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Saturday, January 19, 2013

Saturday night links

From Ian:

Into the Fray: Liar
If integrity is a necessary quality for reputable journalism, Jeffrey Goldberg’s recent column is a disgrace to his profession – and an insult to Israelis’ intelligence.
"I apologize to my readers if the tone of this column is more abrasive that usual. But Jeffrey Goldberg’s column this week (January 14) published by Bloomberg titled “Obama: Israel Doesn’t Know What Its Best Interests Are,” is so infuriatingly impudent, so deceptively disingenuous, so maliciously misleading, so pretentiously pompous that it strains the bounds of civility to almost impossible limits."

Sarah Honig: Concern in Cairo
"The international community does not seem to care. Although they once honored and feted Mubarak, world leaders abruptly changed tack, branded him a tyrannical ogre and cheered his opponents as harbingers of the “Arab Spring.” The truth is that while hardly a democratic paragon, Mubarak was not the worst of Mideastern autocrats.
Furthermore, Morsi, who has officially put himself above the law, has seen demonstrators killed under his watch as well. Then there are his radical Muslim proclivities, including his recently disclosed past comments where he exhorted his compatriots to “nurse our children and our grandchildren on hatred.” Elsewhere, he depicted Jews and Zionists as “bloodsuckers” and as “the descendants of apes and pigs.”

Behind the Lines: A Gulf apart
Gulf monarchies are sharply divided on how to respond to the Muslim Brotherhood threat. While Saudi Arabia, UAE see the Brotherhood as a danger to stability, longevity of the monarchies, Qatar embraces it as an ally.

Algerian Terrorists Demand Swap of American Hostages for Blind Sheikh
"House Homeland Security Committee chairman Rep. Michael McCaul told Breitbart News on Friday that it’s “no surprise” Algerian terrorists are demanding a swap of the Blind Sheikh for American hostages."

France’s Jewish Security Service Warns Mali Operation “Significantly Increases” Threat Facing Jews
“The situation requires we raise the level of protection around our community and double the level of vigilance around synagogues, Jewish schools, community centers and gathering places,” said a communiqué by SPCJ."

French city Lyon briefly evacuates metro on bomb alert
France is on high alert and has stepped up army patrols of public buildings and transport networks as Islamist militant groups have threatened revenge attacks for France's military campaign against al Qaeda-linked rebels in Mali.

Hagel funded group pushing talks with al-Qaida
"Secretary of defense nominee Chuck Hagel sits on the small board of a peace fund that finances an international “crisis management” group that long has petitioned the Algerian government to cease “excessive” military activities against al-Qaida-linked jihadists, WND has learned."
"ICG petitioned for the Islamist group to participate in the Algerian government.
Hagel serves on the board of The Ploughshares Fund, a George Soros-financed fund that pushes for a nuclear-free world."

CAMERA: NYT Indicts Israel's Democracy... Again
"A social media campaign by Arabs aimed at Arabs is not a sign that Israel’s democracy is sick. It is evidence of the freedom of political speech enjoyed by Israeli Arabs. And a frustration with ineffective politicians is again not a symptom of a weak democracy. It’s the universal condition of voters. The thesis of the article is that voter turnout among the Arab minority might dip below 50 percent and this is evidence that Israel’s democracy is under threat."

Turkish Construction Firm Goes Bankrupt After Sponsoring Antisemitic Films
"A Turkish construction firm that sponsored an antisemitic film and has featured the film’s actors in advertisement campaigns has gone bankrupt. According to Turkey’s Hurriyet daily, a court has passed an injunction protecting Ukra İnşaat against its creditors. The Istanbul-based firm recently requested a delay in proceedings, which will be considered at the conclusion of the current legal process."
"Actors Necati Şaşmaz and Gürkan Uygun, both of whom star in the “Valley of the Wolves,” film series, played in the firm’s commercials. The company also sponsored films such as “Valley of the Wolves Palestine” and “Av Mevsimi” (Hunting Season). According to the report, the company spent $2.5 million on a commercial with Uygun that ran last November."

Christian stores burned in southern Egypt after Muslim girl allegedly sexually assaulted
Police fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of Muslim protesters outside a church in southern Egypt Friday. The demonstrators were demanding an investigation into allegations that a Christian man sexually assaulted a 6-year-old girl.

UN Security Council split on Syria war crimes
While some member states urge the world body to send the problem to the International Criminal Court, others remain undecided

Jordan’s Islamists, opposition rally against vote
Muslim Brotherhood members and youth activists call for boycott of parliament elections, saying freedom is ‘not a royal gift’

Bail $1.22M for Saudi sergeant in Vegas rape case
Aircraft mechanic jailed since New Year’s Eve on charges of raping a minor will plead not guilty, says defense attorney

From Ben-Gurion to Africa with Love
"A delegation including nine BGU students are currently in the city of Makele in Ethiopia, taking part in an extensive educational medical program which aims to eliminate neglected tropical diseases. The program, led by Prof. Zvi Bentwich for the last four years, is being implemented by the Faculty of Health Science’s Center for Emerging Diseases, Tropical Diseases and AIDS (CEMTA) with the assistance of other bodies, including UN organizations, local government agencies and the Israeli Foreign Ministry."

Israeli technology perks up new Corvette
Plasan Sasa’s cutting edge technologies took central stage with the unveiling of the 2014 king of American sports cars.
"Plasan is a Kibbutz Sasa company better known for its very dense plastic composite product that affords ballistic protection without significantly adding to the weight of the vehicle. For years, the Pentagon has looked to Plasan to keep American soldiers safe in Afghanistan and Iraq.
In a bid to win back some of the Corvette’s glory, General Motors turned to Plasan’s technology to reduce mass while increasing strength.
Plasan’s handprints can be found on C7’s front fenders, doors, rear quarter panels, and the rear hatch panel that were all made with the lighter-density sheet molding compound than the car’s previous generation."