יום שלישי, 9 באוגוסט 2011

Elder of Ziyon Daily Digest

Elder of Ziyon Daily Digest

Why we should cry: Judaism's holiest site is being desecrated today

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 01:35 PM PDT

Here is a video taken a few months ago of Arab kids playing soccer on the Temple Mount:



More photos of the same phenomenon taken over the past few years:



This is why we should cry on Tisha B'Av.

The most sacred place on Earth is being defiled and desecrated, daily, by people whose entire reason for being there is in order to deny its rightful owners from asserting their claim.

If the Temple had been built elsewhere, the Al Aqsa Mosque would have still been built on top of it. And everyone knows it.

Muslims wouldn't dare play ball in the Kaaba in Mecca. But in this supposed "third holiest place" it is not even considered rude.

It would be preferable to leave it as unused ruins than to allow these people to defile the holy place every day.

Yes, it is wonderful that Israel was reborn and that Jews can live freely and proudly in Jerusalem again. But the disgrace of the Temple Mount shows that the redemption is not here.

And for that we need to keep crying.

Other Tisha B'Av postings:
2006
2007
2010


I will not be posting again until at least Tuesday afternoon. I wish my readers an easy fast and through our prayers may there be a true, complete redemption.

The most beautiful goat in the world, 2011

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 10:50 AM PDT

From DayLife/Reuters:
Wasieef, a Maaz Al Shami (Damascene goat), which won the first prize for the "Most Beautiful Goat" title in the female category, is seen at the Mazayen al-Maaz competition in Amman July 22, 2011. This is the first goat competition held in Jordan.


Saab Al Manal, a Maaz Al Shami (Damascene goat), which won the first prize for the "Most Beautiful Goat" title in the male category, is seen at the Mazayen al-Maaz competition in Amman July 22, 2011. 
Just imagine how heartbreakingly beautiful their kids would be if they got together!

(h/t Jeff Jacoby)

Egyptians planning anti-Islamist rally at Tahrir Square Friday

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 09:45 AM PDT

In response to the massive demonstration that the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist organizations hijacked at Tahrir Square on July 29th, a coalition of Copts and Egyptian liberals plan to create their own demonstration this Friday in the symbolically-important square.

Al Arabiya reports that many national, liberal, Coptic and leftist social movements are planning an "Friday Civilian Egyptian" rally with the slogan "Together in love with Egypt, the revolution" on Friday. In a press conference today they stated that they intend to deliver a message directly to Egypt, that all Egyptians enjoy full citizenship without discrimination based on ethnic, sexual or religious grounds. They emphasize the civilian Egyptian state, where the rule of law applies to all and religion is not part of the political process, under the banner of unity.

They are planning an interesting gimmick: the world's largest Iftar in Tahrir Square to break that day's Ramadan fast. This is very smart, as it would blunt any Islamist criticism of the protest and it would get more people to come. Hey, free food, plus a chance to make history!

Friday may be a very important day in Egyptian history.

Kuwait, Bahrain follow Saudis; recall Syria ambassadors

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 08:49 AM PDT

From Now Lebanon:
Bahrain has recalled its ambassador from Syria for "consultation," Foreign Minister Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmad Al-Khalifa said on Monday, following the example of neighbors Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

"Bahrain is recalling its ambassador in Damascus for consultation, and has called for a resort to reason," said Sheikh Khaled in a brief statement on his Twitter page.

King Abdullah of oil-rich Saudi Arabia led the way on Sunday when he strongly condemned the deadly crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Syria and recalled Riyadh's envoy from Damascus.

Kuwait followed on Monday, with Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Sabah telling reporters that "no one can accept the bloodshed in Syria" and that the "military option must be halted."

But something happened in Syria that might get the world community to wake up and demand action:
A young Palestinian died early Monday morning in Syria's Hama refugee camp, bringing to six the number of Palestinians killed in Syria in a week, official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

On Friday, eyewitnesses said five Palestinian refugees were killed during clashes near the camp, which lies within the town of the same name, that has been the site of the fiercest battles between the protest movement and the Syrian regime.
I mean, regular Arabs killing Arabs is no big deal, but when Palestinian Arabs are killed, we know how upset people get.

Or does that depend on who does the killing?

(h/t David G)

The green grass of Gaza

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 07:45 AM PDT


The Palestine Times has an article about how a Gaza man, frustrated at the price of grass from Israel, decided to cultivate grass on his own in Gaza and sell it to other Gazans. Gaza resorts and other businesses are buying the grass to beautify their public spaces.

This is admirable on a number of levels. Coming up with a business, gaining independence from imports, and beautifying where you live are all nice things.

But doesn't Gaza have a water problem?

Grass needs a lot of water, and when a Gaza resort decides to make a lush, green lawn it is committing itself to using a great deal of water - water that Gaza is woefully short of.

Not to mention that grass is a luxury. In a place that is supposedly fighting to survive, grass doesn't seem to be the highest priority.

Now, it is possible that the grass used in Gaza is a special breed that can be watered with saltwater or with wastewater, which would be wonderful - but if this is ordinary grass, and Gazans can afford this luxury, then Gaza can hardly be considered a land in crisis.

But what do I know? Maybe there are carefully tended lawns in Somalia, also.

"Israeli police remove worshipers from Al-Aqsa"

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 06:40 AM PDT

That's the headline in a Ma'an article.

