Blast from the past

Thanks to a nice article by Mindy Jacobs in the Edmonton Sun, I found this wildly optimistic dispatch from AP during the Gaza pullout about PalArab hopes and plans for their new statelet:

By STEVEN GUTKIN, Associated Press Writer
Friday, September 2, 2005 02 15 PM

Palestinians are preparing to take over abandoned Jewish settlements in Gaza — drawing up plans for high-rise apartments and debating whether to name evacuated towns after deceased leaders or historical events.

...The Palestinians are fast at work figuring out what do with the land they call "liberated," and dreams of a better future abound.

In the evacuated areas, the Palestinians envision parks, industrial zones, a new seaport, a nature reserve, tourism facilities and new housing to ease overcrowding in the fenced-in coastal strip that is home to 1.4 million mostly impoverished Palestinians.

Palestinian security forces will enter the settlement areas as soon as Israeli troops leave, most likely on Sept. 15, to "clear the area of any possible explosive objects or land mines," said Interior Ministry spokesman Tawfek Abu Khoussa. In the meantime, officials have been handing out fliers declaring "The Future is Ours" and admonishing Gazans to stay out of the settlements.

Palestinians already have begun discussing what to name the evacuated areas. Top suggestions include "Yasser Arafat" and "Sheikh Ahmed Yassin," the slain founder of Hamas.

Palestinians also are racing to take over Israeli greenhouses in time to plant a winter crop.

"We will do our homework and we will do it top notch," said Basil Jaber, a Palestinian businessman leading the greenhouse takeover. "We would like to show Israel and the international community that we're capable."

Both Israel and the Palestinians have an interest in making Gaza less isolated and destitute: Israel because it hopes a brighter future will prevent terror and the Palestinians because they hope a successful pullout could lead to more withdrawals.

Anytime someone paints a rosy picture of how PalArabs will take advantage of Israeli withdrawals....

Anytime someone says that Israel is the source of all the PalArabs' troubles....

Anytime anyone blames Israel for PalArab poverty and unemployment...

Show them this article. And if they are a bit more obtuse, show them the links.

An Arab Muslim to respect - Israeli consul in SF

A great article, originally printed in the San Francisco Chronicle.

Israel's new consul in San Francisco is a Bedouin named Ishmael Khaldi. This article does not paper over the very real problems that Israeli Arabs suffer but it shows how a mature person can handle such problems.

All Arabs and Muslims can learn a lot from Khaldi. Of course, they would call him a traitor and consider him a target for terror.

Ishmael Khaldi lived in a Bedouin tent until he was eight years old, walked four miles round trip to school each day and still goes home on weekends to what he calls the "Middle Ages" to tend to flocks of sheep.

But next week, Khaldi will leave his tiny village of Khawalid - population 450 - in the northern Galilee region and fly to San Francisco to become Israel's first Bedouin diplomat and the nation's first Muslim to rise through the ranks of the Israeli foreign service.

Of the more than one million Israeli Arabs, only 170,000 are Bedouins, many of whom were once nomadic desert dwellers. In recent years, Arab radicals in the Israeli parliament and Islamic movements who deplore the existence of the Jewish state have dominated Israeli-Arab relations, and the six-year-long Palestinian intifada has stretched their allegiance to Israel to a breaking point.

But Khaldi, while conceding that the situation of Arabs in Israel "is not perfect," is an unrepentant Israeli who says he is not betraying his Arab "brothers" by becoming the new Israeli consul to San Francisco.

"Many of us are proud to describe ourselves as Israelis. Everyone who lives here is an Israeli," Khaldi said in an exclusive interview on the eve of his departure for San Francisco. "Israel is in a clash with the Arab world, with our fellow Muslim brothers, with the Palestinians. It's a big challenge. But I am sure that Israels enemies are not Arab culture, nor Arab heritage, nor the Muslim religion. It's a political situation."

Khaldi, 35, is no newcomer to the United States or the Bay Area. He arrived in the United States after the outbreak of the second intifada in 2000 and was soon in demand as a speaker at college campuses.

"I'm a Bedouin and we are nomads, so I felt at home traveling coast to coast on a Greyhound bus. Twice," he said.

During his stay in the United States, Khaldi said he was shocked to discover that American students were unaware of Israel's large Arab minority and the fact they have the right to vote, elect members to parliament, and become judges, professors and senior army officers.

Khaldi said his family's ties with its Jewish neighbors go back to the days of the early Zionist pioneers from Eastern Europe who settled in the Galilee region in the 1920s.

"From the late 1920s until 1948 when the state was established, the first pioneers came and lived mainly in the north, building kibbutzim," or collective farms, Khaldi said. "The people who came were very sophisticated. They were mainly Yiddish speakers... Local Bedouins established very close relations with them, even though they were two different cultures and two different worlds with almost nothing in common. It's something that not many people know.

"My grandmother, who passed away only last year, spoke Yiddish. She was a shepherdess, she never went to school, but she had human contact almost every day with the people from (the next-door kibbutz) Kfar Hamaccabi. She worked with them while they were planting orchards."

...
"Of course, there is a lot of frustration, and we are facing a lot of problems. But to make it into hatred and a grudge? We must go one step forward."

Khaldi said there is still a long way to go before the Bedouin minority achieves full equality in Israeli society, but he noted that more Bedouins are graduating from high school, entering universities and getting better jobs than ever before.

"You can look at the differences and say: The government treats us as second- or third-class citizens, or it can be a challenge. It's our challenge to use the differences and try to understand and combine the best of both worlds. The way is long. It's not easy," he said.

Khaldi first encountered anti-Zionist radicalism in high school, he said, and didn't like it. Once during a memorial day for Israels fallen soldiers, Khaldi and two classmates stood at attention to mark two minutes of silent tribute. The gesture provoked derision and insults from fellow Arab students.

"There was a clash with the rest of the Arab kids. They were not respectful," he said.

In following years, Khaldi was turned down twice for an Israeli Foreign Ministry training course before finally being accepted. Meanwhile, he acquired a bachelors degree in political science from Haifa University and a masters degree in international relations from Tel Aviv University. He has served as a border police officer in Jerusalem and as an official in the Israeli Defense Ministry.

Khaldi also has begun a project called "Hike and Learn with Bedouins in the Galilee" that has brought thousands of young Jews to Khawalid to learn about Bedouin culture and history. He said these encounters inspired him to become a diplomat.

But even after an intensive six-month Foreign Ministry diplomatic training course, he says he still looks to village traditions for guidance.

"I come from a culture where negotiations are the best way to understanding," he said. "The tribes used to live and compete with each other and fight and kill each other, but at the end of the day they would have to make sulha (a peace pact). This is the way... At the end of the road, you need to find a common ground, you need to find a solution. Something that will satisfy both sides."

Khaldi is well aware that he will be treated with suspicion by Israeli critics but believes his story presents a true picture of modern Israel.

"I am always torn," he said. "I am torn between modernity and tradition. I am torn between two totally different worlds. I am Israeli above everything."

It is a brilliant idea to send this honest, patriotic man to San Francisco to counter the daily slanders of Israeli racism that the left coast offers.

Moroccan Imam recruited suicide bombers

From AP, but hardly published anywhere (only three mentions in Google News):

Moroccan police have arrested a Muslim prayer leader who is suspected of recruiting young men to be suicide bombers in the insurgency in Iraq, a newspaper reported.

The imam, identified by police simply as Abdelilah according to Aujourd'hui Le Maroc newspaper, was arrested Monday in Tetouan, a city in northern Morocco near the Strait of Gibraltar.

Abdelilah preached at a mosque in Mezouak, a vast slum on the city's outskirts, exhorting Moroccans to "fight the American-Zionist occupation in Iraq," the newspaper quoted police as saying.

Two young men who attended the mosque carried out suicide bombings in Baquba, Iraq, last month, and a further five Moroccans linked to the mosque are believed to have joined the Iraq insurgency, the daily said.

Last night on O'Reilly a representative from CAIR was disputing whether most terrorism comes from Muslims. It is instructive to see that a story where a religious leader is recruiting young men to blow up themselves and as many others as possible is completely buried. I suspect that it is not because of political correctness but simply because this is not newsworthy.

A priest who fondles boys, or a rabbi who embezzles money, deservedly get headlines exactly because they are behaving in a way that is utterly foreign and disgusting and hypocritical. This is what makes a story interesting and therefore newsworthy.

Objectively speaking, the fact that two suicide bombers in Iraq came from the same small mosque from thousands of miles away in Morocco, and three other members are suspected of being in Iraq right now, is noteworthy. But it is not considered unusual by the media, because we know there are many imams exhorting their flocks to jihad. It is the old dog-bites-man standard of news. (In fact, one of the three news outlets that mentions this story only prints it as an afterthought with a story about a German man jailed in Morocco for converting Muslims.)

