Wednesday Links Part 1

From Ian:

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Inconceivable cruelty

This division in the Arab world, be it geographic, cultural, ethnic or religious, is not the only thing to become abundantly clear since the Arab unrest erupted. The Arab Spring was supposed to prove that what is good for the West -- democracy -- is also good for the Arabs, but all we were left with were the chilling images of our neighbors' inconceivable cruelty. (h/t Yoel)

IDF chief issues stern warning to Assad over rapidly heating border

Damascus will ‘bear consequences’ of further gunfire, says Gantz, after cross-border shooting; tensions ‘several times more explosive than they were this morning,’ says top Israeli analyst

Palestinians busted for planning to kidnap Israelis

According to the Shin Bet’s statement, they planned on kidnapping an Israeli from one of the nearby agricultural plots, with the intention of murdering him and demanding the release of prisoners in return for his body.
A second cell was organized by the Islamic Jihad in Hebron. Its members were in the process of plotting to abduct a soldier and negotiate his release in return for Palestinians in Israeli jails.

'11 Palestinians died under PA, Hamas detention' By Khaled Abu Toameh

Eleven Palestinians have died in Palestinian Authority and Hamas detention centers during 2012, according to a report released Tuesday by the Palestinian Independent Commission For Human Rights.
Two of the Palestinians died in PA detention centers in the West Bank, while the nine others died in Hamas custody in the Gaza Strip.

The Palestinian Textbook Fiasco

"What I found isn’t pretty. The report is not only flawed, but also dishonest. It systematically exaggerates the faults in Israeli textbooks and downplays those found in the Palestinians’. Its methodology tends to distort the raw data rather than analyze it, usually to the detriment of the Israeli education system. Put simply, it makes every possible effort to create the impression that Israeli and Palestinian attitudes toward each other are the same, even when this is demonstrably untrue—according to the study’s own research data. It is no surprise that the State Department, which funded the study in its early phases, has endorsed neither the composition of the committee nor the report’s findings."(h/t Yerushalimey)

Hamas textbooks to teach about 'liberation plans' By Khaled Abu Toameh

Hamas has begun preparing new school textbooks that teach children about “plans to liberate Palestine and the legitimacy and various forms of resistance [against Israel].” Jamal Abu Hashem, advisor to the Hamas-controlled education ministry, said new books would be introduced as part of National Education Studies for grades 8-10.
Abu Hashem was speaking during a workshop in Gaza City that was attended by senior officials of the education ministry and experts from a number of universities. His statements were published by several Hamas websites.

Gaza Students: Clean the World of Jews

Hamas student group posts cartoon with ‘Palestine’ throwing Star of David in the trash.
The Hamas-affiliated student union in Gaza published a cartoon Tuesday in which a person whose body is made of a Palestinian Authority flag is seen throwing a Star of David – one of the best-known Jewish symbols – into a garbage can.
Text under the picture says, “Keep the world clean.”

Move over Galloway: BBC Radio Ulster airs pro-Assad & anti-Israel propaganda

The programme’s guest who was provided with a BBC platform from which to engage in that diatribe was prolific anti-Israel campaigner, Vanunu fan, ‘Global March to Jerusalem‘ supporter, ‘Russell Tribunal on Palestine’ “jury” member and former flotilla passenger Mairead Maguire. Host William Crawley – apparently rather over-awed by her status as a 1976 Nobel Peace Prize winner – refrained from informing listeners about Maguire’s rich history of anti-Israel activity before allowing her to launch into her largely unhindered propaganda rant.

CAMERA: Official PA daily acknowledges Israel's Hadassah hospital's treatment of Palestinians

The official PA daily reported on a visit by the PA Minister of Health, Hani Abdeen, to Israel's Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem. The daily noted that 30% of the child patients in Hadassah are Palestinians and that the Israeli hospital is training "60 Palestinian medical interns and specialist physicians who will be returning to the [Palestinian] Authority areas to carry out their work." The hospital has a special program to train Palestinian doctors to treat cancer among children, reported the PA daily.

PMW: PMW reports prompt debate in Danish Parliament about its funding of the PA

Following Palestinian Media Watch's exposure of the Palestinian Authority's glorification of terrorists and payment of high salaries to security prisoners, including terrorists convicted of murder, debates have ensued in European Parliaments, among them Norway, the UK and Holland. Now, Denmark's financial aid to the PA is likewise being questioned in Danish Parliament.

Seven security men kidnapped in Sinai freed

Six Egyptian policemen and a border guard kidnapped by suspected militants in the volatile Sinai Peninsula last week were freed by their captors Wednesday after successful mediation, the country’s military spokesman said.

Hamas shuts tunnels to keep kidnappers from sneaking in

Hamas placed its forces along the border with Egypt on high alert Tuesday, in a bid to prevent the smuggling of seven abducted Egyptian soldiers into Gaza.

Barry Rubin: Breaking News: It's Official, Iran's Presidential Election is A Sham

The core of the problem is that there are three factions. Khamenei doesn’t want two of the factions-- the super-hardliners and the reformists—to win but only the third group, his hardliners.
The super-hardline faction’s candidate was Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, Ahmadinejad’s son-in-law and man widely seen as a puppet for him. Khamenei hates Mashaei and Mashaei was disqualified.

MEMRI: British Islamist Anjem Choudary: We Reject Human Rights


Leaders, Lies and Terror

The Obama Administration’s acts surpass even the maneuvers by President Richard Nixon, who used spies against political opponents while covering up for Arab terror.
Nixon and Co. hid the fact that Yasser Arafat ordered the murder of three diplomats at the US embassy in Khartoum Sudan in January, 1974. The US concealed this for years, hoping Arafat would help the US and its intelligence services.

John Kerry Met With Father of ‘Martyr’ Killed During Mavi Marmara Ambush on Israeli Troops

In April, Kerry drew criticism for comparing the families mourning their loved ones killed in the Boston Marathon bombing with the families of those killed on the Mavi Marmara after those aboard the boat attempted to lynch IDF troops who boarded their vessel for a routine inspection. Seven of those aboard the Mavi Marmara had expressed a desire to become “martyrs.”