Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News

Saturday, February 07, 2009

Carter: "The Israel lobby doesn't want peace"

Jimmy shows his hatred for Israel again, in the middle of an interview with The Houston Chronicle:

You have to remember that the major Israeli lobbies, they’re not in favor of peace. They never have professed to be. What they are in favor of is protecting the policies of whatever government is in charge in Israel. If you look at their Web sites, they make that quite clear. So they’re for Israel, they’re not for peace between Israel and its neighbors.

There you have it - according to Jimmy, it is impossible to be pro-Israel and pro-"peace."

Of course, if you define "peace" the way he does, where Israel surrenders everything in exchange for worthless promises, I guess that is true.

But if you define peace correctly, this is pretty slanderous.

(In case you are interested, the word "peace" is mentioned over 6000 times at the AIPAC website, about 200 times at the ZOA website, and as far as I can tell none of them are against "peace," although I'm sure they have qualms about the "peace process," which is hardly the same thing.)

PalArab news roundup 2-7-09

My bad: Hamas claims that they cleared up all their misunderstandings about stealing 300 tons of aid from UNRWA. UNRWA replies, um, first return what you have stolen before you announce that things are copacetic.

Extremism is fine, in moderation: Mahmoud Abbas says that the PA doesn't ask Hamas to recognize Israel, but he does want it to be part of a unity PA government. Which means that the PA won't really recognize Israel any more, but no one is really mentioning that part. "He also asserted, in line with his statements since mid-Gaza war, that the Palestinian people have the right to resist occupation as long as they live under it." - the exact opposite of the Oslo agreement.

Remember, he's the "moderate."

The brave little wimp: Mahmoud Zahar emerged from hiding and plans to lead a Hamas delegation to Cairo. Haniyeh is still underground.

Freedom of the press, Hamas-style: Hamas is expelling Al Arabiya reporter Wael Essam because they didn't like his coverage of Gaza.

Cash is king: There are reports that the millions of dollars that Egypt found in Hamas' members' bags last week are a small percentage of the money that Iran gave Hamas' Damascus leaders recently.

Hamas turning hospitals into torture chambers

Ma'an reports on the latest wacky antics of those terrorists that the moonbats love so much:

The Palestinian Authority’s Health Ministry accused the Hamas-run de facto government’s security services of turning medical centers into virtual prisons on Saturday.

According to a statement from the Health Ministry, Hamas has used hospitals and clinics in Gaza as interrogation and detention centers, where medical staffers have been expelled.

“After Israel ended its aggression in the Gaza Strip, the Health Ministry was surprised that Hamas militants returned to their old behavior, expelling medical staff and using medical centers as detention centers, and for torture and interrogation,” the statement said.

Hospitals affiliated with the PA that were taken over include Al-Quds

Hospital in Tal Al-Hawa, a Red Crescent initiative, parts of the Ash-Shifa

Hospital in Gaza City, the upper and lower floors of the An-Nasser

Hospital, as well as the Psychiatric Hospital, according to the statement.

I mean, seriously, can you blame Hamas? After all, Israel bombed all their old torture centers and didn't bomb their hospitals, so where else can they do their torture?

Besides mosques and kindergartens, of course.

Temple Mount webcam freaks out Arabs

The Al Quds newspaper is alarmed by a proposed new webcam that will be aimed at the Temple Mount:

Militant Jewish groups planned to set up a camera to control the Temple Mount

The weekly "Kol Ha'ir" newspaper on Friday reports that Israel set up be a surveillance camera near the Al-Haram Al-Sharif to be controlled 24 hours a day by a Jewish extremist group.

Standing behind this initiative is the "Temple Institute" in the Jewish quarter, who is seeking to establish the theme of "Holy Temple" in the minds of the Jews and sought to push the Jews to deal with this issue daily.

The site will allow users to request tours of the campus. It should be noted that the camera and web site are the focal point of the Institute and meant to strengthen the link between young Jews and Jerusalem, with an emphasis on what is important about the structure.

It appears that the camera might be able to see more of the Mount itself than any existing Kotel webcams.