While the media's stance is understandable - they are in the business of selling their product and they choose news stories based on that fact - it is still irresponsible. Treating Muslim clerics with a different standard than others plays right into the hands of those who try to sell the world on a wholesome Islam that doesn't support terror. Stories like these should not be shunted aside by newspaper editors.

An American love letter to Ahmadinejad

Sure enough, Ahmadinejad's letter to the wacky liberal moonbats has been embraced and amplified by his target audience. Here is a letter back by a nutty minister:

Dear President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad,

This is an open letter in reply to your "open letter to the American People," as published in the USA by CNN on November 29, 2006.

May the One God, Who created all things, and Who gives whatever He wants to whomever He chooses, give His blessing to these words written for the benefit of all His people in this world -- believers and non-believer alike. As the Prophet wrote, "There is no compulsion in religion," (Qur'an 2.256 - Shakir translation), which teaches us that God desires people to come to Him by their own free choice, not by force or threats of violence.

The link to your letter at CNN is http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/11/29/ahmadinejad.letter/ with a backup copy located at http://www.patriot.net/users/bmcgin/ahmadinejadletter112906-text.txt

Although I have no authority to speak for anyone other than myself, I do believe that my comments here will represent the views of many other patriotic Americans who are also seeking truth and justice. And I believe that you can benefit by hearing some ideas here, which you may not have heard before from your normal sources of information.

First, you wrote: "O, Almighty God, bestow upon humanity the perfect human being promised to all by You, and make us among his followers." As a Christian, I of course believe that God has already bestowed upon humanity that perfect human being He promised, namely Jesus. And I invite you to join with me as one of Jesus' followers. As Jesus said, "And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." (John 8:32 RSV)

Next, you wrote many excellent, admirable statements, such as: "We are all inclined towards the good, and towards extending a helping hand to one another, particularly to those in need;" and "We all deplore injustice, the trampling of peoples' rights and the intimidation and humiliation of human beings;" and "We all detest darkness, deceit, lies and distortion, and seek and admire salvation, enlightenment, sincerity and honesty." I agree completely with these ideas, and I hope we can all do a better job of putting them into action.

...
You refer to the state of Israel and its supporters as "the Zionist regime," and "the Zionists." And you charge them with many crimes, particularly against the Palestinians. In particular, you write: "In broad day-light, in front of cameras and before the eyes of the world, they are bombarding innocent defenseless civilians, bulldozing houses, firing machine guns at students in the streets and alleys, and subjecting their families to endless grief." You criticize the United States for its "blind and blanket support to the Zionist regime," which has "emboldened it to continue its crimes, and has prevented the UN Security Council from condemning it." And you point out that these actions, and others, have helped to cause "global resentment and hatred of America," thereby spreading terrorism, not reducing it.

Without debating these charges, please let me point out two political realities within the United States which make it impossible for anyone to seriously oppose the best interests of the state of Israel, as determined by the "Israel Lobby." (The "Israel Lobby" can be defined as "the interconnected group of individuals and organizations who actively seek to promote the political interests of the state of Israel, and who react defensively and decisively to any criticism of Israel or its policies, justified or unjustified.") Source: http://israel-lobby.info

Reality #1: Supporters of Israel have an emotional love for Israel similar to a mother's emotional love for her child: they can see no fault in the child, no matter what the child may do. This love does not respond to reason or to objective facts. Her delinquent child may rob a bank, rape five women, and burn down the schoolhouse, but the mother sees no evil in him. So it is with the supporters of Israel. This is a fact of life in the United States. We all must accept it and live with it, because we cannot change it. This emotional love for Israel is reinforced by the Old-Testament Bible verse where God says, "I will bless those who bless you, and him who curses you I will curse; and by you all the families of the earth shall bless themselves." The supporters of Israel believe that this verse applies to modern-day Israel. (Genesis 12:3 RSV)

Reality #2: Supporters of Israel have enormous influence -- far greater than their numbers would suggest -- in all of the instruments of power in the USA. In the media, in the culture, in banking, in corporate leadership, in both political parties, in all branches and agencies of government, in the Christian churches, in the universities and other schools: everywhere! This influence, coupled with their emotional love for Israel, guarantees that absolutely nothing ever happens in the USA which seriously criticizes or opposes the state of Israel. This, too, is a fact of life in the United States. We all must accept it and live with it, because we cannot change it.

These two realities mean that neither you nor anybody else can change U.S. policy toward Israel by criticizing Israel. It simply will not work, no matter how true or justified the criticism may be. If you speak in favor of the Palestinians, the supporters of Israel call you a terrorist. And if you speak against Israel in any way, they call you an anti-Semite. So if you want the United States to change its policies toward Israel, you must convince the supporters of Israel that it is in Israel's best interest for these policies to be changed. That is the only way.

Blessings to you and to all people. May God help us all.

Rev. Bill McGinnis, Director
http://LoveAllPeople.org
http://InternetChurchOfChrist.org

Ahmadinejad acknowledges the Elders - again

Once again, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has acknowledged my power.

In his rambling letter to the American people, he throws this in:

What has blind support for the Zionists by the US administration brought for the American people? It is regrettable that for the US administration, the interests of these occupiers supersedes the interests of the American people and of the other nations of the world .

What have the Zionists done for the American people that the US administration considers itself obliged to blindly support these infamous aggressors? Is it not because they have imposed themselves on a substantial portion of the banking, financial, cultural and media sectors?

All those "Zionists" controlling the banks, the newspapers and the government report to me. Today we're working hard now to take total control of Nintendo Wii games as well as an ISP in Uzbekistan (or, as we like to call it, "Jewsbekistan." Damn, we're funny, but you knew that, since all the good comedians are "Zionists.")

All our daily goals should met by 5:15 PM EST, when we will go out to enjoy a good kosher meal, paid for by the kosher "Zionist" tax on food items that the poor gentiles are paying without realizing it.

Culture of victimhood

Today is the annual UN-declared "International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People." In the UN calendar, it is the only day of the year dedicated to a single political group of people. They have a significant website dedicated to this day, which of course coincides with the date of the UN resolution to partition Palestine in 1947, a move that the Arab world strongly denounced and now pretends to embrace.

This is, of course, not the only UN event that deals exclusively with the Palestinian Arab people. We also have:

• United Nations Asian Meeting in Support of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People
  15 and 16 December 2006, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• United Nations Forum of Civil Society in Support of the Palestinian People
  17 December 2006, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• United Nations International Conference of Civil Society in Support of the Palestinian People
  United Nations Office at Geneva, 7 and 8 September 2006
• United Nations International Meeting in Support of Israeli-Palestinian Peace
  United Nations Office at Vienna, 27 and 28 June 2006
• United Nations Seminar on Assistance to the Palestinian People
  Cairo, 26 and 27 April 2006
• United Nations Latin American and Caribbean Meeting on the Question of Palestine
  13 and 14 December 2005, Caracas, Venezuela

And on and on.

The PalArabs also have other annual commemorations of their own - their "Independence Day," "Qods Day," "Naqba Day," Land Day," and probably some others.

Each of these days commemorates, celebrates and enshrines the victimhood of the Palestinian Arabs. To these people who pretend to have lived vibrant lives for centuries in the area, you would think that they would also have Palestinian Arab-specific celebrations, but from what I can see, outside of their now-annual festivities to commemorate the death of the mass-murderer Yasir Arafat, all of the PalArab "days" are designed to perpetuate their status as victims.

Is it in the Palestinian Arab self-interest to enshrine their status as victims? For their leaders, the answer is an emphatic "yes." PalArab victimhood helps keep their corrupt leaders in their positions of power.

For the people themselves, almost certainly not. They've had myriad opportunities to build their own state the way they want it, but their leadership sinks their resources into the tools of victimhood, which include weapons to be used against Israel - a state that would happily support their supposed thirst for nationhood if they'd only stop trying to destroy her.

So we once again have a day that does not commemorate any real heroes, or progress, or victories, but one that is designed to replace hope with hopelessness that can be translated into anger against Israel. And the world willingly "congratulates" the self-serving PalArab leaders on this "achievement."

Olmert's strength

For what is probably the 150th consecutive day, PalArabs fired rockets at Israel from Gaza.

But the good news is....the cease-fire is now in its fourth day!

And don't worry...Olmert has made a show of strength to stop the rockets once and for all:

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Tuesday evening in a meeting with European Union ambassadors in the Finnish ambassador's house that Israel is 'a little disappointed by the continued Qassam firings in the south by the Palestinians.'

Olmert said he hoped that the Palestinians would 'honor their commitment and will stop the fire,' adding that he is certain the European Union 'will appreciate Israel's upholding of the ceasefire.'

Strong words indeed from a strong leader. The terrorists are quaking in the face of such language, and the Israeli public (especially those in Sderot) can feel much safer, knowing that Olmert is certain that Israel's strength in not responding to daily rocket attacks will translate into a smile from some European ambassador in Finland.

