Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News

Monday, June 25, 2012

Outrageous: AP turns terrorists into "art"

Un-effing-believable. From The Daily Star/Lebanon:

Seven Palestinians gathered in a home in the West Bank village of Bilin and displayed their improvised weapons of protest as AP photographer Oded Balilty snapped their portraits against a black backdrop. The images provide a rare look at the Palestinian stone throwers normally seen in the streets in action against Israeli soldiers.

Do you think any of these "protesters" also throw stones at cars and buses? Have any of them hurled boulders through the windshield of a moving vehicle? Maybe a Molotov cocktail or three?

It's bad enough that wire services stage photos and pretend that they are news. But this takes it to another level - it is at attempt to elevate terrorism into art under the thin guise that it is news. It is romanticizing terror.

A "rare look"? Do these loving portraits illuminate anything about stone throwers that we didn't already know?

Yes, they do. They teach us that AP is a disgusting organization.

And the sick part is, you just know at the end of the year these portraits will win awards from various "progressive" publications, and will be hanging in galleries in Europe.

The photographer is an Israeli who lives in Tel Aviv and has already won a Pulitzer.

List of Gaza rockets that fell short as of last Thursday

PCHR put out a press release about Gaza rockets that fell short and injured or killed people and property last Thursday. (Interestingly, they buried the release - it was never linked to from their front page, unlike all their other press releases.)

According to investigations conducted by PCHR and testimony from eyewitnesses, at approximately 07:30 on Tuesday, 19 June 2012, Hadeel Ahmed Sa'eed al-Haddad (1.5) was struck in the head by shrapnel while she was standing in the entrance of the house of her grandfather, Sa'eed Mohammed al-Haddad, in al-Zaytoun neighborhood, east of Gaza City, when a home-made rocket landed on their house. Hadeel was transported to al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City to receive necessary medical treatment, but later transferred to Shifa Hospital due to the seriousness of her injuries. The efforts made by her doctors failed to save her life. In addition, in the same incident, Hadeel's cousin, Zaqariya Mohammed Sa'eed al-Haddad (9), was also struck in the head by shrapnel. As a result, he was transported to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, where medical sources have described his injuries as moderate.

The spokesman of the Palestinian Police, Chief Ra'ed al-Batniji,confirmed with PCHR's fieldworker that Hadeel died as a result of being hit in the head with shrapnel from a home-made rocket that landed on her grandfather's house. Al-Batniji added that the police had headed to the scene and initiated investigations.

Keep in mind that the official Gaza emergency medical services spokesman insisted that she was killed in an Israeli airstrike, and this news was never reported in Arabic media.

In Beit Hanoun, at approximately 22:35 on Wednesday, 20 June 2012, a home-made rocket landed on an under-construction house belonging to Mohammed AkramShabat(24). As a result, part of a wall inside the house was destroyed, though no injuries were reported.

In Deir al-Balah, at approximately 08:00 on Wednesday, 20 June 2012, a home-made rocket exploded in the vicinity of land belonging to Abu Khattab family on Salah al-Deen Street, south of Deir al-Balah. As a result of the explosion, Yahia Mohammed Abu Khattab’s(16)left shoulder was wounded by shrapnel, and he was transported by a PRCS's ambulance to al-Aqsa Martyrs' Hospital in Deir al-Balah where he received necessary medical treatment. He only suffered from minor wounds.

In Rafah, at approximately 20:30 on Tuesday, 19 June 2012, a home-made rocket landed on the house of Suleiman Abed Rabbu Abu Shabab, in al-Nasser village, southwest of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. As a result, the house sustained damage and its 15 residents were terrified. The Palestinian police said to PCHR's fieldworker that they immediately moved into the area, where the Explosives Engineering Unit collected the remnants of the rocket.

Previously, at approximately 21:50 on Monday, 18 June 2012, a home-made rocket landed on the house of 'AzzamYusefHamad on al-Qurman Street, east of Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip. As a result, 3 of Hamad's children were wounded: Bara'a(12) sustained wounds and bruises in the left arm and leg; and Jannat and May, (both 3) sustained bruises throughout their bodies. Additionally, the western side of the house, windows and water network were damaged.

