Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News

Monday, June 16, 2008

Biggest threat to Hebron peace? "Peace activists"

YNet reports:

"The activity of some leftist organizations in Hebron is more dangerous that which is being conducted by their right-wing counterparts," a senior Shai District Police official told Ynet Monday.

"Organizations such as Bnei Avraham (which is committed to 'disturbing the occupation, disrupting the segregation and apartheid regime') and Breaking the Silence are wolves in sheep's' clothing", the official said in light of the growing tensions between left and right-wing activists in the West Bank city.

The head of the Israel Police's Hebron district, Commander Avshalom Peled told Ynet that "from my experience in the Hebron and Gush Etzion area, the activity on the part of the militant left can be severe and dangerous."

Hebron police have recorded a drop in disturbances involving Jewish settlers over the past year and noted an improvement in the dialogue between the settler community and police.

"The leftists antagonize the settlers in the hope that the settlers will attack them," a police official said.

"The left-wing organizations have become an even greater threat than the anarchists."

Bnei Avraham callas themselves "peace activists" on their Google Groups page, and "Breaking the Silence" only mentions that they provide "tours" to Hebron without saying that the purpose of the tours is to cause the types of trouble that they pretend to be against.

Perhaps it is time for right-wing organizations to call themselves "peace" organizations as well, since the word has clearly no meaning to the Left.

Who says PalArabs have no culture?

Palestinian Arabs are just as likely to appreciate poetry as anyone else.

But they are somewhat more likely to appreciate the poetry of Libyan dictator and all-around nutcase Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.

From Palestine News Network (autotranslated):

Qalqiliya / PNN - amid attend the rally and conclude a distinguished academic in the town of Qalqilya Palestinian literary conference on the first literary works (the stories) by Colonel Muammar Gaddafi "Commander of the Revolution September," the Libyan Jamahiriya, has participated in the first conference of its kind in the Palestinian territories selected Palestinian academics from universities and national success Quds Open, Hebron and Palestine is the eligibility of cultural events inside the Green Line.

The conference was opened by General Coordinator of the Movement of revolutionary committees Palestinian speech welcoming the audience and thanked them for their concern and their interaction with the conference theme and also transfer them greetings from the brother of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and warm appreciation for their efforts in this area and then head of the conference Prof. Dr. Yahya Jabr, who assumed management of hearings and debate After.
This conference was held in two acts occur in the first Professor Dr. Adel Al-Osta professor of modern Arab literature Najah University and Dr. Isa Abdul Khaliq Chief Arabic-Najah University and Dr. Zaher Hanani professor of modern Arab literature Quds Open University and then Dr. Zeidan paper from inside the Green Line and Dr. Raid Abdul Rahim from the Arabic Language Department Najah University.
The House debate on the statement in papers researchers At the second meeting spoke of Dr. Hassan Abu Lord and Dr. Adnan Ayyash of Al-Quds Open University and Dr. Yahya Jabr.
Then read papers Professors Dr. Said Coahnh of Hebron University and Dr. Sadik Dabbas Chief of the Arabic language at the University of Palestine civil ensuing discussion on the papers presented. Papers and conference centered around several axes was highlighted by the irony in the work of Colonel Gaddafi literary and artistic techniques and Lamia title at the stories It also addressed the religious dimensions and leftist there.
At the conclusion of the conference participants recommended the need to hold more conferences and seminars aimed at introducing thinking Muammar Gaddafi and Dubai truly away from what prevailed in some quarters of negative attitudes towards Colonel Gaddafi and his ideas and projects It is worth mentioning that the movement of Palestinian revolutionary committees in the near future is planning to hold a conference On the draft peace: perspectives and dimensions.

Le Figaro: Over 350 tunnels between Egypt and Gaza

France's Le Figaro reports that there are over 350 tunnels between Gaza and Rafah - and goes on to swallow Hamas propaganda that they are only used for food and fuel: (autotranslated)

One year after the seizure of power by the fundamentalists, over 350 have been dug underground to escape the blockade of Israel and import food from Egypt.

