Monday Links Part 2

From Ian:

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Israel Fights America’s Battles
Why the U.S.-Israel alliance may be returning to its Cold War roots

The United States has long had moral, emotional, and domestic political reasons to support Israel. The return of the American-Israeli alliance to its Cold War foundations will aid both countries in overcoming their disagreements and coordinating their efforts in Syria and across the Middle East. Just as Israel downed Soviet-made Syrian jets in the Cold War, it will now destroy Iranian-made missiles, bolstering U.S. deterrence as Washington’s proxy war with Tehran approaches its climax.

Accepting 'Arab Initiative' is Suicide, Says Diplomat

The so-called "Arab initiative" or "Arab League peace plan" that has been gaining currency in recent months is "a recipe for Israel's suicide," according to Israel's former representative in Washington, DC, Yoram Ettinger.
Ambassador Ettinger told Arutz Sheva that the plan is no more than "a honey trap" that misguidedly seeks to force reality to fit some people's imaginings.

Hawking, Goldstone and political warfare

In the short term, it is important to show Professor Hawking the contradiction between the moral language of the delegitimizers and the immoral substance of their campaigns. In this process, perhaps Hawking will follow the Goldstone precedent, and recognize that he has been used as part of the ongoing war against Israel. Until he does, the moral stain caused by his actions will continue to spread.

Conference boycotted by Hawking has hosted Palestinian speakers every year

The Israeli Presidential Conference that Stephen Hawking is boycotting in solidarity with the Palestinians has featured a succession of prominent Palestinian speakers among its participants over the years, including key members of the Palestinian Authority.
This year’s conference is again set to include at least one prominent member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, and the gathering has been attended in each of its previous four years by leading Palestinian figures including top Palestinian Authority officials, negotiators, academics, and the man helming development of the first planned Palestinian city.

CAMERA Toronto Star Claims Bruce Willis is a BDSer

Finally, given the fact that Mr. Willis has come out in the past publicly expressing strong support for Israel, by signing, for instance a 2006 ad (below) in the Los Angeles Times condemning Hamas and Hezbollah, on what basis does the Star allege that his 2010 cancellation was intended to promote the anti-Israel boycott?

Spanish left-wingers seek boycott of Israeli singer

Left-wing parties from the Spanish autonomous region of Galicia are demanding their local government launch a boycott of Israel by canceling a concert by Israeli singer and peace activist Noa, also known as Achinoam Nini.

Pope Francis Canonizes Several Hundred Christian Martyrs Who Refused to Convert to Islam

Pope Francis on Sunday announced the canonization of new saints to the Catholic Church, including several hundred 15th-century Christian martyrs who were killed for refusing to convert to Islam.
The “Martyrs of Otranto” were 813 inhabitants of the southern Italian city of Otranto who were beheaded in 1480 by Ottoman Turkish invaders after they refused to convert to Islam.

Warsaw Synagogue Replica Would Make Nazis 'Turn in Their Graves'

A miniature replica of the Great Synagogue of Warsaw will be installed on the site of the original, almost 70 years to the day after it was leveled by the Nazis, an architect for the project said Sunday.

After the survivors, only the stones will tell stories

The two Hebrew words for cemetery — beit-kvarot (house of graves) and beit-olam (eternal home) – exist in a deliberate but uneasy tension. The former evokes the past, conjuring images of headstones made of concrete, while the latter suggests there is more to the place than its infrastructure. A cemetery is a reminder of the lasting, ongoing influence of those who came before us.

Dairy diplomacy yields stronger ties with Vietnam

After suffering decades of civil war and foreign incursions, as well as a decade of Stalinist rule that ended only in 1986, Vietnam has become one of the better-performing economies in the developing world, especially in agriculture, and Israeli technology has been a cornerstone of that progress.
The two countries are currently working on a free trade agreement, and to date Israel has trained hundreds of Vietnamese in agriculture, aquaculture, livestock, dairy milk production and education.

More accolades for Israeli maker of top online game

Funtactix is a portfolio company of Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP), an Israeli VC that has made a commitment to content development, seeing content as emerging as a strong growth sector for Israeli companies in the coming years. Among the other content companies that JVP has invested in are Animation Lab, which develops animated films, and AnyClip, which lets users search in a database for their favorite movie clips.

Black Jazz Musician Encounters Mixed Reactions to Subway Renditions of Hatikvah, Hava Hagila

At first you may be skeptical of Isaiah Richardson Jr. He doesn’t look like somebody who would be playing Hava Nagila for passengers waiting for their train in the subway. Firstly, he seems too young, and secondly, he’s a black kid from the Bronx, dressed sharply, derby hat and all. But when upon meeting Isaiah, the 32-year-old ticked off “Hevenu Shalom Aleichem,” “Bashana Haba’ah,” and “Zum Gali Gali” as some of his favorite songs to play passing crowds, I knew he was serious about his Jewish music.