Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News

Thursday, July 07, 2005

Terror intent, terror attempts, terror successes

The West, understandably, doesn't want to punish people for crimes not committed. There is great discomfort at implementing a "future crime" scenario as in the movie "Minority Report."

However, most people would agree that for people who could pose a future threat, who have stated an intent to kill Westerners, it is prudent to keep a close eye on them and to be ready if and when such a threat materializes.

And, aside from the loony tree-hugging Left, most reasonable people would agree that Western powers are quite justified in responding forcefully and directly to successful terror attacks.

But when dealing both with terror and crime, for some reason the West is lenient on those whose attacks are not successful. Only when there are mass casualties is there any resolve to strike back, hard, at the terrorists. When the damage is "limited"or the plot is foiled, then it is only expected to give a "proportional" response. For some reason it is not considered fair to have a massive counterattack when the terrorists didn't fully succeed.

This makes no sense. Sending a few cruise missiles, as Clinton did after the 1998 Al Qaeda attacks on US embassies (when "only" 200 people died), is not only ineffective - it is counterproductive. It emboldens the terrorists to try again.

Today was not the first time that terrorists targeted London. Scotland Yard has foiled other attacks. It seems obvious to me that when a country or an organization intends to kill massive numbers of people, and shows its seriousness by actually attempting such an attack, that one is morally obligated to pro-actively make sure that this nation or organization is not going to remain a threat.

Right now, in almost all cases, Islamic terror pays. Terror is being rewarded today in Israel and elsewhere and it has been successful in making heroes out of Muslim murderers throughout the world. Terrorists get fame, they get recruits, they get money, and they get political results. Unless this calculus changes dramatically, unless there is a concerted and united effort to make sure that terrorists will lose far more by each attack than they gain, we will continue to see more and more days like today.

MEMRI exposes another "moderate" Muslim leader - this one from NYC

An imam at the Islamic Society of Mid-Manhattan and a lecturer on Islamic studies at Manhattanville College, Ahmad Dewidar, was recently called "the face of the next generation of Muslims in America." He has met with President Bush, Mayor Giuliani, Governor Pataki and U.N. Secretary-General Annan.

Recently, Dr. Dewidar attended the annual Conference of the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs in Egypt, where he gave a series of interviews. In one that aired on MBC TV on June 9, he discussed the spread of Islam in America. He referred to sermons he had heard in 1995 that stated, "We are going to the White House so that Islam will be victorious, Allah willing, and the White House will become Muslim House." To view the broadcast, visit www.memritv.org.

On June 15, Dr. Dewidar was interviewed by the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood's Web site, www.ikhwanonline.com. When asked about how the attacks of September 11, 2001, impacted the spread of Islam in America, he said that he witnessed hundreds of Americans converting to Islam. Hinting at an American government conspiracy related to the attacks, he said, "Whether or not these events were planned, or pinned on the Muslims, or something else - [it] provided an opportunity for [the American government] to legislate dubious laws that restrict the growth and presence of Islam in the U.S."

Regarding American skepticism toward Islam following September 11, 2001, he said, "The media - most of which is under Zionist control - has helped to spread this perception." Later in the interview he said that "the Jews" control the press. When asked, "What is the extent of the Muslim community's influence on American society?" He answered, "The Zionist community numbers only 3 million, but they control the government, the politics, the economy, and the media in the U.S."

Also while speaking to the Web site of the Muslim Brotherhood, he denounced President Bush's policy in the Middle East, claiming it was dictated by Natan Sharansky: "This Jew has despicable goals, and we see their effects today in America's actions in the region, imposing its opinion and its outlook on democracy, education, and political involvement on our countries."

Dr. Dewidar and Sheik al-Gamei'a's interviews shared some themes, such as blaming Islam's poor image in America on a Zionist-controlled press. They also both said the Zionists control political decision-making and economic institutions. Both were extremely positive on the future of Islam in America and discussed a trend of Americans converting to Islam following September 11, 2001.

While the New York press has yet to pay this story adequate attention, it is being discussed by blogs such as Little Green Footballs. Others, such as Solomonia.com/blog, wrote about Dr. Dewidar's statements: "Before MEMRI - people could give these kinds of interviews abroad and no one would ever be the wiser. While still not broadcast widely, at least now, there's a chance of people wising up." On June 30, EconoPundit wrote: "MEMRI.org's most important contribution has been to make it harder for Middle East leaders to say one thing to their English-speaking audience while saying opposite and often contradictory things to their non-English-speaking constituents and allies. It now seems MEMRI's mandate has extended itself to U.S. Islamic leaders as well.

