Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News

Tuesday, March 22, 2005

Palestinians show no interest in disarming. World ignores.

So, once again we see that a period of relative peace has no relationship with real peace, in the minds of the terrorists and their supporters. But such is the power of wishful thinking that the Israeli and Western leadership can willfully ignore the explicit statements of their "peace partners", point to minor diplomatic victories like an Egyptian ambassador to Israel, and whistle past the graveyard.

I wonder whether we'll see any "peace" groups condemn the unambiguous words of war from the mouths of these Palestinian leaders?

Palestinian militant groups, weakened by more than four years of fighting against Israel, are capitalising on the relative calm of an informal truce to strengthen their political and military clout.

Representatives of the 13 main Palestinian factions agreed last Thursday to observe a period of calm until the end of the year at talks in Cairo, provided Israel ends all forms of aggression and releases prisoners.

What Palestinian representatives in Cairo did not sanction was an end to armed resistance nor the dismantling of armed factions as demanded by Israel.

"This calm is not a gift to the occupation. We will work on and prepare ourselves. Disbanding the armed wing of Hamas is absolutely out of the question," said Abu Ubada, spokesman for the Ezzedin al-Qassam Brigades.

The faction agreed to extend the informal truce, not out of love for Israel but "to put Palestinian affairs in order and to ensure a period of calm conducive to holding elections", he said.

Palestinian parliamentary elections are scheduled for July and Hamas has declared its intention to contest the legislative ballot for the first time.

Abu Ubada refused to countenance any idea of Palestinian disarmament.

"Our rifles are aimed at the occupiers. Weapons that have to be collected up will be used to unleash chaos," he added.

A spokesman for Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, loosely affiliated to the mainstream Fatah party, said its militants would integrate into Palestinian Authority security forces without sacrificing the "resistance".

"A large number of our fighters already belong to the security services. Joining the security services does not at all signify the end of resistance against the occupation," said the spokesman, calling himself Abu Qussay.

He cautioned Israel against violating the period of calm.

"We are ready to fight back at any moment," the Al-Aqsa spokesman warned. "Weapons will remain in the hands of the resistance and we will direct them only against the Israeli enemy."

Abu al-Walid from the leadership of Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of Islamic Jihad, said the faction aimed to take advantage of the lull "to prepare our military apparatus to confront any eventuality".

Support for the calm depends on concessions from Israel, particularly over its withdrawal from Gaza, the release of the more than 7,000 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails and an end to aggression, he stressed.

Israeli reactive armor saves many American lives in Iraq

What are friends for?

Israeli-developed armor that has been installed on American armored personnel carriers (APCs) in Iraq has saved 'many lives', according to a letter of recognition the US Army has sent to Rafael, the Israel Armament Development Authority.

The Bradley and 7AV APCs in the service of the US Army and the Marines, which play a central role in the armed operations in Iraq, have been fitted over the last year with armor by Rafael in partial cooperation with the American General Dynamics company, based in Burlington, Vermont.

A source in the company told ISRAEL21c that the letter stated, 'When the fighting in Iraq was tough, and your product was urgently needed, you did everything you could to expedite production and delivery.'

The rush deliveries were part of the US military's effort to slow the damage done by roadside mines, explosive charges and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), which have killed more than 150 U.S. troops in Iraq.

According to the Israeli paper Ma'ariv, one of the senior officials in the American defense establishment said explicitly: the Bradley is the best protected vehicle in Iraq.

"They were trying to find American-made armor not something that comes from abroad," said the Rafael source, but after much research found that Rafael's was the most reliable.

According to Rafael's web site, with the new reactive armor, the Bradley is better able to withstand a direct hit from a variety of anti-armor munitions, including shoulder-fired rocket propelled grenades, which are in abundant supply in many of today's regional conflicts.

The armor is of the most advanced in the world: it is made up of passive protection, which is constructed of strong material that diverts the rocket, and of reactive protection, which is comprised of plates that contain explosives. The minute the rocket jet stream hits one of those plates the explosives go off, preventing the rocket from penetrating the APC.

