Friday, June 10, 2016
Explaining Palestinian “Heroes”
The status quo has continued not because more houses or apartments are being built in existing Jewish communities in the West Bank or Jerusalem (almost all of which are in places that peace processers conceded would remain in Israeli hands even if there were an agreement with the Palestinians). Nor does it continue because hard-hearted men who don’t want peace lead Israel. If Palestinians wanted a two-state solution, they could have had one many years ago. They refuse because the price of Israeli acceptance of a Palestinian state is Palestinian acceptance of the legitimacy of a Jewish state alongside it no matter where its borders might be drawn. And that price remains too high for any Palestinian leader or the Palestinian public to accept.
Terrorism against Jews didn’t begin in June 1967. The Palestinians have been waging a century-long war on Zionism and that struggle has become inextricably linked with their sense of national identity. That’s why they cheer people who commit indiscriminate murder against Jews and call them heroes. They were doing that long before the Six Day War, let alone the two intifadas, and it is not illogical to suppose they would continue to do so even if Israel were so foolish as to withdraw its forces from the West Bank as it did in Gaza.
While some Israelis search their souls in vain for enough guilt about winning wars launched against them that would have ended the “occupation” of Tel Aviv, this is a futile quest. The status quo will change when the Palestinians stop thinking of people who kill random Jews as heroes and when they are ready to accept peace with the Jewish state.
That is why it is important that the world react to crimes such as yesterday’s murders by avoiding statements calling on both sides to show restraint or use it as an excuse for more pressure on Israel to make concessions. For too long, Palestinians have been led to believe that they could prevail against Israel if they had enough patience or were willing to shed more blood. When a sea change in the political culture of the Palestinians makes a change in their thinking possible, they will find Israelis willing to accept a deal. Until then, they will continue cheering terrorists and doom themselves to pursuing a hopeless effort to eliminate Israel that keeps a status quo neither side wants in place.
Tel Aviv Terror Attack Shatters Five Myths
The June 8 terrorist massacre in Tel Aviv exposed all five of the major myths that cloud discussions of Israel and the Palestinians.Fox News’ Greta Van Susteren Calls for Solidarity With Israel Following Deadly Tel Aviv Terrorist Attack (VIDEO)
Myth #1: “The problem is the settlements”
Myth #2: “It was a reaction to the occupation”
Myth #3: “The Palestinian Authority condemned the attack”
Myth #4: “Ordinary Palestinians are against terrorism”
Myth #5: “The major American news outlets are staffed by objective, professionally trained journalists; if their coverage of Israel is unflattering, that’s because of Israel’s own policies, not because of media bias”
The host of Fox News‘ “On the Record” called for the international community to show support for Israel in response to Wednesday’s terrorist attack in Tel Aviv, which claimed the lives of four people and wounded several others.
“Israelis stand always with us. It’s time to make sure they know we do the same,” Greta Van Susteren wrote on Facebook, shortly after it was revealed that two Palestinian terrorists went on a deadly shooting rampage at the restaurant-laden Sarona compound before being neutralized by security guards.
Van Susteren also posted online an “off the record” video, in which she called the terrorists “evil, evil people full of hate.” She also expressed sorrow for the “innocent Israeli victims” who were at the Sarona Market “just out on a nice summer eve in Tel Aviv.”
Van Susteren reminded viewers of Israel’s immediate response to help in international crises, and said she hopes nations around the world will “stand with the Israelis, because they stand always with us.”
Shooting
JPost Editorial: Reacting to Sarona
With all the difficulty of reining in our natural inclination to seek revenge for Wednesday’s bloody attack, Galant’s levelheaded stance serves Israel’s interests better.‘Wake me from this nightmare,’ says daughter at funeral for Sarona victim
We understand the desire to lash out at those who support terrorism. It was upsetting to watch hundreds of Palestinians near Damascus Gate in Jerusalem, in Tulkarm and other locations on the West Bank and in Gaza celebrate the terrorist attack in Tel Aviv. But reacting emotionally is counterproductive. If Israel decides to revoke the tens of thousands of working permits allocated to Palestinians with security clearance, will it lower the number of terrorists? If thousands of Palestinians who are not connected to the attack are arrested, will fewer Palestinians support terrorism? We doubt it.
That does not mean nothing can be done. The two Palestinians who carried out the terrorist attack entered Israel illegally. Steps need to be taken to prevent the unmonitored movement of Palestinians from the West Bank into areas with large Israeli population centers. Breaches in the security barrier should be closed. Israelis who employ Palestinians illegally should be punished. And there needs to be more intelligence gathering, including information received through cooperation with the Palestinian Authority’s security forces.
The Sarona Market attack will be the first major test for newly appointed Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman.
Liberman has proven to be a pragmatic minister and politician despite some past incendiary comments about how he thought Palestinian terrorism should be dealt with.