Recognize a pattern here?

Just like Hezbollah is claiming more and more land in the north, the PA is now claiming more and more in the south. And they are setting the stage for another round of terror in the name of "Palestinian" land. And the Jew-hating world will think they have a legitimate point.

As I've said time and time again, the only thing consistent about Arab actions vis a vis Israel is the desire to not allow any Jews to own land in the Middle East. Everything else is window dressing.

Palestinian Authority Civil Affairs Mohammed Dahalan, in charge of coordinating disengagement with Israel, has raised questions on the status of the current Gaza Strip border demarcations, according to National Security Council chief Giora Eiland.

A moshav, Netiv Ha'asara, is situated in the disputed area.

According to Eiland, in talks with Israeli counterparts, Dahalan claimed the northern Gaza border had been moved 2 km to the south, and the Palestinians were demanding that it be recognized as such according to 1949 armistice lines.

But Eiland insisted Israel had made it "clear" to the Palestinians that the Gaza border recognized by Israel was set with Egypt in 1950 in a protocol with a map, and the same border was reconfirmed in 1994 under the Oslo accords. He said that the protocol had recognized a land swap in which the territory of the strip had been moved south by 2 km but had also moved to the east.

Another worthless treaty

Hat tip to Ze'ev:

Background: Treaty already obligates Egypt to stop arms smuggling

The Sharon team reportedly wants a written Egyptian commitment to stop the
arms smuggling from Egypt into the Gaza Strip before Israel retreat from the
Philadelphi Corridor - a narrow strip between Egypt and Gaza. It should be
noted that Egypt is already obligated to do this per the Peace Treaty
Between Israel And Egypt signed on March 26, 1979. It is far from clear why
the Sharon team considers the signing of an additional piece of paper to
have significance given that Egypt has ignored the very same obligation for
over a quarter of a century. If anything, the fact that a new piece of
paper is being signed indicates that that is all it is - a piece of paper.

Text follows:
www.knesset.gov.il/process/docs/egypt_eng.htm:

Smuggling weapons to kill Israelis falls into Article III.2.:

'...Article III 2. Each Party undertakes to ensure that acts or threats of
belligerency, hostility, or violence do not originate from and are not
committed from within its territory. . .. Each Party also undertakes to
refrain from organizing, instigating, inciting, assisting or participating
in acts or threats of belligerency, hostility, subversion or violence
against the other Party, anywhere, and undertakes to ensure that
perpetrators of such acts are brought to justice.'

Smuggling through the tunnels - regardless of the purpose is also illegal:

'Annex I Protocol Concerning Israeli Withdrawal and Security Agreements

Article II 2. Access across the international boundary shall only be
permitted through entry check points designated by each Party and under its
control. Such access shall be in accordance with laws and regulations of
each country.'

"Secret documents known as "martyrs' kits" obtained by The Post provide a startling glimpse into the world of suicide bombers, who are recruited with promises that their families will be well taken care of financially.

These kits ensure that the families of Hamas, PLO and Palestinian Islamic Jihad killers get generous "charitable donations" from Saudi Arabia-based organizations and, while he was in power, Saddam Hussein.

The documents reviewed by The Post include a martyr kit for Maher Kamel Hbeishe, a Hamas fanatic who blew himself up on a Haifa bus Dec. 2, 2001, killing 15 Israelis and wounding 40.

Much of the kit's paperwork carries the corporate logo of the Arab Bank — the Middle East's most important and influential financial institution — and the numbers of the accounts through which his family was paid.

The cover on Hbeishe's file — in the records of Saudi relief committees — proclaims: "the martyrs receive reward from their Lord, they and their light."

Replete with florid Arabic tributes to dead terrorists, the paperwork explains the manner of death, making it clear that the bank knew exactly whom it was giving money to and why.

If the terrorist were successful, the family would receive $5,316; being wounded or captured would earn them a lesser amount.

Though small by Western standards, the payments are more than six times the West Bank's average annual income of $850.

To get its money, Hbeishe's family was most likely contacted by the so-called "social welfare arm" of Hamas and instructed to open up an Arab Bank account. Then representatives of Hamas would use the information in the martyrs' kit to provide the bank with the name of the attacker and the beneficiaries getting checks.