At the surface, the facades of buildings in Rafah aligned along the border with Egypt were turned into Swiss cheese by five years of Israeli mitraille. Until the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in September 2005, the frontline here ran along the 'axis Philadelphia "controlled by the IDF.

The dreams of opening, which had preceded the departure of Israeli troops are no longer a distant mirage. Within a year of power of Hamas in Gaza, the basement has been transformed into a real mouse. At the foot of buildings, tents sheltering the entrance of spinning smuggling tunnels to Egypt have grown like mushrooms.

...The Islamists took control traffic tunnel have industrialized. Rafah, a town of outlaws, became the capital of "import-export" version gaziote.

Now, more than 350 tunnels connecting Rafah to Egypt. The din of drills and engines running pulleys to trace the goods now accompanies the buzz of Israeli surveillance drones. The houses are filled with border sandbags and it does even bother to hide the freshly turned earth. "The Hamas government allows us to dig tunnels to break the siege imposed by Israel, said Abu Jendal, co-owner of two tunnels. "The key is not to put us kneel facing the Israelis. "

Two teams of ten men take turns day and night for him spawn a new underpass. They share a salary of 100 dollars for every metre widened to death drills and trowels. They will have four months to travel the 800 meters to win the opening in Egypt."Some diggers, very famous, earn more," said Mahmoud 22 years, which has already drilled a dozen galleries. That is a pittance compared to the risks involved. I lost four comrades in landslides since I do this work. But in Rafah, work in tunnels is the only one that relates. Thousands of people are employees and everyone lives g hanks to the tunnels. But because Israel, we are forced to live like earthworms. "

The intercom from the tunnel rings. A delivery arrives. The pulleys busy to go up in the pit 25 meters deep cans of petrol and diesel, which are badly in Gaza. In Rafah, just Egypt: chocolate, coca, medicines, computers, engines, spare parts, oil, sugar, houmos, canned food, cigarettes… As long as demand is strong enough, the cost of transport (350 dollars per bag goods) is profitable. The importer shall telephone number of his contact the Egyptian owner of the tunnel and it is responsible to deliver the goods. A guard of Hamas monitors everything that passes through tunnels.

"The importation of drugs, alcohol, weapons and people is prohibited," says the bearded supervisor, equipped with a walkie-talkie to call for reinforcements or to be alerted in case of attack Israeli. The Islamist movement, which draws in passing a tax ranging from 20 to 30% depending on the goods, and found in such trafficking as a source of funding comfortable.

However, these goods represent only a drop of water in relation to the needs of the Gaza Strip. "Since Hamas is in power, we lack everything: food, gasoline, drinking water, medicines," said Samir, a trader. The products are sold in Egypt to triple their prices, while 70% of the population lives below the poverty line. The survival has become our daily concern. The most important rule is to never get sick. Due to lack of medicines and medical care effective, any disease can prevail. "

The role of Hamas is reduced to manage shortages. Thus, the Islamist government distributes the past two months ration tickets, which are essential to get a few litres of fuel at the pump. The only success on the assets of Hamas is to have foiled forecasts in bringing order and security in Gaza, where armed gangs were mafia law.

The order has a price. The associations defending human rights denounce a dark years in Gaza, for individual freedoms.

The last paragraph of skepticism doesn't make up for the reporter's unbelievable parroting of the lie that no weapons or people go through the tunnels - Egypt has been discovering plenty of large weapons caches near the tunnels.

Unfortunately, it appears that Israel's blockade has not hurt Hamas at all. While Israel is not obligated to provide food and fuel to its neighboring enemy territory, the stated goals of the blockade (to force a popular uprising against Hamas) have not materialized and on the contrary, Hamas has managed to profit from it.

Weeds - the video

This is an experiment to see how many more people will watch a video on YouTube than read an entry on my blog.

Earlier this year I had two popular posts called "Weeds." This is a video version of those posts.

Funeral shooting and clan clash!

From Ma'an:

A Palestinian child was killed on Friday afternoon after he was hit by a bullet fired in the air during a funeral procession in the Shuja'iyya neighbourhood in eastern Gaza City.

