יום רביעי, 25 ביולי 2012

Elder of Ziyon Daily News

Elder of Ziyon Daily News

Link to Elder of Ziyon

Today's "usurpers of Al Aqsa"

Posted: 24 Jul 2012 05:37 PM PDT

Palestinian Muslim sites are freaking out over the third consecutive day of Jewish visitors to the Temple Mount, saying that they are "desecrating" and "usurping" the Al Aqsa Mosque (which they, of course, never enter.)



They are especially upset over this man, who was taking photos and video using a tripod. I'm not sure why photography is such a desecration of the area, given that the Muslims are photographing the Jews every time they visit.


They said this is an "incursion," a "break in," and an "attack." Plus, of course, these Jews are accused of "performing Talmudic rituals," the worst possible thing anyone can imagine.

Israeli creates recycled cardboard bicycle - $9 to build

Posted: 24 Jul 2012 02:00 PM PDT

From NoCamels:


They are made of recycled cardboard, can withstand water and humidity, cost nearly nothing – and might the concept of green vehicle. Izhar Gafni is a Kibbutz resident, who decided to prove to his fellow engineers that he could make a bicycle at nearly no cost.

Izhar Gafni, originally from Kibbutz Bror Hayil in the Negev, took the most popular and widely sold vehicle in the community and decided to turn it into an entirely green private venture.

Gafni's bicycle redefines the idea of green transportation in every way, being environmentally friendly from early stages of production all the way through creation of the final product. The bicycles are made out of recycled and used cardboard.

The primary use, like any bicycle, is to prevent pollution while encouraging physical activity and exercise. In an interview with Newsgeek, Gafni said that the production cost for his recycled bicycles is around $9-12 each, and he estimates it could be sold to a consumer for $60 to $90, depending on what parts they choose to add.

Arabs think Temple Institute video is really an insult to Morsi

Posted: 24 Jul 2012 12:30 PM PDT

Last week I posted a video from The Temple Institute showing young kids on a beach building a sand-Temple,. At the time I noted that it would probably really upset the Islamists:



Well, it is indeed getting lots of attention in the Arabic media, but they are seeing a bizarre secret message.

While the newspaper that the father is reading has a number of stories about the Middle East, such as  "Assad forces  advance on rebel northern town," "Syria set to win seat on UN Human Rights Council," and about Iranian plans to build a nuclear powered submarine - all stories from July 5, by the way - the Arab media is fixated on the photo of  Mohamed Morsi that is briefly and barely visible when the father drops the newspaper:


According to these articles, which originated in Egypt and got picked up by dozens of Arab media outlets, the entire video is really meant to be an insult to Egypt's president!

When you are looking for reasons to be insulted, you tend to find them.

Links

Posted: 24 Jul 2012 11:00 AM PDT

From Ian:

The Mandate for Palestine still matters 90 years later by Eli E. Hertz
"Today marks the 90th anniversary of the League of Nations, the forerunner of the UN, that published the legally binding document the "Mandate for Palestine." The Mandate's roots can be traced to the founding of modern Zionism in August 1897 and the Balfour Declaration of November 1917."

Baker defends Levy report in letter to US Jews
Israel Policy Forum warned last month that Levy Report endangered two-state solution; Baker: "You didn't read the report."

What Went Wrong in Munich - PodCast
"How oversensitivity toward Germany's Nazi past contributed to the murder of 11 Israeli athletes in 1972"

Richard Millett: Just 1 minute, Mr Rogge!
He also covers the memorial plaque ceremony in Hackney.

The Mainstream Media's War on Israel
"The violent attack on the Jewish state waged by mainstream media, is turning credible news publications into forums for Israel-bashers to delegitimize the state – all under the guise of honest reporting. It is now more apparent than ever that the anti-Israel bias in the media is not just present – it is pervasive."

Who cares about Palestinian human rights?
"In recent days no less than 120 Palestinian homes have been demolished and so you might have thought news of this would have made the headlines as the usual procession of NGOs and their self proclaimed 'Liberal Zionist' allies turn out to express the deepest sentiments of condemnation they are able to muster. Yet here in Britain at least these events went completely unreported and of course the reason that they failed to stir even the faintest interest is because the demolitions took place in Gaza and were carried out by Hamas."

