יום שבת, 3 בנובמבר 2012

Elder of Ziyon Daily News

Elder of Ziyon Daily News

Link to Elder of Ziyon

European countries want Israeli high-tech partnerships

Posted: 02 Nov 2012 11:30 AM PDT

From Times of Israel:
Over the past month alone there have been a least a half-dozen major events sponsored by European governments here in Israel aimed at encouraging Israeli Internet, bio-med, agri-tech, and other high-tech companies to partner with companies in their own countries. France was here, and so was Portugal, both touting their advantages for Israeli companies at special events, especially in the tech field.

During the recent DLD (Digital Life Design) festival in Tel Aviv, Italy for the first time sponsored a tech partnership event, presenting Italian start-ups that financial leaders in Rome felt could work well with Israelis. The UK, for over a year, has had a unique program to attract Israeli tech partners, and last week UK Ambassador to Israel Matthew Gould threw a party for Israeli entrepreneurs, who mingled with British tech folk who were here for DLD.

In fact, an entire event was held this week to encourage Israeli deals with European companies — the 10th annual Go4Europe conference, sponsored by investment firm Cukierman and Co. Officials, companies, and representatives from all over the Continent came to the conference to encourage Israeli companies to work, do business, and open representative offices and R&D facilities in their countries. And while technology was not the focus of the event, high-tech played a major role, with many of the speakers talking tech partnerships, and a dozen Israeli tech start-ups giving short presentations to the hundreds of attendees.

Typical of the sentiments expressed was a comment by Dr. Werner Schnappauf, a partner at Graf von Westphalen, one of Germany's largest independent law firms. Israel and the EU, and especially Israel and Germany, should work more closely, he said; it was in all parties' interests. "In the future world economy, it appears that the question will be whether it is a G-2 world (referring to the leadership of the world economy) — the US and China — or a G-3 world, consisting of the US, China, and an EU/Israel partnership," he said.

It sounds as if there is a contest going on for Israel's affections — and there is, said Xavier Buck, CEO of EuroDNS, which is in charge of the Internet's domain names in Europe. "Europe's old industries are falling, and EU countries are desperately looking for something to replace them," Buck told The Times of Israel at Go4Europe. "Governments see what Israel has accomplished, and they want Israel to help them become a tech power as well. They are actually fighting, if not physically, then using their marketing skills and government policy, to be the most attractive to Israeli partners."
That sound you hear is thousands of BDSers' heads exploding.


Friday links

Posted: 02 Nov 2012 09:30 AM PDT

From Ian:

Latma: The left's comeback strategy



West Bank: What the West is Funding by Khaled Abu Toameh
"Many Palestinian writers and journalists in the West Bank today live in fear of being harassed by the Palestinian Authority because of their views and writings. Some practice self-censorship, while others are writing under different names or have found themselves new and less dangerous professions.
There is no reason why those who are pouring millions of dollars on the Palestinian Authority should not demand an end to suppression of freedom of expression and the growing clampdown on writers and journalists in the West Bank.
Failing to hold the Palestinian Authority accountable for its actions will only drive more Palestinians into the arms of Hamas and the other radical forces."

Daily Telegraph runs shameful anti-Israel propaganda piece
The point about propaganda is that is has to be convincing. Nabeel Shaath's piece is total rubbish from beginning to end
"Cutting through the obfuscations, the diversions, and the errors, deliberate or otherwise, the underlying meaning of Shaath's words is clear: the Jews have no place being in the Middle East at all, except perhaps as the kind of second class citizens they were in the Arab states prior to Israel's establishment. As for a legitimate and secure Jewish state living side by side with its neighbours? Forget it.
Oh, and by the way. I forgot to mention that the Telegraph's writer is a Palestinian "moderate". God help Israel if they ever bump into any Palestinian extremists. Oh, wait..."

Palestine – Falk's Failed Philosophy Guarantees Continuing Conflict by David Singer
"One would expect a Professor of Law to be precise and accurate in his choice of language and attention to factual detail. Professor Falk fails on both counts.
Professor Falk is certainly entitled to espouse the views he does.
However his entitlement to continue in his role as a Special Rapporteur must surely be questioned when he seeks to ignore a whole body of settled international law created before 1948 – whilst continuing to act in this highly sensitive position.
A new appointment to replace Professor Falk should be a priority. His use by date has surely been reached."

