maybe even North Korea (speculation on North Korea comes courtesy of John Loftus). I'm sure that Fidel Castro would love to make a few billion in cash sending in his soldiers to quell the chaos in "Palestine"- if the Americans would let him. They won't. So who does that leave? Well, there are the Turks. Sharon recently imported some 800 "Turkish laborers." But somehow, I suspect that the Turks wouldn't want their boys fighting the Arabs here. Alright. We've eliminated the local "Palestinian" "security" forces, the Israelis, the Russians, the Chinese, the Cubans and the Turks. That leaves the Europeans and the Americans. Do you think they might want to come here to restore order? Well, the Americans might be hesitant at this point, considering what they are dealing with in Iraq. But they probably would not want the Europeans to do it by themselves - America and Europe are competitors, not really friends. Voila ici - NATO! By using NATO, the Europeans and the Americans don't compete because NATO is a structure that comprises both of them and has already proven itself beating up on the Serbs. If they can beat up Serbs, they can beat up Arabs. Serbs fight better. Do you remember the recent "invite" by NATO to the Israelis to become "partners"? The "invite" was not symbolic and it was not about shooting the breeze. Put simply, David, the undermining of the PA by a whole bunch of its "allies" sets the stage for NATO troops to come in and impose order. They come in at the invitation of their "partner," the Israeli government. They then set the terms for "peace," without having to ask anybody. It becomes a diktat backed by several well armed brigades, further backed up by the not so remote threat of European-American intervention on a massive scale. After the statement by Larsen, Arafat probably realized what was probably coming down the pike. The only thing he could do was declare Larsen "persona-non-grata." It's not exactly what Arafat wants, and it certainly is not in our interest here, but do you think the US or the Europeans really give a damn about a wog like Arafat? Do you really think the American government gives a damn about us? If you do, open your eyes and look at the real world! Blessings from the windy hills south of the Valley of Jehosaphat,
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EVACUATION AUTHORITY HEAD SAYS HE HAS A "PAINFUL TASK" IN GAZA
Posted by Bryna Berch, July 19, 2004. |
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This is a news item from Arutz-7 today. I read it twice, thinking it
had to be a spoof. It may be a cockamamy scheme to kick the Jews of
Gaza out of their homes, so the Arabs can turn the place into a
desolate area again. But they wouldn't put a deranged person in
charge, would they?
Yonatan Bassi, of the religious Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu in the northern Jordan Valley, has been appointed to head the newly formed Evacuation Administration. His position will be parallel to that of a government ministry's director-general. Arutz-7's Haggai Segal spoke with him today: Q. Are you at peace with the Prime Minister's disengagement plan? A. ... I'll tell you what the Prime Minister told me. He said that this job can be undertaken only by someone who, on the one hand, feels the great pain of the terrible uprooting of the people from their homes, but who on the other hand feels that there is no other alternative. I think that in this matter, this definition applies to me as well. Q. Why do you think the Prime Minister has turned to you for this painful task? A. You'll have to ask him, but it is certainly a painful mission, possibly the most painful there is. I therefore had to deliberate between turning it down and leaving the work to someone else, or taking it upon myself - with a heavy personal price, especially given the circles in which I live - knowing that I might be able to make it easier for the people involved... I spent several days of deep introspection on this matter, and I came to the conclusion that in these matters, one must not think only of himself, but rather take the broad picture into account. Q. You are a senior member of the Religious Kibbutz Movement, a member of Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu, and it may well be said that the religious kibbutzim are the glorious settlement enterprise of Religious Zionism of the 1930's, 40's, 50's, maybe even further - A. - also the 60's and 70's. Q. - yes, also the 60's and 70's, and even in Gush Etzion (Judea) you have some Kibbutzim. So how then can you become the chief liquidator of a parallel settlement enterprise? A. First of all, eh, I'm not the chief liquidator [nervous chuckle], I would like to correct this. We will not deal with evacuation; the name Evacuation Authority is not a good one, and we'll change it. Our main job will be to try to provide the best solutions to all the families that will have to decide between various alternatives: do they want to continue to be farmers or not, do they want to move to a community in the Negev or to somewhere else, and the like. We will try to give each one the solution that's best for him. The [entire disengagement] is of course being coordinated by people other than me, such as Gen. Giora Eiland, others from the Justice Ministry, the Prime Minister's Office, and they are dealing with legislation, military issues, and others. Our job is just to deal with the hardest and most painful part of all, and that is the people themselves. Q. In other words, your job is to encourage the people to leave of their own will, in exchange for compensation? A. Not to encourage; we will turn to them -- we won't force them to negotiate with us, but we'll rather propose that they talk with us and we'll try to figure out the best alternative. Q. Allow me to return to this once again. It's true that you were never a member of Gush Emunim [the original settlement movement for Judea, Samaria and Gaza, formed after the 1973 Yom Kippur War - ed.] but you were certainly educated on the principle that 'where the Zionist plow passes, that will mark our border' - and here we see that not only is this principle is being broken, but that you are among those promoting and advancing this trend, even if out of admirable motivations. A. I believe that this public discourse on what I would call "geography or demography" is a long one, and it's certainly not upon me to complete it, though I am part of the Israeli public that is deliberating over it. If the State of Israel concludes that in order to be a Jewish and democratic state, it has to peel off a very large Arab population, it also must bear the heavy pain that follows. This is of course not a decision that I made, but rather the government, and I know that I won't even be able to begin my work until the Knesset passes a law regarding the compensation and the various regulations, etc. ... I assume this will pass sometime after the Knesset's summer recess. Until then, I will merely serve as a coordinator of some type for all the many government offices that are already dealing with this. Q. You certainly must have thought about the possibility that most of the residents will not agree to take compensation, but will rather opt to remain in their homes. A. I'll tell you what I think they're doing already. I think they're doing what Yaakov Avinu [the Patriarch Jacob] did when his brother Esav was on his way to greet him. Yaakov prepared in three ways: Prayer, Gifts, and War, i.e., he took several different approaches. On the one hand, they are preparing, legitimately, to do whatever they can in the framework of the law to resist this plan, while at the same time they are also dealing with the alternative. I think they will be smart if they do both at the same time, so as not to harm themselves. Q. Do you mean, and perhaps the Prime Minister discussed it with you, that those who don't agree to leave on their own might not receive compensation at all? A. There's no such thing. I don't think anyone has even thought of such a possibility. Q... Isn't it clear to you that this disengagement will lead to other disengagements in Judea and Samaria, along the lines of, "Today Gush Katif, tomorrow Ofrah"? A. I personally think that there is nothing that strengthens the Judea and Samaria settlement enterprise more than when we relieve and reduce the very heavy demographic pressure. But of course it could be that I am wrong. I don't think there is anyone who can say what will happen as a result. Chou en-Lai, the Prime Minister of China in the 70's, was asked his opinion on the [18th century] French Revolution, and he said that not enough time had passed for him to judge it. When you're in the middle of a historic process, it's hard to see it from a broad perspective. I would guess that whoever gives it a historic perspective now, does so based only on his own outlook. |
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THINKING "OUTSIDE THE BOX"
Posted by Richard H. Shulman, July 19, 2004. |
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Our processes of logic seem to be backsliding. People should know better, reason poorly. Instead of reaching a conclusion by logical deduction, their ideology (or wishful thinking) induces them to use logic in order to reach an already formed conclusion. For example, Israel builds a security fence, terrorism subsequently diminishes greatly, they conclude that the fence stifled the terrorism. Their mental processes ignores other factors, such as the continuous Army raids that greatly diminished the number of trained terrorists and their managers. They also fail to note how temporary is any value to the fence, as the P.A. develops rockets and PM Sharon plans to end the raids and the patrols, and more or less leave the fence unguarded along much of its route. The fence is Maginot Line thinking. It is too static a tactic to long serve well. For another example, Pres. Bush lowers taxes for the Rich, the economy booms, so his supporters conclude that the tax cuts boosted the economy. Again, other factors were overlooked. Boom generally follows bust. Inventories are consumed, goods are reordered, factories rehire. Businesses meanwhile have made many decisions that have their effect. Administration supporters credit these tax cuts without supportive data. Traditionally, the rich save a higher proportion of income than the other classes. The more their taxes are cut, the more they save. With the other classes, the more their taxes are cut, the more they spend. Therefore, tax cuts for the rich stimulate the economy much less than tax cuts for the other classes. The rich don't invest much when the others can't buy much. The fallacy in the reasoning used in those examples is toi box oneself in with a narrow framework. Too few facts are put before one. Then one assumes a 100% cause-and-effect relationship between those facts. The answer is to think outside the box. THE GREAT PRETENSE ABOUT P.A. TERRORISM There is no greater treason than arming one's known enemy. Rabin ande Peres gave the PLO its initial arms, and the PLO/P.A. "returned" to Israelis some of the bullets. Now PM Sharon is amenable to having the P.A. military, which commits terrorism, being rearmed and trained. When refurbishing the P.A. military is discussed, there is great pretense, just as years ago, that the terrorists only are in Hamas and Islamic Jihad, not in the P.A. or its PLO. Under this pretense, officials and journalists discuss the need for the P.A. to crack down on terrorism. Meanwhile, the P.A. enrolls terrorist militiamen in it forces! Would unbiased journalists fail to notice? HOW THE MEDIA PROPAGANDIZES The "Chicago Times" and A.P. manipulate people's emotional perception of the Arab-Israel conflict by falsely portraying Israelis less sympathetically than the Arabs. For example, they word it that Israelis are "killed" but Arabs are "shot to death." Likewise, ambushed Jews often are unnamed. Naming them, rather than referring to them as the "ambushed resident," would let them seem human beings worthy of sympathy. (There is an antisemitic attitude that Jews are expendable. Unfortunately, some Jews on the Left have internalized that attitude.) The context for some Arab deaths is omitted, leaving an implication that Israel acted harshly as usual. That is, as the media usually misrepresents them. Thus A.P. omitted the justification for shooting an Arab teenager: he had been heaving cement blocks at Israeli troops. The truth out, that young man -- he was 19 -- does not cut such a sympathetic figure of victim. Unsubstantiated allegations against right-wing Jewry, perhaps slanderous, are reported, but substantiated, decent right-wing positions may not be. Thus A.P. reported a stated secret police concern about "extremist" violence against the proposed abandonment of Gaza. (I think that the proposal, contrary to the way of the world, national security, the purpose of the State of Israel, probably Israeli law, and Zionism, is extremist.) Omitted was the fact that every right wing leader publicly forbad attacks on PM Sharon or his troops. Casualties in Jenin are recounted without identifying that city as a terrorist haven. This omission shifts sympathies towards the "poor Palestinians." ("Poor Palestinians?" These are among the worst murderers in the world.) Likewise, the media dehumanizes objects of terrorism by calling them "targets" and failing to make clear that these objects are houses and schools (Winston Mid East Analysis, 7/5, e-mail). This is a good case. I omitted other suspicions of deliberately false propaganda that I find unconvincing. The media also repeats false accusations that Israel commits war crimes, without mentioning that terrorism is the war crime. THE JORDAN OPTION Some Jewish nationalists suggest resettling the Arabs of Israel and Yesha in Jordan, since Jordan is in Palestine. That would make a full separation between the two peoples. Yes, it would separate the two peoples, but it would not end the war. Wars often are waged between two separated religions or nationalities. I disapprove of the proposal. I think the Arabs of Israel and of Yesha should be resettled throughout the Arab world. For one thing, they are Arabs and not a separate people - why imply there is ethnicity to the geographical expression, "Palestinian Arab?" For another, it would not be sensible to overload any one country. Third, why guarantee that they will be able to take over Jordan and inherit its sovereignty and its army? Fourth, Jordan is in the Land of Israel. In the next war, there may be an opportunity to reclaim the Transjordanian provinces for the Jewish people. A larger Arab population there would hinder this and facilitate the reverse process. Richard 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. |
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WHAT IS REALLY HAPPENING IN GAZA
Posted by Jerome S. Kaufman, July 19, 2004. |
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This is a letter from a personal Israeli friend living in
Judea/Samaria/Gaza (not "West Bank") describing what is really
happening in Gaza.
Dear Jerry, Kissufim is the main road junction and artery for both civilian and military traffic in Gaza. It extends from the area entering the Gaza Strip where, on both sides of the road, there still exist many Arab houses used as sniper positions. The houses must be destroyed to make this vital artery traversable just as the highway to Jerusalem at the time of the first Arab war in 1948. To our mutual dismay the Israeli Supreme Court remains very Left in its positions, continues to rule for the Arabs and not its own people by not allowing the destruction of these sniper houses by the Israel Defense Forces. We therefore desperately need a Smart Fence, sensitive to any movement day or night to protect our lives. I wish I could take you around Gush Katif for you to see yourself what a wonderful place the Jews have created there over the last 40 years. Militarily, the IDF knows the importance of our presence there and warns against our removal. Such a removal gives a prize to terror and the attacks will not only increase but our communities on the immediate Israel coastline - Ashdod and Ashkelon will be in the same situation attacked by missiles etc. as has been Gush Katif to this very minute. I agree with you that it is the Arabs that should be confined by fences and not the Jews in their own country. Why create a Warsaw ghetto here in Israel? But since the government is weakening our military position all over the country, protective fences have become essential to save Jewish lives. The entire government and Supreme Court situation is insane Jordanian officers were just here with IDF officers in Judea/Samaria discussing the Jordan Valley - our Eastern border, as the next Sharon give-away. The Egyptians are discussing our southern western border. The fact that each day from Egypt not only weapons and explosives are brought into Gaza to murderers but enormous tunnels are dug from Egypt to smuggle the missiles, explosives, weapons and Bosnian and Kosavan snipers who along with the Hezbullah from Lebanon murder our civilians and soldiers daily. The world and our own general public are kept unaware of the repeated daily anti-tank and sniper fire from Egypt on our soldiers and civilians... I know because I get the beeper reports from the army positions. Government insanity and weakness prevails. There is no strong leadership. We are led by a group of our own criminals in government who for a Volvo automobile, a government salary and the lure of self-importance are willing to sacrifice our country. We pray for a miracle, refuse to give up and continue in our chosen work. Be well and please continue to assist us. Shulamit. (PS: Anyone who wishes to contribute a donation to help build this crucial fence along the Kissufim road junction, please contact me by email at jkaufman253469MI@comcast.net. It will remain private and not published) Jerome S. Kaufman hosts Israel Commentary website: http://www.israel-commentary.org. |
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WHO IS HUMILIATING WHOM?
Posted by IsrAlert, July 16, 2004. |
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This was written by Eli E. Hertz and appeared on Middle East facts website July 13, 2004. It is archived at //www.mefacts.com/content/Who%20is%20Humiliating%20Whom-web-07-13-04.htm Mr. Hertz can be reached by email at eli@hertztec.com. Palestinians say they feel humiliated and harassed when Israeli authorities search them and their belongings; when they are prevented from traveling freely because of checkpoints, roadblocks, closures and curfews. They say they feel "corralled" behind security fences and ugly concrete walls. Israel is criticized for these measures even by those who understand the causal relationship that makes such security steps necessary. The cynical use of the movement of innocent Palestinians, including people in need of urgent medical treatment(1) and Palestinian day laborers crossing to work in Israel is used as a convenient cover for the perpetration of terrorist acts. Palestinians take advantage of Israel's sensitivity to Arab female honor to mobilize women as live bombs. The two latest - a 40-year-old mother of seven who carried a suicide belt across army checkpoints; and the second, Reem Salah Riashi, 21, a mother of two young children who dreamed of "becoming a martyr" since she was 13. Riashi, approaching a checkpoint, claimed a medical disability; she said she had a metal pin in her leg and was escorted to an examination room to be checked by a female security officer. She then blew herself up, murdering four Israelis and wounding 12. As a result, Palestinian women and patients who appear to be in obvious pain will no longer be exempt from thorough physical scrutiny, to ensure that they, too, are not human bombs. This increased hardship for innocent Palestinians has been caused by their own leadership, which cynically continues to claim that the Israelis humiliate their citizens. Strangely, no media outlets and not a single human rights organization has fully and objectively reported or protested the daily humiliation and harassment Israelis suffer because of the Palestinian Authority's "factory of terror." In Israel, every Israeli is searched numerous times during the course of a day. Israelis are asked to open their bags and purses for inspection. In most cases, they are subjected to body searches with a metal detector every time they enter a bank or a post office, pick up a bottle of milk at the supermarket, enter a mall or train station, or visit a hospital or medical clinic. Young Israeli men and women are physically frisked in search of suicide belts before they enter crowded nightclubs. As a matter of routine, Israelis' car trunks are searched every time they enter a well-trafficked parking lot. Daily, their cars pass through roadblocks that cause massive traffic jams when security forces are in hot pursuit of suicide bombers believed to have entered Israel. Far from a rare occasion, in the two and a half months of relative quiet between the October 4, 2003 bombing of the Maxsim Restaurant, a popular Christian-Jewish-owned eatery in Haifa (which left 22 dead and more than a 100 injured) and Christmas, a Christian day of peace, 24 suicide bombers headed for Israel proper and another 15 with West Bank targets were apprehended before they could reach their destinations. Israelis are searched not only when they go out for a cup of coffee at the local Starbucks or Pizza Hut, but also when they go to the movies or the theater or a concert, where the term "dressed to kill" has an entirely different meaning. These ordinary daily humiliations now extend to similar searches when Israelis go to weddings or bar mitzvahs. No one abroad talks about the humiliation Jews in Israel are subjected to, having to write at the bottom of wedding invitations and other life cycle events, "The site will be secured [by armed guards]" - to ensure relatives and friends will attend and share their joyous occasion. One out of four Israeli children, ages 11 to 15, fear for their lives. One out of three report they fear for the lives of their family members, and more than a third report they have changed their patterns of travel and social lives due to security concerns.(2) These ubiquitous security checks do not exist in Arab cities and towns in Israel (or, for that matter, in the West Bank and Gaza) because those places are not and never have been targets of Palestinian terrorism. In fact, the average Israeli is "humiliated and harassed" by being searched far more times a day than the average Palestinian. Not one human rights group has so much as noted this massive intrusion into the rights of privacy and person imposed on Israelis. The latest source of criticism is the security fence - designed to serve as a barrier against Palestinian suicide bombers, a measure critics brand as a form of ghettoization and another form of Israeli harassment. To date, no one protests the fact that, since the 1970s, Jewish schoolchildren in Israel are surrounded by perimeter fences, with armed guards at the schoolyard gates, as if their schools were the domiciles of Mafiosi. Not one Arab village in Israel or the Territories has a perimeter fence around it. Guards are not required at Arabic shops, cafes, restaurants, movie theaters, wedding halls or schools - either in Israel or in the Territories. Palestinians also do not need armed guards to accompany every school trip, youth movement hike or campout. They are not targets of terrorism. Arab children have never been willfully attacked by Jews, while Arabs have purposefully murdered Jewish youngsters at boarding schools, junior high school students on overnight trips and teens on a nature hike. Arab Palestinians attacked Jewish school buses carrying elementary school children (twice), murdered two children playing in a cave near their homes, killed a toddler in a nursery and murdered small children hiding under their beds - all in addition to wave after wave of suicide bombings. Countless Israelis in sensitive areas within the Green Line - not only in the Territories, but also in Jewish towns, villages and bedroom suburbs - are "ghettoized" behind high fences. Three years ago, Jewish urbanites in the Gilo neighborhood of Jerusalem were closed in by an ugly high concrete wall that blocked their view of the city and the bullets of Palestinian gunmen from the Arab neighborhood of Beit Jallah. While the General Assembly protests the inconvenience Palestinians suffer because of the layout of the security fence, not one UN organ has protested the fact that, for years, an entire country has been harassed and humiliated. Israelis traveling north from Jerusalem to the Beit She'an Valley, or south from Jerusalem to Beersheba, have been forced to make a 60-90-minute detour to avoid traveling across the West Bank and the Jordan Valley, where drive-by shootings by Palestinian snipers and other attacks on civilian traffic threaten their lives. Motorists traveling between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv on Route 443 are forced to negotiate a lengthy trough-like gauntlet that runs between two high concrete walls that protect them from Palestinian sniper fire. Yet there have been no UN protests against these walls - only against the "ugly" wall that prevents terrorists from the Palestinian town of Qalqiliya,(3) from attacking cars "inside Israel" on a major cross-country toll road, and against a number of other short sections, where the security barrier is concrete, not fencing. Israelis' freedom of movement is compromised daily as countless citizens seek to avoid crowded areas or events, change their daily routines by sticking to side streets, avoid traveling close to public buses, or simply stay out of the heart of their own capital entirely. Most school trips have been cancelled or curtailed during the past three years. Many Israeli motorists avoid major arteries that pass through Arab areas of Israel, while Arab citizens and Palestinians from the Territories continue to enter Jewish cities and go about their business without peril. Israelis are told, in effect, to disguise themselves when traveling abroad - not to speak Hebrew in public and not to wear garments that reveal their Jewish/Israeli origins. Even Israel's national airline - El Al - has been forced to remove its logo from the tails of its aircraft at certain airports, out of concern for the safety of its passengers. This followed several attempts to down Israeli civilian aircraft with missiles. On the other hand, Arabs who frequent Jewish cities and towns in Israel wear their traditional Arab headgear without fear of being attacked or harassed. An article in Forbes, "Cold Calculation of Terror," estimates Israeli economic losses due to continuous terrorism is 3 percent of the $110 billion gross domestic product. Tourism alone fell 50 percent and lost $2 billion [yearly]. As of this writing, "Interrogation of terrorists belonging to various organizations in Samaria has indicated that the security barrier does indeed present a significant obstacle to terrorists wishing to infiltrate into Israeli territory."(4) The security fence, in areas where already constructed, is remarkably effective and saves lives. Can the UN General Assembly calculate the "proportionality" of building a fence that saves lives to Palestinian terrorism and barbarism? All this begs the question: Who are the victims and who are the victimizers? Who are the ones being harassed and humiliated? Palestinians or Israelis? (1) Such dastardly conduct extends to hiding suicide belts under sick children in ambulances, using ambulances to move operatives in and out of closed areas disguised as paramedics or patients in need of immediate care - then complaining that heartless Israelis stop ambulances. (2) "Survey: 1 in 4 teens live in fear of terror," Jerusalem Post, June 3, 2004. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1086230744079 (3) What the Secretary-General report does not disclose is the fact that Qalqiliya was and is a home to Palestinian terrorists who produced so far five terror attacks on civilian targets within Israel, contributing to the death of 28 innocent civilians and many more injuries. The last non-lethal incident took place on August 31, 2003, when an Israeli Arab construction worker was moderately wounded in a shooting attack. http://www.ict.org.il/arab_isr/mideast_attacksearch_frame.htm (4) Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center at the Center for Special Studies (C.S.S) at http://www.intelligence.org.il/ IsrAlert, a Jewish advocacy network, is hosted by Harv Weiner. To subscribe to IsrAlert, send an email to isralert@aol.com |
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ISRAEL IS NOT ISOLATED
Posted by Jean Corcos, July 18, 2004. |
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This was writen by Jonathan Eric Lewis and was entitled, "Lies About Israel." It appeared on www.FrontPageMagazine.com on July 16, 2004. Jonathan Eric Lewis is a New York-based political writer and can be reached at jonathanericlewis@yahoo.com. Of all the charges leveled against Israel in recent years, the one that the state's most strident critics like to repeat ad nauseam is that Israel is a "terrorist state" or that Israel is isolated from the world community. Tony Judt, writing in the July 1 online edition of the "The Nation" depicts contemporary Israel as friendless and isolated: "Israel is utterly dependent on the United States for money, arms and diplomatic support. One or two states share common enemies with Israel; a handful of countries buy its weapons; a few others are its de facto accomplices in ignoring international treaties and secretly manufacturing nuclear weapons. But outside Washington, Israel has no friends--at the United Nations it cannot even count on the support of America's staunchest allies. Despite the political and diplomatic incompetence of the PLO (well documented in Said's writings); despite the manifest shortcomings of the Arab world at large ("lingering outside the main march of humanity"); despite Israel's own sophisticated efforts to publicize its case, the Jewish state today is widely regarded as a--the--leading threat to world peace." It is of course true that Israel is lacking friends among the readers of "The Nation". Nor does Israel have many friends among the leftist elites of Western Europe and, for that matter, North America. One would not expect to find many champions of Israel's case in the offices of left-wing European political parties or in the halls of academia like University of California-Berkeley. Nevertheless, contrary to what academics at New York University like Judt may think, Israel is far from isolated and has, despite great obstacles, been able to maintain positive ties with the world's democracies. While supporters of Israel must forever be ready to respond to the most extreme defamation of Israel's right to exist and its right to self-defense, they must also be open to the fact that, in the past year or so, Israel has scored some important, if quiet, diplomatic victories that totally undermine the notion that Israel is the pariah state that Judt portrays it to be. Although Israel's political relationship with the European Union remains tainted by mutual suspicion, this has not stopped economic and scientific cooperation. Within the past week, Israel signed a major agreement with the EU regarding Israel's investment in Galileo, which Reuters describes as "a multi-billion dollar project due to come on line in 2008, rivaling the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS) whose uses vary from landing military aircraft to helping car drivers with an electronic map on their dashboard." Indeed, despite strong differences on the resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict, the EU has even held low-level discussions with Israel about the possibility of Israel one day entering the Euro currency zone. Despite the rising anti-Semitism in France and widely regarded French hostility to Israel, French mayors recently took part in a burgeoning movement to partner their towns with Israeli counterparts. Even in the political arena, Israel is far from isolated. The recent decision by NATO to include Israel (and noticeably not Syria nor the Palestinian Authority) in a Mediterranean partnership speaks volumes as to whether, despite their sometime incendiary rhetoric, European political elites truly see Israel as a threat to world peace. If this were the case, would NATO - an organization whose decisions are consensus-based - offer to include the Israeli Navy in counter-proliferation initiatives? Not a single NATO member state tried to block Israel's inclusion into the NATO-Mediterranean partnership. Outside of Europe, Israel has, over the past several years, been successful in reaching a wide range of agreements with various states. Israel's strengthening ties with India, the world's most populous democracy, are not to be underestimated, particularly given the fact that India is an emerging economic powerhouse that has a large, and increasingly political, lobby in the United States. Despite their decision to vote against Israel in the United Nations General Assembly - where votes are "expressions of sentiment" and carry no legal weight whatsoever, the Central Asian republics remain on good terms with Israel. And these republics, it must be stressed, are predominantly Muslim. Despite rising Islamism in East Asia, Israel has a friend in the former president of Indonesia, Abdurrahman Wahid, who recently told Israelis, through an interview with Ha'aretz, that "Israel has a reputation as a nation with a high regard for God and religion [and]"... there is then no reason we have to be against Israel." Israel has also recently upgraded its relationships with two important East African nations, both of which have substantial Muslim populations. While Eritrea, an observer in the Arab League, recently announced its intention to open an embassy in Tel Aviv, Ethiopia recently signed a series of cultural and scientific agreements. This was in tandem with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's June visit to Israel. In North Africa, Israel has full diplomatic ties with Mauritania, a full member of the Arab League and maintains cordial, but quiet ties, with Morocco and has done so for the past several decades. It should also be noted that Albania and Bosnia-Herzegovina, both majority Muslim states, voted against the United Nations General Assembly resolution that referred Israel's anti-terrorism fence to the International Court of Justice. It has long been a staple of pro-Palestinian activism to portray Israel as far more isolated internationally than it really is. This is in line with the hard-left Marxist discourse that, despite the rising tide of Islamism in the West Bank and Gaza, remains an important component of the anti-Zionist discourse. This is not to say that Israel doesn't have many enemies in the world or to diminish the anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist mood that has long dominated the United Nations General Assembly, dominated it is by non-democratic regimes. It is simply to point out that the hysterical rhetoric employed by Judt is more wishful thinking on his part (and on the part of many isolated academics who have no influence in the corridors of power, be it in Washington or London) than reality. It is this thinking, blinded by hate, that has long been the Achilles' heel of the Palestinians. They want to believe that Israel is as hated by the rest of the world as it is by the fringe leftist readers of "The Nation". The Galileo GPS and President Wahid indicate otherwise. This is distributed by Communaute Juive France |
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BBC INTERVIEW WITH A WOULD-BE CHILD SUICIDE BOMBER
Posted by Yuval Zaliouk, July 16, 2004. |
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Dear friends,
James Reynolds of the BBC interviewed a 15 year-old would-be suicide bomber and it turns out that Israel did not have to torture him. In fact, they were rather nice. Here is the link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3899015.stm. As it turns out his main motivation was to get out of going to school. Read it to believe it. The cynical exploitation of children by the Palestinian Terrorist Organization, including those under the direct command of the arch-terrorist Arafat, is nothing but mind-boggling. It was an unforgettable image. A teenager standing alone at a checkpoint, explosives strapped to his chest, confused, trying to follow Israeli orders to get him to dismantle his bomb. That afternoon, in March 2004, 15-year-old Hussam Abdo took up his own small place in the imagery of this conflict. "I thank God that the operation didn't go through. God doesn't want me to die" - Hussam Abdo Since his arrest he has been in an Israeli prison. We were let inside a high security jail in the north of the country and told to wait in a meeting room. Minutes later, Hussam Abdo was brought in to see us. He was wearing a brown prison uniform and handcuffs. He was tiny - he didn't even reach my shoulder. He sat down, smiled and talked readily. A prison guard sat at the end of the room watching our conversation. Below is a transcript of the interview: James Reynolds: Everyone saw the TV pictures of you at the checkpoint that day. Can you tell me what you did that day? Hussam Abdo: In the morning at 6am I prayed and kissed my mother goodbye and told her I was going to school. Then I went to my friend's house at 6am. He took me to some guys in Nablus. I sat with them and spoke to them. And then they took pictures of me and put on the bomb belt. And then I went off to the checkpoint. I got to the checkpoint at 1pm. The army caught me at 1.30pm. I stayed with the soldiers at the checkpoint till 9pm and then they took me to the military base. JR: When you went out with your bomb belt what was your target? Hussam: They told me to go to a checkpoint. They told me you blow yourself up at the checkpoint. They showed me a videotape of it. JR: When you put on that belt did you really know - as a 15-year-old - that you were going to go and murder people, that you were going to go and cause great suffering to mothers and fathers, that you were going to be a mass murderer? Did you really know that? Hussam: Yes. Just like they came and caused our parents sadness and suffering they too should feel this. Just like we feel this - they should also feel it. JR: Were you excited? I prayed and kissed my mother goodbye and told her I was going to school Hussam: I was a little bit nervous. But not to the point that I was very scared. I was kind of normal. JR: Were you scared of dying? Hussam: No. I'm not afraid of death. JR: Why not? Hussam: Nobody is going to live forever. We're all going to die. JR: But you were only 15 years old at the time. Hussam: I wanted to be relieved of school. JR: When the army caught you, how did you feel? Hussam: I was a bit scared. The soldiers came to me and there were many of them so I was a bit scared. I was afraid that they would beat me but I wasn't afraid that they'd shoot me. They were nice to me - they treated me well. JR: Are you sad that you didn't manage to blow yourself up and kill many Israelis? Hussam: I feel normal. But I thank God that the operation didn't go through. JR: You thank God that you didn't die - why? Hussam: It's just the way it is. God doesn't want me to die. JR: Who sent you? Hussam: My friend Nasser. He's 16. He was my classmate. JR: How did he tell you about it? Hussam: I was sitting with a friend of mine and he comes to me and says can you find me a martyr bomber? The soldiers came to me and there were many of them so I was a bit scared Then I told him I'll do it. My friend says - really? And I answer - yes I'll do it. So he agreed and he took me to see another guy. The guy's name was Wael. He was from Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades. He was 21. Then he took me to another guy who put the bomb belt on me and they took pictures of me. The pictures were on the day before. Of course he asked me a lot of questions. He asked me who I was and why I wanted to do this. I answered all of his questions. I told him I wanted to do it because of my friend who was killed and he agreed to let me do it. JR: Did the people who sent you - the people from the Al Aqsa Brigades - did they promise you anything? Hussam: Of course they did. They told me, once you carry out the operation and the soldiers come and demolish your home, we'll stand by your parents and rebuild your house and give them money. JR: What are your feelings towards the people who sent you? Hussam: I feel normal. One of them is my friend and he will stay my friend because, just like, me he's also in prison. JR: Did you ever talk to your family about what you were going to do? Hussam: I didn't tell my parents. JR: Why not? Hussam: Because if I'd told my mother she wouldn't have let me leave the house. She'd have yelled at me, cried and told me not to do it. JR: Have you spoken to them since your arrest? Hussam I spoke to them shortly after I was arrested. I was at the army base and the doctor there was checking me and I told him I wanted to speak to my mother, so he lent me his mobile phone. The first reason I became a suicide bomber was because my friend was killed. The second reason I did it is because I didn't want to go to school He let me speak to my mother. She began to cry - she'd seen what happened on TV. Then the doctor took the phone away from me and he spoke to my mother. He said don't worry about your son, he's fine, we'll take care of him. JR: How did you feel when you spoke to your mother? Hussam I felt relieved. JR: Some teenagers want to be footballers, others want to be singers. You wanted to be a suicide bomber. Why? Hussam It's not suicide - it's martyrdom. I would become a martyr and go to my God. It's better than being a singer or a footballer. It's better than everything. JR: What was the main reason for you deciding to become a suicide bomber? The one reason in particular. Hussam The reason was because my friend was killed. The second reason I did it is because I didn't want to go to school. My parents forced me to go to school and I didn't feel like going. JR: Are you saying that one of the reasons you wanted to become a suicide bomber was because you didn't like your teacher? Hussam That and because of my friend Sabih, who was killed. JR: It seems extreme that if you don't like your teacher it could partially propel you towards murder and suicide. Martyrdom is better than being a singer or a footballer. It's better than everything Hussam The thing is my parents forced me to go to school and I didn't want to go. So I used to go there and run away. Then I had problems with the teachers. The principal took me to the police because I got into a fight with the teachers. JR: Let's say there's another kid your age - 15 or 16 - and he wanted to go and blow himself up and kill Israelis. Would you stop him? Hussam I would stop him because if he got caught he would go to prison and it's not a nice place and he shouldn't be away from his parents. JR: If you could turn back time and go back to that morning would you do it again? Hussam No. JR: You wouldn't do it again? Why not? Hussam Because of prison. And also in the end there'll be peace. JR: You really think in the end there will be peace? Hussam Yes. JR: Do you know how long you will be here in an Israeli prison? Hussam The lawyer told me two-three years. JR: What do you want to do with your life when you get out of prison? Hussam: I want to go home and be with my parents and work in my father's shop. Yuval Zaliouk writes the Truth Provider columns. To subscribe, send an email an email to ynz@netvision.net.il |
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THE HOLINESS OF THE TEMPLE MOUNT IS DERIVED FROM JUDAISM
Posted by Ruth and Nadia Matar, July 18, 2004. |
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The holiness of Jerusalem is Biblical, and has deep and ancient roots. When one thinks of Israel, the Bible comes to mind immediately. The ties between the present communities located in Judea and Samaria, and their Biblical roots, are clearly demonstrated by a Map which some members of Women in Green have researched and meticulously prepared. The Bible has come alive once again with the creation of the State of Israel, and that is the major significance of Israel's establishment. The special spiritual and moral gifts that the Jewish People gave to the world through their Biblical leaders and Prophets, is well known. All you have to do is read the "Book of Books". In the Bible, the holiness of Jerusalem is emphasized. It is because of the holiness of the Temple Mount in Judaism that the Muslims have built their Al-Aksa Mosque there, as well as the Golden Dome. Judaism had been in existence for several thousand years, before Mohammed founded the Muslim religion in the seventh century. It was because the Jews built their First and Second Temples for the one G-d of the Universe on the Temple Mount, that the Muslims chose this site for their own edifices. It is therefore ironic indeed, that the Muslims do not allow Jews to now pray on this Temple Mount. The Walk around the Walls of the Old City of Jerusalem, therefore, takes on great significance. The people of the world must react to the Muslim intolerance of preventing freedom of religion on the Temple Mount. It was on this Mount, that the L-rd of the Universe resided. It is this Mount that Judaism sanctifies as its Holiest Site. It is there that the Third Temple is destined to be built. Even if you cannot be present in Jerusalem for the Walk, make a donation to symbolically have a representative in your place and stead. The present number of 100,000 participants can and should be tremendously increased. The Walk around the Walls of the Old City should be widely publicized, on radio, television, and in the newspapers throughout the world. The enormous expense of such advertisements will make the spiritual potential of this Walk more readily realized. When you contribute to cover such advertisement costs, you are promoting the spiritual nature and holiness of Jerusalem. There is a desperate need by everyone for a spiritual message that must emanate from the Holy City of Jerusalem. The One G-d of the Universe must be hallowed from there and everywhere else. It should be done in a Third Temple, which must be built as soon as possible. Ruth and Nadia Matar established Women For Israel's Tomorrow (Women in Green), an activist group of women based in Jerusalem. Their website address is http://www.womeningreen.org |
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HELP PERSUADE YOUR CONGRESSMAN TO JOIN OUR HUMAN CHAIN TO GUSH KATIF
Posted by Zimra Shlezinger, July 18, 2004. |
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Dear Friends, In less than one week from now, on Sunday, July 25th, at 5:00 pm (Israel time), supporters of Israel will join hands and create a human chain from Gush Katif to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Recently, our Prime Minister announced his "unilateral disengagement plan", which calls for the forced expulsion and deportation of the 8,000 courageous Jewish men, women and children who live in Gush Katif. We will stand together, linked in a human chain, on the eve of Tish'a B'Av, the day on which we commemorate the destruction of our First and Second Temples and the expulsion of the Jewish people from our land. Our human chain will be a living testament to the determination of the Jewish people to prevent the repetition of destruction and expulsion in our day and age. Prime Minister Sharon claims that his plan was drawn up in response to demands from the United States. We know that the American people support the rights of the Jewish people in their Biblical Homeland. We need Senators/Representatives from the USA to join our chain and show support and solidarity with our struggle either in person or via a letter or video clip with a statement of solidarity. We will view/read it in a place that will be saved in our chain. We need your help in contacting Senators and Representatives, who are generally supportive of Israel. Please let us know your name and which Senators/ Representatives you sent faxes to. Write to: zimra1@netvision.net.il Thank you.
All you have to do is cut, paste and print out this
letter and send it to your Congressman.
Don't forget to include your full name, address, and phone
number. Otherwise, the fax will not be answered, as the senators and
representatives can only answer their own respective constituents.
Dear ,
Your steadfast and consistent support for Israel and ongoing war
against terror is greatly appreciated. We need your help now, more
than ever.
Over the past three years, the twenty-one small towns of Gush Katif
in Israel have been thrust onto the frontline of war. Falling mortar
shells on homes have become a nightly occurrence, not to mention
shooting attacks and terrorist infiltrations. In only three years,
Arab terrorists have perpetrated no fewer than 12,200 acts of terror
in this area, including over 4,000 attacks of Kassam rockets/mortar
shellfire.
Despite the terrible danger, brave Jewish families continue to live
there because they know that terrorism will only increase if they
abandon their homes or make any other concessions to terrorists.
Recently, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon announced his "unilateral
disengagement plan", which calls for the forced expulsion and
deportation of the 8,000 courageous Jewish men, women and children who
live in Gaza.
On Sunday, July 25th, at 5:00 pm, Jews and non-Jews, will join
hands across Israel and create a human chain from Gush Katif to the
Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
They will stand together, linked in a human chain, on the eve of
Tish'a B'Av, the day which commemorates the destruction of the First
and Second Temples and the expulsion of the Jewish people from their
land. This human chain will be a living testament to the determination
of the Jewish people to prevent the repetition of destruction and
expulsion in our day and age.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon claims that his plan was drawn up in
response to demands from the United States. You represent the people
of the United States. The American people support the rights of the
Jewish people in their Biblical Homeland.
We are asking you to show your support and solidarity and join this
chain. If you cannot go to Israel at this time, please fax a letter or
send a video clip with a statement of solidarity to:
The Gush Katif Settlement Council
It will be viewed or read in the place that will be saved for you in
the chain.
Sincerely,
Your Full name
If you live in any of these states, please call and fax your Senator/Representative NOW!!! If you have a friend or relative who lives in any of these states, please forward the following information to them NOW!!! Israel is at stake!! This is a list of Senators and House Representatives (+phone and fax numbers) from the following states: New York, New Jersey, California, Texas, Georgia, Montana, Ohio, Indiana, Virginia, Kansas, Kentucky, Nevada, Oklahoma, Arizona, Connecticut, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Illinois. These specific Senators/Representatives who are listed here are generally supportive of Israel. If you live in any of these states, please call and fax your Senator/Representative NOW!!! If you have a friend or relative who lives in any of these states, please forward the following information to them NOW!!! Israel is at stake!! IMPORTANT: You MUST include your full name, address, and telephone number. Otherwise, the fax will not be answered, as the senators and representatives can only answer their own respective constituents. We ask you, too, to join us by forming a human chain at the same time, wherever you are. Please send a digital picture of your chain to: info@katif.net. Senators and House Representatives New Jersey Representative Robert Andrews
Ohio Representative John Boehner
Representative Steven La Tourette
New York Representative Gary Ackerman
Representative Joseph Crowley
Representative Eliot Engel
Representative Steve Israel
Representative Anthony Weiner
Texas Representative Tom DeLay
California Representative Howard Berman
Representative Bob Filner
Representative Darrell Issa
Representative Tom Lantos
Indiana Representative Steve Buyer
Representative Mark Souder
Georgia Senator Saxby Chambliss
Representative Denise Majette
Representative Jack Kingston
Senator Zell Miller
Virginia Representative Eric Cantor
Montana Senator Christopher S. Bond
Senator James M. Talent
Representative Roy Blunt
Kansas Senator Sam Brownback
Kentucky Senator Jim Bunning
Nevada Senator John Ensign
Representative Shelley Berkley
Oklahoma Senator Don Nickles
Senator James Inhofe
Connecticut Senator Joseph Lieberman
Alabama Representative Spencer Bachus
Representative Artur Davis
Arizona Senator Jon Kyl
Representative Jeff Flake
Representative J.D. Hayworth
Representative Jim Kolbe
Mississippi Senator Trent Lott
Oregon Senator Smith Gordon
Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum
Representative Joseph Hoeffel
Representative Patrick Toomey
Illinois Representative Mark Steven Kirk
Florida Representative Peter Deutsch
Representative Robert Wexler
North Carolina Representative Walter Jones
South Carolina Representative Joe Wilson
Zimra (Siegman) Shlezinger is
Representative, The Committee for the Preservation of Jewish Settlements.
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THE ISRAELI HUMAN CHAIN
Posted by Anita Tucker, July 18, 2004. |
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Forward to others who may be interested in this.
Hi, I hear that a lot of communities and several organizations the U.S.A., including Chabad and Americans for a Strong Israel, are organizing local Human Chains to coincide with ours here in Israel between Gush Katif and the Western Wall (kotel). They are planning to send digital video films of the chain and it will be shown on screens here at locations on the Chain seconds later. If you know of such an event that we may not know or are planning something in your community, please be in touch with us. This is so heartwarming to see how Am Yisrael really cares about each other. Thanks
Immediate Action
Various government agencies are continuing unimpeded in their efforts
of expulsion and destruction.
All this despite the Likud Referendum that voted down these plans.
We have to immediately prevent these bulldozer techniques from
becoming a reality
The Israeli public is capable of stopping these illegal, immoral
bulldozer tactics.
In a democratic country elected officials are dependent upon their
voters. They can't act against a popular,
determined statement. Even the most determined Prime
Minister, willing to go to any extreme, needs
his cabinet officers for support.Strong public action
will have an influential and meaningful effect varios ministers and
Knesset members
Only through a non-violent active struggle can we obtain strong public
support. There are numerous examples in history where this kind of
action has been proven to be successful.
Honest dedicated people succeed with the strength of their belief and
not through the belief in physical strength
How will the Human chain be formed? Throughout the country widespread activity will cause popular
opposition to government plans to destroy and expel.These activities
include petitions, protest vigils, propaganda booths, street corner
presence and much more.
Every city and settlement will have its own staff.
Every area of the country will receive a prearranged
section in the chain, which stretches from Gush Katif to
Jerusalem.All of us holding hands will create this imposing chain of
brotherhood.
The Human chain will express a strong meaningful opposition to these
dangerous, illegal and immoral plans by citizens from all over the
country.
History shows us that governments give in to popular widespread
protests.
A general without soldiers is powerless.
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FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTRY'S REACTION TO ARIEL SHARON'S STATEMENT
Posted by Gabrielle Goldwater, July 18, 2004. |
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To The Foreign Ministry of France
Gentlemen; The Foreign Ministry answer to Sharon's statement, should not be sounding reprimanding Sharon, but rather the Ministry ought to wonder what makes Jews so very unsafe in France, to seriously think to return to a final Homeland. History, a Vichy Regime, has taught us Jews to be cautious when it comes to French politics towards Jews and Israel. The situation of today is coming again too close for comfort to the 30-40's, and that's not exaggeration but sadly the very truth. Today, July 18th, there was the commemoration of VELDIVE, where the French Police, without the orders of the Germans had rounded up 13000 Jews, who later finished in Auschwitz. May be you should think why Sharon had to think of the Jews in the Diaspora....especially today and especially NOW. Instead of apple polishing the Muslims in France, so that they don't commit terror attacks, more security for Jews is needed and all the illegal Moslems sent back to their respective countries. France has to make a lot of changes before blaming and shouting at Jews, Israel, or Sharon Latent anti-Semitism has created an environment in which a new strain of racism can thrive. The word "feuj" - from the inversion of the French word "Juif," which means "Jew" - is now a playground standard, both as an insult against Jewish students and as a contemptuous adjective. Children say a pen that does not work is "completely feuj," for example, and the Hebrew salutation "mazel tov" is used in the same way. It is only normal that Sharon is concerned about his brethren, his fellow Jews in France, when he only too well knows there is a real danger - all the greater because today anti-Semitism is of a new type, coming from parts of society that are more acceptable than the extreme right: from Arabs and Muslims.... The French Government must look into its own backyard and face reality: French Jews live in constant fear. There's ritual murders of Jews in Paris [http://english.sem40.ru/anti_semitism/8427/]. Many anti-Semitic attacks are played down by the French Authorities. Far too many, I live close enough to know, to be aware. I suggest you first wonder WHY. And then THINK, and then act accordingly within the right measures. Gabrielle Goldwater is an internet correspondent and commentator. She lives in Switzerland, Geneva. She can be reached at iii44@aol.com or http://goldwater.mideastreality.com/ |
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IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO BOMB A RESTAURANT
Posted by Bryna Berch, July 18, 2004. |
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This is a news item from today's Arutz-7
(http://www.IsraelNN.com).
Released for publication this morning: Diners in the Caffit Cafe in Jerusalem last Sunday night were saved from a suicide attack only because the terrorist turned back at literally the last minute. Details of the almost-attack, as reported by Arutz-7's Kobi Finkler based on information provided by the intelligence services, are as follows: Two clans in Hevron and Abu Dis (just outside Jerusalem) began preparing the attack a month ago, with the former seeking a suicide terrorist, and the latter looking for holes and openings in the anti-terror wall through which to smuggle him. Finally, last Sunday, it all came together: Hevron Hamas terrorist Malik Nasser A-Din was transported to Abu Dis, while the explosives intended for his use were smuggled there in a carton of cookies. He was armed with a handgun and fitted with the '"traditional" suicide bomb vest. It was widely noted that the presence of the gun marks a new strategy in the suicide bombings. A-Din was to use it to shoot the security guard at very close range, thus neutralizing that "threat," and then run inside the busy cafe and detonate himself. From Abu Dis, the terrorist was taken to the Wadi Joz neighborhood in eastern Jerusalem, where he was then provided with a Jerusalem Arab driver - whose Israeli identity card facilitate his mobility in the city. The driver brought the human bomb to Emek Refaim St. in the western Jerusalem neighborhood known as the Germany Colony, and pointed out the exact cafe in which his passenger was to detonate himself. The driver then dropped him off somewhat further down the street. In the ensuing seconds, however, the terrorist saw that security was very high and that many policemen were out in force. The security services were in possession of only a general warning, without knowledge of an attack scheduled for that specific area. In any event, the terrorist was deterred, and left the area without being detected. On Tuesday night, security forces apprehended A-Din's three accomplices in Abu Dis, and learned the details of what had almost occurred. They placed a high alert on the Emek Refaim area again on Wednesday, and on Thursday found A-Din hiding out in a house in Hevron. They surrounded the building, and in the gun battle that ensued, the soldiers shot him dead. Only then was the alert removed from the Emek Refaim area. In toto, eight terrorists and accomplices were arrested. This is not the first time the Caffit Cafe has been targeted by terrorists - and saved. In March 2002, another Palestinian terrorist pressed the detonator switch as he walked into the cafe, which held some 50 patrons at the time - but the bomb did not go off. He tried once again to detonate himself, but the security guard then overpowered him. The terrorist is now serving a 22-year sentence in an Israeli prison. On Sept. 9 of last year, a Palestinian terrorist blew up in Hillel Cafe on the same Emek Refaim St., murdering seven people, including Dr. David Appelbaum and his daughter Nava, 20, who was to be married the next night. A month later, 20 people were killed - including five members of each of two different families - in a suicide attack in Maxim Restaurant in Haifa. |
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MK ASKS: WHO WILL EXPEL THE THREE COHEN CHILDREN?
Posted by Emanuel A. Winston, July 18, 2004. |
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This is from Arutz-7 (http://www.IsraelNN.com).
These are excerpts from a speech delivered by MK Gila Finkelstein
(National Religious Party) in the Knesset, on July 7, 2004 (with
thanks to Susie Dym (an Isralert subscriber) of Cities of Israel for
bringing it to our attention, and translated by Arutz-7
IsraelNationalNews.com):
The subject we are dealing with is very painful, perhaps the most painful in the history of the State of Israel: the uprooting of thousands of Jews from their homes and the land on which they built their lives and families over the course of decades. How symbolic it is that this session is taking place as we begin the "Three Weeks" mourning period during which we grieve over the Destruction of the Temple and the onset of the Exile... Fellow Knesset Members, it is only natural that a tense argument also rages around the question of who will carry out this dreadful evacuation [the police, or the army]? Who will be the ones to enter the homes and remove their inhabitants? Who will lift up the three Cohen family children - those heroic youngsters from Kfar Darom who lost legs [in a murderous Palestinian terror attack on a school bus - ed.] - and take them out of their house, the house to which they returned after the attack when they made a courageous decision to show that terrorism had not won? Who will knock on the door of Chana Bart - that gentle but determined woman who defeated terrorism, who managed to give birth even after she was so seriously wounded - and ask her to wheel herself over in her wheelchair to the special bus waiting for her outside? Who will help David Hatuel [whose pregnant wife and four children were murdered by Palestinian terrorists] to fold up all his memories into his suitcases? And who will pile on to the evacuation trucks all those men, women and children, our brothers and sisters, the flesh of our flesh? This will be an impossible psychological burden, one that is liable, Heaven forbid, to be the lot of both the evacuees and the evacuators! I shake as I imagine the unit that will come to remove the dead from their graves, including the victims of murderous Arab terrorism. On whom is it possible to place such a terrible mission, accompanied by its psychological tensions and eternal scars? I'm unable to find an answer to this question: On whom can the mission of emptying the homes be placed? Of taking the pictures down from the walls, and of removing the mezuzuot from the doorposts? What about the Torah scrolls and the synagogues? Who will make the final check to ensure that nothing was left behind, before the bulldozers come in and turn the life and vitality that was there into a pile of ruins? The Defense Minister says that the soldiers are unable to bear such a burden. He is right! The job of IDF soldiers is to wage war against the country's enemies, and to maintain security and peace for Israel's citizens. How can we give them the job of evacuating and removing pioneer settlers? The Minister of Public Security declares: The police are also unable to bear this load. And he too is right! Policemen are not made of different human material than anyone else. They too will not be able to withstand the emotional and psychological pressure. Both of them are right! Because neither the soldiers, nor the police, nor any Israeli could stand up to this job without having its sights and sound pursuing him for the rest of his life! I have been informed that a special unit is being established for this evacuation mission. The hidden and not-hidden assumption is that if we train a special force, and provide it with "mental preparation," and guide and train it for a few months - in the end, this unit will be able to carry out this mission without batting an eyelash. These soldiers or police will be able to separate absolutely between their emotions and the beliefs on which they were raised, and the mission they must carry out. To this naive and problematic idea, I say the following, as one who has been involved in education for many years: Do not destroy the souls of our youth! Don't destroy the souls of our soldiers and our policemen, don't try to turn them into unfeeling robots, and don't teach them how to evacuate Jews from their homes without emotion. If you do this, you will destroy their souls from within - the souls of the soldiers and policemen, and the soul of the entire society. I am sure that my words are not foreign to those on the Left. They have said... countless times, "The occupation corrupts."... I would like to say, "The expulsion corrupts," at least to the same extent, if not more. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I propose that the task of evacuating the residents be placed neither on the police nor on the soldiers. It should instead be buried altogether. We must not forget that the government has not yet decided to evacuate Jewish communities. The opposite is true: the decision specifically states that it does not include the evacuation of communities. I therefore propose that these towns not be evacuated, that blossoming locations not be turned into ruins, and that our security forces not be turned into a force of destruction. Thank you. Emanuel Winston is a commentator and Middle East analyst. His articles appear often on Think-Israel and Gamla. He is a member of the Board of Directors and a research associate of the Freeman Center For Strategic Studies (http://www.freeman.org/online.htm). |
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WOMEN IN GREEN ARE JOINING THE HUMAN CHAIN FROM GUSH KATIF TO JERUSALEM
Posted by Women in Green, July 18, 2004. |
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The day before Tisha b'Av, on SUNDAY, July 25th,2004, from 5:00pm to
7:00pm, our brothers and sisters in Gush Katif are organizing a human
chain from Gush Katif in the Gaza strip to the Kotel (Western Wall) in
Jerusalem showing our Prime Minister and the entire world that nobody
can detach the Jewish people from its Holy land. Gush Katif and
Jerusalem are one and the same. Tens of thousands of Jews from each
town and city will participate.
Women in Green calls upon all to join in this important event. Women in Green will join the human chain, as a group, in Jerusalem. We will be standing at 5:00pm at the intersection between King George street and Jaffa Road. For those who cannot come and join us in Jerusalem, we urge you to contact the "human chain headquarter" and find out where you and your family should be standing. For details: www.katif.net or call 08-6840883 or 054-5444290 Bring Israeli flags! Ruth and Nadia Matar established Women For Israel's Tomorrow (Women in Green), an activist group of women based in Jerusalem. Their website address is http://www.womeningreen.org |
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BEST FRIENDS
Posted by David Frankfurter, July 18, 2004. |
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Norwegian diplomat and UN Middle East Special Coordinator, Terje Roed-Larsen has been declared a "persona non-grata" by the Yasser Arafat. Reading between the lines, this Palestinian apologist has been ordered 'shot on sight', if he sets foot on "Palestinian territory". The Washington Times summarised: After more than 20 years of championing the Palestinian cause, the U.N.'s Middle East peace envoy lashed out at Yasser Arafat and received a stinging rebuke yesterday. Expressing frustration as he winds up his Mideast mission, Terje Roed-Larsen blamed Mr. Arafat for lack of progress toward vital reforms and peace moves backed by the world body. He was speaking Tuesday before the U.N. Security Council. What did Larsen do that was so far beyond the pale? I went to the UN site & read Larsen's actual report. Did he really 'lash out'? What is it that was so intolerable to Arafat? Let me summarise: * He dared to suggest that BOTH sides were falling short of their Roadmap responsibilities, and that this was the reason for Sharon declaring Israeli intentions to leave Gaza. The Palestinians had not stopped terror or introduced reform, and the Israelis had not dismantled settlements. In short - for the first time I can remember, Larsen told the truth & said that peace was possible and in the hands of the Palestinians - and specifically Yasser Arafat. In every other speech I can remember Larsen was so careful to say that the Jews were at fault for everything that was wrong, not just for some of the things. One little slip cost him his best friend. Sad, really. To subscribe to Frankfurter's 'letter from Israel', email him at david.frankfurter@iname.com. |
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ISM ANNOUNCES NATIONAL CONFERENCE
Posted by Warren Manison, July 18, 2004. |
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Do you know any alumni from Duke University? Read the following. We would like to pressure Duke NOT to allow a "conference" of ISM, an organization that advocates terrorism, recruits human shields, and provides people like Rachel Corrie who tried to stand in front of an Israeli bulldozer to stop it from destroying a house being used as the terminus of a tunnel under the border with Egypt. I would like to get the alumni involved. The Palestine Solidarity Movement, the American, student arm of the International Solidarity Movement, has announced that its National Conference will be held at Duke University, Oct. 15, 16, and 17, 2004. Duke University President Richard Brodhead should kick this group off campus the way Rutgers President Richard McCormick kicked them off Rutgers last year. Freedom of speech is upheld when the Solidarity Movement hires rooms at the Ramada Inn, as they did last year after being denied space at Rutgers. American Universities should not lend their campuses to groups that endorse suicide bombing and violence as a means of resolving political questions. ACTION: Sign the petition at: http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/petition-sign.cgi?DukePSM Write to President Brodhead urging him to kick the Solidarity Movement off campus.
SAMPLE LETTER: Dear President Brodhead, I am concerned about the announced intention of the Palestine Solidarity Movement to hold its National Convention at Duke on October 15, 16, and 17th. The avowed goal of the International Solidarity Movement and of its American, student arm, the Palestine Solidarity Movement is the destruction of the State of Israel "by any means necessary." The means approved by this Movement include the suicide bombing of civilian targets. Recently, the Director of the Solidarity Movement, George Rishmawi, explained to the San Francisco Chronicle that the recruitment of American student volunteers is useful to the Palestinian Movement because "if some of these foreign volunteers get shot or even killed, then the international media will sit up and take notice." When the Solidarity Movement met at the University of Michigan, delegates chanted "Kill the Jews." Last year, the Solidarity Movement scheduled its National conference for Rutgers. University President Richard McCormick took a careful look at the goals and methods of this movement, which sends volunteers to Israel where they work in coordination with Hamas and Islamic Jihad, and, in the words of the New Jersey Star Ledger, "kicked the meeting off campus." The Conference was held at the Ramada Inn, freedom of speech was upheld, and Rutgers did not lend its name and prestige to a Movement that condones terrorism as an appropriate method for resolving political conflicts. I urge you to deny this violent, terrorism-supporting group the prestige of meeting space on the campus of Duke University. Sincerely yours, The goals of the movement include ending the "occupation" of Palestine which, according tot this Movement, includes all of the territory "from the River to the Sea." Somewhat redundantly, it also demands an immediate and unconditional "right of Return" for all Palestinian refugees and their descendents. "Armed struggle" is promoted as a legitimate tool of Palestinian resistance. The leaders have explicitly endorsed suicide bombing. The Palestine Solidarity Movement, the American, student affiliate of the International Solidarity Movement, held its first conference at Berkeley in February 2002. At the second National Conference, held at the University of Michigan in October 2002, delegates chanted "Kill the Jews." The third National Conference was scheduled for Rutgers University in October of 2003. Rutgers President Richard McCormick decided that a group that openly supports terrorism had no place on campus and, in the words of the New Jersey Star Ledger, "kicked the meeting off campus." The student activists then split into two groups. One met in the Ramada Inn at the edge of the Rutgers campus. The other met at Ohio State University in November. This week Palestine Solidarity announced that it will meet from Oct. 15-17, 2004 at Duke University. www.palestineconference.com Although the speakers for this year's conference have not yet been announced, the speakers at previous conferences give a good idea of what will be said at Duke. Professor Sami Al Arian of the University of South Florida spoke at conferences before he was arrested, charged with being the treasurer of Islamic Jihad. Mahdi Bray of the Muslim Public Affairs Council has spoken. In October, 1998, Bray coordinated and led a Washington rally of 2,000 people, during which he played the tambourine as the crowd repeated, "Let's all go into jihad, and throw stones at the face of the Jews." On December 22, 2000, Bray organized and spoke at a rally outside the White House, at which the emcee and crowd chanted responsively in Arabic, "Oh Jews, the Army of Muhammad is coming for you!" The Nazi swastika was openly displayed. |
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WHAT I DIDN'T TELL HER
Posted by Anita Tucker, July 18, 2004. |
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My friend Gershon Perlman writes more of his experiences in Gush Katif.
When I received the phone call the other day from the Gush Katif speaker's bureau, I quickly sized up the situation. A journalist from Germany wants to interview an "American Jewish settler" in Gush Katif. "Are you available," I was asked. "What ever is needed to be done, I'm at your service," I responded. "Ok, she'll come to your home tomorrow at 10:30." So, what should I say to the young German journalist, as I began to interview myself this day before her arrival? How about, "What did your grandfather do during the war?" No, I could not look her in the eye and say a thing like that. I could set the tone and tell her about some of my neighbors here in my hometown of Gan Or. Take Suzy for instance, her father was married and had children before the Germans made other plans for them. With Zev, it was the same story, his father's wife and son were murdered and Zev's father had to begin a family again from scratch. Hiam's story is even more chilling, both his mother and father had been previously married with children (his father; three and his mother; one), and both found themselves single and childless after WWII. This would be a good introduction to the Hatuel incident. David Hatuel's pregnant wife and four daughters were mercilessly slaughtered two months ago by what I'm sure are called "Palestinian militants or fighters," in the German press, not Arab terrorists. Still thinking how to begin, I hear myself say; "My dear young German journalist, you want to interview me because I'm an American Jewish settler in Gush Katif. I know this is not going to be a human-interest story, not about the Jews, at any rate, because we Jewish settlers are already classified as inhuman occupiers, the world over. This could be a great title for your article; "The Jews, 1934-2004 a German Perspective, From Subhuman to Inhuman." "So here you are young German journalist, it's 10:30 in the morning, German precision as always," I say to myself, as I see her standing near my horses in my back yard. You ask me "Why did I come to Israel and to Gush Katif in particular." I tell you, "It is because I'm a Jew." But you insist, "Why Gaza?" and I tell you. "Because there is more of a need here for another Jewish family than in Tel Aviv or even Jerusalem." "Isn't it dangerous for you and your family? Aren't you putting your children in danger for your personal ideology?" she further inquires. "We don't feel that we live in constant danger, maybe a little bit more than in other places, but there are bombs going off in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv as well. There are miracles happening here everyday," I continue; "over four thousand mortar shells have fallen on Gush Katif, and hardly anyone has even been injured, last week people were killed in the city of Sderot in a missiles attack and Sderot is not in Gush Katif. Besides, this isn't just a personal ideology, it's a Jewish one," I add. "Not all Jews think this way, I know religious Jews who don't agree with putting themselves in danger for the cause of holding on to land," she retorts. She has done some homework, I think. "I know there are religious Jews outside of Israel as well as inside who find justification for their lives of convenience, but every part of Israel is a gift and to throw it away, is a slap in the face to the giver of that gift," I conclude. "I can guarantee you that every Jew who has immigrated to Israel and to Gush Katif is living a lower standard of living than he would otherwise have, had he stayed in the country of his birth," I tell her. "We are motivated by the love and fulfillment of doing the right thing and are willing to pay a personal price. No one can picture himself being put out of his home, having everything he dedicated his life to, being reversed," I tell her. From here I take her for a tour of the area, and show her the beautiful vistas of Gush Katif, the Mediterranean Sea, and three of the twenty-one communities and we pick up my youngest son and his friends from the neighborhood pool. She comments how the Arabs have a water shortage, her citing statistics and me thinking, "Who gave her this homework assignment?" I tell her that the Israeli population pays a lot of money for its water supply and how the Arabs are pumping out water from local wells and are taking water for free. We pass by a sewage processing station, and I explain how all the sewage water in Gush Katif is recycled and used for irrigating the public gardens. "We do not waste water," I point out. "Why do you carry a gun?" she inquires. Now I know her homework was complete, she has the full picture, a pistol-toting American Jew playing cowboy in Gaza. "I didn't always travel around with a gun," I tell her, "ever since my neighbor Uri was murdered by his Arab employees, I never leave my house unarmed. I don't want to be the subject of someone else's interview," I sum up. "If you could have five minutes alone with Prime Minister Sharon, what would you say to him?" I am asked. I answer her, "I am so disgusted with him, that I could not look at him for five minutes let alone speak to him. There is nothing I could tell him that he doesn't already know. We all here know what Sharon's reason for this plan is. If there was no investigation into his financial doings, there would be no political plan. But this is something I'm not willing to talk about, with a foreign journalist." Anita Tucker lives in Netzer Hazani. |
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THE U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
Posted by Mikimia and Herb Sunshine, July 18, 2004. |
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Dear Mr. President, My wife and I are citizens of both the U.S.A. and of Israel. In the year 2000, we voted for you from Broward County, Florida ( a State which you narrowly won and which determined your election.) We strongly oppose your support for the division of the Holy Land, both on Biblical and practical grounds. For this reason,we will not vote for you again. The U.S. gains nothing from the creation of a confrontational State within the tiny borders of Israel. You reward terrorism and will receive contempt from the PLO. AS A CHRISTIAN WHO BELIEVES IN THE BIBLE, you know that God rewards those who bless Israel and frustrates the designs of those who curse her. Of course, we hold Mr. Sharon responsible for his duplicity, but we think that you, Mr. President, pulled the strings. In the Middle East, the interests of both of our nations are identical. Peace and security will never emerge from "Palestinians." With love of Israel Herbert B. Sunshine is a retired Professor of Law (U.S.), now living with his wife, Mikimia, in Jerusalem. |
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CALL FOR ANGLO-ISRAELI ALLIANCE
Posted by David Ben-Ariel, July 17, 2004. |
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The United States should recognize our Hebrew roots and biblical responsibilities, and band together with our Jewish brethren to FIGHT AND WIN THE WAR AGAINST THE NAZI-MUSLIMS. The Arab regimes only respect force, and with our attempt to be evenhanded, rather than using a proper iron fist, showing the mercy of fools and seeking to appease the Muslim beast, we're only reaping further hatred and contempt, since they consider such foolishness as weakness - and it is Biblical prophecy shows ultimately the Anglo-Israelites, the Joes (descended from the tribe of Joseph) and the Jews (descended from the tribe of Judah), will drive our enemies into the sea and/or relocate the "Palestinian" pricks somewhere to the West, perhaps the Western Sahara - away from Israel, our brother nation and faithful ally (Isa. 11:14, Zech. 9:13). The Arab world should tremble before our Anglo-Israeli alliance and know that we're serious in winning the war they've waged against us, that we're determined to finish what they foolishly started, and that God is with us and their opposition will be crushed and we'll enforce PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH. The one in a position to deal with the Israeli-Palestinian issue is the ISRAELIS! They must enforce the Law of Moses as taught by former Israeli parliament member and rabbi, Meir Kahane, that demands the immediate expulsion of every sworn enemy from Israel: THEY MUST GO! The United States, and the world, should stop preaching to Israel to practice restraint, but encourage them to put an end to Arab terrorism by REMOVING THE THREAT from the Jewish Homeland, once and for all! How logical! The world understood and didn't utter a word of protest, as is proper, when the Gulf States expelled 500,000 "Palestinians" as a security threat during Operation Desert Storm. I was living in Israel as a volunteer at Kibbutz Dan way up north near Syria and Lebanon at the time, and had a letter published in the Jerusalem Post exposing the hypocrisy of the world on this issue. The UN only sanctioned what God had decreed: the rebirth of Israel as a nation in 1948. They're now nothing more than a den of thieves and brood of vipers that should be sent packing, since they pollute the world from New York with all their vile resolutions against America and Israel while ignoring or supporting all that is truly evil in the world. David Ben-Ariel is author of "Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall" http://www.pushhamburger.com/david.htm. |
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4 FRENCH AID WORKERS, PALESTINIAN OFFICIALS SEIZED IN GAZA
Posted by appoline, July 17, 2004. |
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This is a news item from Ha'aretz today. The last of seven hostages snatched in a series of abductions by Palestinian gunmen in the Gaza Strip was released Saturday morning, the day after he was kidnapped. In three separate incidents in the Strip, four French aid workers and their Palestinian colleague, the Gaza Strip police chief and another senior Palestinian security chief were all snatched. Colonel Khaled Abu Aloula, the director of military cordination for the southern sector of the Gaza Strip, was released late Saturday morning, a Palestinian official said. His abduction came shortly after the Gaza police chief, Ghazi al- Jabali, was removed from his car at gunpoint and taken to the el- Bureij refugee camp in the central Strip. The Palestinian National Security Council, headed by Arafat, declared a state of emergency in the Gaza Strip early Saturday, following the abductions. The declaration called for increased protection around Palestinian government facilities and cancelled all leave for security officials. The abductions also reflected a growing challenge to Arafat from militants trying to strengthen their position before Prime Minister Ariel Sharon carries out the disengagement plan. A Palestinian security official said the preventive security chief in Gaza, Rashid Abu Shbak, and the head of Palestinian general intelligence, Amin Hindi, had submitted their resignations to Arafat "because of the state of chaos and the lack of action by the Palestinian Authority to make reforms." The announcement came in the early hours of Saturday, shortly after gunmen freed the four French aid workers and a Palestinian colleague they had been holding hostage in the southern town of Khan Yunis. Abu Qusai, leader of the militants who kidnapped the French four, told Reuters by telephone the hostages were freed after intervention by Arafat, United Nations officials and the French consulate in Jerusalem. "We have resolved the issue in an internal manner and on this basis we have released the two remaining hostages," he said. Witnesses said the four were taken to the headquarters of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in the center of the town. The witnesses said the building was surrounded by about 25 armed men. "A large number of masked men raided our building and called for us to leave. There were three foreigners with them, two women and one old man. [The militants] are still occupying the building," said Haidar Shuber, an employee. Palestinian security officials said that the kidnapping was carried out by the Abu al-Rish Brigades, linked to Arafat's Fatah faction. The French consulate in Jerusalem confirmed the hostages, aid workers from the French town of Evry, were released and were in good condition after being held for more than four hours. The militants had released the two female hostages hours earlier. The Israel Defense Forces issued late Friday an open-ended order baring Israelis, including journalists, from entering the Gaza Strip. Palestinian security officials said Aloula's kidnappers were Palestinian policemen who had recently been fired from their jobs. The officials said that earlier in the day the director had refused their request to help reinstate them. Jabali was freed several hours after he was kidnapped in an ambush on his car. "[Jabali] is now under the protection of [Preventive Security chief] Rashid Abu Shbak and has been released," the official said, some two hours after Jabali was abducted in an ambush on Gaza's coastal road. The official said Yasser Arafat had agreed to the demands of the kidnappers, the Fatah-related Jenin Martyrs' Brigades, to dismiss Jabali and put him on trial for suspected corruption. Jabali was fired Saturday by Arafat. Palestinian sources told Israel Radio that during his interrogation, Jabali admitted to stealing $8 million and raping women. The kidnappers claimed that his remarks were recorded, and threatened to release the tapes if Arafat doesn't dismiss Jabali. Two of Jabali's bodyguards were wounded and the rear window and tires of a jeep blown out during what a Palestinian security man at the scene said had been a volley of bullets from more than 10 gunmen on Gaza's coastal road. "We gave three years to the Palestinian Authority to carry out reforms. We waited a long time. But they didn't do anything. We are doing this in our way," Abu Iyad, a spokesman for the brigades, said on Al-Jazeera satellite television. "Ghazi Jabali was kidnapped to hold him accountable for his mistakes against our people." Israel Radio reported that members of Arafat's bureau conducted negotiations with Mahmoud Nashevat, who headed the group of abductors. Jabali was travelling on Gaza City's coastal road when several cars cut off his convoy. Armed Palestinians put him in another vehicle and sped away, the security sources said. As Gaza's police chief for most of the past 10 years since limited self-rule was established, Jabali has been the target of several attacks by militant groups vying for influence in the Gaza Strip. In April, an explosion destroyed the front entrance of his Gaza home. Jabali had left the house shortly before the blast. A month before that attack militants fired at his office. He was unhurt. A short time before Jabali's abduction, a jeep belonging to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) was seized in the same area, Israel Radio reported. This was distributed by Communaute-Juive-France. |
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WIN THIS WAR!
Posted by David Ben-Ariel, July 17, 2004. |
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President Bush professes to be a Christian. If so, then his sinful support of the illegitimate claims of the covetous "Palestinians" to the Promised Land of Israel is without foundation and is destined to blow up in his face (so to speak). They who bless Israel are blessed, they who curse Israel are cursed. President Bush claims to be fighting a war against terrorism, and he should be. But then it's counterproductive to reward terrorism by pressuring Israel to surrender more holy land so the Arabs can have another terrorist state. It is also pulling punches, and dragging the war out, to ignore the clear and present dangers posed by the snakes of Iran, Saudia Arabia, Egypt and Syria. We either fight a war against terrorism to WIN, or American lives are being lost in a senseless and shameful war of attrition. We should not be accomplices to the murder of our American servicemen and women serving overseas, we should do all that is necessary to WIN THE WAR AND DICTATE THE PEACE and bring our loved ones home safe. David Ben-Ariel is author of "Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall" http://www.pushhamburger.com/david.htm. |
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CLOSING DOWN THE NEWS IN ISRAEL
Posted by Emanuel A. Winston, July 16, 2004. |
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The Prime Minister of Israel, Ariel Sharon did what the radical Left attempted for many years, namely, to close down the one non-Left radio station, Arutz 7, who represents the views of the political Right. While Sharon has not gravitated to the level of Vladimir Putin where 14 journalists have been assassinated since he took office, nevertheless, Sharon shut the mouths of anyone who dared speak against his policies. I recall the Police actions under Rabin and Peres conducted by Shumlamit Aloni where she had the Police illegally raid the Arutz 7 broadcasting ship while it was in port for maintenance. Although Arutz 7 was most careful to broadcast ONLY from the sea, nevertheless Aloni had her Police thugs smash the equipment in a raid which was later ruled illegal by the Court. The government never paid for the damage they did! Under Rabin-Peres and now Sharon, Israel has sadly become a dictatorial democracy with politicians using police and agents - just as any police state. Israel, under a series of Prime Ministers who discovered they would issue declarations without interference by the Knesset has put Israel on an increasingly slippery slope toward a full scale dictatorship. Sharon clearly had many dark reasons to close down the only non-Leftist voice, given what he had apparently been planning in conspiracy with the U.S. State Department. In retrospect, one can see Sharon's fingerprints on the Bush Road Map and his later decision to unilaterally evacuate Gaza with the rest of YESHA (Yehuda, Shomron and Gaza) with the Golan Heights and half of Jerusalem to follow. During a war, subverting your own nation in compliance with foreign interests is properly called Treason. When Sharon allowed (or rather instigated) Arutz 7 to be shut down, he telegraphed his intentions. He did not want witnesses to broadcast his betrayal of office and the people he had pledged to represent. He could, however, count on the three Leftist Hebrew newspapers who echoed the ideology of the Labor Party and Meretz. He could also count the two TV stations to fall into line. The Israeli public was cut off from evolving facts and heard only one government line, just like Pravda in Russia or Al Ahram of Egypt. Surely, he would have been advised by the Arabist State Department to close down any voice that objected to their plans to re-partition Israel and thus try to appease the Arab nations. Perhaps it will never happen but, one day someone will reach the office of Prime Minister who will open a Nuremberg type Trial for treacherous government officials, judges and their responsible for making Israel vulnerable along - along with the deaths that followed. These are not politicians who were merely mistaken in judgement but with malice through secret meetings they betrayed the Israeli people and the State. I include those journalists, editors, publishers who bonded with these politicians to delude the Israeli people. Add to that a Court system that is so radically Left and makes its judgements based not on Justice but on the ideology of a Leftist Party. The radio station, Arutz 7 was listened to by millions of Israelis, Americans, Europeans, Jews and fundamentalist Christians. Like any dictator in Iran, Egypt, Syria, Iraq or Russia, Sharon moved to silence the only voice who dared to question his plans and who asked where his advise came from. Arutz 7 should be granted a license, having proven itself to be a responsible and accurate reporter of the news. It offered a full schedule of daily programming of music, subjects of interest, religious and social assistance programming and even multi-language broadcasts. It should not be denied a license although Party hacks have conjured up all sorts of hurdles to insure that Arutz 7 will not receive an operating license. All this despite the fact that the Knesset voted to make Arutz 7 a legally, licensed broadcasting station. This is a matter that should be re-presented to the full Knesset as a bill to be voted up or down. I have little doubt that, after Sharon discharges his self-inflicted wound of accepting the Road Map and making Gaza Judenrein, he will magnanimously grant a license after the damage has been accomplished. Perhaps Sharon will be ejected before that and a truly democratic leader is chosen to replace him. I wonder if Israel can stand "One Honest Man" as Prime Minister. If the Likud Party continues its support of Sharon, there is little doubt it too will be kicked out as a party of choice. Labor for its act of Oslo has few seats with smaller parties growing in size. Likud will soon share this minor status if it does not pull the plug on what may prove to be the worst and most incompetent Prime Minister the nation has ever had. More's the pity. THIS JUST IN: HA'ARETZ, July 15 "If they do not evacuate voluntarily" by Avraham Tal: Recommends a "quiet evacuation" and recommending that their Pioneering Settlers who do not wish to leave remain under Palestinian rule. He then asks: "Does this mean that Israel is 'abandoning the Settlers'?" Wasn't that the original Rabin-Peres-Arafat plan, illegally negotiated during the early 1980s? This is the kind of 'forked tongue' news, carried forward by the Leftist Media without an Arutz 7 watching and exposing their perfidy. When a government goes bad, they just don't want witnesses. Pulling out IDF troops is clearly a recommendation to conspire in murder with the co-conspirators being the Leftist Media. As can be seen and demonstrated plainly, the Leftist Media is merely an organic extension of government policy when it meets the political criteria of the Left. I have enclosed the entire HA'ARETZ article by Tal so that you may filter it through your own mind. Notice how reasonably twisty the language is. Tal uses so many faulty premises and flawed arguments in almost every sentence that it is nearly impossible to include them all. Notice the concern for the Settlers - when you know that neither HA'ARETZ nor Sharon nor Peres cares at all about the well-being of the Gaza/Gush Katif Pioneering Settlers. I wonder how many of Sharon and Peres' Staff had a chance to modify this article before it went to press? Between threats and kind words of concern, Sharon is using every dirty trick of a tricky politician. www.haaretz.com (last update - 2:19 15/07/04)
The people in charge of implementing the disengagement plan are
beginning to ask themselves whether it is possible to carry it out at
all. Their fears derive not only from the expected resistance of the
settlers who would be evacuated but also from the possibility that a
popular resistance movement will arise to support them. Judging by the
bitter experience of evacuating Yamit, the almost complete failure to
evacuate outposts in the West Bank, and especially the Gaza Strip
settlers' resolute objection to the disengagement - these fears are
well-grounded.
One can assume that at one stage or another of the disengagement,
the use of force will be inevitable. The worrying question is whether
violent clashes will take place. Rabbis have issued halakhic rulings
setting limits on the use of force by those objecting to the
evacuation, but it is clear that there are likely to be serious
incidents. One must remember in particular that thousands of people
would be involved in the confrontation - settlers and their supporters
form outside, soldiers, policemen and perhaps small extremist groups -
and it could last a long time.
Israel cannot afford a national trauma of this magnitude. Therefore, the disengagement must not be carried out by force. The government had better announce in advance and unequivocally that there will be no forced evacuation, and plan the implementation of the disengagement accordingly.
If there were any chance of it succeeding, it would be preferable to negotiate with the Palestinian Authority over the possibility of allowing the settlements, or some of them, and the settlers who so wish to remain under Palestinian rule. But the chances of holding negotiations in general, and of reaching an agreement on this issue in particular, are nonexistent.
In the first stage, the government must make every effort to
persuade as many settlers as possible to move voluntarily, this year.
The authorities should advise the settlers now of the arrangements for
evacuation, alternative housing and fair compensation for those who
evacuate early, and make arrangements for the implementation of these
moves.
Once the Knesset approves the cabinet's decision to evacuate the
Gaza Strip and the northern West Bank, by resolution or, better still,
by legislation, with a 61-vote majority, the government will set a
final date for the Israel Defense Forces to withdraw from the Strip
and the northern West Bank. One can hope that by that date, not many
settlers will remain. But those who do choose to remain - and this
must be said regretfully, but decisively - will do so on their own
responsibility.
Does this mean that Israel is "abandoning" the settlers? This
question cannot be considered out of context. The settlers' fate is
not the only thing at stake: The fate of the entire state is. Israel
will not be able to continue to exist as a Jewish and democratic state
if it continues to occupy territories inhabited by millions of
Palestinians who do not want its rule, rise up against it and gain the
sympathy of most of the world. The continued occupation of the
territories means incessant bloodshed, descent into an economic
quagmire and increasing international isolation. Even after Israel
withdraws into its borders and fortifies them, peace is not
guaranteed, but at least the malignant erosion deriving from life in
the midst of millions who hate us will cease.
The settlers cannot expect the Israeli majority to agree to subordinate its destiny to theirs. They are not permitted to prevent an entire state from stopping its increasingly rapid slide toward a crash. Granted, they arrived at their settlements with the encouragement of Israel's governments. But the government, with the support of the majority of the Knesset, has the sovereign authority to change its position. After it does everything it can to soften the shock of evacuation and resettlement, it will have done its duty by them. All the rest is their responsibility.
Emanuel Winston is a commentator and Middle East analyst. His
articles appear often on Think-Israel and Gamla. He is a member of the
Board of Directors and a research associate of the Freeman Center For
Strategic Studies (http://www.freeman.org/online.htm).
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NEW JERSEY POLICE COME TO HOLY LAND FOR TRAINING
Posted by Mordechai Ben-Menachem, July 16, 2004. |
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This was an Arutz-7 (http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com) news item today.
Police from Bergen County, New Jersey are in Israel this week taking part in an eight day joint training
exercise program with the Northern District Israeli police force.
During the week, the New Jersey officers toured the region and participated in joint exercises with Israeli law enforcement personnel. The group visited the police academy in Nahariya, which is Bergen County's "twin city." They also underwent joint training with the Fire Department, Magen David Adom Ambulance service, and Special Forces police as well as army personnel. The police officers also met with an IDF unit operating on the Israel-Lebanon border, toured the Haifa, Zevulun and Nahariya police stations, and are scheduled to meet with mass-casualty management staff at Nahariya's hospital before they leave. Damon Rose, Jewish Agency's regional director of the Western Galilee, said that ties between the Bergen County police force and that of Nahariya had been established through the involvement of the Bergen County Jewish Federation and Nahariya, via the Jewish Agency's "Partnership 2000" program. About 77,000 Jews live in Bergen County. With the revelations that the terrorists behind the September 11 attacks originally planned to attack Jewish communities in the United States, Bergen County Police became much more conscious of the threat of terrorism locally. |
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MADISON, WISCONSIN, U.S.A.: A BATTLEGROUND FOR ISRAEL'S LEGITIMACY
Posted by Yuval Zaliouk, July 16, 2004. |
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Dr. Joel Fishman is an Associate of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs.
He lives in Makor Rishon
Thousands of kilometers away, in the scenic university town of Madison, Wisconsin, an important battle is taking place. On Tuesday, July 6, the City Council of Madison met in order to review a proposal to name Madison the sister city of Rafah in Gaza. This initiative is extremely important, because only a few American cities have adopted Palestinian towns, and its acceptance would result in further Israel-bashing. The Council did not reach a decision and postponed its vote until July 20. Although Madison may seem far away, the decision that will be reached will serve as a precedent. A university town, Madison was known in the sixties as a center of opposition to the war in Vietnam. In fact, it became one of the "cause capitals" of America. This spring, a group of pro-Palestinian radicals proposed naming Rafah in Gaza a sister city of Madison. Their leader and spokesperson, Jennifer Loewenstein, spent time in Palestinian refugee camps in the Gaza Strip in 2000-2002 and is a member of the Palestine/Israel Peace and Justice Alliance. Her partner in this initiative is the Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, located in the refugee camp of Jaballia. It claims to be a non-partisan human rights organization but has been active in pursuing a virulently anti-Israel agenda, while entirely ignoring Palestinian terrorism. Al_Mazen was prominent at the anti-Israel, anti-Semitic hate-fest at the UN conference in Durban in 2001. Loewenstein referred to Al Mezan as a welcome intermediary for establishing contacts with Palestinians and a positive step towards giving Palestinians a voice in the US. Last April, Steven Morrison, Executive Director of the Jewish Community Council of Madison opposed the idea of twinning Madison with Rafah. And Madison's Mayor, Dave Cieslewicz declared himself against it, as it would divide the community. Such a proposal normally would have had a reasonable chance. "What was new this time," one of the council members stated, was "the tremendous amount of opposition here at home." The Jewish community of Madison, which numbers some 5,000 souls, decided to fight and was well organized. Larry Kohn, the Educator of Temple Beth El of Madison sent an account of the proceedings at City Hall. "The debate began with the Palestinian advocate of the sister city proposal giving a low-key presentation followed by over twenty on our side since the only speakers left were the Palestinian and Loewenstein. People made articulate strong arguments about Rafah and the links with terror and what would happen with any funding sent this way. The Chabad Rabbi, Yona Matusof, and the Conservative Rabbi, Kenneth Katz, spoke. I spoke, professors, students, left Zionists and right Zionists, lay people, Reform and Conservative congregants. Loewenstein was almost the last to speak but someone from Hadassah had been missed, so we got the last word. Although it was the Fast of the 17th of Tammuz, the Wall was not breached." The sub committee spearheading the proposal had already arranged for a postponement, and on July 20, the City Council will review it again. A serious struggle still lies ahead, and the outcome is not certain, but Kohn's account demonstrates that the Jewish community of Madison and its leadership achieved an extraordinary level of unity, not seen since the struggle for Soviet Jewry. Of course, there is a larger question at stake, namely, the role of NGOs, such as Al Mazen, and their activities. As a rule, such bodies are extremely well funded and profess to be advocates of disinterested causes, when, in fact, they provide professional help, advice, participation and financial support for Palestinian efforts to delegitimize Israel in the United Nations, on college campuses, and in the media. In the case of Al Mazen, the NGO-Monitor of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs has reported that it is among the organizations which exploit the language of human rights in order to deny Israel the right of self-defense against terrorism. In fact, Al Mezan used a $100,000 donation from the Ford Foundation to promote the notion of Israeli "war crimes." Professor Gerald Steinberg, Director of NGO Monitor, stated: "The mask is slowly being pulled off, through the research and reports of the NGO Monitor project (www.ngo-monitor.org). Donors to such groups are beginning to realize that their money is being used to promote the new anti-Semitism, and Jewish as well as other groups are also fighting back. In Madison, Wisconsin a handful of anti-Israel extremists expected to gain the city council's approval to "adopt" Rafah, as a means of highlighting "Israel's brutality" and funneling US taxpayer funds to the campaign. Their Palestinian partner was the head of the Gaza-based NGO known as Al Mezan, a leader of the 2001 Durban conference and a major source of hatred and incitement. But after examining the analysis of Al Mezan on the NGO Monitor website, many citizens of Madison woke up to the deception, and this NGO link in the proposal was dropped. When the city council meets again on July 20, it may set a major international precedent by defeating what remains of the Rafah link. Countering the propaganda of other NGOs will be more difficult, but the precedent has been set." Yuval Zaliouk writes the Truth Provider columns. To subscribe, send an email an email to ynz@netvision.net.il |
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ARABS "LOSING HOPE" FOR WHAT?
Posted by Richard H. Shulman, July 16, 2004. |
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ARABS "LOSING HOPE" FOR WHAT?
