Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Great video about vilification of Israel

From JCPA:

The EU's slide towards accepting Palestinian Arab intransigence since 1997

Early today I noted that the official EU guidelines that were much discussed since yesterday incorrectly used the phrase "1967 borders" to refer to the 1949 armistice lines; lines that were never national borders and never meant to be national borders.

I just did a quick look through official EU documents and the earliest mention I can find of the phrase "1967 borders" is this 2002 document, which was quickly followed by a host of others with the same wrong formulation.

It is astonishing that Israel apparently never pushed back on the EU to change that incorrect language.

But beyond that, it is notable to see how the EU's language has, over time, become more strident against Israel and more pro-Palestinian.

From the June 1997 Presidency Statement:

The foundations of peace are widely known : the right of all States and peoples in the region to live in peace within safe, recognized borders; respect for the legitimate aspiration of the Palestinian people to decide their own future; the exchange of land for peace; the non-acceptability of the annexation of territory by force; respect for human rights; the rejection of terrorism of all kinds; good relations between neighbours; and compliance with existing agreements and the rejection of counterproductive unilateral initiatives. In this context the Union recalls its opposition to settlements and attachment to security cooperation.

...We call on the people of Israel to recognize the right of the Palestinians to exercise self-determination, without excluding the option of a State. The creation of a viable and peaceful sovereign Palestinian entity is the best guarantee of Israel's security. At the same time we call upon the Palestinian people to reaffirm their commitment to the legitimate right of Israel to live within safe, recognized borders.

From the June 2002 Presidency Statement - as noted, the first time I can find a reference to "1967 borders."

The European Council strongly condemns all terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians. The peace process and the stability of the region cannot be hostage to terrorism. The fight against terrorism must go on; but so at the same time must the negotiation of a political solution.

A settlement can be achieved through negotiation, and only through negotiation. The objective is an end to the occupation and the early establishment of a democratic, viable, peaceful and sovereign State of Palestine, on the basis of the 1967 borders, if necessary with minor adjustments agreed by the parties. The end result should be two States living side by side within secure and recognised borders enjoying normal relations with their neighbours. In this context, a fair solution should be found to the complex issue of Jerusalem, and a just, viable and agreed solution to the problem of the Palestinian refugees.

The reform of the Palestinian Authority is essential. The European Council expects the Palestinian Authority to make good its commitment to security reform, early elections and political and administrative reform. The European Union reaffirms its willingness to continue to assist in these reforms.

Now compare those to this statement from the High Representative, November 2012, which no longer calls on the PA to have any responsibility - as if the PA has achieved the goals of democracy and transparency insisted upon ten years earlier:

The EU has repeatedly expressed its support and wish for Palestine to become a full member of the United Nations as part of a solution to the conflict. The EU has also consistently worked to advance the Palestinian Authority's state-building efforts under Prime Minister Fayyad. It will continue to do so. Recalling the Berlin Declaration of March 1999, the EU reiterates its readiness to recognize a Palestinian State when appropriate.

...It is important for all parties and actors involved to work towards a settlement of the conflict with renewed purpose and sense of urgency. The European Union recalls its well-known positions on intra-Palestinian reconciliation behind President Abbas, settlements and Israel’s security. The European Union calls on all parties to pursue actions conducive to an environment of confidence necessary to ensure meaningful negotiations and to refrain from actions that undermine the credibility of the process....

The EU reaffirms its position that clear parameters defining the basis for negotiations are key elements for a successful outcome, together with the avoiding of unilateral measures and acts on the ground which undermine confidence and the viability of the two-state solution. The European Union reaffirms that it will not recognise any changes to the pre-1967 borders including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties...

Two weeks ago, from a joint statement with the GCC:

The Ministers reaffirmed their shared position that a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East is vital for international peace and security, noting that such a solution must be based on UN Resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative, leading to the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian State on the territory occupied since 1967. ...

The Ministers reaffirmed their position not to recognize any changes to the pre-1967 borders other than those agreed by both parties including with regard to Jerusalem. They stressed their common position that Israeli settlements anywhere in the occupied Palestinian territories are illegal under international law and constitute an obstacle to peace. In this regard, they called on Israel to immediately end all settlement activity in East Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank, including natural growth, and to dismantle all outposts. The Ministers agreed on the need to continue to support Palestinian state-building efforts, both politically and financially.

I still do see some more recent documents that call for "secure and recognised borders" such as this one from January 2012 and this one from this month. But both those statements also enshrine the "Arab Peace Initiative" as one of the bases for peace.

The change in language over the years is unmistakable. Essentially the entire Palestinian Arab position has been adopted fully by the EU.

There is not even insistence to end Palestinian Arab incitement against Jews and Israel, nothing about Hamas (and some Fatah) terrorism, nothing condemning Abbas' embrace of stone throwing and firebombs as "peaceful resistance" - nothing.

This represents a great failure on the part of Israel's diplomats.

Maariv has a story about how Palestinian Arabs take advantage of the easy access to Israel during Ramadan.

Officially, most of the passes are meant for them to visit the Al Aqsa Mosque, but tens of thousands of these Palestinians visiting the beach instead of, or in addition to, their prayers.

They are also spending lots of money.