We hope he takes the pragmatic approach and heeds the advice of people like Galant or Ya’akov Amidror, the former national security adviser, who also recommends not overreacting in order not to destabilize the security situation. Liberman the politician was appealing to populism when he made those comments. But Liberman the defense minister carries more serious responsibilities on his shoulders.
Hundreds of people turned out Friday afternoon at Yarkon cemetery in Petah Tikva for the funeral of Ilana Naveh, one of the four Israelis killed in Wednesday’s terror attack in Tel Aviv.Friend of Sociologist Slain in Tel Aviv Terrorist Attack: ‘How Could Bullets Have Penetrated This Lively, Good Man?’
“I wanted to believe that when they took me to the hospital it would be okay,” said Shiran Naveh, one of 39-year-old Naveh’s four daughters, the Ynet news website reported. “They told me in the morning [that you had died], but it didn’t surprise me, I already knew that night. I wanted to them to wake me from this nightmare, tell me that it didn’t really happen, but it’s not a dream, it’s real.”
She continued: “Give me the strength to fill your massive shoes. I promise to do it in the best way possible. Watch over us, mom, we love you very much.”
MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni, who performed Naveh’s marriage ceremony, also delivered a eulogy.
“How could bullets have penetrated this lively man… his humor… sharp anecdotes? How did yesterday’s talk in the hallway become our last?” a close friend of one of four Israelis murdered in cold blood on Wednesday night in a terrorist attack in Tel Aviv wrote on social media, Israel’s Channel 2 reported. “Michael Feige, this good man, I can’t believe it.”MEMRI: One Day Prior To Tel Aviv Terror Attack, Article On Hamas Website Calls On Muslims To Wage Jihad – 'The Pinnacle Of Islam' – During Ramadan, 'The Month Of Jihad'
Feige, 58, who headed the Research Institute for the Study of Israel and Zionism at Ben-Gurion University (BGU) in the Negev, was killed when two Palestinian terrorists opened fire on the Sarona Market. The Ramat Gan resident is survived by a wife and three daughters, two of whom live abroad, and the remaining one is engaged to be married in the near future.
According to Hebrew news site nrg, a colleague of Feige’s from BGU, Prof. Oren Yiftahel, head of the department of interdisciplinary studies, said. “It is a very sad day for us. He was a very important researcher who delved into delicate subjects and extracted interesting insights from them. He was among the very best, open and attentive, a genuine democrat. He was a rare bird from that point of view. It is a great loss to our university.”
Another colleague, Dr. Avi Picard, called Feige “A dear man, rare in his integrity and honesty, and in his absence of ego. He had a healthy cynicism, and, as a sociologist and anthropologist, he had many profound and interesting insights about seemingly standard phenomena in Israeli society.”
On June 7, 2016, the day before the shooting attack in Tel Aviv in which four were killed and several wounded, Hamas's military wing, the 'Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, published an article on its website encouraging jihad and martyrdom during the month of Ramadan, which began this week. The article, titled "Ramadan – The Month of Jihad, Fighting and Victory over the Enemies," noted that throughout the ages Ramadan had been the time of the greatest Muslim victories, beginning from the days of the Prophet Muhammad. Allah, it said, had commanded, and urged, the Muslims to wage jihad, for it is the pinnacle of Islam. The article stressed that Muslims' sad situation today is due to their abandonment of jihad, and called on them to follow the example set out in their glorious, jihad-saturated history.MEMRI: Palestinian Reactions Immediately Following Tel Aviv Shooting: It Was 'A Natural Reaction'; 'A Ramadan Operation'; Palestinian Presidency One Day After Shooting: 'We Oppose Actions Against Civilians From Any Side'
In a June 8, 2016 shooting attack in Tel Aviv, four Israeli civilians were killed and 6 were wounded. Up until the following afternoon, the Palestinian Authority (PA) did not issue any statement condemning the attack, which was perpetrated by two cousins from the town of Yatta near Hebron, Ahmad Moussa Makhamra and Khaled Muhammad Moussa Makhamra.Sunni cleric defends Tel Aviv terrorists
On the contrary, Fatah's Recruitment and Organization Commission issued an official statement justifying the attack, calling it a natural reaction to Israel's actions and policy. A former minister in the Palestinian Authority (PA) said the attack was a reaction to the Israeli President's recent visit to Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Only at 14:00 on June 9 did the Palestinian news agency WAFA publish a condemnation by the Palestinian presidency, which stated that the presidency opposed violence against civilians from any side.
Palestinian opposition factions (such as Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front) welcomed the attack and called its perpetrators "heroes" and "a source of pride."
In several West Banks cities, as well as on social media, there were expressions of joy over the shooting, with many linking it to the month of Ramadan that began two days ago and is known as the month of jihad and victories.
