Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News

Monday, October 27, 2014

10/27 Links Pt2: Israel and the West's Submission to Islam; Chloe Valdary: I ask FIRST for Zionism

From Ian:

Bastardization of black feminist theory propels Israel-bashing on campus

During both early October’s Open Hillel conference at Harvard University, and the just-concluded Students for Justice in Palestine gathering at Tufts University, Israel was condemned for imposing an “interlocking matrix of oppression” onto Arabs, Muslims, Christians, Jews, women, children, gays, the disabled, and others.
Coined in 1989, the feminist sociological theory of intersectionality has often been applied to studies of black women, who – so goes the theory – derive their most potent sense of identity from the intersection of being female and black, as opposed to one characteristic over the other.
More recently, anti-Israel groups have adopted intersectionality to denounce Zionism’s alleged subjugation and silencing of its many critics, including Jews.
“Our very bodies disrupt Zionist narratives,” said Sa’ed Atshan, a Tufts lecturer in peace and justice studies, who also advises the campus SJP chapter.
Identifying himself to conference participants as a gay Palestinian, Atshan demanded Israel be “decolonized” for its racist policies. He also condemned Israel for creating a Palestinian society rife with honor killings and the persecution of gays – all caused by the intersection of Zionism with misogyny and homophobia, he said.

Sorry, brothers in Africa, the “Palaestinaïsm” virus stole all the money for Ebola!

Dear brothers in Africa, who are abused, killed, exterminated, who we let agonize, hoping that you will not come to western countries, Israel, we grieve for you. We have already sent dozens of doctors in your countries to help you. Even in countries that don’t have diplomatic relations with us, but we did it out of Zionism. In 1905, the father of this too often distorted movement, Theodor Herzl, wrote: “After feeding the children of Israel, the land of Israel will have to feed his African brothers”. That’s what we’re doing. We’re helping you. We treat you as much as we can, considering a country like ours, a country without petrodollars. And if we had these petrodollars, we would invest in your futur rather than in football clubs!
Brothers in Africa, Palaestinaïsm stole your future. Your children’s. Your brothers’, parents’ and cousins’. Palaestinaïsm destroys not only the lives of Palestinian cells that are sane, but also of Israel’s, and now yours. Yet you are not complicated! Bread, water and health. Work too. It would be so easy to please you. To treat you.
And when you do not have tears to cry at the funeral of your neighbor, despite the hope, never forget that the fate of your entire continent is based on the selfishness of 4 or 5 million Palestinians who seized money from the rich countries, countries in crisis but rich, who do not have enough to give you the small amounts you need!

Israel and the West's Submission to Islam

What the Europeans ignore about the Arab-Israeli conflict and the long war is the precedent of 1948. When the Arabs attacked, and the West militarily embargoed Israel, the Zionists yet won a compelling victory in their ancient homeland; and a half a million Arabs became refugees, never to return. In 1967, the Arabs again declared their goal to be the annihilation of Israel; but Israel won, and another quarter of a million Arabs fled the country.
In 2014 the same scenario is unfolding. Pushed to the wall by Europeans who overlook and justify escalating domestic Arab violence and provocations, Israel will sooner or later need to unleash a severe response against the Muslims in the country who deny the right of Israel to exist, at all, and certainly as a Jewish and Zionist state. Newton’s political physics teach us that an action produces a reaction, and Hegel’s dialectics charted how a thesis leads to an antithesis, culminating in a new, rarely anticipated, synthesis. All this fondling of the Palestinians and coddling of Islam is putting in place a horrific threat to Israel, which may however evoke a welcome opportunity for deliverance and triumph.
Are we not passing through a very momentous period of history: with signs of the political decline and social decadence of Europe and the West, the clash between Israel and Islam, between Islam and Christianity, and with attendant results that could change the political -- and religious -- map of the world? The cutting edge of history is the crossroads we now face.

Ex-Spanish PM slams European recognition of 'Palestine'

Former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar has spoken out against unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state.
"The Palestinian state does not exist yet and the Gaza Strip is still controlled by Hamas, but many nations are already moving to recognize it," he said. "The Swedish government announced it would recognize Palestine, the British Parliament voted to recognize it, and we should expect similar moves to be made throughout Europe. Regardless of good intentions, recognizing a Palestinian state is not appropriate, not helpful, and wrong. It will not promote peace and will only cause the Palestinians to back away from an agreed upon solution."
The former Spanish leader warned that whatever boost in morale the Palestinians get from European recognition will "not translate to a change in the situation on the ground."
"These initiatives put unfair pressure only on Israel. The State of Israel has been harassed by neighbor states and terrorist groups, and subsequently offered concessions to reach a fair peace agreement and was only met with refusal from the Palestinian Authority."

