Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News

Monday, February 11, 2013

Egypt's economy quickly going downhill

As the country’s economic crisis continues to administer its blistering effects on businesses and consumers, industry insiders and experts are saying the country still has yet to bear the brunt of an economic downturn that has no real relief in sight.

If the government continues down its current path, and hopes for loans from international foreign institutions remain unattainable, such as Egypt’s US$4.8 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund, experts have repeatedly warned that the situation will become drastically worse. When it does, they predict the real effect of the crisis will come in a tsunami of price increases that could spark social unrest.

A net importer of food and consumer goods, Egypt relies heavily on foreign supplies imports to feed its growing population.

But retail and import sources are warning that the ongoing devaluation of the pound will lead to large price raises in the immediate future, especially those of imported products. These price raises, experts say, will shock the Egyptian economy and drive it into further crisis.

A source from a leading mass retailer told Egypt Independent that the company had already started to feel the impact on its supply prices. The source predicted that consumers will see an up to 20 percent price increase on imported products.

Local products are likely to have their prices increase as well, but to a lesser extent than the imported ones.

Egyptian products will directly be impacted, as most of them contain imported components such as raw materials, packaging and additives, experts say.

And this general surge in prices, they say, will put inflationary pressure on all production costs.

And today:

Saying that "Egypt's numbers paint a bleak picture," US Ambassador to Egypt Anne Patterson said that the country must focus on its citizens' economic needs.

Patterson said that currency reserves are “at a critical level, roughly US$14 billion, or three months’ worth of imports." She added that the number has held steady since July only as a result of regular cash infusions into the economy from Qatar and Turkey.

“These numbers do not take into account the billions that the government is in arrears to oil companies," she added. "And more importantly, they don’t highlight what Egypt is importing – basic food items and refined energy products, key determinants of social stability. If Egypt cannot pay its import bill, her people will not be missing out on television sets and cars, but on electricity, gasoline and food."

And if that isn't bad enough - how about adding a plague of locusts?

Egypt's southeast is currently facing the spectre of a major locust infestation following recent heavy rainfall and the start of a new breeding season, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) warned last week.

On Sunday, Egyptian state news agency MENA reported that vast numbers of locusts had appeared in several areas of Upper Egypt, where they threatened the wellbeing of local crops.

According to the FAO, the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture last month managed to clear roughly 11,000 hectares of land of locusts with the use of pesticides.

Yet despite these efforts, locust numbers increased significantly in January, especially along the Red Sea coast between Egypt and Sudan, the FAO has reported.

Spengler has been predicting the economic meltdown of Egypt for over a year, and apparently it hasn't happened yet only because of the emergency cash payments.

Meanwhile, riots continue throughout the doomed country.

(h/t Missing Peace)

Like Morsi, Erdogan also has a history of anti-semitic comments (update)

From Gatestone Institute:

In November 1998, the Institute for Jewish Policy Research released its annual report on current trends in anti-Semitism across the world. In the section for Turkey, the journal quoted the then-mayor of Istanbul, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in June 1997, at a meeting organized by the municipality to celebrate the city's conquest by the Ottoman Turks, remarking: "The Jews have begun to crush the Muslims of Palestine, in the name of Zionism," the mayor said, "Today, the image of the Jews is no different from that of the Nazis."

Erdogan later became, and still is, the Prime Minister of Turkey, a man whom President Obama describes as a personal friend, in a country that is a member of NATO, and head of a government that is regarded as moderate, and, as the London Times recently reflected, an example of how Islamism and democracy do not have to be mutually exclusive.

Birikim, a Turkish socialist culture magazine, also attributes the quote to Erdogan. A search through Western newspaper records, however, shows no mention at all of these comments.

That remark is not the only example of Erdogan's hostility in this regard. Turkish newspaper Yeni Safak has reported Erdogan commenting that the media does not fully report Israel's "murder of innocent children" because the "world's media is under the control of Israel, and this needs to be emphasised."

In 2009 another Turkish newspaper, Taraf, reported that Erdogan, while attending the opening of a university, stated, "wherever Jews settle, they make money. They are not property owners, as being tenants suits them best. On the other hand, whatever we have or do not have, we will invest in our houses."

In early January, when the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) produced a video of Morsi describing Zionists as "the descendants of apes and pigs," it took almost two weeks and a barrage of criticism for a leading newspaper, the New York Times, finally to report the comments. The eventual action led to worldwide denunciation of Morsi's remarks and even a condemnatory statement from the White House. Now that we know that Erdogan, Prime Minister of a country considered to be a leading ally of the West, made comments similar to Morsi's, will the media do its best to avoid reporting those, too?

