יום שלישי, 10 ביולי 2012

Elder of Ziyon Daily News

Elder of Ziyon Daily News

Link to Elder of Ziyon

CNN and NYT report on Israeli solar pioneer

Posted: 09 Jul 2012 06:00 PM PDT

Yosef Abramowitz has helped create the Middle East's first commercial solar power on an Israeli kibbutz.



 The NYT covered this in April:
Arriving at this bone-dry kibbutz in the Arava Desert late one afternoon in August 2006, Yosef Abramowitz, a social activist, Jewish educator and multimedia entrepreneur from Boston, opened the door of his van and was hit by a wall of heat.
"The sun was setting, but it was still burning," he said. "I remember the sensation."
Later, unable to sleep, he rose about 5 a.m. and stepped outside as the sun was coming up over the mountains of Jordan. "It was so hot already," he recalled. "I said to myself, 'This whole place must work onsolar power.' "
Then he found out that was not true.
So Mr. Abramowitz, who had spent six months at Ketura in the early 1980s as part of a Young Judaea program, quickly abandoned his plans to spend a quiet family sabbatical with his wife and children in southern Israel. Instead, he went into partnership with Ed Hofland, a businessman from the kibbutz, and David Rosenblatt, an investor and strategist from New Jersey, to found theArava Power Company, now the leading commercial developer of solar power in Israel.
After more than five years of political and regulatory battles with the Israeli authorities, the company has transformed 20 acres of a sand-colored field on the edge of the communal farm. It now glistens with neat rows of photovoltaic panels from China — 18,600 in all — that harness the sun. There is no smoke, only a slight buzz in the spotless rooms where the panels' current is turned into electricity that can be fed into the electrical grid. Small openings in the perimeter fence allow animals to cross the field.
Depending on the time of year and rate of energy consumption, this field provides power for as many as five communities.
Siemens, the German conglomerate, was brought in as a partner and invested $15 million, and its Israeli branch built the field. The Jewish National Fund, a century-old Zionist group most associated with planting trees in Israel, made an unusual strategic investment of $3 million in a twist on the early national ideal of trying to make the desert bloom.
In forging a path for commercial solar energy, Mr. Abramowitz said he endured regulatory battles involving two dozen agencies as big as the Israeli Agriculture Ministry and as small as the local planning agency on issues like zoning changes and renewable energy quotas.
Along the way, Mr. Abramowitz — who left the kibbutz for Jerusalem in 2009 but still visits often — became known in Ketura as Captain Sunshine. "He got his nickname, first, because of his sunny personality," said Elaine Solowey, a member of the kibbutz, "and, second, because anyone who beats the government bureaucracy is a superhero."

Monday links

Posted: 09 Jul 2012 02:00 PM PDT

From Ian:
IDF Blog: The Gaza You've Never Seen

PA TV: Suicide bombers who killed 19 civilians on buses are "more honored than all of us"
Suicide bombers are a "candle that lights the tunnel of liberty"

Who Is Being "Intransigent"? by Michael Curtis
"The Israeli cabinet also agreed that east Jerusalem would not be returned to Jordan, which had ruled it; that Egypt had no greater claim to Gaza than Israel has, and that Jordan had no greater claim to the West Bank than Israel has, as all three countries had acquired the areas through war."
"The Israeli documents just released also show among Israeli leaders a startling readiness to compromise, which contrasts with the total disinclination of Arabs and Palestinians to compromise. The documents show clearly that, while there were acute differences among the Israelis about the fate of the territories captured in 1967, almost all Israelis were eager to trade land for peace."

Guess Who's Helping Assad Get Away With Murder? by Claire Berlinski
Ever wonder why the world's so screwed up? It's because people like Mike Holtzman, who think it's a fine idea to advise clients like Bashar al Assad, are literally the ones running our government.

Syria: UN's Newest Champion of Human Rights by Arsen Ostrovsky
Syria is now running for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council. The U.S. caved in to the demands of Syria's allies, who also abuse human rights.

An Anti Israel propagandist get owned by a Caterpillar Rep. on HuffPo!
Robert Naiman is Humiliated
"Well isn't that interesting. Caterpillar does not in fact sell bulldozers to the Israeli military, the US government is a middleman. No doubt this would annoy some people but the fact is that Caterpillar does not "do business" directly with Israel (though they do with the Palestinian Authority dictatorship)."

Palestine, Peoplehood and Presbyterians by David Singer
"The attempt by the Palestinian Arabs to create a second state – in addition to Jordan – reached the hallowed halls of the two million members of the Presbyterian Church in America this week…writes David Singer."

Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood leader: Israelis are rapists of Jerusalem
Israelis are "rapists" and it is a necessity for every Muslim to save Jerusalem from their clutches, Muhammad Badi is reported to have said last Thursday • Iran's Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani: Time has come for the disappearance of the West and the Zionist regime.
Contradicting Abbas, Hamas says it still believes in 'armed resistance' against Israel
"Spokesman acknowledges deal with PA chief giving 'precedence to popular resistance' within the West Bank"

Thumbing a nose at BDS campaigns, London conference courts Israeli start-ups
EU, Israel sign joint research agreement

Also, an important story from JPost: German firms still ship dual-use goods to Iran
Germany's multi-billion euro bilateral trade relationship with Iran continues unabated, even as evidence mounts that the Islamic Republic is determined to build a nuclear weapons capability.

The Jerusalem Post has obtained an uncensored list from late 2011, showing hundreds of German and Iranian enterprises in a flourishing trade relationship.

This is despite Iran's construction of Fordow, a medium-level uranium enrichment facility buried into the side of a mountain near Qom, and the fact that the German equipment could be used to build more underground nuclear facilities.

And Rabbi Avi Shafran's funny Open Letter to Rahimi about that Zionist drug trade:
As it states clearly in Baba Maiseh 1b: "Any Jew who causes a non-Jew to become addicted to an illegal substance is praiseworthy! Adds Rabbi Narish, 'he can deduct the expenses from his federal income tax.' Say the Rabbis: Invest not in nursing homes but in rehab centers, so that thou may prosper."

While our people in Mexico and Afghanistan have been busy harvesting coca and poppies, you, esteemed vice president, in your enlightenment and sobriety, have personally shunned all narcotics (though perhaps not psychedelic medicines); and the great Islamic Republic of Iran fights tirelessly against our efforts to addle the minds of the masses with our Jewish chemicals, kiddush clubs, and cholent.


Abbas refuses Israeli prisoner release, saying all or nothing

Posted: 09 Jul 2012 12:45 PM PDT

Everyone keeps saying that time is running out on chances for a Palestinian Arab state, but Abbas sure acts like time is on his side.

From Ma'an:
Palestinian Authority Prisoners Minister Issa Qaraqe said Monday that President Mahmoud Abbas refused an Israeli offer for the staged release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for returning to peace talks.

Abbas insists that all 123 prisoners held since before the 1994 Oslo agreement be freed in a single release, Qaraqe said.

Israeli daily Haaretz reported earlier Monday that Israel offered to release some 25 Palestinian prisoners convicted of the murder of Israelis, followed by another 100 prisoners by the end of the year.

Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu would authorize the gesture during or after a direct meeting with Abbas, not before, the report said.

Netanyahu's spokesman Ofer Gendelman denied the report of the prisoners offer.
Whether Netanyahu made the offer or not is besides the point. The point is that Abbas feels confident enough to tell his people that he refuses to allow some prisoners to be released unless his maximal demands are met up front.

And the cost to Abbas is nil - the talks would end like other talks ended, with Abbas refusing to negotiate and only agreeing to hold talks to make the West and the Quartet happy. But he would have lots of photo-ops with the released murderers that the PA will honor with parades.


Well, to be fair, his secular citizens might stone him to death for talking with Zionists. Abbas must find it most convenient that he can rely on a new "right wing" that he can now blame for his reticence to talk to Israel. 


And there is no "left wing." No "moderates." No "peace activists." 


Yet the West still expects a peace agreement. 

Iran promises not to send athletes against Israelis in London. Will the IOC sanction them?

Posted: 09 Jul 2012 11:15 AM PDT

From YNet, June 14:
Refusing to compete against a fellow athlete at the London Games because of nationality or religion would be a "serious breach" of the Olympic code of ethics, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said last week.

The IOC said athletes and teams should "stay at home" if they are not prepared to compete without discrimination.

"Refusing to participate in an Olympic event because of a fellow athlete/team's religion or nationality, would not only be unsporting behavior but a serious breach of the IOC's code of ethics, the principles of the Olympic Charter and the athletes oath," IOC spokeswoman Emmanuelle Moreau said in a statement.

Iran was criticized after some of its athletes withdrew from events against Israelis at the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Olympics.

"If an athlete/team is unable to come to the games in spirit of friendship and fair play, then they should stay at home," Moreau said. "There can be no discrimination for any reason between participants at the Olympic Games."
The Guardian added:
[Head of the International Olympic Committee] Rogge said that all 200-plus nations that will be represented in London had been warned that only serious injury would be accepted as an excuse for not competing, and that sanctions would be taken against any athlete who pulled out of a competition for other reasons. Suspicious withdrawals will be examined by a panel of medical experts.

