The EU responds to my letter, without responding to my letter

I guess this is to be expected.

I had written to the EU this letter:

I notice that in a number of official EU documents regarding the Middle East, the phrase "1967 borders" or "pre-1967 borders" is used repeatedly. I am very surprised by this, since you undoubtedly know that there were no agreed borders for Israel before 1967, and they were only armistice lines from the 1948 war. Borders were always meant to be defined in the context of peace agreements between Israel and her neighbors, as indeed they eventually were with Egypt and Jordan.

Could you explain your use of a clearly incorrect term, and will you be correcting this error - both in the future and retroactively?

Thanks

Here is their response:

Thank you for your message. Please find below response of the relevant unit within the Euroepan External Action Service:

As stated in various Council Conclusions, in the context of the Middle East peace process the agreed EU position envisages an agreement on the borders of the two states (Israel and Palestine), based on the June 4 1967 lines with equivalent land swaps as may be agreed between the parties. The EU has stressed that it will not recognise any changes to these lines unless agreed by the parties. Though essentially corresponding to the 1949 Armistice Line as far as these concerns the division between Israel and the West Bank, the reference to 1967 has become more customarily used by the international community.

We hope you find this information useful. Please contact us again if you have other questions.

They sent this exact same message to others.

It is interesting that they use the word "lines" in the response, which implies that they know that there were no borders, but they aren't quite willing to admit the error.

So I wrote back:

Thank you for your reply.

Unfortunately, you are not answering my question. In your reply you refer to the lines as "lines," and you say that the EU envisages an agreement based on the June 4 "lines," you do not address your repeated use, in official EU documents, of the word "borders" in reference to those very lines.

The issue isn't whether you are referring to the 1949 armistice lines or the June 4, 1967 lines - the issue is referring to those lines as "borders" which you do repeatedly.

You seem to admit that they are not, and never were, borders. Is that what you are saying? And if so, will you be careful to refer only to them as "lines" in the future? Moreover, will you be correcting the many previous documents you have released that erroneously call these lines "borders"?

I assume you can appreciate the importance of being accurate in this matter. It is not merely a question of semantics. The 1949 armistice lines were never accepted as borders for a reason, even in UN resolutions, and giving them more importance after the fact - pretending that they had the legal standing of borders - is serious indeed. It is nothing less than changing history to fit better with the EU's current position, and that is what is offensive about this repeated reference to "borders."

We'll see if they respond more substantively.

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7/25 Links Part 1: Bulgaria Names Bombing Suspects, Kontorovich on EU Rules, Syria Kills 15 More Pals

From Ian:

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Eugene Kontorovich: What the EU rules are about – and what they are not

Nor is this about the Palestinians – the rules also bar funding of any organization connected to the Golan Heights. It is not clear which Syria the Europeans think Israel should surrender the entire Golan to, Assad or his Islamist foes, but this broad and unreasonable restriction has nothing to do with “the occupation.” It also has nothing to do with “settlements” in the West Bank; any Israeli institution with a presence in Eastern Jerusalem is blacklisted.
But most importantly, the EU policy is not about international law, which the guidelines repeatedly claim requires such action. Even if one thinks Israelis residing in the West Bank raises international law concerns, this has nothing to do with the new European rules.

‘Settlers’ Answer Kerry – in Washington

Samaria leaders established their own Foreign Ministry earlier this year after realizing that other groups were not going to take the lead in promoting Israeli communities in the region.
Its delegates met with more than 20 U.S. Senators and Members of Congress. “We opened a very crucial door to the world of the United States of America, to many Congressmen, many Senate members, who right now are willing to listen,” Shay Attias, Samaria’s Chairman of Foreign Affairs, told Arutz Sheva.

Netanyahu: We're Ready to Talk Peace Right Away

Speaking during a meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, Netanyahu said, “We both want to see peace between Israel and the Palestinians. I hope that soon we will be able to see the beginning of peace talks.
“Our team is ready – we've always been ready,” Netanyahu added. “And I want to thank Japan for its support for peace, specifically for the project called ‘The Corridor for Peace and Prosperity’ in the Jordan Rift. This is something that is a Japanese initiative that works together with Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority for the economic advancement of everyone and I think it shows that regional cooperation can work, that it can make a tangible difference.”

‘Peace Talks? The Mideast is Going Up in Flames’

Nobel Prize winner Professor Yisrael Aumann is baffled by the decision to return to negotiations with the Palestinian Authority. It is obvious that peace talks with PA Chairman Abbas are meaningless, he told Arutz Sheva.
“This whole matter of diplomatic negotiations is absurd. The whole Middle East is going up in flames, there’s chaos in Syria, Egypt, and Iraq – and the Americans are only worried about us,” he said.

Bereaved Parents Horrified by Terrorist Release

“He was my heart,” his mother said. She has been thinking about her son “for twenty-three years, every day, every second,” she said.
Both parents expressed fury and consternation at the decision to free the murderers. The same men who killed Ronen and Lior in cold blood murdered two other men as well, Eliyahu noted, and they were supposed to serve four life terms.
“Nowhere else on earth do you see this, that a person who got four life sentences plus twenty years is released before completing a single life sentence,” he charged. “Why? Based on what?”

BBC guest ‘expert’ is ‘Veterans Today’, ‘Rense’ contributor

In addition to some aggressive anti-Americanism, Narwani peddles anti-Israel, pro Assad, pro-Iranian regime and pro-Hizballah rhetoric. As well as having blogged at the Huffington Post - until her pro-Assad stance apparently became too much - Narwani has written for the Guardian and the pro-Hizballah/pro-Assad Lebanese outlet Al Akhbar English.
She also appears to have something of an affinity with antisemitic conspiracy theorists, writing for the ‘Veterans Today‘ website – which has links, via its editor, to Iran’s Press TV – and its sister site ‘Veterans News Now’ (I won’t link to those sites: do a search), as well as – according to her Twitter account – recently appearing on Rense Radio.

Israel Angered by U.S. Leaks of Submarine Missile Attack on Syria

Israeli government officials voiced anger at U.S. press leaks traced to the Pentagon following the July 5 Israeli missile attack on the Syrian port of Latakia that destroyed a shipment of Russian-made anti-ship missiles, according to U.S. officials.
Senior Pentagon officials, including Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter who is currently visiting Israel, discussed the leaks during meetings with Israeli officials this week. The Israelis argued in private meetings and other exchanges that the disclosures could lead to Syrian counterattacks against Israel and should have been coordinated first with the Israeli government.