On Thursday, the attack prompted the United Nations Security Council to issue its strongest condemnation of Palestinian terror since September’s uptick in attacks.Palestinians on Social Media Celebrate Tel Aviv Terrorist Attack; Call Carnage ‘Sweeter Than Ramadan Prayer’
The council condemned “in the strongest terms” the attack and expressed its “deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the Government of Israel.” The text of the council’s statement added that “terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.”
But Yusuf al-Qardawi, a Qatar-based religious authority and Muslim Brotherhood leader who is one of Sunni Islam’s most highly-regarded personalities, wrote on Twitter following the attacks that “Israel was always the first to do evil and mischief, and the resistance is trying to respond to defend itself. This is crystal clear and undeniable.”
Palestinian supporters of the terrorist attack in Tel Aviv on Wednesday night have lit up the web with praise in Arabic for what is being hashtagged “#operationRamadan,” the media/tech company Vocativ reported on Thursday.Netanyahu says third suspect apprehended in Tel Aviv attack
According to Vocativ’s web analysis, the above hashtag had been used some 5,000 times between the time of the Palestinian shooting spree – which left four Israelis dead and several others wounded – and the following morning. On Instagram, as well, users posted photos and cartoons to express their delight.
Examples provided by the media site included a poster reading,”Ramadan brings us together and Tel Aviv is our playground,” with the caption: “Operation Ramadan, #CarlosSalvo #Intifada Jerusalem.”
Another is a photo of the aftermath of the bloodbath, with the words: “Have a delicious Iftar [the meal eaten by Muslims after sunset during Ramadan].”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that authorities have apprehended a third man involved in the terror attack at the Sarona Market in central Tel Aviv on Wednesday night in which two Palestinians opened fire on customers at a cafe in the plaza, killing four and wounding 16.IDF: Attempted stabbing attack against Israeli in Nablus
Speaking at the site of the attack a day later, Netanyahu said: “This nation is strong. They will not defeat us. In this place yesterday four innocent Israelis were murdered. We mourn them. Life is already returning to its routine around us, and that’s a good thing.”
Netanyahu noted that the security establishment took a series of steps in the 24 hours since the attack, including “cordoning off the West Bank village of Yatta, the terrorists’ hometown, catching a man who collaborated with the terrorists, revoking work permits of hundreds of members of their family, and freezing thousands of entry permits into Israel for Ramadan.”
He also slammed the Palestinian Authority for failing to condemn the attack but praised Israelis’ strength and resilience.
A suspected terrorist was shot and critically wounded following an attempted stabbing attack against an Israeli soldier at a checkpoint near the West Bank city of Nablus, the IDF said in a statement Friday.IDF Seizes Gunmaking Machinery, Ammo in West Bank Sweeps
According to the IDF, the assailant approached military forces stationed at a checkpoint near the village of Beit Furik, south of Nablus, where he pulled out a knife and attempted to stab one of the soldiers positioned in the area.
IDF forces quickly responded by shooting the attacker, abating his ability to commit any further harm.
The attacker was reportedly in critical condition following the shooting and was evacuated to the Rabin Medical Center-Beilinson in Petah Tikva, according to The Jerusalem Post's sister publication Ma'ariv.
The military said that no soldiers were harmed in the event, adding they have opened an investigation.
Israeli security forces seized machinery used to make home-made guns in the West Bank on Thursday night, in a crackdown following a lethal terror attack in Tel Aviv on Wednesday, the army said.Carl Gustav - the terrorist weapon of choice
The Israel Defense Forces and Border Police, along with representatives from the Defense Ministry’s Civil Administration, located the two drill presses, which are suspected of being used to create illegal guns. One of the machines was found in Eizariya and the other in Abu Dis — two Arab towns near Jerusalem.
The shooting in Tel Aviv’s Sarona Market this week was carried out with two homemade guns, known by law enforcement as “Carlos,” after the Swedish Carl Gustav submachine gun, on which the design is loosely based.
In addition to the gun-making equipment, Israeli forces discovered bullets and components of explosive devices at the two sites, the army said in a statement.
The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), IDF and police are all working to uncover as many weapons manufacturing workshops as possible, since the Carl Gustav rifle has become the weapon of choice for Palestinian terrorists.Liberman orders moratorium on returning attackers’ bodies
According to security sources, the weapons are cheap to manufacture, and require no special technology.
“Many have the capability of producing them,” one security official said on Thursday.
The weapons are unreliable and frequently jam, as one did during Wednesday night’s deadly attack. Yet they pose a deadly threat, and are proliferating.
Security forces regularly report seizing the firearms during weapons raids in Palestinian villages, town and cities.
Such efforts will go on, and likely intensify, in the days and weeks ahead.
Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman ordered a halt to the practice of returning West Bank Palestinian attackers’ bodies to their families for burial on Thursday, a day after two Palestinian terrorists killed four people and wounded 16 in a shooting attack in central Tel Aviv..“We Can’t Let Terrorists Stop Our Lives”: Shoppers Return to Site of Terror Attack
Liberman discussed the idea during a meeting of the security cabinet earlier in the day, breaking with the approach held by his predecessor in the post, Moshe Ya’alon, who opposed withholding remains.
