יום שני, 19 בספטמבר 2011

Elder of Ziyon Daily Digest

Elder of Ziyon Daily Digest

Photos of Jews "storming" the Temple Mount Sunday

Posted: 18 Sep 2011 07:52 PM PDT

Palestine Today brings us photos of Jews roaming around the Temple Mount on Sunday.

Palestine Times referred to them as usurpers" who were "desecrating" and "storming" the holy site.

What do Tom Friedman and Hamas have in common?

Posted: 18 Sep 2011 01:30 PM PDT

Both of them believe in a mythical nation!

 From Thomas Friedman in the New York Times:
Israel should have either put out its own peace plan or tried to shape the U.N. diplomacy with its own resolution that reaffirmed the right of both the Palestinian and the Jewish people to a state in historic Palestine and reignited negotiations.
From Al Arabiya, quoting Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh:
"We repeat today that we are with the establishment of a Palestinian state on any liberated part of Palestinian land that is agreed upon by the Palestinian people, without recognizing Israel or conceding any inch of historical Palestine."
Like the PLO and others, these people use the phrase "historic[al] Palestine" as if it is identical to the boundaries of British Mandate Palestine after August 1922 when Transjordan was split off from the Mandate.

As I have shown extensively, "historic Palestine" has little in common with British Mandate Palestine. It did not include the Negev but it did include parts of today's Jordan and Lebanon.

 The idea that "Historic Palestine" coincides with the areas that are controlled by Jews is of quite recent vintage. But it has been repeated so often that, like many lies, it get accepted as truth by so-called "experts" in prestigious newspapers.

Sunday links

Posted: 18 Sep 2011 12:00 PM PDT

Durban III news:

France is the latest state to quit the anti-Israel, UN-sponsored Durban III conference.

The organizers of the conference banned UN Watch from attending.

The list of countries boycotting Durban III is (according to Challah Hu Akbar):
  1. Israel
  2. United States
  3. France
  4. New Zealand
  5. United Kingdom
  6. Austria
  7. Australia
  8. Bulgaria
  9. Czech Republic
  10. Germany 
  11. Italy 
  12. Netherlands
  13. Canada

And if you are in the New York area on Thursday, don't forget to join the Durban III Clown Parade!
12 to 2 PM at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza.



Which is a theme I had explored earlier:



Other links:

At about the same time I was challenging liberal pundits to write articles on Mahmoud Abbas' intransigence, Jeffrey Goldberg sort-of did. Not nearly as strong as I would like, but at least it is out there.

Martin Sherman says, "I do not think there is a Palestinian nation. I think it's a colonialist invention."

The London Philharmonic suspends four musicians for using its name in opposing the Israeli concert at the Proms.

Humor from Hurriyet Daily News: Dear Arab Brothers: Yes, you may borrow our Prime Minister.

Guilio Meotti on The Smiling Baby Killer.

Israel was  accepted as an associate member of CERN.

(h/t Benjamin, Silke, Kramerica, Effector)

Young PalArabs aren't excited over the UN stunt, plan to skip rallies

Posted: 18 Sep 2011 10:30 AM PDT

From Ya Libnan:
Recent college graduate Reem Qadan is exactly the kind of young, energetic West Bank resident the Palestinian Authority hopes will hit the streets this week when it makes its historic case for U.N. membership and statehood recognition.

But rather than use her Facebook page to coordinate plans with friends to join the rallies, the 21-year-old is posting critical messages dismissing the United Nations bid as a "tale of collective mismanagement" by Palestinian leaders. Many of her Facebook friends echoed the sentiments and said they planned to skip the rallies.

In stark contrast with the flurry of diplomacy and international attention being focused on the U.N. campaign, the mood so far on the streets of the West Bank is surprisingly apathetic and sometimes even a little hostile.

"People simply don't care," Qadan said.

