Thursday, July 17, 2014
My Jewish family's roots in Gaza
Gaza is all over the news headlines - but here's one story you won't hear about. Read Steven Plaut's heartwarming article from the Jewish Press, first published in 2009. (With thanks: Eliyahu)JVP: No empathy for Israel
My family has roots in Gaza. We were there a century ago.
OK, technically it is my wife’s family. I am married to the granddaughter of Nissim Ohana, the rabbi of Gaza City.
But let’s back up a bit here.
In Genesis, Gaza is explicitly listed as part of the Land of Israel promised to the Jews. It was conquered by the tribe of Judah during the era of the Judges, though it was later recaptured by the Philistines. It was captured again by the Jews during the time of the Maccabees, only to be seized by the Romans, who handed it over to King Herod.
Gaza had a small Jewish community during the era of the Talmud. A synagogue was erected near the Gaza waterfront in 508 CE. A survey of the town in 1481 found about 60 Jewish households there, many producing wine. Later, quite a few followers of Shabbtai Zvi lived there, including the famous Natan of Gaza. There was a thriving Jewish community in Gaza when Napoleon arrived in 1799 via Egypt, but a plague followed his troops and the Jews abandoned the city.
This is the latest solicitation I ‘ve received from the self-proclaimed wedge group, Jewish Voice for Peace.Stop American Jewish Extremists
Not a word- not a single word about the thousands of rockets launched from Gaza. Not a single word about the millions of Israeli civilians spending their nights in bomb shelters. Not a single word condemning Hamas for its indiscriminate shelling of civilians. Not a single word of compassion for the Israeli Jews, Christians and Muslims living under constant threat of Hamas’s long range rockets targeting Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Not a single word of empathy for the families of our boys murdered by Hamas.
Its as though 8 million Israelis simply don’t matter to JVP. Perhaps because 8 million Israelis don’t actually matter to JVP.
An organization called the Jewish Voice of Peace (JVP) has issued a letter which says that the issue in the Middle East is “rooted in the idea that Jewish lives matter more than Palestinian lives.” The note – which they plan to place in ads in Jewish newspapers including The Forward – continues “I’ve seen terrified Palestinian children in Hebron and Halhul, sitting on the ruins of their homes.”
Their so-called “Open Letter” claims that the Israeli government “created this situation. For weeks, the government knew that the three kidnapped teenagers were dead. But they instituted a gag order on the media, lied to Israelis and the world, and falsely claimed the mass arrests and collective punishment of Palestinians was all in the hopes of finding the teenagers alive.”
Shameful, hateful rhetoric. Akin to blaming America for the WTC bombing, these conspiracy theorists must be rejected. While this shameful organization does not reveal the source of their funding, they have previously described themselves as the “Jewish wing” of the Palestinian solidarity movement.
NGO Statements to the UNHRC Following Israeli Teenagers’ Kidnapping
In sharp contrast, the vast majority of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that made statements before the UNHRC failed to denounce the kidnapping. Instead, they condemned Israel for its legitimate responses to the incident and attempts to combat terrorism. These politicized NGOs, many of which are funded by European governments, repeated standard attacks based on alleged Israeli violations of Palestinian human rights, and reflecting the general tenor of their comments and reports about Israel.Activist Exposes Brandeis University Anti-Israel Faculty Listserv
Excerpts from NGO statements:
BADIL, on behalf of the Palestinian Human Rights Organizations Council (Addameer; Aldameer; Al-Haq; Al Mezan; Defence for Children International Palestine Section; Ensan Center for Human Rights and Democracy; Hurryyat; Jerusalem Center for Legal Aid and Human Rights; Ramallah Center for Human Rights Studies; Women’s Centre for Legal Aid and Counselling; Palestinian Center for Human Rights)
“The Palestinian Human rights Organizations Council takes this opportunity to condemn the Israeli aggression currently underway in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) and the situation of the approximately 5500 Palestinian hostages held in prisons among them children, women, and elderly.”