NGO Monitor: NGO Monitor Urges UNHRC to Comply with Fact-Finding Standards
"Already, contrary to principles of impartiality, the Mission's mandate presumes guilt on Israel's part, while failing to address the wider context, including the systematic terror campaign against Israeli civilians," said Anne Herzberg, NGO Monitor's Legal Advisor. "Our submission reminds the fact-finding mission of its obligation to comply with standards of transparency, impartiality, and independence in conducting its work. Otherwise, this Mission risks being discredited like the infamous fact-finding mission to Gaza, which produced the 'Goldstone Report.'"

At memorial service for Toulouse victims, Netanyahu sings 'Israel is alive'
Prime minister praises French president's 'firm' stance against anti-Semitism; Hollande pledges to protect France's Jews

Christian Arab youth come under fire over desire to enlist in IDF
"Arab media and Arab MKs are waging a vicious smear campaign against a small group of Christian Arab youth interested in military or national service • Christian Orthodox priest excommunicated for "cooperating with the enemy." (posted by sophie44)"

Tearful UK Jewish academic tells court his trade union has crossed the line into anti-Semitism
"In a potentially landmark case against the University and College Union (UCU), which is being heard at an employment tribunal in central London, Fraser is claiming that the union created a hostile environment for him as a Jew by repeatedly crossing the line from anti-Zionism into anti-Semitism. His case revolves, amongst other matters, around repeated motions to implement an academic boycott of Israel."

Arab tweeps should stop gloating over Sandy disaster: Saudi Grand Mufti
The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, home to Islam's holliest sites, has condemned the gloating by radical "tweeps" in the Arab world over the Sandy storm disaster, which left more than 100 people dead in the U.S. East Coast, as "illegitimate."

British Muslims Celebrate Hurricane Sandy, 9/11 and The Holocaust

MEMRI: Saudi Cleric Muhammad Al-Munajid: Hurricane Sandy Allah's Punishment for Afghanistan and Iraq

Arab TV Report Exposes Lax Security At U.S. Consulate In Benghazi
Prior To Ambassador Stevens' Arrival And Security Breach Prior To Attack – Revealed By Documents Gathered At Consulate Following Attack

PMW: Official PA daily: PMW "incites" against the PA
Following PMW's reports that terrorist prisoners receive PA salaries, PA Min. Karake defends the prisoners as "lawful freedom fighters"

Honest Reporting: More Twisting the Truth: Ha'aretz and IDF Experiments on Soldiers

Israel Daily Picture: The Balfour Declaration Was Issued 95 Years Ago
In 1925 Balfour Arrived to See the Jewish State in Formation

Also:

UKIP Euro-MP slams EU funding for 'terror-linked' NGOs

Burying Rachel's Tomb

A would-be new leader of Israel's Arabs urges full integration with Israel

Tunisia: Salafist Extremist Attack Alcohol Sellers

Egypt censors belly-dancing scene in movie

Posted: 02 Nov 2012 07:30 AM PDT

Remember the belly dancer in Egypt who was criticized by Islamists for dancing to a song that mentioned Shia religious figures?

Looks like the Islamists won:
The Culture Ministry confirmed Thursday that it has censored a song in the popular new film "Abdu Mouta" after Islamist groups filed lawsuits against its producer, claiming the song insulted Islam.

Censorship Director Abdel Sattar Fathy will watch the film to make sure the offending part of the song is cut out artistically, and write a report of it, said the ministry.
Saeed Tawfiq, secretary general of the Supreme Council of Culture, said film producer Ahmed al-Sobky had requested the censorship.

"Abdu Mouta," which is playing in theaters nationwide, recorded the highest one-day revenue in the history of Egyptian cinema, making LE2.5 million on the first day of Eid al-Adha last Friday.

However, the film has sparked an uproar among the Sufi and Shia communities, as it contains a scene in which a belly dancer dances to a song mentioning the names of Prophet Mohamed's daughter, Fatima, and his grandsons, Hassan and Hussein. All three figures are revered in the Sufi and Shia sects of Islam.

