Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News

Monday, November 27, 2006

Liberal objectivity in the HuffPo

A number of people have commented on Alan Dershowitz' debunking of Dhimmi Carter's book, as well as about the insanely anti-Israel comments that resulted.

I was struck more by two of the less infammatory comments:

A challenge to my fellow Huffpo readers: Could anyone with a decent knowledge of this actually go through these points and offer a different perspective on them? I am of two minds on the whole thing but often find that those who accuse others of blind support of Israel rarely take time to debunk what they insist are myths. Honestly, I really want to have that ammunition, because I'm inclined to believe that Israel is not behaving itself. But it's hard to defend. Thanks!

By: TheWitch on November 22, 2006 at 12:13pm

It is difficult to miss that no one responding yet has taken on any of the factual inconsistencies Dershowitz raises. I too am dismayed by Israel's violent responses but nothing good and lasting can come from solutions which are based on ignoring, or worse, rewriting the past. I am very saddened by Carter's book if he has indeed gotten so many things wrong.

No action based on lies will further attaining peace.

By: wiredforpeace on November 22, 2006 at 01:06pm

As far as I can tell, no one actually rises to the occasion. A couple of people refer to websites but not a single one found anything actually inaccurate. People also talk about Dershowitz' biases, as if a bias means that he is wrong.

This says more than anything else about the quality of the pro-Palestinian arguments.

Khaled Meshaal - the mainstream media's peacemaker

AP's Ibrahim Barzak has an unusual spin on Khaled Meshaal, the political head of Hamas based in Damascus:

Word of the cease-fire came shortly after Hamas‘ Damascus-based supreme leader Khaled Mashaal held several days of talks in Cairo with Egyptian mediators and Palestinian officials said those talks played a role in speeding up the agreement.

Sounds like Hamas is starting to play realpolitik, just the way everyone expected them to, right?
The Christian Science Monitor mentions it too, explicitly saying that it signals good news, while swatting away a little detail added:

And for the first time this past weekend, Hamas's hard-line leadership in exile showed signs of moderation. Speaking at a Palestinian summit in Cairo, Hamas politburo chief Khaled Mashaal said Hamas would allow six months for talks with Israel on establishing a state in the West Bank and Gaza.

While Mr. Mashaal threatened a new Palestinian uprising if the talks fail, observers say it could signal a willingness by Islamic militants to part with ideology that negates the idea of a peace agreement with Israel.

The Jewish Telegraphic Agency sees it slightly differently:

Khaled Meshaal, who was in Cairo over the weekend for talks on the fate of an Israeli soldier held hostage in the Gaza Strip, urged the West to engage Palestinians in statehood talks.

“If the international community does not work to create a Palestinian state within six months, the Palestinian Authority will collapse, we will throw away the diplomatic folderol and we will declare a third intifada,” he told reporters.

So who's right? Well, let's go right to the source, and see what Al-Hayat says in Arabic (autotranslated):

The chairman of the Political Bureau of Hamas, Khaled Meshaal, yesterday gave the international community six months to establish a fully sovereign Palestinian state within the 1967 borders and threatened a "third uprising and open conflict" if there was no response to this "national Palestinian request."

Mashaal said in a press conference in Cairo, "We give all of Europe ... six months to open a real political horizon. Now there is a historic opportunity for the (European) powers agree on the establishment of the Palestinian state within the 1967 borders."

Mashaal declared that if there was no advantage of this opportunity, "the Palestinian people will close all the political books and will be launched in the uprising and the third will open conflict. The open conflict and bring us victory... because Israel has required e internal and scarred. "

Of course, nowhere does he say that he would recognize Israel in any way, shape or form; just that the international community must create a Palestinian Arab state (starting with the 1967 borders) within six months or else he will escalate his killing of innocent women and children in Israel...and perhaps elsewhere.