Conversely, in a different email, Campbell finds it “worrisome” that the “inexplicably hurried action [was] taken to end the partnership, such as it was, [of Brandeis University] with al Quds.”Andrea Mitchell Asks 'Why Shouldn't' Iran 'Develop A Nuclear Program' If Israel Has One
One would expect Campbell — who previously claimed to be against “defending violence” — to denounce al-Quds for participating in racist demonstrations. Yet, according to another email, Campbell defines terrorism as “anything scary that happens to anyone white or American.” Thus it is not so shocking that she is silent on the matter.
In addition to justifying the actions of radical terror groups and disparaging those who speak out against them, almost all of the professors involved in the exchange express their support for the boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign (BDS) which seeks to terminate the existence of Israel, the only Jewish state on the face of the earth.
Mitchell concluded the interview by asking Dermer “why shouldn't” Iran “develop a nuclear program” when “Israel has a nuclear program and reportedly has nuclear weapons, as well.”The war that Kerry and Indyk began
This is after Mitchell interrupted the ambassador as he described how over 100 missiles had been fired at Israelis today to plead for the “200 Palestinians dead,” which “is what a lot of people are seeing.”
Not only did Ms. Mitchell continuously refuse to recognize Israel’s right to defend itself, the liberal veteran foreign affairs reporter made the outrageous comparison of Israeli nuclear proliferation to the horrors that would stem from Iranian nuclear armament. After all, as Amb. Dermer reminded the audience, Iran is only the “foremost sponsor of terror in the world.” (h/t MtTB)
One year ago, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, former Ambassador Martin Indyk and, in the background, President Barack Obama , set out on the latest quest to bring peace to the Israelis and Palestinians. Like so many others (including the architects of Oslo Accords 20 years ago), they failed. And now, even if the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas finally holds, the Americans will get no credit.The ‘Unsustainable Status Quo’ and Gaza
Learning nothing from history, the would-be peace brokers forgot that the first rule for peace-makers, inspired by the Hippocratic Oath for doctors, is "first, do no harm." Instead, as a result of their arrogance and ineptness, millions of Israelis are being targeted in waves of missile barrages, while Palestinians in Gaza are hit in counterattacks against the concrete bunkers where the weapons are stored, below houses, schools and mosques.
Speaking yesterday at the White House Iftar dinner yesterday, President Obama reiterated his support for a peace agreement that would end what he called the “unsustainable status quo” between Israel and the Palestinians. But while his support for peace is appropriate, his inability to connect the dots between the fighting in Gaza and his hopes demonstrates anew the administration’s tone-deaf approach to the Middle East.Rand Paul Questions Democrat's Opposition to 'Stand With Israel Act'
The president deserves credit for making it clear that the United States supports Israel’s right to self-defense against what he rightly termed “inexcusable attacks” by Hamas rockets from Gaza. That he did so at a dinner for American Muslims is doubly welcome. But it is discouraging to see that the administration’s mindset about Middle East diplomacy is unaffected by events on the ground.
Sen. Paul had taken to the Senate floor to ask for unanimous consent to pass the Stand with Israel Act on July 7th. Sen. Corker objected, forcing the bill to go through the Foreign Relations Committee.How Congress Can Help Israel Against Hamas
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) charged that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is also blocking the bill.
“The purpose of this bill is to cut off the flow of U.S. taxpayer dollars to the Palestinian Authority if it is allied with Hamas—the same Hamas that murdered two Israeli teenagers and one dual U.S.- Israeli teenager,” according to a press release from Sen. Rand.
The bill would require any Palestinian authority to recognize Israel as a Jewish state and their right to exist, otherwise the US would not give the Palestinians any financial aid.
