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Saturday, December 28, 2013

12/28 Links: How the Zionist-Left Prolongs the Arab-Israel Conflict, BDS group uses Anne Frank

From Ian:

How the Zionist-Left Prolongs the Arab-Israel Conflict
The Zionist-Left is responsible, at least in part, for prolonging the long Arab war against the Jews of the Middle East. It is also responsible, at least in part, for encouraging the movement to boycott, divest from, and sanction Israel (BDS) and for encouraging rising European hostility toward the Jewish state, if not toward Jews, more generally.
This is, of course, not their intention and many would scoff at the very notion without giving it any actual consideration. Nonetheless, the Zionist-Left, through refusing to see past the Oslo Delusion, through giving credence to hysterical, toxic, and largely false Arab claims of Jewish wrong-doing, and through demonizing Jews who choose to live within the Jewish heartland of Judaea and Samaria, have provided cover and encouragement to the enemies of the State of Israel, and thus the enemies of the Jewish people. (h/t Bob Knot)
Shavit vs. Jabotinsky
He is wrong. What we, as Zionists, are obligated to do is to create and maintain our Jewish state while doing as little harm to the Arabs as possible. Especially compared to other nationalisms — particularly Arab nationalism — we have done so. The Zionist leadership did what was necessary to create the state, and despite what anti-Zionist revisionist historians say, did not engage in mass murder (as Arabs did whenever possible). Certainly some Arabs were expelled from their homes, mostly — as in the case of Lydda — because of the conflict they were engaged in. Shavit’s feelings of guilt are inappropriate.
And we do not “owe them” a state. In fact, because a Palestinian Arab state in Judea and Samaria is simply incompatible with the continued existence of the Jewish state — a result of military realities and Arab and Muslim intentions — we are obligated to oppose such a state. (h/t NormanF)
Goucher College channels Daniel Patrick Moynihan in denouncing anti-Israel academic boycott
Many of the statements issued are eloquent and forceful, but this one from Goucher College in Towson, Maryland stands out for its clarity in pointing out the pernicious absurdity of the boycott.
Goucher is not an Institutional Member of the ASA.
Some of the language is reminiscent of Daniel Patrick Moynihan’s denunciation of the notorious “Zionism is Racism” U.N. Resolution. I have to think the similarity of language was intentional.
Trinity College profs issue letter supporting Israel boycott, but less than 10% sign
Supporters of the boycott are trying to rally faculty, a tactic we can expect to see at other institutions.
But that rally cry appears to have failed miserably as the highy-pejorative “Open Letter” was signed by less than 10% of the approximately 250 faculty members. Only one of the signatories was outside the Social Sciences and Humanities.
Why Israel’s security barrier matters: a harrowing story often forgotten
On December 18th 2010, Kay Wilson and her Christian, American friend Kristine Luken were hiking through a forest outside Beit Shemesh in Israel, around 15 miles away from Bethlehem, and 20 miles away from Jerusalem.
Wilson, a British-born Israeli tour guide, would never have thought that on that very day, she would witness her friend being murdered in front of her own eyes, and come terrifyingly close to death herself. But that is precisely what happened, after the pair were set upon by two Palestinian terrorists, Ayad Fasafa and Kifah Ghanimat.
The pair, who had crossed into Israel illegally, using an area in which Israel’s security barrier was incomplete, plunged a butcher’s knife into Wilson’s chest 13 times before leaving for dead. Wilson witnessed the last cries of her friend, Luken, as she was killed just metres away.
Stand With Us: An open letter to St. James’ Church at Christmas
Dear Pastor Winkett and St. James Church staff,
What a mean-spirited, one-sided and divisive stunt you chose to politicise your church with this Christmas.
In an ideal world there would be no walls.
