Thursday, January 01, 2015
New study of UN Resolution 242 could alter views of Israeli-Arab conflict
As the UN Security Council and International Criminal Court return to focusing on Israel, a new about-to-be published study reveals new sides to UN Resolution 242, recognized as the key UN resolution relating to the Israeli-Arab conflict which could alter how many reveal the issues in dispute especially as regards to borders.Mordechai Kedar: Summing Up 2014 in the Middle East
According to an article by Professor Eugene Kontorovich of Northwestern University to be published soon in the Chicago Journal of International Law, a brand new side has emerged in the unending debate over the meaning of UN Resolution 242 which relates, among other things, to setting Israeli borders and withdrawal from territories conquered in 1967.
Kontorovich's study compares UN Resolution 242 to all 18 other UN Security Council resolutions which dealt with territorial withdrawals and finds that the resolution was unique in its ambiguity as to how much territory Israel needs to withdraw from, with other resolutions being explicit about a full withdrawal.
In the article, Kontorovich writes that there has always been a debate as to whether the phrase in UN Resolution 242 "withdrawal from territories" obligates Israel to withdraw from the entire West Bank and Golan Heights, or merely some portion of them as agreed upon in negotiations.
The Palestinians are turning to the international stage, trying with all their might to get a recognized state. The Arab world, distracted by problems such as ISIS, has neither the time or the patience to deal with the Palestinian issue, leading the PA to turn to the world for recognition. European politicians are falling over themselves to recognize a Palestinian state so as to please Muslim voters. Israel may find itself facing a Palestinian state – which will without doubt become a Hamas state – just because some unemployment-frightened European politicians vote for establishing that state on the hills of Judea and Samaria, the birthplace of the Jewish people.Iconoclast Arab supporter of IDF seeks Knesset seat
The world is still impressed by the existence of a Palestinian nation, created just recently, partly as a result of the idea of some holier-than-thou Israelis. Jerusalem is considered part of the Palestinian state for one reason only – so as to uproot the holy city from the Jewish entity, knowing full well that without Jerusalem, the entire state will cease to exist. The world must awaken, understand the problem and realize that if Israel falls to Islam, Europe will be next - and not much later.
In summary: the year 2014 was a challenging one for Israel, Europe and the rest of the world. These challenges will only get bigger, crises deepen, disputes spread, Iran will obtain nuclear arms, ISIS will grow, America will not have the first place it held until four years ago and Europe will continue sinking under waves of Islamic immigration that are turning European culture into something that is a far cry from liberal values, openness, modernity and democracy.
The challenges facing the state of Israel are becoming more and more complex. Syria's demise has lessened the threat on Israel, but other threats are on the horizon: Iran and ISIS gaining strength on the one side, Europe and America getting weaker and weaker on the other.
The soon to be elected Israeli leadership will have to give its attention to all of them. (h/t Elder of Lobby)
The bid by iconoclast Anett Haskia, a 45-year-old hairdresser and mother of three, comes after she gave a series of bombastic television interviews in support of Israel’s military this summer during its war against Hamas in Gaza. Now she is the lone Arab vying for a spot on the Jewish Home party’s list ahead of its January primary.Richard Millett: And I only asked why Jews can’t live next to Palestinians on the West Bank….
Arab citizens of Israel, who make up 20 percent of the country’s population, strongly identify with Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. They generally oppose Israeli military actions, do not serve in the Israeli army and complain of deep-seated discrimination.
Haskia’s children, however, voluntarily enlisted in the Israeli army — including one son who served in an elite unit in Gaza during the summer war.
“Just because I was born in the Jewish state doesn’t mean a Jew is better than me,” Haskia recently told The Associated Press in Hebrew. “I sent the children to war, and nobody can tell me that I, Anett, the Arab, am second class.” (h/t Elder of Lobby)
The panel consisted of Sara Apps, Campaigns Officer for the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Martin “tentacles” Linton, chair of Labour Friends of Palestine, Murad Qureshi, a Labour Party Member of the London Mayoral Assembly and, finally, a representative from the General Union of Palestinian Students (GUPS – UK).
The panel was chaired by Dr. Dibyesh Anand, Head of Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Westminster.
As ever there were repeated calls from the panel for a boycott of Israeli “settlements”. When it came to the Q&A I raised my arm and asked one simple question:
“Isn’t it racist to call for the ethnic cleansing of Jews from the West Bank especially when considering that 1.7 million Muslim and Christian Arabs reside fairly happily in Israel ?”
Chaos ensued.