You go, girl.

Ethnic cleansing, real and imagined

The always reliable Ramzy Baroud writes a tedious essay in the Arab News/Al Jazeera saying that Israelis are engaging in "ethnic cleansing" of the Palestinian Arab population, and have been since 1947.

It is really wondrous that a population that has been ethnically cleansed for some 60 years has managed to multiply by 600% since then.

It is also interesting to compare the number of Jews in Arab-controlled areas in 1947 with the number today, if one was seriously concerned about "ethnic cleansing."

But what I'm wondering today is how come the words "ethnic cleansing" is never used to describe the situation of the Christians in Palestinian Arab areas, as well as the Arab world altogether?

This recent article from AP sheds some light on the matter:

BETHLEHEM, West Bank - The death threat came on simple white fliers blowing down the streets at dawn. A group calling itself "Friends of Muhammad" accused a local Palestinian Christian of selling mobile phones carrying offensive sketches of the Muslim prophet.

The message went on to curse all Arab Christians and Pope Benedict XVI, still struggling to calm Muslim outrage from his remarks on Islam.

While neighbors defended the merchant - saying the charges in the flier were bogus - the frightened phone dealer went into hiding, feeling less than satisfied with authorities' conclusion that the Oct. 19 note was probably a harmless rant.

Now the dealer is thinking of going abroad.

Call it part of a modern exodus, the steady flight of the tiny Palestinian Christian minority that could lead, some predict, to the faith being virtually extinct in its birthplace within several generations - a trend mirrored in many dwindling pockets of Christianity across the Islamic world.

...Nearly everywhere in Muslim lands, Christian populations are in decline.

No place is this more striking than the Holy Land.

The Palestinian uprisings - and the separation barrier started by Israel in 2002 - accelerated the departures by turning once-bustling pilgrimage sites such as Bethlehem into relative ghost towns.

The growing strength of radical Islamic movements has added distinct new worries. During the protests after the pope's remarks in September, some of the worst violence was in Palestinian areas with churches firebombed and hit by gunfire.

"Most of the Christians here are either in the process of leaving, planning to leave or thinking of leaving," said Sami Awad, executive director of the Holy Land Trust, a Bethlehem-based peace group. "Insecurity is deep and getting worse."

The native Palestinian Christian population has dipped below 2 percent of the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Arab East Jerusalem, down from at least 15 percent in 1950 by some estimates. Meanwhile, the Muslim Palestinian birthrate is among the highest in the world.

Dire predictions abound. The Franciscan Foundation for the Holy Land said Christians could become "extinct" in the region within 60 years.

"It certainly doesn't look good for us," said Mike Salman, a Palestinian Christian who has conducted studies on demographic trends.

So, the number of Jews in Arab lands has plummeted. The population of Christians in Arab lands has plummeted. The number of Arabs in Israel has increased almost tenfold, and the number of Arabs in the territories tripled since 1948.

What was that you were saying about "ethnic cleansing" again, Ramzy?

Hamas' take on the Torah

Yesterday I posted a history of Palestine according to Hamas, where the word "inaccurate" does not begin to cover the absurd lies, distortions and omissions that radical Islam is taught as history.

The same website has another equally absurd article on the history of Palestine pre-Islam. Debunking a history that is based on the fairy-tales of the Koran is too easy (even with their occasional mention of unnamed "historians" who can supposedly corroborate some of their claims) . But just for fun, here is what they have to say about Jews and the Torah:

The Holy Qur'an has sufficiently provided us with the ways to identify the Jewish manners and has warned us regarding their debauchery and immorality. But their prophets and their virtuous followers are something else. Prophets are the best examples of all human beings. They should not be abused and most certainly God Almighty should not be abused. We should not follow the deviated stories of the Children of Israel, which abuse both prophets and God.

The deviated Torah and the Talmud, for instance, say that God (the Most High, Exalted and Great) plays with whales and fish for three hours every day. They also say that He cried over the demolition of the temple till His size was diminished from seven heavens to four heavens, and that earthquakes and hurricanes occur as a result of God's tears, which supposedly fall into the sea in response to the demolished temple. The Holy Qur'an mention their allegations in the following verses: The Jews say: "God's hand is tied up (S.V:64)"; God hath heard the taunt of those who say: "Truly, God is indigent and we are rich! (S.III:181)".

The Jews attribute Prophet Jacob with the theft from his father an idol made of gold and with his having wrestled with God(!!) near the city of Nablus, thus he was named Israel. In addition, he has been attributed with offering bribes to his brother, cheating his father and keeping silent regarding the alleged adultery and polytheism of his two daughters. Such things are understandable considering what the Jews say about the rest of prophets.

The Jews have deviated from the Torah or the Old Testament, and they follow the path of the deviated Torah as seen in their manners, debauchery and immorality, under the pretence of what they had attributed falsely and untruly to their prophets. Historians, especially the Muslim ones, should not embark rashly in their search into Palestine's history accusing God's prophets and messengers, as the Jews did in their fabrications, in order to prove other prophets' rights in Palestine.

If the creed-and-faith tie is the ground upon which Moslems of all kinds and colours are united, then Muslims have the priority to hold the heritage of the prophets, including the heritage of the prophets of the Children of Israel. Muslims are still holding the banner already held up by the prophets and are still following their path. All of those prophets were Muslims and believers in the unity of God according to the Qur'anic understanding.

As far as I can tell, this is not really radical Islamist thinking, but mainstream Islam. Rather than actually read any of the millions of Bibles that can be found anywhere on the planet (besides Saudi Arabia), they take the Koran's description of what it includes as being accurate.

Any Muslims that are willing to disavow this ridiculous description are welcome to do so, however. I would love to be proven wrong.

Hamas' hilarious "history"

A British website named Palestine-info is associated with Hamas, so it is a good English resource to see exactly how they think when the wishful thinkers are saying otherwise.

On that site they have a handy-dandy almanac of important dates in Palestinian history. Since I am always willing to learn new things, I re-ordered the imporant dates to go by year rather than by month, so we can see all the important dates in Palestinian history, according to Hamas.

I was always wondering about that rich Palestinian Arab history that we hear has been there since time immemorial, so I expected that many gaps of Western knowledge of the history of the land would be filled by a news organization.

Once the almanac is sorted, here are the first entries:

8/12/636 The Romans were defeated by the Muslims in Al Yarmouk Battle, so Palestine has been a part of the Islamic State since then. 7/15/1099 The Crusaders occupied Jerusalem and killed more than 70,000 Muslims around Al Aqsa. 10/2/1187 Saladin restored Jerusalem from the Crusaders. 9/6/1260 The Mamlouks defeated Tattar in Ein Jalout Battle in north Palestine. 4/20/1779 Napoleon called for the Jews all over the world to join his forces so they could enter Palestine easily. 2/7/1799 The French expedition led by Napoleon was initiated in order to invade and occupy Palestine. 5/2/1799 The end of the French expedition after Napoleon had failed to conquer Akka. 8/29/1897 The first Zionist conference was held in Basl, Switzerland, presided by Haim Hertzl, who had chosen Palestine as a homeland for the Jews. 4/27/1909 Sultan Abdel Hameed was dethroned by the Turkish Society members, which marked the end of the Islamic Caliphate because he prevented the Jews from entering Palestine in 1900. 5/16/1916 Sicous-Picot agreement was signed by Britain and France to divide Palestine. 11/2/1917 Britain issued the Balfour Promise to establish the Jewish State in Palestine. 12/9/1917 The British General Allenby occupied Jerusalem. 1/7/1919 The first Palestinian conference was held and Palestine was considered a part of Syria.

It seems a little sparse, perhaps, in the years before 636 and there are some pretty huge gaps between 636 and the Crusades, and from 1260 to Napoleon.

I also don't see any mention of famous Palestinian Arab poets, writers, artists or even warriors. Seems strange.

I'm also surprised - in 1919, Palestine was considered by Arabs to be a part of Syria? For a land with such supposed significance in Arab history? (See here for another example of Palestine being considered a part of Syria - in the 10th century.)

Anyway, the entire fictionalized history of the area is just too good not to share, so forgive me for this long post but if you want to see how thoroughly distanced the Palestinian Arabs are from the truth, this gives a very good indication. I highlighted some items of interest, like massacres disguised as "rebellions" but everyone will certainly find some gems here. I am sure that some other bloggers will have their own comments on this twisted look at history, both by what is highlighted as well as what is missing.