"For the first time in my life I was in Tel Aviv," said Ligal Atz'ai, 24, who came to the city for a fun day with some friends from Ramallah. "I've always dreamed of Tel Aviv's beach, which I saw in pictures. When I got here this morning I was struck by the beauty of the city." Atz'ai is an aluminum factory worker near Beit Horon. Two weeks ago he asked permission from the Civil Administration to enter Israel for travel during Ramadan.

He is one of a million Palestinians who received or will receive a permit to enter Israel as tourists during Ramadan. Thousands of them filled yesterday the beaches of first Hebrew city. Lifeguards were alerted about the throngs about to flood the coast in the coming weeks. "They are not disciplined," declared one of the lifeguards. "Some are so excited about entering in the sea for the first time, but they do not know the rules and the dangers of the sea."

"For me it's like being abroad," admits Mahmud Adna, a 20 year old student from the Ramallah area who did not hide his excitement for his visit to the Holy Land. "I want to be in Paris and Berlin, but from what I hear Tel Aviv is not much different from the cities of Europe. This is my first time here. I only had time to walk in the sea, and the next time I want to hang out in Jaffa. "

So far, 100,000 permits have been issued, but far more will be given out for the end of Ramadan, the holiday Eid al Fitr.

Many of the Arabs interviewed were seeing normal Israelis for the first time, and some showed appreciation for being allowed to come into Israel.

Maariv also interviewed some shopkeepers in Ramallah who are staring at their empty stores while their potential customers flock to Israel and spend twice as much for the same products. The article ends off:

Mahmoud from Hebron is one of the few who did not receive permission to visit Israel. "It's really upsetting," he admits. "I did crap as a kid a few years ago, and now they will not let me enter. All my friends are going to 'tear up Jaffa and Tel Aviv', and I'll have to make do with things they will bring me back." ...Most Palestinian tourists who entered and experienced Israeli vacation are already planning their next vacation - another day of fun on the beaches of Tel Aviv and Jaffa's markets. "What I saw today, it was an experience," says Mariuv Ashi, 25, who lives in a small village between Ramallah and Jerusalem, shortly after leaving the water . "I loved everything here - the food, the sea and the air and even the pretty girls walking around on the beach. Inshallah, tomorrow I will come again, but I have to go home to the village by ten o'clock tonight, because these are the terms of the permit to stay in Israel."

They're not exactly boycotting Israel, are they?

7/17 Links Part 1: EU Round Up, Iranian Pres.Rouhani Backs Syria, EU Courts Dismantling Iran Sanctions

From Ian:

Melanie Phillips: The baseless hatred of the EU towards Israel

News of the EU’s act of existential spite against Israel broke on the fast of Tisha b’Av, when Jews mourn the destruction of the Temple (you know, that Temple, the one that stood in Jerusalem all those centuries ago before any Arabs existed, let alone any Green Line) along with the seemingly never-ending list down through the ages of all those prosecuting their uniquely murderous and baseless hatred of the Jewish people.
Some coincidence. To that list of infamy, the EU can now add its name. For shame.

Missing Peace: New EU directive about Israeli settlements raises serious questions

Nevet Brasker of the Broader View Resource Center asked the EU the following questions
1. Does the latest European initiative mean that the EU has abandoned, officially or de facto, the Middle East Quartet effort? Borders were supposed to be a “final status” issue under the Quartet Roadmap, and last we heard—granted, it’s been a couple of years—Tony Blair, the Quartet envoy, was seeking proposals for border arrangements. Has the EU now explicitly abandoned this effort and unilaterally determined the borders of Israel?

When Europe demanded Israel surrender the Western Wall

As another official noted, the EU’s new policy is in effect demanding that Israel deny — in writing — any rights to the Western Wall, Judaism’s holiest site, as a precondition for signing any agreement with the EU.
Ashton’s office tried to explain that the development was a positive one for Israel.

PA official: EU Judea and Samaria guidelines harm Palestinians

"For our part, we approached a number of [European] Union officials, in the [Palestinian] Authority and also in Israel, to try and prevent the decision or at least to keep it unofficial," said the official, who declined to give his name. "It's not just Israeli companies that are going to be hit economically, it's also going to be disastrous economically and socially for the Palestinian community."
According to the Palestinian official, the European move will freeze joint projects, force employers to stop hiring Palestinians to work on joint projects with Israelis and lead to widespread layoffs of Palestinians laborers working in Judea and Samaria industrial zones.

Senior Official: Israel’s EU Embassy Failed

Finance Minister Yair Lapid said that the controversial EU directive undermines the efforts of U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to bring both parties to the peace negotiation table. According to Lapid, the EU move signals to the Palestinians that there is no diplomatic or economic cost to their continued refusal to return to negotiations, causing them to believe that Israel will have to give in to political and economic pressure.

ADL: PA Got ‘Free Pass’ From EU

ADL National Director Abraham H. Foxman fired off a letter to EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Wednesday, stating, “President [Mahmoud] Abbas has blocked the [peace] process with his preconditions, so who does the EU pressure? Israel. Who gets a free pass? The Palestinians.”
Foxman called on the EU to end its “long-standing habit of not holding the Palestinian Authority responsible for its actions and inactions that are unequivocally obstacles to peace,” and reminded Ashton that in fact, risks to peace were an issue long before the establishment of communities in the region.

