12/17 Links Pt2: Disturbed's David Draiman: Media Laying Ground for 'Next Holocaust'

From Ian:

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Heavy Metal Rocker Not “Disturbed” about Israel

While many celebrities toe the BDS line and stand with those who hate Israel, David Draiman of the mega rock group “Disturbed” takes an opposite approach. He is outspoken in his support for Israel and does not back down when faced with criticism for his position.
According to Draiman, anti-Israel media bias has encouraged deadly terrorist attacks, but also the global resurgence in antisemitism.
Listen to his interview on the Voice of Israel.

Disturbed's David Draiman: Mainstream Media Laying Ground for 'Next Holocaust'


Yisrael Medad: J Street - Going down another wrong road

Since 1920, when Arab anti-Zionist organized political violence first appeared, killing 7 Jews during the Pesach holiday, the Zionist movement has always decided to go the route of compromise and yielding The official leadership surrendered territory, accepted partition plans, acquiesced to a 'certificate' system of immigration, recompensed Arabs who did not actually own the land they worked and so on.
The only time an 'East Jerusalem' made its appearance, in all of history, was due to the Arabs rejecting the internationalization program and launching a war of aggression in 1947. Arab refugees came into being not because Jews "expelled" them but because their leaders sought to eradicate the Jews but lost their battles. And Jews in Arab lands, hundreds of miles from the fighting ended up themselves, becoming refugees through no direct fault of their own.
Besides a worldview dominated by irrational, illogical and detached-from-reality left-wing progressive ideology rather than a serious analysis of the history and the diplomacy of the conflict, J Street once again seeks foremost to back up its political partner in the White House as well as their own preference for a Galut existence and then, secondly, to promote policies that do not respond to the problems and why they are problems and third, to ignore that failing of thinking of theirs, end up undermining Israel's security, existence and diplomatic standing.
With J Street, one needs to be aware of detours, no exits, turnabouts and now, another wrong road in a wrong direction.

Jerusalem requests special Israel mention at Irish memorial ceremony

“Israel will be referred to and the Israeli ambassador has attended and participated in the ceremony since its inception in 2003 and will do so again in January 2015. Holocaust Education Trust Ireland (HETI) has this week reassured the Jewish Community in Ireland of this.”
“Israel will of course be mentioned,” an MFA spokesman told The Jerusalem Post, confirming that Ambassador Boaz Moda’i will attend the event as an official guest.
“We would always like a higher profile and believe we warrant a more central role but the distance from that to [descriptions of a ban] is very far.”
According to the Israeli embassy in Dublin, until three years ago it was HETI policy not to invite the ambassador to the Holocaust Memorial Day ceremony, a policy changed following Israeli lobbying.
“This year the ambassador will be reading a text provided by the organizers of the event. Although the Israeli dimension and the conditions of the embassy’s participation in this event are less than what we would ideally desire, we consider it preferable to participate in the event than not to do so,” embassy information officer Dermot Meleady told the Post.

So Al Jazeera Claims Israel Commits Ethnic Cleansing

Al Jazeera has taken the world by storm – and Al Jazeera America has deep pockets, and a major presence in what is the world’s largest TV market. Al Jazeera is owned by the Kingdom of Qatar, one of the richest countries in the world – and when Al Jazeera was founded, it received a $147 million subsidy from the Qatari government. It continues to receive $100 million annually in Qatari subsidies, according to U.S. Congressional reports.
While the network has long been controversial, recent actions have gone beyond the range of acceptable media bias. A recent op-ed praised the massacre of Jews who were praying in a Jerusalem synagogue, and now a new Al-Jazeera project called “Palestine Remix” contains anti-Semitic incitement against Israel.
As the site defines Zionism, “The Zionist movement started in the late 19th century, amidst growing European anti-Semitism.” “Zionists’ early objective was to claim as much of historic Palestine as possible, by driving out as many Palestinians as possible.”
The site notes that “Critics however, argue Zionism functions like colonialism. They point to the violent ethnic cleansing of the indigenous Palestinian population and the building of illegal settlements in the Occupied Territories as evidence of the colonialist behaviour Zionism produces.”

