Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News

Wednesday, September 02, 2009

UNRWA defends not teaching Holocaust to PalArabs

We had already seen that the UNRWA denied that they were planning to teach or even mention the Holocaust to students in UNRWA schools in light of Hamas accusations.

Today, UNRWA chief John Ging went further, saying that it would be inappropriate to educate Palestinian Arab children about the Holocaust!

An article in Palestine Today (Arabic) quotes Ging as saying "It is not acceptable that Palestinians student are taught the about the Holocaust at a time when Israel is writing off everything related to Palestine in the school curriculum for Palestinian students in Israel."

He stressed that "there is no intention to integrate materials and topics that are inconsistent with the desire of Palestinian society."

Ging said that not a "single word" about the Holocaust is mentioned in the UNRWA Palestinian Arab curricula. He regretted that UNRWA was being attacked by Arabs at a time when (this is a quote from the article, but not a direct quote from Ging) "the Zionist lobby is trying to persuade the U.S. Congress to adopt a resolution to close the Agency and to liquidate its offices in the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian territories."

He was answering questions asked by te leader of a PalArab human rights organization, who was happy that UNRWA wouldn't teach such an awful topic.

How much of a stretch is it to characterize this as saying that the UNRWA has no problem with widespread Holocaust denial among Arabs? After all, it is not like they are being taught about it in schools to begin with....

Is a Shalit deal in the works?

I have purposefully stayed away from the many stories in both the Israeli and Arab press claiming that a deal for Gilad Shalit is imminent, mostly because we've heard that song before.

But today, Ma'an reports that Israel is releasing nine Hamas leaders from prison. There are still some 23 others in prison.

Israel arrested many Hamas West Bank leaders immediately after Shalit's kidnapping, specifically to pressure Hamas to release him. more were arrested earlier this year for the same reason.

I see no reason why Israel would release Hamas leaders if there wasn't other stuff going on.

This doesn't mean that Shalit is close to being released, but it seems to indicate that things are moving.

UPDATE: "Rape of death-row virgins..." story wrong

UPDATE: This following post is not true. Apparently a satirical Farsi-language website wrote it as a joke and Israel National News took it seriously.

I didn't think the story of Iranians raping virgins in prison before execution could get worse.

I was wrong.

Last month, Ayatollah Mohammad Taqi Mesbah-Yazdi, a close spiritual adviser to Ahmadinejad, answered questions from followers.

"Can an interrogator rape the prisoner in order to obtain a confession?" was [one] question posed to the Islamic cleric.

Mesbah-Yazdi answered: "The necessary precaution is for the interrogator to perform a ritual washing first and say prayers while raping the prisoner. If the prisoner is female, it is permissible to rape through the vagina or anus. It is better not to have a witness present. If it is a male prisoner, then it's acceptable for someone else to watch while the rape is committed."

This reply, and reports of the rape of teen male prisoners in Iranian jails, may have prompted the following question: "Is the rape of men and young boys considered sodomy?"

Ayatollah Mesbah-Yazdi: "No, because it is not consensual. Of course, if the prisoner is aroused and enjoys the rape, then caution must be taken not to repeat the rape."

A related issue, in the eyes of the questioners, was the rape of virgin female prisoners. In this instance, Mesbah-Yazdi went beyond the permissibility issue and described the Allah-sanctioned rewards accorded the rapist-in-the-name-of-Islam:

"If the judgment for the [female] prisoner is execution, then rape before execution brings the interrogator a spiritual reward equivalent to making the mandated Haj pilgrimage [to Mecca], but if there is no execution decreed, then the reward would be equivalent to making a pilgrimage to [the Shi'ite holy city of] Karbala."

One aspect of these permitted rapes troubled certain questioners: "What if the female prisoner gets pregnant? Is the child considered illegitimate?"

Mesbah-Yazdi answered: "The child borne to any weakling [a denigrating term for women - ed.] who is against the Supreme Leader is considered illegitimate, be it a result of rape by her interrogator or through intercourse with her husband, according to the written word in the Koran. However, if the child is raised by the jailer, then the child is considered a legitimate Shi'a Muslim."

These quotes are from Iranian dissidents, but they do not seem inconsistent with what Mesbah-Yazdi has said in the past. He is considered the most extreme major cleric in Iran today, and has sanctioned the use of atomic weapons as well as the death penalty against anyone who criticizes Islam. In addition he has called to eliminate elections in Iran, calling the people "ignorant sheep," and he says that if Iran has a war against the infidels he would want the Iranians to take civilians as slaves and convert them to Islam.

"Occupied Jaffa"

Palestine Today has a photo essay of "the occupied city of Jaffa."

Sounds like they are really interested in a two-state solution, doesn't it?

Beef in Gaza same price as in America

Palestine Today (and YNet) report on a significant decline in meat prices in Gaza compared to the previous two Ramadans.