Palestinian medical sources told Ma'an that 5-year-old 'Ubeida Habib died from head injuries sustained during the funeral procession of one of the Hamas fighters killed in an Israeli air strike on the Jabalia refugee camp earlier on Friday.

There was also a clan clash south of Hebron, killing one, so the 2008 PalArab self-death count is now at 95.

Followup on yesterday's "work accident"

YNet reports:

Hamas’ Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades confirmed Friday that the operatives who died in Thursday's explosion in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahiya were making last-minute preparations for a “special mission”, a Hamas codename for a “high-quality” attack.

According to the statement, the dead were operatives of a special Hamas unit. The organization promised that its people will “continue following in the path of those killed.”

A Hamas gunman who was wounded in Thursday's died Friday morning. Hamas’ announcement does not refer to the blast's circumstances even though the group's media has begun using the term “explosion” and not just “attack,” the term repeatedly used on Thursday.

Hamas was quick to blame Israel and reacted with a heavy rocket fire on the western Negev. Recent statements, however, have omitted placing the blame on Israel.

On Thursday, Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida said that as a result of the IDF denying it's involvement, the military wing will conduct an investigation into the blast and make its results public immediately.

Hamas’ announcement confirmed Ynet reports saying that Ahmed Randur, commander of the Izz el-Din al-Qassam Brigades in north Gaza was present at the time of the explosion and lightly injured as a result.

Additional senior Hamas officials were present at the scene including Beit Lahiya Hamas Area Commander Ahmed Hamouda, whose house is the one which exploded. His daughter was killed in the blast. Hassan Abu Shakfa and Ashraf Mushtaha, both senior officials in Hamas’ military wing were killed as well.

A neighbor who lives adjacent to the exploded house said that the presence of Hamas’ senior officials at the scene of the incident and at the hospital immediately after it occurred, proves that those present at the blast were very high-ranking. “The fast arrival of the civilian leadership and of the firefighters proves that extreme pressure was felt due to the identity of those injured.”

Hamas identified 6 of its members who died in the explosion.

Keep in mind that this apparent bomb factory was built in a residential house in a crowded neighborhood, and if Israel would have attacked it the world community would have been unanimous in its condemnation.

Also, in this case as with others, there were "eyewitnesses" that Israel had done this (the Saudi-based Arab News all but blames Israel completely,) proving yet again that Palestinian Arabs simply lie, repeatedly and consistently.

Freedom of the press, PalArab style (XII)

The Palestinian Arab WAFA news agency reports:

A person who claimed to be speaking on behalf of Hamas, this evening, threatened the news agency 'Wafa', if it does not stop the dissemination of news about the practices of Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The person said in a telephone conversation with the Agency's headquarters in central Ramallah that he speaks on behalf of Hamas movement and gave the Agency until next Saturday to stop the reporting of news about Hamas in Gaza.
.
He added : 'You know that Hamas is capable of implementing its threat'.

Ironically, West Bank-based Palestinian Arab news sources are more accurate in their reporting about Hamas than any of the wire services.

But I thought that Hamas was pro-democracy....

Hamas apologists never fail to say that Hamas should be the legitimate rulers of the PA because they were democratically elected. What they don't like to mention is exactly how democratic Hamas remains once it gets itself in power.

From PCHR:

The Palestinian centre for Human Rights (PCHR) renews its opposition to the anti-democratic policy of local government council members being privately appointed in the Gaza Strip. The Centre views these appointments as a continuation of nepotism, at the expense of democratic local council elections that have been conducted in most Gaza Strip communities during the last few years.

The Ministry of Local Government (of the Hamas Gaza Government) announced a decision last week to dismiss the appointed municipality council in Khan Yunis, headed by Dr. Fayez Abu Shammala. The appointment of a new council, headed by Mohammad Abd El-Khaliq El-Farra and comprising of twelve others, all of them Hamas members, was announced. The new council began operating on 7 June 2008, after an official inauguration ceremony organized by the municipality.

A "mysterious explosion" occurred this morning in the house of the Hamouda family in Beit Hanoun, killing at least 4 (Ma'an breaking news) and injuring dozens.

Hamouda is a member of Hamas.

