Monday link-dump

From Ian:

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Michael Oren WSJ OpEd: The Iron Dome Military Revolution
Historically, defensive measures lag behind offensive capabilities. Not so with Israel's new antimissile system. by Michael Oren

“By neutralizing most rockets headed for populated areas, the Iron Dome gives decision makers invaluable time to find diplomatic solutions. If salvos of rockets were pummeling Israeli homes, hospitals and schools, Israeli leaders would be under immense pressure to order ground operations that could yield significant casualties. By denying the terrorists a decisive offensive advantage, Iron Dome will save lives and prevent wars.”

Melanie Phillips: A double-standard abstention

"Yet here’s the really delusional thing about the UK’s peace-process obsession. It is precisely because the Palestinians refuse to co-operate with this supposedly vital process that the UK is ever more desperate to get them on board.So instead of punishing them for not co-operating, it turns a blind eye to every outrage they commit — while blaming Israel, whose own willingness to negotiate they take for granted, for “provoking” them."

Barry Rubin: Israel Has No Other Alternative But the Alternative it Has is a Good One

"The Palestinian leadership, abetted by many Western governments, has now torn up every agreement it made with Israel. Once the efforts of two decades of negotiations—including irrevocable Israeli compromises in giving the Palestinian Authority control over territory, its own armed forces, dismantling settlements, and permitting billions of dollars of foreign aid to the Palestinians—were destroyed, the world has decided to focus the blame on Israel approving the construction of 3000 apartments."

Oren: Israel will act if Hezbollah gets Syrian WMDs
Ambassador to the US says Israel has "a very clear red line" on Syrian chemical weapons, but also supports Obama's red line.

"Were those weapons to pass into the wrong hands, into Hezbollah's hands for example, that would be a game changer for us." Armed with chemical weapons and a large cache of rockets, Oren said, the terrorist group could kill "thousands of people."

Report: Assad Has Transferred WMDs to Hezbollah

"A report from Israel’s Channel 2 says that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has passed chemical weapons along to Hezbollah. Channel 2 cites Syrian media which uses as its source officers that have defected from Assad’s army. Channel 2 does, however, maintain that the report is almost impossible to verify."

German spy chief: Signs show Assad regime is in its final phase
Government forces concentrating on holding capital, rebels better coordinated, says Gerhard Schindler

Abbas warns Israel against withholding taxes, says he may turn to ICC
PA president says he wants to continue peace process, but will go to The Hague if Israel violates existing agreements

Abbas calls for economic agreement with Israel to be amended
The PA is ‘on the verge of collapse,’ says Palestinian president, declaring the need for a constitution

Bibi: Why Doesn’t Abbas Condemn Hamas’ Threat to Destroy Us?

Mashaal has revealed Hamas’ real face, says Netanyahu, while Abbas hides behind him by not condemning remarks to destroy Israel.
"He noted that Abbas, who has fostered an image of a “peace partner” while recently declaring unity with Hamas, “has issued no condemnation, not of the remarks about the destruction of Israel, just as previously he did not condemn the missiles that were fired at Israel.”

Hamas leader says Gazans destroyed Barak’s home, will target Netanyahu’s next
Khaled Mashaal praises attacks on Tel Aviv and calls for Palestinian unity, in speech to Gazan students

IDF: Hamas trying to activate W. Bank sleeper cells
Terror organization is attempting to gradually regroup after its infrastructure was destroyed in 2002 operation.

CIF Watch: Guardian editorial takes the side of Morsi (or Mubarak?)

"The Guardian is not only supporting a racist, antisemitic, anti-Christian, anti-West Islamist movement, but are remaining loyal even when a more liberal alternative is possible.You don’t need to agree with our critique of the paper’s coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict to acknowledge that the ‘Guardian Left’ ideology in many ways resembles the reactionary right more than anything truly progressive?

BBC Watch: Compromising public perceptions of BBC impartiality

"Sadly – for both its colleagues in the field in which it operates and the many people around the world in need of the human rights sector – there is nothing novel about the seemingly interminable ability of ‘Human Rights Watch’ to bring itself into repeated disrepute and compromise its own reputation for impartiality."

PMW: Hamas: Martyrdom death for Allah is ideal
"We love death more than you love life" "You [Israel] scare us with what we love"



Honest Reporting: Crossing the Line? Promoting Petitions Against Israel
“One can’t think of the Mount of Olives as real estate. It is important for the three monotheistic religions.” (?)

Our man in Cairo

"And let’s be honest: The Obama administration has been Morsi’s main enabler. U.S. officials have worked closely with him on economic development and regional diplomacy. Visiting Washington last week, Morsi’s top aides were touting their boss’s close contacts with President Obama and describing phone calls between the two leaders that led to the Gaza cease-fire."

Inside Look at Muslim Brotherhood’s Torture Chambers
"The Muslim Brotherhood replaced Mubarak, but torture chambers remain the same despite the US attempt to make Egypt safe for democracy."

Iranian agents reportedly on hand as North Korea prepares to test launch rocket
Long-range launch delayed, though window remains open; Iranian experts believed to be from company that developed Shahab missile

Envoy's sole 'wounds' Ahmadinejad's soul
Swedish ambassador inadvertently offends Iranian president by crossing his legs during meeting, not knowing that in Islam, shoes are considered impure

Syrian Rebels Tied to Al Qaeda Play Key Role in War
"The lone Syrian rebel group with an explicit stamp of approval from Al Qaeda has become one of the uprising’s most effective fighting forces, posing a stark challenge to the United States and other countries that want to support the rebels but not Islamic extremists."

Syria: Rebel Prisoners On Their Religious War
"This led to a question about the future of Syria's minorities such as the Christians. Ahmed, Basah, and Hamid Hassan all agreed - Christians could only live there if they either converted, or paid the 'Jizyah' - a special tax levied on non-Muslims in previous centuries in the Middle East. If not said Bahar, they could be killed.
When asked why, the answer was, to them, quite simple - because the Prophet Mohammed said so. I was then invited to become a Muslim."

Friends of the Israel Defense Forces: 2012 FIDF Gala VIDEO



Cancelling cancer cells with new radiation

“It disrupts their activity, although we don’t yet know how beyond some speculation regarding the mechanism,” says Asher Yahalom, head of Ariel University Center’s Free Electron Laser (FEL) Laboratory User Center, who also noted that the rays seem to have no effect on normal cells.

Israeli ambassador visits her Ethiopian hometown

Nearly three decades after immigrating to Israel, Belaynesh Zevadia returns to her village in Ethiopia, this time as Israel's ambassador
"The ambassador arrived at the village with a group of Israeli eye doctors who work with Eye from Zion, an organization that provides medical humanitarian aid across the globe. The doctors set up two clinics where they are to undertake an eye surgery "marathon," aiming to restore the eyesight of some 1,000 Ethiopians, including some who have been blind for many years

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Also:

Barry Rubin: A Turning Point in Egypt: Not on Direction But on the Speed of Islamist Transformation

Cool waterfall at Ben Gurion Airport (h/t Alexandre):