When moderate Arabs in moderate Kuwait sat to relax and watch their moderate TV stations last Friday, they got to watch this moderate cleric:
Sheik Nayef Najjaj Al-Ajami: Servants of Allah, let us be aware that our struggle with the Jews is one of faith, identity, and existence. Read the Koran, where Allah says: “Never will the Jews or the Christians be satisfied with you until you follow their creed,” so that you may know what the Jews conceal within their hearts.
Read what Allah says: “Strongest among men in enmity to the believers you will find the Jews and the polytheists,” so that you may know the magnitude of their enmity towards the Muslims, and their hatred towards the followers of the Prophet Muhammad. These people...
Brothers and sisters, you should read history books, so you my know the history of this people, and so you may know that the Jews of the past were evil, and the Jews of today are even worse.
They are ungrateful, they distort the word [of Allah], the worshippers of the golden calf, the slayers of the prophets, the enemies of the divine prophecies, the scum of mankind, who incurred the curse and wrath of Allah, and whom Allah transformed into apes and pigs and into taghut worshippers.
"Taghut" means anything people worship besides Allah.
As water gushes through the labyrinthine infrastructure of the London water supply system, an ageing pipe creaks, whines noisily, and finally bursts.
Within seconds, an alert starts flashing on a remote computer in the tiny office of Takadu - an Israeli start-up in Tel Aviv.
Once picked up, the information is transmitted to Thames Water - the utility company responsible for bringing water to Londoners.
Thanks to Takadu, as well as to other measures, Thames Water managed to achieve five annual leakage reduction targets in a row.
According to the World Health Organization, about three billion people on Earth - almost one in two - live in water-scarce conditions, with demand growing drastically while supply remains constant.
And out of all the water that's being supplied to consumers, more than 45 billion litres per day globally are lost to leakage - around 20-30% in developed countries, and close to 50% in developing ones.
And utility companies as well as consumers have to pay the price - it is costing the world's water supply firms approximately $14bn (£9bn) per year, according to the World Bank.
So to keep the consumer "watered" enough, it is estimated a global total of $23tn (£15tn) will be spent on improving public infrastructure that handles water and sewage from 2005 to 2030.
That is why utility companies are turning to innovative solutions and new technologies to detect leaks early - and eliminate them as soon as possible, to reduce operational costs.
"This is where Takadu comes in - it's a 24/7 computer watchdog," says Mr Peleg.
"We operate in big metropolitan areas, picking up data from different meters of the network, such as flow, pressure and others.
"If the data shows that something is wrong - a small leak, a big burst, faulty equipment, or just a technician who left a valve open - we determine the location, the magnitude, when it started, and then send the data straight to the repair team."
Takadu is not the only company that uses smart water technology, but according to Prof Hope, this tiny start-up is one of the market leaders.
The firm was first set up with the main idea of supplying enough water to Israel - located in a region where everyone is constantly aware of water scarcity
But the internet allowed it to work with countries all over the world.
For instance, one of the partners is Yarra Valley Water in Melbourne, Australia, and the firm's general manager of infrastructure services, David Snadden, says that TaKaDu's geolocation feature has really helped the company to quickly locate leaks in the field.
Another partner is Aguas Antofagasta, a water utility company in Chile.
With Takadu's help, Aguas Antofagasta has been able to reduce its total water losses from 30% to 23% over the past five years, saving some 800 million litres of water per year.
"And also, every cubic metre we save means we have one cubic metre less to produce in our desalination plant, which is very intensive in energy," adds Mr Kutulas Peet.
Poor BDSers, having to choose between boycotting of Takadu - and saving trillions of liters of water.
The last nine months has seen a new wave of repression in Saudi Arabia as authorities have cracked down on protesters and reformists on security grounds, Amnesty International said today.
In Saudi Arabia: Repression in the Name of Security, the organization says hundreds of people have been arrested for demonstrating, while the government has drafted an anti-terror law that would effectively criminalize dissent as a "terrorist crime” and further strip away rights from those accused of such offences.
“Peaceful protesters and supporters of political reform in the country have been targeted for arrest in an attempt to stamp out the kinds of call for reform that have echoed across the region,” said Philip Luther, Amnesty International’s interim Middle East and North Africa Director.
“While the arguments used to justify this wide-ranging crackdown may be different, the abusive practices being employed by the Saudi Arabian government are worryingly similar to those which they have long used against people accused of terrorist offences.”
So we can expect to see major protests outside Saudi embassies worldwide. Because we all know that embassy protesters are motivated by a sheer love of freedom.
In fact, there was a notable protest at a Saudi embassy recently.