'Implement the Levi Report in Response to EU Boycott'

The Levi Report was commissioned by Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, to examine the legal status of so-called "outposts" - nascent communities in the Judea-Samaria region. The committee was headed by former Israeli Supreme Court justice Edmund Levy, and found that - contrary to the claims of Israel's detractors - Israel's presence in Judea and Samaria is legal under international law.

'East Jerusalem is not a Palestinian territory'

The statement, signed by ZOA President Morton Klein, also noted that the neglect of eastern Jerusalem only ended under Israeli rule and after the unification of Jerusalem.
"Eastern Jerusalem was seemingly unimportant to Jordan because it failed to provide even the most basic municipal services there," Klein said. "Eastern Jerusalem’s residents lacked electricity, plumbing, health care services and even a steady water supply. It was Israel that began providing those badly needed municipal services to eastern Jerusalem, including to Arab homes and businesses."

Kerry’s New ‘Peace’ Brainstorm: Talk with Abbas without Israel

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry left Washington Monday with a new a brainstorm of meeting with Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas in Jordan to advance the dead and buried “peace process” while leaving Israel off the itinerary.
Kerry also will meet with officials of the Arab League, which has backed the 2002 Saudi Arabia plan to “normalize” relations with Israel as soon as the country simply transfers 600,000 Jews from their homes and turns over hundreds of billions of dollars in infrastructure over to the Palestinian Authority, along with all of land in Judea and Samaria and half of Jerusalem

Prosor to UN: Condemn the Mortar Fire from Syria

"Israel is an island of stability in a region steeped in violence, blood and destruction, and we expect that the Security Council will do everything in its power in order to maintain stability," Prosor wrote in his letter.
“Unequivocally condemn the firing,” he urged the Council. “The Syrian government systematically violates the separation of forces agreement, which could bring the region to instability."
Prosor noted that Israel had so far shown "maximum restraint" over the incidents, but it would "continue to exercise its right to self-defense."

Syrian gunmen hide in unmanned IDF post; Israeli patrol shot at

Two Syrian gunmen of unknown affiliation infiltrated an unmanned IDF military outpost in the southern Golan Heights in the demilitarized zone Tuesday night. Shots were then fired at an IDF patrol approaching the area.

Europe Fears “Jihad Tourism” as Radicalized Citizens Flock to Syria

European countries are rushing to head off what’s being labeled “jihad tourism,” as evidence emerges that radicalized Europeans are traveling to Syria to fight against the Bashar al-Assad regime. Officials are expressing concerns that their citizens will eventually come home as battle-hardened jihadists:

Syrian Kurds to declare autonomy from Damascus

The PYD’s declaration of autonomy came amid reports of intense clashes between the Kurdish group and the al-Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra in the northeastern city of Ras al-Ayn. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the clashes took place approximately 200 meters from the Turkish border crossing.

Iran’s Rouhani affirms support for Syria, Hezbollah

The official IRNA news agency on Tuesday cited Hasan Rouhani as saying close Iranian-Syrian ties will be able to confront “enemies in the region, especially the Zionist regime.” According to the semi-official Fars News, Rouhani “lauded the Syrian nation for its resistance against western plots” and said Syria will “overcome its current crisis.”

Rouhani says Netanyahu threats over nuclear program are laughable

“When some (the United States and Israel) say that all options are on the table and when a miserable regional country (Israel) says such things, it makes you laugh,” AFP quoted Rowhani as saying in an address to Iran-Iraq war veterans.
He added that Iranian warnings of retaliation to an attack had deterred Israel from carrying out any such strike on the Islamic Republic.

E.U. Courts Dismantling Iran Sanctions, “Dozens of Cases” Put International Regime at Risk of Unraveling

European Union courts are dismantling sanctions designed to stall Iran’s nuclear program at the behest of companies and individuals targeted by the sanctions. Courts are demanding that European governments provide information – much of it sensitive and classified – justifying the asset freezes, visa restrictions, and other measures imposed by the international community against Tehran. In the absence of such evidence, which European agencies have declined to provide lest they expose delicate sources and intelligence, several courts have ordered restrictions removed.

CRIF, the umbrella organization of French Jewry, has sent a formal complaint to CSA, the French authority
that monitors TV programming in that country, about the incitement against Jews in the "Khaybar" miniseries.

Three of the satellite networks broadcasting the antisemitic series - Dubai TV, Algeria 3 and Dream 3 - are available to French satellite customers.

According to CRIF, the anti-Semitic series encourages serious public incitement to national and racial discrimination, hatred and violence.

The series can also be seen on cable and the Internet, which gives it a significant and disturbing potential audience.

As "Khaybar" is included in various paid packages, CRIF also informed Eutelsat Numéricâble, SFR, Orange and Canal satellite TV providers of offensivbe material recorded during the broadcast of this series.

Will the crushing human rights situation in the territories never cease?

There are reports that Ikea is looking positively upon opening an Ikea branch in Ramallah. Two Ikea officials met with Palestinian Arab businessmen and its economy minister last month.

The convenience of inexpensive, ready to build slingshots and Molotov cocktail kits might be irresistible to the discerning middle-class Arab customers.

Actually, it looks like Ikea was marketing to "Palestine" for a while.

I'm not sure that they will be selling the "Omar" wine shelf, though.

(h/t Uri)

Last Friday, the first Friday of Ramadan, there was a pro-Morsi demonstration on the Temple Mount. A huge banner of Morsi was unfurled at the site.

