יום שני, 24 באוקטובר 2011

Elder of Ziyon Daily Digest

Elder of Ziyon Daily Digest

Hamas used 19 white Toyota 4x4s to hide Shalit

Posted: 24 Oct 2011 12:00 AM PDT

A video from Hamas showing the motorcade used to obfuscate which truck Gilad Shalit was being transported in:
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What crushing poverty Gaza suffers.

Second Temple-era ritual bath discovered

Posted: 23 Oct 2011 07:00 PM PDT

From Israel's MFA:

A plastered building, probably a ritual bath (miqve), dating to the Second Temple period (first century BCE-first century CE) was exposed in an archaeological excavation the Israel Antiquities Authority conducted prior to the installation of a water line by the Mekorot Company at an antiquities site, about two kilometers north of Kibbutz Zor'a.

The excavation revealed a square structure that has three walls treated with a thin layer of plaster that facilitated the storage of water. A channel used to drain water into the ritual bath was installed in a corner. In addition, a plaster floor and three stairs that descend from it to the west (toward the hewn openings in the bedrock) were exposed.

According to archaeologist Pablo Betzer, excavation director on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority, "This is the first time that any remains dating to the Second Temple period have been exposed in this region. We knew from the Talmud and from non-Jewish sources that on this ridge, as in most of the Judean Shephelah, there was an extensive Jewish community 2,000 years ago that existed until the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE. Yet despite the many surveys and excavations that have been carried out to date no remains from this period have been discovered so far." According to Betzer the name of the Jewish settlement that the ritual bath belonged to is still unknown.

Zora  (Tzora) is about 20 km west of Jerusalem.

(h/t Dan)

Iran gives up gold medal in Kurash to avoid facing Israeli

Posted: 23 Oct 2011 02:52 PM PDT

From Iran's PressTV:

Iran's national Kurash team has finished as the runner-up in the 8th World Senior Kurash Championships held in the city of Termez, Uzbekistan.

The Iranian nationals bagged one gold, two silver, and three bronze medals to secure its second place, IRNA reported on Sunday. Uzbekistan and Tajikistan stood on first and third places respectively.

While Hojjat Rahnama snatched gold for the Iranian team in the -90 kg category, Saeed Khosravi refused to face a contestant representing the Zionist regime in the final round of the +100 kg category and earned a valuable silver medal.

Two other Iranian contestants also opted against facing the Zionist representatives.

The four-day long games, held in eight weight categories, began on October 19, 2011.

Kurash is a form of upright jacket wrestling, native to Uzbeks, practiced since ancient times.
The Uzbekistan National News Agency fills in:
The 10th Hakim at-Termizi international tournament in kurash for the prize of the President of Uzbekistan and the 8th international kurash championship among adults completed in Termez, Surkhandarya region.

Athletes from over 40 countries participated in the events, which were devoted to the 20th anniversary of state independence of Uzbekistan.

Grigory Rudelson from Israel, Nojat Rahmajozan from iran and Shuhratjon Arslandov from Uzbekistan won the titles of the world champions among men.
I admit I had never heard of this sport before today, but at the risk of ruffling feathers of the Israeli leftists by acting Zionist....go Israel!

The part of UNGA 194 that the Arabs ignore

Posted: 23 Oct 2011 11:00 AM PDT

Palestinian Arabs and their supporters never cease to point to UN General Assembly Resolution 194 as proof that there is a legal "right to return" for Palestinian Arab refugees of 1948 and their descendants. There are lots of arguments proving that this is invalid - not the least being that UNGA resolutions are not legally binding as well as the conditional nature of the text.

But, astoundingly,  the very same paragraph in UNGA 194 also demands the resettlement of Arab refugees in Arab states!

The part of 194 that is always quoted is this one:
Resolves that the refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbours should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date, and that compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not to return and for loss of or damage to property which, under principles of international law or in equity, should be made good by the Governments or authorities responsible;
But the second clause of the same paragraph says this:
Instructs the Conciliation Commission to facilitate the repatriation, resettlement and economic and social rehabilitation of the refugees and the payment of compensation, and to maintain close relations with the Director of the United Nations Relief for Palestine Refugees and, through him, with the appropriate organs and agencies of the United Nations;
The Conciliation Commission definitely interpreted this clause as meaning resettlement in Arab countries.

During the Paris Conference in 1951 (UN document A/1985), the Commission emphasized that taking the "return" portion of UNGA 194 in isolation is not what the resolution intended:
In the Chairman's statement it was noted that experience had shown that concentration on one or the other isolated paragraph of the resolution out of context had not helped in the promotion of peace in Palestine. All the elements were necessary, but they were useful only if linked together according to an over-all plan. For example, the resolution instructed the Commission to facilitate the repatriation, resettlement and rehabilitation of refugees, and that instruction had not been forgotten by the Commission when it drafted the proposals for the conference.
And what was meant by "resettlement"?
The solution of the refugee problem proposed by the Commission envisaged the repatriation and integration of some of the refugees in Israel and the resettlement of others in Arab countries.
Keep in mind that Israel offered to accept a portion of the refugees at the time, in full compliance with the resolution, but in context of the other parts of the resolution that were necessary to ensure a full peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors.

So while it is true that UNGA 194 has no relevance today, those who insist that it is still the basis for the "right of return" need to explain why Arab states have been ignoring its other requirement, that Palestinian Arab refugees who desire to live in Arab countries be allowed to be resettled there.

Their failure to do so is yet another example of Arab hypocrisy.