"As Israel's barrier encircles their once-vibrant town, the people of Qalqiliya are losing hope." What they hope for is not stated, but I partly is to murder Jews. Like most P.A. towns, Qalqiliya is a center for terrorism. I recall when the news was about residents of Qalqiliya stoning passing Israeli cars. Arab terrorism has become more deadly. In an emotional presentation designed to elicit sympathy for a townswoman, setting the tone without an Israeli view, Chris Hedges described the fence as "massive, cold, and alien. The shrubs, bushes, and stunted fruit trees seem to bow before it in supplication." They do? Or does he impose his bias on the reader? We are to pity the poor woman, whom the fence cuts off from her shopping in Jewish communities of Yesha and Israel. Were Mr. Hedges fair about this, he would explain that the Arabs abused their access to Israel in order to murder its Jewish inhabitants. He implies a right the Arab enemy does not have, which is to avail itself of entry to Israeli towns and their services. It is a privilege that the Arabs morally have forfeited. The woman said she is humiliated by intrusive searches and rude remarks. Sometimes the gate is closed, especially after suicide bombing, but the rules of gate opening are not stated. Bombing is not the wall's fault but the fault of terrorist fellow Arabs. Why isn't indignation directed against them? As for "rude remarks," we have only the word of that woman. Intrusive searches are necessary to prevent murder by women like her, carrying in bombs unless detected. "Humiliation" is a common Arab expression that does not mean to them what it does to us. The Arabs use it for being reminded that they are not dominating. Let them be more "humiliated!" The wall has ruined her family's car parts business. Her husband has difficulty shipping car parts through the gate and cannot reach suppliers. Customers cannot reach his store. How do we know? The journalist cites merely these interested parties' word. Interestingly, car theft in Israel has plunged since the fence was erected. Stolen cars no longer can so easily be driven into the Territories and their myriad chop shops without being checked. The town is likened to a Medieval ghetto. It is a propaganda technique to liken the travails of the Jews to the problems of the Arabs. The unstated difference is that the Jews were innocent and the Arabs mostly are not; the Jews posed no threat to their neighbors, but the Arabs do. The fence does separate some farmers' residences from their fields. Since the article was written, the Israeli Supreme Court gave the government the choice of changing the route or granting financial compensation. But the bare statement that groves were bulldozed into the ground comes without explanation or notation that this is a case of eminent domain, in which compensation will be paid. Since the Arabs have used many groves for committing ambushes against Israelis, the IDF in self-defense cut some down. In other cases, the land was state land or land owned by Jewish communities, but Arabs squatted on it and attempted to claim title to it by cultivating it. To counter the land-theft, Israel had to remove the plantation. The fence is wiping out the middle class (as if the estimated 50,000-95,000 people affected by the fence all were middle class and a significant and a significant fraction of the 1-2 million total Arab population). The middle class is "the last bulwark against Islamic fundamentalism." Tell the author that the Islamist leaders and many of their suicide bombers are middle class! The author labels the barrier a "less overtly violent" form of ethnic cleansing than in Bosnia, and Arabs claim that is its purpose. Why doesn't he quote the official purpose? Arab terrorism induced fencing. He claims that some Israeli Cabinet "fanatics" call the result "transfer," but the numbers are small and he quotes no one! Describing Israeli defense measures against indisputably fanatical terrorists, the author refers to the Israelis as fanatics, but does not once use the word, "terrorist," for the Arabs (Mother Jones, 7/04, p.32). Truth is, the PLO and P.A. exist to commit ethnic cleansing. That truth Hedges hides. P.A. PREACHING PRIMARILY ABOUT HATRED & MURDER Each week, the main P.A. preacher is televised expressing hatred and name-calling against Americans, Christians, and Jews, and calling for their murder. President Bush is "the American dog." The US and Zionism are held responsible for Islamist terrorism in S. Arabia (Steven Stalinsky of MEMRI, NY Sun, 7/14, p.9). Terrorism in S. Arabia indeed stems from a plot, but the imam identified the wrong people as the plotters. The plotters are of his own nationality and of his own faith ideology. Most Americans probably do not realize yet how much of what is called Islam consists of hating other people and wanting to exterminate them. PRO-TERRORISTS PROTEST THE FENCE Israeli and foreign leftist protestors have been transporting explosives through the security fence gates, perhaps inadvertently. Leftists declare they will sabotage the fence. Hundreds of foreign activists have entered Israel pretending to be tourists but actually intend violent protests. ISM coaches members in this ruse (Prof. Steven Plaut, 7/15, e-mail). The government seems to know who the people are. Why doesn't it fine and expel the non-ISM foreigners, and jail the others? Israeli leftists commit treason, in declaring intent to commit sabotage! They don't realize why what they transport is heavy? No idea it is explosives? Richard 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. |
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THE COMING COUP D'ETAT OF JORDAN
Posted by Emanuel A. Winston, July 15, 2004. |
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There is little doubt that Jordan will become a fully fledged State of Arab Muslim Palestinians in the not too distant future. As Yasir Arafat draws closer to his death bed from a series of maladies, it is highly likely that he will wish to complete what he attempted to do in Jordan until then King Hussein ejected him in 1971. During those years, Arafat had concluded 26 separate agreements with King Hussein of Jordan to maintain the peace IF his Palestinians were allowed freedom of movement. Arafat broke every agreement, ending with his bloody expulsion with the Palestinians called "Black September". After King Hussein learned of Arafat's plot to kill his brother who controlled the Jordanian army, King Hussein ordered the expulsion with a bloody slaughter of Arafat's Palestinians. They fled, mostly into Lebanon where Arafat set up a mini-Terror State with 12 years of Civil War, which bloodshed caused the deaths of 100,000 dead Lebanese, Christians and Muslims. After he began to launch Terror Attacks against Israel from Lebanon, Menachem Begin allowed Sharon to launch a war in 1982 which drove Arafat and his Arab Muslim Terrorists out of Lebanon. Arafat and his staff ended up in Tunis but, Rabin and Peres eventually brought Arafat back which soon produced several Terrorist wars called: Intifadas which continue to this day. Arafat continued his war making when he collaborated with Saddam Hussein in 1991 and before in Saddam's plans to invade Kuwait. Arafat had his Arab Muslim Palestinians - numbering of 350,000 who worked in Kuwait to accumulate all information necessary for Saddam. They acted as guides for Saddam's intelligence and army to all banking, military and utility centers. Arafat's Palestinians then joined in the raping, pillaging and murders of important Kuwaitis. After Saddam was driven out of Kuwait by the Americans and Allies, the Kuwaitis attacked Arafat's Palestinians and approximately 350,000 were driven out of Kuwait into Jordan. The U.N. was absolutely silent about Kuwait's transfer of hostile Palestinians into Jordan. At the same time, the Saudis who had similarly employed 350,000 Arab Muslim Palestinians, understood that they were Arafat's 'fifth column' that Saudi Arabia could likewise experience a similar subversion. The Saudis also ejected all their Palestinians into Jordan, which now totaled 700,000 Palestinians Jordan had to absorb. Jordan now found itself with a massive increase in her Palestinian population - all of whom were loyal to Arafat. They immediately began to influence Jordan's Palestinians who were loyal to the King to switch their allegiance to Arafat. At the same time Syria and Iraq sent in teams to set up cells to undermine the regime of Jordan. These cells will emerge, along with Arafat's Arab Muslim Palestinians, to generate chaos - not unlike what Al Qaeda is doing in Saudi Arabia. In the later 1980s, I wrote various articles expressing the opinion that Arafat would never be satisfied with a small enclave on what came to known as the West Bank (of the Jordan River). He would want a far larger territory and a greater number of Palestinians under his control. I was reasonably certain that once he could force the Left of Israel to give him a State, the other nations who had a segregated populations of festering Palestinian Arab Muslims they did not trust or want, would immediately eject them into Arafat's enclave or State. I still believe that this will happen and the numbers now have ramped up from the original 450,000 who fled the territories in 1948 grew to from 3 to 5 million by multiplying through propagating babies and by falsifying their numbers on the UNRWA lists. But, even if Arafat can get his State before he dies and it fills up with several million, it will still not satisfy his objective. (I will exclude for the moment his plan to take over all of Israel which is shared by other Arab nations.) Since in the short term he cannot eliminate all the Jews of Israel, he is likely to start a coup d'etat in Jordan by his Palestinians who exceed 70% of Jordan's population. Given that Arafat, now 75 years old, may very well die sooner than later from the several illnesses he is known to have, taking over Jordan could be his last major act on the world stage. I think he will do this. As he planned to assassinate King Hussein's father, King Abdullah so he will attempt to assassinate his son - which could set in motion the coup d'etat. America's State Department, for hidden reasons of its own agenda, has always protected Arafat and kept him well funded. I will presume that Arafat has considerable documentation which could embarrass many past Presidents and the State Department which would have been his insurance against assassination. Israel has always been kept on a short leash in terms of not being allowed to kill Arafat. Some may remember Sharon's orders to his troops and one particular sniper who actually had Arafat in his sights before Arafat was ejected from Beirut into Tunis. His orders NOT to kill Arafat came from the State Department then, as they do today - in terms of not bombing Arafat in his Mukata Headquarters. There is much more to Arafat's career of Terror and attempts to build a State of Terror wherever he has gone. Sharon is giving him an excellent stepping stone in Gaza but, that will only be a launching site for greater expansion on his way to Jordan. If, as it turns out, he is not well enough to launch a take-over in Jordan, be assured those around him will squeeze the last benefit of his name by assassinating him and claiming that it was the Israelis. That should put a great deal of energy into the Arab Muslim Palestinian Terrorist movements in order to launch his successor. I outlined this unlikely scenario in detail several years ago. Clearly, a dead Arafat would give him the status of a Mahdi or, at least, a Shahid (martyr for Islam). Emanuel Winston is a commentator and Middle East analyst. His articles appear often on Think-Israel and Gamla. He is a member of the Board of Directors and a research associate of the Freeman Center For Strategic Studies (http://www.freeman.org/online.htm). |
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PALESTINIAN CAMPERS TRAINED TO MURDER
Posted by Lee Green, July 15, 2004. |
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On July 13, MSNBC's Abrams Report focused on an issue too often overlooked by the media -- the indoctrination of Palestinian children to hate and murder Israelis/Jews. Abrams aired an informative segment by NBC's Martin Fletcher about a Palestinian summer camp, funded by the Palestinian Authority, that trains young children to murder Israelis. Abrams added further context by following Fletcher's report with comments from terror expert, Steve Emerson, and the Advocacy Director for Children's Rights at Human Rights Watch, Jo Becker. Abrams pressed Becker on why her organization had not done more to expose and unequivocally condemn the Palestinians' use of children for war and terror and -- unlike most interviewers -- Abrams did not overlook what he called Becker's "cop-out answer." THE ABRAMS REPORT A look at the Human Rights Watch website (www.hrw.org ) is instructive. If one clicks on Child Soldiers, there is nothing on the Child Rights page specifically condemning the Palestinian Authority and other Palestinian terror organizations for encouraging children to confront Israeli soldiers with firebombs, to smuggle and plant bombs, or for generally indoctrinating them to hate and murder Israelis. However, there is a prominent link to a lengthy 2001 report entitled "Second Class: Discrimination Against Palestinian Arab Children in Israel's Schools". Apparently, Human Rights Watch is much more concerned about Israeli Arab children receiving inferior math and computer instruction than Palestinian children receiving lessons in murder and bigotry, not to mention Israeli children being blown to bits. According to www.NGO-monitor.org, of the 102 reports, letters and related activities dealing with Israel/Palestinian issues listed on the HRW website between October 1, 2000 and April 14, 2004, only 13 focus on Palestinian terror. Human Rights Watch is based in New York City and can be reached at hrwnyc@hrw.org. Lee Green is with CAMERA - Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America - which monitors the news and TV media for how fair they are in reporting on Israel. Their website address is www.camera.org. |
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PROTESTANT GROUP OKS DIVESTMENT FROM ISRAEL. BUT VATICAN RIPS ANTI-ZIONISM
Posted by IsrAlert, July 15, 2004. |
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This was written by Eric J. Greenberg and appeared in "The Forward"
(http://forward.com/main/article.php?ref=greenberg200407141104)
In an unprecedented victory for pro-Palestinian activists, leaders of the largest Presbyterian denomination officially equated the Jewish state with apartheid South Africa and have voted to stop investing in Israel. With the decision, approved in a 431-62 vote at the 216th annual General Assembly of Presbyterian Church (USA), the church, boasting nearly 3 million members, is believed to be the largest organization or institution to join the fledgling divestment campaign against Israel. It is the first Christian denomination to do so, according to Sister Patricia Wolfe, executive director of the Interfaith Center for Corporate Responsibility, coalition of 275 Christian denominations. "This now raises the issue," Wolfe said, "and will cause ICCR to have a discussion." In 2001 the combined value of the church's foundation and pension fund was estimated at $7 billion. Leaders of Presbyterian Church (USA), a mainline Protestant church, approved several other anti-Israel resolutions at their gathering in Richmond, Va., and also refused to halt funding for "messianic congregations" that target Jews for conversion. The Presbyterian resolutions came just as Jewish organizations were hailing the results of a historic international interfaith meeting in Buenos Aires last week, where Roman Catholic officials for the first time signed on to a document equating anti-Zionism with antisemitism. The declaration, also signed by Jewish communal leaders, calls for "the total rejection of antisemitism in all its forms, including anti-Zionism as a more recent manifestation of antisemitism." The declaration also decries terrorism, calling it a sin against man and God, and declaring that "terror, in all its forms, and killing 'in the name of God' can never be justified." "While the Catholics are decrying antisemitism in any form, it appears as if the Presbyterians are pretending it doesn't exist," said Rabbi Gary Bretton-Granatoor, director of interfaith affairs at the Anti-Defamation League, who helped draft the Buenos Aires document. The document was signed by members of the Vatican Commission for Religious Relations With the Jews, and the International Jewish Committee for Interreligious Consultation (IJCIC), a coalition including ADL, World Jewish Congress, the American Jewish Committee and representatives of the Orthodox, Conservative and Reform synagogue movements. It marks the first time at an interfaith meeting that the Catholic Church has equated anti-Zionism with antisemitism, which Pope John Paul II has defined as a sin. "With the imprimatur of the Vatican, the Catholic Church is recognizing that anti-Zionism is an attack not only against Jews, but against the whole Jewish people," said Elan Steinberg, executive vice president of the World Jewish Congress. "I believe it is important for Catholic-Jewish relations because it deepens the Vatican's firm commitment to the State of Israel as a political entity," said Father John Pawlikowski, head of the Catholic-Jewish Studies Program at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, who also helped draft the document. Jewish and Catholic leaders pledged to publicize the declaration and to work together for justice and charity -- the themes of the conference. Theological issues and human rights concerns were discussed, as well, and participants proposed a joint celebration next year commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Vatican II Council. The tone was quite different in Richmond, where Presbyterian leaders passed several highly critical resolutions regarding Israel. Jewish organizational leaders were particularly angry over the divestment measure. "The national policy is very, very troublesome," said Rabbi Gil Rosenthal, executive director of the National Council of Synagogues, in an interview with the Forward. Rosenthal, who said he was the first rabbi ever invited to a General Assembly, added: "I'm dismayed that there's such a one-sided attitude." Rabbi Lennard Thal, senior vice president of the Union for Reform Judaism, which recently launched a national interreligious dialogue with Presbyterians as well as other Protestant representatives, said he was very disappointed, calling the resolutions "heavy-handed." James Rudin, senior interreligious adviser to the American Jewish Committee, called the Presbyterian actions "a catastrophic disaster." ADL leaders blasted the resolutions in a letter sent Tuesday to Presbyterian leader Rev. Dr. Clifton Kirkpatrick. "To assert that there is a moral equivalency between the racist policy of apartheid and the efforts to protect the citizenry of Israel is unconscionable," wrote Bretton-Granatoor and national director Abraham Foxman. "The recent actions... calls into question the efforts of interfaith dialogue between Presbyterians and Jews." But Jay Rock, Director for interfaith relations at the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, told the Forward that Jewish-Presbyterian relations "are very good." The only problem, he said, is a "wildly different opinion on how to go about resolving the Israeli-Palestinian situation. I think there's a blindness on both sides of the disagreement. I think there's truth on both sides." The assembly set the stage for the church to divest itself from companies that receive $1 million dollars or more in profits per year from investments in Israel or have invested $1 million dollars or more in Israel. In a news release, the Presbyterian Church (USA) liaison to the Middle East, Rev. Victor Makari, was quoted as saying: "If nothing else seems to have changed the policy of Israel toward Palestinians, we need to send a clear and strong message." The church news release noted that "divestment is one of the strategies that U.S. churches used in the 1970s and '80s in a successful campaign to end apartheid in South Africa." In addition to the Israel resolutions, assembly participants voted 260 to 233 to reject a proposal to stop future funding of messianic congregations. The vote came after a debate last year that arose over revelations that the church had been funding a messianic congregation in Philadelphia accused of using deceptive tactics to attract Jews. Rev. Dr. William Harter, who fought to suspend funding, said the narrow margin -- 27 votes -- was much closer than expected, and could be seen as a victory for better interfaith relations. He contended that approval of a related motion calling for study and re-examination of the relationship between Presbyterians and Jews over the next two years means the Presbyterian Church "recognizes we need to do more in-depth conversation, dialogue and study of our relationship with the Jewish people." Harter also said the assembly's "one-sided" Israel resolutions must be understood in context, citing previous resolutions affirming Israel's rights to existence and security. And while conceding Israel and Jews "took a beating" this year at the assembly, he said grass roots and local relationships between Jews and Presbyterians "remain strong and positive." But, Harter added, to be considered credible, Presbyterian Church (USA) must in the future approve resolutions stating concern for Christian persecution in Arab lands, particularly in areas under the control of the Palestinian Authority. IsrAlert, a Jewish advocacy network, is hosted by Harv Weiner. To subscribe to IsrAlert, send an email to isralert@aol.com |
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LARSEN CITES PA FAILURES - PRES. BUSH SHOULD SAY NO TO A PA STATE
Posted by AFSI, July 15, 2004. |
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Terje Roed Larsen, UN Mideast envoy, reached notoriety when he shocked the world with his false declarations about Jenin in April 2002, calling it "horrific beyond belief," following an Israeli incursion. His completely biased report made it clear that he was solidly in the PA camp. How refreshing then when we read Edith Lederer in an AP report in the Washington Post, July 13, 2004. She quotes Larsen as saying, "The Palestinian Authority, despite consistent promises by its leadership, has made no progress on its core obligation to take immediate action on the ground to end violence and combat terror, and to reform and reorganize the PA." Larsen cites "the lack of political will" and predicts that the PA is "in real danger of collapse." Herbert Zweibon, Chairman of Americans For a Safe Israel, hopes that Larsen's acknowledgement of the present situation in the PA will be noted by President Bush. Zweibon reminds us that, "On June 24, 2002 President Bush set forth the conditions that the PA had to fulfill in order to merit U.S. support for the creation of a 'Palestinian' state. None of them were met. April 30, 2003, the Bush administration adopted the Road Map, along with the EU, UN, and Russia, with conditions to be met by May 2003. None of them were met. These conditions included some basic requirements for law and order: the cessation of all violence, the arrest and permanent restraint of terrorists, the dismantlement of the terrorist infrastructure, the end of all incitement, and the institution of democratic reforms. Not one of them has been met. Despite the flagrant violations of all these requirements, according to a report from IMRA, June 7, 2003, Bush lowered the bar by waiving his very own conditions for the establishment of an interim state." Zweibon continues, "At this stage of the debate on the Presidential election, it is appropriate that President Bush reconsider his position on the creation of a 'Palestinian' state inside the heartland of Israel. The U.S. should remove itself from involvement in the 'Road Map' which has been reduced to a 'road trap' that would reward terrorism, endangering Israelis, America, and indeed the entire world." AFSI's chairman concludes, "A declaration on the part of President Bush that he can no longer support a PA state inside of Israel might improve the President's position with Bible-believing Christians who believe in God's covenant with Israel: 'I will plant them in their land, and they will not be rooted out from their land which I have given them, says the Lord' (Amos 9:14-15). A declaration on the part of the president might influence those Christians who in past elections decided not to vote, and would now come out to support the President. It deserves his serious consideration."
Americans For a Safe Israel/AFSI is a pro-active pro-Israel advocacy group. AFSI may be contacted by mail at 1623 Third Ave., Suite 205, New York, N.Y. 10128 (Tel: 212-828-2424; Fax: 212-828-1717); by email at afsi@rcn.com; or by accessing its website: www. afsi.org. Helen Freedman is Executive Director. |
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URGENT CAMPAIGN TO SAVE THE JEWS OF GAZA/GUSH KATIF FROM EXPULSION!
Posted by Joe Kaufman, July 15, 2004. |
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Dror Vanunu and Moshe Saperstein - Gaza Community Spokesmen - are touring the USA. Putting the lie to the pronouncement, "NEVER AGAIN", Sharon has placed the 8,000 Jews of Gaza in the position of being expelled from our Biblical heritage. Their homes, farms, synagogues, schools, hot houses, dairies, and the beautiful Mediterranean seashore would be given away. Rewarding terrorism by turning Gaza over to the murderers of over a thousand Jews, and the wounding of thousands more, is madness, and is a violation of both Israeli and U.S. law. Please do not stand idly by while this emergency situation exists. This would be a huge victory for the master terrorists Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, etc. The communities of Yesha: Judea, Samaria, and Gaza have banded together in a massive attempt to hold onto the 21 Gush Katif/Gaza communities. They are presently in the midst of this vitally important public relations campaign. The campaign cannot succeed without the help of Jews who want to ensure that "Never Again" will be the reality. Please send contributions to help the Jews of Gush Katif save their
homes and Israel's self-respect.
Send your tax-deductable contribution to:
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POLITICS PUSHES GOVERNMENT TOWARD IRRESPONSIBILITY
Posted by Evelyn Hayes, July 15, 2004. |
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As Prime Minister Sharon is balancing his party on those who do not consider the whole country including new settlements that began with Degania, Lishon RiZion and Petah Tikvah and John Kerry is unbalancing the war against pan-palestinian jihad, the people must be for the people. It has taken ten years for Charles Rangel to get arrested protesting the enslavement and murder of blacks in Africa by Mohammedan fundamentalists. Bravo! It is over ten years since the anti-Oslo protest that took place in Jerusalem stretching from Ben Yehuda and HaMelech George in all directions as far as the eye could see even from atop the vacant Eilon Tower. Shamefully, the voice of the people was ignored and so many beautiful people have been murdered unnecessarily. As the government conceals the horror of terrorism and the facts of Jewish occupation, bravo, for the old book dealer who presented a book that discloses that there was only "one" Arab living amongst a majority of Jews and some Christians in Gaza 300 years ago, the place where Kol Rabon Olam was written by the Rabbi of Gaza. Israel ben Moshe of Najara in the 16th Century. Even in the times before microfilm and public education, truth was discoverable and recorded. Stop accepting the big lies, check the Balfour Declaration, read the parashas, learn, understand and save the world. The herd mentality described by DeTocqueville is dangerous to Jews, Americans, Coptics, Bible Believing Babtists, Christians in Bethlehem and Nazareth, Buddhists, Hindus and all people capable of loving their neighbors and enjoying Chinese, Polynesian or Kosher every-style food. In a democracy each person is responsible to bring the common denominator to include all with liberty, justice and respect for all. Being a slave to politics is giving oligarchy a chance to war with the warlords and steal from everyone else. When everybody is under one L-rd, we may not be left fighting to get into Noah's Ark or Bin Ladin's underground city below the fallouts. As we recall how silence left 6,000,000 to the Aryan Lie, let not laziness and trust in the fool deny the past of the Jews, the danger of pan-palestinianism that excludes the Jews, Christians, Druze, Bedouins and other inhabitants of Israel renamed Palestine by the Romans to alienate the Native Jews by name change. So many have had loved ones murdered and the Jewish generations again unmultiplied. Where are those concerned liberals for the endangered Jewish race? How many are Jews whose grandparents were rabbis? Are they afraid of truth, morality and equality for Bible Believing Jews? Failing to know one's history and roots, is failing their ancestors again. Responsibility is above politics. Evelyn Hayes is author of "The Eleventh Plague, Twins, because their hearts were softened to accept the unacceptable" and "The Twelfth Plague, Generations, because the lion wears stripes." |
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"DID MOHAMMED REALLY HAVE A 9-YEAR-OLD WIFE?"
Posted by News Max, July 15, 2004. |
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This was on the Voice of the Matyrs website (http://www.persecution.com/).
This was the question two students asked their teacher Parvez Masih who is the headmaster at a Christian school near Lahore, Pakistan. Parvez graciously mentioned her name "Aisha" and told them to look in the Koran. For this answer Parvez has been arrested and accused of "Blasphemy" against Mohammed. The Christian teacher has now been imprisoned over 3 years for truthfully answering a simple question about Mohammed. He has yet to be sentenced. Attacks on Christians continue in Islamic controlled countries like Pakistan. Often times the persecution is motivated by ignorance, greed, anger and even misinformation. As Christians in the U.S., it is important that we learn about our brothers and sisters who are persecuted for their faith. We can learn to pray effectively and discover practical ways we can get involved. Otherwise our brothers and sisters suffer in silence. The News Max website address is http://www.newsmax.com |
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TROUBLE IN THE HOLY LAND: FILMMAKER UNCOVERS SHOCKING PALESTINIAN 'MYTHS'
Posted by IsrAlert, July 15, 2004. |
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This article appeared yesterday on http://www.WorldNetDaily.com. Isralert source: The Begin Center, Israel. When Pierre Rehov saw images of a 12-year-old Palestinian boy being shot, it altered the course of his life. The film producer was stunned to learn Israel had been accused of targeting young Mohammed al-Dura, whose gripping death in the arms of his father was an image broadcast around the world. Indeed, the graphic images of the boy dying in his father Jamal's arms, supposedly murdered by Israeli soldiers, became the icon of the newly launched intifada and fueled the ambitions of a thousand young, would-be suicide bombers. "I was in shock," Rehov said in a recent magazine interview. "In this case, I knew as a producer that there was something very fishy about the images. The angles just weren't right." One day after watching footage of al-Dura's death, Rehov, an Algerian-born Jew who lives in France, was thrust into action when he witnessed a pro-Palestinian rally in the streets of Paris, where demonstrators screamed "Death to the Jews." The al-Dura video had been videotaped by a Palestinian freelance photographer working for France 2 television. An Israeli passport holder, Rehov took off for the Holy Land to investigate the suspicious death of the 12-year-old boy. He found numerous inconsistencies, including the trajectory of Israeli gunfire and the position of the bullet holes. Although al-Dura was buried before an autopsy could be performed, Rehov was convinced he had evidence the Palestinians themselves killed al-Dura for propaganda purposes. "It is not so hard to believe from some of these extremists who indoctrinate their children to be martyrs and suicide bombers," he told Lifestyles magazine. Indeed, as WorldNetDaily has reported (http:///news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=3D32137), independent studies of the incident show the boy couldn't have been shot by Israeli soldiers as alleged. Moreover, there is compelling evidence that the "shooting death" of little Mohammed al-Dura was a piece of intentional Arab "street theatre" staged by Palestinians to portray Israelis as child murderers. Since the al-Dura incident and Rehov's revelations about it, the filmmaker has immersed himself in documenting, up-close and personal, the true nature of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. To date he has produced six documentaries, highlighted on a new website (http://www.pierrerehov.com/) that communicates his conviction that Palestinian leaders have created a mythology every reporter working in the disputed territories is compelled to buy if he wants to work safely. "There is no freedom of press under the Palestinian Authority, and no journalist can report honestly without risking his life," says Rehov. Traveling to Israel with his digital recorder, Rehov began undercover investigations of what is really happening behind the scenes in that troubled region. His films are "Israel and the War Of Images," on Palestinian television and media; "The Trojan Horse," uncovering Yasser Arafat's true designs; "Holy Land: Christians in Peril," on why Bethlehem no longer is a Christian town; "The Road to Jenin," exposing the Palestinian "massacre" hoax; "Silent Exodus," on the expulsion of a million Jews from Arab countries after 1948; and "Hostages of Hatred," why most Palestinians still are considered refugees after more than five decades. Like perhaps nothing else commercially available, Rehov's documentaries take the viewer behind the scenes to experience the stunning reality - so often obscured by the world's news media - of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. For instance, "Israel and the War of Images" proves, through exclusive footage of Palestinian leaders including Yasser Arafat, that their goal remains the eradication of the Jewish state. In it, the viewer can: * watch Arafat call for jihad (in Arabic). Rehov was born into a Jewish family in Algeria where his ancestors had lived for nearly 500 years. He came to France in 1961 with 250,000 Jewish refugees who were expelled from the territory after it came under Muslim rule. At school in Algeria, his classmates called him a "dirty Jew" and other kids praised Adolf Hitler. As a child, he witnessed two terror attacks by Muslim extremists rebelling against French rule. In one, he saw people exiting a cafe drenched in blood and without limbs. Another took place at his school where 11 classmates were killed. At 9 years old, Rehov, his mother, and younger brother left Algeria to join his father, already in France. Although his documentaries are authoritative and powerful, so far French television channels have refused to air any of them. But Rehov has found an ingenious method of distribution, taking advantage of France's freedom of expression laws, which require newsstands to carry publications regardless of their point of view. He created a political magazine called Contre Champs and attached a video of his documentary to each magazine, selling 50,000 copies with the first two issues. Rehov has been a movie producer, novelist, journalist and lawyer. But in producing documentaries that tell the truth about the Middle East? however controversial or dangerous - Rehov has found his calling. Pierre Rehov's videos "Israel and the War Of Images," "The Trojan Horse" and "Holy Land: Christians in Peril" are available in the U.S. exclusively from WorldNetDaily. IsrAlert, a Jewish advocacy network, is hosted by Harv Weiner. To subscribe to IsrAlert, send an email to isralert@aol.com |
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THE AL JAZEERA FILM: "CONTROL ROOM"
Posted by Jerome S. Kaufman, July 15, 2004. |
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To my surprise several film critics have come out praising the so-called 'documentary' called Control Room. It is supposedly about the inner workings of the Arab propaganda TV network, Al-Jazeera. Evidently, the movie critics and I were watching different films but somehow, they both had the same name. The film that I watched had very little to applaud. Much of the film centered around an admitted proud liar, Samir Khadir, Senior Producer of Al-Jazeera. Most footage showed Khadir smirking his way through the film while glorying in the lies he himself was telling his Arab audience. One would have to guess this necessary in order to satisfy the Arab leadership involved with the company, save his own neck and provide enough money to support himself and his family. It was hardly an attempt at honest reporting. In one segment Khadir's dedication was obvious. He raised hell with a junior staffer who had brought in an American commentator for a supposedly objective evaluation of what was happening in the Iraq war. Mr. Khadir did not like what the expert was saying so he simply cut him off and then, addressing his Arab TV viewers, made up an entire dialog as to what the man supposedly had said and what would suit Khadir, his bosses and his Arab audience. But then the truth came out of Khadir - almost by accident. After spending the entire film bashing the West and telling complete lies to his own people while deliberately feeding into their self-destructive delusions as to their importance, their place in history, the infallibility of their religion, the progress of their war, etc, Khadir suddenly described his life's ambition - he would love to get a job with Fox News! What about his family? Well, that was easy. He said his goal was to get his children into the United States under student visas and then see to it that they were able to stay here permanently as American citizens. So much for the great glories of Islam and Arab culture. In another segment, the Al-Jazeera producer, Deema Khatib, a young woman that evidently had had some exposure to the West, proudly declared that in her writing and producing she was simply protecting her own people. The question screeched out, protecting them from what - the truth, their own inadequacies, the great depth of their ignorance and their falling off the world stage of progress in the arts, science, literature, standard of living, democracy, women's rights, children's rights, civil liberties, etc. Khatib's main embarrassment was the fact that the Americans had won the initial stages of the war so easily. She lamented where was our army; where was the vaunted Republican Guard of Saddam Hussein? She was not remotely concerned with the liberation of her people from a bloody tyrant who had killed thousands and treated the whole nation as his personal fiefdom. She just wanted to make sure the Americans did not beat and embarrass him - a sentiment that still pervades many Iraqis. Then film critic Robinson later describes a 'genteel giant', Hassan Ibrahim, who spent a great deal of time and effort trying to brainwash a young American office involved in watching the Al-Jazeera operation. At the end of the conversation, the 'genteel giant' concluded for the young officer that, of course, Israel was the source of all the problems in Iraq and the Middle East. Unfortunately the young officer nodded his head in agreement and said that he hoped to spend more time with Mr. Ibrahim in order to obtain more information! So, unlike Mr. Robinson, I do not recommend you see the film. It has nothing to offer other than to confirm the fact that the word 'documentary' seems to have taken on a life of its own with truth not a necessary part of the definition. Jerome S. Kaufman hosts Israel Commentary website: http://www.israel-commentary.org. |
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ISM AGITATORS' JUDGMENT SECURED BY UNLAWFUL MEANS SAYS ISRAELI COURT
Posted by Judy Lash Balint, July 15, 2004. |
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Beit Shean, Israel--A default judgment obtained by a foreign International Solidarity Movement (ISM) activist against an Israeli journalist has been dismissed by a Beit She'an Magistrate's Court. The Court found that the judgment had been obtained in violation of local civil procedure rules. The attorney representing the plaintiff, who was grossly mistaken concerning the regulations, is Shamai Leibowitz, one of the attorneys who defended convicted terrorist Marwan Bharghouti. The Court ordered the judgment to remain canceled and the evidence stage to finally go forward. The trial will commence in the Fall. In December 2003, an American ISM activist brought suit against Jerusalem journalist Judy Lash Balint over an article posted on a website detailing the connections between the ISM and Palestinian terrorist groups. The foreign plaintiff alleged that Balint had libeled her by asserting that she assisted the terrorists. The case, however, has been delayed while the attorney for the plaintiff insisted that he had somehow secured a default judgment at a time when the Israeli courts were on strike. The canceling of the plaintiff's mistakenly granted order will now permit the defense to document the truth and accuracy of Balint's piece. In April 2003, Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that the Palestinian funded militant group, ISM works closely with terrorist organizations: "ISM members take an active role in illegal and violent actions against IDF soldiers. At times, their activity in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip is under the auspices of Palestinian terrorist organizations." According to Balint's attorney, Nitsana Darshan-Leitner: "There are important issues of freedom of expression riding on this case. Moreover, the ISMhas already been identified by the Shin Bet and Foreign Ministry as closely working with Hamas and the terrorist Fatah Tanzim. This baseless libel suit will provide the opportunity to present the growing evidence of the collusion between ISM militants and Palestinian suicide bombers." Attorney Darshan-Leitner also represents the family of an Israeli soldier currently on trial for the alleged shooting of ISM militant, Tom Hurndall, in April 2003. She is calling upon Israel's Foreign Minister to outlaw the extremist organization. JOURNALISTS OR OTHERS WISHING TO CONTACT THE ISM PLAINTIFF MAY CALL (IN U.S.) Radhika Sainath: (001) 917.669.6903 Judy Balint is an award-winning Jerusalem based writer and author of "Jerusalem Diaries: In Tense Times" (Gefen). |
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HOW ISLAMISTS TOY WITH AMERICANS
Posted by Richard H. Shulman, July 15, 2004. |
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Public reaction in the US to its citizen's beheading by Islamists in Iraq ran hot. How to deflect the anger from Islamism? The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) tried to by issuing a petition implying disapproval by Muslims of the beheading. The petition declared that terrorism and cruelty in the name of Islam harms the innocent and betrays Islam. The petition, however, is deceitful. (Deceit of the enemy is encouraged by normative Islam.) First, the condemnation fails to name terrorist organizations, people, and incidents. Previously CAIR had declared that suicide bombings of Russians, Israelis, and Indians are not terrorist. Therefore, by condemning terrorism without being specific, it is not condemning much of what we Americans would consider terrorism. Islamist word games toy with America. Likewise, the condemnation fails to support counter-terrorism. CAIR has opposed seizure of Holy Land Foundation assets, conviction of the Buffalo Seven, the arrest of Sami Al-Arian, special registration for foreign visitors, and the Patriot Act as a whole. What good is it to condemn terrorism without doing anything about it? Neither does CAIR work against terrorism. It does not identify Islamists who should be arrested or driven from the community, make clear its loyalty to this country (which Islamists often condemn), and champion moderation. This petition is to whom? To no one. Not being addressed to the Iraqi terrorists, Al Qaeda, or Hamas, it puts no terrorists on the spot. (The same is true of most Muslim condemnations of terrorism, especially those from the P.A.. The Islamists are toying with us.) The petition is alleged to have 650,000 signatures. But the names are not made public. Why should the figure be accepted (any more than Islamists' self-serving estimates of the number of US Muslims)? (Even if the signatures were genuine, what is the use when the petition is not?) The petition aims to impress naive Westerners without disturbing terrorists, and to clean up Islam's reputation without doing anything substantive. "In this, the petition initiative fits CAIR's well-established pattern of obfuscation and insincerity." (Daniel Pipes, NY Sun, 7/13, p.9.) Richard 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. |
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TERMINAL ARROGANCE
Posted by Marcel Cousineau, July 15, 2004. |
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The downfall of an arrogant nation is in progress. Judgment day has arrived.The Bush Road Map plan will not stand, America will become irrevelant and a heap of ruin. That's the end of all once great world empires. Usually the citizens are like the proverbial frog, boiling in water,they are clueless to their imminent demise. Just as God raised up ancient Babylon(Iraq) to bring down His people,to remind them that He was God and not they, so today we see Islamic terroism,Russia,China and many other nations targeting America for destruction. Those with eyes to see know that the King has no clothes and the paper tiger can only purr. As Sodom and Gomorrah were busy with their gay marriage plans,an uninvited visitor crashed the joyful perverts party. When God removes His hand of protection, we fall .....in one hour ! The straw that breaks the U.S. camels back is The Bush Road Map. To carve up what little land the Jews have and reward it to intolerant Arab/Islamic killers who never honored a single agreement,EVER and have MORE than enough land is beyond dumb, it's EVIL. I'm paying attention to the increasing strange weather, historic flooding in New Jersey, out of control fires from Alaska to Miami, tornadoes destroying whole town. Most,the majority will ignore all this and say,'it's nothing', but some realize something is going on. President Bush has picked a fight with God, and we're about to lose, BIG TIME. The arrogance of placing U.S. agenda and policy over the clear stated agenda of God is nothing but suicidal and deadly. For those ignorant of God's agenda and not suffering from terminal arrogance, read Amos 9;15. His word stand's and Mr. Bush falls on the ash heap of history. The dumbed down puffed up citizens are clueless, but I see clearly that an arrogant nation that meddles in the affairs of God is in for a humbling. We will soon realize, that we're not so big or so hot. Oh how the mighty are fallen ! |
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FILM: ISLAMIC EXTREMISM - INSIDE LOOK AT A CULTURE OF DEATH
Posted by Israel Legacy Organization, July 15, 2004. |
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A DVD: "From Cradle To Grave" ($14.99 + $4.95 S/H) To combat evil, one must learn to understand it... To stop Terror one must understand what nourishes it. Americans Against Terror in partnership with the Israel Legacy Foundation has created a unique and compelling DVD presentation - "From Cradle to Grave" - that reveals the shocking roots of terror, the insidious programming of an entire culture, starting at early childhood and why this programmed hatred could harm you or your family anytime, anywhere - day or night! When you see this shocking footage, you will understand why you are at risk, and why this is a very real danger. * Why do children beg to strap on a suicide bomb?
Human civilization is erected on universally accepted concepts that transcend almost all religions and cultures - such as the sanctity of human life, the love of children, and the inborn desire to live without fear and pain. This is the first time in history, however, that an entire culture has been predicated on the pursuit of death and the glorification of suicide and murder. A new "Culture of Death" has emerged in some countries, where all the tools at the disposal of the ruling authority are being used to promote mass murder. Children are trained and educated to kill and become suicide bombers, sing songs praising the misguided martyrs, and recite religious prayers begging for the opportunity to strap on a bomb. Incendiary cartoons that are broadcast all day long inspire the will to kill in children far too young to know better. Clerics fill the mosques with insidious sermons of hatred, inspiring the faithful not with a search for peace, benevolence and brotherhood - but with rabid violence. Even mothers extol the death and destruction caused by their sons. To read about the film and order it, go to: http://www.israellegacy.org/page.asp?PAGE_ID=62 All proceeds will be used to raise awareness of this Culture of Death and ways to stop it. |
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ISRAELI PUBLIC DEFIES GOVERNMENT ON DISENGAGEMENT
Posted by Emanual A. Winston, July 14, 2004. |
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A significant poll has been taken of the Israeli public with respect to their approval of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Plan to "Disengage" from the 21 Gaza/Gush Katif Jewish farming communities. There appears to be an awakening in the general populace that evacuation/eviction buys Israelis very little in terms of security and will likely increase the effectiveness and intensity of Arab Muslim Terror. As the Oslo Accords brought Master Terrorist, Yassir Arafat back, it moved the Arab Muslim Terrorists closer and with better access to Israeli homes, businesses and buses. The casualties increased in direct proportion. Since Oslo more than 1500 Israelis (including some 45 Americans) have been murdered by Arab Muslim Terror, with tens of thousands more wounded, many maimed for life. When the general public saw the rocket hits on Sderot that were launched from Gaza - over that Security Fence, they began to understand that whatever border Sharon allows, the Arab Muslim Palestinians now closer to Israeli population centers will result in more effective Terror against them. The Sharon fantasy of 'separation' is turning into a nightmare as even the non-effective barrier is being moved closer to the Israeli population because of decisions by the Israeli Supreme Court with Sharon and the Defense Ministry's agreements to accept their decisions. Suddenly, it's not the seemingly far away Gaza but all of Israel's population centers, her air corridors and international airport, her military bases - all will be in easy range of rockets and improved missiles. Another enlightenment is that when you begin to see the enemies' point of view, you are well on your way to losing the battle and probably your life. Jewish leadership and always the Left, want to be seen as the ultimate humanists even when it costs the lives of their own family. Left Liberal Jews in Israel and America often try to show their fairness and humanity when they say they see their enemies point of view. They hope their magnanimous gestures will buy the sympathy and understanding of the world's nations - which it never does. When Rabin and Peres saw the problem through Yassir Arafat's eyes, they had already lost the battle against Terrorism and surrendered in the name of Israel. When you can accept the point of view of a Master Terrorist (Arafat) and dedicated enemies - as did Rabin, Peres and Beilin - then you must accept your own role as an acceptable victim. Arik Sharon has now joined the ranks of the pleaders by his plan to re-partition the nation and receive dubious rewards from President Bush to assist his election by increasing his votes by supporters of Israel's security and sovereignty. Preparing (in advance) to lose the battle or the war, one must begin to appreciate the rights of your enemy to kill you. Those who arranged Oslo accepted the rights of Arafat to kill Israelis, and this they did with a vengeance. But, it seems that the message is starting to get through to the average Israeli men, women and children. Israelis are beginning to understand that the Palestinians want them dead and no amount of good deeds through retreat and gifting them land near their children will change their minds. Well, you will want to read the following polls but, remember the numbers are only a small part of what people are willing to say publicly. If they were not answering polite questions with polite answers you might just hear what people really think about their government and their plans to see the problems through the eyes of the Arab Muslim Palestinians. It is unlikely that Israelis will see this significant poll in any
of Israel's three Leftist Hebrew newspapers or on the two government
TV stations, so please forward this information. If possible,
translate it into Hebrew.
< CLICK HERE TO READ POLL RESULTS Emanuel Winston is a commentator and Middle East analyst. His articles appear often on Think-Israel and Gamla. He is a member of the Board of Directors and a research associate of the Freeman Center For Strategic Studies (http://www.freeman.org/online.htm). |
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SAVE THE CHILDREN FUND INCREASES PRO-PALESTINIAN POLITICAL ACTIVITY
Posted by NGO Monitor Organization, July 14, 2004. |
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The International Save the Children Fund has an annual income of almost $700m and is active in over 100 countries, including the Palestinian Authority. The major branches are found in the UK, Sweden and elsewhere in Europe, and its primary sources of funding include American Express, Serco Group plc, the Boston Consulting Group, Ikea, Diner's Club, Royal Doulton and the SAS group. As reported by NGO Monitor in March 2004, Save the Children Fund (SCF) UK is very active politically in promoting anti-Israel positions, while ignoring the abuse of Palestinian children for terrorist purposes, including transporting explosives and recruitment of children to become suicide bombers. Its "educational" activities regarding the conflict are heavily pro-Palestinian, while SCF has ignored other issues relevant to the rights of Palestinian children, such as the use of textbooks to promote hatred and incitement. SCF has also chosen not to condemn Palestinian terrorism or come out in defense of Israeli children who are victims of this violence. SCF's strong political involvement was reiterated in March 2004, when the British and Swedish branches of the NGO published a report, "Living Behind Barriers". This report presented a one-sided and highly politicized version of the Israeli decision to erect a separation barrier to protect its citizens from terror attacks, and its language was very similar to reports issued by other politicized NGOs that claim to support human rights and humanitarian relief. (Human Rights Watch, Christian Aid, Amnesty International). In the SCF report, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is presented through the simplicity of a child's statements, which is a highly emotive means that strips away the historical context and repeats the Palestinian narrative. For example, a Palestinian child is quoted expressing sadness that his uncle had been 'martyred'. In the Palestinian vocabulary, this term is an accolade of honor for those who have died carrying out suicide bombings or terrorist actions against Israelis. Thus, in this framework, SCF is responsible for reinforcing praise of terrorism. This report also includes SCF's description of the effects of the Israeli security barrier, which it refers to as 'the Wall', (also in keeping with Palestinian political terminology). The authors of the report make a claim that "There was an alarming rise in children's sense of insecurity and risk of violence." While this may apply to Palestinian children (no data is presented), the lack of security is something that equally applies to Israeli children who have suffered from terrorist attacks that the barrier is designed to prevent. SCF blames Israel for the discomfort and for statements by Palestinian children such as "I would say that the Jews are animals." SCF's report also includes the politicized claims regarding the arrest and detention of Palestinian minors, giving unsubstantiated examples of 'torture and abuse'. SCF fails to address the issue of why these children were detained in the first place. For example, one Palestinian teenage girl readily admits that she had set out with a kitchen knife in order to stab an Israeli soldier. As previously mentioned, SCF also fails to address the use of Palestinian children in acts of terror. SCF's report thanks those that contributed, including the Palestinian Ministry of Education, the highly politicized Defence for Children International / Palestine Section and PYALARA, a Palestinian youth NGO with close ties to the Palestinian Authority. Nowhere in the report is there any space for Israeli responses to the accusations levelled. SCF has, once again, demonstrated its one-sided and politicized approach to children's rights in the Middle East. In order to restore its credibility as a charity and humanitarian relief organization, as well as the credibility of the funding organizations these major ethical failures must be repaired. The NGO Monitor organization (www.ngo-monitor.org) promotes critical debate and accountability of human rights NGOs in the Arab Israeli Conflict. The Monitor is produced by The Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs/Institute of Contemporary Affairs founded jointly with the Wechsler Family Foundation. |
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ISRAEL SHOULD TREAT THE WORLD LIKE WOMEN TREAT MEN
Posted by Arlene Peck, July 14, 2004. |
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Recently, while unpacking some old boxes, I came across some treasures that had been bundled away for more decades than I care to remember. I had saved many old appointment books and love letters from many more men than I should recall. The reason I mention this now is because, until then, I had never realized what a terrible person I was. After sitting down and reading these postscripts to my past, I noticed something. It seemed the more I was unkind to these guys, the more they wanted me. Truly. I thought what a bitch I was. Yet, no one in all those little stacks of envelopes seemed to mind that I gave them a hard time. Most in fact, seemed to love it. So, it got me to thinking. Israel has been too needy. The same as the woman who sits in a bar with the expectant look of "Pick me! Pick me!", is never going to have a date for the prom. I think the same holds true for Israel. They want to be loved! They need to be appreciated! Folks, there is another thing I learned a long time ago. There are four words that should be removed from the English language. They are, "ought" "should" "fair" and "equitable", 'cause folks, life ain't always the way it ought to be, should be, and for sure it's not fair or equitable. It's not "fair" that a gaggle of anti-Semites from all those wonderful bastions of democracy around the globe such as Cuba, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, the Organization of Islamic States, the League of Arab states etc., meet in a world court in The Hague. Gawd, who cares? The Jews are concerned that the Catholic Pope gave a good review for the Mel Gibson passion play? Better the Catholics should give a little thought to the crises in their own church with pedophiles running rampant. How better those funds might have been used in charitable endeavors instead of close to a billion dollars in lawsuits. Maybe Mel Gibson ought to choose that as the topic for his next "religious" epic. How his own church ought to go about cleaning up its act. How much energy has been wasted in down playing Israel's aid to even their enemies so as not to antagonize the Arab World? Israel doesn't need to be loved that much. Why should Israel give a diddly-squat that those very same folks who gave us the Holocaust decide to meet in the Hague to sat in judgement of Israel? They have the power, but seem to have forgotten that fact. Maybe it's time to remember. My momma used to tell me, "Darlin, the best defense is a powerful offense!" Some people aren't going to like the Jews - no matter what. The Jews gave a conscience to the world. The Ten Commandments was a stunner! Until then, everyone was happy in their hedonistic ways. Hey, they could sleep with sheep and who would care? Moses had to do his 'thing' and it's been downhill ever since. The fact that the Jews are just tiny spot on the planet and the major recipients of the Nobel Prizes doesn't help either Here's an apt analogy. I think I have no problem with my identity. Until some young, tall skinny blond wearing implants and hip-huggers walks past me. Do I like her? No! I think 'bitch'. She could have the personality of Lady Di. Or, the goodness of Mother Theresa. It wouldn't matter. She's hated by me and most of the other women in the room. The same goes for Israel. As far as their immediate neighbors, most of which have the educational skills of an eggplant, they hate the Jewish State. It's a shame. It's tragic. But, folks, that's just the way it is. Their school books teach math, "If Abdul kills three Israelis and Mohammed bombs ten, how many are left?" This is not a mentality you can reason with. The rest of the world? Well, to my thinking, it's pretty much the same thing. Israel tries to hard to be respected, loved or appreciated for all the truly wonderful things that they are. So what? Treat the European Union like a scorned man and they'll come groveling. I grew up in Georgia. It saddens me to say it but, the state was filled with men who, I seriously suspect, slept with their cousins. That's just the way it was. But, do you think that they would have cared for a moment, or reacted by changing their ways, if the general population of California decided to violate their "states rights" by interfering in the habits of the local natives. Lo-d, it almost caused a war when the State legislature decided to take down the Civil War flag from the courthouse. Yet, just as soon as George Bush or any of our State Department civil servants who, have been on the payroll of the Saudis for many years snap their fingers, the wayward, hungry leaders of the State of Israel, say "How high?" Which brings me back to how Israel ought to treat her detractors like a successful woman treats her men. Jealousy, in moderation, never hurt either. The United States doesn't want to give that needed 2.2 billion dollars foreign aid to Israel? Hey, call Michael Eisner! He's a nice Jewish boy who has money to burn and just turned down FIFTY-ONE BILLION dollars for a transfer of Disney to Comcast Cable Company. So the motto ought to be "it's a can't have, want world." The detractors of the Jews can't be the chosen people. The more they are rejected, the more they want it. My mother used to tell me, "Why buy the cow if you can get the milk for free." Israel has to remember to make their so-called friends buy more cows. Arlene Peck is an internationally syndicated columnist and television talk show hostess. She can be reached at: bestredhead@earthlink.net and www.arlenepeck.com |
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US RESPONSIBLE FOR JEWISH GENOCIDE?
Posted by Beth Goodtree, July 14, 2004. |
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The outcome of the illegal international kangaroo court trial regarding Israel's security fence was foreseeable. However, the implications for American citizens, as well as any other taxpayers throughout the world have not been explored. And these implications may spell disaster for everyone involved. Like almost every civilized nation on this planet, Israel is building a barrier to protect her citizenry. Unlike almost every nation on this planet, Israel's civilians are under daily threat of murder. The Arabs living next to her have stated their determination to murder as many of Israel's innocent Jewish children, women, elderly and families as possible. Weekly sermons from state-sponsored mosques call for their extermination. Summer camps teach Arab children to murder Jews in the name of Allah. Such determination to murder people based upon their religion and/or national origin is clearly a crime of genocide as outlined by Resolution 260 (III) A of the U.N. General Assembly: Article II: In the present Convention, genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:
Article III: The following acts shall be punishable:
To understand the looming disaster for Americans (and any other paying members of the UN), one must merely reread Article IIIe: "Complicity in Genocide." Complicity means support, collusion or involvement. And while the United States voted against the condemnation of Israel's security fence, the US is the main funder of the UN and UN programs. One day this war between tiny Israel and almost every Arab nation (directly or by proxy) will be over. And like the aftermath of all modern wars, it is highly likely that complicity in war crimes will be examined. It is also highly likely that in light of these examinations, prosecutions will begin and convictions obtained. Here are some of the questions that will be asked during such prosecutions: Was Israel's security fence erected only after the latest wave of genocide/homicide bombings began? Yes. Was Israel's security fence effective in preventing such genocide/homicide bombings? Yes. It has been documented that terrorists have been unable to enter Israel to carry out murder from those areas where it was completed. Would the destruction of such a fence increase acts of genocide? Most probably, since where the fence is complete, no terrorist attacks are launched. Is the Palestinian Authority deliberately and with foreknowledge, involved with, harboring, or inciting such genocide/homicide bombings? Yes, it has been proven time and again. Does the Palestinian Authority use its schools to teach Arab children to hate Israel and Jews? Yes, it's been proven. Who funds the Arab Palestinian schools? In large part, the US taxpayer. Do the official, state-sponsored mosques of the Palestinian Authority demonize Jews thus inciting to murder and genocide? Yes, the proof is rampant. Who funds the Arab Palestinian government? The US, the EU, and many other countries. The Arabs occupying Palestine have never had any legitimate financial resources of their own. Do the official state-sponsored media outlets such as TV, radio and newspapers demonize Jews and Israel thus inciting to murder and genocide? Yes. Again, the proof is rampant. And again, the funding for these comes from the US, the EU, and many other countries. Has UNRWA been, in any way, involved in bombings of people because of their religion or national origin? Yes. It has been proven that UNRWA is fully aware that their ambulances are used to transport bombs and terrorists. UNRWA, being a UN program, is therefore largely funded by US taxpayers as well as others. It is a proven fact that the Palestinian Authority incites, aids and abets genocide because it specifically targets Jews and/or Israelis as specified by Article II of the above UN Resolution. It is also a proven fact that such behavior has not merely been documented, but widely disseminated through various public media outlets. All the funders of the Palestinian Authority are fully aware of their war crimes. And yet the funding which allows such behavior continues. Does the deliberate funding of an entity whose publicly-proven goal is to commit genocide or incite to genocide qualify as a war crime? Most definitely yes, under the 'Complicity' clause. This means that any funders of the Palestinian Authority or those agencies which help it, will be liable for complicity in war crimes. This further means that the US taxpayers, (as well as any citizens of other countries who fund either the Arabs occupying Palestine or the UN), may very well be held liable for complicity in war crimes. It is time for the US (and anyone else) who does not want to be held liable for war crimes to immediately stop funding not merely the Palestinian Authority, but the UN itself. Failure to do so will leave them liable, in the future, for perhaps trillions of dollars in reparations to the victims of Palestinian atrocities. Beth Goodtree is an award-winning writer, with a background in advertising. She writes political commentary and the occasional humor and science articles. |
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ITEMS: WHICH SIDE IS RATIONAL? UNO: UNITED FOR WHAT?
Posted by Richard H. Shulman, July 14, 2004. |
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ARAB FAMILY VALUES Under Islamic law, Muslim men may divorce wives (casually and without alimony), but not the reverse. A bare majority of Jordanian deputies rejected a reform bill as contrary to family and moral values and Sharia. The bill would give women the right to pay the husband for divorce, raise the starting age of marriage from 16 for males and 15 for females to 18, and permit courts to inform wives that their husbands took another wife. Jordanian divorce cases sometimes take three years. Legislators argue that women would divorce in order to pursue affairs; a man has the right to await an opportune time to introduce another wife, and, not argued in Islamic law, later marriage encourages immorality (IMRA, 6/28). Freedom can be abused, so choose bondage? WHO IS RATIONAL & WHO IS IRRATIONAL? "Haaretz" categorizes the issue of Israeli territorial abandonment in the "rational" sphere, not addressable by Jewish law, which is non-rational since it is based on divine rule (IMRA, 6/28). That assertion rests upon superficial reasoning and ignorance. Who says that people who propose abandonment do so for rational or logical reasons? I find that they do it for neurotic ones and then seek rationalizations to justify it. The rationalizations are neither logical nor factual. Other countries don't abandon core parts of their homelands. The height of folly would be to abandon territory to a fanatical enemy thirsting to wipe out one's people and eager, according to their own Covenant, to use abandoned territory for conquering the rest. It is the peculiarity of neurotics among my fellow Jews, and exploited by double-standard gentiles, that even places this most irrational of proposals upon the table. Who says that those who oppose the plan are irrational? On a par with Roman and English law, Jewish law has ample rationality, though it also has a supernatural element. One can easily match to wisdom of the Talmud on national security to any other system's. Nor are the arguments against abandonment wholly religious. They include two themes of security. One theme is the security provided by the secure boundaries of Yesha. The other is that with the outer fortification of Yesha in enemy hands, the enemy would be able to approach closer, enabled to concentrate more fully on the inner fortification, Green Line Israel. IRRATIONALLY NAIVE SECULARISTS Israeli Defense Min. Mofaz expects Egypt to stop the arms smuggling into Gaza. He let the P.A. tell him that it was going to streamline the P.A. security agencies and put them under command of an Interior Minister (IMRA, 6/28) presumably rather than under Arafat. Egypt is behind the arms smuggling. To expect it to end the smuggling is psychotically naive. Not more rational is the notion that a streamlined and coordinated enemy force is desirable, or that from the P.A. land of hotheads, the rulers would pick a non-terrorist. KERRY: VOICE OF HIS ADVISORS? AIPAC found Kerry's Senate voting record on Israeli issues "near perfect." In this campaign, he is different. What changed his tune? Leftist advisors. One is Alan Solomont, who works with Beilin, Israel's Chamberlin-Quisling, and is on the Israel Policy Forum board. Another is Sandy Berger, Pres. Clinton's aide, who argues that the Geneva plan, in which Beilin and Arabs propose that Israel cede Yesha in return for vague Arab promises, proves Arabs can recognize Israel (Jewish Political Chronicle, 5/2004, p.30 from Lawrence F. Kaplan, New Republic, 5/10). KERRY'S UNO PANACEA The Security Council set up a Counter-Terrorism Committee after 9/11 that never identified as terrorist any organization or individual. The representatives of Russia and China on the UN Commission on Human Rights voted differently with the US (which does pursue human rights violators) 79 times out of 86. The pair supported a resolution that allows for self-determination movements to use different means from occupation authorities. The Commission, and especially that pair, frustrated US attempts to define democracy. Instead it declared that there is no one form of democracy and that democracy also requires certain responsibilities of citizens (obedience to the state). China then averred that under this definition, it is democratic. Sen. Kerry has urged Americans to work with Russia and China, but they do not share our notion of terrorism and democracy. He wants this country to conduct much of its foreign policy under UNO-approved resolutions. He claims it is in members' self-interest to cooperate. France, however, considers its self-interest not to send French soldiers to Iraq but to make money from Iraq. France also tries to do business with other Arab countries by denouncing the US as terrorist. US dependence on the UNO would be folly. Kerry's campaign encourages that UN (Jewish Political Chronicle, 5/2004, p.29 from Anne Bayefsky, National Review On-Line, 5/3/04). Russia regressed from democracy. Dub it Soviet Russia. FOREIGN PRESS ASSN. IN ISRAEL (FPA) The FPA condemned Israel's allegedly "callous disregard for the life and security of journalists" in attacking a certain building. What life? No people were in the building. The FPA demands that journalists be free to enter the Gaza war zone, despite the risk to their security. Reporters interview terrorists, thereby exhibiting a callous disregard for their own lives. Why doesn't the FPA protest Hamas' reckless disregard for journalists when it shelled Sderot, where many journalists were (IMRA, 6/29). Even for bombing an empty building, Israel was condemned as brutal. The real brutality is what is done to Jews. HOW MUCH TO RETALIATE? Israel should retaliate massively for each attempted murder by the P.A.. Instead, Israel let 300 rockets be fired at it, with minimal retaliation or none. Israel contented itself with dire but idle threats, until finally the Arabs killed someone with rockets. Israel probably will react by bombing an empty building. (The FPA probably would object to that.) It is clear that Israel cannot rely for security on the fence, without controlling the ground on the other side (Prof. Steven Plaut, 6/29, e-mail). Why a massive retaliation after each attack? Why not instead conduct the war thoroughly, win it, and wipe out terrorism? HOW ARAB CHILDREN DIE P.A. children try to manufacture hand grenades. Dozens have been wounded or killed that way. The P.A. claims that the children find terrorists' bombs and play with them (IMRA, 7/1). When bombs are found, it means the terrorists cache them among civilians. That is a war crime. On the other hand, why do children want to make bombs? Because their culture glorifies terrorism. Are the resulting casualties included in "Arab civilians killed," as if Israel did it? MUSLIM COMPASSION? The Sudan is committing ethnic cleansing against blacks, leading to genocide. First it rapes, murders, and dispossesses Christians and animists, then Muslim blacks. The Islamic states and organizations do not protest. A million more lives may be lost soon (IMRA, 6/30). Muslim states rarely object to the brutality of jihad. They usually do object to attacks on Muslims. For these blacks, however, they mostly are silent. Imagine a group of a billion people without compassion, striving to take over the rest of us, while Bush babbles about their family values and Kerry urges us to work with the UN that the Muslims control or paralyze! THE P.A. KEEPS ARABS DOWN The P.A. has canceled voting rights for Arabs in refugee camps. This is done to emphasize their refugee status. The P.A. opposes their being integrated into urban housing units (IMRA, 6/30 from Palestine Media Watch). Then no "plight of the Palestinians." Another case of lack of compassion. Of course, voting rights in a dictatorship don't mean much, but the imposed inferior status, in a society based on considering every mark of inferiority "humiliating," is hurtful. Thus the P.A. joins the UNO in keeping Arab refugee families in the camps as objects of pity. These families held down must resent what their fellow Arabs do to them. They seem to turn their anger against Israel rather than against their tormentors. The tormentors hypocritically complain that Israel doesn't treat the refugees right. U.S. KEEPS FUELING ARAB-ISRAEL ARMS RACE The US will sell (i.e., give) refueling aircraft to Egypt (op. cit.). When Egypt turns its weaponry upon Israel or even upon the US, will the State Dept. and Pentagon finally become reformed? I think not. They will keep on declaring democracy our goal and arming dictatorships, then acting surprised when the arms are misused. The military industry meanwhile will have profited from what is a government subsidy: US tax revenues are given to Egypt, and Egypt transfers them to the industry. UNO RILES UP THE REFUGEES General Assembly Resolution 194 has no force of law. It suggested various alternatives, of which refugee return was only one. (Usually these resolutions are conditional upon peace and, as with 242, also upon secure borders for Israel. However, the Arabs keep on making war and seeking the Territories so as to deny secure borders for Israel.) UNRWA has falsely been advising the "refugees" for years that they have a right of return and it promotes that "right." One way is by keeping conditions poorer for those Arabs, so that they want to move to Israel. The Israeli head of Gaza medical services until 1985 wanted to improve their medical facilities. UNRWA blocked him. You probably heard that UN resolutions also objected to an Israeli plan to move the Arabs into better and permanent housing. (The resolutions pretended that Israel was doing harm to the refugees.) UNRWA camps are factories and depots for weaponry. Many UNRWA employees are members of Hamas, which controls the teachers union there (Jewish Political Chronicle, 5/2004, p.39 from Arlene Kushner, National Review, 3/30). Only a tiny proportion of UNRWA employees are not Palestinian Arabs. They keep their jobs and facilitate war by not solving the refugee problem. Richard 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. |
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ARAB CHILDREN IN GAZA BEING TRAINED TO KILL JEWS
Posted by Unity Coalition for Israel, July 14, 2004. |
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CLICK HERE to send the following message to President Bush, Prime Minister Sharon, their Cabinet Members, and Leaders of our Congress and the Knesset. You may edit it as you see fit. Your message will read as follows: To the Leadership of the Western World: Children as young as 10 are being recruited to fight for the Palestinian cause. Britian's Sky News has gained access to a young people's camp in Gaza, where the only lesson taught is how to kill Israelis. Sky's Middle East Correspondent Emma Hurd said the camp, at an undisclosed location, had been set up to drill children in the ways of war. The recruits, some of whom are dwarfed by their AK-47 assault rifles, are taught how to carry out ambushes. They are also made to do an obstacle course, crawling under barbed wire and leaping through hoops of fire while their instructors fire live bullets overhead... The camp is run by a group called the Popular Resistance Committee, which said the next generation of Palestinians needed to know how to fight the Israeli "occupation". The boys even "graduate" at the end of their training, receiving a certificate from the camp commander.
The National Unity Coalition is "the largest worldwide
coalition of Jewish and Christian organizations, with more than 200
groups representing millions of people dedicated to Israel. Though we
have many different backgrounds, we have one common goal: A Safe and
Secure Israel."
"Israel is not just a Jewish issue. Millions of Christians
resolutely endorse the principle of peace with security for the state
of Israel. Because we work closely together and speak with a united
voice, our message is being heard!"
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CONNECTING TO THE HUMAN CHAIN FROM JERUSALEM TO GUSH KATIF- UPDATES
Posted by Dror Vanunu, July 14, 2004. |
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At the offices of the Council of the Gush Katif Settlements there is round-the-clock activity in preparation for the huge coming event, "The Israeli Chain" that is to take place just before Tisha B'Av, on July 25th. The Israeli Chain will stretch from Gush Katif to the Western Wall in Jerusalem. In addition to ads in national and local newspapers, to date 100,000 fliers have been distributed all over Israel. An internet site has also been set up for the express purpose of providing information to everyone who is interested in learning about the plan and to allow people to check where they are to stand. See http://www.katif.net/chain Dozens of coordinators in cities and towns report that there is great interest on the part of local people who are excited about being part of this unique event. And this is not all!! There are also dozens of foreigners who are expected to come to Israel especially to participate in this unique event. The various actions taken by the citizens of Gush Katif and the popular support that these are garnering are strengthening the feeling among the Israeli left-wingers that the plan to expel the Gush Katif settlers and other settlers in Yesha (Judea and Samaria) is not realistic. For example, this is what Uzi Benziman, a senior journalist at Ha'Aretz wrote this weekend: As the details of the Disengagement Plan are becoming clear, so the are its proponents becoming discouraged. They map out its pieces and A find a stumbling block for each one that could bring it down. The combination of difficulties along the way brings them to doubt that the plan can be implemented. In optimistic moments they say that it is possible to implement the plan, but not in the next one and a half years. In moments of pessimism, they wonder if it is at all possible. The problem is not lack of political will on their part, but the realities on the ground, complications created by the fact of the existence of the settlements. If you would like to help save Gush Katif: In Israel, contact
In the U.S.A:
Dror Vanunu is spokesman for the Gush Katif community in Gaza.He can be reached at gkatif@netvision.net.il or by phone at 323-447-1901. |
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BOYCOTTING THE BOYCOTTERS
Posted by Annie Cohen, July 14, 2004. |
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Several weeks ago, Germany announced its decision to stop all arms sales to Israel. Since then, other countries have followed suit. In response, Israel has canceled its annual multimillion dollar contract for its nationwide DAN buses which were manufactured in Germany, and is looking at other bus suppliers in the US, and Japan. The Europeans and their Muslim allies should understand that boycotts works both ways. When we said NEVER AGAIN, we meant it. Europe is stuck in the mentality of 1933 and conditioned to thinking of Jews as defenseless entities. The reality is very different. As long as Europe adheres to and supports its primitive Middle Ages death cult, European products must be off limits. We continue to call for a complete boycott of travel and products from the following countries France, Belgium, Spain, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Norway, Denmark, Holland, and China, due to their support, sponsorship, and/or participation in global Islamic terror. The voting record of the above countries at the UN openly endorses Muslim terror. Remember, every time you buy a bottle of Evian, a Carlsberg product, a Spanish melon, a Godiva chocolate, a Dior lipstick, a Gucci bag, or a German kitchen appliance, you are financing the next Muslim mass murderer. The European Union gives over $10 million per month to the Palestinian Authority, knowing full well that the money is funneled to buy, import, and train Muslim terrorists and their weapons of mass murder. We strongly encourage everyone to buy Canadian, American and Israeli products instead. Buy Estee Lauder or Ahava instead of Chanel, Dior, and YSL. Tell the salespeople why. Educate the public when you shop. Europe is underwriting the Arab war to exterminate the Jewish state. We cannot sit idly by while this happens. Make your voice heard and let them feel the sting in their pocketbooks. Let the Europeans know that supporting terror does not pay. Please forward this to all friends and acquaintances. Every voice counts! This was distributed by the Communaute-Juive-France. |
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DAVID HAIVRI AND HIS INCITING T-SHIRTS
Posted by Sergio Tezza (Hadar-Israel), July 13, 2004. |
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My friend David Haivri, who could not be condemned for "incitement to racism" because they could not prove that he owned 24 t-shirts with written on them "No Arabs, No Terror" on one side and the picture of Rav Meir David Kahana, ZTUQ"L, HI"D, on the other, was however condemned in a very shameful decision, worth of the best authoritarian regimes, for "obstruction of leagl procedure"... To cut it short, they condemned him to 6 months probation, 4 months of social work and - and here comes the problem - to 5,000 (five thousand) Sheqalim of fine. Now, for most of you, that which is the equivalent of about 1,200 US Dollars or a bit more than 900 Euro, is not considered a big sum. Here, it is MORE than what someone can make in a month and a half of minimum wage. David, a real hero of today's struggle to maintain our land and our Jewish identity, and proponent of REAL solutions for it and for the Arab problem, is NOT a person of means to say the least. He has a beautiful family of 7, she`irbu` beriim ad' mea we-esrim, and is helping to take care of his wife's nephews, Benyamin and Talya Kahana's, ZTUQ"L, HI"D, 5 children (I hope I am not forgetting any of those beautiful kids, beli `ayin ha-r'a`!) Paying that unjust fine is practically impossible for him without borrowing money... ANYONE who has ANYTHING, even a few dollars to send him, be it from your tsedaqa fund, be it from your tithe, should just take a pen and write a check or send a donation through paypal@hameir.org, through the web site http://www.hameir.org, or by mail (US CHECKS WELCOME) maid out to HaMeir L'David and mailed to: HaMeir L'David
You can call for any information, saying that you read it on this list, at the number in Israel 011+972-3-9060875 HaDaR Sergio Tessa (Hadar) lives in Qiryath Arba Hebron. This was distributed by the Communaute-Juive-France. |
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PRICE OF APPEASEMENT; "HA'ARETZ" MISREPRESENTS
Posted by Richard H. Shulman, July 13, 2004. |
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THE PRICE OF APPEASEMENT In the 1930s, military readiness and deterrence was disparaged by many democracies. (The author wrote, by "liberals," but the British and French governments mostly were conservative.) Rather than earning Hitler's good will, appeasement invoked his contempt. Result: WWII, with 50 million deaths, and the Holocaust. Afterwards, the USSR falsely guaranteed free elections in E. Europe and elsewhere. The UN and detente did not contain Stalinism. The Truman Doctrine, NATO, and nuclear deterrence did. In 1991, the US freed Kuwait from Iraq's murderous embrace. A decade later, when thousands of Americans were murdered, Kuwaitis expressed the most anti-Americanism among the Arabs. Kuwait, which had expelled more than 300,000 Palestinian Arabs, attributed its anti-Americanism to what it alleged was unfair US treatment of the Palestinian Arabs. Actually, the US gave billions of dollars to the P.A.. As for Kuwait's concern for the Palestinian Arabs, it expelled more than 300,000 of for betraying the country to the Iraqi invaders. No, the explanation lies elsewhere. Much of the Arab contempt for the US (aside from its being a barrier to some jihad) arises from the perception that the US talks about principles but usually doesn't do much about it. They are watching to see whether we stay the course in Iraq. They do see the US patient with complainants from the P.A., instead of citing P.A. corruption, Arafat's terrorists, "honor killings" of women in the P.A., censorship, suicide murdering, and lynching of suspects. Many Americans believe in appeasement. How come? The intelligentsia came up with the theory that "white male capitalists had systematically oppressed women, minorities, and Third World people?" The theory gained strength from the fall of the USSR, when intellectuals no longer could be accused of being soviet stooges. This ideology of victimization was applied to the Palestinian Arabs. The purported victims reputedly were not terrorists; they merely were striking back. By the same illogic, Noam Chomsky proclaimed Iran's repression to be "independent nationalism." His multiculturalism denied Westerners the right to criticize other societies (but did not deny other societies the right to criticize the West). Honor killings were not to be judged. They just were to be noted as different. That was easy for college students to do, since it spared them from having to make analytic judgments, for which they are not trained. (They are judgmental - against the US - but are not analytical about it.) Real thinkers know that in the Mideast, "political autocracy, statism, tribalism, anti-intellectualism, and gender apartheid accounted for poverty and failure." Few Americans dared to assert that Islam has elements that lead to intolerance and violence. Most tried to excuse terrorists and leave them safe abroad, free to pursue us at home. Our political elite empowered Arafat's crime syndicate and called it nationalism. He destroyed decades of Arab progress under Israeli rule. The US relationship with S. Arabia was a corrupt one. Our politicians averted their eyes from it. The Saudis pretended to be victims and call critics names. Pres. Clinton treated terrorists waging an ideological and military war on the US as individual criminals (of whom he caught few). He failed to confront the issue (Jewish Political Chronicle, 5/2004, p.20 from Victor Davis Hanson, City Journal, Spring 2004). Clinton remains popular and Bush is unpopular (on that issue). WHAT SHALL WE SHOW THE ARABS ABOUT ABU GHRAIB? Americans rightfully repudiate Yanks' wrongful behavior at the Iraqi prison. By apologizing to other Arab countries, however, the Bush Administration makes a spectacle of itself, feeding into anti-Americanism that uses any excuse to demonize the whole country. The appropriate venue for an apology is Iraq; it is not veteran masters of police brutality in other Arab states. The US makes itself seem demoralized and psychologically weak. What we should show the Iraqis is how we deal with these criminal aberrations. Let them see how our courts operate. (To such people, our courts would be a marvel of constitutionality, though we are impatient with our judges' extra-constitutional stretching and their settling, scuttling, or sidestepping constitutional issues on technicalities). Pres. Bush's apology to the King of Jordan was particularly inappropriate, in view of Jordan's unconcern for past suffering of Iraqis. Jordan was an ally of Saddam. (It helped smuggle Iraq's oil out, in return for a valuable subsidy.) The same goes for Bush's apology to a newspaper of Egypt, which wants us to fail in Iraq so as NOT to set an example of democratization to Egyptians. The US cannot win good will from the Arabs by appealing to them (Jewish Political Chronicle, 5/2004, p.26 from Fouad Ajami, Wall St. J, 5/12). HOW "HAARETZ" MISREPRESENTS ISRAELIS Carmela Menasha is notorious for anti-Israel pieces in "Haaretz." She now writes that Israeli soldiers complained about the Jews of Netzarim, Gaza. Oddly, one of her complaints is that the locals gave the soldiers refreshments without official authorization. She bases much of her conclusion on the soldiers' letter, which did NOT complain. The soldiers asked for space to refute. Space denied (IMRA, 6/27 from Jer. Post). Are we supposed to think, "The soldiers must have detested the settlers for 'mistreating' them by offering refreshments?" I wished that my fellow Americans had been as hospitable, when I was stationed too far away to return home for visits. If "Haaretz" gave the troopers space, instead of allotting it all to an anti-Israel side (I specified "an", because there is more than one), its advocacy journalism would be seen as misleading. This is another example that people in power like to profess democracy but stifle dissent. The right wing complains that this is inherently a leftist phenomenon, but I think that if the Right controlled the media, the Right would not welcome dissent, either. Israel supposedly has civil rights organizations. Why don't they loudly protest this conformity imposed by the media? Richard 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. |
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"OUT OF JERUSALEM WILL COME FORTH THE LAW, AND THE WORD OF G-D, FROM JERUSALEM!"
Posted by Ruth and Nadia Matar, July 14, 2004. |
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The upcoming Walk around the Walls of the Old City in Jerusalem on Monday Evening, July 26, will inspire all of us spiritually. The Walk symbolizes the concept of freedom of religion, and speaks out against the universal practice of the Moslems, who claim superiority of their religion over the faiths of everyone else. The Moslems have assigned a lower status to those who believe differently than they do. In every Arab country this discriminatory practice is widespread, and endorsed by their respective ruling authorities. The irony is that in the very Biblical Holy Land of the Jewish People, here in Jerusalem, this discriminatory practice of the Moslems is practiced even on the Temple Mount where the former First and Second Temples were located. That this site is considered by the Jewish People its holiest site, and therefore naturally a place where Jews would and should be allowed to pray, is not considered by the Moslems as a reason for them to change their fundamental practices. The result: Jews and Christians are not permitted to pray on the Temple Mount! Prior to the Walk itself, we shall be reading aloud the Biblical Book of Lamentations, which in Hebrew is called "Aicha". This Hebrew word is a transliteration to English of the first Hebrew word of that Book. In those lamentations, we bemoan the destruction of both of our earlier Holy Temples, and pray for the building of the Third Temple, as soon as conditions in Jerusalem permit this to happen. In the meantime, our ancient custom of Walking around the Walls of the Old City in silent prayer continues. We now have conducted this Walk for ten successive years. Each year we have more than 100,000 participants. Only the limitation in our financial ability to advertise the Event properly, has prevented a dramatic increase in the numbers who participate. There is little doubt that this spiritual Event would attract far more people to come to Jerusalem from throughout the world, and within all of Israel, if we had the necessary funds to advertise this "happening." Avail yourself of the opportunity to join this spiritual Event by contributing to the considerable cost of publicizing this Walk. The organizing of the Event itself is done entirely by volunteers. Whatever amount you contribute goes directly to cover the costs involved in this March. We live in a world practically devoid of the spiritual message that originally emanated from Holy Jerusalem. Therefore, it is incumbent on all of us once again to restore the spirituality that once existed, so that we all can clearly proclaim the well known Biblical quotation: "Out of Jerusalem shall come forth the Law, and the word of G-d from Jerusalem." Ruth and Nadia Matar established Women For Israel's Tomorrow (Women in Green), an activist group of women based in Jerusalem. Their website address is http://www.womeningreen.org |
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WHO LIVED IN GAZA THREE HUNDRED YEARS AGO? A REPORT FROM A DESOLATE COUNTRY
Posted by Moshe Feiglin, July 13, 2004. |
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Late one night, when driving home from a meeting, my car phone started ringing. Who could be calling me at such a time? The voice was very clear, and sounded like an educated person. "Shalom, this is ___. I was given your phone number by ___. Perhaps you have a few minutes to spare? I receive many strange phone calls. Once I received a call from the Teachers Organization, and was asked to give a lecture about civil disobedience in a democratic country. The lecture took place in the end, and several hundred people came, but none of them was a teacher. The entire Jewish department of the GSS were there, as well as quite a few eccentric people. "I'd like you to understand", my caller continued, "that I know something about old books. This one was written in Latin with some Hebrew and Arabic. I read all these languages. It was written by a priest who visited this country as the envoy of one of the European kingdoms. He spent about ten years here, three hundred years ago, from 1695 to 1705. The book is a report about what he found here." Now I begin to realize why this person called me. He has come across conclusive evidence for the justification of our existence here, and he wishes to receive my aid in publicizing it. I have already encountered many first-rate professionals in the fields of law and history, who thought that all that was lacking in order to change the situation here was to present the right facts. I like these people, their knowledge and, not less, their innocence. This book will change nothing. I remember how I met with Limor Livnat. (This was when she hoped that I would support her, and I was therefore a welcome guest. When her hopes were disappointed I turned into a criminal, a hostile element attempting to gain control of the party.) She expected that we would demand jobs in the Ministry of Education. I requested one thing only - that Joan Peters' book, "From Time Immemorial", that totally disproves the Palestinian fabrication, be included in the syllabus of the Ministry of Education. We even spent several thousand shekels of Manhigut Yehudit's budget to finance some of the costs of publishing an additional edition of the book. The books remained untouched in our office. Instead of studying Mark Twain's book, "Travels in the Holy Land," that describes his visit to the country about a century and a half after the priest's visit, and gives a similar description (literary instead of scientific), Yossi Sarid preferred to include in the syllabus Mahmood Darwish's exhilarating work, Go, and Take Your Dead With You. "This is more or less the same situation in Shechem, Hebron, and other parts of the country", continued my caller. "The country is largely uninhabited and full of ruins of ancient Jewish settlements. Most of the population is Jewish, there are a small number of Christians, and virtually no Arabs. I checked in the Library of Congress and other places and discovered that I apparently own the sole remaining copy of the book. Someone must take this book, someone who knows Latin, a real professional. This book must be translated and publicized." I asked him why he doesn't approach state institutions in this matter. It transpired that he was well aware that official Israel is seeking the "Palestinian" roots of this country, and not its Jewish ones. "I've been following your activities for some time. I thought that perhaps you can suggest how to get this project off the ground." Both because I wished to look at the book and because I needed to size up this person, I quickly arranged a meeting in his home. He didn't waste time and gathered together a few dozen of his neighbors to come to listen to a lecture that I gave in his home that same evening. I cane to his home an hour earlier. With trembling hands I leafed through the ancient book, opened the old maps, read the Hebrew quotations, saw the ancient texts that he had accurately drawn, and even the Arab words in the place where some Arabs lived. Leafing through the book is like traveling in a time machine. This is a national treasure that should be kept in its own museum. This is a foundation stone for all the historical research about Eretz Israel. The day will come when the Jewish State will value such treasures, and make sure that every Israeli child is familiar with them. But we can't wait for the State. Someone must take upon himself the financing of the research and publicity for this book. Can someone hear me?
Manhigut Yehudit (Jewish Leadership) is a group of people inside
the Likud party who want to see Israel adopt a more Jewish character.
Moshe Feiglin, its cofounder, has emphatically said he does not want a
theocracy, but he does want a State based on Jewish values. The
Manhigut Yehudit website address is http://www.manhigut.org.
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COURTING INJUSTICE
Posted by Ellen W. Horowitz, July 13, 2004. |
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Israel chose not to defend her position at the Hague. I suppose it would have been and exercise in futility - kind of like banging one's head against a concrete barrier. It seems the world will always hold the Jewish nation up to different standards and a different light. But, had I been asked to represent the defense, my approach would have also been different. I would have put the world on trial. I wouldn't have wasted my efforts or the court's time presenting any evidence remotely Jewish or Israeli in nature. My testimony would have been limited to documentation gleaned exclusively from "unadulterated" media sources emanating from Europe, Africa and the Arab world (no pro-Israel bias here). I would have taken the focus off of Israel and pointed those judges due South, towards the Sahara... While the international community descended upon Israel in a frenzied bid to stop construction of an anti-terror security fence - lest it lead to murder, rape pillaging, ethnic cleansing, and genocide - Arab terrorists know as Janjaweed or "devils on horseback" were doing just those very things to black-African farming families in Western Sudan. At about the same time that ISM activists like Rachel Corrie decided to set herself in front of a bulldozer and Tom Hurndall managed to place himself in the line of fire (all in the name of humanity), Arab tribes at the behest of the Sudanese government began a 16 month campaign which, according to African sources, "has killed up to 100,000 people, driven more than 1 million from their homes and left more than 2 million in desperate need of aid." That's human tragedy on an immense scale. I wonder how the United Nations and other international bodies missed that one? After all, things of this magnitude don't happen overnight. Perhaps they were too busy barking up the wrong fence and didn't have time to listen to the eyewitness accounts or to view the satellite images of 155 burnt villages, or hear the authentic cries and screams of African humanity over the din of the pseudo-humanitarian anti-fence protesters. But now that the Hague decision is in, the UN and EU can turn to more pressing matters. Just this week, Kofi Annan flew into Sudan's Darfur region for a firsthand look at what officials are calling "the world's worst humanitarian crisis..." It seems that these Arab/Islamic raiders found another incredible loophole in the Koran. They need not achieve martyrdom in order to receive their reward in paradise. They simply ride into the nearest Sudanese neighborhood, butcher the men and boys, and snatch their prize. While the terrorists enjoy "paradise", the abducted women-folk get a 10-day excursion through Hell - including gang rape, torture and various other humiliations. For their trouble, the young girls get to pick up their "white-skinned" trophy 9 months later. Check it out for yourself on the BBC online. You may have trouble finding the story. First you have to scale the homepage coverage on the Israeli security fence decision before you can read about the mass rape and murder taking place in Sudan. So I'll help you to navigate - Try accessing http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3791713.stm Why a fully aware EU, UN, Hague and international media deliberately chose to bury disastrous developments in Africa in favor of perpetuating a Palestinian/Arab propaganda campaign is worth investigation. Sounds like a combination of negligence and complicity to me. I could raise the possibility of an anti-Semitic lynch, but I agreed to stay away from Jewish/Israeli issues. Now that the word is out and the fence thing is over, one would expect the EU to place this urgent African crisis at the top of their agenda. And yet, the July 11th report found at EUbusiness.com places the plight of the Sudanese at rock bottom. Topping the agenda is Iraq and the "EU's response to the ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that Israel's West Bank barrier is illegal." Somewhere in the middle of the summary you can find mention of the ongoing WTO (World Trade Organization) negotiations and farming subsidy issues. Last and obviously least, by EU standards, is the following item: "And they [the EU] will discuss the escalating humanitarian catastrophe in war-torn Darfur, western Sudan, where government forces and so-called Janjawid militias are accused of conducting a brutal campaign of ethnic cleansing and forced starvation..." The international political, economic and judiciary arenas knew. The media knew, and the international aid agencies knew. And yet a choice was made to disregard the urgency of the situation in Africa and to focus instead on thwarting Israel's efforts to boost her security. As an Israeli and Jew, I'm a bit guilt-ridden for not knowing about the humanitarian crisis in Africa. I guess we were all too wrapped up in our own state of emergency. And yet, now that we do know, I'm sure our doctors and relief supplies like food, medicine, blankets and tents are, as always, available and ready to go at a moments notice. We've always been there and continue to be there for a world in need. And yet the international community continues to hold us in contempt. That's both a shame and a tragedy for a very needy and sick world. The defense rests. References:
Ellen Horowitz lives in the Golan Heights, Israel with her husband and six children. She is a painter and columnist. She can be contacted through her website http://www.artfromzion.com |
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US COURT ORDERS PA, PLO TO PAY FOR MURDER OF US CITIZEN
Posted by IsrAlert, July 13, 2004. |
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This was written by Melissa Radler and appeared on the
http://www.ajc.org website.
In what may be a landmark blow to global terror financing, a federal judge in the US ordered the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization to pay $116m. to the family of a US citizen who was murdered in Israel eight years ago. In a July 12 decision, District Court Judge Ronald Lagueux of Rhode Island upheld the findings of Magistrate David Martin, issued March 31, that the PA and PLO provided a safe haven and operational base for Hamas to carry out the shooting death of Yaron Ungar, an American living in the West Bank, and his Israeli wife Efrat Ungar. The Ungars were murdered near Beit Shemesh on June 9, 1996, while driving home from a wedding. They were survived by two young sons, Dvir and Yishai. This case has proven that individuals can join the fight against terrorism and that litigation can be successful against terrorist entities, the Ungars' attorney, David Strachman, said Monday. The case was filed in 2000 under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1991, which allows American victims of terrorist attacks overseas to seek damages in US courts, and Strachman praised the court "for recognizing, exactly, the purpose of the Anti-Terrorism Act, and that is to create an economic penalty for terrorism." The PA's attorney, former attorney-general Ramsey Clark, was out of the country and did not respond to a fax seeking comment, and the PLO mission to the United Nations did not immediately return a call seeking comment. The ruling comes one year after Lagueux ordered Hamas to pay $116m. for its part in the Ungars' death; while the ruling against Hamas was made after the organization, which is outlawed in the US, repeatedly failed to respond to the lawsuit, Mondays ruling was handed down after the PA and PLO mounted a defense of sovereign immunity, making the suit the only contested terrorism case to go to judgment. Rejecting the PA's defense, Lagueux wrote, in an April decision, that the PA and PLO do not constitute a state as defined by the law of the United States and applicable to international law because both entities lack a defined territory with a permanent population controlled by a government that has the capacity to enter into foreign relations. He added that 'Palestine' is an amorphous entity whose status remains a question, and that most states recognizing 'Palestine' as a nation view it as a legitimate aspiration rather than an existing reality. In Monday's decision, Lagueux upheld Martin's order to sanction the PA for its deliberate actions to delay the completion of this litigation, and he demanded that it cover nearly $12,000 of the Ungar's legal fees. The PLO was ordered to pay an additional $6,345 in legal fees. While judgments in terrorism cases are generally unenforceable, as terrorist organizations are prohibited from operating in the US and those with court victories against state sponsors of terror have been denied access to the frozen assets, Strachman said that the Ungars absolutely intend to collect. "Time and time again, numerous entities have discussed the financial status of the Palestinian Authority and the PLO," Strachman said. "They're not lacking for money." IsrAlert, a Jewish advocacy network, is hosted by Harv Weiner. To subscribe to IsrAlert, send an email to isralert@aol.com |
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JEWISH LEGION AT RISK - HELP SAVE JEWISH LIVES
Posted by Voice of Judea, July 13, 2004. |
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This urgent appeal on behalf of the volunteer guards of Yesha towns in Judea and Samaria and your response to it could mean life or death for this life-saving organization. Please read the Questions and Answers about the Gedud HaIVri and the Jewish Legion and then make up your mind if you would like to keep this organization alive and kicking. This is the only organization that has set out to defend the towns in Judea and Samaria. Volunteers from the Gedud HaIvri have already saved lives. Why Jewish Legion? Jews in Judea and Samaria are in grave danger. A group of people who were outraged by the increase in Arab terrorist attacks and Jewish casualties, from the beginning of the last intifada, joined together to save lives, by volunteering to stand guard, with and without the use of specially trained canines in vulnerable Jewish towns in Judea and Samaria, in spite of the great personal risk involved in such volunteerism. All Israeli intelligence reports indicate that the building of the security fence will only increase the number of attacks, for the settlements abandoned on the wrong side of the fence. Thus, the urgent need to fortify the Jewish towns in Yesha and to sustain the Gedud HaIvri program at this time is absolutely crucial. And the need to expand the program is of paramount importance. Unfortunately, a handful of IDF guards who are deployed, at best, to guard the front gates of most of the Jewish towns in Yesha cant prevent Arab terrorist infiltration in vulnerable towns that have miles of vulnerable entry points, around their perimeter. Many of these towns do not even have fences. And even if there is a fence, the fence does not pose any serious obstacle for a trained terrorist who wishes to penetrate. We have seen far too many men, women and children, murdered in their sleep, by Arab terrorists who crawled into Jewish settlements to carry out their savage acts of carnage, with ease. The Gedud HaIvri feels that it is the duty of Jews from all over the world to come to the aid of their brothers and sisters in Yesha. Many good people are willing to answer our call, and many have already done so. It is our task to connect the volunteers with the needy "settlements" and to make sure that they are provided for so that they can fulfill their holy mission with success. Any volunteer who is able to hold a pair of binoculars and a walkie-talkie and stand on the look-out, watching vulnerable entry points, can alert the IDF or the emergency response team of suspicious movement. The key is to contain the battle outside of the Yishuv and not G-d forbid in the home of an innocent family on the Yishuv. Why dogs? Dogs can hear, see and sniff out what the most sophisticated night vision and projectors could never detect. Why should the heads of security, guards or IDF troops ever have to risk a human life to be the first to enter a house where terrorists are barricaded or to check out suspicious movement in a hidden area of the field, if a trained dog can be sent in first. The dog will have a better chance of reaching the terrorist and will reveal the source of threat and the direction of fire, so that those who follow will have a chance to subdue and neutralize the terrorist with minimal risk to human life. The dog will also occupy the terrorist and help neutralize the terrorist? If there is a hole in the fence, or if there is indication that there is an infiltration, dogs can help locate the infiltrator swiftly and effectively, even if they are hiding behind trees or under rocks. A dog can give early warning and signal to the handler and guard that there is a person moving or hiding in the field. Instead of the terrorist being able to spot the guard and surprise the guard, suddenly the advantage of surprise is given to the guard who can detect the terrorist before the terrorist detects the guards movement. The guard/handler can then call for back up. A dog is a biological weapon and sensor second to none. Where is the Gedud HaIvri located? Most of the volunteers of the Gedud HaIvri are stationed in Kfar Tapuach in the Shomron, a few miles South of Shechem. The Gedud is speaking with security chiefs to bring volunteers to Michmas, Karnei Shomron, Emanuel, Betar, Alei Zahav, Maleh Yisrael, Maaleh Hashomron, Rechelim and elsewhere. The Kennel of the Gedud HaIvri is located in Tapuach. Most of the Arab attacks in Judea and Samaria emanate from the Tapuach region, from nearby Shechem. Most settlements in the area have already suffered fatal attacks Bracha, Yitzhar, Itamar, Elon Moreh, and Ariel. There are regular alerts on the Tapuach, Rechelim, Nofei Nehemia Triangle. Jews traveling on the roadways leading to Tapuach from North, South, East and West have been attacked. Who joins the Gedud and what are the requirements? Any Jew who agrees to volunteer to do guard duty 4 hours daily is welcome to join. The Gedud also accepts volunteers for other positions and tasks such as kitchen duty, administrative chores, medics, drivers and kennel staff. Rabbis volunteer to give Torah classes. How many people have volunteered? Over 100 volunteers have joined for different periods of time, most for at least 6 months. Fifteen of our volunteers have been accepted to elite units in the IDF after their volunteer period with the Gedud HaIvri was completed. Thirty volunteers have made Aliyah through the Gedud, including one couple from Canada, that is currently volunteering in Tapuach. What does the Legion give the volunteers? The painful answer is - not nearly as much as we would like to. The Gedud HaIvri provides room and board, excellent training in the canine unit, a birthday cake on their birthday, some basic equipment, and sometimes a few slices of pizza during guard duty. We seek to upgrade equipment and find sponsors to allocate some sort of allowance to the dedicated guards. How does the Gedud HaIvri work together with the existing security infrastructure? The Gedud HaIvri prepares guard duty rosters with the IDF liaison and security chief in town, known as the Ravshatz. The Ravshatz coordinates all security with the IDF. If suspicious movement is reported, the Chief of Security leaves it to his discression to call for IDF backup or to deploy the emergency response team. What is the vision of the Gedud? To bring 5000 people, who will volunteer at least 3 times per week, to help add security in 100 vulnerable towns in Judea and Samaria. Combining existing technology with the volunteer canine unit can drastically reduce the number of guards needed in each town. A few well trained volunteers could respond with tracking dogs to any zone that signals that it has been penetrated. These technologies are expensive to set up. Where else does the Gedud operate? The Gedud offers canine handler courses to residents of Yishuvim and to members of Israels security community. The Gedud has also set up guard dogs in over 30 towns in Israel, including Kedumim, Kiryat Arba, Hill 26, Southern Hebron, Bat Ayin B, Itamar, Yitzhar, Tapuach, Tapuach West, Rehelim, Nofei Nehemia, Jerusalem in Jabal Mukhabar, Abu Dis, Ariel, along the security fence, Tzefat, Karmei Zur and more. Are there any success stories that the Gedud HaIvri and Jewish Legion have recorded? The army has used the Gedud with great success aiding in the quelling of riots at the Tapuach intersection. Two years ago, terrorists opened fire on the front gate guard position, manned by the IDF. The army was unable to track the source of fire. The Jewish Legion dog handlers were called in and helped the IDF track the point of ambush as well as leading the army to the house where the terrorists had run away to. Last year, an Arab terrorist on horseback succeeded in penetrating into Nofei Nehemia. The lone guard was alerted by the Jewish Legion dogs that helped him pursue the terrorist. When the guard reached the border of the nearby Arab village where the terrorist had escaped to, the Arabs opened fire on the guard. The battle was kept away from the Jewish town. The guard was uninjured. Last year, two terrorists were killed by residents of a Hill near Elon Moreh, after they had opened fire on the residents. Our dogs helped the IDF trace the entry point of the terrorists, quicker than the professional IDF trackers. Handlers and Medics of the Jewish Legion and Gedud HaIVri have quickly and effectively responded to every major attack in the region offering first aid and other assistance in Itamar, Yitzhar, Emanuel, Avnei Hefetz and elsewhere and received a special citation from the local security Directors and from the General who is the Regional Commander. The Gedud helped establish and secure new communities in Jerusalem helping Ateret Kohanim. One of our dogs was shot by Arabs while securing a Jewish home in Jabal Mukhabar. However, success is not just measured by the direct prevention of terrorist attacks. The deterrent of our canines and c volunteer guards has contributed no less to the prevention of attacks. Also, the success of bringing over 100 volunteers to Israel, many who have since made aliyah and joined the army is not a minor milestone. Perhaps the greatest contribution made by the Jewish Legion and Gedud HaIvri is in creating a psychological revolution among Jews in Israel and within the settlement movement: Not to rely on miracles and on the limited IDF troop deployment; to understand that people must take their own destiny into their hands. History will record the noble contribution being made by the Jewish Legion and the Gedud HaIVri to support and defend the settlements. The monthly budget Geduds operation is approximately 10,000 US dollars per month. The Gedud desperately needs additional guards and funds to maintain this vital life-saving project. We are on the verge of closing up shop at a time when we need to expand. Please help save the Gedud HaIvri Volunteer Guard Association, so that we can save Jewish lives in Judea and Samaria. Now that you know more about the desperate need and about what we do, you must not let this project fall! Checks can be sent to:
In Israel:
Or in the U.S.A.