The thing is, calling Jews "Nazis" is not news nowadays. "Children of apes and pigs" is more unusual and therefore potentially worth reporting. So the answer is, no, no one will act upset over Erdogan's anti-semitism.

(h/t Sam)

UPDATE: Reader AF pointed me to a footnote in a MEMRI report that shows that Erdogan has been espousing pure anti-semitism since the 1970s.

On December 28, 2002, columnist Y. Bayer of the mainstream, high circulation Turkish daily Hurriyet wrote: "Did you know that: In 1974, when [Turkish Prime Minister] Tayyip Erdogan was president of the Beyoglu [Istanbul] Youth Group of the [Islamist] MSP [National Salvation Party], he wrote and directed a theatrical play called Maskomya and also played the lead role of the 'bad son?' And that the role of Erdogan's grandmother was performed by a girl from a CHP [the secular, Kemalist Republican People's Party] family, and that the play was staged 10 times despite the complaints of a board member to Erbakan?"

The historian/researcher Rifat N. Bali also commented on Erdogan's play: "Maskomya, or in its correct form Mas-kom-Ya, was a theatrical play that was staged everywhere in the 1970s, as part of the 'cultural' activities of MSP Youth Branches. The unabbreviated version of Mas-kom-Ya is Mason-Komunist-Yahudi [Mason-Communist-Jew]. It is known that the play was built on the 'evil' nature of these three concepts, and the hatred towards them."

Erdogan, some forty years ago, wrote an anti-semitic play. How did that little piece of information fly under the radar?

Video: Man gets electrocuted after tearing down Morsi poster

This video is causing a minor sensation in the Arab world.

It shows a man who climbs a light pole to tear down an image of Egypt's president Mohamed Morsi to the cheers of the crowd. Then, he apparently gets electrocuted and falls down (it is unclear if he is dead.)

Muslim Brotherhood supporters are pointing to the video as proof that any opponents of Morsi are acting against the wishes of Allah.

Egypt is also pushing "forced consumerism" on Gaza!

Right as Al Monitor published a truly absurd anti-Israel screed blaming Israel for providing Gazan merchants with high-quality Israeli goods that some Gazans cannot afford, Palestine Times published a photo essay of a new "mall" in Rafah.

I wouldn't call it a mall; it seems more like a well-=stocked warehouse store where smuggled Egyptian goods are sold to Gazans. I couldn't find a single Hebrew word on any of the many, many goods pictured.

The goods being sold seem to be the same types of things sold at other Gaza stores that are sourced in Israel - candy and cosmetics and packaged food.

So is Egypt forcing Gazans in Rafah to buy consumer goods from them? Are Egyptians profiting from their "occupation" of Rafah? (Since the definition of "occupation" means, in the Israel-haters' minds, "enforcing a border with Gaza....", then Egypt is an illegal occupier of Gaza as well.)

Ah, I forgot the first two rules of journalism in the territories:

Israel is always guilty, and only Israel is guilty.

Eleven minutes of pure Pallywood

This video of "crying" children and angry adults, as their home is being demolished by Israel, is making the rounds:

Only one problem: There is not one tear being shed.

The video makes it blindingly obvious that all of the children's screaming is staged for the media.

The boy and two girls are clearly playing to the cameras, and turning on and off their wailing when the reporters shove their gear in their faces.

From the volume of the fake screams, one would think that the residents lived there for hundreds of years, or at least since Jordanian occupation. Actually, the house was newer than most houses.

Here is the Ma'an story about the demolition:

Israeli forces demolished a two-story Palestinian home in East Jerusalem on Tuesday, making 30 people homeless, official news agency Wafa reported.

Muhammad Castero, 52, a resident of the building, told Wafa that Israel issued a demolition order for the home 50 days ago on the pretext that it was built without a permit.

"We are refugees now, we don't have any shelter. Where should we, our children and elderly people go after our house was demolished?" he said.

Four families lived in the Beit Hanina home, which was constructed six years ago. The families had hired a lawyer to prevent the demolition.

"This is our land and we will not leave it despite the practices of the occupation," Castero added.

UPDATE: Those visiting from HuffPo should also check out this video of the girl in Picture #11, known as "Shirley Temper."

Isn't "spontaneous" anger photogenic?