Most Palestinian Arab news sites reported it as an ambiguous explosion initially; Palestine Today has started blaming an Israeli airstrike, but Israel denies any actions in the area of the explosion today. Hamas is now blaming Israel as well.

Our 2008 PalArab self-death count climbs to 89.

Meanwhile, Hamas raided a wedding last night, beating celebrants, because they were playing Fatah tunes.

Hamas also arrested many Fatah members commemorating the first anniversary of Hamas' execution of the late, lamented Jamal Abu Billygoats and his brother Majid.

UPDATE: Ma'an has backed off to three "martyrs", one an infant girl. 88.
UPDATE 2: Ma'an has raised it back to 4. 89.
UPDATE 3: We are now up to 7, according to both Ma'an and Palestine Press Agency. 92.
UPDATE 4: Palestine Press Agency is reporting that an eighth body was found underneath the rubble. 93.

Mordechai Keidar on Al-Jazeera

The video we've been waiting for (h/t Soccer Dad and Daled Amos):

Rumor: Khaled Meshaal dead?

Firas Press is reporting a rumor that no one knows the whereabouts of Hamas "political leader" Khaled Meshaal, that there is a "news blackout" about the topic and the possibility that he was aboard the Sudanese airplane that crashed yesterday.

If this turns out to be true, how many milliseconds until Israel is blamed for the crash?

UPDATE: If true, how long before Israel is blamed for the crash by Meshaal's pal Jimmy Carter?

UPDATE 2: Alas, it is apparently not true, as Jameel mentions in the comments.

Iranian TV: "Chicken Run" a Zionist plot

This is too good:

Following are excerpts from an Iranian documentary on Hollywood cinema, focusing on the movie "Chicken Run." The documentary aired on IRINN on May 29, 2008:

"Traces of Zionism in World Cinema"

Presenter: Movies into which huge amounts of money are poured, in an effort to turn Zionist themes into entertainment, include movies created for children and youth. Animation films produced since the 1990's joined other film genres in becoming a tool for Zionist propaganda. Sometimes this is achieved by using falsified biblical narratives, like in the case of "The Prince of Egypt." Other times, it is achieved in a very subtly, crafty, and indirect manner, like in the film "Chicken Run."

[...]

Dr. Majid Shah-Hosseini, an Iranian film critic: Many films from the 1960's and the 1970's indirectly convey the notion that the Jews were oppressed. This is conveyed through the themes of distance from the motherland, and the search for one's mother, who symbolizes the motherland. These messages were gradually introduced into animation and children's films.

[...]

Sayyid Abu-Alhassan Allawi Tabatabai, an Iranian film critic: These people never make a film without a premeditated motive.

[...]

Two emotional themes can be identified in children's films, especially animations. One is the lost mother, and the other is the lost land. There is also the lost dog... These three themes frequently appear in animations produced since the 1970's.

[...]

Presenter: Even though "Chicken Run" is a sort of fantasy about an animal farm, on a deeper level it depicts the Zionists' favorite themes, which appear in many of the visual dramas of the 20th century. The recreation of a kind of genocide, using visual elements reminiscent of Nazi Germany death camps – an idea linked to the religious themes of a savior and immigration to a promised land – serves a propaganda machine, whose goal it is to depict itself as a symbol for the oppressed and for those who suffer.

[...]

Dr. Majid Shah-Hosseini: In "Chicken Run," for example, you find allusions to the Holocaust, to concentration camps, and to the concept of awaiting a hero or a savior. It portrays efforts to escape a predetermined fate – the death of all those who lived in that camp, who are depicted as chickens. Eventually, a kind of Noah's Ark is built – in this case, it is a flying ship – which is used for their escape.

[...]

Presenter: Unfortunately, Zionist notions can be detected in children's movies, from the days of Walt Disney and to TV animation films. The Zionists' exclusive investments in group specializing in children's films, such as DreamWorks in the 1990's, and the appearance of various works like "Chicken Run," which employed magnificent techniques, were part of their premeditated plan to cover the blood stains soiling the clothes of the occupiers of the lands of Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.

Produced by the IRINN Science, Culture, and Arts Group

Video clip here.

