Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News

Friday, April 28, 2006

Gaza institutions of higher learning

H/T: OpinionJournal's Best of the Web Today

Several people have been hurt in Gaza City in clashes between rival groups of students supporting ruling Palestinian party Hamas or their opponents, Fatah.
The two sides fought around their campuses, throwing stones and homemade explosives and exchanging gunfire.
At least 15 people were wounded in the fighting in Gaza City, which involved students from two of the city's universities.
Al-Azhar University is dominated by Fatah and the Islamic University - by Hamas.

It is nice to see the best and the brightest young minds in the nascent Palestinian state take such interest in political matters. The leaders of tomorrow somehow manage to find time between their sociology classes and their bio midterms to build explosives and shoot each other.

It must take enormous maturity to balance their rich social lives, their backbreaking workloads and their responsibilities to acquire scarce ammunition. But these students know that they are the leaders of tomorrow, ready to guide the great Palestinian nation as it continues to transform itself from a backwards third-world group of ignorant bigots into an even more backwards group of well-educated murderers, terrorists, thieves and thugs.

Iran freaks over Israeli visit

A few days ago, Yediot Aharonot reported that a group of Israeli geological experts visited Iran to give technical advice and had been greeted warmly:

In recent weeks the Muslim republic has been enjoying the skills of Israeli experts recruited to help with rehabilitating the country after recent earthquakes have caused massive damages and devastation.

Three Israeli infrastructure consultants who returned to Israel at the end of the week from a secret visit in Iran on the invitation of a Tehran official, told Israel's leading daily Yedioth Ahronoth they were stunned by their stay in the country.

"We were amazed to discover the gap between Israel's public conflict with Iran, and the depth of the commercial cooperation between the countries, estimated at dozens of millions of dollars a year. We were greeted warmly and felt no hostility on the part of our hosts," one of the Israeli experts said.

The Israeli consultants were sent to Iran on behalf of a Dutch company that is partly owned by an Israeli. The company recruited the Israeli engineers and advisors, who specialize in infrastructure rehabilitation works, and flew them to Iran with special travel passes, after leaving their Israeli passports behind in Holland.

The head of the mission, a 47-year-old Israeli who visited Iran five times in the last 15 years, recounted the visit. "Upon arriving at the airport in Tehran we were greeted by a government employee… from there we were taken to a luxurious hotel located near the Jewish district. We were escorted by a security guard during our entire stay."

"In recent years trade relations between Israel and Iran have blossomed in certain fields, mainly agriculture. The Iranians indirectly buy from Israel spare parts for machines, vegetable seeds, and water filtering systems," he stated.

Well, this is too much for Iran. The Iranian press agency, IRNA, reported that Iranian diplomats hotly denied any such event ever took place:

Iranian Embassy in Syria in a statement issued on Thursday denied the claim made by the Zionist daily, Yedioth Ahronoth, about the visit of Israeli experts to Iran describing the report as baseless.

The document, a copy of which was faxed to IRNA representative office in Damascus, quoting an Iranian diplomat said that the report has been released while the degree of hostility of the Zionist regime with Iran, on account of Iran's will to seek justice, is clear to everyone and the Zionist politicians admit giving priority to measures against Iran.

The Iranian diplomat pointed to Iran's constant stance in not recognizing Israel and severing complete relations with his regime in all fields including economical, agricultural and technical since the victory of the Islamic Revolution and said, "The Zionist regime tries to mislead public opinion through hypocrisy and propaganda, while pretending that its ties with Islamic countries are normal." He referred to Iran's announced material and spiritual support for the Palestinian government-elect as the reason for Israel's failed blockade of this government and said that in retaliation, Israel disseminated false news to disrupt brotherly ties between the governments of Iran and Palestine.

According to him, the world public opinion, in particular that of the world of Islam, are well aware of Iran's stance and its principled and enduring policies towards the Palestinian issue as well as the Zionists' attempt to create discord among the Islamic Umma, adding that such false and instigating news have no impact on them.

Well, it sounds like it made an impact on them to me!