Ben-Dror Yemini: When jihad turns into genocide

One terror attack in a Sydney café, which left three people dead, led to a global commotion; but the regular mass murder of Muslims by Islamists leaves the world indifferent.
It isn't just a jihad of Islamists against Muslims. It's a jihad against children.
On Tuesday, more than 130 students were murdered in Pakistan. Another 15 girls were murdered in the town of Bayda in Yemen. They were smashed by two car bombs along with 10 adults.
It's safe to assume that in a day or two we will learn about several other dozens of children murdered in northern Nigeria, because there it's practically a daily occurrence. And the victims are not only children; they are mainly children.

Netanyahu sends condolence letter to Australian PM

Netanyahu called the deadly 16-hour standoff with an Islamist gunman a “brutal terrorist attack,” and highlighted the common struggle against terrorism faced by both countries.
“Israel and Australia face the same scourge of ruthless Islamist terrorism which knows no geographic bounds and which targets innocent civilians indiscriminately. Now, more than ever, the international community must join hands and work together to defeat these forces of evil, which threaten the security of all civilized nations,” Netanyahu wrote.
“Kindly convey our deepest condolences to the families of the victims. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and the people of Australia at this difficult time,” the letter concludes.

Israelly Cool: Kay Wilson: Some Thoughts On The Sydney Siege

For what it’s worth a few thoughts about the Sydney Siege. For the record, like every decent human being, I too am horrified. What is of interest to me, though, is the western media nuances used in the Sydney siege juxtaposed to those used concerning terrorism in Israel. The fallout of the reaction to the terror attack and it’s implications on Israel are yet to be seen.
I did not read that it was a “seeming” or “apparent,” attack.
I did not read “Man shot by Australian police in a cafe.”
I did not read people were “killed” I read people were “murdered.”
I did not read “Militants kill Australians,” I read “terrorists murder ordinary people just going about their business.”
I read about two heroes (which may be true) yet I have never read about an Israeli hero.

PM Cameron: Britain faces threat of Sydney-style attack at any moment

Britain faces the threat of a Sydney-style 'lone wolf' attack at any moment, Prime Minister David Cameron said on Tuesday, after a 16-hour siege at a cafe in the Australian city in which two captives were killed.
Britain raised it terrorism alert to the second-highest level in August and last month said it was facing the biggest terrorism threat in its history because of radicalised Britons returning from fighting in Syria and Iraq.
"The threat we face definitely includes those sort of self-starting, sometimes quite random attacks that could happen at any moment in Britain," Cameron told a committee of lawmakers when asked how close Britain was to a Sydney-style attack.
"People who are self-radicalised on the Internet who then suddenly do appalling things, that is much more difficult to prevent."

Australian Islamist Leader Ismail Al-Wahwah: Our Number One Enemy Is the U.S. and Europe


My Jewish Feminist Problem

I had first encountered anti-Semitism among women on the feminist left in the late 1960s and early 1970s. During that period it was quite fashionable among the “radical chic” to despise Israel as a “racist,” Eurocentric state, a puppet of U.S. imperialism, and oppressor of the newly underdog Palestinians. Never mind the actual ethnic and cultural diversity of the emerging Jewish state, the intransigence of the surrounding Arab nations in their stated intention to destroy Israel and push the Jews back into the sea where they had come from. No, my feminist friends and colleagues could not tolerate this little nation’s struggle for identity and survival against overwhelming odds because the Israelis were Jews, and Jews were held to a different standard. They were fair game for self-righteous attacks from progressive feminists who were, in my opinion, guilty of frank and outright anti-Semitism.
I called anti-Semitism by its rightful name immediately and have not stopped doing so ever since. But my credentials as a radical were impeccable, so when I began wearing big Jewish stars to rallies, I was neither challenged nor shunned. Perhaps my Star of David was seen as a mere fashion statement; perhaps I got away with it because I was the “right” kind of Jew: secular, ideologically sophisticated, universalistic, anti-racist. I had even been married to a Muslim. I worked with Iranian Muslims against the Shah. I was one cool Jew.
What do I mean by anti-Semitism? I mean the raw and filthy kind, in which the prejudice is both blatant and eroticized, without any left political cover. For example, I once rescued a (Christian) feminist colleague from being psychiatrically institutionalized against her will. Afterwards, she treated me to a monologue about how “The Jews are dirtying up the beaches.” Poor soul, she reminded me that when one goes mad, one’s political or philosophical orientation cannot withstand the ideas embedded in our collective unconscious. A stream of anti-Semitic vitriol came flying out of this genius’s mouth.