Hamas Chutzpah

Al Quds reports on a couple of funny Hamas stories.

In the first, Hamas admits that it took 300 tons of aid from UNRWA - but says it was all a big mistake.

In a comment on the incident, a Hamas spokesman said the "UNRWA" aid was loaded by mistake into trucks belonging to the Ministry of Social Affairs and it will be returned to the UNRWA.
The Hamas spokesman, Fawzi Barhoum ,said, "The goods were loaded incorrectly in the absence of a representative of the Government of the crossing in Gaza, where the drivers did not distinguish between goods [for UNRWA] and goods for the governmental agency."

In the second story, where Egypt detained Hamas leaders at the Rafah crossing yesterday where they found them trying to smuggle some $10 million into Gaza, Hamas is complaining that the Egyptians didn't treat them well:

The leader of the Movement "Hamas" and a member of the negotiating delegation, Salah Bardawil on Friday strongly the treatment of the Egyptian authorities to the delegation of the movement by returning to the Gaza Strip yesterday evening. Bardaweel said in remarks published in an website of "Hamas": "We were badly treated by the Egyptian security during our return to the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing .. Egyptian officials closed the phone in our faces."
Bardawil said: "Unfortunately every time we enter the official delegation and the easy way, but this time there was the intransigence and insistence on inspection of our bags," he said, "that the delegation had contacts with Egyptian officials, especially intelligence, but they locked the phone."

How dare they inspect us and find us doing something we aren't allowed to do!

Hamas steals from UNRWA again

This time, hundreds of tons of aid:

UNRWA informed the IDF on Friday that it is suspending its humanitarian aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip after Hamas stole supplies the United Nations organization had transferred to the Palestinian territory.

The seizure of the 200 tons of supplies took place Thursday night and in response, UNRWA officials informed the Gaza Coordination and Liaison Administration that it was suspending its deliveries to the Gaza Strip until further notice. The supplies confiscated included flour and other basic commodities.

The transfer of 40 truckloads of humanitarian supplies - some 800 tons - planned for Sunday has already been canceled.

This is a lot more than the couple of thousand blankets and few hundred food parcels stolen on Tuesday. In fact, the UNRWA press release details 300 metric tons being hijacked:

During the night of 05 Feb 10 truckloads of flour and rice were taken from the Palestinian side of the Kerem Shalom Crossing into Gaza. They had been imported from Egypt for collection by UNRWA today. The food was taken away by trucks contracted by the Ministry of Social Affairs. Two hundred metric tons of rice and one hundred metric tons of flour were taken.

UNRWA’s suspension of imports will remain in effect until the aid is returned and the Agency is given credible assurances from the Hamas government in Gaza that there will be no repeat of these thefts.

Remember that UNRWA castigated Israel for closing crossings when mortars were being shot at the crossings themselves, sarcastically wondering whether Israel's security concerns were more important than feeding the supposedly starving Gaznas. Now, the UNRWA unilaterally stops the delivery of 800 tons of aid even though not one of their workers has yet been hurt by Hamas' aid pirates.

Arab and Muslim attacks against Jews, 1907-1915

I recently posted events from the American Jewish Yearbook of 1914-15 showing that the frequent claim that Jews and Arabs lived together in peace before Israel is a lie.

It turns out that the American Jewish Committee has all their yearbooks archived on-line, and they are an exceptional resource for historical research. Here are the major events I found in those yearbooks of the friction between Arabs/Muslims and Jews in the years before the Balfour Declaration.

1907:
The Kabyles near Casablanca, Morocco, revolted,because the harbor works were in the hands of the French and because a Frenchman was appointed Director of Customs. A French battleship bombarded the town to oppose the attacks of the Moors upon the town, and the Arab tribes in turn attacked the 6000 Jews in the Mellah, killing 30, wounding 60, violating many women, carrying off 250 young women and girls. The Jewish quarter was ruined, and more than half the Jewish population fled to Tangier, Ceuta, Gibraltar, and elsewhere.

1908:
On the representation of the Consistory of Jerusalem the Grand Vizier of Turkey promised the Jews of Sanaa, in Yemen, full protection against attacks by Arabs to which they were subjected.