PMW: Fatah honors arch-terrorist by proudly listing 61 of his murders

Fatah glorifies terrorist Abdallah Barghouti as "brave prisoner" because he prepared the bombs for suicide terror attacks that:
- "killed 15 Zionists" at Sbarro restaurant
- "killed 11 Zionists" at Moment Café
- "killed 15 Zionists" at Sheffield Night Club
- "killed 9 Zionists" at Hebrew University
- "killed 11 Zionists" at the Ben Yehuda pedestrian mall

Israel’s eastern front, the coming storm

Amid uncertainty on Israel’s eastern front, one thing will be certain if and when the king falls: Jordan’s next ruler will be a Palestinian.
Those who care for peace and Israel’s eastern borders should try to prepare for the coming storm and ride the freedom train to help put the right engineer in the front carriage.
The clock is ticking.

US delays delivery of F-16s to Egypt

The delay was the first direct action the US has taken since the Egyptian military ousted Morsi and installed a new civilian government. Under US law, military aid to a country that underwent a coup d’etat must be suspended. But the Obama administration says it is still trying to determine if what happened three weeks ago in Egypt was in fact a coup. Egypt is a key ally in the Middle East and the administration is reluctant to cut off the $1.3 billion aid package it sends to Cairo every year.

Egypt: Arrest Warrants Against Muslim Brotherhood Leaders

Arrest warrants were issued on Wednesday for nine Muslim Brotherhood officials in Egypt, including leader Mohammed Badie, CNN reported, citing Egypt's official news agency.
General prosecutor Hisham Barakat ordered the leaders' arrests for "ordering armed groups to cut off highways and threaten violence in the city of Qalyub, spreading violence and damaging public interest," the MENA news agency reported.

Muslim Brotherhood Leader Calls For U.S. Embassy Siege in Cairo

American diplomats could find themselves in the Muslim Brotherhood’s crosshairs now that Essam el-Erian, the Vice President of the Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party, has called on protesters to besiege the U.S. Embassy in Cairo.
El-Erian blames the U.S. government for the Egyptian military’s July 3 decision to overthrow President Mohammed Morsi. American policies have been roundly criticized by both pro- and anti-Morsi forces in the days since Morsi was deposed.

Three Egyptian militants killed by their own bomb, security source says

Three militants were killed on Wednesday in Egypt’s Sinai peninsula when their car bomb went off before they arrived to their intended targets, a security official said.

Bulgaria names 2 suspects in Burgas bus bombing

The Bulgarian authorities have released the names of two people believed to be involved in the Burgas bus bomb terrorist attack last year that killed five Israelis and their Bulgarian bus driver according to the Bulgarian news agency Focus.
The two were identified as 32-year-old Australian citizen Meliad Farah, also known as Hussein Hussein, and 25-year old Canadian Citizen Hassan El Hajj Hassan.

No, Hezbollah Isn’t a “Stabilizing” Force

Hezbollah has been fighting on the side of Bashar al-Assad, and the West’s desire to see the fall of the house of Assad convinced both the EU and the U.S. to take steps toward that end. But in an essay at Foreign Policy’s website, RAND analyst Julie Taylor makes an unconventional–and, in the end, terribly unconvincing–argument: leave Hezbollah alone, because you won’t like them when they’re angry. Taylor’s case rests on the idea that Hezbollah is showing restraint and maintaining a precarious, mostly nonviolent, state of affairs within Lebanon. Push them too far, and they’ll be tempted to show their strength, Hezbollah-style:

Hezbollah burying hundreds of its fighters in Syria, rebels claim

Hezbollah has buried hundreds of its fighters in mass graves in Syria to avoid a backlash from the victims’ families and maintain high morale among its combatants, Syrian oppositionists claimed on Wednesday.

Syrian Rebels Ambush, Trap, Shell 50 Truck Hezbollah Convoy (VIDEO)

The video shows rebel forces firing rocket launchers and tank mortars from a hilltop at the convoy, which, according to the rebels, was headed to reinforce Hezbollah legions on the civil war’s front lines.
The convoy included fuel and ammunition trucks, and, if at capacity, up to 500 Hezbollah soldiers.

Activists: Syria government rocket attack kills 15 Palestinian refugees

Forces loyal to President Bashar Assad killed at least 15 Palestinians, mostly women and children, in a rocket attack on a rebel-held refugee camp on the southern edge of Damascus on Wednesday, opposition activists said.
Palestinian militia from the pro-Assad Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC) as well as Syrian army and intelligence troops have been surrounding the camp for months.

Russia to Offer Iran an Air Defense System

Vladimir Putin is a nice guy. If you make a deal to buy a Russian air defense system–like Syria did–he will keep his promise to get the system delivered, even if the entire world begs him not to.
Or if your country is facing crippling sanctions because it’s building an illicit nuclear program that the international community vehemently opposes–like Iran is–don’t worry, Putin will come visit and lend a hand in reviving the fruitless negotiations over the program. And, for the right price, Putin will even sell you a sophisticated air defense system…you know…for good luck.

Turkey: Israeli Compensation for Marmara Victims Not Enough

On Wednesday, Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said that his country will not be satisfied with Israel simply paying compensation to the Marmara victims. The Jewish state, he said, must acknowledge that the money it is paying to the victims is a result of its committing a wrongful act.

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Reason #7205 peace is impossible

Buried in a health article about the benefits (and sometimes dangers) of afternoon naps in Jordanian newspaper Albaladeyes, we learn about a 2002 Israeli study that correlates mortality and naps in male senior citizens.

But the description of the study is what is interesting:

New research published this month (January 2013) in the journal Sleep Medicine and conducted on a group of seniors in the United States that showed a correlation between naps and atherosclerosis and heart disease. A previous study published in 2002 in the journal Sleep, conducted on Jewish settlers in Palestine, showed similar results.

Now, Last I checked, Jordan recognizes and has a peace agreement with Israel. The study was done fully inside the Green Line. Yet, the author of the article automatically calls the subjects "Jewish settlers in Palestine."

Is there anyone who believes for a second that peace with the PLO would be less fractured than "peace" with Jordan? Clearly, the ordinary citizens of Jordan - and a medical journalist must be smarter than the average Jordanian - simply do not, and will never, accept the idea of a Jewish state. They will reconcile themselves to it if they don't see any alternative, but they will never accept it.

Yesterday, I saw similar beliefs from a PLO official. Speaking to a friendly Muslim audience, he made it clear that Palestinian Arabs will never regard Israel as legitimate, peace agreement or not.

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Israel-haters at York U think they are above the rules

Last March, the "Students Against Israel Apartheid" at York University held a "victory" rally for getting a student group to pass a BDS resolution. Here is part of the rally, held indoors at Vari Hall:



As you can see, the haters have no problem enthusiastically calling for a new terror spree against Israeli civilians, as they chant for "intifada" (7:15) led by Hammam Farah, an alumnus of York and head of the SAIA.

