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Wednesday, August 07, 2013

8/07 Links Part 1: Fatah Celebrate Being 'First' in Terror, Rowhani Appoints Holocaust Denier FM

From Ian:

JPost Editorial: The al-Qaida scare
Still, it might also be possible that al-Qaida intentionally planted the intelligence on the planned attacks so as to mislead the US and divert attention and security away from an actual plot.
Particularly in the wake of Benghazi, the State Department faces a dilemma. Refraining from issuing a public warning could potentially expose it to harsh criticism – particularly from combative opponents of the Obama administration – for not forewarning Americans. But issuing warnings plays into the hands of al-Qaida, whose very raison d’etre is to induce fear as a means of forcing the West into retreat.
We can only wonder whether it might have been possible for the Americans to protect their missions and strengthen security throughout the region more quietly without advertising to the entire world that it has been intimidated by the same al- Qaida that US President Barack Obama, during his successful 2012 campaign for reelection, pronounced “decimated” and “on the path to defeat.”
The snaky path of how terrorists raise money
Last week it was announced that January 13 would be the starting date for Courtney Linde et al v. Arab Bank, the first terror-finance case against a bank to go to trial in US history.
The allegations, which have been featured on CBS News’s Sunday Morning program, involve the massive transfer of funds to Hamas leaders and institutions, as well as to the families of imprisoned Hamas members and suicide bombers, via Saudi Arabia and Hezbollah’s al-Shahid Foundation.
Terrorist Attacks Down to ‘Only’ 12 a Week
The good news for residents of Judea and Samaria is that the number of terrorist attacks dropped by 20 percent in July compared with June. The bad news is that there still were 50 attacks, or approximately 12 a week.
The Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) released the statistics, which are of little solace to victims, also showed a similar pattern in Jerusalem, where residents suffered 26 attacks in July, down from 39 in June.
Another disturbing factor if that the most of the attacks involved firebombs (Molotov cocktails), and not rocks, which also can be deadly but less so than a burning bottle that smashes through a car window.
IDF Blog: What The News Left Out: Palestinian Violence in July
Last month saw a continuation of violence in Judea and Samaria. Palestinian terrorists bombarded civilians with 52 firebombs and 246 rocks. Did you know rocks can kill? Click here to read more. Fortunately, nobody was killed but still six people were injured. There would be many more victims if it were not for Israeli soldiers who put themselves on the line to protect innocent civilians.
Fatah celebrates murder
The celebrated attacks include the most lethal terror attack in Israel's history: a 1978 bus hijacking in which 37 civilians were murdered. Also praised is the attack on the Israeli Olympic team, in which 11 Israeli athletes were murdered at the 1972 Olympic Games. Fatah's Facebook page also celebrates a series of terror "firsts" achieved by Fatah: the first suicide bombing against Israel, the first suicide bombing by a woman against Israel, the first missile attack from Gaza against Israel, and others. The page glorifies an attack that it claims killed the "the most" Israelis in a single terror attack: a double suicide bombing in Tel Aviv's central bus station in 2003. Fatah boasted it "killed more than 30 and wounded more than 200" in that one attack.
Analyst: Obama Executive Order to Release $148 Million Part of Effort to Bring Gaza Under PA Sway
While the Washington Times reported that “some lawmakers oppose the aid, both because of sequestration budget cuts and the Palestinian Authority’s ties to the terrorist organization Hamas,” Schanzer, vice president for research at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, said it was a logical move by the US.
“At a time like this when you have negotiations there is an inclination to want to provide some inducements,” Schanzer said, adding “the Administration is very aware of the fact that you have a division between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and if there’s ever to be a chance of bringing Gaza back under the control of the PA, we’re going to need to hold up the PA as a success story,” he opined.
Police investigating hate speech allegations at anti-Israel rally
Toronto Police officers are investigating allegations of hate speech after a speaker at a controversial anti-Israel rally said Jews must vacate that country or be shot dead.
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), the group claiming to have complained to police, identified the speaker as Elias Hazineh.
Dennis Clark, the Ontario legislature's sergeant-at-arms, said Al-Quds organizers were not given a permit to hold the rally at Queens Park this year, but that there wasn't anything stopping them from doing it anyway. Clark said they were denied the permit because the Caribbean Carnival was happening at the same time, and that the decision was made in the name of public safety.
Leader in Toronto Quds Day Rally: We Should Give Israelis Two Minutes to Leave Palestine, Then Shoot