Alternate reality: Syria congratulates Iran on anniversary

From Syria's SANA news agency:

President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday sent a congratulatory cable to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran on the anniversary of the Victory of the Iranian Islamic Revolution.

In his cable, President al-Assad expressed, on behalf of the Syrian people and on his own behalf, heartfelt and best wishes to President Ahmadinejad and the friendly people of Iran.

Deputy Foreign and Expatriates Minister Dr. Fayssal Mikdad said that the Iranian revolution was a great event in the region.

The remarks came during the celebration of the victory of the Iranian Islamic Revolution held in the Iranian Embassy in Damascus.

The event was attended by the Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi, Speaker of the People's Assembly Mohammad Jihad al-Lahham, in addition to ministers and partisan figures.

Mikdad stressed that the Iranian revolution converted all equations in the region as the USA and other countries were trying to make it a servant to Israel and the Shah of Iran.

He stressed that the bright image of the Iranian revolution is embodied in its support to the Arab issues, hailing the Iranian political and economic support to Syria.

He said that Syria is fighting a war on behalf of all honest Muslims against the enemies of Arabism and Islam.

Dr. Mikdad highlighted that the Syrian-Iranian relations will remain strong despite all plots, stressing that the political program symbolize the ambition of the Syrian leadership to reach a solution to the crisis in Syria through dialogue and reconciliation.

For his part, Iranian Ambassador in Damascus Mohammad Riza Shebani stressed that Syria's enemies were broken in front of the resistant Syria.

He stressed that solving the crisis in Syria can be achieved only through ending violence and preventing gunmen from receiving funds and weapons.

This must be what reading Pravda was like in the 1970s.

Latest horror: Israel provides too many high quality goods to Gaza!

First, everyone used to complain about that "siege" that Israel supposedly had on Gaza? And how somehow Gazans managed to still get lots of consumer items anyway? And how the media tried to spin it?

Then they moved the goalposts, saying that the humanitarian crisis in Gaza that had been a media meme since at least 1993 was not really a humanitarian crisis per se, but more a crisis of "dignity."

Now that Gaza has far more consumer goods, exports are going up dramatically and the tunnel trade has been hurting because of the amount of aid coming from Israel, the Israel-haters need to find another theme - another reason to hate Israel. After all, we all know Israel is evil, so they must be guilty of something.

Al Monitor uncovers the latest nefarious Israeli crime:

Walking into a supermarket in Gaza might come as a great surprise for a person visiting the coastal enclave for the first time. At first glance, the visitor would be amazed by the level to which the shelves are packed with all kinds of products, ranging from basic food supplies to expensive chocolates and Coca-Cola. A father pushing a heaped stroller, or a toddler restlessly pulling her mother's hand and pointing at a lollipop, are scenes one is likely to encounter.

A closer look into the shelves, however, reveals a paradox that finds a manifestation in almost every aspect of life in Gaza. On the surface, everyone seems to be normally going about their daily lives, but even purchasing behaviors are controlled by Israel. The Israeli government brags about the truckloads it allows into the Strip through the Karem Abu Salem commercial crossing point, but it always forgets, deliberately or not, to mention that the products that enter the Strip through this very crossing are mostly marked with 729, the made-in-Israel barcode.

First-time visitors are usually lured by this façade of normalcy. Many wonder how a territory under siege can have all that it has, and the supermarket example is often cited to prove that the blockade is not as bad as is often publicized in the media.

This simplistic view of the terms "siege" and "occupation" make it necessary to clear out some of the common misrepresentations of what it means to force a population of 1.6 million to live under a military siege and occupation for more than five and sixty years respectively.

First, it is important to note that life under siege does not mean that the population in question is necessarily starving. However, it necessarily means that this population constitutes a huge consumer market to its jailer — Israel in this case.

The Palestinian people in Gaza are forced to import and buy Israeli goods. With Israel's restrictions on local production and its more-than-once bombardment of Palestinian factories, it has become almost impossible for the besieged population to use available resources for local production.

Prior to Israel's deadly assault on the Turkish aid flotilla in late May 2010, Israeli products barely reached the Strip. But after a massive wave of criticism that was hailed on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he vowed to "ease" the blockade. Netanyahu fulfilled his promises. What followed was a tremendous inflow of Israeli goods that continues to be pumped in to this day.

The problem associated with consuming the goods of the occupying authority has two faces at least. Israeli products are high-priced, and, with few alternatives in place, Palestinians are forced to pay more for products that could be much cheaper if produced locally....