8/12/636
The Romans were defeated by the Muslims in Al Yarmouk Battle, so Palestine has been a part of the Islamic State since then.
10/2/1187
Saladin restored Jerusalem from the Crusaders.
7/15/1099
The Crusaders occupied Jerusalem and killed more than 70,000 Muslims around Al Aqsa.
9/6/1260
The Mamlouks defeated Tattar in Ein Jalout Battle in north Palestine.
4/20/1779
Napoleon called for the Jews all over the world to join his forces so they could enter Palestine easily.
2/7/1799
The French expedition led by Napoleon was initiated in order to invade and occupy Palestine.
5/2/1799
The end of the French expedition after Napoleon had failed to conquer Akka.
8/29/1897
The first Zionist conference was held in Basl, Switzerland, presided by Haim Hertzl, who had chosen Palestine as a homeland for the Jews.
4/27/1909
Sultan Abdel Hameed was dethroned by the Turkish Society members, which marked the end of the Islamic Caliphate because he prevented the Jews from entering Palestine in 1900.
5/16/1916
Sicous-Picot agreement was signed by Britain and France to divide Palestine.
11/2/1917
Britain issued the Balfour Promise to establish the Jewish State in Palestine.
12/9/1917
The British General Allenby occupied Jerusalem.
1/7/1919
The first Palestinian conference was held and Palestine was considered a part of Syria.
1/10/1919
The peace conference was held in Paris to lay out the new charts of the world after the First World War.
6/10/1919
King-Krine committee began its operations in Palestine to find out about the good intentions of the Arab States.
4/4/1920
The rebellion of Al Nabi Mousa or the rebellion of the Twenty broke out.
4/26/1920
San Remo conference was held to confirm the Balfour Promise for the Jews to establish their State.
7/1/1920
The British Mandate was started in Palestine by appointing Herbert Samuel as the first Supreme Deputy in Palestine.
10/20/1920
Herbert Samuel, the British supreme deputy in Palestine, began his efforts to encourage the Jews to buy more land and estates.
1/15/1921
The British ministry of settlements took over the authority in Palestine from the foreign affairs ministry.
5/1/1921
Jaffa rebellion broke out when the British supported the Jews against the Palestinians.
6/5/1921
The Palestinian conference was held in Jerusalem to send a delegation to London to explain the Palestinians' attitude toward the Balfour Promise.
7/6/1921
The UN approved the British Mandate in Palestine.
7/3/1922
The British government issued the second "White Book" to interpret the Balfour Promise and to assure the Arabs of their good intentions by their Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
7/24/1922
The UN approved the British Mandate in Palestine.
8/10/1922
The British government issued the Palestinian constitution preceded by a statement of the Balfour Promise.
8/14/1922
Herbert Samuel became the first British Supreme Deputy in Palestine.
9/29/1923
The British Mandate in Palestine went into effect.
8/2/1926
The British Minister of Settlements issued new Palestinian currency, and created a currency committee.
2/21/1927
The British minister of settlements announced that the Palestinian currency would replace the Egyptian.
8/16/1929
The rebellion of Al Buraq broke out.
9/13/1929
The British government appointed a committee presided by the chief judge Walter Shaw and three other members to investigate the reasons behind Al Buraq rebellion.
6/17/1930
Three heroes of Al Buraq rebellion were executed
10/31/1930
Another "White Book" was issued by the British minister of settlements, Lord Basfield, limiting the number of emigrant Jews to Palestine.
12/7/1931
The Islamic conference was opened in Al Aqsa to defend and protect the Holy Shrine in Jerusalem.
10/10/1933
The great Jerusalem demonstration broke out to protest the miserable conditions in Palestine.
10/27/1933
Mr. Mousa Kathem Al Husseini was shot down as a martyr in the great demonstration in Jaffa.
1/25/1935
The first conference of the Palestinian scholars was held and was presided by Al Haj Ameen Al Husseini.
11/19/1935
Sheikh Ezzul Deen Al Qassam was shot down as a martyr at Ya'bad woods.
4/15/1936
The great rebellion broke out throughout Palestine and ended in October.
7/7/1936
Bill British Committee recommended dividing Palestine into an Arab and Israeli State.
10/12/1936
The end of the great rebellion.
11/11/1936
A Royal British committee, "Bill committee", arrived in Palestine to investigate the reasons behind the great rebellion.
10/2/1937
The second great rebellion broke out and lasted till 1939.
11/28/1937
Sheikh Farhan Al Sa'ady was executed by the British when he was 80 years old and while he was fasting. He is the comrade of Sheikh Ezzul Deen Al Qassam.
1/4/1938
The British deputy in Palestine was notified by the minister of the settlements that the latter had sent a delegation to Palestine to consider the feasibility of the division resolution.
1/6/1938
A massacre was carried out by the Israeli forces in the village of Atteel where several women and children were killed, mosques were violated, and copies of the Holy Qur'an were torn up.
10/7/1938
An Arab-Islamic conference was held by an Egyptian committee in Cairo to condemn and decry the Balfour Promise.
2/7/1939
The Round Table Conference was held in London between some Arab delegations and a Jewish delegation.
3/27/1939
The leader of the Second Great Rebellion, Abderraheem Al Haj Mohammed was martyred, and the British soldiers saluted him even though he was dead.
5/17/1939
The British government issued the White Book in which they divided Palestine into three regions
7/1/1942
The British minister of settlements declared that the Jewish defense organizations are the same as the National Guard in Britain.
4/5/1945
The American president Roosevelt announced that the USA would not take any political procedures without referring to the Arab States, and the USA would not be against the Arabs in the Palestinian question.
8/30/1945
The American president Harry Truman asked for permission to allow hundreds of thousands to enter Palestine.
11/13/1945
An Anglo-American committee was formed to investigate the conditions of the Jews who were persecuted by the Nazis in Europe, and to find out about their socio-economic and political conditions in Palestine.
5/10/1946
The American secretary of state deputy Dean Etchison was sent to five Arab States to assure them that the USA would not take any decisions concerning the Anglo-American investigating committee without referring to both Arabs and Israelis.
5/28/1946
A conference was held by the Arab leaders in Anshasi, Egypt, to discuss the Palestinian question.
7/22/1946
King David Hotel in Jerusalem was blown up by the Argon gangsters result in the killing of 95 Arabs and Jews.
2/14/1947
The British government announced that the Palestinian question "cause" would be referred to the United Nations.
4/2/1947
The British government asked the Secretary General of the UN to include the Palestinian question in the agenda of the General Assembly meeting.
5/21/1947
A group of Al Hagana terrorists attacked a coffee shop at Faja near Btah Tekfa, killing a Palestinian and injuring 17 others; they also put explosives all over the area.
8/14/1947
The American president Harry Truman put forward his proposal to the British. The proposal was approved at the Zionist conference in Paris, and it granted the Jews the International Zone according to Bill Proposal, in addition to Al Naqab.
8/31/1947
The UN special committee completed its report about Palestine and presented it to the General Assembly of the UN.
9/10/1947
The first conference about Palestine was held and attended by Arab and British delegations except the Palestinians.
11/13/1947
The British representative at the UN declared that Britain would have to withdraw from Palestine by May.
11/29/1947
The UN voted on the division resolution of Palestine
12/18/1947
The Supreme Arab Board was formed at the conference held in Bloudan, Syria.
12/25/1947
The Holy War Troops (Al Jehad Al Muqades) were formed in Palestine presided by the leader Abdel Qader Al Husseini.
1/1/1948
Another massacre was committed by the Israeli forces in Safad.
1/25/1948
The arrival of the first troops of the Rescue Army led by Fawzy Al Qaweqjy.
3/3/1948
Haim Weisman was promised by the American president Harry Truman that the latter would help the Jews to establish their State with full recognition.
3/11/1948
Anthon David, a young Palestinian working as a driver for the American ambassador, bombed the Jewish Agency killing 36 and injuring hundreds.
3/19/1948
The UN Security Council approved an American proposal to abolish the division resolution.
4/9/1948
Deir Yassin massacre was committed by the terrorist Menachem Begin and his gangsters. More than 250 Palestinian were killed, mainly old people, women and children.
4/9/1948
The great leader Abdel Qader Al Hussien was martyred.
4/17/1948
The General Assembly of the UN agreed on the truce resolution between the Israelis and the Arabs after the 1948 war.
4/20/1948
The executive committee of the Zionist movement elected David Ben Gurion as president and defence director to replace the British.
4/23/1948
A conference was held in Amman by several Arab ministers and prime ministers to approve the participation of the Arab armies in the 1948 war or the Rescue War in Palestine.
5/9/1948
The Arabs adopted the truce treaty with the Israelis.
5/14/1948
The temporal state council of Israel declared the new Israeli State.
5/15/1948
The Arab armies, known as Rescue Army, entered Palestine.
5/15/1948
The USA recognized the new Israeli State.
5/18/1948
The USSR also recognized the new Israeli State.
6/11/1948
The first truce treaty was signed by the Arabs and the Israelis after the 1948 war, which was considered as recognition of the new Israeli State.
9/17/1948
The Zionist gangsters shot down the UN peace mediator, Count Folk Bernadot.
10/1/1948
Palestine was declared independent by the supreme Arab Board.
1/25/1949
David Ben Gurion became the first Prime Minister of Israel.
3/10/1949
The Israeli forces occupied the village of Um Al Rashrash (Elat) after they had occupied Al Naqab.
5/11/1949
Israel was accepted as a member of the United Nations.
5/12/1949
Lozan Protocol was signed by Israel and some Arab States such as Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
12/8/1949
The UN formed UNRWA to look after and employ the Palestinian refugees in the neighbouring countries.
12/16/1949
David Ben Gurion, the Israeli Prime Minister, declared Jerusalem as the unified capital of Israel.
4/24/1950
The two Banks of the Jordan River were unified in one State in a conference held in Jericho.
9/1/1951
Sea navigation was prohibited through the Suez Canal.
10/14/1952
The Israeli forces committed a massacre in the village of Qebya west of Ramallah, and killed 42 people and destroyed 41 houses.
6/26/1953
The Israelis transferred the property of the absentees to the department of development and reckoned its price as a loan.
2/28/1955
The Israeli forces attacked the Gaza Strip and shot down 38 martyrs and injured countless others.
