July 2006 ~ Elder Of Ziyon

Monday, July 31, 2006

Crack Cocaine for Koranic Crazies

No, I didn't make up this phrase - it comes from an article by Greg Strange:At the recent Arab Conference of Iraqi Neighbors in Tehran (sounds so innocuous, doesn‘t it?), Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad imparted these words of wisdom to his audience: "The basic problem in the Islamic world is the existence of the Zionist regime, and the Islamic world and the region must mobilize to remove this problem. It is a . . . regime that prevented the...

My minor Huffington Post adventure

For some reason, the left-wing Huffington Post called me an Israeli blogger and posted a link to this posting. As a result, I have been getting quite a bit of traffic as well as comments.In addition, there were some comments left on the HuffPo site itself criticizing my posting.The funny thing is, all the criticisms completely ignore the post itself. Not one has yet disputed any of my facts. Apparently, just the existence of a pro-Israel post is...

Where are the peace demonstrations?

Of all the so-called anti-war and pro-peace groups that exist worldwide, how come none of them have managed to have a rally where they condemn Hezbollah along with Israel? (Peace Now is the possible exception to this.)Makes one wonder how committed to "peace" these groups really are.....

Three more asymmetries

I've recently posted about the asymmetry in international law where terrorist organizations have no incentive to follow the law while states do. I also posted on the asymmetry of tactics when one party in a conflict has an interest in seeing its own civilians die. In addition, I posted about the asymmetry of outside parties treating a terrorist organization and a state "evenhandedly."These are not small advantages in a war. When one party has its...

Amnesty International: When even-handedness is stupid

Amnesty International, pretending to be even-handed as always, suggests writing letters to all the main parties involved in the Lebanon conflict as a means to pressure them to avoid civilian casualties. Here is their sample letter to Nasrallah: Dear Sir, I am writing to express my concern about the killing of civilians in both Lebanon and Israel. In the week since 12 July, more than 300 Lebanese civilians, including dozens of children have been...

Interesting stuff

The Qana building collapsed eight hours after Israel hit it. Everyone is being careful not to jump to conclusions, but it is very strange. Either way, the US says that Israel has agreed to suspend airstrikes for 48 hours.An Australian newspaper has pictures of Hezbollah terrorists dressed in civilian clothes with their weapons in a suburban neighborhood.Israel has videos of rockets being fired from Qana, from behind residential buildings, and near...

The perfect weapon

The perfect Hezbollah weapon is lots of dead Arabs.This morning's events in Qana underscore the basic asymmetry of fighting an utterly immoral organization and the major advantage Hezbollah has in this war.As I mentioned before, the fact that international law does not fully address a situation such as this gives the terrorists a gift. Human Rights Watch pretty much says so, in an article about Afghanistan that mixes international law and their...

CAIR shows its colors, again

There is a marked contrast between the condemnation of the Seattle terrorist done by the local Seattle Muslim community and the "condemnation" done by the national CAIR, front for Hamas.Here's the Seattle condemnation:The Muslim community of the Greater Seattle area watched in horror as news broke of a shooting at the Jewish Federation building. While many of the details of this shooting remain to be determined, what is clear is that a senseless...

Some weekend links

Too many interesting things today to comment on, but here are a few worth looking at:Arab columnist says Israel's leaders are descended from Nazis who impersonated JewsMap of Greater Beirut and exactly how much of it was destroyed by IsraelKrauthammer's latest essayVideo of Hezbollah using civilians as human shiel...

A demonstrator with an Israeli flag holds a sign reading 'I am a terrorist' during a protest to call on Israel to stop its military strikes against Palestinian people and Lebanon, on Friday, July 28, 2006, in downtown Vienna.He's probably not a real terrorist, just a terror-supporter. But a man can have dreams, can't he?Reminds me of an old joke:A Jew accidentally bumped into...