"We have just told all the national Olympic committees that we expect all the athletes to respect the schedule of competition and not to pull out without a good reason for competition against an athlete of another country," he told the Guardian.

"If nation A does not appear at the competition against nation B we will ask for explanations. If the explanation is not satisfactory and valid at the end of it and is not credible then we will go into cross-examination by an independent medical board. And if the medical board says it is not a genuine reason then sanctions will be taken. That is quite clear."
What about when Nation A announces in advance that it refuses to compete against Nation B? Is it then necessary to go through a farce of "medical tests"?

Because Iran announced exactly that:
Iranian athletes to boycott Zionists also in London Olympics

IRI sports minister said Iranian athletes will just as always refrain from competing against Zionist regime's representatives if in drawing lots they would have to do so, as Iranians do not recognize legitimacy of forged Zionist regime.

Islamic Republic of Iran Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Mohammad Abbasi made the comment on the sideline of attending a practice session of the Iranian National Wrestling Teams in an interview with an IRNA Sports Desk reporter.

He added in response to IRNA, "Not competing with the Zionist athletes is one of the values and prides of the Iranian athletes and nation."

On possibility of deprivation of the Iranian athletes from gaining their deserved medals if they would refrain from competing against Zionist regime representatives, he said, "God willing such a thing will not happen, but if it does we would definitely find a way to solve the problem."

So has the IOC said anything since this direct promise to break IOC rules by Iran that was pledged over two weeks ago?

Not as far as I can tell.



Jordanian official calls Jewish refugees from Arab countries "fabrications"

Posted: 09 Jul 2012 09:45 AM PDT

Jordan's Addustour quotes Jordan's Director General of the Department of Palestinian Affairs, Eng Mahmoud Aqrabawi, about Israel.

He hurled the usual bizarre accusations of Israel "Judaizing" Jerusalem and denying its "historic Arab and Muslim character."

He also praised Jordan's historic role in preserving the holy places of Jerusalem, which is all well and good until you realize that Jordan destroyed scores of synagogues and a large part of the most important ancient Jewish cemetery in the 19 short years they administered the Old City and surrounding areas.

But he really went off the deep end when he said that Israel is "fabricating" the issue of "so-called Jewish refugees from Arab countries."

If no Jews were forced out of Arab countries in the 1940s through 1960s, I guess they must all have been indigenous to Israel, right?

American University of Beirut denies "Zionist agenda"

Posted: 09 Jul 2012 08:00 AM PDT

A couple of weeks ago, the American University of Beirut gave an honorary doctorate to Donna Shalala, former US Secretary of Health, and she was heckled during her address for being a "Zionist."

The criticism of the university continues, forcing the president of AUB to deny that terrible accusation that the university itself is - gasp! - Zionist.

From The Daily Star (Lebanon):
The president of the American University of Beirut has denied that the institution has a Zionist agenda after recent such accusations have been leveled at the school. In an email to AUB alumni, students and staff, Peter Dorman also defended the recent decision to award an honorary degree to Donna Shalala, an event which provoked the latest round of criticism, without naming her specifically.

However, he also stated that the university's Board of Trustees has asked him to "review the process of vetting candidates for honorary degrees," without elaborating.

The decision to honor Shalala, president of the University of Miami, was criticized before the June 22 ceremony in an open letter entitled, "Can AUB find only those Complicit with Zionism to Honor?" signed by faculty and staff members, due to her support for engagement with Israel. Shalala also has honorary degrees from three Israeli universities.

"This administration at AUB has no normalization or Zionist agenda of any kind. Those who make that claim or imply it are simply wrong on the facts," Dorman writes in the email.

In his email, Dorman stressed that "AUB has always respected and complied with the laws of Lebanon, and always will, particularly the laws prohibiting the normalization of any kind of relations with Israel."

With regard specifically to the Palestine Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel campaign, Dorman wrote that, "I defend the right of those who take such a position; it is a principled stance, and one that many feel passionate about."

However, Dorman denied that this can be applied at a university level. "Yet institutional decisions cannot be subordinated to an absolute litmus test imposed by the demands of outside groups," he added.

Had AUB joined the campaign, he wrote, the university would not have been able to honor writer Edward Said in 2003 due to his sponsorship of a Palestinian-Israeli youth orchestra.