The reasons include increased smuggling of cows from Egypt as well as Israel's allowing 3000 cows to be imported.

YNet's report quoted Ma'an as saying that Gazans still couldn't afford the prices, but PalToday writes that the people are very happily surprised by the reduction and that the prices are "suitable for all segments of society."

The price of beef in Gaza is now between 35 and 40 shekels a kilogram, which translates to between $4 and $5 a pound. This is pretty much what Halal beef costs in the US on sale (and significantly less than kosher beef prices.)

Facts like these don't stop people like Jimmy Carter from repeating that Gazans are "literally starving."

Work accident!

Two Hamas members offed themselves in northern Gaza. Hamas blames Israel, but it is not quite sure how to blame Israel:

Hamas initially said the men were killed in an Israeli airstrike, then said they had been shot and later said they were killed by Israeli tank fire.
But the Israeli military says it wasn't involved.

YNet fills in the blanks:

Two Hamas gunmen were killed in what appears to be a malfunction of an explosive device they were attempting to place near an area of Gaza's border fence regularly patrolled by soldiers, Palestinian sources reported Tuesday.
Preliminary reports said the two were killed an Air Force strike, but the reports turned out to be false.

The 2009 PalArab self-death count rises to 178.

Arab-Israeli doctor: Swine flu a scam, use natural cures

Al Arabiya (Arabic) has a lengthy article interviewing Professor Hany Younis of 'Ara, where the doctor says that the swine flu is just a scam made up by American and Zionist drug companies:

Professor Hany Younis, from the village of Ara, near the town of Umm al-Fahm in the [1948 territories, meaning Israel] has medicine for the treatment of swine influenza virus, indicating that the remedy lies in an extract of from bee products called Propolis , which is "a knockdown to all types of viruses."

Younis holds a doctorate in medicinal chemistry from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Israel), and a Ph.D. in medicinal herbs from the United States, director of the Hospital of Wisdom, and works in alternative medicine and Islamic medicine.

He accused the pharmaceutical companies of fabricating an unjustifiable fuss about the virus for profit, noting that Israeli and American firms have a major interest in such an uproar.

The virus has a treatment that exists in nature, and confirms the words of the Prophet (peace be upon him:) "What God does not send down a disease without revealing a cure."

He added: "There is also evidence that after the emergence of [swine flu] cases in Mexico, that companies in the United States announced immediately the existence of 50 million doses of vaccine. How they were able to identify the virus so quickly and prepare 50 million doses overnight? This indicates the existence of preparation prior to the hype. "

This is being published in the largest mainstream Arab publication, without any real skepticism, where possibly millions may decide that they don't need to be vaccinated because the entire concept of swine flu is made up by drug companies. And there are no article interviewing any medical experts rebutting Younis' accusations. Of course there are no scientific studies mentioned about the efficacy of propolis against arbitrary viruses.

Many people believe in conspiracy theories but the Arab world seems to rely on them. In this case, such a mindset may prove to be fatal.

Today's PalArab news 9/1/09

Freedom of the press, Hamas-style: Hamas kidnapped a journalist from Khan Younis yesterday.

Fatah ain't going to Gaza soon: The Fatah Central Committee announced their intentions to travel to Gaza to meet with Fatah representatives there who were prevented from attending the Fatah conference last month. Hamas leader Haniyeh said, quite plainly, that this would not be allowed.

Another self-death: A 22-year old was shot in the chest and killed in Rafah, bringing up the 2009 PalArab self-death count to 176.

Remember the secular PA? Jericho police distributed Korans to every police officer for Ramadan.

July/August rocket calendars

Q=Qassam (may include Katyusha-style rockets)
QS=Qassam landing short in Gaza
M=Mortar
F=Fatality (F=Gazan, F=Israeli)
(G)=Grad (included in Qassam count, not consistent yet)

MS=Mortar landing short
P - unnamed "projectiles"
(Paren) indicates unconfirmed Palestinian claims

* - Fatal non-rocket attack

K=Katyushas from Lebanon

July 2009

August 2009

All earlier rocket calendars here.

Zionist melons invading Saudi Arabia

Palestine Today is reporting that Israeli melons have "invaded" the Saudi marketplace, and authorities are trying to find out whether they came from Israel or are just an Israeli variety being grown in Europe or elsewhere.

The Saudi Minister of Agriculture flatly denied that any Israeli melons have entered the Saudi market.

Two years ago, rumors of Zionist melons infected with AIDS spread through Saudi Arabia via SMS, and that rumor even made it into the newspapers there.

Comments on comments

This blog got 1466 comments in August, a little higher than July's previous high. Monday alone saw 75 comments.

Most of the comments are quite good and the debates have been enjoyable, and it is making this blog not only a destination for reading posts but also a community, which is particularly gratifying.

I just wanted to thank everyone who jumps into the fray and who avoids ad hominem attacks. I would like this nascent community to be as welcoming, respectful and lively as possible.