The meeting was convened to discuss possible responses to the Sarona Market attack.
During the meeting, Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan also called unequivocally to stop returning the bodies of attackers to their families and to reestablish a cemetery where such remains were buried by Israeli authorities up until about a decade ago — a proposal Liberman reportedly said he was not opposed to.
Less than a day after a deadly terror attack at the Sarona Market in Tel Aviv claimed the lives of four Israelis, people have begun heading back to the shopping center.‘Let’s Buy Out Max Brenner, Turn Darkness Into Light,’ Says Volunteer EMT Who Launched ‘Pay It Forward’ Campaign in Wake of Tel Aviv Terrorist Attack (VIDEO)
“There were no visible bullet holes, no broken glass, no blood stains or police tape to be seen, the terror attack already cleaned up and pushed to the side in a classic example of stubborn Israel insistence to return to normal after sudden and deadly tragedy,” The Jerusalem Post reported Thursday.
Tal Sharabi, a waiter at Benedict, one of the restaurants that was attacked Wednesday night, spent much of the night helping to clean up the scene so that things would look more presentable the following morning.
“It’s a terrible feeling, in one of the videos you see one of our customers, who just a moment earlier was talking to us, and he’s shot dead, and they [the terrorists] shoot him again to confirm the kill,” Sharabi told the Post. But he added that returning to normal so quickly after such a terrible event is essential: “It’s strange but we live this every day already, we can’t put our lives on hold. We must do this; we can’t let terrorists stop our lives.”
A volunteer for Israel’s United Hatzalah emergency response team told The Algemeiner on Thursday about his “pay it forward” campaign to bolster the Max Brenner chocolate bar where Palestinian terrorists began a murderous shooting spree on Wednesday night — killing four Israelis and wounding many more.Foreign envoys make solidarity trip to terror-struck Sarona
“I wanted to start a trend,” said 20-year-old Dovi Meyer about the campaign he launched Thursday morning, which involved purchasing nearly 1,000 chocolate bars at Max Brenner, and distributing them, two at a time, to passersby outside — asking each to give up one of the two to someone else, on condition that the next person buy a bar and continue the chain.
“As I started, businessmen began stopping and said, ‘You know what? I’ll buy this for my wife or for a friend.’ And the store, which had been pretty empty before, started to fill up. Outside, it was pumping, but inside, people were just inquisitive; they weren’t really buying. So I wanted to set that drive, and the only way I could do it was by doing something over the top. I bought an obscene amount of chocolate, so that people would buy one or two, and that’s what they did. They started flooding in…and I felt something really special about it.”
Meyer — who was an EMT in Sydney, Australia, before he immigrated to Israel two years ago — added, “Nothing gives me greater joy than helping people, and when I don’t see change, it bothers me and I speak up.”
More than 20 foreign ambassadors to Israel made a visit of solidarity to the Sarona food market in Tel Aviv on Friday, two days after a devastating Palestinian terror attack there left four Israelis dead and more than 15 others wounded.UN Security Council condemns Tel Aviv attack for the first time since current terror wave
The envoys were accompanied by the police commander of the Yarkon District, Yehuda Dahan, and the head of the Yesh Atid party, MK Yair Lapid.
“This is a battle between two cultures,” Lapid said. “One loves democracy and the energy of people who simply want to live, while the other celebrated death and destruction.
“They were celebrating yesterday in Ramallah, Nablus and Gaza. Celebrating what? The death of a young woman who was supposed to get married a few weeks from now? The death of a father of four?” asked Lapid in reference to two of the four victims.”
“We need to celebrate life,” he said.
Among the envoys was the Italian ambassador to Israel, Francesco Talo, who praised the quick return to normal life after the deadly attacks.
“What Tel Avivians are doing is important. The terrorists lose when they see that people here are enjoying life. We came to tell the terrorists that we are not afraid of them,” said Talo.
The Austrian envoy to Israel expressed a similar sentiment, saying that it was important to see how people move on from such an event.
“This was pure terror. It could have been me or a friend [sitting] at that same cafe,” said Martin Weiss.
Members of the Security Council condemned “in the strongest terms” the terrorist attack at Sarona market in Tel Aviv, during which at least four civilians were killed and many more injured.UN: Ban on Palestinians entering Israel is ‘collective punishment’
This was the Security Council’s first official condemnation of a terror attack carried out by Palestinians on Israelis since the beginning of the current wave of violence that begun this fall.
The Security Council members also expressed their “deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the Government of Israel” and stated that “terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.”
In addition they underlined “the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice.”