PCHR has not yet discussed the child killed on Saturday, apparently from terrorist explosives.

The Al Mezan Center for Human Rights ignored the deaths and injuries from terrorist rockets completely.

(h/t liad122000)

Israelis sneaking into Jordan to provide aid to Syrian refugees

From the IL4Syrians NGO website:

The organization is comprised of a group of non-religious, Zionist, Israeli citizens who love their homeland and believe in Jewish tradition and culture that values a compassionate, open-minded respect for the sanctity of human life and dignity.

Along with this commitment to human life, the organization is also devoted to faithfully defending Israel’s borders and citizens in the face of threat.

Today, with such economic power and defense capabilities, Israel feels a moral and ethical duty to become “the voice of the voiceless” and in this particular case, even if it is the voice of the vulnerable populations among some of our toughest and cruelest enemies.

The organization is comprised of men and women who believe they are blessed to be born in a democratic country that enables its citizens to travel to challenging, dangerous places.

Because the neighboring countries forbid humanitarian aid, out of fear of political military repercussions, assistance is in the form of cash only, in order to stay under the radar and out of danger. The NGO apologizes for the lack of transparency in this particular case, but this is a direct result of the fear that is dominating in the region right now due to Assad’s reign of terror.

ABOUT THE REFUGEES

During these missions, the NGO has encountered mostly women and children whose husbands and fathers stayed behind in order to keep the struggle alive. The refugees fall into three main categories:

1. Syrians traveling legally. These refugees carry legal documents and valid passports, and usually belong to the higher socio-economic classes. They cross the border legally and go through a short military investigation and are then released and are then able to rent homes and build lives in the host country.

2. Syrians traveling illegally. These refugees, usually from lower socio-economic status, illegally cross the borders, do not go through military investigations and are not processed or listed. They try desperately to blend and disappear into the local villages. They are not eligible for any aid because they do not officially reside anywhere.

3. The detained. This category includes healthy men, women and children who have been caught by local armies in neighboring countries and are held in army bases for an uncertain time. They are subject to rigorous investigation and their numbers are unknown. Rumors among the other refugees state that some are even forced returned to Syria turned over to Assad. It goes without saying that their fate is then known.

The NGO has been sending ongoing missions to help the refugees in neighboring countries, despite facing some significant challenges. One of the most difficult challenges is the resistance of the host countries, those absorbing large numbers of refugees. They all fear Assad’s wrath – political, diplomatic, economic and even military retaliation – and therefore are reluctant to publicly admit that they are absorbing Syrian escapees, and do not allow humanitarian aid to be brought in and distributed. Not only must volunteers hide from the host country, they also have to be aware of the presence of Iranian and Syrian intelligence personnel who have infiltrated and work under cover, disguising themselves as refugees. They bring information back to the Syrian government, including numbers and names, and also work actively to frighten and hurt the refugees. There have even been reports of infiltrators poisoning the water sources of the refugees.

As a result, the Israeli NGO works with cash only: in order to buy the humanitarian aid locally, to stay under the radar, and protect the lives of volunteers and local contacts.

A news report about IL4Syrians working in Jordan was shown on Israeli TV, and it is causing a stir in the Arab world. Al Watan Voice reports on their activities, says that the video shows that they were in Jordan, and then notes

Jordanian activists denounced these acts done by the Israeli delegation, and demanded the government investigate this case, and tighten controls on the entry of Israelis to Jordan for tourism or other reasons, because of the violation of the sovereignty of Jordan, normalization with Israel and the gradual promotion of an alternative homeland [for Palestinians.] They also demanded from relevant official bodies a clarifying response to what the Israeli delegation did.

(h/t Yoel)

Arab League pulls sponsorship of French literary prize - because author visited Israel

From France24:

A celebrated Algerian novelist was given a top French literary award on Thursday in a ceremony that was marred by the withdrawal of its Arab sponsors.

