Saturday night link-fever

From Ian:

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Sarah Honig: Another Tack: That unwitting indecency

"There were no hints of affection there for us. On the town’s main thoroughfare, Church Street, I was buttonholed by three boisterous teenagers in Santa hats, carrying a collection box and big signs reading “Free Palestine.” They solicited my contribution.
I asked: “Free Palestine from whom?” The cheery trio’s swift answer was unambiguous: “The Jews.”I pressed on: “Do you know where your money would go? “The boys: “To plant olive trees.”
“Are you sure,” I continued, as kindly-looking little old ladies generously opened their purses and dropped coins and bills in the collection box, “that this money wouldn’t fund terrorists and murderers?” Their retort threw me for a loop: “What do you have against Palestinians? What have they done to you? They are only against Jews. Jews are evil.”

What Happened to Sweden?

“One can only hope that the memory of Raoul Wallenberg, the exemplification of Sweden's height as a moral superpower, may lead some of those exercising power in Sweden to deal with the forces of accelerating bigotry at their doorstep, and their own bigotry inside."

New Book Exposes World’s Indifference to Nazis After World War II

"A new book claims that governments around the world were unwilling to track down Nazi criminals in the wake of World War II because of “vested interests.”
The UK’s Daily Mail writes that “Nazi Hunt: South America’s Dictatorships and the Avenging of Nazi Crimes,” by German historian Daniel Stahl, calls the half-hearted efforts of postwar governments a ‘coalition of the unwilling.’
Stahl writes that the French feared prosecutions would expose their collaboration during the war, the South Americans feared a spotlight on their own murderous regimes and the West Germans wanted to help ‘old comrades’ get away."

The North African threat to Europe by Dore Gold

"The difficult point that Western analysts just do not understand is the blind hatred of the West as a whole among all the jihadist organizations, associated with al-Qaida. Many times in Europe it is hoped that by taking a more critical position against Israel, European diplomats can lower the flames of radical Islamic rage against them. But these policies simply don't work because the jihadists' readiness to attack the West comes from a desire to eradicate Western civilization and not from the pronouncements of Catherine Ashton or any other senior European official either for or against Israel."

Israeli Elections and Palestinian Negotiations by Alan Dershowitz

"The world must remember that it was the Palestinian leadership, under Yasser Arafat, that rejected the generous offer by Prime Minister Ehud Barak and President Bill Clinton in 2000-2001. And the world must remember that it was the Palestinian Authority, under President Abbas, that failed to respond to the even more generous offer made by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert just a few years ago. If the current Palestinian leadership now refuses to sit down and negotiate in good faith, or if it refuses to accept a realistic offer from the new Israeli government, the international community—which has a notoriously short memory when it comes to Israel—will once again see who wants peace and who does not."

Rand Paul: 'Any attack on Israel will be treated as an attack on the United States' VIDEO

John Kerry Defends Obama Admin’s F-16 Gifts to Muslim Brotherhood-Ruled Egypt

"He called Morsi’s comments “reprehensible” and “unacceptable by anyone’s standard.”
“Those comments set back possibilities of working towards mutual issues of mutual interest,” he said. “They are degrading comments, they’re unacceptable by anyone’s standard and I think they have to be apologized for.”
But he said despite Morsi’s words, Kerry said the U.S. has a “critical interest” in Egypt — hence following through on the aid package."

British Member of Parliament claims 'liberated Jews perpetuate atrocities', compares Mid-East conflict to Holocaust

Liberal Democrat MP David Ward has been said to have 'breached common decency' for his remarks about "the Jews", conflating the Middle East Conflict with the Holocaust
"As Holocaust Memorial Day is to be observed on Sunday, the Liberal Democrat MP, upon signing the Holocaust Educational Trust's Book of Commitment in the House of Commons, stated:
“Having visited Auschwitz twice – once with my family and once with local schools – I am saddened that the Jews, who suffered unbelievable levels of persecution during the Holocaust, could within a few years of liberation from the death camps be inflicting atrocities on Palestinians in the new State of Israel and continue to do so on a daily basis in the West Bank and Gaza.”