There was some controversy over such a political demonstration in the Arabic media and I saw some pushback on people openly supporting Morsi after the Egyptian revolution.

However, none of the Arabic media I could find mentioned anything negative about the content of the speeches themselves, and how thousands of people were chanting anti-Western slogans.

That is a little more newsworthy.

From MEMRI:

Following are excerpts from a pro-Morsi demonstration held outside the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, which was posted on the Internet on July 12, 2013:
Palestinian cleric: Allah Akbar. May America be destroyed.
Crowd: Allah Akbar.
Palestinian cleric: Allah Akbar. May France be destroyed.
Crowd: Allah Akbar. May France be destroyed.
Palestinian cleric: Allah Akbar. May Rome be conquered.
Crowd: Allah Akbar. May Rome be conquered.
Palestinian cleric: Allah Akbar. May America be destroyed.
Crowd: Allah Akbar. May America be destroyed.
Palestinian cleric: Allah Akbar. May France be destroyed.
Crowd: Allah Akbar. May France be destroyed.
Palestinian cleric: Allah Akbar. May Britain be destroyed.
Crowd: Allah Akbar. May Britain be destroyed.
Palestinian cleric: Allah Akbar. May Rome be conquered.
Crowd: Allah Akbar. May Rome be conquered.
[...]
Palestinian cleric: We warn you, oh America: Take your hands off the Muslims. Take your hands off the Muslims. You have wrecked havoc in Syria, and before that, in Afghanistan and in Iraq, and now in Egypt. Who do you think we are, America? We are the nation of Islam - a giant and mighty nation, which extends from east to west. Soon, we will teach you a political and military lesson, Allah willing. Allah Akbar. All glory to Allah.
Crowd: Allah Akbar. All glory to Allah.
[...]
Palestinian cleric: Oh Obama, listen up...
Crowd: Oh Obama, listen up...
Palestinian cleric: The Caliphate shall return.
Crowd: The Caliphate shall return.
Palestinian cleric: Oh Obama, listen up...
Crowd: Oh Obama, listen up...
Palestinian cleric: The Caliphate shall return.
Crowd: The Caliphate shall return.
Demonstrator: Say: "Allah Akbar."
Crowd: Allah Akbar.
Demonstrator: Say: "Allah Akbar."
Crowd: Allah Akbar.
[...]
Demonstrator: Oh Obama, listen up...
Crowd: Oh Obama, listen up...
Demonstrator: Our nation will never kneel in submission.
Crowd: Our nation will never kneel in submission.
Demonstrator: The Caliphate shall return.
Crowd: The Caliphate shall return.
Demonstrator: Oh Obama, listen up...
Crowd: Oh Obama, listen up...
Demonstrator: The Caliphate shall return.
Crowd: The Caliphate shall return.
Demonstrator: Our nation will never be humiliated.
Crowd: Our nation will never be humiliated.
Demonstrator: The Caliphate is the solution.
Crowd: The Caliphate is the solution.
Demonstrator: We are the nation of the best men.
Crowd: We are the nation of the best men.
Demonstrator: We are the nation of the best men.
Crowd: We are the nation of the best men.
Demonstrator: We want to cleanse it of the impure.
Crowd: We want to cleanse it of the impure.
[...]
Demonstrator: Khaybar, Khaybar, oh Jews...
Crowd: Khaybar, khaybar, oh Jews....
Demonstrator: The army of Muhammad will return.
Crowd: The army of Muhammad will return.
Demonstrator: Khaybar, Khaybar, oh Jews...
Crowd: Khaybar, khaybar, oh Jews....
Demonstrator: The army of Muhammad will return.
Crowd: The army of Muhammad will return.
Demonstrator: Down with America and with all its dogs.
Crowd: Down with America and will all its dogs.
Demonstrator: Down with America and with all its dogs.
Crowd: Down with America and will all its dogs.
Demonstrator: Whoever negotiates with America...
Crowd: Whoever negotiates with America...
Demonstrator: ... is a collaborator and a coward.
Crowd: ... is a collaborator and a coward.
Demonstrator: Whoever negotiates with America...
Crowd: Whoever negotiates with America...
Demonstrator: Down with peaceful solutions.
Crowd: Down with peaceful solutions.
Demonstrator: Down with peaceful solutions.
Crowd: Down with peaceful solutions.
[...]

The people who complain that Jews quietly and reverently visiting the Temple Mount are being "provocative" have never said a negative word about this.

Details on the new EU guidelines for Israel (plus poster)

Tablet has an analysis of the new, much talked about EU guidelines that caused an uproar on Tuesday in Israel. The actual text was only published early this morning so much of the coverage was based on a Haaretz report that was not as accurate as it should have been.

So, just how earth-shattering are these guidelines? Tablet has acquired the official document containing the regulations, published today by the European Union, and we’ve spoken to an EU diplomat with close knowledge of its contents and drafting. As it turns out, there’s a lot less in these guidelines than most press coverage would have you believe. Here’s why:

They do not bind EU member states in their bilateral relationships with Israel.

The new regulations only apply to the institutions of the European Union itself. They do not restrict its member states in their bilateral ties with Israel, whether economic, cultural or diplomatic. ...

The guidelines do not affect trade.