Protesters on Saturday sacked the Saudi embassy in the Syrian capital of Damascus after the Arab League (AL) decided to suspend the activities of Syrian delegation in the pan-Arab body, the al-Jazeera TV reported.
The TV footage showed angry protesters break into the embassy building in the evening, smashing the windows and sacking the embassy's properties.
OK, that's not fair. Surely there have been protests against the Saudis in other countries.
Yeah, yeah, I'm still not being fair. I found a real protest against Saudi treatment of women, this year, in the Ukraine. However, it is not suitable for work.
Earlier this week, Karl Vick at Time Magazine came up with this piece of convoluted logic that only a self-described Middle East expert can conjure up:
Quite possibly biggest news out of Cairo was deep in the fine print: Efforts are under way to bring Hamas into the PLO, or Palestine Liberation Organization, the umbrella for all Palestinian factions. ...Hamas has wanted to join it since at least 2005. If Hamas finally gets in, the implications would appear to be immense. It would mean agreeing to the positions and agreements the PLO has already made. This includes recognizing Israel, and renouncing terror -- two things Hamas has never been willing to do.
As I mentioned at the time, this venerable journalist and analyst didn't even consider that Hamas' joining the PLO would mean that the PLO would change its position, not Hamas.
So who is right - an anonymous blogger with a ridiculously ironic name or the Time Magazine's Middle East expert analyst Karl Vick?
An Islamic Jihad delegation has arrived in Cairo to discuss national unity, party officials said Thursday.
The group, headed by the movement's general-secretary Ramadan Shalah, was invited for talks following a meeting between Fatah leader President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas chief Khalid Mashaal in the Egyptian capital last week, Islamic Jihad officials told Ma'an.
On Wednesday, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Palestinian Liberation Front said they had received invitations to send delegations to Cairo on Dec. 4 and Dec. 6 to discuss the unity deal. Later this month, the secretary-generals of all factions are due to attend a collective meeting in Cairo.
The Islamic Jihad delegation will discuss joining the Palestine Liberation Organization, officials said.
By Vick's logic, this means that Islamic Jihad is now a moderate, peace-loving organization! They want to join the PLO! And the other terror groups discussing unity are probably not far behind! "The implications would appear to be immense!"
But wait:
Senior leader Sheikh Khalid al-Batsh told Ma'an on Sunday that Islamic Jihad would be interested in joining the PLO, but only on condition that it is restructured and its new agenda does not include any recognition of Israel.
Following talks between Abbas and Mashaal on Nov. 24, it was announced that an all-encompassing leadership body tasked with reforming the Palestine Liberation Organization would hold its first meeting on Dec. 22. The body was first envisioned by a 2005 agreement among factions.
Hamas is not part of the PLO, which is dominated by the Fatah movement. Hamas, which is shunned by the West for its hostility to Israel, believes that joining the PLO would bolster its international standing.
That sound you hear is the sound of the entire mainstream media ignoring the facts.
Fatah is moving towards Hamas-style rejectionism; Hamas is not moving towards peace. And the PLO might be reformed to accommodate terror groups while keeping its international cachet.
This is pretty obvious to anyone - except to Middle East experts employed by major media outlets.
Just came across this article at Ma'an in its entirety:
Farmers continue to grow produce in the Gaza Strip despite Israel's ban on exports, but productivity has plummeted.
Israel bans all exports from Gaza aside from a few trucks of berries and flowers each day during winter under an agreement with the Dutch government. Farmers are denied access to lucrative markets in Israel and the West Bank.
Meanwhile, Israel has leveled vast areas of arable land in the coastal enclave over the last decade.
But farmers continue to produce strawberries, carnations, cherry tomatoes and bell peppers to export in limited quantities to Europe, although shipping fees reduce the profit margins.
Mahmoud Ikhlayyil, chairman of the strawberry and carnation association in Gaza, says farmers used to plant 2,500 dunams of strawberries before Israel's siege, but only plant between 900 - 1,000 dunams today.
This year, farmers avoided growing potatoes after a disastrous season in 2010 when no potatoes were exported, Ikhlayyil said.
"Farmers paid storage fees equal to 1.5 shekels ($0.40) per kilo, and in the end they sold it in the local market for 1 shekel per kilo."
In 2010, 25,000 dunams of fields had been planted with potatoes, he added.
In 2009, Gaza flower and berry growers suffered big losses when Israel delayed export permission by two months.
The Palestinian Bureau of Statistics says the enclave's exports in 2005 were worth $41 million.
The figure plummeted to $30,000 in 2006 and $20,000 in 2007 and there was no significant export trade in 2008.
As I have been reporting, the amount of exports from Gaza through Israel has increased by orders of magnitude in the past couple of years. Gaza farmers are in better shape than at any time since the Hamas takeover of the sector. Yet from reading this article, especially its statistics, you would get the opposite impression.