Al-Jazeerah as well covered Meshaal's press conference straight, without the spin that the CSM and AP gave. The headline simply reads "Meshaal warns of 'third intifada' " (h/t Boker Tov Boulder) .

To think that the media looks at his clear threat against Israel and his explicit blackmail ("Give me everything I want or else") as a positive gesture just shows how much they are willing to overlook the obvious in order to fit terroristic threats into their pre-written script. (The AP did have another article that was somewhat clearer but it of course buried Meshaal's comments on the bottom of the story where it will be cut out from many of not most newspapers.)

UPDATE: Meshaal backed off...very slightly:

"I said six months, but do you want more than six months? Maybe we can take eight months or a year," Mashaal said, responding to a question from Nabil Shaath, the Palestinian Information Minister and a member of Fatah.

During the interview, the TV show telephoned Shaath who told Mashaal on-air that it was not logical for Palestinians to be talking about an intifada.

But Mashaal also warned: "If the door is sealed and the horizon is closed (for creating a Palestinian state) then we have to look for another choice. We will impose our will on the Zionist enemy and the international community."

Yes, this is the negotiating partner that the West is dreaming of.

Remember of course that it is Haniyeh that is the head of Hamas in the territories and that he and Meshaal have disagreed in the past. In other words, they can easily play the good cop/bad cop "my hands are tied" game to not make any concessions at all while appearing "flexible" to the hungry Western media.

Blow-up dolls (with video)

Just in time for the holidays, the Palestinian Arabs have introduced a new kind of toy:

Overnight Friday, IDF Paratroopers and Shin Bet operatives commanded by Samaria Brigade Commander Col. Amir Baram, discovered a large explosives laboratory in Nablus, in the West Bank. Among the materials seized in the raid were sacks ready to be filled with explosives, 40 liters of acid, and a variety of explosives-rigged stuffed animals. The lab was destroyed in a controlled explosion.

Overnight Friday, IDF troops and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) operatives uncovered a number of baby dolls filled with explosive charges in addition to suicide bomb belts during an raid on an explosives laboratory in Nablus.

Here's an edited video from the IDF website:

Keep in mind that Hamas had promised "surprises" in new and novel ways to attack Israelis. Keep in mind also that Hamas bragged that the grandmother suicide bomber was one of those "surprises."

Any guesses as to what kind of surprise the depraved Palestinian Arab terrorist heroes were planning to spring with these bombs?

A society that willingly and proudly sacrifices its own children on the altar of terrorism is not a society that deserves to exist.

"Mohammed" soon to become most popular name in France

According to this Arabic article in Sawt al-Haq, Mohammed is one of the most popular names in France and is soon to become the most popular name. (autotranslated)

It may be occupying the name Mohamed «» ranked first undisputed between the names of newborns for France's Muslims has become a routine, But what is remarkable is that this place name escalates among the most common names on the level of France as a whole; within the session to become the most common name in the country.
The number of French people who label naming the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, from 1940 to 2005 some 53 thousand 377 people. according to the latest report of the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies, the French.

This census does not include the names of Mohammed existing names within the vehicle such as Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Amin, Muhammad Salih, Sidi Mohamed, where were such names as 2480 new births since 1940 to the present time.

And the name of Mohamed »« highest percentage increase in terms of his release on newborns in one year in 1984 as the number of births to those who label designation in 1725 children, As in 2005, bringing the number of births who label the name of Mohammad children in 1550, according to figures of the National Institute of which the correspondent of «IslamOnline. Net ».

Moreover, the name Mohammad progress in terms of the general ranking of the most common names at the national level in France as a whole, where was in the last census was last year ranked 94 on the level of France.

I couldn't find the original article on the English side of islamonline.net .

3 "holy crap" articles at LGF

3 articles in a row that elicit "holy crap!" as a response, linked to by Little Green Footballs.