You can now add "hypocrites" and "liars" to the ever growing list of words to accurately describe the Iranian leadership.

Peaceful Arab press conferences and rallies

Every day, it seems, some Palestinian Arab terror organization holds a "news conference." Since Gaza and the West Bank have the ratios of reporters to citizens, invariably Reuters and AP and AFP show up and take pictures. Rarely are the subjects of these "press conferences" revealed in any reporting, or even the names of the speakers. It appears to be just another strange fiction that pops up when you mix a population that supports terror and reporters anxious to report anything.

Yesterday was an Al Aqsa "press conference."

Masked members of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the armed wing of Fatah movement, attend a news conference in Gaza City.

Today was a "Popular Resistance Committee" press conference:

Palestinian militant members of the Popular Resistance Committee take part in a news conference in Gaza April 27, 2006. The Palestinian militant group's armed wing is preparing for its role in a new police force that has sparked tensions between the new Hamas-led government and President Mahmoud Abbas.

Yup, hand-grenades are standard police gear.

Meanwhile, the peacemakers of tomorrow are getting psyched, with their cute little toy Katyushas:

A Lebanese Muslim Shiite child carries an effigy of the Star of David with the head of the skeleton of an Israeli soldier where a Lebanese flag and a Hezbollah flag were inserted during a rally marking the 10th anniversary of what is known in Lebanon as the 'Qana massacre,' in front the United Nations' house, in Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, April 27, 2006.

Sweden, Israel and Nazi Germany

From an old Ha'aretz article (no longer there, this is from the Google cache:)

"From 1937, Swedes wanting to marry Germans of so-called Aryan blood had to give assurance that none of their grandparents belonged to the Jewish race," reads a study on Sweden's church by Anders Jarlert of Lund University.

Newspapers gagged criticism of Hitler, of the occupation of Norway or the murder of millions of Jews in concentration camps, while cultural links between the Nazis and Sweden flourished.

"The government and authorities did what they thought was necessary to keep peace but I think they did more than was necessary," Amark told Reuters in an interview.

"There was not much rationale for a German attack as Germany got what it wanted from Sweden," he said. It was easier to buy iron ore from Sweden than invade and risk it sabotaging iron mines.

Perhaps it is in this context that we can understand why this happened:

Sweden has withdrawn from European military exercises due to be held next month in Italy because of Israel’s participation, Swedish foreign ministry and military officials said on April 26.
The Spring Flag air exercises in Sardinia May 8-25 “have been organized for peacekeeping operations and we don’t want to take part because of Israel’s participation,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Nina Ersman told AFP.
The nine countries due to participate — Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Norway and Sweden — were to train together for a future collaboration in international peacekeeping operations.

But Israel would unlikely be able to be involved in any such peacekeeping operations, the foreign ministry said, calling into question the need for the exercises.

OK, quick thought exercise: Would Sweden have withdrawn if Egypt or Kuwait would have participated?

UPDATE: Sweden cozies up to Hamas.

What Liberals and Muslims have in common

I just read a bizarre article from looney left cartoonist Ted Rall, pretty much praising Hamas and ranting against the West, saying Israel should give Hamas lots of money and that Hamas has proven its peaceful intentions, plus some moonbat ravings at neocons for good measure. In his worldview, there is nothing good about the West and nothing bad about radical Islam. For example:

The Bushies might have lost Afghanistan and Iraq, but they got exactly what they wanted in Palestine: democratic elections, a peaceful transfer of power, a radical Islamist group ready to disavow terrorism and transform itself into a parliamentary political party, a majority party willing to work with Israel and her allies. It was a staggering victory for the neoconservative agenda, a golden opportunity to co-opt one of the most prominent organizations of militant Muslims in the world, and proof positive that democracy prevails over terrorism.

Of course we have the astonishing stupidity of his remarks, especially in the wake of the Tel Aviv terror attack that Rall's peaceful Hamas endorsed. It is way too easy to waste ones time pointing out Rall's willful ignoring of facts as he makes his case, yet again, that the right-wing is evil incarnate and that Islamic terrorists are just misunderstood freedom fighters.