Notice how Ma'an's research on Gaza exports seems to dry up after 2008. However, in March of 2011 I noted via YNet:
So far, Gaza's farmers have exported some 367 tons of strawberries worth €1.8 million ($2.5 million), about 5.3 million carnations worth €850,000 ($1.17 million) and 6 tons of peppers.
During the past year, Palestinians from the Gaza Strip have exported more than 399 tons of strawberries, 10 million carnations, 6.5 tons of Cherry tomato and 6 tons of red, green and yellow bell peppers to European markets. In the coming year, Palestinians are expected to export 1,000 tons of strawberries, 20 million carnations and 150 tons of red, green and yellow bell peppers. In the coming year, Palestinians are expected to export 1,000 tons of strawberries, 20 million carnations and 150 tons of red, green and yellow bell peppers.
A little math shows that in this coming year, Gaza exports should amount to $7.5 million for strawberries and $4.5 million for carnations. I don't know the prices for the peppers, nor for cherry tomatoes, and furniture exports are going to start on a trial basis, so I cannot estimate the total value of exports expected this season, but it looks like we are conservatively talking about well over $12 million.
True, this is far less than the $41 million reported before Hamas took over, but it is a great deal more than what Ma'an is reporting. And the entire tone of the article is to make Israel look bad, when in fact it would have been easier to write an article about how Gaza farmers are doing far better than at any time in the past six years.
Also, I have not seen anywhere that there were any plans to increase the exports to include potatoes. Why would Gaza farmers plant a crop when there was no expectation of export for that crop? The "disastrous season" seems to be the fault of poor planning by Gaza farmers, not because of anything Israel did, as the article implies.
And why are there no exports through Egypt? True, the Rafah crossing is not meant for commercial vehicles, but no one seems to be working on building a new crossing into Egypt where an entire new market could be built not only to Egypt itself but to the entire Arab world. And certainly a few small trucks filled with goods can go through the existing crossing, the same way that small trucks have been driven through the other way by Viva Palestina and other groups in the past couple of years.
In a follow-up to yesterday's news from The Times of London that the large blast in Isfahan was at a nuclear facility, Missing Peace makes some very good observations:
The Times made headlines on Wednesday when it published an article about the mysterious explosion that took place in Isfahan Iran two days ago.
According to the Times a ‘second nuclear facility has exploded’ in Iran. The paper furthermore reported that the blast that rocked the city of Isfahan on Monday struck the ‘uranium enrichment facility’ there.
Sheera Frenkel the Times journalist who wrote the article based her story on ‘satellite images seen by the Times’. She also suggested that Israel was behind the blast.
The same journalist reported during the Gaza war in 2009 that the IDF was targeting Palestinian civilians with white phosphorous. That report proved to be false.
Now Frenkel reports that a second nuclear facility in Iran has exploded, and that the blast struck an uranium enrichment facility.
It is obvious that this is not true. The first blast in Iran that made the headlines, occurred two weeks ago in Bidganeh. It is now clear that this explosion took place on an air force base during tests with a long range missile, probably a Sjejjil 3 intercontinental ballistic missile.
This has been confirmed by Mohammed Teherani Moghaddam the brother of the senior Revolutionary Guard commander who was in charge with the Iranian missile defense, and who was killed in the explosion. So the first blast didn’t involve any nuclear facility.
As for the uranium enrichment facility. There is no such facility in Isfahan. Isfahan is a conversion plant where yellowcake is converted to hexafluoride, or UF6, and other compounds. This is then sent to Natanz, where the enrichment takes place.
The idea that the Mossad or another foreign intelligence agency would target Isfahan and not Natanz, does not seem to be logical at all.
Another point that cast doubt on Frenkel’s story was discussed by J.E. Dyer, a retired officer of the US naval intelligence. She pointed out that a very large bomb would have to be detonated to generate the window breaking blast experienced miles away in Isfahan.
It seems obvious that Frenkel’s story doesn’t hold water.
So what really happened in Isfahan?
Dr. Ali Reza Nourisadeh, an expert on Iran who writes for Al Sharq al-Awsat, told us on the phone from London that the explosion took place on air force base 8 near Isfahan. He said that 400 converted Chinese missiles were destroyed by the blast, as well as a rocket fuel depot.
He also reported that the explosion in Bidganeh two weeks ago, destroyed 180 long range missiles as well as warheads.
Nourisadeh based his comments on information he received from sources inside Iran.
Daniel Ashrafi, an Iranian expat now living in Canada, told us that Ayatolla Khamenei was supposed to be on the air force base in Bidganeh, when the first explosion took place. His arrival was delayed, however.