Fatah webpage calls murderer a "holy martyr"

The official Fatah webpage refers to Abdel Rahman a-Shaludi, the murderer of the baby Chaya Zissel Braun and Karen Yemima Muscara, as a "holy martyr."

Of course, that "non-violent" darling of the West, Mahmoud Abbas, heads Fatah.

Here's a screenshot with the autotranslation.

Pakistanis freak out over Islamabad U exhibit showing Israeli culture (UPDATE)

From the International Islamic University Islamabad's website on Friday:

International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) is going to hold a three-day event titled “Women International Model United Nations 2014”. The event is being organized by the Faculty of Management Sciences (Female) and students’ advisor office of university which would kick off on Friday (today). The event includes social events, discussion sessions and many other activities.

But something went horribly wrong. From The News Tribe:

A stall showing Israeli culture was arranged at International Islamic University Islamabad; the university administration confirmed that the stall was set up and it has formed a three-member committee to probe into the matter.

The stall for promotion of Israeli culture was arranged in a hall situated in the Faisal Mosque in Islamabad, the capital of Islamic Republic of Pakistan. A ceremony “UN Debate Contest” was also arranged by the Faculty of “Management Sciences Women Department”.

Some students, a few of those from other countries, set up the stall where items showing Israel’s culture were displayed. Banners in the background also showed the Israeli flag as well as pictures of the Israeli premier.

“WELCOME TO THE LAND OF PEACE AND PROSPERITY,” read a banner.

As the news about this stall came to fore, religious bodies, students and political organisations expressed their anger and threatened protest on Sunday (today).

The legal adviser of the University confirmed the presence of stall. The “UN Debate Contest” was also arranged by the Faculty of Management Sciences Women Department where the students set up their stalls of UN member states but the stall of Israel was arranged without permission of university administration, the adviser said.

The stall was closed immediately as it came into the notice of administration.

The local people said that without university administration’s permission it was impossible to set up such stall.

Various student organisations and religious parties said the act was tantamount to adding salt to the wounds of Palestinians.

Outraged students held a protest today, where they naturally burned Israeli flags:

(h/t Yenta Press)

UPDATE:

The International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) has removed the dean of the Faculty of Management Sciences (FMS) and a student adviser who were responsible for a three-day Model United Nations (MUN) event, which began on Friday.

The move followed reports that the university had organised an “Israeli cultural stall”, which began circulating on the Internet and via social media. This drew the ire of right-wing organisations, including the IIUI chapter of the Islami Jamiat Talaba (IJT), which staged a demonstration outside the National Press Club on Sunday to condemn the stall.

(h/t Dave Bender)

10/27 Links Pt1: A 2nd Victim from Train Attack Dies; Settlements Are Not the Problem, It is Abbas

From Ian:

The Settlements Are Not the Problem; It is Abbas

Despite the facts that the 79-year-old kleptocrat does not care about peace, the rest of the world contends that Israel bears the responsibility of lacking peaceful initiative. Some organizations, like J Street, preach that Abbas is a true “partner for peace.” However, such delusions not only prevent true dialogue from occurring, but it also prevents reality from influencing the actions of influential Western governments.
As European countries continue to make symbolic gestures recognizing “Palestine,” it has no problem with condemning the actions of average Jews trying to make a living in their homeland. In a world where liberal values should be championed and protected, the Western world has turned a blind eye to the only beacon of liberalism in the Middle East and condemned it for allowing its people to live with prosperity in land promised to them nearly a century ago. Such gestures only galvanize anti-Zionist and anti-Semites to continue engaging in disturbing, violent, and even lethal behaviors.
The only way that the world can institute change in the attitudes of Israelis and Palestinian-Arabs to stop the violence and end the tensions is to address the true obstacles to peace. It starts by acknowledging that the settlements are not the problem; it is Mahmoud Abbas and his refusal to stop those he governs from wreaking havoc on Israeli society. Once the world finally recognizes the facts, then it can talk about a more realistic, viable solution to end the decades-long tensions between Palestinian-Arabs and Israelis.