This means that 38.8% of Gazan people cannot afford the prices charged for the goods. [Yes, the author, a student of Business Administration in Gaza, claims that people classified as "poor" in Gaza cannot afford Coke. - EoZ] For them, the siege is more than whether the supermarket shelves are crammed; it is the fact that it makes them poor and causes difficult life conditions.

Due to the higher quality of Israel's exports to Gaza, combined with restrictions on domestic production, local businesses can hardly compete and rapidly lose market share to their Israeli counterparts. With limited amounts of money going for domestic production, Palestinian factory owners do little to enhance the quality of their output.

Notice the theme of Israel somehow restricting local Gaza businesses from producing locally sourced products. How exactly Israel controls local Gaza businesses is unexplained.

The more complex face of the problem lies in that Palestinians not only boost Israel's economy, but also make the occupation less costly. Israel, which denies the Palestinian people in the occupied territories the right to vote in the country's elections, controls what they eat and how they furnish their houses. Palestinians are made to fund the illegal settlements in the West Bank and deadly assaults such as that waged against Gaza in November, to name only two.

Gaza has a number of furniture factories that have, this season, exported goods. which means they are in business. Which means that they are selling in Gaza as well. Which means that the author is, simply, lying.

Living under siege does not result in a famine such as that in Somalia and other parts in Africa. It results in deteriorated living conditions and forced consumerism of the besieged population.

Today's Gaza crisis: is now "forced consumerism." Not quite as sexy as "starvation" but when you hate Israel, you take what you can get.

This is similar to the laughable argument that Noam Sheizaf of 972 once made about a post of mine noting Israeli goods in Gaza markets, saying that Gazans were "forced" to buy them. I wondered if that included Chanukah coins, ice cream and snacks that were prominently displayed in these supermarkets, complete with Hebrew signage. Somehow, people who are "forced" to buy Israeli - whom Sheizaf claimed demanded that the world boycotts Israeli goods - couldn't find it in themselves to boycott non-essential snacks.

He never answered, of course.

By the way, outside of the flooding, nothing is stopping the tunnel trade from resuming and bringing quality, low cost Egyptian goods into Gaza to tap that huge market of people who cannot afford the expensive Israeli items. The free market is a powerful force, and the tunnel trade proved that Gazans can get what they want despite Israeli restrictions.

The entire article is a jumbled set of pseudo-facts intended to push the "Israel is bad" theme, without making a coherent argument. Of course, the fact that Gaza is run by a government sworn to utterly destroy Israel remains unmentioned in this nonsensical screed demanding, well, I'm not sure what. Cheaper potato chips? Unlimited imports and exports through Israel without any charge?

Egypt, which shares a border with Gaza, is also remarkably absent in this article.

And no wonder. The writer is also a contributor to Electronic Intifada, where truth is a far lower priority than anti-Israel propaganda.

(h/t Arnold)

Sunday links

From Ian:

Missing Peace: Report: Arab countries withheld donor money because of PA refusal to negotiate with Israel

"According to Palestinian media, several ‘heavyweight’ Arab countries have been pressuring PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas to step down because of his firm stances towards negotiations with Israel.
Abbas and other PA officials have criticized Arab countries who pledged to donate $ 100.000.000 a month to alleviate the severe financial crisis in the Palestinian Authority. Until now that money has not arrived.
Palestinian sources now reveal that the refusal to transfer these funds to the PA is connected to Abbas’ refusal to enter negotiations with Israel."

US may up Iran pressure in return for progress with Palestinians

White House said open to deal being worked out by Netanyahu aides ahead of Obama visit next month, Sunday Times reports
US President Barack Obama will reportedly offer to up pressure on Iran in exchange for Israeli concessions toward the Palestinians when he visits Israel next month.

Hamas blames Abbas after unity talks falter By Khaled Abu Toameh

Abu Marzouk, a senior Hamas member, holds Abbas responsible for the failure of the Egyptian-sponsored Cairo reconciliation talks.
"Hanna Amireh, member of the PLO Executive Committee, said that differences erupted between Hamas and Fatah as soon as they started talking about the details regarding the formation of a unity government and holding new presidential and legislative elections. He said the two sides also failed to reach agreement on holding new elections for the PLO’s parliamentin- exile, the Palestine National Council."

Ayalon: J'lem should recognize Palestine at UN
Outgoing deputy FM: Israel should give Palestinians sovereignty, for recognition of Israel as Jewish home, security arrangements.