The haters also intimidated Jewish students:



York University had no problem with any of the hate speech calling for the destruction of Israel and the ethnic cleansing of Jews from the Middle East. They have no problem with forcing Jewish students to move away from a rally designed to make them into some kind of criminals.

But they did have a problem with the use of loudspeakers indoors, a violation of university rules. As their "University Policies, Procedures & Regulations" states:

Sound amplification devices, including bullhorns, megaphones and speaker systems, shall not be used in interior corridors, lobbies, foyers and atria that are adjacent to rooms/facilities used for teaching, examination, study, research and/or administration.

This was not the first time that SAIA violated these rules - so the University temporarily de-listed them:

Students Against Israeli Apartheid’s status as an officially recognized student group at York was revoked by the university following a rally held in Vari Hall on March 27.

Janet Morrison, vice-provost students, who makes decisions with respect to club statuses, de-listed SAIA as an official club until January 2014 for “repeated disruption of academic activities,” according to Joanne Rider of York media.

“Specifically, SAIA will not be able to book space or otherwise access university resources directly or through another student organization,” says the notification letter from Morrison. SAIA is also “debarred from re-registering for official student group status” until January 1, 2014.

Rider says this isn’t the first time that SAIA has “disrupted academic activities” during one of their rallies and that this action wasn’t taken lightly. The university follows a similar process with any student club, association, or organization when university policies are violated, she explains.

“We followed due process including warning SAIA a number of times before we made the decision to sanction them,” says Rider.

SAIA was notified on May 3 by York that their club status had been revoked via email and letter delivered by Morrison.

Excalibur obtained a copy of the letter sent from the university to Arshiya Lakhani, one of the students who spoke at the March 27 rally.

“By this letter, the University is giving you notice that should you in future fail to comply with applicable regulations of the University [...] York University may invoke disciplinary action against you in accordance with applicable University rules,” the letter said.

Letters were also sent to the presidents of YUBSA and the Middle Eastern Students’ Association, among other students.

“The warning letters sent from the university definitely felt threatening,” says SAIA member Huda Al-Sarraj.

In a post on SAIA’s Facebook page, the group writes that the university’s decision to revoke their status is an “unprecedented attack on academic freedom and freedom of speech on the York University campus.”

When asked for a response, Rider says, “York University encourages freedom of expression and debate of controversial issues, and values diverse perspectives. The university does not permit such expression to compromise or disrupt classes or other academic activities.”

Following the same rally, York alumnus and SAIA activist Hammam Farah was banned from entering York property as of April 25.

According to a letter sent to Farah by Gary Brewer, vp finance and administration, Farah was banned from campus because of his participation in two demonstrations — the first on November 29, 2012, and the other on on March 27, 2013, — where he was observed by York security using an amplification device to speak to a gathering of students and others.

Rider says Farah was banned for violating university policy.

SAIA, instead of admitting the obvious - that they violated university policy - instead pretend that their freedom of speech is being violated. For them, the rules simply don't apply.

Now look what happened on June 24.

During a regular meeting of the Board of Governors at York U, members of SAIA again violated the normal procedures and disrupted the meeting. This video that SAIA put out doesn't show most of the Board of Governors' reaction, since the full story is not something SAIA wants people to see, but it shows enough to see that SAIA again disregarded the rules.

The board states to SAIA, "If you are not prepared to abide by the conditions I am going to declare that we are going to move in camera with this meeting..."

But the haters just keep disrupting the meeting - forcing the entire board to walk out and continue the meeting without the public.



Once again, the Israel-haters believe that they are above any rules and they whine when they are forced to suffer consequences for their puerile actions.

Come to think of it, they act a lot like their Palestinian Arab heroes.

(h/t Harry A)

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Prisoner release proves that the talks are going to be a farce

If the Palestinian Arabs are living in such a desperate situation....

If their lack of having full statehood is so terribly onerous...

If their desire for peace is so strong....

Then why are they constantly adding roadblocks?

And why doesn't the world ask this basic question?

There is something very wrong about the negotiations before the negotiations, and they prove how little the Palestinian Arabs care about peace.

First the US had to put its own prestige on the line for its Secretary of State to shuttle back and forth several times just to get the PLO to agree to think about talking to Israel. Key phrases needed to be manipulated and secret promises have to be made. But the practical concessions, as always, go only one way.

Israel is being forced to release over a hundred of the worst terrorists remaining in prison - just to have a conversation with their erstwhile peace partner.

Now, not only is the PLO making demand after demand to be able to do something that theoretically can bring them closer to having this state they claim they need so badly, but the prisoners themselves are now issuing their own threats!

YNet reports:

[T]he prisoners asked that the Palestinian Authority secure the release of at least 52 inmates in the first phase – representing half of the list of 103 prisoners. They also demanded that the selection of the prisoners be based on time served, meaning that those who served the most time would be the first to be released.

The prisoners threatened not to leave prison unless they are sure that a third party is carefully overseeing the release. "Should there be any manipulation on Israel's part we will take unexpected steps that will stop the entire peace process," they wrote.

We have a quasi-state that is doing everything possible to avoid independence, and we have prisoners who are doing everything possible to avoid freedom!

If Israel is the oppressive ruler and occupier of a helpless people, how come Israel appears to be the desperate party willing to make concrete concessions just to talk, and the suffering Arabs are acting like they hold all the cards?

Maybe, just maybe, there is a serious quid pro quo going on involving lots of American B-2 bombers, cruise missiles and bunker-busters heading towards Iran.

But if that is not the case, Israel is acting like it is the weak party.

In the bazaar of Middle East politics, Israel is doing an incredibly poor job of bargaining. The PLO is making all the demands and Israel is making all the concessions. The reason, I believe, is years of Israeli politicians and pundits warning about a demographic time bomb, combined with Western pressure, Israel's natural desire to please its friends, and endless articles about how the current situation is unsustainable.

But the current situation has given rise to perhaps the most peaceful period in Israel's history. Abbas will never follow through on his hollow threats to dissolve the PA; Hamas will do what it can to hold onto its mini-state even if that means stopping rockets, Egypt and Syria have evaporated as serious threats except for the ever-present threat of terrorism which will never go away no matter what concessions Israel gives. Things are more stable now than they were during both intifadas, more than during the Oslo process in the 1990s. Not optimal, but a damn sight better than they were in every other decade of Israel's existence.

We are way past the point of Israel saying, bluntly, to both the West and the Arabs that the status quo is quite acceptable, building will continue in the territories and the PLO can call back in a few years when it decides that it has something to lose by not negotiating. Oh, and if they try to do anything funny like starting another violent intifada, occupation is not such a scary option if the only alternative is Jews being blown up in buses again.

Whether it is true is irrelevant. Israel is in a souk and one doesn't start begging the seller to pay full price.