In an ideal world there would also be no suicide bombers – radical Islamist Palestinians who hate the Jews that live close to them so much that they are willing to indiscriminately kill them and others – be it in a shopping centre, disco, pizza restaurant or if they are sitting at their Passover Seder. (h/t Bob Knot)
Tear down the Zionist apartheid Thames Barrier: A brave statement by the St John’s Church Leicester Square (Satire)
While the St James’ Church in Piccadilly has constructed a replica of the Zionist apartheid wall in solidarity with our Palestinian brethren at Christmas time, we at the St John’s Church Leicester Square are delighted to unveil an even more impressive act of solidarity: a life-size replica of the hated, apartheid Zionist Thames Barrier. As everybody is aware, the Thames Barrier was erected by the so-called “British Government” of Margaret Thatcher (but under direct Zionist control) 30 years ago. The British Zionists laughingly claim that the Thames Barrier is a ‘security’ barrier to protect London from flooding during high tides. But everybody knows that the barrier was built specifically to fence in the entire Muslim population of Europe. This includes some 285 million Palestinian refugees who form the remnant of the 250 million Palestinians brutally massacred by the Zionists in one day alone in 1967***.
Anti-Israel Amsterdam boycott group uses Anne Frank for Avatar
I guess nothing surprises me anymore about the anti-Israel Boycott Divest and Sanctions movement.
So I’ll just put this out there.
A Twitter account using the @BDSAmsterdam name uses Anne Frank for its Avatar, dressed in an Arab Keffiyeh and apparently has been doing so for quite some time.
Report: Kerry to mull freeing Pollard as condition for Palestinian prisoners release
US Secretary of State John Kerry has reportedly agreed to consider the Israeli request to release Israeli agent Jonathan Pollard as a condition to the release of the remaining 52 Palestinian terrorists, including Israeli-Arabs, Channel 10 reported on Friday, quoting Israeli officials.
Israel has agreed to release 104 Palestinian security prisoners with blood on their hands in four phases as a part of a deal to restart peace talks with the Palestinian Authority. Half of these prisoners have already been released in two groups of 26 in August and October.
Israelis in Poll: Don’t Release Palestinian Convicts Until Pollard is Released
More than half of Israeli Jews—52.4 percent—believe Israel should condition the release of Palestinian prisoners on the U.S. freeing imprisoned Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard, according to a new Israel Hayom poll.
Obama Admin to IDF Generals: Stop Being So Concerned About Israel’s Security
After a prominent retired Israeli general spoke out against IDF withdrawal from the Jordan Valley, Israeli media reported that the Obama administration’s head envoy to the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, Martin Indyk, convened a meeting of Israeli security officials. He pressured them to drop their objections to the plan and make media appearances in support of it to help sell a skeptical Israeli public on the benefits of a reduction in security.
Israeli Arab Political Party’s Facebook Page Airs Released Terrorist’s Call to Kidnap IDF Soldiers
Samer al-Issawi, a Palestinian-Arab who was released this week from an Israeli prison after a prolonged hunger strike, received a hero’s welcome not only from the Palestinian Authority but also on the Facebook page of the Israeli Arab political party Hadash.
As reported by Israeli daily Ma’ariv on Friday, the Hadash Facebook page posted an excerpt from an interview that al-Issawi conducted with the Hamas terrorist group’s Al-Aqsa Television. During the exchange, al-Issawi called for the kidnapping of Israelis.
Letter to the UN Security Council – will it do anything?
An admirable letter from the Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations, Ron Proser.
Which I doubt will do anything. I’m sure everyone agrees.The title is purely a rhetorical question.
Israeli envoy to UN urges Security Council to condemn attacks, decries lack of condemnation from Palestinian leadership.
Defense Minister: Hamas has Changed the Rules
Abu Latif, a Bedouin resident of Rahat in the Negev, was shot as he worked at fixing the security fence between Israel and Gaza.
"I came to comfort the family and the people of Rahat over the heavy loss,” said Yaalon. “We are sorry and pained. I did not know Salah personally but I heard what a dedicated worker he was and what he managed to accomplish in his life.”
"This is the first time that a sniper from Gaza fires at workers on the other side of the fence,” he told the grieving family. “We thought there were 'game rules,' according to which you do not fire at civilians who work near the fence. Until now, they did not fire at civilians, and we will have to think what to do, if someone has changed the rules.”
Slain Defense Ministry employee's family to sue Channel 2
The Abu Latyef family, who lost their son Salah Shukri Abu Latyef, 22, in a shooting on the Gaza border December 24, while he was working as a Defense Ministry employee fixing the Gaza border fence, announced Saturday their intention to sue Channel 2.