JCPA: The Role of Hamas and Fatah in the Jerusalem Disturbances

The Muslim Brotherhood seeks to unite all of the region’s Islamic movements around the idea of the Muslim Caliphate with the Al-Aqsa Mosque as its hub.
Hamas’ Khaled Mashal lives in Qatar and has helped the Qataris realize that by ratcheting up the Palestinian issue they can reignite the passion of the Arab masses throughout the Arab world in support of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Fatah’s Silwan (Jerusalem) branch was quick to glorify the hit-and-run killer of the three-month-old American-Israeli baby, Chaya Zissel Braun. On the issue of funding Fatah activity in Jerusalem, eyes are turned to Qatar.
Both Fatah and Hamas compete for Qatar’s favor, provoking greater levels of violence on the ground in Jerusalem.

An interview with Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon

Secretary Kerry recently said the lack of resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian issue is leading to street anger and recruitment for the Islamic State. What is your response?
Unfortunately, we find the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is dominated by too many misconceptions. We don’t find any linkage between the uprising in Tunisia, the revolution in Egypt, the sectarian conflict in Iraq and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Mainly, these come from the Sunni-Shia conflict, without any connection to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The core of the conflict is their reluctance to recognize our right to exist as a nation state of the Jewish people — whether it is [Palestinian Authority President] Abu Mazen or his predecessor [Yasser] Arafat. There are many who believe that just having some territorial concessions will conclude it. But I don’t think this is right.
Will territorial concessions bring peace?
No, they would be another stage of the Palestinian conflict, as we experienced in the Gaza Strip. We disengaged from the Gaza Strip to address their territorial grievances. They went on attacking us. The conflict is about the existence of the Jewish state and not about the creation of the Palestinian one. Any territory that was delivered to them after Oslo became a safe haven for terrorists.
Bearing that in mind, to conclude that after the [recent] military operation in Gaza this is a time for another withdrawal from Judea and Samaria [the West Bank] is irrational. If we withdraw now from Judea and Samaria, we might face another Hamastan.

From Reuters:

Egypt is considering expanding the jurisdiction of military courts and displacing thousands of residents to enlarge a military buffer zone near the border with the Gaza Strip following an attack on security forces in the area.

Two attacks on Friday in the Sinai Peninsula bordering Israel and the Gaza Strip killed at least 33 security personnel in some of the worst anti-state violence since former army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ousted Islamist President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood last year.

Sisi, who became president in June, said the military would respond by taking "many measures" in the border area where a buffer zone is likely to be expanded in order to pursue militants and destroy tunnels used to smuggle weapons and fighters.

Security sources told Reuters the army was considering relocating residents to clear a larger buffer zone.

And who does Egypt blame for this terrorism? Palestinians!

Friday’s attacks on army posts in the northern part of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula were carried out by Palestinian militants, a senior Interior Ministry official told Asharq Al-Awsat on Saturday, at the same time that President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi told Egyptians in a televised address that “foreign forces” were responsible for the attacks.

Maj. Gen. Sameeh Beshadi, who was formerly in charge of security in the North Sinai governorate where the attacks took place, said there was “no doubt that Palestinian elements had taken part in the attacks,” which killed at least 30 soldiers, according to security and medical officials.

He said the assailants had entered Sinai via the tunnels linking the region with the Palestinian territories, and that the assailants had prepared the booby-trapped vehicle which Egyptian authorities say was used to carry out one of the attacks while inside Egyptian territory.

According to Egyptian officials, of the two attacks Friday, the first involved a booby-trapped vehicle being rammed into an army checkpoint close to the border town of El-Arish, while a second attack involved the use of mortars and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) against another checkpoint to the south.

Beshadi said the use of RPGs and mortars in the second attack proved the assailants were not local to the area. “The terrorists we are dealing with in North Sinai do not possess the necessary knowhow to fire mortar rounds, nor do they have the ability to use RPGs, in the way that we saw in the complex attack that occurred on Friday,” he maintained.

This comes as President Sisi warned on Saturday that “foreign hands” were behind the attacks, though he did not specify who exactly was responsible.

Beshadi said it could take as little as little as 15 minutes to cross via vehicle from the Gaza Strip to the area where the attacks were carried out, some 30 miles (50 kilometers) to the west of the border.

“All the big terrorist operations which have taken place in North Sinai in the last few years involved well-trained Palestinian elements, including the attack on the military helicopter at the beginning of this year,” Beshadi said, referring to an attack which took place mid-January in the Kharouba area in North Sinai and which killed five soldiers.

Hmmm...Defending against Gaza terrorists? Closing off the border? Demolishing homes that protect smuggling tunnels?