Fatah official: Without Oslo, no intifada

The ZOA quotes MEMRI (but I cannot find this on the MEMRI page yet):A senior leader in Fatah, Ziyad Abu ‘Ein, the Palestinian terrorist group lead by Palestinian Authority (PA) president, Mahmoud Abbas, has admitted that the Oslo peace process provided the Palestinians with the means to launch what he termed a “great Palestinian intifadah,” the campaign of suicide bombing and terrorism against Israeli civilians since September 2000 that has claimed...

UN/terrorist collusion in Gaza (video)

Here is a video that clearly shows (at the end) Palestinian Arab terrorists, with guns, hiding in a UN-labeled ambulance.I don't know the source or date, but it doesn't look faked.(H/T Seraphic Secret)UPDATE: LGF identifies it as being a Reuters video shot on May 11, 200...

The challenge has been met - but is still ongoing

Mazel tov!This morning we reached our goal of matching $1000 in contributions towards various Israeli charities. Thanks to everyone who contributed!I'm keeping it going for now, so I will still match anything given at least through the beginning of Shabbos. I am speaking with others who are interested in continuing this challenge; it would be nice to coordinate a larger project with multiple matchers but I'm not a very good organizer and this was...

The elephant in the room of international law

There is a fair amount of literature concerning violations and grave breaches of international law, mostly centered on various Geneva Conventions. For example: Article 85.-Repression of breaches of this Protocol3. In addition to the grave breaches defined in Article 11, the following acts shall be regarded as grave breaches of this Protocol, when committed wilfully, in violation of the relevant provisions of this Protocol, and causing death or serious...

Intel in Haifa produces the "world's best processor"

The people who follow these things are buzzing about the new Intel Core 2 Duo processor that was introduced today.Intel had been falling behind rival AMD over the past couple of years, both in processor speed and in power consumption. The only bright spot was the Pentium M, which was designed in Intel's Haifa labs.Intel is now betting the company on the same wizards who designed the Pentium M, and from early reviews, the new architecture out of Israel...

Three months ago I posted about how the Jewish hydroponic farmers expelled from Gaza took only six months to re-create their industry and turn a profit again. I wrote then:Yes, Jews were forcibly kicked out of their homes, 16 years of their work and livelihoods destroyed, and six months later they are completely back up to speed - without the EU or the UN giving them a dime,...

Muslim terror envy

Hamas gets power, kidnaps an Israeli soldier and shoots some rockets into Sderot and Ashkelon.Hezbollah gets jealous and kidnaps 2 Israeli soldiers and shoots thousands of rockets into Kiryat Shmona and Haifa.What's a self-respecting uber-terror gang leader supposed to do?al-Zawahri wants some of this action! It's an insult to see these small-time Shi'ites grabbing the headlines!As if to emphasize the point, his little al-Jazeera exclusive interview...

We're reaching our goal

Thanks to all who helped contribute to the Elder Tzedakah Challenge. If you didn't do it yet, all you have to do is click on one of the charities listed on the sidebar, or one of the others listed in this posting, give money, let me know about it by sending me a receipt (after you remove your personal information) to elderchallenge -at- gmail.com and I will match that amount to the same charity.Boruch Hashem we have raised over $800 since last Friday...

Hezbollah's "honor"

From a comment by "Hassan" on a Lebanese-American blog "From Beirut to the Beltway": (HA probably stands for Hizb Allah, "Party of God")I just finished talking to an old friend of mine back in Lebanon. He is shia from Tyre and as long as I can remember, he has always been sympathetic with HA. I always related this sympathy to the fact that he was in a HA elementary school. Our brief discussion quickly turned into him "lecturing" me about the importance...

AFP publishes a nice convenient chart for newspapers to reprint:For some reason, AFP can't seem to mention that it was the Palestinian Arabs who created the civil war in Lebanon, or any of their rocket attacks against Israel, or anything else relevant. Let's fill in some of the missing pieces and try to see why AFP chose the events they did, and chose to ignore the events...