I was then referred to as “the enemy” by a man who walked out while giving me a rather unpleasant look. He also said, referring to me, “We are fighting these people”. Here’s the clip:
IsraellyCool: Why The Radical Left Sides With Palestinians
Less than a century after the Holocaust and the subsequent cries of “Never Again”, antisemitism has been “revived” (not that it ever really went away) and is rapidly regaining its strength, after it was forced into hiding (oh, the irony) in the aftermath of WWII. And at the forefront of this new global anti-Jewish outburst is the radical left, a political wing that prides itself on its commitment to anti-racist, pro-egalitarian values. Liberal Zionists have long struggled to understand why a movement that purports to oppose racism, including antisemitism, in all of its guises would openly endorse a cause that is based on wounded colonial pride and rank anti-Jewish bigotry. I will attempt to provide some answers with my own personal experiences and insight. Also bear in mind that this is written from a Western left wing perspective.US academic org ushers in new year with anti-Israel vote
One important factor in the radical left’s anti-Israel outlook has to do with the way outsiders (i.e. non-Middle Easterners) perceive each of the key players in this conflict. The radical left, and many Westerners in general, see Arabs as an impoverished, downtrodden, dark-skinned, non-Western people, every bit as victimized by the system of white privilege/white supremacy as any other people of color. In contrast, Jews are perceived as being the polar opposite of that. Instead, they are seen as a highly assimilated, well-off, Westernized, fair-skinned people who, as our enemies would have it, are not really even a “people” at all, but merely a religious group, and very much a part (or even the “puppet-masters”) of the white power structure that oppresses people of color. Regardless of how inaccurate these perceptions are (try gathering 100 Polish Jews and 100 Palestinians in a room together, and try to distinguish between them, because you won’t be able to), this is the image they are presented in the media, and it helps to facilitate natural feelings of sympathy for Palestinians among the radical left and other minority groups.
As yet another American academic organization brings anti-Israel resolutions before its annual plenum, those monitoring the boycott, divest and sanctions movement against Israel eagerly wait to hear if the new year will start with a bang or a whimper.Daphne Anson: Shmatter Chatter
The resolutions prepared by Historians Against the War (HAW) to be presented at the American Historical Association’s annual meeting January 2-5 in New York reflect a new direction for anti-Israel activism: condemnations of Israel’s policies and behaviors that stop short of calls to boycott, divest from, or sanction the state or Israeli institutions.
This new approach comes after 2014’s high-profile American Studies Association academic boycott vote and the subsequent fizzling of academic and professional organizations’ enforcement of new academic boycott rules — as Israeli academics participated in its conference.
A Happy New Year to all readers! I'm especially grateful to regular commenters, and to those who send me information for possible posts: please be assured that, even if I don't use the material, I read it with interest, and it is all valuable grist to the mill.Lies the BDS holes tell.
To kick off 2015, here's a photo of some usual suspects welcoming the Palestinian soccer team to Sydney yesterday:
And it's got old Daph thinking about the seemingly infinite variety of shmatter, usually in the form of tee-shirts, that the Israel-hating crowd resort to in order to display their propaganda.
Sweltering in the Aussie sunshine, needing to complete some proper work, and not in the mood at the moment to offer profundities, I've been inspired by the above image to dash out an album of anti-Israel clobber, with the occasional trinket and banner thrown in.
She tweets: "2014 will forever go down in history as when we stopped Zim from coming to the US."5 Palestinian Propaganda Practices
No, it won't Noura.
Zim Shipping still has a robust American presence , in spite of your best efforts.
Just this week, the Zim Istanbul off loaded in New York harbor.(That's in the US, Noura) before moving down to Norfolk VA (That's also in the US, Noura)
Again, Noura Khouri proves that in the absence of any concrete victory, BDS holes are more than happy to lie.
The Palestinians and their many worldwide supporters are succeeding, despite their obvious embrace of terrorism and anti-Semitic ideology, because they have embraced five premium propaganda practices.Top BBC Watch posts of 2014
1. Use a Magnifying Glass, Not a Telescope: Palestinians and their supporters portray the conflict as David vs. Goliath. When the conflict is viewed through a zoom lens, it is easy to portray Israel as a bully.
But when one looks at the bigger picture, it becomes clear who is really Goliath. In 1948, for example, Israel fought against Lebanon and Syria to its North, Iraq and Jordan to its East; Egypt to the South; volunteers from other Arab countries; and the Palestinians.