"Israel will give the Palestinians sovereignty and independence and in return, they will recognize Israel as the national homeland of the Jewish people and will guarantee security arrangements," he said.
Ayalon called on Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to say to the Palestinians: "I am prepared to recognize you, but you have to recognize me."
Ayalon also said Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas must state in Arabic - rather than in Hebrew or English - that he recognizes Israel as the national homeland of the Jewish people. He opined that such a statement would have a huge impact on generations to come.

Liberman says peace with Palestinians impossible
Ahead of Obama's visit, former foreign minister says "tsunami" shaking Arab world makes solving conflict "impossible."

"Liberman ticked off in a Channel 2 interview the assassination last week of the opposition leader in Tunisia, the terrorist murder last week of dozens of people in Iraq, and the killing of 117 people in Syria on Friday, and said it was not realistic to think it possible in this environment to reach a comprehensive peace accord with the Palestinians.
“Anyone who thinks that in the center of the diplomatic, political and social tsunami that is shaking the Arab world it is possible to get a magical solution of comprehensive peace with the Palestinians does not understand,” he said."

Preachers of hate who spread their violent word on British TV channels
Muslim fundamentalists have used British television channels to preach in favour of violent crime and killing “apostates”.

"The communications watchdog, Ofcom, has made a series of rulings against channels which allowed “inflammatory” material to be broadcast in breach of rules which forbid extreme opinions gaining a platform on British television.
The cases, disclosed today, include examples of an imam telling viewers that those who disrespect the prophet Mohammed should be killed, and another broadcaster saying homosexuals should be beaten and tortured."

"Message from Saddam" shoes hurled at US diplomat in UK Parliament
US diplomat Paul Bremer was pelted with shoes at a meeting in the British Parliament this week - exclusive footage

"As the shoe-thrower was bundled out of the room, Mr. Bremer insisted, "If he had done that while Saddam Hussein was alive, he would be a dead man by now," a statement which was met by a large round of applause."

BBC Watch: ‘Hardtalk’ presenter gets reality check from Khaled Masha’al
On February 7th and 8th 2013, BBC Two and BBC News broadcast an edition of the flagship interview show ‘Hardtalk‘ from Doha with Khaled Masha’al as its guest.

At 04:31 Sackur interjects:
“But I just want to nail down what your current position is on the question of a two state solution to provide a lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians. The Saudi newspaper Al Sharq reported just the other day that you are now prepared to accept a two state solution. You have told this, according to the newspaper, to King Abdullah and you’ve asked King Abdullah to…of Jordan…to relay this message to President Obama. Is that true?”Masha’al replies unequivocally:
“This is not true.”

Karnei Shomron Residents Demonstrate Against Arab Attacks
Dozens of residents of the Samaria community of Karnei Shomron protest against ongoing rock-throwing and firebomb attacks.

"Dozens of residents of the Shomron (Samaria) community of Karnei Shomron protested at the entrance to their community on Saturday night.
The residents were demonstrating against the ongoing rock-throwing and firebomb attacks on nearby Highway 55."

Cairo court orders YouTube banned for a month
Egypt blocks video-sharing website for 30 days for showing parts of controversial amateur film denigrating Muhammad

"Judge Hassouna Tawfiq ordered YouTube blocked for carrying the film, which he described as “offensive to Islam and the Prophet (Muhammad).” He made the ruling in the Egyptian capital where the first protests against the film erupted last September before spreading to more than 20 countries, killing more than 50 people.
The ruling, however, can be appealed and, based on precedent, might not be enforced."

Yemen's interior minister says seized weapons were exported from Iran, headed to insurgents

"Yemen's interior minister said Saturday that his country was disappointed to find that a large and diverse cache of weapons seized on a ship last month had been exported from Iran, a finding Washington said underscores Tehran's ongoing evasion of U.N. resolutions.
Speaking in a press conference in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, Interior Minister Abdel-Qader Kahtan said a Yemeni investigation found that the weapons were destined for armed insurgents. He did not elaborate, saying only that an investigation is ongoing."

Rockets Kill 5 Iranian Dissidents in Iraq
A report whose credibility is unclear says Iranian forces will enter Iraq to suppress rebellion, take over U.S. embassy.

“There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack on the transit camp, a former American military base known as Camp Liberty, adjacent to Baghdad's international airport.
"At 5:30am around 18 Katyusha rockets landed in the camp, west of Baghdad, killing five people and wounding 42," an Iraqi policeman at the base said, speaking to AL Jazeera on condition of anonymity. A spokesman for the interior ministry, however, said only one person had been killed.
Meanwhile, a story that appears on an Iraqi web portal titled "Voice of Iraq" claims that Iraqi and Iranian leaders have agreed that Iranian Basij forces will enter Iran and suppress riots there. The plan reportedly includes the occupation of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.”

