Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

8/14 Links Part 1: Their Heroes and Ours…, Jewish vs Palestinian Refugees, The Return of 2 Tweets Hamdallah.

From Ian:

And so I’ll say it again – I would rather live with the pain and sadness of this day of surrendering to politics and stupidity, than live in a culture where today they celebrate. If, like me, today angers you and hurts you – just look at our heroes, and look at theirs. May God bless the land and people of Israel with the ability to survive the leadership of those who forget that you can’t buy peace, not even with our blood.
There is inside of me a part that thinks our greatest victory, even if the world does not recognize it, is simply that we are not like them.

Prisoner release and the social contract

What would western civilization be like if its military heroes were not Winston Churchill and George Patton, but rather an axe murderer and a man who beat senior citizens to death? There has so far been no public contrition among Palestinians, leaders or otherwise, at the fact that a man whose act of “resistance” was stabbing an old man to death should be considered a hero or “martyr.”
Recently broadcast journalist Ted Koppel claimed that “terrorism is simply the weapon with which the weak engage the strong.” This illustrates that although the West may not make murderers of the elderly into heroes, some understand their actions as resulting from weakness. But we need to ask, if terrorism is the weapon of the weak, why are society’s weakest its most common victims? According to those like Koppel, the terrorist resorts to his actions because he does not have the same weapons as the strong.

A “Peace Process” Where One Side Does All the Giving

Over the last 20 years, Israel has released thousands of Palestinian terrorists, withdrawn from all of Gaza and parts of the West Bank, dismantled dozens of settlements, and thrown thousands of Jewish families out of their homes. In exchange, it has gotten nonstop rocket fire from Gaza, vicious terrorism from the West Bank (the second intifada) that caused more Israeli casualties in four years than all the terrorism of the preceding 53 years combined, and an intensifying campaign of international delegitimization.
A process in which one side does all the giving and the other all the taking has little chance of ever producing peace. Israelis intuitively understand this, even if their leaders seem unable to resist international pressure to continue this travesty. The question is when the rest of the world will finally grasp this obvious truth.

Making a mockery of justice

Those trying to make sense of the decision speak of Israel keeping the US on their side in dealing with Iran – which suggests that Israel has lacked this all along.
The idea that the US needs some Israeli concession to unify its Arab allies against the Iranian nuclear threat is in any case absurd, given the imploring of Arab leaders for Washington to deal with the problem, as revealed by the Wikileaks documents. The Obama administration has made Israel no secret promise of action on Iran, military or otherwise – top Israeli officials have privately told us as much, and it is hard for any country to insist on secret commitments of this type anyway.

Order of prisoner releases ‘a sign of ill will’

“It’s not clear to me what the ministerial committee [which authorized the release] wanted to achieve,” Fares said. “What does it gain by postponing the release of prisoner X or Y by two or three months? It’s a sign of ill will.”
Israel, he said, did not consult the Palestinian Authority when deciding which prisoners to release first, but did choose the names from a list submitted by the PA.

Hamas says it won’t be bound by peace negotiations

Mahmoud Al-Zahar, a Hamas official based in Gaza, told his movement’s daily Al-Resalah that Hamas should act to isolate Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and strip him of any representative capacity over his decision to negotiate with Israel.
“The PA has dealt the final blow to reconciliation talks, and Hamas will never accept the negotiation track and its result,” Al-Zahar said. “We refuse to swap Palestinian principles for politicized money.”

Kerry: U.S. Views All Jewish Communities Beyond Pre-1967 Lines as ‘Illegitimate’

Dore Gold, former Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, wrote in a November 2011 for the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs that the U.S. “has historically backed Israel’s view that UN Security Council Resolution 242, adopted in the wake of the Six-Day War on November 22, 1967, does not require a full withdrawal to the 1949 armistice lines.” Gold wrote that the U.S. position on Israel’s borders is important because it “directly affects the level of expectation of the Arab side regarding the depth of the Israeli concessions they can obtain.”

Jewish vs Palestinian Refugees

Israel's Borders: The Partition Plan and Beyond VIDEO

Khaled Abu Toameh: Palestinians Being Slaughtered, Displaced Where are the "Pro-Palestinians"?

As Israeli authorities issued permits last week to hundreds of thousands of West Bank Palestinians to visit Israel, the Lebanese government decided to ban Palestinian refugees fleeing the war in Syria from entering Lebanon.
So while Palestinians are being slaughtered and forced out of their homes in Syria, the Lebanese government is preventing them from entering Lebanon.
The Israeli permits, which were issued on the occasion of the Muslim feast of Eid al-Fitr, enabled hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to visit shopping malls, restaurants and beaches in Tel Aviv, Jaffa, Haifa, Jerusalem and Acre.
But as the West Bank Palestinians were celebrating the feast in Israel, thousands of their brethren found themselves stranded along the border between Syria and Lebanon.