In addition to not impacting Israel’s bilateral relationships with EU members, the new guidelines do not address trade, i.e. products originating in the settlements. The rules are a far cry from the platform of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which seeks an end to all commerce and other contact with Israel in toto, and don’t even approach the West Bank boycott advocated by some liberal Zionists like Peter Beinart. Rather, in their own words, the guidelines only prohibit “EU support in the form of grants, prizes or financial instruments” from being given to companies or organizations with activities in the West Bank, East Jerusalem or the Golan Heights. (Individuals living in those areas, however, are exempt.)
...
The regulations do not apply to Israeli governmental institutions, regardless of their location.

The new rules explicitly exempt all Israeli national authorities, like ministries and government agencies, even if they are based in the Occupied Territories. For example, “the Israeli Authority for Antiquities, which is based in East Jerusalem, are not affected by this commission notice,” said the EU diplomat.

The move is not, as some have suggested, a hardball attempt to assist John Kerry in restarting negotiations.

The reason these guidelines were issued now is simple: “The budget of the EU is based on a six-year program, so the next budget will be 2014 to 2020,” explained the diplomat. “So they wanted to have this commission notice included now, in this budget.” ...

They do not take effect until 2014.

Contrary to Haaretz‘s reporting that the new guidelines “will go into effect by the end of this week,” they are only being published this week. Rather, as previously noted, the regulations are part of the next EU financial framework for 2014-2020, which takes effect on January 1, 2014. Whatever consequences these rules may have, they will not be sprung on Israel overnight and there will be time for Israel to explore options for working within (or around) them.

Nevertheless, the symbolism is indeed important, as the EU is clearly defining every inch over the Green Line to be Arab until negotiations make it otherwise:

The EU does not recognise Israel’s sovereignty over any of the territories referred to in point 2 and does not consider them to be part of Israel’s territory, irrespective of their legal status under domestic Israeli law. The EU has made it clear that it will not recognise any changes to pre-1967 borders, other than those agreed by the parties to the Middle East Peace Process (MEPP).

One problematic aspect of this document is that it refers to the 1949 armistice lines as "borders," when they were nothing of the sort. UNSC 242 and its drafters made it clear that Israel must have "secure and recognized boundaries," as opposed to the situation before 1967. For the EU to explicitly refer to those lines as "borders" cannot be an oversight - it is a deliberate attempt to pre-judge the outcome of negotiations and is a huge gift to the intransigent Mahmoud Abbas. This might not be new, but that doesn't make it right - it only proves that the incorrect wording is deliberate, which should trouble anyone who wants to deal with the EU.

The idea of treating the anomalous 19 years of Jerusalem's artificial division and illegal occupation by Jordan of part of the city - where the holy sites were Judenrein - as somehow the "status quo" and an ideal to be strived for, while the successive 45 years of Jerusalem's unity is anomalous, is beyond absurd.

It means that the EU subscribes to this:

Israel is partially at fault for not having a clear, consistent, legal-based message to world diplomats on issues like Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria.

Beyond the legalities, though, is the reality that the poster above means to show: the world is targeting Jews, and only Jews. See this great post by Yaacov Lozowick on Beit Safafa for examples of Arab Israelis who moved to the other side of the Green Line and are never considered "settlers".

Israel is doing a poor job at explaining its side of the story, and EU documents like this - even if only an incremental step - are the result. Nothing Israel is doing points to moving the discourse in any other direction. So things like the verbiage "borders," instead of causing a firestorm, are roundly believed to be accurate.

Al Quds al Arabi publishes Haaretz op-ed defending Israel

Credit where credit is due: the pan-Arab, British based Arabic newspaper Al Quds al-Arabi published a Haaretz op-ed by Shuki Friedman that proves that Israel is not an apartheid state.

The article wasn't perfect but it is certainly not something one sees every day in the Arab media.

Excerpts:

In recent months, the State of Israel has been repeatedly denounced in this very newspaper as an apartheid state. The analogy of Israel to an apartheid state - namely to late 20th-century South Africa - has been seeping into the public discourse, and politicians and spokespeople have been turning it into a familiar idiom that is gaining in popularity.

An answer to these claims was provided by the Pet Shop Boys, which, in response to calls in Britain not to appear in "Israel, the apartheid state," sent protesters to do their history homework. Well, here is that history lesson, and it shows that the British band was right. The description of the inequality between groups in Israel as apartheid is a travesty of reality and history.

...The difference between the apartheid regime in South Africa and the situation in Israel and the occupied territories is so clear that there is no point in even stating all its nuances. Even if, on the margins, there are cases in Israel that are reminiscent of phenomena in apartheid South Africa, I suppose that even the most radical critics do not consider these cases as institutionalized, calculated, ideological racial segregation.

Neither does the Israeli situation comply with the definition of the crime of apartheid as it appears in the Rome Statute. The statute states that the crime of apartheid is seen to be committed when there is an institutionalized goal and action taken to discriminate and oppress another people. This is not the case in Israel, nor is it the case in Judea and Samaria.

The comparison of Israel to an apartheid state began in academic papers from the late 1980s. It then became popularized following the breakdown of the Oslo Accords. The approval of the international war crimes tribunal treaty - which stated that apartheid is a crime against humanity - brought a surge of calls to prosecute the State of Israel at the court in The Hague.