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein [Jordan] on Friday criticized a blanket ban on Palestinian entry into Israel imposed in the wake of a deadly terror attack in Tel Aviv on Wednesday, saying it could be classed as “collective punishment” and therefore illegal under international law.In Robust Response to Tel Aviv Terror, Trump Rips ‘Uncivilized’ Palestinians Who Praised Attack
Hussein’s spokeswoman, Ravina Shamdasani, told reporters in Geneva on Friday that the move by Israel “may amount to prohibited collective punishment and will only increase the sense of injustice and frustration felt by Palestinians,” Reuters reported. Hussein did, however, condemn the Tel Aviv attack, Shamdasani said.
Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump harshly condemned on Thursday the recent bloody terror attack in Tel Aviv, citing the teachings of anti-Israel hatred rampant in Palestinian society as a driving force behind the violence.Palestinians celebrate terror attack in Tel Aviv, Saudis strongly condemn
“I condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the outrageous terrorist shootings that took the lives of at least four innocent civilians and wounded at least twenty others in Tel Aviv yesterday,” he said in a statement. “The Israeli security forces’ investigation is ongoing, but some facts have already emerged — and they are grim.”
Following the shooting, Salma al-Jamal, a Palestinian news anchor working at Al-Jazeera TV, wrote on her Twitter page: "The Ramadan operation that took place today is the best answer to stories we have been hearing about 'peace process' that some people are trying in vain to revive."'Je suis Tel Aviv' slogan spreads on social media
In a striking contrast to the Palestinian reaction, the official Saudi media strongly denounced the Tel Aviv terror attack.
Reporting about the shooting on its Facebook page, the well-known Saudi TV channel al-Arabiya referred to the people injured in the attack as "victims," and not as "settlers" as most of the Arab outlets usually refer to Israelis. This remark aroused cynical reactions among users on social media, who claimed that the channel distorted the report to defend Israel, because the victims are Palestinians, not Israelis.
Dahham al-Enazi, a member of the Saudi Journalists Association, also condemned the shooting in a series of remarks on his Twitter page.
"The Tel Aviv attack is terror and thuggery. Our solidarity and support for the Palestinian people does not mean that we accept the killing of innocents and civilians. We would like to extend our condolences to the families of the victims," Enazi said.
People in France and around the world are expressing solidarity with Israel following the deadly Tel Aviv shooting attack Wednesday, with social media posts using the slogan "Je suis Tel Aviv," adapted from "Je suis Charlie," which was widely spread after the January 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris.After shooting, Tel Avivis ask: 'Facebook, where's our safety check?'
Former French Prime Minister Alain Juppe was among the first to share the modified slogan on Twitter, with many others following his lead.
The "Je suis Tel Aviv" slogan is often accompanied in social media posts by an image depicting a typical Tel Aviv Bauhaus apartment building. The architectural style is emblematic of the city.
Former French government spokesman and current MP Jean-Francois Cope as well as MP Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet were among those to share the slogan and image.
French Jewish MP Meyer Habib noted that there was a connection between the attack in Tel Aviv this week, the November attacks in Paris and the Brussels bombings in March. "From Paris to Tel Aviv, from Brussels to Jerusalem, we are seeing the same terrorist attacks in the name of global jihad, which is waging a war against our civilization," he said.
Safir took to Facebook to let her friends know that she and her family were all right, but she was also exasperated.Israel sunk the Titanic? New hashtag roils against anti-Israel media bias
“Mark Zuckerberg, where is my safety check-in following a terrorist attack?” she wrote, tagging Facebook’s founder and CEO in the post.
She was referring to a feature the social network developed – at its Israeli development center, no less – that lets people “check in” as safe, following a mass casualty terrorist event or natural disaster. The feature helps friends and families find out that their loved ones are safe, and has even been used by governments to track the fates of their nationals in a foreign disaster.
Others posting on social media after Wednesday’s Tel Aviv attack expressed similar dismay at the perception that Israelis were being overlooked.
“You know what would be nice....if #Facebook would ever turn on the #SafetyCheck feature in #Israel when we have a #terror attack,” wrote a user named Miriam.
“Hey Mark, Was sorry to see that the Facebook Safety Check didn’t activate after the shooting tonight... In case you are wondering how everyone is doing...” wrote Ellie, another Facebook user.
International media outlets provoked a firestorm of outrage on Thursday when a number of news purveyors including CNN, the BBC and the Guardian revealed media bias in their reports of the Tel Aviv attack at Sarona Market on Wednesday evening.Media Watchdogs: Russian News Outlet RT Wins Top Prize for Most ‘Appalling’ and ‘Dramatically Absurd’ Headline in Coverage of Tel Aviv Terror Attack
The attack, that left four people dead and 16 wounded, was perpetrated by two Palestinian men from Southern Hebron.
Most of the media outlets failed to identify the incident as an act of terror and even neglected to use the words "terror" or "terrorism" in their reports and instead labeled the tragedy a "shooting incident."