Hezbollah fundraising in America

The Islamic Center of America in Dearborn, MI has an "emergency relief fund for the victims in Lebanon." A gathering will be held on Friday, July 28, 2006 at 6:30 p.m at the Islamic Center of America (Ford Road) to raise donations. If you are unable to attend please donate today by, Transfer: Beneficiary: Islamic Center Lebanon Relief Fund Bank Name: Comerica Bank PO.Box 75000 Detroit, MI 48275...

Hooray for Hezbywood

Kudos to Anderson Cooper for telling the truth as he was showing Hezbollah-chosen sites for the news:As the video showed a group reporters and photographers interviewing a single woman on a blanket, Cooper explained, “Civilian casualties are clearly what Hezbollah wants foreign reporters to focus on. It keeps the attention off them — and questions about why Hezbollah should still be allowed to have weapons when all the other militias in Lebanon have...

Here's that other famous picture again:(H/T Atlas Shrugs)It is obvious to anyone with a brain that Israel has no incentive to directly target the UN, but it is equally obvious that the UN has been firmly on the terrorists' side for decades....

Arabs love Ben Franklin - they can't stop printing his picture

I blogged last month about my theory that some of the $20 million that Zahar's "fundraising tour" raised may have in fact been counterfeit US currency. I had no evidence besides the fact that pristine $100 bills are not found in large quantities in the countries he visited.Now, NBC news accidentally seems to have found another source for mint-condition US currency in the Middle East: (video from LGF, story from OpinionJournal):(Video player requires...

Islamist newspaper cheering, exaggerating Israeli civilian deaths

A very good look into the mind of a depraved people can be found at kavkazcenter.com, a Chechen "news" website that is far enough away from the Middle East as to not be concerned about saying things that are politically correct. In other words, it is a rare unvarnished look at Islamic depravity in English (although much of the news comes from an Iranian "news" agency.)For example, here's a bit of wishful thinking about the number of innocent civilians...

A short BBC note

From Stephen Pollard: If you watched yesterday’s Andrew Marr programme on BBC1, you would have seen a British TV landmark. To judge from its contents, the programme was the first to have been edited by the leader of Hezbollah, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah. Most of it was, rightly, given over to the events in the Middle East. But of the four guests interviewed, not one had anything but bile to pour over Israel. Up first was Glenys Kinnock MEP, remarking...

Outrageous bias at AFP

A Palestinian boy stands on the rubble of his apartment destroyed overnight by Israeli air attack in Gaza City. The US government views the conflict in Lebanon through the "war on terror" context, ignoring any nationalist goals of Hezbollah and Hamas, which could re-emerge strengthened by the crisis.(AFP/Hrvoje Polan)The first thing that AFP didn't bother telling the readers...

Israel's 9/11 moment?

After reading this article, I can't help but think that the Hizbollah attacks against Israel is doing to the Israeli Left what 9/11 did to the American Left - make them look like fools.In every other terror attack the Israeli Left (which is as wacky as anything the Americans or Europeans can come up with) would always find some reason to justify the attack - and almost always it was the magic word "occupation," the mantra that could be repeated...

This sums it up

Hat tip to commenter jhrhv for pointing me to this excellent graphic (origin unknown...

Today's wire service bias

Yesterday, there was an anti-Israel demonstration in London, attended by thousands of people.Today, there was a pro-Israel demonstration in London, attended by thousands of people.So one would think that the media coverage of both demonstrations would be roughly similar?HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!Compare for yourself:Yahoo photos with keywords "israel london"Google news with keywords "israel london demonstration"There is some coverage of the demonstration...

Elder Tzedakah challenge expanded - 6 more charities for matching contributions

First of all, thank to my readers. As you can see in the sidebar, we have already raised over $360 for Israel and I have matched each amount donated.Thanks to Backspin, I have a list of a few more worthy organizations that need our help. Here are the ones that had easy-to-access web forms and can take credit cards:One Family Fund - directly helps victims of terror and their families.JNF Operation Security Blanket - send kids from the North to summer...