1909:
February: In Hebron, where out of a total population of 18,000 about 2000 are Jews, the Arabs decide to boycott Jewish merchants.

1910:
Community fearing attack by Arabs, telegraphs to Chief Rabbi in Constantinople, who makes representations to Minister of Interior. Latter sends energetic instructions to Governor at Haifa to prevent any disorders.

June 10: Jewish community, Haifa, brings action against editor of Arab newspaper El Carmel for continued anti-Semitic attacks. Defendant acquitted.

September 22: Jews forced to leave Yemen (Arabia) to avoid conversion to Mohammedanism.

1911:
April 28: Bedouins set fire to synagogue at Tschebel (Tripoli, Barbary), entirely destroying building, which contained valuable old manuscripts and books.

June 2: "Blood accusation" agitation in Turkey. Damascus paper El Muktaber charges abduction of Mohammedan child and publishes alleged confession by Jews. Chief Rabbi appeals to Government, which institutes criminal proceedings against editor of that paper.

June 4: Chief Rabbi, Turkey, receives telegrams from several places in Arabia and Syria, giving particulars of attacks made on Jews. Government takes precaution.

June 9: Report of attack by Bedouins on Jewish colonies, in vicinity of Nazareth and elsewhere; Chief Rabbi complains to Grand Vizier and Minister of Interior.

September 23: Arabs assault about sixty worshippers at religious service on Rosh Hashanah at Wailing Wall.

September 25: Forty-two Jews flee from Tripoli to Malta.

1912:
Feb. 2: Serious conflict between Jewish colonists in Palestine and the Arabs reported. Three colonists said to have been killed and seven wounded.

May 3: Anti-Jewish disturbances in Yemen. Several Jews murdered.

1913:
December: At Smyrna, two young Jewesses of seventeen and nineteen years abducted from their homes, to be converted to Mohammedan faith. Authorities refuse to restore them despite protests of Haham Bashi.

AUGUST (Yemen): Government permits organization of judicial tribunals exclusively of Arabs; this action victimizes Jews who may be falsely accused, as testimony of two Arab witnesses suffices to secure condemnation. --Jew ill-treated and left half dead in roadway because he submitted successful bid when invited to exchange large sum of money for Government. Complaint of Jew unavailing. — Heads of Jewish community imprisoned for disobeying edict ordering them to clean streets, no matter what their social status.

October (Yemen): Further cruelties of the Imam, spiritual head of Yemen, toward Jews reported. Jews denounced for alleged trading in intoxicating drinks promptly punished without investigation of the charges.

August. Bedouins attack colony of Rehobot, killing one colonist and wounding several others. --Rehobot vineyards penetrated by villagers from Zernuka, who kill Jewish student.

November. At colony of Kinneret two Jewish watchmen murdered by Arabs.

December. Near Tiberias, two colonists killed and several injured by Arabs.

1914:
January. At Hebron, Jewish storekeepers are boycotted by Mohammedan women.

April. Minister of Interior removes Governor of Tiberias on complaint of Chief Rabbi of his laxity in protecting the Jews against Arab attacks.

May. Minister of Interior orders officiais in Palestine to repress all anti-Jewish manifestations.—Chief Rabbi waits on Minister of Interior and reads to him two violent articles in Arab journal Palestine, and warns him that any disorders that might result therefrom would create bad impression abroad.

1915:
April: Merchavia, colony near Tiberias: Conflict between Jews and Arabs; two Jews killed.

Athlit: Klein, an American Jew, killed.

It should be noted that the Ottoman leaders generally took Jewish complaints seriously and would, for example, close down anti-semitic newspapers (temporarily) or arrest people who were inciting against Jews. But the Arabs throughout their lands were always antipathetic towards their Jewish neighbors.

It is also important to note that the Arab attacks against Jews, while numerous, did not come close to those happening in Europe at this time.

(Also, for those who want to check it out themselves: a Yearbook is for the previous year, so the events of the 1914-1915 yearbook are from 1913-1914. I think I got them all right but might be off by a year in some of the events listed above.)