Over the last twelve months the posts we have published here at BBC Watch have collectively received well over 460,000 views and this is an ideal opportunity to thank you – our readers – for your interest and support throughout the past year. We would also like to thank all those who have taken the trouble to contact us with feedback, updates on your complaints to the BBC and tips concerning items of BBC content. Your contributions are invaluable – please carry on in the New Year.Another British journalist evidently believes that Tel Aviv is Israel’s capital
We were particularly honoured and touched by the fact that during the past summer when conflict raged in Israel and the atmosphere in Europe deteriorated to worrying depths of hate and animosity, many of you – particularly in the UK – wrote to us to share your feelings and concerns at that difficult time.Happy New Year
So which of our posts were the most read in 2014?
We don’t know much about UK-based journalist Jon Stone, other than the fact he used to work for BuzzFeed and now contributes to publications such as the Independent, where he published a story on Dec. 30th.Guardian manages to blame Israel for Palestinian misogyny, rape and violence
The article, about a recent Delta flight from New York to Tel Aviv which was slightly delayed after a few ultra-Orthodox Jewish passengers refused to sit next to women, included the following passages:
"The ultra-Orthodox passengers, also travelling between New York and the Israeli capital, agreed to sit in their assigned seats for take-off but only after delaying the plane and offering money to switch seats with other passengers."
The reasoning is, at best, extremely unclear. If, as they’ve acknowledged previously in the article, “culture and tradition” are “often the main justifications for violence against women in Palestine [West Bank and Gaza]”, how would the occupation – in the West Bank – conceivably impact Palestine’s misogynistic culture?Horrifying ISIS 'Guide for Jihadi Mothers' Surfaces Online
Then, there’s the implicit suggestion that Palestinians lack moral agency:
"A 2009 study conducted by UN Women, cited in the report, found that violence against women increased in the aftermath of military strikes on Gaza in December 2008."
Are we to believe that Palestinian men can’t control themselves when faced with the sudden urge – following “military strikes on Gaza” – to assault women and girls?
More broadly, it’s quite telling that, out of 560 words of total text, an article ostensibly about violence, rape, honor killings and misogyny within Palestinian society devotes 117 words (over 20% of the total) to criticizing Israel.
A guide for jihadi mothers on how to raise children to become terrorists has surfaced online, the US-based Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) reported.Clip claims to show abducted Italian aid workers in Syria
The handbook titled "Sister's Role in Jihad" recommends showing children jihadi websites, reading jihad tales before bed, practicing sports that require good hand-eye coordination, like darts, and going on camping trips to teach the children how to survive outdoors.
Women are expected to start training children "while they are babies" as waiting longer than that "may be too late." The guide adds: 'Don't underestimate the lasting effect of what those little ears and eyes take in during the first few years of life!'
The guide's original authors remain unknown, as the text is usually posted on file-sharing sites anonymously. However, the handbook is believed to be used regularly by Islamic State and other terrorist groups.
Two women identifying themselves as Italian aid workers kidnapped in Syria have appeared in a video urging their government to seek their release.Iran Blasts American Enforcement of Sanctions as Violating “Good Will”
The video, filmed in mid-December, appeared online Wednesday night and purportedly shows Vanessa Marzullo and Greta Ramelli, who were abducted by gunmen in northern Aleppo province in August.
The women, both in their twenties, are shown wearing black dresses and headscarves, seated before a blank wall.
One woman holds a piece of paper with the date December 17, though the video appeared to have been posted online on December 31.
Iran blasted the U.S. Treasury Department’s decision to sanction nine “individuals and entities” yesterday for “their support of Iranian government sanctions evasion efforts and human rights-related abusers,” saying that doing so violated “the good will principles” engendered by the ongoing nuclear negotiations and Joint Plan of Actions (JPOA), Reuters reported today.Iranian police arrested 50 women for 'un-Islamic' dress
Iran said the U.S. move contradicted the spirit of the nuclear talks between Iran and the six powers known as “P5+1″ – the United States, France, Germany, Russia, China and Britain.
“At a time negotiations are underway with P5+1, such a move raises doubts about America’s intentions and violates the good will principles,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA.
David S. Cohen, the Treasury Department’s Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, emphasized that the sanctions designations were made in response to Iranian violations of existing sanctions. “Although we do not support the imposition of any new nuclear-related sanctions while negotiations are ongoing, throughout the JPOA period we have made clear, by word and deed, that we will continue to enforce our existing sanctions. Today’s actions underscore this commitment,” he said in a statement.