Ezra Stein, Executive Director can be reached at 718 874 2057. PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO FIND OUT MORE OR TO DONATE NOW BY PAY PAL OR CREDIT CARD: You can subscribe to the Voice of Judea emails by sending an email to jsid@amanda.dorsai.org |
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UNDERSTANDING THE MIDDLE EAST, A 600-WORD GUIDE
Posted by Barry Rubin, July 13, 2004. |
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How do supposedly intelligent people view the Middle East? Recently: --The Australian Broadcasting Company's former news director called for Israel's destruction That's in the moderate, Western, English-speaking democracies. Rather than easing the Middle East's madness, the West has caught the disease itself. What's truly remarkable is that the more the region's dominant system fails and abandons reality, the stronger its ideological defenses and the more successful its export of these ideas. In a no doubt futile attempt to inject some sanity into the debate, here is a set of principles which better fit the facts. Throw away the above paragraphs--which will soon no doubt be a fading memory in a happier world--and save the rest as a guide to understanding the Middle East: --Failed dictatorships: The region is run by dictatorial regimes which are incompetent at doing anything but staying in power. Their citizens lack human, civil, and democratic rights. Their foreign policies lead to disaster and defeat; their economic policies bring stagnation and low living standards. Is this a pessimistic assessment? That is irrelevant. What is important is that people hold an accurate view of the situation and act accordingly. Professor Barry Rubin is Director of The Global Research in International Affairs Center (GLORIA) and Editor of Middle East Review of International Affairs (MERIA). |
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THE ECONOMIST" ON PEACE IN GAZA
Posted by Richard H. Shulman, July 13, 2004. |
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The 5/22/04 "Economist" notes that last spring's Israeli incursion into Rafah, its largest one, was condemned by the UNO. The journal states a fact but implies a falsehood. The falsehood is that Israel did something condemnable, because the Security Council condemned it. The Council, however, is biased against Israel and a failure at peace-making and genocide-prevention. What should be condemned are the Security Council and, as you will see, "The Economist." The result of the incursion, we are told by a nameless reporter, in this non-documented report, was to render a thousand Palestinian Arabs refugees "again." (But not all the Arabs of Yesha are of refugee families.) Failure to document sources is a serious defect of contemporary advocacy journalism. Often the sources are Arab propagandists. When the sources are liars, the output is lies. Refugee figures stated by Arabs are notorious exaggerations. The Arabs have paid housed people to pose as homeless. How many anti-Israel journals expose that ruse? How many explain that the houses mostly were abandoned, used to conceal arms smuggling tunnels or ambushes, or were blown up by Arab terrorists careless with their bombs or booby-trapping them against Israeli soldiers? Since the P.A. provides owners of such houses with better ones, some of them "expedite" their houses' destruction. If journals explained all that, readers might sympathy for "the plight of the Palestinians." The Arabs cause their own misery, but the media spins the story against Israel. After first reporting that the incursion was condemned and created "refugees," the journal gives a brief Israeli explanation of the raid's purpose. (Israeli explanations in biased journals are typified by brevity, contrasting with the generous space given to Arab accusations.) Note the backwards logic -- a genuine story would states first the Arab actions and then the Israeli reaction. Then the UNO resolution would be seen for what it is, biased for not condemning the Arab war crimes of using civilian areas. In referring to the arms smuggling tunnels, "The Economist" fails to explain that 90% of the arms used in the current P.A. war on Israel come from the tunnels! That explanation would put the matter in perspective, showing Israel's actions in a better light. Without comment, the article mentions the Israeli government's stated intent to remove the Army from Gaza after having destroyed tunnels and terrorist militias. A fair observation would be that the P.A. had signed peace accords in which it accepted responsibility for destroying the militias, but that it arms those militias in violation of the accords. Likewise, it would note the illogicality of destroying the current set of tunnels, only to withdraw and allow the Arabs to dig more. The first observation would show the Arabs in a poor light. Not many publications do that. The second observation would question Israeli strategic planning that weakens Israel. The media, that voices full-throated criticism of Israel's strategic planning when it strengthens Israel, develops laryngitis when Israel's strategic planning weakens Israel. Thoughtless or tendentious? A journal's reliability depends on the veracity of its reporting. All those one-sided and unfair notions were contained in "The Economist's" first two, long paragraphs. The third one quotes an Arab, "In 1948, they transferred us from our villages to the W. Bank and Gaza," etc.. That is a lie. Almost all of the Arabs fled on their own. The Israelis forced out just a few hostile Arab villages that commanded strategic road junctions or sensitive border areas. When the journal repeats one of the lies of the century, who can retain respect in it? PM Sharon 's opinion is given that he hopes a new P.A. leadership would arise, one that is more "malleable." Israel is not looking for a malleable Arab but for one who wants peace and would keep peace agreements. The article makes Israel seem to seek improper control over the Arabs. The next "authority" to be wielded as a club against Israel is Amnesty Intl. (A.I.), whose bias I have reported before and haven't space to repeat here. Considering that the world is biased against Israel, as any UN conference shows, one easily can find other organizations that defend its bias. Enter A.I.. A.I. calls Israel's actions illegal, ineffective, and wantonly destructive of farmland. Ineffective in the short run? Terrorist has been reduced by about 90%! (In the long run, the Arabs will fire over the fence.) Wantonly destructive of farmland? How come that has not been documented? The article fails to uphold this claim. A fair report would explain that terrorists creep up through orchards towards Jewish communities or stage ambushes from roadside shrubbery. Clearing that shrubbery is not as wanton as Arab terrorism that does not get condemned much by A.I. and not at all by the UNO. Illegal? A.I. has been distorting the meaning of international law and excusing terrorism for years. Why are Arab Gazans poor? "The Economist" explains: to minimize terrorist attacks, Israel has barred almost all Arabs from working in Israel. False implication: preserving from poverty the Arabs making war on it is Israel's responsibility, and that Israel's defense further impoverishes the P.A.. What nerve! The magazine is blaming Israel's measures of defense for Arab suffering, instead of Arab aggression that requires defensive action. Actually, Israel allows tens of thousands to work in Israel. Every time it tries to let more in, terrorists exploit the opportunity. Israel's response should be to allow NONE in, let them go broke and disperse, and Israel would win the war and gain peace and security. Ignored are the cost of Arab aggression to both sides, P.A.theft of most foreign aid, P.A. extortion of business, and P.A. refusal to set up business law rather than monopolies that raise prices to consumers. The Arabs make their own plight. Another misleading statement is that Hamas caries out many of the attacks. Actually, the PLO carries out more, and Hamas's are with the blessing and cooperation of the P.A.. Why ostentatiously blame Hamas? To preserve the reputation of the P.A.. Why preserve that undeserved reputation? So people still will think that there are some Arab institutions interested in peace and with which Israel should negotiate. If people realized that the whole Arab leadership is no good, they would write off the P.A. and stop demanding Israeli withdrawal. The Prime Minister of the P.A. declares readiness to reform the P.A. forces, one of the conditions for Israeli withdrawal. He can declare generalities, but it is deceitful of "The Economist" to quote him, without pointing out that the reforms wound not end terrorism but with make the terrorist military more effective. Better they did not "reform." Before reform, the PM says, he wants a comprehensive ceasefire. The ceasefire is supported by the EU, the UNO, and Egypt. Might "The Economist" not note that all three of those favor the Arabs over Israel? The Arabs want a ceasefire so they can dig more tunnels to bring in more arms, so they can resume fighting. That is their pattern. The request for Israeli concessions to precede an Arab act is a ruse. Arafat has not implemented any major provisions of his various peace agreements. What chutzpah to ask for more concessions, and especially in advance! In failing to point out their constant violations, the magazine misled readers. Israel's retreat from southern Lebanon is described as "under fire and with its tail between its legs." That is not accurate. Israel and its allies won the battles. The retreat was due to psychological and diplomatic pressures, not military ones. Its withdrawal was so amateurish as to appear as the magazine described it. The military answer was to expand the security zone and put it under the free Lebanese forces, and encourage them to liberate Lebanon as a whole. The years of maintaining an Israeli security zone in Lebanon is described as "meant to remove the threat of incursions from across Israel's northern border but extracted a heavy toll in soldiers' lives." It did stave off incursions. Its absence allows some bombardment now and the threat of major bombardment at any time. Israeli casualties were light, relative to current operations against the P.A., and relative to most wars Richard 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. |
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COLLABORATOR KILLINGS ARE WAR CRIMES
Posted by Bruce S. Ticker, July 13, 2004. |
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This is from a news item from Arutz-7, July 12, 2004.
Mohammed Rafiq Daraghmeh molested both his daughters. "What should his sentence be?" asked a gunman as he turned to a crowd of 500 watching Daraghmeh's street trial in the West Bank town of Qabatiya. "Execution! Kill him, kill him!" the mob chanted. The militants who had captured the 45-year-old Daraghmeh pushed him to the ground and machine-gunned him to death. Credit the Palestinians for finally bringing a child abuser to justice. I never heard of anything like that. Oh, did I mention that he was also on trial, if you want to call it that, for collaborating with the Israelis? That could have been the real reason for doing him in. The killing of Israeli collaborators has been reported in the past, but it took this incident on Friday, July 2, for the meaning of this to gel in my head: This is a war crime. What else can it be? First, Israel and the Arabs are engaged in a formally undeclared war, which Gaza and West Bank Arabs initiated nearly four years ago. The militants who seized Daraghmeh and dragged him to the town square are not part of any sovereign government and at this time there is no operational legal system in Israel's territories. Even when there was a legal system, its officers bowed to this kind of vigilante justice. And so, this illegitimate group - known as the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades - brought Daraghmeh to the town square and shot him in cold blood. They took the law into their own hands during wartime. That makes it a war crime. Daraghmeh is among at least 30 people murdered by Palestinian groups who accused the victims of serving as informers for the Israeli government. Palestinian informers do this for a variety of reasons - bribes, use of Israeli services, early release of imprisoned relatives. It should be no surprise if some help Israel to battle other families and clans in blood feuds. Though they may not do this out of any great love for Israelis, I have to wonder if some do this simply because they are subjugated by Palestinian leaders who are in control and tyrannizing their own people. After all, this war is not only between Israel and the Palestinians, but also between ordinary Palestinians who have been cheated by corrupt Arab officials. They stand to lose the most so long as Yasser Arafat and his minions remain in power. In a disingenuous remark, Local Government Minister Jamal Shobaki of the Palestinian Authority told reporters, "We want every act to be carried out via legal channels and oppose anyone who behaves otherwise. However, we are incapable of enforcing law and order in Palestinian areas (subject to) occupation." The PA was "incapable of enforcing law and order" long before this. I recall two incidents. During a trial for a suspected collaborator in Gaza, a crowd observing the trial abruptly rushed forward and killed the defendant. On another occasion, a group of Palestinians broke into a prison, dragged a convicted collaborator from his cell and murdered him. Police felt powerless in both instances. If this is a preview of a future Palestinian state's legal system? make up your own jokes. Bruce Ticker's website address is http://www.crisisisrael.com |
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REMAINS OF FIRST 9/11 VICTIM ARE ID'D
Posted by COP/JCenter, July 13, 2004. |
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This article was written by Uri Dan and Adam Miller; it appeared in
the Post, July 11, 2004. It is archived at
http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/27075.htm
July 11, 2004 -- The latest World Trade Center victim to be identified is Daniel Lewin, an Israeli soldier who became a Massachusetts computer tycoon. The married father of two kids was reportedly the first 9/11 casualty. A passenger aboard American Airlines Flight 11 - the first of two hijacked planes to crash into the Twin Towers - Lewin is believed to have been the businessman stabbed to death by terrorists. And friends believe the 31-year-old Lewin - on his way from Boston to Los Angeles for an Internet conference - died while fighting back against the terrorists. Reached at their Jerusalem home last night, Lewin's parents confirmed their son's remains have been identified. "A couple of days ago we were informed about it," said his mom, Peggy. Lewin was born in Denver, but his family moved to Israel when he was a teen. Lewin went on to become a captain in the Israeli Defense Forces and an anti-terrorism expert. After the military, Lewin attended the Technion, Israel's top technology university. In 1996 the devout Jew returned to the United States to study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. Two years later, Lewin co-founded Akamai Technologies Inc., which produces technology designed to facilitate online content delivery. At age 29, he had a net worth of more than $3.2 billion. The Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs (JCPA) prepares daily alerts for the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations (COP). |
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THE ENGLISH (MENTAL) PATIENT - NAMELY, VANESSA REDGRAVE
Posted by Bruce S. Ticker, July 13, 2004. |
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This article was written by Angela Bertz, who made aliyah from England
in the 1980s and is entitled "1,000 Red Graves." It appeared in
Arutz-7 (http://www.IsraelNN.com) July 11, 2004. and is archived at
http://www.israelnn.com/article.php3?id=3917
I had a grave attack of seeing red this week as the rather faded and delusional star of stage and screen Vanessa Redgrave paraded in the guise of a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador, in several Palestinian authority towns. As is very common today, Ms. Redgrave joined the ranks of the many before her, who blatantly refuse to separate fact from fiction and blood-curdling Palestinian terrorism from acts of self defense. This oblivion seemed to help the star turn out another Oscar-winning performance as she carried out the whole visit in a stupor of biased and totally one-sided ignorance. It has been heavily rumored over the grapevine, not a Palestinian one of course, as no doubt Palestinian Authority lackey Redgrave will claim that these have already been destroyed by "the occupying forces," that there is going to be a sequel to her 1977 T.V. Documentary The Palestinian. This is to be aptly titled The Palestinian 2 and just when Israelis thought it was safe to get back on the buses. In fact almost four years have gone into setting the stage for this multi-million dollar extravaganza, which some say is being funded by European Union and Norwegian Government aid money. Let's go behind the scenes and I'll tell you what our spies tell us. Well, some of this is true and - who knows? - maybe the rest is true, too. The show has had several setbacks, bleated this apologist for Palestinian terrorism. Redgrave went on to lament that none had been more inconvenient than the untimely death of the very talented Sheik Yassin, who was doing excellent work on the script, until he was struck down in a most untimely manner by "the occupation forces." The highlight of the movie takes place at the wall. Ms. Redgrave of course was unable to make any distinction between a wall that had been built to separate societies and one that had been built to protect the State of Israel from over 100 fatal Palestinian homicide bombings. In fact, Redgrave diverging for a moment from the script pronounced it "A Fatal Policy." "Good heavens," exclaimed the very indignant and prejudiced Redgrave, quickly improvising with the yet unwritten part of the script, but emphatically adding "The Barrier is higher than any wall I've ever seen and even higher than the Berlin Wall." Her astute observation and apparent expertise in barriers was accompanied by a specially provided chorus line of wailing and undulating Palestinian woman, who were in fact no other than members of the "Hamas Women's Amateur Singing Society of Gaza." "They sang their hearts out," Redgrave was later reported to have said "and it was over 90 degrees." Of course, no Palestinian movie would be complete without some glamor and this was adequately provided by the PA's very own leading lady - the lovely Suha Arafat, a.k.a. Mrs. Yasser Arafat. She appeared swiftly from the costume department in a Chanel suit and Hermes silk scarf. No smell of any sewer in Gaza for Suha, as she poignantly narrated a short but tender few words about her own hardships, on being apart from her husband and how she fervently wished she could share the plight of ordinary Palestinian women, living as they are with no hope, 10 hungry children and an unemployed husband all because of "the occupation forces," but alas she had been forced to live in luxurious exile in Paris. Hollywood is already buzzing at the possibility of Hanan Ashrawi being a nominee for best supporting actress. Ashrawi put in an indomitable and powerful performance. Her lines spoke volumes on behalf of the underprivileged and plighted Palestinian people "and believe me," exclaimed Ms. Redgrave, who had yet to show any signs of understanding that there are actually two sides in this conflict, "there was not a dry eye on the set." Ms. Ashrawi almost broke down herself as she painfully told of that terrible day in her childhood when "the occupation forces" came and took her land. Ms. Ashrawi, who has been known to bring big strong men to their knees with grief as she tells her tragic tales of woe, was quickly pulled from the set. Too upset to continue, but no doubt grateful for Redgrave's personal make-up artist who did a lovely job in restoring Ms. Ashrawi's tear-stained face. No production would be complete without a dashing hero and this movie could not have hoped for one more bewitching than the dashing, albeit a little worse for wear Yasser Arafat, trying to look every bit the Valentino of Palestinian silver screens. He stood proud and defiant, still managing to smile bravely for the camera. "He was magnificent," rasped Redgrave, who was touched to the core as Arafat sat surrounded by the Ramallah Boy scouts, all who had sworn "Jihad" in a high pitched chorus of barely broken little voices. She seemed clueless that here was a man that has devoted his whole life to terrorism, demonizing not only those children but a whole population and stealing millions of dollars from aid money that could have given the people hope and the opportunity to build decent lives. Kofi Annan was due to appear in the last scene but unfortunately and much to his dismay he had to abandon his obsession with the Middle East conflict as he was called away to look at the real-life suffering and starvation of hollow-eyed little Sudanese children. He did have time to send a four-word telegram to the star-studded cast and crew which simply said, "Break a leg guys." The heart-rendering final scene went ahead magnificently without him as Yasser Arafat, Ashrawi and Redgrave looked towards the country of "the occupying forces" the name of which no Palestinian child should ever utter - "Israel". "A fatal policy" proved in fact to be very true for nearly 1,000 innocent Israelis that have been savagely murdered by Palestinian terrorism. The wall came too late for them. Little does Redgrave know that in Israel we are producing our own movie. It will be a tribute, not only to those that have so senselessly lost their lives, but also to our brave young soldiers who day in day out have to defend our country against barbarism. The name of the movie will be: "The 1,000 Red Graves." Bruce Ticker's website address is http://www.crisisisrael.com |
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SHARON'S MAIN JOB: GETTING RID OF THE JEWS IN GAZA
Posted by Voice of Judea, July 12, 2004. |
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SHARON DOODLES ISRAELI BORDERS WITH YANKEES. According to Aluf Ben of Haaretz, Deputy national security advisor Steve Hadley and Elliot Abrams, the U.S. National Security Council's chief of Middle East affairs, are to meet Tuesday, in Israel, with Israel's political leadership regarding assurances given to the U.S. over dismantling of "outposts" and the "disengagement plan." "Hadley and Abrams will meet with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom. A Mofaz adviser, Baruch Spiegal, who is coordinating talks on Israel's compliance vis-a-vis dismantling of settlements, will participate in the meeting. The envoys will also try to assess Sharon's political mood and the chances for expanding the coalition," reports today's Haaretz. The U.S. administration is establishing a team of experts that will conduct negotiations with Israel concerning demarcation of the boundaries of construction in Judea and Samaria, with the purpose of limiting Jewish expansion. The team will begin its work in a few weeks after Israel gathers all relevant data, according to an agreement reached between senior American and Israeli officials. The administration has recently shown Israel its displeasure over delays in the dismantling of Jewish homes. Israel gave the U.S. a list of 22 hills that were established in the West Bank since March 2001, the date mentioned in the road map, which have yet to be dismantled. Israeli officials told Washington that the planned evacuation of "four West Bank settlements" will give the Palestinians territorial contiguity in an area over two and a half times the size entire Gaza Strip. Voice of Judea Commentary: Even a man with as wide of a mouth as has General Sharon, will have a difficult time speaking out of both sides of it, for very much longer. Sooner, or later, Mr. Sharon will have to decide whether he will honor his commitments to tear down Jewish towns, as he promised the Americans or whether he will have the courage to stand up to American pressure. Sharon is running scared. The Yankees are coming to Jerusalem to monitor Israeli and "Palestinian" progress. How quickly we Jews tend to forget. It seems like only yesterday, when another unbiased American expert and friend, Anthony Zinni, was dispatched to Israel so as to help us war-mongering, paranoid Jews help ourselves achieve peace. Gen. Anthony Zinni, a former Presidential envoy in the Middle East, recently revealed his true colours in a CBS interview when he blamed Jews for the Iraq War. Zinni's remarks represented some of the most virulent Jew hatred ever uttered by a high ranking American General and diplomat. In the meantime, Sharon and Shaul Moufaz, Israels Defense Minister are not doing too badly themselves, laying the ground work to create a new unit that will implement the expulsion of the Jews from the Jewish towns to be surrendered to Israel's enemies, as part of the disengagement plan. JERUSALEM POSTERS: NEW UNIT BEING FORMED SEEKS GENTILES AND ANTI-SEMITES? Below find a rough translation of a recent poster plastered on the walls of the shopping district of Kiryat Yovel, Jerusalem: "NON JEWISH LABOUR? The following fictitious ad was written to expose the danger in Sharon's plans to expel Jews from Gaza and Northern Shomron and in wake of his recent announcement that he would be forming a new special unit to carry out the task of driving the Jews from their homes. The following ad samples might not be too far from the truth. WANTED For non-Jews living in Israel who wish to join a huge and exciting anti-Semitic project...needed: dynamic, motivated, violent and healthy...Preferably without any special sympathy for Jews and without strong patriotic feelings towards The Land of Israel, who are seeking a challenge that offers you the opportunity to take out your aggressions on Jewboy - Kikes. Excellent conditions in Gaza and Northern Shomron. Preference given to those who are uncircumcised or who wear crosses. Preference to those with experience cursing, spitting or beating Kikes. This is the first time since World War II and the British Mandate over Palestine that Jew-haters have had an opportunity to be supplied with uniforms, equipment, wonderful benefits and instructions to beat and expel Jews from their homes. Do not miss this golden opportunity." The other ad reads: "Want to make money? Like to fight? Hate Israel and Jews? Bother you to see Jews wearing yarmulkas, side-locks and beards? Then your place is with the new unit being formed by the Sharon-Lapid-Mafdal government to expel Jews from their homes in Gaza, Northern Shomron and later in other parts of the land of Israel. All applications should be sent to Mordechai Vanunu, Director of the Meshumad desk at the office of The Honorable Justice Minister, Rabbi Tommy Lapid. There is no doubt that the decision to give Jewish land to our most bitter enemies and to uproot Jews from their homes and farms and to expel them is a decision which is dividing the nation of Israel. It is therefore understandable the need for Sharon to create a new "special" unit to implement this dirty work. The average and normal Israeli soldier did not join the IDF to partake in such violent and immoral missions against his brothers and sisters. It is also understandable why Sharon and his "Shin Bet" director with the collaboration of the leftist Israeli media feels the need to lie and create fictitious stories about alleged violent plots against soldiers being hatched by "right-wing" extremists, who will violently oppose their expulsion. Ironically, there are no such secret meetings being hosted by the "settlers" who still speak of passive resistance. This is not stopping Sharon from placing snipers near the hills he plans to evacuate. No, the snipers are not aiming their sites in the direction of the hostile Arabs but rather in the direction of the Jews, who are being asked to leave their homes like sheep. Obviously the lies are not working too well. Sharon has found the need to create a new unit of anti-Semitic thugs to drive the Jews out of their homes. Every Jew will need to decide which side he is on: On the side of the Erev Rav or on the side of the loyal Jews?" A FENCE IS NO DEFENCE? The Al-Aksa Brigade, ONE OF THE MANY terrorist wings of Yasser Arafat's Fatah faction, said its men planted the bomb, that claimed the life of one Israeli, Sunday. The blast was the first terrorist attack in Tel Aviv in more than six months. It left Bat Yam resident Sgt. Maayan Nayim, 19, dead. For Israeli government officials, the attack added deadly injury to the insult of last Fridays ruling at The Hague that the fence is illegal and must be dismantled. This mornings act of murder is the first to have occurred under the auspices of the opinion of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said in opening remarks at his weekly Cabinet meeting. I want to make it clear: The State of Israel completely rejects the International Courts opinion. This is a one-sided opinion based solely on political considerations. The opinion completely ignores the reason for the construction of the security fence: murderous Palestinian terrorism. Voice of Judea Commentary: Utter and absolute nonsense. Arabs and Muslims will terrorize Jews with or without a fence. In Gaza there are wonderful fences. Arabs build tunnels and they launch rockets and missiles into the Negev and over the fences. One stops and diminishes terror by smashing terror, AND BY DESTROYING those who launch it and those who support it. The problem is not the lack of fences. The problem is Israel's fear to take all of the necessary actions against Arab terror due to Israel's fear of international opinion. If there is one valuable lesson that needs to be learned from the Hague clowns and the circus of Jew-haters that some erroneously refer to as an international court of Justice, it is a lesson that the Jew will survive and prosper most only when they ignore world opinion. Israel ran to the Hague with charred buses, so proud of their major propaganda offensive, and so certain that the world would feel pity for the Jewish victims of that bus. Who remembers the pitiful headlines in the Israeli major media? Oh how they boasted about their bus gimmick and other protests of the victims of Arab terror that would surely win the hearts of the Europeans. Measure for measure, we will continue to pay in blood for prostrating ourselves before the nations and for seeking their mercy. It is not their love that we need to seek. And we will never gain their love by displaying pictures of blown up Jewish bodies. We need to do whatever is necessary to ensure that it will never happen again. And when we do this, we will gain their respect. The world does not respect lame, losers. Our enemies will learn to respect us when we display self respect. Our enemies will never learn to love us, but they must learn to fear us, once again. This will happen when we display strength and not weakness. Hague has proven, once again, that the more we cry for pity, the more the world laughs at their Jewish victims. When we will open our eyes? The international court opposes the fence because they oppose Israel's right to exist as a sovereign state and they oppose Israel taking any unilateral steps that could define its own borders. Since the vicious Jew haters of Europe and the Hague wish to see Israel replaced by a rabid "Palestine" and since they wish to allocate any and all lands under dispute to the Arabs, they do not want any fences limiting in any way future Arab occupation of Israel. It is for these exact reasons that every Jew should oppose the fence. Yes, we should oppose the fence, since it is obvious that the multi-billion dollar fence debacle may very well turn into the future borders of Israel. The world is angry because it limits future Arab control over parts of Israel? We should be all the more outraged because it limits Jewish control over the areas, beyond the fence. No government has the right to surrender Jewish land and create new truncated borders. As for security - If the fence effectively limits the transport of terrorism and bombs into the major cities of Israel, then what will that mean for the hundreds of thousands of Jews left on the wrong side of the fence? More attacks on roadways in Judea and Samaria, and more attacks on "settlements" in Judea and Samaria. It is absolutely critical for Jewish towns in Yesha to increase their internal security! WHO IS WISE WITH THE WISDOM AND VISION TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE MOST URGENTLY NEEDED PROJECT FOR THE FUTURE SURVIVAL OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE MIGHT BE TO BUILD A DEFENSE INFRASTRUCTURE IN JUDEA AND SAMARIA THAT IS READY TO DEFEND AGAINST THE ARAB ONSLAUGHT BEING PLANNED BY ARAFAT'S HENCHMEN? The handful of IDF guards at the entrance to these towns will not effectively stop Arab terrorists from infiltrating and carrying out massacres inside of the settlements. The Gedud HaIvri formerly known as the Jewish Legion is bringing volunteer guards to these towns as well as specially trained canines to add urgently needed security to the towns in Yesha. Those wishing to join or to contribute to this noble cause are urged to visit their home page http://www.defendisrael.net Funds and guards are URGENTLY NEEDED. SEND CHECKS TO Yishuv GUARD FUND 210 Jaffa Rd. box number 14, Jerusalem Israel. You can subscribe to the Voice of Judea emails by sending an email to jsid@amanda.dorsai.org |
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SAVING THE WORLD FROM TERROR: THE GEORGE BUSH STORY
Posted by Emanuel A. Winston, July 12, 2004. |
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If George Bush was President before WWII and had preemptively hit Germany and Hitler, think how the world would have screamed. The infamous Dulles brothers scamming for their German friends in industry and high places, would have gone ballistic. Many Americans were tied to German industry and the SS. Especially when it was time to save the industrialists of Germany and the SS Generals from being tried as war criminals. (1) Had President Roosevelt pulled a "pre-emptive Bush" move, the French, British, the banks of the Swiss, the Rockefellers would have castigated Roosevelt as a war monger and starting an unnecessary war. Money always came before preemption in the world of high finance, industry politics and duplicity. PREEMPTIVE APPEASEMENT You do realize or remember that such nations as France and England decided to sell out Czechoslovakia in order to appease Hitler. Adolph Hitler could have been stopped preemptively had the French, English, Poles and Russians stood up to him before he got rolling but, they thought that preemptive appeasement would work instead. Europe bled - as did America, for their unwillingness to face a tyrant in real time. A 'Bush'-type character with ideas of preemption against Germany would have been screamed at by the Europeans and drummed out of the banks of New York, particularly by the Rockefellers. Bush is being castigated now for interfering with Saddam's Iraq, with Iran, Syria, North Korea and Libya on his rolling horizon against Global Terror. They cheered Roosevelt after he belatedly entered the War, sufficiently late so Hitler had officially gotten off to a good start in absorbing most of the European nations. (To be fair, Roosevelt wanted to enter the war earlier but, he held back because isolationists in America thought Hitler was only Europe's problems.) When Chamberlain realized that appeasement wouldn't work - only then did the nations of Europe bleat and cry for assistance as Hitler's thugs, the SS, began their reign of Terror in earnest. Perhaps it has always been thus when the weak would hang on to the strong, dragging them back so they could not fight evil. Always the weak and cowardly were the pallbearers of the once strong nations and civilizations. It is happening again today. President George W. Bush has preemptively engaged Global Terrorism and he is being hounded for daring to take on Arab Muslim Terror. I grant you that, as a politician, we hear his political babble over how wonderful Muslims and Islam are. That's the politician talking but, the facts on the ground speak otherwise. He has attacked World Terror in Afghanistan and Iraq while it had not yet reached its full maturity. We are seeing the Terrorists of Al Qaeda connected to all other Terrorists forced into the open prematurely. Had we waited another three to five years, we would have faced a fully armed and mature force, guaranteed to have acquired WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction) including NBC (Nuclear, Biological and Chemical). 9/11 was America's second Pearl Harbor (which we wrote on the day they attacked). We also quoted the Japanese Commander who foresaw the end for his country's war when he said: "We have awakened a sleeping giant".. Bush forced the Hitlerian Muslim Jihad (Holy War) into action before it was fully ready. But, the weak ones, the Banks, the oil maggots hated the disruption in their cash flow. The price we are paying now is a small price compared to what we have or will pay. We are now experiencing the threats of WMD but, the threats are less credible than had Bush not preempted their full maturity. We would have faced a Saddam who could have fought a full Nuclear, Biological and Chemical war in time. We are facing this now from North Korea and Iran because we were reluctant to face them down in real time. Clinton appeased North Korea and simply didn't want to see and, therefore, have to face the lie. Bush may have very well saved the civilized world with or without their permission. You see the civilized world is weak and always ready to accept a conqueror or, at least, attempt appeasement. Islam, in its ruthlessness, is intimidating a weak Europe which is absorbing hundreds of thousands of immigrating Muslims. Europe, in deference to the Arabs, wants Israel to fall into its hands like over ripe fruit, ready to fall off the tree as they try to appease the Palestinian Arab Muslims in Gaza with the human sacrifice of the Jewish State. Regretfully, as in all nations - the trash who comes to political power are not moral or ethical but are the weak ones, the pallbearers of their own nation. Israel has this problem which it has yet to solve. President Bush has poor advisors who have not grasped what he has accomplished. They do not know how to tell the story of a President who has preemptively saved the world and this nation by stripping away the false front that Global Terror was hiding behind. They are trying to tell this story now but, their explanations seem false and, of course, are quite late. The pallbearers now want one John and another John, who is personal injury lawyer, in order to escape the burden of facing what will not go away - Global Terror free to strike in our free country. They want another Chamberlain who could never see the evil in Hitler until it was too late. As Chamberlain said on his death bed: "It would have been all right if only Hitler hadn't lied to me!" I do not agree with Bush on his concept of forcing Israel to bow and give in to the Arab Muslim Palestinian Terrorists. In this he weakens his message on fighting Global Terror wherever it occurs. Israel has been fighting her own full scale war despite being restrained by Bush for political purposes. It's a shame and betrays a weakness in Bush for doing it and Israel for caving into it. Know this. In spite of these things: in spite of his father and the Arab cabal that hangs on to the Bush family, despite the Arabist State Department defending Saudi Arabia and Syria, President Bush has moved ahead against Global Terror. This is a story yet to be told but, not by the blind amateurs who surround him and cannot understand what Bush has achieved. George Bush has shaken the confidence of Dictators and sent their proxy Terrorists scrambling for cover. They are, however, still operational and must be tracked to their spider holes and eliminated - preferably by big bombs from above and not American soldiers putting themselves in harm's way to protect the civilians who the Terrorists use for their 'human shields'. In closing, I am on the horns of a dilemma or, as Tevya would have said: "On one hand", we have a President who is willing to fight Global Terrorism but, "on the other hand", we have a President who is dismantling Israel - which will bring a terrible calamity to America. As G-d said: "I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you." ### TO: Jewish Leaders - by President George W. Bush, July 12, 2004 "We have strong allies, including millions of people in the Middle East who want to live in freedom. And the ideals we stand for have a power of their own. The appeal of justice and liberty, in the end, is greater than the appeal of hatred and tyranny in any form. The war on terror will not end in a draw, it will end in a victory, and you and I will see that victory of human freedom." 1. "Splendid Blond Beast: Money, Law and Genocide in the 20th Century" by Christopher Simpson Grove Press NY 1993 "Secret War Against the Jews: How Western Espionage Betrayed the Jewish People: 1920-1992" by John Loftus & Mark Aarons St. Martin's Press NY 1994 Emanuel Winston is a commentator and Middle East analyst. His articles appear often on Think-Israel and Gamla. He is a member of the Board of Directors and a research associate of the Freeman Center For Strategic Studies (http://www.freeman.org/online.htm). |
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ARAFAT BLAMES ISRAEL FOR TEL AVIV BOMBING
Posted by Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook, July 12, 2004. |
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The Palestinian Authority (PA) as policy attempts to portray itself as victim - even when those killed are Israelis and even when it bears full responsibility. This pattern repeated yesterday as a bomb in Tel Aviv killed a 19-year old Israeli woman soldier and wounded 34. The Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, the terror arm of the Arafat's Fatah, took responsibility for the bombing. The connection between the PA and the Al Aqsa wing is openly acknowledged as PA Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei recently stressed: "The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, military wing of the Fateh movement will not be dissolved and Fateh will never relinquish its military wing." [PA official PA website, June 21, 2004] Two aspects of the Palestinian Authority's statements following the attack are noteworthy: 1. When Arafat and Prime Minister Qurei condemned the bombing, a routine expected by the world media and international community, it was explained not in terms of human loss to Israel but political loss to the Palestinians: "President Arafat and Prime Minister Qurei repeated their total opposition to actions targeting civilians on both sides. Explosion actions that target civilians are counter to the lofty interests of our nation, hurt the legality of its legitimate struggle against the occupation, and cause damage to its image..." [Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, July, 12, 2004] 2. Moreover, Arafat argued that since Israel was the one benefiting politically from the bombing it was likely that Israel was behind it: "You know that we are against bombings of this type. We most not forget who stands behind them, as was in Beit Lid [=bombing in 1995 that killed 21 for which Arafat repeatedly blames Israel]. Who stands behind Beit Lid, who murdered [Israeli minister] Zeevi, who is behind Zeevi... [Israel] ...attempts to cover up what happened in Hague." [PA TV July, 12, 2004] Thus according to the PA, though it was the PA terror wing that planted the bomb and an Israeli who was killed - they are the political victims of Israeli scheming. Itamar Marcus is director of PMW -Palestinian Media Watch - (http://www.pmw.org.il). Barbara Crook, a writer and university lecturer based in Ottawa, Canada, is PMW's North American representative. |
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CAN MASHIACH BE FAR BEHIND?
Posted by Judy Lash Balint, July 12, 2004. |
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A packed auditorium is totally quiet as the audience listens intently to the words of a slight figure on stage. Clad in a long black coat, round black hat covering salt and pepper hair, payot (sidecurls) coiling down to his chest that barely miss his greying beard as he sways and speaks, Rabbi Shalom Aroush reads a tractate from Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav. Not such an unusual occurrence in Jerusalem, you might say, but what is stunning are the venue and the setting. Rabbi Aroush is standing at a podium on the stage of Jerusalem's Cinematheque, a bastion of Israeli secular culture, talking about Reb Nachman's views on theater to an audience who normally wouldn't be caught dead associating with anyone identifying with the ultra-Orthodox. The occasion is the screening of the latest creative enterprise featuring the talented actor Shuli Rand. The Jerusalem Film Festival, hosted by the Cinematheque, recently presented the premiere of Ushpizin, a feature film starring Rand and his wife Michal Bat-Sheva Rand. Shuli Rand is one of a handful of high profile, successful Israeli entertainers who became baalei teshuva (newly religious) during the 1990s and continue to perform. Behind Rand on the stage are a dozen Israelis involved in the production of the movie who listen respectfully to the rabbi's words. Among them are the bare-headed and decidedly secular director Gidi Dar, two actors who play non-religious characters in the film and a couple of ultra-orthodox men recruited as actors from the orthodox section of the Nachlaot neighborhood where the movie was filmed. It's an almost surreal scene to watch the mingling of Israelis who never normally enter each other's worlds, brought together by a movie. The interaction is not always comfortable--there's a great deal of seat-shuffling before the lights go down, as the Breslovers try in the interests of modesty, to sandwich themselves in next to someone of the same sex. Before the performance, scads of black coated men with oversize white crocheted kippot (skullcaps) and long payot jostled past the security guard at the entrance trying desperately to avoid bumping into women in halter tops. The film is a touching and entertaining story that depicts a week in the lives of a newly religious couple who are down on their luck. The holiday of Sukkot brings them the opportunity to welcome guests (Ushpizin) into their sukka--guests who happen to be from the husband's former life. The two ex-cons who drop in to visit almost succeed in disrupting and destroying everything the couple has built together, but faith, love and commitment prevail. Unlike many films dealing with the ultra-orthodox lifestyle, there's nothing contrived or saccharine about Ushpizin. The actors from the neighborhood made sure they received the blessing of their rabbi before taking part, and backers like ultra-orthodox venture capitalist Shlomo Kalish lent their support. Before the feature film, the Israel Film Fund airs a three minute trailer bemoaning the cuts in government support for cinema and initiating a public campaign to reverse the decree. Without government subvention, the Fund notes, Israeli cinema will dry up and die. One can't help wondering how the Haredi families in the audience react to the plea. Large families and full time yeshiva students have been among the most severely affected by Government cuts, forcing many to rely on private soup kitchens and food distribution programs. As the credits roll after the screening, the applause is long and heartfelt. Ushpizin is a contender for the prestigious Wolgin Award for best Israeli feature film. If a positive film about the orthodox community beats out the seven other contenders and is judged a winner by a panel of secular film people next week, then surely the Messiah can't be far behind. Judy Lash Balint is an award-winning Jerusalem based writer and author of "Jerusalem Diaries: In Tense Times" (Gefen). |
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ITEMS: ARAB FAMILY VALUES; ISRAELI FANTASY; FAILED EXPERTS
Posted by Richard H. Shulman, July 12, 2004. |
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A MILLION HOMELESS, NOW THE UN IS STIRRING Women refugees from the Darfur racial ethnic cleansing are afraid to leave the camps, because the Arab militiamen regularly abduct and rape them (Alexandra Zavis, NY Sun, 7/2, p.8). Hamas used suicide bombers to kill two alleged P.A. "collaborators." While Jordan arrested al-Qaida men attempting to kill 80,000 Jordanians with chemical weapons, the UN envoy to Iraq depicted Israeli policy as the "great poison in the region." Islamo-fascist terrorism is pathological. "What kind of culture produces human bombs, glorifies mass murders, and supports humiliation-based revenge." A culture based on debasement of women and emphasizing shame and honor. Arab male relatives routinely rape boys and girls orally and anally. The sexual abuse of female chilidren cows women into obedience. They sometimes sadistically over-stimulate infant males. Boys "7-12 are publicly and traumatically circumcised; many girls are clitoridectomized; and women are seen as the source of all shame and dishonor and treated accordingly." Although homosexuality is forbidden, rapists get away with it. Westerners who report bizarre Arab sexual behavior are called racists, and Western leftists concur. (The leftists should check the facts!) Arabs grow up to be paranoid, revenge-seeking adults. Their desire for revenge can fuel feuds for generations. Children are brought up by mothers who are debased. The children are thought to be "contaminated" by the mothers. Arab and Muslim boys seek to overcome that "contamination" in savage ways. Israelis may serve as substitutes for the women these boys hate. The solution requires liberation of women and evolution of democracy. Arab society resists (Jewish Political Chronicle, 5/2004, p.25 from Phyllis Chessler, FrontPage Magazine.com, 5/3). ISLAM IN GERMANY German schools were ordered to instruct Muslim children in religion. The Islamic Federation does not allow non-Muslims, even educators, to sit in on the classes. People think they mut be hiding something. The instruction probably does not teach bomb-making, but rejects German society in favor of intolerance. It portrays mothers as servants to the family. If Germans complain about this, the Federation counter-complains about discrimination, which is not relevant. Some Muslim girl students have stopped taking gym and swimming classes. Others donned head scarves. They now believe that Muslims are different and better than other people, but the Federation claims that it teaches tolerance. Their texts, however, declare that "The Muslim people's existence has been threatened by Jews and Christians since the Crusades, and it is the duty of every Muslim to fight against these enemies." (Crusaders massacred Jews, too, but Christians don't do this any more. The Jews do not threaten the Muslims, but the reverse.) IMRA suggests that if Germany examined the texts used in P.A. and Jordanian schools, too, it would understand the fanaticism and intolerance that it is up against. A Turkish-born member of a state assembly said that the Federation represents political Islam. It advocates separateness (IMRA, 6/30 from Richard Bernstein, NY Times). In Africaans, the word for separateness is "apartheid." That is what the Arabs accuse Israel of doing. It is wrong of Israelis, the Arabs imply, for not wanting their terrorist attackers, who are not part of Israel to live on the same side of the security fence with them and have easier access to attacking them. I ask what is wrong with Israel for letting a million Arabs live in Israel with them? "EXPERTS": FAILED ADVISORS WHO KEEP POSTURING For supporting U.S. policy, 52 British ex-diplomats criticized PM Blair. But their Arabist policy kept the region roiled. These supposed experts allowed Saddam to become a regional and international threat. They ignored radical Islam even after 9/11. Now, as presumed experts, they collectively criticized PM Blair's supposed shift. These alleged experts, however, failed to foresee Saddam's invasion of Kuwait, counseled diplomacy with Libya rather than sanctions, claimed S. Arabia is quite democratic, etc.. They are incensed at Blair for "abandoning the principles which for nearly four decades have guided international efforts to restore peace in the Holy Land. But those principles did not work (Jewish Political Chronicle, 5/2004, p.16 from Wall St. J. Europe, 4/28). Wars ensued. Let us not accept the parameters in which the newspaper confines the issue. The ex-diplomats complain about a shift in a policy that fundamentally has not changed. Same goal, different advertising. One Arab dictator was toppled, but the rest remain ensconced. The P.A. no longer is flattered, but the US and Britain still hope it would "try harder" to halt terrorism, and still want to give the terrorists a state at Israel's expense. The dispute really is between verbal sycophancy and sanctimony. The "experts" want to continue the sycophancy. Blair and Pres. Bush prefer sanctimony. They clash over how to skin the Jewish cat. In the end, both approaches get Jews killed so that terrorists may live. ISRAELI FANTASY Israeli officials render Egypt undeserved praise, while Egyptian officials render Israel undeserved criticism (IMRA, 6/24). Israeli self-humiliation is more than shameful. It leaves people incorrectly feeling that the Arabs are constructive and Israel is wrongful. It suggests a mistakenly optimistic hope about diplomatic prospects and proposals. False hope can lead to fatal defenselessness. SECURITY: ACTUAL VS. PROMISED Instead of arranging its security, Israel sub-contracts it. Israel's security then depends on the intentions of the US, UNO, or the Arabs. Stated intentions in the Mideast change fast. Thus, contrary to the purchase agreement S. Arabia made with the US, Saudi jets now are only minutes away from the Israeli border (IMRA, 6/25). The source is being charitable towards the Arabs and the US. The Arabs don't keep agreements. Their intentions are adversarial. The US knows it. It does not enforce its agreements with the Arabs. Americans may mock the French for being mercenary, but the US does not let humanitarian conditions interfere with most arms sales to the Arabs. That is destabilizing. SAUDIS CAMPAIGN AGAINST U.S. CIVILIZATION An imam in Medinah accused the US of waging campaigns to destabilize Islam and destroy its morality (IMRA, 6/26). What morality do they think they have, they who falsely allege a US campaign? Saddam, with his wars and threats was the destabilizing factor. The US traditionally, whether wisely or not, strives to keep the world stable. The US is not opposed to Islam but only to those radical elements in it that attack it, and opposes them only half-heartedly. The Arabs deny having attacked the US on 9/11, but they have attacked Americans many times. PERES, UNREALISTIC ON THE ECONOMY, UNWITTINGLY FUNNY MK Peres complained that unemployment is increasing in Israel. He accuses its few thousand capitalists of having turned the country of six million into a "nation of beggars." Actually, the rising economy has increased employment enough to entice more people to seek jobs, stabilizing unemployment. Industrial output and tourism have risen about 8.5% this year. Capitalist? Most business there are owned or over-regulated by government, which is inefficient. As for poverty, it is pegged at 1.2 million out of the national population of 6 million. The 1.2 million are not beggars, but certainly the other 4.8 million would be insulted by Peres characterizing them as such (IMRA, 6/28). Wouldn't that make a good campaign theme for the parties opposing Peres' Labor Party! WHAT THE U.S. BLOCKS IN IRAQ "Too many enemies are inside and outside Iraq, waiting for the American to leave, so they can take over the oil-rich country?" (Jewish Political Chronicle, 5/2004, p.18 from Nachman Shai, Jer. Post, 4/17.) "For the oil": our war or their obstruction of it? Significant point but unspecified. Opponents of the war rarely take it into account. What do they think a US retreat (of having refrained from war) would result in? ISRAEL'S DESTINY DEPENDS ON AN ARAB PROMISE Defense Min. Mofaz said that Israel would stop patrolling the Philadelphi smuggler corridor in Gaza, if it knew that the arms smuggling was halted. What does "halted" mean? Suspended for a month? He proposed no standard for measuring the halt and its sincerity and permanence. IMRA remarks that the "halt" is likely to be certified by a brief check or another phony Arab agreement (with another phony US assurance), rather than by a record of decades of compliance (IMRA, 6/25). W. NILE DISEASE: COINCIDENCE OF INCIDENCE? W. Nile virus is deadlier to humans and birds in the US and Israel than elsewhere. Saddam had ordered samples of it from the Center for Disease Control at Atlanta, and they shipped it to him! Perhaps Iraq modified the virus and then introduced the more virulent strain into the US and Israel (Winston Mid East Analysis, 6/27, e-mail). Wouldn't it be ironic that while much of the media denied that Saddam still had weapons of mass-destruction (though some have been found), his agents were launching them? Creating and spreading disease - how depraved it would be. WHAT ARAFAT DOES & "HAARETZ" THINKS OF HIM "Haaretz" claims that Arafat was misunderstood over the years, and really wants peace. Arafat recently told his Far Left ISM supporters, who wanted to demonstrate against Israel's security fence, when and how to protest. He urged them to be more violent (Prof. Steven Plaut, 6/27, e-mail). He just moves in bad company? If Arafat wants peace, he goes about it in a strange way. He makes war instead of keeping his peace agreements. If these protestors against Israel were sincere, they would instead demand that the Arabs keep their peace agreements. ISM is a terrorist auxiliary movement. Richard 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. |
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I MARRIED A BIN LADEN
Posted by Mordechai ben-Menachem, July 12, 2004. |
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The writer, Suzy Hansen, is a former editor at "Salon". She lives in
New York. This article is archived at
http://www.salon.com/books/review/2004/07/10/carmen
"Inside the Kingdom," Carmen Bin Ladin's new memoir about the bin Laden clan, contains only a few passages about Osama bin Laden, the world's most feared terrorist and the author's brother-in-law. (Carmen's husband, Yeslam, is Osama's half-brother; their father, Sheikh Mohamed, founder of the amazingly powerful Bin Laden Organization, had 22 wives. Western transliterations of Arabic names vary and "in accordance with convention," bin Laden is used when referring to the family and Bin Ladin when referring to Carmen and Yeslam. To confuse matters further, the family company is known as the Saudi Binladin Group.) Readers hungry for the mere mention of Osama's name, especially now, at a time when Sept. 11 remains fresh but the only glimpse of Osama is on "Saturday Night Live," will turn these few sentences over and over in their minds. During the Afghan-Soviet war, Carmen Bin Ladin writes: "He was admired. He was involved in a noble cause. Osama was a warrior -- a Saudi hero." After meeting him for the first time, she notes, almost unimpressed: "He was not strikingly different from the other brothers -- just younger, and more reserved." But then there's this: "When Osama stepped into the room, you felt it." It's one of many lines in "Inside the Kingdom" that leaves us desperate for more. What did she feel? Of course, in Saudi culture, hardline Wahhabi Muslims like Osama insist that women's faces be covered. Carmen Bin Ladin's real, human contact with Osama was limited, and by Western standards almost nonexistent. But one scene in this plainly written but arresting memoir does shed light on Osama. It was 1977, a time of relative freedom and ease in Saudi Arabia, after the rush of oil money flooded the country and two years before the Iranian revolution. The extended bin Laden brood had taken off to the family mountain house, two hours from their compound in Jeddah and the deadly August heat. Even in the mountains it was 100 degrees, but Osama's wife Najwah, a tellingly miserable woman, refused to feed her tiny baby with a bottle. She was trying to feed him with a teaspoon, because her husband had decreed that his child would not be fed by bottle. Carmen Bin Ladin, scared that the infant might become dehydrated, pleaded with a bin Laden sister to tell Yeslam, who was in the other room, to tell Osama that the child would become ill. (The men and women of the family couldn't socialize together, and Carmen couldn't intrude on the men as a female bin Laden blood relative could; often in Saudi Arabia, these elaborate, infantile games of "telephone" must be staged.) Yeslam's reply? "It's no use. This is Osama." This experience was a huge turning point for Carmen Bin Ladin, a Geneva-born woman of Swiss and Iranian heritage. Not long after, she decided to leave Saudi Arabia behind forever and save her three daughters from an uncertain but probably unhappy fate. It coincided with another realization, an ominous and foreboding one for those Americans who are questioning our dubious relationship with the Saudis: "Underneath [Saudi men] have always maintained their self-assured and inflexible value system, and it rises to the surface as they age. This is what happened to the Bin Ladens in the years I lived with them, and it's what happened to Saudi Arabia as a whole while I was there. It is still happening today." The pictures of the Westernized Bin Laden brothers in their youth, sprinkled in the book, all Afros and bell-bottoms, are hard to shake, and the transformative power of the Wahhabi ideology that later overtook them seems at once bone-chilling and bewildering, fantastical and childish. Carmen writes, however, that Osama bin Laden was never, as some have claimed, a playboy as a young man in Beirut. He may have been more Western at one time, but "the now famous photographs that were taken of a crowd of teenaged Bin Laden brothers in Sweden -- they don't show Osama either." She maintains that "the boy identified in the media as Osama is in fact another brother." Ultimately, what is most interesting and perhaps most important about "Inside the Kingdom" are the details it provides about daily life in Saudi Arabia. "The Saudis are the Taliban, in luxury," Bin Ladin writes. And "Inside the Kingdom" is also a personal, emotional account of a royal family and its bin Laden business friends -- people to whom the United States and President Bush's family remain inextricably linked, despite their autocratic rule and uncertain relation to the author of the Sept. 11 attacks. The stark transformation of Carmen Bin Ladin's own life might be what strikes readers most personally. The author married Yeslam Bin Ladin very young, when she was a stunning, sexy, glamorous-dressing Westerner, a woman who had traveled freely to her mother's native Iran and back to her home in Geneva. In the early years of their marriage, Yeslam and Carmen lived in California, and the book features happy pictures of the handsome couple in sundresses and suits, T-shirts and jeans, lying on the grass in the sunshine. When the couple moves to Saudi Arabia, it's as if the world goes black and mute. Carmen writes of her first time wearing an abaya, the suffocating shrouds women must wear over their faces and bodies: "I looked out of the car window and through my veil I saw just a dim light -- no people, no buildings. Even the streetlights were dark." Not surprisingly, it gets worse. An extraordinarily rare trip to the grocery store, so she can get the proper milk for her daughter, involves an arduous charade: "And in order that one completely black-shrouded woman could walk inside with her husband, the store had been emptied -- completely emptied -- of all its clients and staff." In Saudi society, women simply have nothing to do. "There were no books," Bin Ladin writes. "There were no theaters, no concerts, no cinemas. There was no reason to go out, and in any case we could not go out: I was not allowed to go for a walk, and legally could not drive." Foreign newspapers featured blacked-out, unreadable sections -- those bringing news of two countries: Israel and Saudi Arabia. Her daughters' schooling is all religion, and "no sports, no debates, no discussions. No games, marbles, or tricycles." Wafah, the oldest, returns home one day with "I hate Jews, I love Palestine" scrawled in her notebook, just as a normal girl would scribble her first name beside the last name of the little boy she loved. After this beginning, it's confusing to learn that just a few years later, the country flush with oil money, the bin Ladens could enjoy Thursday night parties where the sexes mingled and alcohol was served. Carmen Bin Ladin says she initiated these happy nights: Western businessmen and diplomats would visit for tennis matches and a perusal of her proud library. No Saudi women ever showed, but a few Saudi men did. One gets the sense that the Bin Ladens, under the protection of the Saudi royal family and their own astonishing wealth, really could do what they pleased. Even in 1979, after the Islamist revolution in Iran, when Saudi Arabia returned to harsher ways, being a bin Laden meant something. In Saudi Arabia at that time a husband couldn't tend to his pregnant wife in public: "One afternoon, I was in a supermarket when a pregnant woman fainted; her husband rushed to help her up. The mutawa [religious police] were there, and they stopped him, yelling at him that he must not take his wife in his arms in public." Carmen, however, had a Sudanese driver by her side to shield her from the mutawa with two words: "Bin Laden," the driver would say, and the police would back down. The truth is that the bin Ladens choose to live the Wahhabi way, even though, as Carmen often suggests, they had the potential for more freedom than everyone else. The Iranian revolution also made Yeslam and his extended family, extraordinarily nervous and religiously obedient, terrified of the militant radicals in their own country. Yeslam would change forever, becoming a perpetually sick, intolerant, harsh and religious man, and later a harsh, religious man with mistresses on the side. It was these changes in her husband that finally broke Carmen -- both Yeslam's infidelity and his demand that she have an abortion when she became pregnant with her third child. It was a request she'd complied with before, much to her despair. The hypocrisy in Saudi Arabian culture about women is difficult to get your mind around. Bin Ladin writes of Saudi princesses, locked up and disdained by their husbands, suffering from "bone density problems from lack of sunlight and exercise," who, not surprisingly, fall in love with one another. "We all heard rumors of a kind of lesbian party circuit in Riyadh," Bin Ladin writes, "where women would socialize and pick each other up." In Saudi Arabia, homosexuality is punished by public flogging. Yet, Bin Ladin implies, who can really be bothered to punish the silly Saudi lesbians? "Women don't matter to a Saudi man," Bin Ladin explains. "Possessing them matters -- matters crucially -- but once the women are locked in and breeding, what happens among them doesn't count for much." The rules in Saudi Arabia, it seems, are at once terrifyingly oppressive and weirdly arbitrary. Carmen Bin Ladin rarely, if ever, talks about how the rest of the bin Laden clan regard the U.S. and the Western values that her former brother-in-law Osama despises so much. Yeslam and some of his other brothers conduct themselves like Westerners while vacationing in the West (Yeslam now lives in Switzerland himself), but we get no sense of whether their politics fall in line with those of their militant brother. But Carmen does discuss the intense bin Laden clan loyalty, the Bedouin mentality that she believes makes Saudi Arabian men unique. She writes that she "cannot believe" the bin Ladens would cut Osama off completely: "I simply can't see them depriving a brother of his annual dividend from their father's company, and sharing it among themselves. That would be unthinkable -- among the Bin Ladens, no matter what a brother does, he remains a brother." At the end of the memoir, Carmen "openly defies" the bin Ladens to open their books and prove that they had nothing to do with Sept. 11. The author, who now lives in Geneva and whose daughters studied in America, also never says outright what she thinks of the close relationship between the U.S. and the Saudi regime. Considering the steady and compelling case she builds for the tyranny of the society, however, it's pretty easy to read between the lines. Or, at least, to share with her this fear about Saudi society and America's silence about it: "If we, in the Western world, are not vigilant enough, there will be no end to their terrorism." |
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KEEP YOUR SPIRITS UP
Posted by David Wilder, July 12, 2004. |
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During my Israel National Radio weekly show, "Blessings from Hebron," (first broadcast every Monday at 5:00 PM Israel time - www.israelnationalradio.com), I interviewed Hebron resident Yifat Alkobi, who spoke about Shalhevet's father and Uncle, Itzik Pass and Matti Shvu, both of whom are still in jail and are being denied the basic rights afforded to other prisoners. I again repeat, a new web site has been established, including an online petition calling for their release, and until then, demanding that they be allowed periodic vacations, as are permitted murderers, rapists and others. The web site address is: Release Pass. Please send this address to all your friends and ask them to sign the petition and send it on to their friends. The goal is to obtain at least 5,000 signatures, which will be presented to Israeli president Moshe Katzav, who has the power to pardon the two men. In addition, the phone and fax numbers of Katzav, Internal Security minister Tzachi HaNegbi and Shabak (intelligence) chief, Avi Dichter, (via the Prime Minister's office), are posted. Please call and fax these men - it is imperative to let them know that the public, in Israel and around the world, cares about the fate of Itzik Pass and Matti Shvu. Recently President Katzav, together with Justice Minister Tommy Lapid, decided to reduce the sentences of terrorists "with blood on their hands," i.e. murderers, including Shalhevet Pass' killer. How is it possible that Israel shows mercy to these creatures, while torturing bereaved families? The continued incarceration of Pass and Shvu, and the denial of visits home, is clearly torture, both to the men, their wives and children and their parents. They have clearly suffered enough. It is time to let them go home. Yifat also spoke about her own trial, brought about due to a protest, together with three other women, following the Uzeri home on Hill 26, almost two years ago. It should be remembered that Nati Uzeri was murdered in this home, just outside Kiryat Arba, in front of his wife and children. Only a few months later, in the dark of night, Israeli security forces illegally destroyed the house, evicting the widow and orphans, and pulling shack down upon all its belongings. Yifat and the other women, protesting this atrocity, were arrested for being present in a "closed military zone," as it was so declared, and for "abandoning their children," as a result of keeping their children with them during the protest. Now I would like to add on a third episode, which Yifat did not speak about. About a month and a half ago the Hebron police arrested fifteen year old Akiva Lebovitch. He was charged with various "crimes" in Hebron. During the interrogation, the police demanded that Akiva be fingerprinted and photographed, for police records. When he refused to submit to the police request, he was taken to court, where a hearing was held. The prosecutor told the judge that the police were willing to forgo the fingerprints, because no fingerprints were found at the site of the crime. The judge, hearing this, ruled that Akiva need not be fingerprinted. Last week, the police called the Lebovitch home and asked that Akiva return to the station for a further, brief interrogation. Despite the fact that such telephone requests are not official and non-binding, Akiva's parents decided to comply. When Akiva arrived at the police station, he was told that now he must supply fingerprints to the interrogators. Having already been subjected to this demand, and following the court ruling which denied the police Akiva's fingerprints, the youth refused. Upon his refusal, the police handcuffed the fifteen year old, and again took him to court, demanding that he comply with the fingerprint demand. He was cuffed for several hours before the court session began. The demand, according to the police representative, was based upon "new evidence." When asked why a fifteen year old had been handcuffed for several hours, the police representative replies, "the handcuffing was justified because Akiva was disrupting a police investigation." The judge ruled that the arrest was illegal. Akiva's father is now suing the police for 30,000 shekels for false arrest. It should be noted that Akiva's brother Elazar, was murdered by terrorists almost two years ago, on the eve of his twenty-first birthday. Elazar was killed by the same terrorists who shot and killed three members of the Dickstein family from Psagot. In a couple of weeks, on the anniversary of the killings, the Dicksteins and the Lebovitch's will sponsor a joint memorial march to the site of the murders, which will be followed by a special Torah class (Tish) conducted by Rabbi Moti Elon and a concert of "songs that Elazar loved." Following these three horror stories, you ask, "so, what's the good news"? You might expect that episodes such as those just described might paralyze people in Hebron. Yet nothing could be further from the truth. Almost all the children and teenagers in Hebron are participating in this summer's recreation/camp program, either as campers or as counselors. Tomorrow I'm one of the adult escorts for a children's two-day venture to the upper Galil - hiking, canoeing, getting wet, and having fun. Hebron's women are leaving on an annual 'women's vacation,' enjoying a few days without husbands or kids, or anyone else to bother them, (yes, including the police!) This summer, Hebron is full of people, literally. This past Shabbat afternoon, dozens of guests walked the streets, visiting friends and participating in a tour of the Kasba, led by Noam Arnon. I toured with a group of about 25 people, mostly from the Machon Meir Jewish Studies Center in Jerusalem. A middle-aged woman who joined the group told me that she only discovered her Judaism less than two years ago. As soon as she realized that she belonged to the people of Israel, she left the United States and made Aliyah. This Shabbat was her first trip to Hebron. Wow! And Shabbat isn't the only time people visit. We have busloads of people here every day of the week. Our director of tourism, Simcha Hochbaum (simcha@hebron.org.il), really has his hands full. We have Hebron-initiated tours from Jerusalem on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. And usually there are others on private tours the other days. Remember, last week I told you about the special Hebron Fund mission, from August 7th to 13th - Sunday to Friday. You can get more information by calling 718-677-6886. So, despite it all, there are good things too. This summer promises to be a lot of fun for young and old alike, with, hopefully, much good news. So keep your spirits up, and together with us, have a good time. With blessings from Hebron. Details of the special Hebron Fund mission to Israel: (Call 718-677-6886) * An all men mission, leaving JFK Sunday August 8, 2004 at 2:20 AM. *Spending the week in Gaza, Yehuda, Shomron, Yerushalayim, Kever Rachel, and Hebron. * Designed as a chizuk mission to show solidarity with yesha communities and visit terror victims. *Will be returning Friday morning August 13th to JFK at 6:00 AM. *The price of the trip will be between $1600-1650 *Includes roundtrip El AL flight, 4 nights at Inbal hotel, all transportation (secure buses), service charges, round trip transfers to and from airport, and touring and entrance fees, and daily Israeli breakfast. David Wilder is spokesman of The Jewish Community of Hebron. You can contribute directly to The Jewish Community of Hebron, POB10, Kiryat Arba-Hebron 90100, hebron@hebron.org.il, 972-2-9965333 or write to The Hebron Fund, 1760 Ocean Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11230, hebronfund@aol.com |
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INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE TELLS IT LIKE THE BIGOTS THEY ARE
Posted by Jock L. Falkson, July 12, 2004. |
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In his summary on the court's ruling, Judge President Shi (China) says the court was aware that different words were used to describe the construction of Israel's impediment to terrorism (my words). They agreed however, to use "wall" because the UN General Assembly generally used this word instead of 'fence' or 'barrier'. There's something ironic about a Chinese Judge delivering a judgment on Israel's tiny defense wall. The Great (defensive) Wall of China runs 1500 miles and is 2,700 years old. The Palestine Terrorist Authority had, of course, energetically propagandized for the use of "wall" in the judgement instead of the other terms. They wanted this because it is the most damaging expression of the three options. It is the preferred description of the Arabs in their unceasing public relations war to demonize Jews and Israel. All they had to do was to add emotionally charged adjectives like "apartheid", "separation" or "Berlin". But the UN Assembly's usage of "wall" did not mean that this was a correct description. It was rather a reflection of the voting strength of 59 Islamic nations and their sycophants in the UN, who, collectively are quite capable of passing a resolution declaring the earth is flat. Within the next decades they may well be capable of declaring Islam the world's official religion and Shariah Law its legal code. To imagine that the ICJ would not rule in favour of this would be to admit a serious lack imagination. And so Israel's 'wall', which will only be 3 or 4 percent of the total construction, is glibly presented by the ICJ as 100 percent. If that's not deliberately dishonest bias, what is? The walled sections (the most costly) only run past Arab populated areas. It does what the fence can't do. Besides shielding us from a wide range of terrorist killing methods, it prevents long range Arab snipers from murdering Israelis. These "brave" jihadists have already sniped and killed two babes in arms in addition to scores of men, women and children going about their daily life. 'Fence' is a totally inaccurate and inadequate description since it is but one element of a 7 part construction, running the width of a 4 lane highway. To call that a fence, or to call a fence a wall as the judges have done - is mendacious bigotry. More recently the word 'barrier' has achieved wider popularity in TV and other news media. It certainly is the most satisfactory choice of the three. However the better term of all is anti-terrorist barrier. That tells it like it is - something that wouldn't disturb the sleep of judges or media purists. The ICJ should have had the fortitude to use a truthful formulation. They intentionally made matters worse by avoiding their judicial duty at Israel's expense. And, why didn't those judges from Islamic states recuse themselves? To be put on Jock Falkson's email list, email him at falkson@barak-online.net |
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HOW SHARON CAN PULL OUT OF KATIF WITHOUT GOVERNMENT SANCTION OR FUNDING!
Posted by Yrachmiel Elias, July 12, 2004. |
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Sometimes we wonder if Ha'Kadosh Borechu ever really has HIS eyes on
Eretz Yisrael and Am Yisrael. This article by David Bedein should act
as a final wakeup call to the entire Jewish World - that they should
do everything in their power to remove the power from the exisiting
government of Israel. They will see below that Sharon already has
plans to silence world Jewery, in order to push through his desires of
conquest and de-Jewifying Eretz Yisrael! Read the infuriating article
below on how Sharon plans to sell out the Jewish People!
This article was written by David Bedein, Bureau Chief, Israel Resource News Agency. (http://Israelbehindthenews.com). It is archived at http://www.radiofreeisrael.com/blogger.htm If you do nothing else please forward this to as many news centers in the world that you can! Giora Eiland, head of the National Security Council, working directly under the authority invested in him by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, informed the foreign media on June 20th, 2004 that Arik Sharon cannot get legal sanction nor the budget from the Knesset in time for the government to fund and organize a pullout from Katif next year. Eiland explained that the money is simply not in the government budget. Unless it is budgeted by October 31, 2004, the pullout cannot be financed over the coming year. Since the Eiland briefing was provided for the foreign media and not for the local media, the Israeli public is simply not aware of the fact that Sharon is operating without legal standing or government funding to implement his policy for unilateral demolition of the Jewish communities of Katif, in accordance with Clause Five of the Sharon Plan, at www.pmo.gov.il, to train the PLO armed forces with the help of the US, UK, Egypt and Jordan Therefore, Israeli government TV and radio news stations report every hour on the hour that Israeli withdrawal is imminent. Meanwhile, The Israel Democracy Institute and a plethora of other non-government institutions are advising the Israeli government to proceed with the withdrawal anyway, in the best interests of the country. When members of the Israeli Knesset confronted Sharon with the illegality of his moves, Sharon shot back with the statement that "You must be very naive to think that I am not going to implement this accord". Indeed, since Judea, Samaria, and Katif are ruled by Israel military law, Sharon has the power to carry out a ten point program to implement his policy: 1. Arrest all leadership in these communities under the laws of administrative detention that were used during the British mandate. 2. Declare martial law in all of these communities.for "security reasons". 3. Block traffic in all roads which lead to Judea, Samaria and Katif. 4. Submit a legal writ to the Israel Attorney General which would declare opposition to evacuation as a crime comparable to sedition. Stall all legal action against the withdrawal while it is taking place 5. Dispatch troops to Katif before forced evacuation. 6. Request foreign troops for Gaza, beginning with Egypt, the UK and the US. 7. Transform the media image of the Jewish residents of Judea, Samaria and Katif into parasites and traitors 8. Launch a campaign abroad to intimidate Jewish organizations against protest 9. Activate 'Agentes provocateurs' to orchestrate radical activity. 10. Place all residents of Katif into makeshift prison camps until alternative homes are available, while Sharon orders their farms and communities burnt to a crisp. Yrachmiel ben Menachem Mendel Elias is with Radio Free Israel (http://www.radiofreeisrael.com). |
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SHARON BETRAYS HIS PARTY, HIS NATION AND THREATENS ELECTIONS
Posted by Emanuel A. Winston, July 12, 2004. |
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Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has gone back to the roots of his ideology, namely the Leftist Mapai Party, later to morph into what is today called the Labor Party. Sharon has issued a dictum to the his Cabinet and his Likud Party that, if he cannot get his way to dismember the State of Israel by abandoning Gush Katif in Gaza, he will invite the Labor Party in and call for early elections. It has been reported that the 76 year old Sharon has been in negotiations with the 81 year old Shimon Peres to bring the Labor Party into his (Likud) Government. So, the failed Oslo Plan, now bonded with Yossi Beilin's misbegotten Geneva Plan can be totally reunited with Sharon's Gaza/Gush Katif surrender Plan. Like an elderly man who has dementia and has receded back to his demanding infancy, Sharon, throws a tantrum and demands to get his way. Some think of him as merely a confused Dictator whose true personality has finally emerged. I think of him as a 76 year old who has lost too many brain cells in mini-strokes and can no longer control himself. His judgement on all phases of government has failed, namely the economy, security and submission to foreign interests. This is a man who cannot accept the fact that the Pioneering Settlers will not move from their homes of 30 years and more to accommodate his delusional fantasies of appeasing the Palestinians. Sharon has returned to Mapai - now Labor - which he never really left. The Likud Party has no choice but to disown him immediately. He has become a clear and present danger to the nation of Israel while he tries to pay foreign interests by his dual betrayal of Party and nation. Israel cannot afford another Altalena which is the repressed story of the Mapai-Labor ideology. Then Jews were murdered to maintain what was called "Unity". Now again, Jews will be sacrificed on an altar of so-called "Unity" but better named "Vulnerability". Sharon must be driven out of Government along with those who worship at his feet. That will now include the Labor Party who gave us almost 11 years under the Oslo Accords which resulted in the murders of some 1500 Jews (including about 45 Americans), with tens of thousands wounded, many maimed for life. The Oslo fiasco is still with us and the Arab Muslim Terrorists continue to mount attacks from the territories turned over to Arafat's control by Peres, Beilin and a duped Rabin. Clearly, this will now be a "unity" government of political hacks who already have brought the nation nothing but misery, despair and death. Sharon, like Peres, has always been a liar - at least since he emerged from his military cocoon to become a shifty politician. Pray that no Jew lifts their hand against him but ask HaShem to take him like Korach, deep into the bowels of the earth. The fact that Sharon has secretly plotted with Peres and foreign governments to override the decisions of the people in what was to be a definitive vote confirms that he has left his post as the peoples' "Temporary" representative and thus can no longer be Prime Minister. He has threatened to call elections in his present mode of an elderly infant squalling out his demands as would an infant who thinks the world revolves only around him. Let it be so - go to elections and put this man-child out to pasture. Emanuel Winston is a commentator and Middle East analyst. His articles appear often on Think-Israel and Gamla. He is a member of the Board of Directors and a research associate of the Freeman Center For Strategic Studies (http://www.freeman.org/online.htm). |
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LETTERS TO UN, EU PARLIAMENT, EU COURT OF JUSTICE
Posted by Yekhill Brodsky, July 11, 2004. |
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Within the next 48 hours, Jews and Christians worldwide will be sending email messages to the United Nations, the EU Parliament and the EU Court of Justice with a similar message that is on this email. PLEASE take a quick moment to copy the message below and paste it on to a new email and send it to the email addresses listed below: ecu@un.org - United Nations
Dear friends, Send it out to as many as possible people, have them do it - sending our e-mails. Yekhill Brodsky Message: Subject: The building of the Israeli fence When Israel builds a fence to keep out terrorists, the UN and EU are up in arms because it is inconvenient for Palestinians, even though the fence is clearly effecitve in preventing terrorists from killing more Jews. When terrorists shoot (point blank!) an 8-month-pregnant Jewish woman and her 4 little girls, there is absolute silence from your organizations. If you think your indifference goes unnoticed, count the number of messages you will receive world-wide in the next 48 to 72 hours on this subject. Respectfully
This alert was issued by Action Israel (actionisrael@hotmail.com).
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DERSHOWITZ: ISRAEL WON'T FOLLOW BIGOTED HAGUE DECISION
Posted by IsrAlert, July 11, 2004. |
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Alan Dershowitz is a professor of law at Harvard.
Professor Dershowitz wrote this article the day before the
International Court rendered this opinion because he was certain -
based on the composition of the court - that its verdict would be
against Israel. Following the decision he did not have to change a
single word.
This article is archived at the Freeman Center For Strategic Studies, http://www.freeman.org The Israeli government has both a legal and a moral obligation to comply with the Israeli Supreme Court's decision regarding the security fence. After all, the Supreme Court is a creation of the Knesset and is therefore representative of all of the people - Jews, Muslims, and Christians alike. Moreover, the Supreme Court has a real stake in both sides of the fence dispute. Its job is to balance the security needs of its citizens against the humanitarian concerns of West Bank Palestinians. It tried to strike that balance by upholding the concept of a security fence while insisting that the Israeli military authorities give due weight to the needs of the Palestinians, even if that requires some compromise on the security of Israelis. Contrast this with the questionable status of the International Court of Justice in The Hague. No Israeli judge may serve on that court as a permanent member, while sworn enemies of Israel serve among its judges, several of whom represent countries that do not abide by the rule of law. Virtually every democracy voted against that court's taking jurisdiction over the fence case, while nearly every country that voted to take jurisdiction was a tyranny. Israel owes the International Court absolutely no deference. It is under neither a moral nor a legal obligation to give any weight to its predetermined decision. The Supreme Court of Israel recognized the unquestionable reality that the security fence has saved numerous lives and promises to save more, but it also recognized that this benefit must be weighed against the material disadvantages to West Bank Palestinians. The International Court, on the other hand, discounted the saving of lives and focused only on the Palestinian interests. By showing its preference for Palestinian property rights over the lives of Jews, the International Court displayed its bigotry. The International Court of Justice is much like a Mississippi court in the 1930s. The all-white Mississippi court, which excluded blacks from serving on it, could do justice in disputes between whites, but it was incapable of doing justice in cases between a white and a black. It would always favor white litigants. So, too, the International Court. It is perfectly capable of resolving disputes between Sweden and Norway, but it is incapable of doing justice where Israel is involved, because Israel is the excluded black when it comes to that court - indeed when it comes to most United Nations organs. A judicial decision can have no legitimacy when rendered against a nation that is willfully excluded from the court's membership by bigotry. Just as the world should have disregarded any decision against blacks rendered by a Mississippi court in the 1930s, so too should all decent people contemptuously disregard the bigoted decisions of the International Court of Justice when it comes to Israel. To give any credence to the decisions of that court is to legitimize bigotry. The International Court of Justice should be a court of last resort to which aggrieved litigants can appeal when their own country's domestic courts are closed to them. The Israeli Supreme Court is not only open to all Israeli Arabs, but also to all West Bank and Gaza Arabs. Israel's Supreme Court is the only court in the Middle East where an Arab can actually win a case against his government. The decision of the International Court of Justice against Israel should harm the reputation of that court in the minds of objective observers rather than damage the credibility of Israel. The Israeli government will comply with the rule of law by following the decision of its own Supreme Court. If the International Court of Justice were itself to apply the rule of law instead of the calculus of politics, it might deserve respect. Now - like the general assembly of which it's a creation and the Mississippi courts of the 1930s of which it's a clone - all it deserves is the contempt of decent people for its bigoted processes and its predetermined partisan result. IsrAlert, a Jewish advocacy network, is hosted by Harv Weiner. To subscribe to IsrAlert, send an email to isralert@aol.com |
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ICON TO RUSSIA, TEMPLE TREASURES TO JERUSALEM!
Posted by David Ben-Ariel, July 11, 2004. |
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It's reported today that the pope has returned to Russia a cherished Orthodox icon. Interesting in light of the report from Rome by Zenit, June 13, 2004, "The rectors of four pontifical universities visited Israel to build academic and cultural bridges, and, in the long term, to contribute to peace in the Holy Land. An "unprecedented" initiative is how Oded Ben-Hur, ambassador of Israel to the Holy See, and Bishop Rino Fisichella, rector of the Lateran University, described the June 1-4 visit... The rectors made contacts at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and the Universities of Tel Aviv and Bar Ilan. "The common desire is to do something truly concrete, presenting all our reciprocal cultural wealth," Bishop Fisichella said last Thursday, as reported by the Italian newspaper Avvenire. The next step will be to return the invitation to the Israeli colleagues, and to try to identify some shared topics on which mixed teams can work, including the possibility of joint publications. Ben-Hur said he thinks that an endeavor of this kind "can and must serve to disseminate greater reciprocal knowledge between Catholics and Jews of Israel." Permit me to humbly suggest that the Catholic rectors can do more than "return the invitation" to their Israeli colleagues, if they truly want to do something concrete: they can implore the Roman pope to immediately RETURN THE TEMPLE TREASURES the Vatican holds in store, for this moment, as publicly called for by Gershon Salomon, chairman of the Jerusalem-based Temple Mount Faithful Movement (http://www.templemountfaithful.org/News/20040209.htm). The RESTORATION TO JERUSALEM of its pillaged Temple treasures is the greatest cultural "contribution" the Catholics could ever make! (Isaiah 45:3). President Reagan was bold and prophetic when he spoke to another ruler of an evil empire: "Tear down this wall!" And the rest is history. May Chairman Salomon's demand, "RETURN THE TEMPLE TREASURES," also become reality. For Zion's Sake David Ben-Ariel is author of "Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall" http://www.pushhamburger.com/david.htm. |
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THINGS CHANGE, BUT STAY THE SAME - FOR JEWS
Posted by Emanuel A. Winston, July 11, 2004. |
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Did anyone really think the International Court in the Hague (in the Netherlands) would be different than the atmosphere that has always permeated Europe regarding the Jews? When even a Judge is submerged in a taught process of Jew-hatred, it is hard to clear the mind of those subliminal and even active thoughts which have been inculcated into the European mind-set for centuries. It would be like de-programming the Germans, French, Dutch, etc. from the years of Church-taught doctrine that Jews killed their adopted Jewish god and, therefore, they deserve whatever horrific punishment that could be devised in such minds, in his name, of course. Not so strangely, Islam under the teachings of Mohammed through the Koran and the oral tradition, included much of the worst of anti-Jewish teachings by the Christian Church, especially the selected gospels wherein the Jews had to be destroyed and thus to be pushed out of the way as G-d's chosen people. The Court of the Hague is NOT one of Justice but, the national memory of two religions. Both Christianity and Islam needed a field clear of Jews so they could present their claim to a G-d who had talked in words to only a handful of Jewish prophets. The Court at the Hague decision was immersed in their teachings and mind-set. What a wonderful opportunity to vent their innermost, almost sublimated, feelings - all wrapped up in so-called legalities and expression of Justice through humanitarian grounds.. Do any readers recall any time when the U.N. brought to the Hague any case where individual Arab nations or collective Arab nations had pledged and then attempted Genocide against the defendant? Humanitarian decisions when it comes to the sovereign rights of the Jewish State simply do not exist. Has the U.N. Security Council or the U.N. General Assembly ever voted a condemnation of Syria, Iran, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Yemen when they joined together to war against Israel? Did the leading nations ever move to interrupt the well known attack plans of the Arab Muslim nations? Having absented themselves for the past 56 years from any condemnation of these Arab countries - including their Arab Muslim Palestinian Terrorist proxies, I see no reason for according credence to their decisions about what Israel is allowed or not allowed to do in protecting herself from daily terror attacks. Both the U.N. and International Court of the Hague opted themselves out of any decision by their consistent inaction and, in addition, their clear bias in favor of Arab Muslims Terrorists. By every decision, action, non-action, pro-Arab bias they made themselves unfit as Judge and Jury for any body of Judicial Review. The Israelis contest the decision of Friday July 9th, offering proof of a dramatic reduction in Terror attacks with only a small part of the Fence actually built. The mixed breed of Arab Muslims, calling themselves Palestinians, are screaming behind this Wall with words that speak about 'lost land' that was never theirs to begin with. However, their real concerns and frustrations are that they have now been denied access to Israel's population for the purposes of killing them. Moreover, while complaining they were stopped from killing Jews, they concurrently demanded entry into Israel's lucrative job market - which is why they immigrated in from all over the Arab world to begin with. Most of the Arabs now living West of the Jordan River are recent arrivals, having been attracted by job opportunities and better living conditions brought by the Jews - until they were urged by their leaders, to kill the Jews. In fact, the UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) definition of "refugee from 'Palestine'" is someone who lived there for two years before the State of Israel was created, and fled during the War of Independence of 1948 when armies from 7 Arab countries invaded the newly born State - plus their descendants. Israel provided jobs and decent health care from the early 1900s which the Arab Muslims could not get in Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Algeria, etc. But, the Koranic injunctions to "Kill the Infidel" (non-believers in Islam) was so strong in their teachings that they could not restrain themselves - even if it meant losing their only source of income. Hatred runs deep and cannot be de-programmed from Arab Muslims or the European (so-called) Christians any more than one can de-program a trained attack dog. Once trained to kill, this training cannot be exorcised. If one examines the list of countries from where the Judges of Hague Court hail, with the exception of the American Judge, all have shown their anti-Israel/pro-Arab biases as exhibited in the U.N. The current 15 Judges are from Brazil, China, Egypt, France, Germany, Japan, Jordan, Madagascar, the Netherlands, Russia, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Venezuela, the United Kingdom and the United States. Votes on most points were 14 to 1. (However, in this ruling the Dutch Judge who voted against Israel on many points in the Advisory Opinion, did join the American Judge in rejecting the call made by the international community to take action against this project.) The American and Dutch Judges offered the opinion that the Court did not take into consideration the Arab Muslims on-going Terror attacks. I don't approve of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Fence, because he is building a border which divides Israel, herself. Too many Jews will be left "outside" the Fence with the Arab Muslim Palestinians who are trained to hate and kill them. The Fence is too expensive - it takes food out of the mouths of Israel's children. The Fence can be penetrated under it by tunnels and over it rockets and missiles, just as it happens from Egypt into Gaza. The current decrease in casualties and successful Terror attacks may be because the IDF has successfully cut off the heads of the Terror organizations by killing many, imprisoning others and successfully disrupting their Terror planning. This is in the short term but, be assured that the tunnels under Sharon's Fence have already been started. We have already seen rockets over that fence from Gaza into Israel. In all fairness, the Fence has proven that separating Arabs and Jews is necessary. (Note! I speak of "separation" as a necessity and NOT the Fence.) Also, please note the facts of the Fence which have been greatly distorted by all Media outlets, especially the TV and photographic visuals. This Fence is to be a 480 mile security barrier, currently under construction. It is comprised of 97% chain link fence and 3% of a concrete barrier (The concrete wall is all you see in the Media's graphics.) The entire barrier is a multi-fence system which incorporates ditches, barbed wired, patrol roads, observation systems and gates for crossing through after being checked for weapons. Contrary to anti-Israel propaganda, only 5 miles of the barrier is concrete or can be described as a "wall". The concrete sections are primarily in the area of the Arab Muslim cities of Qalqilya and Tulkarem, the origin of many terrorist operations, where snipers often shoot at Israeli civilians. However, the solution will not be an artificial barrier where rabid Arab Muslims (and their international cohorts from all over the world with Peace Now, etc.) scream "Itbach Al Yehud" (Kill the Jews). They can burrow under the Fence or shoot rockets over it. The Fence is merely delaying a much greater inevitable war which cannot be stopped. Perhaps it is necessary that another State of Palestine be declared so that, when they inevitably attack Israel as a nation, we can destroy them as a nation. Israel and the hostile Arab Muslims need a natural barrier, as follows: In the East, the natural barrier should be the Jordan River and the wide Jordan Valley. In the South, it would be the Sinai - newly fortified against tunnels the Egyptians who now allow to be dug in order to smuggle arms into the Arab Muslim Palestinian Terrorists. In the North, it should have been the Litani River (which now flows wastefully into the Mediterranean but could have solved the water shortage for Israel and Jordan). In the Northeast, it should be the Golan Heights and Mt. Hermon which holds Syria at bay. The Arab Muslims who hate the sight of Jews and what they have built would be happier if their eyes could not see these things the Jews create and the Jews themselves. Thus, natural barriers of rivers, valleys, mountains and desert create spans of distance where Arabs will not even see a Jew. The Arab Muslims who don't want to live in peace with Jews should be assisted in moving into the empty plains of Jordan - which already is a Palestinian State with vast empty acreage. All analysts and military planners know that King Abdullah of Jordan will be pushed aside by the Arab Muslim Palestinian majority and become the state of Palestine in a coup d'etat. Arab Muslims who wish to live peacefully in Israel, can certainly stay, but they will vote in Jordan, therefore, no longer represent a demographic time-bomb against the democratic Jewish State. Such institutions as the Court in the Hague, the E.U., the U.N. and the Arab Block would fight this situation with all the pent-up hatred, they could bring to bear. They do not want a solution that would allow the Jewish State to exist, let alone thrive. These institutions realize that the Arab Muslims are a backward people who tend to bring nothing to this planet - except Jihad (Holy War) with threats of WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction) and declarations that they will make America and all of Europe, one great Muslim Caliphate. The Europeans of France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, England.... are already awash in a sea of hostile Muslim immigrants. They have reached "critical mass". Or as Bridget Bardot recently stated in her book (for which she was fined): "France is undergoing 'Islam-ization'". Which brings the question forward to all the Europeans: How can you be friends with a people, a culture, a religion that hates you so? Islam vows to eliminate the "Crusaders" (their code-word for Christians). Islam aims for global domination. In the weeks leading up to the Court's oral hearings, 49 nations and international organizations submitted brief to the ICJ. The majority, including the E.U. (all 15 current members plus the 10 countries joining), the U.S., Canada, Russia, Australia, Micronesia and the Marshall Islands submitted written briefs questioning the ICJ's righjt of jurisdiction to advise on the issue of Israel's security fence. Others, including the member nations of the Arab League and Cuba, submitted briefs arguing for an ICJ opinion on the fence. Fifteen countries, all of whom called for an ICJ opinion condemning the fence, made oral presentations before the Court. None of these nations want or will accept a ruling by the Hague with respect to their own actions or internal policies. The ruling in the Hague cheered by the Arab Muslim Palestinians and the Europeans will now go back to the U.N. who instituted the Court's action. There it will be stirred by the Arab League Block to bring it to consistent anti-Israel votes in the Security Council. Their objective would be to try to pass punitive embargo measures against Israel which have been on that organization's agenda for most of Israel's existence. Two question arise: Will the U.S. exercise its veto or will it, as it did under Ambassador Andrew Young, vote another form of "Zionism = Racism"? Will other nations accept this ruling as legal precedent which can be used against Israel anytime in the future? As for Sharon, he has this aberrant military philosophy that if he creates this Fence and compresses Israel into an even smaller area, it will be easier to defend. Most people you would ask do not know that Israel (with Judea, Samaria and Gaza) is only 300 miles long and 50 miles wide now. Israel even now does not have strategic depth. Reducing it further will not make it easier to defend, particularly in this age of more accurate, extended range rockets and missiles. Sharon at age 75 is still fighting the wars of the past - which he did very well - then. A War of Defense cannot start from the center of Tel Aviv and move outward. The War of Defense must immediately start at its outer perimeters and move into the enemies' strongholds. As it stands now, under Oslo since 1993, those borders have moved up to Israel's population centers under the false illusion that a hostile people could be sweetened up by appeasement and the gifting of vital tracts of Israel's heartland to her avowed enemies. The mere sight of Jews in a thriving society that they have created sends the Arab Muslim Palestinians into a killing rage while ignoring their leaders who have kept them impoverished. Every area that Rabin and Peres gave over to Yassir Arafat has become a hotbed of Terrorists who launch attacks from these operational bases. This is what Gaza will turn into the minute the Jews are transferred out and it is Judenrein. All those "foreign forces" who are infiltrating into Iraq will now enter Gaza which will become a huge, international Terror base. Remember the Arab Muslim slogan: "First the Saturday people; then the Sunday people". Sharon has learned nothing militarily or politically from the Oslo fiasco and now wishes to compound the error by withdrawing from Gaza unilaterally and inviting the Egyptians to bring its army (in time) into the Sinai which is de-militarized by law specified in the Camp David Accords. Sharon, in his advanced years, has shown he is incapable of guiding the nation either politically, economically or even militarily. He and his Supreme Court should be dissolved immediately before he succeeds in implementing another Diaspora of the Jewish People. ### References: Please check Google for references of the Int'l Court of Justice at Hague - esp: "Decision Dismisses Israel's Arguments, Accepts Palestinian Claim Without Reservation" ADL July 9, 2004 www.adl.org/Israel/court_of_justice.asp "Hague Judges Demand Barrier's Removal: ICJ Panel says fence breaks Int'l law; U.S. Judge opposes ruling" International Christian Embassy, Jerusalem July 9, 2004 "Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory" July 10, 2004 www.icj-cij.org/icjwww/idocket/imwp/imwpframe.htm Emanuel Winston is a commentator and Middle East analyst. His articles appear often on Think-Israel and Gamla. He is a member of the Board of Directors and a research associate of the Freeman Center For Strategic Studies (http://www.freeman.org/online.htm). |
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A FEW SCATTERED THOUGHTS OF THE DAY
Posted by Yuval Zaliouk, July 11, 2004. |
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1) The President of the UN International Court of "Justice" in The Hague happens to be a Chinese. Now pray tell which nation built the largest wall (wall not fence!) in human history. 2) The logic should go like this: After two major victories (in the Israeli Supreme Court and in The International Court of Justice in The Hague), the Palestinians would do best sitting tight and let the anti-Israeli propaganda and biased world media do the work for them. But Arafat and the Palestinian terrorist organizations do not use logic. They are murderous animals and always shoot themselves in the foot. So, this morning (July 11, 2004) in Tel-Aviv, they exploded a bomb which murdered a young Israeli woman and wounded scores of bystanders, including several Israeli Arabs. The terrorist organization responsible was Al- Aktza Brigades, Arafat's own. Now you and the world have yet another proof why the security fence in vital and should be located as far as possible within Judea and Samaria. 3) The security fence surrounding Gaza is extremely efficient. In four years of Intifadah, not one terrorist managed to penetrate it into Israel. In itself it is the proof why the security fence in Judea and Samaria must be completed at the fastest possible speed. 4) My liberal friends say they are mad at President Bush because he mixes church and state and because he infringes upon human rights. When I ask them to provide a concrete example of how it affects them personally, they cannot come up with any example. Why? Because the mention of God is just that, a mention. The human rights restrictions, such as through the Patriot Act, affect mostly Arabs and Muslims among us, and foreigners entering the USA. Those of us, including Arabs and Muslims, who go innocently about their normal daily business do not feel these restrictions. Most world democracies have limitations on human rights in times of war. The population is safer for it. The liberals want both worlds: They attack Bush and the CIA for not supplying the necessary intelligence, yet they refuse to allow the CIA and the government a more readily means to get such information. As for the mention of God, let me remind you the last sentence in the Gettysburg Address: "that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain - that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom - and that..." Here you have it, God and freedom in the same sentence. 5) Look at their body language when they are interviewed. It is she who calls the shots (financially as well, I believe). Yes, of course leaders talk to and consult with their spouses, but somehow when I look at this couple, I have a sneaky feeling that those who will vote for John, will actually vote for Teresa. It will be she who will make sure John is not sucking his finger. Yuval Zaliouk write the Truth Provider essays. To subscribe, send an email to ynz@netvision.net.il |
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A DEAD JEWESS
Posted by Yashiko Sagamori, July 11, 2004. |
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This comes from Protexia (protexia@netvision.net.il). The facts were
gathered from "Yediot Achronot", July 11.