British media watchdog group issues report on Gaza

Just Journalism, a UK-based media monitoring group that focuses on British coverage of Israel, just released an impressively comprehensive report detailing what the British media did wrong, and right. Here are the conclusions:

Impartiality

Our primary conclusion relates to impartiality. When it came to the UK’s public service broadcaster, the BBC, there were clear instances when there was a crucial lack of separation between opinion and fact. With its considerable degree of world influence, this is an area the BBC certainly needs to revisit.

With the BBC’s appointment of a Middle East ‘Editor’ a few years ago, it was perhaps inevitable that audiences would experience some form of ‘editorialisation’, or, at the very least, an element of interpretation of the facts to provide a deeper level of analysis.

However, several years on, it is clear that the boundaries between editorial opinion and factual news reporting in the BBC’s output in this area remain extremely blurred. This is particularly the case with the BBC News website, where the Middle East Editor is effectively allowed free reign to air his own opinions about the conflict, with few signs to alert audiences that this is in fact his own opinion, rather than that of the BBC.

Whether through an excessive focus on humanizing the conflict from the Palestinian perspective or through straightforward expressions of a personal opinion, we must conclude that the BBC was certainly not impartial in presenting an opinion of the conflict and that one of its key guidelines on impartiality was breached on several occasions: “Our journalists and presenters, including those in news and current affairs, may provide professional judgments but may not express personal opinions on matters of public policy or political or industrial controversy. Our audiences should not be able to tell from BBC programmes or other BBC output the personal views of our journalists and presenters on such matters.” (BBC Editorial Guidelines)

On a more positive note, much of the news reporting from the BBC’s various correspondents was balanced and thoughtful and in stark contrast to the BBC’s coverage of the Israel / Hizbollah war in 2006.

In their own editorials too, the press demonstrated an encouraging even balance of perspectives, with The Observer publishing the highest proportion of neutral pieces. Regarding opinion pieces, our research bears out the fact that the UK media is a free and diverse institution, wherein commentators, columnists and cartoonists are at liberty to express a multiplicity of perspectives. The fact that the opinion pieces in the press were twice as likely to be critical of Israel’s offensive as supportive may reveal a great deal about prevailing attitudes towards Israel in the UK, but it certainly does not constitute a breach of impartiality.

Factual accuracy

Our second conclusion relates to the area of factual accuracy. It is clear that several key facts relating to the conflict were, at best, omitted and, at worst, misrepresented on an extremely large scale. The startling under-representation of the nature of Hamas and the lack of context of the history of violence against Israel, both editorially and visually, raises serious questions about whether the media was being factually accurate in its reporting. Does this constitute a breach of the journalistic guidelines on factual accuracy? Technically not. But it certainly seems to contravene the Press Complaint Commission’s guidelines that “The Press must take care not to publish inaccurate, misleading or distorted information, including pictures.” (PCC Code of Practice: Section 1(iii)). Furthermore, it raises doubts over whether the BBC’s Editorial Guideline stating, “We will weigh all relevant facts and information to get at the truth” was upheld to the standard the media consumer would expect.

Balance
Was the media’s coverage of the conflict balanced? In certain areas it was: in the amount of time and space allocated to quoting Israeli spokespeople (if anything, the exposure they were given was disproportionate to that given to Hamas officials, although this may largely be due to a number of factors including the media ban in Gaza); in the overall stance taken by the UK’s broadsheets in their editorial pieces and in the BBC’s coverage of both perspectives of the conflict, specifically in its news reports.

However, when it came to arguably some of the more influential and emotive areas of reporting, we detected serious shortcomings in overall balance and a tendency to depict Israel firmly in an aggressive light. Why, for instance, did Hamas only feature in one quarter of all press cartoons and more than 75% depict Israel as the primary aggressor in the conflict? Why was there an almost obsessive focus on Israel’s ‘control’ of the media environment with no similar questioning about Hamas’s role in influencing sources and statistics in Gaza until after the ceasefire? Why did the Guardian and The Independent choose to publish over five times as many opinion pieces critical of Israel than supportive? And why did the media, especially the BBC, not sufficiently differentiate between civilian and Hamas casualties?