Will Turkey accept Israeli offer for earthquake aid?

Posted: 23 Oct 2011 09:00 AM PDT

From YNet:
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake hit near Van in southeastern Turkey on Sunday near the border with Iran, Turkey's Kandilli Observatory and Research Institute said. Between 500 and 1,000 are feared dead.

The institute said the earthquake struck at 10:41 am GMT and was 5 kilometers (three miles) deep. The US Geological Survey earlier reported that the magnitude was 7.6.

State-run news agency Anatolian said some buildings had collapsed. After shocks continued after the initial quake, Anatolian said.

IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Benny Gantz has instructed the army to get ready to aid Turkey in coping with the powerful quake. Gantz said that an IDF delegation will head to Turkey once it receives approval from the government.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak asked the head of the Political-Military Affairs section at the ministry, Amos Gilad to offer Turkey "all the help in needs".
Israel has helped Turkey after other quakes, but that was before the current chill in relations between the two countries.

The question is, has Turkey become so antagonistic towards Israel that they will spurn Israel's offer to help, the way Iran habitually does? If Turkey's rulers hate Israel more than they care about the lives of their people, that would tell us a mot about how important it is to try to bridge that diplomatic gap.

Arab League leader: If Egyptians don't want peace with Israel, rip up Camp David

Posted: 23 Oct 2011 06:52 AM PDT

Egypt should cut ties with Israel if the Egyptian people want it, according to the leader of the Arab League.

Nabil al-Arabi, secretary general of the League of Arab States, said at a economic conference yesterday that "if the Egyptian people request to break off relations with Israel, the government should accept."

He added that he personally doesn't think it is a good idea, but he said that the peace treaty must be "balanced" and not favor one side or the other.

Perhaps he is right. Israel should demand half of the Sinai back so that the peace deal is more balanced. After all, isn't it rather one-sided when only Egypt gained anything concrete while Israel received nothing but promises - promises that could be canceled on the whim of the Egyptian people?

Islamist party expected to win Tunisian elections

Posted: 23 Oct 2011 05:37 AM PDT

From AP:
Tunisians began voting Sunday in their first truly free elections, the culmination of a popular uprising that ended decades of authoritarian rule and set off similar rebellions across the Middle East.

Voters — women with headscarves and without, former political prisoners, young people whose Facebook posts helped fuel the revolution — are electing members of an assembly that will appoint a new government and then write a new constitution. They're definitively turning the page on the 23-year presidency of Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali, who was overthrown by a monthlong uprising on Jan. 14 stirred by anger at unemployment, corruption and repression.

The party expected to come out on top, Ennahda, is a moderate Islamic party whose victory, especially in a comparatively secular society like Tunisia, could have wide implications for similar religious parties in the region.
In May, The New York Times reported that a lot of Tunisians were frightened of this "moderate" Islamic party:
Mistrust of the party remains widespread. "They're doing doublespeak, and everyone knows it," said Ibrahim Letaief, a radio host at Mosaique FM, a popular station where he offers withering criticism of the Islamists. Ennahda, he said, has only tempered its rhetoric in a bid to win votes, but in power would impose strict Islamic law.

It is a common refrain here, despite having first been popularized by the reviled Mr. Ben Ali. Opponents have made similar claims, anti-Ennahda Facebook groups have drawn tens of thousands of supporters, and protesters have denounced the party throughout Tunisia. Some of the fear seems to stem from uncertainty about who, exactly, will lead the party; the group's longtime leader, Rachid Ghannouchi, has said he will not seek office.

A democratic Tunisia depends on the banning of Ennahda, Mr. Letaief said, though he acknowledged, "I'm not going to seem democratic, here." Still, he said, "Islam is very much anchored in society."

The first article of the now-suspended Tunisian Constitution decreed Islam the national faith, and 98 percent of the country's 10.6 million inhabitants are Muslim. Public schools dispense religious instruction. Yet religious leaders have never played a role in government.
Ennahda's leader acknowledged that the party may attempt to ban alcohol in the future.

Tunisia is in the vanguard of the Arab Spring and it is more unified and tolerant than most other Arab nations. If it falls to Islamism, it would be a very bad sign as to what may happen in other Arab states.

At this time, Ennahda is expected to win a plurality but not the majority of votes, forcing it to create a coalition.

Grapel may be in Egyptian prison for two more months

Posted: 23 Oct 2011 03:13 AM PDT

From Ma'an/AFP:
Egypt and Israel are adding the "final touches" to a deal to swap an Israel-American detained in Cairo for Egyptian prisoners detained in Israel, the official MENA news agency said on Saturday.

"MENA has learned that the final touches are currently being made for a deal to swap Israeli spy Ilan Grapel, accused of spying on Egypt for Israel, for about 16 Egyptian prisoners and three detained children," MENA reported.

Later Saturday, Egyptian state-owned daily Al Ahram reported that Egypt had secured agreement for 20 - 30 Egyptian prisoners be returned in exchanged for Grapel, citing a MENA report.

Al Ahram said the deal is likely to take place after a prisoner swap between Hamas and Israel concludes in two months, citing an Egyptian diplomatic source.
This is in contrast with earlier reports that the Grapel deal was imminent.

It sounds like Hamas pressured Egypt to link the Grapel deal with the Shalit deal. There is no logical relationship between the two.

And, again, no word about whether Israeli Bedouin Ouda Tarabin, who is also unjustly accused of being an Israeli spy, will be included in the deal. It would be tragic if Israel is ignoring Tarabin's plight.
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