The Saudi charities — called relief committees — that provide the funding for the terrorists make no secret of their activities, even taking out full-page ads in newspapers. One such ad listed more than 1,000 individuals who had been wounded or captured by the Israelis during the intifada and whose families were eligible for benefits.

Every ad explicitly directs the family members to go to Arab Bank.

Terrorists on shooting spree demanding jobs as policemen

Once again, the Palestinians move beyond parody.

Dozens of militants linked to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah group stormed a government building in Gaza on Saturday, demanding he make good on a deal to recruit them into the Palestinian security forces.

About 40 armed militants from the group, some masked, raided the Palestinian Legislative Council building in the town of Rafah to protest the delay in the move, but said they were not using violence or holding anyone hostage.

Also, this:

In Tulkarm on Monday, some 20 Fatah gunmen went on a shooting spree in the center of the city, accusing the PA leadership of failing to fulfill its promise to pay them salaries.

The gunmen went earlier in the day to a local bank to check if the PA had deposited money in their accounts. When they discovered that the money had not arrived, they took to the streets, shooting into the air and chanting slogans against the PA.

Hamas planning on raining rockets on Jerusalem, Tel Aviv

Nice to see how "moderate" they have become.

After the security services identified Hamas efforts to transfer the infrastructure for Kassam rockets from Gaza to the West Bank, an official verification of this trend has arrived. An article on the Hamas website warns: "The Kassam in the West Bank will be the main deterrent weapon in the next phase....The entire distance from Netanya to Tulkarm is no more than 4 kilometers. Ramallah and Bethlehem are adjacent to Jerusalem; the entire distance between Kalkilya and occupied Tel Aviv is no more than 7 kilometers." The article explained that intense efforts have been underway for the last two years in Jenin and Nablus to develop this capability. (Maariv-Hebrew, 5Jul05)

Here's a map of which parts of Israel are vulnerable to Kassams and Katyushas from the Defensible Borders website, which looks like it may become a very nice resource.

We can learn from the French

The poor French. They deal with Algerian terrorists for years, then they finally leave in 1962, and decades later, after years of French appeasement of Arabs, the Muslims are still trying to kidnap and kill them.

French diplomats living in Algeria asserted that the French government is concerned about a possible alliance between the Algerian fundamentalist organization, 'Salafist Group for Call and Combat' and Al-Qaeda in Iraq led by Abu Musab Al Zarqawi. According to the sources, the alliance will target French citizens who live in Iraq and French interests in general all over the world. French diplomats expressed the concerns of their intelligence services to Asharq Al Awsat saying that the Algerian Salafist Group for Call and Combat wish to integrate with global Jihad.

Where are the analysts who predict less terror after withdrawal?

Is there any analyst who has made a serious assessment and determined that Israel's unilateral withdrawal from Gaza will make things any more peaceful?

This is only the latest pessimistic analysis I have seen. But I have read many of them, from people who seem to have stellar credentials in political or military matters. However, I have yet to read any article giving a realistic scenario of Palestinians not increasing their attacks on Jews in the wake of the Gaza withdrawal. Sometimes I'll see a throwaway comment like "Peace negotiations will be kickstarted by the disengagement" but I cannot recall one time that there was any evidence behind it.

If anyone has such an article, please let me know.

Random links - hebrewsports.com and parshablog's Linkify

Been busy at my real work and with various other projects, including yet another side business called hebrewsports.com where you can buy clothing and gifts with Hebrew versions of professional sports logos. (I'm particularly proud of the Knicks logo I made tonight:

and my recent Mets logo:

.)

I'm also going to be going on a few business trips in the next few weeks so posting will be sporadic. My heyday of putting together articles worthy of Havel Havalim seems to be behind me, alas.

But check out parshablog's Linkify, a very cool Mozilla Firefox add-on that notices any reference to verses in the Tanach or Talmud on web pages and links them to the appropriate page on the Mechon Mamre or e-daf sites. Very nice!

Palestinian "Police" work ethic shines through

Just six weeks before Israel is due to evacuate its Gaza Strip settlements, the U.S. general charged with reforming the Palestinian security forces said Thursday that they were not yet ready to enforce internal security or prevent attacks on Israeli targets. Army Lt. Gen. William Ward told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee the Palestinians had not yet forged their disparate security groups into a single force under a centralized command. Ward depicted a Palestinian force that is woefully unprepared to handle internal policing duties or stop attacks on Israel after Israeli forces withdraw from Gaza. The Palestinian security force has more than 58,000 members, Ward said, but no more than 22,000 "actually show up for work."

