7/12 Links Part 2: A New LATMA, Prosor on the UNHRC, Oren on Bibi and Record Tourism to Israel

From Ian:

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LATMA: Halil Majnoun comments on the new Egyptian spring


Honor and Compromise in Middle East Leadership

The same condition continues to hold true today. Why Secretary of State Kerry and the Obama administration believe they can persuade Abbas sign an agreement guaranteeing Israel's right to exist in any form is astonishing. These leaders can lead only so long as they are not perceived as a shamed sell-out and traitor.
It is pointless, therefore, for Western and Israeli political leaders to try to provide Middle Eastern leaders with incentives to reach compromises where, in Western eyes all sides win, but in Middle Eastern eyes -- to their fellow Arabs and Muslims -- their side loses. Sadly, in the Middle East, there are only win-lose/lose-win resolutions -- with the winner talking all and the loser losing all. One can hope there might in the future be an Islamic reformation to overturn this cultural demand, but so long as the Islamic Middle East does not truly believe it needs to change, a shift that deeply revolutionary is highly unlikely. (h/t Norman F

‘Syria on UN Human Rights Council a new Guinness record’

Diplomats and NGOs greeted with skepticism and incredulity the news that Syria and Iran intend to run for spots on the UN Human Rights Council. The elections, which will be held in November, are for three-year terms running from January 2014 through December 2016.
“A new Guinness record at the UN?” said a sarcastic Ron Prosor, Israel’s UN ambassador. “Syria and Iran in the Human Rights Council is like giving organized crime bosses responsibility for the witness protection program.”

Oren: Netanyahu ‘certainly’ capable of handling Iran threat

Oren added, though, that Israel cannot rely on the US to prevent a nuclear Iran. “The question isn’t whether or not we believe Obama,” he said. “The question is what our responsibility is as a sovereign nation. We cannot outsource our national security… All diplomatic options must be exhausted – but we cannot flee from this responsibility.”
Asked whether Netanyahu is capable of handling such a mission, Oren replied: “Certainly… He was the one who succeeded in drawing the world’s attention to the threat… Netanyahu truly managed to budge the world. But this success is not enough. Therefore Netanyahu now faces a Ben-Gurion-type dilemma. The question he faces is similar to the question that faced Ben-Gurion in May 1948 and the question that Levi Eshkol faced in May 1967.”

In Email to JTA Quinn Says West Bank ‘Disputed Territory’

“Chris believes the West Bank is a disputed territory and that the Israelis and Palestinians must sit down and negotiate a solution,” said a spokesman for Quinn, the speaker of the New York City Council. “As Mayor, Chris will use the bully pulpit of the office and everything she can to urge the two sides to sit and negotiate a peaceful resolution of the conflict through the establishment of two states for two peoples that ensures safety and security for the State of Israel.”
Quinn’s position runs counter to that of the U.S. government, which considers the West Bank Israel-occupied territory.

NYC Protest against Jewish Appeasers: 'Like Inviting Hitler'

Dozens of people protested outside the YM-YWHA at 92nd Street in New York City Thursday, against Jewish institutions and philanthropists who give their backing to anti-Israeli speakers.
AFSI Executive Director Helen Freedman told Arutz Sheva that the central Jewish organiations enjoy the generosity of American Jews who are unaware that the money is going toward anti-Israeli activities.

3-Year-Old Critically Injured in Arab Rock-Throwing Attack Spends First Weekend at Home

After four months in intensive care units, an Israeli 3-year-old seriously injured in an Arab rock-throwing attack was able to return home, if only for two short days.
Adele Bitton spent this past weekend with her family but returned to her rehabilitation center, where she has been staying since May, for treatment and rehabilitation on Sunday.

Columnist: So They Detained a Boy, So What?

The IDF entered damage control mode Wednesday over an incident in which an Arab child – apparently about six years old – was detained for an hour or two by IDF soldiers after he threw rocks near the Cave of Machpela in Hevron.
A video shot by the leftist B'tselem group shows the soldiers taking the boy, Wadi' Maswada, to his parents' home. The soldiers reportedly waited there until the arrival of the boy's father, Karim Maswada, some 30 minutes later. The boy and his father were then taken to the IDF's command center nearby and handed over to Palestinian Authority police.
Throughout the event, the boy is accompanied by an Arab youth who holds his hand, and who appears to be his relative.

Twitter outs users who posted anti-Semitic content

Twitter announced Friday that it had supplied French authorities with data that would help identity users who post anti-Semitic content. The announcement comes a month after a French court upheld a lower court’s ruling that ordered Twitter to divulge details of users who posted anti-Semitic tweets.
Twitter said in a statement that it had relayed to judicial authorities information “enabling the identification of some authors” of anti-Semitic tweets, according to AFP.

Israel an Innovation ‘Dynamo’

Israel is the mother of invention. It has more tech startups and more people working in research and development than any other country in the world.
Its advances in medical technology have saved lives around the world, including that of former U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords—an emergency medical team applied a revolutionary elasticized bandage developed in Israel to her head wounds.
Israeli inventions have proliferated and prospered, “from the hospital to the farm, from outer space to your kitchen,” said Marcella Rosen at the Jerusalem Press Club on July 3. She was quoting her book, which she presented at the Club, titled, “Tiny Dynamo: How one of the World’s Smallest Countries Is Producing Some of Our Most Important Inventions.” (h/t Zvi)

Israel is #1 in Preventing Blindness

Professor Michael Belkin, who led the study, said Israel’s achievement is unmatched anywhere else in the world.
According to the World Health Organization, 80% of blindness is preventable or treatable — but it remains a severe health concern across the globe, even in industrialized countries.
Israel's secret is to be found not only in the methods of treatment seen in the Jewish State, but also in their universal availability and accessibility, patient compliance with treatment protocols and correct use of prescribed medications, he said. (h/t Zvi)

EMC to acquire server storage software firm ScaleIO

EMC is throwing its weight behind ScaleIO by signing a definitive agreement to buy the firm for an undisclosed amount, it was announced on Thursday.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Israeli business site Calcalist said in June that EMC could be paying as much as $200-300 million for the server storage software company.
This will be EMC's second acquisition in Israel over the past year. EMC bought flash storage firm ExtremeIO for $430 million in May 2012. (h/t Zvi)

Israeli and Chicago universities join forces for a thirsty planet

At first glance it doesn’t seem that Chicago and Israel have much in common when it comes to water.
“Ben-Gurion is in the desert while the University of Chicago is right on the shoreline of Lake Michigan, one of the best sources of water in the world,” admitted Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, on a recent trip to Israel.

Tourism at record high in 1st half of 2013

Tourism to Israel hit a record January-June high this year, reaching 1.7 million visitors, the Central Bureau of Statistics said this week.
The figure was 1% higher than in the same six-month period in 2012, the bureau said. In June, tourism rose 3% to 295,000. (h/t Zvi)

Cliff Richard wows crowd during 'summer holiday' in Israel

Richard seemed genuinely excited to be performing in Israel. As with all big international stars who perform in the Holy Land, Richard addressed the crowd with a heartfelt "Shalom Tel Aviv," which was well received as always. He reminded them how it was exactly 25 years ago since he last performed in Israel and even vowed to try not to leave it so long till the next performance.