1/1/1956
Al Azhar Mosque issued a fatwa considering peace with the Israelis illegal and taboo.
3/14/1957
The Israeli forces completely withdrew from the Gaza Strip after the Triplex invasion against Egypt.
3/9/1959
The Arab League suggested a conference to recognize Palestine as a united entity and nation.
9/19/1963
Mr. Ahmed Al Shuqeiry was appointed as a Palestinian representative for the Arab League.
5/28/1964
The first National Palestinian Council was held in Jerusalem to establish the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO).
11/4/1966
The joint defense treaty was signed by Egypt and Syria against Israel.
11/13/1966
The Israeli forces attacked Al Samou', a village near Hebron, and killed 18 people, injured 54 people and destroyed 125 houses.
6/5/1967
The Israeli fighters raided ten Arab air bases in Egypt, as well as Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.
6/7/1967
The Israeli forces occupied the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, the Sinai Peninsula and the Golan Heights.
6/27/1967
The Israeli Parliament decided to annex East Jerusalem and authorized the government to carry out this order.
6/28/1967
The Israeli minister of interior declared the annexation of some parts of Jerusalem to unify the whole city.
11/22/1967
The Security Council issued resolution No. 242 in which Israel was called upon to withdraw from the territories occupied in the June war of 1967.
11/29/1967
The UN delegate Yaring began his 15-round peace initiative to settle down the Arab-Israeli conflict.
3/21/1968
Al Karameh battle took place when both Jordanian and Palestinian forces repelled and defeated the Israeli forces incurring great losses.
3/8/1969
The Attrition War between Israel and Egypt began on the Suez Canal front.
4/9/1969
The end of UN Deputy Yaring's initiative. Hoever, he failed to solve the Arab-Israeli conflict.
8/21/1969
Al Aqsa Mosque was set on fire by the Australian tourist Michael Rohan, urged by the Israelis.
8/8/1970
The attrition war between Egypt and Israel was stopped.
9/19/1970
The conflict between the Palestinian forces and the Jordanian army broke out, known as Fitneh.
10/6/1973
Ramadan War broke out against Israel on the Syrian and Egyptian fronts.
10/17/1973
Oil was used as a weapon against the West by the Arabs in Kuwait by decreasing the production 5% monthly.
10/22/1973
The Security Council issued its resolution No. 338 to confirm a cease fire between the Arabs and the Israelis asking them to abide by resolution No. 242.
11/5/1973
The American Secretary of State Richard Nixon began his peace initiative to disengage the Syrian, Egyptian and Israeli forces after the Ramadan war.
11/27/1973
The PLO was recognized as the sole legal representative of the Palestinians at the Arab Summit Conference in Algeria.
12/21/1973
The peace conference was held in Geneva, Switzerland, by the Arabs and the Israelis, patronized by the USA and the USSR.
1/18/1974
The forces separation agreement was signed as a result of the Ramadan War.
5/6/1974
The Israeli forces began shelling the Palestinian camps in Lebanon.
10/14/1974
The General Assembly adopted resolution No. 3210 inviting the PLO to take part in the debate.
10/28/1974
Al Rebat Summit Conference was held and the PLO was recognized as the legal representative for the Palestinians.
4/13/1975
The civil war began in Lebanon between the Christians and the Muslims.
5/22/1975
Yasser Arafat announced that he had not had any hostility toward Israel, and he is keen on establishing a democratic State for both Arabs and Israelis.
11/10/1975
The General Assembly of the UN adopted resolution No. 3379, which considers Zionism a racial movement.
2/8/1976
An Israeli court allowed the Jews to pray on the mountain of Al Haykal in the Holy Shrine of Jerusalem.
8/12/1976
The massacre of Tel Al Za'ater was committed by the Christian Militia in collaboration with the Israeli forces.
11/19/1977
The Egyptian president Anwar Sadat was the first Arab leader to enter Israel since it was founded.
9/18/1978
Camp David peace treaty was signed by the Egyptian president Anwar Sadat and the Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin under the patronage of the USA president Jimmy Carter.
3/26/1979
The peace treaty between Israel and Egypt was signed by President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin in Washington, Camp David, under the patronage of the United States of America.
4/19/1979
The women of Keryat Arba'a occupied Beit Hadassa in Hebron to revive the Jewish quarters in the city.
9/16/1979
The Israeli government allowed the Jews to buy the Arab land and estates.
7/30/1980
The Israeli Parliament declared Jerusalem the unified capital of Israel.
9/22/1981
The Palestinian occupied territories were ruled by the Israeli civil laws.
11/1/1981
The application of civil management in the West Bank and Gaza Strip presided by Menachem Milson.
6/6/1982
The Israeli forces began attacking south Lebanon to destroy the infrastructure of the PLO installations.
8/6/1982
The Israeli forces entered west Beirut.
9/17/1982
Sabra and Shatilla massacre was carried out by the Israeli forces aided by the Christian militia.
2/7/1983
Kahan committee submitted a report on the massacre that took place at Sabra and Shatilla indicating that Sharon was responsible for it, so he resigned from the ministry of defense but he remained in the cabinet.
5/20/1985
The Israeli forces released 1,145 Palestinian captives for releasing three Israeli soldiers that had been confined by the members of the People's Front--the Headquarters, in Al Jaleel operation.
8/2/1985
The Israeli forces adopted the steel-fist policy against the Palestinian protests.
12/9/1987
The starting of the Palestinian Blessed Intifadah.
12/14/1987
The Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS) was declared by issuing its first manifestation "statement" about the Intifadah.
1/21/1988
Issa'ac Rabin, the Israeli minister of defense, announced his policies of violence and beating against the Palestinian Intifadah.
2/2/1988
The Israeli forces closed the Palestinian schools and university.
4/10/1988
Several members of the Palestinian police in Gaza and the West Bank resigned.
4/16/1988
Mr. Khaleel Al Wazeer (Abu Jehad) was assassinated by the Israeli special force led by Yahoud Parak in Tunis.
7/31/1988
King Hussein of Jordan declared the legal disengagement between the two Banks after a 38-year consolidation.
8/18/1988
The Charter of the Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS) was declared.
11/15/1988
The Palestinian State was declared by the National Palestinian Council held in Algeria. This State consists of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and Jerusalem is its capital. The declaration is an implicit recognition of the Israeli State comprising the rest of Palestine.
12/14/1988
The USA decided to take up a dialogue and debate with the PLO.
5/15/1989
The Israeli forces arrested Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, accusing him of establishing the Islamic resistance movement "HAMAS".
10/8/1990
More than 30 Muslims were shot down as martyrs and 115 were injured by the Israeli forces around Al Aqsa.
3/6/1991
The USA drew up a peace initiative to solve the Arab-Israeli conflict.
10/30/1991
Madrid peace conference was held by the Arabs and the Israelis, patronized by the USA and the USSR.
12/17/1992
Four hundred and fifteen members of HAMAS were deported by the Israeli forces to Marj Al Zuhour in South Lebanon.
9/13/1993
Oslo Principles Treaty was signed by the Israelis and the Palestinians.
11/24/1993
Mr. Emad Aqel, a prominent member of HAMAS, was shot down as a martyr in a confrontation with the Israeli forces.
2/24/1994
Israeli terrorist Goldstein massacred worshippers performing Friday dawn prayers at the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron with the help of Israeli police forces.
5/4/1994
Israel and the PLO signed in Cairo the Palestinian autonomy agreement in Gaza and Jericho.
5/18/1994
The first troops of the Palestinian police entered Gaza and Jericho.
5/23/1994
The first crime of murder committed by the Palestinian police forces against a Palestinian citizen.
7/1/1994
Yasser Arafat, the PLO chief, entered Gaza as president of the Palestinian Authority.
7/5/1994
The members of the Palestinian Authority took a legal oath in front of Yasser Arafat in Jericho.
8/14/1994
The Palestinian Authority forces arrested several Palestinians who opposed the peace process along with members of HAMAS.
10/26/1994
The peace treaty was signed by the Israelis and the Jordanians under the patronage of the American president Bill Clinton.
11/18/1994
The Palestinian police killed 12 Palestinians and wounded 200 in a protest after Friday's prayers in Gaza.
2/7/1995
The first State security court was established by Yasser Arafat, the chief of the Palestinian Authority.
4/2/1995
Kamal Khaleel, the leader of Ezzul Deen Al Qassam Brigades, was assassinated in Gaza.
4/11/1995
The Palestinian minister of justice, Freih Abu Madein, decided to disarm the Palestinians in order to weaken the Islamic resistance.
7/24/1995
The American authorities arrested Dr. Mousa Abu Marzook, the chief of the political wing of HAMAS, at JFK in New York, USA.
9/24/1995
Taba transitional treaty was signed by Yasser Arafat and Shamon Perez in Cairo about the execution of the National Authority in the occupied territories.
10/26/1995
Mr. Fathi Al Sheqaqy, the chief of the Islamic Jehad, was shot down as a martyr in Malta by the Israeli Intelligence agents.
11/4/1995
Mr. Ishha'ac Rabin, the Israeli ex-Prime Minister, was assassinated by the extremist Yegal Amir. This was the first politically-driven assassination in Israel.
1/6/1996
Engineer Yahya Ayyash, the leader of the martyr troops of Ezzul Deen Al Qassam Brigades, was assassinated, after a four-year chase, by Al Shabak agents. They detonated an explosive in his mobile phone.
3/12/1996
A conference was held in Sharm Al Sheikh to condemn all forms of terrorism, and considered the daring martyr operations against Israeli forces as terrorist acts. They also decided to chase and suppress the resistance movements all over Palestine.
4/24/1996
The National Palestinian Council was held in Gaza to abolish the items of the National Charter that are against Israel.
5/29/1996
Israeli Likud Party presided by Netanyahu took over authorities in Israel.
1/15/1997
A partial agreement was signed by both Israelis and the Palestinian Authority regarding the deployment of forces in Hebron after it had been divided between the two sides.
9/25/1997
Mr. Khaled Misha'al, the chief of the political wing of HAMAS, escaped an assassination attempt planned by the Israeli Intelligence agents in Amman.33 members supported it, 13 opposed, and 10 were neutral. An international committee was formed to take over the British authorities in Palestine.
10/1/1997
Sheikh Ahmed Yassin was released by the Israeli forces.
10/6/1997
Sheikh Ahmed Yassin came back home after having been hospitalized in Amman.