Jewish Empire? The Guardian refers to communities in Jerusalem as “colonies”.

To refer even to Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria (the “West Bank”) as “colonies” is ahistorical, given the historical Jewish connection to these ancient lands, but to impute such a pejorative status to such neighborhoods in Jerusalem is nothing more than extremist agitprop – denying Jews’ religious and historical connection to the city (literally the epicenter of the faith), as well as Jews’ continuous presence there for thousands of years.
The only time of course that “Arab East Jerusalem” was indeed completely Arab (without any Jews) was after the Arab-Israeli War in 1948-49 during which they were forcefully expelled by the Jordanians – a Judenfrei status which only ended in 1967.
To refer to neighborhoods in Jerusalem where Israelis live as “colonies” not only grotesquely distorts history and ordinary language, but also echoes the hateful anti-Zionist rhetoric of Mondoweiss, Electronic Intifada and Ben White - those who continually attempt to undermine not only the legitimacy of the “settlements” but the very right of the Jewish state to exist within any borders.

Misleading Indy scare headline: Israel to build “900 MORE SETTLEMENTS”

Finally, given that the homes (in existing Jerusalem neighborhoods) will likely “not be ready for habitation for another couple of years”, and the current round of peace talks are scheduled to last 9 months, it’s questionable how – per the Indy headline and accompanying text – such planned construction can reasonably be characterized as undermining hopes for a final agreement.
But, of course, such loaded headlines, whatever their motivation, are clearly not meant to contextualize news in a manner which will provide readers with an accurate understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.

IDF launches airstrike after Gaza rockets target Israel

The air force targeted concealed rocket launchers in the northern Gaza Strip. Direct hits were confirmed.
Peter Lerner, an IDF spokesman, said the air force was safeguarding Israeli civilians and targeting terror cells. “The IDF air strikes were conducted in response to the rocket launched at the civilians living in the Sha’ar HaNegev regional council yesterday (Tuesday) evening,” Lerner said in the statement. “This is an absurd situation that would not be tolerated anywhere else in the world. The IDF is charged with, and will continue to operate in order to safeguard Israel’s civilians, and combat terror and its infrastructure the in the Gaza Strip.”

In About Face, PA’s Abbas Asks Officially-Resigned PM Hamdallah to Form New Government

Hamdallah resigned on June 23, after just over two weeks on the job over disagreements with the PA president, but, in agreeing now to form the new government he may be signalling that his differences with Abbas are a thing of the past, Reuters reported. Hamdallah had been incensed by Abbas’ decision to appoint two deputies under him in newly created positions, Ma’an reported, citing sources in his office.
According to Reuters, the move undermines any chance at reconciliation between terror group Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, and Abbas’s Fatah political party, which governs the Palestinian controlled areas of the West Bank. The two sides, which have been locked in a bitter dispute since 2007, agreed earlier this year to form a unity government made up of technocrats by a self-imposed deadline that expires tomorrow.

Egypt: Dozens Reported Dead in Crackdown on Islamists

At least 32 people were reportedly killed on Wednesday morning, according to Al Jazeera, as Egyptian police began a crackdown on supporters of the deposed president and Muslim Brotherhood leader, Mohammed Morsi. Islamists told CNN the dead number 200 with thousands injured, but the government said only seven had been killed and the network was not able to confirm either claim.
The killing took place when police swooped down on protesters camping out in support of the Islamist leader at Rabaa al-Adawiya, eyewitnesses told Al Arabiya. The Nahda Square camp near Cairo University has now been completely cleared, according to Egyptian authorities cited by the BBC, which says security forces are searching for Muslim Brotherhood supporters who may be hiding in a nearby zoo, among other places.

EU and Turkey call for end to anti-protester violence in Egypt

There were vastly conflicting reports on the death toll, with Egypt’s Interior Ministry saying 15 had been killed and the Muslim Brotherhood putting the figure at over 2,200, with thousands injured, according to al-Ahram. AFP put the figure at 124, but said it would likely rise.
Among those killed was Jerusalem-based Sky News cameraman Mick Deane.

Gunman Kills 10-year-old Christian Girl in Egypt

Amid ongoing sectarian violence in Egypt, 10-year-old Jessica Boulous was murdered last Tuesday after walking home from her Bible lesson with her teacher. She was gunned down on the street between Ahmed Esmat Street Evangelical Church and a market while walking home, Morning Star News reports.
A report by Egyptian rights activists claim that Jessica’s teacher stepped into a market and while her back was turned, Jessica was shot in the chest, the bullet pierced her heart and she died instantly.

