01/16 Links Pt2: BHL: French Were Right to Ban Dieudonné, Israel Joins CERN, Israeli Chromebook

From Ian:

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PA state-sponsored hate speech must stop, human rights expert says

Cotler later returned to Abbas and tried to convince him to end hate speech against Israel for domestic reasons, regardless of negotiations with Israel.
“Leaving aside the Israeli-Palestinian component, I told Abbas: ‘You should do away with hate speech because it is not only a threat to Israeli-Palestinian peace but it’s a threat to your own society. You want to bring up children not in a culture of hate but in a culture of respect for the other, for the inherent dignity of all people’.”
Non-democracies where free speech is prohibited, such as Iran or the Palestinian Authority, have an even greater obligation to prevent hate speech than free societies such as the US where all speech is protected, Cotler said.
“If it’s a non-democracy where there’s no opportunity for democratic free speech, then the state has a particular responsibility to ensure that hate speech does not fester. What’s happening in the Palestinian Authority is exactly the opposite; that hate speech is not only being permitted, it’s being encouraged.”

Bernard-Henri Lévy: The French Were Right to Ban Dieudonné’s Offensive ‘Performance Art’

Anti-Semitism has a history. Over the ages it has taken different forms, but on every occasion that form corresponded to what the spirit of the times could or would permit. And I believe that, for reasons that it would be impossible to get into here, the only form of anti-Semitism with legs today, the only form capable of taking in and galvanizing large numbers of people, is one that accomplishes the trifecta of anti-Zionism (Jews as supporters of an allegedly murderous state), Holocaust denial (an unscrupulous people who, in pursuit of their purposes, are capable of inventing or staging the slaughter of their own), and competitive victimhood (memory of the Holocaust as a screen to hide other massacres on the planet). Well, Dieudonné was in the process of tying these strands together. With his accomplice, French right-wing extremist Alain Soral, he was a sapper assembling his explosive device and preparing to set it off. And for that reason, too, because he was weaving together three themes that individually are incendiary enough but that, joined together in mutual reinforcement, would provoke a new wave of anti-Semitism, it was urgent to stop him.

Turkey reassured that NATO shield will not protect Israel

Turkey has accepted assurances a planned NATO missile defense system in which it is playing a part is not designed to protect Israel as well, the alliance's deputy secretary-general said on Wednesday.
Alexander Vershbow said objections by Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's government had resulted in part from confusion about a Turkish-hosted NATO radar. Ankara had been further assuaged by alliance Patriot anti-missile batteries assigned to protect its territory from Syria.
A leaked U.S. diplomatic cable from 2010 described the Islamist-rooted Erdogan, under whom Turkey's once-solid ties with the Jewish state have deteriorated, as worrying that the NATO shield might provide cover for a threatened Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear sites.

Death of an anti-Israel lie? CiF Watch prompts 2nd revision to Indy torture story

This past Friday, the Indy finally removed all references to the word “Palestinians”, and included an addendum at the bottom of Withnall’s article noting that the change was prompted by their acknowledgement that the PDO never mentioned anything about Palestinians.
While the Indy correction represents a significant improvement over the original, what remains is still extremely misleading, as it suggests that a “human rights group” (PCATI) accused Israel of ‘torturing’ children, when the PCATI page in question does NOT characterize the ceased practice of keeping some prisoners in open-air cells for several hours (while in transit to court) as “torture”.

Jeremy Bowen promotes Sabra & Shatila lies on BBC Radio 4′s ‘Broadcasting House’

Of course Sharon did not enter Sabra and Shatila and did not carry out the massacre, but neither Bowen nor O’Connell make any subsequent effort throughout the whole of the rest of the item to correct the misleading impression created by the interviewee Jeremy Bowen deliberately chose to showcase.
Notably, given Bowen’s introduction to the interview with Srour, we can apparently conclude that the latter’s call for the murder of Ariel Sharon “by the hand of a Palestinian child or a Palestinian woman” is what Bowen regards as ‘punishment’.
The BBC’s coverage of Ariel Sharon’s death has included considerable quantities of misleading, inaccurate and defamatory statements by assorted interviewees. The BBC cannot, however, hide behind the claim that these are not the words of its own employees as all BBC produced content is subject to its editorial guidelines.