The only thing missing is the hundreds of NGOs that issue thousands of scathing reports when Israel does the same thing!

(h/t Yoel)

Levittown 1957 and Kfar HaShiloach 2014

The parallels between Jews moving into Kfar HaShiloach and blacks moving into white neighborhoods are remarkable. In both cases, the existing population exploded in violence against the "outsiders." In both cases, the haters tried to justify their violence with absurd arguments. In both cases, the home buyers had to resort to third parties to purchase the homes legally.

Upon driving up to their new home at 43 Deepgreen Lane, Daisy Myers was filled with doubt, recalling that she repeatedly asked herself, “what would be the extent of our ostracism? Would we be able to sleep comfortably?” as she studied the four law officers standing on the lawn of her address in the Dogwood Hollow Section of Levittown. These questions regarding the neighborhood reaction to the arrival of a black family in what had been an intentionally all-white enclave, were unfortunately answered over the next two weeks. At dusk each evening, crowds of people gathered outside the Myer’s home, angrily shouting and jeering, singing the national Anthem, and throwing stones toward the Myer’s home, as apparently these “spacious skies,” they sang of were not meant to be enjoyed in an integrated setting. Levittown police failed to enforce the court ordered protection for the Myers, prohibiting more than three people from assembling near the residence at once. Mobs consequently gathered in this fashion each night, only finally subsiding due to interference from the state police....Anti-segregationist even obtained property immediately neighboring the Myers’ home, using the location to intimidate the family further, evident by their conspicuous display of the confederate flag.

The resistance seen in the August riots against the integration of Levittown, PA was not uncommon throughout suburban neighborhoods. Yet despite this plaguing harassment, the Myers refused to leave their Levittown home, justifiably feeling entitled “to live where [they] chose,” as William put it. Remarking on the family’s incredible determination to outlast their opponents, Dianne Harris, historian and author of Second Suburb: Levittown, PA, stated, “the Myers endured an ordeal that few could have weathered with such dignity, courage, grace, and fortitude.”

This endurance allowed the family to break “the lily-white pattern of Levittown,” as Daisy Myers stated, a pattern that William Levitt had attempted to keep in existence in his planned suburban community. While he did not consider himself to hold racist ideals, Levitt had long refused to sell his homes to African Americans. Applications for home ownership in Levittown had to be made in person at the Levittown Exhibit Center Sales Office, allowing discrimination in the housing industry of the community to readily continue daily. Yet through the assistance received from the American Friends Service Committee, the Myers were able to circumvent these discriminatory practices, making headway in the racial trends of the neighborhood. Yet due to the overpowering ideals of many white residents, in combination with the ideals of Levitt and his employed real estate agents, the effects of the inequality are still seen in Levittown today, as the 2000 census identified ninety-eight percent of the town’s population as Caucasian.

The main difference between Jews wanting to live in Kfar Hashiloach and blacks wanting to live in Levittown is that Jews were already ethnically cleansed from Kfar Hashiloach.

Civil rights should be applicable across the board.

Touchy, touchy!

A popular Egyptian talk show presenter was suspended Saturday, becoming the latest of several TV hosts denied airtime for being critical of ruling authorities.

Mahmoud Saad, who hosts "Akher El-Nahar" show four nights a week on Al-Nahar TV, went along with his crew on time but were told they would not go on air without prior notice, sources close to the crew told Ahram Online.

The private TV channel slammed "demotivating the army" without directly citing this as a reason for the suspension. Meanwhile, the host and crew of the programme refused to comment on the matter.

The channel issued a public statement the following day firmly stating that it will make "substantial changes" in its political programmes, adding that it will also take action with regard to the production of live programmes.

"The channel will prohibit the appearance of a number of guests who promote ideas that weaken the morale of the Egyptian army," the statement read.

...Friday's episode of "Akher Al-Nahar" show hosted psychologist Manal Omar, who was continuing a series of episodes analysing the personality of Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi.

During her analysis, Omar recalled El-Sisi's words, as Egypt's defence minister during a celebration of the army in October 2013, about how the Egyptian people stood in solidarity with the military during the defeat of 1967.

The statement of the channel highly criticised speaking about the memory of the Naksa — the humiliating military 'setback' of June 1967 — at a time when Egypt was mourning the death of 29 soldiers killed in terrorist attacks in Sinai.

"At the time where we should be crying at the great loss of our defenders in Sinai, the guests went to recall the 1967 defeat," the statement read.