Ashrafi also said that after the humiliating events in Isfahan and Bidganeh, the regime deliberately created the crisis at the British embassy in Tehran in order to divert the attention to an external enemy,
Nourisadeh’s version of the story about the explosion in Isfahan makes more sense. Especially if one takes in account Dyer’s explanation about the large bomb that would have been necessary to generate the massive explosion that was necessary to cause significant damage at the yellowcake conversion plant.
The only thing which is really clear, is that the secret war against Iran has taken a new turn.
Now Iran is experiencing the same type of warfare that it has unleashed against its enemies since the Islamic revolution started. It could mean the opposition has decided that there are better ways to drive the mullahs out of power than a public uprising.
Here is what Israel's ambassador the the UN, Ron Prosor, said yesterday in a speech on the occasion of the General Assembly debate on "The Question of Palestine."
Mr. President,
A great Jewish sage once wrote, “The truth can hurt like a thorn, at first; but in the end it blossoms like a rose.”
His words came to my mind today. His insight could really benefit many in this hall.
It takes a well of truth to water the seeds of peace. Yet, we continue to witness a drought of candor in this body’s discussion of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. On this historic day, real facts in the General Assembly remain few and far between.
For any who have been here on November 29th before, today is déjà vu. Some of you may have noticed that some minor changes have been taking place in the Middle East lately, but any changes in this body’s resolutions condemning Israel are very, very rare.
Indeed, it didn’t take a creative writer to craft the language in these resolutions. The exact same text is copied and pasted, year after year – much of it dating back five decades.
The account we heard today is one-sided. It is unilateral. It is unjust. And it is unhelpful. It presents a distorted and partial version of history. It transforms the cause of Palestinian self-determination into a deliberate attempt to denigrate, defame, and delegitimize the State of Israel.
The political dynamics in this body are sadly predictable. Every November, the leaves change color in New York, but the automatic anti-Israel majority never changes its votes.
Each and every responsible member of the international community that affixes its seal of approval on this exact same set of resolutions – which are irrelevant at best, and damaging at worst— should do a little soul searching. Is this the message that you want the General Assembly to send to the world?
Mr. President,
Let me take a moment to remind this Assembly about what actually occurred on this day 64 years ago – and in the days that followed.
On November 29, 1947, the United Nations voted to partition then British-Mandate Palestine into two states: one Jewish, one Arab. Two states for two peoples.
The Jewish population accepted that plan and declared a new state in its ancient homeland. It reflected the Zionist conviction that it was both necessary and possible to live in peace with our neighbors in the land of our forefathers.
The Arab inhabitants rejected the plan and launched a war of annihilation against the new Jewish state, joined by the armies of five Arab members of the United Nations.
One percent of Israel’s population died during this assault by five armies. Think about that price. It would be the equivalent of 650,000 dying in France today, or 3 million dying in the United States, or 13 million dying in China.
As a result of the war, there were Arabs who became refugees. A similar number of Jews, who lived in Arab countries, were forced to flee their homes as well. They, too, became refugees.
The difference between these two distinct populations was – and still is – that Israel absorbed the refugees into our society. Our neighbors did not.
Refugee camps in Israel gave birth to thriving towns and cities. Refugee camps in Arab Countries gave birth to more Palestinian refugees.
We unlocked our new immigrants’ vast potential. The Arab World knowingly and intentionally kept their Palestinian populations in the second class status of permanent refugees.
In Lebanon for many years and still today, the law prohibits Palestinians from owning land – and from working in the public sector or as doctors and lawyers. Palestinians are banned from these professions.
In Kuwait, the once significant Palestinian population was forcibly expelled from the country in 1991. Few remain.
In Syria, thousands of Palestinians had to flee refugee camps in Latakia last August when President Assad shelled their homes with naval gunboats.
In the vast majority of Arab Countries, Palestinians have no rights of citizenship. It is no coincidence that the Arab World’s responsibilities for the “inalienable rights” of these Palestinians never appear in the resolutions before you.
Mr. President,
The basic question underlying our conflict for 64 years has not changed. That question is: has the Arab World – and particularly the Palestinians – internalized that Israel is here to stay and will remain the Nation-state of the Jewish People?
It is still unclear whether they are inspired by the promise of building a new state, or the goal of destroying an existing one.
Two months ago, President Abbas stood at the podium in this very hall and tried to erase the unbroken and unbreakable connection between the Jewish people and the Land of Israel.
He said the following:
“I come before you today from the Holy Land, the land of Palestine, the land of divine messages, ascension of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the birthplace of Jesus Christ (peace be upon him).”
This was not an oversight. It was not a slip of the tongue. It was yet another deliberate attempt to deny and erase more than 3,000 years of Jewish history. The Arab leaders from those two nations that sought peace have offered a different message.