Egypt's Islamist Rage Targets Christians

In Fayoum, in Upper Egypt, pro-Morsi supporters set fire to a Christian youth center located next to the Muslim youth center where they had been protesting, according to a report on Ahram Arabic cited by the BBC.
Ahram Arabic also reported that pro-Morsi supporters threw fire bombs at the Al-Raey Al-Saleh Church and set three military vehicles on fire. Clashes are ongoing between protesters and military forces.

Turkey Warns Lebanon to Free Kidnapped Pilots

Turkey has warned Lebanon, that if the two Turkish Airline pilots kidnapped last week aren’t released, it will damage the ties between the two countries, according to a report in the Lebanese Daily Star.
The Turkish pilot and copilot were kidnapped near the Rafik Hariri International Airport from the bus they were riding in from the airport. The group that kidnapped them are demanding the release of 9 Lebanese citizens kidnapped by the Syrian rebels. Turkey is a backer of the Syrian rebels.

Black is white, up is down, murderers are peace doves

A cartoon in Al Quds to commemorate the release of 26 murderers:

(h/t Khaled Abu Toameh via Donna)

Lebanese newspaper upset that new STL registrar is a Jew

From the Special Tribunal of Lebanon webpage:

Daryl A. Mundis was sworn in today as Registrar for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. He was sworn in by the STL President Sir David Baragwanath in accordance with Rule 45 of the Rules of Procedure and Evidence.

Mundis is well acquainted with the overall functioning of international tribunals, having worked closely with the Registry. He was appointed Deputy Registrar on 14 January 2013 and became Acting Registrar on 18 April 2013. He has more than 15 years of experience in international criminal law and has served in the Chambers and Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

Lebanese paper As-Safir digs up a much more shocking image of Mundis with his family:

Oh. My. Allah.

He's a...a..a....Jew! His wife and kids are, too!

Assafir digs deep, finding that Mundis' wife Deborah's maiden name is Leipziger and she had written for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, has written a book of poetry, is an expert on corporate ethics and is a member of Hadassah. She is, as Assafir notes, "no ordinary woman."

Their daughter Natasha had her Bat Mitzvah at Temple Sinai - which promotes trips to Israel!

The registrar works in financial and administrative issues, as well as protecting witnesses and media relations. The job has nothing to do with actually judging anyone. But Assafir is demanding that Mundis has a conflict of interest because the primary target of STL's prosecution is Hizballah, and it is very, very, very concerned that the objectivity of the proceedings will be compromised by having such a person working for them.

The overall impression I get is that Assafir feels more threatened from Deborah's accomplishments than Daryl's assumed lack of objectivity.

I have to admit, though, the mental picture of an Arab Jew-hating journalist poring over old Temple Sinai bulletins and Hadassah newsletters looking for dirt is hilarious.

Rally in Egypt to support Mubarak, "humiliator of Jews"

El Balad reports that a group called "Sons of Mubarak" will demonstrate their support for the deposed dictator in front of a police academy in Egypt during the next phase of his trial.

Only one reason is given for the rally.

Hassan Ghandour, spokesman on behalf of the "Sons of Mubarak," explained that all Egyptians are indebted to Mubarak because "he is the last remaining Muslim leader who had humiliated the Jews."

Those troublesome Israeli settlements

Those Israeli settlements have been getting Arabs upset for such a long time!

1951:

1955:

1958:

1962:

1964:

1965:

They really must be an obstacle to peace.

Oh, wait....

Sickening photos of Abbas celebrating with murderers

Every single person released from prison by Israel on Tuesday was involved in murder.

Some went out to kill any Jew that would pass by; others targeted specific civilians. One killed a Holocaust survivor. Another killed an 84 year old man with an axe. Yet another targeted a 51 year old woman in the car where she would give rides to Arab workers.

These people are beneath contempt.

To Israel's "peace partner" Mahmoud Abbas, and to his people, they are heroes.

The idea of any sort of agreement with these people openly celebrating murderers is nauseating.

(If someone knows the names of the people in these photos with Abbas, please let me know.)

Elder (via Presspectiva) gets results!

In July there were reports in Israeli media saying that Dutch supermarkets were boycotting Israeli settlement goods. I showed that they in fact were not boycotting anything.

Presspectiva, CAMERA's Hebrew watchdog site, picked up on my article and contacted the Israeli newspapers that reported it.

So far, The Marker and Ha'aretz (which copied The Marker's coverage) have corrected their stories.