These questions raise issues over the thought processes and perspectives of the media in reporting the conflict and whether it can truly be said that the journalistic principles of ‘balance’ were upheld.

Hating Israel more important than humanitarian aid

YNet has the story about the Magen David Adom taking the frozen blood platelets from the Tali "aid" ship intercepted by the IDF and delivering them to Gaza. There is an interesting detail:

[Head of the Blood Bank Prof. Ayelet] Shenhar could not say if the was a blood shortage in the Strip's hospitals during the Israeli offensive in Gaza, since "MDA was not contacted on the matter. As far as I know Jordan sent blood to Gaza and there was no need for the Israeli Blood Bank to do the same. The Palestinians refused to receive blood units from us.

This is reminiscent of how the Israeli medical clinic that was set up in Gaza failed - Hamas refused to allow Gazans to be treated by the best medical teams in the world, because they were from Israel.

Clearly Hamas does not consider Gazan lives to be too important. But we knew that already.

Compare this to how the MDA official thinks about helping the enemy:

"Blood is a vital (medical) resource and the goal was to get it to the Gaza hospital," she added. "I'm happy that it worked out."

The death of Assud, the Jew-eating bunny

Here is the video of the death of Assud, the Jew-eating bunny from Hamas TV, with the MEMRI translation.

Assud: The Zionist enemy is treacherous, and it kills everything, but I never thought it would kill the children of Palestine, and that it would bomb the Al-Aqsa TV station. As you know, Saraa, Al-Aqsa TV has a special section for children. Children always go there to play and have fun. They come to me and you to listen to beautiful stories for their benefit. But Saraa, I went to Al-Aqsa TV when they said it would be bombed. I couldn't believe it would really be bombed. I went there, and I collected the gifts, books, magazines, and stories, which belong to the children of Palestine, the Pioneers of Tomorrow, so I could remove them before the station was bombed. But Saraa, when I went in – I don't know what happened. All I know is that they brought me here, to Shifa' Hospital, and left me here, Saraa. Praise be to Allah.

[...]

Saraa, my will is that you tell our beloved children never to forget Jerusalem, Saraa. You must pass this legacy on to our beloved children. They must never forget Jerusalem, Al-Aqsa, the prisoners, or the refugees. Remind them, Saraa, that we have a land to which we must return, by means of the steadfastness of the resistance and the mujahideen, by means of the steadfastness of knowledge and the fear of God. Tell them that Assud died as a hero, as a martyr. Tell them that Assud died a martyr's death, Saraa.

[...]

We should teach our children that we have a land to which we must return: Jaffa, Acre, Haifa, and Tel Aviv. We will return to all these cities, Allah willing.

[...]

Saraa, I implore you... I entrust you with the legacy of protecting Jerusalem, the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the blessed land of Palestine. Listen to me, Saraa: I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and the Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

Assud dies.

Saraa: Assud... Assud... No, Assud... Don't die, Assud...

[...]

Victory is near. The soldiers of the Pioneers of Tomorrow will grow up. Allah willing, we will follow the same path, the path of the scholars, the path of the authors, the path of the learned and the intellectuals. Oh Palestine, we will liberate your soil, Allah willing. We will liberate it from the filth of the Zionists. We will purify it with the soldiers of the Pioneers of Tomorrow.

So far, the death rate of "Pioneers of Tomorrow" hosts is at 100%, showing incredible Zionist efficiency.

Egypt closes border with Gaza, no one cares

As we mentioned on Tuesday, Egypt closed the Rafah border with Gaza on Thursday:

Egypt closed the Rafah crossing with Gaza on Thursday, after having opened it to allow for the flow of wounded and humanitarian aid in recent weeks.

"The border is closed since this morning," said a senior border official, adding that Palestinians wounded during the IDF's operation and being treated in Egypt would be allowed to return home. But "no humanitarian delegation, medical staff or media will be allowed to enter," he said.