Maayan Naim, 19, from Bat Yam, murdered today while waiting for her bus to her base at Tel Hashomer has a special story as do all of our victims of terror. The small street of Balfour in Bat Yam is where Maayan lived with her parents and siblings. Peretz Chaim Naim and his wife, Mazal, were baalei teshuva who had left the life of the world of Tel Aviv for a new world of Torah over the past few years. Maayan's four siblings always called Maayan "Pocohantos" as her beauty and warmth shined for the entire family. Each morning after minyan as Peretz Chaim would open up his fruit and vegetable store, Maayan would bring the fresh bread and milk for her mother, Mazal, and her four siblings. On Friday nights, as her Abba would venture out to the synagogue in his recent new lifestyle of minyan attendance 3x a day, Mazal would pray in her living room and Maayan would join her mother in tears and song as they prayed together to wait for Abba to come home for kiddush. Last Friday night, Maayan had missed the last bus to Bat Yam, and made it to the house a few minutes after candlelighting on foot. She embraced her mother and siblings and they sang "Lecha Dodi" together, while she was still in uniform, not even spending a minute to change to shabbat clothes. Two weeks ago, Maayan Naim, had her 19th birthday party with her friends. Shani Sambarnin, who was Maayan's best friend since gan, was sick and could not make the party. Maayan was supposed to 'recelebrate' tonight with Shani in Tel Aviv for the belated birthday dinner with her best friend. Maayan was to be discharged from the IDF in 2005 and had registered for school to start her studies. Maayan Naim, 19, is survived by her siblings and her mother, Mazal, and her father Chaim. The news reporter who just visited the house of pre-shiva was told by Maayan's sister, "We don't have Mazal or Chaim, luck or life any more. Maayan will be buried tonight and instead of a happy birthday with her friend, her siblings and father will recite Kaddish for Maayan Naim, another victim of Sharon's statistics of dead Jews. Yashiko Sagamori is a New York-based Information Technology consultant. To read other articles by the author, go to http://www.middleeastfacts.com/yashiko/ or email ysagamori@hotmail.com Note: The version on Sagamori's website has a picture of Maayan. |
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DON'T FRIGHTEN ME WITH BLOODSHED
Posted by Professor Ya'akov Golbert, July 11, 2004. |
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Feedback To the Editor, Haaretz re: Yoel Marcus, "Don't Scare Me with Bloodshed". (See below for a translation of the article into English.) Sunday, 11 July 2004. Yoel Marcus and Haaretz have done the country a favor in exposing so clearly the source of the threat of civil war and the parallel threat to democracy in Israel. The threat in both matters stems from the irrational hatred of the extreme left. Mr. Marcus, for example, is obviously eager to go to war with the "settlers". He makes no effort to conceal it or even to mouth the usual platitudes about how it pains him to have to kill Jews. In fact, he says outright that it would not be a war of fratricide because "the settlers are not my brothers." In truth, it is not the "settlers" but Marcus who removes himself from brotherhood. He is not their brother and that is by his own choice. If he made an effort to know the people he so easily sentences to death, he would know that they are indeed his brothers. Instead, Marcus stands shoulder to shoulder with the Arabs whose implacable hatred of the Jews is the source of the endless war. He chooses to be the brother of the savage cannibals, ghouls and vampires who revel in Israeli blood and frolic with our Israelis? parts and blames the Jews for the fact that Israel must "swallow the sword forever." In fact, he ends his hateful screed with an enthusiastic call to "shed blood for peace." How many Israelis are stupid enough to believe, after the last ten years of appeasing the Arabs and receiving only escalated terrorism in return, that if Israel were to kill all the "settlers" (God forbid!), that peace would result; the "Palestinians" would live with us peacefully, the Arab world would embrace us as cousins, at least, if not brothers and the despotisms that make up two thirds of the UN would stop demonizing Israel on every resolution, no matter how absurd? But Marcus says it as if he believes it. Is he that stupid? Probably not, but believing it provides a pretext for killing "settlers." From what does this violent hatred arise? From nothing of substance whatever, but only the first planted hint of that old bugaboo, a New Jewish Underground, the one the extreme left has scared the Israeli public with so many times in the past only to have it melt away into nothingness when it came time to present evidence. Do the head of Shabak and the Minister of Public Security have any evidence? The showed us none. They have not acted on any. But the attack dogs in the media are already baying for blood. Ah, but there is a rabbi who proclaimed din rodefon the government. Same script as the Rabin scenario. How interesting. Will there also be a pulsa danura staged for television? Will there be another Jewish terrorist organization created by the Shabak Evreskaya Sektsia (mahlaqa Yehudit - Jewish Section) that will stage another blood curdling initiation ceremony for IBA News? Will they call it Eyal again? And will the next assassin come from its ranks like the last time? And will the people believe it again? Even the burning of the Reichstag was done only once! But if you have a winning formula, why change it? Marcus pointed out how dangerous the "settlers" are, that they are mostly veterans of IDF combat units. He did not say that the National Religious camp believe the State of Israel is something actually holy. Again, if he had taken the trouble to learn about the people he has sentenced to death en masse, he would know that it would be anathema to them to open fire on Israeli soldiers or police. The only danger of civil war in Israel stems from the active desire of the left to massacre on Jewish civilians. Thank you, and Yoel Marcus for making that clear. This is my unofficial translation of "Don't Frighten Me With Bloodshed" By Yoel Marcus, Ha'aretz, Sunday, 11 July 2004 There are things that subconsciously, sooner or later are known and one is nevertheless shocked when they fall upon you like a bomb. For example, the "revelations" of the Head of Shabak and the Minister of Public Security that the implementation of the plan of disengagement will involve bloodshed. In his appearance before the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee, Avi Dichter warned that we are entering a more difficult and complicated period. Essentially he is worried by the escalation of violence among the extreme right. He warned that implementation of the disengagement is likely to come to bloodshed. Professor Ya'akov-Perez Golbert is an Advocate and lives in Jerusalem. He is legal council for Radio Free Israel, whose website address is http://www.radiofreeisrael.com. This article is archived at http://www.radiofreeisrael.com/blogger.htm |
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CHUM BAIT FOR THE SHARKS
Posted by Marcel Cousineau, July 11, 2004. |
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After the latest Islamic terrorist killing in Tel Aviv, get ready for more empty building to get attacked on P.M. Sharon's orders. His boss had made it clear not to let things get too bad for the 'poor palestinians' so close to election time. The orders from the President is not to stamp out terrorism but to dismantle those'evil' settlments to appease moslems angry at the Bush fiasco in Iraq. Israel is chum bait for Bush. The harsh responses are reserved for those Jews who live in Gaza, Judea and Samaria. |
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HANEGBI IS BEING VERY INFLAMATORY
Posted by Professor Ya'akov Golbert, July 11, 2004. |
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This is Radio Free Israel Bulletin #500. It was written by Shmuel
HaLevi, a member of the Jewish National Reconstruction Movement and a
Likud Central Committee member. RAdio Free Israel's website address
is: http://www.radiofreeisrael.com
It is an open letter to Tsahi Hanegbi, who said on the basis of zero facts - which he later admitted - that the next murderer of the PM is running around the country. (And it's all the fault of the "extreme right"). Dear Tzahi, Who is the ASSASSIN? I am still trying to fathom what happened to the fellow I met so many times over the years in Karmiel and elsewhere. Until you find something to justify your stupid remark, allow us to present to you some facts. If you reflect back on that remark of yours, you may be able to understand why we decided to call it TIME OUT and look for real leadership. That will come from a growing Movement completely dedicated to the RECONSTRUCTION of our Nation. What we have been enduring for over a decade JUSTIFY complete RECONSTRUCTION. The Post Rabin debacles are just too much to patch over. I believe that The Nation has had enough from generals, sons and political peons. They are finished and in a short time, will be gone. Yet, we all know the lessons of History. You cannot possibly believe that anyone, not even for a moment trusts the referendum rapper, bribe riddled bagman... Mr. Sharon has long ago entered the despotic criminals club. Mr. Sharon has usurped power using foreign funds, violated faith, Party masses democratic resolutions, Central Committee decisions, Party By-Laws and is strongly suspect of having received sophisticated bribes. The turncoat is finally, being called to task by the people. Not for a moment any normal human being would believe that the criminal, intentionally criminal activities since Oslo were then or are now meant to bring "peace". The general lied also on that. He remarked about "painful sacrifices for PEACE"... NOT "painful sacrifices and RUNNING" like stampeded cows. The word "peace" is not even used anymore by the Peresites. The conclusion is that ever since and before 1990 the intent was and is to destroy the Jewish nature of the State and, in fact, dismantle the Jewish people and our Heritage. And on that Mr. Sharon is a front line co conspirator. Consequently...Jewish National self defense is a NATURAL right and that we support. It is public knowledge that Mr. Sharon and his accomplices have entered into agreements against the will of Party members and Central Committee, etc. It is also public knowledge that foreign forces are already here to supplement the "decisions". If armed foreigners are used by general Sharon, in all likelihood his and his controllers MEGA YAMIT plan could well result on a bloodbath. By settling our future via DEMOCRATIC RECONSTRUCTION and the resulting parallel government, we intend to prevent that. In contrast, the ex SHABAK unJews and general Sharon plan on murdering/transferring/incarcerating and destroying Jews. In that context, the pathetic dances by the Sharon-LIKUD... are completely repugnant. Since the GSS present puppet is trying to label DEMOCRATIC INTENT to sever the corrupt disaster we endure as "anarchy" allow me assuage the poor man's concerns. We intend to lead the Nation to FREELY elect Courts and a new leadership EXEMPT from generals and GGS "judensektions" or "little red books". We intend to reject "Greek Islands" deals, South African dark cash or any other of the degenerate tools used by the generals. On the subject of ASSASSINS.. RADIO FREE ISRAEL has been inundated by its members calling to obtain details about who is the "useful idiot" that would waste his life expediting the general. The People demands to know WHO IS the ASSASSIN purportedly roaming Eretz Israel... That is, outside the "police" folk or GSS assassins or the Tennenbaum-Segev associates... Tzahi dear... If you are just shotgunning it to create needless upheaval or to aid on other and darker designs, that would be stupid, to say the least. IN FOLKLORIC FASHION... Why would anyone kill the bribed general when a SWIFT KICK in the butt would suffice? And there is ample room there to aim at... Does the hoopla not sound like another "Rabinazo" to you? Are you part of preparations to perform a putsch? Unless you are more specific, people may be led to believe that the assassin(s) are... A Murderers operated by GSS former... heads that indicated readiness to eliminate certain Jews... B That there is another "champagne" or more roaming about with another Jewish fall guy attached... C That partner Arafat's gangs, still here after ten years since Rabin imported them, will murder again as they murdered general Ze'evi...And thousands more. By the way... Where are the Ze'evi murderers that general Sharon promised to bring to "justice"... D That one or more of the various foreign MI5 or 6 or 007 jellyfish Sharon invited in, are about to murder a prominent Jew or more than one... To most of the people it sounds like the GSS "judensektion" are "desperado"... and hung their hats again on the same plan that led to general Rabin assassination. If there is such ASSASSIN... DETAIN HIM or HER... If not, make sure that the items at the IBA and thereabouts shut up, while the shutting is good. The Jewish Nation has had enough from that garbage... At any rate, we at RFI will continue to advance the only path out of the unJewish failures. TOTAL Jewish National RECONSTRUCTION, with new LEADERSHIP at the helm. [Editor's note: See also Pasko, "Israeli Witch-Hunt, This Time From Likud", this page, July 10.] |
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YOEL MARKUS ADVISES: "SPILL JEWISH BLOOD FOR THE SAKE OF PEACE"
Posted by Dr. Judah Tzoref, July 11, 2004. |
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Haaretz journalist, Yoel Markus, encourages the government to spill the blood of settlers for the sake of peace, in his article "Don't Frighten me with Bloodshed" (Hebrew). Every psychopath is eventually exposed at a moment of crisis. The tantalising scent of Jewish uprooting has driven the Leftist sharks into frenzy. Needless to say that the Left's insatiable appetite for Jewish blood won't alert the GSS (Shabak) into action. As a classic representative of Haaretz morality, Yoel Markus makes it clear for anyone who might get it wrong: "...this will not be a fratricidal war because the settlers are not my brothers...". This statement should be compared with Haaretz's excruciating sensitivity for any fallen "hero" from among the ranks of Palestinian "freedom fighters". Who says we are not inventive at world trade dealings. We are the original exporters of the most distorted minds on earth. At any rate, Haaretz editor deserves your brotherly response. Write them at feedback@haaretz.co.il Dr Judah (Yehuda) Tzoref is a scientist and a grass-roots activist on behalf of Israel. He lives in Rehovot. |
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INCITEMENT AND ENLISTMENT IN LIKUD BY THE LEFT
Posted by Moshe Feiglin, July 10, 2004. |
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INCITEMENT During the Middle Ages witches were burned at the stake as a solution to problems that the king didn't wish to address. The expression "witch hunt" precisely describes how the ruling faction is inciting the masses against an imaginary enemy in order to distract their attention from the real problem. Just as in the Oslo era the shapers of public opinion are diverting public attention from the tragedy to which the national leadership is drawing them. "I didn't believe that I would have to beware of Jews", said Sharon when inaugurating the new media spin. It is reasonable to assume that all the warnings about threats to members of the government are false alarms or disinformation of the "Champagne" type. However, it is important to remember that, as Hazal said, "Not the mouse but the mouse hole is really the culprit". Those persons in Israel who created a dictatorial reality similar to that experienced in the Oslo era are inviting extremist marginal responses of the kind characterizing dictatorial regimes. If someone really wishes to reduce the tension he should address its source - the person who brushes aside every democratic process and wishes to turn his citizens into refugees in their own country. We have to avoid as far as possible being drawn into this kind of debate. Again and again we are invited to participate in TV programs addressing the subject. We refuse because to do so means cooperating with those wishing to divert public attention from the real problem to the "witches". Only this week Israeli citizens living inside the green line became a legitimate target for artillery fire by the terrorists. (The lives of the Jews in Yesha have been made cheap a long time ago.) It is possible to range artillery fire on centers of the Israeli population, and a baby can be killed and its mother seriously injured without causing any significant reaction. In return the Israeli ownership continues to make preparations for withdrawal, to uproot Jews from their homes and hand them over to the murderers. This is the direct continuation of the Oslo logic, and just as that led to thousands of victims and brought Israel to the lowest point in its history, the disengagement process will lead to tens of thousands of Israeli victims and to the brink of the destruction of the Jewish entity in Eretz Israel. This is the burning issue, and not the latest spin created by Sharon's media advisors. ENLISTMENT IN THE LIKUD BY THE LEFT This week there appeared in the headlines the initiative of the Leftist movement headed by Lt. Col. (Res.) Danny Reshef, that plans to recruit Leftists to the Likud as a counterweight to Manhigut Yehudit. This isn't something new: Omri Sharon recruited thousands of Arabs and kibbutzniks to the Likud before the last elections. However, as we saw in the referendum, this wasn't very effective. About a hundred thousand fictitious Likud members left the party immediately after the elections. Members of Manhigut Yehudit are the core of the national camp and its ruling party is their natural arena. They joined after becoming convinced that this was the right thing to do, are paying their membership fees out of their own pockets, and have demonstrated their long term loyalty to the party. Don't worry, such tricks only work in the short term. Those who act from real, long term motives will win in the end. The aim of Manhigut Yehudit: To perfect the world in the kingdom of the Almighty Manhigut Yehudit (Jewish Leadership) is a group of people inside the Likud party who want to see Israel adopt a more Jewish character. Moshe Feiglin, its cofounder, has emphatically said he does not want a theocracy, but he does want a State based on Jewish values. The Manhigut Yehudit website address is http://www.manhigut.org. |
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FRIENDS AND CITIZENS OF YESHA - THINK LIKE SHARON
Posted by Emanuel A. Winston, July 10, 2004. |
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As an old friend of Arik's I suggest you leaders from YESHA, Gush Katif, Jerusalem and the Golan begin to think like Arik does. For example, when he lost the vote in Likud by a 60% to 40% to abandon Gush Katif and 4 Northern Shomron communities, he immediately moved to ignore the vote as pre-planned, IF it failed. He already looked past the vote in his planning and figured out how to roll over the opposition. Most all were surprised that Sharon did not keep his commitment but, they shouldn't have been. Arik is a brilliant tactician who always has several solutions well ahead of what everyone expects him to do. He also has very twisty advisors from the State Department, internal and external PR teams, in addition to Olmert and Peres et al. I see Arik doing things no one could imagine long before his supposed deadline of evacuation. For example, he may move to purge all leadership in YESHA by declaring martial law. He would try to misuse the law until he accomplished his mission. He could have the IDF block all roads in YESHA so no one could leave the area for Gaza and Gush Katif to help them keep their homes. All he needs is an excuse to do it - such as claiming security problems. He may issue one of his dictatorial laws with collusion by the Leftist Supreme Court to make any move against his evacuation a "jail-able offense". Eventually, the Courts would declare his tactic illegal but, he would use the time to force evacuation. He may send troops into Gush Katif so that every street is filled with troops, days - even weeks before he starts the forced evacuation. How would you counter such a move? Although remote, he could call in foreign troops from NATO and/or the E.U. with approval from Bush. It has just been reported that Sharon plans to go to France to enlist European support and pressure just as Rabin-Peres did just before and during the first Arafat war - called Intifada. He has already initiated his PR campaign to demonize the Settlers of Gaza, Gush Katif and YESHA in the eyes of the general public. He is in the process of demonizing the Rabbis and trying to scare them into silence. In America a similar, coordinated campaign has already been launched to mislead the general public and silence the Jewish leadership so they won't complain about his withdrawal/eviction/ evacuation/abandonment Plan. You already know that, like Rabin, he has set in motion the subverted GSS to monitor the Settlers but, worse yet, look for agents provocateurs to create false events so the Leftist Media can start their campaign "Blaming Settlers for creating disturbances. Recall the suspicious drive-by shootings which blamed the Settlers or "special hits" on Jewish leaders. Think about what can be squeezed out of the Knesset in the short run to give him a false legitimacy? Expect all of these things earlier - not later and plan counter moves. There will be disinformation from Arik with dates of implementation far out but then they will surprise you by happening months earlier than expected. Start to expect hard action within months instead of Arik's false public time-table. Start to think of the unusual because that's Arik's strength. He will move against you in places and ways you will not expect, unless you start thinking like Arik. Whatever you do, don't take comfort in the idea that you have Arik figured out and that he is trapped in not being able to pull off his evacuation. Some things you may consider as solutions, instead of forming a chain of people from Gush Katif to Jerusalem, start the Chain from Arik's office, around the Knesset and down to the Kirya in Tel Aviv. Picket the 3 Leftist newspapers and demand fair, unbiased coverage. Call the Media outlets via Phone, Fax, Email at home, office and Cell, day and night - pleading for fair, honest coverage. Give them new stories from the region directly to the Reporters, Editors, Publishers throughout the day and night. These must be correct and polite news reports which, as news organizations they would want to hear. Ponder how to enlist the nation and demonstrate how it would feel NOT to be able to go home. If a driver were stopped and handled a flyer saying: "You have been stopped for a few minutes from going home so, imagine how it would feel if you could never go home because you were evicted. But, all Plans have flaws and have counter-plans. I have a strong feeling that the nation will turn on Arik and all those who assisted him. There will likely be a new election and the new Prime Minister will remember all the Politicians, Generals and the directors of the Security Agencies who will be fired and brought to trial for treason against the nation. Right now they feel confident and in control. I would suggest that you have a document drawn up with a list of charges and penalties that would be hand-delivered to each of the Politicians, Generals, Directors of the Shin Bet/Shabak, etc. It's only fair to show them both sides of the picture. Naturally all actions of civil disobedience will follow the law. No doubt you have heard about the predictable ruling today on the Fence from the International Court at the Hague, Netherlands - To wit, that the Wall is illegal. Now it will go back to the U.N. who initiated the action. Their game plan will be is issue punitive sanctions. Let's see if Bush and the State Department veto or abstain (which is the same). The elimination of the cease-fire border - as marked by the Fence is of small loss although their statistics show a dramatic decline in Terror attacks. I don't know how accurate that assessment is. Perhaps the decline in Terror attacks is due the IDF eliminating the Terror leaders and disrupting their organizations. But, to have NO marked Border as the Fence will inevitably become, may be a benefit. All the Best,
P.S. I suggest you translate this letter into Hebrew and send to whomever you wish to think about Arik's Plans for dismemberment of the Land of Israel. Emanuel Winston is a commentator and Middle East analyst. His articles appear often on Think-Israel and Gamla. He is a member of the Board of Directors and a research associate of the Freeman Center For Strategic Studies (http://www.freeman.org/online.htm). |
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ISRAELI WITCH-HUNT, THIS TIME FROM LIKUD
Posted by Ariel Natan Pasko, July 10, 2004. |
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For years, there's been a slogan in Israel, "Only the Likud can..." I've always wondered, "Can what?" Now I've learned what. Likud, it's leaders, can persecute its political opponents just as slyly, just as deviously, just as undemocratically as the Left and the Labor Party can. Except, they don't persecute the Left or Labor, they persecute those who oppose their Likud-cum-Left disengagement (i.e. expel the Jews) policy. Through insinuation, conjecture, theory, and downright exaggeration, Sharon's government, with the help of Israel's left-leaning amen-corner media, has "warned" of the possibility, of maybe, someone, might-think, of doing grievous bodily harm to the prime minister or a minister in the government. Get the picture? If you think of opposing Sharon's plan to expel Jews from Gaza, if you tell someone else that you disagree with it, you might be accused of "incitement". Incitement to what? I don't know, it's never spelled out in Hebrew; they just use the phrase "Hasata" incitement. I think they mean violence; but I'm not quite sure. In a supposedly democratic country, what I'm writing right now, might land me in jail for a "conjectured thought of violence" as the Israeli thought police creep around inside my head to determine what I "intend" to do. For the last couple of days, since the head of Israel's General Security Service (like the FBI) Avi Dichter told the cabinet that there were threats against the prime minister's life from right-wing extremist elements; there's been a media frenzy in Israel. Since Dichter's statements, most of the radio and television time has been spent discussing the "issue". "The activities of Israel's extreme right have escalated," Dichter said, without documenting his statements. Dichter claimed that persons on the right could pose a threat to the prime minister's safety, trying to prevent implementation of his unilateral disengagement plan in Gaza. His depiction of the situation drew objections from army and police elements. In fact, a couple days later, Israeli Army Radio quoted security sources that said there is "no information in the General Security Service (GSS) or the police, regarding intentions to harm the prime minister or any other senior personality." Also a senior police officer from the Judea and Samaria District said the police don't share Dichter's assessment that right-wing extremism is on the rise. "He may know something that we don't, but according to information we have, the situation has stayed the same and we don't know of any rabbis or public figures who have become extreme and have turned into a threat," the officer said. Yet, Prime Minister Sharon - playing the victim role well - spoke to the Shinui Party Knesset faction the day after the cabinet meeting, "It pains me that, as someone who all his life defended Jews in the wars of Israel, I now need defense against Jews, for fear someone might try to harm me." He seems to miss the irony of it all, planning to harm thousands of Jews rather than defending them, since he now plans to expel Jews from their homes... Turning to Justice Minister Yosef Lapid, Sharon said, "Speaking to you not as a friend, but as justice minister, this is something that must be uprooted. All these conferences and rhetoric cannot be allowed." In other words, Sharon wants to bring an end to free speech and dissent in Israel. No one will be allowed to meet in groups to discuss their opposition to the disengagement plan, let alone actually oppose it. The right to free speech is only loosely protected in Israel, and the concept of non-violent civil disobedience almost non-existent. When Moshe Feiglin's "Zu Artzeinu" blocked traffic in the mid-1990s in protest over the Oslo agreements, the police treated the non-violent protesters as revolutionary extremists. Feiglin himself was tried and convicted of sedition. Imagine, blocking traffic in protest for a couple hours, is now a "revolutionary," "violent," and "seditious" act, that threatens the national security of the state. But that was under the Rabin government, the Left. Many thought a Likud or "right-wing" government would be different. Back in the mid-1990s, my wife and I were drawing political cartoons. In response to one of Netanyahu's speeches, outlining what he would do if he were prime minister, I suggested to my wife doing a Siamese twin "Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee" cartoon, labeled Labor and Likud. My wife didn't quite agree, but I prevailed and we did it. I insisted at the time (c. early 1995), that there really wasn't that much difference between what Netanyahu and Likud were promising, and what Rabin was doing till then. I'm sorry to have been right. And it continues... After Dichter laid his "stink bomb," Sharon said, "Oh my my they're after me," and the Left jumped on it's chance to attack everyone else not "Them". Likud Minister of Internal Security, Tzahi Hanegbi, then threw fuel on the fire and said that in his opinion, "There are already people who have made the decision that if/when the time comes, they will 'save the Jewish people' and will try to kill a minister, a Prime Minister, an army officer or a policeman." Then Carmi Gillon, who served as head of the GSS when Rabin was assassinated (he was the person who ran GSS plant Avishai Raviv, who incited Rabin murderer Yigal Amir), said that Hanegbi was right about an impending extremist threat. "The next murder is on the doorstep," Gillon, who is now mayor of Mevasseret Zion, told Israel Army Radio. Why all the incitement against the Right? Hanegbi later admitted that he didn't know of any specific threats and his statements weren't based on any intelligence reports, but just the general situation and Dichter's remarks to the cabinet. But while the Left, Likud (who is Centrist), and others flay around looking for their "boogie-men," the Ynet news Internet site (affiliated with one of Israel's leading daily newspapers) featured a "hit-list" of "right-wing extremists," including Baruch Marzel, the Yesha Rabbis Council, Women in Green, the "hilltop youth," and others. I hope they aren't inciting some left-wing extremists to attack them... Not only politicians from the Left have been warning of a civil war (a tactic they used in the post-Rabin assassination period to frighten people and quell any opposition to their "peace policies"), but Sharon himself said recently that in the current atmosphere over the disengagement plan, it gives him the feeling of a country on the eve of a civil war, and that everything must be done to prevent this. Sharon called the incitement by the Right a "dangerous development," that will be met with "all seriousness." Sharon claims he has the support of the majority of the country to go through with the disengagement plan, and intends to do so. "I am determined to follow through," he said. Yet MK Tzvi Hendel, of the right-wing National Union Party, blamed Sharon rather than Dichter for the enflamed situation. He pointed out that snipers were present when outposts were dismantled and warned that Sharon could order snipers to open fire on settlers resisting a Gaza withdrawal. "Sharon has recently succeeded in crudely trampling every democratic initiative in every area, I'm afraid that with a prime minister so undemocratic, he could order a civil war," Hendel told his faction, "We have to do everything possible to prevent Sharon from bringing a civil war on the people of Israel." And, after Dichter's cabinet statement, the Yesha Rabbinical Council termed it "incitement and provocation to hatred against an entire public." It also charged that for years, "law enforcement agencies have ignored repeated law-breaking by leftist extremists," yet they are now preparing to suppress opponents of Sharon's disengagement plan. But at the same time, Likud MK Roni Bar-On called on the settler leadership to stick to the legitimate rules of protest in a democratic country. "The struggle for the land must be conducted only through legal proceedings [not violence]," he said. Why the reminder when there's no real threat? Is it to hem-in their right to protest, to shut them up? Finally, in this "theater of the absurd witch-hunt" with both Dichter and Hanegbi later admitting they knew of no concrete threats, the GSS head called a meeting with settler leaders from the "Council of Jewish Settlements in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza" also called the Yesha Council. And what did they talk about? Following their meeting, the Yesha Council leaders said Dichter clarified that during his briefing to the government, warning of increasing extremism among the anti-evacuation public, he was referring to far-right extremists not representative of the settler public. "What I was talking about was a core group of Jewish extremists that have crossed the line, and the GSS is dealing with them. I did not include representatives of the general settler or Jewish public in this group," Dichter told the Yesha Council leaders. "Yes, but the general public does not understand it this way. For the past three days the media is in a frenzy, and everyone is pointing the finger at us," the settler leaders told Dichter. The Yesha Council leaders told Dichter they "will not give in to the delegitimization campaign being waged by the Left and by [Prime Minister Ariel] Sharon's associates." Notice how the witch-hunt tactics have paid off... Without any real threats in existence, Sharon through the GSS has pacified the Yesha Council leaders. "Dichter didn't intend to malign the settlers or their leaders but just the anarchists and the marginal extremists," Benzi Lieberman, head of the Yesha Council said following the meeting. Now "re-educated," Lieberman spoke up in Dichter's defense, the GSS head "understands what we have gone through over the past few days." In one fell swoop Sharon (the ultimate bomb-thrower, that's his leadership style), created a crisis, floated "perceived" threats, allowed the entire settler and right-wing of the Israeli political spectrum to be blackballed and frightened, then pacified their leadership, his only serious opposition. Sharon's learned well from Labor and the Left. He's absorbed the lessons from those heady witch-hunt days right after the Rabin assassination, when half the country (the Right) was accused of aiding and abetting Rabin's murderer. Back then, they all apologized and beat their breasts, even though only one person pulled the trigger. The real question is, has the Right (i.e. rabbis, other settler leaders, and the general Jewish public alike, who support the Jewish people's right to their homeland) learned its lesson too, not to cower this time around? P.S. A recent study done by the University of Haifa's National Security Studies Center, asked 1,016 Jews in Israel, "When there is a political disaster ahead and other forms of protest have not brought improvement, physically injuring politicians is forgivable." While 8.2 percent of respondents living in pre-1967 Israel (within the Green Line) agreed with the statement, only 3.3 percent of "settlers" (those Jews living in Judea, Samaria and Gaza) did so. Dr. Ami Pedahzur, research director at the center concluded, "The connection the media makes between the radical right and the settlers is inappropriate." Thus proving my witch-hunt argument... Ariel Natan Pasko is an independent analyst and consultant. He has a Master's Degree in International Relations and Policy Analysis. His articles appear regularly on numerous news/views and think-tank websites, in newspapers, and can be read at: www.geocities.com/ariel_natan_pasko |
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WHAT WOULD IBN KHALDUN SAY?
Posted by Gerald A. Honigman, July 10, 2004. |
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Zionism has meant different things to different people over the millennia. The connecting thread woven throughout all variations, however, has always involved Jews Zionism has meant different things to different people over the millennia. The connecting thread woven throughout all variations, however, has always involved Jews being in their land and at least somewhat in control of their own destinies. Whether they were biblical tears shed by the rivers of Babylon some two thousand years earlier, or writings such as those of the medieval poet, Yehuda HaLevi, proclaiming a desire to be a pauper in Zion rather than a prince in Muslim Spain (where Jews had it relatively good), these ancient ties have bound Jews to Israel for most of man's recorded history. The animosity which often greeted them in the Diaspora helped to assure that those ties would not be forgotten. For religious Zionists of all degrees and persuasions, the Hand of G_d was at work in all of these events throughout the ages leading up to the rebirth of Israel in 1948. It took, after all, the rejection by the non-Jewish world of even the most assimilated of Jews -- men like Alfred Dreyfus -- before the rebirth of political Zionism could become a reality in the late 19th century. But not all were religious Zionists. Many Jews had indeed tried just about everything to gain acceptance in the non-Jewish world, but the Dreyfus Affair, pogroms, and numerous other problems culminating in the Holocaust kept on occurring in the "enlightened " and "modern" age anyway. It was as if G_d was sending a message: "You have no alternative...Israel must be reborn whether you Jews like it or not!" So Zionism came to have another meaning. It represented for many a chance for Jews to simply bring a semblance of normalcy into their lives. Since the fall of Judaea to Rome, too often bloodbaths, forced conversions, expulsions, inquisitions, blood libels, demonization, ghettoization, and every other imaginable humiliation was the plight of the Jew in the Diaspora. There are churches to this very day which have stained glass windows or murals depicting Jews stabbing the Host of the Christian Communion in order to supposedly kill Jesus "yet again." And the Arab world provides widespread anti-Semitica to its people as well. They were G_d killers in the West and /or kilab yahud-- "Jew Dog" -- killers of prophets in the East. So not all who dreamt of a return to Zion did so out of an urge to become "a nation of priests" or a "light unto the nations." While the high ideals of religious Zionism still remained in many a Jewish heart and soul (even among the agnostics), the chance to change their age-old tenuous existence in both the Christian and Muslim halves of the Diaspora was also a major motivating factor. Besides wanting to escape forever the mandatory ghetto (and subconsciously the evolved ghetto mentality) of the former and the mellah of the latter -- and the negative effects and consequences such existence both produced on and brought out from themselves over the centuries -- Jews just wanted to have a nation like all others. Over three thousand years earlier, when most other folks were still worshipping stone idols and practicing fertility rites, the Jews' ancestors were pleading with the Prophet Samuel to intercede with G-d to allow them to have a worldly king -- for some different but yet also some similar reasons. Jews wanted to be farmers (they had largely not been allowed to own land), barbers, street cleaners, policemen, doctors, scholars, soldiers, statesmen...whatever...but masters of their own fate, not the perpetual stranger in someone else's land or pawn being played in someone else's games (with deadly consequences to themselves). Jews had often been allowed to settle in a land only after agreeing to take on unpopular tasks and jobs. Some, like Karl Marx, would seek solutions to these problems in a broader context, via political and socio-economic reform. Ironically, while Marx despised his Jewish roots, he sounded like a Hebrew Prophet in his demand for justice for the poor and the oppressed. Isaiah and others would have understood his passion well....Indeed, they were his teachers. Zionism meshed together all of these diverse fears, hopes, and dreams. And the key to its future had everything to do with transforming the powerless state of the Jews as a people. Enter "Abd-ar-Rahman Abu Zayd ibn Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Khaldun. Ibn Khaldun was born in the early 14th century C.E. He was one of the most important philosophers, jurists, and scholars Islamic -- or any -- civilization would ever produce. His name surfaces in the contemporary West every once in a while. On March 19, 2003, for example, an Associated Press story mentioned the release of an Egyptian-American human rights activist, Saad Eddin Ibrahim, from a seven-year sentence in prison. He had founded the independent think tank, the Ibn Khaldun Center, and proved to be too independent for the Egyptian government's wishes. Ibn Khaldun had spent much of his later life in Cairo. Graduate students in Middle Eastern Studies usually come to know Ibn Khaldun through his work, The Muqaddimah. It is actually the introduction to and Book I of his Kitab al-'Ibar, the History of the World. Besides simply giving an account of events, he offers a rational explanation of the "hows" and "whys" they occurred. He uses frequent historical illustrations to make his points. It is here that this great Muslim scholar, who died almost six hundred years ago, has some very important things to say about Jews and Israel. Among other things, Ibn Khaldun detailed the prolonged forced Arabization process of Berber North Africa as well. While he offers good critique and discussion about biblical and other accounts regarding Jews in general (i.e. he relates the Roman conquest of Jewish Jerusalem -- something Arafat & Co. deny ever even existed), it is his perspective on issues we have already covered above that is now of special concern. Before The Muqaddimah was introduced into this essay, we had reviewed the powerlessness of the Jewish experience and the negative consequences which had derived from this. Ibn Khaldun spoke to this matter as well. Let's listen: "Students, slaves, and servants brought up with injustice and tyrannical force are overcome by it...it makes them feel oppressed...induces them to lie, be insincere...their outward behavior differs from what they are thinking. Thus they are taught deceit and trickery...they become dependent on others...their souls become too indulent to acquire...good character qualities. Thus they fall short of their potentialities and do not reach the limit of their humanity. That is what happened to every nation which fell under the yoke of tyranny and learned the meaning of injustice. One may check this out by observing any person who is not in control of his own affairs and has no authority on his side to guarantee safety. One may look at the Jews (as an example)...The reason is what we have said." However one chooses to respond to his assessment, Zionism's non-religious raison d'etre would have been obvious to Ibn Khaldun, one of the world's most important thinkers six centuries ago. He devoted much time and effort to the evolution and development of the Jewish nation, its early struggles with its adversaries, and its later fight for freedom with the mighty Roman Empire and its consequences. He then followed this with an analysis of the Jews' tragic condition of powerlessness throughout subsequent generations. Ibn Khaldun would have well understood the rebirth of Israel and the 'asabiyah -- group consciousness (emphasized throughout his writings) -- which made it possible...even if it was a consciousness born not only out of a "noble house" but also from the desperation of the Jews' perpetual victim, scapegoat, and whipping post status. While he commented that the Jews, who had one of the most "noble houses" in the world, had subsequently lost their 'asabiyah and for centuries suffered constant humiliations as a result, he would have applauded and understood their desire to end this unfortunate turn of events. The Muqaddimah emphasizes that the Jews were forced to wander in the desert for forty years due to their "meekness." Ibn Khaldun stressed that this was necessary so that a new generation would arise with a new, more powerful 'asabiyah. At a time when Arabs are demanding their 22nd or 23rd state (most having been created by the conquest of non-Arab peoples and their lands), chances are more than good that this great Muslim scholar would have approved and viewed the resurrection of Israel as an answer to the unique plight of stateless Jews. Indeed, it is more than likely that Ibn Khaldun, one of the greatest scholars of all time (Muslim or otherwise), would have viewed the rebirth of Israel as the end of an even more tragic and extensive wandering and period of meekness and powerlessness of the Jews in the desert. Gerald A. Honigman is a Florida educator who has created and conducted counter-Arab propaganda programs for college youth, has lectured on numerous campuses and other platforms, and has publicly debated many Arab spokesmen. His articles and op-eds have been published in newspapers, magazines, academic journals and websites around the world. |
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FACING THE INTERNATIONAL COURT
Posted by Dr Ron Breiman, July 10, 2004. |
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Palestinian representatives say that the fence and the settlements are illegal in international law for the same reasons: They are encroaching on Palestinian land and are expressions of the occupation. Professor for a Strong Israel suggests that the response of the government of Israel should have been that both are legal for the same reasons: According to international law Jews only were given political rights in at least the whole of Western Palestine. Jewish national rights explicitly include the duty to settle the land with a dense Jewish population and to encourage Jewish immigration into the land, and it is forbidden to transfer the land out of Jewish control. A trivial byproduct of these national rights is the right to build roads everywhere in the regions of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza. It follows that the right to build life-saving devices such as a fence is even more justified. Professor for a Strong Israel asks: Is the government of Israel prepared to forego the justification of the fence - that, according to the government, saves lives - in international law merely in order not to give legitimacy to the settlements, in view of its intention to evacuate settlements and transfer the land out of Jewish control? Dr. Ron Breiman is chairman of Professors for a Strong Israel (PSI). He can be reached by phone in Israel at 050-5-518 940. |
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AN IMAGINARY - OR NOT SO IMAGINARY - SCENARIO
Posted by Udi Ohana, July 10, 2004. |
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An imaginary individual decides to visit his imaginary relatives. He collects his wife and imaginary children, prepares a suitcase, and sets out on his way. In order to get to his relatives, he has to pass through a barrier. There is a long line of people waiting to pass through this barrier, and our imaginary friend is waiting patiently with his family. At the end of the line, tough-looking people in uniforms check with a frustrating slowness every single person passing through the barrier. Another person in uniform gives our imaginary friend a form, in a language he doesn't understand, and asks him to fill in the details. On this form, our imaginary friend is required to explain who he is, who his companions are, his destination, and his intentions. Next to the long line where our imaginary friend is waiting patiently there is another line, in which other people pass through the barrier quickly and without any checks, as if to emphasize the injustice of this imaginary world. When our imaginary friend reaches the checkpoint, he is required by another official in uniform to open his bag. His belongings are scattered and thoroughly checked. He is asked to remove certain elements of his clothing, and may even be asked to spread his arms. From this checkpoint our imaginary friend is sent to another official in uniform, who glances at the form he has filled in, and repeats the same questions - Who are you? Where are you going? Who are you traveling with? What are you going to do when you get there? etc. At this stage, when our imaginary friend feels that he and his family have experienced the very depths of injustice and humiliation, he is permitted to pass. This unimaginary scenario takes place every minute in every sea- and airport of every country in the world - and nobody complains. It is quite obvious that every sovereign country in the world has the right to check the people wishing to enter its borders. With regard to every country in the world, this is called "passport control". With regard to Israel it has come to be called "barriers", "walls", "fences", etc. Every country in the world surrounds itself with a wall, and with control checkpoints. In every such checkpoint you will find people in uniforms, and in many places you will also find soldiers with firearms. Every country in the world has a wall. The physical shape of the wall is a function of the purpose of the wall. When the purpose of the wall is to check tourists and innocent bystanders, the physical shape of the wall will be a modern, comfortable, air-conditioned terminal. When the purpose of the wall is to prevent the free passage of terrorists bearing arms and explosives, whose intention is the murder of innocent citizens without discrimination, the physical shape of the wall is concrete, with watchtowers, etc. No country in the world is faced with the relentless, intensive, and mind-numbing horror of the effects of terrorism to the degree that Israel is. Yet Israel is the only country in the world that has been told by an international court of justice that it does not have the right to close its borders and check people wishing to come in or pass through. If the basic right of the Palestinian Arabs to move freely from place to place is being exploited by the Palestinian terror organizations to implement terrorist activities inside Israel, then Israel's natural basic right as a sovereign nation is to prevent the entry of such individuals - even at the cost of the construction of a wall/fence/barrier. FACT: No international court of justice prosecuted Jordan for violating the basic human rights of the Palestinian Arabs by not allowing them free passage into Jordan - despite the fact that until 1967, all the West Bank territories were under Jordanian rule. FACT: No international court of justice prosecuted Egypt for violating the basic human rights of the Palestinian Arabs living in Gaza by not allowing them free passage into Egypt - despite the fact that until 1967, the Gaza Strip was under Egyptian rule. FACT: It is a fact, however, that virtually no suicide bombers have gained entry into Israel in areas where the wall/barrier has been constructed. FACT: The Israeli High Court of Justice ruled that certain parts of the wall should be re-routed, but also that security considerations should be balanced against the needs of local residents. FACT: The Palestinian Authority does not want the wall, because the wall reflects the concept of two countries for two people. The PA wants one binational state in which, based on demographic statistics, the Jews will very quickly become a minority, leading to the inevitable end of the State of Israel. Udi Ohana and his wife have created some extraordinary graphic presentations on Israel's history and geography. You can contact him at udio@conceptwizard.com or go to www.conceptwizard.com |
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SELF HATERS
Posted by Yuval Zaliouk, July 10, 2004. |
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The bizarre phenomenon of self hatred by the Israeli and American left
is insightfully discussed here by Dennis Prager. It is entitled
"Michael Moore and the problem of American (and Jewish)
self-hatred." It appeared July 6, 2004 on TownHall website
(www.townhall.com).
Did you ever notice that there are no Germans going around the world saying, or making movies about, how awful Germany is or has been? Given that Germany unleashed two world wars and invented industrialized genocide, why has there been no German Michael Moore? Are there any Japanese making films about the absence of Japanese soul-searching or expressions of sorrow over their country's enslavement, torture and murder of Asians in World War II? Has anyone ever encountered any Japanese self-hate? Any Belgians telling the world how bad their country is? Argentinians? French? France surely has reason to produce people ashamed of their country. The answer, of course, is no. In fact, among all the world's peoples, only two produce large numbers of individuals who have greater sympathy for those who hate their country or national/ethnic group than for those who love it -- Americans and Jews. Many on the American Left loathe America (they love the Constitution and their vision of what America could be) and have contempt for the average American. That is why most of the Left has such admiration for Michael Moore, who has said, among so much more, the following: Americans "are possibly the dumbest people on the planet ... in thrall to conniving, thieving, smug p----s" (London Daily Mirror). "Should such an ignorant people lead the world?" (open letter to the German People in Die Zeit). Elsewhere, he speaks of America as bringing immeasurable misery and sadness to the world and as essentially deserving attacks on it. There are no comparable self-haters in any other country except Israel, whose leftists have the same contempt for their country, nor among any other group except the Jews, whose Left also generally loathe the Jewish state (and America). Israeli professors in the West are often the leaders in anti-Israel demonstrations and movements. Jews such as Professors Norman Finkelstein and Noam Chomsky devote much of their lives to trying to harm the one Jewish country in the world (and America) and express deep hatred of Jewish institutions. Here is Finkelstein: Jewish organizations "steal, and I do use the word with intent, 95 percent of the monies earmarked for victims of Nazi persecution" (Counterpunch, Dec. 13, 2001). Jews "are not Zionist by conviction, they are Zionist because it is useful for their political and more recently financial self-interest" (same). In a lecture delivered in Beirut, Finkelstein likened Israeli actions to "Nazi practices" during World War II, albeit with some added "novelties to the Nazi experiments" (Commentary, June 2002). And Noam Chomsky wrote the foreword to a book denying the Holocaust. This is the same as a black professor writing the foreword to a book by a Ku Klux Klansman. This self-loathing on the part of Americans and Jews is all the more remarkable when you consider that leftists of every other group strongly affirm their national, cultural and ethnic identities. For example, while American and Jewish leftists ceaselessly attack America and Israel, black and Hispanic leftists ceaselessly defend blacks and Hispanics. How, then, to explain this anomaly of American and Jewish self-loathing? I offer four explanations in no order of importance. First, those Jews and Americans who loathe Israel and America are virtually always on the Left, and the Left around the world hates America and Israel. You can't be a leftist and strongly defend America or Israel. The Left will shun you. And since most of these individuals' primary identity comes from being a leftist, being ostracized from fellow leftists is hell on earth. Second, many leftists are psychologically adolescents. And one feature of adolescent psychology is anger at a parent who claims very high ideals and turns out to be flawed. Many on the Left are angry at America and Israel for being imperfect and therefore disappointing them. Third, the words "American" and "Jewish" both represent distinctive value systems, not only national and ethnic identities. And these value systems clash with leftist values. Both American and Jewish identities are rooted in religion and divine chosenness. And the further left one goes, the greater the hostility to religion -- especially to Judaism and Christianity (not to Islam, which the Left often defends, because many Muslims hate Judaism and Christianity as much as the Left does) -- not to mention to any notion of national or religious exceptionalism. When you add to this that America also represents capitalism and holds liberty higher than equality, you can further understand why America elicits so much hatred from its own leftists. Fourth, since America and Israel are the two most hated countries in the world, and the Jews are the most hated ethnic/religious group, many Americans and Jews would rather identify with the haters than with the hated. That is why, for example, so many American leftists base a large part of their case against George W. Bush on his having increased anti-American sentiments around the world. This makes leftists livid -- again, like adolescents, they yearn to be part of the in-crowd (meaning America- and Israel-haters) and fear being disliked. There may be other explanations. But what is certain is that American self-hatred and Jewish self-hatred are unique phenomena that play a particularly destructive role in our world. Yuval Zaliouk write the Truth Provider essays. To subscribe, send an email to ynz@netvision.net.il |
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PLO PROSTITUTE: EDWARD ABINGTON, JR.
Posted by David Ben-Ariel, July 10, 2004. |
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The American Diplomat in Arafat's Corner," published in The Jerusalem Report, came as no surprise to me. It was referring to Edward Abington, Jr., the United States' former consul general in Jerusalem who is now "guiding the Palestinians through the labyrinths of Washington. And his firm is being paid $2.25 million for his expertise." Allow the following information to shed light on his less than faithful service to American taxpayers: "Dear Congresswoman Kaptur: Thank you for your valuable assistance in my pursuit of justice! It's wonderfully refreshing to see some public servants truly helping out their fellow Americans. It's obvious from Mr. Abington, Jr.'s letter to you that he has strongly held political views that prefers the continued occupation of JUDAISM'S MOST HOLY SITE - the Temple Mount - by militant Muslims. Such radical views enable the Muslim extremists to continue to pose a threat to religious Jews and Christians who merely hope to pray on the site... However historically or biblically inaccurate Mr. Abington, Jr's views are, I believe he is entitled to them. I do not believe his personal views ought to interfere with his public duty. It appears he has DELIBERATELY IGNORED every relevant FACT that PROVED my arrest amounted to political and religious PERSECUTION. As honestly reported in The Jerusalem Post article he referred to, I wasn't interrogated...by 6 different SECRET SERVICEMEN about the TEMPLE MOUNT because of an "expired visa!" I charged Ms. Leech (his assistant) with complicity in their unjust actions against me for going along with their lie that my visa was expired and for "turning a blind eye to their undemocratic ways. I'd given her a letter for Mr. Abington, Jr. to PROTEST MY POLITICAL ABUSE AND RELIGIOUS MISTREATMENT. Since he never bothered to respond, I'm not sure he even received it. It was difficult to deal with Ms. Leech...since she was quite antagonistic, contending that Israel wanted to deport me because "you wanted to blow up the mosque." When I protested that simply was NOT TRUE, she angrily ordered her assistant, "Go see what he's charged with." He came back and said, "Visa violation." So she KNEW the real reason I was in jail was for being a member of the Temple Mount Faithful, but later went along with their LIE about my visa... Mr. Abington, Jr. falsely accused me of being proud about my imprisonment. I'm not proud of it nor ashamed, but I do believe in making the most out of a bad situation...Why shouldn't I use my horrible experience to underscore and further the JUST CAUSE of the Temple Mount Faithful? How could anyone fail to understand this?...After all, it's the TEMPLE Mount, not the mosque mount! Is it too much for an INNOCENT AMERICAN to expect his government to stand up for him? All I've requested from the beginning is for the Consul General to STRONGLY PROTEST my unjust imprisonment and deportation. They know what I say is the truth, but because of their hostile views, they're playing deaf, dumb and blind to the fact that I was a POLITICO-RELIGIOUS PRISONER. Frankly, they're upset that I refused to go like a lamb to slaughter, but roared like a lion instead - exposing Peres' corruption and their complicity. I will continue to seek justice until it is found..." David Ben-Ariel is author of "Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall," (http://www.pushhamburger.com/david.htm). |
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COMMENTARY ON BATYA MEDAD'S MUSINGS #58
Posted by Emanuel A. Winston, July 9, 2004. |
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Perhaps our American diplomats have forgotten that, once we could tell the difference between the good and the bad. Once we were straight forward Americans who were viewed by the French and the British as vulgar upstarts who didn't deserve our own nation. When did it happen that our diplomats became like the French, always known as the prostitutes of Europe? Or the English who would betray any nation to achieve their goals? When our diplomats cannot tell the difference between a noble ally who desperately tries to be a functioning democracy and backward nations who have either oil or terrorist proxies, then our Government is in deep trouble. We Americans once had a unique nobility in the world because we acted as a free and ethical people. We were the vulgar Americans to the Europeans and the Arab Sheiks because we were the "straight shooters". Now our hired diplomats equate hard-working observant Jewish Israelis with Arafat and his Terrorists. While the Jews develop pharmaceuticals to save lives, the Arab Muslim Palestinians build and fire rockets, blow up children and our American diplomats say we Jews are the same. I guess it was just a matter of time before Washington became, like the French. That we could interchange diplomats with the French or the Saudis and not tell the difference. Perhaps the following by Batya Medad will speak more to our embarrassment by our diplomatic corps. Please send this to out diplomatic corps/alias the U.S. State Department - in Washington, in Israel and whatever Media would find this interesting. Something has happened to our diplomatic corps where they can no longer distinguish friend from foe. Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt, Iraq - are not our friends. We Americans do business with them but, they are NOT our friends. When we can no longer tell our friends from our enemies it is time to change teams. Corporations usually move to fire the deadwood in their organizations which is called "re-engineering". The U.S. State Department is long overdue for a radical "re-engineering" and house-cleaning. But, there is more that preceded the insults and arrogance displayed by the State Department to Israel. Recall that it was then Sec. of State James Baker III during the Bush, Sr. Presidency who hand-picked malleable Leftist Jews to carry his disdain, even hatred into the heart of the Jewish State. Dennis Ross, Aaron Miller and Daniel Kurtzer came to be known as "Baker's Jew Boys" who came to Israel as State Department messengers to order the Israeli government to do as the State Department ordered. Later another of this ilk, a Jew from Australia, Martin Indyk became Ambassador carrying on the tradition of a Court Jew - subverting the vital interests of the Jewish State to the benefit of the Palestinian Arab Muslims and the State Department's partners Saudi Arabia and Egypt. (Remember that of the 19 hijacking/suicide bombers on 9/11, 15 were Saudi Arabian and 4 were Egyptian.) Now Israel has the last of Baker's Jew Boys, Ambassador Daniel Kurtzer, giving orders with the same malevolent arrogance as his predecessors. The greatest shame is that these cowardly Jews should have had their credentials rejected by Israel and had them returned to the State Department to continue their malicious mischief far away from Israel's shores. No other nation would accept such insulting behavior and interference in vital internal affairs dealing with security and the sovereignty of Israel and represent the hostile Arab Muslims to the Israeli government.
Emanuel Winston is a commentator and Middle East analyst. His articles appear often on Think-Israel and Gamla. He is a member of the Board of Directors and a research associate of the Freeman Center For Strategic Studies (http://www.freeman.org/online.htm). |
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RANI LEVY BIDS FAREWELL TO THE IDF
Posted by Unity Coalition for Israel, July 9, 2004. |
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As Rani Levy turns forty years old, the rules of the IDF require him
to retire. In this moving story, he poignantly reveals some of his
experiences and insights. After living with his family in Kansas City
for more than a year, they return to their home in Israel this week.
We wish them G-d's blessings as they move ahead with their lives and
careers. If you would like to send a personal message, the contact
information is at the end of the story.
Thank You And Goodbye - I.D.F
Dedicated to my 21,790 Brothers and Sisters who fell in Israel's Wars and Operations Early morning of Monday November 1, 1982, we said good-ye to my mother. An hour later, my father and I stopped in front of the Tel-Hashomer IDF recruit center near Tel-Aviv. I was 18, and I was joining the Israel Defense Forces (I.D.F) that morning. In the Israeli common language, this is the nightmare of every parent. Pride, mixed with pain and worry, for a child leaving the house for the first time. With wet eyes, the tough Paratrooper Colonel who'se been in all of Israel's wars - kissed me, wished me luck, and tucked into my pocket a little book of Psalms which I carry to this day. Next month, I will be returning the I.D.F card I received on that morning. Getting to be 40 in Israel, means not being wanted by the army anymore. It is not easy not to be a soldier anymore. It makes you feel old. It makes you feel less attached to Israel's best-kept secret, most unifying, most internationally adored creation - The I.D.F. Since that morning of November 1982, I had three and a half years of mandatory military service, and several reserve tours. The one I would like to share was the one before last, "Operation Defensive Shield", in April 2002. It was Saturday night, March 30, 2002. Just a little over 2 years ago. My wife and I returned home from a visit over at our friends' house, just before midnight. The phone rang. It was Lior, my deputy Company commander, from my reserve unit in the IDF. "A code 8 has been issued for our unit, you need to report to the Dry Storage Base tomorrow morning. Prepare for several weeks, we are going to war." I put the phone down, and told my wife Alma, the news. It did not come as a surprise. Israel was still under the shock of the Passover Massacre in the Netanya Park Hotel, which murdered 30 people in the middle of the Passover Meal, only 3 days earlier. "Code 8", is the nightmare of any IDF reservist. It means you go to war. Not a tour, not a campaign, not a training of a week or two with good ol' Army buddies. It means combat. It means you may get killed. It means someone you know, will get killed. The previous times I remember a "Code 8" being issued, was in the 1982 Lebanon War, and in October 1973 during the Yom-Kippur War. It was not something that happened often. I made several phone calls to my Army team members, those I had to call who would later be in my APC or Infantry Platoon. There was a heavy feeling in the air. I pulled down my Army duffle bag from the attic, and made sure all my army gear was in there. It was hard to sleep that night. My mind was running fast. What will it be like? What if? what would my father say had he seen this? Will my little son do this too when he will be 38 years old? Saying goodbye to my kids and to Alma the next morning was different than ever before. I have been doing this since the age of 18, but there was a feeling that this is different. This is so different. I have 3 children now. I have a pregnant wife. I am 38. I called the Prime Minister's office where I was working at the time, and after a brief consultation, the Chief of Staff of the PM's office gave me the 'green light' to report to my unit. Other Advisers to Prime Minister Sharon were recruited too. How surreal... how alien this must be in other countries... a head of state loses some of his closest aides, for a military draft that he ordered himself? I arrived at the base in Southern Israel, shortly after noon. Within several hours, I was witnessing and engaged in one of the most powerful Military experiences I have ever gone through. I saw scenes that reminded me of American movies of War. Helicopters in the air. Military Police keeping the traffic flowing, thousands of cars of civilians, Israelis 22-40, like me, who had to leave everything they do, with a 12 hour notice by phone, and become soldiers in a matter of hours. I saw how a dead city of neatly covered armored vehicles, became a monster of thousands of living roaring machines, fully armed, fueled and manned, by experienced and fully motivated men. 37,000 men were recruited that day. At around 10PM that Sunday, less than 24 hours after "CODE 8" was issued, the execution order took place. A group of business men, teachers, scientists, plumbers, truck drivers, shop owners and university students, mostly married guys with kids at home, became a fully armed ready to go armored mechanized division. The Brig. Gen., the Commander of my Division, spoke clearly in front of the thousands of men. "We are to engage the enemy inside their cities, where the terror is coming from. We will have casualties, we will pay a price. But it's either they get us in our homes buses or cafes - or we get them in their hideaways. When you ride in your APC or in your tank or in your Jeep tomorrow, and in the next few weeks, remember the Passover Meal in Netanya. Remember the Dolfinarium in Tel-Aviv. Remember Sbarro in Jerusalem, and all the buses." Then he went on about the details of our mission, and briefed each Battalion separately. It ended at 4AM, Monday morning. People started writing letters to their loved ones. Others just sat and meditated. Others prayed. Some laughed and made jokes about the whole thing, to release the tension. We started moving at about 6AM. Later on Monday, we entered into combat, and literally released the force we were replacing under fire. My Battalion was positioned in the Central Gaza front, near the city of Al Burej', about 5 miles South of the city of Gaza, only 40 minutes away from my home, if you drove leisurely. I spent 4 weeks in the Army during Operation Defensive Shield. Basically, all of April 2002. It was the toughest and most dangerous military activity I had engaged in since my mandatory three-year service, which I did when I was 18-21. My Battalion performed very well. The motivation and morale were very high, and all of us really teamed up to make this work. It was a powerful feeling of camaraderie, military discipline and professional militarism that I have ever seen. No one complained, no one asked to be dismissed, no one, all of a sudden, had any problems at home to whine about. There was that historic feeling; we are here for all the victims of terror. We earned the respect of the highest IDF commanders, and the Chief of Staff himself. Today's Israel Defense Minister Mofaz, came personally to my Company to thank us for the uncompromising and professional work we did as an infantry Company. Thank G-d, my unit did not suffer any direct casualties from Palestinian gunfire. We were shot at about 20-25 different times during this 4 week operation, we took hits on our armored APC's twice from roadside bombs, and we prevented at least 10 different efforts we know of, attempted penetration into Israel to commit mass shootings and killing in the villages and kibbutzim which were a mile or two away from us, directly behind us. In the middle of Operation Defensive Shield, Israel's Independence Day celebration took place. No one was allowed to leave to celebrate with his or her families. We were spreading ourselves very thin in terms of manpower, and the tasks which my unit was ordered to perform made it impossible to have even three of us leave for home at the same time. Everybody was "grounded". On that night when celebrations took place all over Israel, we got "hot" intelligence about a potential group of Hamas infiltrators who were planning to raid our own post, the actual barracks where our Company was stationed. An attack like that had taken place 3 months earlier, leaving 7 of the Company soldiers we replaced - dead. For obvious reasons, I cannot go into too many details, but I can say that it took very creative thinking and dangerous measures to be able to defend that post in the next few days. The challenge was deploying a small force inside a heavily populated area, without the enemy noticing us. It would endanger us, and it would also give away the fact that even fewer men remained at the original target they had chosen. After we established our positions inside PLO/HAMAS/P.A./ISLAMIC JIHAD territory, we waited patiently, hoping to engage the infiltrators. Suddenly, at around 11:30 at night, after sitting very quietly for hours totally silent, we heard loud explosions coming form the North. In seconds, we realized these were huge fireworks, coming from the Israeli city of Ashkelon, just 8-9 miles North of us. It was the traditional city-sponsored Yom-Hatzmaut celebrations which go on every year in Israel and attract huge crowds. Everyone goes to see the fireworks in Israel on Independence Day. The fireworks were outstanding. They were beautiful, colorful and so... ironic. Where else in the world, would you find a group of 12 men dug in the ground as soldiers, waiting to engage in a life threatening combat situation as they see with their own eyes their neighbors and families celebrating? My wife and kids, I knew, were at my sister and brother in-law's house, having a great BBQ out in the backyard. This was happening only 45 minutes away, by car, from where I was. The mission of that night was accomplished thank G-d. To the disappointment of some of my team members it ended with the help of one of our tanks, which was covering us from three miles away. We didn't have to do much. On April 25, 2002 Operation Defensive Shield ended. We had lost 40 men during this operation, mostly reservists. We had over 100 casualties. Since that experience, I often think of my fellow reserve unit team members. I often think of that detached from reality experience, of throwing your frantic schedule away, and going to the army for an unknown period of time, to fight for your home. Not a war across the globe, not a war of principals, but a war, a race, against the next bus bombing down the street. I wonder how many times can a Government issue "Code 8s?" What is the "energy" that exists there, to give the order, and know without a doubt that everyone will not only show up, but come eager, motivated, determined, and not say a word - until it's all over. I almost feel like I want to thank the I.D.F, for allowing me to serve all those years. The duffle bag at home, the high boots, the dog tag, will not look the same anymore. They will become nostalgic memorabilia. Something to look at with historic romance, not concern of getting another phone call. During my 1,450 - 1,500 or so days of being in IDF uniforms during the past 22 years, I have obeyed many orders, and had a chance to give a few here and there. I participated in various types of activities all over the Golan, Samaria, Judea and Gaza. I was in Lebanon and participated in too many funerals of fellow soldiers from my Battalion. I was never given a reason to doubt anything that I did, or any order I was given. As I leave the I.D.F., I feel very fortunate. I feel fortunate to have completed a front-line duty in one piece despite all the dangers. I feel satisfaction with my training, and have benefited from it as a valuable life experience. But, I also feel very thankful for the one order I was never given. When you are a soldier in Israel, there is one order you pray you will never be given. As I leave the I.D.F., I want to wish my colleagues who are still serving and those who will serve in years to come: May you be as fortunate as I was, and may you never ever be given that horrible order - the order to break into the house of a fellow Israeli family, some of whom may be reserve soldiers just like you, look them in the eye, and then take from them everything they've got. Their home and their Integrity. But, if this terrible day will come for you, and if, G-d forbid, you will be given this terrible order, do what your heart tells you. Do what a good I.D.F soldier would do. Do it with no hesitation. Fall on your face, and cry for your country. Raanan (Rani) Levy
The National Unity Coalition is "the largest worldwide coalition of Jewish and Christian organizations, with more than 200 groups representing millions of people dedicated to Israel. Though we have many different backgrounds, we have one common goal: A Safe and Secure Israel." "Israel is not just a Jewish issue. Millions of Christians resolutely endorse the principle of peace with security for the state of Israel. Because we work closely together and speak with a united voice, our message is being heard!" |
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LET'S GET ISRAEL!
Posted by Emanuel A. Winston, July 0, 2004. |
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In Israel, the notorious Leftist journal, HA'ARETZ has picked up the "Let's Hate the Settlers Campaign" by printing the accusation of "The Assassin is already among us". They go on to blame the so-called Extreme Right by insinuation for planning to assassinate Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. This bit of psycho babel came from Minister of Knesset Tzahi HaNegbi, Minister of Internal Security, who is now back proudly saying: "I am not referring to the entire Political Right!". With no evidence and no names, Hanegbi starts the rumor mill rolling in order to silence Sharon's political adversaries who strongly disagree with his disengagement Plan - especially since it is a 180 degree reversal of his Likud Party's campaign platform and the 60/40% vote against the Plan by the Likud Party members. (1) Note how this links up with the present U.S. State Department campaign through the media's "Let's Bash Israel's Political Right". Bonded to this effort one sees Mohammed el-Baradei of the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) visiting Israel, telling them to eliminate their Nuclear Deterrence. El Baradei is well known for his personal hostility to Israel and his ineffective monitoring of Iran and North Korea's nuclear programs. In a later report from U.S.A. TODAY through AP (Associated Press) in Jerusalem we are told that Israel's PM is ready to discuss a nuclear weapons-free zone in the Middle East as a part of future peace talks. If accurate, that indicates that Sharon is signaling that he is ready to stand down Israel's only credible deterrence against attack by a coalition of Arab/Muslim Armies, who do have WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction) including NBC (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical). Just because he said this, Sharon has become a clear and present danger to the nation. (2) Egypt and Saudi Arabia's long term effort to eliminate Israel's Nuclear Deterrence, supported by the Arabist State Department, has long been known by military analysts. Let's keep all the balls in the air like any good juggler because their message is all the same. Each ball carries a message of "Let's Get Israel" with the linkage between them very clear when you see them all together. So, what exactly do the various world interests want from the only Jewish State? * The State Department in linkage with the Arab oil nations and the oil companies want Israel first reduced in size to be indefensible and then eliminated. The hostile anti-Israel CHICAGO TRIBUNE is on a roll and it is not alone. For the second day the TRIB has filled a whole page with stories that would bias the reader against the Jewish State. In addition, a by-product or perhaps even their main goal is to frighten American Jews to keep quiet - a frequent ploy of the U.S. State Department. (3) This is generally consistent with the propaganda line of the Arabist State Department pushing their agenda. If one covers the national Media, I would bet the propaganda line would cover the usual State Department outlets, namely, the NEW YORK TIMES, L.A. TIME, WASHINGTON POST, CNN, NPR, ABC, CHICAGO TRIBUNE, Peter Jennings, Tom Friedman, and all the others. The reason the State Department and the TRIB are ramping up the propaganda at this time is that President Bush needs some kind of political win - even if it's a fake coming into the elections. As Afghanistan and Iraq turned into a political sink-hole, Bush and State needed something to crow about in the Middle East. So, the bone thrown to the Saudis and the Arab Muslim Terrorists was Israel, especially her farms and towns. In essence, an advanced civilization that works hard, is a benefit to the world and humanity at large, must be ground into dust so an American President can win a second term in office. Some may recall former President Clinton's pre-election efforts to pressure then Prime Minister Ehud Barak to give Yassir Arafat everything he demanded so that Clinton could go to elections with a political win. Barak, like Sharon, caved in to these demands, only to see Arab Muslim Palestinian Terror ramp up to even greater heights when Arafat started his second Ps;p War on Rosh Hashanah, 2000. But, now ALL the Israelis are beginning to wake up and defy the Prime Minister Sharon who has caved to the Bush/State pressure and promises. It's important, however, to terrify American Jews and their various institutional leaders to remain silent. This was done during WWII with such journals as the CHICAGO TRIBUNE, NEW YORK TIMES, etc. - with the Ford Foundation echoing the anti-Jewish influence so reminiscent of Heinrich Ford - through NPR. It's all happening again - only this time there is a Jewish nation and not merely small, vulnerable ghettos of Jews in Europe with their predatory host nations teaching its people and, worse its children to hate and kill the Jews. Now there is a nation of Jews allowed to carry weapons and beat back the mobs of howling Arab Muslims screaming "Allahu Akbar" (Allah is Great) and "Yitbach al Yehud" (Kill the Jews). But, even here, the nations and their oil interests are trying to make Israel a small ghetto they can attack when ready. However, this attack is more than just anti-Semitic journals, TV/radio broadcasts and recruited assimilated Jewish reporters following a State Department lead (that was leaked). This is a full frontal assault against Israel. In America the hostile propaganda campaign is growing in direct proportion to the remaining time of the elections and as Bush sinks in the polls. In Israel there is a similar campaign by Sharon reflecting the position he has taken under pressure from Bush. In Israel, Sharon's advisors have launched their own campaign to demonize the Jewish Settlers who are growing more adamant in their rejection of Sharon's demand that they evacuate and abandon their homes, schools, synagogues, farms, factories, businesses and turn them over to Arab Muslim Palestinian Terrorists. Sharon's latest tactic is to claim that he fears for his own personal safety and thus tars the entire political Right as Rabin and Peres did to protect their ill-fated Oslo Plan. If it worked once, why can't Sharon's team of twisters make it work again. The U.N., led by Kofi Annan who speaks his anti-Semitism softly but who has done its best to crucify Israel through consistent anti-Israeli votes and assuring Israel has virtually no membership on almost all Committees. Instead, they choose such nations as Syria to be the Raporteur for the Special Committee of 24 on Decoloniztion. There is UNRWA, who supports Palestinian Arab Muslim Terrorists under the pretense that the money is used for humanitarian purposes. They, in partnership with Arafat, have insisted that the refugees are kept on display and the camps kept in their intact squalor. The E.U. (European Union) led by Germany, France are hostile to the existence of Israel in deference to Arab oil suppliers are hoping to one day possibly using NATO troops to occupy the region with a so-called peace-keeping troops. As with the U.N. peace-keeping forces in Lebanon, the practice was to allow the infiltration of Terrorists through their lines while simultaneously offering a protective shield against Israeli reprisals. Some may recall the assistance of U.N. troops in the Palestinian Terrorist kidnaping and killing of Israeli soldiers. The assimilated Jewish Leftists both in Government and the Media of Israel and America who wish to de-Judaize the Jewish nation and become like everyone else is still a primary goal. They are viewed as the enemy within as often forecast in the Tanach (Torah, Prophets and Writings). I would include all the Left-dominated, Israeli Hebrew Media who hate Settlers and observant Jews. The individual nations of Saudi Arabia, Iran, Syria, Libya, Egypt all want Israel dead in the name of Islam. Each has beggered its own economy by conducting a continuous arms race - to include Nuclear, Biological and Chemical weapons in the hope they can one day eliminate Israel in a saturation missile attack in the name of Islam and Allah. In the interim they fund Arab Muslim proxy Terrorist movements who attack Israel and America whenever and wherever they can. These are only some of the Balls to be juggled and kept in the air for collective viewing. The enemies of the Jewish people come in many sizes, colors and purposes. There is a definite campaign ramping up now to club Israel into submission - all to please a primitive, backward hate-filled Arab Muslims people. If you peel the onion of Jew-hatred to its very core, you will find this as one main factor in their hatreds. The Jews bonded with a single invisible G-d who brought the world certain restraining laws, preventing idol worship with a panoply of gods. The world didn't want certain restraining laws. The world didn't want either the retraining laws or a single G-d who displaced their numerous gods which gave the priest cults extraordinary privileges. The choice was then either to co-opt the Jews to join their religion or to eliminate the Jews and, therefore, capture the G-d of the Jews by default. Since the Jews in the main would not convert (except for the assimilated Jews who have no belief in G-d), therefore, they must be eliminated. In closing, think about all the nations, religions, peoples, special interests coming against a minuscule nation of 6 million people. Six Billion people are on this planet and all eyes are on this sliver of land whose only offense is to exist, other than bring a G-d into focus which everyone wants and doesn't want. Having escaped the intended Genocide of Europe and their vast graveyards of Jews, they are now under assault by a primitive, backward people called Arabs or Muslims cheered on by the Europeans. They hate a people whose outreach has been extraordinarily helpful to all mankind on this planet - if the disproportionate number of Nobel Prizes won by Jews is any indication. Think about it. Six million Jews in a world of 6 Billion people consumes their interest. As radical Muslims rampage around the world, threatening massive destruction in every nations, multiple 9/11 mega-attacks, these same nations wish to attack Israel - not the Muslim drive for world domination as the root cause of their Terror attacks. Think about it! I believe we have entered into the final battle between good and evil, the war between Gog and Magog. Let us see what G-d decides. As I have written before, the nations and our enemies are gathering to give it one more try. #### 1. "The Assassin is Already Among Us" says Tzahi HaNegbi, Minister of Internal Security Ha'aretz, Ma'ariv & Yediot Ahronot July 7, 2004 2. "U.N.: Sharon ready to discuss nukes" USA TODAY July 8, 2004 3. CHICAGO TRIBUNE July 8, 2004 "The Gathering, 1" by Emanuel A. Winston August 19, 2001 "The Gathering, 2" by Emanuel A. Winston, November 13, 2003 "The Gathering, 3 - One Term President", by Emanuel A. Winston, June 16, 2004 Emanuel Winston is a commentator and Middle East analyst. His articles appear often on Think-Israel and Gamla. He is a member of the Board of Directors and a research associate of the Freeman Center For Strategic Studies (http://www.freeman.org/online.htm). |
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THE MIGHTY INTERNATIONAL WORLD COURT OF JUSTICE
Posted by IsrAlert, July 9, 2004. |
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This was written by Mike Levine, who lives in Israel.
The UN referred Israel's anti-terrorism separation fence to the International Court of Justice in The Hague for its opinion on the legality of this barrier. As expected the court declared the barrier illegal, that it must be dismantled, that Palestinian landowners must be compensated. The court also said they are not convinced the course chosen was necessary to attain the security objectives sought by Israel. Furthermore the court added that Israel must assure the Palestinians access to the Holy Places under its control. This may surprise you, but I agree fully with everything the court said! Allow me to explain what I mean. 1. The fence must be dismantled. The moment the Palestinians surrender all their weapons, rockets, explosives and dismantle every bomb and rocket factory we should immediately dismantle the anti-terrorist fence. 2. Palestinian landowners must be compensated. The moment Israel receives compensation from Arab states and the Palestinians for all the death and destruction caused by all their wars and a hundred years of unrelenting terrorism we should compensate Palestinian landowners. 3. Israel must assure access to Holy Places. Do they mean the same way that the Palestinians assured Israel access to Joseph's Tomb in Nablus when it came under Arafat's control? It was completely destroyed. Do they mean the way Jordan assured access to 58 synagogues in Jerusalem when the Jewish sector was under their control from 1948 to 1967? They burned them all to the ground. 4. The course of the fence was not necessary to attain Israel's security objectives. Now this is a strange decision. Evidently the members of the world court do not read the newspapers or they would have known that although the anti-terrorism barrier is only 25% finished it has already resulted in a 90% reduction in suicide bombings and terrorist attacks. Not one word in the court's decision mentions the reason Israel built this barrier - more than a thousand murders, the majority of innocent civilians, perpetrated by the Palestinians in less than four years. Not one word about the 6,000 Jews maimed for life, including babies, women, and old people. The UN established the International Court of Justice to 'settle disputes between states'. Palestine is not a state. It has only observer status in the UN. So why was this issue even brought to the court? The United States provides about 30% of the UN's income, yet has only one seat on the fifteen-seat court. Women make up more than 50% of the world's adult population yet there is not a single woman to be found on the court. The court's decisions have no legal standing. They are merely opinions, totally non-binding. Therefore how can they declare Israel's anti-terrorist barrier illegal? So what exactly does the court's opinion amount to? Nothing. Zero. Zilch. Nada. An exercise in the UN playing with itself! |
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POLITICAL NGOS AND THE ICJ ADVISORY OPINION ON ISRAEL'S SEPARATION BARRIER: BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
Posted by NGO Monitor Organization, July 9, 2004. |
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A number of prominent human-rights NGOs have been centrally involved in the campaign to delegitimize Israel's defensive security barrier designed to thwart Palestinian terror attacks. These NGOs, including HRW, Amnesty International, Christian Aid, Oxfam, etc., were central players in the public relations effort linked to the UN General Assembly vote to request an "advisory opinion" on the barrier from the International Court of Justice. When the Court met in The Hague in February 2004, these NGOs issued one-sided and highly politicized press statements and reports. Now that the ICJ majority, some of whose judges represent highly immoral regimes, has issued a highly politicized ruling, in stark contrast to the opinion of the Israeli Supreme Court, the anti-Israel demonization campaign is set to resume with full force. Pro-Palestinian governments have declared their intention to use this one-sided advisory opinion in the effort to impose economic sanctions on Israel through the United Nations. Terms such as "apartheid" and other terms of incitement will be used in the continuing effort to falsely compare Israel's response to war and terror to the White regime in South Africa. The question facing these human rights NGOs is whether they will again march at the head of the anti-Israel campaign on this phase of the demonization process. Will NGOs like HRW, whose Middle East activists have a long history of extreme anti-Israel bias, Amnesty International, and Christian Aid again follow the UN/ICJ majority in denying the right of Israelis to prevent Palestinian terrorism? Will they continue to repeat the propaganda published by their local allies, such as Al Haq, Al Mezan, Adalah, PNGO, etc? Based on the precedents, the chances for reform of the political agendas of these NGOs appear to be small. In October 2003, HRW distributed press releases and mass e-mails that included a call to the U.S. government to penalize Israel for constructing the separation barrier. HRW's statements on this issue parroted Palestinian claims that the barrier will impede "freedom of movement," endanger "access to food, water, education, and medical services," and appropriate land, without giving the Israeli rationale behind the barrier. And like Christian Aid and other leading anti-Israel NGOs, HRW provided little or no analysis of the Israeli security environment, the role of the Palestinian Authority in the failure of the Oslo process, and the strategic use of terrorism. HRW even ignored its own detailed study of Palestinian terror ("Erased in a Moment"). This pattern was repeated in February 23 2004, on the day after a Jerusalem bus bombing, when HRW issued a highly politicized and biased attack on Israel's policy of unilateral separation to coincide with the opening of the ICJ process. HRW endorsed the view that the hundreds of Israeli lives that have already been saved by the separation barrier are of lesser importance than reducing Palestinian inconvenience, and used sweeping and unsupported terms such as "indiscriminate punishment" and "arbitrary and excessive restrictions on the freedom of movement". This and other attacks on the Israel anti-terror barrier relied closely on local PLO-linked NGOs who united in "The Apartheid Wall Campaign". The result was a blatant political attack with no substantive merit, and, more importantly, another example of the exploitation of the human rights framework in the pursuit of hostile political agendas. In a feature on its website (Why the Israeli 'barrier' is wrong), Christian Aid condemned the separation barrier on humanitarian grounds while failing to address the Palestinian terrorism. Amnesty International issued its own analysis in February 2004 as to the legality of the security barrier (The place of the fence / wall in international law). While briefly recognizing Israel's right to defend itself, Amnesty declared that the security barrier "violates international law and is contributing to grave human rights violations." The NGO community, like much of the human rights framework, including the UN Human Rights Commission, has lost credibility through its political agenda and anti-Israel bias. This process was demonstrated at the Durban conference in September 2001, in which the NGOs and the UN bodies joined forces, and has continued without pause. By separating themselves from the politics of the ICJ and the demonization of the UN majority, these NGOs now have the opportunity to rededicate themselves to the norms of universal human rights that they claim to represent. The NGO Monitor organization (www.ngo-monitor.org) promotes critical debate and accountability of human rights NGOs in the Arab Israeli Conflict. The Monitor is produced by The Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs/Institute of Contemporary Affairs founded jointly with the Wechsler Family Foundation. |
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NPR'S INDIRECT LYING. EXPANDING TERRORISM AND CALLING IT COMPLIANCE
Posted by Richard H. Shulman, July 9, 2004. |
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NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO'S INDIRECT LYING In Brooklyn during the 1940s and 1950s, many of us Jews had to learn fast how to defend ourselves. Now many fellow Jews do not realize when they are under attack. Some enthusiastically support NPR and PBS, which lead the assault. The method is indirect. It undermines our people by striving to turn them out of our redeemed homeland, Israel. The July 3 NPR "news" was more distorted than usual. It described the battle in Jenin. Actually, it didn't describe the battle. That would require truth. Instead, it quoted Arabs there as if authoritative merely because of their presence. Truthfulness is not found in, or required of, the Arabs. Hardly by NPR. Not much by most media. What did the Arabs tell the overly accepting gossip-mongers called reporters? The Arabs blamed all the warfare in their city on Israeli attacks. They did not mention that city's function as a major staging area for terrorism, and the P.A. function as facilitator for that staging. An Israeli government official was permitted a brief denial. Coming as it did after the Arabs made their whole case, his unsupported assertion that Israeli raiders were in pursuit of terrorists lacked an air of credibility. No, the notion of equal time for both sides does not describe NPR journalism. Nor would it be desirable, merely better. The Islamo-fascist side got five or ten times as much air time as the Israeli side. It deserves nothing. During WWII and the Cold War, there was no need to give the totalitarians time. ON THE P.A. REFUSAL TO DISMANTLE AKSA MATRYRS BRIGADES It is almost 11 years since Arafat signed the Oslo Accords, pledging to eradicate terrorism. He kept on both signing such pledges and disregarding them. The West never insisted he comply, but feigns friendship for Israel. Although those accords reflect the Left's ideal notion of mutual negotiation and agreement of land-for-peace, their violation by the Arab does not arouse indignation or disillusionment by most of the leftist leadership. It wants more agreements, all based on trusting Arab enemies to behave like partners and on Western betrayers of Israel to behave like loyal allies. Obviously the Left has plunged far below simple ignorance and naivete into deep neurosis over this. Such is inevitable when one adopts an ideology of favoring the hateful over the hated. Such is the case with ideological recalcitrance that withstands constant rebuff. What kind of people are these leftists, not swayed by the facts, impervious to logic, and unmoved by innocent deaths? They will tell you they are "progressive." US Communists used to tell us they were progressive, too. Was the Soviet Gulag progressive? The PLO challenge to the Left's delusions has been highlighted by the decade of non-compliance. P.A. officials lately refused outright to dismantle the chief terrorist militia, there, the Aksa Martyrs Brigades. The P.A. wants the Road Map provisions enforced against Israel but it ignores provisions that call first (though too tepidly to mean much) for elimination of the terrorist militias. The P.A. knows that the Quartet is not serious about ending terrorism. Not when its purpose is to give the terrorists a state. (Foolish to help Arabs who view them as "Crusaders.") Going further against their agreement, as the Arabs always do, is the P.A. declaration of intent to incorporate the Brigades into the existing security forces. These forces already exceed the limit set by the agreements, and participate in terrorism and in resisting counter-terrorism. Integrating the avowed terrorist militias into the P.A. forces is the Arabs' semantic legerdemain for koshering those militias, rather than slaughtering them as they should. Arafat or Quria would claim to have disbanded the Brigades, and to have come into compliance with the Map. Actually he would be expanding his army of terrorists. That is not complying with any peace plan. $LETTER Richard 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. |
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ISRAEL IS THE LARGEST CONTRIBUTOR OF FUNDS TO THE PLO
Posted by Yrachmiel Elias, July 9, 2004. |
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This comes right from the mouth of Avi Dichter, director of the Shin
Bet and there's been no other media coverage until now except for
Caroline Glick! Her article "Our daily drivel" appeared today in the
Jerusalem Post. Glick is deputy managing editor of the Post.
Sunday morning Shin Bet Director Avi Dichter made an incredible disclosure at the cabinet meeting. Dichter stated that Israel is the largest contributor to the Palestinian Authority's budget. Israel gives the PA one billion dollars a year. This comprises 45 percent of the PA's total budget. "There is no oversight [to ensure] that each and every dollar Israel transfers doesn't go to funding terror," Dichter said. He added that Arafat's office receives a budget of roughly nine million dollars and, the director of the Shin Bet noted, "I cannot promise that at the margins the money doesn't go to finance Fatah/Tanzim terrorists." In saying this, Dichter was making a clear and almost unprecedented indictment of the government. Our government is putting a billion dollars a year into a black hole controlled by one of the most active terror regimes in the world. And this terror regime is actively waging war against our country. And of course, our government knows that the PA uses its budgetary funds to finance terror because in the aftermath of Operation Defensive Shield, it published documents seized in IDF raids of PA offices and Arafat's headquarters proving that the PA directly funded suicide bombings and was paying the salaries of terrorists. In any even semi-rational country, this disclosure would have been the story of the week - if not the year. After all, can anyone imagine the US media reaction to a disclosure by the head of the FBI that the US was funding the Taliban or the Ba'athist regime in Iraq after September 11? In any marginally sane society, there would be demonstrations launched, lawsuits filed, black headlines, and stuttering government spokesmen sent out to whimper excuses for the government's financing of the murder of its citizens by the sworn enemies of the state. But, sadly, this story received four lines buried at the end of a story in the inside pages of Yediot Aharonot and barely a mention anywhere else. Dichter also told the cabinet members that Jerusalem Arabs support the terrorist war against Israel as strongly as Palestinians in Judea, Samaria and Gaza. This too is a major story. It calls into question the entire rationale of the security fence. Sixty percent of all suicide bombings in the past year occurred in the capital. If the terror masters have a local population sitting in the capital that identifies with their jihad against Israel, how will a fence protect us from them? This story too, received almost no attention. On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom met with US Secretary of State Colin Powell in Washington. Their meeting came three days before the ICJ was to announce its opinion on the legality of Israel's construction of the security fence and the day before the International Atomic Energy Agency's director Mohammed ElBaradei arrived in Israel for an unfriendly visit. According to Shalom, during the meeting the two reached a series of understandings on Israel's requests that the Bush administration shield Israel from being scapegoated and sanctioned if, as anticipated, the anti-Semitic Egyptian and Jordanian justices on the court convince their colleagues to find Israel in breach of international law for trying to defend its citizens from suicide bombers. Shalom also said that the two had discussed the threat posed by the Iranian nuclear weapons program; the PA's collusion with terrorist organizations; Egypt's refusal to end weapons smuggling operations to Gaza from its territory and Sharon's unilateral withdrawal plan from Gaza. All of these are weighty issues. All of them are agenda setters. If one of the Israeli journalists at the two men's press appearance had gotten Powell on record saying anything about any of these issues, it would have been a major story. Imagine the headlines: "Powell says Iranian nukes pose existential threat to Israel," the day before ElBaradei's visit, or "Powell says Egypt must stop weapons smuggling to Gaza" ahead of Egyptian Intelligence Director Omar Suleiman's upcoming visit to Washington, or "Powell says PA has failed to reform," as the Quartet members met with Ahmed Qurei in Jerusalem. But none of those stories held any interest for the Israeli reporters at the scene. Rather, Yaron Dekel from Israel Radio badgered Powell about the mobile homes at the so-called outposts in Judea and Samaria that have gotten Peace Now and Ambassador Dan Kurtzer all bent out of shape. Isn't the US mad at Israel for not throwing the Jews living in these communities out of their homes fast enough? That's what Dekel desperately wanted to know. And so it was that to the extent that anyone paid attention to the visit, (it received but a picture with a caption in Yediot and Ma'ariv), the headline was: "Powell expresses disappointment on Israeli record with settlements." This week a freelance writer named Lee Kaplan published an article in the on-line journal Frontpage Magazine about the International Solidarity Movement. ISM sends foreigners to Israel to disrupt IDF operations in Judea, Samaria and Gaza and to act as "human shields" to prevent IDF demolition operations. The British jihadis who carried out the attack at Mike's Place in Tel Aviv in April 2003 came to Israel with the organization. Kaplan related how he went undercover as an ISM volunteer and underwent training sessions by the group ahead of a trip to Israel. The inside look that he provides on this organization is an unnerving expos of the inner workings of the radical Left's active collusion with terrorists. Kaplan noted that the ISM trainers touted their collaboration with Israeli leftists working for the B'tselem human rights organization, who provide alibis for ISM volunteers at the border to allow them to lie their way into the country, and provide them with legal assistance in the event they are arrested. The article ought to provoke an immediate outcry about Israeli organizations that, according to Kaplan, systematically obstruct IDF anti-terror operations, hamper police investigations, and lie to border inspectors. It would certainly be of great interest to the Israeli public. But no matter, no mention of the article was made in the Israeli press. Indeed, on Thursday, Haaretz ran a sympathetic story about one ISM volunteer who has been under arrest at Ben-Gurion Airport for the past two weeks refusing the Ministry of the Interior's deportation order. According to Kaplan, the woman's refusal to leave Israel, like her rapid acquisition of the legal services of two Israeli lawyers, one of whom, Shamai Leibowitz, also defended Marwan Barghouti, are all taken directly from the ISM playbook. Wednesday CNN and several major newspapers in the US and The Jerusalem Post carried the story of an $875 million lawsuit filed in New York Federal Court by Israeli and American victims of Palestinian terrorism against the Jordan-based Arab Bank. The suit arose from documents that the IDF seized in its raid of the Arab Bank branch in Ramallah at the end of February which showed direct collusion by the Arab Bank in transferring funds from the US to Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists in Judea, Samaria and Gaza. The Arab Bank's role is so blatant, that on the Islamic Jihad's Web site (palestineway.com) the terror group gives account numbers of charitable organizations linked to the group at Arab Bank branches in Bethlehem, Jenin and Gaza to which donors can make contributions to the jihad. The Arab Bank is one of the largest banks in the Arab world. It has branches worldwide and is closely linked to the Hashemites. According to the lawsuit, "the Jordanian-based banking institution with a branch in New York is knowingly administering the distribution of financial benefits to terrorists, the families of terrorists and foreign terrorist organizations as part of a scheme to encourage and facilitate acts of international terrorism." This is a huge story. Its political and financial repercussions will be felt throughout the region and will no doubt have a significant impact on the Jordanian monarchy. But it received no attention from the Israeli media. It went unreported. No mention was made in the Wednesday papers, radio broadcasts or television newscasts. This week of course, our media has been very busy. Since Dichter Sunday made an unsubstantiated comment, which he more or less retracted on Wednesday, about an increase in violence among the extreme right, the press has been busy demonizing the settlers. Our media cannot be bothered with real news when it is manufacturing conspiracy theories about unidentified assassins who are just waiting to kill the prime minister. Last week, the Jewish Agency's Institute for Jewish People Policy Planning submitted a report to the prime minister on the state of the Jewish people worldwide. The institute is chaired by Dennis Ross, the former chief US peace processor. Ross and his colleagues at the institute alleged that the Israeli government's policies have a negative effect on world Jewry. They argued that the government doesn't understand how its policies harm world Jewry and suggested that the solution is for Israel to confer official status on a consulting body of Diaspora Jews that would be involved in the decision making processes of the government. Ross also argued that Israel should do everything it can to reach out to the Arab world and make at least a partial agreement with the PA. Ross's bald attempt to insert himself into Israeli policymaking evinced little note and certainly no shock from the Israeli media or the public. This should be strange since Ross's aggressive intervention into Israeli policymaking for close to a decade led to the most colossal policy failure in Israel's history and to one of the lowest points in US-Israel relations. The notion that anyone would listen to anything that he has to say, let alone give him a seat at the table, is patently absurd. Yet, given the pathetic, mind numbing level of journalism in this country, it makes sense that no one noticed. It is a sad and terrible thing that our media gives little real news to our understandably news addicted country. It is a sad and terrible thing that the People of the Book are served a diet of daily drivel from our print and broadcast media. Rational people make their decisions on the basis of the best information they have on hand. Next time we wonder why Israel behaves in a seemingly irrational fashion, the first place to look for explanations is our media. Netzah Yisrael Lo Yeshaqer - The Eternal-One of Israel Never Lies - was created and is administered by Yrachmiel Elias and Professor Yaakov Golbert, JD. |
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JERUSALEM OF OLD
Posted by Anita Tucker, July 9, 2004. |
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Joseph Aaron wrote an article entitled "Jerusalem
of Old" in the Chicago Jewish News today that complains that American
Jews are tuning out on news about Israel because it's all about
politics, peace and terror. "What," he asks, "about soul?" This is my
response.