(h/t Gidon S)

8/13 Links Part 2: Israeli Christian Leader Slams EU Boycott, Tea Time With Hezbollah, Lost Jerry Lewis Holocaust film.

From Ian:

New pro-Israel Arab party says EU boycott counterproductive

Bishara Shlayan, an Israeli Christian Arab from Nazareth who is creating a new Arab political party, said that the EU boycott of Israeli businesses and institutions operating in the West Bank is counterproductive, since it mainly harms Arabs living there.
“The boycott is a big mistake – it is the livelihood for many, mainly Arabs in the West Bank,” Shlayan told The Jerusalem Post, adding that the absence of Israeli businesses will create more violence, as more Arabs will be left with no way to put food on their tables.

Meeting with German FM, Netanyahu raps new EU rules

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized the European Union’s new anti-settlement directives Monday in a meeting with German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, who was on an official visit to Israel.
“Germany is a friend of Israel,” said Netanyahu. “We both want the same thing — to achieve peace. We’re committed to peace and we’re working for peace. I have to say, on a sad note, that I think Europe — the European guidelines by the EU — have actually undermined peace.”
“They’ve hardened Palestinian positions, they seek an unrealistic end that everybody knows is not going to happen, and I think they stand in the way of reaching a solution which will only be reached by negotiations by the parties, and not by an external diktat,” the prime minister continued.

You Only Live Twice By Michel Gurfinkiel

Can it really be that European Jewry was reborn after the Holocaust only in order to die again? Can it be that, even as Jews, you only live twice? History, of course, is unpredictable except in retrospect. But it would be irresponsible in the extreme to brush off the possibility of demise; “unthinkable” is no longer a word in the Jewish vocabulary. The sober assessment of Robert Wistrich, the instincts of Samuel Sandler and so many other European Jews—these rest on firm foundations. The expiration date looms nearer, however slowly and by whatever intermediate stages it may finally arrive.
A mitigating view of today’s situation might have it that, at the very least, divine providence did beneficently afford to about two million European Jews a brief golden age, a true rebirth, which in turn brought fresh luster to European civilization as well as encouragement and inspiration to millions of their fellow Jews around the world, most especially in the Jewish state. True enough; but what is no less certain is that the end of European Jewry, a millennia-old civilization and a crowning achievement of the human spirit, will deliver a lasting blow to the collective psyche of the Jewish people. That it will also render a shattering judgment on the so-called European idea, exposed as a deadly travesty for anyone with eyes to see, is cold comfort indeed.

Grounds for Hope? By Daniel Johnson

Gurfinkiel’s nightmare scenario is certainly possible. Entire regions where Jews had lived for thousands of years have witnessed mass expulsions and emigrations: think of North Africa, the Middle East (apart from Israel), or the former Soviet Union. But for Europe to revert to the pattern of the mid-20th century in its treatment of the Jewish people would imply the abandonment of Western civilization. This outcome is eminently preventable if European leaders make it clear to Muslims that while they and their religion are welcome, shariah law and Islamist supremacism are not.

Why American Leaks Help Israel’s Enemies

Officially, Israel has neither confirmed nor denied these strikes, apparently in order to avoid placing the Assad regime in a position where it feels it must retaliate.
Indeed, plausible deniability, and a wish to avoid opening a second front in the midst of a civil war, have allowed Assad to ignore the alleged strikes, with the exception of isolated border incidents and a threat to retaliate against future strikes.
Yet, some in the United States seem not to share Jerusalem’s reported desire to keep the strikes low profile, and have gone on record to leak details of the incidents. Such leaks cannot be good for Israel, whether the sources intended to cause harm or not.

Likud MK Asks Museum to Nix Ultra-Leftist Event

"It is obvious that this is a radical post-Zionist organization that is in the margins of Israeli society,” Israel Hayom quotes MK Akunis as saying. “This is a low provocation. If they had looked into the history of the place they would have found that Tel Kasila was the location of an ancient Jewish community, even before Sheikh Munis, and then this silly NGO could have saved itself and us this provocative gathering.”

A status update posted Sunday on the popular Arabic “Damascus Gate Now” Facebook page shows a close-up of a Jewish child drinking from a water fountain atop the Temple Mount, with accompanying text attacking the child, accusing him of acting with “audacity and boldness,” as a “thief” stealing water from the mosque.
The page, which boasts a cool 127,000 ”likes,” writes: “After the departure of Ramadan…in poured the Zionists,” adding, “the thief steals from our mosque to drink.”

