Monday, March 14, 2016

US visa website won't identify the nation that Tel Aviv or Jerusalem are in (UPDATE)

The official U.S. Visa Service for foreign citizens website, to help them travel to the United States, is surprisingly not part of a government Internet domain. Apparently this service has been outsourced by the US government to another firm, possible Computer Sciences Corporation.

It really is the official US visa site, though, and a number of US embassy and consulate webpages point there. This one says explicitly that it is "the ONLY authorized website for the payment of visa fees."

The reason this is interesting is the page from this official visa site that offers individuals to choose which country they are from:

Three of the entries don't have flags associated with them.

Two aren't even a country, but two cities without any apparent link to any country.

It is offensive enough to have the US not identify Jerusalem - any of Jerusalem - as being inside Israel.

But Tel Aviv?

Are they that afraid of offending Arabs and Israel-haters that they cannot even mention the name Israel?

When you click through to either the Tel Aviv or Jerusalem links, both take you to the same page - a page that again cannot say the word "Israel."

It is true that the US consulate in Jerusalem is mainly concerned with Palestinian Arab affairs. But it is more offensive to eliminate Israel altogether than it would be for the site to say "Israel and the Palestinian territories."

But if Israel would be mentioned, then Palestinian Arabs would be far more upset than Israelis would be for pretending Israel doesn't exist. So this site used by the US embassies and consulates worldwide decided it is better to offend Israelis by pretending it doesn't exist than to offend Palestinians by saying Israel does exist.

This is also apparently the logic behind not putting a flag for Cyprus. Sure it offends Cypriots, but when Turkish people get upset, they get far more upset. Better to eliminate the flag rather than risk the wrath of the Turks.

This website is a perfect example of Western dhimmitude - so sensitive to the possibility of upsetting Muslims that it pro-actively offends non-Muslims to head off even the slightest chance of ugliness.

(h/t sshender)

UPDATE: The Blaze asked the State Department about this:

The site is presented as “the official U.S. Visa Service for foreign citizens travel to the United States” where applicants can get information on the visa application process and pay the application fees.

Though U.S. embassies refer applicants to the site and link to it on their websites, the site is outsourced to a private company, and is not run by the State Department, the Department confirmed Tuesday afternoon.

The State Department emailed TheBlaze a response to a request for comment, which read in part, “The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, outsources many of our non-governmental visa processing services, including general information, appointment scheduling, fee collection, and document delivery services.”

The statement went on to say that the website “is run by a private company on behalf of the U.S. Government” and that “graphics on these sites are not designed to represent U.S. policy toward any individual country or population, rather they are provided to visually guide customers toward relevant visa information.”

From AP:

A Palestinian primary school teacher who grew up in a refugee camp and educates her students about non-violence won a $1 million prize for teaching excellence on Sunday, beating out 8,000 other applicants from around the world.

Hanan al-Hroub, a primary school teacher in the West Bank city of al-Bireh just outside Ramallah, was awarded the second annual Global Teacher Prize during a ceremony in the city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum was on-hand to present the prize to al-Hroub, however her name was announced by Pope Francis in a video message after he talked about the importance of education and teachers, especially for children who grow up amid war.

In her acceptance speech, she reiterated her mantra of "No to violence" and stressed the importance of dialogue.

"The Palestinian teacher can talk to the world now. Hand in hand we can affect change and provide a safe education to provide peace," she told the AP.

It is great that a Palestinian teacher who advocates non-violence wins this award and can influence her society. But something interesting happened at the ceremony:

As al-Hroub accepted her award, Palestinians in the audience waved their country's flag and some chanted, fists pumping in the air, "With our souls, our blood, we sacrifice for you Palestine."

That is a war chant. Variants are used throughout the Middle East to incite violence Violent demonstrations accompanying the current shooting and knifing spree feature "With our souls and blood we sacrifice to you, Al Aqsa." Syrian soldiers chant " "With our souls and blood we sacrifice to you, Bashar."

Palestinians' natural reaction to having someone win a prize for teaching non-violence was to shout war slogans.

Ironically, the teacher's surname al-Hroub means "war."

A further irony - the Islamic Jihad terror group congratulated al-Hroub.

Jokes about Jews from before 1900, part 2

This "joke," from am 1854 British joke book, is illuminating on two levels.

One is that is was considered funny to begin with:

The other is that this is apparently a true story!