BBC smothers reports of Iran's "moderate" president rubbishing Geneva nuclear deal

For the entire internet -- minus the UK media -- appears to be running something much more up to date about Rouhani which might well get in the way of that nomination for a Nobel Peace Prize that the BBC plainly believes he will be in the running for.
It's everywhere, at least in the United States: "The Superpowers Have Surrendered To Iran", reported the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI). What?
It transpires that "moderate" Rouhani has the well known habit in his part of the world of saying one thing in English and another in his native tongue.

Forbes Investigative Journalist Rips NYU President Over ‘Vanilla’ Response to ASA Boycott

In a 20,000 word tour-de-force, Forbes Contributing Editor Richard Behar on Tuesday slammed the president of New York University, where he graduated from, in 1982, saying he was ashamed of his alma mater for its tepid response to the American Studies Association boycott of Israeli universities.
While 190 university presidents have condemned the boycott as flying in the face of the goals of academia, Behar accused NYU President John Sexton of not going far enough, with a “short, terse and quite vanilla” response, suggesting that he was trying “to have his cake and eat it too,” because of the three NYU academics and one PhD student serving on the ASA’s 18-member executive committee, led by NYU Professor Lisa Duggan, its newly-elected president.

New German film could be called, ‘Just Following Orders: The Movie’

Therein lies the difficulty of watching “Generation War,” particularly as a Jew. Can we forgive Charlotte for turning Lilja over to the SS? Should we forgive her? Is she even asking for forgiveness? What purpose does it serve to create a sympathetic face amidst the cogs of Nazi atrocities. Or has enough time passed that we must do this to hope to survive as a species?
While “Generation War” is propulsive and determined to stay juicy (there’s plenty of shooting and schtupping) it offers some surprising restraint when it comes to telling you how exactly to feel. By the end of the picture, the surviving characters are numb and so, to an extent, are we in the audience.

'We Will Not Tolerate Hate Against Any Religion'

Hollande hailed as a "victory" a ban on Dieudonne's sketches initiated by Interior Minister Manuel Valls. The controversial comic has since been forced to cancel a nationwide tour after his attempts to challenge the ban in court failed.
The French leader added that all forms of religious hatred would be treated in the same way.
"There are acts, there are anti-Semitic words, there are anti-Muslim actions which all must be denounced," he said, also evoking "anti-Christian acts."

New Show Green-Lit For Anti-Semitic Comic

Branded a "peddler of hate" by the French government, Dieudonne has been at the heart of a furor over sketches widely viewed as anti-Semitic that prompted local authorities to block shows in his nationwide "The Wall" tour at the request of Interior Minister Manuel Valls. The ban was also backed by French President Francois Hollande.
He tried to challenge the individual bans in court last week but failed, deciding instead to circumvent the ban by presenting an alternate performance called "Asu Zoa" focused on Africa.

Thieves try to steal Sigmund Freud’s ashes

Police searched for burglars who tried to steal the ashes of psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud from a London crematorium.
The Metropolitan Police force says a 2,300-year-old Greek urn containing the remains of Freud and his wife Martha was severely damaged in a break-in at Golders Green Crematorium on December 31 or January 1.
Detective Constable Daniel Candler said Wednesday that the attempted theft was “a despicable act.”

Let there be lights, camera, action!