Critics said it was unrealistic to expect Palestinians — who have been disappointed by failed peace initiatives many times — to suddenly embrace the U.N. bid. But that hasn't stopped the Palestinian Authority from launching an aggressive campaign to change that.

The authority recently distributed thousands of Palestinian flags and urged everyone to put them on their homes and cars as a sign of support. So far, only a few can be seen in the streets of Ramallah. Even government vehicles are not flying the flags.

Giant rallies have been scheduled for Wednesday and Friday.

To ensure a good turnout, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has called upon members of his Fatah movement, the largest political faction in the West Bank, to attend. About 80,000 government workers will be given time off, and some schools will closed. Thousands of Palestinians are expected to take part in the rallies.

So when we see the Western media breathlessly report about huge rallies in the territories this week, remember that all public employees and many schools are taking holiday just to inflate the numbers. Popular support is tepid at best, even in the Fatah stronghold of Ramallah!



(h/t Challah Hu Akbar)

"Islamophobia" news - ban on Paris street prayers, Dutch burqas

Posted: 18 Sep 2011 09:16 AM PDT

From The Telegraph:
Praying in the streets of Paris is against the law starting Friday, after the interior minister warned that police will use force if Muslims, and those of any other faith, disobey the new rule to keep the French capital's public spaces secular.

Claude Guéant said that ban could later be extended to the rest of France, in particular to the Mediterranean cities of Nice and Marseilles, where "the problem persists".

He promised the new legislation would be followed to the letter as it "hurts the sensitivities of many of our fellow citizens".

"My vigilance will be unflinching for the law to be applied. Praying in the street is not dignified for religious practice and violates the principles of secularism, the minister told Le Figaro newspaper.
The French did negotiate, however:
The ban came into effect after announcing an agreement to offer Muslim worshippers the use of a disused fire brigade barracks instead.

The agreement was made with two local mosques for the state to rent out the disused barracks on Boulevard Ney with floor space of 2,000 sq m (yds) for three years.

To encourage believers to use the new space, prayers would not be held inside the existing mosques for the first few weeks.

"We could go as far as using force if necessary (to impose the ban), but it's a scenario I don't believe will happen, as dialogue (with local religious leaders) has born fruit," Guéant said.

"All Muslim leaders are in agreement."
Meanwhile, in the Netherlands:
The Dutch government said Friday that it would ban face-covering veils worn by some Muslim women because the garments flout the Dutch way of life and culture.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte also announced tougher rules for immigrants and asylum-seekers who want to pursue Dutch nationality; in the future, he said, they will have to show that they have income and that they have not received financial assistance or benefits for at least three years.

The country's reputation as relatively tolerant and open to immigration has changed over the last decade, reflecting voters' concerns over a large influx of Muslim immigrants.

"The government believes the wearing of clothing that completely or almost entirely covers the face is fundamentally at odds with public life, where people are recognized by their faces," the government said in a statement.

Want to get Lebanese in trouble? Tweet them from Israel!

Posted: 18 Sep 2011 08:00 AM PDT

From Now Lebanon:
What happens if, while abroad, you make a friend who happens to be Israeli? What if you are attending an event with participants from the Jewish State and shake an Israeli representative's hand? What if you bought a magazine that was printed in Tel Aviv and wanted to bring it back home?

These questions may seem superfluous to non-Lebanese, but for natives of the Land of the Cedars, engaging in any activity with an Israeli, physically or not, can land you in hot water.

That is because relations between Israelis and Lebanese are governed by two half-century-old laws: the 1943 Lebanese Criminal Code and the 1955 Lebanese Anti-Israeli Boycott Law, the former of which forbids any interaction with nationals of enemy states, and the latter of which specifies Israelis.

To boot, because in the laws' eyes Lebanese nationality takes primacy over any other, a Lebanese who has dual citizenship and is involved in an exchange with an Israeli anywhere in the world can be legally prosecuted in a Lebanese court.