The audience of the show were surprised when they found Khaled Salah, editor-in-chief of Youm7 newspaper and an anchor on the channel, hosting Saturday's show instead of Saad.

I wonder what would happen if someone refers to the defeat of Pharaoh's army.

When do terror forums not celebrate bloody Israeli children?

Normally, the Hamas- leaning PalDF forums are filled with images of heroic "martyrs" and exaggerated images of damage to Israel from Hamas attacks.

But things can turn on a dime when a Muslim woman who wants to do some Hamas hasbara shows up.

Under the topic of "Hamas kills children?" a woman with the nickname Alaa al-Qassam worriedly asked "Hello ... one of the non-Arab sisters ask me about the logo in this picture? Is it true that this child is Israeli suffering from Hamas rockets?"

The logo that bothers her on the vest shows that the ambulance worker holding the injured child is from Kiryat Malachi. (A quick search shows that this photo was taken in 2012, )

Alaa clearly got into a discussion where this photo turned up, and she couldn't believe that her beloved Hamas would ever, ever target children!

Luckily, someone came to her rescue and while he admitted he didn't recognize the logo, he assured her that this was a Palestinian child during the 2012 fighting.

Thank Allah, a potential PR disaster was averted! Alaa thanked the person who gave her the information she was hoping to hear.

Aw, what a cute little stone thrower

Here's a kid who has a bright future as a martyr:

Romantically photographed.

While adults take photos of, and encourage, the children.

This is Palestinian death theater. Lots of great photographs, and you know that they are hoping for a bullet to rip through this kid's chest so they can document Israeli cruelty and their photos can get worldwide attention.

(h/t Bob K)

Philosemitic Arab sells Jerusalem homes to Jews "who were there first"

Israel's Channel 10 has an amazing video showing how a Jerusalem Arab (with his voice and face disguised) is selling houses to Jews because he believes that they are the rightful residents of the area..

Quietly and under the unofficial position, facing the developing Jewish settlement in Silwan area assistance. Abu Salem (a pseudonym), is among a group of Palestinians who sold houses for Jews in East Jerusalem. Most of them fled. But Abu Salem, who is responsible for the major Jewish settlement in Silwan, still lives in the neighborhood even after he nearly paid for his transactions with his life.

In a conversation with him it turns out that Abu Salim holds an extraordinary belief among Palestinians - he has zeal for Jewish sovereignty even in areas mostly populated by Palestinians. According to him, "I am here to prove that Jews belong in the land, there is nothing to talk about. They have been 3,000 years in Jerusalem."

Against this background, you can also figure out the sights around the house: Abu Salem's problematic act is carried out by a Palestinian living under fear. Ten security cameras are placed around the house, taking care to record every nook and corner. He said, "They shot at me twice and once wanted to kidnap me and could not."

Abu Salem mentions that some of the homes have mezuzot on the doorposts that the Arabs tried to cover over with cement.

I hope to add subtitles soon.

(h/t Yoel and O)

10/26 Links: Jews Should Live Anywhere in Jerusalem, Without Terror or Fear; BDS: Failing for 13 years

From Ian:

'Jews Should Live Anywhere in Jerusalem, Without Terror or Fear'

Internal Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovich (Yisrael Beytenu) also paid a shiva (condolence) call Friday morning, stating: "There are no words I can say to comfort a young couple who have lost their innocent little daughter."
Chetboun addressed the growing tension in Jerusalem, making clear that "the unbelievable ease with which terror attacks take place in Jerusalem must stop."
He continued, "We must bring back our ability to deter such attacks. It is impossible to deter without holding sovereignty. But we cannot be sovereign without building in Jerusalem, in both the east and the west. Jews should live anywhere in Jerusalem without terror or fear."

Ryan Bellerose: Reality Hits Canada

What we learned this week though, is something I have been saying all along – these people do not differentiate. They want to kill everyone who is not one of them: Christians, Jews, Muslims, Indians, it really does not matter to them. Canada is learning a lesson that the entire Middle East learned in the 7th century, and that Israel has been learning since its inception: that Fundamentalist Islamic ideology is not just dangerous to its neighbors, its dangerous to everyone. The European Union is finding this out in a harsh way and now its come to our land, and if we ignore it, we will lose everything that makes our Country great.
I am President of an organisation that we started to fight back against this. One Nation Society for Democracy, (Onenationsfd.org) is a group that will advocate for Canadian Rights and Values. We refuse to accept the erosion of everything that makes this country great. At our launch event in Calgary Alberta, we are bringing in 2 speakers – Melanie Philips and Father Raymond deSouza – who will speak about how Europe is currently going through some serious issues with the influx of Islamic fundamentalists and how we can work to prevent those issues in Canada. This is truly an issue that affects all of us. Acknowledgement of the issue is the first step, education is the next, and then we must mobilize and work for change.