Olmert, the battered girlfriend

After an unbelievable 21 consecutive hours of no Qassams, Olmert is falling all over himself to reward the Palestinian Arabs with lots of land, dismantling settlements, money and prisoners.

Oh, sure, he is demanding some things in return - all of which are reversible in the wink of an eye. As opposed to things like - land, dismantling settlements, money and prisoners.

Clearly he is an idiot.

In reaction to a thoroughly illusory and pathetically short "cease fire," lovestruck Olmert is sending roses and singing telegrams to the Palestinian Arabs, supported by a large percentage (but probably not the majority) of Israelis.

The Palestinian Arabs are not so quick to smile at the love songs of their unwanted suitor. Hamas called it a "conspiracy" and the PA claimed to embrace UN resolutions 242 and 194 which they of course had rejected for decades.

Olmert and his self-serving cronies are acting like the abused girlfriend who blames herself for all the problems in the relationship and knows that she can change the abuser if she just loves him a little bit harder. And the PalArabs are playing their part to the hilt, insisting that they require a lot more before they'd even look at her without a smirk.

Terrorism has been proven to work yet again.

But it is instructive to see how this is playing out.

Has there ever been a nation so starved for peace that they publicly and unilaterally offer practically suicidal terms, showing all their cards before the negotiations even begin?

And if the PalArabs are so battered by the constant abuse they supposedly suffer daily from Israel, why are they all of a sudden in a position to act the abuser?

Again, one must come to the conclusion that only one side truly desires peace. The other side, like the classic abuser, just wants the power that comes from the ability to push someone else around to feed his pathetic ego (known as "pride" in the Arab world.)

And the abused girlfriend needs to wake up and stop acting like a doormat already...

Death count update: 165

Just to keep my loyal readers up with the latest news of Palestinian Arabs being violently killed without any Israeli help since Operation Summer Rains started, we see that two young terrorist wannabes were found dead in the collapsed tunnel that they were building to Egypt. (Or, as Egypt calls them, "smugglers.")

It seems that I missed a Hamas member who was killed in very similar circumstances last month.

So my count is now up to 164.

UPDATE: 165.

At approximately 16:00 Wednesday, 29 November 2006, 3 gunmen shot dead Jihad Suleiman Abu Nsaira, 40, with a live bullet to the head, when he was walking near ‘Abdul Karim al-‘Aklouk School in the center of Deir al-Balah town in the central Gaza Strip. Abu Nsaira was killed for a family revenge.

When political correctness and fear intersect

Another disturbing story out of Australia:

A LEADING children's publisher has dumped a novel because of political sensitivity over Islamic issues.

Scholastic Australia pulled the plug on the Army of the Pure after booksellers and librarians said they would not stock the adventure thriller for younger readers because the "baddie" was a Muslim terrorist.

A prominent literary agent has slammed the move as "gutless", while the book's author, award-winning novelist John Dale, said the decision was "disturbing because it's the book's content they are censoring".

"There are no guns, no bad language, no sex, no drugs, no violence that is seen or on the page," Dale said, but because two characters are Arabic-speaking and the plot involves a mujaheddin extremist group, Scholastic's decision is based "100 per cent (on) the Muslim issue".

The assumption is that the book is not being published because of "political sensitivity" over Muslims as the terrorists (imagine how Mafia novels would be if the protagonists weren't Italian!) but I think that this is not a pure case of political correctness.

Scholastic, as a publisher of schoolbooks and other material for children and teenagers, is surely as keenly aware of political correctness issues as anyone. But look a little closer:

Scholastic's general manager, publishing, Andrew Berkhut, said the company had canvassed "a broad range of booksellers and library suppliers", who expressed concern that the book featured a Muslim terrorist.

"They all said they would not stock it," he said, "and the reality is if the gatekeepers won't support it, it can't be published."

It isn't Scholastic that is saying that the book is unsellable, but the librarians and bookstores. Now, why would the people who sell and distribute all kinds of books on all topics be more sensitive to political correctness than the publishers?

In fact, these are usually the first people to complain about perceived censorship, and the first to proudly show that they support controversial content.

No, it is not "political correctness" run amok in Australia, but the abject fear of Muslim backlash. The booksellers and librarians are concerned that the tolerant Muslim community whom they are pretending to protect are going to burn down their bookstores and libraries. Political correctness is a convenient screen to hide their fear behind, but they saw what happened with the Mohammed cartoons and the Pope's statement, and they (understandably) do not want to be on the hot end of Muslim torches during "protests."

What percentage of Western political correctness vis a vis Islam is really fear? How much of European dhimmitude and liberal American protectionism of Muslim values really a mask for pure fear?

Going slightly further, how many of the "brave" attacks on the "Israel lobby" are a reaction of the impotence felt by the supposed defenders of free speech, who subconsciously know that if they were equally "brave" about Islam they could be the targets of fatwas - so to hide their weakness they pretend to defend freedom in the name of attacking Jews, who they know quite well will not physically harm them?

Fear is a very effective diplomatic weapon, and here we see that it can end up having an insidious and subliminal chilling effect on free speech as well. And as long as the effective censors of the truth can point to political correctness as their motivation rather than fear, they are off the hook - and the laws that outlaw defaming the "prophet" are not far behind.

Syrian terror supporter a member of Australia's parliament

Major problems in Australia. A person who clearly identifies himself as a loyal Syrian and a supporter of the terror regime of Assad has been elected to Parliament.

VICTORIA'S Labor Premier Steve Bracks will take his third oath of office in coming days and as he does so, he will introduce new ALP Upper House MP Khalil Eideh, a dual Syrian-Australian citizen who has sworn his absolute loyalty to the tyrannical dictatorship of Syria.

Like Lakemba's Sheik Taj el-Dene Elhilaly, Eideh has already claimed to have had his words taken out of context and to have had his flowery Arabic phrases misinterpreted but there is no doubt that controversial letters which surfaced during his stormy pre-selection battle are genuine and the translations in which he expressed his loyalty to the Syrian dictatorship, accurate.