I read your article "Jerusalem of old. Politics peace terror. What about soul?" with great interest. The battles over politics, peace and terror in Israel today are in actuality THE battle over the essence and the survival of our soul. The State of Israel without Torah based Judaism is like a body without a soul. I live in Netzer Hazani, Gush Katif for 28 years, I have children and grandchildren who were born and live here as well. My parents were refugees from Germany, my grand parents refugees from Poland. I came home to the "Homeland for the Jews" to claim the land at the request of the then P.M. Yitzchak Rabin, may he rest in peace. My struggle today not to be a refugee from my home and homeland, the claim of the tribe of Judah, is not a political struggle nor a struggle against this terrorist or that one, nor about this "peace" plan or that one. It IS the climax struggle for the rekindling of that very Israeli "soul "you so yearn for. The bald sand dunes of Gush Katif were called by the nearby Arabs who welcomed our arrival in 1975, Grar, the cursed no mans land, as they believed nothing could be grown here. According to them the last people to have lived in Grar, before the Israelis, were our forefathers Abraham and Isaac. With our hard work and God's help these barren sifting sands have miraculously turned into a green flourishing oasis,as predicted by the Biblical prophets. Peace is a concept that inplies wholeness, a complete picture without fragmentation. I am living calmly in my home, my homeland. I have never attacked anyone, killed anyone. I even have a moral difficulty in swatting a fly. I would have expected those Arab neighbors who live the in cities alongside me to do the same -- but they are constantly trying to swat me dead. The logic that accepts exiling those that strive for peace, for wholeness, people alongside people, and on the other hand encouraging those that seek fragmentation and destruction and cruelty, pushes the so sought after "peace" far far away. We, in Gush Katif, have not fled from our home and homeland in spite of the 4000+ mortars and rockets that the cruel enemy claiming to represent Islam launched endlessly (in these four years since the Oslo Peace Agreements), to explode where we live and work, trying without let up to murder our bodies and souls. It is not terror but Islam's ethics(?) trying to destroy Israel's soul. If you truly yearn for the rekindling of the "soul "of Israel you will certainly want to do all in your power (your pen is a powerful tool) to join me in our mutual struggle. Sincerely,
[Editor's note: Aaron says, "...for all the bellyaching we do about media coverage of Israel, the truth is that it has virtually no effect on how Americans view the Middle East conflict." He suggests that this because Israel is not longer relevant to their lives. The real point is that despite the heavy indoctrination from the largely pro-Palestinian media, America continues to support Israel.] |
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FREE SHALHEVET'S FATHER AND UNCLE: SEND FAXES AND SIGN PETITION TODAY
Posted by Hebron Jewish Community, July 9, 2004. |
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Please sign the petition: Free Itzha and
and Matti
For almost four years we have been involved in a vicious war of terror. For two years we were shot at, in our homes, in our cars, walking the streets. Arab terrorist gunfire surrounded us, wherever we were, twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. Shalhevet Pass, HY'D, a ten-month old infant, was murdered by terrorist sniper gunfire from the Abu Sneneh hills. The bullet that penetrated her head and killed her first passed through her father's two legs, felling him. At that time, over three years ago, Shalhevet was the youngest victim of the Oslo Terror War. Now, after four years of murderous attacks, almost 1,000 Israeli Jews have been killed and thousands wounded and maimed. In the meantime, Itzik Pass and his brother-in-law Matti Shvu are imprisoned in a jail cell. Exactly a year ago, Itzik and Matti were arrested and indicted for possessing eight 'explosive bricks' found in Itzik's automobile. Such items are commonly found in the possession of many Israelis. Despite massive attempts, the prosecutor's office was unable to prove that the two men had any intention to use these items or to connect them to any particular crime. The men were convicted of illegal possession of these goods and sentenced to fifteen months imprisonment. However the prosecution appealed the sentence and an appeal's ruling added nine months to their incarceration, which will conclude in another year. In spite of the fact that they have already served more than a quarter of their sentence, they are being held in very harsh conditions and are not permitted vacations, which are allowed almost all prisoners (including murderers and rapists) who have completed twenty-five percent of their incarceration. These conditions and restrictions are a direct result of massive pressure brought upon the prison authority by the Shabak - the "Jewish Division" of the Israeli intelligence services. It is surmised that this pressure is aimed at preventing reduction of the men's sentence by one third, allowing them to be released on parole in a few months. Israeli prison sentences are usually and normally reduced by one-third. The injustice screams out: Why must a bereaved, terror-plagued family, be forced to endure continued suffering? Shalhevet's grandfather, Avraham Zarbiv, was critically wounded, axed in the face and hand by a terrorist over a decade ago. Orital, Matti's wife, was knifed by an Arab terrorist as a teenager in Hebron. Matti himself was injured by a terrorist's bullet, shot in the leg from the Abu-Sneneh hills. And of course, the tragic murder of 10-month old Shalhevet, over three years ago. Why must Shalhevet's mother, Oriyah Pass, a young mother of two baby girls, continue to remain separated from her husband, facing hardships and pain alone? Why does the "Jewish Division" of the Shabak continue to torture a bereaved, terror-plagued family, forbidding the two men vacations, to help their wives cope, two young sisters who need their husbands by their sides. Why are murderers and other convicted felons permitted vacations, which are part of their basic rights, while this right is denied Itzik and Matti? We turn to Shabak director, Avi Dichter and Internal Security minister Tzachi HaNegbi: Stop torturing terror-plagued families! We turn to the President of Israel, Moshe Katzav, and ask: Why did you agree to reduce the sentence of Shalhevet's murderer, yet you do not agree to pardon Itzik and Matti, for a much lesser crime! Please call and fax: Avi Dichter, Director of Israeli Intelligence via The Prime Minister's Office:
Tzachi Hanegbi, Minister of Internal Security:
Moshe Katzav, President of the State of Israel:
Please sign the petition: Free Itzha and and Matti You can contribute directly to The Jewish Community of Hebron, POB 10, Kiryat Arba-Hebron 90100, hebron@hebron.org.il, 972-2-9965333 or write to The Hebron Fund, 1760 Ocean Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11230, hebronfund@aol.com |
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WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO THE RIGHT OF CHOICE?
Posted by Arlene Peck, July 8, 2004. |
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Folks, I've stopped listening to the talk shows, both on television and on the radio. Instead, I now go to the library every week and check out all those books that I've never got around to reading. I even checked out the old George Orwell classic, 1984. Remember? Double-speak? Where Love is Hate and War is Peace. Because, it's got to the point that there are no longer any shades of grey. Whatever happened to discussion? I don't mean like the trash on the rap music stations, where individuals stand there and shout obscenities at each other. The talk shows aren't much better, where 'fair and balanced' means both sides scream the loudest? Views are shout from the rooftops, and quiet deliberation is a thing of the past. You pick a side and the truth be damned! There are no views that are questioning, and that reader is a dangerous trend. We are in turbulent times and to my way of thinking, we need to study what choices we have. Maybe it's my southern upbringing, but I don't take kindly with the negative and rude attack mode that is the norm today. Recently, I wrote a column which was neither pro Bush nor pro Kerry. I even mentioned that although I am not a fan of Michael Moore and find him pretty despicable, I had seen his movie. And even then I had to buy a ticket to another movie and sneak into his as I didn't want to give him the money. Yet, just the mere fact that I spoke about the questions that were in my mind when I left, made me some sort of raving liberal; something I have never considered myself to be. Publishers who always print my columns suddenly refused that particular column. Ironically, I seemed to have angered both the Bush and Kerry camps. Apparently today, you either have to be for or against... There can not be any more grey areas. And, whatever you decide has to be presented in hateful ways or it's not taken seriously. Before Edwards is out the gate the negative speeches have started. I, as I believe a good part of the public is taday, am confused. And, because I have an outlet, I voiced my concerns about the present administration and the things I see happening to my country that are beginning to frighten me. I am a columnist. Not a reporter. By being so, I sometimes strive to anger people and, at the very least, make them think. Unfortunately, there are too many reporters who have lost sight of what their purpose is supposed to be. Too many have never learned that reporters are supposed to report the news and not think that their obligation is to make the news. It's O.K. that publishers don't want something I might have written beause of the fact that it's boring or badly written. But, to refuse my columns because I didn't rubber stamp the party platform, is a little frightening to me. Awhile ago, I wrote a column called, "The Thought Police" about a newspaper, The Jewish Post & Opinion, for which I had written for thirty years. I was dropped from their paper and was told it was because, "I write mean things about the Arabs", and, "My words were hurtful and they didn't want unhappy words about the Arabs in their paper." And this was coming from a Jewish paper. Now it seems that it is no longer acceptable to question anything. I came out of Fahrenheit 9/11 very disturbed. Not by the propaganda aspects, which were obvious. That concerned me, but it was the paper trail and the actual videos of Bush and company that bothered me. They were all laid out in the open and the plain facts disturbed me. That however, didn't make me a Kerry fan or become one of those flaming liberals. But I still think it is important to question. Hey, as long as I'm questioning, I'm not real thrilled with Ms. Kerrys (Thersa Heintz) supposed donations to the TIDE's Foundation of over four million dollars which is a charity which supports Arab terrorism. Like I said, a lot of questions. I question why I don't think the economy is doing that great. Too many of my friends are out of work and far too many of our jobs are going to India and the Philippines. I made far more money when Clinton was in office. I have been a strong supporter of Bush because of Israel, but now, and the movie had nothing to do with it, I question why he continues to have Powell represent him, who I consider him to be a first class anti-Semite. Amazingly, he apparently thinks that he can negotiate a settlement with the terrorists and he is willing to sell Israel out to do it. It concerns me that Bush brags about the fact that he was the first president to offer a Palestinian state. They already have one... called Jordan. And, don't even start me on Halliburton and Cheney. George Bush has pushed that damn Roadmap to Hell and even cut the loan guarantees to Israel because he's against the fence. A fence that seems to be working, and I wish we had one just like it on our border with Mexico. And, there are too many things on the list that are getting in the way that I'm beginning to question. Bush's friendship with the Saudis? Sometimes with friends like this, who needs enemies? As far as education, my state of California is going down the tubes because of the open borders and tens of thousands of Mexicans who are coming in weekly. Thousands of them cross over and go right into our system. Reports show that each month, EACH MONTH, 60,000 are caught. How many get through? And, now President Bush wants to have a guest worker program and let in thirty million more? But, just because I'm not happy with the way I see things being run, and question just what is out there on the 'other side', doesn't make me a bad person. I am just a confused voter out there and looking, like I many others, for the missing pieces to the puzzle. So, when I write about the errors that I see in the candidates ways, don't misunderstand that I'm going to turn into a card-carrying member of the ACLU. We can't ever give up our right to think independently. Arlene Peck is an internationally syndicated columnist and television talk show hostess. She can be reached at: bestredhead@earthlink.net and www.arlenepeck.com |
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MK HENDEL TO SS POWELL: TELL KURTZER THE PROBLEM'S TERRORISM, NOT HUTS
Posted by IsrAlert, July 8, 2004. |
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Isralert's source: IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis
(www.imra.org.il), 7 July 2004, 18 Tammuz 2004.
To the Secretary of State, Mr. Colin Powell
Dear Mr. Powell, Re: Allowing the outposts issue to obscure the real problem, which is -- TERRORISM In your meeting yesterday with our Foreign Minister, you expressed disappointment in the rate at which outposts had been removed." This remark, which was widely reported, negates your own previously stated position on outposts and terrorism. In a recent interview (May 14, 2004), you were asked whether you would "push Mr. Sharon to deliver on ... illegal outposts". You commented, very logically, that the illegal outpost issue would be taken up only "if we end the terror. The terror must be ended. I have worked on this now for three years, and President Clinton and his team worked on it before we came here. There must be an end to the terror." This is exactly the position of the Israeli government, which decided, on 25 May 2003, that an absolute precondition for handling illegal outposts must be the long-awaited "complete cessation of terror, incitement and violence". Obviously, rampant and murderous terrorism is much more illegal than outposts are. As you know, executive powers in our country are vested in the Israeli Government as a whole, and not in any individual elected official, such that the above decision, according to which terrorism must cease utterly before the outposts issue is taken up, constitutes the official working policy of the State of Israel. Occasionally, senior Israeli figures make statements which are inaccurate representations of this policy, presumably due to pressures brought to bear on them by Ambassador Kurtzer. Indeed, obsessive preoccupation with the outposts issue, at the expense of the real issue which is terrorism, has unfortunately been a hallmark of Mr. Kurtzer's diplomatic activities during his term here. This is tragic. Surely it must be clear that focussing on the existence of a few purportedly illegal huts, in which Jewish families reside, here and there in Judea and Samaria, is making a mountain out of a molehill. Surely it must be obvious that the terrorists in our area are delighted each time media attention is diverted from their bloodthirsty activities -- to a handful of harmless, albeit arguably "illegal", Jewish huts. When Israeli men, women and children are forced to travel to work and school in bulletproof busses due to Palestinian violence - when an Israeli preschooler is killed by a rocket aimed at his hometown by Palestinians - when a pregnant woman and her four small daughters are shot to death at short range by Palestinians -- when tourists dare not set foot here for fear of Palestinian terrorism -- the Palestinians as a group have no moral right whatever to demand that the civilized world preoccupy itself for even one moment with minor Israeli building infractions which harm no-one. It is my hope that Mr. Kurtzer will eventually come to this elementary realization. Very sincerely,
cc: Mr. Silvan Shalom, Minister of Foreign Affairs
IsrAlert, a Jewish advocacy network, is hosted by Harv Weiner. To subscribe to IsrAlert, send an email to isralert@aol.com |
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BROTHERS DON'T DISENGAGE
Posted by Ken Heller, July 8, 2004. |
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This was written by MK Uri Ariel. It appeared today in Ma'Ariv
International
(http://www.maarivintl.com/index.cfm?fuseaction==printArticle&articleID=.18).
MK Uri Ariel beseeches the left: Disagree with us, argue with us, but don't
forget we are blood brothers.
We've recently learned of a new police procedure: Snipers with live bullets are to be posted around outposts slated for evacuation. For the evacuation of the Yizhar outpost, such snipers have indeed been posted, with loaded guns and no means of dispersing demonstrations. In other words, the conclusions from the Or commission have been implemented for the Arabs, but not for the Jews. Have we, the settlers, now been branded "the enemy"? In a dinner conversation recently at a kibbutz, one of those present had just returned from reserve duty. He said "we didn't know whether to point the tank at Nablus or at Yizhar". The horror only increased when those around the table murmured their agreement, and even added a few choice words of hatred, bordering on anti-Semitism, for the settler leaders. The dilemma for this kibbutznik, who for me represents the extremist left wing ("Labor" and beyond the abyss), over which one was "more worth it", to shoot the Arab or to shoot the settler exists, is a source of pain for me. The fact that there is a choice like that, that a Jew is willing to point his gun at another Jew, only because he belongs to a different camp, is a true problem which we must deal with, even more so than terrorism from without. I say this simply and openly. For me every Jew, every Jew, is my brother. The nation of Israel is a value. Unity is a value. I love the kibbutznik as I love the settler, the religious as the secular, and I would risk my life for any of them. That conversation around the dinner table was like a slap in the face for me. Have I been denying the truth? Does the covenant of brotherhood between us only work one way? While I am willing to die for this left-winger who sits opposite me, he wonders whether to point his tank guns at me. This kind of attitude was visible in Rabin's time already. The Oslo accords were just a cynical exploitation of that rift in society. Instead of trying to stitch it together somehow, Rabin used that hatred, and because he was prime minister blocs in Israel: the extremist right wing, the left and the Arabs. Historically and consistently, it is easier for the left to join the Arab bloc against their right wing brethren, than the opposite. Cooperating with the enemy against your brother. Does this remind you of something? Perhaps it reminds you of the "hunting season", when the Haganah and Palmach, the pre-state era militias affiliated to the Labor movement, hunted down IZL [National Army Organization-forerunner of the Likud] faction fighters and handed them over to the British Mandate occupation authorities, despite the fact that some of them faced a death sentence. But you can even go further back than that, to the time of the Hellenists who worked against the Jews and with the Greeks, and more and more. We're champions at selling each other out. Still today the left sees me as an obstacle to peace. Not as a brother. For peace, they are willing to kick me out, if not worse. On the path to this bliss, they will slander me, spill my blood, revile me before the entire nation, and deepen the schism. Few are those who learn from this hatred. Those very few who have look at the love that we feel for the left with shame, because they know it is only one-sided. They remember how much we were hated, and they are ashamed. We have disagreements. I'm not blind. They are difficult and deep. I want to solve them because we are one people, whether you like it or not. I want to take advantage of this platform to call upon the left and remind them of what is so obvious to me: brothers do not disengage. |
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ANOTHER SIGN OF AMERICA'S SCHIZOPHRENIC FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM
Posted by Bryna Berch, July 8, 2004. |
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Our leaders continue to chant that Islam is peaceful, our
"allies" - Egypt and Saudi Arabia - are helpful, and we will
overwhelm terrorism with democratic kindness. The website of
Homeland Security (http://www.homelandsecurityus.com/archives.asp)
tells a different story. This is from July 6, 2004 and is entitled
"Translation of the Abu Hafs Masri Brigade Roadmap". The Brigade gets
its name from Abu Hafs Masri, the nom de guerre of Mohamed Atef, Osama
Bin Laden's chief lieutenant who was killed in the US bombing of
Afghanistan.
An ominous sounding message from the Abu Hafs Masri Brigade this weekend instructs Muslims as follows: "Muslims in the West should depart to Muslim states if they can. Those who cannot should take precautions and live in Muslim areas, have enough food to last a month, find ways to protect themselves and their families, leave enough money in the house to last one month or longer and to pray a lot and put their fate in God's hands," As the window for the truce offered by Osama Bin Laden to Europe nears its end on July 13, it has become evident that no one has accepted the cease fire offer. According to the audiotape statement issued by Bin Laden and released on April 15, the proposed truce would go into effect for each country "when their last soldier leaves the (Islamic) countries." The statement, which came several weeks after the Madrid bombings, informed the various European countries that they would be spared the wrath of Al Qaeda attacks if they withdrew their troops from the Middle East. It promised a new wave attacks if the truce offer was rejected. The Al Qaeda group, Abu Hafs al Masri Brigade, has claimed credit for the Madrid bombings, and as the end of the truce window approached, they were quick to speak out about a resumption of hostilities towards the west. In a statement issued this weekend, the Abu Hafs al Masri Brigade laid out their expectations for Muslims worldwide, itemized their targets, and issued messages to specific groups including western governments and Islamic clergy. The Abu Hafs Masri Brigade is a group affiliated with Al Qaeda that is shrouded in mystery. The group is named after Mohamed Atef, top lieutenant to Osama Bin Laden who was killed in a US bombing raid in Afghanistan in December 2001. The operational capabilities of the Abu Hafs Masri Brigade are unconfirmed; some analysts believe they are only an internet propaganda front, while others accept their claims for attacks including the Madrid bombings. The statement demands the following from the United States: 1. Free the prisoners in American prisons and in Guantanamo Bay, as well as Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman, and those held by US request in the prisons of the Arab and non-Arab countries, and those in Jewish (Israeli) prisons. 2. Stop the war on Islam and on Muslims throughout the world, which is being waged in the guise of fighting terrorism. 3. Cleanse all Islamic lands, including Jerusalem and Kashmir, from the "dirt" of Jews and Americans and Hindus. 4. America and its allies cease to interfere in the political and economic and social and cultural matters of Muslims, and in the formation of an Islamic state. 5. The "Crusading" west stops intervening between Muslims and their apostate rulers. In the statement, the Abu Hafs Masri brigade listed four targets for the next phase of their operations: 1. Expansion of the conflict, by distributing operations throughout the world. The Brigades claim that they want to lead America into a third "swamp" similar to Afghanistan and Iraq. They suggest that Yemen will become this new theatre of operations. 2. Shaking investor confidence in the American economy 3. Expose the plans of the Jewish Crusaders 4. Cause the enemy to spread out their forces, and then wear them down. The statement goes on to explain that the role of the coming attacks will break the will of America, and leave her client states powerless, so that the jihad warriors can seize Jerusalem The statement addresses the various militant groups aligned with Al Qaeda, and tasks them with a list of responsibilities: 1. Maintain faithfulness to the will of Allah, and stand with other Muslims; and know that if you are killed, Allah will accept you in paradise and those that you kill will be in the fire. Be patient and endure, and God willing, you will succeed 2. Form small organization of different names such as Jama'at al-Tawhid and Jihad and the Abu Hafs al Masri brigades, and so on, so that it will be difficult for the enemy to discover and dismantle them plus it dilutes the efforts of the security forces. 3. Continue to follow in the path of jihad, following and being loyal to Islam, and remaining in compliance with the theology. 4. Continue physical exercises, as well as military training, and encourage others (your sons and families and your tribe) to join in because the battle may take longer than expected.. 5. Learn new skills, such as computer use and Internet use, and direct any profits from this to the militants and to Muslims. 6. Ignite (Fire up) the psychological war against the enemy. The statement itemizes the following eight requirements that they expect to be fulfilled by Muslims worldwide: 1. Knowledge of the religion (Islam), and loyalty to it. 2. Sincere repentance if they are not active in pursuing the jihad 3. Prayers for the militants, as well as moral and material support 4. Establishing cells both inside and outside of the major cities of the west 5. Providing shelter and support for the mujahadeen as needed 6. Behave in an honorable manner appropriate for Muslims 7. Assist the mujahadeen in blending into their communities 8. Provide advice and assistance as needed Excuses and a warning: 1. To the people of Europe: You only have a few more days to accept Bin Laden's truce or you will only have yourselves to blame. 2. You (Muslims) in the West should depart to Muslim states if they can. Those who cannot should take precautions and live in Muslim areas, have enough food to last a month, find ways to protect themselves and their families, leave enough money in the house to last one month or longer and to pray a lot and put their fate in God's hands. 3. To those who care about civilization: There are only a few days remaining to accept the truce offered by Sheikh Osama, and then the race now is between you, time and European governments which refused to stop their attacks against Muslims. So do not blame us for what will happen, and we apologise to you in advance if you are among those killed Other brief messages: 1. To Bush and his Arab and non-Arab agents: who will stop the coming waves of death from us to American and to the Jews they protect. 2. To John Kerry: You threaten us with war; this is our answer. If you do, then with Allah's help we will wage war upon all your people from the children to the elderly. 3. To Sharon: we will cut your cord with America that gives you power and eliminate the one who protects you from the Arabs, then we will not have any difficulty slaughtering you like lambs. 4. To Tenet: you will need more than five years of retirement, since you remained for more than five years 5. To the American Senate: pardon us fo the disturbance of February 4, 2004, but we were obliged to a pardon on the disturbance a day of 4 - 2 - 2004, but we were obliged to try the substance (Ricin) on some people, and we will return to you, but the next time it won't be for practice. 6. To Bush: He is so secure that he invaded Iraq in the dark of night as a mouse, in fear of the militants. Your black days have not come yet; you mention a day when you cried in September. The coming attacks will make cry you a blood, God willing. 7. To the idol worshipping Abdullah Saleh, do you understand the messages? In Summary: 1. The Americans and the Jews and the western crusaders are our enemies, and they are warriors and our duty is to kill them wherever we find them. 2. The Arabs and the Muslims have a responsibility and a duty to kill them because they are apostates. 3. The division of Palestine is not permissible in any way because it is an Islamic inheritance and is not suitable for any others 4. The fight today is an individual duty of each Muslim and Muslims do this with the consensus of the clerics through the ages, that if an enemy enters into a Muslim land, then it is necessary for the Muslims to fight until they defeat the enemy. It is better to die than to live the remainder of ones life as a submissive slave to Christians and Jews. 5. The Muslims must support the militants and welcome them and invite them into their communities, and not believe the news regarding the militants that comes to them from the tyrants and the unbelievers. 6. With the help of Allah, the coming collapse of America is beyond doubt, God willing. 7. The United Nations is a tool of the crusaders; it's rulings humiliate Muslims, and attacks them, and divide their money, and drains the blood of every Muslim who cooperates with them. 8. Muslim blood and money and honor is "off-limits" with the exception of those who betray Allah and his messenger, as Sharia shows. The communique ends by promising that protection for Islam is in sword, indicating that they plan to continue to wage war against the west. |
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A COMPREHENSIVE POLL ON DISENGAGEMENT
Posted by Yoram Ettinger, July 8, 2004. |
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This poll was conducted by the Geocartography Group - Information,
Strategy and Solutions. It was sponsored by The Israel Institute For
Public Policy Polls. It took place the last week of June 2004 (503
sample of the Jewish population, excluding settlers). The poll was
conducted by Dr. Avi Dagani (Geocartography Group), a foremost Israeli
pollster, who has been consistently accurate on Israeli politics since
the 1988 election.
GENERAL: 1. The poll was conducted while Israel's government and the entire media (TV, radio and newspapers) were engaged in an intensive campaign for Disengagement, while the opponents were dormant (following their victory in the Likud Referendum). 2. The results of the poll are dramatically more politically-INcorrect than those, which preceded the Likud Referendum, and at variance with other current polls, which are not as comprehensive. Precedents - in Israel - indicate that the majority of the "undecided" tend to support the politically-INcorrect option, but are reluctant to admit it to pollsters. 3. To realize the potential impact of the coming educational campaign, (which made the difference during the Likud Referendum), one should note that the May 2, 2004 Likud Referendum was announced when the proponents held a 30% edge. The one month long educational campaign, which followed, produced a 50% net shift (hence, a 20% edge) for the opponents. POLL RESULTS: 1. 51%:32% believe that the evacuation of the Gaza Jewish communities would escalate/diminish Palestinian motivation to fight Israel. 8% assume that it would have no effect and 9% have no opinion. One may conclude that 59% (51%+8%) do not believe that disengagement would improve the situation, and therefore would be reluctant to pay the price of the disengagement (exacerbated terror, intra-Israel strife, multi-billion dollar cost). 2. 55%:25% believe that the evacuation of the Gaza Jewish communities would magnify/diminish the threat of missiles to Ashqelon, Ashdod and the Negev. 9% assume that it would have no effect and 11% have no opinion. One may conclude that 64% (55%+9%) do not believe that disengagement would improve the situation, and therefore would be reluctant to pay the price of the disengagement (exacerbated terror, intra-Israel strife, multi-billion dollar cost). 3. 61%:15% believe that the evacuation of the Gaza Jewish communities would accelerate/slow down the flow of military supplies to Gaza. 10% assume that it would have no effect and 14% have no opinion. One may conclude that 71% (61%+10%) do not believe that disengagement would improve the situation, and therefore would be reluctant to pay the price of the disengagement (exacerbated terror, intra-Israel strife, multi-billion dollar cost). 4. 37%:37% believe that the evacuation of the Gaza Jewish communities would increase/decrease terrorism; 13% assume that it would have no effect and 13% have no opinion. One may conclude that 50% (37%+13%) do not believe that disengagement would improve the situation, and therefore would be reluctant to pay the price of the disengagement (exacerbated terror, intra-Israel strife, multi-billion dollar cost). 5. 36%:35% believe that the evacuation of the Gaza Jewish communities would advance/regress peace with the Palestinians. 18% assume that it would have no effect and 11% have no opinion. One may conclude that 54% (36%+18%) do not believe that disengagement would improve the situation, and therefore would be reluctant to pay the price of the disengagement (exacerbated terror, intra-Israel strife, multi-billion dollar cost). 6. 71%:15% believe that the introduction of Egyptian military personnel into Gaza would restrain/free Israel's counter-terrorism effort. 7% assume that it would have no effect and 6% have no opinion. One may conclude that 78% (71%+7%) do not believe that disengagement would improve the situation, and therefore would be reluctant to pay the price of the disengagement (exacerbated terror, intra-Israel strife, multi-billion dollar cost). 7. 72%:16% believe that the introduction of Egyptian military personnel into Gaza would require/preclude Israel's counter-terrorism operations in Gaza. 12% have no opinion. 8. 48%:39% believe that the introduction of Egyptian military personnel into Gaza would undermine/enhance Israel's security. 13% have no opinion. 9. 49%:44% support the evacuation of Jewish communities from Gaza and northern Samaria. 7% have no opinion. Factoring the tendency by the "undecided" to oppose the politically-correct position, one assumes a tie (while the government and the media are engaged in an aggressive campaign on behalf of disengagement, and the politically-INcorrect is still dormant). Yoram Ettinger writes the From the Jerusalem Cloakroom essays. This is #163. |
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TESTING THE LEADERSHIP OF ISRAEL
Posted by Women in Green, July 8, 2004. |
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A week ago, there were two major terror attacks which forced us to wake up to the reality of our lives in Eretz Yisrael. One was the horrific explosion of the fortified 'Orchan' military base, located at the entrance to Gush Katif, in which one Israeli soldier was killed. The terrorists dug a tunnel from Khan Yunis, a hotbed of terror, all the way to 'Orchan', planted a huge amount of explosives directly under the base and set it off by remote control. The second attack occurred in the development town of Sderot in the western Negev, one and a half kilometers from the Prime Minister's ranch at Havat Hashikmim, when a rocket was launched from the northern Gaza region. Two people were killed, a little boy at the entrance to his nursery school and an older man sitting on a bench. That same week, the Jewish people suffered yet another blow, this time launched by our own Supreme Court. It was a blow to our basic rights to self defense. The Israeli government has done its utmost in the past two years to build a fence through Yesha that supposedly serves as a shield against murderous terrorists and tries to convince the public that it will provide security for Jewish lives. A few days ago, the Supreme Court passed a ruling that caused much controversy among the public and in the Knesset: they proclaimed that the location of the fence must give more consideration to the financial and social difficulties of the Arab population. even at the cost of less security for Jewish life. We think it is absurd that a court ruling could give sympathy or thought to living conditions of those very same villages that breed hate and wickedness against our people and launch the suicide bombers who explode on our buses and main streets. All the words of protest heard in the Knesset by ministers (Landau and Orlev) against the ruling, are of course justified. Unfortunately this is just another expression of the deterioration of our national self confidence and lack of faith in the just cause of protecting Jewish lives in Eretz Yisrael. Beyond the problem of where to build the fence there is the more important question as to whether any fence can serve as the solution for our problems with Palestinian terror. The two terror attacks of last week have proven again that a fence will not prevent terror. Rockets that are fired above the fence against civilian targets and tunnels built under the fence reaching army bases or Jewish towns with explosives planted underground, can overcome the supposed security of a fence. An independent, responsible government that has the power and determination to destroy terror cannot hide behind fences. Certainly a government of the Jewish people who had to flee enemy attacks while in exile, and were eventually imprisoned and confined in ghettos surrounded by fences, should understand that this is no solution. A courageous leadership deals directly with the enemy that wants to attack its citizens and drive them from their homeland. The only way to stand up to this terror is by a continuous offensive against the terrorists until complete victory is achieved. How would a nation like the U.S., France or England respond to rockets being fired from a neighboring country against its towns or cities? I can only guess that a responsible government would send its forces immediately to destroy the area from which the attacks originated and ensure that no further attacks endanger its civilian population. We've come back home to create a safe haven for our people; this is the first and foremost responsibility of leadership. A normal, self respecting government that puts all its hope and reliance on fences will certainly fail its test of commitment to defend Jewish life, and lose its dignity and respect in the eyes of its friends and all the more so, its enemies. It pains me to say that this will stimulate even more attacks against our people. This irresponsible approach to defending our nation stems from a basic flaw in perceiving the historical roots of our rights to Eretz Yisrael. What is a Jew doing living in the "Arab" city of Hebron? How dare the Jews "occupy" the "Palestinian" hills of Judea and Samaria? "Peace" will only be achieved after the end of the occupation of "Arab lands"! These absurd declarations which are being broadcast day and night in the international media have been brainwashing world opinion, and have been adopted as well by the Israeli left. Let's get things straight. We have not occupied any foreign land, we've come back home to the land of our ancestors which has been promised to their children by the G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We have returned to Hebron, the city of Abraham, the first capital of Israel established by King David. We have renewed Jewish life in the hills of Judea and Samaria where the visions of our Prophets enlightened our lives even in the darkness of exile and suppression, with the divine promise of the redemption of Israel by its return to its Biblical inheritance. How blessed is our generation to take an active part in the realization of this divine plan of renewal of Jewish life, which is to bring a blessing to all the nations of the world. Mr. Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, with all due respect, there are no Jewish "occupied territories" in Eretz Yisrael. We have renewed Jewish life by settling in the heart of our homeland, as we are instructed by divine Biblical command and by the driving spirit of the Zionist dream. The continuous flow of eternal Jewish life from the depths of destruction in the bloodbaths of Europe, burst forth into a renewed stream of life in Eretz Yisrael, turning into a gushing river of faith and hope. This divine Zionist faith created the pioneering zeal and devotion, which inspired the builders of towns, villages and cities, from Metulla, Rosh Pina, Elon Moreh, Shilo, Eli, Beit El, Yerushalayim, Gush Etzion and Hebron, to Sderot and Gush Katif. Generations of dreamers, fighters and builders have been privileged to achieve the realization of the Zionist dream. "When G-d returns us to Zion, we will be like dreamers". (Psalms 126:1) It is strange that the very government that should be using force against our enemies to ensure the existence of the Jewish people, is advocating violent force against its own citizens. Our leadership hasn't found the courage and determination to destroy our enemies, yet is determined to use aggressive force against its citizens. This inconceivable thought of forcibly uprooting Jews from their homes in Gush Katif is a moral infringement against basic civil rights of a citizen in a democratic society. All the more so, it is a national crime against the Zionist process, and denies the Jewish right of return to its homeland. If this "disengagement" plan would be devised and implemented by a foreign power, the entire Jewish nation and its leaders would be up in arms against this expression of anti-Semitism. Our leaders have already made it clear that any thought of forcibly relocating any Arab population would be a crime of transfer and racism. How can the planned forced transfer of Jews from their homes and towns be justified? Is violent force and racism justified only when applied to Jews? Is this the realization of the Zionist dream? Have we now reached the peak of achievement of Jewish independence in our homeland? Are we not showing our enemies the way to humble Jewish spirit and bring about the capitulation of the People of Israel? Is this the way to ensure Jewish security in Israel, or will this serve as a catalyst for continued Palestinian terror until we are thrown into the sea, G-d forbid? These painful questions are meant to pierce the heart of every responsible Jew. I want all of my friends, including our Israeli government, to know that the Zionist dream is continuing in the classical divine path of settling, building, and defending Jewish life in all of Eretz Yisrael, b'ezrat Hashem. This divine phenomenon is driven by the eternal strength of faith and its natural instinct of Jewish survival and existence. This process will not be deterred by the evil of our enemies nor by the weakness and irresponsible folly of our brothers at the head of the Israeli government today. To our devoted friends outside of Israel, who ask how they can participate with us in preventing the uprooting of Jews from their homes, I suggest the following: Recruit many thousands of signatures on a petition against the uprooting of Jews from their homes. In addition, we are organizing a mass demonstration by forming a human chain stretching from Gush Katif to the Kotel in Yerushalayim, on Sunday the 7th of Av (July 25), and I welcome all of our friends to come and join this chain of Jewish faith. Always remember, we are all guided and reassured by the holy words of the Prophet Amos: "And I will plant them upon their land and they shall no more be uprooted from their land which I have given them, says the Lord, thy G-d." (Amos 9:15) Ruth and Nadia Matar established Women For Israel's Tomorrow (Women in Green), an activist group of women based in Jerusalem. Their website address is http://www.womeningreen.org |
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ISRAEL NOT THE MAIN MIDEAST PROBLEM
Posted by Richard H. Shulman, July 8, 2004. |
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What Mideast problems do not involve the Arab-Israel conflict: 1. Iran-Iraq war that killed a million
(Coups, terrorism, theocracy, persecution of non-Arabs, poverty, male chauvinism, brutality, etc..) The entire Muslim-controlled Mideast is dysfunctional. It is not the fault, as the Arabs claim, of the US, Israel, Judaism, Western civilization, or Christianity. It is the Muslims' own responsibility. The masses and the elite are silent accomplices in terrorism. There seems to be no effective defense against suicide bombers. So far, they have inflicted more psychological damage, as by deterring tourism, than physical damage. (But they are developing WMDs.) Money that could solve the region's problems goes into terrorism, from which many people make a comfortable living. The leaders send their children to Europe's best private schools. No Muslim leader or his sons have ever blown themselves up. They don't have the religious fervor and desire to get into heaven that they inculcate in their stooges. For their own power, they send outcast women, naive children, and young people promised sex and family support. The answer is an offensive against the leaders. The level of Western politicians' lies is far below the absolutely deliberate fabrication and incitement in the Mideast. The Arab masses believe that 9/11 either didn't happen or was a US or Jewish plot. The Western media gives this notion credence by reporting Arab lies as if possibly true and the Arab condemnation of terrorism in English as if sincere. The same Arabs say tell their own people the opposite (and act accordingly!). The Western media reports a demonstration for Saddam by 3-year-olds dressed like suicide-murderers as a "peace demonstration." Bombing is not peace-making. The Arab dignitaries who condemn a terrorist act to impress the West then visit and pay the "martyr's" family. The murderers are in what is called the "military wing," those who set them up are called the "political wing," and the head is called the "spiritual leader." The West falls for this. These people do not respect religious sites and symbols. They take priests hostage, store ammunition in mosques, fire from a hospital, pretend pregnancy to conceal bombs, shoot from behind children, use children as shields and bombs, mutilate the dead, and hide terrorist headquarters in a hospital. In proportion to their numbers, they are worse than were the Nazis, who did not commit some of these war crimes. We cannot uphold the old-fashioned rule of law against this lawlessness. When caught, they demand the protection of international law (Winston Mid East Analysis,6/22, e-mail). Richard 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. |
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OUT OF THE BUNKER, INTO THE FRAY
Posted by Michael Freund, July 8, 2004. |
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This appeared in the Jerusalem Post yesterday and is archived at
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/
JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1089170972385&p=1006953079865
It's been a tough few weeks for Orthodoxy and its image. First came the flap over wigs worn by observant Jewish women, some of which contained hair that originated in Hindu temples in India. Then came the discovery of tiny crustaceans called copepods in New York City's drinking water, raising questions about whether it could be considered kosher. Both stories garnered international attention, much of it unflattering and even scornful. Orthodox Jews were largely portrayed as being out of touch, concerning themselves with seemingly obscure issues that the average guy in the street would find utterly absurd and even meaningless. Wigs from India? Bugs in the water? You can almost hear readers of the New York Times scratching their heads and asking themselves: is this what religion is truly all about? The answer, of course, is a resounding yes. What I put into my body, or what I use to cover it up for reasons of modesty, is no less an issue of spiritual import than meditation, prayer or even charity. To suggest otherwise is to belittle the significance of one's actions in this world and to demean man's role in the cosmic scheme of things. Indeed, for people who take Jewish law seriously, and who view it as an all-encompassing set of Divinely-ordained guidelines and regulations, the questions raised by the origins of the wigs or the contents of the water were both legitimate and pressing, regardless of how peculiar this might seem to the editors of the New York Times. But as tempting as it might be to pin the blame on the media for Orthodoxy's sullied image, that would only be partially true. The fact of the matter is that Orthodoxy itself has often been its own worst enemy in this regard. After 2000 years of exile and persecution, it is perhaps not surprising that there is a tendency for many within the Orthodox world to turn inward, cutting themselves off as much as possible from the dangers and untoward influences that permeate much of modern culture and society. After all, logic would dictate that the less the outside world seeps in, the greater the chances will be of maintaining the wholesomeness of one's own values and beliefs. But in an era of globalization, where the Internet and other technologies have suddenly made the world a much smaller and far more accessible place, the old tactics may no longer suffice. It is simply getting more difficult to hide in a corner these days, however hard one might wish to try. And so, when various rabbis come out and ban the use of the Internet, rather than embracing it as a tool with tremendous educational and religious potential, they run the risk of fighting a war that has already been lost. Or when several prominent rabbis in England recently came out against some of the popular trends in Jewish music, which has done so much to invigorate Jewish spirituality and youth, they cast themselves as being disconnected from what speaks to so many young Jewish men and women today. More importantly, though, it is the current crisis of assimilation enveloping the Jewish people that should signal the need for a dramatic change in how Orthodoxy presents itself to the outside world. At a time when millions of Jews are literally in danger of losing their Jewish identities, it is not enough for Orthodoxy to build a deeper bunker in the ground and keep its head down. Instead, what is needed, now more than ever, is an Orthodoxy that is firmly rooted in tradition, yet which can speak to Jews of all shapes, sizes and colors, wherever they might be. An Orthodoxy that is modern, yet traditional, and assertive, yet unpretentious. The seeds of such a movement exist, but they need to be cultivated. Recently, I attended a rabbinical conference in Frankfurt organized by the Amiel Institute, an affiliate of Rabbi Shlomo Riskin's Ohr Torah Stone. Under the direction of Amiel head Rabbi Eliyahu Birnbaum, some two dozen young Orthodox rabbis serving communities from Stockholm to Lisbon spent three straight days tackling a range of burning issues, from responding to European anti-Semitism to dealing with intermarried couples to how best to react to Mel Gibson's film "The Passion." It was Orthodoxy at its finest: applying ancient principles to contemporary problems, engaging with modernity rather than fleeing from it. Nearly all the participants had advanced degrees from leading universities and spoke several different languages. Prior to being posted to their communities abroad, they had all spent a year at Amiel in Jerusalem learning skills such as how to speak in public or how to prepare a budget for a communal organization. Call it an MBA program for rabbis, one that provides them with the tools they need to be efficient and productive spiritual CEOs. These are the people who will shape the future of Orthodoxy, who will present the world with a "kindler, gentler: picture of what it means to be an Orthodox Jew in the modern era. Comfortable with the Talmud, yet conversant with Hollywood, they alone have the ability to reach out to our assimilated and intermarried brethren and bring them back to their heritage. We desperately need more such people, both to salvage the image of Judaism, as well as to secure its adherents. So as tempting as it might be to stay in that bunker and dig in our heels, the battle for the Jewish future is already well under way. With so much to offer, Orthodoxy belongs at the front lines. Michael Freund served as Deputy Director of Communications & Policy Planning under former Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. |
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NO TO CIVIL WAR AMONG JEWS
Posted by Ellen W. Horowitz, July 8, 2004. |
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This appeared in the Jerusalem Post and is archived
at
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/
JPArticle/Printer&cid=1089170983764&p=1006953079865
Hold your fire. Things need not spiral out of control. There is broad consensus that Oslo and everything it wrought was a disaster. There is a broad consensus also that the Jewish people do not want to entertain thoughts of, conceive, or engage in a civil war. And there are many of us who think that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon needs to step down immediately. Here is something else we should be able to agree upon. The prospect of civil strife is not something that any Jew should savor. Yet there are those among us who are champing at the bit. The purported messianism and zealotry of the settlers pales in comparison with the zealousness of the Shin Bet, the "peace" camp, and the media. Rather than attempt to diffuse tensions, Sharon has embarked on a campaign to delegitimize citizens residing in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza. This is irresponsible. Sharon's strategy is a deliberate attempt to upset the equilibrium and push sensitive people to the brink. The government is playing with fire because it's toying with the lives, homes, values, and essence of those citizens who have been the most dedicated and devoted to the state. I believe this constitutes incitement on the part of the government. And yet no sane person among us wants to see a replay of Tiananmen Square, Rabin Square, or the Altalena. We've turned on ourselves, and fingers are pointing at the only segment of the population that consistently steered clear of Oslo and refused to engage in the philandering. That a highly respected spiritual leader like Rabbi Avigdor Nebenzahl of the Old City in Jerusalem raised an explosive halachic concept like din rodef to the fore is distressing. But he may have done us all a favor. Betrayal and treason are highly disturbing concepts, but they must be addressed. Less than a month ago we witnessed Justice Minister Yosef Lapid call Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom "an anti-Semite." Shalom responded, "An anti-Semite? You are a racist and a clown..." Consider that a few weeks ago, the IDF chief accused the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee of leaking secrets. Ariel Sharon is the second prime minister in a decade who has brought the Jewish nation to the brink by employing questionable, undemocratic, and callous means to push forth a contentious agenda. The opportunity for civil debate has been frustrated due to corruption, lies, and betrayal within the system. The prime minister has chosen to use the security apparatus and media to orchestrate a direct confrontation with those adhering to Zionist values. So how do we ride this out? The residents of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza need to temper their zealousness with wisdom. That revolutionary change is necessary is a given. But revolutions can be fought in the courtrooms, in the heavens, and through legitimate protest. We can use general strikes, boycotts, and even non-violent civil disobedience. Every Israeli who cares about truth and justice should stop what they're doing and dedicate whatever talents and skills they have to stopping the Gaza disengagement plan. Consider these Three Weeks before Tisha Be'av as a countdown to diffuse the situation and divert disaster. The spiritual viewpoint is not to give one inch of our precious Land. Not everyone is at a place where they can absorb that concept. So let's put a more earthy and "logical" spin on this. We should confront these chaotic and leaderless times by doing everything we can to hold our ground, both mentally and physically. That means we should act wisely and responsibly without compromising our principles. We should hang on to our kids, our spouses, our beliefs, and our land. A very big storm is brewing; and as much as we hope that it blows over, if it does hit, those of us who are connected to our roots will remain in place, while the wind will drive the chaff away. The writer lives in the Golan Heights. |
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AN APPEAL: SPEAK OUT AGAINST CLINTON DISTORTIONS ABOUT POLLARD
Posted by IsrAlert, July 7, 2004. |
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This appeal was sent by Rabbi Pesach Lerner, Executive Vice President, National Council of Young Israel (NCYI). Contact the New York office at 212-929-1515; the Washington office at 202 689 1901; and the Jerusalem office at 02-623-1361. To: Prime Minister Ariel Sharon
Dear Prime Minister Sharon, Minister Netanyahu, Minister Sharansky, and Minister Naveh, I am sure that you are aware that former President Bill Clinton's new book, "My Life", has been released. The distortions about Israel in this book - in particular Mr. Clinton's descriptions about what happened at the Wye River Summit - sully your honor and Israel's honor, and damage the integrity of the Jewish State. I am writing to respectfully urge that as the key participants at the 1998 Wye Summit, you join together in a unified and immediate response. I specifically refer to those events surrounding the agreement to release Jonathan Pollard. I have had the honor of meeting each of you personally, and I have heard directly from Ministers Netanyahu, Sharansky and Naveh, the truth about what really occurred at Wye. Even though these personal accounts were shared with me in separate meetings, sometimes years apart, I have heard the same basic facts from all of the ministers, namely that Jonathan Pollard's release was negotiated as an integral part of the Wye Accords and there was an agreement, that that agreement was a deal-maker, that Israel fulfilled its part of the agreement, and that the United States has yet to fulfill her part by releasing Jonathan and sending him home to Israel. Each of you stressed that the commitment President Clinton made to free Jonathan at Wye was not a promise between two men, but a commitment between two nations. As recently as this past February, when I met with Minister Sharansky in the U.S. Federal Prison in Butner, North Carolina, while visiting and in the presence of Jonathan Pollard, Minister Sharansky even stressed that "Israel had crossed all its red lines" in the negotiations, and paid a very heavy price for Jonathan's release. All of you have expressed great disappointment that, to this day, the U.S. has not fulfilled her part of that agreement. With the publication of the Clinton book and the reviving of the old lies, it appears that the Al-Mighty is giving the Government of Israel another opportunity to insist upon Pollard's release. Clinton's book has made the Wye issue once again newsworthy, and provides the opportunity to complete that which was begun at Wye, the release of Jonathan Pollard from U.S. Federal Prison. Perhaps, it is just for such an exalted moment as this that G-d has waited - when four Jewish leaders stand together in the name of truth - to bless us with the miracle of Jonathan's freedom. But even if that is not the case, and your united stand does nothing more than put the truth on record - that Israel negotiated for Jonathan Pollard's release at Wye and an agreement was reached, and that Israel has fulfilled her obligations-that alone would be important and a moral victory. Our tradition teaches us that when Jews stand alone they are easily overcome, but when they stand united they are invincible. If the Prime Minister and the Ministers - all key participants at Wye - stand united and reaffirm that which really happened, it will be a great sanctification of G-d's Name, and the blessing of Heaven will be upon you and the People of Israel. In the name of HaRav Mordechai Eliyahu, former Chief Rabbi of Israel and Jonathan's Rabbi, and on behalf of Jews throughout the world, I urge the Government of Israel, as represented by yourselves, to stand united and act without delay - to do this great deed for Jonathan and for all of Israel. See Also: The Wye-Double Cross Page http://www.jonathanpollard.org/wye.htm WorldNetDaily: Jonathan Pollard: Bill Clinton's book lies about me (www.jonathanpollard.org/2004/062404.htm). Jonathan Pollard: Clinton's Lies Are Savaging Me - J4JP Release (ww.jonathanpollard.org/2004/062204.htm). Jonathan Pollard's Response to Sharansky Letter and Media Release of 21 June 2004, (www.jonathanpollard.org/2004/062804.htm). Jonathan Pollard Challenges Bill Clinton - Arutz7 (www.jonathanpollard.org/2004/062504a.htm). IsrAlert, a Jewish advocacy network, is hosted by Harv Weiner. To subscribe to IsrAlert, send an email to isralert@aol.com |
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THE NEW ROUTE
Posted by Moshe Feiglin, July 7, 2004. |
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It's not clear how many tunnels are currently being dug along the hundreds of kilometers of the separation fence. It's not clear how long it will take until batteries of Kasam missiles, Katyusha rockets, and AA missiles deployed in Kalkilya, Tul Karem, Ramallah, and Shechem, will force the IDF to re-enter the built-up areas, and will make this white elephant, the separation fence, totally irrelevant. What is clear is that at the moment the citizens of Israel have been enthralled by the charms of a new idol. Naturally the generals and politicians are dancing around this new golden calf. Some of them consciously, and most of them sub-consciously, understand that in fact the separation fence represents the physical separation of the Jewish people from its homeland, from the regions in which the Patriarchs walked, from the Land of the Bible that doesn't let us forget who we are. "We have to get rid of these cursed territories", Yossi Sarid once explained. This means getting rid of cursed Shechem, Hebron, and Jerusalem, that don't allow us to flee from our Jewish identity to a kind of assimilated normalcy. At first the Likud opposed the separation fence. After all, these were people in the national camp, who understood that this was a political and not a security issue, as they defined it. The term "political issue" concealed the controversy between the Left and the Right. This is not a debate about peace and security but a struggle regarding our national identity. Since the Right isn't playing in the correct arena - that of Jewish identity - it is easy for the Left to always channel it into the one in which its hands are tied, that of "peace" or "security". And what Likud minister is going to stand up against all the media, the generals, and the Left-orientated societies, that suddenly offer the public a panacea? It is sufficient to look at the public figures who initiated and pushed the separation fence to understand its real purpose. They are the men of Oslo. Uzi Dayan was the official who gave the bloody agreement its security authorization. If in the past the men of Oslo tried to cut us off from our physical and spiritual roots by means of what they called a "peace" process, now that Oslo has blown up in Israel's face, they are forcing upon us the very same divorce from our identity in the name of security. Just like an aspirin for cancer, the separation fence sometimes, very rarely, halts a group of terrorists. However, the damage it causes is infinitely greater than the benefits it brings. Gigantic budgets of billions of shekels are allocated to it; it is inevitably changing the overall Israeli defense concept to that of an ostrich burying its head in the sand (and Sderot is now paying the price of this); and from the strategic aspect it is diverting both security resources and thinking from the place in which the problem of terror is actually located. In short, the separation fence is causing terrible damage to Israel's security. Anyway, this article won't halt the macabre dance around this golden calf. Neither Haim Ramon in politics, Uzi Dayan in security issues, nor Dan Margalit in the media will assume responsibility for this madness and its fatal results when it blows up in our faces. Those who brought us Oslo but drew no personal conclusions from it after its results became known, are now bringing us this new poisonous recipe. We shall all, apart from them, be responsible for the results. Reason won't stop the separation fence, but it seems that reality/ the Almighty has other ways to deal with it. The High Court of Justice, the Arabs, the international Left, and above all, the terror, will, sooner or later, leave the separation fence as a useless object. Perhaps wily dealers will made a fortune from millions of tons of used fence, in good condition. In fact, even before this it will be stolen by the local Arabs. Do you remember what they once said about a "peace economy"? [See also the article The Fences Against Wisdom: A Tragic-Comedy In Five Acts: http://www.zionet.co.il/manhigut/en/view_article_manhigut_en.php3?article_id=235] Manhigut Yehudit (Jewish Leadership) is a group of people inside the Likud party who want to see Israel adopt a more Jewish character. Moshe Feiglin, its cofounder, has emphatically said he does not want a theocracy, but he does want a State based on Jewish values. The Manhigut Yehudit website address is http://www.manhigut.org. |
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P.M. BEGIN'S BIG MISTAKE
Posted by Marcel Cousineau, July 7, 2004. |
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The year was 1982 and the IDF had suceeded in trapping Yasser and his terrorist PLO gang in Beiruit, Lebanon. As every Prime Minister after him, P.M. Begin bowed to pressure from a U.S. president (Ronald Reagan) and allowed Yasser Arafat and his killers safe passage to Tunisia. Nothing has changed, nothing has been learned. Stupidity continues to reign supreme in Israel as each and every Israeli Prime Minister surrenders Israeli sovereignity and lives to the dictates of outsider who without fail weaken Israel. This happens because Israel has weak leaders who,without fail, always fail the people and the state. All have played the giddy little boy's who gladly settle for a pat on the head and a kick in the pants from their masters for all their treachery against their own and Israel. Is there anyone who will break the cursed mold? |
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SHARON IS NO LINCOLN
Posted by Evelyn Hayes, July 7, 2004. |
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As Sharon cries wolf, civil war, help, he is really saying that he is a wolf, he is uncivil and he doesn't want to help. As Sharon left the right, attacks the right, the left is leaving a vacuum for those at war with the left and the right and are accumulating arms in Lebanon, redeployed Arab Gaza, Syria, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the Sinai. When Sbarro was attacked, Ariel promised and kept one Shabbos as was the wish of Chaya, the "new orphan". He refused to keep another. If he would have and it would have brought peace, pride, productivity, would he have done it? As nonJews respect Jews in their houses of worship and at their hotel dinners, shouldn't the Prime Minister of all Israel respect all the rights of all his citizens, especially those whose votes he stole by not living up to his words. Sharon, who spoke with another tongue on the dais in Netanya before the redeployment from Tulkaren was a prophet. What kind of prophet disregards his own advise and the mandate that got him into the Prime Ministership he so coveted because his advice had been right. What kind of victory was his winning of the election when he cancelled his victory party with the people who canvassed for him; he just used them and planned to undo the right. That was an uncivil thanks. The same type of thanks the peace partners, Arafat the Egyptian promise. The only civil war, I see is Sharon against himself, his people, his polls, his party, his country, his G-d as well as the best interest of America which is calling evil evil and fighting it and replacing it, Redeployment and Disengagement are not winning ways. Instead of replacing they brace the evil tyranny of Arafat the Egyptian and his phantom palestinians. They are substituting war for piece, unity and strength for disunity and weakness, letting evil convert more and more holy ground to jihad. The Jews can't afford to lose again. The can't afford the phoney and provocateur's disunity of religious against secular when in fact it is the secualr Jews that are settlers, too. It is all Israel that is a true and glorious settlement, a law abiding country that wants to stop Arab hate, jihad, murder. There is nowhere left to go. The Jews don't want to be refugeed again. Aza is full of Jewish refugees from Aza again where they were expelled and returned after the Egyptian occupation, from the Egyptian refugee camps of the 1950s from Yemen, Yamit and so many other Arab and Ashkenazi diasporas. As the Magen David Synagogue, a monument of the unifying Jewish symbol soars above the Gan Eden of Jewish Aza, the rockets' red blares are not the fears of those Jews who have turned deserts into gardens using plowshares and not swords. The Jewish flag is not the flag of the wolf, it is the flag of Hatikvah and the revitalization of the Jews by those who have left the refugeedoms and diasporas and come home after two thousand years. The Magen David is the unifying symbol from Neve Dekalim to Ashdod, Ashkelon, Tel Aviv, Herzliya, Haifa, Netanya, Nahariya. It is the symbol of practicing and non-practicing Jews whose work effort has made the wasteland described by Montefiore and Mark Twain into one of the most productive countries in the world. No one can villify our star and the brothers who share in the reclamation of the wasted land of the Jews. Let it never be Juddenrid again As the Jewish world applauded the 11 hour traffic jam to save Jewish Aza on Israeli Independence Day, delayed because of Shabbos as in 1948, as the vote against the referendum presented by Sharon was a major victory for Jewish rights, the war within Israel is an uncivil war by a "minority of losers" who have caused the death of over 1400 innocent survivors of anti-semistism, anti-Zionism and anti-Judaism by their failure to stop the "ever agains" of murder of Jews even in the Israel created to protect all Jews, even in the Prime Minister's secular hometown. The uncivil coup of Sharon is against Shabbos, the real Jews, the ancestors of all the liberals who have left their roots estranging themselves from their ancestors' pictures on their walls. Why isn't Israel a family in these times of jihad and world anti-semitism? The uncivil courts, press and liberals would rather have nothing and their brothers dead, choosing Arafat the irrelevant instead of the Torah which is most relevant and necessary for civilization and taming the wolves. Sharon is no Lincoln. Lincoln freed the slaves. Sharon is calling Egypt into Israel to exit its Jews and reestablish expulsion again. Sharon is no Joseph as he shames and blames his brother, his party, himself. He will leave Jewish property for the enemies again. The greenhouses will no longer produce flowers and vegetables. They will produce weapons of mass destruction on the borders of Yad Mordechai, Sderot, Ashdod and Beit Shemesh. Sharon is disuniting his landsmen by inviting in jihad, pan-palestinianism, world war, chas v'shalom. He is party to the little picture, the picture of the Jews like any other nation sacrificing their nation to those who quote the victory of "war by deception" that caused Jewish Medina to become Juddenrid Medina, Saudi Arabia. Sharon's plea, "Don't kill me like you did Rabin," is a turnspeak because he is letting the killing fields expand against the will of the Jewish survivors." He is constricting democracy and making a "fatwa" on the victims of his tyranny. He is turning the media on the patriots, misdirecting his damaging agenda to those he would damage. All his nation asks is that he keeps Israel together, keeps his word, works for those who chose him for the majority he represented. Let the Jews of Israel cease to suffer the ills of the diasporas to which they were chased. Let the Jews of Israel merit to keep the deserts of Aza blooming and all the land under justice with freedom and peace for Klal Yisrael and their friends. I cry for Gabriel, David Boim, Sara Blaustein, Sarah Hamberger, Tali and her children, the victims of the Dophinarian, Sbarro, Moment Cafe, Sderot. I know the practicing and non practicing Jews are praying that their government is for the Jews of Palestine too, Those kibutzniks who fled Russia Poland fled to Jewish Palestine, remember. Those Sephardis who fled Arab lands fled to Jewish Palestine, remember. Those who fled the Inquisition fled to Ottoman, Palestine. It was the Romans who destroyed the Second Temple who renamed Israel Palestine. The War of Independence reclaimed the name Israel for the only 22% left of its Balfour borders. As Sharon cries wolf, civil war, help, let us remember the war he had to fight and win, the grandeur of victory and the recapture of HarBayit, the shame and the libels of letting it become the place of the Jihad Sermon to surmount all that is Israel. We all light the menorah. Let us continue to be Israel and know no more memorials. There are foxes on the Temple Mount. There is World Jihad against Israel, America, Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Africans. World Jihad is a phantom empowered by those who disengage from themselves against the will of the people. Those elected by the people have no right to reject the Referendum of the people and call democrats uncivil. Those elected by the people have no right to dictate world policy without the vote of the people. Those elected by the people have no right to surrender to a nonpeople against the will of people. The people are crying. Who dares silence such suffering cries and who dares tear the legs off the Jews of Aza again? When a nation is hated, harmed and hammered by an enemy, hammering itself will not relieve the pain, calling himself the enemy will only incite the hate, harm more, hack more. As Israel runs heedless and headless with blinders, there is The Israel that remembers the past, embraces the present and will inherit the future promised and willed without shaming those who would go the immoral and illegal way that Jews suffered in their expulsions and diaporas and without blaming those who were more moral to the uncivilized than their own kind. Lincoln's Civil War equalized all the inhabitants of his country and designed the groundwork for all inhabitants to be law abiding citizens of one land; Sharon's uncivil contemplations are worse than apartheid, separation. He would leave Arabs within the borders of Jewish Israel and expell Jews from the places from where they returned again and again. He would subject the Jews to the laws that are not laws for others. Trying to please all nations, Israel is acting unlike all nations that still are civil to their Jews. His precedent will be an impetus to anti-semitism, anti-Zionism, anti-Judaism even as so many are Baal Teshuvahs and Gerim, even as so many bless Israel because blessing Israel blesses themselves and makes gardens of deserts so triumphantly accomplished in Gush Katif, an oasis of those producing even as jihad hatefully destroys. Am Yisrael Chai. Evelyn Hayes is author of "The Eleventh Plague, Twins, because their hearts were softened to accept the unacceptable" and "The Twelfth Plague, Generations, because the lion wears stripes." |
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SHOULD THE U.S. EMBASSY BE RELOCATED TO JERUSALEM?
Posted by Yrachmiel Elias, July 7, 2004. |
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This article was written by Jo-ana D'Balcazar, M.A. She is a political
analyst in International Relations specializing in the Middle East
crisis and the European Union. Send comments to:
politics2see@hotmail.com or go to http://www.jo-anadbalcazar.com. It
The article appeared on Radio Free Israel
(http://www.radiofreeisrael.com/should_the_us_embassy_be_relocated_to_jerusalem.htm).
Although Public Law 104-45, effective since November 1995, clearly states that it is U.S. policy to move the Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, once again, it has been postponed. Just as ex-President Bill Clinton did during his 2-term administration, President George W. Bush suspended the relocation asserting U.S. national security will be harmed and signed another 6-months security waiver as required by that law. Has the waiver application been effective? The question is whether the U.S. should move the Embassy and when. BACKGROUND The Public Law 104-45, better known as "The Jerusalem Embassy Relocation Act" was approved in November 1995 overwhelmingly by the Congress during the Clinton Administration. The act calls on the President to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital and as indicated in Section 3(a) move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem no later than May 31, 1999. However, the same law, has a clause to restrict its implementation. According to Section 7, the President is authorized to waive Section 3(b) for two 6-month periods provided that the waiver is necessary for national security interests. If the President does not invoke the waiver, then it is subject to financial penalties, precisely, for not complying with the law. In a nutshell, the same law allows the relocation of the Embassy and at the same time legal means for not fulfilling it. Therefore, once again, Pres. Bush determined on June 15 through a "Memorandum for the Secretary of State, the Pr From the Israeli perspective, they insist that complying with the law is important as it might put a stop to Arab-Palestinians using the waiver to strengthen their efforts on claiming Jerusalem as their capital, which they argue have no historical claim. Based on historical facts, Israel sustains that an undivided Jerusalem has been their capital since King David established it over 3000 years ago. From the Arab-Palestinian perspective, they insist that relocating the Embassy would only interfere with the peace process. Consequently, from both groups, it appears that the argument held by the Arab-Palestinians has been stronger since the Law has been continuously waived. Yet, the fact of avoiding the relocation has not proved any improvement or decrease of violence in the so-called peace negotiations, but an escalation since the 2000 Intifada. The level of hypocrisy goes to the open challenge of the Palestinian Authority, led by none other than Yasser Arafat, formerly terrorist leader of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, by having its own military groups involved in terrorist acts, such as Al-Fatah and Al-Aksa Martyrs Brigade. Therefore, moving the Embassy and having Israel eradicate terrorist infrastructures, could be a bold message for terrorists. From the U.S. Congress perspective, in 1992, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives unanimously adopted Senate Concurrent Resolution 113 of the 102nd Congress to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem, and reaffirming that Jerusalem must remain an undivided city. U.S. POSITION Politically speaking, the U.S. solution will be to implem On one hand, the Arab community and pro-Palestinian groups could see the relocation as a confrontation, raising domestic and international public protest by the Arab states and the EU, which mostly have a pro-Palestinian position. On the other hand, many Jewish groups support his administration because they consider him a strong Israeli friend. However, since there is no one block Jewish vote but a divided group between Democrats and Republicans, pressure to fulfill the relocation of the Embassy is not strong. However, Democrat candidate Sen. John Kerry, for his part, also does not indicate that he will fulfill the relocation of the Embassy. Yet, despite Bush postponing the relocation of the Embassy, he assured Secretary of State that his Administration "remains committed to beginning the process of moving our embassy to Jerusalem." The question is when will it be? THE JERUSALEM QUESTION Historically, while Jerusalem has been Israel's capital since King David established it over 3,000 years ago, it has never been the capital of any Arab state, even when it was under control of Jordan for 19 years (1948-1967). Also, there has never been a Palestinian country, language, or culture. Modern Palestine is the political invention of the Roman Empire during the 2nd Century AD. That is a fact. Arabs invaded Jerusalem in 634 AD in their quest to convert the world to Islam. Therefore, mathematically speaking, Jerusalem belonged to the Jews for around 2,400 years before Prophet Mohammed founded Islam in the 600s AD. Then, the question is, "Why Jerusalem cannot be called Israel's capital and the From 1948-1967, Israeli citizens of all faiths as well as Jewish citizens were denied access to holy sites in the area controlled by Jordan. Moreover, Jewish synagogues and cemeteries were desecrated. Israelis were also forbidden to pray at the Temple Mount and the Western Wall, which is the Jews' holiest shrine representing the connection to their past, present, and future. However, after Jordan, for the second time, attacked West Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day War, Jerusalem was again reunited by Israel. One interesting point is that contrary to previous Jordan rule, since the reunification of Jerusalem by Israel, all religious faiths including Jews, Christians, and Arabs, have been guaranteed full access to holy sites within the city. Interestingly, in 1987 when Jordan King Hussein relinquished Jordan's administrative and legal ties to Judea and Samaria (West Bank), he did not delegate them to the PLO. Continuing with historical claims, Jews pray facing Jerusalem, Muslims pray facing Mecca. Muslims consider Jerusalem their third holiest place for the Dome of the Rock after Mecca and Medina; Jews consider Jerusalem their holy city. Furthermore, the Dome of the Rock was built during the Umayyad Dynasty in 691 over the ruins of the Second Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount, destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD, and the al-Aksa in 715. So, who has a stronger valid claim? CLINTON ADMINISTRATION The P. L. 104-45 was passed during Pres. Bill Clinton Administration. Still, like Pres. Bush, he exercised the waiver of relocation based in Section 7(a) alleging national security reasons. Clinton had the opportunity to fulfill the relocation, but like the Bush Administration, he also faced peace negotiations and did not want to undermine the peace process. Nevertheless, in July 2000, after the failed Camp David talks and besides suggesting that, he was considering mov On the other hand, despite peace negotiations, the Palestinian Authority has become part of the terrorist problem, since their military groups are declared terrorist groups, such as Al-Fatah and Al-Aksa Martyrs that claim many terrorist acts. However, eradication of terrorist groups in the occupied Judea and Samaria (wrongly referred as the West Bank) has not been done and every time Israel defends itself from terrorist attacks the U.S. criticizes it. Bottom line, has it been beneficial or not to waive continuously the relocation of the Embassy? CONCLUSION Arguably, the failure to fulfill P.L.104-45, which recognizes Jerusalem as Israel;s capital and moving the Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is interpreted by many as sending a loud message to terrorists that their tactics and strategies are functioning. Hence, for almost 9 years, it appears that P.L. 104-45 consists of only executing waivers. Whether the relocation of the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem would help or hurt the current war against terrorism, is to be seen. What do you think? Netzah Yisrael Lo Yeshaqer - The Eternal-One of Israel Never Lies - was created and is administered by Yrachmiel Elias and Professor Yaakov Golbert, JD. |
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IN SEARCH OF "RIGHTEOUS ARABS"
Posted by Unity Coalition for Israel, July 7, 2004. |
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This was written by Robert Satloff, who is the director of policy and
strategic planning at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
It appeared in the July 2004 issue of "Commentary". His article, "What
Do Arab Reformers Want?", appeared in the December 2003 "Commentary"
issue.
Denial of the Holocaust is a recurring theme of Arab politics - a staple not only of radicals, both secular and Islamist, but of the mainstream as well. Borrowing methods and motifs from their European and American counterparts, Arab deniers wrap their arguments in pseudo-scientific scholarship, discounting (or denying) the numbers of dead, equating the Holocaust with lesser crimes, denigrating its historical uniqueness, or reversing history to ascribe to present-day Jews the role of "Nazi" persecutors of Palestinians. So routine has this Arab form of Holocaust denial become that it did not seem shocking when the first-ever Palestinian prime minister, the relatively moderate Mahmoud Abbas, turned out to have earned his (Soviet) doctorate with a dissertation expressing doubt about the Nazi extermination of six million Jews. A heartening trend in recent years is that a number of figures in the Arab world have begun to address this pervasive phenomenon, and to deplore its effects. Their motives vary. Some want simply to correct the inaccuracy of Arab historiography. Others seek to remove an ugly stain on Arab intellectual and political culture. Still others seem to hope that Arab recognition of the crime of the Holocaust will induce Jews and Zionists to acknowledge, in turn, the "crime" of Israel's existence. Finally, some sincerely believe that expressions of empathy with Jewish suffering may help overcome deep-rooted psychological impediments to Arab-Israeli peacemaking. Such, for instance, appears to have been the impulse behind the May 2003 visit to Auschwitz by a joint delegation of Israeli Arabs and Israeli Jews. Despite these halting signs of progress, however, Holocaust denial remains a powerful orthodoxy - so powerful that dissenters often feel compelled to speak under the cloak of anonymity.*Moreover, the dissent is limited in its scope, directed either toward acknowledging the facts of the Nazi Holocaust or displaying sympathy with its victims. Out of bounds is any effort to explore the intersection of the Holocaust with Arab history itself. (*A case in point is the Arab professor of English literature who contributed a brilliant essay to an Internet-based "virtual symposium" on Arab views of the Holocaust. See www.legacy-project.org/symposium/comments.html?Symposium_Paper=1&ShowID=1.) For the Holocaust, although overwhelmingly a European story, was not solely a European story. It was an Arab story, too, and the dimensions of that story are much larger and more complex than such by now familiar facts as the pro-Nazi exploits of Haj Amin al-Husseini, the mufti of Jerusalem, or the largely unsuccessful propaganda rants by the Nazis' Arabic mouthpieces on Radio Berlin. From the outset, German plans to persecute and eventually to exterminate the Jews extended throughout all the lands Germany and its allies hoped to conquer. That included a great Arab expanse in North Africa, extending from Casablanca to Tripoli and onward to Cairo - a region that was home to a half-million Jews. Indeed, the country-by-country plan of extermination laid out at the Wannsee Conference in Berlin in January 1942 makes sense only if the wildly inaccurate figure for the Jews of unoccupied France - 700,000 - is understood to include France's North African possessions: the colony of Algeria and the protectorates of Morocco and Tunisia. In the brief period when they had a chance, the Germans and their allies made a significant start toward their murderous goal for North Africa's Jews. For three years - from the fall of France in June 1940 to the expulsion of German troops from Tunisia in May 1943 - the Nazis, their Vichy French collaborators, and their Italian Fascist allies applied in these areas many of the same tools that would be used to devastating effect against the much larger Jewish populations of Europe. These included not only statutes depriving Jews of property, education, livelihood, residence, and free movement, but also forced labor, confiscations, deportations, and executions. Virtually no Jew in North Africa was left untouched. Nearly 10,000 suffered in labor camps, work gangs, and prisons, or under house arrest. By a stroke of fortune, relatively few perished, many of them in the almost daily Allied bombings of Tunis and Bizerte in the winter and spring of 1943 when the Germans forced Jewish workers to stay at their jobs clearing rubble. But if U.S. and British troops had not driven the Germans from the African continent in 1943, the 2,000-year-old Jewish communities of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and perhaps Egypt would almost certainly have met the fate of their brethren in Europe. Many Arabs today would respond that all this has nothing to do with
Arab history. It has to do, rather, with the history of colonialists
who played out their designs on Arab soil; Arabs had no part in it,
they would say. But they would be wrong. Just as in Europe, most
members of the local populace stood by and did nothing; a few
helped - the Arab world, too, had its "righteous Gentiles"; and some
made matters demonstrably worse.
The story of the Holocaust in Arab lands has three main divisions: the extension of Vichy's "state anti-Semitism" to France's North African possessions; the imposition of Mussolini's anti-Jewish regime in Libya; and the six-month occupation of Tunisia by German and in Algiers by the predominantly Jewish underground, an action that eased the amphibious entry of thousands of U.S. and British troops on the night of Operation Torch in November 1942. Taken together, this history is rarely told, and the heroes, in particular, have never been recognized. Of the more than 19,000 "righteous Gentiles" honored by Israel's Yad Vashem for rescuing Jews from death during the Holocaust, not a single one is an Arab (though there are a number of Muslims, including Turks, Bosnians, and Albanians). In my view, the reason for this lacuna is dual: few have ever looked for "Arab righteous," and fewer still have had an incentive to be found. For Arabs, the legacy of World War II was soon overshadowed by two other developments: the conflict with Zionism over the fate of Palestine and the struggle for independence against European colonialism. By the late 1940's - and certainly by the time of the Suez crisis in 1956 - the blurring of the state of Israel with "the Jews" was already a deeply embedded theme of Middle Eastern politics. For an Arab, there was little to be gained (and much to be lost) by being identified with the defense of Jews or of Jewish interests. Sultan Muhammad V of Morocco and, to a lesser extent, Habib Bourghiba, the secular leader of Tunisia's independence movement, were significant exceptions, noteworthy not least for their rarity. For Jews, the situation was more complex. To many of those remaining in North Africa, memories of their horrible wartime experience were swiftly overtaken by the less systematic but often more violent anti-Zionism that compelled hundreds of thousands to quit their homes for Israel in the late 1940's and 1950's. Once in Israel, wartime memories were further obscured by the tension in that country between Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jews. To the degree that the former jealously guarded their Holocaust legacy - theirs, after all, had been by far the greater calamity - the latter tended not to focus on theirs. Similarly neglectful were Holocaust historians and institutions; even today, one hears debate in Israel over whether it is even appropriate to use the term "survivors" for Jews from Arab countries who suffered Nazi-era racial laws and punitive actions. An additional wrinkle concerns the odd position held by the small and still dwindling remnants of once-grand Jewish communities in Arab countries. Less than 2 percent of the wartime Jewish population is left in Morocco and Tunisia today; in Algeria and Libya, the communities are effectively extinct. Navigating between the Scylla of Islamic radicalism and the Charybdis of regime indifference to their fate, Jews in these countries have by and large opted for quiescence. This attitude even extends backward to their past history. Although in the course of my research I did come across Sephardi activists agitating for wider acknowledgement of the history of the Holocaust in Arab lands, none actually resides in an Arab land today. But if these considerations help to explain the obscuring of the Arab encounter with the Holocaust, they hardly excuse it. When I began my research into this hidden history, my secret desire was to organize a commemorative event in May 2003 on the sixtieth anniversary of the Allied liberation of Tunisia. For the obvious reasons, I wanted it to take place in Auschwitzas it happens, a handful of Tunisian deportees were eventually killed there - and I envisioned a ceremony that would bring together Tunisian government officials, scholars, journalists, local Jewish community leaders, and members of Tunisia's expatriate Jewish community. My idea died when, traveling to Tunis, I asked my first interviewee, a prominent Arab historian, about the day his country was "liberated" from Nazi occupation. With a quizzical look on his face, he replied: "Liberation? What are you talking about? The departure of the Germans meant the return of the French, who were infinitely worse!" And this rebuff was nothing compared with my reception by the children of one of my prime candidates for recognition as a "righteous Arab": Tunisia's wartime prime minister, Muhammad Chenik. Walking a dangerous line between the Germans and his longtime personal friendships with Jews, this Arab notable, according to various interviewees, had used his connections to warn Jewish leaders of impending arrests and had secured dispensations from forced labor for the sons of Jews he knew from his business days. He very likely saved Jewish lives, perhaps at risk to his own. Whatever the motive behind these deeds - personal friendship, old
business obligations, simple kindness - they were truly noble. Since I
was intending to resurrect the story of this long-forgot-ten
statesman, and bring honor to his name, I had expected his family to
embrace the revelations I was offering them, or at the very least to
thank me for my efforts. And indeed, the family members who gathered
in their comfortable seaside villa to hear my tale were polite,
generous, and welcoming, plying me with tray after tray of delicious
sweets and several rounds of coffee and tea. But through the smiles
and handshakes, it rapidly became clear that they wanted nothing to do
with my story of their father's exploits. We have never heard about
any of this, they insisted, and even if what you say is true, it does
not amount to anything significant. Although they urged me to return
with irrefutable proof, they offered no help, and it was obvious they
hoped never to hear from me again.
Perhaps the hardest blow has been the silence that has greeted most of my entreaties to moderate, forward-thinking Arabs to assist in shedding light on this chapter of their history. For every positive response to a phone call or a posting on an Internet message board, there have been a dozen cold shoulders, unanswered faxes, or unfilled promises. In October 2003, to take one example, I contacted the prominent Egyptian thinker Ahmed Kamal Abulmagd - widely considered one of the most moderate and open-minded of Muslim theologians, and certainly no Holocaust denier - after his appearance before an audience at the American University of Cairo, where he had participated in an exchange with the American ambassador. At one point in their discussion, Abulmagd had turned to the ambassador and said: We all condemn the policies of Hitler and the Holocaust, but enough is enough. There is a moment of saturation and, let me be very blunt on this, world Jewry is in danger because of the very irresponsible policies of the government of Israel, supported by some unaware leaders of the Jewish community in the United States. I hate to see a day where there is an unleashing of dormant general anti-Semitism, in Europe, particularly, and maybe in the United States. But we Arabs are not part of it. We are not part of the Holocaust. We never persecuted Jews. In contacting Abulmagd, my purpose was not to persuade him to repudiate his remarks. On the contrary, I wanted to ask him to use his good offices in helping me gain access to Egyptian consular records from the late 1930's. Those files, I believe, may contain evidence of an "Arab Wallenberg," an Egyptian diplomat who I suspect provided marriage or birth certificates to German and Austrian Jews, enabling them to flee to Cairo and from there to freedom in London. Though one might think Egyptian officialdom would be eager to exploit proof of a great humanitarian act by an Egyptian diplomat, one that would burnish Egypt's bruised image in the United States, none of my requests to Cairo policymakers - some of whom, at the highest levels of government, I have known for more than fifteen years - has ever been acknowledged. That is why I wrote to Abulmagd - twice. Noting the absence of a single Arab among Yad Vashem's list of "righteous" non-Jews, I begged for his intercession: "Didn't some Arabs help or rescue some Jews?," I asked. "And if indeed some Arabs did rescue some Jews, then isn't this the positive, constructive answer to Arab Holocaust denial?" But the taboo against recognizing any Arab connection to the Holocaust, even in order to celebrate the deeds of a heroic Arab rescuer, is evidently too strong. I am still waiting for an answer. The National Unity Coalition is "the largest worldwide coalition of Jewish and Christian organizations, with more than 200 groups representing millions of people dedicated to Israel. Though we have many different backgrounds, we have one common goal: A Safe and Secure Israel." "Israel is not just a Jewish issue. Millions of Christians resolutely endorse the principle of peace with security for the state of Israel. Because we work closely together and speak with a united voice, our message is being heard!" |
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IS MIXING ISLAM WITH ANY OTHER RELIGION OR CULTURE LIKE MIXING OIL
WITH WATER? - Learning survival information for the expanding
religious and moral conflicts with Islam
Posted by Dan Sheldon, July 7, 2004. |
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Friends of USA and of Israel: Help those who still have learning abilities understand why: [1]. so much hatred is pointed at the USA, Israel, freedom and democracy Political, business, policy and religious analysis of issues concerning Moslems and Islamic events emanating from the Middle East, as well as the world, requires understanding of Islamic perspectives and its goals, with its consequential regard and treatment of the infidel West, of freedom of thought, of uncontrolled flow of verifiable information and of Jews. Everyone must know if Islam is a religion of peace or if it is a sham? Koran proclamations set by Mohammed, include "believers do not take Jews or Christians as friends" (verse or Sura 5.51). How Jews who are considered vile evil doers are to be treated under Koranic laws, the "sharia", are revealing; mandatory wearing of badges or other identifying items and different colored shoes, never permitting a Jewish head to be higher than that of a Moslem's head, walking in designated paths, paying of "jizya" (protection tax money) and not having status in court are a few of intentionally discriminatory laws intended to degrade and humiliate. These laws were used and can be used anytime again. For improved understanding of Islam, Mohammad and their advocates, it is crucial that the informed learn from a few well researched and documented books that clearly present Islam and Muslims. People who know about Islam from media or from sources needing to protect oil supplies or business connections and who do not wish for religious or any conflicts should at least read two books by Ibn Warraq: Why I Am Not A Muslim and Leaving Islam. Ibn Warraq distills research of historians, political analysts and religious writings into comprehensive texts that strip away while explaining much of the religious-political spin found in many current books, articles, speeches and interviews. He explores teachings in mosques and madrassas the world over. He identifies traditional and contemporary tolerance of others and of women in Islam. (For example: in Sura 4.34 men are given authority over women and allowed to beat them; in Sura 4.11 it said that males shall inherit twice as much as a female; in sura 33.50 permitted number of wives and slave-girls is described),... For his efforts, Ibn Warraq fears several death sentences by "fatwa" (religious decrees). Knowledge gained from Warraqs books are culturally, politically and religiously instructive, enabling awareness of many thought processes and behaviors exhibited by adherents of Islam. He demonstrates by diligent analysis of the Koran with its Islamic commentaries that Muslims are obliged to fight, kill, deceive and misinform in the name of Allah. Warraq provides a comprehensive analysis of the extent shared values and dialog are possible between Muslims and non Muslims. Warraq's examination of the Koran makes it a simple matter for those not acquainted with the "Quran" to recognize when it is virtuous for Muslims to commit acts considered amoral or barbaric by the overwhelming majority of "westerners". He demonstrates that from an Islamic perspective Muslims can simultaneously accuse others, especially Jews and Christians, of being the cause of initiating or perpetrating those acts. Warraq and others systematically demonstrate that the Koran encourages with its "black letter laws" and with traditions, hadiths, established by Mohammed, that any barbarous or duplicitous deed is appropriate as long as it is for the benefit of Allah or for imposing the Koran and its Sharia rules. Warraq makes it easy to construe whether Islam possesses anything but contempt and scorn for non Muslims and especially for Jews. (Sura 8.12: I will instill terror into the hearts of the unbelievers: smite ye above their necks and smite all their fingertips off them.) In Islamic trdition, No "infidel" (non believer) house of worship is permitted to be built or repaired under the sharia. He clarifies how Moslem countries can beseech the USA and non Muslim countries for, financial, military or educational help while simultaneously detesting their benefactors and working to subvert them so that humanity shall become an Umma ("one Muslim community"). Other books (Onward Muslim Soldiers by Robert Spencer, The Trouble With Islam by Manji Irshad, The Sword of the Prophet by S & S Trifkovic, Hatreds Kingdom by Dore Gold, The Clash of Civilizations and The Great Caliphate by Larry Abraham, among many others) substantiate Ibn Warraq's works and elaborate on his analysis of Islam and hostile single interpretation black letter law verses "Suras" in the Koran. These books merit a reading and content evaluation because addressing latent adversaries with ignorance, though with moral benevolence and compassion, may be as fatal as it was for Jewish tribes such as the Quraysh and Banu Nadir who signed "peace" treaties with Mohammed and believed in his virtue. These books facilitate understanding of traditions where Islam establishes that agreements and treaties with (non believer) infidels are either triumphs or temporary impediments to be disregarded or refuted. Moslems regularly site broken agreements by Mohammed as precedence for waiting until military superiority allows them to repudiate and breach agreements. The various authors expose why it is essential for Moslems to: discredit and delegitimize Israel while mischaracterizing events and altering its history, disparage the USA, subvert democracies and denigrate infidels using any political and military tools which include college campus emotional campaigns, journalist's articles evoking fairness, disingenuous but plausible legal arguments, weapons of any type, homicidal shaheed (martyr) bombers and immigration for political advantage. The ordinary meaning of jihad become evident and it is apparently not the one related to self struggle. (O true believers, when you encounter the unbelievers, strike off their head; Sura 47.4) These texts also provide substantive insight of: why Egyptian TV and other Islamic government controlled media are continuing to air "Horsemen Without A Horse" (a redo of: Protocols of the Elders of Zion); Analysis into the politics of appeasement and why Muslims enjoy liberal leftists views and those who advocate restraint against Islamic mandates is also provided. What type of relations are reasonable and indeed possible to have with individuals yet alone societies whose basic beliefs and loyalties are split into into two religiously decreed categories. One, dar el Islam, the house of Islam, insisting on second class dhimmi (quasi "protected") status for Christians and Jews with no religion but Islam existing in Arabia and death to polytheists (like Hindus). Two, dar el Harb, the house of war: for conversion and conquest of infidels into Islam or slaughtering them. No other relationship with non believers is allowed save for temporary cessation of hostilities to gather strength. Ibn Warraq's, Robert Spencer's and other authors' eloquent works reveal that there is virtually no difference between extreme fundamentalist and moderate Islam; they enable recognition that when deception is required for Allah it is possible for a Moslem to criticize any tenets of the Koran or of Mohammad's hadith (traditions) and still remain a believer of Islam and its objectives. Moslems know that "The unbelievers among the people of the book and the pagans shall burn for ever in the fire of hell. They are the vilest of all creatures" (Sura 98:1). As for Jews, "... they were changed into apes and swine" (Sura 5.75). Only implementation of dar el Islam is different. With religious permission to say one thing while pursuing differing goals, the cited books help ascertain the extent Islam with its practice of theological abrogation and its sharia laws, lacks empathy, mandates resistance of social integration in non Moslem lands, is incompatible with democracy, is against scientific methods of investigation, obfuscates truth, denies women's rights, avoids multicultural peace and is contrary to American citizenship. Voices from virtually every Mosque and Madras espouse Islamic teachings. Muslims have a Koran obligation to work for Islam even if contra to morays. Sura 9.123 states: Believers, make war on the infidels who dwell among you. Deal firmly with them. Know that God is with the righteous. Sura 9.41 states: Whether unarmed or well equipped, march on and fight for the cause of God, with your wealth and with your persons. - In Sura 5.82 it states: Indeed, you will find that the most vehement of men in enmity to those who believe are the Jews and the polytheists. It becomes evident that disengagement from Muslims may not have a desired effect; it may provide a psychological and ideological victory for those seeking to eliminate non-believers of Islam and so encourage further passive and active conflict. After the events of September 11, 2001, many Muslims and apologists of Islam came out with the following efficient quote to show that Islam and the Koran disapprove of violence and killing: "Whoever killed a human being shall be looked upon as though he had killed all mankind". These wonderful sounding words are appropriately extracted from, Koran, Sura 5.32: That was why We laid it down for the Isrealites that whoever killed a human being, except as a punishment for murder or other villainy in the land, shall be looked upon as though he had killed all mankind; and that whoever saved human life shall be regarded as though he had saved all mankind. In context, the supposedly noble sentiments are in fact a warning to Jews: behave or else! Rather than renouncing violence, these verses aggressively point out that anyone opposing the Prophet will be killed, crucified, mutilated and/or banished. The cited books help teach laws which Muslims must follow. Shine the light of knowledge unto the non-Muslim world. Alternatives to knowing Islamic doctrine is to accept misleading views of Islamic immigrants and other Muslims whose divine has "... placed the moon as a light..." (Sura 71-3). Read and be armed with reality and knowledge and not with wishful beliefs that Koran and its Suras, a few of which have here only been touched, will somehow be reinterpreted in a benign manner or that an evolutionary tolerance of others will miraculously occur. Being chivalrous and righteous with ignorance of Islam has been shown and continues to be fatal. To life! (Note: Sura numbering is somewhat different in various books but they are usually close.) Dan Sheldon writes, "Comments, thoughts, modifications and corrections are welcomed." He can be reached at readmad@yahoo.com. |
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ISM'S SUPPORT FOR TERRORISM WHITEWASHED
Posted by Deborah Passner, July 7, 2004. |
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The Cape Cod Times whitewashes the pro-Palestinian International Solidarity Movement (ISM) in its July 5 feature "Mideast sojourn inspires activist" by Karen Jeffrey. (1) The article lionizes the group and one of its activists, Neal Ahern. While the piece notes that a member of the Canadian Parliament nominated the organization for a Nobel Peace Prize, it does not include a single mention of the many controversial statements or actions of ISM and its members. ISM Supports Palestinian "armed struggle" The group's Web site ( http://www.palsolidarity.org/ ) has stated: " As enshrined in international law and UN resolutions, we recognize the Palestinian right to resist Israeli violence and occupation via legitimate armed struggle. However, we believe that nonviolence can be a powerful weapon in fighting oppression and we are committed to the principles of nonviolent resistance." Founders of ISM glorify terrorists, seek to prevent the arrest of terrorists and justify terrorism * Currently on the ISM website are links such as www.freebarghouti.org, which justify Marwan Barghouti's "right" to commit terrorism, or what they call "armed struggle." *In a January 2002 article for Palestine Journal, ISM founders Adam Shapiro and his then-fiancee (now wife) Palestinian-American Huwaida Arraf, wrote that non-violent activities should take place in addition to (not in place of) armed resistance, because the non-violent activities are good for PR purposes. They also characterized "suicide operations" as "noble." Shapiro and Arraf wrote in the Palestine Chronicle (1/29/02): "[T]he use of nonviolence is about control and power - those who maintain nonviolence and exploit the use of violence by the oppressor maintain control and power, which is something that can be manipulated to present a story, a case or an image." They also wrote that Palestinians killed in nonviolent protests will have died in a manner: "... no less noble than carrying out a suicide operation. And we are certain that if these men were killed during such an action, they would be considered shaheed Allah." * International Solidarity Movement members inserted themselves between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian terrorists after terrorists took over the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem in April/May 2002. The May 3 New York Times reported on ISM's participation: On a day of more fatal gunfire, and a scramble by foreign peace activists carrying food into the Church of the Nativity, Palestinian negotiators offered a compromise to end the month long standoff between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian gunmen inside...But a high-ranking defense official said it was unlikely the proposal would be accepted because Israel classifies about 25 men inside the church as the most dangerous of terrorists...The activists are members of the International Solidarity Movement... Ms. Schurr (ISM activist) said she was happy to be inside the compound in solidarity with the Palestinians... "Our intention is to stay until the Palestinians are allowed to leave without fear of being arrested or killed," Ms.Schurr said. * ISM members sit in terrorists' houses scheduled for demolition and act as "human shields" for Palestinians during military incursions, hindering Israeli soldiers' movements and placing the soldiers and themselves in grave danger. The Los Angeles Times reported that Brian Avery, an ISM activist injured in Israel, sent his family an email shortly before he was wounded explaining that "the group's main 'actions' ... consisted of 'being monitors and witnesses at military checkpoints' and 'lodging in the homes of the families of individuals who chose suicide bombing as their method of resisting the occupation.' " (Oct. 26, 2003) Illinois resident and ISM activist, Kevin Clark told the February 13, 2003 Palentine Countryside that "he stayed at the family home of Burak Khelfi, who carried out a Jan. 5 suicide bombing in Tel Aviv. Clark stayed in the home with other internationals to protect it from demolition by the Israeli Occupation Forces." Clark, on the Web site "Stop US Tax-funded Aid to Israel Now!" (SUSTAIN), a group of which Clark is a member, glorified the suicide bomber as a "martyr." His article also highlights the type of irresponsible actions ISM activists engage in. Last evening, I along with two young "internationals", stayed at the home of one of the Tel Aviv Martyrs' families to protect them should the IOF appear to demolish their home. This is the same home that I have stayed in several nights and have been honored by their warmth. This morning at approximately 4AM, I had a sense that something was wrong and a few seconds later the sound of a car motor prompted me to look out the window as 6 military vehicles pulled up in front of the home. We quickly awaken the family and got them away from windows that could be shattered by bullets. The three ISM (International Solidarity Movement) volunteers took our positions in windows and witnessed the soldiers with M16 rifles enter a home across the street to arrest a young man. * The March 20, 2003 Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported that ISM activist Susan Barclay told the paper "she knowingly worked with representatives from Hamas and Islamic Jihad." Hamas and Islamic Jihad are terrorist organizations. * On April 30, 2003 Asif Muhammad Hanif murdered three people and wounded more than 50 in a suicide bombing at Mike's Place, a Tel Aviv tavern. Five days earlier, he and his collaborator, Omar Khan Sharif, were among a group hosted by ISM members at their Gaza apartment. According to the May 2, 2003 Guardian, "the Britons who mounted the suicide attacks in Israel attempted to join the peace movement as cover for their activities, the Guardian has learnt." ISM claims they were unaware of the terrorists' intent. Either they were "useful idiots" who helped ease the terrorists' movements, or they intentionally aided them. Either choice does not speak well of them. Other Misrepresentations and Errors in the Article: * The reporter repeatedly uses the inaccurate term "Palestine" to describe the Palestinian Authority territories. * The reporter repeatedly calls the security fence a "wall", even though only 5% of the structure is a wall. There is no mention of the sharp decline in terrorism since the fence has gone up. * The article inaccurately refers to anti-Israel demonstrations as "peace demonstrations" and does not refute Ahern's notion that he is working for "peace." A true "peace activist" would not glorify terrorists or impede the arrest of terrorists. * The article inaccurately states that Rachel Corrie was killed while protesting "the wall." Actually she was in Gaza protesting the Israelis' mission to search for and destroy weapons-smuggling tunnels. (1.) "Mideast sojourn inspires activist: An Orleans man's visit to the Palestinian territories renews his faith in the U.S." by Karen Jeffrey, Staff Writer, July 5, 2004 (http://www.capecodonline.com/archives/7days/mon/mideastsojourn5.htm). ORLEANS - Tooling around town on his bright yellow bike with the ubiquitous milk crate affixed to the back, Neal Ahern is in many ways the quintessential Cape Codder. He is a bearded, bright-eyed world traveler who, in the tradition of Cape sailors and fishermen before him, relishes returning to the Cape after being away. He loves a good yarn and a lively political discussion. He has opinions on everything from the best way to cook a piece of cod to improving U.S. relations with the world at large. Ahern, 25, is an unabashed enthusiast for life on Cape Cod. But in recent months his perception of what it means to be a Cape Codder and what it means to be an American have changed. Three months of living in Palestine, being shot at with rubber bullets and arrested by the Israeli army while participating in international peace demonstrations there have sharpened his appreciation for a lot of things. "The thing that really hit me on coming back here is, no matter how big our country, no matter how diverse we are, the fact is we have more in common with one another than we realize," Ahern says. "And that's what makes us such a remarkable nation. There is so much we can do working together." A graduate of Nauset Regional High School in North Eastham and Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash., Ahern developed an interest in social activism as a teen. Then it took the form of working with others to open a juice bar for Lower Cape teens; more recently it has taken the form of joining in with international observers of the barrier wall Israel is building between Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. He was inspired to go in large part in honor of his friend Rachel Corrie, a 23-year-old Washington resident killed in March 2003 after being run down by an Israeli army bulldozer at a demonstration against the wall. "Rachel was a friend," he says, perched on the edge of a chair outside the Chocolate Sparrow in Orleans. One hand curls around a cup of coffee, the other curls and uncurls in unspoken emotion. "She was a wonderful person, not someone who was out to make trouble. She cared passionately about others," he says quietly. "I felt it was important to go there (the West Bank) and stand in Rachel's place." Corrie, like Ahern, went to Israel and Palestine under the auspices of the International Solidarity Movement, an organization of people from many Western nations, including Israel, opposed to the creation of the wall and Israeli occupation of the West Bank. In May 2003, the organization was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize by a member of the Canadian Parliament. The dividing wall The Israeli government contends the wall is necessary to protect its citizens from terrorist attacks. Palestinians contend it separates families and villages and prevents farmers from reaching their farmland. Israel says the barrier is strictly a security measure, that it could be moved or torn down at a later date. Palestinians describe it as a thinly disguised effort to confiscate land and complicate efforts to establish a Palestinian state. The Bush administration has said it does not object to the barrier in principle, but believes it should be on, or very close to, the borders Israel had before the 1967 war in which Israel seized the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. When complete, the wall will run for 436 miles from the northern West Bank, wrap around some Israeli settlements on the West Bank, and end on the southern rim of the West Bank. In some places the barrier is a 20-foot high concrete wall. In other places upon completion it will be an electronic fence with coils of razor wire, adjoining 80-foot-deep trenches and guard towers. Families asunder According to reports by the Associated Press, the Israeli Supreme Court ruled Wednesday the building of the wall can go on and the Army can expropriate plots of land in the West Bank for security along the wall. The current plan calls for seizing tens of thousands of acres from Palestinians. Israel's highest court also ruled that the Israeli army, which is building wall, must redraw the proposed route to take into account the needs of Palestinian farmers who grow olives, grapes and figs on plots of land, often located outside their home villages. "I think it is difficult for us to imagine what it is like to live with something like this," Ahern says. "It literally divides families. The path of the wall runs through houses and villages. In places where it is already built, the impact is tremendous because the only way through is a gate," Ahern says. "Those gates can be closed without warning. The guards at the gate have a big degree of latitude in deciding who can get through or who is turned away," he says. "In one village, the building of the wall means that what was once a 10-minute drive to a hospital is now an hour and a half drive. "When I talk to people about this, I say: Imagine downtown Orleans being enclosed by a 20-foot wall. The business owners live outside that wall and can only get in if the guards at the wall say it is OK. "Imagine living inside the wall and needing to get outside to reach your fishing boat. Your ability to make a livelihood to support your family will depend upon whether or not the guards at the wall decide to let you through on a particular day." Soldiers everywhere Ahern flew to the Mideast with his head full of American history. The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the mending of a nation divided by civil war inform his understanding of democracy and human rights. Nonetheless, he understood that listening to Israelis and Palestinians was the most important thing he could do. His first impression was "Wow, there are a lot of soldiers here." "It's a very militarized culture," Ahern says "It was a new experience for me to see armed soldiers everywhere, being frisked as I walked into a coffee shop and repeatedly being stopped and checked for no reason apparent to me. They have a right to do that." He spent a few days in Israel before heading into the occupied territory of Palestine. There he met with other internationals with whom he shared an apartment. "Every day we went out, met and talked with people, and if there was a demonstration we went there as witnesses, sometimes putting ourselves in front of the crowd under the presumption that the Israeli army would not mow down or fire upon internationals," he said. At one demonstration in March, Ahern discovered that was not the case. Along with other international visitors and Palestinians, Ahern went to a village called Kharbatta, after driving some 45 minutes over "some of the bumpiest roads I have ever been on." "It reminded me of the outer beach in Orleans." By then a veteran of several demonstrations, Ahern was accustomed to seeing children throw stones at soldiers, and soldiers in return break up marches with batons, concussion grenades and gas canisters. But this time the soldiers began firing rubber bullets at the crowd that gathered on recently bulldozed farmland to protest the building of the wall. For the first time Ahern became afraid. "I tried to lie on the ground and crawl away from the scene when a rubber bullet went flying into the back of my upper leg," he says. "I gave the bullet to the man I was lying near as a souvenir, and then we shared a little laugh." By the end of the day 37 people had been injured by the rubber bullets. The arrest It was at another demonstration that Ahern was arrested - after an unsuccessful attempt to outrun Israel border police. "My other arrest experience was as a kid in Eastham when the cops broke up a beer party and I tried to steal the keg left sitting on the back of a cruiser," he says. "Those cops knew me. They ran after me yelling my name. It was a very stupid gesture on my part, but I never felt afraid of them. "At this demonstration, I felt this guy single me out and come after me," he says. "He didn't speak English. I didn't speak Hebrew. ... I ended up with my hands bound together with plastic, and tossed into the back of a jeep. The only place for me to sit was on a pile of percussion grenades. I had to stand up every time the soldiers came back to the jeep to grab some more grenades - to throw at people who were my friends," he says. Ahern ended up at a police station along with about a dozen other demonstrators. All were eventually released after being admonished not to participate in demonstrations again. Ahern returned to the Cape last month. Though he would like to return to Palestine and stays in contact with friends there, "There is work to be done here as a peace activist and that includes telling people about my experiences on the West Bank."