Daphne Anson: In Londonistan, "We Are All Hezbollah!"
Iranian-born Sheikh Mohammed Saeed Bahmanpour, a UK-based Islamic writer and lecturer who apparently needed "no introduction" to the assemblage, attracts enthusiastic cries of"Allahu Akhbar!", "We are all Hezbollah!", and wild cheers:
CIA's No.2: Syrian Rebels are the Top Threat to U.S.
The Central Intelligence Agency’s (CIA) second-in-command, Michael Morell, says the Syrian civil war is now the greatest threat to U.S. national security, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday. The risk, says Morell, is that the Syrian government might collapse and the country would becomes al Qaeda’s new safe haven, supplanting Pakistan.
In such a scenario, the chemical weapons that the regime of Bashar Assad now possesses will fall into the hands of the Al Qaeda rebels.
Wounded Syrian girl miraculously walks after surgery in Israel
A 15-year-old Syrian girl with an amputated right leg and serious shrapnel wounds to her left leg and abdomen, who was treated at an Israeli hospital, shocked medical staff when she managed to walk only a day after undergoing major surgery. The teenager was wounded during clashes in the Syrian civil war and was transferred to Ziv Hospital in Safed for treatment.
On Tuesday, she stood for the first time since surgery on her left leg, which was also badly wounded, and with the help of special crutches, she managed to walk.
Former IDF intel chief: US coming around on Iran strike
“The American stance on an Israeli strike against Iran has changed dramatically recently,” said Amos Yadlin, who served as chief of the IDF’s Intelligence Directorate from 2006 to 2010.
“In 2012 the [Americans'] red light was as red as it can get, the brightest red,” Yadlin said in an interview with Army Radio Wednesday morning. “But the music I’m hearing lately from Washington says, ‘If this is truly an overriding Israeli security interest, and you think you want to strike,’ then the light hasn’t changed to green, I think, but it’s definitely yellow.”
PM: US Pressure the Only Thing Holding Iran Back from Bomb
Netanyahu held a round-table discussion with the Congresspeople, presenting Israel's case on a number of regional and security issues.
Netanyahu also discussed Iran with the group, saying that the U.S. needed to more forcefully press Iran to stop its nuclear development program. “Iran's president said that pressure will not help to dissuade him from developing nuclear weapons. But we see that over the past two decades, the only thing that has helped has been pressure.”
U.S.: The Ball is in Iran's Court
Rouhani’s inauguration "presents an opportunity for Iran to act quickly to resolve the international community's deep concerns over their nuclear program," said spokeswoman Jen Psaki.
However, she said, "There are steps they need to take to meet their international obligations and find a peaceful solution to this issue, and the ball is in their court."
‘Moderate’ Rowhani Appoints Holocaust Denier as Foreign Minister
Despite his “moderate reputation,” Iranian President Hassan Rowhani has announced the appointment of Mohammad Javad Zarif—a Holocaust denier—as his foreign minister.
In 2006, Zarif spoke at Columbia University and took questions, including one about the Holocaust, the Wall Street Journal reports:
Egypt’s leader to declare crisis resolution has failed, says report
An Egyptian media outlet reported late Tuesday that the country’s interim president plans to announce that efforts to resolve his government’s ongoing crisis with the Muslim Brotherhood have failed.
Adly Mansour will deliver an address on Wednesday, according to state-owned Al-Ahram, in which he will discuss the failure of American, European and Arab envoys over the past three days to come up with a way to stop the ongoing mass protests by supporters of deposed president Mohammed Morsi.
Al-Qaeda Threatens Britain’s Tottenham Soccer Club; Calls Management ‘Greedy Jews’
English Premier League soccer club Tottenham Hostspur had more than angry fans to contend with this past weekend as rumors that star player Gareth Bale would be transferred elicited an angry response from terror group al-Qaeda.