| PRC claims they shot a Grad to Urim Posted: 23 Feb 2012 07:20 PM PST From Palestine Press Agency: The Nasser Saladin Brigades, military wing of the Popular Resistance Committees, on Thursday evening launched a Grad rocket towards Urim in the occupied Palestinian territories for the first time in the history of Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
A statement of the PRC was distributed to the media 'that the activists fired a Grad missile at ten o'clock in the evening towards Urim' in a campaign launched by the name of "Here we are Al Aqsa." I'm not sure if it was the first time they attacked Urim or the first time the PRC used a Grad rocket. The Israeli press only reported on Qassams on Thursday night. Urim is about as far from Gaza as Ashkelon is, but to the east of Gaza. If the PRC has Grads, then Hamas allowed them to have them. The PRC is not smuggling Grad rockets without Hamas' knowledge. Chances are Hamas allowed the PRC to fire them as well. On the more positive side: The IDF targeted a terror cell Thursday night attempting to fire a rocket at Israel, the IDF Spokesman's Unit said.
Israel air craft struck targets in the northern Gaza Strip, thwarting the terrorists' attempts to attack Israel. 
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| More Hamas/Fatah "unity" woes Posted: 23 Feb 2012 02:00 PM PST From AFP: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his rival Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal on Thursday postponed talks on forming a unified government, a Fatah official said, in a further delay to ending an almost five-year rift.
 The official with the Abbas-led party said the talks were postponed "because Hamas continues to prevent the election committee from registering voters in Gaza," the Islamist-ruled Palestinian territory.
He added that Hamas, which has been split internally on agreeing the unity government with the secular Fatah, has "not yet informed Abbas of its formal approval to end internal disputes on forming the government." Reuters reports it this way: Hamas has set new terms for implementing a reconciliation deal with President Mahmoud Abbas's rival Fatah group, an official said on Thursday.
Abbas and Khalid Mashaal, Hamas's political chief in exile, agreed in Qatar earlier this month to form a unity government led by the Western-backed president.
But in a rift with the Islamist group's leadership outside the Gaza Strip, officials in the Hamas-ruled enclave swiftly criticized the accord, particularly its call for Abbas to serve as prime minister as well as president.
At an internal meeting chaired by Mashaal in Cairo on Wednesday, Hamas officials united behind new demands, said a Palestinian official involved in the talks. The terms seemed certain to be rejected by Abbas.
"Hamas demanded to keep the key ministries in the new government, including the ministry of interior," said the official. "It also demanded no change in the structure of security services in the Gaza Strip."
The interior ministry oversees the Hamas-run security services, and Palestinian political analyst Samir Awad said the new terms proved the group "was not prepared to abandon control of Gaza", territory it seized from Fatah in fighting in 2007.
Abbas has been seeking a unity government staffed by independents and technocrats to ensure it would not be boycotted by the West, which donates essential funds to his Palestinian Authority and refuses to deal with Hamas.
Other demands that emerged from the Cairo meeting included naming a Gaza-based deputy to Abbas and making his appointment as prime minister conditional on a vote of confidence in the Palestinian parliament. Meanwhile, Hamas is again accusing Fatah of arresting its members in the West Bank - the one basic issue that was supposed to be resolved since May. They are also squabbling over the Gaza power plant issue, as Hamas has bypassed the PA in order to try to secure a deal with Egypt to get a supply of cheap diesel, with Haniyeh effectively acting as if he is the head of government - after supposedly agreeing to Abbas being prime minister. They agree on one thing, though: stopping any chance of a "Palestinian spring" against their respective leaders. They'll plan meeting after meeting and photo-ops galore for the next decade to try to fool their people that they actually care about them rather than their own hold on power, which is what prompted this whole "unity" farce to begin with. 