But what struck me is that you hardly ever see mainstream, thinking liberals blast morons like Rall. Most Senate Democrats are not idiots, and many liberal commentators are quite bright as well. Occasionally, when a moonbat like Rall really crosses the line there may be a small show of outrage by the mainstream Left, but in general the liberals are loathe to publicly distance themselves from the lunatic, Daily Kos fringe.

Just like ordinary Muslims are mostly silent when their "tiny minority" of terrorists attack Westerners.

The reasons may be different, but the results are the same - both Islam and the Left have become hijacked by the nutcases, because there is no sense of palpable outrage from the mainstream.

And in the cases of both the Ralls and the Islamic Jihads of the world, what is needed is not an occasional op-ed here and there saying "well, they went a little too far, but I can understand their anger." What is needed is a wholesale purging of the offensive elements and a reclaiming of the middle.

(It is not surprising that many of the "9/11 Republicans" still embrace traditionally liberal viewpoints on subjects like abortion and women's rights. They are not rebelling against the Joe Liebermans or Alan Dershowitzes of the world, but they are disgusted at the Ted Ralls. )

Just a little hand waving, mein Führer

I'm not sure which is more disturbing - the fact that Fatah students like to imitate Nazi salutes, or the fact that the AP caption is so clueless?

Palestinian supporters of the Fatah movement wave their hands as they shout slogans during a campaign rally for the students' council elections at the Open Jerusalem university in the West Bank city of Hebron Wednesday April 26, 2006. The elections are scheduled for Saturday April 29. (AP Photo/Nasser Shiyoukhi)

Abu Mazen sinking in the quicksand of irrelevance

The latest quote from our favorite moderate Holocaust denier as he travels throughout Europe:

"It is important for me to clarify that the Palestinian legislative elections, which brought Hamas to power, is not an obstacle in front of negotiations. "

I think Israel should counter-offer that they would be happy to negotiate with his prime minister's soccer ball,

as that would increase the chances of a breakthrough.

Occupation doesn't cause terror - it impedes it

When Israel left Southern Lebanon, terror increased in Southern Lebanon.

When Israel left Gaza, terror increased in Gaza.

When Israel turned day-to-day security for the West Bank to Arabs, terror increased in the West Bank.

And now we see annual major terror attacks in the Sinai. Al Qaeda is apprently happily ensconsed in what was once Israeli-controlled land.

People say that terror is a result of "occupation", but, objectively speaking, there is a much stronger correlation between Israel ceding territory and more terror.

Now, why do most people think that this trend will reverse itself if Israel gives up more territory?

"If I wear this camouflage and close my eyes real tight, I'll be invisible!"

More pictures of Palestinian "Preventive Security Forces" training at Soccer Da d, AbbaGav, and LGF.

Egyptian editor: Israel definitely to blame for Dahab bombings

In most civilized societies, delusions get you medicated or committed.

In Egypt, they get you positions of power.

The editor of the Egyptian newspaper Al-Osbua, Mustafa Bekhari, blamed Israel for the series of bombing attacks in Dahab Monday night, which killed 24 people. “There is no doubt a link between yesterday’s blasts and the earlier bomb attacks in Egypt, and we should point an accusing finger at Israel,” Bekhari said during an interview with Israeli-Palestinian radio station Kol Hashalom.

“Israel has an interest in carrying out such attacks because it refuses to recognize Sinai as part of Egypt because its tourism industry is so profitable,” Bekhari said. (Roee Nahmias)

That reasoning is even more of a stretch than the usual insane mutterings that emanate from Egypt. But when you blame the Jews for everything, do you really need a logical sounding reason? Your readers will believe it anyway.

Egyptian analyst: Can't rule out Mossad in Egyptian blasts

Retired General Salah al-Din Salim, an Egyptian researcher at the Strategic Studies Institute in Cairo, said that it could not be ruled out that the Israeli Mossad was involved in the terror attack in Dahab.