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Hasby Award voting: Best Celebrity Tweeter for Israel

The Hasby Award for Best Celebrity Tweeter will be decided by popular vote only; I will not pick a winner.

During the week I hope to knock off most of the other categories as well. it is March, after all...

The nominees are:

Roseanne Barr
Josh Malina

Jenna Jameson

Mayim Bialik

Jon Voight

Here is where you can vote.

...

Who was the best celebrity pro-Israel tweeter in 2015?

Voting will end on Saturday night.

03/13 Links: Abbas: Killed terrorist “Watered the Pure Earth of Palestine with Her Blood”

From Ian:

New Year's Day terrorist planned to attack Tel Aviv daycares

Terrorist Nashat Milhem had planned an attack on kindergartens in Tel Aviv, Police said Sunday, as they released their findings of an investigation into the attacks on New Year’s Day in Tel Aviv.
News of the Milhem’s plan to attack daycare centers was included in a 6-part Police report sent by power point to reporters on Sunday, which was compiled in cooperation with the Shin Bet. The report covered a series of controversial aspects of the week-long manhunt for Milhem, including police failure to put out a picture of Milhem until 36 hours after the attack, the shortage of clear messages to the public from the senior police leadership, and news that the police failed to properly heed a 100 dispatch call from witnesses who stated they saw Milhem heading north on a bus to Wadi Ara shortly after the killing.
Police said in their findings that they did determine there were deficiencies in how the 100 dispatch center handled calls by two sisters hours after the attack who said they saw Milhem heading north to Wadi Ara on a bus, but that it didn’t negatively affect the investigation. According to a senior police official, by then police were already searching for Milhem and his accomplices in his Wadi Ara village of Ar’ara. That said, he did admit that they were only able to actually confirm he was there on Tuesday, meaning that it was only five days after the 100 calls were placed that they were able to prove he was in the village.
The report added that they learned that there were failures in how the 100 dispatch centers from different areas share information, and that they need to improve their technology in order to make the system more effective.
The police report said they did insufficiently inform the public about the ongoing manhunt and how they should conduct themselves, but said it was only a matter of hours, not days. On the day of the shooting, no police briefing was given by a senior officer at the scene of the attack until hours later, which police admitted Sunday was problematic.

Abbas: Attempted Killer of IDF Soldier “Watered the Pure Earth of Palestine with Her Blood”

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas hailed a Palestinian who attempted to kill an Israeli soldier with her car as a “martyr.”
“We see in her a martyr who watered the pure earth of Palestine with her blood,” Abbas wrote in a letter to the parents of Amani Husni Sabatin, who was shot after she rammed her vehicle into a soldier in the Gush Etzion Junction near Jerusalem on March 4. Her funeral in the town of Husan near Bethlehem was reportedly attended by hundreds of Palestinians.
A similar condolence letter sent in 2014 by Abbas to the family of Mu’taz Hijazi, the Palestinian suspected in the attempted assassination of Temple Mount activist Yehuda Glick, described Hijazi as a “martyr” who died “while he was defending the rights of our people and our holy places.”
Leading PA officials, including Abbas, have often been accused of inciting violence and glorifying Palestinians who carry out attacks against Israelis. Abbas consoled families of terrorists—including the relatives of a man who hacked a Jerusalem rabbi to death in October—during two separate meetings last month, calling the attackers “martyrs.” The first meeting took place hours after three Palestinian men gunned down an Israeli policewoman in Jerusalem. Fatah, the party led by Abbas, praised the shooters as “role models.”

PA official to terrorists: "You are heroes, crown on our head"

Deputy Secretary of the Fatah Central Committee, Jibril Rajoub:‎ "I say to the Israelis first of all: You sons of bitches, we will not accept less than a ‎Palestinian state. We are the owners of the land, and we are the residents of the land ‎and you are strangers in the land... Our relations with the occupation need to be first of ‎all on a basis of clashes – until a Palestinian state is established. Do not believe in ‎‎[Israeli Prime Minister] Netanyahu, he is a liar and a scoundrel, and he’s a Fascist and ‎represents the new Nazism... From here we say to the 145 Martyrs (Palestinians killed ‎in the Oct. 2015 - Jan. 2016 terror wave, most during terror attacks –Ed.) – You are ‎heroes and we bless you and strengthen your families, and say to you: You are a ‎crown on our heads.‎" [Official PA TV, Jan. 6, 2016‎]

