Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Successful Arrow anti-missile test in California (video)

From JPost:

In face of Iran's continued race for nuclear power, Israel conducted a successful test of the Arrow 2 ballistic missile defense system off the coast of California early Tuesday morning, when it destroyed a target simulating an Iranian ballistic missile.

It was the eighteenth test of the Arrow, and the second in which the modified Arrow 2 was tested in its entirety, along with the Green Pine radar manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).

The test was conducted jointly by the IAF, the Defense Ministry's Homa Missile Defense Agency and the US Missile Defense Agency. The Arrow is a project developed in cooperation by the IAI and Boeing.

The Arrow interceptor was launched at around 10:30 pm Pacific Standard Time from a US Navy base along the California coast and intercepted a missile fired from a nearby navy vessel. Defense officials said that the enemy missile impersonated a "future threat that Israel could one day face in the region." Defense officials lauded the successful launching as another indication of Israel's defense capabilities in the face of Iran's continued quest for a nuclear weapon. They said that the Arrow system could protect Israel from all of the missiles in Iran's arsenal.

"This test is important for Israel as it prepares to counter the ballistic missile threat in the region," Herzog said. "This test proves the success of the system after it underwent new upgrades." Defense Minister Ehud Barak said that the test was an important milestone in the Israel's development of missile defense systems. Last week, the IAF successfully tested the Iron Dome counter-rocket defense system ahead of its planned deployment in southern Israel.

The PLO insult to America (NewsRealBlog)

A more expanded version of my earlier scoop about how the PLO is insulting the US can be found at NewsRealBlog.

Palestinian Arab government insults US. No one reports it.

A press release from the Palestinian Arab Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, in Arabic:

U.S. veto: an obstacle to peace

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs: February 21, 2011)

The United States of America's use of the veto to prevent the passage of a UN resolution condemning Israel's settlement policy confirms that it is not an honest broker, and it is no longer able to carry out its responsibilities as a sponsor of any future Palestinian - Israeli negotiations.

This first veto of the administration of President Barack Obama puts the credibility of the sponsor of the peace process in jeopardy, as this administration has chosen to stand in the face of international law and against the international consensus, which sponsored the draft resolution, thereby providing protection for the occupying power, Israel, against international condemnation of its illegal actions in settlement building on occupied Palestinian territory. ...

We see the U.S. veto as encouraging Israel to move forward in the processes of settlement and Judaizing Jerusalem, and the construction of a wall of annexation and expansion. It also provides cover for these egregious violations of international resolutions, and encourages [Israel] to continue to evade its commitment to the peace process and entitlements, and this gives them a certificate of innocence to intentionally sabotage and derail the negotiations. [We] hold the U.S. administration to be fully responsibile for the consequences and repercussions.

Accordingly, we call upon the U.S. administration, if it wishes to restore its credibility, to work to correct its decisions, and quickly take the necessary steps to correct this situation which it has committed against the Palestinian people...

This statement is a pure insult to the United States. The PLO is calling into question America's integrity and commitment to peace, it is stating flat-out that the US cannot sponsor peace negotiations any more, and is even calling US actions "an obstacle to peace."

If an Israeli spokesman would say something one tenth as provocative, there would be an immediate dressing down - in private and in public. This diatribe, however, has not even been reported in the media.

Let's send it to some reporters to get a reaction at the next daily White House briefing.

(This little diplomatic temper tantrum also shows that Susan Rice's abject attempt to suck up to the PLO was worse than meaningless - it might have even emboldened the PLO to write this to begin with.)

Samir Kuntar visits Syria to promote his book

From Syria's Al Baath newspaper, a celebration of a baby killer:

The dean of Lebanese prisoners freed from Israeli jails, Samir Kuntar, spoke of the steadfastness and principled positions of the Syrian government that gives courage for the resistance to achieve victories...

Kuntar spoke while promoting his book, "My Story," now in its second edition, in a discussion held yesterday at the University of October at the invitation of the National Union of Syrian Students to support the unlimited help provided by Syria to the [Hezbollah] resistance in the victory in 2006 and that this culture of resistance constitutes a milestone for Syria. He noted that this culture is planted in the minds and hearts of the youth and the sons of Syria, and that Syria's heroic struggle stems from betting on the young generation... gathered around the leader of the nation, Mr. President Bashar al-Assad.

Kuntar said that the youth of Syria is real and effective in supporting and sustaining the resistance and the educational and cultural institutions play a major role in promoting a culture of resistance and victory. he told the masses of students that... under the leadership of President Bashar al-Assad Syria is the focus of pride and the pride and respect for the whole world.

Here's his book.

Jordanian lawyers to sue former PM for peace treaty with Israel

From Jordan's Ammon News:

A group of Jordanian lawyers said that they intend to sue former Prime Minister Abdul Salam Majali following comments he made on signing the Wadi Araba Peace Treaty with Israel.

Lawyer Muhammad Khreisat stressed that he will file a lawsuit against the former Prime Minister after the latter made statements admitting that he "was wrong to sign the peace treaty with Israel," and that he regrets signing the agreement.

Khreisat added that Majali has "harmed the Jordanian state" by signing the peace treaty and through his recent admission in statements to the press that he regrets signing it.

Video of people being shot in Bahrain (updated)

Not sure when it was taken, uploaded yesterday:

(h/t Missing Peace)

UPDATE: Mike sends me the same incident from another angle, showing more. It was uploaded on the 18th.

