From Ian:
LATMA: Up to date Hanukah celebrations and a glimpse at European shock - VIDEO
The ICRC and ‘the occupied territories’
The ICRC’s bias against Israel disgraces its humanitarian mission and its claims of impartiality.
"Using its exclusive position, it turned GC IV – which was intended to ensure the protection of civilians threatened by war and other conflicts – into a political sledgehammer against Israel.The ICRC contrived the term OPT, promoted it in every forum and unilaterally designated what is at best a disputed area as (1) illegally occupied by Israel, (2) belonging to Palestinian Arabs and (3) an unnamed and undefined territory without a history."
Oren: Israel must prepare for ICC action
Ambassador to US says Israel cannot discount possibility that Palestinians, empowered at UN, will take action at int'l court.
"Oren expressed disappointment not only with the Palestinians for going to the UN, but with the European countries who didn’t oppose their move, and said that was particularly because the Palestinian step violated the Oslo Accords to which the Europeans were witnesses."
The Unbearable Silence about the Jewish Refugees by Michael Curtis
"The status of those Jews as refugees has been found to be in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Status of Refugees. The UNHCR announced on two occasions, in February 1957 and in July 1967, that Jews who fled from Arab countries "may be considered prima facie within the mandate of this office," thus regarding them, according to international law, as bona fide refugees."
OpEd: Leunig, your provocative use of Nazi analogies is so tiresome
THERE is a classic joke that tells of two elderly Jews sitting in a Berlin park during the 1930s. Isaac is reading the virulently anti-Jewish Nazi weekly, Der Sturmer, laughing to himself. ''Isaac!'' his Yiddish newspaper-reading friend Simon exclaims. ''How can you read that trash?''
''I used to read the Yiddish press, but all it talked about was Jews getting beaten, expelled from their homes and having their businesses burnt down,'' Isaac responds. ''It made me feel miserable. But here in Der Sturmer I read that Jews are powerful and in control of the world, and it makes me feel great.''
BBC Watch: RTS Chief Exec flags up “culture of denial” at BBC News
"In a speech at his retirement dinner, the outgoing chief executive of the Royal Television Society, Simon Albury, reportedly stated that “the BBC’s news and current affairs departments are beset by a “culture of denial” in which editors are unwilling to “address things that are manifestly wrong”.”
BBC turns Palestinian attacker into passive victim
"The reader is therefore left with a distorted impression of events which implies trigger-happy Israelis needlessly shooting Palestinians. And just in case the reader failed to get the ‘proper’ message, the article reinforces it by ending with the context-free words"
Anti-Semitic cartoons in Toronto-area muslim newspaper - VIDEO
CAMERA: Where's the Coverage? Construction in Truly Occupied Territory
"What about other media coverage of Chinese construction in Tibet? Virtual silence. Although Reuters reported that thousands took to the streets of New York City protesting Chinese occupation of Tibet, there was not a word about the construction.
How much construction is there? More than the 3,000 housing units contemplated for E-1? You betcha."
New Photos of Zoabi with Marmara Terrorists
MK Danon says new pictures of MK Hanin Zoabi with Turkish terrorists could be her downfall.
"A video already released shows Zoabi knew in advance that Turkish men aboard the ship Mavi Marmara, which attempted to forcibly break the IDF naval blockade on Hamas, were planning to attack soldiers. Danon said that in addition to that, there are new photos “that the public has not seen” that he hopes will be revealed in court."
Poll: Only 28% Still Believe in ‘Palestinian Partner’
Only 28.2% of Israelis think Israel has someone to negotiate with. 75% see Netanyahu winning the elections.
Abbas mulls forming confederation with Jordan By Khaled Abu Toameh
PA officials say a confederation would only take place after the creation of a Palestinian state within the pre-1967 lines.
Abbas’s rapprochement with Jordan is the result of a Saudi-Qatari-Turkish alliance that backs Hamas and ignores the PA, the politicians noted.
Palestinian Authority still waiting on emergency funds promised by Arab states
Arab League official says no date has been set for transfer of $100 million to Ramallah
Jordan prince scorned for attending Jewish event
Anti-normalization groups up in arms over British fundraiser held less than a week after the end of Operation Pillar of Defense.
Despite Controversial Israel Policy, Chuck Hagel Is Frontrunner for Defense Secretary Position
“He is one of the most hostile critics of Israel that has ever been in the Senate,” Morton Klein, President of the Zionist Organization of America told The Algemeiner bluntly.
Swedish gallery pulls art made of Holocaust victims’ ashes
Painting with burned remains from Majdanek death camp removed following protests
“I think pulling the exhibition was the right decision,” said Shimon Samuels, the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s director of international relations. “I would further insist the painting be returned to Majdanek for burial there.”
Public menorah vandalized in Sicily
Incident marks second year in a row that assailants have destroyed Hanukkah symbol
“Taking this all together, it’s clear that we are dealing with an anti-Semitic act of intolerance,” Benito Triolo, president of the Jewish cultural association B’nai Isaac, told the local Catania news website CTzen it. B’nai Isaac organized the menorah lightings, which were staged for the first time four years ago.”
Israel Launches Public Diplomacy Department in Arabic
"Israel’s Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs Ministry has opened a Public Diplomacy Department in Arabic. A statement released by the Ministry states that the department “will be responsible for conducting public diplomacy activities for the media and public opinion on a global level in general and among Arab countries and the Middle East in particular.”
For better or worse, cybersecurity a growth industry for Israel
No one is happy about the greatly increased need for cyberdefense. But some Israeli start-ups may keep hacks at bay
"Years after Israel established itself as a leader in computer security — with companies like Checkpoint introducing the information technology world to concepts such as firewalls — new companies like Cyvera, Lacoon Security, and Zimperium will provide new solutions to the more advanced cyber threats challenging today’s businesses, governments, and individual computer owners."
Also:
Funny fake BDS page spoofing one of their main websites
Barry Rubin - Why Islamists always win in their societies
Jonathan Schanzer in Foreign Policy - After Abbas...Hamas.
Israel winning in Europe
Sure, the Jewish state may have liked a few more 'no' votes in their camp, but given the choice, Israel would take tangible results over symbolic victories at the UN any day.Ben Dror Yemini - Ethiopian integration into Israeli society going faster than any other group (Hebrew, h/t Yoel)
Regrettably, when commentators lament how Israel has 'lost' Europe, they overlook the impressive list of achievements by this government in the past four years.