Russia delivers air defense missile system to Iran - Iran will now have a world-class way to defend its nuclear bomb program
Policeman kills PSG fan in post-match racist violence - a soccer match in Paris turns into a riot when the Israeli team defeats the French team, and a mob of a hundred tried to lynch Jewish fans of the Israeli team and then turn on a plain-clithed black policeman
UN human rights head slams Israel - a major moral midget at the UN (disguised as a the High Commissioner of Human Rights )argues that involuntary manslaughter is much, much worse than premeditated murder from a moral perspective. The article makes it clear that according to the UN, Israel has no legal way to defend itself from terrorists who purposefully hide among civilians, so it just has to let its citizens be killed with impunity.

Today's GoozNews: American (and Zionist) Idol

From the ever-amusing IRNA:

Iran's Supreme Leader's envoy in Hajj and head of Iranian pilgrims to the house of God Ayatollah Mohammad Mohammadi Reyshahri here on Friday said that following the US and Zionist regime is an idol-worshipping practice.

Reyshahri said that Israel is "idol" and the US is the "big idol".

Giving his pre-sermon address in this week's Friday prayers congregation, Reyshahri highlighted importance of the "Disavowal of Pagans" ceremony and said it is one of the main duties of pilgrims during the Hajj congregation.

Reyshahri said `Disavowal of Pagans' ceremony is of significance because on the occasion, Iran raises its voice and stances and the "wise" slogans, chanted in the process, are influential in mobilizing the world.

He said if Muslim nations and governments get united, they will be able to do huge jobs but ignorance of the point would end up in the domineering powers and enemies of Islam taking the initiative and deciding fate of Muslims.

"All Hajj activists and pilgrims should know that there are certain hands at work, trying to divide Shiites and Sunnies," the official added.

I just would point out that this is completely consistent with my oft-stated thesis that Iran is trying to become a world power by becoming the united leader of Muslims worldwide, and that their major target is America, not Israel.

There is an interesting twist here that I hadn't seen before. To Muslims, there is a clear differentiation for non-Muslims between "people of the book" (Jews and Christians) and "infidels" (everyone else.) By classifying Americans and Israelis as "idols" he may be making a religious legal decision making it obligatory to kill them.

Protocols revealed to be true!

Hat tip to Bagelblogger for this video by Rav Shmuel that confirms all of the worst fears of the gentiles.

How could I resist posting this?

Grandma got blown up by her bomb belt

(To the obvious tune....)

Grandma got blown up by her bomb belt
While her grandkids stayed at home and played
She tried to get much closer to the soldiers
But they threw her a tiny stun grenade

She woke up today in Jebaliya
Took her farewell picture with her gun

To liberals she's just another victim
And exactly as militant as a nun

Grandma got blown up by her bomb belt
As she tried to commit genocide
She really hoped she'd be more successful
But happily, only Grandma has died

64 years old was fatal Fatma
Daughter Fatheya somehow 52
Do the math and you'll get some answers
But easier for her to blame the Jews

Grandma got blown up by her bomb belt
As she tried to kill a dozen Jews
You might think that she became a martyr
But now all of the PalArabs lose

Of course Hamas is very proud of Grandma
They said this was meant to be a surprise
The IDF will now make all Pal lives worse
but the liberal media will always sympathize.

Grandma got blown up by her bomb belt
Muslims think this way to heaven leads
But Grandma didn't think quite through her bargain
As she gets screwed by all last year's Shaheeds

PalArab police make an arrest!

In an astonishing development, the members of the Palestinian Arab Police managed to actually arrest someone who committed a murder!

Unlike the many, many PalArabs who died violent deaths over the past several months, who all seem to have been killed by the famous "unknown gunmen," this 13-year old child was killed last Monday by a 15-year old who knifed him to death.

I guess it is a little easier to find the trail of a 15-year old, but hey, this is progress!