Major studio films currently in the works include “Mary, Mother of Christ,” starring Israeli-born Odeya Rush in the title role and featuring Ben Kingsley as King Herod and Julia Ormond as Mary’s cousin Elizabeth; “Noah,” a CGI-packed bonanza of a blockbuster with Russell Crowe as the title role and an estimated budget of $150 million (Emma Watson and Anthony Hopkins will also get top billing); and “Exodus,” a titanic retelling of the Passover story from Sir Ridley Scott with none other than Christian Bale splitting the Red Sea. Sigourney Weaver and “Breaking Bad” badboy Aaron Paul will also get plenty of screen time.
Add to that mix a biblical saga called “Gods and Kings,” helmed by “Life of Pi” director and Oscar-winner Ang Lee; “Son of God,” a feature-length epic about the Nazareth carpenter with Portuguese heartthrob Diogo Morgado donning the crown of thorns; and “Resurrection,” a Kevin Reynolds-helmed look at the 40 days following crucifixion. Will Smith has been given the green light by Sony Pictures to make a Cain and Abel film, with — get this — the not-so-biblically-accurate addition of Canaanite vampires; and Warner Bros. has taken on a project focused on the character of Pontius Pilate, with rumors swirling that Brad Pitt is attached to the title role.

Docu-reality show ‘Connected’ headed to Emerald Isle

Producers of the Israeli docu-reality television program “Mehubarim” (Connected) are seeing green as their program is headed for an Irish adaptation.
RTÉ, Ireland’s national broadcaster, has picked up the long-running program, from Israel’s Armoza Formats, for a local version aired on Irish station RTÉ Two.
It’s another big sell for “Mehubarim,” which each season puts its cameras in the hands of its five participants and allows them to film their own lives for the audiences.

HP, Google select Altair's chip for LTE-only Chromebook

Israel's Altair Semiconductor, a developer of chips for fourth- generation (4G) mobile technology known as LTE, said its chips will connect the new Hewlett Packard Chromebook to Verizon Wireless' LTE network.
The ultra-portable device, developed by HP in collaboration with Google, is based on the WiFi-only Chromebook 11, launched in October. It is the only LTE-only Chromebook available, Altair said on Wednesday.

Israel's Rafael and Raytheon to co-produce Iron Dome

Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, Israel's second-largest state-owned defense company, is reported ready to start co-producing its Iron Dome anti-missile defense system with the Raytheon Co. of the United States, consolidating an alliance that's already developing the Stunner interceptor missile of Rafael's David's Sling system designed by Rafael.
Defense News, a U.S. weekly, says Rafael is expected to sign on to a new deal with Raytheon, the world's biggest missile manufacturer, on the Tamir, Iron Dome's maneuverable, radar-guided interceptor.

US plans to sell V-22 Osprey exclusively to Israel

Israel will become the first country allowed to purchase the aircraft, which can take off like a helicopter and fly like a regular airplane, as part of a long-term deal reportedly worth $1.13 billion (NIS 3.94 billion).
Plans to sell the V-22 Osprey to Israel were first announced late last year, but the details of the proposed arms package were given to lawmakers only on Tuesday. Congress will have 15 days to raise any objections to the sale, reported AFP.

New weapon in the war against superbugs?

One of the leading causes of preventable death in the developed world is too small to see with the naked eye. This potent threat comes from “superbugs” – strains of bacteria that have morphed into a state of resistance against manmade antibiotics. No sooner is a new drug released than the cunning little microbes find a way to defeat it.
Scientists the world over are searching for the ultimate weapon in this battle that the World Health Organization named one of the three greatest threats to public health. New research out of Israel has revealed a protein made by a bacteriophage, a virus programmed naturally to kill bacteria.

New international alliance could spur neuroscience discoveries

Temple has entered into a new international research alliance with strategic partners—including Penn Medicine, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research and Israel Brain Technologies—to develop important neuroscientific discoveries for the treatment of Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases. The new alliance also will play a key role in moving those discoveries from the laboratory to the marketplace.
The alliance was formed by Reps. Chaka Fattah of Pennsylvania and Steve Israel of New York, leaders in Congress in the area of neuroscience and Alzheimer’s research. The alliance’s members signed an historic Memorandum of Understanding at a ceremony in Manhasset, N.Y., last month.

Nuclear research giant inducts Israel as full member

Israel officially entered the European Organization for Nuclear Research on Wednesday, marking the occasion with an induction ceremony at the Globe of Science and Innovation near the France-Switzerland border.
Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman represented Israel and gave the first speech at the ceremony, where the flag of Israel was raised alongside those of the 20 other members of CERN.