Can soccer players break the Ramadan fast?

Controversy has erupted around a recent fatwa out of Egypt:

Egypt’s top religious institution has exempted the national football team from fasting during the holy month of Ramadan ahead of an international tournament, officials said, but the players have refused.

The fatwa or religious edict, which comes ahead of the World Youth Championship in Egypt due to kick off on September 24 just days after the end of Ramadan, has sparked the fury of the country’s hardliners.

Dar al-Ifta, the country’s institution which clarifies religious principles and issues edicts, “has allowed the players to break their fast,” so that fasting does not interfere with training for the Under-20 tournament, Egyptian Football Association spokesman Alaa Abdel Aziz told AFP.

“But it is the players who have refused. They insist on fasting,” he said.

Dar al-Ifta confirmed it had issued the edict explaining that “a player who is tied to a club by contract is obliged to perform his duties and if this work is his source of income and he has to participate in matches during Ramadan and fasting affects his performance then he is allowed to break the fast,” Dar al-Ifta spokesman Ibrahim Nigm told AFP.

Religious opinion states that “those who work difficult jobs and can become weaker as a result of fasting can break the fast,” Nigm said.

But the fatwa infuriated the Azhar Scholars Front, a group of fundamentalist religious scholars who issued a statement on their website denouncing the opinion.

“Playing is playing, it is not an essential part of life which justifies breaking the fast during Ramadan.”

During Ramadan, Muslims are required to abstain from food, drink and sex from dawn until dusk.

But a few days later, most of the players have decided they will take advantage of the leniency:

Reports have disclosed that the players of the Egypt side are willing to skip the Muslim Ramadan fasting on the day of their game against Rwanda in a decisive World Cup qualifier on September 5.

Islam makes it mandatory for its faithfulls to go without food and water for most of the day during the month of Ramadan, but even though the Rwanda World Cup clash falls within this period, the president of the Egypt Football Association (EFA), Sameer Zaher, has said the players think it is not a good idea to fast on that day and that they have received support from some clerics in this respect.

"All players are convinced not to fast on the match day," said Zaher.

This is a must-win match for Egypt, who are three points behind surprise leaders Algeria in their qualifying group after four rounds of matches.

Al Arabiya (Arabic) talks about the controversy, with some clerics very much against this idea. One, named Sheikh Farhat, agrees that travelers can skip the fast, but that soccer players do not have that status, no do they fit in the categories of others who can legally skip the fast like breastfeeding and menstruating women (if I am interpreting the article correctly.)

He also says that Israeli players would ask for a postponement for matches scheduled for Saturdays, and Muslims should do no less.

Unfortunately, most Israeli players are not quite that serious about the Sabbath.

100,000 Hamas campers learning to kill Jews

From the IDF:

700 summer camps, for children and teenagers, operated this summer by terror organizations along the Gaza Strip – operating under the slogan – A "Victory for Gaza – The Glory of Jerusalem". The camps are operated by the Hamas in order to encourage the next generation of this organization. In the same area many summer camps are operated by UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) – the main "competition" of Hamas’s summer camps. The Hamas reacted by presenting the UNRWA camps as "child corrupters", trying to discourage the parents from sending their kids to the foreign aid organization's camp.

According to Arab and Palestinian media, 100 thousand children and teenagers participated in Hamas camps this year. The budget of these camps is estimated to be 2 Million Dollars. The youths were guided by 1,500 counselors that went through special training courses. A marketing campaign of the Al-Aqsa channel of the Hamas and a special internet site encouraged participation of children in these camps.

The children and teenagers in the summer camps undergo semi military training. The pictures and commercials published this year and last summer showed that part of the curriculum included firearm practices and grenades dismantling as well as military drills for the children, while holding life-like weapons.

What better excuse can there be for me to repost my video from last year, Hello Martyr, Hello Fatah:

(h/t Israel Matzav)

Hamas calls Holocaust education a "war crime"

I am hard pressed to come up with a better example of turnspeak:

A Hamas spiritual leader on Monday called teaching Palestinian children about the Nazi murder of 6 million Jews a "war crime," rejecting a reported U.N. proposal to include the Holocaust in Gaza's school curriculum.
Hamas spiritual leader Younis al-Astal lashed out after hearing that the U.N. Relief and Works Agency, the main U.N. body aiding Palestinian refugees, planned to introduce lessons about the Holocaust to Gaza students.
Adding the Holocaust to the curriculum would amount to "marketing a lie and spreading it," al-Astal wrote in a statement.
"I do not exaggerate when I say this issue is a war crime, because of how it serves the Zionist colonizers and deals with their hypocrisy and lies," he wrote.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri also objected to including what he referred to as the "so-called Holocaust" in the lesson plan. "We think it's more important to teach Palestinians the crimes of the Israeli occupation," he said.

Soon we will hear that Holocaust education is offensive to Muslims altogether, so therefore it should not be taught anywhere.