For example, in 1995, King Hussein came to the United States and said (quote): “For our part, we shall continue to work for the new dawn when all the Children of Abraham and their descendants are living together in the birthplace of their three great monotheistic religions.”
In 1977, President Sadat came to Israel’s Knesset and quoted this verse from the Koran: “We believe in God and in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, and the tribes and in the books given to Moses, Jesus, and the prophets from their lord.”
President Sadat and King Hussein spoke of THREE monotheistic religions, not ONE or TWO.
Mr. President,
The resolution that gives the 29th of November significance – General Assembly resolution 181 – speaks of the creation of a “Jewish State” no less than 25 times. We still do not hear Palestinian leaders utter the term.
The Palestinian leadership refuses to acknowledge Israel’s character as a Jewish state. You will never hear them say “two states for two peoples”. If you ever hear a Palestinian leader say “two states for two peoples”, please phone me immediately. My office has set up the equivalent of a 911 number in the event of such an unprecedented occurrence.
Palestinian leaders call for an independent Palestinian state, but insist that the Palestinian people return to the Jewish state. This is a proposition that no one who believes in the right of Israel to exist could ever accept.
The idea that Israel will be flooded with millions of Palestinians is a non-starter. The international community knows it. The Palestinian leadership knows it. But the Palestinian people aren’t hearing it. At this very moment, the gap between their perception and reality remains the major obstacle to peace.
Let me repeat that: the so-called right of return is and will remain the major obstacle to peace. It is not settlements. It is not the laundry list of baseless accusations launched against Israel in today’s resolutions.
I’ll repeat it again: the so-called right of return is the major obstacle to peace. Everyone knows it.
Yet, all of those who were so vocal today in telling Israel what is has to do for peace – mumbled, stuttered and conveniently lost their voices when it came to telling the Palestinians that the so-called right of return is a non-starter.
For decades, this body has rubberstamped nearly every Palestinian whim, no matter how counter-factual or counter-productive. What has this accomplished? The lip service of this body has only done a disservice for peace.
Mr. President,
True friends of the Palestinians have a responsibility to tell them the truth.
They will stop promoting the distorted version of history that characterizes this day, and start delivering the real lessons of history that the Palestinian leadership now refuses to heed.
These lessons are clear: bilateral negotiations are the only route to two states, for two peoples – living side-by-side in peace and security; negotiations that resolve the outstanding concerns of both sides.
While bypass maneuvers may work for heart surgery and highway construction, they will not bring peace or security to our region.
Direct negotiations were the way of President Sadat and Prime Minister Begin, the way of Prime Minister Rabin and King Hussein. It has been the framework for advancing peace between Israel and the Palestinians for the past two decades.
Time and again, we have extended our hand in peace to the Palestinians. Prime Minister Netanyahu stood in this very hall last September and declared his commitment to the cause of Palestinian self-determination – and his vision for establishing a Palestinian state, alongside the Jewish State of Israel – two states for two peoples.
Yet, today we wait for the Palestinians to give up the false idol of unilateralism – and get back to the real hard work of direct negotiations. And – as they continue to run away from the negotiating table, the Palestinian leadership continues to move closer into their embrace of Hamas – an internationally recognized terrorist organization dedicated to the destruction of Israel.
This development brings to my mind Groucho Marx’s famous line: "Those are my principles, and if you don't like them … well, I have others." The Quartet has long applied three principles that Hamas must adopt. It must renounce violence, recognize Israel and abide by prior agreements. At no point has Hamas satisfied these conditions – or indicated any intention to do so.
Those who advocate recognizing a Government that includes Hamas are urging a Groucho-Marxist policy in a complex, unstable region. If Hamas is too extreme to accept these principles, they argue, we must tailor our principles to match Hamas's extremism.
The bar has been set very low. On these basic requirements for peace, there can be no adjustments. There can be no bargaining. There can be no Holiday Season discounts – in this hall or anywhere else.
Mr. President,
Even more than the words spoken in the speeches here today – or the words in the resolutions before you— it is the words not spoken that speak volumes. This Assembly has made clear that it does not stand in solidarity with many people in our region today.
In this hall, I hear no solidarity with the one million Israeli men, women and children who live under the constant rain rockets, mortars and missiles from the Gaza Strip.
I hear no solidarity with the 16-year old boy who was killed last April when a Hamas anti-Tank Missile struck his school bus. Or the thousands of other Israeli civilians who have been killed and injured.
I hear no solidarity with the Israeli children who learn the alphabet at the same time that they learn the names Kassam, Grad, and Katyusha – the rockets that keep them out of school for weeks at a time.