Lapid blasts foreign press support for terror-linked TV station

Yesh Atid party leader Yair Lapid has called on a global press union to apologize for censuring Israel over the closure of a West Bank TV station.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) on Friday condemned Israel’s closure a day earlier of Palestine al-Yawm (Palestine Today), a station Israeli officials say is linked to the Islamic Jihad terror group and incited against Israelis.
The Brussels-based IFJ, which claims to be the largest organization of its kind, slammed what it called “the brutal attack against free press” and asked the UN for an “immediate reaction to the escalation of attacks against the press in the occupied territories.”
IFJ President Jim Boumelha said “We cannot tolerate these continuous attacks from Israeli authorities to muzzle Palestinian press. Incitement of terror is a dangerous accusation to make against a media and a decision to close it down cannot occur without due process.”
In a letter to Boumelha on Saturday, Lapid wrote: “Yesterday, after the channel was closed down members of the military wing of Islamic Jihad held a rally protesting the closure. Islamic Jihad used Palestine Today to incite against Israel and encourage others to carry out attacks. The manager of station has been convicted of being a member of Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The connection is so patently obvious that it calls into question your motives in condemning Israel’s actions.”

Qatari educational software teaches Arabs to hate Jews (MEMRI)

I've seen all kinds of Arab antisemitism, but I admit that this shocked even me.

Any "pro-Palestinian" activist who claims to be against antisemitism but who doesn't condemn this is a hypocrite.

Go ahead - ask them.

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This is the Children's Intifada.

"Knife Intifada" or "Stabbing Intifada" does not cut it.

This is the Children's Intifada.

It is, perhaps, the most insidious thing that I have seen in my lifetime. Outside of the various fun-filled activities of, say, the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia in the 1970s, I can think of no more vile political movement than the Jihad, as expressed within organizations like ISIS or Hamas or Hezbolah, and the never-ending effort to screw around with the Jews of the Middle East and Europe by Jihadi Muslims for religious reasons... and coming, I suspect that you know, to an American theater near you.

I know that it makes me a "racist" to oppose being targeted for death... but I suppose I can live with it, at least for awhile.

Meanwhile, Palestinian-Arab society, via its media, is actually encouraging their children to chase after Jews with knives or scissors or hand-axes in the hope of killing those Jews or dying as beloved "martyrs" with the blessings of Allah. Meanwhile their allies throughout the West honestly want Jewish kids to believe that we are the source of the violence against us.

Throughout western college campuses and the western media, elite progressive intellectuals and activists tell one another just what the Nazis told one another: the Jews are bad. Of course, they're not actually brave enough or honest enough - within living memory of the Holocaust - to blame Jews directly, so instead they use the Jewish state as a stand-in for the Jewish people or they conjure up Zionism as some sort-of essential evil that is responsible for everything from global warming to the misery and violent pathologies of the Arab world. Some Arabs even believe, as EOZ readers are undoubtedly aware, that Israel has created Zionist sharks and terrorist Zionist puffer fish and crazed Zionist squirrel spies, or whatever.

The Elder of Ziyon actually put together a referenced list that includes heinous Zionist eagles, Zionist rock hyraxes, Zionist boars, Zionist storks, Zionist super-rhinos... "super-rhinos"? - Zionist vultures, European Zionist bee-eaters, Zionist puffer fish, Zionist dogs, Zionist jellyfish, Zionist sharks, Zionist cows, Zionist wolves, Zionist lions, rats, sheep and squirrels.

I have to say, if I actually thought that the Jews were so capable of making alliances with so much of the animal kingdom, I might be inclined to think that we must be doing something right!

Worse, yet, young impressionable Jewish teenagers believe the libels and slanders against their own people because they are told that those who are doing the libeling and slandering to be humanitarians who want nothing so much as peace and social justice. They may be sophisticated enough not to believe in Zionist attack jelly fish, but they are definitely gullible enough to believe that Israel is a racist, colonialist, imperialist, militaristic, settler-apartheid, racist country that wants nothing so much as to brutally oppress, for no particular reason, the largely innocent, bunny-like, indigenous Palestinians who merely want to tend their Sacred Olive Groves in peace.