Amnesty International should listen to Mrs. Arafat

The hypocrisy of Amnesty International (AI) knows no limit. AI does acknowledge in its Report that in some incidents Hamas and Palestinian armed groups used civilian buildings for storing munitions. Yet, despite what it calls “extensive research,” it claims it has no evidence the Hamas or Palestinian armed groups were using the buildings mentioned in the Report for military purposes at the time of their attack.
One wonders who conducts “research” at AI. The organization ignores the reality that in September 2014 Hamas officials themselves confessed that they used residential areas from which to launch missiles. It equally ignores the clear evidence that some of the schools of UNRWA were used for military purposes.
Hypocrisy goes further by misleading and disproportionate statements in the Report. AI contends that even if one apartment in a building had been used by an armed group, treating the building as a single military objective would constitute a violation of the prohibition in humanitarian international law of direct attacks on civilian objects, and therefore would amount to a war crime.
On this issue, three facts are pertinent. Hamas used houses as command centers to fire rockets. Hamas systematically endangered the lives of civilians, both directly, and indirectly by using them as human shields. The IDF did take unusual precautions to avoid Palestinian civilian casualties by advance phone calls, dropping leaflets, and sending notices to residents.

Financial Times Adopts Palestinian Jerusalem Narrative

Reed even acknowledges that al-Aqsa is Islam’s third-holiest site yet there is still no acknowledgment of the Temple Mount’s status for Jews. In addition, no Jews have demanded the right to pray “at al-Aqsa.” After all, why would a Jew wish to pray in a mosque? Rather, some Jews wish to pray on the Temple Mount compound without interfering with existing Muslim holy sites or prayer arrangements.
Reed then quotes a Palestinian woman who says:
“We don’t enter the Western Wall” — the place where Jews pray — she says, and Jews should not enter what she calls “a holy Muslim, Palestinian site.”
Reed has ignored the fact that freedom of worship is enshrined in Israeli law. Therefore, there is nothing to prevent any Arabs, non-Jews or any other religion from visiting any holy sites in Jerusalem, including the Western Wall. Reed, through portraying the Temple Mount as an exclusively Muslim site has effectively disguised the inherent prejudice expressed by the Palestinian woman as reflected by PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas who has openly stated that the presence of Jews on the Temple Mount defiles Muslim holy sites.

AP Said Settlement Population Growth "Surged" (Oh, and "Slowed")

Former Associated Press reporter Matti Friedman points out a bizarre contradiction by the AP yesterday:
"If I tried to point out every instance of press dishonesty I'd literally be doing nothing else. But I think this a good example. This story from the AP informs us in the first paragraph that the number of settlers has "surged" under Netanyahu. The problem is that reporters who actually cover the settlements (like Tovah Lazaroff of the Jerusalem Post) know the opposite is true -- though Netanyahu is certainly pro-settlement, population growth in the settlements has actually decreased since he came to power. And indeed, in the sixth paragraph, the AP reporters remember that actually growth among settlers has "slowed slightly" under Netanyahu. So which is it, guys? "Surged" or "slowed"? And does anyone actually take this stuff seriously anymore?"
Indeed, the story as it appeared for some time yesterday opened with the announcement that "The population of Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank has surged during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s years in office." That article's original headline relayed the storyline so many journalists are drawn to: "Netanyahu years see surge in West Bank settlements."
But indeed, AP explained deeper in the story that settlement growth during those years slowed from 31 to 23 percent.