Finally, since 2005, Apartheid Week has been observed around the world, with Israel's most extreme critics preaching the gospel of Israel as an apartheid state. The success of this campaign is so great that many of the critics of Israel and its policies have adopted the analogy. The idea has seeped in so deeply that the second result when Googling the word "apartheid" is "Israel and apartheid." When the situation on the ground is complex, and facts can be manipulated, even serious people are tempted to believe this narrative.

Having been branded with the "apartheid" label, the facts have become almost irrelevant to the Israeli situation. Every phenomenon, every law, every statement by a politician or a public figure having to do with Jewish-Arab relations is immediately tagged as another layer in the apartheid regime supposedly at work here. Now, how can you disprove a fabrication?

Algerian newspaper defends "Khaybar" series

L'Expression, a French language Algerian newspaper, takes note of the (belated and) increasing Jewish and Israeli criticism of the Khyabar miniseries - and dismisses it.

As I had predicted, their defense is that the series is simply a historical drama, and tells a true story of how the Jews in Khaybar acted towards the Muslims.

What is left unsaid is that the writer, director and actors have all testified for months that the point of the series was to show the Arab world how Jews are deceitful and evil from the time of Moses to today.

About six episodes have been aired so far.

7/16 Links Part 2: Saudi Airline Bans Israelis, CBN Covers Khaybar, Israeli DogTV Launches in the US

From Ian:

Anti-Semitic Film 'Family Entertainment' for Ramadan

Film makers are promoting an anti-Semitic mini-series on the Muslim massacre of Jews as "family entertainment" for Ramadan.
During Islam's holy month of Ramadan, families and friends share an evening meal and fellowship after fasting from dawn till dusk.

Michael Oren synthesized training as historian, role as diplomat

When Oren was able to control the agenda, he had three preferred topics: the proto-Zionism that threaded throughout American history, manifest in the writings and sayings of figures such as Abraham Lincoln and Woodrow Wilson; the deep intensification of security cooperation between Israel and the United States during the Obama-Netanyahu era, a fact often lost in the verbal volleying on the peace process and Iran; and the touting of Israel’s cultural and scientific achievements.
“For a foreign ambassador, to be able to lecture Americans about Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Harry Truman was incredibly unique and instructive in helping to represent the position of the State of Israel,” said William Daroff, the Washington director of the Jewish Federations of North America.

Arabs ready anti-Israeli resolution over nukes

After a two-year hiatus, Arab nations are relaunching efforts to single out Israel for criticism at a major international conference by preparing a resolution over the country's alleged nuclear arsenal, suggesting that the Jewish state's refusal to acknowledge it has such arms is threatening Middle East peace.

NYC’s De Blasio Threatens to Pull JFK Airport Slot From Saudi Arabian Airlines for Blocking Israelis From Flights

The issue was originally brought to the attention of De Blasio’s office by passengers who attempted to fly the airline, but were rebuffed. An investigation into the matter by his office confirmed the airline’s prejudice. Attempts to book tickets by a staffer in his office posing as an Israeli national both through the airline’s website and over the phone proved the complaints were founded on truth.
In the case of the airline’s website, a drop down menu does not include Israel, though it was otherwise so comprehensive that even Antarctica appeared as an option, though, as De Blasio pointed out, “in fact, there are no citizens of Antarctica.” The faux Israeli staffer was also rebuffed when calling over the telephone to reserve a seat, being told by a ticket agent he could not fly the airline.

Thai university apologizes for Hitler superhero mural

“Regarding your report on the mural displayed at Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts on graduation day, the Chulalongkorn University Communication Center, on behalf of the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, would like to express our sincere regret and apologize [to] the public and the media for such offensive material that was exhibited,” Chulalongkorn University wrote to The Times of Israel on Monday.

Group Promotes Guidelines to Prevent Jewish Funding of BDS Movement

The UJA-Federation of New York commits about $900,000 per year in funding to the 92Y, according to Richard Allen, head of JCC Watch. Allen told JNS.org that his group is asking Jewish community members to “close your wallets to any of these charities that are promoting donor fraud.”
“They’re not telling their donors that they’re using their money to undermine the state of Israel,” Allen said of the charities.

Knesset Committee Approves Memorial Day for Jewish Refugees of Arab States

The Knesset Ministerial Committee for Legislation endorsed a new proposal on Sunday that will mark Nov. 30 as a national day to commemorate the more than 850,000 Jews who fled or were evicted from their homes in Arab countries after Israel’s establishment, Israel Hayom reported.

IDF Wishes Muslims a Blessed Ramadan (VIDEO)

The IDF Spokesperson Brigadier General Yoav Mordechai wished Muslim citizens in Israel and across the world a Ramadan kareem, or blessed Ramadan, in a video message posted on the IDF YouTube account. The Israeli general spoke in Arabic with English subtitles throughout the video.

130,513 Tons of Goods Entered Gaza in June

A total of 4,967 trucks carrying 130,513 tons of goods entered the Gaza Strip from Israel through the Kerem Shalom land crossing in June. The imported goods included 1,568 truckloads of construction materials.

