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Friday, February 28, 2014

02/28 Links Pt2: Richard Silverstein’s racist abuse continues; Anelka 5-match ban for ‘quenelle’

From Ian:

Richard Silverstein’s racist abuse of Chloe Valdary continues: calls her a ‘house slave’
So, Silverstein, a Comment is Free contributor, has now called Valdary a ‘Negro Uncle Tom’ and a ‘House Slave’!
This blog has previously exposed Silverstein’s defense of Hamas, his suggestion that Israel behaves like Nazi Germany (and, of course, his faux scoops), but after his latest racist outburst is there really anyone who can honestly claim that the Seattle-based Jewish blogger represents anything resembling liberal values?
Anelka gets five-match ban for ‘quenelle’
Nicolas Anelka’s future in English football was in the balance after the former France striker was given a five-match ban on Thursday for making a gesture widely condemned as anti-Semitic.
The Football Association found the French striker guilty of an “aggravated breach” of their rules for making the ‘quenelle’ playing for West Bromwich Albion in a Premier League match away to West Ham in December.
That saw the 34-year-old banned and fined £80,000 ($133,368).
'X Factor' Israel's Rose gets warm welcome upon return to Philippines
Rose Fostanes, the Filipina care-giving singer who took home first prize on Israel's X-Factor, returned to her home country on Wednesday to a warm welcome.
Appearing on popular evening talk show, Aquino and Abunda Tonight, hosted by Boy Abunda and Kris Aquino, who are known as the country's "King and Queen of talk," Fostanes showed off her pipes.



Ugliness of BDS hits University of Windsor
A student executive’s office was broken into and vandalized on the eve of a controversial referendum at the University of Windsor.
Today marks the first of three voting days of an undergraduate student referendum that seeks official endorsement of the growing Israeli Boycott, Divestment and Sanction movement.
Jake DeJong, vice-president academic affairs, arrived at the university at 9 a.m. this morning to discover vandals entered his locked office the evening prior, ransacking it and defaced a Support our Troops flag with the Star of David and the word “ZIONIST” above it in blue spray paint.
From UCLA's Bruins Against BDS
Bruins against BDS:"We’d like to thank you for hearing and considering all sides of the issue presented to you and fairly representing our voice on this campus for 9 hours at the USAC meeting on Tuesday, February 25th. We understand that this was not an easy decision for many of you. In no way do we claim the results of the vote as a victory. It is deeply saddening that all sides are left feeling extremely hurt by the hateful comments that were said during public comment. It is truly disappointing to see a campus so divided."

After nine hours of ripping the council and the community apart, not a single mind was changed, not a single vote was altered.
An open letter to President John Sexton from the NYU student community
The following is the full text of the letter presented this morning to the NYU administration by Meredith Shevitz, Rachel Millhauser, and myself regarding the anti-Israel conference taking place at NYU this weekend. Though I am usually opposed to reactivity, given the nature of this event and the press it has received, we felt that we could not in good conscience remain silent. Many thanks all of those who spent countless hours on the letter’s composition; you make me proud to be a part of this community.
BBC omits vital background information in Temple Mount rioting story
The photograph chosen to open an article headlined “Israeli police and Palestinians clash on Temple Mount” which appeared on the Middle East page of the BBC News website on February 25th is captioned as follows: Temple Mount art
“Palestinians scuffled with Israeli police officers when denied entry to the site after the morning’s unrest”
In the absence of any clarification regarding “the morning’s unrest”, reasonable readers might well mistakenly conclude that the “clash” mentioned in the headline was brought about as a result of Palestinians being “denied entry to the site”.
Hackers ‘aggressively’ targeting US Jewish groups
US Jewish groups face “a more concerted and aggressive effort” from Internet hackers, the national community’s security arm said in an alert.
“It is imperative that all IT departments understand how to mitigate the threat and are up-to-date on the necessary technologies and processes to use in order to be proactive and prevent these incidents,” said an alert Tuesday from the Secure Community Network, an affiliate of the Jewish Federations of North America and of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.
“It is apparent that we are currently facing a more concerted and aggressive effort by those attempting to disrupt and deface organizations’ websites and networks,” the alert said.
Israeli Envoy: Anne Frank Vandalism Does Not Represent Japan
The books, a gift from the embassy and the Jewish Community of Japan, were donated as police hunted those responsible for defacing copies of the much-loved book, which tells the tale of a young Jewish girl in Amsterdam who ultimately died in a Nazi concentration camp.
"Our first reaction actually was a little bit of a shock," Peleg Lewi, the embassy's deputy chief of mission, said at a ceremony in of Suginami, whose libraries were a main target.
"Japan is so known in Israel ... as a pacifist and as a very secure country. So this kind of act really made a big impression on us," he was quoted by AFP as having told reporters.
"But I think that everybody understood that it's a single act that does not represent Japanese people," Lewi emphasized.