In reality, Israel has the upper hand. It is not too late to start acting like it. The first step is to say that there are alternatives to negotiations.

And Israel needs to tell the world that if the other side needs to be cajoled and bribed just to act like a peace partner, perhaps they weren't really a peace partner to begin with - and should be treated accordingly.

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How would Catherine Ashton answer this?

This letter, written by Irene, is sort of genius:

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PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL

Lady Catherine Ashton
High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
and
Vice-President of the European Commission
Brussels

Excellency:

Because we met a few years ago in Ankara during the time of Turkey’s invasion of Iraq and its bombing of Iraqi civilian homes that Prime Minister Erdoğan believed to harbor PKK activists, I feel emboldened to write directly to you. You may recall that I had just been dismissed from my position as Senior Protocol Officer of the Republic of Azerbaijan by Armenian occupation officials.

I have several questions regarding the new directive “Guidelines on the eligibility of Israeli entities and their activities in the territories occupied by Israel since June 1967 for grants, prizes and financial instruments funded by the EU from 2014 onwards.”

1. My primary business is established (as defined in the directive) in Turkish occupied northern Cyprus, but I employ an individual whose great grandfather lived in Hebron in the West Bank during all 19 years of the Jordanian occupation when the whole area was ethnically cleansed of Jews. Am I eligible to apply for an EU grant to pay his salary?

2. I have a second business, incorporated and established, for tax purposes, in Rabat, but which is physically located in Moroccan occupied Western Sahara. We manufacture prayer flags for an important client in occupied Tibet; but the delivery truck broke down while transiting Jordan, which King Hussein, at the time of our incorporation, said was Palestine. (I believe his exact statement was, “Jordan is Palestine, and Palestine is Jordan.”) Because of the emergency nature of the shipment, we contracted with a trucking firm run by Hasidic individuals from Beitar Illit in the occupied West Bank. They are demanding advance payment in the currency previously used in western Georgia before the Russian invasion. Are we eligible for a short-term loan from the European Investment Bank?

3. I have a third business that my Jewish great aunt established in Jerusalem’s ancient Jewish Quarter on the very day that General Allenby arrived with British Forces in their effort to protect the civilians of Albion from Ottoman aggression thousands of miles away. (Of course, that was before it became an international crime for Jews to live in East Jerusalem.) This firm exports pastis to customers in French-occupied Corsica and also to Bilbao in the Spanish occupied Basque region. If I establish a dummy corporation in British occupied Gibraltar, will my pastis meet European Union specifications, or will I have to ship it to the Falklands for reprocessing?

I am so appreciative of your attention to this matter. I remain a committed fan of your clear vision for the future of civilization as we know it. Your many pronouncements on the ethics of occupation and the need to maintain the rule of international law throughout the cosmos have been an inspiration to so many of us. I look forward to meeting you when you come to Riyadh in the fall for the International End to Feminism Conference.

Allow me, Excellency, to renew to you the assurances of my highest consideration.

Yours profoundly,

Ağcabədi Ağdaş
President and Chief Financial Officer
Bərdə Beyləqan Biləsuvar, Ltd.

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7/24 Links Part 2: Douglas Murray on the EU Hezbollah 'ban', Muslim Anger over Virtual ‘Third Temple’

From Ian:

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Douglas Murray: The EU fails to ban Hezbollah

Still – at least we can look forward to watching this unfold in the coming months and years. I almost look forward to British and EU officials trying to explain whether it is the political or military wing of Hezbollah which is currently massacring non-Shiites in Syria. And in a way I will relish watching them trying to explain why future suicide bombings like that in Bulgaria come from an organisation called ‘Hezbollah’ and not an organisation called ‘Hezbollah’.

ADL: EU Hizbullah Decision 'Flawed Counter-Terrorist Strategy'

The Anti-Defamation League has called the European Union’s decision to designate the military wing of Hizbullah as a terrorist organization “a positive political statement, but a flawed counter-terrorism strategy.”
The organization reiterated profound concerns that the partial blacklisting of Hizbullah would be largely ineffectual, because law enforcement will not be able to comprehensively target Hizbullah’s financial activities in Europe.

Israel to start supplying EU with intel on Hezbollah

Law enforcement authorities, homeland security officials and intelligence agencies in the EU’s 28 countries will need a plethora of information to make sure that Hezbollah’s military wing does not continue to operate on the continent, the officials added.

Prosor: EU's Hizbullah Blacklist is Not Sufficient

Addressing the UN Security Council, Prosor likened the separation between Hizbullah’s “military” and “political” arms to trying to distinguish between one’s left arm and right arm.
"This is indeed a necessary step to block Hizbullah’s financing channels but it is not sufficient. Distinguishing between Hizbullah’s military wing and its political arm is an illusion, a fiction, that will not stand the test of time," he stated.

Robert Fisk on Hezbollah and its Europe ban needs a double fisking

One of Britain's most outspoken Israel haters and apologists for all who oppose the Jewish state has written one of the weirdest pieces I have seen for a while.
It's so truly bizarre, especially when he starts bringing in the Nazi invasion of Czechoslovakia, Poland etc (all in the name of opposing the EU's ban on people who actually would have had much in common with the original Nazis) that I'm going to ask anyone who can be bothered to do a proper "fisking" and send it in to the submissions at The Commentator, who will probably be delighted to consider it.

Cageprisoners, Rowntree Trust and “Jews did 9/11”.

The article is by Kevin Barrett, an American who runs Truth Jihad Radio, talks of “Zio-Nazis” (here, disgracefully with United Nations Human Rights rapporteur Richard Falk), and seems determined to prove that no Muslim perpetrated 9/11.
Barrett’s article comes from the website of Iranian state broadcaster Press TV, where you can find numerous grotesque antisemitic articles (ranging from Holocaust denial to Jews run global narcotics).

UN’s Falk Tries to Dissociate from “Zionazi” Epithet, Kevin Barrett

Falk expressly acknowledged reading this text — he called it “defamatory” — and it caused him to flip out and turn the opening of his annual UNHRC report into a rant crying for UN Watch to be shut down.
How can Falk possibly argue that he had no idea what Kevin Barrett represents? Will anyone hold him to account?

BBC tweaks Hizballah statement, promotes its conspiracy theories

Muir’s failure to present any balance to the Hizballah party line, his promotion of the conspiracy theory-based notion of the EU designation as being a “politically motivated” cave-in to a mysterious Israeli master plan and his resulting relativist whitewashing of Hizballah’s very long history of terror and crime is not only inaccurate and partial, but deliberate misinformation.
Regrettably, this is far from the first time that we have seen Jim Muir promoting the concept of “resistance”, whitewashing Hizballah’s violence, trivialising Hizballah’s role in the destabilisation of the region as a whole and gratuitously advancing the anti-Israel conspiracy theories of Hizballah and its supporters.