And that is perhaps what is most insidious about this series of efforts against Jewish well-being, including BDS, the Children's Intifada, and the ongoing international effort to delegitimize Israel for the purpose of robbing Jewish people of self-determination and self-defense. The Arab governments and many of the Arab people have convinced well-meaning, but uneducated, westerners in the universities, through the work of people such as Rabab Abdulhadi at SFSU, that the Jews of Israel are a violent and terrible people who deserve whatever beating the Arabs care to dish out.

If the Arabs of Israel send their kids out with knives to kill Jews, or if the sweet-hearted humanitarians of Hamas shoot Qassams and Katyushas into southern Israel thereby giving the children of S'derot and Ashkelon Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), it is because those Jews have it coming for supporting the "Occupation"... with the Big O. The Arabs and their western allies do not believe that Israel is conducting an occupation of native land. No. What they believe is that Israel is conducting The Occupation of native land. In other words, Jews building housing for themselves in Judea and Samaria, on land that was bought and paid for - on land that Jews have lived upon for something close to four thousand years - is not a mere occupation, but the Big Occupation. It is the Mother of all Occupations and the very source of human misery not only throughout that part of the world, but throughout much of the world, in general.

If an Arab rapes and murders a Swede, this is because of The Occupation. If a cop shoots a criminal dead in the streets of Ferguson, Missouri, this too - we are to believe - is related to the criminal Occupation of Jews on Jewish land. In fact, we are even to believe that racist, fascistic Zionist-Jew cops in Israel are teaching their racist, fascist American counterparts how to be particularly brutal to anyone who is not of the white persuasion.

And it all relates back to the Children's Intifada.

It all relates back to mellennia of Koranically-based Arab-Muslim hatred for Jews due to that Mohammad fellow.

As I have said before, if Israel were exactly as it is now in terms of human rights, but if it were the 23rd Muslim country, it would be considered a light unto the nations.

Instead what our friends and family get is contempt by those who think of themselves as our moral superiors.

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.

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It took a week, but the Electronic Intifada hate site finally found out about the McGraw-Hill textbook story and went nuts.

Rania Khalek, a self-styled "journalist" whose Twitter autobiography used to say "objectivity is bullshit," uses the usual EI playbook to paint anyone who is pro-Israel as ethnic cleansers, racists and - in my case - even worse.

Here is what they said about the publications that republished my scoop:

The first criticisms of the textbook came from the virulently anti-Palestinian and pro-settlement blogger Elder of Ziyon.

Within hours, the post was republished by The Tower, a self-styled Israel and Middle East-focused magazine and website run by The Israel Project.

TIP is a right-wing pro-Israel lobbying outfit that specializes in crafting and supplying anti-Palestinian and anti-Muslim propaganda to journalists and policy makers.

TIP receives funding from major bankrollers of the Islamophobia industry and is headed by Josh Block, former spokesperson for the powerful Israel lobby group AIPAC.

Many of the EI articles I've seen - no matter who the writer - spends an inordinate amount of time attacking any pro-Israel voices by whom they have associated with, accepted funding from, partnered with, spoke at the same conference as, or whatever they can throw to distract from the actual things that these people say. Because EI knows it is intellectually bankrupt and its only tool is the smear tactic.

So how did Rania attempt to smear me?

Inspired by anti-Muslim hate group leaders like Robert Spencer, Elder of Ziyon is dedicated to demonizing Palestinians and Muslims, and even argued that the paranoid manifesto of Anders Behring Breivik is “not all crazy sounding - it is scary how sane much of the document seems to be.”

“Some of [Breivik’s] political analysis is actually on target,” Elder of Ziyon stated after Breivik massacred 77 people in Norway, supposedly in an attempt to rescue Europe from what he viewed as the dark forces of Islam and Marxism.

Breivik drew inspiration for his violent ideology from the US Islamophobia industry of which Elder of Ziyon is a part.

She actually attempts to link me with a mass murderer, by referring to an article (which she knows her readers won't bother to read) where I condemn him in no uncertain terms!

Khalek even retweeted Max Blumenthal's description of me as having praised the disgusting mass murderer:

She knows very well I did no such thing. I said that the fact that his manifesto has some correct information is what makes it so scary - how any ideology, including right-wing, can be twisted into unimaginable evil.

I was saying that the devil can quote Scripture for his purposes. Khalek's logic is that this is simply proof that the Pope must be a Satan-worshiper.

Why do Rania Khalek and Electronic Intifada spend so much time trying to smear their ideological opponents? Because they have no facts on their side!