Aiming to make holes in the head a thing of the past

Constant, chronic headaches are more than just painful; they’re a sign that something may be seriously wrong with your head. One test that may be run in such cases is an intracranial pressure procedure, a test that generally requires doctors to drill a hole in the skull and place a catheter or screw inside to let them check the pressure.
It’s probably the last thing patients with bad headaches want to go through — and now, thanks to an Israeli start-up, they no longer have to. HeadSense‘s noninvasive intracranial pressure monitor lets doctors check the pressure inside the head, giving them accurate and clear readings on where the trouble spots are without having to resort to the drill.

Can artificial sweetener treat Parkinson’s?

Next time you chew a piece of gum, it won’t be just for better breath but rather you could be protecting yourself from Parkinson’s Disease. Tel Aviv University researchers have found that the artificial sweetener mannitol prevents clumps of the protein a-synuclein from forming in the brain — a characteristic of Parkinson’s disease.

Israeli technology investors raise $140m. for Aleph venture fund

Veteran technology investors Michael Eisenberg and Eden Shochat, have created Aleph — a new $140 million early-stage fund aimed at bringing early-stage support to Israeli startups, particularly in big data.
Aleph is a “venture capital fund focused on serving Israeli entrepreneurs who want to build meaningful global businesses. Aleph is a service-oriented venture fund focused on Series A investments,” reads a statement on the company’s Facebook page.

The US is going to the dogs – Israeli DogTV, that is

DogTV, the made-in-Israel cable TV channel for dogs, is launching across the United States on August 1 through DirecTV, the largest satellite TV platform in the world, according to founder Ron Levi.
Levi tells ISRAEL21c that the programming will be available 24/7, reaching somewhere between 20 million and 21 million households. Americans share their homes with an estimated 78.2 million pet canines. Many of the dogs are left alone while their owners are at work or school, and this is why DogTV was invented.

Egyptian police to file complaint about being insultingly called "Jews"

Masrawy reports that the Egyptian police have stated on Facebook that they intend to submit a complaint to the Attorney General, against sports critic Alaa Sadeq, because he described them as "the Jews".

Captain Majid Fayez wrote to Alaa Sadeq saying "your calling us Jews will not go unnoticed, and we will extend a complaint to the public prosecutor against you on the charges of spreading sedition and incitement against the police and the army, and publishing false news ... You want the destruction of Egypt, and our mission is to protect the homeland from people like you."

Sadeq had complained about police use of tear gas and said that they, as well as the Ministry of Interior, were acting as Jews.

Story here.

7/16 Links Part 1: EU directive is bad for peace, Temple Mount closed to non-Muslims, Iran's Red Line

From Ian:

Rouhani, You Don’t Have to Turn on the Red Line

With the crisis in Egypt receding from the media’s gaze (everything’s under control anyway, right?), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took to the airwaves on Sunday to remind American audiences that Iran’s nuclear program is still very much alive and remains within striking distance of the red line.
“They’re not there yet. They’re getting closer,” Netanyahu told Bob Schieffer, the host of the CBS News program. “They should be — they should understand that they are not going to be allowed to cross it.”
“I won’t wait until it’s too late” to act, the Israeli leader said, adding, “We have our eyes fixed on Iran. They have to know that we’re serious.”

Security Council fails to back Iranian sanctions violations

The UN Security Council has refused to back a report by a panel of experts which unanimously concluded that Iran violated UN sanctions when it launched several ballistic missiles a year ago.
Australia’s UN Ambassador Gary Quinlan, who chairs the committee monitoring sanctions on Iran, did not identify which countries were opposed in his briefing to the council on Monday. But council diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity because consultations were private, said Russia was most vocal in its opposition and was supported by China.

John Bolton: Israel should have attacked Iran 'yesterday'

“Israel should have attacked Iran yesterday – every day that goes by puts Israel in greater danger, every day Iran makes more progress,” John Bolton, a former US ambassador to the UN, told The Jerusalem Post in an interview on Monday.
“I can understand why Israel wants us to take action, but the longer Israel waits for something that is not going to happen, the greater the danger Israel is in,” the senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute said.

Israeli leaders blast EU directive as bad for peace

A European Union directive barring its 28 members from cooperating with Israeli entities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem garnered dramatic responses across the Israeli political spectrum Tuesday, with many saying it would push the Palestinians further from peace negotiations.
The directive, sent out on June 30, extends to “all funding, cooperation, and the granting of scholarships, research grants and prizes” to Israeli entities in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, Haaretz reported on Tuesday.

Israel: EU Attacks Us Because We're Small

"When it comes to disputed territories, the Europeans prefer to attack a small country like Israel instead of taking on more powerful states, because they're afraid of retaliation."
Israel was "only informed of the directive at the last moment," he added.
The directive, due to be published on Friday and take effect from 2014, forbids EU member states from funding or dealing with Israeli communities in the Golan Heights, Judea, Samaria and eastern Jerusalem, according to reports.

David Ward Tweets truth to Jewish power

In addition to contemplating that a British Member of Parliament seems to be fetishizing about the possible downfall of the Jewish state, it’s also worth noting that, shortly after his Holocaust remarks in January, Ward attempted to contextualize the onslaught of criticism he was receiving by warning of “a huge operation out there, a machine almost, which is designed to protect the state of Israel from criticism.”