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| Lebanese columnist says Judaism is a fairy tale Posted: 23 Feb 2012 12:40 PM PST From MEMRI: Following are excerpts from an interview with Lebanese columnist Jihad Al-Khazen, which aired on CBC TV on January 1, 2012:
Jihad Al-Khazen: In Jerusalem, there are no archeological remains of the Jews or any of their prophets. They have no history. People forget that during Yitzhak Rabin's first term in government, in the early 1980's [sic]… I was in America at the time, studying history at Georgetown University. Rabin excavated under the Haram Al-Sharif, and uncovered the remains of an Umayyad palace. There are no [Jewish] archeological remains. There is no Solomon's Temple or any other temple.
They did not enter our countries, nor did they leave them. They were never in Egypt or in the Sinai. Ask Dr. Zahi Hawwas if he has found any Jewish archeological remains in Egypt or in the Sinai. Modern historians, including some Jews, call these "Torah fairy tales."
The Islamic religion was delivered in the light of history. Divine inspiration would come to the Prophet Muhammad, and he would put it on record that same day. The Christian religion was recorded by Jesus' disciples 40 or 50 years later. They were all still alive. The Jewish religion was recorded after 1,000 years. It's like you and me discussing family tales about the Crusades. The Crusades took place 800 years ago, not 1,000 years.
This religion is a fairy tale. We must sever Islam's times with [the Jews]. Their Prophets are not the prophets of the Muslims. Islamic scholars must have the courage to show that these people are frauds. That religion cannot possibly be true. Al-Khazen has been saying stuff like this for years. But he is a major columist for London-based pan-Arab daily Dar al-Hayat. (h/t O) 
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| A poster of a hypocrite Posted: 23 Feb 2012 11:20 AM PST |
| Why are London's Jews skittish about a Munich Olympics plaque? Posted: 23 Feb 2012 10:00 AM PST From TheJC: A plaque is to be unveiled in London before the start of the Olympics in memory of the 11 Israeli athletes murdered by Palestinian terrorists at the Munich Games 40 years ago.
The memorial is the initiative of two campaigners: Linda Kelly, a Conservative Jewish councillor in Hackney – one of the designated Olympic boroughs – and Martin Sugarman, chairman of the Hackney Anglo-Israel Friendship Association.
"We thought it was a travesty that none of the Olympic cities since Munich, as far as we know, had erected a plaque to commemorate the event," Mr Sugarman said.
He said that after lobbying, without success, the London Jewish Forum and other groups to take up the idea, he and Councillor Kelly decided to pursue it themselves.
"We found someone with a building who is willing to donate a plaque there," Mr Sugarman said.
The location is in Hackney but is otherwise being kept under wraps until shortly before the unveiling on July 22, the Sunday before the start of the Olympics. "We were told by the appropriate authorities we shouldn't reveal it before," he said.
The bolded sentence bothered me, so I contacted Mr. Sugarman and asked him about why the location is being kept a secret. He said that his group was keeping it under wraps, because in the UK it is obvious that such a plaque - memorializing Jews who were butchered by Palestinian Arab terrorists - would inevitably attract people who would try to disrupt the unveiling. He has an elaborate system to tell people about the ceremony at the last minute to avoid the ceremony itself being targeted In fact, he noted, that a Holocaust memorial in Hyde Park has been vandalized several times, and something like that is to be expected with anything that can be construed as sympathetic to Israelis or Jews. The Jews in Great Britain simply clean up the damage and move on. It is normal. He fully expects that this Munich Olympics memorial will be targeted as well in coming weeks and months, until the haters get bored. It was astonishing to me to see how even dedicated pro-Israel and Jewish activists in England simply accept that this is the way it is. Their synagogues are fortresses and their memorials are targets. That's life for Jews and Zionists in the bastion of liberalism and tolerance known as Great Britain. 
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| Israel saving the world again (well, not exactly) Posted: 23 Feb 2012 08:49 AM PST Presenting AshPoopie! AshPoopie, the brainchild of renowned biotech inventor Prof. Oded Shoseyov of the Hebrew University, is a pooper-scooper with a critical difference: After it gathers dog droppings, it turns them into odorless, sterile ash within seconds. All the dog-walker has to do is push a button to release an activation capsule from the cartridge inside the unit.