The headline would lead one to believe that Israeli police are wantonly entering the holy site during Ramadan just to randomly and forcibly remove peaceful Muslims just trying to pray. The first three paragraphs of that article reinforces that idea:

Israeli police entered the Jerusalem compound housing Al-Aqsa Mosque on Sunday evening and forcibly removed worshipers, a Ma'an correspondent said.

Israeli police forces raided the Haram Ash-Sharif complex after the Tarawih, the additional extended prayers performed during the holy month of Ramadan after the last obligatory prayer, Ma'an's reporter said.

The police removed from the site a group of around 30 people, who were spending a special time of seclusion in the area where the mosque and Dome of the Rock stand, as part of Ramadan devotion.
Only in the next two paragraphs can you get an inkling that these facts are not so clear:
They had at first refused to leave, the correspondent said, as they wanted to prevent further raids by right-wing Israelis on the compound, which is revered as the third holiest site in Islam.

On Friday night, a group of right-wing Israelis entered the Haram Ash-Sharif where they clashed with local youth.
Ah, so Jews tried to peacefully enter their holiest spot and Arab youths violently stopped them.

(While Ma'an is quick to note that the Al Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site in [Sunni] Islam, it ignores the sites much more extreme holiness to Jews.)

These same violent Arabs are staying there, not to worship, but to stop any Jews from ascending on the week that is the anniversary of the Temple's destruction, 1,941 years ago tomorrow.

The Israeli police were not attacking worshipers but enforcing a weak form of equality of access to a holy spot. They aren't randomly attacking worshippers but  removing bigoted Muslims who are violently trying to keep Judaism's holiest spot free of Jews.

That's a bit different.

Peace for peace

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 05:25 AM PDT

From Ma'an:
A Nablus thoroughfare was reopened by Israeli forces on Monday after 9-years closure, the Nablus governorate spokesman said.

The road to An-Naqura village, north of Nablus, was closed by Israeli forces in 2002.
Weird. I thought Israelis put up checkpoints just to make Arab lives miserable, and they only ease restrictions when there are embarrassing incidents like the 2010 flotilla.

Yet I don't recall any weekly demonstrations against this checkpoint. And still the Israelis, on their own, dismantled it just like they have dismantled hundreds of other checkpoints as terror decreased from PA-controlled territories.

One could almost start to believe that Israel puts up these checkpoints for security reasons, and when there is no reason for them anymore they take them down all on their own. Which means that if Palestinian Arabs want their lives to improve, all they have to do is act peacefully.

In other words, that when the PalArabs act peacefully, so does Israel.

Nah, that's crazy talk. Everyone knows that "resistance" is the only way to get what you want from the evil Zionists. This checkpoint was no doubt removed to enable Israeli "collaborators" to travel more easily, or to put up another checkpoint in a place that would cause more suffering, or as a propaganda effort to make Israel look good (even though the only place this is being reported is an Arab site.)

A black African reminds us what "apartheid" means

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 02:43 AM PDT

The New York Observer has a generic article about the BDS movement trying to bully a Brooklyn food co-op to boycott Israeli products.  Somewhat more interesting are the first two letters published about it.

The first one is from a BDS supporter, Bill Mazza:
Frankly, I find much of what passes for "debate" on this issue unproductive as the opposition relies on fear-mongering and labeling (as with blanket charges of 'anti-Semite') designed to immobilize the opposition. Fox News would be proud.

Why do we "single out Israel"? We don't. Many of us work on my issues of social justice both within US borders and without. But US tax dollars have helped fund the recent increase in both pro-apartheid legislation of the Israeli government--such as the recently-passed gag ruling against even talking in favor of a boycott in Israel--and violence. This is not an issue any of us engaged with lightly.

I do know this. Today most of the voices who, for decades, spoke in support of South African apartheid policies are silenced by their shame. I'm hopeful the same will be true of contemporary supporters of Israeli apartheid.

The Park Slope Food Coop actually formed with a boycott of South African goods in place, a decade before the struggle reached popular support in the 80s. We're simply asking that the Coop membership get on the right side of the moral and historical struggle against apartheid again.
For someone who is against "labeling" he seems to be fond of using the word "apartheid" a lot.

The response letter by Baruti is therefore worth reading:
Mr. Mazza,

I'm from South Africa. An African South African, not a colonialist. (Americans just call me black.)

I experienced Apartheid. Separateness. It was ugly. Many of my friends died.

I've been to Israel. The West Bank. Gaza. Inside of Israel. Lived there for a year touring for a book I want to write.

Mr. Mazza, you don't know what Apartheid is. For all of Israel's faults, you dishonor yourself and my fallen mates by using the word.

The UN does not use the phrase "Israeli Apartheid" and you repeating it overand over again does not give it authority. There is really no comparison between Israel and South Africa. We appreciate your help over there in the US for "saving" us back in the eighties, but we here
in S.A. did the dirty work. We suffered. We went to jail. We died. You stayed safe, signed a few pieces of paper, spoke at a meeting or two maybe. You follow the same route for your work on human rights in the Middle East.

Tutu is beloved here, but he is not our polestar. He is as political as anyone and we all know it. SA is still quite corrupt and dangerous and he is beholden to make statements reflecting those interests. Sadly, because atrocities were committed by both sides in our war for freedom,
corruption and crime are what we have reaped, and freedom is still very hard to find today in SA. You are, I'm sorry to say, very uninformed about what causes you take up.
It's nice to have someone who knows what "apartheid" means slap a poseur upside the head.

(You might want to click on that letter and "like" it.)

(h/t B)
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