Interestingly, we are not hearing strident demands by "human rights" groups to force Egypt to fully open the crossings. The media is not insisting that Egypt reverse this move. The EU is not saying that Egypt is imposing a blockade on Gaza. The Arab countries are not saying that Egypt is participating in a "slow genocide" of Gazan residents. International law "experts" are not claiming that Cairo is a de facto occupier of Gaza because it controls the Rafah border. Islamic Jihad is not saying that they have the right to shoot rockets into Egypt as self-defense against this unjust siege. The UN is not saying that Egypt's siege is collective pubnishment and therefore a clear violation of the Geneva Conventions.

While Israel sends over some 5000-6000 tons of aid every day to Gaza - an amount that critics are calling way too little - Egypt just turned off their own trickle of aid without a peep of protest from these same critics.

Apparently, Egypt is acting prudently in not wanting Hamas terrorists to enter their neighbor to the south, while Israel's similar actions are compared to turning Gaza into a prison. Egypt is not considered responsible for the welfare of Gazans who were once under Egyptian occupation, but Israel is.

The world believes that Egypt has the right to govern its own borders in ways it sees fit - but Israel doesn't.

Failing to blow up Israelis, Gazans now blow up each other

Before and during the Gaza op, Hamas tried very hard to turn exploding people into an art form: (h/t Ruthie of America)

Since the start of the conflict in Gaza, the “ghost” suicide bombers have isolated themselves from families and friends. They spend their time hidden close to areas where Israeli forces deploy. On the selection criteria for suicide bombers, Abu Moath briefly explained that only young people are chosen from the ranks of al-Qassam’s battalions, which number up to ten thousand fighters. Abu Moath disclosed females are also recruited to the ranks of the suicide bombers. The candidate bombers are secretly scrutinized by al-Qassam lieutenants to make sure they are religiously committed and responsible. The next phase is to notify the bomber of their acceptance and put them through psychological and military training on weapons and tactics, especially those used by the Israeli Defense Force (IDF). Abu Moath asserts that all through the selection and training phases the suicide bombers are tutored by religious clerics and Islamic preachers. Upon completion of training, the bombers are sent behind enemy lines. Each group of suicide bombers is compartmentalized and does not know the location or composition of other groups to avoid compromising their comrades if one of them is captured by the Israelis. Abu Moath admits such captures happen very often because the suicide bombers operate behind enemy lines. Each suicide bomber is issued special weapons and a custom-tailored explosive belt.

Other Hamas units of suicide bombers include the “Booby-Trapped Martyrs.” These martyr units are designed to deploy on the streets and alleys of Gaza’s cities, armed with heavier explosive belts than those used by the “ghosts.” These units are as secret and compartmentalized as the “ghost” suicide bombers and deploy with Hamas commando units tasked with kidnapping Israeli soldiers.

By the way, this means that at least some of the women killed in Gaza were not civilians.

Since they were singularly unsuccessful at these attempts, it is back to the drawing board - and back to blowing up their own people.

Palestine Today and Ma'an Arabic are reporting that the "Oasis" cafe in Gaza City was blown up tonight, killing one person and injuring three others.

Since Arabs killing Arabs is considered a natural event, the news media will remain mostly quiet about this.

The 2009 PalArab self-death count, of Palestinian Arabs violently killed by their own actions, is at 19.

The latest "aid" ship had no aid

Last night, Israel intercepted a freighter that was supposedly filled with 60 tons of aid for Gaza, that originated in Tripoli.

Predictably, the moonbats have been hysterical over this, saying that Israel was shooting at the people on the ship and then beating them .

Free Gaza's update on the ship last night was telling: its 8 PM (Central European Time) report said

The Israelis said the boat can not go to Gaza, and it appears they will try to force it to Arish, but the captain intends to push forward. (And having been aboard the TALI I think it will take more than a ramming to sink it)

In other words, the "peace activists" were really hoping for a fight.

From the times of the reports, it is clear that Israel warned the ship for several hours before boarding it.

The only reporter who is saying that Israel beat and threatened them is the embedded Al Jazeera reporter.

Israel took the ship to Ashdod to examine the contents and question the passengers. According to Haaretz, the "60 tons" of aid was imaginary:

The Israel Defense Forces said that troops found about 150 bottles of mineral water and a few dozen kilograms of food and medicine on board, despite earlier claims that it was carrying dozens of tons of humanitarian aid.