The BBC’s temple of Alice Walker

Despite the fact that the BBC’s editorial guidelines – including of course those on accuracy and impartiality – apply to commissioned programmes as well as to BBC-produced content, absolutely no attempt is made in this film to balance Walker’s vicious fictions concerning “Palestine” with facts or to make audiences aware of the significance of the practical consequences of the ideologies to which she subscribes, such as the boycotting of a language or the Walker film 1collaboration with Hamas and its supporters in the flotilla stunt.
Instead, in this programme as in others, the untouchable Alice Walker is yet again permitted to spout her often offensive opinions as though they were fact, with editorial standards apparently an optional extra for patron deities of the BBC Parthenon.

Police shut Temple Mount to non-Muslims

The Jerusalem Police closed the Temple Mount to Jewish and Christian visitors Tuesday in an effort to prevent clashes between different religious groups.
The closure order came on Tisha B’Av, a Jewish day of mourning that marks the destruction of the Jewish temples that stood on the site, which this year falls during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, when many Muslims pray at the Dome of the Rock on the site.

Israel allows two more Egyptian battalions into Sinai

The additional forces mean that Egypt now has 11 infantry battalions deployed in the Sinai, as well as a tank battalion and assault helicopters — all emplaced with Israel’s formal approval, as required by the treaty.
The crackdown marks the first truly effective Egyptian operation against the Sinai terror groups, an informed source in Jerusalem told The Times of Israel on Monday.

Seven killed in overnight clashes in Egyptian capital

Clashes overnight between police and supporters of Egypt’s ousted president left at least seven people dead, authorities said Tuesday, in the latest eruption of political violence on the country’s streets since the military deposed the Islamist leader nearly two weeks ago.
Khaled el-Khateeb, the head of the ministry’s emergency and intensive care department, said another 261 people were injured in the clashes that broke out late Monday and carried on into the early morning hours of Tuesday in four different locations in Cairo.

Document attributed to Egypt's MB calls for bloodshed, dividing army

The document states that “emerging victorious over the enemy requires patience, faith and determination” and at the same time calls for disbanding the Egyptian army, dividing it and distorting its image.

Israel scratching its head after US officials (again) leak Syria strike

In the wake of Israeli media reports about “anger” in Jerusalem over American leaks to CNN and The New York Times regarding an alleged Israeli attack in Syria this month, official sources clarified to The Times of Israel Monday that “there is no anger toward the administration.”
Still, according to the sources, MIsrael is trying to understand how and why it happened: why twice in the past two months American media ran reports — based on tips from US officials — that could get Israel caught up in a military conflict with Syria. According to the same sources, there is also disappointment among decision-makers regarding the conduct of the American media. But again, they stressed, “there’s no anger.”

Three shells explode on Israeli Golan, none hurt

Three mortar shells exploded on the Israeli side of the border fence with Syria on the Golan Heights Tuesday morning. No casualties or damage were reported from the incident, and there are currently no special security instructions for residents of the area.
The shells fell at 6 a.m. local time, and the IDF was combing the area to collect any residual material from the exploded ordinance, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said.

Taliban involvement may further drag Turkey into Syria quagmire

In the latest development in the Syrian crisis, the Taliban declared that it would join the opposition ranks as part of a strategy to cement ties with the al-Qaeda leadership -- a situation which experts agree poses a threat to Turkey's security and the legitimacy of its support of the Syrian opposition.

Egypt’s Second Revolution Is Blow to Turkey

With the fall of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Turkey has lost its most important strategic ally in the Arab world, making it one of the biggest losers of the second revolutionary wave in Egypt. Turkey lost not only a political and ideological partner, but the Brotherhood’s fall affects multiple aspects of Turkey’s Middle East strategy. The repercussions of Turkey’s loss in Egypt will harm Turkey’s image and its regional presence, especially since the new Egyptian rule considers Turkey to be a regional competitor, not a strategic partner.

New Arab head of Cave of the Patriarchs murdered six Jews

Walla reports that the PA recently appointed a director for the "Ibrahimi Mosque," the Muslim side of the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron.

His name is Tayser Abu Sneiheh.

If you look at his Facebook page, you can see his profile photo shows him, circled, as a member of a terrorist cell that was responsible for murdering six yeshiva students in Hebron in 1980.

In late spring of 1980, after the women had been in Beit Hadassah for over a year, Arab terrorists attacked the Yeshiva students [who came every Friday evening to dance and sing in front of the building.] The attackers began shooting and throwing hand grenades from the roof of the building facing Beit Hadassah. Six young men were murdered and many others were wounded.

It is definitely the same person because he speaks about his appointment in other Facebook posts.

There is no way that the Palestinian Authority didn't know Abu Sneineh's past. On the contrary, it seems likely that the murders are part of his credentials to be the head of the holy site in the same city that he murdered Jewish teens. Indeed, the terror cell was from Fatah, the dominant party in the PA, and the murders are still considered heroic today.

Besides the perversion of a quasi-government honoring an admitted and unrepentant terrorist, we have a murderer who is now a director of a mosque. There are a billion Muslims in the world. Will any of them condemn the idea that a terrorist - one who brags about his murders - is leading a Muslim holy place?

We know the PA will never condemn a person like Abu Sneineh and will choose to honor him instead. They routinely honor terrorists.

But is there not a single Muslim on Earth who is horrified by the idea of a mosque being associated with a proud murderer?

If not, that says a lot more about Islam than any number of anti-Muslim websites possibly can.

(h/t Gidon Shaviv)