IDF Blog: Tea Time With Hezbollah

MEMRI: Criticism In Saudi Arabia: Placing Hizbullah's Military Wing On Terror List Is Not Enough

Following the E.U. decision to place Hizbullah's military wing on the list of terror organizations, articles appeared in the Saudi press that criticized the E.U. for making a distinction between Hizbullah's military and political wings. The articles claimed that the distinction is groundless, since the organization's two arms are similar and since the military one is in fact subordinate to the political one; hence, the E.U.'s decision is hypocritical and is an insult to the public's intelligence. The articles claimed further that the decision would not prevent Hizbullah from continuing its present activities and posing a threat to Syria, Lebanon and other Arab countries. One article praised the decision as a good start but argued that it is not sufficient.

The UPS Store collaborates with Israeli 3D printing systems

Israeli-American Stratasys, the leader in 3D printing and production systems, recently announced that it has been selected by The UPS Store to provide 3D printers in its test program for retail 3D printing services.
UPS will install six Stratasys uPrint SE Plus 3D printers in the test program.
“3D printing technology is becoming increasingly accessible to a growing number of companies and consumers. Small businesses are beginning to realize how this revolutionary technology can help them to be more competitive,” said Stratasys Executive Vice President, Jon Cobb.

A no-fuss, no-muss aid for obesity

That obesity has become a major health problem is no secret; according to the World Health Organization, a staggering 35% of the world’s population is clinically obese (body mass index of 30 or more), with the US near the top of the list of obese nations.
For health professionals, it’s a nightmare — but for entrepreneurs who can come up with a way to reduce obesity rates, it’s a major market opportunity.
According to Yaakov Nahmias, the director of The Hebrew University’s Center for Bioengineering, the MetaboShield, a gastric sleeve that is inserted into the intestine endoscopically (via the throat), could be the next big thing in heavy-duty weight loss. Researchers at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, along with colleagues at Hadassah Hospital, have developed the first system that can dramatically help obese people get the pounds off, and keep them off, without surgery.

Who’s there? NokNok offers free cellphone calls worldwide

One blessed offspring of the telephony revolution — the marrying of voice calls to Internet technology — is the shattering of the phone monopolies. There are now a thousand and one ways to make phone calls and avoid high long distance and even local costs.
That being the case, Israel’s NokNok may not seem like a big deal at first glance. But it has a big advantage over other apps that do some of the same things it does: With NokNok, you get to use your own phone number for all calls, local and long-distance, but you still get the low costs associated with IP telephony. Not only that; the company has a plan to democratize Internet access for everyone by making it cheap.

Israel Hosts Global Conference to Promote Women’s Rights Attendees learned about Israel’s success promoting women’s rights.

Rilwan Raji, a Nigerian doctor, emphasized that Israel “is an inspiration” with regard to women’s rights, noting that he is consistently impressed by women serving in high level positions in the IDF, the Knesset, and Israel’s foreign service. “Basically, the most important thing is how women are integrated into the political system, for the more women are in politics, the better will be the plight of the girl child. For me, it’s unbelievable that Israel has so much to offer despite the conflict. It shows that the security situation is not an excuse for lack of development,” he said. He claimed that Nigeria frequently uses the existence of the Boko Haram Islamist terror group, which attacks schools, healthcare clinics and churches, as a pretext for lack of development.

Scenes emerge from lost Jerry Lewis Holocaust film

Jewish comedian Jerry Lewis promised that no one would ever see his self-described “bad, bad, bad” Holocaust film, “The Day the Clown Cried.”
Now, the 87-year-old’s lost movie has emerged for viewing, at least partially.
A little over seven minutes of the film and behind-the-scenes clips, from a Flemish documentary, were uploaded onto YouTube on Saturday. The footage, which originally appeared on a Flemish website in 2012, has garnered almost 150,00 hits in two days.

Were the guidelines for the "peace" talks leaked? (update)

Palestine Today, an organ of Islamic Jihad, has been a surprisingly good source for accurate news (that doesn't involve Islamic Jihad.)

They published a set of supposed guidelines for the "peace" talks starting this week, and they don't sound like someone's idea of misinformation.

So here they are, as best as I can translate them, and you can make up your own minds:

It is expected that negotiations will take 6-9 months and will be based on the following guidelines:

1) Bilateral talks without any preconditions but following the guidelines listed here.

2) Jordan will participate in meetings relating to refugees, Jerusalem and borders where necessary.

3) "The security barrier will establish a security border for the Jewish state and a permanent border for the Palestinian state, subject to change by mutual agreement" (h/t Ali) Not sure what this means unless they are saying that Israel's borders will not go beyond the Green Line, which is strange if there is a land swap.