Liberman round-up:
Liberman: Transfer of non-conventional weapons to Hezbollah would be 'clear casus belli' for Israel
Israel sees no reason to apologize for Marmara incident
Syrian rebels have rejected Israel's help, Liberman says

Tourism minister says Bulgarians foiled terror plot against Israelis months ago (I covered it then - EoZ)

Abbas to delay Palestinian UN bid until after US elections

Comedy Gold: Syrian rebels burn Palestinian flag, thinking it's Iranian
"Youtube video shows confusion among Islamist rebels who capture border crossing with Turkey
"Syrian rebels who captured the Bab Al-Hawa border crossing with Turkey last week have been destroying symbols of the old regime and its backers found in the border-control building. But an amateur video posted on Youtube shows the men to be inexpert in distinguishing those they consider allies from those they regard as enemies."

3,000-year-old wheat traces said to support biblical account of Israelite conquest
"Archaeologist Amnon Ben-Tur claims find at Tel Hazor is a remnant of Joshua's military campaign in 13th century BCE"

Israeli scientists in the running for worldwide award, even if UNESCO still can't find Israel
"Despite the fact that Israel does not fit into any of UNESCO's world groupings, three women still have a chance to win up to $100,000"
Also, Iranian nuke facilities hit by malware that plays AC/DC's "Thunderstruck." (h/t Ken)

Egypt easing Gaza visa requirements? Not so fast.

Posted: 24 Jul 2012 09:35 AM PDT

AP reported yesterday:
Egypt is allowing freer temporary entry for Palestinians into the country in an unprecedented move that eases long-imposed travel restrictions, particularly on Gazans, Egyptian and Palestinian officials said Monday.

The decision has caused confusion among the security agencies here -- and appeared to bring some resistance. Some officers at the airport refused to implement the measures, an airport official said, in a sign of how deeply some in the security forces view the Palestinians as a potential threat.
And JPost reported:
Palestinians who arrive in Egypt without a visa will be allowed to stay in the country for 72 hours, the Egyptian envoy in Ramallah, Yasser Othman, announced Monday.

The announcement came as the Egyptian authorities denied that they have lifted restrictions imposed on Palestinian travelers.
But today, Othman is singing a different tune:
Procedures for Palestinians entering Egypt have not changed, despite earlier reports that restrictions had been eased, Cairo's ambassador to the Palestinian Authority said Monday.

Yasser Othman told Ma'an that regulations for Palestinians' entry to Egypt were still applicable, although Palestinians arriving in Egypt would be granted a 48 -72 hour visa to transit the country in limited cases.

"All the news circulated in the media about Palestinians' entry to Egypt are false, however human considerations will be taken into account regarding the deportation of Palestinians from the Egyptian airport to the Gaza Strip," Othman said.
It sounds like there was pushback in Egypt against loosening restrictions against Gazans - who ordinary Egyptians seem to love, as long as that love is expressed purely as anti-Israel demonstrations.

It looks like Egypt is still besieging Gaza.

How dare the world shun Israel on terrorism (Jose Maria Aznar)

Posted: 24 Jul 2012 08:20 AM PDT

This is behind the Times of London's paywall:


How dare the world shun Israel on terrorism

Forty years after Munich, we are wrong to block the country most affected by atrocities

Jose Maria Aznar

When we are about to mark the 40th anniversary of the terrorist attacks at the Olympic Village in Munich, in which 11 Israeli athletes were killed by Palestinian terrorists, it is a real paradox to see Israel excluded from the first meeting of the Global Counter-terrorism Forum.

This initiative, led by the United States and attended by 29 countries and the European Union, took place last month in an effort to improve the co-ordination of counter-terrorism policies at global level. Why wasn't Israel invited? The meeting was held in Istanbul and no one wanted to "provoke" the host, the Islamist Government of the Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Worse still, in July, the forum organised its first victims-of-terrorism meeting. Not only was Israel excluded, but Israeli victims had no place in its official speeches. When we see deadly terrorist attacks such as the recent one in Bulgaria, targeting tourists simply because they were Israeli, the marginalisation of Israel is totally unacceptable.