What is interesting is that I did not see any mention of this murder in Tulkarem in any of the PalArabic media (nor in the PalArab English media), nor in the unreliable PCHR lists, before today. My death count has not been increasing much lately but this is because no deaths are even being reported (I find it hard to believe that no one was even injured in the orgy of bullets that accompanied the funerals of the 19 victims of the errant Israeli shell.)

It seems that Palarabs killing other PalArabs is now so commonplace, that even the local media doesn't bother to report it. Israelis flying planes over Gaza get mentioned constantly (and even a West Bank "settler" traffic accident that injured two Jewish kids!) but Arab on Arab violence only gets press when it is unusual - like when the PA police actually arrest someone, or if more than three get killed at a time, or if the intended victim is a particularly high-ranking terrorist.

So my death count since late June now stands at only 159, although it is undoubtedly much higher in reality.

UPDATE: 160, as a soccer player was shot and killed by his brother.

UPDATE 2: 161.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 21:00 on Saturday, 25 November 2006, medical sources at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City declared that ‘Ali Saleh Sarsour, 19, from the central Gaza Strip town of Deir al-Balah, died from a wound he had sustained on Wednesday evening, 22 November 2006. Sarsour was hit by a live bullet to the head from an unknown source, when he was near his house in Deir al-Balah.

Israeli Arabs upset over Jews - in the Negev

If you think that it is only the Arabs in other countries that are trying as hard as they can to stop Jews from living anywhere in the Middle East, think again.

I stumbled onto an Arabic site of Negev Arabs which seems very similar to other Arabic sites, although the news is of course Negev-focused. Here is an article where they had a symposium on how to fight Israel's desire to "Judaize" the Negev. The translation is tortuous, but here are some highlights:

The call for the adoption of a strategy to counter the Israeli plots to judaize the Negev

· call researchers to develop practical solutions to the issues of the Negev and not only put problems

· warning of the role of funds and associations working in the Negev to serve their own purposes

· Call to consolidate the prestige of religion in the soul, and rooted in the ground, and not silence before the ruling

Sheikh Ali Abu-century official Islamic Movement in the Negev, said in a speech to a call by the President of the portrayal. He said that the institutionalization of this call to include researchers from the Negev and in the interior in order to educate parents in the Negev on the hinterland of civilization.

He said Sheikh Ali Abu century that the Judaization of the Negev was the dream of Israeli institution since its founding, it wanted to seize the Arab community in the Negev from the rest of the people at home. The isolated from the cultural affiliation of the Palestinian people. was the Islamic awakening in the 1970s, which fell in the blood of the people of the Negev and stopped this dream.

His, The company tried on the ground in the Negev from their rightful owners, through most of unjust laws that came to the plundering of the land using Bazana security and the military.
He said that the Negev in a race with the institution and their crews, and if he wins the Judaization of the Negev will lose the Arab and Islamic world to the Negev area between Egypt and Gaza in the south in the west, Jordan in the east and north of the Levant.

Pieceing this together we see that there is a clear Islamist movement for Israeli Arabs in the Negev, and that at least these people consider themselves more a part of the Arab world than as Israelis.

It appears that they are reacting to Sharon's call last year to pour $3.6 billion into the Negev over 10 years. They see it as a threat because more Jews would move there.

Which means that the Arab world is already looking past any full Israeli withdrawal to the 1948 armistice lines and readying themselves for the next battle - to try to annex the Negev (and the Galilee) to Arab Palestine.

The Negev newspaper, Akhbarna, looks like it is worth watching to see the fifth column in action.

"Peace activists" for terrorism

Very little can show the moral corruption of "peace activists" than this picture:

Father Peter Dougherty, 65, and Sister Mary Ellen Gundeck, 55, both Michigan-based peace activists, sit on the roof top of the house of Mohammed Weil Baroud, leader of the Popular Resistance Committees that Israel targeted for destruction, in Beit Layiha, northern Gaza Strip, Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2006. They are the first foreigners to join a week-long standoff between Palestinian 'human shields' and the Israeli air force. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

See the smiling "peace activists" in front of posters of people with submachine guns and other known terrorists.