Guardian letter notes the evils of our time: War, racism, rape…and Zionism

Whilst the glaring facts relating to Israel’s clear progressive advantages in the area of LGBT rights should be obvious to any serious observer of the region, the moral equation posited by Rossi and Martin, by which Zionism represents a civilizational threat on par with war, racism, and sexual violence, goes beyond mere hypocrisy and double standards.
LGBT rights campaigners who rail against the ‘scourge’ of Zionism have been taken in by a truly twisted ideology, one which arguably calls upon historic anti-Jewish antipathies, and clearly distorts the words ‘liberal’ and ‘progressive’ beyond recognition.

BBC’s Israel profile updated to include Jewish refugees from Arab lands

Based on material recently digitized by the British Library, the article represents one of the rare occasions on which the BBC relates to the topic of Jews from Arab lands. However, it also includes the following statement:
“…Bahrain has a tiny Jewish minority, comprising only a few families – though they wield significant power. Until last year, Bahrain’s ambassador to the US was a Jewish woman, Houda Nonoo.” [emphasis added]
According to most accounts, there are about three dozen Jews in Bahrain. Their one synagogue is permanently closed and they are not permitted to visit Israel. The BBC would nevertheless have audiences believe that, in an absolute monarchy ranked ‘not free’ by Freedom House in 2014, those thirty-odd people “wield significant power” without giving any further details with regard to what that power entails and how it is “significant” in that authoritarian regime, beyond the fact that one Jewish woman served as an ambassador for five years.
Relatedly, via the Point of No Return website, we learn that an addition has apparently been recently made to the timeline on the BBC’s Israel profile which, despite its many other faults, now includes the following:
“1949-1950s – About a million Jewish refugees from Arab countries, plus 250,000 Holocaust survivors, settle in Israel.”
That at least is a step in the right direction.

Guardian quiety removes inappopriate photo of President Bush with a menorah

On Dec. 14th, we commented on an extremely inappropriate photo accompanying an official editorial at the The Observer (sister site of the Guardian) in response to the US Senate’s recent report on the CIA’s interrogation of terror suspects in the years after the 9/11 attacks. (The Observer view on torture, Dec. 14)
Despite the fact that the editorial had absolutely nothing to do with Jews or Israel, editors nonetheless chose the following photo, from a 2008 White House Hanukkah ceremony, of former President Bush in front of a menorah.

Israeli Tourist Stunned by Anti-Semitic Street Display in Heart of Amsterdam (VIDEO)

An Israeli tourist in Holland expressed shock and dismay on Tuesday after he came across a large street display in the center of Amsterdam presenting Jews and Israelis as killers, the 0404 News site said.
“Amazing! In the center of Amsterdam you see such wild incitement,” the Israeli noted in the video clip.
“It’s strange that the local police do not do anything – this is clear incitement to harm Jews,” he said.
The dozens of photographs of Israeli leaders, military personnel and others, most illustrated with an “X” across their faces left little room for doubt.
Open hostility to Jews and Israel is rampant in many locations in Holland, particularly among the country’s Muslim population, a phenomena readily seen in many other European countries.

Spanish imam probed for asking Allah to destroy Jews

Spanish prosecutors are investigating the actions of an imam from a town near Madrid who called for the destruction of Jews.
Salahuddin al Mussaoui of Azuqueca de Henares made the statement in a video that appeared August 25 on the YouTube channel of the Islamic Cultural Center of Azuqueca de Henares, but authorities only now have launched a probe, according to a report Sunday by the Europe Press news agency.
In the 30-minute video, which is titled ”Gaza triumphs despite Jewish world dominance,” Mussaoui is seen telling his congregation during a sermon, “Oh, Allah, most merciful, throw stones at them. Stone them. Leave none of them alive.” He also said, “Allah, destroy the Jewish occupiers.”
Mussaoui is suspected of inciting hatred and provoking violence, Europe Press reported.