CNN's official report of the incident even placed the word "terrorists" in its headline in quotations.
But now, the fed-up public has decided to strike back with a new twitter campaign called #Stupid_CNN, that aims to make light of the increasingly hostile foreign media.
Kremlin-affiliated news outlet Russia Today (RT) takes first place for the most misleading headline in all media reporting on yesterday’s bloody terror attack in Tel Aviv, spokesmen for two prominent media watchdog groups told The Algemeiner on Thursday.CBC Reporter: Palestinian Terrorists’ “Motive (Is) Unclear”
In its initial report on the attack, RT ran an article under the headline “2 ‘ultra-Orthodox Jewish’ gunmen kill 1, injure 8 in Tel Aviv.” In response to the portrayal, Simon Plosker, managing editor at Honest Reporting, said that RT ”wins the prize” for “most appalling headline.” Gilead Ini, a senior research analyst at the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA) described RT’s “short-lived headline” as “dramatically absurd.”
“If anyone ever considered RT, the Kremlin’s propaganda outfit, to be a credible news organization, this headline proves the opposite,” said Plosker. According to Ini, the headline “was quickly changed after CAMERA and others drew attention” to it.
It was a gruesome, premeditated and cold-blooded terror attack which targeted innocent Israeli civilians. Two Palestinian Hamas terrorists murdered four Israelis and injured more than nine in a brazen shooting attack at a Tel Aviv restaurant in the Sarona Market yesterday.BBC coverage of Sarona Market terror attack – part two
Whether in Paris, Brussels or Tel Aviv, Terror is terror and nothing justifies it.
Covering the attack yesterday, CBC’s Mideast Bureau Chief Derek Stoffel opined on his Twitter feed that the “motive” of these Palestinian terrorists is “unclear”:
As was noted in part one of this post, while news of the terror attack at the Sarona Market in Tel Aviv on June 8th was emerging, the head of the BBC’s Jerusalem bureau took to Twitter to inform his followers that such attacks are “rare”.Antisemitic trope at the Indy: Israeli minister called “bloodthirsty”
Despite the fact that this was the sixth terror attack in the Tel Aviv district in less than nine months and that its four victims bring the number of civilians murdered in the city in that time to ten, that theme was also in evidence in the report produced by the BBC World Service radio programme ‘Newshour’ on the evening of June 8th.
Presenter Tim Franks described the terrorists (from 14:11 here) as follows:
“…we’re able to bring you up to date on that story that broke just before we came on air and that’s news of a shooting attack in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv. The police say that…eh…three people have died, that two assailants were involved in the attack….” [emphasis added]
During the conversation with his interviewee – Ben Hartman of the Jerusalem Post – Franks promoted the notion that terrorism in Tel Aviv is “rare”.
Here’s the headline:Israel, Terror, and the New York Times
In case you may think the language was the work of sub-editors, the term “blood thirsty” is repeated in the text:
Ever since Avigdor Lieberman was appointed to his new post by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the world – and especially the Palestinians – have waited to see if he would fulfil the bloodthirsty threats he made during Israel’s 2015 election.
Let’s be clear: When we talk about antisemitism in the British media, we’re not suggesting that the writer or editor in question is haunted by Judeophobic thoughts.
Rather, those of us who talk seriously about antisemitism are identifying common tropes, narratives and graphic depictions of Jews which are based on stereotypes and mythology which has historically been employed by those engaging in cognitive or physical war against Jews.
In short, we’re asking anti-racists to resist becoming, even if unintentionally, intellectual partners with those who trade in the lethal narratives associated with antisemitism which has caused us immeasurable pain to Jewish communities throughout the ages.
As such, we’ve contacted Indy editors to ask that they remove the term “blood thirsty” from Fisk’s op-ed.
What about the Times article about the real attack in Israel? Let's start with the headline:It's No Time for an Israeli-Palestinian Peace Deal
Not Palestinian Terrorists – Palestinian Gunmen, and the article followed a similar path. While the lede referred to the attack "reigniting fears of terrorism," that was it. The attackers were not referred to as terrorists, and the attack was not referred to as terrorism. Instead the Times used phrases like:
• "police identified the attackers" (not terrorists)
• "Security officers wounded one of the gunmen" (again, not terrorists)
• "The second gunman was arrested" (not second terrorist)
• "Tel Aviv has suffered a number of deadly attacks" (not deadly terrorist attacks)
• A witness "heard the shots and could see one of the attackers" (not one of the terrorists)
And this refusal to use the "terror" word to refer to deadly attacks against Israelis is no aberration at the Times. Indeed, in a followup article on June 9, Israel Imposes Travel Restrictions on Palestinians After Tel Aviv Attack, the Times also failed to use the terror word (except when quoting Israeli officials), instead using words like "gunmen" and "assailants."