See them happily talking with people who want to see the terror groups continue to kill Jews with impunity.

Sister Mary Ellen told Ynet, “We are here to find out the truth and to be with the family and these people, who are trying to prevent the demolition of a home where an entire family lives.”

The Sister continued, “We are against any type of violence, whether from the Palestinian side or the Israeli side, but we are here to be with a family that may have their house bombed and demolished because of the claim that one or two members are involved in violence.”

See how they claim to be even-handed yet they will never visit Sderot and sit in solidarity with the families there under constant threat from rockets.

See how they say that the idea that the head of a terror group, with dozens of documented attacks against civilians, is involved in violence is only a "claim."

See how AP calls these people, who are knowingly and happily promoting a terror agenda, "peace activists."

Iranian obsessions with Zionism

Iran's state-run press always has lots of vitriol towards Israel, of course, but it is fascinating to see how they manage to throw the word "Zionism" into every single article that criticizes anything happening anywhere in the world.

These examples are all from only the past few hours:

209 MPs condemn sacrilege to Islamic sanctities in Azerbaijan
The Zionist mercenaries infiltrated into Azeri press to promote anti-Islam movements such as publishing an offensive article in in Azeri press against the Islamic ideology and the great prophet.

Speaker Criticizes Canada for Following US
"To distinguish the nature of the said resolution, it suffices to remember the ignorant behavior and inaction of the Untied States, Canada and other western countries in the face of the daily crimes committed by the Zionist regime."

French statement on Lebanon inconsistent with realities, Hosseini
"The Lebanese nation are mature enough to distinguish true way for national sovereignty without any trans-regional interference, and do not accept to endanger their political fate, independence, sovereignty and national unity in favor of the Zionist regime's interests," he noted.

Supreme Leader: Haj, an occasion to reinforce Muslim solidarity
Elaborating on 'disavowal of infidels', the Supreme Leader said that the enemies regard Islam as the major obstacle hindering them from dominating the Islamic nations and plundering their wealth.

"They go ahead with their arrogant and Zionist methodology in dealing with Muslims. So, the Haj pilgrimage is an opportunity for the Muslims to display their objection to them. It is an occasion for the Muslims to do so," the Supreme Leader said.

Iran denounces repeated human rights violation in Canada, US
She specifically condemned the Zionist regime's continuing disregard of basic human rights recognized by peoples all over the world as shown in its air assault this month on Beit Hanoun in the Gaza Strip which claimed 19 Palestinian lives.

Even though the Iranian regime is obviously very dangerous, this single-minded obsession has got to come at the expense of taking care of their own people. As the expression goes, "all politics is local," and you can be sure that the Iranian people are not happy with a government that ignores their needs while it screams about Zionist crimes all day.

What the PalArab "intelligentsia" is saying in Arabic

This is well-trod ground but it is worth repeating, because most of Israel's "friends" are so convinced that all the Palestinian Arabs want are "the territories," or that the only people who are talking about the destruction of Israel are the Islamist crazies but not the secular, intellectual Palestinian Arab mainstream.

This is from an op-ed in Falasteen by a Dr. Issam Shawar. The main part of the article is talking about how the Qassam rockets are demoralizing the Zionists (showing that every article in the Hebrew press that complains about the situation is interpreted as a victory for the PalArabs,) but the final paragraph says (autotranslated):

In the end, the Beni Zion should be aware that the cessation of rockets and stop the resistance is not only a truce with the Palestinian People, truce allows for the creation of a Palestinian state with temporary borders on 67 areas without recognizing the legitimacy of occupation of any inch of Palestinian land. then they can enjoy a quiet and time to Mlfathm and corruption. For us live in freedom and dignity and peace, to build a nation and a quarter of other things.

As usual the translation is a little muddied but what is very clear is that even the "moderate" PalArabs only look at any state in the territories as a temporary stop on the way to the destruction of all of Israel.