Israeli discovery could help detect uterine, colon cancers early

A breakthrough discovery by researchers at the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem will allow early detection and possible prevention of colon and uterine cancers. According to the study, a genetic mutation related to Lynch syndrome has been shown to increase the risk of these types of cancers. The discovery of the mutation among members of certain population groups allows for a quick identification of at-risk patients.
The recent study included researchers from Hadassah, the Rabin Medical Center in Petach Tikva, and the Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv. The results show that it is possible to identify genetic mutations, present in populations of different backgrounds in Israel, that alter the genetic material's ability to correct its own errors, thus significantly increasing the affected person's chances to suffer from colon or uterine cancer.
Being able to detect a mutation that is characteristic of a certain population makes identifying the syndrome much simpler and more inexpensive.

Gargle with gold to find oral cancer

Imagine buying a kit at your local pharmacy to test for oral cancer.
That may become a reality, thanks to Prof. Dror Fixler and his team at the Advanced Light Microscopy Laboratory at Israel’s Bar-Ilan University. They have invented a mouthwash embedded with gold nanoparticles — a non-invasive optical system that detects cancer of the head, neck, tongue or throat.
This technology can diagnose cancers that currently must be confirmed by surgical biopsy. The solution was successfully tested in animal models, showing 97 percent specificity and 87.5% sensitivity.
Now the gold gargle is in human trials supervised by two top physicians at Chaim Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer: Prof. Michael Wolff, head of the department of otolaryngology, head and neck Surgery; and Prof. Avraham Hirshberg, a researcher in the department of oral pathology and oral medicine.
In addition, the university’s technology transfer company is in early talks with potential commercial partners.

Israel’s Energiya wins $30 million solar deal

The US affiliate of Israel’s Energiya, an international solar development firm headed by Yosef Abramowitz, recently won a $30 million, 17.68 megawatt solar deal in southeastern Georgia, the first utility scale solar project in the region.
The enormous 20-year Power Purchase Agreement with Georgia Power Company – to be called Project Glynn — will be constructed and interconnected by December 31, 2015.
“Georgia Power is pleased to work with Energiya Global, and its US affiliate, Energiya USA, as part of the Advanced Solar Initiative,” said Norrie McKenzie, Vice President of Renewable Development, at Georgia Power Company. “With a shared commitment to innovative, clean energy solutions, our customers will benefit from this partnership today and in the future.”

Harry Potter’s classmate is Jewish

J.K. Rowling confirmed that one of Harry Potter’s classmates in her famed series is Jewish.
“Anthony Goldstein, Ravenclaw, Jewish wizard,” the novelist said Tuesday on Twitter, responding to a query as to whether there were Jews at Hogwarts, the wizard school.
Ravenclaw is one of four houses at Hogwarts.
Fans of the series had speculated that Goldstein, who fights alongside Harry Potter as part of “Dumbledore’s Army,” was of Jewish origin.
But Rowling’s tweet is the first confirmation.

 Biden marks start of Hanukkah at national menorah

The smell of latkes — fresh potato pancakes — wafted over the National Mall on Tuesday as Vice President Joe Biden marked the first night of Hanukkah.
On the Ellipse outside the White House, Biden passed a torch to a rabbi who was then lifted high into the air as he lit the national menorah, with a trio of cantors singing traditional Hanukkah songs. Biden told the crowd gathered that Hanukkah is about the miracle of courageous warriors overcoming great odds to protect their people’s culture and dignity.
Biden cited the work of Emma Lazarus, the Jewish poet whose words are inscribed on the Statue of Liberty, and George Washington’s letter to the Newport, R.I., Jewish community, which quoted from the Book of Micah in promising Jews religious freedoms.