Morality police arrested a number of women for immodest dress in Tehran last week, according to reports from the Islamic Republic.Report: Gulf States Fear Iranian Takeover of Yemen
Officers reportedly confronted and arrested a big group of women walking near Vanak square, in an affluent area of the Iranian capital's northern region.
According to police, they were guilty of wearing "shameful and immoral dress in public," not in accordance with the Islamic code, which was put in place by Ayatollah Khomeini in the beginning of 1981. He ordered covering all the parts of the body except the face and wrists.
Some of the women's husbands tried to stop the arrests, to no avail, running to clothing stores to buy their wives more suitable attire.
According to A-Sharq al-Awsat, the Houthi rebel groups took over a number of government offices this week, including the country's civil aviation authority, and the Bank of Yemen. Speaking to the newspaper on condition of anonymity, a Yemen government official said that a negotiated settlement to curb violence under UN auspices signed earlier this year “has practically been annulled due to the practices of the Houthis who are seeking to take complete control of the Yemeni state.”Windows shot out in synagogue in Ocala, Florida
In addition to the takeovers, Houthis kidnapped several top officials, including Maj. Gen. Yehia Al-Marani, undersecretary of Yemen’s central security agency.
The Houthis are a Shi'ite Islamist group that has claimed that Shi'ites in Yemen are mistreated. The official told A-Sharq al-Awsat that Sunni Yemeni groups were becoming “very upset” at the continued coup the Houthis are apparently conducting. Islamist groups, including one backed by Al-Qaeda, are likely to take action in the near future – dragging the country even deeper into civil war.
Gulf states, led by Saudi Arabia, have apparently given up on Yemen, effectively admitting that it will eventually fall to Iran's domination, the newspaper said. The states have cut off assistance to Yemen, and are withdrawing personnel, the report added.
Vandals shot out the windows of a Florida synagogue. The attack on Dec. 25 damaged several windows of Temple B’nai Darom in Ocala, Fla.Judaism Added to the African Studies Agenda
A police investigation is underway. The windows were shot out with a BB gun, according to reports. The building’s security alarm sounded, calling police to the site.
“I think it’s a hate crime,” Robert Levenson, the temple’s president, told the Ocala Star Banner on Monday. “And when things like this happen, it’s hard to keep going.”
For the first time in its 57-year history, the African Studies Association’s annual conference this year offered panels discussing the rising tide of Black Judaism—communities in sub-Saharan Africa and in the African Diaspora identifying themselves as descendants of Jews or practicing some form of Judaism. I attended the November conference along with 1,600 participants from 30 countries, and presented new research on Ethiopian Jews in Israel. Five other researchers and authors in the field of Black Judaism also contributed to the panels.12 top Israeli bands to watch in 2015
The panels were proposed by William F. S. Miles, a political scientist from Northeastern University. His academic interest in Nigeria took a personal turn in 2008 when he discovered, while reading Edith Bruder’s The Black Jews of Africa, that the several thousand Nigerian Igbo who practice Judaism had religious traditions quite similar to those of his own family. Miles, who returned to Nigeria several times to visit the Jews of the capital city of Abuja—where there are now four synagogues—describes Jewish life in his book, The Jews of Nigeria.
Daniel Lis, who co-led the sessions with Miles, also studies Jewish identity and practice among the Igbo. His new book, Jewish Identity Among the Igbo of Nigeria, traces the history and current beliefs of the Igbo Jews. An estimated 30,000 of the more than 20 million Igbo have incorporated Jewish elements into their religious life—a process known as “Judaizing.” And 3,000 to 5,000 follow “rabbinic” Judaism—the prayers and rituals likely familiar to Jews everywhere—which they learned from visiting rabbis and from the Internet. Miles calls them the first “Internet Jews.”
Israel’s musicians are hard at work creating, innovating and blending harmonies to a totally original tune.Forbes selects Taykey’s Amit Avner for ’30 under 30' list
There is no one Israeli artist to have conquered the music charts like Justin Timberlake, Beyonce, Mark Ronson or Royal Blood did this past year but many garnered (smaller) headlines the world over for their unique blends of world music.
Among the great moments Israeli musicians chalked up in 2014: Idan Raichel — known for his cross-cultural collaborations – won the MTV Role Model Award and collaborated with A-list R&B diva Alicia Keys; Ophir Kutiel (Kutiman) became king of the online music video sphere thanks to his fantastic mash-up of amateur YouTube videos; and opera singer Chen Reiss sang to 700 million viewers at a Christmas Mass led by the Pope in the Vatican’s St. Peters Basilica.
