Thursday, November 14, 2013
WSJ The New Face of European Anti-Semitism
As German author Henryk Broder quipped, if after 1945 Europe experienced anti-Semitism without Jews, we are now experiencing anti-Semitism without anti-Semites. As a 2011 study in eight European countries by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation concluded: "Data show anti-Semitism often appearing in the guise of criticism of Israel." Unlike classic anti-Semitism, which is now largely taboo in polite company, demonizing Israel is mainstream.UK: The Interfaith Industry
"The Protocols of the Elders of Zion," that Russian forgery purporting to reveal a Jewish cabal bent on world domination, may not be acceptable dinner conversation any more. But repackage the sentiment as criticism of Israel, and say that the Jewish lobby controls U.S. foreign policy against "true" American interests, and voilà, you are no longer dabbling in nasty old tropes about sinister Jewish power, but in bold political analysis. (h/t NormanF)
The largest umbrella group in Britain for interfaith initiatives is the Inter Faith Network for the United Kingdom (IFN). Founded in 1987, the IFN claims it works to "promote understanding and respect" between different faith groups.Israel Haters and Hezbollah at the University of Washington
In July 2013, a delegate to an IFN meeting in Birmingham told the conference that he had heard a senior interfaith official claim that "Jews were a disease." The delegate then denounced a number of groups present at the conference for their collaboration with signatories to the Istanbul Declaration, a document that calls for attacks on British troops and Jewish communities.
When a pro-Israel woman sympathized but explained that Hezbollah was to blame for what he had suffered, he responded coolly with “I am Hezbollah”. As the discussion continued, the young man defended the bombing of pizza restaurants and buses “what do you expect them to do?” he said with a righteous dose of indignation.UK: Israeli Academic Sues Over Boycott 'Discrimination'
As the woman, seemingly unfazed, firmly challenged the young man point for point, he began to back away from her and said “I feel threatened by you”. “You feel threatened by me?” responded the surprised mother of four to the young man a head taller than her. At that moment I recalled the scene from a comedy film of a few years back where the grossly anti-Semitic Borat was petrified in fear of a pleasant elderly Jewish couple with whom he was staying. But thus is the victim mentality.
An Israeli academic is suing one of the UK's largest trade unions, as well as a mental health trust, for racial discrimination, after a his speaking engagement he was due to deliver was cancelled because he was Israeli.EU MPs Urge: Rethink Ban on Israeli Funding
Professor Moty Cristal was due to lead a workshop on "conflict resolution" for managers and union officials at the Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust last May. But Cristal's invitation was withdrawn just a fortnight before his presentation, after he received an email informing him that the Unison trade union opposed his presence as a "prominent Israeli academic", and that its members were planning to boycott the event in response.
In a letter to the bloc's top diplomat Catherine Ashton, 27 MEPs across the political spectrum urged the EU's executive, the European Commission, to reverse or at least soften the guidelines setting a January 2014 ban on funding and business deals with establishments in Jewish regions of Judea and Samaria and Jerusalem.CAMERA: Film Review: 5 Broken Cameras
They urged Ashton "to take all the necessary steps to withdraw the commission guidelines or, at the very least, to come to terms with the government of Israel to ensure that their implementation will reflect the deep bilateral relations between the European Union and Israel and would by no means harm them."
Contrived ScenesGuardian amends Antony Loewenstein’s false claim that Israeli group tried to sue Stephen Hawking
In response to the praise heaped on the film by reviewers at film festivals, Israel’s Channel 10, in March 2013, interviewed soldiers involved in the most controversial scenes. The soldiers expressed dismay that they were depicted as prone to violence against peaceful demonstrators, insisting that in reality they exercised considerable restraint, only resorting to force when the demonstrators pelted them with rocks or attempted to tear down the security fence. They were particularly incensed that the film showed their faces exposing them to potential retribution.
The link Loewenstein used in his original false claim that Shurat HaDin threatened to sue Stephen Hawkins [sic] takes you to the hate site, Mondoweiss. Interestingly, however, the Mondoweiss post in question makes no such claim.Israel Aids The Philippines, But The BBC Keeps Shtum About It
Finally, and quite tellingly, the original false accusation about Shurat HaDin still appears in the cross post of his ‘CiF’ column published at his personal blog.
From this list, Israel is conspicuous by its absence.Catholic group disrupts Kristallnacht ceremony in Argentina
Yet, as in all disasters of the kind that's devastated the Philippines, except when (as in the case of Iran's earthquake in 2003) its help has been hatefully rejected (“The Islamic Republic of Iran accepts all kinds of humanitarian aid from all countries and international organizations with the exception of the Zionist regime”) Israeli humanitarian aid to the stricken nation has been swift and generous.