4) Land swaps of roughly 8-10% of the territory of the West Bank

5) Israel freezes construction on some outposts, but not on existing settlement blocs including Maaleh Adumim, Har Homa, Gilo, Neve Yaakov, Ramat Shlomo, Kiryat Arba, and some others with large populations

6) Residents in the "frozen" settlements will be given the choice of citizenship at the conclusion of the process

7) At the end of the negotiations it will be announced that the conflict is over and there will be full normalization of relations between Israel and all Arab countries announced at an Arab League meeting; Israel recognizing Palestine within the borders mentioned above and Palestinian recognition of Israel as the state of the Jewish people

8) At the end of negotiations some Palestinian families will be allowed to re-unite in the WB and Gaza; others will get he right of compensation or immigration to Arab countries, especially Gulf countries, with them being naturalized in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar; not sure about the source of the compensation

9) Jerusalem will be placed under joint international/Palestinian/Israel/Jordanian rule for ten years with Israelis having the choice as to their nationality

10) I think that outstanding issues on specific land issues as well as citizenship issues both within the area and in Gulf countries will be pushed off to committees to speak about in coming years.

Also some details on prisoner releases , Palestinian elections, when the details of the agreement would be made public.

It sounds like this document might have been sent to Moscow by Abbas for consultations, and it might have been leaked that way.

Arabic readers can correct whatever I got wrong, or fill in any blanks for me.

UPDATE: Ali helps with #3.

Scathing cartoon slams Arab states for not giving a damn about Palestinians

To the West, Arab states and Palestinian Arabs love to pretend that they are united and love each other.

This cartoon shows otherwise:

The figure on the left is a famous symbol of Palestinian Arabs by cartoonist Naji al-Ali who died in 1987. I don't know if this is an old cartoon of his or a more recent one using his character.

Either way, it is a powerful indictment of Arab hate towards their Palestinian "brethren."

I found it on the Facebook page of the Action Group for Palestinians of Syria. 9 more Palestinian Arabs were killed in Syria last week (during Eid) and no one really cared.

(h/t Ibn Boutros)

8/13 Links Part 1: Winning the Peace, What Crisis in Gaza?, A Syrian Father's Tears of Gratitude.

From Ian:

Winning the Peace

Israel has been engaged in a long drawn out struggle for the moral high ground. The moral high ground is to the modern Israel what the land of Israel was to their pioneer ancestors who drained swamps, built roads and shot bandits; some of whom were later discovered to be the oppressed peoples of the region, fresh from Syria or Jordan, and protesting the settlements built on that stretch of swamp that had been set aside in their revisionist history as belonging to their great-grandparents, complete with oversized house keys to some of the choicer logs in the swamp.
Sadly the only way to win the moral high ground is by losing. Just look at the massive Arab armies who repeatedly invaded Israel, did their best to overwhelm it with the best Soviet iron that the frozen factories of the Ural could turn out, and lost the bid to drive the Jews into the sea, but won the moral high ground. Then their terrorist catspaws spent decades winning the moral high ground by hijacking airplanes full of civilians, murdering Olympic athletes and pushing old men in wheelchairs from the decks of cruise ships.

Israel’s Neighbors Don’t Want Peace

The 2013 Middle East — which is increasingly dominated by the 14-century intra-Muslim chaos, uncertainty, shifty policies and horrific intolerance — is incompatible with a 9- to 15-mile width of Israel, as espoused by the well-intentioned U.S. administration.
The 2013 Middle East highlights the tenuous nature of Arab regimes, policies and agreements and the absence of intra-Arab comprehensive peace. However, Israel is pressured to ignore the nature of its Middle East neighborhood and retreat from the tangible mountain ridges of Judea and Samaria — which constitute its cradle of history and tower over Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and 80 percent of Israel’s infrastructures — in return for an intangible and tenuous Arab agreement.
Acquaintance with the Middle East environment, and its implications for vital U.S. economic and national security interests, while the U.S. withdraws and cuts its defense budget, warrants a stronger Israel, which is incompatible with the proposed Palestinian state and an Israeli retreat from the Judea and Samaria high ground.

Building blocs

Palestinians cannot expect Israel to turn back the clock over 40 years to a time when Jordan, not Israel, controlled the West Bank and there was little, if any, talk about establishing a Palestinian state there.
The settlements that were built on the West Bank are just as much a product of years of rejectionism during which Arab nations and Palestinians opposed the very existence of, not to mention negotiations with, the State of Israel – not just after 1967 but from its very inception.
It might be convenient for Ashrawi, Barghouti and Shtayyeh to accuse Israel of “sabotaging” talks by building in established settlements and neighborhoods.
But the reality on the ground is not so simple.