Khalek pretends that there is no possible logical reason for McGraw Hill (and, last year, MSNBC) to denounce the maps as false propaganda.

Her conclusion is very revealing:

Asked who carried out the review of the book, [McGraw-Hill's] Mathis told The Electronic Intifada that it “was conducted by independent academics who determined that the maps were not accurate.”

Mathis did not respond to a follow-up query seeking more details about who carried out the review and how they reached such a conclusion.

As for who pressured McGraw-Hill about the maps, Mathis would only say, “We heard about this from multiple sources.”

Given the highly politicized nature of all discussion related to Palestine in the United States, the definition of who is an “independent academic” would vary widely depending on the perspective of who is making the assessment. And if the “experts” are indeed independent, they should be willing to provide an explanation of how and why they deemed the maps to be inaccurate.

The only way that McGraw-Hill’s credibility can be assessed is with some transparency about the groups or “experts” who made this recommendation.

Otherwise, we are left to assume that McGraw-Hill is effectively burning books to placate the censorship demands of right-wing anti-Palestinian bigots.

But the propaganda Map The Lies has been thoroughly debunked by many people, myself included, even within my original post about the textbook. There is no reason for McGraw-Hill to explain itself further to a group of people who defend lies.

Here is a very abridged debunking:

Khalek and her mud-throwing, hateful pals do not attempt to defend the maps based on actual criticism - because they have no defense. Instead, they use misdirection by saying (in this case) that since McGraw Hill didn't answer their insipid questions, then this major textbook publisher must be controlled by me and my fellow pro-Israel bloggers.

Think about this for a second. The idea that MSNBC and McGraw Hill, two media giants, saw very quickly that the maps have no factual basis does not - and cannot - enter the discussion. Rania Khalek and Electronic Intifada and the thousands of haters know that they are an effective propaganda tool for their lies and they must do everything they can to minimize the possibility that their cherished propaganda is debunked. But they cannot argue against the debunkings - because of those pesky things known as "facts." And, after all, in Khalek's world, objectivity is bullshit and lying propaganda is the truth. Hand waving, misdirection, labeling their opponents as evil incarnate is their stock in trade, but the truth must be avoided at all costs.

So the only alternative explanation that the haters can accept as and tell each other to explain why media companies retract the maps is that there is a shadowy group of ~~Jews~~ Zionists who effectively control the media and textbook industries.

Elder of Ziyon is, according to Rania Khalek, one of the real Elders of Zion.

Thanks, Rania, for thinking that I have so much power. You must be very frightened of me.

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A new book issued by a division of Egypt's Ministry of Culture claims that Jews "stole" Coptic music and passed it off as their own in order to help uproot Egyptian culture.

The author of "Coptic music and Jewish music in the Arms of the Nile," says that "Israel is trying to penetrate Egyptian art and Egyptian culture in any way possible" by pretending that Egyptian tunes are really Jewish.

A number of examples are given of music that the Jews allegedly stole. I believe this is one of them, which was attributed to a Jewish composer:

And another:

These were both apparently popular Egyptian tunes in the past, so while perhaps a Jewish composer used elements from Coptic music to write them, they were not described as "Jewish music" by Egyptians who enjoyed them on the radio.

The book says that Coptic music is linked directly to ancient Pharaonic Egyptian music so it is the closest that one can hear the music of ancient Egypt. Therefore, presumably, it is an affront for Jews to borrow influences from there.

There is no doubt that much of Jewish music is derivative - being in the Diaspora for 2000 years will tend to do that to a people. And it happens today as well. (The music introducing a new bride and groom in Orthodox Jewish weddings before the first dance is invariably and hilariously taken from popular rock artists like The Scorpions or Ozzy Osbourne to the complete ignorance of most of the celebrants.) But to ascribe this to a conspiracy theory that Israel is attempting to destroy Egyptian culture by "stealing" their songs is as bizarre as, well, being upset over Jews "stealing " falafel and hummus.

Those who are secure in their own culture and historical accomplishments are not upset when others adapt it.

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Palestinian Red Crescent hosts Fatah celebration of a mass murderer Mughrabi (EoZTV)

The latest episode of EoZTV talks about how even Palestinians whose jobs are to save lives are involved with celebrating the murder of Jewish children.