What the Congressional resolutions overlook is that Hamas has officially renounced its responsibility for governing Gaza, while the Palestinian unity government has already begun the process of taking over the administration of Gaza. Over a week ago (July 5/6), a senior Hamas official, Ahmad Yousef, was "asked about increased rocket fire on Israel in recent weeks" in an interview with Palestinian news agency Ma'an. His answer: "From a political point of view, (Prime Minister) Rami Hamdallah is responsible and he can give orders to security services to intervene. Hamas is not ruling the Gaza Strip and so it's not responsible for protecting borders"Gaza conflict sidelines Abbas, but US still betting on PA leader
Anyone paying due attention to recent Palestinian developments should know that this is correct. The unity government was formed because Hamas no longer had the funds to pay its own administration of 40,000 employees in Gaza. This was because the new Egyptian regime closed the tunnels connecting Egypt with Gaza and removed Hamas's two chief sources of income: money smuggled through the tunnels and taxes imposed upon the operators of the tunnels.
A U.S. official who advises Kerry on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process said the current conflagration underscores the importance of maintaining and bolstering Abbas as a partner for peacemaking.Fatah's Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades Launches rocket Attacks
“We would like to see the parties return to the talks as soon as possible,” said the U.S. official, who spoke with JTA on condition of anonymity. “We’ve seen what happens in the absence of an active peace process.”
The Minority Strategy: A New Path for American Interests in the Middle East
For too long, the United States has seen the region through the eyes of its dominant civilization—Sunni Arabs—even as their political power distorted the demographic realities of the Middle East. Imagine an American president who did the opposite: Rather than hold a grand peace conference between Israel and the leaders of Sunni Arab states, he could work to forge closer ties between the region’s minorities, all of whom are fighting for their survival in a cutthroat world. By doing so, the United States could begin to see the region through the eyes of its inhabitants—as a region where Sunni Arab dominance is literally only half the picture.America Is the Arsonist of the Middle East
So, how did we get here? Who is to blame? From one perspective, what we’re watching is the latest round in a nearly century-long cycle of Arab-Israeli violence, so it’s hardly surprising to see violence erupt once again. However, it’s also worth noting that it is precisely because peace is so rare in the Holy Land that the status quo needs to be given its space and left alone. Or you need to have a very good reason for disturbing it.Obama and the Middle East Mess
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry thought he had one. “People in Israel aren’t waking up every day and wondering if tomorrow there’ll be peace, because there is a sense of security and a sense of accomplishment and a sense of prosperity,” Kerry said last May in Jerusalem. “But I think if you look over the horizon,” he continued, “one can see the challenges.” In other words, what lay over the immediate horizon was more violence and bloodshed, unless Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas got together under American leadership and changed their act.
But despite these histrionics, Obama’s op-ed provided Israelis with a timely statement of how destructive U.S. policy has been. In the piece, Obama did extol the U.S.-Israel relationship in the same laudatory terms he used during his 2013 trip to the Jewish state. But he also went out of his way to praise Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas as a peace partner while pointedly offering no kind words for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.Senate Approves Funding Boost for Iron Dome
Even more tellingly, especially in the midst of a crisis provoked by a Hamas terror attack and prolonged by the Islamist group’s missile fire from Gaza, he also ignored the role that the Fatah-Hamas unity pact had played in torpedoing peace talks this spring and inspiring the current round of violence.
This is consistent with U.S. policy on Hamas in the months since Abbas embraced his erstwhile Islamist rivals. Though the PA government is now hopelessly compromised by the deal with Hamas, the U.S. has decided to pretend as if Abbas’s decision to make peace with the terror group rather than with Israel has no meaning or consequences. The administration blatantly violated U.S. law by continuing to funnel aid to the Palestinians in spite of provisions that prohibit such transfers in the event of Hamas participation in the PA. It has also made it clear that it believes Israel should treat Abbas’s new coalition as a viable partner in spite of Hamas’s refusal to adhere to the terms of mutual recognition and commitment to peace that Obama repeats in his op-ed.
What has this to do with the current violence? Everything.