EXCLUSIVE:Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel slams UK LibDem MP for "shameless" slanders over Holocaust remarks

Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel issues stinging rebuke to UK Liberal Democrat MP David Ward over comments about Israel, Jews and the Holocaust
"But Professor Wiesel has issued a harsh rebuke to Ward, telling The Commentator, exclusively: "Although he quotes me correctly, I am outraged that he uses my words at the same time he utters shameless slanders on the State of Israel.”

Kibbutz Leader: No More Talk of Destroying Settlements

Left-wing activist says there is “no way” Israelis in Judea and Samaria will move, calls for “creative solutions.”
"The idea of relocating Israelis from Judea and Samaria is no longer relevant, says Kibbutz movement head Yoel Marshak, a left-wing activist."

Pro-Palestinian group protests at UEFA offices
Activists accuse soccer association of ‘encouraging war crimes’ by choosing Israel to host summer youth championship

"NYON, Switzerland (AP) — A pro-Palestinian people’s activist group occupied UEFA’s headquarters and met with its president Michel Platini on Friday to protest Israel’s hosting of the European Under-21 Championship."

'Iran would definitely use nuclear weapon on Israel'
Former Iranian diplomat tells Ch. 2 Tehran will have know-how to make bomb in a year, adds Venezuela provides Iran with uranium.

"The [Iranian] regime thinks that if it has several atom bombs, it will grant it an insurance policy," Mohammed Razza Hidari said. "They believe that if [they have a nuclear weapon], the world would treat them the way it treats North Korea."

Barak: US has 'surgical operation' plan against Iran
Defense minister challenges idea that operation against Iran would develop into "full fledged war the size of the Iraq war."

Egypt protests on second anniversary of Tahrir Square revolution
Egypt descended further into chaos on Friday night as nine people were killed nationwide and more than a 370 injured in clashes between police, government supporters and protesters on the second anniversary of the Tahrir Square revolution.

Britons and other Westerners told to leave Benghazi after 'imminent' terror threat
Britons and all other westerners were told to leave the Libyan city of Benghazi on Thursday after diplomats received warning of an "imminent" terror threat in the wake of the Algerian hostage siege.

Syrian rebels detonate car bomb near Israeli border
Israel Radio cites rebels saying over 200 security personnel killed in attack; regime forces to try to seize Sunni areas of Homs.

"Eight members of Syria's military intelligence were killed by an Islamist militant car bomb on Thursday night near the southern frontier with the Golan Heights, opposition activists and a violence monitoring group said on Friday."

Video games show Pakistan in 'bad light'

"After complains from shop owners, Pakistani authorities removed two war-themed video games - "Call of Duty: Black Ops II" and "Medal of Honor: Warfighter" - from stores. The two games allegedly show the Pakistani spy organization, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), supporting al Qaeda and other militant outfits."

Middle Eastern Threats Against Christians Unite Region’s Denominations

"Israel is one of the few countries in the Middle East that has seen its Christian community grow. An estimated 100,000 Christians have fled the civil war in Syria, while in Egypt Christians are fearful of the rise of Muslim Brotherhood. In the Palestinian Authority-controlled city of Bethlehem—the birthplace of Jesus—the Christian population has shrunk to a third of the town’s residents, down from 75 percent only a few decades ago."

Seeing the world through Anne Frank’s eyes — via an iPad
An app brings ‘The Diary of a Young Girl’ to life, letting users experience the Holocaust through video, audio, and more.

"But now, thanks to a new iPad and Nook app by the UK-based Beyond The Story, students will be able to learn about the Holocaust in a far more effective and experiential manner than ever before. Together with Viking Penguin, publisher of “The Diary,” the company has developed a tablet version of the book which includes interactive links, videos, voice-overs and historical background along with never-before released material supplied by the Switzerland-based Anne Frank Foundation. The app is being released on January 25 to commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day, and the 70th anniversary of the date on which Anne Frank started her diary."