The shooting of at least nine people in Tel Aviv on Wednesday comes as European leaders are attempting to restart peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians. It is a heinous act, but it must not prevent the U.S. from letting the talks fall apart.Understanding the Campaign to Divide the Holy City
It is almost inconceivable, in fact, why French and European Union leaders think that now is a good time. "The threats and priorities have changed," said French President François Hollande at a special press conference last week, and he is right. They have changed. The Middle East is beset by problems; but for a moment, blessedly, they have literally nothing to do with Israel.
Even Israel's enemies want nothing to do with Israel. Hezbollah wants so little to do with Israel that it ignores strikes on its missile facilities and military leadership to continue its war against the Syrian Arab rebels. Iran wants so little of Israel it does the same thing. Turkey, hostile to Israel only five years ago, has warmed dramatically as its Kurdish and Syrian problems have increased. Even the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), for all of its other heinous policies, seems totally uninterested in its neighbor to the south.
The European Union's foreign policy boss, Federica Mogherini, added her justification for the French initiative. "The policy of settlement expansion and demolitions, violence and incitement tells us very clearly that the perspective that Oslo opened up is seriously at risk of fading away." Yes, I'd say so. I'd say it was at risk of fading away after a five-year intifada, complete with bombings of a teenage disco in Tel Aviv, a Passover Seder in Netanya and multiple buses. I'd say it was at risk of fading away after two major wars between Israel and Hamas, both initiated by Hamas, and a month-long war with Hezbollah initiated by Hezbollah. If that didn't put it to bed, the last 10 months of Palestinians randomly stabbing to death Israelis on the street probably has done it.
Dividing Jerusalem by giving away sovereignty and control of the city’s approximately 28 Arab neighborhoods could actually import a Gaza strip reality to Jerusalem and put hundreds of thousands of Jews in eastern and western Jerusalem in imminent danger. The resulting vacuum would most likely be filled by Hamas, ISIS and other terrorist organizations sworn to Israel’s destruction, bringing them to our doorstep. It has already happened in two neighborhoods that were left out of the security barrier but are still in Jerusalem – Kafr Aqab and the Shuafat refugee camp. Those two neighborhoods are rife with terrorism, Hamas rule, hard drugs being supplied to Jerusalem, and proliferation of weapons. This could expand to all the 28 neighborhoods if Israel withdraws unilaterally. Getting control of this area would embolden them immeasurably to complete the struggle of total liberation of “Al-Quds” — the Arabic name for the city of Jerusalem.Israel and the Palestinian Arabs: Whose Land is it Anyway? - The Wallet Analogy
If you support keeping Jerusalem united under Israel’s sovereignty, what steps must be taken to ensure Jerusalem’s security and peaceful prosperity over the next decades?
1. More information and facts to the public: Dividing Jerusalem by handing over Arab neighborhoods would endanger hundreds of thousands of Jewish residents. Tens of thousands of Jews would leave the city and tens of thousands of Arabs who would find themselves outside of Jerusalem would move to Jewish neighborhoods. (Most Arab residents of Jerusalem actually prefer to remain in Israeli-controlled Jerusalem. Holy sites of all religions are fully guaranteed only under Israeli sovereignty.)
2. Build thousands of apartments in affordable Jewish neighborhoods of eastern Jerusalem, thereby stemming the current outward flow of Jews from the city and correcting the demographic imbalance threatening to create an Arab majority in the city within 15 years.
3. Uncompromising crackdown on terrorism and incitement by the Palestinian media and school system (including Israeli-funded Arab schools in eastern Jerusalem).
4. Develop and implement a long-term policy to maintain a united Jerusalem under full Israeli sovereignty, including housing, security, education, infrastructure and tourism, to permanently change the face of Jerusalem and mold it into a truly united city, not just in theory. This will benefit not only Jewish Israelis but certainly the Arab citizens and anyone from the free world who cares about Israel, the holy sites and democracy.
Shaked accuses Haaretz writer of incitement for calling Supreme Court judge 'war criminal'
Haaretz Oped writer Uri Misgav on Friday unleashed an unprecedented attack on Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, calling him a "war criminal" for living in the Alon Shvut settlement in the Gush Etzion block.MK Ayman Odeh Slammed by Danny Danon over Request to UN via Palestinian Authority
Misgav wrote that building and living in the settlements is a criminal offense under international law which makes Sohlberg a war criminal and unfit to sit on the country's top court.
He also implied that Sohlberg's living in the settlements and his orthodox religious background were potentially negatively influencing his decisions on a range of hot-button issues. The fierce response to these allegations was fast-coming.
Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked slammed Misgav and Haaretz as engaging in "unconcealed incitement ...against the judges of the Supreme court." She said that Haaretz's high-minded pluralism ends when it comes to an issue regarding a set view which the newspaper subscribes, such as its opposition to the settlements.