A U.S. Senate panel on Tuesday approved a 50 percent funding boost for the Iron Dome anti-missile system, AFP reported.Fighting Terror With Our Hands Tied Behind Our Backs
The measure, if it becomes law, would provide $621.6 million for Israeli missile defense programs for the 2015 fiscal year starting in October, including $351 million for the short-range Iron Dome system that has been put to the test over the past eight days amid a raging conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Congress appropriated $235 million to Iron Dome last year, the report noted.
While Israel faces the reality of war, many ask themselves why a country with one of the strongest armies in the world, exceptional technological abilities, and very high human abilities did not handle the threat of rockets being fired all over Israel from Gaza decisively before they began to be launch in such numbers.Homes of Teenagers' Murderers to Be Razed
The answer is simple yet disturbing, Israel does not have an operational or military problem to act against the murderers and terrorists, but what Israel does have is fear and trepidation from the judicial system who are de facto managing the operation. This is true with regard to the fight against Hamas in Gaza, this is true with regard to the search for the murderers of the three teenage boys, and this is true with regard to the war against terror which is rearing its ugly head and is acting to murder Israelis and instill fear among Israeli citizens.
The reason the State of Israel is not acting against the terrorist organizations is because it is being restrained by legal professionals who live by a legal school of thought deeply rooted in the minds of leaders of the New Israel Fund. These people are legal professionals who seem to fear the International Court of Justice in The Hague more than they fear for the lives of Israeli citizens.
The IDF has issued demolition orders for the homes of the terrorists who kidnapped and murdered three Jewish teens – Gilad Sha'ar, Eyal Yifrah and Naftali Frenkel hy”d.Netanyahu fires Danny Danon over criticism of Gaza war
Marwan Kawasmeh and Amer Abu Aisha, who abducted and murdered the three boys last month in Gush Etzion, live with their families in Hevron and have disappeared since the abductions.
On Monday, the IDF arrested several realtives of Kawasmeh, as part of the ongoing efforts to locate the abductor-murderers. In the course of the arrests, violent disturbances took place in Halhoul, Rachel's Tomb, Bitunia and Jenin. IDF forces uses riot dispersal gear against the rioters.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu summarily fired Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon on Tuesday over the latter’s criticism of the government’s handling of the Gaza fighting.6 Recaptured Terrorists to be Returned to Prison
“While the government of Israel and the IDF are in the throes of a military campaign against terror groups, and are taking determined steps to defend the security of Israel’s citizens, it is inconceivable that a deputy defense minister should sharply attack the heads of the state who are leading the fight,” Netanyahu said in a letter Wednesday to cabinet ministers.
Israel’s special pardons commission ordered on Tuesday that six terrorists who were freed in the Shalit deal in October of 2011 and were recaptured during Operation Brother’s Keeper be returned to prison and serve their full sentence.Kurdish Forces: ISIS Using Chemical Weapons
In its decision, the commission accepted the Attorney General's request to cancel the release of the six, all residents of eastern Jerusalem.
The Commission determined, based on the evidence presented to it, that the six terrorists committed terror-related offenses after their release in the Shalit deal, thus violating the conditions of their release.
Kurdish news outlets are reporting incidents in which ISIS is believed to have used chemical weapons against Kurdish soldiers.US reviewing extension of Iran diplomacy after ‘tangible progress’
The Kurdish Peshmerga forces have been indispensable in containing the spread of ISIS, organizing in unprecedented numbers to fight ISIS where the Iraqi military deserted, surrendered, or were executed en masse. Kurdish forces reported it exceptionally difficult to fight ISIS, as jihadists come to the battlefield hoping to die and receive expected rewards in the afterlife.
The Kurdish outlet Firat News is now reporting that spokesmen for the Kurdish army are denouncing ISIS for use of chemical weapons.
