Rejection and terror: Same old Palestinian choices
"That Abbas would rather shun repeated offers from Israel, and instead embrace Hamas, indicates that yet again, when presented with a path for peace, the Palestinians chose rejection and terror
Some have even suggested Israel ought to directly negotiate with Hamas. But where does one begin negotiations with an enemy that does not even recognise your basic right to exist?
As Ron Prosor, Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, said in a recent interview with CNN’s Piers Morgan: “What would we negotiate with them: how big the coffin should be, how deep the hole or what flowers to send to my funeral?”
Judea Pearl: Viewing Palestinian statehood through the clear lens of morality
"In conclusion, Netanyahu will not be risking a thing by demanding a “total end to the conflict” and “two states for two peoples.” Abbas will reject the offer out of hand. At the same time, these preconditions are so morally compelling that even European politicians would not be able to brand them “unreasonable.” Abbas’s rejection will then restore to Israel the high moral grounds it has held since Nov. 29, 1947."
Netanyahu blasts international community for staying quiet amid Hamas calls for Israel’s destruction
"PM says ‘deafening silence’ of European governments and PA President Abbas over Mashaal’s comments this weekend is unacceptable; EU does issue statement, soon after PM’s critique"
Lieberman Accuses EU of Holocaust Attitude
"Europe has “slapped itself in the face” by ignoring Hamas’ threats as it ignored the Nazi death camps in the Holocaust, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman charged on Tuesday, a day after Europe condemned Israel for construction plans for Jews in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria."
Israeli Ambassador to US Michael Oren Interviewed by Chris Wallace VIDEO
Israel’s so-called “red line” is different than the United States’. While Israel considers the “red line” to be the movement of chemical weapons to extremist groups, the Obama administration has said lately that its trigger for action would be any move by Syrian President Bashar Assad to use the weapons against the Syrian people.
Israeli Settlement Facts and Falsehoods
"6. Are Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria legal?
Judge Stephen Schwebel, former president of the International Court of Justice, determined that Israel’s presence in Judea and Samaria was rooted in self-defense and therefore did not constitute “occupation.” Eugene Rostow, former dean of Yale Law School, former undersecretary of state and co-author of U.N. Security Council Resolution 242, which sets out the criteria for Israel-Arab peacemaking said U.N. Resolution 242 does not call for withdrawal to the pre-1967 boundaries; Israel’s withdrawal from Sinai amounts to a 90 percent withdrawal from post-1967 areas; "
CAMERA: Media Embrace E1 Falsehoods
Instead of Investigating Activist Claims, Media Echo Them
CAMERA Prompts New York Times Corrections on Effect of E1 Corridor
CIF Watch: Guardian’s obsessively critical coverage of E-1 construction proposal, by the numbers
"The coverage almost exclusively advanced the narrative that plans to eventually build homes in E-1 would represent a death knell to the Two State Solution, would literally cut the West Bank in two, and would deny access to eastern Jerusalem to West Bank Palestinians."
US intelligence foresees Palestinian state without resolution of conflict
"New U.S. intelligence report on what the world may look like in 2030 says a Palestinian state could come into being via "unofficial independent actions," but that the core issues of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would remain unresolved. Report says that Middle East faces a "highly unstable future" if Iranian regime develops nuclear weapons."
Arab League Pledges Financial 'Safety Net' to Abbas
Representatives of the Arab League pledge to transfer a monthly sum of 100 million dollars as a “financial safety net" for PA.
On My Mind: Palestine’s Turkish agent
"Trying to be more Palestinian than the Palestinians, Turkey’s foreign minister went even further.
“No one can deny the suffering of the Palestinians since the First World War until today,” said Davutoglu, implying that the Balfour Declaration of 1917, 30 years before the UN partition plan, was the beginning of Palestinian suffering.
Turkey’s posturing on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has become so ardent that The New York Times, in a recent editorial, mistakenly called Turkey an Arab country."
Iran-Turkey Trade Rose 46% - Turkish Gold Buys Iranian Oil
Trade between Iran and Turkey has risen nearly 50 percent this year, according to the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).
Israel is the farthest our missiles need to reach, Iran’s air force commander says
Statement follows report casting doubt on Tehran’s intercontinental missile capabilities
Jihadists Aim to Rule across from Golan Heights
Jihadist victories in Syria may leave them side-by-side with Hizbullah, Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood as Israel’s neighboring regimes.
"The possibility of the Syrian side of the Golan Heights border with Israel being manned by jihadists in a post-Assad era has not been ignored by the United States.
The United States will declare the Al-Nusra Front, a jihadist group battling to overthrow Syria's President Bashar Assad, a "foreign terrorist organization," according to documents."
Wounded IDF Soldier Recovers in Time for Hanukkah
Sergeant Shimon Alankri, who was seriously wounded last month in a terrorist attack on an IDF jeep, has recovered.
"On Monday, Alankri spoke to Channel 2 News, recalled the attack and talked about what he has gone through since. "The fact that I got out of this alive is proof that I won," he said, recalling that his doctors had been concerned he would lose his eyesight. "I woke up two days after being on a respirator .... There is no doubt that I received a gift from G-d. It’s a miracle and I am now stating a new life.”
Israeli Scientists Freeze Tumors in New Breast Cancer Treatment
"Israeli scientists have developed a new technique to treat breast cancer and it is being used in trials already. The method employs a supercooled needle tip to repeatedly freeze then defrost tumors. This damages and ultimately kills the harmful tissue."
Objet completes merger and $1.4b exit
Israeli 3D printer developer Objet and US rival Stratasys have now merged into a new Israeli company called Stratasys.
"Last weekend it looked like Retalix Ltd. (Nasdaq: RTLX; TASE: RTLX) acquisition by NCR at a company value of $800 million was going to be the largest Israeli exit of 2012. However, this morning that deal was surpassed. Israeli 3D printer manufacturer Objet Ltd. and its US rival Stratasys Inc. (Nasdaq: SSYS) announced that their merger has been completed creating a company with a value of $3 billion that will be incorporated in Israel."
Apple now competing with Intel for former TI employees in Israel, may build new R&D center there
"Apple’s attempts to hire former Texas Instruments employees in Israel are being met with a healthy dose of competition. TNW has learned that processor giant Intel has begun an aggressive campaign to lure engineers away from Apple in that country."
Google teams with Israeli high-tech start-ups
Technology giant launches innovative facilities in Tel Aviv
"Google is searching for promising Israeli high-tech companies. The international technology giant on Monday launched its “Campus Tel Aviv,” a 1,500-square-foot (140-square-meter) space that will hold regular events for local entrepreneurs and offer access to Google staff and other industry experts."
also:
Making peace by going to Israel (h/t Josh)
From Al-Masara to the Wall Street Journal: A Case Report of Palestinian Fauxtography (h/t Phyllis)
'Israeli students register highest-ever test scores' (h/t Yoel)
A unique and mysterious remnant of Jewish life in Europe went on display in Jerusalem this week: a Hanukkah menorah made from the ornamental headgear of a soldier of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. (h/t Ishai)
Palestine, Contiguity and the Absolute Truth at Volokh
Quantum levitation, from Tel Aviv U. (h/t AW, over a year old though)