Three things you won't hear from the UN

Israelis leaving their homes in the north to avoid rockets being referred to as "refugees."Any call for international aid to repair damage to Israeli cities from thousands of Hezbollah rockets."We support the goal of removing Hezbollah from Lebanon...

One Israeli's View (Bob Rosenschein)

Buried in the Washington Post's blog is this great posting: (H/T Rishon Rishon)The great Yogi Berra once said, "In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is."I am not a columnist - just an ordinary American citizen living in Israel - but I have gained some insight into both cultures, some might say mentalities. Here is what many Israelis are feeling nowadays.The first point concerns some unwritten American values...

HH LXXIX is out!

Life-of-Rubin hosts this weeks' Haveil Havalim 79, best of the JBlogosphere. Lots of links including many to postings about the current "matzav."He links to my fundraising campaign for Israel where I will match your donations this week to 5 Israeli charities, up to $1000. The running total of donations is on my sidebar.It's a great round-up, so check it ou...

Mosques used to store weapons. But don't touch the Korans!

From Arutz Sheva:The Meron A-Ras area of southern Lebanon has been taken by IDF ground troops. The Hizbullah bunkers in, around and below the village have all been raided and the IDF has now stationed troops in the village. Security forces in the area report scores of Katyusha shells, missile storage areas and missile-launchers, which were concealed in the village's mosque.From YNet: “We searched through the village carefully, we went house to house,...

Elder Tzedakah Challenge extended!

I only received one reply to my Tzedakah Challenge, so my ego from the thousands of page hits I got in the past ten days has been properly deflated.Nevertheless, I am serious about wanting to match $1000 in contributions given to the Israeli charities listed by any readers. Other bloggers, feel free to repost the modified posting below:-----------------------------------------Between now and July 28, for any money that you donate to one of the...

The sickening face of the mass-murderer Nasrallah is popping up all over the world. He has no shortage of people who love him and his genocidal plans.In Berlin...Pakistan...Switzerland...Ramallah....Iraq....Syria...Tehran...Bahrain...Caracas....Sudan...Egypt....San Francisco seemed to avoid showing pictures of Nasrallah, but their sentiments were clear as well...But sometimes...

As the UN and the EU call for international peacekeepers in Lebanon, a simple fact seem to have been forgotten:They are already there.Since 1978, the UN has had UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) set up. And since 1978, they have not lifted a single finger to stop rocket attacks towards Israel.Since then, they have not lifted a finger to stop Hizbollah from...

Canary in a coal mine

Once again Israel is expected to do what the civilized world tries so hard to avoid - tackle terror head-on.Once again Israel will be the first to take on a new kind of warfare:Where every single battle is a potential ambushWhere there is no front lineWhere the enemy ignores the rules of war, but the army must adhere to themWhere the enemy maintains the legal fiction of not being an organized national army yet is fully supported and directed by sovereign...

Elder of Ziyon 24-hour Tzedakah Matching Challenge

Between now and Shabbos/Shabbat, for any money that you donate to one of the Israeli charities listed below, I will match it, up until we get to a total of $1000.After you donate, copy your receipt and email it to elderchallenge-at-gmail.com . After Shabbos I will match your contributions to the charity or charities you chose. I will try to keep updated blog entries throughout the day showing a running total.You can donate up until Shabbat in your...

Prophetic Palestinian Arab poll from November 2004

Results of Palestinian Public Opinion Poll 3-5 November 2004 An-Najah National UniversityCenter for Opinion Polls and Survey StudiesIf Israel withdraws from the Strip do you support or reject launching attacks against Israel from inside the Strip? I strongly support 22.5 [Gaza Strip 30.2] I support 33.8 [Gaza Strip 20.8] I reject 26.5 [Gaza Strip 24.6] I strongly reject 10.4 [Gaza Strip 17.6] No opinion; I do not know 6.8 [Gaza Strip 6.8] So 56.3%...