He said the force was like 'a social welfare net,' with the payroll including officers who do not 'contribute to the day-to-day security situation on the Palestinian street.'

That's where he is wrong. They contribute, all right - just on the wrong side.

The Washington Post adds:

Assistant Secretary of State C. David Welch, who has traveled repeatedly to the region to assist Israeli-Palestinian coordination on the Gaza withdrawal, echoed Ward's assessment. "Overall, Palestinian performance on confronting violence has been far from satisfactory, and this is a real shortfall and area of concern," Welch said.

Ward said he had completed an inventory of the equipment needed by the Palestinians, including vehicles, clothing and basic infrastructure. Some of it will be supplied by the Europeans, and he said he was working to expedite it through Israeli customs.

Israeli officials have drawn the line at providing lethal weapons to the Palestinian security. They have pointedly told their Palestinian counterparts that if they need weapons, they should simply collect the illegal ones on the streets.

Ward demurred when asked whether Abbas's strategy of trying to co-opt militant groups -- rather than confront them -- would work in the long run. He said that he did not "know if I'd do business that way" but that it "has created an atmosphere that is allowing other things that are important to occur."

Like daily terror attacks, shootings, killings, attempted bombings, arms smuggling, allowing terrorists to go free from jail, criticizing Israel for doing the PA police job, encouraging Palestinian kids to become martyrs, and accusing Israel of poisoning poor Palestinians.

War of the Worlds: The Lost Version (Iowahawk)

If you've never read Iowahawk spoofs, this is a great one to start with. Here's an excerpt:

CARL PHILLIPS
Can you tell the folks at home who you are, and what you are doing here?

CAPTAIN LANSING
I’m Captain Lansing of the signal corps, attached to the state militia, and we’re here to give these Martians a taste of hot New Jersey lead.

CARL PHILLIPS
Captain, I think question on the mind of all our listeners is obvious – have you received authorization for this action from the League of Nations?

CAPTAIN LANSING
Well, no, but the President and the War Department have asked us to…

CARL PHILLIPS
If you proceed without the cooperation of Prime Minister Chamberlain or Mr. Stalin or the Germans, won’t the mechano-men have a strong case that this is an illegal, unilateral strike that only serves the interest of the United States, and neo-Venusian masters? Won’t this just anger the Martian community, and provoke them further? What about the brutal New Jersey winter? What about --

CAPTAIN LANSING
Listen, pal, I have to go, they’re shooting death rays at our tanks. You’re welcome to embed with us.

CARL PHILLIPS
With all due respect Captain, that would compromise my integrity as a radio journalist, and a citizen of the solar system. Wait! Ladies and gentlemen, I can hardly describe the horror before my eyes! The Air Corps bombers… and the tanks… they are overwhelming and decimating the outmatched mechano-men! One by one, the mechano-men are fleeing and surrendering!

(TROOPS CHEERING)

CARL PHILLIPS
I think I’m going to be sick.

PROF. PIERSON
Roosevelt lied! Robots Died!

CARL PHILLIPS
(OFF MIC) What..? Are you sure? Ladies and gentlemen, I have just received a wire service report that state militias and police have captured and killed hundreds of mechano-men from Maine to California. How many mechano-women and mechano-children also died in this senseless violence, we may never know. I’m afraid this is it folks… I’m afraid that it looks as if we have lost all hope for mechano-kind.

Israel arrests Palestinian terrorist/"policeman"

Just another shining example of the types of people that Mahmoud Abbas is paying for his "police" force that does no policing.

A Palestinian policeman involved in the October 2000 Ramallah lynching has been arrested. Numerous investigations have shown that Wassim Radi, the Palestinian policeman in question, was directly involved in the murder of Sergeant First Class Yossi Avrahami. Wasam Radi was arrested May 22nd, 2005 in a joint IDF and ISA operation.

Radi is suspected of being directly involved in the Ramallah lynching on October 12, 2000, during which two IDF reserved soldiers were brutally murdered. Radi, a 30-year old Palestinian policeman, is originally from the Gaza Strip and is currently a resident of the village of Beituniya, southwest of Ramallah.