'The Mossad's ability to penetrate the Bedouins in Sinai is known,' Salim said in an interview with al-Jazeera.

I suppose he can't rule out Martians, Quakers and three separate two-year-olds who spontaneously combusted simultaneously.

I wonder if this general was involved in any of the many Egyptian "victories" over Israel in previous wars.

The Holocaust in the New York Times of 1942-43

In 1943, a three-column article on Page 1 of the Palestine Post described how the the Inter-Allied Information Committee described the genocide of the Jews of Europe then in progress, along with Nazi atrocities against all of its occupied areas. Here is an excerpt:

This committee was set up by a number of Allied nations, and the report was distributed by the United Press, meaning that most newspapers on the planet had access to this information - it was not from an uncorroborated eyewitness or an isolated reporter, but it came right from an official Allied war committee. This committee, which later became the United Nations Information Office, also issued other reports throughout the war on Nazi war crimes.

A search on "Inter-Allied Information Committee" in the New York Times archives shows that occasionally, the august Times would report on the Holocaust too. Indeed, this very article was mentioned in the New York Times months earlier, in August.

But on page 7.

Deliberate Nazi Murder Policy Is Bared by Allied Official Body; More Than Million Lives Taken in Campaign to Wipe Out Entire Peoples -- Jews and Poles Undergo Severest Treatment

New York Times.: Aug 27, 1943. pg. 7, 1 pgs

LONDON, Aug. 26 (U.P.) -- The Inter-Allied Information Committee, in an official incomplete accounting of Axis war crimes in occupied Europe, tonight accused Germany, Italy and their satellites of carrying out with increasing tempo a deliberate program of wholesale theft, murder, torture and savagery unparalleled in world history.

Here are some of the other New York Times' article titles and abstracts that refer to this committee - and the page numbers that they were printed on.

OFFICIAL MASSACRE

New York Times (1857-Current file). New York, N.Y.: Sep 28, 1942. pg. 16,

From London the Inter-Allied Information Committee set up by the exiled Governments reports that the number of known victims of Nazi executions has now reached the almost incredible figure of 207,373. Even this figure is good only for the day it was issued. Every morning German firing squads revise it upward.

2,000,000 Jews Murdered
New York Times New York, N.Y.: Apr 20, 1943. pg. 11, 1 pgs

Total Nazi Executions Are Put at 3,400,000; Poland, With 2,500,000 Victims, Tops List

New York Times New York, N.Y.: Feb 28, 1943. pg. 12, 1 pgs

LONDON, Feb. 27 (AP) -- Nearly 3,400,000 persons had been executed or had died in prison in nine Nazi-occupied countries by the end of 1942, the Inter-Allied Information Committee of the United Nations said in a statement today.

ALLIES DESCRIBE OUTRAGES ON JEWS; United Nations Office Here Releases Report on Fate of 5,000,000 in Europe
EXTERMINATION IS FEARED Situation in Each Country Held by Germans Is Analyzed in Summarized Form

New York Times New York, N.Y.: Dec 20, 1942. pg. 23, 1 pgs

What is happening to the 5,000,000 Jews of German-held Europe, all of whom face extermination, is described in a statement released yesterday by the United Nations Information Office.

This was covered very well in a book, "Beyond Belief'" by famed Holocaust historian Deborah Lipstadt (ironically reviewed favorably by the New York Times itself in 1985):

In December 1942, for example, when The Chicago Tribune covered a major report from the Inter-Allied Information Committee in which Nazi-occupied Poland was described as ''one vast center for murdering Jews,'' the paper put the story on page 18 next to a marriage announcement. The previous month The New York Times had run a story about a statement from a member of the Polish National Council that a million Polish Jews had already been killed. It appeared on page 16, next to a report on the hijacking of a truckload of coffee in New Jersey. Such eerie editorial decisions were the norm, not the exception, and there was relatively little improvement until the very end of the war.

On this Holocaust Remembrance Day, let us remember that the world did know what was going on as early as 1942, and chose to ignore it or bury it.