Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Obama, Tibi and the Apartheid Canard
Then there are all the other Arabs in prominent positions – college presidents, hospital directors, ambassadors, army officers, Supreme Court justices and more. The Elder of Ziyon blog has a must-see poster collection featuring these and many other examples that are the very antithesis of apartheid. But hey, who you gonna believe: Haaretz’s Gideon Levy or your lying eyes?The Questions No One Asks
Indeed, on the issue that seems to concern Obama most – freedom of movement, which he highlighted in the rhetorical question immediately preceding the one on Arab Israelis – Arab citizens and permanent residents arguably have greater rights than Israeli Jews: For instance, they can freely visit the Temple Mount, which Israeli Jews can’t; they can also visit the Palestinian Authority, which Israeli law bars Jews from doing. In fact, their freedom of movement is precisely why terrorist organizations consider them prize recruits. It’s a sad day when Palestinian terrorists have a better grasp of Israel’s true nature than the U.S. president.
Obama, of course, is just a symptom of a much larger problem: Too many Western liberals willfully close their eyes to the truth when it comes to Israel, preferring to parrot the current bon ton. But for an administration that explicitly pledged to pursue “evidence-based policy,” a little more attention to the evidence on Israel would be a nice place to start.
The Palestinians aspire to control all the holy sites in the Old City of Jerusalem, not only those holy to Islam, but those holy to Christianity and Judaism as well.Behind The Lines: Kurdistan emerges
They understand that [in a peace agreement] they would have to declare the end of the conflict. That is not a situation the Palestinians are ripe for yet.
The next Palestinian leader will simply say that any agreement was Abbas's, not his, and does not commit them or the Palestinian people. Both Palestinian society and public policy are based on the rejection of peace with Israel, and the Palestinian street is bombarded daily with propaganda from the Palestinian establishment advocating war, the return of refugees and the destruction of Israel.
Aydar also made some fascinating and far-reaching comments about Israel and its place in the region. His tone was one common among Kurds, yet probably without parallel elsewhere in the region.
“There is an Islamic approach toward Israel in the Middle East,” he said. “Before that, there was a leftist point of view. But both of these were based on Arab nationalism. This view was saying that Israel has no place in the Middle East, and Jews have no rights in the Middle East.
“The other nations in the Middle East – Arabs, Turks, Iranians, Kurds – have to accept the existence of Israel in the Mideast. They have to recognize that these people are from the region, and are indigenous people of the region. And whatever rights Arabs have, Israel also has. This nation has the right to live on its own soil.”
Aydar went on to call for “breaking the walls between Kurds and Israelis, and getting to know each other. If we can continue our friendship, both sides will benefit from it. The region needs the Israeli experience.
Peace and the Palestinian We Do Not Know
Before signing an agreement with an aging “president” more than five years past the end of his stated term — someone with no known successor, no process for choosing one, no institutions for holding elections, no capacity to implement any agreement in half his putative state (controlled by the terrorist group he promised to dismantle under the Road Map and didn’t), presiding over a society steeped in anti-Semitic incitement, unwilling to endorse even the concept of “two states for two peoples” (much less explicitly recognize a Jewish state) – we should put aside the perennial argument that time is running out, the over-hyped demographics, and “what’s happening in the settlements” (since what’s happening in the settlements is mostly construction in areas Israel will retain in any conceivable peace agreement), and pause to reflect on President Obama’s last sentence: “We do not know what a successor to Abbas will look like.”U.S., Israeli Officials Float Possibility of Expanding Israeli Missile Shield to Protect U.S. Arab Allies
We do not know, in other words, who will be implementing the agreement Israel is being rushed to sign. We do not know whether it will be Hamas, taking over a Palestinian state in an election or coup (both have happened before); or perhaps the guy next in line in Abbas’s corrupt ruling party; or perhaps the charismatic terrorist currently serving multiple life sentences in an Israeli jail, who would undoubtedly be released as part of a “peace agreement” but is not likely to be the next Nelson Mandela. We do not know because the Palestinian Authority has demonstrated multiple times that if converted to a state it will be a failed one, lacking the basic institutions of a successful state, unwilling to recognize a Jewish one. Yesterday the Fatah leadership unanimously endorsed Abbas’s rejection of any recognition of Israel as a Jewish state, without which the “two-state solution” is simply a two-stage plan.
Reuters yesterday conveyed statements from U.S. Brigadier-General John Shapland, the chief American defense attache in Israel, suggesting that Israel could expand its anti-missile umbrella to protect Jordan and Egypt.Supreme Court: Jews legally bought contested Hebron house
“If we were able to build a regional defense capability in, say, Jordan, that capability could easily defend Israel, Jordan and even Egypt, if you so desired, adding one more layer to your multi-layered defense,” he told Israeli officials and experts gathered at the INSS think-tank.