With about 75 million registered dogs in the United States and the same number in Europe, it's no surprise that some of the biggest pet product manufacturers and retailers are interested in partnerships, licensing agreements, joint ventures and sole marketing rights from the manufacturer, Ramat Gan-based Paulee CleanTec. The product will be on the market this year. While it may not be as amazing as the many life-saving technologies that Israelis regularly dream up, this is not such a crappy idea. 
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| Video: Mughniya's 3-year old grandson encouraged to join resistance Posted: 23 Feb 2012 07:32 AM PST From MEMRI: Following are excerpts from an interview with 'Imad Mughniya, grandson of slain Hizbullah operations mastermind 'Imad Mughniya, which aired on Al-Manar TV on February 16, 2012: Interviewer: Leaders do not die because their path lives on forever. With us in the studio is little 'Imad Mughniya, grandson of the martyr 'Imad. Good morning, 'Imad. How are you?
Grandmother: Say: "Good morning."
'Imad Mughniya: Good morning.
Interviewer: Good morning. Don't play with the microphone, 'Imad. What would you like to say to your grandpa, 'Imad?
'Imad Mughniya: I love you.
Interviewer: What's your name?
'Imad Mughniya: 'Imad Mughniya.
Interviewer: Who are you named after?
'Imad Mughniya: After grandpa.
Interviewer: What are you wearing, 'Imad?
'Imad Mughniya: Military fatigues.
Interviewer: What do you want to be when you grow up? What do you want to be when you grow up?
Family members: He will be in the resistance.
'Imad Mughniya: I will be in the resistance.
Interviewer: Like who?
Father: Say: "like grandpa."
'Imad Mughniya: Like grandpa.
Grandmother: Whose gun is this?
'Imad Mughniya: Grandpa's.
Grandmother: That's right. Who wants to hold the gun?
Interviewer: Hajj 'Imad entrusted little 'Imad with this.
Grandmother: Little 'Imad is taking the big gun. Go on.
[Lets 'Imad Mughniya play with the gun]
Interviewer: That is what Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah said, [Mughniya] left behind thousands upon thousands of soldiers… We would like to think little 'Imad.
Grandmother: Clever little 'Imad is now going to mama.
['Imad gets up and leaves the studio] Hezbollah: Death cult. (h/t O) 
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| Driver's description of the brick-throwing incident Posted: 23 Feb 2012 06:15 AM PST From My Right Word, a description of the brick-throwing incident I blogged about last night by the victim: What Happened to Me on Tuesday Last
This past Tuesday, 28 Shvat - February 21, I was returning home to Karmei Tzur from Efrat where I work.
At the Gush Etzion Junction I collected a female hitchhiker who got into a back seat since the front passenger seat was where our infant seat was affixed. What luck. While traveling between El-Aroub and Bet-Omar on the ascent I noticed a car approaching from the opposite direction with a damaged front window from a rock that must have previously landed. I naively presumed that that was the result of an old incident that hadn't yet been fixed.
When I came close to the gas station at Bet-Omar (a location that usually requires a driver's attention due to wrongly parked taxis, bypassing and pulling out into the highway in a careless manner), I observed a man running across the road from right to left. I first thought that this was a soldier with a rifle and I slowed down to grasp what was happening. I then noticed dozens of people, old, young and teenagers, congregating on my right. It then became apparent that the "soldier with a rifle" was actually a photographer with a camera. He was seeking a better picture angle to snap away at what was about to happen. On my left were at least two other photographers, waiting for the action. I should emphasize that I was not the first victim and other cars had already been stoned and so these press photographers were well aware what was happening and was about to happen to me. None of them, it seems, thought to call for assistance from the police or IDF none of whom were present.
Knowing I had no choice but to continue and surely not stop for otherwise, if I had slowed down, I would have been trapped and blocked off, the only thing in my mind was to proceed home and not get caught at that crossing. It was difficult to pass through as the rocks came from a distance of just a few feet from the car, 'zero-range' as we say. The rioters clearly could see that the car contained two young females, defenceless. We were struck by many rocks, my view was blocked by the cracked glass and I simply concentrated on getting out of there as quickly as I could. At the time, as well as at this moment of writing, I did not fully grasp the danger of our situation.