The add-on armor consists of 105 tiles that attach to the sides, the turret and the front of each Bradley. The tiles, which look like small boxes, contain a special explosive charge that detonates when hit by a missile or rocket with a shaped-charge warhead. The resulting explosion disrupts the incoming, armor-penetrating gas jet produced by a RPG, for example, so the Bradley remains unharmed.

"The armor has minimal effect on the vehicle, it's lightweight and easy to enter. Crews in the field can handle it easily," the Rafael source told ISRAEL21c. "The active armor is also easy to handle - it can operate in extreme conditions and temperatures."

"The idea is to apply chemical energy against chemical energy," an official within Rafael told Defense News.. "These tiles contain a very special, insensitive explosive that is detonated only when hit by a missile or a rocket. For safety reasons, our armor does not react to other heat sources such as small arms or other fragments. When it detonates, the action of the elements inside the tiles interact with the incoming jet of the warhead, and defeats it."

The US Army is thrilled with the results, according a release from the US Program Executive Office Ground Combat Systems (PEO-GCS).

"Reactive armor has functioned very well. The soldiers in these (Bradley) units are excited about the product because it is providing a level of survivability that they previously didn't have," said Maj. John Conway, assistant product manager of Bradley systems for the PEO-GCS.

"All you have to do is read the news about the kinds of threats our soldiers are encountering and you immediately realize that these tiles are saving lives because they are defeating the threats they were designed to defeat," Conway said, adding "for the foreseeable future, reactive armor is one of the best ways to defeat these kinds of threats."

"The Bradley program manager told us he had no doubt that the Rafael reactive armor was saving lives in Iraq," Rafael Chairman Jacob Toren told Defense News. "This is a proven capability; it's not theoretical. It's in full production at GDATP and here at Rafael."

Arab leadership again chooses terrorist dictatorships over the people's will

Can anyone think of a case where even "moderate" Arab leaders didn't side with the worst of their own rather than the hated West?

Arab leaders arrived Monday in the Algerian capital for a summit meeting that will include a statement of solidarity with Syria and a rejection of any further 'foreign intervention' in that country's promised pullout from Lebanon.

The proposal, which was completed Sunday and is expected to be ratified by the Arab League during its meeting, which opens Tuesday, is the most definitive stand yet by Arab leaders in the monthlong crisis over Syria's role in Lebanon.

Another Zionist crime: Bus stop stolen

A bus stop located on Sanhedrin St. in Yavne was stolen in its entirety early Monday.

The perpetrators loaded the bus station, including the cement surface the station was situated on, onto a truck in the middle of the night, according to the Yavne Municipality.

A number of residents who live near the station said they noticed the truck and the thieves but did not report the incident to the police.

Evil Joo-Rays Killed Arafat!

This guy is an ambassador!

COLOMBO, March 19 (Bernama) -- Attallah Quiba, the Palestinian ambassador in Sri Lanka, believes that Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was killed by unnamed Israelis using advanced technology, the Island newspaper said.

Responding to questions at a media conference in Colombo on Friday, Quiba claimed that two Israelis who met Arafat on the day he was taken sick 'used a laser device to attack Arafat.'

'They tried to flee after using the device but were wrestled down by the Palestinian Authority security personnel. Both men were carrying Canadian passports.'

Quiba was quoted as saying the Palestinian Authority immediately informed the Israeli government of the 'attempt on Arafat's life.' Samples of Arafat's blood were tested in 16 countries and it was revealed that he had been poisoned by high technology, he said.

Free speech on campus today

Here is protected free speech by a professor.

In this case, though, the professor was fired.

Lebanon withdraws from Eurovision: When irrational hatred descends into psychosis

I hate you so much, I'm going to pull out my own fingernail!

Lebanon has pulled out of this year's Eurovision song contest because of the presence of an Israeli participant in the show, organizers said Friday.