HuffPo: The Soft Bigotry of Low Palestinian Expectations

At bare minimum, Palestinian discourse should strive to allow for constructive criticism in the hopes that it will improve existing living conditions and ripen the prospects for peace with its neighbour. It should not be far-fetched to expect Palestinians to openly condemn continued terror waged against Israeli civilians, such as a rocket fired from Gaza recently that the PA did not denounce, along with the need to disarm and dismantle terror organizations, like Fatah's Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.
Hamas, the terror organization that controls Gaza, should be encouraged to recognize Israel, renounce violence and respect previously negotiated agreements. A debate must ensue about Israel's requirement that it be recognized as a Jewish state.
When PA and Hamas news organs and educators incite and indoctrinate Palestinian youth towards martyrdom, Palestinian supporters should rebuke this practice front and centre. That would mean ending the glorification of Palestinian terrorists as "freedom fighters and holy warriors."

Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Danon: Convict Release ‘Encouraging Next Generation of Terrorists’

In an interview with The Algemeiner, Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon said he was opposed to the demand for any pre-conditions to returning to the negotiating table, and was especially against the release of convicted terrorists.
“Leave aside the security issues, because that’s something debatable, whether those people will be a threat or not, even though we saw in the past that many people released went back to be active in terror, I think it is a moral issue and a wrong decision morally. By releasing them we’re encouraging the next generation of terrorists to become involved in terror activities,” the deputy minister said.
“The fact that they are going to go back to their villages and be heroes is wrong,” Danon said, adding, “Today the Israeli public is asking why?”

Ministers Ignored Shin Bet, Added Terrorists to List

The Shin Bet had provided a list of 40 terrorists from which the ministers were to choose the terrorists they wished to release. The list was compiled with the goal of avoiding freeing terrorists who would pose a particularly high threat to Israelis.
However, the committee led by Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon reportedly decided to replace some names on the list it was given by the Shin Bet with other terrorists’ names, due to “Israel’s wish to strengthen the status of Abu Mazen.”

Poll shows Palestinians evenly split on support for talks

More than half of those asked (52%) said they oppose a two-state solution that includes East Jerusalem, with 45% saying they are in favor of such a deal.
When asked what approach they preferred to bring about the “end of the occupation,” 62% of respondents chose peaceful methods and 31 chose armed conflict. A further breakdown of the numbers revealed that of those who supported a peaceful end to the conflict, 25% chose direct negotiations, 20% chose a nonviolent popular uprising and 17% chose an international conference imposing a solution on both parties.

No human being is illegal: The Guardian’s vilification of settlers is immoral & illogical

Ultimately, the disposition of settlements is a matter for final status negotiations. While one may legitimately support or challenge Israeli settlements in the disputed territories, they are not illegal, and demonizing Jews who live in communities across the green line is certainly not moral and does not help the peace process.
Harriet Sherwood’s ‘obstacles to peace’ have neither the size, population, nor placement to have a serious impact on sincere efforts to reach a comprehensive agreement on all issues related to the disputed territories.

BBC coverage of building tenders reaches hysterical highs

That same notion was promoted on BBC television news in a filmed report by Kevin Connolly – also titled “New Israeli settlement homes anger Palestinians” and also featuring Saeb Erekat.
Significantly, at no point in any of these reports does the BBC bother to inform its audiences that the announcement of tenders for these new apartments in no way contradicts the agreements so far reached with regard to the renewal of talks. Instead, it both parrots and amplifies to the point of near hysteria the tactical narrative promoted by PA officials and in doing so, creates a smoke-screen which conceals from BBC audiences issues far more detrimental to the success of the upcoming talks than tenders for houses which will not see the light of day for many months to come.

Russia’s Anti-Gay Mentality? What about Palestine's?

The past few days have seen a well-circulated public address from television quizmaster and tea connoisseur Stephen Fry, directed at Prime Minister David Cameron, Lord Coe and the Members of the International Olympic Committee, to boycott the upcoming Russian Winter Olympics in 2014. I myself shared Mr Fry’s address, and I also think that there is some merit to this kind of consciousness-raising political statement.
But if we criticize a nation like Russia for its laws and threaten to boycott one of the largest events on the international stage as a result of them, it is only fair that we focus the same level of scrutiny and condemnation upon others, like Palestine, which are guilty of not similar but much worse acts against homosexuals.

IDF Blog: What Happened to the Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza?