IsraellyCool: Why Did This Palestinian Facebook Group Care About A Nepal Bus Crash?

This Hamas affiliated Facebook group with 1.9 Million “likes” (almost 4 times as many as the Times of Israel), shared a story about a bus crash in Nepal.
At the time of writing, this post has more than 9000 likes, 850 shares, and 850 comments.
Why?
Because 2 Israelis died in the crash.
“If it bleeds it leads” is a well known aphorism about journalism. I guess if it’s Jewish and it bleeds that’s even better for Palestinians.

I used to cook in some pretty good restaurants back east when I was a tad younger.

For awhile I wore a toque and reduced veal stock into glace de viande and did things like eviscerate soft-shelled crabs for evening service.

In my estimation, as a former professional cook, Anthony Bourdain is tops in the hierarchy of celebrity chefs.

This is true not because of his considerable cooking ability, but because of his cultural intelligence, otherwise I would not bother with the guy.

Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly - the book that allowed him to shelf his chef knives - is a memoir of a smart New York American cook who became a kick-ass sous chef and who sat up nights writing about the organized mayhem and hostile bullshit that is a busy restaurant in the city on a Saturday night.

{Speaking strictly for myself, I will never forget working a deep-fat fryer while two cooks in their twenties - as was I at the time - had a fist fight in the kitchen. I just started hollering, "Stay the %&*# away from me! Do not come anywhere close to here!!" as they slugged it out barely six feet from where I stood above gallons of glistening hot oil, before I simply scooted on out of there.}

Bourdain is a culinary Hunter S. Thompson and in his 2013 season two premier episode of Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown his producers and financiers dragged him kicking-and-screaming into Jerusalem.

He began his rather uncomfortable travels around Israel by telling us this:

By the end of this hour I will be seen by many as a terrorist sympathizer, a Zionist tool, a self-hating Jew, an apologist for American imperialism, an orientalist, socialist, fascist, CIA agent, and worse.
So here goes nothing.

The man is no dope.

Despite The Jerusalem Episode I remain a fan and the thing of it, of course, is that he is absolutely correct. I wondered for years why it was that he did not go to Israel, and I sometimes indulged my darkest suspicions, but now he tells us. He notes in his very first breath that there is no way to discuss the place without angering people and the very last thing that someone like Bourdain - or Alton Brown or Bobby Flay or, say, Paula Deen, or any person whose job title is celebrity chef - wants to do is piss-off large parts of the viewing population and thus diminish their own value in the market.

The much maligned Paula Deen, in particular, might have something to say about this matter.

We should also remember that Bourdain and his people were in Beirut in 2006 when they found themselves in a rather unpleasant situation stuck between Hezbollah and the IDF. We basically have Bourdain on camera from the time looking out over the city from his hotel balcony watching rocket fire and saying something along the lines of, "Well, now what the hell are we going to do?"

In any case, the reviews of the Jerusalem episode were mixed. Writing in the Jewish Journal in September, 2013, Rob Eshman tells us this:

If you like food and you like Israel, this past week’s episode of Anthony Bourdain’s “Parts Unknown” was a win-win.

And I say that despite the criticism Bourdain has received from the people who profess to love Israel. To them, he presented a biased, pro-Palestinian screed disguised as a food show.
From my perspective it is not hard to see why people who care about Israel would put forth significant criticisms of the episode, although I cannot help but notice the tone of sarcasm in Eshman's emphasized use of the word "love" in regards Israel.

Bourdain's mother was Jewish and, thus, Bourdain acknowledges his own Jewishness. However he says, "I've never been in a synagogue. I don't believe in a higher power, but that does not make me any less Jewish." I agree for the obvious reason that "Jewish" refers to both a people and a religion, just as the word "Israel" refers to both a people and a country.

Bourdain, however, seems uncomfortable in Jewish shoes. I find my Jewish shoes to be exceedingly comfy-cozy - although one needs to learn how to run fast in them - but Tony does not.

While at the Western Wall he donned a kippa, allowed an orthodox Jew to apply tefillin, and seemed entirely antsy all the way through... although not nearly so uncomfortable as when he was offered a crown of thorns for his noggin in the Christian quarter!