CAMERA - Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America
- monitors the news and TV media for how fair they are in reporting on
Israel. Their website address is www.camera.org. Deborah Passner is
Senior Researcher with CAMERA.
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POLL: MAJORITY OF ISRAELIS OPPOSE REMOVAL OF GAZA AND N. SHOMRON YISHUVIM
Posted by Anita Tucker, July 7, 2004. |
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(IsraelNN.com) A comprehensive poll released today by the Israel Institute for Public Policy Polls revealed that only 49% of Israelis support the evacuation of Jewish communities from Gaza and northern Samaria. 44% of Israelis responded that they were against the removal of Jews from those communities while 7% were undecided. The results are in sharp contract to statistics released by various Israeli media outlets in recent weeks, which showed that the large majority of Israelis were in favor of removing Jewish communities built after 1967. In addition, the poll showed that 61% of Israelis were concerned that the evacuation of Jewish communities in Gaza would accelerate the flow of military arms to the Arab terror organizations in that region. At the same time 55% of those polled said that a Gaza withdrawal would magnify the threat of missiles landing in Jewish population centers including the cities of Ashkelon and Ashdod. In response to the survey's results, the Yesha Council said today that the findings confirm that "the entire Israeli public (and not just Yesha) is waking up to the serious 'threat to their lives' they will face should the disengagement plan be carried out |
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IT'S ALL ABOUT JEWS, PART 2
Posted by Yashiko Sagamori, July 7, 2004. |
To: Yashiko Sagamori and her addressees Dear Mr./Ms. Sun Man Chen, Many readers write to me how much they appreciate my views and the way I express them. Obviously, I enjoy letters that praise me; however, we both know that constructive criticism helps one keep one's skills sharp. Unfortunately, most critical responses I receive come from angry Arabs and aren't really that constructive. This is the first time I have received a letter from an angry Chinese person, and I enjoyed it tremendously. Please convey my gratitude to your friend for forwarding my article to you. Although I represent a distinctly Jewish point of view, I do not write exclusively for the Jews. Everyone, including Chinese, is welcome to my articles, and if there is something they don't like - well, this is still a free country. Since I wasn't trying to put anyone down, I sincerely regret offending you. At the same time, I'd like to point out to you that even though I failed to provide a full historical analysis of Chinese achievements throughout the ages, whatever little I said about your country was accurate, unlike most of the things you wrote about Israel. I was comparing Israel to China, trying to show that, despite the stark contrast in the sizes of their population, Israel has influenced Western civilization with much greater impact than China has. A fair measure of a nation's contribution to civilization is the number of Nobel Prize winners among its members. I'm sure you aware that while Chinese outnumber Jews more than 100 to 1, Jewish Nobel Laureats outnumber Chinese Nobel Laureates at least 50 to 1. If this simple math makes you feel uncomfortable, please feel free to conclude that Jews control the Nobel Prize Committee. Like most of my readers, I am well aware that paper, gunpowder, rockets, china, and many, many other wonderful things were first invented by the Chinese centuries ago, while Jews didn't even begin inventing things until the Industrial Revolution. (If you follow me carefully, you can tell me at this point how much I am omitting: the discovery of monotheism, the idea of universal preciousness of every single life, the distinction between right and wrong, and a few other equally vague concepts that form the ethical basis of our civilization. And if you're looking for more tangible contributions, then how about banking?) Unfortunately, by the time the Industrial Revolution unfolded, the Chinese, for whatever reason, dropped out of the invention business. Obviously, this is not because your people are less intelligent than any other people on earth. Judging from the huge number of brilliant, successful Chinese scientists in the West, I can only offer the backwardness of the mainland Chinese society as a possible explanation for the fact that your country has remained on the periphery of Western civilization, while Israel has always been at its center. You may argue that China, unlike Israel, is a civilization in itself, and I will agree with you wholeheartedly. But I was writing specifically about Judeo-Christian civilization, of which China even today is not really a part. You invented rockets, but to launch your satellites you have to use second hand technology that comes from the West - some of it bought, some stolen. You invented gunpowder, but the Chinese assault rifle is, essentially, a copy of the Russian AK-47. You invented paper, but Israel prints more books per capita than you do. I believe you when you say that Chinese poetry may be breathtakingly beautiful, but you know as well as I do that it does not translate into Western languages, which guarantees that I will never be able to appreciate its beauty. And while the West had to reinvent much of what your folks had invented so many centuries earlier, some of your achievements have never been repeated. For example, those tiny little shoes that have turned generations of Chinese women into cripples. And should we count the Cultural Revolution and the Great Leap among your people's accomplishments or should we pretend they have never happened so you wouldn't be offended by those references? I'm sure you have mighty counter-arguments ready for everything I say. The problem is, I state facts, while you, out of either malice or ignorance, resort to libel against my people. To prove it, I would like to point some of the many inaccuracies in your letter. You write: "In our times [the Jews] occupied the land with a huge Arab population and have been maintaining the occupation during 37 years in spite of a strong protest of the Arabs." In fact, Arabs do not protest against the "occupation"; they protest against the very existence of Israel. They have never even tried to conceal their genocidal intentions. At the same time, those Israeli Arabs, who are not involved in terrorism, live in Israel unmolested and enjoy freedoms that are not available to them in any Arab country - or, I believe, to most Chinese in China. As to the proverbial cruelty of the Israeli "occupation" of Israel's own land, I'm sure you will appreciate the fact that the number of Arab terrorists killed by the IDF during the four years of the ongoing intifada remains far below the number of unarmed protesters killed by your government in the course of just two days on Tiananmen Square. Like many others, you vaguely refer to "international laws" that, in your opinion, demand Israel to surrender its territory to its enemies. Somehow, so far, no one has been able to provide a specific reference to an applicable article of that law. Can it be because no such article exists? Or do you find it perfectly natural that some kind of international law against Jews in general must be on the books? You write: "Israel has never compensated the millions refugees it has displaced for their terrible losses." Millions? Are you sure? Can you tell exactly how many "millions" were displaced by Israel and under what circumstances, or are you mindlessly repeating anti-Semitic propaganda? If you believe yourself to be a fair person, shouldn't you ask why Arab countries have never compensated the terrible losses suffered by over 900,000 of Jews forced after World War II out of their homes and stripped of all their possessions throughout the Middle East, in some cases, uprooting communities that had been there long before Arabs conquered those lands? Being one of a billion and a half, you probably consider 6 million mere peanuts. And yet, shouldn't you ask why the world has never attempted to compensate the Jews for the terrible losses inflicted on us in the Holocaust? Or for the 2,000 years of relentless persecution for crimes we had never committed? And since these questions, obviously, did not come to your mind, you will have to forgive me if I refuse to consider you a fair person. You liberally quote the Old Testament; have you missed the part where God grants all this land to the Jews? You write: "There have been no major events in the lives of Israel and the Jews during the last couple of weeks." Are you lamenting the brief lull in terrorist acts against Israel? Imagine what your reaction would've been had Israel bombed an Arab kindergarten. But when Arabs bomb an Israeli kindergarten and kill a three-year-old and a grandfather, it's no major event to you. You call me "a Jewish boy or girl from Brooklyn." Not even mentioning the fact that you don't really know my age, do you realize how incredibly, stereotypically bigoted (and, incidentally, very wrong) your assumption is? Chinese "artifacts" in my home? Their existence stems from the fact that your impoverished countrymen are willing to slave for the lowest wages that exist on earth. Are you calling that an achievement? In an attempt to characterize my political standing, you call me "extreme right wing" and, in the very next sentence, put me in the same camp with Michael Moor. Has it occurred to you that I am simply trying to write the truth, and the truth has very little to do with whatever labels you may have in your polemic arsenal? You admonish me for not helping Jews to make friends. No, I am not. We have never had friends; we have always lived surrounded by enemies, and this is how it will always be. I am just trying to tell my readers the truth about it. You are asking me how I would feel if you decided to start an anti-Semitic da-dzy-bao. Rest assured: unlike China, this is a free country. Your da-dzy-bao would be just one of many anti-Semitic publications. So, why would I care? One more wouldn't make a difference. Be my guest, make yourself heard. You have already added your voice to the chorus anyway. And, last but not least, I would like to explain what I like the most about your letter. It's the fact that in it you implicitly admit feeling threatened by the Jews. Of course, you may object that the Chinese traditionally feel threatened by anyone; that's why your compatriots customarily refer to foreigners as foreign devils. Nevertheless, your insecurity confirms the perfect validity of my comparison of Israel to China. It also, by definition, makes you a Judophobe, my friend, and Judophobia is synonymous with anti-Semitism. Your reference to the libelous Protocols confirms my diagnosis. And thus you prove the point I was trying to make in my article: it's all about Jews, always has been, always will be. Feeling a little jealous? Sincerely yours,
Yashiko Sagamori is a New York-based Information Technology consultant. To read other articles by the author, go to http://www.middleeastfacts.com/yashiko/ or email ysagamori@hotmail.com |
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POLLARD AND SCHWARTZ: DISPARITY MEANS INJUSTICE
Posted by Richard H. Shulman, July 7, 2004. |
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Who is Lt. Commander Michael Schwartz? Hardly anyone knows. That's the point! Schwartz, a naval employee like Pollard, spied for S. Arabia, much as Pollard did for Israel. Schwartz, who is gentile, lost rank and pension; Pollard got a life sentence. Why the disparity? Pollard's opponents claim his heavy sentence is meant to deter friendly countries from spying on the US. Then what is Schwartz' release meant to indicate? Pollard asks Min. Sharansky to yield up his commission to work on Pollard's case, since he meets with Pollard's enemies and does not help Pollard. Sharansky lends credence to PM Sharon's pretense at helping Pollard. He was "seduced into the usual establishment pattern of all talk and no action." He has no policy for accomplishing anything. The new Pollard law that he supports brings no relief to Pollard, and sets no policy, but allots $1 million for Sharansky's office. He does not formalize Pollard's captivity status, which would obligate Israel. He did not try to get the support of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. Nor does Sharansky deal with Pollard, his wife, or even with Pollard's lawyers (IMRA, 6/20). Why do people literally rave against Pollard and cry for his death, but calmly ignore the comparable crimes by other spies? Schwartz' crime really is not comparable, S. Arabia being a font of anti-American terrorism. How sincere is protestors' one-sided indignation? Why don't they ever explain this, even when asked during debate? Seems like prejudice. It is difficult to hold a discussion of this issue with opponents of Pollard, because they allege what long has been disproved (mercenary motive, harm to US, treason), they fail to respond to proven facts showing the unequal justice, and they fall back on emotional cries for blood at odds with constitutional law. Never have I heard any of the ostensibly patriotic antagonists of Pollard express interest in the subversion that Pollard uncovered and that motivated the length of his sentence. Subversives punished Pollard excessively, and supposed patriots uphold them! Are they really patriots or simplistic or antisemites? Don't cry for blood without knowing the issues! Do they favor the inhumane treatment Pollard gets? Let them stand up for brutality. If they don't believe in brutality, why don't they denounce the brutality against him? Incensed that Pollard broke US law? Let them be incensed that the prosecution was subversive! If they want the death penalty for this spy, why not for spies for the Arabs and the Soviets? Why hate this spy but not the Walkers and Ames, who got yanks killed? Richard 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. |
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PM SHARON: RETURN TO TEMPLE MOUNT!
Posted by David Ben-Ariel, July 7, 2004. |
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Dear PM Ariel Sharon: As you are very much aware, Lubavitcher rabbis presented to the Court of High Heaven a petition against you, signed, sealed and delivered. You have incensed the Great G-d in the Highest Heaven and His servants with your stench of betrayal, despising your biblical birthright and inheritance and expressing a willingness to transfer Jews for a g-dless peace that will only invite bloody German-Jesuit EU intervention and disaster for British-Israelites and Jews worldwide! The Master of the Universe empowered you to become prime minister of His Homeland and took you from your ranch in the Negev to help shepherd His People and your brethren and protect them from the many wolves within and without the Holy Land. Instead you have been branded as one who would dismember our Mother (Israel) and dismantle the Temple (Jerusalem and the Temple Mount) by following the blind leadership of President George W. Bush with his road map that seeks to throw away the biblical blueprint for a just and lasting solution for peace in the Middle East! You were rewarded with your position as leader of Judah, sanctified from the day you set foot upon G-d's Holy Mountain and reminded the whole world of its supreme importance. You were to use your G-d given power and influence as a Chariot/Tank of G-d to roll over and crush the enemies of G-d and Israel fearlessly, like the Warrior-King David fought the battles of the L-RD! You were to strike terror into the wicked heart of Amalek and faithfully destroy every threat to the Land and People of Israel (Zech. 12:6) with G-d as your fiery shield! (Zech. 12:6). Just because you're not religious doesn't mean the Great G-d of the Hebrews can't use you to help fulfill His plans and purpose for Jerusalem and Israel. You should have joined hands with your British-Israelite brethen, and encouraged them to utterly defeat our common terrorist foes! (Zech. 9:13). G-D WOULD HAVE BLESSED YOUR EFFORTS! You can redeem yourself, save your skin and salvation! How? RETURN TO THE TEMPLE MOUNT THAT EMPOWERED YOU! Clearly stake Israeli sovereignty over it in no uncertain terms, throwing down the wicked Nazi Wakf from Judaism's holiest site, just as the Romans evicted the corrupt Sanhedrin from the noble enclosure! Make aliyah to Har HaBayit with Gershon Salomon, Chaim Richman, Rav Ariel and other men of G-d and pray for Israel's deliverance and receive it! Only then would the aforementioned rabbis letter be returned to sender, marked null and void. This opportunity of a lifetime is yours for the asking. It's your responsibility. It's your choice! Shema Ariel Sharon: Choose life and live and prosper!
For Zion's Sake
David Ben-Ariel is author of "Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall"
(http://www.pushhamburger.com/david.htm). |
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POLITICAL CORRECTNESS CURBS SPEECH: AN ANALYSIS
Posted by Richard H. Shulman, July 6, 2004. |
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Arab groups complain that Pres. Bush goes further than Hitler. That would be a compliment if sincere, inasmuch as the Arabs admired Hitler. However, they put it that way because they know we don't admire Hitler. Their complaints are not condemned, because the Arabs and other Muslims can get away with extreme offensiveness in this country, now that they are politically correct. The emphasis is on those over-privileged people's occasional difficulties here. When a judge made a much milder comparison between the pair, demands were made for firing him and for punishing the organization that hosted his speech, as if it were responsible for what he decided to say. Being of Christian origin, Judge Calabresi is not politically correct. What he said may not even have been offensive, but difficulties are being made for him. Subversives enjoy freedom of speech, but not patriots who oppose them. Were the judge's remarks offensive? I think not, but people eager to sniff out offensiveness do not listen with sophistication. In a simple-minded manner, they deem any comparison absolute. The judge did not claim the pair were alike in all ways. The censors reacted as if he did. Discretion would have been the better part of his valor. It is wiser not to make comparisons to Hitler, for it over-excites people. At least the judge should have specified more explicitly the limited extent to which the analogy was meant. The judge partially was right. Although the Bush Administration has introduced valuable anti-terrorist legislation, but with some provisions that are anti-democratic without being effective. The solution: filter out the sand and keep the gold. Do not insist, as many Democrats do, that the sand renders the gold worthless, nor as many Republicans do, that the gold envelops the sand. The judge's analogy is correct to the extent that fascism started by restrictions on freedom, akin to, though not the same as restrictions proposed by Pres. Bush. Fascism had a dictatorial ideology; Pres Bush does not. However, Bush has a heavy hand constitutionally not only against terrorism, but also by appointing opponents of regulatory agencies to run them, starving their budgets, denying required citizen reviews, deceiving people about the content of bills and rules, lying about, say, moving the US Embassy being a matter of national security, releasing unpopular news after the media deadlines for timely inclusion, and all sorts of other undemocratic maneuvers. We need to pull together and confront terrorism without hobbling our war on it. POLITICAL CORRECTNESS HINDERS ASSESSING CAUSES I supervised professionals. When they blundered, I didn't blame. First I helped them solve the problem. Then I used it to teach now to prevent recurrence. Nobody's feelings were hurt. This is the blame-placing era, compounded by political correctness. Under political correctness means that truth is secondary. Primary is favoritism towards certain groups, while professing a cult of non-discrimination. If there is a problem, the media blames someone else. One of my city's colleges proposes evaluating professors on how their students perform after 70% received remedial tutoring. The student body arrives so deficient, that it has a lessened basis for higher education. Unfortunately for the professors, the student body comes mostly from politically correct ethnic groups. Mustn't blame them. Blame the faculty. Ironically, this is unhelpful to those groups, who may not improve until their need to is recognized. Richard 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. |
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PRIME MINISTER'S USE OF "AGENTS PROVOCATEURS"
Posted by Lise Rubin, July 6, 2004. |
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Rabin used them. The right gets blamed. This is from
http://www.manfredlehmann.com/sieg2.html
The Oxford English Dictionary gives the following definition of the term "Agent Provocateur": "An agent employed to induce or incite a suspected person or group to commit an incriminating act." This institution was first used in Czarist Russia, especially during the 1905 Socialist Revolution. The Czarist Government had paid agents who infiltrated students' radical groups, and incited them to demonstrations which were then easy to subdue. When Prime Minister Rabin was murdered, the charge was made again and again that the climate for violence had been created by the display of posters showing Rabin in a SS uniform, and that a cell of extremists called Eyal was responsible for acts of violence against the Rabin Government. However, profound shock spread throughout Israel when the news leaked out that the Eyal cell had been set up by a undercover agent paid by the Prime Minister's office, Avishai Raviv. It was also he who manufactured the SS-Rabin posters, which he took before TV cameras, but which were never part of any Likud rally. They were made up strictly to embarrass the legitimate opposition, the LIKUD party. Like in Czarist Russia the "agents provocateurs" targeted impressionable students. Further acts of provocation have now also been traced to the Prime Minister's "agent provocateur", especially the incident last summer when the media reported that Jewish settlers had murdered a Palestinian in Khalkul, near Hebron. The charge was pressed very hard on the US media, and the New York Times devoted an entire editorial to the charge under the headline "Settler Violence in Israel". It did not take long before the truth came out; the murder was committed by Palestinians, not Jews. Yet the Prime Minister's office delayed the truth, and the story was never rectified in the press. The air against the opposition was already poisoned. And who was in charge of this dastardly misinformation? Again, Raviv the Prime Minister's paid agent! It is a sign of great weakness that the Government had to resort to such devious "dirty tricks" to bolster its "Peace" policy against an opposition represented by more than half of the Jewish population. In an open, democratic society free flow of truthful information is essential. Underhanded deception and corruption of truth leads to division and disunity. Also we hear much about invectives which the opposition is reported to have used against the Government. But what is the record of the Government when it comes to invectives? Here is a partial list of the kind of invectives used to degrade, embarrass and vilify the opposition: Ayatollahs, racists, cry babies, barbarians, enemies of Israel, go back to Brooklyn, pariahs, rabble, allies of Hamas, propellers, enemies of Israel, embarrassment to Judaism. It should also be remembered that during the reign of Menachem Begin, he and Gen. Sharon were incessantly called "murderer", "Hitler", etc. by the leftists. All these facts must be borne in mind during the forthcoming Madison Square Garden rally which is promoted in the interest of "healing, getting together." Only the other day we heard on Ted Koppel's Town Meeting TV program, that the Labor Minister Ramon cried out: "Even if we have a majority of only 1% we will crush the opposition!" Is that the way to heal and get together? The only way the healing can take place, is to review the course of the "peace" process in a way that the profound fears and worries of at least half of the Jewish population are taken into account, and that security for the entire population - both in Juda, Shomron and the Golan Heights - becomes the prime consideration. The Jewish people must be convinced that men like Peres, Beilin and Savir - now in charge of the "peace" negotiations - can be trusted with the fate of Hebron, Jerusalem, the Golan Heights and the rest of Juda and Shomron. No amount of high-power PR exercises must divert our attention from the real issue: the course Of the "peace" process which till now has been based on non-stop surrender of land by Israel, including historic and strategic areas. Will these men hold the PLO to its solemn commitments, made before President Clinton and the entire world, (1.) To abrogate the murderous PLO Covenant, which in all its clauses calls for the dissolution of Israel, the ending of Zionism, and the deportation of Jews from Israel and (2.) To stop terrorism and bring terrorists to real justice? We must hope that an open debate on these, most fundamental issues, will soon take place. |
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SHARON RAISES THE 'SCARE' FLAG
Posted by Emanuel A. Winston, July 6, 2004. |
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There is every appearance that Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is being advised by a public relations firm to scream that he is "under attack and fears the settlers are out to get him". Think about that for a minute. This very aggressive General, who fought in many wars, is suddenly bleating that the Jews or, at least, the Jewish Settlers are out to get him. He was their hero. This was a man who stood on a tank in the Sinai, in full open view, directing a super traffic jam of tanks and trucks as armor poured toward the Suez Canal. Is this the proud and fearless General who opened up a house in the Old City of Jerusalem with the surrounding Arab Muslims threatening to kill him - with never a sign of fear. Somehow Arik: "Thou Protests Too Much!" Your recent statements regarding the fact that all these years you fought to protect the Jews and now you are afraid of them seems like an outreach for Political Sympathy. Indeed, you fought for the Jews and built the settlements for the Jews but recently, you seem to be fighting against those same Jews. Raising the 'Scare' Flag is not a Sharon move but, it is the move of a politician with a PR staff willing to use any trick or plea to get his way. The Pioneers of Israel have always loved you. Sharon was always their true hero. But then, General Arik Sharon became politician Sharon, emulating Shimon Peres and his ilk. You became the patsy (meaning: plaything or 'Bubba' in Hebrew) of foreign powers who, indeed, needed a semblance of a political victory in the Middle East since Iraq and Afghanistan look more like a failure. So, they picked you and the Jewish State of Israel as the necessary sacrifice to the gods of oil and re-election. There was a time, Arik, when you would have rejected the role of patsy or bubba or plaything of anyone. But, then you were the quintessential warrior and not a twisty, unethical politician. I wrote about you and the Trash Cabinet launching demonization campaign against the Pioneering Settlers of Gaza and YESHA as did Rabin and Peres before you. How sad to see a once great man now sitting with the Olso Gang and even Beilin with his Geneva betrayal plan. These are the lowest the Jewish people ever spawned and you sit with them. I can understand a President Bush, with those who cluster around him - like his father, Baker, Scowcroft, Powell advising him to use Israel as a sacrifice. He has his own personal and political interests and the oil maggots around him certainly have little interest in Israel's security, survival or sovereignty. But, for you to be suckered like a neophyte politician, by promises Bush cannot afford to keep, is a great embarrassment. For Bush to gift Gaza and Gush Katif to the Arab Muslim Palestinian Terrorists will be fine for his PR people. But, you have already experienced the rockets out of Gaza into the cities of Israel just last June 29th when you were visiting Sderot when 3 Kassam rockets landed not far from you. Soon the Mujahadin (jihad holy warriors for Islam), the mix of jihadists from the Muslim world presently in Iraq will soon need another battleground to fight the 'infidel' (all non-Muslims, i.e., Jews and Christians). That battleground for International Terror organizations to relocate into will be in Gaza AFTER you make it Judenrein (free of Jews) and no IDF troops. The missiles they will bring with them will be more lethal and sophisticated and will fly from Gaza or anywhere with accuracy along and over your New Wall into Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Is this the great strategy of the once famous General with vision? I think not! So call off your PR team who are beating the drums for a "Hate the Settlers" campaign and have you claim that Sharon, the Warrior, is fearful of his own people. Granted, you have strained the love affair that the Settlers and all of the Right who put you in office have had with Arik Sharon. That will return in a minute - with forgiveness. But, if you become the Raging Bull who once again breaches the Walls - as did the Romans, that Love Affair is over! In any case, quit hollering about how scared you are since the Muslim Arab Terrorists already believe you are a beaten old man ready to be driven out of everywhere. Why give them the Chutzpah to act on that bit of encouragement? P.S. If your PR advisors hail from Fifth Avenue or the belly of "Foggy Bottom" a.k.a. the U.S. State Department, pay them off and send them back to their little quaint bars and cafes where they meet to play with each other's flesh. Shaking their hands is like shaking Arafat's hand. You never know where that hand was visiting last. Emanuel Winston is a commentator and Middle East analyst. His articles appear often on Think-Israel and Gamla. He is a member of the Board of Directors and a research associate of the Freeman Center For Strategic Studies (http://www.freeman.org/online.htm). |
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SUPREME INJUSTICE
Posted by Unity Coalition for Israel, July 6, 2004. |
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This was written by Caroline Glick,deputy managing editor of the
Jerusalem Post. It appeared in the Jerusalem Post
July 02, 2004.
As a little boy is murdered by rockets on his way to nursery school; and as soldiers are killed and wounded when bombs, burrowed deep beneath their outposts are detonated by terrorists using video cameras and increasingly sophisticated digging machines; and as 17 would-be suicide bombers are intercepted en route to Israeli population centers in one month, all eyes are now turning to The Hague. Next Friday, the International Court of Justice will render its opinion on the security fence. That would be the fence Israel is building to protect its citizens from guided bombs in blue jeans. The ICJ's decision last December to take up the request by the UN General Assembly and Secretary General Kofi Annan to provide an opinion on Israel's right to construct the security barrier must be seen as a hostile act by the ICJ against the Jewish state and not as a simple response to a simple request. This is so not only because two ICJ justices have gone on record in the past stating overtly hostile positions against Israel. The ICJ's decision to allow the Arab League and the Organization of the Islamic Conference - two explicitly anti-Semitic organizations - to make oral arguments before the bench is also a clear indication of the court's lack of objectivity towards the Jewish state. That the ICJ agreed to produce an opinion, in spite of the fact that the General Assembly's request for one was stated in terms that presupposed what such an opinion would say, is also an unambiguous sign that the ICJ understood its role in this game was fixed from the start. Israel did have some slight hope of curbing the court's reach. The hope was based on the briefs submitted by the US and some European states in which the court was told that it had no legal authority to voice an opinion on Israel's security policies when the issue of the final adjudication of territory was subject to political negotiation. If Western powers were convincing in their view that a court decision was insignificant, then, so the thinking in Jerusalem went, chances would be better than zero that the court would say that it cannot address the issue. There is precedent for such a view. In 1996, the ICJ was asked by the General Assembly to issue an opinion on the legality of the use of nuclear weapons. Understanding that an opinion that their use is illegal would be laughed at, or worse, ignored, the court stated that in the absence of a clear context it could not give a studied opinion on the legality of nuclear warfare. In the case of the security fence, since the route of the fence was still largely unknown and the fence itself was only in the beginning stages of construction last December, the court could easily have stated that it doesn't have sufficient contextual information on which to render an authoritative opinion. This hope, fragile from the start, was rendered even weaker on Wednesday morning by Israel's Supreme Court. Court President Aharon Barak and his fellow justices Eliahu Mazza and Mishael Cheshin made it clear that for its part, the Israeli Court would take the ICJ opinion seriously. The justices, who found Israel guilty of breaching the Geneva Conventions by causing "disproportionate" harm to Palestinian farmers in constructing the security fence, laid the legal and rhetorical groundwork for all future legalistic warfare against the Jewish state. The Supreme Court made it clear that it places higher value on the convenience of Palestinians and on the wellbeing of their olive trees than it does on Jewish lives. As it stated in its judgment, "the state must find an alternative [route for the fence] that may give less security but would harm the local population less." Such views arise from two sources: the first, Soviet-inspired, is that Arab hostility to Israel is a reaction to Israeli "crimes." Second is the historical ambivalence of Jews to the notion that we have a right to protect ourselves and assert our rights as a nation. It is this view, the "blame Israel first view," that turns a blind eye to the bias against Israel that is becoming more and more prevalent and acceptable throughout the world. The same day that the Supreme Court issued its judgment, Ralph Nader, a candidate for the presidency of the United States, made one of the most overtly anti-Semitic statements ever uttered by an American politician. Nader said, "The Israeli puppeteer travels to Washington. The Israeli puppeteer meets with puppets at the White House, and then moves down Pennsylvania Avenue, and meets with puppets at the Congress. And then takes billions in taxpayer dollars." Also on Wednesday, French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier, visiting Ramallah, claimed that Arafat "is the legitimate and elected president of the Palestinian people. The situation [of keeping Arafat limited to his headquarters in Ramallah] should not continue like this and this is the reason for my visit." These statements, from an American and a Frenchman, make clear the biased atmosphere in which Israel operates in the world. Do our court justices need to be reminded what the Arabs say about us? Do they need to be reminded of what Palestinian society feels for us? Only last month two polls released by Palestinian institutions showed that the overwhelming majority of Palestinians sees no chance of peace with Israel and supports continuing the war against Israel. A poll by the PLO's Jerusalem Media Communications Center showed that 70 percent of Palestinians support continuing the war, with 62% voicing support for suicide bombings, and 46% saying that the goal of the war is to replace Israel with Palestine. A poll by Bir Zeit University showed that 84% of Palestinians see no chance for peace without the so-called right of return and 54% claim that there will be no peace even if Israel allows itself to be overrun by foreign-born Arabs. Throughout the Arab world, children are taught in schools that Jews are subhuman and that their goal in life should be to annihilate us. Mosque preachers and television stars alike analyze the intricacies of Jewish cunning and evil and our monkey-like and piggish characters and evolutionary history. Even as Iranian UN mission personnel are expelled from the US for having photographed potential bombing sites in Manhattan, the Arab and Islamic world, not to mention swathes of European opinion, are captivated by fables of Mossad responsibility for carrying out the September 11 attacks, of Jews found photographing the Twin Towers in the weeks before they were bombed, and of 4,000 Jewish workers who mysteriously stayed home from the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Yet Justice Barak will see none of this. Military necessity be damned. The absolute priority of safety for Israelis be damned. We cannot make Palestinian shepherds go through an inspection before they tend their flocks (even though Israelis need to undergo inspections every time we go grocery shopping, out for a cup a coffee, park our cars in public lots, board a public bus, and enter our schools, universities and office buildings). In both cases, the need for inspection is not to punish Israelis or Palestinians but rather to ensure that Palestinian bombers are thwarted in their attempt to murder innocent civilians. Our elected leadership has consoled itself over Barak's usurpation of its legal authority to determine national policy by saying that his judgment is evidence that Israel doesn't need the ICJ to judge it. Our independent judiciary, so the thinking goes, is capable of ensuring that we follow the law. Yet this buys into the Barakian delusion of lack of international bias. Barak did not protect Israel from international condemnation by condemning Israel himself. He paved the way for more groundless opprobrium. Barak did not take the wind out of the sails of the anti-Israel justices at the ICJ. He gave them a tailwind in showing that the Israeli High Court of Justice shares their negative view of the Israeli government and armed forces. The National Unity Coalition is "the largest worldwide coalition of Jewish and Christian organizations, with more than 200 groups representing millions of people dedicated to Israel. Though we have many different backgrounds, we have one common goal: A Safe and Secure Israel." "Israel is not just a Jewish issue. Millions of Christians resolutely endorse the principle of peace with security for the state of Israel. Because we work closely together and speak with a united voice, our message is being heard!" |
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YESHA COUNCIL MAPS OUT PLAN OF ACTION
Posted by Bryna Berch, July 6, 2004. |
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This is a news item from today's Arutz-7 (http://www.IsraelNN.com).
It's about time the Yesha Council started fighting back. Maybe if
they'd started sooner, Sharon and his buddies wouldn't have thought
the Jews of Yesha a bunch of pushovers. Maybe they would have decided
to fight the real enemy - the Arabs - instead of picking on the Jews.
"Coming out of hibernation." That's how one observer described the plan released yesterday by the Yesha Council to fight the disengagement/withdrawal/expulsion program in the sphere of public Israeli opinion. Correspondent Haggai Huberman reports that the plan contains several elements, all of which are marked by a substantial increase in the level of activism. Among them is a petition against the disengagement to be signed by no fewer than a million people. To this end, a personal visit to the home of every family in Israel is planned. Huberman explained, "This will of course also involve giving out stickers at intersections, booths in city centers and malls, and the revival of the task forces used in the Likud referendum vote two months ago - and all this in the course of the coming month." The Yesha leaders feel that there is a widespread misconception that the disengagement is already an established fact and that the clock cannot be turned back. The goal, therefore, is to cause a turnabout in public opinion regarding the withdrawal plan. At the very least, it is hoped to make public consciousness aware that the Cabinet has not yet approved implementation of the plan, and that it's therefore not too late to stop it. Another idea in the works is the formation of a human chain from Gush Katif to Jerusalem, to take place on Sunday, July 25. It is estimated that some 70,000 - 80,000 people will have to participate. Details of the human chain are already being planned, such as the names of those responsible for each section and the parking lots that will have to be available along the route. In the political sphere, massive pressure will be placed on the National Religious Party to quit - and bring about the toppling of - the government. |
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SO AHMED, WE'LL MEET IN KFAR MALAL?
Posted by Steven Plaut, July 6, 2004. |
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Chaim Misgav who wrote this article is a lecturer at the Law Faculty at Bar Ilan University and at the Law school at the Academic College in Netanya. He also manages a law office in Tel Aviv and hosts the television show "Crossfire" and the radio show "Black and White". He is also my lawyer in fighting the anti-democratic SLAPP suit by Comrade Neve Gordon, whose idea of patriotism is publishing his articles on the neonazi "Holocaust Denial Zundelsit" of Ernst Zundel. This article appeared in the English edition of Ma'ariv and is archived as http://www.maarivintl.com/index.cfm The prime minister is resolute: he wants to carry out his plan to evacuate all the Jews from Gush Katif at any price. What will happen afterwards, he doesn't really know. But that, apparently, is not all that important to him. There are hundreds of thousands of 'refugees' who have been in the Gaza Strip for decades, whose only desire is to "return" to the homes that they left in 1948, in Ashkelon, Ashdod, Beer Sheva, who will not likely view the Jews fleeing as a gesture of good will. The "Egyptian advisors", much like those "Soviet advisors" who were in Egypt on the eve of the Yom Kippur war, doubtless have no intention of making life harder for those who wish to continue the war of independence of the "Palestinian nation", until all of the "conquered lands" are freed. What is happening now in Sderot will happen tomorrow, in all likelihood, in Ashkelon after the disengagement becomes a painful reality. The entire Arab world will view this as fleeing under fire, a sign that the Jews can be driven out, essentially, from any place, if enough pressure is applied. The 'refugees' that are still living in the 'refugee camps' for more than 60 years after our war of independence, will understand undoubtedly that the Jews who returned to their lands after many years of Diaspora still don't really believe in their right to this place. The 'refugees', who hold the keys to the homes that they abandoned in Jaffa and Haifa, in Ramle and in Lod, will start to believe that the 'right of return' is not just an empty promise by the leaders who abandoned them, or some dream; rather it is a reality that is taking shape before their very eyes. The images of trucks upon which the Jews who refuse to be evacuated from their homes will be heaped by force, will be broadcast around the world. Everyone who sees them will see the similarities between what happened to the Jews in World War II and what is happening to them today now at the hands of their own brethren. Ariel Sharon must realize all this - but he "can't see further than the bridge of his nose", all those who have been trying to explain to him that in the Middle East, 'evacuation plans' are not widely seen as gestures of good will on the path to peace, but rather as acts of cowardice and fear, a mental caving in that invites more pressure in hopes that more 'fleeing' and more 'gestures' will come before the 'long awaited peace' arrives - without Jews, without Jewish sovereignty and without the 'Zionist state', which banishes innocent Arabs from their land, Arabs who never wanted anything but to live alongside the Zionists. Many people will counter, of course, that Ariel Sharon, who was a glorious general in his youth, cannot be so stupid as to believe that if he exiles Jews from the Gaza Strip, he will raise the level of security in Sderot and in the western Negev, or that the settlements in northern Samaria are only just a security burden. But it's happened in the past. It happened in other countries - and its happening before our eyes right now. Generals get older, and sometimes wish to strike from their resume all sorts of questionable episodes in their career, and they do all they can to end up their lives with some kind of accord of general agreement. It hasn't worked anywhere else in the world, and it's not going to work for us either. David Ben-Gurion loved the "Arik-hero-of-Israel" thing despite the fact that he was caught lying, and not just once. Ben Gurion, as we all know, also worshipped Moshe Dayan - and kicked Yigal Allon out for him to take his place - despite the fact that he was also a "wild card". These two glorious stallions made a name for us amongst our neighbors all those years ago - but they also broke a lot of rules in the process. Much has already been written about Moshe Dayan in this area; Ariel Sharon, however, has only recently had his activities more closely scrutinized. In a book of conversations with Shimon Peres that I published recently (called "Not the Same Sea") the aging leader, known for his friendship with Ariel Sharon, told me that on the eve of the Lebanon War, he met with then Prime Minister Menachem Begin as head of the opposition, and that his impression at the time was that the then minister of defense, none other than Ariel Sharon, was not telling the prime minister the whole truth. Similar and contradictory stories like this about Ariel Sharon abound, but that is not what's important right now: We must now find, before it is too late, a coalition of 61 MKs who will send Ariel Sharon packing to Sycamore ranch. It won't be so bad. If he retires to there before the withdrawal from Gaza, then there is a chance that he will be able to live out his remaining years without the constant background whistle of incoming missiles fired from Gaza. If not, then he can always go home to his parent's house in Kfar Malal. There, the Arabs may only get to in a couple of years. Steven Plaut is an American-trained economist, a professor of business administration at Haifa University and author of "The Scout." He frequently comments - both seriously and satirically - on Israeli politics and the left wing academic community. His website address is http://www.stevenplaut.blogspot.com. |
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THE HEBRON CONSPIRACY
Posted by Emanuel A. Winston, July 6, 2004. |
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If you thought that the Sharon government had max'd out its twistiness, watch their next move. It's really slimy. For some time the Jewish residents of Hebron have been unmercifully harassed and not only by hostile Arab Muslims but, by the Shin Bet, Shabak (Israel's secret services) and the Israeli police. Their objective, which was initiated long ago, was to drive the Jews out of Hebron. The early plan was to allow the Arab Muslims to create such havoc that it would seem only proper for the Israeli government to send in troops to forcibly evacuate the Jews - as if it was a rescue mission. That hasn't worked yet but the plans are still there in the drawer. The next step was to use extraordinary government powers to single out Jewish leaders of Hebron and harass them mercilessly by using Administrative Detention, meaning that the fathers of big families would be put in jail for extended periods of time without being charged. Even when brought to court and released due to lack of evidence other than suspicion, the Shin Bet or Shabak immediately dropped them back into jail under another Administrative Detention. This was a tried, true and vile method of the British Mandate Police. Noam Federman was a frequent target of the Government's hostility and thus spent a good time in jail. In effect, the government, through what any nation with laws would have considered unlawful imprisonment, forced disruption of the family. With the continued harassment, the normalcy of life in any household would have an effect on the children. In fact, Noam Federman was allowed to attend his child's bar mitzvah - only in chains. He did not have normal visits with his family throughout his probably illegal incarcerations. Having destroyed their lives, disrupted the normalcy and the daily lives of their wives and children, they now engage in the lowest and most despicable trick of charging the wives with Child Neglect. But, it was not the woman and children who created any semblance of neglect. It was a malicious government who utilized the secret services and tarnished the names of both. I will add the name of the Court and the Judges who are co-conspirators in this miscarriage of justice. Monday, July 5th, Elisheva Federman, Yifat Elkobi, Miriam Fleshman and Etti Medad were brought to court into what can be considered nothing less than a Kangaroo Court to face charges of child neglect. If found guilty, they could all lose their children to foster families. If this sounds like something out of a nightmare of a horrible fairy tale with monsters who eat children, well, it is! This would be between some 20 to 30 children who would be lost to their families and placed in some foster families! The Government in conspiracy with the Police and the Directors of the Shin Bet have shamed the nation of Israel through their plan to create a false guilt on the part of the Jews of Hebron. It's truly regrettable that the once honored institutions of Shin Bet, Shabak and the Israeli Police have had their honorable reputations smeared by political government leaders who appointed a 'politically correct' Director to carry out their subversive plans. It should have been these governmental conspirators who are tried, stripped of their titles and finally clapped into the same prisons they imposed on their victims. "This is just another instrument of terror that the Sharon government is using against them." (1) As for the children, not only were they not ever neglected but rather, treated to the life's image of courageous mothers and fathers as role models to be proud of. Granted, the children were terrorized when Police and/or Shin Bet/Shabak dragged them and their parents from their homes in midnight raids and taken to police stations on suspicion for interrogation - only to be released after the children and mothers were profoundly traumatized. But, the Police and secret services should be charged with Child Abuse for these acts of terror against citizens The Courts would do well to dismiss these absurd charges or forever be looked upon by both Israelis and all other nations as a political Court who exacts vengeance on children and mothers. This would be a story that will follow the Judges, the so-called Intelligence Agencies and, most certainly, this and past Governments who planned this Hebron conspiracy to demonize Jewish families. Apparently, the "Plan" to drive the last Jew out of Hebron" and away from the Ma'arat HaMachpela (Burial Cave of our Patriarchs and Matriarchs) is still operational. It seems to run parallel to divesting World Jewry of the Temple Mount so the observant Jews have no holy places around which to rally. The process of de-Judaizing Israel started long ago and continues at a quickening pace. They are trying to erase everything that has been part of our national memory, with great deliberation. IF Israel cannot be eliminated in the short term, then they will settle for a secularized nation that will 'theoretically' not irritate such foreign interests as the Arab Muslims, the Christian Europeans and America - all of whom rely upon the oil trade. The harassment of the Jews of Hebron (and the "Plan" to abandon the Jews of Gaza/Gush Katif) by attacking the families through the children is merely a tactic being used now by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Somehow I am reminded of the Jewish children being cruelly separated from their parents at the death camps like Auschwitz as they went screaming into the night. Could anyone in their wildest imagination have foreseen the time when a Government run by Jews would so misuse their police powers to harass, jail and break up families of Jews in order to achieve their great plans of de-Judaizing Israel? Please translate this into Hebrew and deliver it to all Judges, Shin Bet/Shabak, PM Ariel Sharon and all his Cabinet. ### 1. "You must help stop this new form of terror against Jews in Israel" by Prof. Ya'acov (Jack) Golbert, Adv. Dir. Of Netzah Yisrael Lo Yeshaqer (goldbert@netzahyisrael.org) & David Ramati [hebcom@actcom.co.il] AS A SEPARATE MESSAGE TO THE ISRAELI PROFESSIONALS OF SHABAK, SHIN BET AND THE ISRAELI POLICE: You were once of great pride to the Jewish people. You earned an admirable reputation for your professional abilities world wide. Don't let the politicians drag you down to their dirty games of power. Israel security forces were not supposed to emulate the KGB where the people were terrified of their police and hated them. Jewish authorities were supposed to be the ones children would come to for protection, not run away from. Don't let them drag you down and make you Kapos! Take back your sparkling reputations. EAW Emanuel Winston is a commentator and Middle East analyst. His articles appear often on Think-Israel and Gamla. He is a member of the Board of Directors and a research associate of the Freeman Center For Strategic Studies (http://www.freeman.org/online.htm). |
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PSI: PATENTLY ILLEGAL ORDERS SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN
Posted by Dr. Ron Breiman, July 6, 2004. |
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Professors for a Strong Israel has written to the Attorney General in
order to make clear our position regarding the Gaza "disengagement"
plan. The core of this plan is the eviction of Jewish residents from
their homes in the Land of Israel. We declare in the letter that the
forced removal of people from their homes, based solely on their
ethnic and/or religious background, even Jews evicted by a Jewish
government, is in violation of the law. Any order to carry out such an
eviction is patently illegal, and hence both the giving of such an
order and carrying it out is illegal. We further declare in the letter
that hundreds of members of PSI have joined the struggle to prevent
the issuance of these illegal orders by the government.
Dr. Ron Breiman is chairman of Professors For A Strong Israel (PSI). Reach him by phone in Israel at 050-5-518 940 |
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SHARON DEFIES SUPREME COURT
Posted by Richard H. Shulman, July 6, 2004. |
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Sharon had signaled imminent dismissal of two Cabinet members, so as to fix the Cabinet vote. A Supreme Court justice instructed him to wait for a Court panel to hear petitions for an injunction. Sharon ignored the Court. The Attorney-General did not protest the Prime Minister's defiance. (Usually the Left puts the Supreme Court on a pedestal of deference.) Then Sharon's lawyers presented a brief against judicial invalidation of the dismissals, on the grounds that the political situation changed. But it was changed because of the improper dismissals! The brief also claimed that a reversal of the dismissals (if it led to a reversal in the Cabinet vote) would harm Israel diplomatically (IMRA, 6/20). What is the point of a coalition Cabinet, if the PM dictates to his colleagues in the Cabinet, on pain of dismissal? Concern over Israel's diplomatic standing is misguided. Most diplomats favor the Arabs over Israel. They praise Israel when it offers concessions to the Arabs and criticize Israel when it stands firm against the Arabs. Israel has a high diplomatic standing when it has low policies, and a low diplomatic standing when it has high-minded policies. Diplomatic prestige is not worth the sacrifice of Israeli national security. A high standing could eventually be obtained honorably and safely by consistent firmness and exercise of power. Richard 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. |
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LIVING WHAT YOU BELIEVE AND BELIEVING WHAT YOU LIVE
Posted by David Wilder, July 6, 2004. |
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This was published July 4, 2004 in Arutz-7 (www.IsraelNN.com).
Shalom. Yesterday afternoon I was guiding two journalists around Hebron, showing them the sites, so to speak. One of them is the bureau chief of the New York Times, James Bennett, together with a columnist for the International Herald Tribune, Roger Cohen. A few interesting things happened during the couple of hours we spent talking and touring that I'd like to relate to you. Perhaps the most impressive part of our wandering had nothing to do with any of us. Rather, it was a young, 23-year old we met, guarding at the entrance to Tel Rumeida. Hearing us talking, he asked in very fluent English where we were from. His accent was definitely not Israeli, but distinctly American. This fellow, I'll call him P.K. for the sake of this article, is a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He's been in Israel for little over 18 months, is not yet a citizen, rather is here on a student visa, and here he is, serving in the IDF in Hebron. I told him that I don't thing I've ever met a Jew from Milwaukee in Hebron before. Every once in a while I bump into people like P.K.. He's serving in through a program called Machal, which is a volunteer plan for "not yet" Israeli citizens who want to serve their people. In his words, "I was studying philosophy and Jewish history in a United States university, watching buses blow up here. Kind of a bummer." So P.K., rather than continuing to watch buses blow up from afar, took action. He came to serve in the Israeli army. A real, honest-to-goodness soldier, just like everyone else. I won't specify his job, but it carries real responsibility, and not a little danger. Fortunately P.K. isn't alone is his Zionistic idealism. A few years ago I wrote an article about a similar soldier named Ari, who too, hadn't yet made official Aliyah. A couple of weeks ago I met Ari again, for the first time is several years. Today, a full-fledged Israeli, he is studying for a Masters at Bar-Ilan University. And he hasn't lost his idealism either. When the army refused to take him into the reserves, he signed a form volunteering for IDF reserve duty for twenty years. Just so that you understand, many Israelis will do anything they can to get out of reserve service. And here, Ari is doing exactly the opposite. Believe me, it's people like P.K. and Ari that keep me going. That brings me to my second point. I'm not sure exactly how to classify this - sad, unfortunate, I really don't know. Towards the end of my conversations with Mr. Roger Cohen, he remarked, "it's difficult to find something good to write about people like you." This remark, not made nastily, was a reflection of much of our dialogue. Cohen obviously had great difficulty digesting the fact that Jews live in a city like Hebron. I was emotionally struck by his remarks while visiting the memorial room for the 1929 massacre victims at Beit Hadassah. He had a problem relating to the significance of the event itself, on several planes. First of all, he attempted to compare it to conflicts between other countries, or ethnic groups in Europe, saying that while once they were bitter enemies, today they belong to a common political and economic unit, and live together in harmony. The Hebron massacre was "small" in scope, compared to other atrocities. In addition, Mr. Cohen could not grasp the seemingly constant memories of such an event. He asked me why we must continue to look back as opposed to looking forward. In truth, I had trouble comprehending Cohen's statements, which seemed to question the necessity of memories. When dealing with correspondents I really try and keep my cool; in this case I almost lost it. Roger Cohen, obviously a very intelligent person, didn't seem to make any sense. I, of course, explained that without a past, there is no future, that we must learn from the past, acting upon that knowledge in the future. That way, we can continue to look forward. In addition, I tried to clarify the fact that our adversary had not changed in the slightest, that he is today just as primitive and barbaric as he was seventy five years ago. Perhaps the difference is that then, they could only kill one Jew at a time. Today, with one bomb, they kill and maim dozens in an instant. (Only after Cohen left did I discover the real question behind his question, his own struggle with comprehending memories, in a fascinating lecture he delivered in 2001 - [http://www.nieman.harvard.edu/events/honors/morris/cohen-JAM-2001.html]). However, the most disturbing element of our conversation was his remark that it's difficult to find anything good to say about us. Again, he wasn't being antagonistic, just truthful, from his perspective. He really doesn't understand why a Jew should live in Hebron. This troubled me, having visited Tel Rumeida, seeing the excavations, thousands of years old, the tomb of Jessie and Ruth, the Avraham Avinu synagogue and its ancient Torah Scrolls, and, of course, Ma'arat HaMachpela - the Caves of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs. What would it take to convince him? By this time I had to keep my explanations short, time was running out. So I asked him, "why not?" "What is the problem with being a Jew in Hebron, living an ideal, living in my home, trying to living a normal life, in the first Jewish city in Israel? Why is that bad?" I don't recall that he responded. It is difficult for me to fathom correspondent Roger Cohen, or the other Roger Cohens of the world, probably as much as it is for them to fathom me. In my eyes they have lost touch with reality - genuine reality, as opposed to their perception of the way the world should be. For some reason they live an illusion, professing a concept of perfection which negates actuality, perhaps demanding a breakdown of humanity, humanity which is composed of different cultures and traditions, for a humanism which would delete us as individuals and nations. My prayer is that the future lies not with them, but with the P.K.s and Aris of the world, the real idealists, who live what they believe and believe what they live. With blessings from Hebron. (Call 718-677-6886) * An all men mission, leaving JFK Sunday August 8, 2004 at 2:20 AM. *Spending the week in Gaza, Yehuda, Shomron, Yerushalayim, Kever Rachel, and Hebron. * Designed as a chizuk mission to show solidarity with yesha communities and visit terror victims. *Will be returning Friday morning August 13th to JFK at 6:00 AM. *The price of the trip will be between $1600-1650 *Includes roundtrip El AL flight, 4 nights at Inbal hotel, all transportation (secure buses), service charges, round trip transfers to and from airport, and touring and entrance fees, and daily Israeli breakfast. David Wilder is spokesman of The Jewish Community of Hebron. You can contribute directly to The Jewish Community of Hebron, POB10, Kiryat Arba-Hebron 90100, hebron@hebron.org.il, 972-2-9965333 or write to The Hebron Fund, 1760 Ocean Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11230, hebronfund@aol.com |
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ANTI-SEMITISM AFTER THE HOLOCAUST - ALSO IN DENMARK
Posted by Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs (JCPA), July 6, 2004. |
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This essay was written by Arthur Arnheim and
appeared in Jewish Political Studies Review 15:3-4 (Fall 2003).
Arthur Arnheim, former director of the Union of Danish Ph.Ds, MAs, and
MSc.s, is a historian who received his M.A. from Copenhagen
University. He researched the history of Danish Jews and the Jews of
Northern Germany. He published studies and articles on the Danish
Jewish community leadership and the Holocaust, as well as on the
rescue of most Danish Jews from German persecution. Now retired, he
works on research in Jerusalem.
What is Anti-Semitism? The phenomenon of anti-Semitism has been the object of study and research for almost one hundred years. Yet nobody has, apparently, offered an unambiguous definition of it. A widespread explanation can be found in a thesis that anti-Semitism is a psychological undercurrent - latently present everywhere and anytime - that is ready to flare up when special economic and social conditions call for it. The usual definition of an anti-Semite is simple: It is a person who hates Jews. Anti-Semitism has a structure - contrary to ordinary xenophobia. It reveals itself in most anti-Semitic waves, past and present. Its starting point is the presentation of a produced myth, false accusations, or fabricated lies depicting Jews as a danger to society, religion, regime, or culture and civilization. As a matter of logic, the next step would be to introduce laws or regulations to limit or eliminate the danger Jews allegedly represent. The Jews thereby become isolated and outlawed. From this point on, it is "legal" to attack them and loot their possessions. The development from defamation to discrimination and further to destruction is the backbone of anti-Semitism and defines it as a special phenomenon. The usual definition of an anti-Semite as a person who hates Jews can be misguiding. From the Holocaust period we know of many examples of people who participated in the persecutions motivated by other reasons than hatred against Jews (i.e. career, greed, oath of allegiance, etc.). A workable definition could be: a person who participates in any stage of the anti-Semitic process. Post-Holocaust Anti-Semitism Denmark has been considered an exception in the history of the Holocaust. In most other countries occupied by the Germans during World War II, governments, administrations, and people helped the Nazis to persecute, seize, and transport Jews to the death camps. This was not the case in Denmark. Here the government tried to protect the Jews, and when the German raid on the Danish Jews started, the population stood up and helped most of the Jews escape to neutral Sweden. After the war many, therefore, expected the Danish population to be immune to anti-Semitism. However traces of anti-Semitism already emerged soon after the Danish Jews returned from exile in Sweden to start their reintegration into society. The late chief rabbi of Denmark, Dr. Marcus Melchior, described the phenomenon in a publication of the Danish resistance movement.(1) He explained it in social and cultural terms and warned about its dangers. This kind of anti-Semitism - which is very similar to regular xenophobia - has not been characteristic of the anti-Semitism which has grown steadily during the last fifty years in Denmark. The new kind of anti-Semitism could be termed political anti-Semitism. It works by using the usual anti-Semitic techniques - depicting Jews as an enemy, a danger to society and the world - but places it in a political or ideological framework. The deliberately produced image of the Jews as enemies is built into the theory of the ideology or the political program of a regime. When studying this kind of anti-Semitism another observation has to be kept in mind: Admitting to being anti-Semitic after the Holocaust would immediately destroy one's credibility. Consequently, the new kind of anti-Semitism had to find another word than Jew for its propaganda. It chose Zionist or Israel, thereby throwing up a smoke screen. This trick has been successful as many have accepted that it is possible to be anti-Israel without being an anti-Semite. This trend initially appeared in public Danish debate in 1953 after the "Doctor's plot" in the Soviet Union. "Land og Folk," the mouthpiece of the Danish Communist Party (DKP), wrote: "It has been proven that animals in human shape have violated scientific duties and have been paid agents of foreign intelligence services...they were connected to the international Jewish bourgeois - nationalistic organization - Joint."(2) The event created a certain stir in Danish public debate. Most papers described it as outright anti-Semitic. An overcrowded meeting in a Copenhagen theater discussed the matter. Jewish as well as non-Jewish communists and their sympathizers defended the Soviet regime. One of the most prominent communists, Professor Mogens Fog, who had been a leading figure in the Danish resistance and a minister in the first Danish government after the war, defended the Soviet Union. He was quoted saying: "In all probability Zionist spies have been into action."(3) As a result of the affair, a leading communist who had previously been a member of the central committee of the DKP, Peter P. Rohde, left the party, and his wife, Ina Rohde, was banned from the party after publicly accusing the party of anti-Semitism. Shortly after the Six-Day War, one of the most promising young Danish authors, Klaus Rifbjerg, published a poem "The Boots" in the leading liberal newspaper Politiken.(4) Preceding the poem was a photograph of boots thrown away in the Sinai desert by Egyptian soldiers fleeing the advancing Israeli army. Apparently this was an anti-war poem expressing compassion for the victims of war, but seen in the context of some liberal and left-wing voices which branded the war "Blitz Krieg - German style" it appeared to be supporting this view. Klaus Riefbjerg could not be considered an anti-Semite, but the image he created could and would be used by political forces practicing anti-Semitism to promote their cause. The poem could not have been produced as an act of pure anti-war feelings. If it had, there had been ample opportunity to show compassion only two weeks earlier when the whole world not only knew that President Nasser was going to put into effect his intentions "to throw the Jews into the sea" in an Arab-style final solution, but the world also believed that he would most likely succeed in doing so. Seen in retrospect, Rifbjerg's poem was a forerunner for the later and more aggressive images produced in the 1980s and 1990s to defame Israel and the Jews. Left-wing Anti-Semitism As early as 1970, extreme left-wing movements in Denmark explained - and defended - hijacking and terror against Israel and Jewish targets in their publications. One of them wrote: "The hijackings by the PFLP has its starting point in the strategy: Fight the enemy where you can find him."(5) The readers of the publication were left in no doubt about what was the aim of the PFLP and who was "the enemy." The Danish public and politicians generally condemned the terror actions of the 1970s. The liberation of the hostages in Entebbe in 1976 by the Israeli air force was applauded by Danish Prime Minister Anker Jorgensen.(6) Actions of this kind against Israel and Jewish targets by Palestinians and international terror groups were not considered anti-Semitic, but rather viewed as a consequence of the Arab-Israel conflict. At that time, nevertheless, voices were raised defending the terrorists and condemning actions to counter their activities. Typically, terrorists would be described as "people who had no other means to express their desperate situation." As far as the Entebbe operation was concerned, it was described by a commentator of the Danish Broadcasting Service as "a violation of a sovereign African state."(7) It was the first example of the technique by which perpetrators of anti-Semitic violence and their protectors were depicted as victims - and those who tried to help the actual victims were called aggressors. This trick of turning terrorists into victims has since been frequently used in the Danish public debate about attacks by terrorists on Jewish targets. The Extreme Left and Anti-Semitism The student and youth revolutions in France and Germany in 1968 deeply influenced a whole generation of Danish intellectuals. As a result, the political center moved to the left and the left moved towards the extreme left. New political parties emerged with agendas based on leftovers from stiff Marxist-Leninist-Stalinist ideology with all its anti-Semitic implications. "Venstre-Socialisterne" (VS) - the left Socialists, the most important among them, eventually had elected representatives in the Danish parliament. The chief ideologist of the party was Anne Grethe Holmsgaard. In several publications she denounced Zionism and portrayed its activities as a worldwide conspiracy. The words were followed by deeds. In 1978 the central committee of the VS concluded an agreement of cooperation with the PFLP. This event was preceded four years earlier by seventy-two Danish intellectuals and cultural celebrities signing a manifest of "unconditional support" for the PFLP.(8) It should be kept in mind that nobody at the time was unaware of the fact that the PFLP had perpetrated acts of terror against both Jewish and Israeli targets. "Unconditional support" of the PFLP, therefore, would be very difficult to interpret otherwise than as support of active anti-Semitism. Why did VS choose to present the Arab-Israel conflict as the most important issue on its international agenda? From its start the movement took much inspiration from the student revolutions in Paris and Berlin in 1968. At that time one could watch revolutionary youth demonstrating carrying banners with the slogan: "Schlagt die Zionisten tot, macht den nahen Osten rot" (Kill the Jews - paint the Middle East red). In other words: Jews were the obstacle to a socialistic/red Middle East. Jew-hate was taken up there and used as a tool to promote an ideological cause. There was nothing new in this. Other fanatic political movements have used this tactic before; painting a fabricated image of Jews as the enemy of their ideology. It is obvious that the VS in Denmark had taken to using these proven tactics to gain support. The Lebanon war in 1982 triggered further anti-Semitic manifestations in Denmark. The accusations that Israel was responsible for alleged atrocities not only caused demonstrations in front of Israel's embassy in Copenhagen, but also separate demonstrations in front of the Jewish Community Center. Thus, in stressing and placing a collective guilt on Danish Jews, a typical anti-Semitic technique was again applied. The above-mentioned agreement between VS and the PFLP led a group of extremists to rob a post office, presumably to benefit the PFLP. The so-called Blekingegade gang performed the robbery, killing a Danish policeman in the process. The criminal investigation of the activities of the gang found it in possession of a specific list containing the names and addresses of a number of Danish Jews.(9) The investigation found no explanation as to why the gang registered the Jews. It would notbe too farfetched to connect it to the frequent anonymous threats received by leading members of the community. Christian Anti-Semitism State and church are not separated in Denmark. The status of the Danish Christian Church is defined in the constitution. Over the last 100 years the official Danish Church has been very friendly to Jews. It came as a surprise, therefore, when Anders Gadegaard, who holds a leading position in the Church, on 30 December 2001 gave a sermon in Copenhagen's main church which had a clear anti-Semitic tendency. It was later transmitted to the official website of the church under the headline: "Children are still killed in Bethlehem by the authorities who fear the demands for justice and freedom by the oppressed population." The sermon took as its starting point the episode related in the New Testament about King Herod, who ordered all children below the age of two to be killed in order to prevent the emergence of the Messiah, who the three wise men had said was born in Bethlehem. From here Gadegaard went straight to modern events with the words: "On TV we watched the terrible pictures, which went around the world, of a little boy and his father in Ramallah (sic!) who was caught in Israeli (!) crossfire, and defenseless people begging for their lives but shot in cold blood." Not only did the priest give an untrue and distorted picture of the death of Muhammad al-Dura in Gaza on 30 September 2000, he supplemented it with further invented details, thereby strengthening the defamation of Israel. He linked it to the story from the Gospels about the wicked Jewish king Herod, thereby reviving centuries-old Christian anti-Semitism that had been forgotten in Denmark. It is no wonder that the leaders of the Jewish community in Copenhagen protested vehemently. In all fairness it has to be said that a number of priests and Christian lay persons also opposed Gadegaard's sermon.(10) There is another aspect to the debate about Gadegaard's sermon. Normally it would have passed unnoticed, as sermons often do when heard only by the relatively few people who attend the main church - and the media generally take no interest in church affairs. It was therefore remarkable that the daily newspaper Information published the text of the sermon on its front page.(11) It was not only remarkable, but also thought-provoking, as this newspaper has constantly highlighted anti-Israel views which since about 1970, are close to the views of the Danish extreme left mentioned above. As could be expected the priest - and even his bishop - denied he was an anti-Semite. But who is an anti-Semite? Certainly anybody who generally defames Jews and instigates hate towards them could hardly expect not to be called an anti-Semite. Moslem Anti-Semitism There are 150-190,000 Moslems in Denmark (in a population of roughly five million). Most of them have been peaceful. From the 1990s, however, groups and organizations formed by extremist Moslems have presented a serious threat to the Danish Jewish community. In the spring of 2001 an anonymous poster in Arabic was pinned up on the notice board at the Niels Brock College in Copenhagen. It promised a reward of 250,000 Danish kroner (approx. U.S.$35,000) to anybody who would kill a Jew. A police investigation was not successful in finding the conspirator(s). Later a journalist drew attention to the existence of a list of twelve members of the Jewish community picked out for attacks, but it was also impossible to find the instigator(s) in this case.(12) In the autumn of 2002 a leader of the organization Hizb-ut-Tabrir in Denmark was brought to court accused of incitement and calls for violence. He had called for the assassination of Jews and got a suspended sentence of sixty days in prison. Although this organization has been banned in Germany it is still active in Denmark - but now keeps the press away from its activities.(13) The Danish police considers the threats of violence against Jews as serious. In the summer of 2002 a pro-Israel demonstration took place in Copenhagen. After this demonstration the police demanded that the chief rabbi and the president of the Jewish community, who participated, be brought home under police protection. Hardly anyone remembers a Danish politician, trade union leader, or community leader who participated in a demonstration that needed police protection on similar occasions. "Now, It's Enough" By the end of 2002, a violent campaign by a number of Danish media and politicians against Israel and Jews reached it peak. Many felt it especially painful that the Politiken newspaper took part in the slandering, because for decades Politiken had been seen as a leading protagonist of liberal ideas and tolerant views on public affairs. Now it appeared that the paper had changed its cause as far as Israel and the Jews were concerned. A full page paid advertisement with more than 700 signatures - by Jews as well as non-Jews - was placed in the paper with a sharp protest under the headline: Nu er det nok (Now, it's enough). A few quotations from it will explain what triggered the reaction: Over a period of time Politiken has contributed to aggravating moods and attitudes towards Israel and the Jews. This is apparent from editorials, articles, and letters to the editor. By comparing Israel's occupation to the Holocaust and Nazi atrocities during the war, Israel is demonized and the Palestinians raised to a symbol of suffering. Articles in the paper have stressed that public and collective threats to Danish Jews are pardonable as long as not all Jews dis-sociate themselves from Israel's policy....We oppose that the one and only democracy in the Middle East is made an object of ha-tred and described as an evil empire and the root of all evil in the Middle East and the world. Politiken mixes political attitudes together with conception of Jews as a minority. This fact represents a derailing of the debate and opens an opportunity to single Jews out and attack them in a way not seen in Europe since the Nazi and Communist campaigns against the Jews...it opens gates and gives free opportunities to Jew haters."(14) The response from Politiken appeared the same day in an editorial. If the 700 who signed the protest had expected a reaction of understanding or perhaps even remorse by the editors they were disappointed. Nothing of the kind was expressed in the reply. Conclusion There is a difference between how anti-Semitism was publicly discussed in Denmark in the 1930s and how the emergence of the new anti-Semitism after the Holocaust has been dealt with in Denmark. Although Denmark feared Hitler Germany before World War II and tried to avoid official criticism of the dangerous neighbor at its southern border, condemnation of German anti-Semitism was aired in Danish papers and publications. But now, when new anti-Semitic waves have washed Danish shores, criticism has been absent. At a conference held in March 2001 by the Danish Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies under the title: "Anti-Semitism in Denmark?" a participant, Danish journalist Bent Bludnikow, told about the reluctance he had met among his colleagues when they were asked to comment on the subject of current anti-Semitism. This is a new trend, which should not be overlooked when analyzing anti-Semitism in Denmark after the Holocaust. Seen in perspective, anti-Semitism in Denmark during the last fifty years has followed the international development of the so-called new anti-Semitism. This phenomenon is built on myths and fabricated stories about Jews and Israel and stirs up a hatred used to promote ideologies or specific political aims. As a small nation, the Danes have always been influenced by cultural and political developments coming from abroad. The modern communication revolution and globalization have strengthened this influence. The new international Jew-hatred has, therefore, also left its mark on Denmark. * * * Notes 1. Marcus Melchior, "Jodiske problemer" (Jewish problems), Frit Danmark (publication of the Danish resistance movement), IV (1946) no. 13.
JCPA is published in Jerusalem and can be reached by email at jcpa@netvision.net.il. Dore Gold and Manfred Gerstenfeld are co-publishers. |
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IMPRECATORY PRAYER: THE INTERCESSOR'S ELEPHANT GUN
Posted by Kitty Carr, July 5, 2004. |
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This was written by Doug Giles and appeared July 3, 2004 on the
TownHall website:
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/
douggiles/dg20040703.shtml
I hate to ruin your light summer beach reading, but America and much of the world are still in deep yogurt when it comes to the war on terror. As much as postmoderns want everyone to sing "We are the World" in some all-religion-encompassing global hand-hold and just move on, I'm afraid radical Islam is not going to be a part of pomo's desired altruistic music video. Radical Islam is incorrigible, period. So? face it and embrace it. We are not going to convert or appease these cats. We have nothing they want. There is nothing to negotiate. They want us exterminated. Capisce? That said, what do we, Christians in particular, do when faced with an implacable radical enemy? Just sit around sing "Kum Ba Yah" and hope these bad guys will leave us alone? That's what a lot of five-watt light bulb, spiritually neutered believers are doing. Just sittin' around? hopin' and wishin' or worse yet, ignoring the viable millennial threat of militant Islam. I, for one, will not take a passive stance against this aggressive enemy. You cannot be lame and win this game with these guys. So, as a Christian, I suggest the following: One: Back President Bush (no, thanks) and his aggressive armed attitude against terrorists and terror supporting nations. Make that the main focal point for your vote during the next election. Picture this when you step into the voting booth this November: some fluctuating, "wait-on-the-U.N." type of guy in the Oval Office while one of Osama's droogies is arming a nuclear suitcase in your back yard. Take that image with you to the polls. Two: Push for cinching our borders tighter than a fat guy's belt after an "All-You-Can-Eat" beef rib blow out at Tony Roma's. Three: Aggressively support the rooting out of the multitudinous terrorist cells that are concocting their villainous crap in our very own cul de sacs. Four: Make it ridiculously impossible for a pro-radical Islamic professor to pee in one of our university's bathrooms, much less teach in one of our classrooms. And finally, most importantly, Five: As people of faith, dust off and use what's afforded to the believer within the Old and New Testaments, namely the imprecatory prayers. What is an imprecatory prayer? It is a prayer asking God to crush a clear enemy of His, an enemy which is an aggressive adversary of freedom and peace loving people. Yes, Mr. and Mrs. Precious Moments Figurine Collector, the Bible is filled with maledictions prayed by saints and speedily answered by God against violently impenitent enemies of liberty and righteousness. Here are a couple examples: "Break the teeth in their mouths, O God; tear out, O Lord, the fangs of the lions! Let them vanish like water that flows away; when they draw the bow, let their arrows be blunted. Like a slug melting away as it moves along, like a still born child, may they not see the sun" The righteous will be glad when they bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked.? Psalm 58.6-10. "Pour out your wrath on them; let your fierce anger overtake them. May their place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in their tents. For they persecute those you wound and talk about the pain of those you hurt. Charge them with crime upon crime; do not let them share in your salvation. May they be blotted out of the book of life and not be listed with the righteous." Psalm 69.24-28. Given the soft-focused, effeminate condition of evangelicalism, I'll bet the great majority of Christians have never even heard of an imprecatory prayer, much less prayed one. More than likely, the above God-inspired texts aren't on their refrigerator scripture magnets either. I'll go a step further and venture to guess that the majority of evangelical and Catholic clergy don't even know what an imprecatory prayer is and have probably never taught on them or prayed them from the pulpit (Please investigate and report back to me.) If my assumption regarding your typical congregation and clergy is true, then this is sad, unbiblical and a prime reason why militant Islam continues to march on. We are not using the spiritual big guns of imprecatory prayer against the beast of militant Islam. My ClashPoint is this: Most religious people are familiar with Christ telling us to "bless our enemies" in prayer and to "love our enemies." We should do both. But seldom to never do we hear about "the other" prayers for our enemies, prayers to be prayed when our enemies become gun-, bomb- and airplane- wielding idiots. Yes, there comes a time when the intercessors' gloves must come off and enough is enough and we pray the "not so nice prayers." It's simple: when our enemies move from being foes who have personally wronged us, or have made fun of our bad combover, or have flamed us in a TBN chat room, to becoming jihadic death jockeys wanting to eradicate our memory from the earth, then it is time to stop praying the "Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep" stuff and start asking God to thwart and stamp out these bug eyed terrorists who want to hijack the planet and make it conform to their jacked up view of "life." So? start tossing imprecatory prayers heavenward and watch what God does to militant implacable Islam. The celestial spanking of terrorists is no big deal for God. And our prayers could save thousands of our soldiers' lives, our citizens' lives and the lives of innocent, moderate Muslims and others who get caught in the freak boys' villainous crossfire. Let us pray. * Author's note: Of the 150 psalms contained in the Bible's prayer book, i.e., the Psalms, 104 are imprecations. Hello! Also, these psalms are to be sung and read, unedited, during the worship service (Ephesians 5.19). For an irrefutable book on this hot topic, check out James Adams's work War Psalms of the Prince of Peace. In the mean time, here's a short list of imprecatory psalms: Psalm 5, 7, 9, 10, 17, 25, 28, 31, 35, 40, 41, 54, 55, 56, 58, 59, 63, 68, 69, 70, 71, 74, 79, 83, 94, 104, and 109. Kitty Carr lives in Alabama. |
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CHICAGO TRIBUNE: "ISRAELI EXTREMISTS FEARED"
Posted by Emanuel A. Winston, July 5, 2004. |
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Once again the Chicago Tribune, well-known for its anti-Semitic foundation and its hostility to the Jewish State of Israel featured a story entitled: "Israeli Extremists Feared: Security Official Warns of Rising Settler Militancy" by who else?, a Jewish reporter named Josef Federman of the Associated Press. Let's examine the twisty spin of the story and show you how a true propagandist biases the story to mislead the reader. Although the title speaks of non-identified potential Israeli extremists, Federman opens with this: "Jerusalem: Violence persisted Sunday in the Palestinian [sic] territories where an Israeli motorist and a Palestinian gunman were killed in separate shootings in the West Bank and a Palestinian teenager was 'shot to death' in the Gaza Strip." Fact: The Israeli motorist was ambushed in his car along with his wife. Her husband was murdered - not merely killed as Federman's wrote but rather "shot to death" and his wife was injured. Note the absence of the later description of the Palestinian teenager who was "shot to death" - according to Federman. "Shot to death" is a far more powerful description than "killed" and was intended to be so. If you read extensively about the Middle East, you will find Arab Palestinians are "shot to death" and Jews are "killed" or the just "die". There is also no description of why this 'innocent' teenager was shot to death but reports (absent from the article) was that this 'innocent' 19 year old teen was heaving heavy cement blocks onto Israeli troops. Then Federman reports that "military helicopters attacked two Palestinian work shops in Gaza, slightly wounding six people, hospital workers said". Now comes the justification for the provocative headline: "Israeli Extremists Feared": Federman reports: "Also Sunday, the head of Israel's Shin Bet security services warned that Jewish extremists were becoming more militant and some prominent rabbis encouraged settlers to resist evacuation from their homes." Federman then goes on to give separate facts merged together to make his charge plausible that there are Israeli extremists. Federman says: "The air strikes [which were real] and the [verbal] warnings from the Shin Bet Chief Avi Dichter came... " But the warnings were NOT connected to the air strikes against the bomb factories. However, now it seemed like two firmly established happenings were connected. Federman says that the Shin Bet were concerned that, in light of the assassinaton of former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin for his peace efforts (neglecting to tell the reader that every Right Wing leader has publically stated that no one was to lift his hand against the Israeli soldier or Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. The information was public but it would have disturbed Federman's propaganda story line to publish it. In the meantime, Avi Dichter has been called to account for his provocative statement, which denounces the Settlers' reminiscent of the Rabin/Peres campaign to push through their ill-fated Oslo Accords which were signed in Washington without approval of the Israeli Knesset (Parliament) or the people. As Oslo failed, they tried to justify their failure and poor planning by attacking their political adversaries, given the deaths of 1500 Jews that followed, plus the wounding of tens of thousands more. THIS IS CALLED "SPIN" in the journalistic trade, meaning "intended propaganda". Along that line, the Tribune has its own "SPIN" Photo Editor. In this misleading story, the Trib Editor selected a pathos-type picture of a Palestinian carrying another Palestinian who was "slightly wounded" [Federman's words] after an Israeli helicopter hit a metal shop in Gaza City. Since photos can replace words and give a false impression, this photo had nothing to do with the provocative headline of supposed unnamed and speculative extremists from a source (Shin Bet) long used or rather mis-used for political purposes to attack the political Right in Israel and specifically, the settlers. We cannot forget the misuse of these agencies by Yitzhak Rabin who assigned the agent provocateur Avishai Raviv to create false attacks and scenes which were to be blamed on the settlers. Also ignored in this political imbroglio was the selection of a succession of Directors for these secret services for their political connectness, meaning they were all deeply connected to the Labor Left and, therefore, dedicated adversaries of the Pioneering Settlers. Let us move on: Federman makes the sensational disclosure that about 1000 settlers, supporters and several rabbis rallied at the Western Wall of the Temple Mount and, led by former Chief Rabbi Mordecai Eliyahu, engaged in a mass prayer. Clearly to Federman, this was a 'suspicious' gathering which must, therefore, have evil intentions or was made to appear so. Federman, presumably a typical assimilated Jewish reporter fed this story into the SPIN machine as if this was a subversive rally to overthrow the government. Perhaps Federman was right. After all, asking G-d to intervene and have the Government fall before it could remove 8,000 to 250,000 men, women and children from their homes must be subversive. To Federman and, no doubt, Arik Sharon, introducing G-d into the equation is patently unfair and interference in the "Plans" of men. What would you do if your government, wherever you live, decided to evict and evacuate you and your family and your neighbors from your homes? Would you protest and pray to G-d that it wouldn't happen? I hope so. So, let's get this straight. The Pioneering Settlers who were urged by all previous and current Prime Ministers to settle a barren land of sand dunes with no one - I repeat, no one - living on the land, are now told by one man, Ariel Sharon, to get off and give your homes, schools, synagogues, farms, businesses, stores, Land over to the Arab Muslim Palestinian Terrorists. These people poured their life's blood into making barren land bloom with fertile, productive farms, well-built houses and beautiful gardens, schools, factories are now told by a temporary, elected politician that Yassir Arafat's Terrorists will live in their houses and they should leave quietly without protest. Would you? Would Federman or the Tribune's editors leave their homes and apartments if the government said: "We need the space for hostile foreigners"? I think they would scream, protest and maybe even act violently if the government sent Police thugs to evict them on the theory that it would be "good for the rest of the country if they appeased the hostile immigrants and moved out quietly". Federman goes on to tell that Arafat's Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade claims credit for ambushing the Jewish resident who was driving with his wife past Jenin. (Note! No name. No personal identification, lest it lend sympathy to the Settlers, therefore unnamed.) Federman tells us that the Israeli Army killed a 'gunman' (not a Terrorist) who fired at soldiers guarding a Jewish Settlement near the West Bank Town of Nablus. Note! Nablus has been a notorious haven for Terrorists and not merely a so-called 'town' - as Federman would have you believe. Jenin has also been a haven for Terrorists - as have most of the 7 towns that the Oslo Accords gave up to Yassir Arafat's control as head of the Palestinian Authority in 1993. Federman tells us: "In the Gaza Strip Palestinian 'militants' [sic - not Terrorists] fired rockets at Israeli targets." [Note! "Targets" sounds impersonal. But, the "targets" are Jewish homes and children's schools with live people. Rockets killed a 4 year boy and a 49 year old grandfather last week - as "targets". Palestinian 'militants' have fired 4,500 rockets into the Jewish areas of Gaza in the last four years. Do you think that makes them 'militants' or 'Terrorists' [with a capital T!]? Federman says, "No injuries were reported." - as if the Terrorists had deliberately avoided doing their best to target live Jews. Surely, the TRIBUNE has maintained its sometimes slick anti-Israel diatribe by selecting the Federman piece to mislead its readers. Federman goes on to create "equal balance" by then speaking of Palestinians who were killed or injured by Israeli counter-attacks or pre-emptive strikes against what Federman calls "militants". He describes a 19 year old Palestinian killed by machine gunfire and a 17 year old wounded in a separate incident. Federman discover that 19 or 17 year old Palestinian boys are merely 'boys'. They cannot be the Terrorists that Arafat has been training since they were 3 years old in the refugee camps which are deliberately kept in squalor by Arafat, in partnership with the U.N.'s UNRWA who funds the Terrorist schools. Please note the attached Website that shows you many pictures of children of all ages being taught to hate and kill. Federman and the TRIB have access to this Website and know that Palestinian children have been trained to hate and kill Jews and Christians - a story yet to be told in depth. (2) In closing, Federman adds that "Israel's Atomic Energy Commission posted a website about the country's nuclear program which has always been highly secretive." says Federman. He also tells us that the website came two days before a visit by the Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohammed el-Baradei (of the U.N.) who last week called for a nuclear-free Middle East. This is the same body of investigators who could find no suspicious Nuclear activity in Iran until it was shoved down their throat with ariel photos. Despite the evidence, Iran still denies its nuclear capabilities. This last closing bit was NOT an accident. The Arabist U.S. State Department, in cahoots with Egypt and most of the oil rich Arab Muslim nations, wants Israel stripped of her nuclear deterrence. That would make Israel very easy pickings for Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iran and, no doubt, a rebuilt Iraq controlled by the Shi'ites who are certain to take over Iraq with the help of predominantly Shi'ite Iran next door. Some may recall the Madrid Conference of 1992 where the State Department Secretary James Baker (no friend of the Jewish State) had his hand-picked Jew boys Dennis Ross, Aaron Miller, Dan Kurtzer lobbied or instructed the Egyptian delegate to close the session by demanding that Israel rid herself of her Nuclear (read: Deterrent) weapons and make the region nuclear-free. This is again reminiscent of Benjamin Franklin's comment that: "Democracy is two wolves and lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." Most Left Liberal Jewish journalists and most of those hand-picked Jews who work for the Arabist State Department are the best 'agents provocateurs' when it come to subverting Israel's security. They are the outreach arm of the State Department, the U.N. and the E.U. because Jews who are willing to subvert the Jewish nation have protective coloring. They can be the seemingly innocent predators or, as is said: "The wolves in sheep's clothing". As usual when generalizing about certain of our people, I must point out that they are the exceptions to the rule in that they achieve conspicuous notoriety and are very obvious. Those Jews who stand forthrightly by their conscience and Jewish 'neshama' (soul) would not usually be hired by the Chicago Tribune, New York Times, CNN, BBC, NPR, or the State Department. I am thinking about Daniel Pearl's, the Wall St. Journal writer whose dying words before he was beheaded by Muslim Terrorists were: "I am a Jew!" ### 1. "Israeli Extremists Feared: Security Official Warns of Rising Settler Militancy" by Josef Federman of the Associated Press CHICAGO TRIBUNE July 5, 2004 2. "Palestinian Child Abuse: Teaching Children To Kill" Isralert@aol.com Source: www.standwithus.com [click on] -index.php OR http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/pal-child-abuse/index.php?imgIndex=21&autoShow=1 OR www.radiofreeisrael.com/taught_to_kill.htm Emanuel Winston is a commentator and Middle East analyst. His articles appear often on Think-Israel and Gamla. He is a member of the Board of Directors and a research associate of the Freeman Center For Strategic Studies (http://www.freeman.org/online.htm). |
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MCCARTHYISM, SUPPRESSION OF FREE SPEECH THREATENS ISRAELIS
Posted by Bernard J. Shapiro, July 5, 2004. |
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I want to make something perfectly clear to all my readers. No one should even think about harming Israeli PM Ariel Sharon personally. He is a hero of Israel. For reasons, none of us really know he has made political and security decisions that are terribly wrong. He may have good intentions. He may be becoming senile and as some doctors suggest, the victim of mini-strokes that have affected his behavior. On the other hand, we must fight his self-destructive policies with all the might at our disposal. The fate of Israel is in our hands and not that of only Sharon's. Mass movements can effect great political change. Most of the public is apathetic. A strong movement with good leadership is capable of producing major improvements in the national situation. In Israel, the major mass movement has been leftist oriented. This does not have to last forever as evidenced in the most recent election when the Right (as opposed to the wrong) won over 70% of the vote. Unfortunately, Sharon made a 180% turn to the left against the will of those who elected him. The response of the Right must become massive. Resistence to the ethnic cleansing of Jews must be powerful. I participated in the mass movement for civil rights in America and was a part of the March on Washington in 1963. Standing with 200,000 people and listening to Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" speech stirred my soul. The Jews of Russia and America who fought the Communists to liberate the Jewish People were not afraid. They suffered great hardships, but in the end they were free and their battle was instrumental in the Fall of Communism in the Soviet Union. WHERE ARE THE LEADERS OF ISRAEL? This brings me to a most important part of my article. The GSS (General Security Service), under orders from Sharon, is targeting opponents of his national suicide plan. The Nationalist Camp should expect "dirty tricks" and agents provocateurs, who will attempt to discredit them with the Israeli public. They did it after Oslo and increased the intensity after the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin. [See my article from December 1995] With the help of the leftist elite in the media and politics, McCarthysim and suppression of free speech will threaten Israelis. Normal democratic debate on life and death government policies will be called extremism. The specialist in Orwellian (1984 Newspeak) linguistic manipulation will be hard at work convincing Israelis that black is white, war is peace. Don't let them intimidate you or your friends. You must bravely speak the truth. Fear no one as the G-d of Israel walks with you. Like the brave Jews of Russia and the Afro-Americans in the US, you must march proudly to defend Eretz Yisrael, Zionism, and the Jewish People. No earthly power can stop you. Ein Breira. This is my article. [December 1995] The leftist coalition ruling Israel has cynically used the tragic assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin to launch a vicious campaign of slander against the pro-security and religious majority in their country. The hate and divisions in Israel were created by Labor from the earliest days of the State and have been perpetuated by the left-wing ever since. Nothing, however, equals the present outpouring of hate for the opposition. Government ministers are openly equating the democratic opposition to the suicidal policies of the government with the cold-blooded irrational murder of Rabin. They seek to intimidate the opposition in order to carry out their misguided policies without protest. There have been calls to restrict the normal democratic practices of freedom of speech, press, assembly and protest. There is again talk of silencing the pro-security radio station, Arutz 7. I say to the leaders of Israel: If you are looking for a villain in this tragedy, take a hard look in the mirror. You reap what you sow. The following comment comes from Gary Cooperberg, the press officer for the city of Kiryat Araba: "I do not rejoice at Rabin's death. I mourn the fact that his policies drove a decent Jew to commit such a desperate act. One can call a process of self destruction "peace". But the self deception cannot go on indefinitely. If you keep heating a pressure cooker it will eventually explode. Only when the leaders of the Jewish state come to grips with reality and govern with regard to the will of those whom they presume to govern will there be hope for us to avoid the further catastrophe of civil strife." There is a massive smear campaign being waged against the pro-security camp in Israel and America. I believe quite strongly that history will view our efforts as heroic and in the best Jewish/Zionist tradition. Hatzofeh, in a recent editorial writes: "We are alarmed at the unceasing incitement against the national and religious public," and regret that "only a few left-wing personalities are speaking out against this." The paper warns against McCarthyism, and declares that "persecution and incitement together, are a dangerous phenomenon that is liable to steer us into an abyss if it is not stopped or halted immediately." Conclusion: Someone needs to explain to our critics that people are responsible for their own actons. Writers, poets, actors, singers, film makers, TV producers and publishers are always being told by self-appointed moralists that THEY are responsible for the crimes of some disturbed individual. It just isn't so! If criticism of the government caused murder, then there would not be a single free democracy anywhere in the world. I understand the pressure you must feel from the massive smear campaign being waged against the pro-security camp in Israel and America. I believe quite strongly that history will view our efforts as heroic and in the best Jewish/Zionist tradition. Even if all mankind opposed my work for Israel, I would continue until my last breath. I persevere not for myself; not for this generation; but so that all future generations of Jews shall possess Eretz Yisrael, in perpetuity, according to the Covenant of G-d with Abraham. The international and Jewish media has also adopted the BIG LIE of opposition complicity in this tragic assassination. At the Freeman Center, we take the truth seriously, and will continue to give you the facts no matter how harsh the reality. For the sake of Zion we demand an end to McCarthyism in Israel! Bernard J. Shapiro is the Executive Director of the Freeman Center For Strategic Studies and the editor of its monthly magazine, The Maccabean Online and the Freemanlist. This article was the cover editorial for the December 1995 issue of The Maccabean. |
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GSS RAILS AGAINST THE RIGHT!