Despite what you may hear from the media, Gaza is not an “open-air prison.” This summer, Gazans are out in force, enjoying themselves in sparkling new malls, beautiful beaches and hotels, and doing their shopping in pristine grocery stores and markets heaving with fresh produce. Gaza even boasts an Olympic-size swimming pool.
Here are some of the places you can visit in Gaza on an ordinary summer’s day:

Turkey: Erdogan's Ergenekon "Victory"

There is no longer room for doubt: through a pseudo-legal witch-hunt at home and deceitful propaganda abroad, Erdogan and the AKP are committed to totalitarian suppression of their political critics and opponents, both in Turkey and elsewhere. They feed an apparently insatiable Turkish appetite for conspiracy theories and, as may be observed online, assiduously spread disinformation about "threats to Turkey." Turkish commentators worry that the West ignores Erdogan's violations of civil rights out of the need for him as an ally in confronting the bloodthirsty Assad regime in Syria. But looking the other way while Turkey is transformed into an authoritarian Islamist state will in no way help the suffering Syrian people.

Syrian opposition plans for life after Assad

Prominent Syrian opposition figures are presenting a plan for a political transition should President Bashar Assad’s government fall.
The report by about 300 activists, including military leaders and members of the main opposition group, calls for disarmament of militias and remaking security services. Under the plan, a new national assembly would draft a constitution based on an earlier one written in 1950. The final document would then go to a referendum.
The activists envision a government with both a president and a parliament to offer checks and balances, and recommend creating an independent judiciary.

Galilee: A Syrian Father's Tears of Gratitude
X-ray technician at Western Galilee Hospital tells story of 12 year old Syrian patient at ICU, Shin Bet and more.

“The guard (a Druze who spoke Arabic) brought him to the side so I could do my job. Believe it or not, I have a very good bedside manner, especially with kids. After I was done, the guard came and told me that when he brought the guy to the side that he asked what I was with the getup and all. When he explained that I'm a very religious Jew and that's how we look, the dad got nervous. However, when he saw how nicely and kindly I treated his kid, he started crying and said that he can't believe that none of Syria's Arab neighbors like Lebanon or Jordan will take them in, but the religious Jew from Israel treats his kid like his own daughter.
“If only he would pass on his revelation to the rest of his country,” concludes Halevi.

EU, knowing it is wrong, still refuses to correct "1967 borders" terminology

Last month I had written to the EU about its use of the incorrect term "1967 borders" in many of its documents. The response seemed to admit that they understood that they were not real borders:

As stated in various Council Conclusions, in the context of the Middle East peace process the agreed EU position envisages an agreement on the borders of the two states (Israel and Palestine), based on the June 4 1967 lines with equivalent land swaps as may be agreed between the parties. The EU has stressed that it will not recognise any changes to these lines unless agreed by the parties. Though essentially corresponding to the 1949 Armistice Line as far as these concerns the division between Israel and the West Bank, the reference to 1967 has become more customarily used by the international community.

Note how they are careful here not to refer to them as "borders" but as "lines" and how they understand that they correspond mostly to the 1949 Armistice Line, which was obviously never an international border.

So I wrote back to them asking them to correct their reports, both retroactively and going forward, since they seem to know that they are wrong. And I explained why this is critical:

I assume you can appreciate the importance of being accurate in this matter. It is not merely a question of semantics. The 1949 armistice lines were never accepted as borders for a reason, even in UN resolutions, and giving them more importance after the fact - pretending that they had the legal standing of borders - is serious indeed. It is nothing less than changing history to fit better with the EU's current position, and that is what is offensive about this repeated reference to "borders."

Their response, received today, is outrageous.

From the Deputy Head of Division – Israel, oPt, MEPP, from the European External Action Service:

I am sorry you did not feel we had properly answered your question. You ask if we will stop using the term “borders” in the context to which you refer. However, use of this term is language agreed by all EU member states in the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC), most recently in the agreed FAC conclusions of December 2012 which I attach for ease of reference. Specifically, these stated in paragraph 4, “Recalling its parameters for the resumption of negotiations between the parties, as set out in previous Council Conclusions, including in December 2009, December 2010 and May 2011, the European Union reiterates that it will not recognise any changes to the pre-1967 borders, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties.” This text is an agreed position of the EU and we will therefore continue to use all the terms therein.

Truth be damned! We all decided that they were borders, so they will continue to be called borders!

The EU is literally changing history in order to strengthen its political position, rather than changing its position to adhere to those pesky little things called facts. Their pathetic defense is that they all agreed to lie, therefore the lie is now the truth.

Maybe we should start calling the EU the "FU." After all, who cares what they claim now that they call themselves? I think they were called the "FU" since 1975! Facts are just tools to be manipulated to get what we want.

It is way past time for the Israeli government to step in and insist that any EU (FU) document that refers to imaginary borders is nothing more than fantasy, and that they will be pointedly treated as such..