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03/12 Link: Gerry Downing’s ‘Jewish Question’; Israel Is Building a Secret Tunnel-Destroying Weapon

From Ian:

Gerry Downing’s ‘Jewish Question’

Gerry Downing is an aging Trotskyist from the Socialist Fight organisation who has been expelled, re-admitted to, and now re-expelled from, the Labour Party. Amongst his many statements and ideas that have caused outrage is his belief that there is a ‘Jewish Question’ that needs to be solved.
The Labour Party isn’t the only organisation with housekeeping to do. Both Downing and his Socialist Fight comrade Ian Donovan were at the AGM of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign in January, and Donovan spoke in one of its policy debates. If antisemitism truly has no place in PSC, as it regularly states, then Downing and Donovan should not be involved with that organisation either.
One of the curiosities of the Labour Party under its current leadership is that pundits need to familiarise themselves with Marxist theory that many assumed had become obsolete a long time ago. In that spirit, this blog post will provide a (very) brief guide to what Trotskyists mean by the ‘Jewish Question’.
This isn’t the same as the Nazi’s Jewish Question which led to the Final Solution. Trotskyists do want Jews to disappear, but not via genocide. Instead, they have theorised Jews out of history, and get upset that Jews refuse to go along with this theory and perform their historical function by disappearing.
The key Trotskyist text is The Jewish Question: A Marxist Interpretation, written by a wartime Jewish Trotskyist called Abram Leon. Leon wrote The Jewish Question while in hiding in Belgium during the Nazi occupation, before being caught and deported to Auschwitz where he was killed. The book built on Karl Marx’s original On The Jewish Question (written a century earlier) by coming up with the concept of the “people-class”: a distinct ethnic, religious or racial group, such as Jews, whose characteristics become effectively synonymous with their economic function in society. Using this theory, Leon explained that Jews survived in European history because they were traders and moneylenders and therefore had value in medieval society.
According to Leon’s theory, Jews should have disappeared under capitalism as they became a “declassed element” with no place in modern society. However, antisemitism had prevented them from fully assimilating. Zionism, Leon predicted, would fail because it was an attempt to “resolve the Jewish question independently of the world revolution.” Only socialism could provide a solution, by offering Jews “The end of Judaism” – something that Leon welcomed.

Nawi-Gate: the self-immolation of the Israeli far-left

The exposé shows Ezra Nawi of Ta’ayush being contacted by ‘Musa’, a Palestinian who wishes to sell land to Israelis. Nawi and B’Tselem activist Nasser Nawaja conspire to lure ‘Musa’ into the custody of Palestinian forces. For his part, Nawaja later claimed that ‘Musa’ had been trying to fraudulently hawk land belonging to the Nawaja family. But Nawi appeared to boast, on hidden camera, that this was not his first rendition: ‘I hand over their photos and phone numbers to the Palestinian security forces … [The PA] catches and kills them,’ he says. ’Before it kills them, it beats them a lot, tortures them,’ he adds with a smile.
As the programme concluded, it was possible to believe that in question were the actions of two rogues. However, as the dust cleared, parts of the Israeli left begun digging themselves into a deeper hole.
Immediately after the screening, anchor Ilana Dayan interviewed Haaretz journalist Gideon Levy in the studio. ‘A few things here disturbed me very much,’ Levy said, ‘but more than that … I was deeply disturbed that you broadcast this feature.’ Perfunctorily condemning Nawi’s actions, Levy stressed that they were the deeds of ‘one man’ who ‘got carried away.’ He simultaneously downplayed the problem as ‘Ezra Nawi’s big mouth,’ quipping: ‘that’s just how he talks.’
B’Tselem’s response was no less galling: ‘Informing the relevant authority,’ it said, ‘cannot be considered “rendition” in any sense.’ This, despite knowing that the ‘relevant authority’ considers such deeds a capital offense and despite the stern disagreement of one of its key funders, the New Israel Fund, who told the press: ‘handing over people to places where they are liable to be exposed to torture and physical harm is grave and forbidden, and cannot be defended.’
In a further statement, B’Tselem stressed its blanket opposition to ‘torture and execution, extrajudicial or after a trial, in all circumstances,’ but defended actions liable to facilitate precisely such crimes. Moreover, in failing to even mention Nawi and Nawaja, B’Tselem ignored the elephant in the room: that human-rights activists stood accused of complicity with such crimes. Instead, it accused the show’s producers of sloppy journalism, under the slogan ‘Uvda[Fact] for Hire.’
The reaction from some other figures on the Israeli far-left was no less depressing.