Yair Ramati, head of the Israel Missile Defence Organisation, appeared open to the idea. “The policy of the (Israeli) Defence Ministry is always to cooperate with the countries of the region, including the countries cited,” Ramati said at the conference, in reference to Jordan and Egypt.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday denied a Palestinian appeal regarding the ownership of a contested house in Hebron, ruling that it was purchased legally by its Jewish residents.East Jerusalem man planned to blow up homes in capital as revenge against Jews
The disputed building, called "Beit Hashalom" ("House of Peace") by the settlers but popularly referred to as "Beit Hamerivah" ("House of Dispute"), was evacuated five years ago and was a source of conflict between right-wing activists and security forces. The judges denied the Palestinian claim that the sale of the property was forged.
As a result of the ruling, leaders in the settler community called on Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon to sign off on allowing the settlers to return to the building.
The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and Jerusalem District Police announced on Wednesday the arrest of a Palestinian resident of east Jerusalem on suspicion of cutting cooking gas pipes in residential buildings in Jerusalem, as part of a one-man terrorism campaign.Liberman rebuffs claims of cover-up in border shooting
The suspect, 48-year-old Aziz Musa Uwisat, who holds an Israeli identification card and is a resident of Jabel Mukaber, is also suspected of a knife attack in 2012.
Security forces said Uwisat confessed during questioning that after hearing about a gas leak that led to a deadly building collapse in Jerusalem in January, he took the decision to sabotage gas pipes in residential buildings housing Israeli Jews, in order to kill as many people as he could.
Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman dismissed suggestions Wednesday that Israel was covering up anything in its investigation of the shooting of a Jordanian magistrate’s judge at the Allenby border crossing Monday.Jordanians Outraged That Israeli Soldiers Would Defend Themselves (satire)
“Israel is not hiding anything from Jordan in the investigation of the incident,” he said in an interview on Israel Radio.
“This travesty, this Israeli arrogance, is the last straw,” said Ahmed Jamali, head of the Jordanian Bar Association. “It is deeply offensive to the Jordanian and Palestinian peoples that a man of the law, a judge, cannot act with impunity.” He added that it was patently unjust to allow Israeli soldiers to carry weapons, as the only proper use for weapons is to shoot Israeli schoolchildren, which IDF soldiers have demonstrated they are unwilling to do.BBC News reframes Iranian arms shipment story, censors information
Israeli dedication to maintaining life has long been a source of tension with some aspects of neighboring culture. Whereas Israeli soldiers take for granted that protecting lives is their paramount mission, their opponents see human lives as expendable resources in a larger political struggle, and as such make no distinction between military and civilian targets. Thus, an attack on any Israeli is legitimate, and the death of any Arab, even if he is engaged in an attempt to harm Israelis, must be condemned and avenged.
Significantly, BBC audiences are kept entirely in the dark with regard to the information provided to the press which shows that the weapons shipment did indeed come from Iran. The fact that the shipment included Iranian-produced mortars is disappeared entirely from the BBC’s report. The fact that the weapons were concealed under bags of cement marked as being made in Iran and that the containers carrying the arms had unique seals used by the Iranian customs authorities is also not mentioned.Netanyahu Pockets Bullet From Seized Iranian Arms Shipment (VIDEO)
The BBC, however, has elected to censor all that information and continues to encourage audiences to view the story in terms of competing Israeli and Iranian claims by means of unquestioned promotion of the latter’s propaganda and liberal use of phrases such as “Israel says” and “Israel alleged”.
While presenting to worldwide media outlets on Monday the weapons seized from an Iranian arms ship last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was filmed pocketing one of the estimated 400,000 bullets found on board, Israel’s Channel 2 reported.Hamas Desperate for Good Relations With Egypt
Netanyahu intends to show the projectile to world leaders as evidence of the Islamic Republic’s active involvement in the arming of terrorist organizations, Channel 2 said.
Moussa Abu Marzouk, deputy head of Hamas’s political bureau, took to Facebook to send peaceful greetings to Cairo, which has barred all activities from the ruling party of Gaza because of fears that it’s been colluding with deposed Muslim Brotherhood president Mohammed Morsi to lead their combined forces against Egypt’s military.Bomb goes off outside Israel embassy in Cairo
Egypt has also closed the Rafah crossing, the only land route from Gaza into Egypt, leading to intense Hamas protests over the past two weeks. After Morsi’s ouster, the Egyptian Army shut down some 130 tunnels that connected Gaza with the Sinai, leading to reports that Hamas was losing $30 million in monthly revenues from its smuggling trade.
A bomb was detonated Tuesday outside the Israeli embassy in Cairo, Egyptian media reported, causing harm to several cars in the area but resulting in no casualties.Egypt doctor faces trial over fatal female genital mutilation
According to Egyptian daily Al-Ahram, the attack did not target the embassy but rather a police car near the compound.
The explosion took place closer to the Saudi embassy than to the Israeli one, Israel’s Walla news-site reported.