As a terrorism victim myself, who was fortunate to survive a car-bomb attack, I cannot understand or justify the marginalisation of other terrorist victims just for political reasons. If we extrapolate Israel's experience of slaughter to Britain, it would mean that in the past 12 years about 11,000 British citizens would have died and 60,000 would have been injured in terrorist attacks. In the case of the United States, the figures would he 65,000 dead and 300,000 injured. Israel's ordeal is far from insignificant.

It is even more poignant if one considers Israel's willingness to face up to terrorism and the practical experience that it has acquired to defeat it. Israel has much to contribute in this area and everyone else has a lot to learn if we really want to defeat the terrorists.

Fiamma Nirenstein, the vice-president of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Italian Chamber of Deputies (and a member of the Friends of Israel Initiative) has made a proposal that is as fair as it is attractive - to hold a moment of silence at the London Olympics in memory of the 1972 massacre. Remembering is important, first, because of the victims, but also because many Europeans adopted the wrong attitude towards Palestinian terrorism after the Munich attack. The culprits who were arrested were later quietly released for fear of further attacks. And because of that initial fear the terrorists knew hose to take advantage of the situation and to press for more rewards.

I have experienced terrorism at first hand. Many of my friends and some political colleagues have been killed by terrorists whose only merit was to have a hood, a gun or a bomb. Nonetheless, even in the most difficult times, I have always believed that weakness and appeasement are the wrong choices. Terrorism is not a natural phenomenon; it doesn't happen spontaneously; its not something ethereal. It can and must be fought using all the tools provided by the law and democracy - and most importantly, it can be defeated if there is the will to defeat it. Israel has provided ample proof that it possesses that will, since its own existence is at stake.

To marginalise or isolate Israel to avoid irritating Turkey is a big mistake. All of the Middle East, from Morocco to the Gulf, is undergoing profound, although not always peaceful, change, which is yielding very disturbing results. Although the elections in Tunisia, Libya and Egypt are something new and promising for the region, Syria is immersed in civil war and there is a danger that the region's largest arsenal of chemical weapons will spin out of control and become available to anyone - as happened with Libya's portable anti-aircraft missiles, which disappeared after the fall of of Colonel Gaddafi, In Egypt, the rise of Islamism threatens economic and political stability. Hezbollah is still in Lebanon, keeping alive its goal of eliminating Israel -just as members oft Hamas do in Gaza. Despite sanctions, Iran is moving forward with the development of a nuclear bomb in its effort to become the regional leader and to export its Islamist and revolutionaiy ideology as widely as possible. There are also other areas in turmoil that directly affect Europe, such as the Sahel region of Africa, south of the Sahara, which is now becoming dominated by al-Qaeda.

Isolation not only renders Israel weaker against its enemies, but also makes all Westerners weaker. And the practitioners of terrorism know all too well how to exploit our differences.

Remembering Munich 40 years on should be a useful reminder of our successes and failures. It should help us to enhance our collective abilities to light terrorism. Israel is key in this fight. Israel is a part of the West. Israel is not the problem; it is part of the solution. We will become the problem if we continue to cold-shoulder Israel, the country most affected by terrorism and, possibly, the one that knows best how to defeat it.

Jose Maria Aznar was Prime Minister of Spain from 1996 to 2004 and is chairman of the Friends of Israel Initiative.


(h/t Jason for the JPGs, I OCR'ed them)

Iran's Zionist Olympic Follies

Posted: 24 Jul 2012 07:05 AM PDT

From AP:
Iranian athletes will compete against Israelis at the London Olympics, according to the country's chef de mission.

Iran has been criticized in the past because some of its athletes withdrew from events against Israelis at the 2004 Athens Games and 2008 Beijing Games.

"We will be truthful to sport," said Bahram Afsharzadeh, who is also the secretary general of the Iranian Olympic committee said.