A statement posted on the Eurovision Web site said Lebanon was forced to withdraw because its national television station could not broadcast the Israeli portions of the contest, to be held May 19 and 21 in Kiev, Ukraine.

Tele Liban's head, Ibrahim Khoury, confirmed the decision to pull out, telling The Associated Press that Lebanon was unaware of the presence of an Israeli participant when it confirmed its entry in December.

'Lebanon is in a state of war with Israel. If the Israeli contestant wins, we would have to show the celebrations,' Khoury said. He added that Lebanon would also be obliged to air the Israeli Web site on which viewers could vote for the Israeli participant. 'I cannot do this,' he said.

Khoury said the decision to withdraw was 'painful,' particularly as Lebanon was participating with a talented contestant, Aline Lahoud, who has also pulled out of the show.

The station is obligated to pay its participation fee, plus an additional penalty which Khoury did not specify.

More Nefarious Jewish Expansion

Those Jews, legally purchasing land in Jerusalem again! I'm sure this will be condemned strongly by people who prefer Jews to be dead to owning real-estate in the Middle East.

The sad part is...why do Jews have to act stealthily to buy land in their own capital?

Two groups of Jewish overseas investors have discreetly purchased the lands, hotels and restaurants around the Jaffa Gate into Jerusalem's Old City. Until now, the properties, worth millions of dollars, were mostly owned by the Greek Orthodox Church.

The investors involved had as their goal the redeeming of Jerusalem property for the Jewish people. The deal itself was carried out in perfect secrecy, according to a report in the Maariv newspaper, and involved money transfers through various European banks.

Jaffa Gate is the main western entrance to the Old City and is flanked by shops, mostly Arab-run, geared towards tourists. Just inside the gate, is one of the capital's best known sites, the Tower of David.

Palestinians blast PA giving luxury cars to legislators

"Yes, this money would be better spent given directly to the families of those that kill Israelis!"

The Palestinian Authority's decision to purchase more than 100 new vehicles for all members of the Palestinian Legislative Council and the new cabinet has drawn sharp criticism from some Palestinians.

The PA s 24 ministers will each receive a German Audi A-6 car, which costs $76,000. The 86 lawmakers will be given the cheaper version of Audi, the A-4, which costs an estimated $45,000.

Palestinian columnist Yahya Rabah on Thursday attacked the decision to buy the expensive vehicles at a time when the PA is cutting expenditure in many fields, and can't pay police salaries.
[...]
'How will we explain the decision to pay only $1,500 to the families whose houses have been demolished or blown up?'"

The lynching of Mohammad Mansour

Let's give these guys a country!

STATEMENT REGARDING THE MURDER OF MUHAMMAD MANSOUR
(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Office)
Friday, 18 March, 2005

On Thursday, 13.1.05, Muhammad Mansour was kidnapped for interrogation in the context of being suspected - by fugitive Fatah Tanzim terrorists in the Balata refugee camp - of cooperating with Israel.

According to the fugitives, Mansour admitted that he cooperated with Israel and worked with an Israel Security Agency (ISA) officer, having passed on information that led to the arrest and death of several senior fugitives in the camp, including Nadr Abu Lil and Hashem Abu Hamdan, senior Fatah Tanzim terrorists in Nablus, who directed several attempted suicide attacks inside Israel and who were killed in an Israeli action.

After his interrogation, Mansour was brought before a Muslim cleric who heard his confession before Mansour was executed, in order to add religious credibility to the confession. Mansour was filmed confessing and expressing regret for his actions.

On the evening of 14.1.05, fugitives called on residents of the Balata refugee camp to gather in the marketplace in order to observe the execution. Thousands heeded the call. Mansour, his hands bound, was ordered to kneel on the ground. Tanzim fugitives shot Muhammad Mansour in full view of the gathered crowd. When Mansour fell over onto the ground, one of the fugitives emptied an entire clip from his sidearm into Mansour's head. The mother of Nadr Abu Lil thereupon came out, stabbed Mansour's corpse and gouged out its eyes. The mother of Hashem Abu Hamdan and his brothers thereupon gashed Mansour's corpse with knives and axes.