The annual gathering of Catholics, Jews and Protestants marks Kristallnacht, the Nazi-led mob violence in 1938 when about 1,000 Jewish synagogues were burned and thousands of Jews were forced into concentration camps, launching the genocide that killed 6 million Jews. Before he assumed the papacy, Buenos Aires Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio and his good friend Rabbi Abraham Skorka led the ceremony every year.Judge asked to invalidate Iran-Argentine probe of 1994 bombing
A small group disrupted Tuesday night’s ceremony by shouting the rosary and the “Our Father” prayer, and spreading pamphlets saying that “followers of false gods must be kept out of the sacred temple.”
Alberto Nisman, who oversaw an investigation of the AMIA center explosion that killed 85 people, presented the appeal to a federal judge on Wednesday, according to a document seen by Reuters.NY police investigate attacks on Jews in Brooklyn
Israel and world Jewish groups denounced the agreement under which Argentina and Iran formed a "truth commission" in January, saying it was a diplomatic win for Tehran, while offering no benefit to Argentina.
The most recent attack occurred on Sunday, according to the New York Daily News, when a group of black men attacked an identifiably Jewish man. The attack was unprovoked and nothing was stolen, according to the newspaper.Scholastic Publishing Apologizes for Book Omitting Israel From ME Map
Last week, a 12-year-old boy dressed in traditional Hasidic garb was punched in the face by a group of teens who called out “we got him” after the attack, according to WCBS-TV in New York. (h/t MtTB)
Early Wednesday, Nov. 13, news stories began to appear that Scholastic published a book with a map of the Middle East that has no Israel on it.Lung Cancer Patients Successfully Treated in Clinical Trials by Israeli Bio-Medical Start-Up IceCure
By early Wednesday afternoon, the folks at Scholastic had already issued an apology and publicized its plan of action. That’s quick action. But is it enough?
Israeli bio-medical company IceCure Ltd. said two lung cancer patients in Japan were successfully treated with its IceSense3 cryotherapy system, as part of a clinical trial funded by Kameda Medical Center, in Japan.Israeli Pill to Replace Colonoscopy
IceCure’s lead product, IceSense3, freezes and destroys benign breast tumors in women via a process called cryoablation. It received 510(k) marketing clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in late-2010.
In August Given Imaging, an Israeli medical technology company, received FDA approval for their Pill Cam SB3 which will potentially replace colonoscopies in screening for colorectal cancer.Israeli Researchers Find New Way to Quit a Filthy Habit
Furthermore, the company announced Monday that Japan's Central Social Insurance Medical Council has approved reimbursement for Given Imaging's PillCam COLON, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Smoking can kill, but if a team of researchers from Ben Gurion University has anything to say about it, a lot of lives could be saved. That’s because an early study they conducted using magnetic fields to alter brain activity proved to help some people cut down on, or even quit, smoking.‘Homeland’ writer sells NBC show to be filmed in Jerusalem
Gideon Raff, the Israeli screenwriter behind “Homeland” and its Israeli predecessor “Prisoners of War,” has just earned another badge for Israeli television and its push into the US market: His new series, “Dig,” has been purchased as a series from Universal Cable Productions for USA Network, a subsidiary of NBC Universal.Dutch Prime Minister to visit Israel to boost economic relations
Israeli TV shows have, for several years, been finding success on small screens overseas, but the six-episode deal struck by “Dig” creators marks the first time a US network has committed to an entire series of an Israeli-produced show without buying a pilot first.
A Dutch government delegation is headed to Jerusalem to boost economic cooperation between Israel and the Netherlands and highlight business opportunities between the two countries.Israel’s El Al Launches New Routes as Profits Soar
Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, will visit Israel on December 8-9, 2013, to officially launch a ‘Netherlands-Israel Cooperation Forum’, together with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
El Al, Israel’s national airline, said on Wednesday that it is adding new routes to the Mediterranean, after reporting strong growth in revenue and profit for the third quarter, Israeli business daily Globes reported.Deputy Minister Danny Danon Lauds Israeli-Christian Interest in IDF Service
Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon is encouraging Arab-Israeli Christian youths to join the Israel Defense Forces and integrate into society.
“I salute your willingness to integrate into the society,” Danon told a gathering of draft-age Christians in the Golan Heights, Inter Press Service reported.
“The State of Israel is opening its doors to you. We want you ‘equal amongst equals,’” he added.