Posted by David Ben-Ariel, July 5, 2004. |
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Yes, there - exposed before the world - is the rank hypocrisy, the utter chutzpah, of Israel's Bolshevik regime, preparing the public for their brutal treatment of all those faithful Jews who are about to be forcibly transferred from their biblical homes and property, biblical homes and property that successive Israeli governments approved and built up, now only to turn around and wickedly tear them down, making the Gaza region JUDENREIN! The treacherous EU-Nazi plan to transfer Jews, by Israeli collaborators, Jewish KAPOS who have sold out, been bribed and threatened, just like PM Rabin (who was murdered by Israeli authorities when he refused to further betray Israel. according to many reliable sources and books in Israel), reveals how spiritually bankrupt many Jewish "leaders' are today who have lost touch with reality and have cut themselves off from their Hebrew roots and will soon also find themselves violently thrown out of their homes by the German-EU, when the "peacekeeping" troops give them a bitter taste of their own medicine, betraying them, breaking their promises, and tossing them to the side like the cheap prostitutes they are! The Jewish kapos will get dumped by their German lovers! Imagine the United States government demanding every American citizen in the Southwest must accept "compensation" to move immediately or get thrown out by foreign troops! And do you think those red-blooded Americans would go without a fight? With their back up against the wall, with such a cruel betrayal, what else would you expect? Sheep to the slaughter? And to condemn such legitimate heirs to the Promised Land for serving in the vanguard, defending Israel's borders with their presence, deserving army protection just as much as those Hellenists in Tel Aviv (who'll suffer deportation too), is an outrage! And to think General Sharon, going against all his previous statements of support for Jews in Gaza, explaining its biblical and strategic importance to Israel that the Gaza Jews still know and believe is true, is now going to surrender Jewish homes and property and gravesites to Hamas and the PLO and other terrorist swine, without a fight! Instead, he chooses to fight his own people and destroy himself in the vile process! May General Sharon have a change of heart or a heart attack! I've actually met Ariel Sharon in Hebron during a rally against Oslo 2, handing him a flyer for an upcoming Temple Mount Faithful rally in Jerusalem. He spoke so good and strong then, where have you gone Arik? Where have you gone? It's past time you come Home, home to your Hebrew roots and biblical responsibilities and LIVE and let Israel live and prosper! David Ben-Ariel is author of "Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall," (http://www.pushhamburger.com/david.htm). |
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A NEW FORM OF TERROR AGAINST HEBRON JEWS
Posted by David Ramati, July 5, 2004. |
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The Israeli Shein Beit together with the prosecuting attorney of the Judea and Samaria area have sunk to new lows in their war on the people of Hebron. Today, Elisheva Federman (whose husband has been repeatedly held without trial in administrative detention), Yifat Elkobi, Miriam Fleshman, and Etti Medad were hauled into court to face charges of child neglect. If found guilty they could all lose their children to foster families (essentially transferring something like between 20 and 30 children out of Hebron and into "normal" families). This was the first hearing and not much more than opening statements were made by both sides. I am afraid that this is a very bad sign for the Jews of Hebron and am convinced that this is just another instrument of terror that the Sharon government is using against them (as if Administrative Detention isn't terrifying enough). We should find some way of helping them. David Ramati is an Israeli journalist. He can be reached by email at hebcom@actcom.co.il. |
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THERE THEY GO AGAIN, THOSE ARAB RACISTS
Posted by Ariel Natan Pasko, July 5, 2004. |
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There they go again. The story is so old already. Arab militia or Arab army or Arab terrorist attacks non-Arab. Or was that Muslim fanatic attacks non-Muslim? This time it's happening in Sudan. While we're sitting and talking probably a few hundred more black Africans in Sudan have starved to death, or been brutally killed, raped, enslaved, or simply pushed off their land by 7th century Arab imperialist invaders, or more rightly "Arab Settlers". Oh yes, that's right "Arab settlers"... Like the ones Saddam Hussein brought into Kurdistan - i.e., the Kurdish areas of northern Iraq in the 1970's - to displace the indigenous Kurds, during his forced Arabization campaign. Forcibly relocating many Kurds from the Kurdish heartland in the north, he razed all Kurdish villages along a 1,300-kilometer stretch of the border with Iran. Now Sudan is doing the same thing. While Arab militiamen known as the Janjaweed, rape, slaughter and drive out over a million black Africans from their homes in western Sudan, the government in Khartoum turns a blind eye. The Janjaweed have killed about 30,000 people and left some 2 million in desperate need of aid, or there will be humanitarian disaster. The Janjaweed has been described as an Arab Islamic group that has targeted mostly black Christians. According to some reports, the Sudanese government itself armed and paid the militia of Arab raiders, and authorized them to slaughter and drive out members of the Zaghawa, Masalit and Fur tribes. This has all taken place under the watchful eye of Kofi Annan, the UN, Colin Powell, the US, the European Union, and 20-something Arab League states. I can understand the Arab states turning a blind eye to the ethnic cleansing campaign underway (or impending genocide?), it doesn't look good having "Arab Settlers" butchering people. But why haven't Annan and Powell, sons of the African continent, gone ballistic? After all, it is their black brothers who are getting it, from the Arabs this time. And what about the Europeans who are always so "human rights" oriented when it comes to Israel, why not on the African continent? Sudanese President Omar Bashir pledged to US officials to disarm the Janjaweed and other militias, but he's promised that before... Jan Egeland, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, complained that the United Nations was slow to act in Darfur, where aid workers say about 350,000 people could die this year of disease or malnutrition. He also blamed Khartoum for lack of action in aiding the refugees. A typical UN do-goody, Egeland seems to have overlooked the fact that the Sudanese government might have deliberately caused this problem. It's a typical Arab/Muslim land grab. It's happened in Iraq, it's happened in Lebanon with Syria occupying Lebanon and persecuting the Christians there, and it's happened in Israel, where 7th century Arab imperialist invaders and 20th century Arab squatters have tried to displace the indigenous Jewish population. Arab Settlers, and they're violent at that... Describing the pogrom-like atmosphere, one woman told how the Janjaweed entered the village. She said, "The Janjaweed shouted, 'We will not allow blacks here. We will not let Zaghawa here. This land is only for Arabs.'" Another woman described how the Janjaweed took her and her two sisters away on horses and gang-raped them. The raiders shot one sister, and cut the throat of the other, they then discussed how to mutilate her. "One Janjaweed said, 'You belong to me. You are a slave to the Arabs, and this is the sign of a slave,'" she recalled. He slashed her leg with a sword before letting her hobble away, stark naked. "First the planes were flying over us and bombing us. Then the Janjaweed came," a third woman described. "They started to shoot and burn. They took all our belongings. They took men and slit their throats with swords. The women they took as concubines." The situation is so horrendous, that the former editor, Abd al-Rahman Al-Rashed, of a prestigious Arab daily "al-Sharq al-Awsat" (London), recently published an op-ed titled, "The Death of 300,000 People." In the article, al-Rashed decried the Arab media's apathy to the violence in Sudan. al-Rashed wrote, "They are not the victims of Israeli or American aggression; therefore, they are not an issue for concern...Is the life of 1,000 people in western Sudan less valuable, or is a single killed Palestinian or Iraqi of greater importance, merely because the enemy is Israeli or American?" He continued, "It is a grave matter that government-sponsored forces or militias should be allowed to carry out the annihilation of people in order to achieve quick or decisive victory...As for Arab intellectuals who see nothing in the world but the Palestinian and the Iraqi causes, and who consider any blood not spilled in conflicts with foreigners to be cheap and its spilling justifiable, they are intellectual accomplices in the crime." What does all this have to do with Israel? Well, as I wrote back in March 2004, (Israel Should Support the Kurds Against Syria): "As the discussion of democratization of the Middle East continues, an important point that must be made time and time again, is the importance in building structures that liberate the minorities of the region from oppression. Non-Arab and Non-Muslim minorities live throughout North Africa and the Middle East. Contrary to the propaganda that the region is Arab/Muslim, these minorities are remnants of the indigenous peoples, before the great Arab imperialist wars of the 7th century, and "Islamicization process" that followed. Non-Arab Muslims like the Kurds in Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and Iran; the Berbers - known as Amazighes - in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya, have all resisted Arabization for over 1,000 years. Non-Muslims like the Assyrian Christians in Iraq - who argue that they are not Arabs - the Copts in Egypt, Christian Lebanese - many who claim not to be Arab but Phoenician - the Christians in Sudan, and other Christians throughout the region, have been persecuted minorities, since the rise of Islam. Others like the Druze and Jews have also been persecuted by Arab/Muslim regimes throughout history..." "Only Israel, the Jewish State, has fully liberated itself - in the political sense - from this Arab/Muslim oppression, although it still suffers from physical violence against her people. Israel should take the lead - in it's foreign policy - to support democratization and regime change throughout the region. Israel shouldn't wait until countries of the region reform, but should pro-actively support the legitimate aspirations of the oppressed minorities of North Africa and the Middle East, and build alliances with them." Since writing those words, news of Israeli security cooperation in the Kurdish areas of Iraq has leaked out. Although denied by all involved, I can only hope that it's true and that the Mossad is listening. It should begin to branch out to work with other minorities throughout the region as well. I haven't yet mentioned the so-called "Palestinians," and I won't beyond saying, that they are part of the problem, not part of the solution. Aren't they an oppressed minority? No, as Arabs, they are part of the greater Arab Nation who since the 7th century has conquered, oppressed, and occupied everyone else in the Middle East and North Africa. As radical Muslims, everyone can see that Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the other terror groups are continuing down the same path as Bin Laden. In fact, not long before his assassination, Hamas "spiritual leader" Sheikh Yassin had begun speaking about the "Global Jihad" in Bin Laden and al-Qaeda type terms. Hezbollah has also been working in the "Palestinian" administered territories for a while already, as evidenced by Israel's recent capture of a Hezbollah cell in Gaza. So, they are part of the regional oppression network, not the future liberty and freedom alliance that Israel should work to build with other minorities in the area. Like that Arab murderer in Sudan who said, "This land is only for Arabs," the late Hamas leader Abdel Aziz Rantisi said not long before his demise, "We will continue with our holy war and resistance until every last criminal Zionist is evicted from this land. By G-d we will not leave one Jew alive in Palestine. We will fight them with all the strength we have. This is our land, not the Jews." Most of the so-called "Palestinians" agreed with him. Arab racism marches on... Israel should speak out strongly against the ethnic cleansing and potential genocide taking place in Sudan today, just as I've urged it do about the atrocious Syrian occupation in Lebanon. Israel should support the rights of the Kurds to an independent state and encourage other indigenous peoples and their liberation movements. A major element of Israel's strategic foreign policy should be based on supporting the rights of minorities in the area. Only that way, based on democratization, liberation from oppressive regimes, and encouraging freedom, will the Middle East and North Africa be transformed into a region worthy of its millennia old history. A pre-Arab and pre-Muslim history I might add!
Ariel Natan Pasko is an independent analyst and consultant. He has a Master's Degree in International Relations and Policy Analysis. His articles appear regularly on numerous news/views and think-tank websites, in newspapers, and can be read at: www.geocities.com/ariel_natan_pasko |
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THE NEWEST JIHAD AGAINST ISRAEL'S SECURITY WALL
Posted by Steven Plaut, July 5, 2004. |
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The anti-Semites and Israel-bashers have been livid with anger over Israel's building of a security wall to keep the Palestinian terrorists from murdering any more Israeli civilians. Gated neighborhoods should be only for liberal West Coast yuppies, they apparently believe, and not for Jews. Around 1400 Israelis have been murdered, many of them children, just since Yassir Arafat and his PLO signed the Oslo "peace accords" foreswearing all violence and use of force forever. The Israeli attempt to prevent any further murders through the erection of the "fence" has been denounced as aggression and as violations of the human rights to murder Israelis of the Palestinians. Israeli children on buses and cafes evidently have no human rights that deserve protecting. The fanatic ISM or International Solidarity Movement, which openly endorses armed violence and terror against Israelis, and assorted far-Leftist self-hating Israeli groups of "protesters" have been leading the assault against the fence and those building it, including through violence. And now they have a bizarre new ally. Americans are used to complaints about imperious and biased courts and court justices, especially those appointed by assorted leftist presidents and other liberals (http://writ.news.findlaw.com/books/reviews/20030314_horwitz.html ). Why, just this past week the brethren in black in Washington decided to protect your children from any attempts by you to keep them away from kiddie porn. But the American Supreme Court is a bastion of moderation and humble caution in comparison with Israel's own judicial tyrants. Robert Bork has declared Israel's Supreme Court the worst in the democratic world (http://www.cbn.com/CBNNews/News/031006f.asp ). And Israel's Supreme Court has just joined the jihad against the "Wall" (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040701/ ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_palestinians&cid=540&ncid=716 ). Let us back up a bit. Until Ariel Sharon came into office, the official Israeli policy regarding terrorist atrocities was little more than turning the other cheek. Leftist Prime Minister Ehud Barak, from the Labor Party, and his predecessors generally responded to terror attacks, bombings, and rocket assaults against Israel by the PLO, its affiliates, or the Hizb'Allah by sending in the air force to bomb some empty buildings in retaliation, in many cases after warning the terrorists in advance to make sure none got injured. After Sharon took over, and after the PLO opened the misnamed "Al-Aqsa Intifada", a nonstop campaign of atrocities and pogroms against Jews that is now in its fourth year, Sharon made two important changes in policy. The first was to agree to implement the policy of a "security fence" to be built inside the West Bank, a policy that the Left had been promoting for years as a panacea against terror. The Lefties liked the idea because they thought the fence would establish Israel's 1949 ceasefire lines as the borders between Israel and the Palestinian terror state they were determined to erect. The other Sharon change in direction was a sharply stepped-up campaign of targeting Palestinian terrorist leaders for assassination. Most people have probably failed to take notice of the fact that during recent months the Palestinian violence has dropped off dramatically. This is not because of any decision by Arafat and his henchmen to abandon terror, savagery, and war, of course. The media have been falsely attributing the drop in the number of Palestinian atrocities to the effect of the "fence". They are wrong. The fence itself is not even built yet. Only segments of it exist, and it is easy and unchallenging simply to walk or drive around the existing segments. The simple fact of the matter is that no physical barrier yet really stands between Israeli cities and the terrorists. So why the sharp drop off in suicide bombings and similar attacks against Israeli civilians? The answer is the other major change in policy by Sharon. Sharon ordered the Israeli military and intelligence services to liquidate the leaders of the terrorist organizations, other than Arafat and his immediate sidekicks. Lower PLO officials and military commanders of all the terror squads have been hit and killed, over and over. Just last week, Israeli troops decapitated all three main terrorist organizations (or what the CNN and BBC call "militants and activists") operating out of the West Bank city of Nablus, this in an operation resembling the climax of a Godfather movie. Israel also repeatedly killed the heads of the "Hamas" movement, which was left in such desperation that it refused even to name its next chief, lest he be targeted as well. If any proof were needed that the drop in the carnage has nothing to do with any newfound inclination on the part of the PLO or its minions to resolve conflict peacefully, the PLO has responded to the decimation of the terrorist command structure by escalating rocket attacks on Jewish civilians from the Gaza Strip. Gaza has a set of tunnels and buried arms factories that even the North Koreans would be proud to have. They are supplied via the smuggling tunnels into Gaza from Egypt, which all those ISM preppies and "anarchists", in town from the Western campus Left, are trying their best to defend and to prevent Israel from bulldozing. ISM matron Rachel Corrie, long declared the Marxist Mother Theresa, committed suicide on behalf of the terror and smugglers, while trying to stop an Israeli earth mover from destroying one such tunnel, when she positioned herself where the driver could not see her. The PLO and its affiliates have fired over 300 "Kassam" rockets, primitive terror instruments with poor aim designed to wreck havoc when fired, into Jewish civilian areas. Most do little damage, but last week one landed and murdered a four year old boy and his grandfather. The boy had been born only after his parents had undergone 15 years of fertility treatment. Others were injured by other rockets last week. Let us emphasize that these are all rockets being fired into Israeli civilian areas WITHIN its pre-1967 borders, and NOT into any parts of the so-called "occupied territories". The rocket attacks should put to rest any delusions that simply building a nice fence will end the Palestinian barbarism and terror. Last week's Kassam attacks prove that the bloodshed cannot be controlled unless Israel also is on the ground and in control, even on the OTHER side of any security fence it builds! Having noted the doubts about its effectiveness, nevertheless few Israelis would question the idea that the "fence" contributes towards containing and suppressing the Palestinian terror, at least up to a point. Few, besides the Supreme Court justices, that is. Israel's Supreme Court justices are not elected and cannot be impeached. They are chosen by a non-elected panel, which itself consists by and large of sitting justices. Like Britain (whose judicial system Israel inherited when it became independent, after British colonial rule over the Land of Israel ended in 1948), Israel has no formal, written Constitution. Instead, its court system operates on the basis of legal precedent. The Israeli Supreme Court has been out of control for many years (http://www.shalem.org.il/azure/3-articles2.html and also http://www.emunah.org/magazine_comments.php?id=181_0_4_0_C ). There have bee quixotic attempts to rein it in (http://www.petitiononline.com/AIJD/petition.html ). The Chief Justice and many of his colleagues openly endorse the anti-democratic doctrines of "judicial activism", which essentially means judicial tyranny (http://www94.pair.com/ibug/eic-17-.html ). The justices invent for themselves laws and powers, including the power to negate and revoke laws passed by Israel's democratically-chosen parliament, the Knesset. The Chief Justice has repeated appealed to "enlightened opinion", meaning leftist radical-secularist opinion, in his pronouncements and rulings, including those that over-ride parliamentary decisions. The Court has repeatedly made anti-religious rulings (sound familiar, American readers?) and established "rights", such as for gay couples, that the parliament itself would never countenance. The Court has literally revoked laws passed in the parliament by large majorities on the basis of its own dubious interpretation of assorted "basic laws", themselves passed by tiny majorities in the parliament, claiming these "basic laws" establish super-parliamentary constitution-like powers for the Court that allow it to trump the will of the voter. In general, the Supreme Court justices in the past restricted their kibitzing and interference to civilian areas, letting the military and the executive branch make their own strategic and policy decisions regarding security matters. For example, it rejected attempts by leftists to petition the Court into ordering the military and the prime minister to stop the targeting of terror leaders. But this week, the Supreme Court lost all semblance of restraint and went after the "fence" (http://www.imra.org.il/story.php3?id=21369 ). The Supreme Court joined those Israeli Far Leftists who oppose the specific positioning of the "fence". The Court ordered the government to change the "fence" and build it along lines that would be less effective in protecting Israeli civilians, because the new lines would be less disruptive for Palestinians (http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=64886 ). Disrupting Palestinian activity, especially terrorist activity, of course is the whole point of the fence. The Court was putting the avoidance of inconveniencing Palestinians ahead of defending the rights of my children to live. It now plans to rule that several other segments of the fence are illegal and need to be moved to positions favored by the judicial tyrants. Like so many previous Israeli Court rulings, this one had no basis whatsoever in law. There is no Israeli law being violated by the existing route of the fence and there is no law granting the Court justices powers as official surveyors or state geographers. How on earth does the Court know whether there are persuasive military considerations for the lines for the fence Sharon and his people wanted? None of the judges are military experts. Who gave the Court the power to second-guess the army? The only official excuse for the Court ruling was that the "fence" somehow was in violation of "international law". One does not know whether to laugh or cry at that. International law? Well, 12 years of Palestinian nonstop terror have also been violations, not only of international law but of the Oslo "peace accords" themselves. Since when does international law rule out acts of self-defense against terrorist attack and aggression? And who says Israel should be the very first state on the planet, rather than (say) the ninth or tenth, to accept and abide by the arbitrary dictates of "international law". Heck, even the "judges" at the International Court of Justice, sitting behind their own nice security fence in the Hague, have yet to declare Israel's fence in violation of "international law" (before then trying to indict the US for its similar "violations"). Even some from Israel's Left have denounced the Israeli Court ruling (http://israelnn.com/news.php3?id=64935 ). The real effect of Israel's own "rulings by PC fad and campus mood swings" on the part of Israel's Supreme Court justices may be to pull all of Israel into one humongous constitutional crisis. While Sharon agreed to accept the Court Justices' arbitrary personal opinion dressed up as a court ruling, there are already efforts in the parliament to "bypass" the Supreme Court and to put the judicial tyrants in their proper places (http://israelnn.com/news.php3?id=64921 ). What would happen if the parliament now were to approve officially the old route of the "fence" the justices just ruled as illegal? What would the judges do - call the cops? And whom would the cops obey? Such a "Mexican standoff" might be just what Israel needs! It has been brewing for many years. The parliament should not rest at tweaking the Court's nose but should aggressively seek to democratize the Israeli Court. Adopting impeachment of Court justices via ballot initiative or parliamentary vote would be a giant step in the right direction! Steven Plaut is an American-trained economist, a professor of business administration at Haifa University and author of "The Scout." He frequently comments - both seriously and satirically - on Israeli politics and the left wing academic community. His website address is http://www.stevenplaut.blogspot.com. |
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THE PERPETUAL MOTION OF HERZL
Posted by IsrAlert, July 4, 2004. |
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This is an essay by Hillel Halkin; it appeared Jul. 1, 2004 in the
Jerusalem Post (http://www.jpost.com).
This week marks the 100th anniversary of the death of Theodor Herzl. Herzl died young, at the age of 44. Although it is tempting to speculate how much more he might have accomplished had he lived longer, it is more likely that he would have accomplished less. He only managed to do what he did in the nine hectic years between writing The Jewish State and dying of complications from a heart condition by living at an unsustainable pace. "I gave my heart's blood for my people," he said to a bedside visitor not long before his death, and for once this greatest of political and diplomatic poker players, who bluffed his way through high-stakes pot after pot without a single strong card in his hand, was not exaggerating. Herzl created the international movement called Zionism from practically nothing. There were Zionists long before him, of course, not only in the traditional sense of Jewish longers for and dreamers of Zion, but in the guise of several thousand modern Jewish colonists in Palestine and their supporters. Yet the latter represented a tiny fraction of the Jewish people, and were taken seriously by few. Even their one major backer, the French-Jewish philanthropist Baron Edmond de Rothschild, considered them more a charitable cause than a revolutionary movement. They had no masses of Jews behind them, no effective organization, no political clout, no long-term strategy, no publicity, no international interest. Nor did it occur to them that they might create a reality based on such things. It occurred to Herzl. Yet what made him unique was not so much his belief in this reality, which led him to declare prophetically at the First Zionist Congress, organized by him in 1898, that there would be a Jewish state within 50 years. His genius, long before radio and television, lay in understanding that in an age of rapid mass communication, of telegrams, daily newspapers and commercial advertising, reality was created through illusion. Any normally sensible person could have told him that if you wanted to build a successful Zionist movement, you had to spend years, country by country, in organizing Zionist branches, recruiting members, raising funds, building an infrastructure. Herzl saw it differently. First, he thought, announce a gala congress to celebrate this non-existent movement's success; and then, at breakneck speed, use the electrifying effect of the announcement to get the branches, members, funds and infrastructure to materialize in time. He was a prestidigitator, a jongleur. He knew that if you juggle three balls in the air they look like five; that five look like 10; that seven, if you can manage them, look like 20 - and that none, as long as they remain in the air, can be examined to see if they are real. The Turkish sultan owned Palestine and didn't want Jews but needed international loans? Then convince him you could deliver those loans even if you didn't have a penny to your name, and then convince Rothschild you were the sultan's best friend. Kaiser Wilhelm didn't give a hoot for Zionism but was eager to expand German influence in the East? Then make him believe that the loan you were obtaining for the sultan could lead to a German protectorate over millions of Palestinian Jews. It didn't matter that Rothschild, the sultan, and the kaiser all laughed and thought you were mad. You had gotten to speak to one of them, had an audience with another, and met the third face-to-face - three more balls in the air with which to hold your audience spellbound. What mattered was to keep the balls moving. There was a time when, like certain Zionist intellectuals of his day, I tended to be dismissive of Herzl. He was a performer, a theatrical artist, even a bit of a clown - certainly not a heavyweight Jewish thinker. Jewishly speaking, indeed, he was an am ha'aretz. He knew no Hebrew, was unversed in Jewish culture, had only a superficial knowledge of religious tradition. Although I didn't much care for Herzl's contemporary Ahad Ha'am and his "cultural Zionism" with its disdain for Jewish power, I agreed with Ahad Ha'am's criticism of Herzl as a Westjude - an assimilated Viennese Jew out of touch with the deeper currents of Jewish life and history. To a serious Jew, Herzl was something of an embarrassment. And was he really so important? After all, the Jews didn't need him to tell them about anti-Semitism. They didn't need him to tell them that their situation was desperate. They didn't even need him to tell them that they needed a state of their own to protect them. Zionism would have become a mass movement in the Jewish world without Herzl, too, and Jewish settlement in Palestine - the details of which never interested him much because he was fixated on the larger picture - would have proceeded apace. Perhaps it would have taken a bit longer, perhaps a few more years would have been required, but a Jewish state in Palestine would have been established in the end anyway. Today, this seems to me shallow thinking. Its fallacy lies in the seemingly innocent phrase "a few more years." It assumes that, in the period between 1898 and 1948, the Jewish people had a few more years. It didn't. Zionism was a race against time, and one that was almost lost. (In terms of the Holocaust, it was lost.) Let us imagine for a moment that there had been no Herzl, and that the first Zionist congress had been held not in 1898 but in 1910. This would have meant that the Zionist movement would not have been strong enough to elicit the Balfour Declaration from the British in 1917; that the gates of Palestine would not have been opened to Jews after the British conquest of the country in 1918; that even if they had been, they probably would have been shut again soon under Arab pressure; and that, in any case, the Jewish population of the country would not have reached the critical mass that it had in 1948, when Israel was established with international approval - after which, the British decolonization of the Middle East and the creation of independent Arab Palestine would have put an end to the Zionist dream for good. Every year in this race counted. Even if Herzl's jump-starting of the historical process saved only a decade, that decade was crucial. He was indeed an illusionist - and the illusions he created made all the difference. He had to stay in constant motion to maintain them, and this is what he did until he dropped. IsrAlert, a Jewish advocacy network, is hosted by Harv Weiner. To subscribe to IsrAlert, send an email to isralert@aol.com |
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FOURTH OF JULY MEMORIES FROM 1976
Posted by IsrAlert, July 4, 2004. |
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This was written by Nathaniel Greenwood. Comments can be addressed to
the writer at: nsgreenwood@yahoo.com
While the fourth of July had always been a day of pride and celebration and fun, that day in 1976 stood out more prominently. As the 200th anniversary of American nationhood, there were massive special efforts to commemorate all over the USA. A flotilla of boats and ships, many done up to resemble sailing vessels of earlier days, made its way down the Hudson River. Its slow progress was televised for many hours and caught the attention of millions as they prepared to light their charcoal grills and meet with family and friends. Unknown to most of them, another voyage was taking place in a different part of the world. A small group of Israeli soldiers was making its way from Israel to the airport of Entebbe in the African nation of Uganda. They traveled in the wee hours of the early morning and flew in aircraft so low-along the waters-that they managed to avoid detection by radar. In Uganda a group of terrorists were about to make known their demands. With tacit approval from that country's ruler, General Idi Amin, they had hijacked and held hostage an airliner filled with innocent passengers. Among the rescuers a single loss of life occurred - that of Jonathan Netanyahu, the officer in charge. After assuring that every passenger and all soldiers under his command were safely aboard the plane, he received a bullet to his back just before he was about to climb aboard himself. When all this was happening, the story of a raid on Entebbe was eclipsed in the United States by holiday festivities well under way. As the nation's 200th birthday party ended, notice of these events gradually emerged. Since that time recognition of the successful rescue mission has come about in the form of several feature films, articles, and books. More than a quarter century has passed, but there is much about this story we need to remember. Not the least of these is the quality of a life relinquished for the sake of freedom. Many are those who miss this man called Yonatan or Yoni. It was as a decent person, an exceptional mensch, that he stood out the most. He was a man of caring and compassion and curiosity about all kinds of people. To communicate better he strove to improve his language skills. Aside from his native Hebrew he was outstanding in English and Arabic and became proficient in Spanish as well. He sought out contacts with people from cultures other than his own, and had opportunities for this while spending some of his high school days in the Philadelphia area. For me his trademarks were a wistful smile and his enduring patience. Consistently he sought to hear the words of others so as to understand their viewpoints. Despite his formidable intellect, he refrained from pushing his own ideas onto others. An outstanding soccer player and wrestler, he could also play a fierce game of chess. On a few occasions he visited our home. The first time both my parents met him and were struck by the manly qualities of this teenager. He had gained their respect almost before this due to his father's reputation as a notable scholar and editor. For me a poignant memory concerned my mother, Emma Greenwood. Near final stages of her terminal cancer, this formerly dynamic woman had become physically brittle, sad, and withdrawn. A shadow of her past self, she seemed to revive in his presence. Seated in her wheel chair, she saw his smile and responded in kind. The young man spoke very softly and listened to her with care and respect in the manner of a wise and understanding adult. This was a therapeutic interaction deriving from a seventeen-year-old high school student. Such interactions with my mother were few and brief. And yet they made a difference as they soothed her spirit-she was able to talk about this clearly. Yoni's fine qualities as a person included authenticity, genuineness, and generosity. The beauty of his soul continues to touch those who remember him as one of Israel's beautiful sons. IsrAlert, a Jewish advocacy network, is hosted by Harv Weiner. To subscribe to IsrAlert, send an email to isralert@aol.com |
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DID MENACHEM BEGIN ERR?
Posted by Nadia Matar, July 4, 2004. |
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The entire country was in an uproar when Uri Elitzur - editor of the Nekuda monthly and director-general of the PM's office under Netanyahu - called for refusal to obey the order to uproot settlements and even justified violence, in the Besheva newspaper. "The uprooting of a settlement is illegal and shocking, and therefore justifies refusing an order and the use of force - except for firearms- and every way in which a person can defend his home, from which he is expelled for political reasons," said Elitzur. As was to be expected, a number of Knesset members from the left filed requests with Attorney General Manny Mazuz to bring charges against Elitzur and his supporters for incitement and sedition. In addition, the leftists also filed complaints against the Judea, Samaria, and Gaza Council of Rabbis, and called for charges to be preferred against them for having declared in the Maaleh Adumim conference: "No citizen, policeman, or soldier is permitted to assist in the uprooting of settlements." In marked contrast, the country remained quiet when public figures from the left called to refuse any order of transfer of the Arabs, and also advocated violence. The examples are numerous: Yossi Sarid and Yair Tzaban wrote in Yedioth Ahronoth, Wednesday, June 27, 1990, in response to the proposal to temporarily move several Arab villages until the end of the grape harvest: "Let there be no misunderstandings amongst us, and let it not be said that you were not warned in advance: We shall not obey the transfer order, nor will our children and those we have educated obey it. The day that the transfer order - which is a patently illegal order - will be given, shall be the day of refusal to obey an order." Others in the leftist camp wrote that they were willing to blow up bridges in order to stop the evacuation of Arab settlements. As regards the violence which the left is willing, and wants, to employ, there are even more numerous examples. The following are only a small portion of these instances. *Yehonatan Gefen, 1998: "Secular Israel is the occupied territories of the religious parties. If the secular desire to live here, they have no choice but to start an intifada. Yes, I am prepared to throw the first stone." *An article in the Ha-Kibbutz newsletter, August 1995: "They [the settlers] are not my brothers. [...] A civil war will be a war [...] I will run to it [...] and I will crush their flesh with mighty blows, to rout them. [...] I will go forth to the foe in order to fight, for once, a justified war. [...] Much blood will be shed." *Zeev Sternhal, in the Davar newspaper, 1988: "Fascism cannot be stopped with rational arguments. This can be stopped only by force, and when there is willingness to risk a civil war. When necessary, we shall have to forcibly deal with the settlers in Ofrah or in Eilon Moreh. Only a person who is willing to advance against Ofrah with tanks will be capable of curbing the fascist drift that threatens to inundate Israeli democracy." In an article in the Ha'Aretz newspaper in 2001, this same Sternhal incited the Arabs to murder settlers, advising the terrorist organizations to place explosive charges only on the eastern side of the Green Line. "There is no doubt regarding the legitimacy of the [Arab] armed resistance in the territories themselves. If the Palestinians had a bit of sense, they would concentrate their struggle against the settlements. [...] They would similarly refrain from placing explosive charges on the western side of the Green Line." When Women in Green filed a complaint against Sternhal with the police, for incitement to murder and identification with a terrorist organization, I was informed of "the decision to no longer investigate your complaint, for the reason that 'there is no criminal guilt'" in Sternhal's statements. The same thing happened when we filed a complaint against the statement by Ami Ayalon, former head of the Shabak, when he incited to murder settlers in an interview in Yedioth Ahronoth, the Sofshavua magazine, November 14, 2003. According to Ayalon, another Altalena has to be done against the settlers who would refuse to evacuate of their own free will. "There is more than one Altalena in the life of every state or nation. [...] The political leadership in the State of Israel has already taken difficult decisions when the alternative was clear, and in the future the political leadership will have to take difficult decisions when the alternative is clear," said Ayalon. Anyone who knows a bit of history knows that this is a call for the murder of Jews. Talia Sasson, at the time the director of the Division for "Special Tasks" in the Justice Department (better known in national circles as: "the Department for the Persecution of National Jews") answered me: "After an examination of this matter, it was decided that what Mr. Ami Ayalon said in the context of the interview that is the subject of the complaint, does not constitute a criminal transgression. It is our understanding that Mr. Ami Ayalon did not call for the implementation of a violent act against settlers, but rather estimated that when it will be necessary to evacuate settlements, there will be a certain percentage of inhabitants who will not consent to be evacuated from the settlements of their own free will. In such a situation, he maintains, the state will have no alternative other than to confront anyone who will not obey the legal order of the elected government." In other words, Talia Sasson agrees that in the event that settlers refuse to be evacuated, the state must "confront anyone who will not obey," and, according to her, Ayalon's statements are within the realm of the permitted. Talia Sasson does not have a problem with the state conducting an "Altalena" against them - that is, that the state will shoot and murder them! *THE QUESTION THAT I WANT TO ASK IS: "WHAT IS THE EXCITEMENT ABOUT"? How is it that people are becoming so excited by the statements of Uri Elitzur and the Judea, Samaria, and Gaza Council of Rabbis, but completely disregard the incitement by the left? It could be argued that the media and the judicial system have a leftist bias, and therefore relate forgivingly to the invective of leftists, but are up in arms against individuals with a national orientation. But this is an overly simplistic explanation, as well as being incorrect. For Uri Elitzur was also denounced by senior members of the national camp, such as Benzi Lieberman and others in the Council of Jewish Settlements in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza, and also Zevulon Orlev, and other NRP people. What shocks them so? AND THE ANSWER IS: MENACHEM BEGIN'S POLICY OF RESTRAINT gave the national camp a Christian image of always turning the other cheek. In my humble opinion, the answer lies in the policy of restraint of Menachem Begin during the Season and the episode of the Altalena. The Menachem Begin Heritage Center was recently opened, and the Maariv newspaper published a special section to mark this event. The section contains an article by Menahem Rahat entitled "Jew Shall Not Take up Sword against Jew," in which Rahat reminds us of the following, which many of us have unfortunately forgotten: "Many remember Menachem Begin mainly for the peace treaty with Egypt [...] but Begin himself wanted to be remembered, more than anything, because of a completely different event that occurred decades before he was first elected Prime Minister. [...] "After my death I hope to be remembered, above all, as the one who prevented civil war." Israel stood before civil war twice before the establishment of the State. In each circumstance, Begin, then the Commander of the IZL- Irgun Zvai Leumi, used all his influence [...] to prevent a war of Jews against Jews. The first time was during the time of the Season (the "hunting season") in 1944-1945, when Ben-Gurion declared total war against the IZL because of their refusal to accept the policy of the restraint adopted by the organized Yishuv [the pre-State Jewish community in Eretz Israel]. Hundreds were arrested and handed over to the British, but Begin persuaded his people not to respond. The second time was when the IDF shelled the Altalena that was anchored off the Tel Aviv coast, due to the fear that the arms would help the IZL as independent military force in the fledgling State of Israel. Begin, who was on the ship, ordered his men not to return fire. "Civil war - never" he ordered on both occasions. For perfectly clear reasons, very little is spoken about the time of the Season in which Ben-Gurion's leftists persecuted their brothers from the IZL, kidnapped them, and handed them over to the British, knowing that the latter would abuse them, and even murder them. Israeli youth is totally unaware of this scandalous episode. Consequently, in order to understand what is happening today, and to remember what leftists are capable of doing to their brothers, it is important to recall the horrifying details. Let us therefore continue quoting Menahem Rahat's article. THE SEASON: In December 1943, the 30-year-old Menachem Begin assumes command of the IZL. A month later, in January 1944, the IZL issued a flyer proclaiming the revolt against British Mandatory rule. The reason: "The refusal of the British to allow the refugees from the Nazi beast to enter Eretz-Israel." Some time later the IZL initiated a series of attacks against the institutions of British rule. The organized Jewish Yishuv, under the leadership of David Ben-Gurion, the Chairman of the Jewish Agency, demanded that the IZL stop the attacks, but the IZL refused. [...] Begin ridiculed what seemed to him to be the childish innocence of the Yishuv leadership, which wanted to rely upon Churchill's good will, while the British were blocking the shores of Eretz Israel against the surviving remnant. When Begin rejected all the requests not to conduct an independent war against the British, Eliyahu Golomb, the Minister of Security of the Yishuv [i.e., the head of the Haganah], declared: "If so, then we will step in and eliminate them." At that point Ben-Gurion began to plan the Season. In the first stage, Palmah members were brought into the big cities, in order to conduct surveillance of IZL members and plan their kidnapping. The IZL learned of these threatening plans, but the order was given not to fall prey to provocations. [...] For the Season operation, 250 Palmah members, hundreds of members of the Plugot ha-Poel [Labor troops], and active members of the Haganah's Intelligence Service were mobilized. They gathered information, kidnapped IZL activists, and handed them over to the British Criminal Investigation Division. In his book The Revolt, Begin speaks about some 1500 IZL members who were arrested. Begin resolved not to respond. He writes in his book The Revolt: "This horrendous episode continued for many months. We said: There will be no civil war. In actuality, a cruel civil war raged throughout Eretz-Israel, but this was a unilateral civil war." [...] Indeed, the IZL refrained from responding to the persecutions, the denunciations, and the arrests that were initiated by the organized Yishuv. In a flyer issued on December 3, 1944, Begin explained the policy of non response: "Shall a civil war erupt in Eretz-Israel? Shall we see our children raising a hand or a weapon against his fellow? [...] Be calm, loyal Jews, there shall be no war of Jews against Jews in this land." The fighters from the ranks of the IZL opposed Begin's policy of restraint, but he convinced them of their duty to show restraint in the face of the persecutions. ARIK SHARON AND THE SEASON: It is fascinating to read about this episode in Ariel Sharon's autobiography, Warrior. On page 35 Ariel Sharon writes that he informed his father of his desire to join the Palmah. "But it turned out that my father had other ideas. One day as we were working together in the orange groves, I glanced up and saw him looking at me, his face framed by the branches of a tree. With an expression full of concern he said: 'Arik, I want to tell you, anything you decide to do with your life is all right with me. But you have to promise me one thing. Never, never participate in turning Jews over to non-Jews. You must promise me that you will never do that'. He did not mention the Palmach directly; he didn't have to. What he meant was clear enough. The "season" had started up again. And what my father thought of this campaign of Jew against Jew can hardly be described. As the Hagana's strike force, it had been the Palmach that had carried out the hunt. Palmach men had arrested the militants, and Palmach men had turned them over to the British. My father could not stomach the thought of my being connected with that, and though I badly wanted to join (!), I understood his feelings exactly, and I accepted them." Instead of joining the Palmah, Ariel Sharon enlisted in the Jewish Settlement Police, which was a police force protecting the Jewish settlements. It would be interesting to know what Sharon's father would have said about his son's willingness to forcibly deport Jews from Eretz Israel and to give over extensive parts of our homeland to the enemy! THE EPISODE OF THE ALTALENA MASSACRE: The second time when Begin ordered his men to refrain at all costs from civil war was during the episode of the Altalena arms ship, about a month after the declaration of war by the Arabs. Ben-Gurion ordered the sinking of the Altalena ship, on which hundreds of IZL members had brought thousands of rifles and mortar shells, dozens of machine guns and mortars, three million bullets for the rifles and machine guns, and a large quantity of explosives. This tremendous quantity of arms was sorely needed by the new Jewish State. But Ben-Gurion decided to sink the ship. The official reason, that is repeated to the present, was Ben-Gurion's fear that Menachem Begin would use these weapons in order to overthrow the government. Obviously, this was just an excuse. The real reason was unquestionably the fear that Menachem Begin, thanks to the weapons that were brought, would receive such great sympathy among the public, as to threaten the political future of Ben-Gurion and those of his camp. In order to ensure that Begin and his followers would not gain power, it would be preferable to kill and eliminate them, even at the cost of sinking arms that were so essential to the new state. And so Ben-Gurion, Yitzhak Rabin, and others sank the ship from the shore, using the "holy cannon." (Interestingly, the Air Force pilots -who were mainly foreign volunteers- refused to carry out the order to fire upon the ship while it was on the open seas. "We did not join the struggle to fire on fellow-Jews"). After the ship was sunk, The Palmah soldiers fired from the shore at the IZL fighters swimming in the sea trying to save themselves. Sixteen IZL fighters were murdered in this manner, in cold blood, by their brothers from the left. Menahem Rahat quotes the editor of Maariv at the time, Dr. Azriel Carlebach, who wrote on the day following the massacre: "And I stood among the great crowd down below, on the sea shore, and together with them I saw with my own eyes. [...] I saw Jewish young men jumping out of large vehicles, with steel helmets on their heads and machine guns in their hand, ready to fire. They were armed from head to toe, and they were two by two, three, tens, many hundreds, running to shoot the Jews. And down below, in the sea, on the mast of the ship, and on its deck, Jews stand, waving a white flag, and shouting: 'Don't fire!'" On a broadcast on the underground radio after the massacre, Begin called to his people: "We shall continue to love the people of Israel, and we shall continue to fight for the people of Israel. [...] Help me to persuade my people that it is forbidden for brother to raise a hand against brother, that it is forbidden that a Hebrew weapon be used against Hebrew fighters." Rahat continues: Tears choked Begin's throat during the speech. His opponents jeeringly called this the "speech of tears." Begin responded to this description in his book The Revolt: "[...] as the Altalena taught us, it is essential that tears should take the place of blood. [...] sometimes it is better that one man should pour tears from his heart over an abomination committed in Israel, than that many, many should weep over its consequences." He also wrote: "And so it came to pass that there was no fratricidal war in Israel to destroy the Jewish State before it was properly born." URI ELITZUR DID NOT RECOMMEND BEGIN'S POLICY OF RESTRAINT - with the consequent shock and outrage at his statement. In my humble opinion, Menachem Begin's policy of restraint has resulted in the formation of an image of the national camp as a poor unfortunate "nebech", of someone who will always restrain himself, who will always offer the other cheek, who will never raise his hand to defend himself against attacks by Jews - not even if they kidnap him and hand him over to the non-Jewish enemy, not even if they shoot him and murder him as he is swimming in the sea towards the shore. Begin's policy of restraint castrated the national camp, and the leftists have felt, ever since the establishment of the State of Israel, that they can do as they please with them. No matter what the leftists do, the national camp will always be acting with "mamlakhtiyut" [the term coined by Ben-Gurion to express the essence of statehood], like "good little boys." And so there is shock and outrage when someone like Uri Elitzur dares to suggest that this time we not restrain ourselves! How dare he? Why, his task, as a member of the national camp, is to swallow everything. And if it is decided to uproot him from his home - he must accept this. He is permitted to organize a quiet demonstration with the reading of Psalms, but no more! WITH HINDSIGHT, DIDN'T BEGIN ERR? This leads to my question, Wasn't Begin's policy of restraint a mistake? I spoke with different people and I posed the question to them. I heard different opinions. Some say that in those days, at the time of the establishment of the State, Menachem Begin's policy of restraint was essential. Who knows what would have happened if a bilateral civil war had actually erupted? Others, like myself, think that if, during the Season, Begin had permitted his men to forcefully respond to the attacks by the left, the latter would have immediately ceased their war against the IZL. If the IZL fighters had -like many of them wanted to- properly "taken care" of one or two little informers from the Palmah, the rest of the leftists would have been scared off, and would no longer have dared to continue their war against Begin and his followers. In this manner Begin would have earned for himself and his camp respect and awe, instead of scorn and derision, which has continued to the present day. BUT ONE THING IS CLEAR: NOW WE SHOULD NO LONGER ENGAGE IN RESTRAINT! One can agree or not with Begin's policy of restraint. This discussion belongs to the past. But we must learn the lesson. Today, in 2004, the entire national camp must unite and declare: The period of restraint is over! We shall not curb ourselves if we are attacked! The leftists who masqueraded as members of the national camp and were planted in the Likud, such as Sharon, Olmert, Livni, and others, together with obvious leftists such as Shimon Peres, are planning a new Season and Altalena. The uprooting of settlements, the forcible deportation of Jews, the handing over of parts of Eretz Israel to the Arab enemy, are a new form of the persecution of the national camp by the left, with the goal, as then, of breaking it and ensuring the continued rule of the left. And all this, despite the knowledge that the "disengagement" plan will cause irreversible damage to the State of Israel, and even threaten its very existence. Today, the leaders of the national camp must stop trying to be "beautiful people," to stop trying to curry favor in the eyes of the leftists in the State Attorney's Office and the media, and begin taking action to save Israel from the left: to start acting like proud Jews, who are willing to fight against the wicked anti-Semitic plans of Sharon and Peres for the uprooting and deportation of Jews from Eretz Israel, and against the transformation of the Jewish state into a state of all its citizens, bereft of Judaism. This is especially the case when it is common knowledge that Sharon's plan does not represent the will of the majority of the people. The majority thirsts for proud Jewish-Zionist leadership, which is not afraid to shout to the entire world: the Land of Israel belongs to the people of Israel, according to the Torah of Israel! We in the national camp are not violent, and do not seek confrontation with anyone. Our sons serve in the army. Refusing to obey orders is foreign to us. We obey every order and perform every mission against the Arab enemy, for it is the task of the IDF to fight the enemy and defend Israel. But the role of the IDF is not to expel Jews from their Biblical land and to make possible the handing over of portions of the homeland to the enemy. Accordingly, if, God forbid, the order to uproot settlements should be given, we already now say to all the advocates of transfer what Yossi Sarid said in 1990: "Let there be no misunderstandings amongst us, and let it not be said that you were not warned in advance: We shall not obey the transfer order, nor will our children and those we have educated obey it. The day that the transfer order - that is a patently illegal order - will be given, shall be the day of refusal to obey an order." I hope, and expect, that every Jewish mother will transmit this clear message to her children serving in the army and the police: a real Jew does not uproot and deport his-fellow Jew from the Land of Israel. And if, as was reported in the media, the government is actually training special "transfer units" with leftists and non-Jews who are only too eager to attack and uproot Jews - they should not think that we shall wait for them with restraint, passively, while reciting Psalms. We shall regard ourselves as a victim who is attacked by a violent aggressor - and as is well-known, anyone who is attacked is entitled to defend himself. The more resolute our self-defense, the more that transfer forces will think twice before they carry out the crime of expulsion and uprooting. The national camp does not want a civil war. But if Ariel Sharon should give the patently illegal order for the expulsion of Jews from Eretz Israel, this will tantamount to a declaration calling for a civil war. We pray that we will not come to such a state of affairs. The horrible nightmare of civil war can be prevented, if we succeed in burying the "disengagement" plan, by putting the Prime Minister out to pasture, and sending him back to the Shikmim farm, where he can take care of his sheep. One thing must be clear: we, the members of the national camp, have stopped acting like nice sheep. Ruth and Nadia Matar established Women For Israel's Tomorrow (Women in Green), an activist group of women based in Jerusalem. Their website address is http://www.womeningreen.org |
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THEY DON'T BELIEVE G-D GAVE THE LAND TO THE JEWS
Posted by Emanuel A. Winston, July 4, 2004. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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There is a reason why men like Shimon Peres, Yitzhak Rabin, Yossi Beilin, Bibi Netanyahu, Ehud Barak, Binyamin Ben Ami, Shaul Mofaz, Ehud Olmert, - and the others like them, are willing to part with pieces of Eretz Yisrael. They do not believe they own it and, therefore, any land anywhere is adequate for their purposes. Since they do not believe in the one G-d of the Jews, there is no reason for them to believe that G-d gifted the Land of Israel to the Jewish people in perpetuity. For them, Israel is merely a land where they happen to be. Even those born in Israel feel no more ownership than if they were born in Egypt, Ukraine or the Galapagos Islands. Granted, they will make a show of loyalty to the nation, telling all who will listen how much the land means to them. But, inside the man, it is merely a friendly brag because they do not want to appear trivial and a man without a nation. Also, for political purposes, they will claim deep loyalty when, in fact, it is merely an opportunity to get a job that pays well, with the power and perks that go with office. This way they can get more than they could earn in the business sector with their minor talents. If one compiles a short list of the politicians, judges, military officers selected for advancement due to their political correctness, you may be surprised at their profile
Although I list them as "non-Observant", most simply do not believe in G-d. There are probably others than these. Those who work closely with them would know which way they lean. In general, Israel has too many 'leaners' and not enough 'Stand-Uppers'. Most of these men will put on a Kippa (skull-cap) when meeting with a high Rabbi from whom they require political support or at some state ceremonies BUT, they neither believe in the Kippa or the Rabbi and his G-d. For politic's sake they will pretend observance - at least for the time it takes to finish the conversation and leave the atmosphere of a religious Jew. Not all Leftists reject G-d but not all of the Right follow G-d's Laws. The Left generally has a bitterness and hostility toward the religious Right. It's a toss-up as to whether they hate the Hareidi (ultra-Orthodox, lit. 'G-d-fearing') more than the religious Pioneering Settlers. The Shinui Party under Tommy Lapid as Justice Minister won its mandate by campaigning to undermine the religious Jews of Israel. He succeeded. As Justice Minister - appointed by Sharon who (in collaboration with Lapid) demolished the Ministry of Religious Affairs and put it under Lapid's anti-religious authority in the Justice Ministry. Sharon knew and agreed with Lapid's policies but preferred that Lapid wield the axe. Bibi Netanyahu, Finance Minister, drastically cut state support to large families (usually religious) and to the religious schools and yeshivas who were living on shoestrings before the cuts. Here again, Sharon knew that the funds for religious schooling (even before the current cuts) were far less than funds given to secular education but, they were cut drastically anyway "WAR OF THE JEWS" The "War of the Jews" goes on with the assimilated Jews driving to control Government power while the observant Jews press them with their numbers and voting power. For observant Jews, they are certain that the G-dless politicians and judges are steering the Ship of Israel's State straight into a great barrier reef or deep abyss. Without the restraint of religion and its self-imposed guidelines, those who have the reins of power stumble from one disaster to another. Without honor, ethics and the belief in Israel's rightful, sovereign claim to the Land, Israel's current leaders are merely empty suits walking. Worse yet, these are the role models for Israel's young which may be why the use of drugs has skyrocketed and children no longer respect their parents or school authorities. If their high profile leaders can steal and get away with it, why should they adopt high moral standards. To see Israeli teens emulate what they believe are American kids, coloring their hair with wild colors, spiking it with gel (even the boys), dressing like little prostitutes with their bodies exposed (the girls), and both boys and girls piercing their bodies all over with idolatrous symbols is horrific. Walk the streets of Tel Aviv and the Malls in Jerusalem and observe the teens with spiked and colored hair and rings in their navels (and other places). It is more than just a temporary display of teen rebellion because these kids have no anchor. They are likely to become amoral adults because they see no integrity or ethics in the behavior of their Government or Judicial systems. It's, therefore, "OK" to be a nothing! What then is different about assimilated Jews and those who believe in One Invisible G-d? It is quite plain: Observant Jews have accepted the restraints within Torah Law which mostly control the very human tendencies to cheat, steal, murder, rape, pillage, etc. Observant Jews know in their souls and minds that Someone is looking over their shoulders at what they do. They know that a set of rules for behavior has been given to them as a Covenant in the Ten Commandments and the 613 Mitzvot (rules of conduct). They do, on occasion, break some of those rules and they know there is a price to pay sooner or later. Assimilated Jews, on the other hand, who do not accept the existence of G-d and, therefore, reject His rules of behavior to devise their own rules. These are called "laws" which are then imposed upon others. Today there doesn't seem to be any laws preventing young people from abusing their own bodies but Torah laws guard the body from abuse and exposure with laws of modesty. Children learn respect and moral and ethical behavior in their homes as toddlers and well before their first day of school. Assimilated Jews might be surprised that many of today's best man-made laws do actually have a basis in Torah Law. However, without a Torah education they don't know the depth of wisdom to be found in the Torah. These Jewishly uneducated Jews do not necessarily develop inner self restraints. It is not that assimilated Jews have no conscience but, generally they rely on ethical behavior based on the rule of law as written and interpreted by other men. Such laws are necessary and good but they do not displace or match the quality of inner restraint learned by observant Jews all of their lives. Of course, there are those Jews who did receive such an education and subsequently rejected because of whatever life's visissitudes defeated them. (I am thinking specifically about Tommy Lapid who was raised in an Orthodox home and then became viciously anti-religious.) Therefore, when you observe a list of politicians and Judges who do not believe in a Supreme Being, you know that this person relies only on him/or/herself for final judgement. Politicians are famous (or infamous) for their ability to lie, often even believing their own lies. They are not highly regarded, except for a handful who display ethical courage in the face of their peers who are predominantly unethical scoundrels and, sometimes, even crooks. Getting back to Israel, the evidence of a great effort to secularize the Jewish nation is piling up. Those assimilated Jews insist that all others follow their path and become assimilated Jews. They not only do not wish to be restrained in eating, playing, taking a religious wife, or coveting another man's wife - but they do not wish to be reminded of their excesses by observant Jews merely being there and watching - which is probably why the Orthodox religious parties (aside from the NRP (National Religious Party) are not part of this Sharon government that is surrendering Israel's ancient homeland, given to the Jewish people by G-d. Assimilated Jews have a vague code of conduct generally borrowed from the non-religious Gentile world they know and prefer. Basically, they want to do whatever feels good, gains them power and they don't want to get caught. That is their code of honor. We see this now as the present Prime Minister is willing, even anxious to part with Land of Israel he neither owns nor feels is the eternal patrimony of the Jewish people as gifted to them by G-d. Since G-d does not exist for Sharon, he acts as if he feels the Land of Israel is merely a commodity to trade, appease and pacify foreign interests and Muslim terrorists. Israel is presently ruled by avaricious men who have no belief in the Land they live in. They are politicians and judges, even high-ranking military officers and directors of Intelligence Agencies. Those who are today called "The Left" have, with careful planning, cornered the market on positions that control Israel. See the names of the highly influential and their profile: Sharon, Peres, Lapid, Netanyahu, Barak, Mitzna, and dozens more assimilated Jews believe in nothing more than themselves. Israel is ruled by the G-dless in her Government and Courts. Many have a greater loyalty to the mixed group of Arab Muslims who call themselves Palestinians (since 1967) than they do for Israel. Even as the Arab Muslim Palestinians carry out their pledges to kill Jews and drive them from the Land, the assimilated ruling Jews of the Government and Supreme Court try to appease them. No atrocity is too heinous for those assimilated Jews to forgive or offer a rationale as to why it was done. Think of the apologists who evolved Oslo, which brought Arafat back from proper exile in Tunis and since 1993 caused 1500 Israelis to be murdered, with tens of thousands more wounded, many maimed for life. Yet, the Osloids walk the street as free men and are honored. While they act as if they detest Judaism, they honor Islam with respect and accommodation. Conversely, observant, G-d fearing Jews remind themselves through prayer, three times a day to follow the restraining rule G-d has given us. If that was not enough, twice a week, we ask for forgiveness and admit to things we have not even done in prayers called "Tachanun". That is to remind us, in case we are tempted to do them. Assimilated Jews have no reminders each day. They rely upon the laws of men and such restraint when their conscience kicks in, or whatever is necessary to not get caught. When they do break the laws of men, they find a way to excuse themselves and forget the sin. Observant Jews are not allowed to forget the sin, although they ask forgiveness. Then they do Tshuva or repentance. They know they'll account to G-d, whereas a non-believer only has to account to a judge if caught. If you are important enough, you don't even have to answer to a Judge in Israel. High ranking politicians, judges and other criminals answer to no one and rarely go to jail. ISRAEL'S CULT OF DE-JUDAIZERS History is replete with secret societies - each on a self-styled mission of control or access to power. Every nation through the centuries has had its secret societies with special rituals and tests for members to advance to higher levels. Each secret society had its friendly public face which masks the layers of its true intent. Religion or contra-religion was a theme repeatedly offered as the basis of these secret societies. Some advanced an ideology meant to reach a god for the earthly power it would supposedly bring and a guaranteed life after death. For example, Egypt had many cults dedicated to reach to an underworld of powerful gods who could grant them earthly treasures, good crops, fertility and then life after death. Islam, through Mohammed had many such cults with promises of heavenly delights of sex and drink. The anti-religious sought dark powers through sorcery and terrible rituals. The Christians had many cults, searching for a way to connect with the Jew they chose as their god. But, they rejected his lifestyle as an observant, practicing Jew and proceeded to try killing off his family. Jesuits, Knights Templar, priests of different beliefs - often causing great wars, horrendous deaths, burning at the stake of those they considered non-believers or infidels. Jews were persecuted in every age in an attempt to force the Jews to pass over their Covenant. All the other religions were pursuing that greatest of treasures: Life after Death. The Jews too had their priests, serving the One G-d in the One Temple of Solomon, strictly according to G-d's Laws in the Torah. Many of the non-Jews (Gentiles) wanted whatever power emanated from this Holy Site. Thus, they attacked to acquire the power of this G-d. From Solomon's Temple holy things like the great golden candelabra and other sacred golden objects were looted by the Romans and now thought to be in the keep of the Vatican. Israel - and especially Jerusalem and the Temple Mount - became the place to defeat the Jews and capture their One G-d with His Covenant in order to become "Number One". The search for the Holy Ark of the Covenant or anything else assumed to have a holy power led to murderous Crusades, violent courses of wars which brought death by war, starvation, disease and innumerable atrocities. We Jews had our traitors among us who betrayed their people to the Others then as they do now. Which brings us back to the anti-G-d cults. Those who rose to power in Israel have distinguished themselves as an anti-G-d cult or society. It was no accident that, after Jerusalem was liberated in 1967, General Moshe Dayan immediately gave away the keys to the venerated Temple of Solomon on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem to the Arab Muslim Waqf. Clearly, the line of Prime Ministers from David Ben Gurion through Sharon did not want a rallying center for Jews who believed in G-d. (I exempt Menachem Begin from this list because he was a believing Jew but he failed his own mission in the end. Many powers in Israel were against him.) Dayan was a notorious stealer of ancient artifacts for his personal collection. It must have been difficult for him to give up the opportunity to dig and plunder the Holy of Holies. But, Dayan, Sharret, Ben Gurion, and those who followed had a greater mission as anti-G-d cultists. Whether they had a secret society dedicated to their ideology of 'no religious observance' or merely a de facto undertaking that created a common bond of the G-dless, they surely all advanced the one goal of de-Judaizing Israel, including Jerusalem and especially the Temple Mount. While other civilizations and religions warred against ancient Israel to plunder the secrets of the one G-d of the Jews, there were Jews who said: "Take it, we don't want it." These were the assimilated Jews who wished to be Hellenists or Romans or whoever would relieve them of the responsibilities of G-d's Covenant. Needless to say, the corruptors are with us today. Just read the Oslo Accords and especially the latest betrayal, the Geneva Agreements which give total control of the Temple Mount over to Islam. This is a direct correlation to the PLO's original Charter of 1964: complete De-Judaization of Israel and especially Jerusalem. The Cult of De-Judaizers has many Jewish members, some of whom have power in the Government and Courts. As long as Jews held the treasure of the Covenant with G-d, they would be attacked. But, the Jews had something attached to them which they could not give away. The Covenant with G-d was forever and embodied in their souls - even in their genes. Many would-be conquerors understood this and tried to get the Jews to convert and bond G-d's Covenant to their religion. Even when a Jew agreed to convert on the threat of death, the new religion only had an empty shell of a Jew who had abandoned G-d's Covenant. The secret or not-so-secret cult of G-dless Jews who currently hold the levers of power in Israel will one day be washed away. The question of the moment is: Who gathered these men and offered them a doctrine which required the de-Judaizing of the Nation and the Jewish people? Put another way: Who would suffer if the Jewish nation recaptured its assigned role as "A Light Unto The Nations"? Clearly, assimilated Jews who do not want a competing powers such as a re-built Third Temple, the right to pray at our Holy Sites like our ancestors' graves and a rule by honest Judges. A great deal of hostile energy, money, lives have been poured into demonizing the Jews with blood libels or that they were in league with the devil - in the words of the Church of Rome. Whenever the Ark of the Covenant set out, Moses would say: "Arise O Lord and Your enemies will be dispersed and Your foes will flee before You. For from Zion shall go forth the Torah and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem". If the beacon of Light would, indeed, come forth from Jerusalem (from the Holy of Holies on the Temple Mount) all other religions would fall into line behind the Covenant of the Jews and the Torah. Is it any wonder that the Church of Rome and Islam would do everything possible to forestall the return of the Holy of Holies as G-d's Throne on earth? Add to that counter-force against the Jewish religious beliefs in the One G-d, the assimilated rejecters of this One G-d, residing in Jerusalem which would have made the assimilated G-dless rulers of Israel irrelevant. When the Moshiach (Messiah) comes and the Third Temple arises, men like Sharon, Peres and their petty political parties will disappear. The Rabbis of Israel and observant Jews have yet to grasp who their enemies really are. For these enemies of the religious Jews believe that the Third Temple must not be allowed to rise and send forth its Light Unto the Nations - or so say the Church of Rome, Islam and the assimilated Jews who have abandoned G-d. Send this to the Rabbonim and let them discuss what they have not yet seen or understood. Emanuel Winston is a commentator and Middle East analyst. His articles appear often on Think-Israel and Gamla. He is a member of the Board of Directors and a research associate of the Freeman Center For Strategic Studies (http://www.freeman.org/online.htm). |
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EXTRA-JUDICIAL KILLING
Posted by David Frankfurter, July 4, 2004. |
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Last Friday, the Al-Aksa Martyrs Brigades conducted a street execution. As the crowd cheered them on, and a Reuters/AP reporter snapped photographs, four gunmen dressed in civilian clothes read out charges of collaboration with Israel and of sexual molestation of his own daughters. They then asked the crowd for a sentence - 'immediate death!' they cried. The leader shot Mohammed Rafiq Abdel Razek at point blank range in the head and left him to die in the town square. The Palestinian Authority claim that they would have preferred that the man had been brought to formal justice - but that the Israeli occupation has made them powerless. This claim is ludicrous. The executioners were part of the Al-Aksa Brigades - an organisation which has publicly sworn its allegiance to Yasser Arafat and which, just last month, was acknowledged by Palestinian Prime Minister to be an integral part of the ruling Fatah party. In short, if Arafat doesn't want street executions, but would prefer some form of official justice, he just has to give the word. Of course, what sort of justice might Arafat want? Will he enforce his obligation to uproot terrorists from his midst? Will he admit that if this collaborator was in fact guilty, the crime was allowing Israel to do the job that the Arafat has pretended to promise - to stop terror emanating from the PA? Will arrest the executioners - whose names and photographs have been shown around the world - so that they can face trial for the war crime of extra-judicial killing? It might be superfluous to note that Al-Aksa has been outlawed in Europe and the US, and formally listed as a terrorist organisation. To subscribe to Frankfurter's 'letter from Israel', email him at david.frankfurter@iname.com. |
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MEN IN TWEED
Posted by Ellen W. Horowitz, July 4, 2004. |
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The politicians can't be trusted, the media are hounds, and fingers are pointing at the settlers and rabbis. Yet, somehow, academic personalities are able to escape scrutiny and maintain their aura of purity. Even the halls they walk are deemed hallowed. Scholarship tends to be synonymous with integrity and, more often than not, the rational men and women in tweed escape the public's critical eye and enjoy the luxury of working towards "peace" in peace. They may not make headlines, but scholars have been more than active partners in "the process". It should be recalled that while the Beilin-Peres duo receive credit or discredit for formulating the Oslo Accords, it was largely a Pundak-Hirshfeld production. Intellectual thinkers should not be immune to censure - they bear an enormous responsibility. As much as world leaders are susceptible to public opinion polls and press reports, we can assume that a good portion of their decision making policies are still based on purportedly sound research and the analytical skills provided by respected experts and scholars. And yet, since the inception of Oslo, the political polls, surveys, and various other scientific indicators are notoriously inconsistent with actual public opinion in Israel - the latest defeat of the referendum on disengagement from Gaza being a stunning example. Heads of state both here and abroad do not relish being embarrassed or defeated. So what gives? Is public opinion so erratic or is it possible that some of our most distinguished professors have abandoned the challenges of teaching and exhaustive investigation in favor of indoctrinating and dictating their intractable Worldviews? While Israeli professors' Ron Pundak and Yair Hirshfeld were dialoguing in Northern Europe with representatives from the PLO, other scholars like Ian Lustick - political scientist extraordinaire - were preparing the groundwork on campuses and making the rounds in Washington. Professor Lustick is an intelligence analyst and director of the University of Pennsylvania's Solomon Asch Center for the Study of Ethnopolitcal Conflict. Lustick has championed the Palestinian Arab cause, supports Palestinian Statehood, abhors Israel's settlement activity, and advocates the division of Jerusalem. Nothing we haven't heard before, but the professor's theories and views have been heard in very high places. Lustick has advised presidents and has consulted and lectured for the State Department, National Security Counsel, National Security Agency, CIA and Israel Army Staff College. He takes credit for having had a lengthy "closed discussion" with President George H. Bush and his top advisors in 1989, which he believes may have been instrumental in causing a historic chain of events. As a result of that meeting, according to Lustick, James Baker gave a critical speech to AIPAC [the American Israel Public Affairs Committee], "which led to the loan guarantees suspension, which led to the victory of the Rabin government ... and then led to Oslo." That the professor boasts of his abilities to persuade a U.S. administration to adopt his agenda and interfere in the internal politics of a sovereign, democratic ally is troublesome to say the least. That Lustick, a Jew, was saying these words in March 2002, at a time when body parts were flying in Israel and the Oslo accords had proven to be catastrophic, is nothing less than blind arrogance. But there are other concerns. Professor Lustick has, for the last 30 years plus, remained steadfast in his positions and has effectively communicated a resolute agenda. It's ironic to note that a good portion of Lustick's writings have thrashed the messianism and zeal of Gush Emunim, but the professor himself seems no less blazing in his own crusade to undermine Zionism and divide the people and State of Israel. Under the guise of academia, Lustick promotes his extreme positions by touting the facts and figures which support his viewpiont as the final word. In reference to surveys, which appear in the book, "Negotiating Jerusalem", Lustick's claims, "No polling data with anything like the sophistication present in this book has ever been available on this subject." Those surveys were conducted in 1995 and sponsored by the Ford Foundation. Lustick makes use of those same polls four year later in an article written for the Journal of Palestine Studies, and in a letter advocating the division of Jerusalem published in Tikkun Magazine and addressed to then Prime Minister Ehud Barak. In that letter Lustick refers to the development of Jewish neighborhoods in and around Jerusalem as "savvy and ruthless measures by opponents of peace to stop the process..." which have little to do with "manifestations of the Jewish people's love and attachment [to Jerusalem]." A combination of old polls and passionate stuff from a political scientist who writes in the Pennsylvania Gazette that when it comes to Jerusalem, "... that evidence and not emotion must be the currency of consideration of complex questions." It's a given that much of the scientific and academic world disregard the Divine factor in their research, but could it be that by dismissing the human factor - both in themselves and in others - that they've missed the mark? Lustick's systematic and relentless pursuit of his goals and his uncompromising adherence to his brand of logic has, ironically, contributed to a chaotic situation which defies logic. The writer is a painter and columnist for Israel National News.com, living in the Golan Heights |
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SUSPICION: EXTREMIST LEFTIST ACTIVISTS ARE ASSISTING PALESTINIAN TERROR
Posted by Steven Plaut, July 3, 2004. |
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This is a translation of an article written by Uri Yablenko from
Friday July 2, 2004 from Maariv (Israel's second largest daily):
Alongside the war against terror and the mission to remove Jewish settlers from Gaza, the Israeli military is now preparing itself with deep concern for a new threat, namely, the involvement of activists from leftist extremist organizations - especially non-Israelis but also including Israeli leftists - as accomplices to Palestinian terror organizations. Their suspected collaboration includes the transport of explosives from the "occupied territories" into the Israeli heartland. According to the suspicion, based on intelligence collected by the Shin Bet (intelligence services), some of the leftists who have been demonstrating in recent months against the construction of Israel's security fence, have also been serving as collaborators, possibly unconsciously so, for terror organizations. Military intelligence has produced evaluations according to which these leftist activists are transporting cases and bundles into Israel from the other side of the security fence, at times perhaps unaware that they are transporting explosives and detonation devices. The military is watching with concern the activities of the hundreds of foreign leftists who have entered Israel in recent days for purposes of conducting violent protests against Israel in the West Bank and Gaza. The military has pointed explicitly to the so-called "International Solidarity Movement", which operates cells in the occupied territories and also maintains several hundred members inside Israel, people who entered the country pretending to be tourists. Senior military officials said this week that two terrorists who conducted a bombing of Mike's Pub in Tel Aviv, killing several people, on the Tel Aviv Promenade, came into Israel as ISM members. In addition, the leftists are declaring openly their intention to sabotage and vandalize the security fence any place they can manage to do so. Jonathan Polk, a member of the Israeli group calling itself "Anarchists against the Fence", explains: "We do not acknowledge the legitimacy of the Israeli army nor the Israeli state, nor their right to implement 'collective punishment', as expressed by the fence. The fence is illegitimate and we will do everything we can to destroy it." (Translator's comment - the actual goal of the protesters is to assist Palestinian mass murderers and suicide bombers to have easier access to Israeli civilians by sabotaging the fence.) Steven Plaut is an American-trained economist, a professor of business administration at Haifa University and author of "The Scout." He frequently comments - both seriously and satirically - on Israeli politics and the left wing academic community. His website address is http://www.stevenplaut.blogspot.com. |
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AN OPEN LETTER TO JEMERA RONE OF HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
Posted by Freedom News Media, July 3, 2004. |
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"There is little doubt that groups such as Human Rights Watch and
Amnesty International have once again relied upon questionable sources
with regard to Darfur. It has also been clear that in some cases their
analysts are partisan and their previous methodology with regard to
Sudan has been flawed. Human Rights Watch's counsel and Sudan
researcher, Jemera Rone, has, for example, previously eulogised a
rebel commander as "thoughtful...curious and intellectual" and with a
"respect for the rights of all". This was in the face of his direct
responsibility for massive human rights violations including the
murder, rape or torture of hundreds if not thousands of civilians,
many of whom were women and children. The rebel eulogised by Ms Rone
was also directly responsible for the abduction of thousands of
under-age children for use as child soldiers and their transporting to
Ethiopia." - "The Darfur Crisis: Human Rights And Hypocrisy" by The European-Sudanese Public Affairs Council, 27 May 2004. This open letter to Jemera Rone was written by Eric Reeves of Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, 01063. He can be reached at ereeves@smith.edu Jemera Rone
Dear Jemera Rone, You asked yesterday, in an email you chose to give an extremely wide readership (via darfur_task_force@yahoogroups.com and thereby many others), whether "people like Eric Reeves are abusing the legal term [genocide] to try to rouse people to act?" Perhaps if the issue were less consequential, or the audience smaller, I might have chosen to dismiss this as a petulant bit of slander. But the audience was large (growing well outside the darfur_task_force@yahoogroups.com readership), so I feel obliged to answer this question myself. Let me first, however, inquire of you: did you read my lengthy and widely distributed legal analysis of the issue of genocide in Darfur? ("Unmistakable Evidence of Genocidal Intent: A Legal Analysis of Khartoum's Continuing Obstruction of Humanitarian Access to Darfur," June 16, 2004) Though I doubt it, and suspect that you will not now, I append it below for the sake of those who may wish to know something of my thinking about the legal issues attending any use of the term genocide. If I am wrong in my surmise about your reading of my analysis, perhaps you can suggest where I misstep in the account, which drew heavily on the landmark April 19, 2004 review of "Prosecutor v. Radislav Krstic" (Case No. IT-98-33-A, Appeals Chamber of the International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia; available at: http://www.un.org/icty/krstic/Appeal/judgement/index.htm). Perhaps you might begin by indicating where I misconstrue this superbly clear and accessible, as well enormously authoritative, legal finding. Of course I'm not a lawyer. But perhaps some "amateurism" can be forgiven in light of the moral and practical urgency of a determination of genocide concerning Darfur, and the clarity of the 1948 UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide---and given the woeful history of lawyers in responding belatedly to genocide. Here one must only think of the withering account Samantha Power offers of lawyerly disingenuous within the Clinton administration during the Rwandan genocide ("'A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide," vide pp. 358-66). But is a finding of genocide in Darfur an "abuse," as you suggest? Am I guilty of intellectually dishonest or promiscuous use of the word genocide? If I am, presumably so is the distinguished jurist Richard Goldstone, who in the introduction to a recent Physicians for Human Rights report on Darfur (which found "compelling information that a genocidal process is unfolding in Darfur") declared: "Having reviewed Physicians for Human Rights' findings, Justice Richard Goldstone, former Chief Prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda and a Physicians for Human Rights board member said, 'After all that we know and have learned from the last decade's genocides and mass atrocities, it is unconscionable for the world to witness these crimes and fail to take steps to protect and save the lives of tens of thousands of innocent men, women, and children. We owe it to the victims of Darfur and potential victims to do everything we can to prevent and account for what the Physicians for Human Rights report establishes is genocide and reverse the intolerable acts of forcing entire populations from their land, destroying their livelihood and making it virtually impossible to return.'" ("Physicians for Human Rights Calls for Intervention to Save Lives in Sudan: Field Team Compiles Indicators of Genocide," June 23, 2004; at http://www.phrusa.org/research/sudan/) Is this "abuse" of the term genocide by Justice Goldstone? Perhaps Justice Africa (UK) is also merely being "abusive" when it recently emphatically declared in a press release: "In response to the question, 'Is the Darfur conflict genocide?' [,] if we strictly apply the provisions of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, there is no doubt that the answer is yes." (Justice Africa [UK], June 18, 2004] And what of Nigerian Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka? Must we say that today he, too, is "abusing" the word genocide? "'The silence of African governments over this issue is unacceptable,'" Soyinka told a news conference about curbs on the press in Africa. "'This business of solidarity with criminality is a contradiction in terms. The African Union, the African nations and the media must denounce what is happening in Sudan today. There is no other word for it but genocide.'" (Reuters, July 2, 2004). Africa Action is just another "abuser"? ---
The list of "abusers" is of course considerably longer, which leads me to wonder about why I have been singled out by the Sudan researcher at Human Rights Watch. I wonder all the more because I have spent so much time, over many months, in both publications and electronically distributed analyses, explaining precisely why I believe the situation in Darfur must be characterized as genocide (see, for example, my publications in The Washington Post [February 25, 2004] and The International Herald Tribune [June 11, 2004]). I have focused, as you may or may not know, on the critical clause from Article 2 of the 1948 UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide: "[c] Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;" I have argued that this describes precisely the nature of the Khartoum regime's military actions in Darfur, both by means of its regular armed forces and its Janjaweed militia allies. The targeting of the African tribal populations in these very terms has been established by many, including Human Rights Watch. Certainly nothing that has been published by Human Rights Watch, or any other human rights organization for that matter, that suggests why this clause cannot be considered a fully appropriate description of realities in Darfur. Indeed, since you have seen fit to ask whether I am an "abuser" of the term genocide, I feel justified in asking why Human Rights Watch does not publicly explain why the organization continues to refuse to use the term, despite all evidence available. I queried you on this very issue some time ago, but received back only a dismissive reply. But this would seem to be the moment for Human Rights Watch to offer something more. Human Rights Watch currently uses for Darfur the term "ethnic cleansing," aptly described by Samantha Power as a "kind of euphemistic half-way house between crimes against humanity and genocide." Power also notes that a team of UN lawyers determined in 1993, during a review of the term "ethnic cleansing," that it "might well be considered genocide under the [genocide] convention" ("'A Problem from Hell': American and the Age of Genocide," p. 483). Notably, in 1991 the UN General Assembly referred to "ethnic cleansing" as a "form of genocide." Given this legal and historical background, I feel compelled to ask why Human Rights Watch doesn't publicly and explicitly explain the difference between "ethnic cleansing" and genocide. What is comprised by the latter but not the former? What specifically? The lengthy discussion of "ethnic cleansing" in the extensive Human Right Watch report of February 2004 ("Darfur Destroyed: Ethnic Cleansing by Government and Militia Forces in Western Sudan," pages 39-41) does not squarely address this question. I think until you've fully answered this question, until you've explained cogently why a designation of "ethnic cleansing" is appropriate for Darfur but a designation of genocide is not, you have no right to accuse me of abusing the term genocide. You have chosen to put these issues before a very wide audience with your slanderous question about me; I have foregone slander, but have chosen to reply to a much wider audience. I imagine that many in this audience will be interested to see if there is any meaningful response from Human Rights Watch on this most urgent issue. Sincerely,
[Excerpt Speaking To Legal Analysis Of Darfur And Genocide] Is there some further evolution of "intent" on the part of the Khartoum regime that UN Undersecretary for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland and others expect to see so that the "intent requirement" of the 1948 UN Genocide Convention is more fully met? What could "prevent" the racially/ethnically animated human destruction we now see in Darfur from becoming, or in fact being, genocide? What difference does Egeland mean to imply by distinguishing between "ethnic cleansing" and "genocide"? Too many questions; too few explicit or cogent answers. We should bear in mind here that the UN General Assembly, when initially deploying the phrase "ethnic cleansing" in 1991 (in the context of the Balkan conflicts), made clear that the phrase referred to a "form of genocide." A review of the term by UN lawyers in 1993 (again in the context of the Balkans) found that "ethnic cleansing" "might well be considered genocide under the [genocide] convention" (Samantha Power, "'A Problem from Hell': American and the Age of Genocide," page 483). But the most substantial guidance here comes from the Appeals Chamber of the International Tribunal for violations of international law in the former Yugoslavia, review of "Prosecutor v. Radislav Krstic," Case No. IT-98-33-T (http://www.un.org/icty/krstic/Appeal/judgement/index.htm). Radislav Krstic was charged in connection with his role in the slaughter of 7,000 to 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men in the UN "safe area" of Srebrenica in July 1995, as well as the movement of Bosnian women, children, and elderly from the Srebrenica enclave. The Appeals Chamber speaks comprehensively to the issues of both "quantity" and "intent" in a determination of genocide. Attention to this articulate, intelligent, and deeply historically informed review should clear away some of the fuzzy (and disingenuous) thinking about genocide that has begun to proliferate. (All references will be to paragraph numbers of the Appeals Chamber review.) "QUANTITY" AND GENOCIDE From an international legal perspective, how many people among the African populations of Darfur must be destroyed or confront "conditions of life calculated to bring about [their] physical destruction in whole or in part" in order to justify a determination of genocide? "It is well established that where a conviction for genocide relies on the intent to destroy a protected group [i.e., "national, ethnical, racial or religious" group] 'in part,' the part must be a substantial part of that group. [ ] The part targeted must be significant enough to have an impact on the group as a whole" (Paragraph 8). Citing Raphael Lemkin, who coined the term "genocide" (and was instrumental in drafting the UN Genocide Convention of 1948) the Appeals Chamber noted: "'the destruction in part must be of a substantial nature so as to affect the entirety'" (Paragraph 10). If we survey the situation in Darfur, with a total population of approximately 6.5 million, with an African majority but very large Arab tribal populations as well, it is clear that the 1.3 million persons---overwhelmingly African---internally displaced or displaced into Chad are a "substantial" part of the population. A fortiori, the figure of 2.2 million "war-affected" people, with the vast majority at acute risk because of Khartoum's deliberate impeding and obstructing of humanitarian access, also meets the criterion of "a substantial part of the [African tribal] groups," with a clear threat of "having an impact on these groups as a whole." The Appeals Chamber review also notes that: "The historical examples of genocide also suggest that the area of the perpetrators' activity and control, as well as the possible extent of their reach, should be considered. Nazi Germany may have intended only to eliminate Jews within Europe alone; that ambition probably did not extend, even at the height of its power, to an undertaking of that enterprise on a global scale. Similarly, the perpetrators of genocide in Rwanda did not seriously contemplate the elimination of the Tutsi population beyond the country's borders. [ ] The intent to destroy formed by a perpetrator of the genocide will always be limited by the opportunity presented to him." (Paragraph 13) This is a particularly important consideration, given the means available to Khartoum. Obliged, at least in part, to refrain from using its military air power by virtue of the April 8, 2004 cease-fire; constrained, in part, by the cease-fire and international attention to be more circumspect in its genocidal ambitions, Khartoum is presently "limited by the opportunity presented to [the regime]" to obstruct humanitarian access and to refuse to rein in the primary instrument of direct civilian destruction, the Janjaweed militia. It is impossible to avoid the conclusion that Khartoum's actions---in Darfur and in the "systematic" obstruction of humanitarian aid---deliberately threaten a "substantial part" of the African groups, that this will "have an impact on these groups as a whole," and that the extent of genocidal activity by Khartoum is constrained in significant ways by limitations on the "opportunities presented." "INTENT" AND GENOCIDE The Appeals Chamber review noted a number of issues bearing on a determination of "intent" to commit genocide, perhaps the central issue in any debate about genocide in Darfur. A particularly important finding is that while genocidal intent "must be supported by the factual matrix, the offense of genocide does not require proof that the perpetrator chose the most efficient method to accomplish his objective of destroying the targeted part. Even where the method selected will not implement the perpetrator's intent to the fullest, leaving that destruction incomplete, this ineffectiveness alone does not preclude a finding of genocidal intent." (Paragraph 32) In short, there needn't be a Nazi-like efficiency in killing or destroying, in whole or in part, the African peoples of Darfur. That the methods previously and presently deployed by Khartoum will accomplish enough to meet the "substantiality" criterion is all that must be established for the purposes of finding that these methods may constitute genocide. In the subsequent Paragraph the Appeals Chamber review finds that "genocidal intent may be inferred, among other facts, from evidence of 'other culpable acts systematically directed against the same group'" (Paragraph 33). In other words, Khartoum's "systematic" denial of humanitarian access to the African populations of Darfur may be considered in the context of the systematic destruction of African villages (now numbering in the thousands); the systematic destruction of African agricultural capacity (in the form of poisoning and blowing up water wells and irrigations systems; in the form of destruction of seeds, fruit trees, agricultural implements, and critical agricultural livestock); and the widespread practices of execution, rape, abduction, and torture directed against the African populations of Darfur. The process of inferring genocidal intent from particular atrocities (such atrocities as have been reported in great number, for example, by Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the UN HCHR human rights investigation of April 2004, the UN inter-agency investigation of the Krailek concentration camp in later April 2004, and many others) is also illuminated in a discussion of legal precedent by the Appeals Chamber review: "Where direct evidence of genocidal intent is absent, the intent may still be inferred from the factual circumstances of the crime. The inference that a particular atrocity was motivated by genocidal intent may be drawn, moreover, even where the individuals to whom the intent is attributable are not precisely identified. If the crime committed satisfied the other requirements of genocide, and if the evidence supports the inference that the crime was motivated by the intent to destroy, in whole in part, a protected group, a finding that genocide has occurred may be entered." (Paragraph 34) We need not know the particular perpetrators of individual atrocities to reach a finding of genocide. But to the degree that various such genocidal atrocities can be tied to specific individuals (in the Janjaweed command structure, or in the intelligence, military, or political structure of Khartoum's National Islamic Front regime), this becomes cumulative evidence of responsibility for genocide. Moreover the nature of this responsibility is specifically articulated by the Appeals Chamber review: "The Appeals Chamber has previously explained, on several occasions, that an individual who aids and abets a specific intent offense [e.g., genocide] may be held responsible if he assists the commission of the crime knowing the intent behind the crime." (Paragraph 140) In considering responsibility for genocide on the part of individual members of the Khartoum regime, actions such as heavily arming the Janjaweed, coordinating militarily with the Janjaweed, flying bombing and helicopter gunship missions in support of the Janjaweed, inciting the Janjaweed---all constitute acts of genocide, given the known nature and intention of Janjaweed attacks against African civilian populations. [End Of Excerpt; full analysis available upon request] |
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THEY SHOOT JEWS, DON'T THEY?
Posted by Bruce S. Ticker, July 3, 2004. |
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Afik Zahavi, 4, never maneuvered a tank, bulldozed a home, fired a rifle or lived in Gaza or the West Bank. He spent time at 5-year-old May Cohen's home in Sderot playing computer games. Her father, Ariel Cohen, told a New York Times reporter, "I don't know how to say to my daughter that the little boy will not be coming back." Mordechai Yosopov, 49, emigrated to Israel from Ukraine, a country notorious for its anti-Semitism. The grandfather of five's body lay in the street, and a number of children arriving for nursery school could well have been exposed to watching the spectacle. Afik and Mordechai were both killed when a Qassam rocket fired from northeast Gaza, two miles away, exploded in front of a nursery school on Monday morning. Afik died in the ambulance en route to a hospital, and his mother Ruth was hospitalized in serious condition. Both the man and child were buried on Monday. Hamas claimed responsibility. The terrorists who fired the rocket - from their perch in northeast Gaza - could not have pinpointed this target better had they cased the joint, which they probably did. They fired the rocket at 8 a.m., when the children were being dropped off, and it landed on a street between two nurseries, according to news accounts. Palestinians and their advocates have insisted for years that all they want is political independence in Israel's territories - namely, Gaza and the West Bank. If history is any guide, their ultimate goal is not limited to self-determination in the territories. At least some of them want far more than that - Israel's destruction. It is impossible to quantify how many Palestinians recognize Israel's right to exist and how many seek its elimination, but there is no question that a well-organized and armed core segment among them are after the worst for Israel. Their intent is a reality that must be faced by everyone who is involved in the conflict. If Israel follows through with removing all settlements from Gaza and many from the West Bank, will Palestinian terrorism end there? A supporter of the Palestinians told me at a rally last November that extremists on both sides will still attempt to cause trouble at that juncture. Perhaps there will be less violence, since moderate Palestinians will have less incentive to join with extremists, but I cannot believe that elimination of settlements will eliminate Arab terrorism. The extremists will do anything they can to harm Israelis no matter where they live. They had no compunction about murdering Afik Zahavi who lived, and died, on land which for most people is indisputedly part of sovereign Israel. Prior to Monday, terrorists had lobbed as many as 350 missiles into Sderot in the last two years, and on Tuesday they were at it again. They remind me of a captured alien monster in the sci-fi film "Independence Day" who is asked by the president, portrayed by actor Bill Pullman, what his invading force wants from earthlings. "Die," he tells Pullman in a dry voice. "Die." That's what terrorists want from Jews and, probably, anyone who is not a Muslim. How is Israel supposed to confront this kind of objective? Their objective fits into the pattern set in place in the 1920's when Arab inhabitants of the land were incited to drive out the Jews. They murdered Jews in uprisings throughout the two decades leading to World War II and culminated in the assault by the Arab nations against the newly-created Israel in 1948. That was followed by a series of conflicts including the 1967 Six-Day War and the 1973 Yom Kippur War. There had always been tensions after Jews started to emigrate to Palestine more than a century ago, but there were likewise many Arabs willing to live with the Jews. It was a cretin known as Haj Amin al-Husseini, Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, who stirred up his fellow Arabs, telling them to fear that the Jews threatened their religious roots and symbols. That's when events spun out of control. The existence of Sderot reflects the very inspiration for the founding of Israel - as a reliable Jewish homeland. It was established 50 years ago to absorb immigrants who came to Israel from Morocco, Algeria and other North African countries and is now also absorbing immigrants from the former Soviet Union, according to The New York Times. That's a microcosm of what Israel is all about. Sderot was not plunked down there to fulfill some biblical invocation that God reserved this land for the Hebrews. And geographically, it is located in sovereign Israel. Sderot must be protected, just as every community within the recognized borders of Israel must be protected. The Israel Defense Forces has every right to cross the border and do whatever it must to guarantee that the terrorists can no longer fire missiles across the border. It was an act of war the instant they lobbed the first rocket into Sderot. While attacks on the settlements cannot be justified, that is a different story. It is a simple matter of security to move the civilians out of Gaza and part of the West Bank because their presence has made them and the soldiers assigned to protect them regularly vulnerable. That does not rule out an Israeli military presence in the territories if it is necessary to shield citizens of sovereign Israel. The IDF has attempted to do just that for Sderot in the past and has returned to prevent further rocket attacks. Is driving the Jews out of Israel in reality the goal of Qudwa al-Husseini, who was mentored by his elder cousin, the late Grand Mufti of Jerusalem? Qudwa al-Husseini is also known as Yasser Arafat. Bruce S. Ticker can be contacted at his website http://www.crisisisrael.com. |
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MY HOME IN GAZA
Posted by IsrAlert, July 3, 2004. |
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This was written by Gershon Perlman, who lives in Gan Or, Gush Katif.
It appeared in Arutz-7 (www.israelnationalnews.com) yesterday.