Iran says its English channel dropped by satellite
Galaxy 19, which serves US and Canadian audiences, accused of dumping news station Press TV as part of sanctions imposed on Iran

Iran reportedly to recall ambassador to Bulgaria
Tehran mulling downgrade of ties in wake of report on Burgas bombing that fingered Hezbollah

Waldorf in Israel Shows Hotel Investors Defying Security Threats

"In downtown Jerusalem, a new hotel managed by Hilton International under its premiere Waldorf Astoria brand is finishing construction just months after air raid sirens warned residents of rocket attacks from Gaza."

Let them eat hummus, with a Hebrew U breakthrough
More lutein, less need for irrigation makes for a chickpea that may help feed millions better

"Now, a breakthrough in chickpea breeding by Hebrew University Professor Shahal Abbo and his team promises to raise chickpea crop yields, lengthen their growing season, make more land available to farmers for crops, and even produce a more nutritious pea.
And unlike many crops improvements today, the Hebrew U breakthrough did not use genetic manipulation to create a better chickpea."

Not sure why I'm in so much of a mood for graphics today....

Pro- and anti-Syrian journalists almost fight on Hezbollah TV

Al Arabiya reports:

A political talk show about the crisis in Syria on Hezbollah’s television channel turned into an exchange of insults, profanities and almost developed into a fist fight on Friday.

The show brought together two men, each of whom holds starkly different opinions, to debate the Syrian crisis. The result is a nasty verbal fight that highlights the bitter divisions in Lebanon as a whole when it comes to neighboring Syria.

Salem Zahran, Director of the Media Focal Center (Irtikaz) is one of the guests. He is an avid supporter of the Syrian regime. The other guest is Asaad Bishara, a political writer and journalist for Lebanon’s al-Joumhouria newspaper. Bishara supports the Syrian revolution and insists that Bashar al-Assad must be removed from power.

The debate began to heat up when Zahran accused Bishara of working as a “spy” for Israel and called him a “foul.”

Bishara hit back with profanities against Zahran and his family. This was live on the screen of the radical Islamist group Hezbollah.

Deeply provoked and unable to take it, Zahran lashed out against Bishrara with insults and splashed a glass of water at him.

Imad Mirmil, the show host, held Bishara to protect him from the furious Zahran. Seconds later, al-Manar TV suspended the broadcast.

However, the show was back on the screen minutes later and the discussion resumed, this time in a respected manner. The show host apologized, and the two “enemies” shook hands at the end.

MEMRI has the video:

Egyptian homeless children are also being raped

Unreal.

From Egypt Independent:

I read the papers and online testimonials of group attacks on women in the streets. If I had not read the titles, I would have thought the authors had suddenly taken an interest in the daily lives of street children. I would have assumed they had become avid observers who had taken to the street to highlight this prevalence, and its normality in the street culture that very young children live every night.

But no. The titles indicate these testimonials are about younger and older “welaad naas” women of the middle class — because, remember, street kids are the excluded class. These articles are written because “citizens” have been struck, “citizens’” honor has been violated, and “citizens’” human rights have been wronged.

But street children? They aren’t citizens — they don’t even hold IDs. When they arrive, raped, shot or dead in front of the shelter doors, there hasn’t been a crime because a citizen hasn’t been involved. So, no, this flood of articles about harassment, sexual attacks and gang rape on the streets is not about street kids.

But this is the everyday reality for these children, and I have come to know these streets in the way that they have been recently discovered by others. So I thought that maybe by writing this, I could shed a different light — a look from a different angle — on a phenomenon that so many are horrified by and so unfamiliar with.

I am arguing here that this is just one of the ugly faces of the street, just as each human, each friend, has an ugly face, which you get to see, know and get scorned by once you have spent a long enough time with it. Its reality and its crudeness cannot hide forever. The euphoria of the imagined utopia of solidarity that the street brings during revolutionary times begins to crack, and the street and all its non-citizen inhabitants become a reality that you cannot escape.

Talking about scarring — a lot of attention and horror has been expressed following the attack in which a blade was used on one victim of these assaults. I wonder about the irony of the timing of this. Just last month, I took one of my street girls to a generous plastic surgeon who had offered my girls free reconstructive surgery for the scars they suffered during such attacks on the street.