Afsharzadeh, who was at times speaking through a translator, also said his team had no plans to boycott events because of the nationality of opponents.

"We just follow the sportsmanship and play every country," Afsharzadeh said.
From the text of the interview, he did not mention Israel by name.

This is in huge contrast to what Iran's official news agency reported last month:
IRI sports minister said here Friday 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."
Then, after world media blared this news, Iran's official news agency denied it. From YNet:
Iranian media on Tuesday denied a report quoting the head of the Iranian Olympic Mission as saying that Iranian athletes will compete against Israelis at the London Games.

"In a satanic step, Zionist media published the words of the head of Iran's Olympic Mission who announced that the Iranian athletes will compete against the Zionist regime's representatives at the Olympics," a Fars news agency report said. The report was quoted by other Iranian media outlets.

Fars claimed the Bahram Afsharzadeh's words were taken out of context. "He said nothing on the matter and did not name Israel," Fars said.

 This interview with Israel's Olympics head is the most likely scenario:
The head of Israel's Olympic committee said Tuesday he didn't believe the Iranian delegation's claim that its athletes will play against Israelis during the Games.

Zvi Warshaviak told reporters before boarding a plane to London that athletes from certain countries would fake being sick to get out of competing against Israelis. When game time comes, he said, "someone will have an upset stomach."

There's a difference between Iran saying it would face Israeli athletes and actually doing so, Warshaviak stated. "I imagine it won't happen."

IOC officials had in the past threatened to send home any player who refused to compete because of political reasons.

Athletes from Iran and a number of other countries have refused in the past to compete against Israeli athletes, faking sickness or forfeiting matches for political reasons.
But there is another reason why Iran can pretend to be sportsmanlike in English: it is highly unlikely that any Iranian athlete will directly compete against any Israeli:
At the London Games there is a slim chance of Iranian athletes meeting Israeli ones. Unlike previous Olympics, the two countries have no judokas in the same weight category, and none of the swimmers race in the same heat.

The field that might pitch a representative of the Jewish state against one from the Islamic republic is the 400-meter dash, and that would happen only if both sprinters compete in the same qualifying round, or if both advance to the next round.

There actually was one additional Iranian athlete that had a chance to compete against an Israeli - but you know how easy it is for athletes in top physical condition to get critically ill a week before the Games:

Despite an Iranian assertion on Monday that its athletes would compete against Israeli ones at the 2012 Games, just hours earlier the Iranian team departed for London, leaving behind the lone athlete who had the possibility of facing an Israeli opponent.

On Sunday authorities had announced that that athlete, Javad Mahjoob, a judo champion, is suffering from a "critical digestive system infection," forcing him to take antibiotics and not travel to the Games, which begin on Friday.
We all know how dangerous it is to travel while on antibiotics, right? Every athlete who trained for years to get to the Olympics would just shrug and say, "oh, well."
Mahjoob's absence has led to speculation that Iran is maintaining its long-standing policy of not allowing its athletes to compete with Israeli opponents.

Mahjoob himself has acknowledged going to great lengths to keep from squaring off against an Israeli. In a 2011 interview with the Iranian newspaper Shargh, Mahjoob admitted to throwing a match against a German opponent, saying that, "If I won I would have had to compete with an Israeli athlete. And if I refused to compete with the Israeli, they would have suspended our Judo federation for 4 years."

Israel's judoka in the 100-kilogram weight class, Ariel "Arik" Ze'evi, will be competing in his fourth Olympic Games. The 35-year-old won a bronze medal at the 2004 Games in Athens, and is widely considered to hold one of Israel's best chances of taking home a medal in London.
If any country wants to better their chances to win a medal that has an Iranian favorite, they just need to contribute to Israel's Olympic Committee to ensure that an Israeli athlete will compete in the same category.

One thing is certain: the IOC will do nothing to penalize Iran for this farce.

George Clooney to play Arafat in 3D biopic? Arabic media fall for satire

Posted: 24 Jul 2012 05:30 AM PDT

Arabic language media have fallen for a satirical article that claims that Steven Spielberg will produce a 3D Yasser Arafat biopic starring George Clooney.