The United States made “tangible progress” in direct negotiations with Iran, US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Tuesday, before departing Vienna with no plans to return before next week’s deadline for the end of talks over Iran’s nuclear program.Cruz to introduce bill to renew Iran sanctions
The talks are likely to be extended beyond the July 20 deadline, which is allowed under an international agreement that jump-started the diplomatic effort.
But speaking to the press, Kerry alluded to a debate surely awaiting him in Washington: Over the merits of such an extension, based on what has thus far been achieved in the Austrian capital by diplomats from the world’s most powerful nations.
With Iran talks days away from their original July 20 deadline, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) warned Tuesday that he would introduce legislation to renew sanctions on Iran, arguing that the move would also help to address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and quiet the current violence in Gaza.Common Core Project Convinced Kids That Holocaust Didn't Happen
In the same speech, Cruz castigated the Obama administration’s response to the current crisis in Gaza, calling on the White House to disavow a speech made last week by key policy adviser Phillip Gordon.
As reported by TruthRevolt in May, the Rialto Unified School District in Southern California assigned eighth grade students an essay on whether the Holocaust occurred or was “merely a political scheme created to influence public emotion and gain." A follow-up investigation by The Los Angeles Daily News indicates that based on the project many of the students are now convinced that the Holocaust is a hoax.Belgian anti-Semitism spurring exodus, says activist
To complete the project, eighth graders were asked to read at least three articles on the subject including one claiming The Diary of Anne Frank was a hoax and another claiming the U.S. was sacrificing its welfare for the sake of Israel. The assignment was developed to meet common core standards.
The school district's administrators claimed that none of the students who completed the project expressed doubt or flatly denied that the Holocaust occurred, but the essays obtained and printed by The Daily News tell a different story. And some of those essays denying the Holocaust were rewarded with high marks and praise for their well-reasoned arguments that the Holocaust never occurred.
Commenting on rising levels of anti-Semitic violence and speech in Belgium, including the murder in May of four people at Brussels’ Jewish Museum of Belgium, Rubinfeld said: “There are developments that I am observing around me inside the community. An exodus of Jews is beginning.”NY and London defaced by hate graffiti, swastikas
Last year saw the immigration to Israel of 273 Jews from Belgium, which has a Jewish population of about 40,000 people. It was the highest figure recorded in nine years.
The New York Police Department Hate Crimes Task Force arrested the men on Monday for acts they are alleged to have committed in the early hours of Saturday morning, according to the jpupdates news site.Radiation therapy is about to get much kinder
The suspects allegedly spray-painted hate statements on a building under construction in Brooklyn’s Borough Park neighborhood before breaking into a nearby yeshiva in the heavily Orthodox Jewish area, spray-painting a swastika on a bus parked outside.
In London, a vandal painted a large blue swastika on a home on Sunday night in the Shirehall Park neighborhood.
An Israeli industrial engineer who spent months in the hospital following a paragliding accident saw the limitations of X-ray technology and vowed to make it better.Hebrew University ranks in top 25 universities worldwide
After developing a real-time X-ray detector and an X-ray explosive identification system, he and his team of physicists invented MercyBeam, a patented lens to improve radiation therapy for patients of all ages.
Cofounder and CEO Ze’ev Harel tells ISRAEL21c that his four-year-old company, Convergent RNR, is collaborating with medical physicists and oncologists at top hospitals including Sheba Medical Center in Israel and MD Anderson in Texas, and is in preliminary discussions with others including Massachusetts General, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Auckland Hospital in New Zealand.
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem ranked 22nd in the Saudi Arabia-based Center for World University Rankings' 2014 list of the world's best universities.
The ranking includes 2,000 universities worldwide. Rankings are based on eight criteria, including quality of education, publications, alumni employment, influence of the institution and quality of faculty.
Other Israeli institutions on the list are the Weizmann Institute of Science in 38th place, Tel Aviv University in 86th place, the Technion -- Israel Institute of Technology in 109th place, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in 362nd place and the University of Haifa in 697th place.
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