Indy’s Alistair Dawber refers to Palestinian terrorists as “Political Prisoners”

As we argued previously, to refer to violent Palestinian criminals and terrorists (many of whom committed cruel and sadistic crimes against innocent Israelis) as “political prisoners” represents an egregious corruption of the term – propaganda of terror apologists legitimized by those in the media ideologically sympathetic to the Palestinian cause.

Muslim Anger over Virtual ‘Third Temple’

A Jewish website that aims to teach Israelis about the Temple has been met with an angry backlash from the Arab Muslim community.
The Har Hakodesh (lit. “The Holy Mountain”) website includes educational material about the history of the Temple Mount, which was the site of the First Temple and Second Temple. The Temples were the focus of divine service for the Jewish nation.

US appeals court: Americans born in Jerusalem not from ‘Israel’

The statement called the court decision “misguided,” and noted, “Federal government agencies have recognized in official documents and statements to the media that Jerusalem is in Israel. The State Department’s passport policy remains an isolated holdout, denying what is universally acknowledged, to the detriment of a right that a duly enacted law gives to American citizens

Which Nations Hate The U.S.? Often Those Receiving U.S. Aid

None of these examples suggest cause and effect. In other words, U.S. assistance may not cause countries to dislike the U.S. But in these cases we've noted, U.S. money certainly doesn't seem to help.
Also, the correlation between getting U.S. aid and disliking the U.S. is far from absolute. To cite just one counterexample, the leading recipient of U.S. aid is Israel, which gets more than $3 billion annually, and 83 percent of Israelis surveyed had a favorable view of the U.S., making it one of the most U.S.-friendly places on the globe.

Stand With Us The Newest Battlefront against Israel: Kangaroo Courts

BDS activists try to forestall opposition. They frequently delay putting resolutions on the agenda until the last minute to take opponents by surprise. Pro-Israel students, pre-occupied with college life, have little time to prepare a response. They can also feel overwhelmed by the lurid accusations and hostile atmosphere. At UC Berkeley, for example, one speaker claimed that IDF soldiers use rats to sexually violate Palestinian women. Outside the student senate, groups like Students for Justice in Palestine often demonstrate, chanting, “From the [Jordan] river to the [Mediterranean] sea, Palestine will be free,” a clear call for wiping Israel off the map.

PA Arabs May Have to Go Hungry and Naked to Boycott Israel

With Fox’s entry into Ramallah, PA activists, the International Solidarity Movement’s paid protesters living in Judea and Samaria, and European Union officials are welcome to stand fast and back the boycott, do without Fox clothes and stick to a diet of Arab-made pita.
Fox, Rami Levi and Orgad are making mincemeat out of the idea of the PA ideology of an Arab apartheid state.

EU's Ashton Adds to 'Settlement' Discrimination

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton is pushing for comprehensive guidelines to introduce separate labeling for products made by Jews in Judea and Samaria, Israeli-daily Haaretz reported on Tuesday.
According to the report. Ashton sent a letter to European commissioners urging them to draft the guidelines by the end of 2013.

Israeli Military Exports Reach Record High

According to figures released Tuesday by the Defense Ministry, Israel sold $7.473 billion in defense products last year.Brig.-Gen. (res) Shmaya Avieli, who heads the Defense Exports Directorate (SIBAT) warned at a news briefing that the country’s fiscal slump may also affect military sales.

Bionic contact lenses turn touch into vision

Much in the way Braille allows people who are blind to “see” the written word, a bionic contact lens invented by Israeli researcher Prof. Zeev Zalevsky “presses” images onto the surface of the eye to help the brain decipher through touch what the wearer is looking at.
The lens, still in a prototype stage, uses electrical signals sent to it from a small transponder, clipped to a pair of glasses or downloaded to a smartphone. A regular off-the-shelf camera, like the one inside a phone, “looks” at a crosswalk, items for sale in the grocery store, or at a loved one’s face, and transmits the encoded image via the lens to the wearer’s cornea. The image gets translated into a tactile sensation that can be interpreted visually.

Peace prize for Jewish and Muslim leaders of United Hatzalah

When Jerusalem resident Eli Beer implemented a neighborhood-based volunteer emergency response system to Israel in 2006, he wasn’t dreaming of prizes, only of saving lives.
But in recognition of the fact that United Hatzalah of Israel has brought together some 2,100 trained volunteers from every sector of Israeli society to respond to medical emergencies in Arab and Jewish neighborhoods without discrimination, Beer and Arab-Israeli United Hatzalah-East Jerusalem leader Murad Alyan were chosen to receive the 2013 Victor J. Goldberg IIE Prize for Peace in the Middle East from the New York-based Institute of International Education.

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What would happen if an Israeli tried to start a business in the PA-administered territories?

The Bethlehem Multidisciplinary Industrial Park is being built now and is due to open next month, with help from the IDF's COGAT:

Despite the fact that the park is located in Area "A", the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories has been involved in advancing the project. The Civil Administration facilitated permitting for all BMIP's secondary projects which required infrastructure that would run through Area C in the West Bank.

"I feel that the Civil Administration showed understanding and gave the project its full support every step of the way", remarked Hervé CONAN, Director of the AFD in the West Bank, "when challenges arose which were already beyond my control, the relevant officers responded positively and were partners in finding solutions. I think that it is a common goal for all the parties - to stimulate a new spirit of creativity and ambitiousness in this region in particular and in the West Bank in general."

"We appreciate all the support and assistance received from the Civil Administration throughout the project", explained Dr. Hazboun. "The project has not reached completion, they shall continue to create additional factories and companies here and I hope that the cooperation between all of us shall continue and that next year at least four new factories shall start operating".

On the website of the BMIP it gives the steps needed for a foreign investor to start a business in Bethlehem.

Since they are soliciting foreign investment, what would happen if an Israeli wanted to invest in an existing company or start a new one - completely under the PA's rules?

I could see, for example, someone opening up a clothing factory for modest women's dresses, manufactured in Bethlehem, that might appeal to both religious Jews and Muslims in Israel and Europe. Would that be allowed? Or would it be considered a "settler" business and its exports banned or labeled in Europe?

What about if the investor isn't Israeli but a Zionist Jew?

I honestly don't know the answers. But whatever they are, they would reveal a lot about how mature the PA is, as well as whether the European rules on "settler" items are consistent.

Anyone want to try?

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Roger Waters flies a pig balloon with a Star of David in Belgium concert (video) (update)

YNet reports:

On Saturday night, Israelis were among those who attended a British musician and former Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters’ concert in Belgium. Even as Waters is a known activist pushing for the boycott of Israel, Israelis were still amazed to see that the show included a blatantly anti-Semitic display.