Of being born in Lebanon, in 1948, the year the state of Israel was created, the AUB president wrote, "like so many of you, I have never lived in the world without the dreadful specter of Palestinian dispossession and an expanding Israeli settlement agenda, which are deeply immoral and ultimately, in my view, self-destructive."
I don't know; his denial seems a bit too subtle for the haters. It will be interesting to see the response of the enlightened university faculty who were up in arms over an Arab American honoree who actually supports a two-state solution.

A shrine to the 1930's terrorist Izz al Din al-Qassam - in Haifa

Posted: 09 Jul 2012 06:15 AM PDT

A few months ago, Arabic media reported with their usual lack of accuracy that Israel demolished the grave of Izz ad-Din al-Qassam, the Syrian-born 1930's terrorist whose name is used by Hamas for its terrorist wing and its terror rockets.

The articles claimed that the grave was destroyed to make way for a rail line.

That bogus story is forgotten now, but hundreds of volunteers from the Islamist movement in Israel have just refurbished Qassam's gravesite along with other Islamist sites around Haifa this weekend.


While it is admirable for Israel to give maximum rights to Muslim citizens of Israel, it is outrageous that the Islamist movement that explicitly seeks to destroy Israel is given free rein to build monuments to terror within Israel itself.

This grave should be properly moved to Gaza City. And those who object can feel free to move there as well.

Abbas eagerly accepts Ahmadinejad invitation

Posted: 09 Jul 2012 04:00 AM PDT

From Ma'an:
President Mahmoud Abbas has accepted an invitation from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to attend a summit of non-aligned countries in the Iranian capital next month, official Palestinian media said Sunday.

Abbas receiving invitation from Iran's FM in Amman
Iranian Foreign Ministry official Hussain Amir Abdullah Yan delivered the invitation to Abbas at a meeting in Amman on Sunday, PA news agency Wafa reported.

The non-aligned movement, which presents itself as independent of any world power bloc, is meeting in Tehran on August 30 and 31.

According to Wafa, Abbas sent his greetings to Ahmadinejad and pledged to attend the summit.
Iran also invited other nations to the summit - but most of them have not publicly accepted, let alone accepted immediately.

Iran invited Jordan at the same time, and while the Jordanian premier said that Jordan was interested in increasing ties with Tehran, the invitation has not yet been formally accepted as far as I can tell.

Iran also extended an invitation to Singapore, which reacted similarly to Jordan.

On Thursday, Tehran invited Egypt's new president Mohemmed Morsi to the conference, and he also has yet to accept.

Cambodia did accept their invitation. The Sultan of Brunei said that his country would participate, but did not say he would attend.

Notably, Iran did not invite Saudi Arabia.

YNet reports that the conference might not even take place because of animosity towards Iran:
The chances that this convention, scheduled for August 30th, will indeed take place is very low.

The Iranians are trying to convene it as the historic forum of the non-aligned states, yet too many states prefer not to align themselves with Iran. For example, there is a dispute between Iran and Gulf states about the very notion of holding the event in Tehran. Yet who rushes to announce that he is traveling? Abbas. Even if the convention is ultimately held, it is doubtful that heads of state will be arriving. There is a chance, if at all, that lower ranking officials will be coming. Yet the Palestinians are already sending their president.

With the very declaration that he will be traveling to the Tehran convention, which may not even be held, Abbas is not only providing ammunition to those who object to talks with the Palestinians; he manages to annoy every ally and body that helps and donates to the Palestinian Authority. The PA receives an economic backwind from Mideastern princes and kings who despise the Iranians and fear them. It enjoys American funds, infrastructure and sympathy, and of course, the support of the Quartet – which includes the Western European states at the heart of the sanctions against Iran. So why is Abbas doing it? Because he is very weak and frustrated.
Abbas' alacrity in accepting the invitation is in marked contrast with most of the non-aligned nations, and he is not making too many friends because of it.

Except in Tehran.

Rumor: PLO official calling to cut PA funding of Gaza

Posted: 09 Jul 2012 01:00 AM PDT

I have noted in the past that some 60% of the PA's budget goes towards Gaza - more than double the per capita spending in the West Bank -while Gaza is a separate entity in virtually every respect. I've also noted that if  the PA has a financial crisis it is because it continues to fund infrastructure and idle workers in Gaza, helping Hamas indirectly.

Arabic news reports now say that an unidentified member of the PLO Executive Committee is saying the same thing.

According to the story, the official said that the PA should cut the salaries of its (nonworking) staff of the Gaza Strip and stop providing services. The official allegedly said that the Palestinian Authority funded the "Hamas coup" against it with more than $138 million a month which prolongs Hamas rule in Gaza.
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