I hear no solidarity with the Palestinians who are victims of brutal Hamas rule – with the political opponents who are tortured, the women who are subjugated, or the children who are used as suicide bombers and human shields.
And – Mr. President, today I hear no solidarity with the many people in the Middle East who are being repressed and slaughtered every single day for demanding their freedom. From Syria to Iran to Yemen, these people are no longer content with their leader’s explanations that Israel is to blame for all the problems of the Middle East – a fiction that is advanced through resolutions like those before us today.
Today the People of the Middle East demand real answers for their plight.
I also heard no discussion today about the incitement that continues to fill the West Bank and Gaza, where the next generation of Palestinian children is being taught that suicide bombers are heroes, that Jews have no connection to the Holy Land, and that they must seek to annihilate the State of Israel.
From cradles to kindergarten classrooms; from the grounds of summer camps to the stands of football stadiums; from the names of public squares to the public pronouncements of Palestinian leaders, these messages are everywhere.
Just last month, President Abbas declared that the Palestinian Authority would provide a grant of up to $5,000 to every terrorist released in exchange for Gilad Shalit, Israel’s kidnapped soldier.
These are people like Ibrahim Shammasina, who helped to murder four Israelis, including two teenagers. People like Walid Anajas, who planned bombings in the heart of Jerusalem and Rishon Lezion, which killed 32.
People like Wafa-al Bis, who unsuccessfully tried to blow herself up in an Israeli hospital.
Washed in the blood of innocents, these terrorists are being held up as role models for the next generation of Palestinian children.
Palestinian Authority television broadcast President Abbas’ remarks to these released terrorists last October. He said, “You are people of struggle and Jihad fighters for Allah and the homeland... Your sacrifice and your effort and your actions were not in vain.”
Mr. President,
Sustainable peace must take root in homes, schools, and media that teach tolerance and understanding so that it can grow in hearts and minds.
It must come from a Palestinian leadership willing to tell its people about the difficult compromises that they will have to make for statehood.
It will come through the hard work of state-building, not the old habit of state-bashing.
Today none of these truths have been spoken.
Today I hear no solidarity with the principles of peace.
I know that the truth can be a burden. I know that old habits die-hard. I know that the convenience of the moment sometimes weighs heavy on the interests of the future.
Yet, only the truth will set us free. After years of darkness, I call on this Assembly to bring new light to this debate.
I call on each and every delegate in this hall to embrace pragmatic solutions, not automatic resolutions; to speak with candor, and not slander; to grapple for a new vision, and not old divisions.
I call on this Assembly to finally glean truth from this historic day, nourishing the seeds of peace in our region that can blossom into a brighter future.
Turkey will suspend all financial dealings with Syria and freeze Syrian government assets as part of sanctions against President Bashar al-Assad’s government, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Wednesday.
Davutoglu also told a news conference that Turkey, once a close friend of Damascus, would block the delivery of all weapons and military equipment to Damascus as part of measures aimed at persuading Assad to end a violent crackdown against pro-democracy protesters, according to Reuters.
Turkey’s move follows in the wake of sanctions announced by the Arab league. Davutoglu also said a cooperation agreement with Syria was being suspended until there was a new government in place.
“Until a legitimate government which is at peace with its people is in charge in Syria, the mechanism of the High Level of Strategic Cooperation has been suspended,” Davutoglu said, adding Assad’s government had come “to the end of the road.”
A dozen ministers from both countries convene a few times a year to discuss joint projects under the high-level strategic council mechanism, according to AFP.
Davutoglu underlined that Turkey would not take any measures that would harm Syrian people and said the government would contemplate “additional measures” according to the steps to be taken by the Syrian administration.
Davutoglu on Tuesday said that Turkey did not want to consider a military option for intervention in Syria but that it was ready for any scenario.
I believe that this is going much further than US and EU sanctions.
Which puts Turkey at the forefront of the world community acting against Assad - and, indirectly, against Iran.
Iran for its part warned Turkey against acting so Zionist.
Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani, during a press conference on Wednesday, advised Islamic countries not to play in the ground that extra-regional powers have prepared against Syria.
He said, “We expect Islamic countries not to allow those who hold a grudge against Syria for its resistance against the Zionist regime to take advantage of the situation.”
He also advised Turkey not to play the game, which has been designed by “others.”
I am still piecing things together, but it appears that about five Jewish owned stores were vandalized last night in the heavily Orthodox Jewish community of Highland Park, NJ.
Someone threw stones through the windows of a pizza shop, two Judaica stores, a kosher restaurant and a Jewish-owned hardware store.
I am also told that someone threw a brick through the windows of Rutgers Hillel, only a couple of miles away in New Brunswick, yesterday.*
A Facebook comment alleges "Someone also got verbally attacked last night at Dunkin [Donuts, also kosher.] He threatened a second Kristalnacht."