The Israel Bar Association also lit into Haaretz writer Uri Misgav for encouraging a "violent discourse" in his article against Sohlberg.
In a letter to Knesset speaker Yuli Edelstien, Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon accused Knesset Member Ayman Odeh of “crossing a red line”. The allegation followed a letter by Odeh, Chairman of the Joint List faction, to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon calling for an investigation into land disputes in the Negev.Fallen soldiers held by Hamas recognized as captives MIA
The application for the probe was submitted by Odeh through UN Palestinian Authority Representative Riyad Mansour. In it Odeh asked for a “UN fact-finding mission to the Negev to examine the dire situation of the land’s indigenous Arab population, and work to secure their rights as guaranteed by international law and conventions.”
Danon reacted harshly to Odeh’s actions in a letter to Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein, “I find it appalling that MK Odeh decided to work together with the Palestinian representative who regularly spreads Antisemitic lies against the State of Israel. A red line has been crossed.”
Mansour is known for particularly vehement rhetoric towards Israel. In November he accused Israel of harvesting organs from Arab bodies, and last month he compared Israel to Nazis in the Warsaw uprising.
Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul, the two fallen soldiers whose bodies remain in the hands of Hamas, have been recognized by the IDF as captives missing in action.Hamas test-fires dozens of short-range rockets in Gaza
The move comes as part of a renewed effort to recover the bodies of the fallen soldiers, which have been held by Hamas since the 2014 Gaza conflict.
Shaul was killed in July 2014 when the armored personnel carrier he was riding in struck a mine. Hamas terrorists later captured his body, which they have held for ransom, demanding Israel free terrorists in exchange for the transfer of the body.
In August 2014, in the midst of a US-negotiated ceasefire, Hamas terrorists emerged from a terror-tunnel and struck an IDF position, killing three soldiers. The body of Goldin, who was among the soldiers killed in the attack, was never recovered by the IDF.
The bereaved families have pressed the Israeli government to bring back the bodies of the fallen soldiers, though Hamas has indicated it would demand a steep price for their return.
The Hamas terror organization on Friday test-fired dozens of short-range rockets in the Gaza Strip, with Israeli sources estimating that at least 30 projectiles were launched.Hamas Still Finds Harbor in Turkey
The rockets were aimed at areas not under Israeli control, Army Radio reported.
The tests came as part of ongoing efforts by Hamas to improve its rocket range and accuracy, two years after it last fought Israel. The Islamist terror group, which seeks to destroy Israel, has also been digging tunnels towards and under the Israeli border, in preparation for further conflict.
The Defense Ministry announced late last month that Israel foiled an attempt to smuggle metal pipes and motors into the Gaza Strip, which could have been used for building rockets and tunnels.
Turkey is one or two meetings away from normalizing ties with Israel, Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told the media Tuesday. Ties between the two countries have been frosty since 2010, when Ankara sponsored a flotilla to the Gaza Strip, a territory held by the terrorist organization Hamas, in a bid to break the Israeli-led international blockade. Israeli commandos boarded one of the ships, leading to a confrontation that resulted in ten deaths.Top Gaza News Agency Mocks Tel Aviv Pride Attendees with Homophobic Slurs
To this day Turkey insists that Israel must lift the blockade. The issue is not an easy one to resolve, but just as thorny is the issue of Turkey's continued support for the Palestinian terrorist group. Reports that Turkey provides cash to Hamas have circulated for years. But because this assistance is provided in the form of cash, it's not easy for the Israelis to document. This is why Israel is focused on another demand: dismantling Hamas's Istanbul headquarters.
Hamas's Turkey headquarters was big news in August 2014, when the group's exiled military leader Saleh Arouri announced that his group was behind the kidnapping and killing of three Israeli teens in the West Bank. That operation led to the grueling 51-day war between Israel and Hamas. Arouri made the announcement in Istanbul, in front of a large crowd that included senior Turkish officials.
A major Palestinian news agency linked to the terrorist group Hamas mocked revelers at Tel Aviv’s annual gay pride parade with homophobic slurs in a series of widely-shared Facebook posts.
The Gaza-based Shehab News Agency used derogatory terms for gay men and women in its coverage of the LGBT community’s annual parade along the Mediterranean coast last week, which drew hundreds of thousands of people. The agency called the Israeli city a “settlement” and claimed that Israel has one of the world’s highest rates of homosexuality, which it described as an “anomaly.”
One of the most popular social media sites in the Palestinian territories, Shehab’s Arabic-language Facebook page has nearly 6 million followers.
Over 200,000 people gathered in Tel Aviv to participate in the region’s largest gay pride parade on Friday. “The sun is out and everybody is partying and having fun, the atmosphere is great,” Christian Tummann, a German tourist, told the Associated Press. “I feel so happy, so happy, that I can go to the Middle East and still be proud, it’s very nice,” added Dona Ulzen, who was visiting from Sweden.
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