Toward its end, a black balloon in the shape of a wild pig was released to the sky, on it a Star of David, in the company of symbols of dictatorial organizations and regimes from around the world.

“I came to the concert because I really like his music, without any connection to his political stance toward Israel,” says Alon Onfus Asif, an Israeli living in Belgium. “And I had a lot of fun, until I noticed the Star of David, on the inflatable pig. That was the only religious-national symbol which appeared among other symbols for fascism, dictatorships and oppression of people. Waters crossed the line and gave expression to an anti-Semitic message, beyond all his messages of anti-militancy.”

I found a video of a July 18th show (in the Netherlands) with the pig and the star:



UPDATE: Wikipedia has a history of Roger Waters' use of the pig (or warthog) balloon in concerts. It is clear that Waters uses the pig to push his political opinions of the moment; in the past he has written slogans like "Torture Shames Us All!", "Religions Divide", "Impeach Bush" and, during the 2008 elections, a checkmark next to "Obama."

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7/24 Links Part 1: Paving the Way for a Third Intifada, A Majority of Israelis Back Peace

From Ian:

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Khaled Abu Toameh: Palestinians: U.S. Paving The Way For Third Intifada

The last time Israel was blamed for the failure of the peace process was in the summer of 2000, when Palestinian Chairman Yasser Arafat rejected former Prime Minister Ehud Barak's offer at the botched Camp David summit.
Arafat returned to Ramallah to tell Palestinians that Israel does not want peace. A few weeks later the second intifada erupted, claiming the lives of thousands of Israeli and Palestinians.
The same scenario is likely to be repeated when and if Abbas walks out of the Kerry-sponsored peace talks -- an action meaning a third intifada might be on its way.
U.S. President William Jefferson Clinton's attempt at the time to force Arafat to make peace with Israel was what paved the way for the second intifada. Kerry, by forcing Abbas to agree to something that most Palestinians are not willing to accept, appears to be moving in the same direction.

Barry Rubin: Foreign Policy Farce: U.S. Conduct of Israel-Palestinian Peace Process

Has this happened before? Yes, in late 2010 when President Obama announced at the UN that the talks would soon restart at Camp David. Prime Minister Netanyahu agreed; the Palestinians refused. Is there a pattern here?
Does anyone notice that the Palestinians keep demanding more preconditions, Israeli concessions but never come to the table?
Why, if Palestinians are so eager and desperate to get a state do they not try to get one? Has anyone considered the non-logic of that claim?

Will more freed murderers bring peace?

This was a particularly cruel, gruesome and shocking act. Its iconic status is not surprising. Sbarro acquired fresh notoriety in 2011 when Tamimi, who had confessed to all charges and was convicted and sentenced to 16 life terms, walked free. Israel’s prime minister released her under pressure from Hamas to win the return of kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit. She was repatriated to her family in Jordan where she has lived since. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu inexplicably calls this gift an “exile.”

Majority of Israelis would back a peace deal, poll finds

A full 55 percent of Israelis are likely to support Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he were to submit a peace agreement with the Palestinians to a public referendum, according to a poll whose results were released Wednesday.
The Haaretz survey found that while 20% of Israelis were sure that they would vote against a peace deal, and 5% said they probably would vote against it, 39% said they would support in a referendum put forward by Netanyahu and a further 16% said they would probably support it. Another 20% said they were undecided on the issue.

Mortars Slam into Southern Israel

What at first seemed to be two rockets were later discovered to be two mortar shells that slammed into Israel’s southern region Wednesday morning, surprising residents who had no warning of the attack.

Top IDF Official Warns: Global Jihad is at Our Doorstep

"Syria, which is the most disturbing example, attracts thousands of global jihad activists and Muslim extremists from the region and around the world, who base themselves in the country, not only to bring down Assad, but to promote the vision of a state based on Islamic law," he added.
"Before our very eyes, at our doorstep, a large-scale center of the global jihad is developing, which may affect not only Syria and not just the borders of Israel, but Lebanon, Jordan, Sinai, and can radiate onto the entire region," warned Kochavi.

PMW: PA cleric: Eating during Ramadan is a capital crime

To back up his ruling, he cited a Hadith (Islamic tradition attributed to Muhammad) that presents eating in public during the fast of Ramadan as a capital crime: "His blood becomes permitted [to be shed]." He called on PA police to "strike with an iron fist" and give "the heaviest punishments" to those who eat in public.

PMW: Song calls for attacking Israel, "the snake's head" - in PA TV documentary
Disgraced PA Official to Sue Abbas Over Alleged Corruption

Two years ago former senior Palestine Liberation Organization official Mohammed Dahlan made explosive accusations against Palestinian Authority Chairman and Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas, accusing him of having stolen $700 million from PA coffers.
Now, Dahlan is suing the PA Chairman for allegedly persecuting him following his exposure of PA corruption.

Qardawi reappears on Al Jazeera to incite Egyptians against their army

Qaradawi avoided mentioning names, but his words sounded like an explicit fatwa calling for the assassination of those who decided and carried out “the military coup” on ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.
In his comments, Qaradawi referred to Quranic verses and sayings of the prophet (PBUH) that take on the question of obedience to the legitimate ruler.

Egypt: Military Leader Calls for Mass Rally as Violence Worsens

Egyptian military chief Abdel Fattahal al-Sisi has urged supporters to hold nationwide demonstrations on Friday, to grant him the mandate to confront "terrorism" in the country. Egypt has seen steadily increasing levels of violence following to ouster of Islamist president Mohammed Morsi by the secular military leadership.
"Next Friday, all honourable Egyptians must take to the street to give me a mandate and command to end terrorism and violence," he declared wednesday, at a military graduation ceremony , according to Al Arabiya.

Muslim Brotherhood’s ‘Freedom and Justice Party’ Qalyub HQ Attacked With Molotov Cocktails, 6 Die in Clashes

In Cairo, Al-Ahram said Muslim Brotherhood supporters climbed the Giza bridge, cut off the road to Cairo University, blocking traffic in multiple directions, and set fire to a traffic kiosk, after clashes with police at the university left six dead and 33 injured. Nine people have been killed in political violence in the past two days.

Egypt Security Forces Ignored Slaying of Coptic Christians, Human Rights Group Says

A report by the human rights group Amnesty International blames Egyptian security forces for standing by idly and failing to intervene during an 18-hour-long attack on Coptic Christians on July 5 that left four dead and one man hospitalized.

Western-backed Syrian Rebels: E.U.’s partial blacklisting of Hezbollah A “Step in the Right Direction”

The SNC’s stance, which rejects the E.U.’s distinction between political and military Hezbollah officials, echos statements made by Hezbollah leaders and assessments issued by the American intelligence community.
Iran and Hezbollah both blasted the partial designation, with Hezbollah going so far as to threaten European interests.