When an ambulance came to collect the body, it was stoned by the mob. The ambulance driver was beaten and forced to flee the scene. Mansour's corpse was later delivered to the hospital, after having been further abused by the mob. The mob set out for Mansour's house and was met by his father who came out and declared that his son was a traitor whom he disowned. Thus the mob
was deterred from burning the home.

A senior Tanzim fugitive from Balata, Ala Sanakhara, told a Palestinian Authority publication that they were responsible for Mansour's murder due to the fact of the latter's having caused the death of a Tanzim "fighter" and that they took upon themselves the responsibility to act in place of the security services.

The state of Israel wishes to clarify that Muhammad Mansour had no connection whatsoever with any ISA officials or with any other Israeli elements.

Hezbollah TV banned in Europe...but why?

Contradictory information in the article - France banned Al-Manar because of racism, but the remaining Dutch satellite provider says it was a licensing issue. So are the Dutch using the license problem as an excuse to save face among their Muslim population who would accuse them of caving to Zionist pressure?

Hizbollah's al-Manar television channel, branded a terrorist organization by the United States, will no longer be available on European satellites from Monday, media regulators said Thursday.

The announcement came at a meeting of European Union broadcasting regulators in Brussels, where national watchdogs from the 25-nation bloc agreed to step up action against TV broadcasts which incite hatred or promote racism and xenophobia.

Last year, a French court banned al-Manar from a satellite owned by France's Eutelsat because its broadcasts were deemed anti-Semitic and a potential threat to public order.

Dutch regulators discovered that a satellite owned by New Skies Satellites was carrying al-Manar and has ordered the company to stop doing so, because the channel did not have the required Dutch license.

'We saw that al-Manar was being transmitted by New Sky Satellite (NSS). We assessed that al-Manar does not have a Dutch license ... and NSS will now take al-Manar from its satellite,' Jan van Cuilenburg, head of the Dutch Media Authority, told Reuters.

'As of Monday al-Manar will no longer be available on any European satellites.'
[...]
But Lebanon's parliament has criticized the French ban on al-Manar, saying the ruling showed the reach of "Zionist pressure" on France.

Pakistan considers closer relationship with Israel

Sort of interesting. They want to be closer to Israel to neutralize the "Zionist lobby" against them in Washington.

Sometimes, ruling the world has its advantages.

KARACHI - In the changing world, where many Arab countries, as well as the Palestinian leadership, have adopted a more flexible policy toward Israel, decision-makers in Pakistan are developing a strategy to better relations with the Jewish state, though without compromising Islamabad's standing among Islamic countries.

Sources in Pakistan's strategic circles tell Asia Times Online that Pakistan believes that cordial relations with Israel will help neutralize much unnecessary pressure on Pakistan, and regain lost ground against India.

Indian rhetoric about Pakistan's so-called fundamentalist Islam portrays the country as the "naughty boy" of the region which supports anti-US and anti-Israeli movements. This has contributed to Pakistan's strategic isolation in South Asia.

Pakistan's leadership believes that despite support for the US-led "war on terror", the country does not get the status - and inducements - it deserves.

Pakistan initially has tried to open some back channels to establish communication with Israel, which does not have any direct grudge against Pakistan, except for a fear that Pakistan could be capable of developing nuclear warheads to target Israel. The sources tell ATol that in behind-the-scenes talks between officials of the two countries, Israel has been assured that Pakistan has largely capped its nuclear warhead program up to a specific range aimed at deterring India.

Pakistani officials are cautious, though, not to damage Pakistan's relations with other Islamic countries, especially Saudi Arabia.

"All decisions [about recognizing Israel] will be in line with member countries of the OIC [Organization of Islamic Countries], especially Arab countries like Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, but a non-diplomatic limited interaction with Israel is a pragmatic approach in the present geo-strategic situation of the country and cannot be ruled out at any stage," a strategic expert told ATol.