A token Saudi gesture - a little too late

WAFA reports (in Arabic only) that Saudi Arabia is building 300 apartments in Rafah for Palestinian Arabs :

Saudi National Commission for Relief (of) Palestinian people today (said) it is building 300 housing units in the town of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. The Palestinian families affected, and under an agreement signed with the United Nations Development Program (Undp) for the construction of 600 housing units in Palestine, in order to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people due to Israeli aggression.

Later on we see the cost:

The Saudi National Commission for Relief Palestinian people. on the basis of the agreement signed with the United Nations Development Program to convert the first installment, which represents 30% of the total value of the project and amount (3.286.216) dollar.

Each unit is over 1000 square feet, so the Saudis can house hundreds of families at about $30,000 each.

This is all very nice.

Now, can someone explain why no Arab countries considered it necessary to build permanent housing for their beloved brethren in 1949, or 1956, or 1967?

Can someone explain why, with their billions of petrodollars, Saudi Arabia is now building only 300 units now?

Can someone explain why the second anniversary of Yasir Arafat's death is being celebrated when he stole billions of dollars, which at this rate could have built tens of thousands of permanent homes for his people?

Can someone explain why Suha Arafat was staying in a hotel in Paris at the rate of $16,000 a night, when for each two nights she could have built a new house?

Can someone explain why the Saudis are saying that they are now helping the Palestinian Arabs in the face of Israeli aggression - and why they didn't think they needed housing help before this?

Can someone explain why of the millions that are being smuggled into Gaza in suitcases, none of it is going to build houses - and most of it is going towards weapons?

Now, let's turn around the assumptions. Let's assume that instead of helping Palestinian Arabs, the other Muslim nations are more interested in destroying Israel. Part of that is accomplished by deliberately keeping Palestinian Arabs in dire straits so that they don't get too comfortable or too happy, so they wouldn't accept any compromises for peace. A small part is accomplished by paying token amounts to a very small number of the PalArabs, claiming that it was being done because of "Israeli aggression" even though their being homeless has nothing to do with any Israeli actions unless they are terrorists themselves. (Or perhaps these houses are truly meant for the terrorists who se homes were blown up in Israeli airstrikes or work accidents, and this way the Saudis can reward Palestinian Arabs who try to kill Jews.)

Does it all add up, now?

17-year old PalArabs play with toy guns

In another breathless report aimed at showing how evil Israelis are, the "International Middle East Media Center" reports:

17-year-old Rakan al-Nusairat was shot and killed by Israeli soldiers Monday evening near Jericho checkpoint. According to eyewitnesses, the boy had a plastic gun in his hand when he was shot.

IMEMC is of course not giving all the details:

An IDF reservist force has shot and killed a 17 year-old Palestinian Monday at a checkpoint north of Jericho after he drew a pistol at the soldiers. A preliminary investigation of the incident revealed that the gun was a toy gun made out of metal.

An IDF investigation revealed that the youth arrived at the checkpoint in a vehicle, walked towards the checkpoint and spoke to the local commander, telling him he wants to travel to the village of Udga. He then turned around and drew the pistol at the soldiers. One of the soldiers shot at him and killed him on the spot. The IDF is reporting that the toy pistol is identical in its shape to a real pistol.

Even if the IMEMC account is accurate, how many 17-year olds do you know that still play with toy guns? How many of those would specifically show one off at a military checkpoint?

This was a obviously a case of "suicide by cop" where someone does something specifically to get shot and killed. Whether the young man was depressed (Islam prohibits suicide, and being killed by Israelis means "martyrdom" and paradise,) or whether he was conned into his actions by a more cynical terror leader who wants to maximize PalArab "child" casualties, we'll never know. But what is clear is that the IDF acted properly and that the terrorist apologists will use this case as a means of demonizing Israel - and one can be sure they will never mention the entire context.