Russian Terrorists Fight in Syria, Giving Moscow Olympics Headache

“Dagestan has become the epicenter of the Caucasus insurgency, with rebels mounting nearly daily attacks on police and other officials,” the AP reports. Calming this region before the Olympics is very important to President Putin, and it provides a rationale for his staunch support for the Assad regime in Syria. The Kremlin fears creeping Sunni radicalism; it fears terrorists from the Caucasus getting training, weapons, money, and support down south and then returning home to attack the Olympic Games. With UN officials warning that the Syria war could drag on for years, Moscow will have to hope the Russian jihadists stay there and don’t return.

NYT: Khamenei Speech Rejecting Comprehensive Talks “Threw Some Cold Water” on Hopes For Talks

The Times story outlining Iranian intransigence comes two days after the outlet published an editorial encouraging engagement with Iran and criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for skepticism regarding Iranian intentions:

Saudi but stateless: born on the margins of society

Born of tribal origin in Saudi Arabia, stateless people known as bidoons live on society's margins, unable even to register marriages or open a bank account because they lack identification cards.
"Our life is frozen, suspended. We don't have access to services or medical care," complained Abu Ibrahim, 50, as he sat on a floor covered with a modest carpet, an old air conditioner humming in the background.
"There is discrimination in this country," he said, pointing to the privileges available to Saudi citizens that the bidoons cannot enjoy.

Saudi court orders severing of defendant’s leg

A Saudi court has ordered the severing of a local man’s leg after he caused the amputation of the leg of another Saudi, when he shot him during an argument.
The court left the door open for a reversal of the verdict in case the defendant pays diya (blood money) to the victim, who is demanding SR1.5 million.

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PLO official calls for Israel's destruction; says Israel wants to grab all Muslim lands

It's one story when PLO officials speak to Western diplomats and to the media.

But in Pakistan, their real feelings shine through:

Speakers at an international conference on Palestine said that Israel is an illegitimate state that must cease to exist and an independent sovereign state of Palestine must be established. International conference on "Palestine: Manifestation of Muslim Ummah's Unity" was held under the aegis of Palestine Foundation of Pakistan at Radio Pakistan auditorium here recently.

The photo on the lectern is Ayatollah Khomeini.

Mohammad Zazeh, a leader of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), speaking at the conference said that the post-Gulf War II situation compelled them to reach Oslo Accord but that should not be misunderstood because the PLO never considered Israel as a legitimate state. "Israel is an illegitimate state. Palestine belongs to Palestinians. An independent state of Palestine is what the Palestinians will get recognised," he said.

He said that Israel is a Zionist project that is aimed at grabbing the Muslim land from Morocco to Pakistan therefore all Muslims have to remain vigilant and foil the nefarious designs of Zionist enemy.

"Palestine and al Quds belong to all Arabs and Muslims. This is sacred land. Hazrat Mohammad (PBUH) had gone to Meraj from this holy place therefore that sacred place should be liberated from the Zionists," he vowed.

Of course, Zazeh was only one voice of the chorus of crazy:

Pakistan Peoples Party Sindh's secretary general Taj Haider said that Israel has never been existed [sic] in the history of the world. He said that it is an illegitimate state imposed in the heart of Islam by the global imperialist powers.

Allama Aijaz Behishti, central leader of Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen, cited that great revolutionary leader Imam Khomeini declared Palestine an integral part of Islam. He emphasised on three points that awakening of thoughts, establishment of funds and united efforts of the Ummah are much needed to liberate Palestine from the yoke of Zionist Israelis.

No doubt this speech will cause great embarrassment to Mahmoud Abbas, the head of the PLO, for contradicting the *real* PLO position accepting a two-state solution. Zazeh will probably be reprimanded, and sacked, for lying about the official Palestinian Arab position. How can any government tolerate a diplomat going rogue like that?

Unless, of course, this is the real position of the PLO and the other stuff is carefully calibrated to fool the West. But that couldn't possibly be true, right?

We'll know soon enough, if Zazeh is fired.

Anyone taking bets?

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More proof that Khirbet Qeiyafa was part of Judea, not Canaan

On Monday I discussed the new archaeological findings that indicated a palace that could have belonged to King David in Khirbet Qeiyafa. Some articles expressed skepticism, saying that it could have been from some other kingdom.

The archaeologist, Yossi Garfinkel, describes six proofs that indicate that this is Judean:

1. The urban planning of the city mimics that of other undoubtedly Judean cities, like Beit Shemesh and Beersheva.
2. As I mentioned, it clearly wasn't Philistine because no pig bones were found, and 20% of bones at Philistine sites are pig bones.
3. Most of the metal tools found were made of iron. Canaanite tools were bronze.
4. Religious relics were found, but none of them depicted human figures, in line with Jewish law. Canaanite and other kingdoms in the area would depict goddesses and other human figures.
5. Circular depressions in the jar handles are uniquely Judean and is a hallmark of Jewish pottery for hundreds of years afterwards.
6. Writings found there indicate Hebrew, the earliest known Hebrew writing so far.

Unique features of the palace include double walls, indicating multiple stories; a location in the center of the town with a great view, and a size of 1000 square meters, dwarfing all the other houses in the city.

What this all proves is that around 1000 BCE thee was a centralized kingdom of Judah with the ability to build fortified cities, collect taxes and manage long-term trade relations with places like Cyprus and Egypt.

The article also goes into the disagreements between archaeologists on how much to believe Biblical accounts when deciding on the importance of a find. It is a nice piece; I hope that it gets translated.

(h/t Yoel)

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Hamas paranoia hits a new peak

On Monday I reported that the deputy head of the "political bureau" of Hamas, Mousa Abu Marzouk, was accusing Egypt of wanting to exercise sovereignty over the Gaza Strip as it had before 1967. His evidence was the increase in helicopter flights from the Egyptian army over Gaza.

That theory was nutty enough, but now Hamas spokesman Dr. Salah Bardawil has run with it and really turned on the crazy.

According to Bardawil, the Egyptian helicopters are not coming from Egypt, as initial reports indicated, but from Israel. This means, he thinks, that the helicopters are being inspected in Israel first and Egypt is cooperating with Israel in this enterprise of Egyptian surveillance. Why Israel, with its drones and blimps and airplanes, needs Egyptian help is not quite explained.

But Bardawil, like all good Arab despots and their officials, spins a conspiracy theory that goes beyond Israel and Egypt.