I wonder if my trees have heard the news. No, no, no. No one is planning to do them any harm. The problem, you see, is that the prime minister of my country wants to evict me from my house (it's because I'm a Jew); it is on the news day and night. The radio is in the kitchen and the tree is just outside the kitchen window. I am a Jew; I live in a Jewish house and am raising a Jewish family on Jewish land in the Jewish community of Gush Katif, about a mile from the Mediterranean Sea in what many call the Gaza Strip. I have been living with the same wife in the same house for the past twenty-one years. I really love my house. When we moved in, there was nothing around it but barren sand dunes. I pretty much designed my house by myself with oversized windows to afford a beautiful view of my not-yet planted garden. I put a lot of time and effort into my garden. It is not just because it's the Israeli thing to do - making the desert bloom and all that - it's much more personal; it's me. My garden is really special to me. I've been collecting rocks and stones, erecting them and laying them out like a mosaic each time to get it 'just right'. It's been a twenty-year labor of love, stopping at roadsides, hauling these rocks into the back of my station wagon, and sometimes getting strange looks from passers-by - but such is love. I have some trees in my garden. A couple of them I planted back in 1985. Nineteen years later, I immodestly admit that I planned well and that these trees give shade exactly where they're supposed to. During an Israeli summer you really appreciate something like that. My sons grew up in those trees, sometimes having fun and sometimes hiding from angry parents. I've got another tree that is only eight years old. While the older trees may be sentimental, this tree is hard to describe. If I tell you about it, maybe you can help me out with the right word. When my sister's son was killed in a car accident eight years ago, she wanted me to plant a tree in Israel. What better place could there be than in her brother's own backyard? I'm our only family member who lives in Israel and, therefore, the only one with a backyard here. My sister and I speak every so often and she sometimes asks me about 'her' tree. I guess I'm the tree's guardian as well as its planter, but that's okay, I kind of like special tasks. By the way, the tree is doing fine. Well, as far as I can tell, it is. I once read that plants (and I presume also trees) have feelings. It hurts them when they're cut or abused and that they even respond to music. I wonder if my trees have heard the news. No, no, no. No one is planning to do them any harm. The problem, you see, is that the prime minister of my country wants to evict me from my house (it's because I'm a Jew); it is on the news day and night. The radio is in the kitchen and the tree is just outside the kitchen window. My sister has already bought her ticket to come to my son's bar mitzvah in the fall. Of course, she'll want to see her son's tree. What do I tell her? What do I tell her tree? To tell you the truth, I've never spoken with a tree. I love gardening, but I'm not eccentric. I've never come across any information about plants or trees communicating with one another. I really hope this is true, because I have yet another tree that I don't know how to describe, let alone deal with. If it has gotten wind of our prime minister's plan, I'll really be at a loss. You see, when my friend and next-door neighbor was murdered by Arabs (he had his throat slit back in the days before another prime minister handed out guns to the Arabs, but that's another story), I planted a tree in his memory. Like I said, I'm not an eccentric, but I love my house, I love my garden and, mostly, I love my trees. And I won't leave them. IsrAlert, a Jewish advocacy network, is hosted by Harv Weiner. To subscribe to IsrAlert, send an email to isralert@aol.com |
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SHEIKH PALAZZI ON GHAZI AL-YAWER, NEW (WAHHABI) PRESIDENT OF IRAQ
Posted by Root and Branch Society, July 2, 2004. |
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In response to a query why the Saudi royal family cannot "buy"
Al-Qaeda's terrorism, which is directed primarily against it, this is
what Sheikh Palazzi said.
Whoever claims that "the Saudi royal family cannot "buy" Al-Qaedah's terrorism" simply does not know what he is saying. The Saudi royal family "bought" al-Qa'idah from the very beginning. Al-Qa'idah was created with funds directly coming from the House of Saud. Prince Turki, former head of Saudi intelligence and the real founder of al-Qa'idah, is today's Saudi Ambassador to Britain. He [Prince Turki] even published in a British newspaper a poem praising suicide bombers. British authorities (theoretically involved in the "War on Terror") have nothing to say about it. Thanks to al-Qa'idah, Crown Prince Abdullah was able to hospitalize King Fahd and to become the de-facto ruler of the country. Nowadays, there is a struggle for power within the House of Saud. Some of the Saudi princes think that 9/11 was a total success: A close relative of Prince Abdullah [Wahhabi Shammar tribal leader Sheikh Ghazi Al-Yawer] has been appointed new president of Iraq, and the Bush Administration has compelled Sharon to withdraw from Gaza. Terrified by 9/11, the West is blindly obeying the diktat of the House of Saud, and there is no need of al-Qa'idah anymore. Al-Qa'idah's leaders are now useless, and can be offered on a silver plate to the U.S. in order to deceive the world into believing that Saudi Arabia is cooperating in a "War on Terror". Other members of the same House of Saud on the contrary think that al-Qa'idah is still necessary, especially to be used in the inner struggle for power to control Saudi Arabia. As a matter of fact, al-Qa'idah is targeting foreigners in Saudi Arabia, but has done absolutely nothing to harm either the House of Saud or Prince Abdullah himself. The dog never bites the hand which feeds him. The "War on Terror" will never be won, since its Commander-in-Chief, George W. Bush, is a close partner-in-business with the enemy Commander-in-Chief, Prince Abdullah. A price must be paid for this "unholy alliance", and Israel is the first to pay it. Gaza will become a stronghold of [Saudi Arabian funded Wahhabi] Hamas, exactly as Prince Abdullah wanted. 9/11 was a relevant military success for the Saudis. 9/11 permitted the Saudis to take control of Iraq and to compel Israel to withdraw from Gaza. The Saudis are winning and the U.S. is losing, although public opinion does not yet perceive it. The Wahhabi Shammar tribe is spread both in Arabia and Iraq. Shammar tribe members joined the Wahhabis from Dar'iyah in the time of Muhammad Ibn 'Abdu-l-Wahhab [late 1700s] and Ibn Sa`ud's rebellions against the Ottomans. Shammar tribe members are related by intermarriage to the House of Sa'ud since before the creation of the Saudi State [1933] but were never able to expand a Wahhabi network in Iraq under Saddam's regime. This means that the Bush Administration ousted Saddam to appoint for Iraq a Wahhabi Saudi-controlled president [Sheikh Ghazi Al-Yawer], whose sister is one of the wives of Saudi Crown Prince 'Abdullah. We see that until now the "War on Terror" actually increased the power of the Saudis in Middle East and caused Israel to be pressured to withdraw, exactly as Saudi Prince `Abdullah asked the United States immediately after 9/11. Sheikh Professor Abdul Hadi Palazzi is Secretary General, Italian Muslim Association and Resident Professor of Middle East Studies, Research Institute for Anthropological Sciences, Rome. |
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A LETTER FROM A SENIOR
Posted by Israel BenAmi, July 2, 2004. |
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To Whom It May Concern: I am a senior citizen. During the Clinton Administration, I had an extremely good and well-paying job. I took numerous vacations and owned many luxury homes. Since President Bush took office, I have watched my entire life change for the worse. First, I lost my job. Then I lost my two sons in that terrible Iraqi War. I lost my home. I lost my health insurance. As a matter of fact, I lost everything and became homeless. Adding insult to injury, when the authorities found me living like an animal, instead of helping me, they arrested me. Bush has to go! I will do anything to insure President Bush's defeat in the next election. I will do anything that Senator Kerry wants, to insure that a Democrat is back in the White House come next year. I just thought you would like to know how one senior citizen views the Bush administration. Thank you for taking the time to read my letter. Sincerely, Saadam Hussein |
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I APOLOGIZE TO THE ANIMALS
Posted by Arlene Peck, July 2, 2004. |
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Recently, I wrote a column comparing the raging, Islamic Fundamentalist to animals. I apologize. Animals don't do craven, evil things like we are experiencing on a daily basis from the same sub-humans who have been terrorizing Israel for the past ten years since Oslo. And, when I say "we," I am now speaking about the USA being on the receiving end of the daily bombings, hi-jacking, and did I mention beheadings? The only positive to come of this madness is that we, as a nation, are finally beginning to 'get it'. Across American, in little towns such as Peaks Island, Maine, from which I just returned, or in the larger chic, suburban areas, the mentality of thugs that cut off heads and various body parts to make their point has never been understood. If we had any gangs in Marina Del Rey or Beverly Hills, they would probably break into someone's house and decorate it. Today's level of violence is not in our psyche. The reason for the difference between the kids I find in these areas and those in their culture is obvious. In our schools, children stand before a flag and say the pledge of allegiance. In their primitive schools with a seventh century mentality, baby robots are taught they can make their parents proud by putting on a bomb vest and meeting their 72 virgins. They're brainwashing these children at younger and younger ages. Most don't even know what a virgin is yet. But, bomb making they've mastered. They learn how to tie their 'suicide belts' before they learn how to tie their shoes. Speaking of terrorism, the question I have in the coming election is who would be better for Israel and the U.S. war against terror? Because, if I were to support Bush, it would only be for that reason. He has been terrible for the economy. Jobs are disappearing to India. I'm pro-choice, all for stem cell research and against almost every other cause that he supports -- starting with Halliburton. I know that Bush is supposed to be better for defense. But at what cost? In 1982 the Israelis went into Iraq, probably at three in the morning, with eight planes and BOOM! They knocked out all of Saddam's nuclear power. They didn't need the world court. Nor did they depend on Halliburton or $200 billion of taxpayer money to win the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people. What makes Iraq so 'special' that we have to bankrupt our country to ensure that they get running water, a wonderful telephone system and cheap gas, and every child has a good school to go to? I'd rather they worried about the ones here first! Hell, some of ours don't even have toilet paper. Recently, I had a chance to spend an evening with John Kerry's brother, Cameron. I was surprised to hear he was not only a convert to Judaism, but went by the Hebrew name of Chaim. In John Kerry's name, he talked the talk, but the question is can he walk the walk? I eased into three questions of interest during the Q & A. I stated that every president in recent memory agreed that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. Congress had already voted on the issue that the American Embassy should be built there. What were his brother's feelings on that? The second question dealt with the security fence. I mentioned that Israel had proven in the last three and a half months that it was working, but his brother was reported to have said he was against it. Was that true? Finally, it had been stated that John Kerry's wife had donated some of her billion dollars in wealth to causes that supported Hamas. Was any of that true? While he did answer me, unfortunately, it was not with the kind of detail that I would have preferred. I was happy to hear that Brother Cameron disavowed the donations to charities that supported Hamas, and was all for the fence and moving the American embassy to Jerusalem where Congress voted it to be eons ago. Of course, all of this was said before the election. Now, all I have to do is get some of these comments in writing that were said in the privacy of a valuable fundraiser. Then, he's got my vote. I forgot to ask Mr. Kerry why his brother was absent for the recent pro-Israel resolution. Only four senators voted against it; ex-Klansman Robert Byrd of West Virginia, John Sununu of New Hampshire, independent James Jefford of Vermont, and Richard Lugar of Indiana, who is the chairman of Foreign Affairs. Why was Kerry absent for this very important vote? Word had it he was at a dinner with Lee Iacocca and partying at a Hollywood fund raising concert, but folks, to me this was more important. His no-show was taken as a message of dissent and that's not a good thing. However, nothing coming from the democrats could shock me as much as the Michael Moore movie, Fahrenheit 9/11. I couldn't stand the thought of my money making that man richer, so I bought a ticket to another movie and snuck in. Wow! If Nader was the 'spoiler' for the Gore/Bush election, Moore is the pivotal last straw for the 'undecided' like me. If only fifty percent of Moore's movie is true (and we may be giving him more credit than he is do), it's fifty percent more than I can handle. Kerry? Bush? Kerry? What to do? I recently had a friend tell me that until he saw the movie he was a Christian Republican. Now, he's convinced that he's a Jewish Democrat. However, with the craziness that's coming out of Israel, it probably won't make any difference. The High Court has obviously determined the route of the barrier terrorist fence in favor of the plight of the 'poor downtrodden Arabs,' and ignored the military establishment's assessments based on security issues. Justice Minister Tommy Lapid delighted the LA Times by stating that the wall should run along the 1967 border. He commented, "The court has the final word in Israel, and we welcome the decision, which has taken into consideration all positions; security, humanitarian and others." Personally, I don't give diddly-squat about their humiliation. I care that it's working! Arlene Peck is an internationally syndicated columnist and television talk show hostess. She can be reached at: bestredhead@earthlink.net and www.arlenepeck.com |
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ISRAEL'S SUPREME COURT "REDUCES SECURITY FOR ISRAELIS"
Posted by Emanuel A. Winston, July 2, 2004. |
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Israel's Supreme Court has once again established its credentials as deeply Leftist and sufficiently Arabist to claim an organic extension of the Labor Left, Shinui and Meretz political parties. Let there be no doubt that the Supreme Court of Israel is radically Left with close connections to the ideology of the Left and the Israeli Arab parties. The recent Supreme Court ruling, June 30th regarding the path of the Israel's Security Fence is a case in point. Chief Judge Aharon Barak led the ruling wherein the security and the lives of Israelis comes a distant second to the comfort and claimed rights of the Arab Muslim Palestinians who have pledged to be Israel's eternal enemies. This case dealt with 25 miles protecting the Northern entrances to Jerusalem. What is particularly disturbing is that it appears that Prime Minister Sharon has been a silent partner to re-routing the Fence. July 1st, the day after the Court's ruling, Sharon said to reporters before meeting that he and Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz support the ruling and have no intention of going against it. The Court's decision is "a thing that is forbidden to change". It looks to me that Sharon had carefully planned an assault on the minds of Israelis to accept the re-routing of the Fence protecting Jerusalem so as to eventually divide Israel's capital on a quasi-legal basis. Other Ministers were in favor of legislation in the Knesset (Parliament) that will allow the government to circumvent the ruling and keep the initial route intact because the IDF is best fitted to draw the Fence's route from a security point of view and its commanders initial blueprint should be trusted for its security and topographical lines of fire. At the very least the Knesset should present a new law quashing the Court directive and specify that Jerusalem can never be divided - as a matter of law. They must consider reinforcing the original Jerusalem Law with specificity of securing its outer perimeters. The Court ruling through its three Judge panel says: that Israel has a genuine security reason for building the barrier and can expropriate land for it....while the actual ruling might reduce security for Israelis "this reduction in security must be endured for the sake of humanitarian considerations." and "the Court would closely scrutinize any challenged sections to make sure they conform to principles set today." The Defense Ministry will re-route 18.6 of the 25 mile contested section and also destroy or move 1.9 miles already built. The Defense Ministry contended that it drew the route to leave enough distance and take in the right topographical features to stop potential gunfire from the [Arab Muslim] village of Beit Sourik into Mevasserat Zion or to detect the approach of a suicide bomber. Beit Sourik is less than a kilometer walk across the border from Mevasserat Zion a Jewish community of 20,000. The Fence is strictly a security measure, intended to prevent Palestinian suicide bombings and other attacks, and that it could be moved or torn down later. Israel's Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said that [that part of the Fence already built] "had saved hundreds of hundreds of lives of Israelis" and resulted in a "huge decline in the number of terror attacks." (1) The International Court of Justice at the Hague is scheduled to rule on this Security Fence on Friday July 9th. They certainly can't be expected to be more protective of Jewish security and sovereignty in their State than is the Israeli Supreme Court. So this Court's ruling will lead to further inroads against Israel's sovereignty and security by international bodies than they already intended. Good job! This makes the Judges of the Supreme Court co-conspirators in past and future terrorist acts by the Arab Muslim Palestinians. Clearly, this activist Supreme Court does not represent the Jews of Israel but rather the Leftist ideology of Labor, Meretz, Shinui and the Arab parties in the Knesset which gives greater rights to the Arabs than security for the Jews by following the failed terms of the Oslo Accords and its resurrection with the Geneva unofficial agreements. I include the foolish Road Map offered by a naive, uninformed President guided by the quietly hostile Arabist U.S. State Department. As Hitler's Courts earned German jurisprudence shame for all time, so too does Israel's Supreme Court earn its shame through its biased judgements and the expected casualties which will result. This Court relies upon its system of self-appointment where the Judges pick their own replacements. It's not surprising that a radical Leftist like Chief Justice Aharon Barak would pick and influence other Judges with the same Leftist tendencies to fill the Court with more of their own. None of the Judges put forward as Supreme Court Justices have to pass a qualification test set forth by the Knesset nor does the Court have to put a candidate up for approval by a vote of the people. It is a closed circle established years ago by the Mapai far Left Party who morphed into the Labor Party. If the ruling in itself was not bad enough, the Judges went on to explain their corruption at the top of their voices. The NEW YORK TIMES, always pro-Arab, were gleeful in their congratulations of Aharon Barak and his Court. The NYT reported that Barak's Court had agreed that the Israeli population was at greater risk but it was a necessary risk to the Israeli population. Here Life or Death or Maiming injuries were trumped by the Arabs olive and fig trees. The three man panel (with Barak breathing down their necks) concluded in a unanimous decision that Israel has a genuine security reason for building the Fence and can expropriate land in the "West Bank" for it. (Note! They did not call it Judea and Samaria) But, they issued a CYA (Cover you're a..) statement by declaring that while they were concerned for Israelis security, they cared more about the Arabs tending their orchards in comfort. In their next breath they tell us that the military has a duty to balance properly between security of Jews and humanitarian needs of the Arabs. In brief, Israelis may or will likely be killed by Arab Muslim Palestinians but that must be overlooked by the military and, of course, the Leftist Supreme Court. Judge Robert Bork in America has declared that the Israeli Supreme Court is perhaps the leading activist court among the democratic nations. "Activist" means that the Court does not judge impartially as is its commitment but rather, creates new law through its rulings, an act which is supposed to be the province of Israel's Knesset (Parliament). In brief, it exceeds its mandate and thus is an "activist" Court which rules based upon a political bias. I cannot help but wonder if Judges of this Court would rule differently if they were themselves open to punishment as were Hitler's judiciary at the Nuremberg Tribunals, knowing that at the end of the day, when Jews were murdered due to their connivance they would be subject to indictment, trial and hanging as were Hitler's Judges who assisted him to kill Jews "legally" under German Law? The Israeli ruling Judges are, in effect, telling all that the well-known risk of dead Jews by Palestinian Terror is equal to or less important than the discomfort of Palestinians reaching their fields or the problem of open travel. Does this not sound like the concept of the E.U. or the U.N. wherein the same double standard is applied? Terrorists are called freedom fighters (or at worst 'militants') and Israelis who respond to defend themselves are unfair and mandated to restrain themselves for - what was it called - The "Peace Process". Surely this Court would feel much more comfortable convening in Ramallah in Yassir Arafat's headquarters the Mukata. Why do I sense that this Court, in collusion with the dictatorial regime of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon plus Shimon Peres is preparing to divide Jerusalem? With regret, the Knesset which is supposed to make the law of the land has abandoned the field to an encroaching activist Supreme Court. Perhaps some courageous Knesset members will convene a Board of Inquiry to question the Judges, especially Aharon Barak, to determine if there were prior discussions with Shimon Peres or any other politically motivated influential. The Supreme Court has always been a 'fellow traveler' of the Leftist Labor Party who would rather give away their homeland to the Arab Muslims than defend the Jews sovereign rights in their one Jewish State. Let us see how deep that influence goes and if as apparent, there has been political collaboration, then the Supreme Court must be closed down as a corrupt entity and replaced with Judges who have no such bias or political connections. As for some of the Arab villages affected by this Fence, they surely have earned it. Biddu, Beit Sourik, Qatannah and others have always been well known for their intense hatred of the Jews since the State was first partitioned in 1948. The Israeli soldiers of those early years had to lay ambushes in the valleys of Mevasserat to catch the Terrorists coming from those villages to murder Jews. How many houses in Mevasserat have been broken into and robbed? In recent years? Many. The Arab Muslims in these villages still hate us Jews but, now they have assimilated Jews called the Judges of the Supreme Court on their side. I wonder if those pro-Arab Jewish Judges recalled the young Jewish boy returning from soccer practice who was shot dead just outside of Givon HaHadasha (see NYT map) with the killers escaping to their village of Beit Sourik? How safe those hand-wringing Judges must feel as they sentence other Jews to exposure to Terror. As I said earlier, the case to try those Judges as the Allies did for Hitler's Judges should be prepared now. There will come a time when the accumulated 'prima facie' evidence (dead and maimed Jews) will be sufficient for a people's Court to try the enablers. This will include the Judges, the Politicians and all those who opened up death's door through plans like Oslo, Wye, Geneva... Imagine the pain of Jews who created well thought out laws as exhibited in the Talmud seeing the corruption of the law as it is today. Israel's Supreme Court does not deserve the appellation "Supreme" because it is a low body of self-appointed mediocre Judges who have little honor for Jewish Law or the Jewish people. It's a crying shame that this only Jewish nation on a sliver of land is under deadly attacks by the Jew hating Arab Muslims, Europeans and the non-Jewish Jews who have choke-hold on the Israelis Government and her Courts. Clearly it's time to follow the wisdom of Benjamin Franklin who helped write in the American Declaration of Independence (celebrated on July 4th in America): "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!" ### 1. "High Court Tells Israelis to Shift Part of Barrier: Judges Do See Security as Crucial But Rule Fence Cannot Hurt Arabs" by Joseph Berger, New York Times, July 1, 2004. Emanuel Winston is a commentator and Middle East analyst. His articles appear often on Think-Israel and Gamla. He is a member of the Board of Directors and a research associate of the Freeman Center For Strategic Studies (http://www.freeman.org/online.htm). |
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BILAAM'S SHRINKING WORLD
Posted by Rabbi Baruch Binyamin Hakohen Melman, July 2, 2004. |
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The angel was blocking Bilaam's path, and he was thus unable to see the true nature of the problem until finally the veil was lifted and the reality of his dilemma set in. He could move no longer. The sword was literally hanging over his head. Like Bilaam, Israel has finally hit a wall, for her options of movement, both literal as well as strategic, have become ever more circumscribed. After Oslo, the original provisional Palestinian state, Israel now faces the sobering reality that her enemies want only her destruction, as the veil of wishful fantasy has been finally lifted. Every move for concessions to peace and allowance for the ultimate existence of a state for those who wish to destroy her is met with ever more waves of civilian massacres and bombings. The world condemns her reactive moves to preempt further violence, and the the president of her sole ally seeks to reward terror with calls for a state whose only goal would be yet further terror. Not only is Israel, like Bilaam, being pushed against the figurative wall, but from out of a sense of despair and frustration she is building her own literal wall as well. While in the short term it is literally saving lives, in the long term it may possibly be used to outline the contours of a future state whose sole will and desire is to destroy Israel. The Gaza fence is upheld as a model of deterrence, justifying this new policy. It is a false model because the Gaza model put *Gaza* in her own ghetto. Israel's new walls are putting *Israel* in her own ghetto. The *Arab* villages and cities should have the ghetto walls. Not the other way around. By fencing herself in, Israel is providing the territorial outline of a state for those who would seek her end. But even the "Gaza Model" is no solution. Once sovereignty is granted and the missiles keep flying over the fence, Israel's reprisals would be condemned by the world as the cause of aggression, not the other way around, as we see time and time again. Israel's reprisals against said sovereign state, in spite of any fine print that might negate the new state's formation of international military alliances, would be the cassus bellus, triggering the next Pan Arabian campaign against her. As Bilaam found his own walls ever narrowing, Israel's walls will continue to narrow from out of her own despair as the terror finds a way to circumvent them. First the territories will be blocked off. Then parts of Jerusalem and the Galilee will be walled up as terror from inside the wall grows in frequency. Ultimately only the coastline ghetto will be recognized as the State of Israel as her enemies prepare diabolical schemes from across the divide. Walls represent fear and avoidance. The reality of evil requires dealing properly with evil in all its messiness, not avoiding it. The promise of the new State of Israel was to be the answer to the ghetto and the ghetto mentality. An Or LaGoyim, she was to be "a light *unto* the nations," not a light *hidden* from the nations. Safe from the brutish "other," the ghetto walls provided initially safety from physical harm and later, safety from "dangerous ideas." While first imposed on Italian Jewry of the Renaissance era to protect the gentile from perceived nefarious Jewish influences, the ghetto later spread across Europe as a whole. The Jews came to accept the new reality and even came to appreciate its so-called advantages. But the image of the Jew became one of weakness, of unworthiness to be a player on the world stage, eternally hidden from civilization's view. Europe and the world have already deemed Israel as beyond the pale. Her peacekeepers are really warkeepers, for until ten European "peace shields" will ride on every Israeli bus instead of shielding Arafat alone, it is clear that they wish only Israel's demise. It is the Palestinian Arab leadership and society that by a majority of her populace glorify intentional attacks on civilian targets who should be condemned. Their propensity and valorization of butchery and terror as valid paths of resistance, let alone child immolation- of both ours and theirs, place them beyond the pale of civilization. They look to the Algerian FALN model whereby violence against civilians was justified by the Frantz Fanons as a means for expelling a foreign colonial presence. The difference is that Israel is not a foreign colonial presence. Israel resides on her own land. Through violence and massacres the Arabs invaded the Land of Israel in the seventh century. Through the continuous violence and massacres of their own choosing they will leave the Land of Israel in this century. Or we will, G*d forbid. Today Israel is seen by the Arab world as weak, constantly retreating behind fences. Whether the Lebanon fence or the Tel Aviv fence, her retreat is seen as a victory by those who see it as a reward for their campaign of unabated terror. Their appetite is whetted to further amplify their call for Israel's destruction. Israel is forever called "the occupier," even as she shrinks herself ever smaller in size, buying time to stave off the inevitable onslaught of the radical Islamic hordes who seek her demise as but a stepping stone to defeat the entire western world. For Israel to ghettoize herself is to concede defeat, to admit that the land is not hers. And for the west to offer up Israel as a concession is also seen as an admission of weakness. Every concession leads to yet further concessions, to paraphrase Pirkei Avoth, Ethics of the Fathers. Will Israel's end be like that of another ghetto, the Warsaw ghetto, G*d forbid? Only if we make ourselves into a new ghetto. And our Torah hints at another prescription for success: our sense of unity and our sense of sanctity. Bilaam gazes out upon the camp of Israel. There is a sense of unity and harmony in the camp, as well as a sense of holiness, for as Rashi says, the openings of one tent did not permit looking into another's tent. Only tent walls are holy walls. We are indeed commanded to be unified and live lives of holiness. If we can achieve these two goals we can turn curses into blessings, and despair into hope. And then the prayers for peace and safety that are said so fervently at The Wall, HaKotel, our only truly beloved wall, may yet soon come to pass. Shabbat Shalom. Rabbi Melman currently lives in New York City with his family. He has had pulpits on both the West and East coasts. He writes a weekly Torah commentary as well as timely thought pieces on current events and issues. |
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INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ISRAEL
Posted by David BenAmi, July 2, 2004. |
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The following are overlooked facts in the current Middle East situation.
HERE'S THE BRIEF FACTS ON THE ISRAELI CONFLICT TODAY.... Takes just 1.5 minutes to read!!!! It makes sense and it's not slanted. 1. Nationhood and Jerusalem. Israel became a nation in 1312 B.C.E., two thousand years before the rise of Islam. 2. Arab refugees in Israel began identifying themselves as part of a Palestinian people in 1967, two decades after the establishment of the modern State of Israel. 3. Since the Jewish conquest in 1272 B.C.E., the Jews have had dominion over the land for one thousand years with a continuous presence in the land for the past 3,300 years. 4. The only Arab dominion since the conquest in 635 C.E. lasted no more than 22 years. 5. For over 3,300 years, Jerusalem has been the Jewish capital. Jerusalem has never been the capital of any Arab or Muslim entity. Even when the Jordanians occupied Jerusalem, they never sought to make it their capital, and Arab leaders did not come to visit. 6. Jerusalem is mentioned over 700 times in Tanach, the Jewish Holy Scriptures. Jerusalem is not mentioned once in the Koran. 7. King David founded the city of Jerusalem. Mohammed never came to Jerusalem. 8. Jews pray facing Jerusalem. Muslims pray with their backs toward Jerusalem. 9. Arab and Jewish Refugees: In 1948 the Arab refugees were encouraged to leave Israel by Arab leaders promising to purge the land of Jews. Sixty-eight percent left without ever seeing an Israeli soldier. 10. The Jewish refugees were forced to flee from Arab lands due to Arab brutality, persecution and pogroms. 11. The number of Arab refugees who left Israel in 1948 is estimated to be around 630,000. The number of Jewish refugees from Arab lands is estimated to be the same. 12. Arab refugees were INTENTIONALLY not absorbed or integrated into the Arab lands to which they fled, despite the vast Arab territory. Out of the 100,000,000 refugees since World War II, theirs is the only refugee group in the world that has never been absorbed or integrated into their own peoples' lands. Jewish refugees were completely absorbed into Israel, a country no larger than the state of New Jersey. 13. The Arab - Israeli Conflict: The Arabs are represented by eight separate nations, not including the Palestinians. There is only one Jewish nation. The Arab nations initiated all five wars and lost. Israel defended itself each time and won. 14. The PLO's Charter still calls for the destruction of the State of Israel. Israel has given the Palestinians most of the West Bank land, autonomy under the Palestinian Authority, and has supplied them. 15. Under Jordanian rule, Jewish holy sites were desecrated and the Jews were denied access to places of worship. Under Israeli rule, all Muslim and Christian sites have been preserved and made accessible to people of all faiths. 16. The U.N. Record on Israel and the Arabs: of the 175 Security Council resolutions passed before 1990, 97 were directed against Israel. 17. Of the 690 General Assembly resolutions voted on before 1990, 429 were directed against Israel. 18. The U.N was silent while 58 Jerusalem Synagogues were destroyed by the Jordanians. 19. The U.N. was silent while the Jordanians systematically desecrated the ancient Jewish cemetery on the Mount of Olives. 20. The U.N. was silent while the Jordanians enforced an apartheid-like policy of preventing Jews from visiting the Temple Mount and the Western Wall." These are incredible times. We have to ask what our role should be as Americans. What will we tell our grandchildren we did when there was a turning point in Jewish destiny and an opportunity to make a difference? START NOW!! Send this to 20 other people you know and ask them to send it to twenty others. |
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THE ARAB SCENE DURING THE HOLOCAUST
Posted by Richard H. Shulman, July 2, 2004. |
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Don't miss the July issue of "Commentary" magazine! Robert Satloff, an intrepid researcher tells a fascinating story of the Arab world during the Holocaust. He points out that the Holocaust came to the Arab world much more than commonly known. Certain European countries, foremost being France, imposed antisemitic laws in its N. African colonies without the Germans having to demand it. Vichy France deported some non-citizen Jews to the colonies. There they joined local Jews in forced labor camps. As described, these camps were comparable to Nazi ones: dire shortage of food, clothing, shelter, rest, and medical treatment, non-payment, yellow stars, Jewish committees to enforce certain demands, and sadism, including by Arab guards. Arabs took advantage of helpless Jews still outside the camps but whose status was uncertain. Some Arabs hid Jews they knew or mitigated their suffering. Mr. Satloff set off to identify those righteous gentiles. He wanted to afford their families the recognition their decency and valor deserves. He identified some, but got nowhere with their families. Just as doing such good deeds was dangerous then, admitting to their deeds having been good is dangerous now. The families were hospitable but did not cooperate and repulsed recognition. There also is a taboo against linking the Holocaust to the Arabs (p.30). The taboo is in support of the theory that the Holocaust was solely a European phenomenon for which the Arabs bear no responsibility. Arab doctrine holds that it is unfair to them to set up Israel as a Jewish state in response to a European problem. Actually, a Jewish state in embryo was set up before that, by the Mandate. Satloff shows that the Holocaust was also an Arab phenomenon, including persecution by Iraq and Palestinian Arab work with the SS in Europe. He should have added the Arab pressure on the British to keep the Jews out of Palestine, otherwise the Jews' only substantial place of refuge from the Holocaust. Richard 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. |
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NEW ZEALAND MUTTON DRESSED UP AS (ARAB) PALESTINIAN LAMB
Posted by IsrAlert, July 1, 2004. |
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This was written by Angela Bertz, who lives in Israel.
To: The Prime Minister and the Government of New Zealand The first thing that comes to mind for someone like myself, who has never had the pleasure of visiting your country, is 2 isolated islands far removed from the rest of the world and tucked away in the far off reaches of the Southern Hemisphere. I can clearly picture hillsides overrun with sheep and the sound of cricket bats heard above the clink of teacups on a perfect summer's day. In fact the ratio of sheep to people in New Zealand is in the region of 30:1 or in real terms approximately 120 million sheep to 4 million people. Under normal circumstance it would seem nigh impossible to make any comparison between the rather simple sheep and the human population. However, since I read of the New Zealand governments recent slamming of Israel's destruction of Palestinian homes has resulted in a loan of hundreds of thousands of dollars to the UN, to help "the refugees, I am actually beginning to wonder if the simple sheep are in fact the government, albeit dressed in wolves clothing. Sheep are simple, obedient and timid grazing creatures that flock together. In sheep society there is usually a leader, quite often, but not restricted to a ram, that has already proven his superiority to the flock. The ram in this instance came in the shape of Associate Foreign Affairs Minister Marian Hobbs. She was quoted as saying and not even having the grace to do so sheepishly "We have been shocked and appalled by the recent displacement of thousands of civilian refugees following the destruction of their homes in the past few months". The rest of the government as is typical of sheep, follow blindly along, usually because they trust the group or simply because they are unable to think for themselves. Without wishing to insult 120 million sheep I do have to ask myself if indeed there was a serious drought this year. This would have undoubtedly led to the deterioration in the sheep's usual grazing pastures. I must further assume that when these poor creatures are faced with such hardship their plaintive bleats can be clearly heard in many parched New Zealand valleys, worrying farmers enough to supplement their meager diet. In the case of the sheep-headed New Zealand government their woeful bleats have been so loud that they simply did not hear the whole story. Their diet was so poor that they had to be supplemented with massive doses of Palestinian propaganda, backed by the heavily biased and Israel bashing UN. The sort of evil rhetoric churned out daily by the PA is specifically designed for brainless non-thinking creatures like sheep which have an inadequate capacity to make any distinction between the crops and mindless crap, enabling them to greedily swallow up these tragic tidbits faster than two pathetic shakes of a lamb's tail. The New Zealand government was too busy chewing the cud on a scenic hillside when Palestinian gunmen came out from behind the camouflage of a house and shot in cold blood a heavily pregnant mother and her 4 little daughters. The New Zealand government was too preoccupied with the shearing season and over the noise of the machinery didn't hear the blasts that blew several young Israeli soldiers to smithereens as they tried to destroy tunnels that have been used for smuggling weapons, often through private civilian homes. The New Zealand government were too busy listening to the weather reports affecting the grazing of their sheep, that they didn't hear the Palestinians whoops of delight as they raced like cannibals through the Gazan streets with the blown up body parts of those young soldiers. The New Zealand government was too busy exchanging lamb recipes that they didn't watch as UNRWA ambulances were ambushed by these ghouls so they could use the precious parts of our soldier to force Israel into painful concessions for their return. In fact the New Zealand government seems to be in total denial when it comes to Palestinian terrorism and no doubt have never stopped to consider that the PA leadership is no other than a wolf in sheep's clothing. The New Zealand government should in fact have no need to donate any funds to the so-called plighted Palestinians, as it is a well-documented fact that they have had more aid money than any other people on this planet. Yasser Arafat who heads these beleaguered people recently found his way into fortune magazine as one of the richest men in the world, which is quite a feat for someone governing people whose poverty was recently compared to the Sub Saharan continent. Despite the claimed poverty of the poor Palestinians the New Zealand government is happy to turn their sheepish eyes away from the constant terrorism they have inflicted on Israel. They seem to have totally overlooked the fact that aid money donated by the billions has gone absolutely nowhere to improve the living standards of the people. Maybe it would take the combined intelligence of a flock of defenseless sheep to point out that the Palestinians, despite "the poverty" do have a never ending supply of weapons and ammunition at their disposal. The heavy toll of terrorism has forced Israel to make unpopular decisions to remove its threat, coming too late to the already 1000+ people who have been innocently targeted. The New Zealand government is simply having the wool pulled over their eyes by the never ending Palestinian yard (sic) spinning. This has obviously blurred their vision to such an extent that the sheep like eyes of Yasser Arafat are not recognized as they should be for evil mutton dressed up as lamb. Of course maybe the New Zealand government has its own agenda when it comes to Palestinian terrorism. After all they must be the only free and democratic nation in the western world to allow one of the world's black sheep nations in the shape of Saudi Arabia into their country without a visa. IsrAlert, a Jewish advocacy network, is hosted by Harv Weiner. To subscribe to IsrAlert, send an email to isralert@aol.com |
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GROWTH AND TWILIGHT
Posted by Manhigut Yehudit, July 1, 2004. |
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On all sides we are experiencing broad popular support for our ideas. But, in contrast to the man in the street, Manhigut Yehudit has united against it a broad and varied coalition of the establishment. They are all against us - the Likud party machine and the ruling family, the Mafdal (NRP), the Left and the media. There is a saying that when someone casts a long shadow, it can be for one of two reasons: either he is very tall, or the sun is setting. We aren't particularly tall, but the old establishment is in an advanced stage of decay. The inconsiderable height we have attained is sufficient to cast a long shadow. How is the old establishment trying to combat us? By means of fear. "Manhigut Yehudit is a kind of frightening mystical sect. They are not rational. They want to rebuild the Temple and they will set the Middle East alight by trying to do so. If they were to come to power they would establish a regime of terror." Let us consider these accusations for a moment. Mysticism and Rationality The current government decided on the basis of "totally rational" considerations to flee from Gaza. 80% of Israelis (according to the Walla website) are opposed to disengagement after experiencing in Sderot the first hint to what is expected in its wake. But the "rational" Israeli leadership won't allow itself to be confused by facts. The emperor is naked, 80% of the public are already aware of this, and only he continues to lead his nation in the mystical world he has created. Who then is rational here, and who is mystical? Those who wish to disengage, or those who are opposed to this? Who has both feet on the ground, and who is floating in the dreams of delusion - the fake prophets of Oslo, or the belief-based public who are capable of correctly interpreting reality, and reaching the right conclusions? A Regime of Terror Last week we published the article
When Israel disengages it inevitably becomes a dictatorship. This is a
frightening process based on the method of thinking and acting of its
instigator. Only a Jewish State for the Jews can also be based on the
values of liberty.
An excellent example of such a frightening process can be seen amongst the
religious public, as appeared in last weekend's edition of Hatzofe (NRP's
newspaper). An entire false structure of lies and slanders directed against
Manhigut Yehudit took up a whole page of the weekend supplement. The
article was written a week earlier in a Haredi forum in the Rotter website,
and Moshe Feiglin refuted all the arguments. However, the facts didn't
trouble the author and he published the article again in Hatzofe. When
Prof. Hillel Weiss asked to reply, Hatzofe published his response in the
middle of the week, played down.
Young Manhigut Yehudit
The preparations for the meeting are in full sway.
Several hundred youths have already registered at tens of points throughout
the country. We regard the development of national leadership consciousness
amongst the younger generation as a major target.
The task is to build young leaders at three levels: a person, an Israeli, a
leader. The meeting will be held on Monday, Rosh Hodesh Av, in the Hyatt
Hotel in Jerusalem, and it is aimed at youths from Grade 9 and above, at
soldiers who have just finished their national service, yeshiva students,
and students.
Forms, Forms, Forms
The issue of registration of new applicants to the Likud is still hot. In
Metzudat Ze'ev (Likud HQ) they finally realized that their tricks to place
obstacles in our path won't work. The confusion in the ranks of the party
machine can be seen in a letter of apology sent to the applicants
immediately after the warning letters published last week. Some of the
applicants who called up the computer room and protested about the
mismanagement received an apology and were even informed that their names
would be entered immediately into the list of members. After the number of
callers increased, this method was blocked.
Now letters are being sent to applicants from the Jerusalem region inviting
them to a meeting in the local branch (near Hamashbir) on Sunday, Tamuz 22
(11.7.04) and the plan, we have been informed, is to continue the round of
meetings throughout the country, including in Gush Katif.
We believe that there is no legal basis for this committee and in the end
they will be forced to accept everyone. However, those who can appear
before the committee in Jerusalem without too much effort, and thus force
the committee to register them as members, should do so.
At the same time, several applicants have submitted claims in the court for
small claims against the Director General of the Likud, Mr. Arik Barami.
The claims are for the damage caused by preventing the legal right to
influence the Likud as a party member. In the claimants' opinion Mr. Barami
is illegally exploiting his authority and thus harming the claimants from
Gush Katif who are fighting to save their homes and property. Some of the
claims will, G-d willing, be dealt with within two months.
The struggle concerning the registration of applicants is only
strengthening us. It proves that we are hitting the precise point that
knocks the prime minister off balance. People are continuing to fill in the
forms, and at this stage we are accumulating the forms in our office until
the right moment comes to deposit them.
The Manhigut Yehudit Website
Our website is arousing great interest. It has received important criticism
in Ma'ariv and the publicity film incorporated in it has received a lot of
professional praise.
However, the website is still far from realizing all its latent potential.
It is entirely run by professional volunteers, headed by Boris Komeraz and
Natasha Rotenberg from Bat Yam, and Asia Entov from Karnei Shomron.
They have now been joined by two veteran activists who will edit the
contents of the website. The two, Se'adia Gorodetzky from Haifa (Hebrew)
and Louis Gordon from Beit Shemesh (English), have a difficult task. They
have to design the website so that it will become an attractive, fruitful,
and cultural platform for the development and propagation of the ideas of
Manhigut Yehudit.
Our public activities attract visitors to the website, and this is the best
tool for communicating with the broad public without employing the hostile
media that distort our message.
Our aim: To perfect the world in the kingdom of the Almighty Manhigut
Yehudit
Manhigut Yehudit (Jewish Leadership) is a group of people inside the Likud party who want to see Israel adopt a more Jewish character. Moshe Feiglin, its cofounder, has emphatically said he does not want a theocracy, but he does want a State based on Jewish values. The Manhigut Yehudit website address is http://www.manhigut.org. |
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WHY THE HOUSE 460 AND SENATE 393 RESOLUTIONS ARE NOT GOOD FOR ISRAEL
Posted by Herbert Zweibon, July 1, 2004. |
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Our friends in the U.S. Congress may have thought that they were supporting Israel when they overwhelmingly passed HR 460 and SR 393 regarding U.S. policy on Israel. We, at Americans for a Safe Israel/AFSI believe they signed on because of a misunderstanding as to what is "good" for Israel. The immediate result of both Resolutions is that a "Palestinian" state will be created within the heart of Israel, violating all biblical, historical, moral, and security imperatives. That is clearly bad for Israel. The Resolutions talk about enhancing Israel's security, but this is contradicted by the military reports from Israel and the U.S. The expulsion of 8,000 Jews from Gaza will open the way to a terrorist state ruled over by Hamas where weapons can be brought in by air and sea. The expulsion of 200,000 Jews from their homes in Judea and Samaria, will be the abandonment by Israel of its biblical and historic claims in Beth-El, Bethlehem, Shechem, Shilo, and all places mentioned in the Bible where our matriarchs and patriarchs walked. In addition, these are the hills and high ground of Israel. The U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff report unequivocally states that Israel must control the high ground for its security. It cannot exist as half a country nine miles wide. Finally, the message to the world will be that terrorism works. The endorsement by the Congress of the President's language regarding refugees and borders in his April 14 message simply compounds the ambiguities. On both issues there is non-binding language which offers no solid guarantees to the Israelis. It does however support the creation of a "Palestinian" state. The Resolutions call for the international community to assist in implementing the control of Arab terrorism. As America learned in its call for help in Iraq, there are very few who will answer that call. If the international community responds, it will be to promote the terrorism rather than fight it, as evidenced by previous UN action in the Middle-east. The impact on the Israelis of a forced retreat from their land will produce a feeling of abandonment and loss that will be intolerable. How will parents explain to their children that the country in which they had put their trust is forcing them to leave their friends, homes, schools, and communities, leaving the physical properties to the terrorists? Unfortunately, the President's "vision of two states living side by side in peace and security," which has been endorsed in the Congressional Resolutions, is not a viable one. There is need for a very serious reality check. Herbert Zweibon is Chairman, Americans For a Safe Israel (AFSI). |
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TWO ENCOUNTERS
Posted by IsrAlert, July 1, 2004. |
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This was written by Jonathan Rosenblum, who is Director, Jewish Media
Resources (www.jewishmediaresources.org), a leading media organization
dedicated to furthering an understanding of Torah Judaism.
The simplest errand in Eretz Yisrael can often lead one in totally unexpected directions. A few weeks back, I decided to buy my youngest sons cheap watches to help them better keep track of the time on long, lazy Shabbos afternoons and meet their father at the agreed upon times for learning. My first trip to a nearby watch store yielded no results. The store was locked in the middle of the afternoon. Undaunted, I returned the next day. This time was the owner was in, and we entered a desultory discussion about the relative merits of different $12 watches. I commented matter-of-factly that I had been there the previous day and the store had been locked. "Is that your usual time for Minchah," I asked. No, the storeowner informed me, today was the first day he had opened the store in weeks, ever since his oldest son was killed during Operation Rainbow in the Gaza Strip. Suddenly we had entered territory for which I was completely unprepared. There was no way to return to the safe harbor of discussing whether it made any difference whether the water resistance on the watch extended to 200 meters. I offered a sympathetic look, and the storeowner started talking about his son. "If he came into the store to talk to me, and you were at the counter, he would wait in line just like any other customer," he said. "It would never occur to him to assert any special rights as the owner's son." I asked the man whether he had a picture of his son, and he took out from his wallet a photo of a husky young man in army khakis with a green kippah seruga on his head. If we had passed one another on the street, I'm embarrassed to say, I would probably not have noticed him, and if I had, I would probably have thought to myself that the kippah was largely vestigial. How wrong I would have been. The father mentioned that his son had left extensive notebooks of writings on Mesillat Yesharim and other mussar and hashkafa texts. I asked if I could see them, and he took out a ma'amar his son had written on the relationship of Mashiach ben Yosef and Mashiach ben David based on the writings of Rav Kook. The seforim of Rav Kook were not on the shelves on any of the yeshivos in which I learned, but the depth of thought they inspired in this 19-year-old ben Torah was obvious. The father told me that he had cartons filled with similar notebooks. Since then, I've been back to the store several times, ostensibly to purchase another watch, but really just to let the father speak about his son. Yet each time the store was locked. When I asked the Russian guard at the nearby supermarket, he commented laconically, "Every day closed; every day closed." .......................... NOT ALL ERETZ YISRAEL'S CHANCE ENCOUNTERS, however, are depressing. Last Erev Shabbos, I met a close friend outside the local supermarket, where we were both picking up flowers. He took out of his pocket an Email he had just received from one of his talmidim in a well-known ba'al teshuva yeshiva. The student had returned to the States for the summer, and was learning late one night in the West Side Kollel with a chavrusa when a stranger wearing a rabbinic frock entered. The stranger looked around and came straight over to the pair. He asked them in Hebrew what they were learning. They told him they were studying the Maharal's Netivot Olam. "A little bit of mussar for Sefiras HaOmer," the other member of the pair commented. The stranger asked if he could learn with them. He began by telling them to turn to the end of perek 12, where the Maharal discussed the failure of the talmidim of Rabbi Akiva to show proper kavod for one another. As impressed as the young men were by the stranger's ability to immediately point them in exactly the right direction, they were even more so when he began explicating the pshat of the Maharal. Soon he had moved beyond explaining pshat to weaving a rich tapestry drawn from diverse sources. The Israeli member of the chavrusa grew oddly silent, but the young ba'al teshuva, despite having spent only a year learning in Israel, found that he was able to converse fluently in Hebrew with the stranger. Later he wrote to his rebbe how moved he was by the way that the nocturnal visitor "was really trying to connect to us... [He] seemed so pleased that he had found us learning. Even though we, in our kippot serugot, did not look like model kollel guys, he treated us like we were his own talmidim." After about twenty minutes, the Rosh Kollel entered and told the stranger that they had to be going. The latter seemed reluctant to leave. And before doing so, he asked each of the chavrusas for their full Hebrew names, and put his arm around the baal teshuva next to him and hugged him tightly. He then smiled at the chavrusa across the table and said, "Don't think this is just for him. If I were over there, I'd hug you too." Only when the stranger had left, did the Israeli member of pair inform his chavrusa, "That was Rabbi _____ ______, one of the world's greatest experts in Maharal." The recent ba'al teshuva instantly recognized the name he had heard his own rebbe pronounce many times with reverence. He could hardly wait to describe the experience to his rebbe: "Even before I knew who it was, I had this feeling that this is a different kind of person. This is what it is like when a man is filled with Torah. This is a man who makes you want to grow yourself..." "I've heard you describe that experience to me many times before, but I never really understood it until that night. I don't know what I did to merit such a gift from HaKadosh Baruch Hu. But I'm showing my appreciation the best way I can think of: I still learn Maharal three times a week - maybe now with a little more geshmack." Both these chance encounters taught me a great deal -- above all how little we know of the true depth of our fellow Jews. Had I passed the young soldier, now gone forever, on the street, I would have known nothing of who he was. And even though I have heard shiurim for twenty years from the gadol in the second story, I was still brought to tears by hearing of his boundless love for every Jew who embarks in any way on the search for truth and the impact of his smile and hug. IsrAlert, a Jewish advocacy network, is hosted by Harv Weiner. To subscribe to IsrAlert, send an email to isralert@aol.com |
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THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY AND ISRAEL: A REALISTIC AGENDA
Posted by IsrAlert, July 1, 2004. |
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This article was written by Gerald M. Steinberg, a Fellow of the
Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs (JCPA), and director of the Program on
Conflict Management and Negotiation at Bar-Ilan University.
This article is a JCPA Jerusalem Issue Brief, Vol. 3, No. 27.
* There is no foundation for a change in Israel's policy of nuclear ambiguity under present circumstances, and the topic is not on the agenda. * Under the terms of a 1969 agreement with the U.S. government, Israel has refrained from making any declarations about its nuclear weapons capability, or from testing devices. * The threat to Israel has not diminished much in the past five decades and hatred of Israel in the Arab and Moslem worlds remains intense. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenai has emphasized that "the cancerous tumor called Israel must be uprooted from the region" and that "the perpetual subject of Iran is the elimination of Israel." * As long as Jewish sovereignty and Israel's right to equality as a state among the nations is denied, the need for a credible deterrent will not end. * The goal of a Middle East Nuclear Weapons Free Zone will become essentially unfeasible if Iran crosses the point of no return in its development of nuclear weapons. The upcoming visit to Israel (July 6-8) of Dr. Mohammed el-Baradei, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), will receive a great deal of media attention but is unlikely to produce much hard news. Israeli analysts will repeat that there is no foundation for a change in the country's policy of nuclear ambiguity under present circumstances, and the topic is not on the agenda. The other focus of headlines - the IAEA's efforts to stop Iran's accelerating pursuit of nuclear weapons - is not merely an Israeli concern but rather a global threat. While both issues are important, neither will come closer to a resolution as a result of this visit. Instead, discussions will include more mundane and long-term issues - possible confidence-building measures toward a realistic Middle East zone free of weapons of mass destruction; new Israeli technology export regulations in line with the Nuclear Suppliers Group; cooperation in the area of radiation safety and research in the medical field; and cooperation to safeguard and prevent terrorist use of radioactive materials ("dirty bombs"). Israel, as a member of the IAEA since its founding in 1957, has a great deal to contribute and also to gain from collaboration in these areas. Universal Goals vs. Middle East Realities For Dr. el-Baradei, who made an official visit to Israel in 1998, shortly after being elected to head the IAEA, the "universality of nuclear non-proliferation norms" is high on the agenda. Indeed, the Director General's mandate includes continuing discussions with the three important non-signatories to the 1970 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) - India, Pakistan, and Israel. Most Israeli officials will agree that the goal is noble: a world free from the threat of nuclear and other kinds of arms, and without the need for such weapons of "last resort." But when the subject is raised, Israeli officials will explain once again that a "universal" treaty such as the NPT is incompatible with a region that remains far from peaceful and secure. They might quote officials from other countries, such as British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Foreign Minister Jack Straw, U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, and many others who have publicly recognized the uniqueness of the threat to Israel's national survival. These threats have not changed fundamentally from those perceived by Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion, who began to develop a nuclear option after the 1948 Arab invasion in order to deter further attacks. As public opinion polls demonstrate, the vast majority of Israelis are convinced that the Dimona reactor and the other elements of this virtual capability remain necessary to convince neighboring states that any attempt to destroy Israel will result in a parallel destruction on the other side. For this reason, Mordechai Vanunu's self-delegated and anti-democratic efforts to tear down Israeli deterrence policy have received miniscule support from Israeli citizens.(1) At the same time, Israeli nuclear policy during this long period has been particularly careful and responsible. In sharp contrast to Pakistan, whose chief nuclear scientist, A. Q. Khan, ran what the IAEA referred to as a "nuclear supermarket" for states such as Libya, Iran, North Korea, and perhaps Syria and Saudi Arabia, Israel has avoided any contribution to nuclear proliferation. Recent changes in Israeli export regulations have brought these into line with the Nuclear Suppliers Group and the Australia Group (with respect to preventing proliferation of chemical and biological weapons), opening the way for greater cooperation in these frameworks. Furthermore, under the terms of a 1969 agreement with the U.S. government, and in order to avoid accelerating the rate of proliferation in the region, Israel has refrained from making any declarations about its nuclear weapons capability, or from testing devices. In 1998, India and Pakistan became the sixth and seventh nations to test atomic weapons, while Israel has continued to demonstrate self-restraint, and maintains a policy of deliberate ambiguity in this area. The Threat to Israel Has Not Diminished The threat to Israel has not diminished much in the past five decades - the peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan have helped set important precedents, but the hatred in the Arab and Moslem worlds remains intense. During this visit, Dr. el-Baradei and his staff will be reminded that officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran continue to declare their rejection of "the Zionist entity," while supporting and working closely with terrorist groups such as Hamas and Hizballah. In December 2001, former Iranian president Hashemi Rafsanjani called the establishment of the Jewish state the "worst event in history," and declared, "In due time the Islamic world will have a military nuclear device, and then the strategy of the West would reach a dead end, since one bomb is enough to destroy all Israel."(2) Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenai told the Syrian premier during his visit to Tehran in November 2000 that "the destruction of Israel will certainly occur."(3) Khamenai further emphasized in a Friday sermon "that the cancerous tumor called Israel must be uprooted from the region."(4) In January 2001, he noted: "The foundation of the Islamic regime is opposition to Israel and the perpetual subject of Iran is the elimination of Israel from the region."(5) Hard-core Arab anti-Semitism is widespread, and although Libyan leader Muamar Ghaddafi has decided to repair his shattered relations with the West, he continues to call for the replacement of Israel with a binational (meaning Palestinian-dominated) state. As long as Jewish sovereignty and Israel's right to equality as a state among the nations is denied, the need for a credible deterrent will not end. It is true that Israel's security environment has improved in the past few years, particularly after Saddam Hussein's arsenal of Scud missiles and other weapons were destroyed as a result of the U.S.- and UK-led war. In addition, after the Libyan government was caught attempting to import components for the production of enriched uranium, it relinquished major WMD-related components, including chemical weapons materials. This is another direct benefit of the Iraq War. The threat of massive conventional attacks against Israel has also diminished with the end of the Cold War and the parallel decline of Syrian and other forces that had been aligned with the Soviet Union. However, the fundamental asymmetry that has always characterized Israel's strategic position in the Middle East remains unchanged. In the regional turbulence which has increased as a result of the war in Iraq, Israel's miniscule territorial size and small population could present an irresistible target of opportunity for yet another Arab leader seeking to divert attention from internal pressures. From this perspective, Israel's nuclear deterrent option is given credit for preventing catastrophic miscalculation, even in the case of Saddam Hussein. As Egypt's leaders understood after paying the huge costs of the 1973 War, Israel is not going to be destroyed, and the only rational alternative is mutual acceptance. Under these circumstances, if Israel were suddenly to give up its nuclear "insurance policy," it would actually make the region more unstable. Thus, scenarios that include an Israeli decision to sign the NPT and close the Dimona reactor complex are unrealistic in the foreseeable future. Even if the IAEA, under the leadership of Dr. el-Baradei, and with the backing of Washington and the hesitant Europeans, were able to halt Iran's march to nuclear weapons before it crosses the point of no return, this would reduce but certainly not end the threat to Israel's survival. As a result, there is no basis for considering a tradeoff linking Iran's illegal nuclear program with pressure on Israel to abandon its deterrent. The IAEA leadership would be ill-advised to try to link these two complex issues into a simple but unrealistic "package deal." Moving Toward a Middle East Zone Free of Weapons of Mass Destruction The realistic path to gaining Israel's agreement to relinquish its deterrent and accept the NPT is to radically change the Middle East threat environment. The establishment of a network of regional peace agreements, extending from North Africa through Saudi Arabia and Iran, would provide the necessary foundation for far-reaching changes in Israel's threat perception, making a "last resort deterrent" unnecessary. The nature and conditions for a Middle East Nuclear Weapons Free Zone (MENWFZ), or, in some versions, a zone free of all weapons of mass destruction, have been subjects for discussion in the United Nations and other frameworks for almost thirty years. Israel has joined the other countries in the region in endorsing this concept, although there are wide differences in approach and details, such as regarding the inspection provisions. Nevertheless, a MENWFZ remains the only consensus-based framework within which negotiations on this issue can proceed. Efforts to short-cut the process, and to use threats of isolation to try to gain Israeli entry into the NPT framework in the absence of peace and regional stability, are counter-productive. When the subject comes up in talks with Dr. el-Baradei, this is the response he is likely to hear from his Israeli interlocutors. In order to pave the way toward this goal, a series of confidence-building measures (CBMs) can be considered that would not impinge on Israel's policy of deliberate ambiguity. One important measure in this direction was taken a few years ago, when Israel signed the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and established a station near the Dead Sea as part of the international network to monitor compliance. Additional CBMs and measures to reduce instability, increase regional security cooperation, and reduce threats of war extend into the area of conventional weapons. United Nations reports highlight the importance of negotiations to decrease the arsenals of tanks, missiles, and other offensive weapons in the region, as well as agreements to prevent possible surprise attacks in the prelude to a MENWFZ. Discussions of the implementation of these and other preliminary steps in the region are important to create conditions necessary for more ambitious objectives. Within the IAEA structure itself, the discrimination against Israel by virtue of its being excluded from the system of regional groupings (as was the case in the UN until recently) is being addressed, but slowly. An effort by the Director General to accelerate ratification of the proposed changes allowing Israel to be elected to the Board of Governors and hold other positions would mark an important change in the relationship and contribute to mutual acceptance in the region. The IAEA and Iran's Drive for Nuclear Weapons At the same time, it is also clear that a MENWFZ, however distant, will become essentially unfeasible if Iran crosses the point of no return in its development of nuclear weapons. The Iranian leadership's repeated statements of hostility and demonization toward Israel, including declarations of intent to destroy the "Zionist entity," and its support for terrorist groups such as Hizballah and Hamas, make the prospects of a nuclear-armed Iran particularly dangerous. However, the impact of Iranian nuclear weapons is certainly not confined to Israel, and the response to Iran's violations of its commitments under the NPT is a global responsibility. Following earlier attempts to cover up and downplay the clear evidence of Iran's nuclear weapons development efforts, the IAEA's latest report, issued on June 1, 2004, demonstrates the professionalism with which the agency's verification and safeguards teams are approaching this challenge.(6) After having ignored the evidence of Saddam Hussein's nuclear weapons program in the late 1970s (leading the Begin government to act unilaterally to destroy the Osiraq reactor in 1981), and failing to detect Libya's illegal technological imports, including centrifuges for uranium enrichment, the IAEA under Dr. el-Baradei has apparently realized that a failure in the case of Iran will destroy the organization's credibility. The IAEA reports of March and June 2004 include many "smoking guns." These include blatant inconsistencies in Iranian explanations for traces of fissile materials used in making bombs that were detected by the inspectors, long delays in granting access to key sites, violating assurances under the recently signed Additional Protocol; failure to report advanced enrichment equipment such as thousands of advanced P-2 centrifuges; and construction of plants to prepare large amounts of uranium for enrichment. A recent satellite image of the Lavizan-Shiyan Technical Research Center (taken by the GlobalDigital satellite on request from the Institute for Science and International Security) shows that this site has been totally demolished and "scraped clean," apparently reflecting major efforts to hide traces of nuclear weapons activity from the inspectors. At the same time, the Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Hassan Rohani, declared that "the world must accept that Iran has [nuclear] fuel cycle [capabilities], and has enriched uranium within Iran's [territory]."(7) While Iran is likely to be included in discussions between Dr. el-Baradei and Israeli officials, the focus of efforts to halt Teheran's race to a nuclear capability is now in Vienna, where the IAEA will hold its most critical meeting in September, and in Washington and Europe. The Bush Administration is committed to act to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power, and Europe - led by Britain, France, and Germany - has threatened to impose massive economic sanctions on Iran if the weapons production program continues. Whether they are able to act effectively remains to be seen, but if they do not, Israel could be forced to convert its ambiguous minimal nuclear deterrent option into an open second-strike capability in order to deter Iranian threats. Such a development would not enhance regional stability, to understate the case. Thus, although measures to address these concerns may not be at the center of the Israeli-IAEA bilateral discussions, their presence in the background will shape discussions on other issues. Other Agenda Items: Safety and Research Cooperation While of lesser interest to the general public than these core security issues, the discussions between the IAEA delegation and Israeli officials will include an effort to expand technical cooperation with the agency. Under the long-standing safeguards agreement with Israel, IAEA inspectors regularly visit and report on the status of the Nahal Sorek research reactor and related scientific facilities and activities. (The Dimona reactor complex is not included in this framework.) Israeli experts also participate in IAEA technical assistance programs in other parts of the world. Health care applications of radiation constitute another important area of IAEA activities, and will be a major item on the agenda during this visit. Although Israel is a world leader in medical research, including nuclear applications, local hospital practices, including calibration of instruments, can be improved through cooperative programs between the Israeli Ministry of Health and the IAEA. Returning to the security dimension, the IAEA has become centrally involved in the effort to prevent terrorists from obtaining radioactive materials in order to produce "dirty bombs," and Israel is an active participant in this effort. This is another area in which Israeli technical assistance to the IAEA can be expanded, with world-wide benefits. Thus, although media attention during Dr. el-Baradei's visit will focus on areas of contention and disagreement - such as the uniqueness of Israel's status and Iran's quest for nuclear weapons - the discussions themselves are likely to be characterized by a cooperative atmosphere. * * * Notes 1. See Gerald M. Steinberg, "The Vanunu Myths and Israeli Deterrence Policy," Jerusalem Issue Brief 3:22, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, April 2004; http://www.jcpa.org/brief/brief3-22.htm. 2. Douglas Frantz, "Iran Closes In on Ability to Build a Nuclear Bomb," Los Angeles Times, August 4, 2003. 3. Iranian TV in Persian, November 23, 2000, as quoted in "Iran Calls for the Destruction of Israel," Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center at the Center for Special Studies (C.S.S), Special Information Bulletin, November 2003; http://www.intelligence.org.il/eng/bu/iran/shihab_11_03.htm. 4. Iranian TV, December 15, 2000, C.S.S. 5. Meeting with the organizers of the International Conference for Support of the Intifada, Iranian TV, January 15, 2001, C.S.S. 6. "Implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement in the Islamic Republic of Iran," Director General's Report to the IAEA Board of Governors, June 1, 2004; http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/iran/iaea0604.pdf. 7. "Iranian Leader: The World Must Accept Iran's Membership in World Nuclear Club," MEMRI No. 678 Special Dispatch - Iran, March 11, 2004; http://www.memri.org/bin/opener_latest.cgi?ID=SD67804 IsrAlert, a Jewish advocacy network, is hosted by Harv Weiner. To subscribe to IsrAlert, send an email to isralert@aol.com |
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TURNING RETREAT INTO ATTACK
Posted by Ron Breiman, July 1, 2004. |
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Professors for a Strong Israel welcomes the High Court's decision on
the "security" fence. This fence has long served as a fig leaf for the
government, a substitute for real war against the Palestinian enemy.
Now that the court has made it clear that the fence is a political
tool designed to bring about a withdrawal to the Green Line, we expect
the government to give it up altogether, save the enormous amounts of
money it is eating up, and direct the IDF to turn from digging in to
waging offensive operations.
Dr. Ron Breiman is Chairman of Professors for a Strong Israel (PSI). |
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THE DIRTY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN US
Posted by Ellen W. Horowitz, July 1, 2004. |
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"Maybe they aren't like us, or maybe we don't want to be like them."
(Richard Ben Cramer in an interview on National Public Radio,
http://www.npr.org/features/feature.php?wfId=1956117)
The above quote may have been the only sentence of substance expressed in the entire NPR interview with Richard Ben Cramer, author of the newly released book, How Israel Lost: the four questions Rather than promote his book or discuss any "great, vexing issues", the former pulitzer prize-winning Middle-East correspondent spends a disproportionate amount of air time trashing rabbis and Jewish dietary laws; and reminiscing about the smell of swedish meatballs, dogs and Pine-Sol. That interview comes a few weeks after Jeffrey Goldberg's article in the New Yorker, Among the Settlers: will they destroy Israel, which obsesses over things like the poorly-manicured nails of a mother, and the dental profile of a rabbi living in Israel. Last week, former undersecretary of defense for the Bush administration, Dr. Dov S. Zakheim - an Orthodox Jew who describes himself as a "friend of Israel" - had this to say in a Haaretz interview: "Every time I go to Israel it looks dirtier than before," he complained. "Jerusalem is a disgrace to look at. Each time I go there it looks more and more like a garbage can." Well, Dov, Jeffrey and Richard, now it's my turn... Every time I step foot in America, it looks more sterile (as in barren, impotent and unproductive) and vacuous (as in blank, empty and void) than before. Wall-to-wall carpets, parquet floors and toilets that flush by themselves cause me to lose my ground and long for the dust and stones again. I don't suffer from any allergies due to various weeds and thistles that surround my home in the Golan, but I do get itchy and asthmatic from the smell of the combinations of perfume, aftershave and beauty-aid products, made in the U.S.A and Europe, that many Israelis lavish on themselves. Twenty-some years ago, my Israeli husband-to-be used to tease me about the degree of luxury and luster apparent in many American homes. He would often comment, "Is this an operating theater or a home?" If our cities appear less than glistening, it could be because a lot of us have been busy with other priorities, like scraping body parts off streets, sweeping glass shards off of sidewalks and piecing together shattered lives. Some of us have been immersed in such a frantic struggle for economic survival, that we've been oblivious to our surroundings. And then there are those of us who spend ceaseless creative energies in attempting to make sense of this very messed-up world for ourselves, our children and for others. So we neglect what appear to be less important things, like those piles of dishes in the sink and crumbs on the floor. Just how dirty can it get around here? Five months ago, my seven-year old son burst into the house and declared, "Mommy, come quick! One of the man goats broke the fence to the lady goats and I think...I think they got married!" It was a little too soon for those young female goats to get pregnant, but the deed was done and I didn't think much of it. Until, another son woke me up two weeks ago and announced. "You won't believe this, but there is the cutest baby goat outside and another goat looks kind of weird. I think it's gonna give birth but too, but I gotta go to school." Now I've seen goats give birth before, and a hi-tech delivery room is not required - neither is an epidural. But the little black one was having an extremely difficult time. She was lying down, banging her head against the wall and crying-out in such anguish that I sent my husband to get some help. The local goat expert was nowhere to be found. The goat was in intense pain, my youngest son was crying from distress and begging me to do something. No gloves, no antiseptic, no disinfectant. So I sat down in... a not very choice place, hugged the goat, murmured a prayer, and did what I had to do. This is not the kind of situation a girl who grew up in the Shaker Heights anticipates, but I live in the Golan Heights now -light years away. I managed to assist in the delivery of a bouncing, but very big baby kid. Rather than exclaim, "oh gross", my little kid helped wipe off the newborn and brought it to its mother (who had run away after the birth) and was able to get it to nurse. Mother and kid are doing fine. But something dawned on me. After witnessing and participating in what was neither an aesthetic nor antiseptic birth, my seven-year old, homegrown son, was jumping for joy and clapping his hands at the marvel of creation. Whereas, eleven years ago and a sea and ocean away, three masterminds of destruction smiled and shook hands on a very well-manicured White House lawn - in a very clean and neat ceremony. They ushered in an era of devastation, and people like Zakheim, Goldberg and Cramer thrilled to it and applauded. And that may be the difference between us. "For Your servants have cherished her stones and favor her dust" (psalm 102). Ellen Horowitz lives in the Golan Heights, Israel with her husband and six children. She is a painter and columnist for Israelnationalnews.com. She can be contacted through her website http://www.artfromzion.com |
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YESTERDAY'S NEWS
Posted by Lee Caplan, July 1, 2004. |
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I would like to quote two statements from yesterday's Arutz-7 which in my opinion really highlight two of the biggest problems in Israel today: In response to the Supreme Court's ruling that a certain area of the security fence is illegal, Atty. Shabtai Alboher, who served in the IDF Prosecution for 15 years, said that the Supreme Court mistakenly puts the interests of a hostile civilian population before the safety of its own citizenry. At the protest regarding the harsh prison conditions of Yitzhak Pass (father of baby Shalhevet z"l who was murdered in her mother's arms a few years ago) and his brother in law Moti Shvo, Michael Pollack said: "I came here tonight because, no matter what they claim Pass and Shvo planned to do, my government does not have the right to treat them as though they are somehow more of a threat than arch-criminals who are routinely given the benefits denied to these two men. I made Aliyah [immigrated to Israel] to live free in the Land of Israel, and I am sick and tired of the Shabak acting as a secret police - throwing Jews in jail on trumped up charges motivated by politics with no regard for civil liberties - while our enemies laugh." It is absolutely incumbent on every one of us to protest these two outrages, and to actively support Manhigut Yehudit in its bid to provide true Jewish and Zionist leadership to the country, leadership that will once and for all put the security of the Israeli people at the forefront and leadership that will treat every Israeli equally. For information on how you can get involved and support Manhigut Yehudit, please go to http://www.manhigut.org/english/. For a list of telephone and fax numbers of government ministers and MKs to contact to express our outrage, please go to http://www.womeningreen.org/IsraeliGovernmentMinistersAp292003.htm Tizku lemitzvot and kol tuv. |
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WHOSE ROAD MAP IS IT, ANYWAYS?
Posted by Marcel, July 1, 2004. |
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This is a comment on Daniel Pipes "Israel's Wayward
Prime Ministers." (see
http://www.think-israel.org/jun04bloged#jun04.226).
Daniel, you left out the bullying superpower who is always pressuring
Israel with demands of restraint and retreat and forcing one failed
peace scam after another on the Jews. Daniel,tell me; Why does
President Bush protect Yasser Arafat and demand that no harm come to
him,not even justice. This alone exposes the wolf in sheep's clothing.
Along with this incessant interference and meddling in Israel's
internal affairs comes the backroom threats to do what we tell you to
do or else. All of these Israeli Prime Ministers flew to Washington on
a regular schedule to get their marching orders just as P.M. Sharon
returned from recently and following President Bush's orders began the
surrender and retreat from Gaza. The 'vision' and Road Map plan of the
bully Bush is going on schedule. The blind fool Bush has stuck his
finger in the eye of G-d and the comeuppance for this arrogant babel
builder is coming. "Oh how the mighty are brought down."
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STOP THE ASSASSINATIONS!
Posted by Steven Plaut, July 1, 2004. |
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A while back, Israels leading marxist shyster Avigdor Feldman filed a
petition with the Supreme Court of Israel on behalf of assorted communist
front and Palestinian groups to force Israel to stop killing the
terrorists who murder Jewish children. These people insist that the only
permissible way to get the Palestinians to stop there atrocities is to
capitulate and surrender to them.
In any case we thought the time was right to repost this essay. FLASH!! It sounds like a science fiction story, but we have just discovered that scientists and engineers at the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot have succeeded in constructing a working time machine. This machine allows people to travel in time and indeed carries the potential of intervening in history and altering the tract of historic events. But even more amazing is the fact that the machine has ALREADY been used. Indeed it was taken over surreptitiously one night this past spring by a group of burglars, all from leftist parties and organizations in Israel, who put the mechanism to its first real working test. The details are only now coming out. But it turns out that world events in 1941 were actually changed by these time explorers from the Left. From what we now know, in the original version of events, Adolph Hitler was assassinated in his offices in Berlin by a lone British fighter plane shooting two missiles through the window and killing him and Eva Braun instantaneously. The Israeli leftist time travelers decided this should be the focus of their experiment in changing historic narrative. "Hitler is a politician and not a military figure," insisted Yossi Beilin, the leader of the time travelers. "Hence it is not legitimate for him to be targeted for assassination. We must do everything to stop the attempt on the lives of political figures and civilians." Besides, if he dies, the demographic situation will change with Israels Jewish population being millions larger, and under those circumstances peace with the Palestinians will NEVER be achieved!" "We agree entirely," added Yossi Sarid. "Hitlers life must be preserved because even if he is not a bona fide peace partner as of 1941, he certainly is a potential one for the future. If he is killed, then only the true radical Germans will remain." "Not only that," added Ron Cohen. "The Germans may behave badly but it is our responsibility to teach them the meaning of humaneness by preventing this assassination. In response they will doubtless agree to open negotiations at once. But if the assassination takes place, the floodgates for barbarism and bloodshed will be opened." "I do not know about you," said Dr. Ilan Oz from the University of Haifa, "But I would be willing to give my own life to protect that of my GOOD FRIEND Adolf. The solution is to help the Nazis promote the German narrative of events and stop following the blind lead of that imperialist and capitalist Winston Churchill." The group was given its blessings by the cabinet of the Likud-Labor government, which agreed that assassination of the political elite and of civilian leaders should definitely never be general policy followed. The newspaper Haaretz urged the time travelers to take decisive action to prevent the assassination of the German civilian leader and to remove all British settlements from occupied territories on the Channel Islands. The other Israeli papers warned of escalation and of vengeance from the crazed Germans if Hitlers death is not prevented. The Americans demanded that the time travelers take action at once, because there is evidence a family of Germans with US passports were staying in a lower floor in the building in which Hitler was to be assassinated. "Churchill is behaving just like the Emperor Nero or like Ariel Sharon with that assassination business," Yossi Beilin insisted. The result of the trip in time is now known. The leftist time travelers warned Hitler to evacuate the building, which was empty when struck by the missiles. The civilian political leader was rescued from assassination. The original history of the world in the 1940s was altered by the Israeli leftist time travelers. The notion of humaneness was rescued and preserved for all time. Steven Plaut is an American-trained economist, a professor of business administration at Haifa University and author of "The Scout." He frequently comments - both seriously and satirically - on Israeli politics and the left wing academic community. His website address is http://www.stevenplaut.blogspot.com. |
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SHARON THREATENS GAZA PIONEER SETTLERS WITH CIVIL WAR
Posted by Emanuel A. Winston and Bernard J. Shapiro, July 1, 2004. |
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As predicted, Gaza has become the launching pad for rockets as they were launched against the town of Sderot, killing four year old Afik Zahavi and a 49 year old Russian grandfather immigrant who were walking to kindergarten. Sderot has endured over 70 Kassam rocket attacks in the past three years, but until Monday June 28th no one had died. On Tuesday after the funeral, another six rockets hit Sderot. While Prime Minister Sharon was visiting Sderot at 4 PM he said "Kassam rocket will not return to Sderot again, when we're through with our current IDF actions." Two minutes later 3 Kassam rockets were fired and fell very close to the PM with his mouth open in dismay. The Shabak and secret service ran him out of there like a bat out of hell. Too bad Sharon's bodyguards couldn't have protected and saved the life of Afiki Zahavi, the 4 year old and the grandfather who were murdered yesterday. Sharon said he will withdraw regardless and added the personal threat that those who resist his orders of evacuation should realize "There is a price to pay!"That threat has several meanings. One: He will confiscate all properties and not pay their owners anything and give them to the Arab Muslim incoming refugees kicked out by their current Arab hosts from all Arab nations. As President George W. Bush attempts to bring democracy to Iraq and the Middle East, Sharon (with the encouragement of Bush and the U.S. Arabist State Department) are erasing democracy from Israel - knowingly starting a Civil War in Israel. Israel has seen her Prime Ministers make terrible decisions while ignoring any advise from Cabinet Ministers, Members of Knesset (Parliament) and the will of the people by their votes. Whenever necessary, they utilize the Israeli Supreme Court to give a thin covering of legality to their politics - as in the recent decisions to realign the Security Fence to protect the Arab Muslims and leave the Jews at greater risk. These would-be dictators truly believe that, whatever comes into their minds and leaves by way of their mouths is always an infallible decision and not to be questioned. Those who have known Sharon as close friends understand that Sharon always believes his own thoughts and ideas are infallibly correct and not ever to be questioned. Those who question or oppose are quickly pushed far away as punishment for speaking their minds. I remind the reader that all through the Oslo debacle, since 1993, October, each time there was a massive suicide bombing - continually demonstrating that there was no peace - Rabin and Peres claimed that this would not stop their "Peace Process" which, of course, was non-existent. Now Sharon echoes the Leftist mantra that, he too will disengage from the hostile Arab Muslims as a lesson in "peace making" and whoever is opposed to losing their homes, farms, synagogues, businesses, schools - or being threatened by moving hostile Arab Muslims with sophisticated weapons closer to their borders within a shrunken Israel is wrong and doesn't want peace. From the scrambled connections in Sharon's mind, augmented by Bush and the State Department, he has issued a proclamation of abandonment of the Land, Gaza and Gush Katif (with the rest of Judea and Samaria soon to follow, then half of Jerusalem and probably the Golan Heights as pushed by the U.S. State Department). Paralleling this insanity is a push by French President Jacques Chirac and Shimon Peres to resurrect Yassir Arafat yet again. (More on this in another article.) Do the Pioneering Settlers who were urged to turn barren desert into productive farm land by all the past Israeli governments now have to listen to a self-proclaimed Herod/Sharon of 2004/5 to leave because he alone says so? NO, THEY DO NOT, nor must anyone else follow docilely while this befuddled old man plays with the lives of thousands. By thousands, I mean not only the 8000 Jewish men, women and children of Gaza/Gush Katif but ALL the cities and towns in the South, including Beersheva and even the centers of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem who will be placed in harm's way. The rockets and missiles which were at first crude and inaccurate are gaining sophistication in terms of accuracy, distance and explosive power. Once Gaza/Gush Katif is Judenrein (free of Jews), including IDF patrols, checkpoints and forays to keep the Terrorists off balance, Islamic Terrorists from all over will consolidate. They will be provided with high quality missiles from Iran, Syria, North Korea and China - among others. Gaza will very soon become the greatest terrorist enclave in the world with the ability to project Terror across most of Israel and the region. The so-called 'foreign fighters' (Mujahadin) who came from all the Arab/Muslim countries to fight Americans in Iraq will flow into Gaza with no restrictions. Once consolidated, the level of sophisticated attacks on Israel proper with far better missiles, explosives and rockets et al, most coming through Egypt, will make Sharon crawl into his 'hidey-hole' as did Saddam Hussein. Sharon's farm near Sderot will be in easy firing range of the Gaza International Muslim Terrorists. The laws being used by Sharon are not holy writ conferring upon government the right to put the Jewish nation or any segment of her people at deadly risk because a self-anointed dictatorial Prime Minister thought it was a good idea - or (for his spot in the history books?). Think of the history of the Jewish people from Biblical times through today where we can clearly see the disasters caused by ego-driven decisions made by Kings or Prime Ministers who 'knew' that only they were right. Assimilationist Jews have always been with us. Jews who loved the Land and accepted their birthright always fought them throughout the centuries. There are hundreds of examples of such battles between good and evil, between Jew and Jew. Some examples: 1. The prophet Samuel railed against King Saul and established the principle that Kings of Israel were not absolute monarchs (or dictators). They were subject to the will of G-d and the people of Israel. They could not violate Torah principles and not receive punishment. Often the whole people of Israel were punished. Today, Sharon is acting like an absolute dictator in violation of Judaic traditions and may certainly bring down the wraith of G-d on Israel and the Jewish people as well as himself. 2. During Chanukah we should recall the legacy of the Maccabees. Remember how two "Hellenized Jews," Jason and Menelaus tried to destroy Judaism and force assimilation on the Jewish population? Today we call them Leftists, Peace Now, assimilationist, post-Zionist Jews. For generations we have taught our children about the evil Antiochus and his attempt to suppress the Jews. In reality, there were traitors among our own people who led the way for Antiochus Let us be Maccabees again! Let us go into battle with the Maccabee cry, "All who are with G-d, follow me!" With the words: "Who is like unto Thee O G-d" (the acronym of which spells out the word: "Maccabee" in Hebrew) inscribed on their flags, the G-d inspired Jewish army swept the much larger enemy from the field in a great victory. It is this victory (and the freedom for Jews in Jerusalem and Eretz Yisrael) for which we celebrate Chanukah and not just the miracle of the oil burning eight days. There is a simple but crucial lesson for us all in the above events. If we as Jews turn our backs on our religion and our G-d, we can expect disaster. The current government of Israel has brought down the wrath of G-d on the Israeli people for turning its back on our heritage. Like Judah Maccabee, angered by the treason of Jason and Menelaus, and outraged by Antiochus, we must revolt against Sharon. The nationalist opposition in Israel must unite behind one Zionist banner. They must fill the streets and jails with protesters. City after city must be shut down. We must respond to the Civil War which he has mounted against his own people, with the strongest Civil Disobedience we can muster. Victory will not fall into our lap. It must be fought for and won. We must demonstrate that the strength of our will and the power of our belief can not be defeated. Only then will victory come. 3. During WWII the Nazis forced the Jews in their control into ghettos. In order to control the huge numbers of Jews, it was necessary to establish a Judenrat made up of Jewish leaders. As the Holocaust unfolded, the Judenrats were told to select Jews for "re-settlement" (extermination). In order to maintain their status and privileges, of course they complied. They basically led the Jews, like sheep, to their slaughter. Some Jews, like those in Warsaw, wanted to rebel against the Nazis. The Jewish leadership forbade it and refused to cooperate in self defense measures. In fact, they betrayed many brave Jews who were organizing the resistance. After The Warsaw ghetto's original population of 500,000 had been reduced to barely 50,000, the revolt began. Many lives could have been saved had the revolt begun much sooner with the cooperation of the Jewish leadership. Today in Israel, Sharon and his followers and supporters on the Left are acting like the Judenrats, taking orders from Bush, the UN, the EU and even Mubarak of Egypt. The result will be another disaster upon the people of Israel. The Pioneering Settlers followed the recommendations of all prior governments which was both de facto and de jure - law intended for them to settle the Land. Having done so, with their own sweat and money, it is not up to an old fool who will soon be gone to proclaim dictatorial rule under a thin veneer of so-called democracy to abandon the Land. The Jewish Nation has specifically urged, under law and common practice, that the Pioneering Settlers to go forth to the furthest borders to create a safety net against the numerous Arab Muslim invaders and Terrorists. This they have done for more than three generations and the contract to the nation has been fulfilled. The Inner City dwellers benefitted from this line of protection as well as the agricultural produce and manufactured goods the Settlers created. But, they have forgotten what the Pioneers have done for them. This is especially true for those called assimilated Leftists who wish to open the flood-gates to Arab Muslims in massive numbers. I use the term: "Arab Muslims" advisedly because wherever there were Arab Christians before Yassir Arafat was brought back in with his Palestinian Authority from Tunis, the Arab Muslims have repressed the Christians who have emigrated out. For example, Bethlehem was 80% Christian before Arafat took control, now there is only a minor percentage of Christian Arabs in Bethlehem. We all recall the Biblical statement: "Now comes a new ruler who knew not Joseph." Which means that the Pioneers have done their best for Israel but, now it's time to forget them and send them away on the off chance it will appease a non-people who have called themselves Palestinians since 1967. The new Pharaohs forgot that Joseph saved the Land and her people from seven years of famine and decided to enslave them. Sharon, too, as the new dictator wishes, demands obedience or, as he threatens, he will get even. We are all familiar with George Santayana's homily: "Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.". We are indeed repeating it as Israel's enemies close in with the assistance of assimilated Jewish rulers. We Jews have indeed been at war with each other for centuries. There were always the assimilated pacifists who sought to appease the Greeks (Hellenists) or those who invited in the Romans like King Herod in order to preserve their own rule. Today, we have the Peresites and Sharon, who seeks to solidify his power by appeasing the Bush Dynasty and the Arabist State Department all making promises to an old fool who does not understand that few of those promises will be kept. As Herod was hated, so too will Sharon be hated. As Sharon surrounds himself with thicker layers of security, knowing the same people who once loved him are beginning to hate him. Herod was hated as a tyrant who, according to an Israeli archeologist I have spoken to, had a certain egomaniacal mind-set about his legacy after death. He wanted the women in his funeral entourage to weep in a heart-broken parade. He left instructions that husbands of the women in court were to be slain so their wives' weeping would be quite real. He also funded guards at the entrance to his tomb for 60 years, lest the people in their hatred invade his tomb and scatter his bones in the desert or into a cesspool. One can understand why Sharon no longer visits the towns of YESHA (Yehuda, Shomron and Gaza), given his tyrannical ways and the hatred he has engendered. But, Sharon has nothing to fear from the Pioneers of YESHA - other than perhaps being ridiculed as their failed hero. As for the thugs being trained to attack the settlers with force, that is another story. Know this: Sharon has initiated and engineered a War Against the Jews of Gaza/Gush Katif and everywhere else. He cannot claim he is an innocent victim of a war he brought against the peaceful Pioneers of Gaza and YESHA. Sharon is initiating Civil War but, wishes it to appear as if the Pioneering Settlers are the provocateurs. The eminent psychologist Carl Jung recognized this syndrome of a false attack. The aggressor would first blame his intended victim that is was him/them who intended to attack. So, whatever the aggressor did to his victim was seem to be acceptable and the victim's fault. Therefore, Sharon has demonized the Pioneering Settlers of Gaza/Gush Katif and made them human sacrifices to appease the Arab Muslims, their International Terrorist Organizations and their Arab and/or Muslim countries as well as the Bush Dynasty and cronies, led by the Arabist U.S. State Department. Jung had it right! ### 1. "Army Bracing for Worst as Settlers Threaten to Resist Withdrawal
Plan" by Leslie Susser JTA Daily Briefing, June 29, 2004 [from
Crisis-in-Israel@yahoogroups.com]
Emanuel A. Winston is a Middle East analyst and commentator and member
of the Board of Directors of the Freeman Center For Strategic Studies
and one of its research associates.
Bernard J. Shapiro is Executive Director of the Freeman Center For
Strategic Studies and Editor of its monthly Internet magazine, The
Maccabean Online and its daily email broadcast, The Freemanlist.
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ISRAEL CAUSES OWN DEMOGRAPHIC PROBLEM; POW STATUS
Posted by Richard H. Shulman, July 1, 2004. |
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NEW HISTORICAL REVISIONISM IS WILLFUL BLINDNESS "Haaretz" is trying to make a national issue out of whole cloth. It maintains that intelligence officers deceived PM Sharon into believing that Arafat was not interested in peace, but that Arafat really is. It is basing the story on two unreliable intelligence officers' claims. This claim is nonsensical. The P.A. made war on Israel rather than negotiate. It has been murdering Israelis all during the so-called peace process. It conducts daily propaganda of antisemitism (Prof. Steven Plaut, 6/16, e-mail). The P.A. has violated all its peace agreements. "Haaretz" doesn't want to see what is plain. The US reached the same conclusion as did PM Sharon. Does "Haaretz" think that Israeli intelligence misled the US government, too? U.S. ASSURANCES VS. ISRAELI CONCESSIONS When PM Sharon returned from meeting with Pres. Bush, he claimed a diplomatic pay-off for proposed abandonment of Gaza plus (or selling off one's homeland). Actually, the US wording was too vague to be a pay-off, but the Israeli concessions were not vague. These concessions were not approved or discussed by the Cabinet. Continued US pressure for more Israeli concessions includes dropping critical security measures (Dr. Aaron Lerner, IMRA, 6/17). Everything for the Arabs. WHAT HAPPENS TO ABANDONED ISRAELIS? What happens to patriotic pioneers who make the desert bloom, but then in their 40s and 50s are dragged out by a once admired general who thinks he can appease Israel's enemies. They get financial compensation and psychological ruin. Their purpose in life is destroyed (Winston Mid East Analysis, 6/16, e-mail). The pioneers have gotten vilified for blocking appeasement. The world expresses much concern about what happens to the Arabs, who are solidly behind their aggressions against the Jews, and little concern about what happens to the Jews, who are the butt both of Arab terrorism and Western appeasement of it. ARABS PROSPER BEHIND FENCE All the attention given to the effect of the security fence upon Arabs referred to Arafat's Arabs. What about Israeli Arabs? Thanks to the fence, fewer terrorists enter Arab towns in Israel, where they harass school girls (you know, great Muslim family values), steal cars, etc. Consequently, Israeli security patrols and checkpoints no longer spring up. Israeli Arabs who used to shop in the P.A. now shop locally, bringing prosperity to the local Arab economy. Even the Islamic Movement in Israel is pleased with that outcome. ARABS HAVE BEEN "RETURNING" (At the end of the War for Independence, 140,000 Arabs remained in the Jewish state.) Israel allowed 184,000 more Arab "refugees" to enter Israel from 1948 through 2001. The government has not ousted 57,000 illegal ones from Jordan (Prof. Steven Plaut, 6/16, e-mail). This total is 377,000, and it multiplied. Israel causes its own domestic Arab demographic problem. Israel did the same with Yesha. What a combination of betrayal, fear, and stupidity! BUSH UNDERMINES NATIONAL SECURITY IN ITS NAME In violating US law to move the Embassy to Jerusalem, Pres. Bush alleges grounds of national security. Actually, he undermines it by indicating that terrorism coerced his policy (Arutz-7, 6/18). Richard 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. |
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INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT'S (ISM) FREEDOM SUMMER
Posted by Lisa Rubin, July 1, 2004. |
The US Senate, Finance Committee, is currently reviewing regulation of
"charities". The ISM is one that is funded by the Ford Foundation.
This is an excerpt from their training program for what they plan to
do in Israel this summer.
Since August 2001, the International Solidarity Movement, in close cooperation with Palestinian community leaders, has been organizing campaigns against the injustices of the Israeli Occupation. We, the ISM and the people of Palestine, have called on international civilians from all over the world to join us in Palestine for active non-violent resistance [emphasis mine] against 56 years of Palestinian displacement and dispossession, specifically the violence, discrimination and oppression resulting from Israel's 37-year military Occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
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SUPREME COURT: ARAB RIGHTS OVERRIDE MAXIMUM ISRAELI SECURITY
Posted by Steven Plaut, July 1, 2004. |
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The Supreme Court handed down a dramatic ruling today on the legality of the fence being built north and northwest of Jerusalem near Mevaseret Zion. The Court ruled that some 30 kilometers of the fence as planned by the Defense Ministry are not acceptable, and will have to be re-routed. The Court approved some ten kilometers of the fence's planned route. The ruling states that the counter-terrorism fence is acceptable in principle, but not in the manner in which it was planned in practice. An abstract of the judgment was provided by the High Court Administration Spokesperson's Office and can be seen at http://www.imra.org.il/story.php3?id=21372. The full decision can be read at the Supreme Court's website, http://www.court.gov.il. Atty. Dachleh, representing the Arabs who petitioned against the route, said this morning, "This was a very courageous decision, saying that [most] of the fence is not legal, meaning that the army can't build it... Chief Justice Barak said that even security considerations do not justify putting Palestinians in jail cells... No, I wasn't surprised by the decision, as I saw from the beginning that the court was planning to intervene in this security issue, unlike in other cases when it issued a short ruling. But the court here saw what was happening to the residents, and ruled that to take 50,000 people and separate them from their lands is not acceptable. The Supreme Court ruled that maximum security can't come at the expense of the people, and therefore there must be only an 'appropriate' measure of security." Netzach Mashiach, head of the Defense Ministry's counter-terrorism fence authority, responded with caution: "We will read and study the ruling, and we will act in accordance. I hope that this decision will not harm the security of the residents of Israel." He said, "We do not have alternative routes; we planned only improvements and changes in order to reach an understanding with the residents... As we approach Jerusalem, it becomes more and more complex to plan an acceptable route." Gen. (res.) Uzi Dayan, one of the main leaders of the grassroots campaign in favor of a counter-terrorism fence, expressed some bitterness: "This was the result of haste and carelessness, in not having planned a better route... In the south, for instance, nothing has been built or planned yet, and therefore this will taken another few months, and then more legal problems will be encountered - during which time Israel will continue to be exposed to terrorist dangers." The Court ruled that the State of Israel did not employ maximum consideration for the rights of the Arabs in planning the route. It ordered the immediate cancellation of several land confiscation orders between Givat Ze'ev, north of Jerusalem, and Maccabim, near Modiin. See comments against the ruling, including by a government minister, an MK, and a former IDF Prosecutor. Steven Plaut is an American-trained economist, a professor of business administration at Haifa University and author of "The Scout." He frequently comments - both seriously and satirically - on Israeli politics and the left wing academic community. His website address is http://www.stevenplaut.blogspot.com. |
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