That he simply could not do, and I certainly do not blame him for it. I would not put them on either!

What got Bourdain in trouble with some in the Jewish community, naturally, was politics and it is not as if the very first words out of his mouth did not suggest that he knew precisely what was coming.

If he had stuck to simply discussing the mysteries of falafel and shakshouka everything would have been just dandy and he would have flown out of Ben Gurion with nothing but well wishes and a newly found appreciation for sabih.

Unfortunately, there was no way to do that because that is not what the show is about. It is never just about the food for Bourdain. It is always also about culture, more generally, and thus about politics and that is a big part of the reason that I watch his stuff. The man is intelligent, witty, charming, engaging - and an exceedingly curious and critical former degenerate - but he is emphatically not well-educated on the Arab-Israel conflict any more than I am well-educated on any number of conflicts happening around the world.

He claims:

Since 1967 half a million settlers have moved here all in contravention of international law.

Ultimately Bourdain means well, but he is simply not knowledgeable enough about the subject to think on it outside of the so-called "Palestinian narrative" which is, today, the mainstream media narrative in the west. This is why he eyes his Jewish host in the "West Bank" with something resembling suspicion and questions him about Jewish anti-Arab graffiti.

He is, essentially, in this segment, playing "catch the Jew."

The truth, of course, is that Tony Bourdain should probably not opinionate about international law in public. I have far more credence to speak to his cooking ability than he does to discuss international law... as my former semi-famous ex-attorney-in-law would presumably agree.

It just makes him look arrogant... and I say this as someone who likes the guy.

CAMERA, needless to say, was having none of it. In a piece entitled, Anthony Bourdain's "Parts Unknown - Jerusalem" Serves up Palestinian Propaganda, Steven Stotsky writes:

Asserting he is part-Jewish, Bourdian made sure to distance himself from his Jewish background and deny any attachment to Israel. He described himself as an "enemy" of religious devotion and claims to have never been in a synagogue. While Bourdain’s narrative initially avoided taking sides, his host in Jerusalem, Israeli-born expatriate, Yotam Ottolenghi, was less careful. Ottolenghi's recounting of Jerusalem’s status, "Basically, this city was divided into two until 1967 when there was the famous Six-Day War," misrepresents the city’s history. In fact, Jerusalem was only briefly divided after the Jordanians occupied the eastern neighborhoods in 1948, expelled the Jewish residents and expropriated their property. For most of the city's long history there was no division.

Yotam Ottolenghi

Laurie and I bought Ottolenghi's book not long after our last visit to Israel.

{The basmati and wild rice with chickpeas, currants and herbs is outstanding, but if you attempt the fava bean kuku make sure to use fresh, rather than canned, favas. It makes all the difference. In fact, on reflection, canned favas are simply heinous and should always be avoided under any circumstances other than starvation... if then.}

What we did not know, however, upon making that purchase - of the book, not the favas - is that Ottolenghi, of Jewish-Italian descent, lost his younger brother, Yiftach, to friendly fire as a soldier in the IDF.

This may, perhaps, have something to do with Ottolenghi's apparent biases. Or, perhaps, he did not receive a very good education concerning the history of Israel, but when he said that Jerusalem, the City of David, was divided until 1967, without any historical context whatsoever, I got angry many months later and half a world away.

The problem here, of course, is not chef Ottolenghi, nor chef Bourdain.

The problem might be us... which is, I suppose, a typically Jewish response.

Because we have been so outnumbered for so long disdain toward Jews, yet again, has incorporated itself into western culture to such an extent that even American liberal semi-Jews, like Bourdain, think that Jewish people moving into Judea is some sort-of awful crime against "the native Palestinian population."

Even American Jewish liberals think this.

In other words, what the Obama administration and the European Union and the United Nations and the larger western left is telling Jewish people, including people like Bourdain, is that we can live wherever we want with the exception of our traditional homeland because this is seen as an intrusion on "indigenous" rights.

Despite the fact that their are no more indigenous people to Judea than the Jews, John Kerry and Barack Obama want to tell us that we have no right to live on the land of our ancestors without the permission of the PLO.

What could possibly more discriminatory and "racist" and anti-liberal and just plain horrendous than that?

Within living memory of the Holocaust some schmuck living on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C. thinks that he has the right to tell me where I can live?

I am sorry, but it is unacceptable and we need to stand up for ourselves and the children and grandchildren of the Jewish people.

If we do not, one thing is certain, no one else will.