The Tali, a cargo vessel flying the flag of the West African state of Togo, was sent by the Palestinian National Committee Against the Siege in cooperation with the U.S.-based Free Gaza Movement. Its cargo was claimed to have included about 60 tons of medicine, food and toys, plus 10,000 units of human blood plasma which requires constant refrigeration.

So these pro-terror "peace activists" are caught lying. Again.

And one of the "human rights" activists on the ship has a bit of a checkered history:

Military sources said that on board the vessel - dubbed the "Brotherhood Ship" - were nine people, including Greek-Catholic Archbishop of Jerusalem Monsignor Hilarion Capucci, who was arrested in 1974 after being caught smuggling weapons from Lebanon to activists in the Palestine Liberation Organization.

Which is exactly what one would expect a "peace activist" to do, right?

For context, here are the amounts of aid that Israel shipped into Gaza over the past few days:

February 1 - 4,656 tons of supplies
February 2 - 5,354 tons of supplies
February 3 - 6,106 tons of supplies
February 4 - 5,367 tons of supplies

So even though they were lying about the "60 tons," it is about what three trucks carry. This is hardly an efficient way to get aid to Gazans. (I have not heard about any shortage of blood plasma in Gaza, either.)

Christians arrested in Cairo for handing out Bibles

From Daily News Egypt:

Mina Adel Shawky and Essam Kedees Nassif from Dayrout, in the Upper Egyptian governorate of Assiut, were arrested Sunday after being spotted distributing Bibles to pedestrians [at the Cairo International Book Fair.]
The men were held under investigation for charges of preaching, an offense that does not explicitly exist in the Egyptian legal code. Yet, the report that was filed against them accused them of defaming Islam.
“Preaching is legally not a crime, so the police had to accuse them of something,” Naguib Gobrael, head of the Egyptian Union for Humans Rights told Daily News Egypt.
Shawky and Nassif were denied access to an attorney and the law center was unable to reach them during their detention, a procedure followed by police during closed investigations.

The men are out of custody but may still face charges.

UNRWA workers go on strike in West Bank

Ma'an reports:

Workers employed by the UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees went on strike accross the West Bank on Thursday, demanding higher pay.

Striking UNRWA workers held demonstrations in Ramallah, Bethlehem, Nablus, and Jericho on Thursday to highlight their demands.

At the UN Teachers’ College in Ramallah, union head Shaker Ar-Resheq said, “This demonstration is in protest of the rejection of our demands by the UN administration.”

Ar-Resheq said UN workers are demanding a pay increase to reflect rising prices, and two days off a week, similar to PA employees and UN workers in other countries.

I had recently looked at UNRWA job postings, and came up with these:

For a treasurer, January 2008, in Amman:

UNRWA offers an attractive compensation package including annual salary starting at $67,709 net tax free with dependants or $63,052 single, plus 48.3%, post adjustment (subject to change). Other benefits, subject to eligibility, include education grant, dependency allowance, home leave, pension fund, health insurance and 6 weeks annual leave.

After the post-adjustment the salary is over $100K.

For Director of UNRWA Operations in West Bank, 2007:

UNRWA offers an attractive compensation package including gross annual salary starting at $126,565 ($94,564 net tax free with dependants, $87,407 single) plus 37.1% (subject to change) of post adjustment.) Other fringe benefits could include mobility and hardship allowance, education grant, dependency allowance, home leave, pension fund, health insurance and 6 weeks annual leave.

Deputy spokesperson, May 2008:

UNRWA offers an attractive compensation package including annual salary starting at USD 106,907 (net tax free $81,197 with dependants or USD 75,432 single) plus 47.6% post adjustment (subject to change). Other benefits, subject to eligibility, include education grant, dependency allowance, home leave, pension fund, health insurance and 6 weeks of annual leave.

To be fair, however, UNRWA grunt employees look like they are paid about the same as similar workers in the areas they are employed. Jordanian UNRWA teachers get about $8500 annually.