Arab leaders meet to condemn their fellow dictator

The Arab League is going to have an emergency meeting to discuss the situation in Libya.

You know...these guys, standing around the other guy wearing brown:

And these guys, around the guy wearing with the long hair (although the person to his left will not be there.)

Ya gotta wonder what they will say without sounding like they are writing their own epitaphs.

In the same vein:, from Reuters:

Hamas supporters step on a poster depicting a crossed-out portrait of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi during a rally in Gaza City against the Libyan leader February 22, 2011.

Yet just a little over a year ago, Hamas leader Khaled Meshal traveled to Libya to hold talks with Gaddafi.

And Mahmoud Abbas has spent a bit of time with the crazy dictator as well, at least twice since 2009:

But then again, some other world leaders have not been embarrassed to be seen with Gaddafi either.

"Apartheid Week" poster

Just playing with the format of a series of posters I'd like to create for the upcoming "Israel Apartheid Week" on college campuses.

In general, I don't like playing defense, but I'd love to see video of the Israel-haters tearing down posters showing smiling, proud Israeli Arabs.

(The entire collection of posters is here.)

More Palestinian Arabs working for Israelis

The latest labor statistics are out from the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics.

Among the findings for the 4th quarter of 2010:

The labor market increased by 41,000 jobs in the West Bank and 13,000 jobs in Gaza.
In the West Bank, the number of Arab workers in Israel or Israeli towns in Judea and Samaria increased by 4000, from 75,000 to 79,000.
The number of Arab workers in settlements themselves went up from 7000 to 9000, a whopping 28% increase. Almost certainly this is largely because the construction freeze ended in late September.
11.5% of all employed West Bank workers are working for Israelis.
While the average daily wage in the West Bank is 86.8 NIS, the average daily wage for those working in Israel or in Jewish settlements is nearly double that, at 160.5 NIS (an increase of nearly 4% in the quarter.)
Gaza's unemployment rate went down from 40.5% to 37.4%. The West Bank unemployment rate decreased from 20.1% to 16.9%.

Statistics are slightly skewed compared to Western standards because the PCBS counts unemployment for everyone 15 years old and above, as opposed to 18 years old. Not surprisingly, the unemployment rate is highest for the 15-19 age group.

Erdogan wants to keep his Gaddafi Human Rights award

From Today's Zaman:

In response to growing calls from Turkish society on Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to return the Al-Gaddafi International Prize for Human Rights he received last year, the Prime Ministry said yesterday that “returning the award is out of the question.”

As the growing anti-government unrest in Libya is met by the brutal response of security forces, Turkish civil society has begun calling on Erdoğan to give back the award in protest of the Gaddafi violence in Libya, a demand that was rejected by the Prime Ministry in a statement released yesterday. The refusal to return the award may be linked to the safety of thousands of Turks in Libya who still expect to be evacuated.

The Young Civilians -- a civil society group known for its creative demonstrations in support of democracy -- made an open call to Erdoğan yesterday to return the award. “You showed sensitivity to what happened in Egypt. Take the side of the oppressed against the oppressive Gaddafi as well. Fix this evil act, which you cannot fix with your hand, with your tongue. Immediately give back the Al-Gaddafi International Prize for Human Rights that you recently received. As long as this award exists on the shelves of the Republic of Turkey’s Prime Ministry, the responsibility for the ongoing massacres in Libya will remain on us,” the Young Civilians said.

...The human rights prize was established in 1988 by Muammar al-Gaddafi. According to its website, the prize is awarded to one of the “international personalities, bodies or organizations that have distinctively contributed to rendering an outstanding human service and has achieved great actions in defending human rights, protecting the causes of freedom and supporting peace everywhere in the world.” Former South African President Nelson Mandela and Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez are among the recipients of the award.

The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) also commented on Erdoğan’s silence regarding the Libyan uprising yesterday and argued that “Erdoğan is doing what the award requires.”

Other illustrious past winners include Fidel Castro, Louis Farrakhan, Mahathir Mohamad and Daniel Ortega.

(h/t Harry's Place via T34)

Muslim Brotherhood wants to build a satellite channel

From Al Arabiya:

The Muslim Brotherhood (MB) is currently studying the possibility of establishing a satellite television station and a number of newspapers and magazines, according to leading MB member Essam al-Arian.

“Freedom of access to information is key to keeping up with the evolution of international media,” al-Arian told Al-Masry Al-Youm, adding that Egyptians "are fed up with biased media.”

“Soon we will begin publishing a monthly magazine called 'Al-Daawa,' in addition to a weekly newspaper,” he added.

Head of the MB's media committee Assem Shalabi said the group was preparing to publish daily, weekly and monthly newspapers and magazines.

“We're expecting amendments to Egypt's press laws that will facilitate the publication of new newspapers," said Shalabi. "This is why we are seeking to issue different publications."

There is of course nothing wrong with this.

The problem is that no Egyptian pro-freedom group could possibly hope to match the expected media onslaught from the Islamists.

Even worse - no Western powers are even thinking in this direction.

The Islamists show yet again, by contrast, that the West has no real strategy to effectively promote freedom in the Arab world. We are great at empty platitudes and worthless words of support, but in the end, no one is on the ground setting up a real marketplace of ideas in the Arab world where Islamism would be just one alternative among many. We think that our system is so obviously better that it doesn't have to be promoted.

Sound familiar? Yes, that's Israel's problem as well.

Strategically, the Islamists run circles around the West, and they have just proved it again.