And however much I appreciate Bourdain as a television personality - however much he makes me want to visit every taco truck in Oakland - I cannot allow this nonsense to go without comment.

{And, therefore, for whatever it may be worth, I have not.}

See you next week.

Michael Lumish is a blogger at the Israel Thrives blog as well as a regular contributor/blogger at Times of Israel and Jews Down Under.

State Dept: "Palestinians are friends of the US"

This statement from State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki a month ago seems to have flown under the radar:

I think his – President Abbas is a friend of Secretary’s. The Palestinian people are friends of the United States.

Really?

The first half of the statement, that Abbas is a friend, is no less laughable. Maybe he is a friend of John Kerry, but he is hardly a friend of the US.

Even with the frosty relations betweeen Netanyahu and Obama, Bibi always, consistently emphasizes the friendship between the US and Israel.

I cannot find a single statement of Mahmoud Abbas' - even when he is with President Obama - saying anything nice about the US, except for thanking the US for giving him money.

Here I wish to thank the President for his continuous confirmation of the U.S. commitment to provide support to the Palestinian people, and to thank him and his administration for the support that has been provided during the past years -- various forms of support -- to the Palestinian treasury, to development projects, and to the UNRWA.

Even he doesn't claim that his people are friends of the US.

But the State Department does.

When Wikileaks first broke, I spent a bit of time going through the State Department cables. I was impressed with the hard work, accuracy and analysis of most of the diplomats working, day in and day out, in the Middle East, based on their frank dispatches. .

Unfortunately, when the leader of the State Department has his own agenda that is at odds with reality, all of that worthwhile effort goes down the drain.

There is no way a State Department analyst in the Middle East - no matter how Arabist - would say something this stupid. Even Mahmoud Abbas wouldn't say this for fear of losing popularity - which proves how insane the statement is to begin with.

But when politics interferes with clear-mindedness, politics wins.

Arabs are attacking Jews, and the world supports them (videos)

The videos coming out of Silwan are unbelievable.

Not just their content, but also the fact that such explicit Jew-hatred by Arabs is not condemned by any so-called "progressives."

Last week, some Jews legally bought houses in what had been a Jewish neighborhood before Arabs moved in - and then expelled the Jews in the 1920s and 1930s. This is considered an unspeakable crime by the Arabs, and the rest of the world chooses to twist the wording of the Geneva Conventions to pretend that Jews voluntarily buying houses is equivalent to people moving involuntarily.

Here is an Arab woman who is taunting one of the Jews who bought a house in Silwan by repeatedly poking out a rag that is patching up a hole in his front door window. She rhetorically asks, "Where are the police?" before telling the reporter that this is an exclusively Arab neighborhood - no Jews.

The title of this Arab news video is "Continuing violations of Jewish settlers against Palestinians."

Here you can see fireworks and firebombs being shot at Jews in Silwan last week. When a Molotov cocktail hits what appears to be a fire engine pouring water on a previous fire, the crowd cheers.

Here's a close-up look at last night's rioters.

Egypt again blocks off Gaza - and Abbas praises it!

It is not fashionable for Westerners to say that Gaza is a source of terrorism.

But Egyptians say it all the time.

Egypt closed the Rafah crossing to Gaza on Saturday morning, It is reported that the closure will last "indefinitely."

Egypt was also reported to be creating a huge buffer zone - between 1.5 and 3 kilometers - from the border with Gaza in order to stop any smuggling of weapons to and from Gaza.

President Sisi said in a speech that "new procedures will be initiated on the border with the Gaza Strip in the face of terrorism."

Now, this means that Egypt will once again be enforcing a blockade on Gaza. People will not be able to leave Gaza for medical, educational or professional reasons. This is what would be characterized as "collective punishment" if done by Israel..

Egypt, by any yardstick, is treating Palestinians in Gaza worse than Israel is. Israel has not closed the Erez crossings and hundred of truckloads of materials go to Gaza every weekday from Israel.

But how does Mahmoud Abbas respond to Egypt's latest moves to enforce a crippling siege on Gaza?

He supports them!

After Sisi's speech, Abbas said "We stand by Egypt's leadership, government and people, and we support all measures to be taken by the Egyptian leadership in order to maintain security and stability in Egypt in the face of terrorism in the Sinai and all the Egyptian territories, because of the service of the Palestinian cause and the Arab national security."

Abbas praised the Egyptian position as being "courageous in the face of terrorism," saying he has great confidence that Egypt will overcome the enemy.

How's that for hypocrisy?