The scarring is part of the street rape culture; any boy or girl who has been raped on the street will be “marked.” This mark, usually a curve under the eye of the victim, will mean they are no longer virgins. Subsequent sexual attacks — and there will be many — will lead to smaller marks anywhere else on the body.

One girl, who none of us at the shelter will ever forget, was lucky. She escaped the scarring on the face but needed 16 stitches on her lower back, where she was knifed as she escaped her rapists.

I am not an expert in conspiracy theories, but I am a consultant on street kids and the risks of the street. And so, when I read the musings that the National Democratic Party, the Muslim Brotherhood or someone else is organizing these mob sex attacks, my better judgment makes me tentative.

I remember that no one paid the four men in their 30s and 40s to gang rape 7-year-old Maya who had been living in the street for just four days before that. The younger the child, the attackers think, the smaller the risk of contracting HIV.

Awwww.

Nine years have lapsed since the death of former Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat, and his widow revealed that she attempted to divorce him over 100 times, but that he prevented her from doing so.

"I loved Arafat, but the marriage to him was a big mistake on my part," said Suha Arafat to the Sabah Turkish newspaper.

“I know there were a lot of women that wanted to marry Arafat. However, it was my fate," said 49-year-old Suha who married Arafat in 1990 when she was 27, and he, 61.

"I was engaged to a French attorney and then I met Arafat. I secretly married him in Tunisia, I didn't even wear a wedding dress then. My mother was against the marriage and later, I understood why. Had I known what I would endure, I clearly wouldn't have married him. True, he was a huge leader, but I was lonely," said Suha.

She revealed that in their 14 years of matrimony, until his 2004 death, she tried leaving him time and again – but to no avail. "I tried to leave him hundreds of times, but he wouldn't let me.”

She described herself as as a "weak link" and claimed that her husband's war with Israel led to the gossip.

“It (gossip) actually all began due to the uprising (intifada) against Israel. Yasser was fighting against the strongest lobby, media and nation, in other words Israel. I was the weakest link,” she said.

More J-Street Memes!

Some great stuff was posted in response to my request to counter J-Street's call for memes.

From c03x1s7:

From Eric J.

And I made one more:

Keep them coming!

Egyptian Islamic Jihad threatens violence

From Egypt Independent:

Sheikh Osama Qassem, a prominent Egyptian Islamic Jihad member, has said that violence is an option to defend President Mohamed Morsy, while also supporting a hardline cleric's recent fatwa allowing the assassinations of NSF members.

Qassem said in an interview with Al-Masry Al-Youm published on Saturday that Islamists would carry weapons to defend Morsy if "saboteurs" continued to attack state establishments.

Qassem is considered the mufti for the once violent Egyptian Islamic Jihad, and spent 25 years in prison after being accused of assassinating the late president Anwar Sadat.

Asked about the latest statement by hardliner cleric Mahmoud Shaaban, Al-Azhar University professor, who had earlier issued a fatwa allowing the killing of NSF leaders, Qassem said that secular figures "deserved" to die.

Qassem added that Sharia allowed the killings, saying that people who protest violently against a ruler were guilty of "Haraba," a Quranic term defined as committing grievous crimes that "sow corruption and chaos on earth." Perpetrators are subject to severe punishment such as amputation and, in some cases, execution.

“The front deserves Haraba punishment,” he added, describing it as a head of sectarianism.

Qassem also said that the organization would return to its former violent ways as a last resort if security forces were "reluctant" to confront opposition members.

He also said some stuff against the Salafis, saying that they were supporters of Mubarak.

Egypt is like a slow-motion train wreck that cannot be stopped.

Saturday night links

While I do some shoveling...
From Ian:

How Israel’s Enemies Misrepresent the Geneva Convention

"Critics and enemies of Israel, including members of the UN and organs such as the International Court of Justice (ICJ) have come to use the Geneva Convention as a weapon against Israel, even when statements by authoritative analysts, scholars and drafters of the document contradict everything said by those who distort history for politically motivated reasons.
It is common knowledge that from its birth, Israel customarily follows international humanitarian law without being told or forced to do so by outside authorities."

Sarah Honig: Another Tack: That unwitting indecency revisited
Such rants may well have been inspired or intensified by unfair and unbalanced media coverage.

"Ever since my column, “That unwitting indecency,” saw light two weeks ago, I’ve needed to occasionally consult the mirror to make sure I hadn’t morphed into a hideous monster that feeds on Irish tots.
The column recounted my encounter in Cahersiveen, a tiny Irish township, with pupils hoisting “Save Palestine” placards and soliciting funds for supposedly oppressed Palestinians – all on a school-day morning, as part of an organized school event. Their familiarity with Israel’s ongoing struggle to avoid annihilation can safely be judged as less than minimal."