Yesterday was the anniversary of the 1947 UN Partition Vote to create a Jewish state in Palestine.
From what I can tell, there are other stores in between the ones that were hit that were untouched.
So far no news media has covered this, I'm only getting stuff from Facebook and email.
UPDATE: A statement from the Highland Park, NJ police:
The Highland Park Police Department would like to advise you about the reported incidents of vandalism that occurred overnight on Raritan Ave.
Detectives are actively investigating these incidents and are in contact with and coordinating efforts with other law enforcement agencies that may be able to expedite the investigation.
We are currently gathering and reviewing information that may lead us to a suspect. We cannot be more specific because we do not want to jeopardize the investigation.
We would also like to briefly address the fear that these are acts motivated by anti-Semitism or that these are bias crimes. The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office has been notified, but it is too soon to reach a conclusion.
All of our officers are aware of the sensitivity of this situation and we will make every effort with patrols and surveillance to keep everyone safe. We would like to encourage you to communicate with your congregants and urge them to avoid speculation which could lead to unnecessary anxiety.
Here is a map of where the vandalism occurred. All of the stores are Jewish or owned by Jews. There are plenty of other stores in between.
UPDATE 2: There were apparently also attacks at two other locations in New Brunswick yesterday - from what I understand, at the Rutgers Chabad house and at an Israeli-owned falafel place.
*According to Tablet, Rutgers Hillel was attacked on Saturday night. But the window at Maoz, the falafel shop in New Brunswick, was shattered (I believe) yesterday. I am told the Chabad was vandalized early Sunday as well.
A 52 year old New Brunswick man has been placed under arrest and charged with five counts of criminal mischief after smashing the windows of five Jewish owned businesses in Highland Park.
Richard Green of Bayard Street was arrested this afternoon in New Brunswick. No determination has been made yet if the incident will be considered a bias crime and an ongoing investigation will determine if Green was responsible for other acts of criminal mischief that have occurred in the past few days.
According to Highland Park mayor Stephen Nolan, Green has been sent for a psychiatric evaluation.
Hamas Gaza leader Mahmoud Zahar has again said that the heralded "unity" deal with Fatah is nothing more than smoke and mirrors.
Zahar pointedly said that the meeting between Abbas and Meshal in Cairo was not reconciliation, but a postponement of reconciliation.
He says that there is no way that the elections will be held in May because in the time beforehand there needs to be a provisional government set up and elections need to be organized, and Zahar says that this simply will not happen by May.
He claims that Fatah is arresting Hamas members, and that Abbas is dragging his feet because of the Israeli and US "veto" .
He also says that the Islamist takeover of the Arab Spring is an expression of natural historic forces and that American is experiencing decline.
Meanwhile, Hamas security forces stormed into Al Quds University, causing the administration to complain.
On November 30, 1947, while Jews were still in the streets of Palestine celebrating the UN partition vote, Arabs murdered seven Jews.
Six of them were on a bus. Arabs threw grenades at an Egged bus traveling from Netanya to Jerusalem, and one exploded inside.
Devora Yaari was injured, and her husband Shalom rushed to her aid. He was shot dead in cold blood.
Shoshana Mizrahi Farhi, 22, was on her way to Jerusalem to get married. She was killed.
The other victims were Hirsh Starer, Mrs. Hanna Weiss, and Miss Haya Yisraeli.
Another Egged bus was attacked a half hour later, and Nechama Hacohen, a pathologist at Hadassah Hospital, was killed.
That same day, buses were fired upon in Haifa and Jerusalem as well, injuring one.
The Palestinian Arabs had been relatively quiet in the months leading up to the partition vote, hoping that a temporary lull in terrorism would convince the UN that they had no desire to destroy the Jewish community.
It didn't take long for them to return to their murderous ways.
In the coming days, there were many more fatal attacks on Jews, and Jews were chased out of their homes as well.
The Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) is leading parliamentary polls across Egypt, according to early estimates Wednesday.
Egyptians cast their ballots Monday and Tuesday in the first round of parliamentary elections, held in nine governorates. Elections will continue over several phases into January.
With the backing of the Muslim Brotherhood and its ability to organize and mobilize supporters, many expected the FJP to dominate the polls.
In Luxor, where about 80 percent of ballots have been counted, FJP appears to lead the vote, closely followed by the Salafi Nour Party. The liberal Egyptian Bloc and moderate Wasat Party won far fewer votes in that governorate.
In Port Said, 70 percent of the votes have been counted... For the list-based candidacy seats, indicators show that the FJP leads, followed by the Nour, Free Egyptian and Wasat parties.