IsraellyCool: Know Your History: The Jewish And Arab Reactions To The Partition Plan, 1947

A series where I bring to you news from the newspaper archives and historical documents to debunk common misconceptions about the Middle East conflict.
This post is for dedicated to Roger Waters, who just lamented the fact a palestinian state did not arise from the 1947 UN Partition Plan, without explaining what happened.
We can see what happened by looking at some old New York Times reports from after the UN voted in favor of the plan. The Jewish reaction is one of acceptance of the plan (even though it encompassed way less than our ancestral lands) and unbridled joy, with Chief Rabbi Herzog proclaiming it as “an outstanding epoch of Jewish history” “after a darkness of 2,000 years.”
The Arab reaction? Anger, rejection of the plan…and terrorism in Palestine and overseas, as well as threatening a Holy War. Note also the Arab threat to crusade against the “Jews” – not the “Zionists.”

Know Your History: The German Nazi Templers Of Palestine

A series where I bring to you news from the newspaper archives and historical documents to debunk common misconceptions about the Middle East conflict.
Did you know there were German Nazis living openly in “Palestine”, even after the war?
Via JTA, 1946:
March 24, 1946
Jerusalem (Mar. 22)
Gotthilf Wagner, former mayor of the German colony of Sarona, near Tel Aviv, and one of the leading Palestine Nazis, was today shot to death as he journeyed from Sarona to Wilhelma, another German community. Before the war he was a S.S. group leader.
The attack took place on the outskirts of Tel Aviv. One man alighted from a taxi and approached the car in which Wagner and a police escort were sitting, and opened fire. No one else in the car was hurt. The attacker immediately re-entered the taxi and fled. Although Wagner was carrying over $3,000, no money was taken.
Note how no money was taken from him. The Haganah wanted the Nazi dead, plain and simple.
But the elephant in the room is how on earth were Nazis living there, openly, while owning land and paying taxes?
Apparently, there was a messianic Templer community in Palestine, and they owned much property

03/11 Links Pt2: The Legal Case for Israel’s ‘Settlements’; The Disappointment of Barack Obama

From Ian:

The Legal Case for Israel’s ‘Settlements’

Most people around the world firmly hold to the view that Israel’s residential housing communities built in Judea and Samaria/the West Bank are “illegal”.
For years, this fictitious claim has fed a wild campaign of incitement and ‘lawfare’ against Israel, based on the myth that Jews have no legal right to live or make their homes on Palestinian-claimed lands in the West Bank.
But the truth is that Israel isn’t an unlawful occupying power—certainly not according to any binding international laws.
Now, Northwestern University Professor of Law Eugene Kontorovich, a leading expert in the fields of constitutional law, international law, and the intersection of law and economics, is on a speaking tour of universities and colleges to explain why.

International Law Issues in the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict, with Eugene Kontorovich

Eugene Kontorovich is a professor at Northwestern Law whose research spans the fields of constitutional law, international law, and law and economics. He has authored a series of papers that extend "transaction cost" analysis from private law to constitutional law. He speaks and writes about contemporary law issues in the Israeli/palestinian conflict, including the BDS Movement, Palestinian statehood, and Israel's borders.

UC-Davis: Protesters shout “Allahu Akbar” and “Long Live Intifada” at Israeli speaker

Disruption of Israeli or pro-Israel speakers and events is becoming all too common on college campuses, including by groups like Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and similar groups. The purpose is to make sure that Israeli and pro-Israel points of view cannot be presented without incident, and to create a campus climate of intimidation.
We have reported on several such recent disruptions, including at University of Minnesota Law School, UT-Austin, Kings College (London), U. Windsor, University of South Florida, and an LGBTQ Shabbat Event in Chicago. Even events that are not disrupted are protested, such as the appearance of actor Michael Douglas and human rights hero Natan Sharansky at Brown University
The latest was the disruption of an appearance at UC-Davis by Israeli diplomat George Deek, who also happens to be an Arab Christian.
Israel On Campus Coalition reports:
Earlier this week, Israeli-Arab diplomat George Deek was shouted down by students affiliated with Students for Justice in Palestine at UC Davis. The SJP members, who called out “Long live the Intifada,” refused to engage with George, who came to Davis to discuss the need for mutual respect, dialogue, and understanding.
Legal Insurrection obtained the following video from someone in the room:

You’ll Never Guess Who’s Advising the New Herzl Biopic

Good news! A biopic of Theodor Herzl, Zionism’s founding father, is in the works, and Variety has reported that Sidney Blumenthal will be an advisor to the film “in order to deal with potentially incendiary nature of the subject matter.”
In other Hollywood news:
— In order to deal with potentially incendiary nature of The Revenant, the producer assembled an advisory board for the project that includes an angry bear.
— In order to deal with potentially incendiary nature of a new documentary about empowering women, the producer assembled an advisory board for the project that includes Bill Cosby.
— In order to deal with potentially incendiary nature of Bowling for Columbine, the producer assembled an advisory board for the project that includes Ted Nugent, Charlton Heston, and a .45 Colt.
— In order to deal with potentially incendiary nature controversial nature of Selma, the producers have hired Uncle Tom as a consultant.

It's Adar (II) - joke time!

I am having a hard time finding new, funny Jewish jokes to post about now that we are in the month of Adar II, with Purim coming up.

It is quite disappointing to go to "Jewish joke" sites and see some of them filled with jokes from 50 years ago that don't even make sense anymore.

But how about really old Jewish jokes?

I decided to find jokes from before the year 1900. Some of them are outright antisemitic but some are witty. Either way, it is an interesting history lesson.

This first one is unusual, coming from an article called "In Defense of Jewish Wit and Humour" by the Chief Rabbi of Great Britain, published in Review of the Churches, 1893. The joke shows that Jews believed Jewish stereotypes:

A Mr. Goldsmith became a convert to Christianity. He thought it advisable to adopt a name with a more Gentile ring, and dubbed himself Mr. Smith.

"What a fool!" exclaimed a member of the congregation on hearing of the change; "this is the first Jew who has thrown away his gold."

The joke that came after it is one I may have published in years past but it stands the test of time.

At a festive banquet, representatives of the Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish clergy had been invited, and were engaged in pleasant converse.

The Rabbi, faithtul to the dietary precepts ot his religion, partook of only a few of the dishes.

An appetising joint of roast pork was set on the table. The Catholic priest turned to his neighbour, and asked, "When will the time come that I may have the privilege of serving you with a slice of this delicious meat?"

"When I have the gratification of assisting at your Reverence's wedding," the Rabbi rejoined, with a courteous bow.

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Arab intransigence, 1923

I just saw three consecutive articles from JTA in October 1923 that were illuminating.

Says Jews Plan to Set Up an Independent State in Irak

October 4, 1923
JERUSALEM (Oct. 3)

That the Jews are obtaining the best land, buildings and houses in Mesopotamia and that the Zionist movement is making great headway there is the contention of a writer in the Arab organ “El Carmel”.

The writer warns that the Jews in Mesopotamia may intend to set up a state of their own there and urges the Arabs to build up their country with their own resources exclusively.

Urges Prayer As Means to Fight Zionism

October 4, 1923
JERUSALEM (Oct. 4)

The use of prayer to combat the Zionistic movement is being urged by the Arab organ “Miraat el Shark”. The Moslems are urged to repeat daily in their prayers specified forms of anti-Zionistic statements. The following sentences should be said seven times daily:

“We do not recognize the Balfour Declaration” “We want full liberty” “We want full freedom without any mandates” “We hate the British” “We hate the Palestine government” “Down with Zionism”.

“We do not want Zionism”, the paper urges should be given an additional recitation or a total of eight times.

The article concludes as follows: “Say, dear readers, this prayer ten times a day and after this if you had sold your lands to Zionists, if you have acted as Zionist agents or received Zionist pay, if you have made the national question a personal one only, if you have been a Zionist or government spy, if you belong to those who let their good houses to Jews and themselves live in bad houses, say this prayer and we are sure that you will be freed of the taint of Zionism and treachery and will become a good and devoted nationalist.”

Protest Jews’ Entrance to Holy Places

October 4, 1923

JERUSALEM (Oct. 4)

Protest against allowing Jews to visit the Holy Places is voiced by the Bethlehem Arab paper “Sut el Shaab” in a recent issue.

The paper declares that by the terms of the treaty between Moslem rulers and the great powers. Jews were barred from the Holy places. Yet it declares notwithstanding this agreement, the government allows the Jews to enter and even gives them a military escort.

Conspiracy theories, antisemitism, Muslim fundamentalism. It is not exactly new, nor the result of "settlements" or "ethnic cleansing."

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