The Israeli music arena is bubbling with talent in all genres – jazz, pop, rock, alternative, opera, folk, instrumental, hip hop, world music – and you’ll regularly find blue-and-white talent at bars, clubs, concerts,college campuses and festivals in Europe, Israel and North America. Many singers/bands croon in English too, as a way to win over the global audiences.
You can also get an earful wherever you are by tuning in to Bandcamp, iTunes or their YouTube channels. (h/t Jewess)
Israeli coding prodigy is one of ‘the brightest stars under the age of 30 reinventing the world right now.’At nearly $15b, Israeli high-tech exits, IPO values break record in 2014
In second spot in the Technology section, is a smiling photo of Avner, the 28-year-old veteran of the IDF intelligence and programming unit.
Avner founded bWitty, a search technology company, at the age of 14.
According to a CrunchBase profile, Avner was chosen as one of Israel’s Top 40 under 40 by TheMarker Magazine in 2009; as one of the Top Under 30-year-old’s by Globes Magazine in 2013; and as a Forbes ’30 under 30′ prodigy in 2013.
It appears 2014 will go down in history as a record year for Israeli hi-tech companies getting bought out or going public, according to a survey by PwC Israel, released on Tuesday.New Israeli Cancer Vaccine Triggers Response In 90% Of Cancer Types
Throughout the year, 70 companies either got bought out or had initial public offerings, reaching a five-year high. The average value of the deals, moreover, stood at a record high of $212 million, roughly 25 percent higher than in 2013 and over five times the value of the average deal in 2007. Overall, the deals amounted to $14.85 billion, according to the survey.
Most of the increased values came from companies choosing to list on stock exchanges rather than to exit. Of the 70 deals, 18 were IPOs, totaling $9.8b., as opposed to $1.2b. in 2013. In other words, even though IPOs only accounted for about a quarter of the deals, they made up twothirds of the transaction value this year. Most of the companies that went public – 13 – listed on US exchanges (12 of them on the NASDAQ, one on the NYSE), while another five went to the AIM in London.
There’s no doubt that cancer is one of the world’s most vicious diseases. For decades, scientists have been trying to find a cure for cancer, a terminal illness that kills 8 million people worldwide every year. With 14 million new cancer cases diagnosed around the globe every year, according to the World Health Organization, the need for prevention is vital. Now, an Israeli biotechnology company is developing a vaccine for cancer, which is not designed to treat the disease – but to prevent it from returning.Meet The Double Amputee Army Vet Who’s Leaving To Fight For Israel
Vaxil BioTherapeutics, based in Nes Ziona, Israel, has spent over half a decade developing ImMucin, a prophylactic cancer vaccine, which can trigger a response in about 90 percent of all types of cancer, according to the company.
Immunotherapy: A hybrid cross between a vaccine and a drug
“Vaxil is developing a drug to keep the cancer from coming back,” Julian Levy, Vaxil’s CFO, tells NoCamels.com. “We are trying to harness the natural power of the immune system to fight against cancer by seeking out cancer cells and destroying them.”
Levy explains that ImMucin is not a replacement for traditional cancer treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation. Rather, the company is targeting a different stage in the patient’s battle against cancer, specifically the early stages of the detection, as well as during remission. That’s why, unfortunately, the drug won’t be helpful to many cancer patients – specifically those who are in advanced stages of the disease – because it requires a relatively healthy body to be fully effective. (h/t Jewess)
Retired Army SSG Brian Mast served his nation for 12 years and was a member of the Joint Special Operations Command fighting in Afghanistan when his career was cut short by a catastrophic injury. Despite losing both legs, Mast lost neither his guiding values nor his warrior spirit.
While he expressed regret that he can no longer serve as a soldier in the same capacity that he once did, he has not abandoned his desire to fight for what he believes are just causes. In a recent interview with Western Journalism, Mast explained that he will be traveling to Israel on Jan. 10 to fight alongside Israeli Defense Forces soldiers as a Sar-El volunteer. He noted that his motivation for making the arduous journey is complex and deeply rooted.
“I think it can be hard to say how we initially find in our lives the causes we make important to ourselves,” he said. “Having lived in South Florida where there is a large Jewish population, having met IDF soldiers in my military travels throughout my years in service, and having grown up in a Christian home where it was always proudly touted by my parents what great allies the U.S. and Israel have been, and simply making myself aware of current and modern historical events all played a role in me wanting to find a meaningful way to show my own support for Israel in a time when so many are forgetting that you are our true friend in the region, that you are in defense of attack and not the aggressor.”
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