Thursday linkdump

From Ian:

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What Is Behind Salam Fayyad's Call for "Economic Intifada"? by Khaled Abu Toameh

Instead of seeking way to solve the financial crisis, Fayyad chose to call on Palestinians to boycott all Israeli goods. He is hoping that by calling for an economic intifada, he will succeed in diverting the anger and frustration on the Palestinian street outward to Israel. This has always been the Palestinian Authority's way of avoiding responsibility for anything that goes wrong — by putting all the blame on Israel.

Man in the Middle — Israeli Ambassador’s Inside Account of Obama-Netanyahu Relationship (Inc. Video)

In a lot of ways, Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Oren has been the man in the middle. Oren was born in New York and raised in New Jersey but gave up his American citizenship to take on the position of ambassador — a role that puts him squarely between two leaders who don’t always see eye to eye.

UN Watch: U.N. to Endorse Hero of Holocaust Deniers, Alfred De Zayas

While a handful of these decisions were good, many were despicable. One stands out for its ignominy: the appointment of a top official whose life’s work—authoring books on World War II that make Germans the victims and the Allies the war criminals—has made him a hero to Holocaust deniers.

PMW: European-funded Palestinian NGO glorifies plane hijackings, terror, and hatred of Israel and the US
Poem read by hosts of youth program on PA TV funded by the EU, the World Bank, Switzerland, Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden

Expect us always, expect us where least expected. We’re in every airport, and in every ticket…A small rifle in the hand of a small boy can kill the big one.

Fatah Official: Palestinians have not abandoned armed struggle VIDEO



PA TV glorifies terrorist mastermind of suicide attacks that murdered 31 VIDEO



BBC Watch: Myths and lethal narratives on the BBC website

.. what happens when that “permanent public record” is inaccurate or misleading? Should the BBC be obliged to clearly label it as such or even to remove the webpage?
One example of such BBC material still available on the internet are its many reports on the ‘Jenin Massacre‘ that never was.

Journalists in wartime: a legal view

The law of armed conflict distinguishes between different types of journalists:
1. Journalists who work for media outlets or information services of the armed forces..."
"The first category of journalists constitutes members of the armed forces. Accordingly, they don’t benefit from the protections afforded to civilians and their deaths don’t constitute a violation of the law.

2013: The year of Iran
Will the US president truly resort to force if all else fails to thwart Tehran’s nuclear program? Perhaps more important, does Israel’s PM think he will? By David Horovitz

He will be torn, furthermore, between a certain fealty to his late father’s fierce mindset — confront the threat, take action, use the Jewish nation’s hard-won restored sovereign power to strike down the latest advocates of Jewish genocide — and his own far more cautious inclinations, his tendency to talk the talk (on defying international pressure on settlements, refusing to negotiate with terrorists, ousting Hamas) but not always walk the walk.

Opposition to Hagel nomination grows, but supporters rally around likely defense chief pick
Washington Post claims Obama’s choice for Pentagon is ‘well to the left’ of the president, while defenders argue he is pro-Israel ‘but knows the grim costs of going to war without a plan’
(includes Emergency Committee for Israel video)

No-go Areas for Jews in Europe
Israel has room for all Jews and welcomes them, but that does not have any bearing on what is going on in Europe. Rabbi Lau predicted that European Jewish history is nearing its end.

Indeed, it seems a tragic but unavoidable process: Europe as a Jew-free continent or a realm of fear in which Jews will survive as "invisible", like during the Inquisition, where even lighting candles on Shabbath is a hazard because someone could see the holy flames from the street.

Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs: The “Day After” Scenario in Syria Lt. Col. (ret.) Jonathan D. Halevi,

After overthrowing the Assad regime, a potential military-terrorist threat to Israel will likely emerge in the transition period, which will be marked by governmental instability and a lack of central control over at least some of the fighting forces.

Destroyed Hezbollah Weapons Depot Held Missiles Capable of Being Equipped With Chemical Warheads

What should we make of these reports? First, the Syrian chemical-warfare capability may be even more dangerous than people had thought, because the weapons can be moved to other locations and mixed en route. And, second, there’s a significant risk of proliferation to other groups, such as Hezbollah, which could pose a global terrorist threat.

UN confirms Hezbollah fighting for Assad in Syria
Report warns that civil war fighting has split along sectarian lines, pitting ruling Alawites against majority Sunnis; investigators say conduct of both sides "increasingly in breach of international law."

Report: Morsi Suffering From Brain Tumor
Recently installed Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi is apparently suffering from a brain tumor, Egyptian media reported

Turkey Declared a 'Prison for Reporters'
Reporters Without Borders says Turkey has become the “world’s biggest prison for journalists.”

Tunisian Imam Accused of Inciting Hatred Against Jews
Tunisian group for minorities has lodged a complaint against an imam, accusing him of inciting hatred against Jews in a fiery sermon.

Racism behind defections from Al Qaeda in Mali

Racism is one of the main factors that motivate many young Africans from non-Arab to defect and resume their normal lives in their country of origin.This occurs at a time when the majority of these young Africans beginning to realize more than ever that the promises of equality, freedom and dignity advocated by the true Islam does not materialize in jihadist movements. (Google Trans)

Analysis: IAF preparing surprises for enemies
Upgrades to fighter jets creating operational capabilities that would have been considered fantasy years ago.

As a senior Air Force official stated on Tuesday, a single aircraft can now strike four different targets far away, with the push of one button, meaning that fewer sorties are required to level heavy damage on the enemy. The strike capabilities of several aircraft in the past are now possessed by a single warplane.

Keeping data safe on a billion and a half cellphones
Red Bend is the world’s most popular solution for safe over-the-air software updates for smart devices

An Israeli company is responsible for nearly three quarters of the wireless software updates for cell phones around the world. Red Bend, which has developed a secure firmware over-the-air (FOTA) system, allows users to get automatic operating system and firmware updates on their cellphones. It’s used by more than 80 mobile operators and device manufacturers to manage updates on more than 1.6 billion mobile phones.