You see, John Kerry announced the resumption of negotiations between Israel and the PLO in...Jordan! This means that the US and Israel are pushing both Egypt and Jordan to re-occupy Gaza and the West Bank, respectively! The PLO, Hamas' enemy, is of course part of this scheme as well. Bardawil characterizes Abbas' agreement to (pretend to) negotiate is "national suicide."

Hamas' paranoia comes, of course, from Egypt's decision to treat it virtually as an enemy - one that both kills Egyptian Army soldiers and one that steals scarce fuel from Egypt. Without Muslim Brotherhood patronage, Hamas is lost, and its seeming ascendancy on the back of the Arab Spring has evaporated.

Yesterday, both Israeli and Egyptian helicopters were reported to be seen in Gaza skies. Chances are that there is a low level of security coordination between Israel and Egypt as far as activities in the Sinai and in destroying smuggling tunnels is concerned, as the Camp David agreements require Israeli permission for any increase in Egyptian army presence in the Sinai - permission that Israel has been liberal in granting, to allow the Egyptian army to fight the Islamists and jihadists in the Sinai and to protect its border with Gaza.

Bardawil's paranoid fantasies clearly reflect Hamas' mindset and its fear of losing its grip on power. It sees things like the Palestinian "Tamarod" Facebook page, with nearly 20,000 members. Today, it even accused Fatah  of being behind that movement, when it is obvious that Tamarod Palestine hates Fatah and Hamas equally.

As with the revolution beforehand, the new Egyptian coup affects the entire region. However, it is way too early to count the Islamists out. There is no strong, well-organized and popular alternative; slogans against the Islamists is not enough to hold any nation together. So while Hamas and the MB are down, they are hardly out.

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Report: Syria gassed Palestinian Arabs in Yarmouk, killing 22. "Pro-Palestinian" groups silent.

From JPost:

Syrian opposition activists say that the military has used chemical weapons against the Al Yarmouk district of Damascus, an area of the city comprised predominantly of Palestinian refugees, Israel Radio reported.

Palestinian sources said that 22 people have been killed in the area, most from inhalation of poisonous gases.

The Syrian Coalition press release says:

According to video footage uploaded by activists inside the capital of Damascus, Assad’s forces are using chemical and toxic gas bombs to shell the Yarmouk Palestinian Camp. The strategic, systematic use of chemical weapons in order to achieve military gains only proves the desperate state that Assad’s regime has reached.

Arabic media also indicates 22 victims.

Here is a news report that supposedly shows victims of the attacks:



As usual, the "pro-Palestinian" crowd is utterly silent about this potential war crime against the people they pretend to love. Use the phrase "white phosphorus" and they are up in arms, but actual poison gas doesn't cause a ripple in their moral compasses.

Because their concern isn't for the victims, but in the religion of the attackers.

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Lawfare Project letter to the EU

This is a letter that the Lawfare Project is planning to send to the EU; they are looking for lawyers to sign it before sending.

H.E. Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs

Excellency

Re: EU directive regarding Israeli settlements

We, the undersigned, attorneys from across the world who are involved in international law issues as well as being closely concerned with the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, respectfully call upon you and the EU to revoke the abovementioned directive which we feel is based on legally flawed and incorrect assumptions regarding both the legality of Israel's settlements and the status of the pre-1967 Armistice lines as Israel's border.

Furthermore, the reasoning behind the directive summarily ignores the historic and legal rights of Israel and the Jewish people in and to the areas of Judea and Samaria, including the internationally acknowledged rights of the Jewish people as the indigenous people of the area.

The long-held view of the EU as to the illegality of Israel's settlements is a misreading of the relevant provisions of international law, and specifically Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which is neither relevant to the unique circumstances of Israel's status in the area, nor was it ever applicable, or intended to apply to Israel's circumstances in Judea and Samaria.

The EU together with other international bodies has consistently ignored authoritative sources, including the 1958 official commentary by International Committee of the Red Cross, as well as the published opinions of prominent international jurists, all of which explain the provenance of Article 49 in the need to address deportations, forced migration, evacuation, displacement, and expulsion of over 40 million people by the Nazis during the Second World War. This has no relevance to Israel's settlements in Judea and Samaria.

The EU totally ignores the very agreement to which it is signatory as witness, the 1995 Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement, in which it was agreed by the parties, pending a permanent status agreement, to exercise powers and authority in the areas under their respective control. Such powers include planning, zoning and construction. The issues of settlements and Jerusalem, as agreed upon between the parties, are negotiating issues, and hence, determinations by the EU undermine the negotiating process and run against the EU's status as signatory.

The legality of Israel's presence in the area stems from the historic, indigenous and legal rights of the Jewish people to settle in the area, as granted in valid and binding international legal instruments recognized and accepted by the international community. These rights cannot be denied or placed in question. This includes the 1922 San Remo Declaration unanimously adopted by the League of Nations, affirming the establishment of a national home for the Jewish People in the historical area of the Land of Israel (including the areas of Judea and Samaria and Jerusalem) as well as close Jewish settlement throughout. This was subsequently affirmed internationally in the League of Nations Mandate Instrument, and accorded continued validity, up to the present day, by Article 80 of the UN Charter which reaffirmed the validity of the rights granted to all states or peoples, or already existing international instruments (including those adopted by the League of Nations).

The inference regarding Israel's borders as recognized by the EU is no less misguided and historically and legally wrong. The pre-1967 Armistice lines (so-called "green" line) were never considered to be borders. UN Security Council resolution 242 (1967), endorsed by the European members of the Council, called for "secure and recognized boundaries" to replace the pre-1967 Armistice lines. The European leaders further endorsed this principle in their 1980 Venice Declaration. By its persistence in referring to the pre-1967 lines, the EU is undermining future negotiation on this issue by predetermining its outcome.

In a similar vein, the repeated use by the EU of the term "occupied Arab" or "Palestinian territories" to refer to the area of Judea and Samaria, has no basis in law or fact. The area has never been determined as such, and thus the continued EU usage of the term runs against the very concept of negotiations to resolve the dispute regarding these areas, supported by the EU, to determine their permanent status.

Excellency,

The position taken by the EU and the action presently being taken pursuant to its directive, regarding Israel's settlements in Judea and Samaria, is, in our view, incompatible with the EU's standing as a member of the international Quartet, and serves to neutralize any pretentions it might have to serve a useful function in the negotiating process between Israel and the Palestinians.

Frankly, the EU cannot, in all sincerity, presume to come with clean hands and claim to be an impartial element in the negotiating process. The EU has taken sides and as such, in its actions against Israel, it is undermining the negotiating process.

The position and actions of the EU against Israel are all the more unfortunate and regrettable in light of the tragic Jewish history in Europe, which cannot be ignored or forgotten. One might have expected that realization of this factor would guide the wisdom and logic of the actions of the EU.

(h/t Irene)

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