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Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Midweek linkdump

From Ian:

Richard Landes: Al-Dura and the tragic legacy of lethal journalism
"The story of Muhammad al-Dura and the lethal journalism it has spawned deserve the close attention of anyone who cares about press freedom and the democratic culture it serves and preserves. No single incident better illustrates why the West has so far fared so poorly in its encounter with the forces of global Jihad in the new millennium, why Western progressives have consistently lost ground to some of the most repressive forces on the planet."

Turkish Journalist Outspokenly Defends Israel
"Bekdil continued, “Now, read that line once again, or a thousand times if you wish to: “After the Prophet Omar conquered al-Quds…” And think about why there were no mosques in Jerusalem at the time of the conquest. Still no clue?Allow me to explain: Because Jerusalem was not a Muslim city. And now you claim it back because it is under “Jewish occupation!” The refusal to pray at the church was very noble of the Prophet Omar. I personally do not expect you, dear Islamists, to behave as virtuously and gallantly as the prophet, but at least you can do something easier: Stop fighting for a city that belonged to other faiths before your ancestors conquered it.

Hungary's "Revival of the the Cult of Anti-Semitism" by Soeren Kern
"Some analysts believe the open climate of anti-Semitism in Hungary is partly being fuelled by Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his ruling Fidesz Party [Alliance of Young Democrats]. Orban's government has been attempting to steer Hungary through a severe economic crisis in which the unemployment rate has skyrocketed and the country's credit rating has been downgraded to "junk" status."

Jon Stewart Fails to Question Roger Waters's Anti-Israel Extremism
"In addition, Waters is a “juror” on, and supporter of, a kangaroo court called the “Russell Tribunal on Palestine,” in which anti-Israel activists stage mock hearings to declare Israel guilty in absentia. In that capacity, Waters has personally accused Israel of “violations of international law...in complicity with the government of the United States,” and lent his song “The Wall” to protests against Israel’s anti-terror security barrier."

BBC promotes Gaza film company which uses anti-Semitic imagery
"According to Zaitoon’s website, its clients include UNICEF and the British Council, which is of course funded by the British Government’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office – which also funds the BBC World Service.
It seems fairly self-evident that the BBC should not be promoting a company which uses antisemitic imagery, encourages violence and trades in blatant political propaganda which (to put it mildly) does nothing to contribute to preparing Palestinian children for peace with their neighbours."

CAMERA: Ha'aretz's Burston Likens Israel's [Non-]Violation of Court Injunction to 'Naqba'
"Given that the news pages of Ha'aretz are falsely reporting that Israel violated a High Court injunction by evacuating Palestinian protesters from a tent camp in the controversial E-1 area, it comes as no surprise that their Op-Ed columnists are doing no better. Columnist Bradley Burston takes the false charge to a new level, charging that Israel's alleged violation of Justice Neal Hendel's injunction is no less than a "Naqba"(!)."

IDF beefs up security on spokesmen after death threats
Photos circulated of Avichay Adraee, head of the army’s Arabic desk, with a bullet in his forehead
Adraee was listed as “Wanted” on a Hamas website, for example. In recent weeks, harassment against him intensified via social media and pro-Palestinian sites. Edited images of him with a red swastika behind him, and Adolf Hitler in front of him, were circulated, as was a photo of him with a large, bloody bullet lodged in the center of his forehead.

US downplays report confirming Syrian chemical attack
Account in Foreign Policy about agent deployed by Assad forces inconsistent with what America ‘believes to be true,’ says spokesman
"The comment came close on the heels of a report in Foreign Policy Magazine to the effect that investigations by US diplomats into a Syrian army attack in Homs on December 23, 2012, found that President Bashar Assad’s forces had used a chemical known as “Agent 15″ or “BZ.”

Report: Syria Has 500 Scud Missiles Aimed at Israel
"Syria has 500 scud missiles aimed at Israel, Israel’s Channel 2 is reporting. Citing Lebanese media, Channel 2 says that in the last several days Syrian forces have deployed Russian-made missiles near the border with the Jewish state."

HRW: Syrian Regime Using Egyptian-Made Cluster Bombs

83 dead as explosion rocks Syrian university
"Twin blasts inside a university campus in Syria’s largest city on Tuesday set cars ablaze, blew the walls off dormitory rooms and left more than 80 people dead, anti-regime activists said."

Israeli envoy urges UN to keep Syrian WMDs from Hezbollah
Ambassador Ron Prosor tells Security Council that Lebanese Shiite militia could obtain chemical weapons from Assad regime
“We have a responsibility to prevent the world’s most dangerous weapons from falling into the hands of the world’s most dangerous actors,” Prosor said.

Hitler Honored in Upscale Instanbul Mall
Turkey is now not only openly hostile to the Jewish State, but also to the Jewish people.
"On Friday, January 11, a Turkish citizen took a picture to show exactly how belligerent Turkey has become. The picture is of a huge poster with the words, “Who Would You Like to Meet if You Could?” and the last name, and only photograph, is of Adolf Hitler. The other choices include Suleiman I, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Napolean Bonaparte, the Beatles, Elvis Presley, Vladimir Lenin, Boris Yeltsin, Leonardo Da Vinci, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Michael Jackson. But only Hitler warranted a picture, a huge one at that."

Dutch Jewish Writer Refuses to Pay Taxes in Protest of EU Aid to Egypt
"Leon de Winter, who is Jewish, wrote in a recent editorial that he was disgusted by Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi’s comments that Jews are the “descendants of apes and pigs,” a common antisemitic Islamic trope.Winter described Morsi as “a seasoned anti-Semite, the leader of a religious-political group that cannot be described as anything other than an Islamic-fascist movement.”"

English soccer stars release Holocaust education film
Clip was produced during national team’s visit to Poland for a tournament last summer

Donald Trump endorses Netanyahu for PM
Colorful billionaire wades into elections, tells Israelis ‘You have a great prime minister… there’s nobody like him’

Also:

The beheading of a housemaid in Saudi Arabia highlights slave-like conditions (h/t Gidon)

Murdered Diplomacy: How the Israel-Palestinian Conflict Has Been Totally Transformed (Barry Rubin)