The IDF will continue to hunt all those who were involved in the murders until they are brought to justice.

According to the news, only settlers are "extremist" and only Palestinians are "moderate"

Number of hits in Google News search for the phrase "extremist settlers": 106
Number of hits in Google News search for the phrase "extremist Palestinians": 1
Number of hits in Google News search for the phrase "moderate settlers": 0
Number of hits in Google News search for the phrase "moderate Palestinians": 125

In other words, people who advocate genocide of Jews, who danced on 9/11, who cheered Saddam's SCUD missiles, who burn the American flag regularly, who idolize people who blow up pizza shops, who name public squares after terrorists, who prefer Hamas to any non-Muslim - they don't have an extremist among them!

So what crimes are the extremists in this conflict doing? Read the articles: they are doing such heinous crimes as stopping traffic on Israel's highways, protesting and getting hit by moderate Palestinian stones, building houses, and, um, that's about it.

A reasonable question to all "news" sources would be why wouldn't they use scare quotes when talking about "extremist" Jewish settlers when they will use them while talking about Muslim terrorists?

Arabs helped Titus conquer Jerusalem in 70 AD

Interesting tidbit (thanks to Emet m'Tziyon). Publius Cornelius Tacitus mentions this in his Histories:
[5.1] EARLY in this year Titus Caesar, who had been selected by his father to complete the subjugation of Judaea, and who had gained distinction as a soldier while both were still subjects, began to rise in power and reputation, as armies and provinces emulated each other in their attachment to him. The young man himself, anxious to be thought superior to his station, was ever displaying his gracefulness and his energy in war. By his courtesy and affability he called forth a willing obedience, and he often mixed with the common soldiers, while working or marching, without impairing his dignity as general. He found in Judaea three legions, the 5th, the 10th, and the 15th, all old troops of Vespasian's. To these he added the 12th from Syria, and some men belonging to the 18th and 3rd, whom he had withdrawn from Alexandria. This force was accompanied by twenty cohorts of allied troops and eight squadrons of cavalry, by the two kings Agrippa and Sohemus, by the auxiliary forces of king Antiochus, by a strong contingent of Arabs, who hated the Jews with the usual hatred of neighbours, and, lastly, by many persons brought from the capital and from Italy by private hopes of securing the yet unengaged affections of the Prince. With this force Titus entered the enemy's territory, preserving strict order on his march, reconnoitring every spot, and always ready to give battle. At last he encamped near Jerusalem.

So while students of the Bible may not be surprised, Tacitus shows that Arab hatred of Jews pre-dates Islam by many centuries.

I imagine that they were only upset by the "occupation" of Canaanite land a millenium earlier, and that they were just trying to help the Romans uphold international law.

----------------
By the way, Tacitus clearly hated Jews and Judaism, but some of his complaints (the few that are accurate) are actually quite complimentary to Western eyes:

This worship, however introduced, is upheld by its antiquity; all their other customs, which are at once perverse and disgusting, owe their strength to their very badness. The most degraded out of other races, scorning their national beliefs, brought to them their contributions and presents. This augmented the wealth of the Jews, as also did the fact, that among themselves they are inflexibly honest and ever ready to shew compassion, though they regard the rest of mankind with all the hatred of enemies. They sit apart at meals, they sleep apart, and though, as a nation, they are singularly prone to lust, they abstain from intercourse with foreign women; among themselves nothing is unlawful. Circumcision was adopted by them as a mark of difference from other men. Those who come over to their religion adopt the practice, and have this lesson first instilled into them, to despise all gods, to disown their country, and set at nought parents, children, and brethren. Still they provide for the increase of their numbers. It is a crime among them to kill any newly-born infant. They hold that the souls of all who perish in battle or by the hands of the executioner are immortal. Hence a passion for propagating their race and a contempt for death. They are wont to bury rather than to burn their dead, following in this the Egyptian custom; they bestow the same care on the dead, and they hold the same belief about the lower world. Quite different is their faith about things divine. The Egyptians worship many animals and images of monstrous form; the Jews have purely mental conceptions of Deity, as one in essence. They call those profane who make representations of God in human shape out of perishable materials. They believe that Being to be supreme and eternal, neither capable of representation, nor of decay. They therefore do not allow any images to stand in their cities, much less in their temples. This flattery is not paid to their kings, nor this honour to our Emperors.