It was only when I arrived home that I realized the entire front of the car was covered with shattered glass particles including me, the infant seat, the back seat, everything. There was also damage caused to the sides of the car. At least eight large rocks and blocks had hit my car. I learned the rock-throwing continued for a good few minutes afterwards with the resulting damage to other vehicles as well as psychological damage to the drivers and passengers.
Then I had to tell my children what happened in a normal, non-hysterical fashion so as to prepare them for further conversations that they would hear from grownups talking about the incident.
This is the first time I experienced such a serious and difficult incident as this and pray it is the last. And we have been living in Karmei Tzur for the past eight years. But now I know from first-hand experience with surety that rockthrowings occur all the time, especially on Highway 60 between the Gush Etzion junction and Halhoul. My first-grade son's transportation has also been stoned.
Another point: these terrorists had no qualms about not covering their faces during their attempt at murder.
We try to overcome the fear and to live our everyday life. We are believing people, with faith. After an incident like this we will pronounce the benediction "Blessed is He who Who bestows good things on those unworthy, and has bestowed on me every goodness". We believe in goodness, and that it will overcome evil. We only pray and hope that people in Israel and around the world will finally recognize the truth, that our enemies, the Arabs who fight us wish for evil, they want destruction, while we wish for good and want peace, even with our neighbors. We wish for life.
Zehava Weiss, Karmei Tzur 
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| Palestinian Arab hysteria increases as Jews visit Temple Mount Posted: 23 Feb 2012 04:14 AM PST The amount of incitement (and bigotry) in Palestinian Arab media about Jews visiting the Temple Mount has reached new heights in recent days. Today, Rosh Chodesh Adar, a group of Jews peacefully went up to the Mount to visit. It was described in Palestine Today this way: Zionist extremist groups on Thursday morning stormed the courtyards of Al Aqsa Mosque from the Mughrabi Gate, with the occupation forces protecting them.
Our correspondent in Jerusalem said that the first batch of 12 extremists stormed the mosque, under police protection of the occupation, as occupation forces arrested four young men and took guard Samer Abu Qwaider out of the Haram al Sharif courtyard.
Also another group of settlers entered into the courtyards of Haram, 9 women and 8 men, as their numbers rose to 36. The "Israel" police restricted [Muslim] worshipers entering to be 45 years old or older.
Our correspondent reports that groups of settlers are walking around in the Old City of Jerusalem and in the vicinity of the Haram, joyfully singing to bring in the Hebrew month. Palestine Times has photos of the "usurpers" walking around: Hamas prime minister Ismail Haniyeh charged Israel with calling on Jews to "storm" the Mount with the goal of Judaizing Judaism's holiest site and performing religious rituals there. For some reason he also mentioned that Zionist women were allowed there; apparently this is an especially grievous sin. What does that moderate Mahmoud Abbas, who supposedly supports full access to holy sites by everyone, have to say? Why, he implicitly threatened violence, like always! The President condemned intrusions ongoing Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rdainah said in a press statement on Thursday, "This is a serious escalation and provocation, and completes a series of attacks by extremists on the sanctuaries of the mosques and churches, and will have serious and ominous consequences '.
Abu Rdainah said Israelis are responsible for this escalation, and demanded that the international community intervene to force the Israeli authorities to stop such provocative actions that affect the freedom of worship. Well, the freedom for Jews to worship there is still pretty much zero. Is today's group visit a huge provocation on the part of Israel? Not at all. Makor Rishon reported some statistics. In January, 1,119 Jews visited the Temple Mount. In 2011, some 9,000 Jews visited, among 370,000 tourists. In other words, if thirty Jews visited today, that is pretty much the average number of Jews who visited every day for the past year (excluding Shabbat.) This is a manufactured hysteria that is meant to incite Muslim Arabs against Jews and to try to pressure Israel to ban Jews from their holiest spot. Thankfully, the Israeli police allowed Jews to visit anyway despite the rhetoric and threats. 
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