PM lights 1st Hanukkah candle with IDF soldiers

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lit the first candle of Hanukkah Tuesday night with soldiers from the Lotar (counter-terrorism and hostage rescue) and Oketz (canine special forces) units of the IDF.
Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon also attended the event.
“I am proud to be here and light the first Hanukkah candle with you in the birthplace of the Maccabees. We then stood, the few against the many, and we won. We set light against the darkness and we were victorious. This battle is also taking place today. The battle for Israel’s revival is not over; it is taking place always,” Netanyahu said.

American Alan Gross released after 5 years of captivity in Cuban prison

Officials said the Cuban government was releasing 53 political prisoners. The announcement comes after Gross was freed, as part of an agreement that included the release of three Cubans jailed in the U.S. Gross landed in the U.S. shortly before noon on Wednesday.
A senior Obama administration official told Fox News that Gross left Cuba on a U.S. government plane Wednesday morning, and was "released on humanitarian grounds by the Cuban government at the request of the United States."
Already, the rapid-fire developments were drawing a mixed response in Congress.

Germany to Fund Warships for Israel

Germany’s government said Monday that it plans to fund the Israeli navy’s purchase of four corvette warships from the German firm Thyssen Krupp.
The funding agreement was reached between the two countries in November, and the German government has pledged as much as $143 million for the warships, according to a report by the German newspaper Bild.
The deal must be approved by the German parliament’s budget committee, which will lead to the finalization of a contract by the end of the year, said German government spokesman Steffen Seibert, Reuters reported.
The warships deal is the latest German government contribution to the Israeli purchase of military equipment, such as submarines, as part of Germany’s commitment to the Jewish state’s security in the wake of the Holocaust.

Zidan Saif’s family ‘honored’ by baby name

The uncle of the Druze policeman killed in the Har Nof synagogue attack in Jerusalem last month said that Zidan Saif’s family was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support in the past month from Jews in Israel and around the world.
Saif’s uncle, Sheikh Mohmoud Shef, said that a New York Jewish couple who named their son Zidan was a touching example of that support.
“The fact that everyone is so earnest, both in the United States and in Israel, makes them feel like part of our family,” said Shef. “We’re so thankful. The fact that a baby is going to have his name is such a huge honor for us.”

Medal of Valor awarded to cop killed in synagogue attack

Advanced Staff Sgt. Maj. Zidan Saif, who died fighting off the terrorists in the Har Nof synagogue attack in Jerusalem, was posthumously awarded a Medal of Valor on Tuesday at an Israel Police award ceremony.
At the event, the police presented seven Medals of Courage, 15 Medals of Valor and 20 Police Commissioner Citations to the counterterrorism unit, police officers, commanders, a volunteer and one civilian.
Chief Warrant Officer Pascal Avrahami, who died following a terrorist attack in southern Israel, was also awarded a Medal of Valor.
The civilian who received a Medal of Valor was Hadas Mizrahi, the wife of late Chief Superintendent Baruch Mizrahi, who was killed when Palestinian terrorists fired at his family car on Passover eve. She was recognized for her inspirational conduct in the wake of the attack.

IDF Blog: 8 Miraculous Moments in IDF History

During Hanukkah, we celebrate a miracle. A miraculous moment is one that takes your breath away! A moment that is so remarkable that it becomes part of our collective memory and has an impact on our lives. The IDF’s history is filled with such moments, and this holiday, we have gathered eight miraculous moments, told over eight days. Happy Hanukkah!
#MiraculousMoment1 : The Ink Flag
War of Independence, 1949
Towards the end of the War of Independence, IDF forces embarked on a mission and successfully captured the city of Eilat, Israel’s most southern point. When they realized that they did not have a flag at hand, the soldiers decided to improvise. A makeshift flag was created from a white sheet with two ink strips drawn on it, and a Star of David taken from a first-aid kit. This miraculous moment became an Israeli symbol of independence and bravery.