Khaled Abu Latyef, cousin of the late Salah Shukri Abu Latyef, told 'The Post' that a Channel 2 reporter had tarnished the name of the deceased, claiming that his uncle was a battalion commander in Hamas, despite the fact that all the cousins ​​on both his father and mother's side are residents and natives of Rahat in Israel and the family has no contact directly or indirectly with Hamas.
Iraq Changes Prayer Direction: Karbala, Not Mecca
Iraq's rising violence and concerns of an all-out sectarian war appears set to flare up even further, as Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki recently ordered Muslim prayers to be directed to the Shi'ite holy city Karbala, instead of Mecca.
Karabala is where Imam Al-Hussein, a Shi'ite "martyr" who refused to surrender the Islamic Caliphate to Sunni leaders, was killed in 680 CE. The city houses his mausoleum, and Al-Maliki's statements came at a memorial to Hussein, who was also Muslim prophet Mohammed's grandson.
Sephardic Group Cautiously Praises Iraqi Government for Recognizing Jewish History
The Sephardic group Jews Indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa (JIMENA) cautiously praised the Iraqi government for its recognition of the Jewish community’s role in the country’s history, but still has serious reservations about the government’s claim to the Iraqi Jewish Archive.
In a recent religious ceremony attended by Iraq’s ambassador to the U.S., 49 fragments of a Torah scroll that were part of the Iraqi Jewish Archive collection were buried in accordance with Jewish tradition at the New Montefiore Cemetery in West Babylon, NY.
Minister: France May Ban Anti-Semitic Comedian Dieudonne
France is considering banning performances by a black comedian whose shows have repeatedly insulted the memory of Holocaust victims and could threaten public order, Interior Minister Manuel Valls said on Friday.
He said his ministry is studying legal ways to ban shows by Dieudonne M’bala M’bala, a comedian repeatedly fined for hate speech who ran in the 2009 European Parliament elections at the head of an “Anti-Zionist List” including far-right activists.
Premier League - Anelka accused of anti-semitism after 'quenelle' gesture
Frenchman Anelka, 34, celebrated his first of two goals in the 3-3 draw by apparently making a gesture known as the ‘quenelle’ in France, where it can have anti-semitic connotations. It is made by touching the right shoulder with the left hand, keeping the right arm pointed downwards.
Anelka could face punishment if his actions can be shown to be offensive, insulting, abusive or political. (h/t Kramerica)
Group of 38 Bnei Menashe arrives in Israel
A total of 38 Indian citizens from the Bnei Menashe community made aliya Thursday, the first cohort to arrive since the Knesset approved another wave of immigration for the group.
The immigrants are to spend the next several months in a private absorption center run by the Shavei Israel organization, which arranged and funded their aliya. All of the immigrants are from the outlying Indian state of Mizoram, and 18 of them are 18-years-old or younger.
Israeli Companies Traded On US Exchanges Stand Out With Gains Exceeding 200 Percent
For years, Israeli technical talent has been treated like a farm team by major industry players. Behemoths like Hewlett Packard, Intel and Microsoft opened Israeli subsidiaries and picked off choice companies. Now, as more Israeli companies find their footing in the public markets, ordinary investors are seeking to profit from Israeli expertise in math, science and software.
Roughly half of the Israeli companies listed on the AMEX, NASDAQ and NYSE stock exchanges are poised to close out 2013 with gains of 30 percent or higher. The value of nine companies more than doubled, three tripled, one quadrupled and one microcap specializing in digital identity solutions increased a whopping 3,000 percent.
Person of the year in the Syrian crisis: Israeli health care professionals
This week saw Israel deliver vital medical services to Syrian patient number 200. Last month, a twenty-year-old Syrian refugee gave birth to a boy in the Rebecca Seiff Hospital in Safed, making the baby’s delivery the first Syrian refugee birth in an Israeli medical facility.
The biggest winner of 2013 was not one individual; rather a group of health care professionals in northern Israel from Ziv Medical Center in Safed and Sieff hospital who cared for wounded Syrians.
The endless misery unfolding in Syria has produced few moments of optimism.