For those who haven't seen "Chicken Run", it is spoofing the many American films about Nazi POW camps, specifically The Great Escape.

But perhaps Mel Gibson would disagree....

Reuters' painting Hamas as moderate

This Reuters story is ostensibly about the growing influence that Qaeda-style groups are gaining in Gaza, but the subtext is loud and clear: Hamas isn't really so bad, after all. Here's part of the article, highlighting the clearly pro-Hamas parts:

Abu Hafss is not happy.

A year after Hamas Islamists seized control of the Gaza Strip, Abu Hafss is waiting impatiently to see a sword remove the hand of a thief or a woman stoned to death for adultery.

"Hamas does not implement the rule of God," the Palestinian ally of al Qaeda said. "We have seen no one have his hand cut off for stealing. We have seen no one stoned as an adulterer."

Yet for all Abu Hafss' disappointment with the approach Hamas has adopted since it routed secular rivals in Gaza a year ago, some analysts believe smaller, more radical groups like Abu Hafss' secretive Jaysh al-Ummah (Army of the Nation) have benefited from the Hamas takeover to expand their membership.

Despite an official Hamas policy of respecting the rights of Gaza's small Christian minority, there has been an increase in attacks on Christians in the past year, apparently by Islamists not content with the extent of Hamas's "Islamisation" of Gaza.

Among the outward signs of that have been a proliferation of beards on men and headscarves on some women, along with the virtual disappearance of alcohol and a ban on pornographic websites -- though Hamas officials reject accusations that they are embarked on a programme to impose Islamic law on daily life.

If Gazans are more observant of Islamic practice -- and not all in the enclave agree that this so -- that is the result of persuasion, Hamas says.

...A week of fighting with the Fatah forces of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas saw Hamas take control of Gaza and its 1.5 million people on June 14 last year -- and saw Abbas dismiss a Hamas-led government that had been hit by Western sanctions over Hamas's refusal to renounce violence against Israel.

Within three weeks of seizing power, Hamas was quick to trumpet its success in securing the freedom of the hostage reporter, the BBC's Alan Johnston. Its spokesmen say it continues to oppose violent Islamist factions.

"Anyone who harms the public order will certainly be hunted down," Hamas spokesman Abu Zuhri said, while also saying Hamas was ready to accept the aid of such groups in its fight against Israel.

Hamas and Islamic Jihad control the majority of mosques in Gaza and both groups restrict the activity of other extremist factions who tend to meet at smaller mosques or in homes where they preach their fanatic brand of Islam.

Market stalls do brisk business in selling recordings of speeches of al Qaeda leaders Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahri and the late Abu Musab al-Zarqawi as well as videos of beheadings of U.S. and foreign soldiers and personnel in Iraq.

In an environment where a tightened Israeli blockade against Hamas has increased hardships for people in the enclave, more radical forms of Islam appear to some analysts to be exercising a growing influence over some Palestinians.

A Gaza political analyst, who spoke anonymously for fear of retribution, said Hamas's influence on fostering more Islamic social behaviour in Gaza had been mixed. He argued that the fact Hamas had taken control but then did not impose more severe Islamic ways may have boosted those groups which favoured that.

The al Qassam website couldn't have done a better job in propaganda for Hamas. And the last paragraph implies that perhaps Hamas is being too moderate!

Latest YES commercial

Ahmadinejad announces that Israel will be destroyed on Monday, but the Iranians don't want to miss their favorite Israeli TV shows, in this latest ad from Israel's YES cable network.

Partial translation (and hat tip) here.

Hamas leaders in hiding

Firas Press reports (autotranslated):

Sources in the Hamas movement say that the movement expects Israel to make a number of assassinations of prominent leaders of the movement at the last minute that precedes approval of the "calming" proposal from Egypt.

The Al-Hayat of London newspaper quoted sources as revealing that "a number of Hamas leaders finally vanished from sight for fear that Israel carried out its threats of military action in the sector before accepting the calm", in a reference to the statements of Minister Ehud Barak, the Israeli army, which threatened to implement a military operation in the sector before the truce.

Another way that Israel is making the lives of Gazan terrorists miserable.