Here's where they got it from, a spoof website called the Pan-Arabia Enquirer:
He already has the beard!
George Clooney has been signed up to play the lead in an upcoming biopic of Yasser Arafat, according to an article in The Hollywood Reporter.

Quoting insiders close to the project in Los Angeles, the publication claims that actor has agreed a deal that will see him play the title role in 'Yasser', a new multi-million dollar 3D feature being developed as a collaboration between Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks Studios and the Doha Film Institute.

Anne Hathaway is widely expected to join the project as Arafat's wife, Suha
Anne Hathaway is tipped to play Arafat's wife Suha, while Chris Hemsworth is already on board as a younger Yasser Arafat. On the other side, Kevin Spacey is the bookie's favourite to take the role of Yitzhak Rabin while Alan Rickman is reportedly in final contract negotiations stages that should see him become Arafat's devious latter-day nemesis Benjamin Netanyahu.

Sources closes to Clooney say the A-lister is "over the moon" to be playing Arafat, and has "long dreamed of donning the iconic headdress and army fatigues". No director has yet been lined up, but many in the industry expect the task to be handed to Peter Jackson, who has previously suggested any film about Arafat should be spread over three separate films.

"Biopics are huge business these days, with movies about the lives of Margaret Thatcher, Marilyn Monroe and Danny Devito having earned millions at the box office," claimed film expert Jethro Goldstein, speaking to The Pan-Arabia Enquirer. "Yasser Arafat is a character with all the action, drama and emotion to take biopics into the lucrative 3D market, and Clooney – who looks the part as well as being politically minded – is the perfect choice as the lead."

Syrian army entered DMZ near Israel, UN; fired mortar

Posted: 24 Jul 2012 02:20 AM PDT

From Ha'aretz:
Syrian army forces crossed the demilitarized zone near the border with Israel in the Golan Heights last week, a highly unusual incident, on what is considered a quiet border.

Following the incident, in which 500 soldiers and 50 vehicles crossed into the demilitarized zone, Israel filed a formal complaint to the UN secretary general and to the president of the UN's Security Council, warning that the event may have serious ramifications.

The Syrian soldiers entered the demilitarized zone last Thursday. The Syrian forces entered the area near the Syrian village of Jubata Al Khashab, a few kilometers east of the Israeli Druze village of Mas'ada in the northern part of the Golan Heights.
Israel complained to the UN about the breach.

It didn't seem to help:
A mortar shell exploded on the Syrian side of the Israel- Syria border Monday evening.

The projectile landed within the demilitarized zone's limits, about 400 meters from the border fence.

The mortar shell exploded near the Syrian village of Jubata al-Khahasb, and not far from the Golan Heights Druze village of Massaada.

Residents of the Golan Heights as well as IDF sources said the echoes of the fighting raging in Syria are heard in Israel, with fires and smoke seen clearly from across the border.
This is not the first time Syrian forces pushed close to the border.

In March:
Blue-helmeted United Nations peacekeeping troops patrolling a slice of Syrian territory to maintain a ceasefire with Israel face new risks as violence between Syrian government loyalists and rebels gets closer.

In this tiny corner of Syria where the United Nations has a little-noticed foothold, peacekeepers stayed in their bunkers listening this month as several Syrians were reportedly killed by gunmen loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.

The UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) did not publicise the incident, and there was no report from Israeli forces whose nearby hilltop observation units possibly saw or heard at least one of two gunbattles in the valley below.

The Israel Defence Forces this week declined comment and there was no report of the incident in Croatia, whose president had visited Croat troops in the Golan just two weeks earlier.

This apparent desire to play down the threat reflects the tension gripping a small UN operation that ran successfully for 36 years and now faces a new challenge as a year-long Syrian uprising against Assad turns ever more violent.
I'm not so sure that UNDOF has been that effective in patrolling the border. After all, last year they allowed Syrians - under government control - to infiltrate Israel, violating their own rules.

At any rate, things are heating up very, very close to Israel, and the UN is not going to do anything to stop it.
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