Bahaa Anwar Mohamed, a leader in the Ghad al-Thawra Party and a prominent Shia, said he would file a lawsuit demanding the movie be removed from cinemas completely.
It wasn't the song that was offensive - it was the dancing. But if the song is censored, so is the dancing.

Jordan continues to restrict Palestinian Arab imports

Posted: 02 Nov 2012 06:00 AM PDT

Much has been written about how Israel supposedly makes it difficult for Palestinian Arabs in the West Bank to export goods to the EU and beyond.

But the PA is right next to a friendly Arab country which claims to want to help their Palestinian brothers. What is the situation with trade between the PA and Jordan?

Last month, a free trade agreement was signed between the PA and Jordan. But details are hard to come by.

In fact, the only concrete change I have seen is that now, Jordan will allow Palestinian Arab visitors to bring individual jars of olive oil across the border in order to give them as gifts to friends.

This is hardly a breakthrough.

Jordan allows only some $35 million of goods to be imported from the PA annually, while it exports double that amount to the PA.

And Jordan has far more onerous restrictions on goods coming from the PA than Israel does. A UN news report last year that concentrated on Israeli restrictions grudgingly included this short section:
Most Palestinian traders say it is still quicker and cheaper to export goods via Israel than Jordan.

Palestinian goods moving to or from Jordan must cross Allenby Bridge, where cargo is removed from Palestinian trucks, inspected, and then loaded onto Jordanian trucks. The process takes 4-8 hours or longer, and Allenby's scanners cannot handle large cargo, reports the World Bank.

Since containers are prohibited from entering Jordan or Israel, Palestinian shippers say they often reconfigure cargo onto smaller pallets for inspection, and there is no cold storage.

If Palestinian shippers had consistent access to outside markets via Allenby Bridge, it could increase trade by as much as 30 percent annually, according to Paltrade.
If Jordan loves Palestinian Arabs so much, and is not worried about security issues the way Israel is, why has it been dragging its feet in lifting the restrictions on trade from their brothers?

And why is there no pressure on Jordan when they hold a major key in helping the Palestinian Arab economy? Why are there no news articles about how Jordan has been doing everything possible to restrict Palestinian Arab imports? Where are the NGOs and "human rights" organizations?

The answer is, of course, that if Israel cannot be blamed - it isn't important.

Hours after Abbas comments, PLO affirms "right of return" and declares Balfour Declaration illegal

Posted: 02 Nov 2012 03:38 AM PDT

The official Palestinian Authority WAFA news agency did not comment on Mahmoud Abbas' interview on Israeli TV where wishful thinking Westerners believed that Abbas showed flexibility on the long-standing PLO (and Arab) demand to force Israel to accept millions of so-called "refugees."

But the agency does have two prominently featured articles quoting PLO Executive Committee member Zakaria al-Agha, head of the department of refugee affairs, on the occasion of the 95th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration.

Al-Agha says that the Balfour Declaration, which called for the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine, was a "historic sin committed against our people." He called on Britain to amend that policy by supporting the "legitimate rights of return and self-determination" for Palestinian Arabs.

He specifically called for the internationakl community to recognize the Palestinian Arab "right to establish their independent state with Jerusalem as its capital and the return of its refugees to their homes in accordance with Resolution 194."

He further said that the Balfour Declaration gave a promise to those who do not deserve it, meaning that Jews do not have the right of self-determination that he insists "Palestinians" do. He added that this promise by Lord Balfour is contrary to all international norms and conventions and the principles of human rights, and is illegal.

Al-agha also said that the Declaration caused Arabs of Palestine woes and suffering that continues to this day, and he called on the international community and its institutions take full responsibility about this promise to the Jewish people. He called for the world to "lift this injustice" done to the Palestinian people and to "end the occupation of our land."

At no time did he define the "land" as excluding the state of Israel.

While Westerners strain to try to parse Abbas' words as a new sign of flexibility, the official PLO news agency is explicitly not only re-affirming the so-called "right of return" to destroy Israel demographically, but it is also denying the rights of self-determination for the entire Jewish people and it is calling on the international community to effectively rescind the legal basis for a Jewish state to exist altogether.

Don't expect the media to report on this, though. After all, a highly ambiguous comment on Israeli TV has far more import than explicit, official statements by the PLO in Arabic, when that ambiguous comment fits the mainstream media narrative of a "moderate" PLO.
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