Toddler Orphaned in Mumbai Terror Attack is ‘Doing Well,’ Israeli Envoy Says
The Jewish toddler who lost both his parents in the infamous 2008 Mumbai terror attacks is “doing well”, Israel’s envoy in India said on Monday, The Times of India reported.
Moshe Holtzberg, now living in Israel, “is going to school. He is a very healthy, happy and a strong kid, growing up under a very complicated situation,” Ambassador Alon Ushpiz said. “He is growing up without his parents. This obviously isn’t easy.”
“He’s staying with his grandparents,” the envoy added. “Also, in this case, an Israeli was saved by an Indian citizen. His nanny took him out.”
PM to meet with WhatsApp CEO, Silicon Valley execs
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with several top Silicon Valley executives during a trip to California next week, including WhatsApp founder Jan Koum, who recently sold his company to Facebook for $19 billion.
Netanyahu is also set to sign a strategic partnership agreement with California Governor Jerry Brown to promote economic relations between Israel and the state of California. The partnership agreement is aimed at expanding cooperation in the fields of culture, academia, economics, innovation, water conservation, alternative energy, cyber defense, biotechnology, health, education and agricultural technology.
Netanyahu to sign economic cooperation deal with California Governor Jerry Brown
While the Berkeley love children are busy vandalizing grocery store hummus and convincing themselves that BDS is unstoppable, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will be in California, signing an economic cooperation pledge with California governor Jerry Brown.
To all the BDS holes out there- How does it feel to be irrelevant?
A Woman of Integrity: British Actress Maureen Lipman stands by Israel
To her abiding credit, that national treasure of a British actress, Maureen Lipman, widow of the prominent playwright Jack Rosenthal, has never been afraid to voice her strong support for Israel.
As the Jerusalem Post reported a couple of years ago, when she was awarded an honorary doctorate by Tel Aviv University, Ms Lipman noted:
“There are too many bigots and extremists using anti-Zionism as a cloak for anti-Semitism. And they are whipping up a frenzy.”
Top 22 ways Israel aided Africa in last three years
On a visit to Africa in 1958, Foreign Minister Golda Meir pledged Israeli help to find solutions for severe challenges in food security, water safety and sanitation, healthcare, economic growth, community building, the empowerment of women and education.
In the years since then, the Foreign Ministry’s MASHAV, Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation, has not only kept that promise, with myriad projects primarily in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Senegal, South Sudan and Uganda, but private Israeli companies and nonprofit organizations have also pitched in.
Israel: Small Nation, Big Job-Creation Potential
Georgia’s $100 million factory win from Israel proves that the small country “punches above its weight” in creating American jobs, but even greater impact could come from from solidifying the state’s reputation as a global launch pad for innovative Israeli firms, a well-known investor told Global Atlanta.
While the Caesarstone Sdot Yam Ltd. plant near Savannah will be a boon for the area, creating 180 jobs, the dollar figure is dwarfed by the price tags of recently acquired Israeli companies with Georgia ties.
In December, Given Imaging, an Israeli-founded company which makes pill cameras that take gastrointestinal photos, was bought by Ireland-based Covidien in a deal valued at $860 million. Given has long had its corporate base in Atlanta while keeping its research arm in Yoqneam, Israel.
Israel Trauma Coalition teaches resilience worldwide
Earthquake in Haiti, tsunami in Japan, typhoon in the Philippines, school shooting in France, terror attacks in Boston and Mumbai – when disaster strikes, Israel is quickly on the scene with medical and humanitarian aid.
But when the injured have been tended, the homeless housed and the hungry fed, the difficulty of healing psychological wounds begins. This is where the Israel Trauma Coalition (ITC) steps in, training leaders of affected communities how to help residents pick up the pieces of their lives.
Kenyan Ezekiel Koech breaks TLV marathon record
Kenyan Ezekiel Koech, 28, won the 2014 Tel Aviv Marathon Friday, finishing the 26.2 mile course in 2 hours, 14 minutes, and 40 seconds. His time was the best in the history of the race.
Koech won NIS 15,000 ($4294) for his victory.
“I am very happy with my result,” Koech said after the race, according to Ynet. “Weather was good, not so difficult. I hope to come again next year.”
Kenyans also finished second and third in the marathon.
IDF Blog: The IDF’s Minorities in Numbers and Pictures
In honor of IDF Diversity Week, we present diversity through numbers and pictures. Each year, more and more Muslims, Christians, Druze, Bedouin and immigrants from around the world take on the responsibility of defending Israel.
Video of Epic David Guetta Concert Atop Masada Draws Half a Million Views in 2 Days
A newly released video of renowned DJ David Guetta’s concert in Israel last October has attracted almost half a million views in the two days since it was posted on YouTube.
The epic event, attended by 20,000 people, took place atop the historic Masada fortress in the Judean Desert, 424 meters below sea level.
The video includes footage of Guetta discussing his sojourn in the Holy Land and performing his hit songs Titanium and Play Hard.
David Guetta - A Party 424 Meters Under the Sea