Boualem Sansal had been due to receive the Editions Gallimard Arabic Novel prize for his book “Rue Darwin” [Darwin Street] earlier in June.

A 15,000-euro cheque was to be given by the Paris-based Arab Ambassador’s Council, which founded the award in 2008.

But between being nominated and being awarded his prize, Sansal attended the Jerusalem Writers Festival in May – as guest of honour.

Militant Palestinian Islamist group Hamas called it, “an act of treason against the Palestinian people.”

By the time the writer was due to receive his prize, the Ambassadors Council had permanently withdrawn its support for the award.

The Editions Gallimard jury finally handed Sansal his laureate on Thursday - minus the 15,000 euro prize money - after weeks of deadlock with the ambassadors.

In an open letter announcing his resignation from the jury, Olivier Poivre d'Arvor, director of France Culture radio, called the link between the Hamas statement and the withdrawal of the prize, “a sordid truth”.

“Between being nominated for the prize and actually receiving it, Boualem Sansal visited Israel,” he wrote. “Hamas immediately issued a statement calling his presence an act of treason against the Palestinians. The reaction of Arab Ambassadors Council was a direct result of this.”

Speaking on France Inter radio on Friday, Sansal said it was “completely unacceptable” that the ambassadors should interfere with their own jury’s decision and withdraw from any future association.

Arguing that Arab countries remained locked into a “non-existent” conflict with Israel, he said that those countries, and in particular his native Algeria, had “shut themselves in a prison of intolerance.”

“We have to do away with this dictatorial approach,” he said. “Yes, there are complicated relations with Israel, but we are not at war with them. And if we really want to help the Palestinians, people like me should be able to visit the country freely.”

His words echoed a June 6 interview with news site DNA Algerie: “We have to break this taboo [with Israel] .... I believe we need to go to a different level and that this would be in the interest of the Palestinians.”

The Arab League considered the book a beautiful piece of literature in April. Now they don't want people to read it because the author visited the Jewish state.

Is there any better example of Arab intolerance than this?

(h/t Yerushalimey)

Egypt's new president wants to expand ties with Iran (updated)

From Egypt Independent:

President-elect Mohamed Morsy said in an interview with Iran's Fars news agency published on Monday that he wanted to expand ties with Tehran to create a strategic "balance" in the region.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries have been severed for more than 30 years, but both sides have signaled a shift in policy since former President Hosni Mubarak was overthrown last year in a popular uprising.

Fars quoted Morsy as saying better relations with Tehran "will create a balance of pressure in the region, and this is part of my program."

Morsy's comments may unsettle Western powers as they seek to isolate Iran over its disputed nuclear program, which they suspect Tehran is using to build atomic bombs. They cautiously welcomed the democratic process that led to Morsy's election, but made clear Egypt's stability was their main priority.

Fars said he was speaking a few hours before the result of the Egyptian election was announced on Sunday, and that a full version of the interview would be published later.

No wonder Hamas and Islamic Jihad are celebrating.

Here comes the Islamic winter.

UPDATE: Egyptian officials deny this story, saying it is entirely made up by FARS.

Israel stops aid to Gaza "until further notice" (updated)

From COGAT:

Kerem Shalom crossing will remain closed today, due to mortar shell impacts on the crossing itself and its surrounding areas.

Palestine Today quotes them as saying that it will be closed "until further notice."

Kerem Shalom remained open and Israel continued to send aid to Gaza during the worst of the rocket attacks over the past week, but this decision apparently came about after the terminal itself was attacked yesterday.

There were five mortars fired from Gaza to Israel on Sunday, in what the media is calling a "truce."

UPDATE: 2 more mortars this morning.

How much do moderate, educated Lebanese hate Americans?

Lebanon is considered a moderate Arab country. And perhaps nowhere in Lebanon can be considered more liberal and pro-American than the American University of Beirut.

This year, AUB decided to present an honorary degree to Donna Shalala, a proud and well-accomplished Arab-American who was formerly the Secretary of Health and Human Services under the Clinton administration and who has headed a number of US colleges.