Report: Hagel Received Funding From “Friends of Hamas”

"According to a senate aide, senators have “specific concerns with regard to foreign contributions to the Atlantic Council by Saad Hariri (or the Hariri family), Dinu Patriciu, Kazakhstan, and Bidzina Ivanishvili.” But according to a senate source who spoke to Breitbart News, Hagel has also received money from an organization called “Friends of Hamas.”

British MP Summoned by Party Bosses for his Continued Slander of Jewish Community

"David Ward, the Liberal Democrat MP, has been summoned by party bosses for his continued verbal assault on Israelis and Jews. The party was quoted by the BBC as saying that “further decisions” would be taken about David Ward."

BBC does yet another makeover on Ward remarks

"Obviously, the BBC just does not ‘get it’ – despite the subject having been addressed by
numerous commentators in recent weeks. This is at least the fourth occasion upon which the BBC has tried to distort Ward’s original statement by claiming that he was referring to “the Jews in Israel”.

CIF Watch: Harriet Sherwood neglects to mention one large Arab state bordering Gaza

"In 2011, it took Guardian editors nearly a month to correct Sarah Irving’s omission relating to Rafah, upon which they added the following text:
This article was amended on 15 December 2011. The original said the Israeli border authorities controlled all routes into the West Bank and Gaza. This has been corrected.We look forward to observing how long it takes them to correct Harriet Sherwood’s latest error about Gaza’s southern border."

Efforts to Shut Down Dissent at Anti-Israel Brooklyn College Event Reported

"Melanie Goldberg, an Israel Campus Coalition intern says she and three other students were escorted out by security because they would not relinquish BDS fact sheets that were in their possession.
“One of the SJP (Students for Justice in Palestine, which organized the event) members came over and got really close to my face and told me to give him the sheets, or he would call security. I told him I would not. We were simply taking notes so we could ask informed questions like we were encouraged to do by the school and Political Science Department,” Goldberg told The Algemeiner."

Hamas: We'll send aid money to PA if necessary

Hamas official says Gaza has achieved self-sufficient economy, would send emergency aid to PA "if West Bank policies changed."

One dead, over 100 injured as police, protesters clash in Cairo
Tens of thousands of anti-Muslim Brotherhood protesters take to the streets across Egypt

“Egypt’s opposition is demanding Morsi form a new coalition government, open an investigation into the killings of protesters over the past months and give guarantees that upcoming parliamentary elections will be fair and free. They also want him to form a commission to amend the country’s newly adopted constitution, which was drafted by an Islamist-led panel and approved last December in a contentious referendum.”

Egypt Slams US Senator's 'Morsi Is Our Enemy' Comments
Egypt’s Foreign Minister harshly criticized Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) on Thursday for calling President Morsi an “enemy” of the US.

"Egypt’s Foreign Minister harshly criticized Sen. James Inhofe, the top Republican on the Armed Services Committee, on Thursday for calling President Mohammed Morsi an “enemy” of the United States."

Jewish cemetery desecrated in Tunisia
Human skeletons reportedly found outside their graves in Kef, second vandalism incident in a month

"On Feb. 4, unidentified individuals smashed and overturned ten gravestones in Kef in Western Tunisia, according to the Tunisia News Network.
An earlier incident in the coastal Tunisian town of Sousse left more than 68 Jewish graves ransacked and looted on Jan. 23, according to the Tunisian Shems FM radio station."

Jewish FM of Argentina Accuses Israel of Causing Anti-Semitism

"In a recent meeting with Israel’s ambassador to the country, Argentina’s Foreign Minister, Hector Timerman, who is Jewish, told Dorit Shavit that Israel’s demand for an explanation into a recently formed Argentina-Iran probe commission “gives ammunition to anti-Semites.”

EU and Israel research crime-stopping drones
The EU and a large Israeli military contractor are co-funding research to build drones that can stop moving boats and cars.

"Launched in January, the three-year-long Aeroceptor project, according to its own literature, aims to help law enforcement authorities to stop "non-cooperative vehicles in both land and sea scenarios by means of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles."

Samsung to Invest in Israel for Product Innovation

"Samsung Electronics has opened a $100 million fund dedicated to innovative applications of product systems and components of its various digital gadgets. Part of the fund will be directed to projects in Israel."