NOW Lebanon asked Salim El Meouchi, senior partner and chairman of the Beirut-based law firm Badri and Salim El Meouchi, just how far the laws extend.
Can a Lebanese citizen who Is physically In Lebanon, or can any resident of Lebanon, engage in a conversation with an Israeli citizen who is physically in Israel? What if the Lebanese has dual citizenship?

No in both cases, and the same applies if the person the Lebanese is talking to is Arab-Israeli. However, a Lebanese can legally call the Occupied Territories. Israelis can also call Lebanon, though engaging in a phone conversation should be avoided and would be considered illegal.

Can a Lebanese citizen who is in Lebanon engage in a conversation with an Israeli citisen who is outside of Israel?

No, not even through an intermediary or institution, though "If you are discussing non-threatening issues such as social small talk, and if you happen to be in another city, the case could, in principle, be defended," said El Meouchi.

Can a Lebanese citizen who is outside of Lebanon engage in a conversation with an Israeli who is outside of Israel?

No, though "In the case of spontaneity, tortuity and the discussion of non~threatening issues, it could be defended," noted El Meouchi.

Can a Lebanese who only holds a Lebanese passport marry an Israeli citizen, dual or not, outside of Lebanon and some back to Lebanon? 

No. Article 1 of the Anti-Israeli Boycott Law prohibits any type of relation with Israelis, though it basically has to do with commercial and business transactions. As such, it could he argued that marriage is not a commercial or business transaction, said El Meouchi, However, such an argument may not convince the Lebanese government.

Can a Lebanese man marry an Israeli woman who gives up her nationality and transfer his Lebanese citizenship to her? 

Yes. In principle this is possible, though the Lebanese government could take a negative position on a case-by-case basis, the lawyer said.

Can a Lebanese citizen do business from abroad with an Israeli who Is In Israel?

No.

Can a Lebanese buy an Israeli publication or product abroad and bring it back to Lebanon? 

No.

Can a Lebanese citizen participate in a conference, festival or sporting event where an Israeli citizen is also a participant? 

Yes, as long as they are not in direct communication.

Can a Lebanese publish in a journal in which an Israeli also published? 

Yes, as long as the publication is not Israeli, does not publish from Israel, does not belong to an Israeli or a person residing in Israel, and as long as the Lebanese and Israeli did not communicate directly on the published work.

Can a Lebanese Iriend an Israeli on Facebook? 

No, because technically speaking, any Facebook activity with an Israeli would still be considered a violation of Article I of the Anti-Israel Boycott Law.
As far as the question on sports competitions, the answer seems to be that Lebanese cannot even compete against Israelis - and must forfeit their matches, the way Iran does.
Sixteen-year-old Christopher Finan's Tae Kwon Do coach has very high hopes for him. The teenager, who trains in Champville, north of Beirut, started to learn the Korean martial art when he was 10 and has rarely lost a match. Competing in the 2010 World Junior Championships in Tijuana, Mexico last month was a dream-come-true for the Lebanese junior champion. He paid for his own training and even bought his own ticket – which cost over $1,000 – to reach Mexico, but he was in for an ugly surprise.

Finan's first opponent at the championship was Gil Haimovitz, an Israeli teenager. Finan had to forfeit the match, for as a Lebanese, he is not allowed to not touch, speak to, deal with or compete against an Israeli citizen, even if that citizen is just a 15-year-old boy.
According to that older article, Lebanon has the most restrictive anti-Israel laws of any country - including Iran!
No other Arab countries that take part in international competitions have national laws stipulating boycott with Israel in sports competitions, while Iran allows players to boycott as an individual decision.
It would be a real shame if Israelis should start conversations on, say, Sayed Nasrallah's YouTube page or on the talkbacks at his Al Manar channel. No matter what insult they hurl at him and his Lebanese Shi'ite buddies, they couldn't legally answer without breaking the law.

There's a lot of potential here....

E-Book: Israel’s Rights as a Nation-State in International Diplomacy (updated)

Posted: 18 Sep 2011 06:35 AM PDT

JCPA came out with an e-book entitled Israel's Rights as a Nation-State in International Diplomacy.