And when she thanked the university at the commencement ceremony, here is what happened:

Then came her keynote address. Here's what happened then:

As the Daily Star Lebanon reported:

Several dozen people disrupted the Master’s graduation ceremony at AUB Friday evening to protest against the awarding of an honorary degree to Donna Shalala due to her support for engagement with Israel.

Shalala, president of the University of Miami in Florida and a former U.S. secretary of health, has three honorary degrees from universities in Israel, and does not support a cultural boycott of the country.

Around 40 protesters heckled Shalala as she began her speech of thanks, shouting “boycott Israel.” Some held a large banner that read “Boycott Zionist Shalala.”

Some other audience members, including graduates, ushers and parents, joined in the heckling, prompting Shalala to respond, “Let us welcome this demonstration of academic freedom.”

In her keynote address later, Shalala, born in the U.S. to Lebanese parents, spoke of volunteer work that she carried out with UNRWA at a Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon.

“Fifty years ago, my experience with Palestinians in the refugee camp seared me forever as an advocate for the people of Palestine and their statehood.”

You cannot argue that Shalala is not pro-Palestinian. But since Shalala does not explicitly support the destruction of Israel, she is considered persona non grata in the American University in Lebanon, despite her impressive accomplishments as an American and as a person of Arab heritage.

This is how moderate Arabs act towards even the most sympathetic Arab-Americans who are not blindly anti-Israel.

A few Lebanese commenters on YouTube were embarrassed, but for the most part the Arabic press - and the English-language Lebanese press - either ignored the fracas or supported it.

Notice also that the supposedly racist state of Israel has given this person of Arab descent honorary degrees without any protests whatsoever from the Jews.

America has only one true friend in the Middle East.

This is real.

From Bikya Masr:

An Egyptian delegation at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva on Thursday has urged the body to focus its efforts on “real people” who need assistance in questioning the rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

“Finally, concerning the highly controversial notion of sexual orientation, we can only reiterate that it is not part of the universally recognized human rights,” said the Egyptian delegation at the UN Human Rights Council.

“We call on Mr. Kiai not to undermine the credibility and legitimacy of his important work in the eyes of real people who actually need it, especially in regions where such concepts are rejected by both its Christian and Muslim inhabitants like the Middle East,” the statement added.

UPDATE: Here's the video, starting at around 11:50:

(h/t Benny)

Administrivia? Nah, just trivia

Two and a half years ago I wrote a quick review of the Google Nexus One which I bought as soon as it was released without waiting for a review. In the end, the phone served me well; the updates fixed a lot of the early glitches and it was a fine phone except for its memory limitations.

But the phone was not quite good enough for my new commute, where I am trying to blog on a netbook using the phone as a hotspot - the connection was intermittent. So I upgraded to the Google Nexus Galaxy last week.

So far, it rocks. It is running the latest Android OS - "Ice Cream Sandwich." The voice to text abilities are quite good, I can now speak continuously and it will transcribe it pretty well, as such things go. It is thin, with a large screen; I like the facial recognition unlock feature. And, so far, it has worked great during the commute.

I know that the Galaxy 3 just came out this week, but I am a fan of stock Android that gets updated immediately, so at the moment I believe I have the best phone on the market for me. (Although it appears that the battery life is not quite as good as I was hoping.)

I hadn't been to any movies lately, but I saw Men In Black 3 today. Yeah, I know, everyone has seen it already. But I noticed a mezuzah on the door of K's old apartment after he disappears in a time warp, which I thought was a nice touch.

I didn't realize that the writer was a religious Jew, Etan Cohen, who is now a hot writer in Hollywood. But the mezuzah wasn't his idea, it was the director's.

Cohen also wrote a number of Beavis and Butthead episodes as well as the really great dark comedy Tropic Thunder.

And he was born in Efrat, in Israel - so what's not to love?