In Cairo's eighth constituency, which includes Dar al-Salam, Misr al-Qadeema, Sayeda Zeinab, Khalifa and Moqattam, ... The Salafi Nour Party and FJP lead the party list vote, with the Egyptian Bloc and Wafd trailing behind.
In Helwan, FJP leads for list-based candidacy seats while the Nour Party and the Egyptian Bloc and the Conservative Party are competing for second place.
In Assiut's first constituency, where 70 percent of votes have been counted, FJP leads, followed by Nour Party and the Egyptian Bloc. In the second constituency, FJP leads, followed by the Conservative Party....
In the Red Sea Governorate, FJP tops the polls, followed by the Egyptian Bloc and the Egyptian Citizen Party.
In Kafr al-Sheikh, Nour Party appears to lead the first constituency, followed by FJP and then the Wafd Party. In the second constituency, FJP leads, followed by Nour and then Egypt National and Wafd parties.
If the Muslim Brotherhood is correct in their claim that their FJP party is receiving some 40% of the vote, then it is possible that they would not need to rely on any secular parties to create a ruling coalition - the even more hard-line Salafists would seem to have enough votes to put them over 50%.
They are very keen on appearing moderate, so this might not be their first choice, but it is now a serious possibility, especially if the Salafists manage to get 15-20% - enough to make an unbreakable coalition.
According to the regime, the students stormed the embassy. But this guy is a Quds force officer, Karim Jalali, When he was there, it means Sepah was behind it with direct order of the supreme leader.
The scenes outside the British embassy in Iran yesterday evoked Tehran, 1979. Young, bearded men forced their way in and briefly held six British employees.
The attack was no impromptu happening. Police stood by, and Iranian state television broadcast events live. By some strange reflex, Western media insisted the attackers were "students." To Iranians who know better, they were the basij militia, the regime's first line of defense. These thugs were called out to brutally put down the 2009 Green Revolution, a genuine student-led uprising.
The assault was no doubt revenge for Britain's decision to impose financial sanctions in the wake of the recent U.N. report on Iran's nuclear-weapons program. Iran's parliament voted Monday to expel the British ambassador, MPs chanted "Death to Britain" and issued threats against the U.K. embassy. Twenty-four hours later, the basij arrived.
The episode is one more reminder that Iran is not the "status quo power" that many in the West imagine. It is a regime that flouts civilized norms and seeks to dominate its region and terrorize the U.S. and its allies.
Hamid Etemad (name changed), a lecturer at a university in Iran and an expert on international law said "such an act in blatant violation of international law would be unthinkable without getting a green light from the highest political decision-makers."
Omid Nouripour, foreign policy spokesman of Germany's opposition Green Party, agreed. Tuesday's event was an organized protest, Nouripour said. Forces involved in the brutal crackdown on the Iranian pro-democracy movement in 2009 were among the alleged demonstrators, he claimed.
AN IRANIAN nuclear facility has been hit by a huge explosion, the second such blast in a month, prompting speculation that Tehran's military and atomic sites are under attack.
Satellite imagery seen by The Times confirmed that a blast that rocked the city of Isfahan on Monday struck the uranium enrichment facility there, despite denials by Tehran.
Isfahan uranium enrichment site
The images clearly showed billowing smoke and destruction, negating Iranian claims yesterday that no such explosion had taken place. Israeli intelligence officials told The Times that there was "no doubt" that the blast struck the nuclear facilities at Isfahan and that it was "no accident".
The explosion at Iran's third-largest city came as satellite images emerged of the damage caused by one at a military base outside Tehran two weeks ago that killed about 30 members of the Revolutionary Guard, including General Hassan Moghaddam, the head of the Iranian missile defence program.
Iran claimed that the Tehran explosion occurred during testing on a new weapons system designed to strike at Israel. But several Israeli officials have confirmed that the blast was intentional and part of an effort to target Iran's nuclear weapons program.
On Monday, Isfahan residents reported a blast that shook tower blocks in the city at about 2.40pm and seeing a cloud of smoke rising over the nuclear facility on the edge of the city.
"This caused damage to the facilities in Isfahan, particularly to the elements we believe were involved in storage of raw materials," said one military intelligence source.
He would not confirm or deny Israel's involvement in the blast, instead saying that there were "many different parties looking to sabotage, stop or coerce Iran into stopping its nuclear weapons program".
Iran went into frantic denial yesterday as news of the explosion at Isfahan emerged. Alireza Zaker-Isfahani, the city's governor, claimed that the blast had been caused by a military exercise in the area but state-owned agencies in Tehran soon removed this story and issued a government denial that any explosion had taken place at all.
UPDATE: There is no uranium enrichment facility in Isfahan. See followup here.
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Elder of Ziyon