"Though it is unrealistic to assume that Pakistan-Israel relations would immediately get relief for Pakistan, as there are strong Israeli reservations on Pakistan's policies, of course cordial terms with the Zionist state will surely neutralize Zionist lobbies in Washington in the Indo-Pakistan arms race," he added.

Official: Zionists responsible for Bangladeshi terror

Today's raving Islamic fantasy:

Bangladesh Industries Minister and the chief of the right-wing Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, Matiur Rahman Nizami, has categorically accused anti-Islamic Zionist elements for perpetrating the recent spate of terror-related violence in the country.

Describing it as an well orchestrated international conspiracy to destabilise normal life in Bangladesh, Nizami, a minister in the four-party coalition government of Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, rejected the suggestion that radical forces were operating in the country.

"As part of the conspiracy being hatched by the Zionist forces against Islam and the Muslims across the world, an identified quarter here has been trying to label the country a haven of the fundamentalist forces,' the minister said addressing a rally in Bangladesh capital on Tuesday.

EU investigates itself, finds itself innocent

This is so stupid it borders on self-parody. The EU "investigates" whether the PA used EU funds for terror, and finds it cannot determine that the PA did anything wrong - because the PA has no records!

Hmmm..The PA got billions of dollars and has nothing to show for it. But where could all of this money gone?

And is there the slightest chance that this distinguished EU commission decided to look at the question from the other side - where did the terror groups get their money from? Is there the possibility that they ignored the records that Israel had of Arafat transferring funds directly to terrorists? Any chance they even referred to the smoking gun documents surrounding the Karine-A?

Nah...that would be a little too inconvenient.

The European Union's anti-fraud office said Thursday that it has found no conclusive evidence that EU aid to the Palestinian Authority was diverted to fund terror groups or anti-Israel propaganda.

The independent European Anti-Fraud Office, known as OLAF, said its investigators found that it was necessary to continue to include financial safeguards in aid packages to the Palestinians.

The probe was opened in February 2003 following charges from European Parliament members that EU aid from 2000 to 2002 had been wasted or diverted to support anti-Israel propaganda or terrorism.

'The investigation has found no conclusive evidence of support of armed attacks or unlawful activities financed by the European Commission's contributions,' OLAF said in a statement.
'However, the possibility of misuse of the Palestinian Authority's budget and other resources, cannot be excluded, due to the fact that the internal and external audit capacity in the Palestinian Authority is still underdeveloped,' it added."

It sounds like the esteemed committee couldn't find a single French franc in the hands of an Al Aqsa terrorist that had the inscription: "This money is meant for a hospital in Ramallah."

Canadian anti-Semitism soars

As goes Europe....

According to an annual report released by B'nai Brith Canada's League for Human Rights on Tuesday, anti-Semitism in Canada is at its worst point in more than two decades. A total of 857 incidents were reported in 2004, nearly 47 percent more than the previous year, according to the report. It also said that the number of incidents had increased more than three-fold since 2000.

Dimant believes the real number of anti-Semitic incidents could be even 10 times higher, saying that the vast majority go unreported. While most of the incidents in 2004 were "merely" cases of harassment, the report noted that the greatest increases were registered in vandalism and violent attacks.

Synagogues were targeted 74% more often than in 2003. Cemetery desecrations increased more than 300%. As in Western Europe, Canada has seen a dramatic increase in anti-Semitic attacks carried out by Arab immigrants.

"Kill the Jews" graffiti scrawled in a university library in Hamilton is but one example of anti-Semitic incidents that are multiplying on campuses across Canada. Jewish students were now very afraid, Dimant said, because the "atmosphere has been poisoned."

What's worse, he added, is that university authorities refused to admit they have a problem. "Some have told us, 'You have to expect a little bit of anti-Semitism,'" Dimant said. "But why? Why do we have to tolerate any anti-Semitism?"