Last week's top posts

If you missed any of these, now's the time to catch up:

Most popular: Reuters says Israel breaks truce - after Hamas rockets

Funniest: Islamic Jihad is coming after me, so I must defend myself.

From the Arabic press: Those symbolic keys have a different symbolism in Arabic

History: Reuters vs. the truth about the Temple Mount

Liar, liar: Gaza rocket misfires, kills 2-year old girl. Lying Arabic media blame Israel. and the sequel.

Best linked article: Stolen Kremlin documents show Soviet involvement in Arab strategy

Video that must be retweeted: There is no Zionism without Jerusalem

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Forgot about this one: Abolish UNRWA

Morsi wins Egypt, but don't worry: Jimmy Carter approves (UPDATED)

Although closer than expected, theMuslim Brotherhood Islamist candidate won the presidential election in Egypt:

The Muslim Brotherhood's presidential candidate, Mohamed Mursi, has been named the fifth president of Egypt after narrowly beating off competition from rival, Ahmed Shafiq, in the hotly-contested presidential elections' runoffs.

So now that Egypt has the Islamist Brotherhood in control of the presidency and in possible control of the Parliament after the legal issues are sorted through, should we be worried about freedom in Egypt?

Of course not! Jimmy Carter personally vouches for Morsi:

Carter said he knows the Western-educated Morsi "quite well" and that he appears committed to women's rights and the Egypt-Israel peace agreement.

"I've crossed-examined him in my own private way very thoroughly about adherence to the terms of a peace treaty for instance between Israel and Egypt that I happened to negotiate back in 1979. He assured me that he honored those terms and he's been quite an outspoken champion I would say of the basic four freedoms that should relate to any country," said Carter.

There ya have it!

And Jimmy's not alone in being happy at Morsi's win. His pals in Hamas are ecstatic as well, as is Islamic Jihad, as are most Gazans.

(UPDATE) They are shooting in the air in joy. And so far, at least one has been killed and ten injured from all the happiness.

Sunday Links

From Ian:

New IDF Videos
Israel Air Force Targets Terrorist in Gaza, Prevents Rocket Attack on Israel

Israeli Army Druze Battalion

Another dog bites man story
European Islamic group praises Holocaust-denier

“Brussels-based Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe (FIOE) mourned death of French Holocaust-denier Roger Garaudy.”

[There have been daily news stories in the Arabic press praising Garaudy since he died. - EoZ]

Fatal failure to fight for right – Melanie Phillips

“Elements of the British Jewish leadership continue to raise eyebrows abroad by fatuously asserting that reports of anti-Jewish feeling in the UK are much exaggerated, while themselves stoking the anti-Israel fires by absurdly demonising Benjamin Netanyahu as the cause of the Middle East impasse.

There is here in both camps a failure to understand that effective defence means the fight must be taken to the enemy. The US neocons believed they had a duty to fight for what is right. And that is a Jewish position.”

One million invisible people.

“As the sixth day of rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip upon one million civilians living in the south of Israel comes to a close, with a school (fortunately empty) hit today and a factory worker suffering injuries from shrapnel in his neck, it is interesting to note the images chosen by the Guardian in order to illustrate its somewhat sparse coverage of events.”

Canadian Television Erroneously Omits Over 300 Gaza Rocket Attacks (VIDEO)

More on - Kenneth “let them have nukes” Waltz.
Kenneth N. Waltz – The Stupidest Strategist? by Daniel Pipes

“..Waltz has also published in the July/August issue of Foreign Affairs the single most preposterous analysis by an allegedly serious strategist of the Iranian quest for a nuclear weapon. His title and subtitle neatly sum up his argument: "Why Iran Should Get the Bomb: Nuclear Balancing Would Mean Stability."

Anti-QuAIA complainants intimidated, B’nai Brith Canada steps in, files complaint

“TORONTO – Pride Toronto’s dispute resolution process, created to address complaints about the participation of Queers Against Israeli Apartheid (QuAIA) in the Pride Parade July 1, has been discredited after the complainants’ private information was published without their consent.”

Leftists, not neo-Nazis, helped in Munich massacre