Though he came to Australia as a teenager in 1970, Eideh has maintained such strong ties to Syria that he felt obliged to inform the Syrian dictatorship of his concerns about events within the Australian Syrian community, in his role as head of the Alawi Islamic Association, and as a member of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, a self-proclaimed anti-Semitic revolutionary Arabic group.

In his first letter to the Syrian government, Eideh introduced himself as an "Arab Syrian citizen'' and complained that Syrian influence in Melbourne, Australia, was "completely absent and doesn't play any role in the Australian political arena''.

In his second, he expressed concert about the activities of Syria's then honorary consul Issa Zaraybi and the Association Baath Party which he said were creating conflict in the local Syrian community through intimidation.

Writing to Syrian dictator President Assad, he said: "At a time when the danger and threat from the colonial and Zionist is increasing on our Arabic world in general, particularly our Arab-Syrian country, at a time when it is required that all forces mobilise their power in our country Syria and overseas and be recruited to support our crucial causes and support the Arab Syrian stance, an oppressive mentality surfaced in Melbourne, Australia, aiming to create a tremendous crisis within the Alawi Islamic Association.''

He ended that anxious note with a ringing pledge: "Loyalty, absolute loyalty to your courageous and wise leadership and we pledge to continue to be faithful soldiers behind your victorious leadership.''

...The general lack of media examination of Eideh's background in the Victorian media outside the Herald-Sun newspaper and by political bodies other than the Liberal Party indicates the degree of self-censorship which now applies in that state.

Had a candidate expressed admiration for a Christian-oriented political grouping such as the Exclusive Brethren, perhaps, there is little doubt that the Greens, Labor and others would have been strident in their denunciations.

Not a word of criticism, however, for a supporter of a tyrannical regime implicated in the assassination of the Lebanese prime minister, a government which proudly flaunts its ties to international terrorism.

...In Eideh's last publicly reported address, to mark the second anniversary of the first president Assad's presidency, in 2002, he expressed his view of those celebrated cultural differences noting: "Satan's brigades are getting ready to enslave the Arab world ... We could see the light of your soul in the face of the martyrs, the heroes, the greatest of free Arabs - those who carry the flag of dawn from South Lebanon and Palestine.''

Let's hope he's since learned the difference between suicide bombers carrying flags of death and Australians who proudly and freely fly our flag of democracy and liberty.

AP? Biased? Naaaaaah.

More absurd bias from AP:

(AP) Palestinian militants in Gaza fired two rockets at Israel on Monday, despite a day-old cease-fire that was intended to end five months of violence in the area, Palestinian witnesses said.

Israeli rescue services said there were no reports of injuries from the rockets.

Also Monday, Israeli troops shot and killed a Hamas-linked militant in a West Bank raid.

The cease-fire raised hopes that Israel and the Palestinians would be able to restart long-stalled peace efforts, and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was expected to elaborate on his peace plans Monday.

The surprise cease-fire deal appeared to be largely holding in Gaza early Monday, with no reports of Palestinian rocket fire into Israel.

But Israeli forces conducted an overnight raid in the West Bank town of Qabatiya, shooting dead two Palestinians, one of them a wanted militant affiliated with the Hamas-linked Popular Resistance Committees. The second was a woman who took the dead man's weapon and tried to run off, the army said.

The killings angered Palestinian militants and raised concerns of a violent response from Gaza.

"We warn the world that if the Zionist aggression in the West Bank doesn't stop, this truce will collapse," said Abu Mujahed, spokesman for the Popular Resistance Committees, which has been blamed for many of the rocket attacks on Israel.

Where to start?

When PalArabs break a cease-fire, they aren't breaking the cease-fire.

When Israel continues to conduct raids in the West Bank - an area not covered by the cease fire agreement - AP makes it sound like what they are doing is worse.

Then the AP implicitly praises the Palestinian Arabs for not firing any rockets during a 20-some hour period between a few hours after the "cease fire" was to start on Sunday and all the way through the early morning today!

And then back to the evil Israelis who are raiding the West Bank with impunity, with the juxtaposition of the information about the cease fire, purposefully making it appear that Israel is the one breaking the agreement. And the article goes on to describe how angry that makes the Palestinian Arabs, neatly setting up the next story of rocket fire as "retaliation" and completely ignoring the terms of the cease fire itself, a fact that AP is well aware of (notice the use of "in Gaza" in the story) and is choosing to bury - a few paragraphs later it mentions "Saeb Erekat... said he was working with the Israelis to expand the cease-fire to the West Bank and hoped to have an agreement within three days."

An unbiased article would have mentioned all the facts almost exactly the same way but in a different order:

1. Gaza Palestinian Arabs shot rockets at Israel, breaking the cease fire.
2. Background: The cease-fire that took effect Sunday morning was meant for Gaza and there was hope that it could be expanded to the West Bank.
3. Meanwhile, Israel raided the West Bank "militants."
   
4. PalArabs threatened to shoot more rockets into Israel again unless Israel stops their raids in the WB.

Same information, arranged in a much more accurate and unbiased way, without the clear implication that Israel was just as much at fault for the cease-fire violations as the terrorists.

Liberal objectivity in the HuffPo

A number of people have commented on Alan Dershowitz' debunking of Dhimmi Carter's book, as well as about the insanely anti-Israel comments that resulted.

I was struck more by two of the less infammatory comments:

A challenge to my fellow Huffpo readers: Could anyone with a decent knowledge of this actually go through these points and offer a different perspective on them? I am of two minds on the whole thing but often find that those who accuse others of blind support of Israel rarely take time to debunk what they insist are myths. Honestly, I really want to have that ammunition, because I'm inclined to believe that Israel is not behaving itself. But it's hard to defend. Thanks!

By: TheWitch on November 22, 2006 at 12:13pm

It is difficult to miss that no one responding yet has taken on any of the factual inconsistencies Dershowitz raises. I too am dismayed by Israel's violent responses but nothing good and lasting can come from solutions which are based on ignoring, or worse, rewriting the past. I am very saddened by Carter's book if he has indeed gotten so many things wrong.

No action based on lies will further attaining peace.

By: wiredforpeace on November 22, 2006 at 01:06pm

As far as I can tell, no one actually rises to the occasion. A couple of people refer to websites but not a single one found anything actually inaccurate. People also talk about Dershowitz' biases, as if a bias means that he is wrong.

This says more than anything else about the quality of the pro-Palestinian arguments.

Khaled Meshaal - the mainstream media's peacemaker

AP's Ibrahim Barzak has an unusual spin on Khaled Meshaal, the political head of Hamas based in Damascus:

Word of the cease-fire came shortly after Hamas‘ Damascus-based supreme leader Khaled Mashaal held several days of talks in Cairo with Egyptian mediators and Palestinian officials said those talks played a role in speeding up the agreement.

Sounds like Hamas is starting to play realpolitik, just the way everyone expected them to, right?
The Christian Science Monitor mentions it too, explicitly saying that it signals good news, while swatting away a little detail added:

And for the first time this past weekend, Hamas's hard-line leadership in exile showed signs of moderation. Speaking at a Palestinian summit in Cairo, Hamas politburo chief Khaled Mashaal said Hamas would allow six months for talks with Israel on establishing a state in the West Bank and Gaza.

While Mr. Mashaal threatened a new Palestinian uprising if the talks fail, observers say it could signal a willingness by Islamic militants to part with ideology that negates the idea of a peace agreement with Israel.

The Jewish Telegraphic Agency sees it slightly differently:

Khaled Meshaal, who was in Cairo over the weekend for talks on the fate of an Israeli soldier held hostage in the Gaza Strip, urged the West to engage Palestinians in statehood talks.

“If the international community does not work to create a Palestinian state within six months, the Palestinian Authority will collapse, we will throw away the diplomatic folderol and we will declare a third intifada,” he told reporters.

So who's right? Well, let's go right to the source, and see what Al-Hayat says in Arabic (autotranslated):

The chairman of the Political Bureau of Hamas, Khaled Meshaal, yesterday gave the international community six months to establish a fully sovereign Palestinian state within the 1967 borders and threatened a "third uprising and open conflict" if there was no response to this "national Palestinian request."

Mashaal said in a press conference in Cairo, "We give all of Europe ... six months to open a real political horizon. Now there is a historic opportunity for the (European) powers agree on the establishment of the Palestinian state within the 1967 borders."

Mashaal declared that if there was no advantage of this opportunity, "the Palestinian people will close all the political books and will be launched in the uprising and the third will open conflict. The open conflict and bring us victory... because Israel has required e internal and scarred. "

Of course, nowhere does he say that he would recognize Israel in any way, shape or form; just that the international community must create a Palestinian Arab state (starting with the 1967 borders) within six months or else he will escalate his killing of innocent women and children in Israel...and perhaps elsewhere.