I cannot find a single PDF file with all of the book, but here links to the individual chapters:


Overview
Amb. Alan Baker 

The National Rights of Jews
Prof. Ruth Gavison 

"An Overwhelmingly Jewish State" - From the Balfour Declaration to the Palestine Mandate 
Sir Martin Gilbert 

Self-Determination and Israel's Declaration of Independence
Prof. Shlomo Avineri 

The United Nations and Middle East Refugees: The Differential Treatment of Arabs and Jews 
Dr. Stanley A. Urman 

Israel's Rights Regarding Territories and the Settlements in the Eyes of the International Community 
Amb. Alan Baker 

The Historical and Legal Contexts of Israel's Borders
Prof. Nicholas Rostow 

The Misleading Interpretation of Security Council Resolution 242 (1967)
Prof. Ruth Lapidoth 

Defending Israel's Legal Rights to Jerusalem
Amb. Dore Gold 

Palestinian Unilateralism and Israel's Rights in Arab-Israeli Diplomacy
Dan Diker 

Is the Gaza Strip Occupied by Israel?
Col. (ret.) Pnina Sharvit-Baruch 

The Violation of Israel's Right to Sovereign Equality in the United Nations
Amb. Alan Baker 

Countering Challenges to Israel's Legitimacy
Prof. Alan M. Dershowitz 
UPDATE: Commenter Donkeyrock put them all together in one e-book, and I uploaded it to Scribd so you can read it or download it in one file here: Israel's Rights as a Nation-State in International Diplomacy

Turkey threatens the EU!

Posted: 18 Sep 2011 05:14 AM PDT

From Reuters:
EU-candidate Turkey will freeze relations with the European Union if Cyprus is given the EU presidency in 2012, Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay was quoted as saying by state-run news agency Anatolian late on Saturday.

The comments were the strongest yet by Ankara over its opposition to the Cyprus presidency and could mark the start of a new low point in ties between the European Union and Turkey which began accession talks to the bloc in 2005.

The comments also come at a time of heightened tension in the eastern Mediterranean where Turkey is locked in a row with Cyprus over potential offshore gas deposits. Turkey's relations with one-time ally Israel are also at a low.

"If the peace negotiations there (Cyprus) are not conclusive, and the EU gives its rotating presidency to southern Cyprus, the real crisis will be between Turkey and the EU," Anatolian quoted Atalay as telling Turkish Cypriot Bayrak Radio and TV at the end of a trip to northern Cyprus.

"Because we will then freeze our relations with the EU. We have made this announcement, as a government we have made this decision. Our relations with the EU will come to a sudden halt."

The internationally-recognized Greek Cypriot government is due to take on the six-month rotating EU presidency in July 2012.
When are we going to see hysterical op-eds that insist that the EU must apologize to Turkey? After all, as everyone knows, without an apology the EU will become increasingly isolated in the world community!

Report: Egyptian millionaire bankrolled embassy riot

Posted: 18 Sep 2011 03:43 AM PDT

Al Ahram reports that 150 core members of the mob that stormed the Israeli embassy in Cairo on September 9 were paid by an Egyptian millionaire.

According to the report, Egyptian authorities are piecing together the plan based on interviews with those arrested during the riot.

The millionaire gathered them in separate groups on Thursday night before the riot and gave them instructions, Al Ahram says. They were told they must take revenge for the killing of Egyptian soldiers on the border.

The article further says that each of the young men were treated to a lavish meal with exotic foods and handed envelopes containing between 5000 and 11,000 Egyptian pounds ($850-$1850) . They were bused into the embassy in three separate buses that picked them up in different areas of Cairo.

The name of the patron was not revealed.

I know that the idea of breaking down the new wall around the embassy area was on Facebook a few days beforehand. The article does not say whether this rich man was behind the social media aspect as well.

(h/t Kramerica)
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