A doctor in Egypt will face trial for performing a female circumcision operation that killed a teenage girl, a judicial official said on Tuesday.Jewish community leader dies in Cairo
The 14-year-old girl's father who took her to the doctor for the procedure will also face trial, the official said.
Although banned in 2008, female genital mutilation is still rampant in Egypt, especially in rural areas where many believe it is part of their faith.
Nadia Haroun was the deputy head of the Egyptian Jewish Community Council and the sister of the current head, Magda Haroun, who was chosen unanimously in April to replace the community’s former leader, Carmen Weinstein.Support Denied
Nadia Haroun’s funeral took place amid heavy security and Magda refused to use an Israeli rabbi to officiate, instead bringing one from France, reported the Egyptian newspaper Al-Youm Al-Sabaa.
The funeral was delayed because of the lack of a local rabbi, said the report.
The Obama administration has turned down an urgent appeal from Egypt’s government for the delivery of U.S. Apache attack helicopters needed for counterterrorism operations in the Sinai Peninsula.Iran general: ‘Our hands are on the trigger’ to destroy Israel
U.S. officials and a Western diplomat said the 10 AH-64 attack helicopters had been blocked from delivery in October in response to the administration’s opposition to the military ouster of Muslim Brotherhood President Mohammad Morsi last year.
In an article headlined “IRGC Commander: Iran’s Finger on Trigger to Destroy Zionist Regime,” Fars wrote that Brigadier General Hossein Salami had declared that Iranian military commanders are prepared to attack and destroy the Zionist regime of Israel as soon as they receive such an order. “Today, we can destroy every spot which is under the Zionist regime’s control with any volume of fire power (that we want) right from here,” Fars quoted Salami as telling a conference in Tehran Tuesday on “The Islamic World’s Role in the Geometry of the World Power.”Iran and Russia sign on to build more nuclear plants at Bushehr
Iranian leaders regularly issue threats against Israel and the United States, but the wording ascribed to Salami on Tuesday was particularly aggressive.
“Islam has given us this wish, capacity and power to destroy the Zionist regime so that our hands will remain on the trigger from 1,400 kilometers away for the day when such an incident (confrontation with Israel) takes place,” he was also quoted saying in the speech.
Atomic Energy Organization of Iran officials and Russia's Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation negotiated and came to an agreement about the plants, said the spokesman for the AEOI.UN chief pans Iran for human rights breaches
Russia built the first reactor at Bushehr, Iran's sole nuclear power plant. The new facilities will be built next to the existing plant.
The agreement also includes the construction of two desalination plants.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon harshly criticized Iran Wednesday for doing too little to improve its human rights situation, noting more executions, the detention of regime opponents and discrimination against women.Iranian Lawmaker Blames U.S. for Plane Disappearance
The United Nations’ concerns about rights violations in the Islamic republic include “amputations, flogging, increased application of the death penalty, arbitrary detention and unfair trials,” Ban said in a new report.
The UN chief among other things called for “the immediate release” of two opposition leaders, Mehdi Karoubi and Mir Hossein Mousavi, and for “their urgent and adequate access to medical care.”
On Tuesday, an influential Iranian lawmaker accused the United States of having “kidnapped” Flight 370, saying it was an attempt to “sabotage the relationship between Iran and China and South East Asia.”US General Warns America Must Take Out Iran
The parliamentarian, Hossein Naghavi Hosseini, who is the spokesman for the foreign policy committee, responded to the news on Tuesday that two Iranian nationals had been traveling on the missing flight holding stolen passports. This accusation was a “plot,” Mr. Naghavi Hosseini said, according to the Tasnim news agency.
“Documents published by the Western media about two Iranians getting on the plane without passports is psychological warfare. Americans recruit some people for such kinds of operations so they can throw the blame on other countries, especially Muslim countries,” he said.
The interim agreement between Iran and Western powers last November is a "farce," according to Lieutenant General (ret.) William G. "Jerry" Boykin. The former senior military official warned that the US has only one option left -- to take out Iran's nuclear program militarily.'The moment Iran goes nuclear, the Saudis will buy the bomb from Pakistan'
Boykin ended his successful 36 year career in the US military, highlighted by 13 years in the Delta Force and other special ops units, as Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence under President George W. Bush from 2002 to 2007.
As soon as Iran gets a nuclear bomb, Egypt will develop its own nuclear weapon, and Saudi Arabia will purchase one from Pakistan, Maj.-Gen. (res.) Amos Gilad, director of political-military affairs at the Defense Ministry, warned on Tuesday.
Speaking at a conference held by the Institute for Policy and Strategy, at IDC Herzliya, Gilad said, "The Arabs will not tolerate the Persians having the bomb. From the moment the Iranians get the bomb, the Egyptians have the resources, capability and know-how to achieve nuclear capabilities, and the Saudis will run to buy the bomb from the Pakistanis with a 'member's discount.'"