Al-Jazeerah as well covered Meshaal's press conference straight, without the spin that the CSM and AP gave. The headline simply reads "Meshaal warns of 'third intifada' " (h/t Boker Tov Boulder) .

To think that the media looks at his clear threat against Israel and his explicit blackmail ("Give me everything I want or else") as a positive gesture just shows how much they are willing to overlook the obvious in order to fit terroristic threats into their pre-written script. (The AP did have another article that was somewhat clearer but it of course buried Meshaal's comments on the bottom of the story where it will be cut out from many of not most newspapers.)

UPDATE: Meshaal backed off...very slightly:

"I said six months, but do you want more than six months? Maybe we can take eight months or a year," Mashaal said, responding to a question from Nabil Shaath, the Palestinian Information Minister and a member of Fatah.

During the interview, the TV show telephoned Shaath who told Mashaal on-air that it was not logical for Palestinians to be talking about an intifada.

But Mashaal also warned: "If the door is sealed and the horizon is closed (for creating a Palestinian state) then we have to look for another choice. We will impose our will on the Zionist enemy and the international community."

Yes, this is the negotiating partner that the West is dreaming of.

Remember of course that it is Haniyeh that is the head of Hamas in the territories and that he and Meshaal have disagreed in the past. In other words, they can easily play the good cop/bad cop "my hands are tied" game to not make any concessions at all while appearing "flexible" to the hungry Western media.

Blow-up dolls (with video)

Just in time for the holidays, the Palestinian Arabs have introduced a new kind of toy:

Overnight Friday, IDF Paratroopers and Shin Bet operatives commanded by Samaria Brigade Commander Col. Amir Baram, discovered a large explosives laboratory in Nablus, in the West Bank. Among the materials seized in the raid were sacks ready to be filled with explosives, 40 liters of acid, and a variety of explosives-rigged stuffed animals. The lab was destroyed in a controlled explosion.

Overnight Friday, IDF troops and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) operatives uncovered a number of baby dolls filled with explosive charges in addition to suicide bomb belts during an raid on an explosives laboratory in Nablus.

Here's an edited video from the IDF website:


Keep in mind that Hamas had promised "surprises" in new and novel ways to attack Israelis. Keep in mind also that Hamas bragged that the grandmother suicide bomber was one of those "surprises."

Any guesses as to what kind of surprise the depraved Palestinian Arab terrorist heroes were planning to spring with these bombs?

A society that willingly and proudly sacrifices its own children on the altar of terrorism is not a society that deserves to exist.

"Mohammed" soon to become most popular name in France

According to this Arabic article in Sawt al-Haq, Mohammed is one of the most popular names in France and is soon to become the most popular name. (autotranslated)

It may be occupying the name Mohamed «» ranked first undisputed between the names of newborns for France's Muslims has become a routine, But what is remarkable is that this place name escalates among the most common names on the level of France as a whole; within the session to become the most common name in the country.
The number of French people who label naming the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, from 1940 to 2005 some 53 thousand 377 people. according to the latest report of the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies, the French.

This census does not include the names of Mohammed existing names within the vehicle such as Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Amin, Muhammad Salih, Sidi Mohamed, where were such names as 2480 new births since 1940 to the present time.

And the name of Mohamed »« highest percentage increase in terms of his release on newborns in one year in 1984 as the number of births to those who label designation in 1725 children, As in 2005, bringing the number of births who label the name of Mohammad children in 1550, according to figures of the National Institute of which the correspondent of «IslamOnline. Net ».

Moreover, the name Mohammad progress in terms of the general ranking of the most common names at the national level in France as a whole, where was in the last census was last year ranked 94 on the level of France.

I couldn't find the original article on the English side of islamonline.net .

3 "holy crap" articles at LGF

3 articles in a row that elicit "holy crap!" as a response, linked to by Little Green Footballs.

• Russia delivers air defense missile system to Iran - Iran will now have a world-class way to defend its nuclear bomb program
  
• Policeman kills PSG fan in post-match racist violence - a soccer match in Paris turns into a riot when the Israeli team defeats the French team, and a mob of a hundred tried to lynch Jewish fans of the Israeli team and then turn on a plain-clithed black policeman
• UN human rights head slams Israel - a major moral midget at the UN (disguised as a the High Commissioner of Human Rights )argues that involuntary manslaughter is much, much worse than premeditated murder from a moral perspective. The article makes it clear that according to the UN, Israel has no legal way to defend itself from terrorists who purposefully hide among civilians, so it just has to let its citizens be killed with impunity.
  

Today's GoozNews: American (and Zionist) Idol

From the ever-amusing IRNA:

Iran's Supreme Leader's envoy in Hajj and head of Iranian pilgrims to the house of God Ayatollah Mohammad Mohammadi Reyshahri here on Friday said that following the US and Zionist regime is an idol-worshipping practice.

Reyshahri said that Israel is "idol" and the US is the "big idol".

Giving his pre-sermon address in this week's Friday prayers congregation, Reyshahri highlighted importance of the "Disavowal of Pagans" ceremony and said it is one of the main duties of pilgrims during the Hajj congregation.

Reyshahri said `Disavowal of Pagans' ceremony is of significance because on the occasion, Iran raises its voice and stances and the "wise" slogans, chanted in the process, are influential in mobilizing the world.

He said if Muslim nations and governments get united, they will be able to do huge jobs but ignorance of the point would end up in the domineering powers and enemies of Islam taking the initiative and deciding fate of Muslims.

"All Hajj activists and pilgrims should know that there are certain hands at work, trying to divide Shiites and Sunnies," the official added.

I just would point out that this is completely consistent with my oft-stated thesis that Iran is trying to become a world power by becoming the united leader of Muslims worldwide, and that their major target is America, not Israel.

There is an interesting twist here that I hadn't seen before. To Muslims, there is a clear differentiation for non-Muslims between "people of the book" (Jews and Christians) and "infidels" (everyone else.) By classifying Americans and Israelis as "idols" he may be making a religious legal decision making it obligatory to kill them.

Protocols revealed to be true!

Hat tip to Bagelblogger for this video by Rav Shmuel that confirms all of the worst fears of the gentiles.

How could I resist posting this?

Grandma got blown up by her bomb belt

(To the obvious tune....)

Grandma got blown up by her bomb belt
While her grandkids stayed at home and played
She tried to get much closer to the soldiers
But they threw her a tiny stun grenade

She woke up today in Jebaliya
Took her farewell picture with her gun

To liberals she's just another victim
And exactly as militant as a nun

Grandma got blown up by her bomb belt
As she tried to commit genocide
She really hoped she'd be more successful
But happily, only Grandma has died

64 years old was fatal Fatma
Daughter Fatheya somehow 52
Do the math and you'll get some answers
But easier for her to blame the Jews

Grandma got blown up by her bomb belt
As she tried to kill a dozen Jews
You might think that she became a martyr
But now all of the PalArabs lose

Of course Hamas is very proud of Grandma
They said this was meant to be a surprise
The IDF will now make all Pal lives worse
but the liberal media will always sympathize.

Grandma got blown up by her bomb belt
Muslims think this way to heaven leads
But Grandma didn't think quite through her bargain
As she gets screwed by all last year's Shaheeds

PalArab police make an arrest!

In an astonishing development, the members of the Palestinian Arab Police managed to actually arrest someone who committed a murder!

Unlike the many, many PalArabs who died violent deaths over the past several months, who all seem to have been killed by the famous "unknown gunmen," this 13-year old child was killed last Monday by a 15-year old who knifed him to death.

I guess it is a little easier to find the trail of a 15-year old, but hey, this is progress!

What is interesting is that I did not see any mention of this murder in Tulkarem in any of the PalArabic media (nor in the PalArab English media), nor in the unreliable PCHR lists, before today. My death count has not been increasing much lately but this is because no deaths are even being reported (I find it hard to believe that no one was even injured in the orgy of bullets that accompanied the funerals of the 19 victims of the errant Israeli shell.)

It seems that Palarabs killing other PalArabs is now so commonplace, that even the local media doesn't bother to report it. Israelis flying planes over Gaza get mentioned constantly (and even a West Bank "settler" traffic accident that injured two Jewish kids!) but Arab on Arab violence only gets press when it is unusual - like when the PA police actually arrest someone, or if more than three get killed at a time, or if the intended victim is a particularly high-ranking terrorist.

So my death count since late June now stands at only 159, although it is undoubtedly much higher in reality.

UPDATE: 160, as a soccer player was shot and killed by his brother.

UPDATE 2: 161.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 21:00 on Saturday, 25 November 2006, medical sources at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City declared that ‘Ali Saleh Sarsour, 19, from the central Gaza Strip town of Deir al-Balah, died from a wound he had sustained on Wednesday evening, 22 November 2006. Sarsour was hit by a live bullet to the head from an unknown source, when he was near his house in Deir al-Balah.