יום רביעי, 24 ביולי 2013

Elder of Ziyon Daily News

Elder of Ziyon Daily News

Link to Elder of Ziyon

Lawfare Project letter to the EU

Posted: 23 Jul 2013 08:30 PM PDT

This is a letter that the Lawfare Project is planning to send to the EU; they are looking for lawyers to sign it before sending.

H.E. Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs

Excellency

Re: EU directive regarding Israeli settlements

We, the undersigned, attorneys from across the world who are involved in international law issues as well as being closely concerned with the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, respectfully call upon you and the EU to revoke the abovementioned directive which we feel is based on legally flawed and incorrect assumptions regarding both the legality of Israel's settlements and the status of the pre-1967 Armistice lines as Israel's border.

Furthermore, the reasoning behind the directive summarily ignores the historic and legal rights of Israel and the Jewish people in and to the areas of Judea and Samaria, including the internationally acknowledged rights of the Jewish people as the indigenous people of the area.

The long-held view of the EU as to the illegality of Israel's settlements is a misreading of the relevant provisions of international law, and specifically Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which is neither relevant to the unique circumstances of Israel's status in the area, nor was it ever applicable, or intended to apply to Israel's circumstances in Judea and Samaria.

The EU together with other international bodies has consistently ignored authoritative sources, including the 1958 official commentary by International Committee of the Red Cross, as well as the published opinions of prominent international jurists, all of which explain the provenance of Article 49 in the need to address deportations, forced migration, evacuation, displacement, and expulsion of over 40 million people by the Nazis during the Second World War. This has no relevance to Israel's settlements in Judea and Samaria.

The EU totally ignores the very agreement to which it is signatory as witness, the 1995 Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement, in which it was agreed by the parties, pending a permanent status agreement, to exercise powers and authority in the areas under their respective control. Such powers include planning, zoning and construction. The issues of settlements and Jerusalem, as agreed upon between the parties, are negotiating issues, and hence, determinations by the EU undermine the negotiating process and run against the EU's status as signatory.

The legality of Israel's presence in the area stems from the historic, indigenous and legal rights of the Jewish people to settle in the area, as granted in valid and binding international legal instruments recognized and accepted by the international community. These rights cannot be denied or placed in question. This includes the 1922 San Remo Declaration unanimously adopted by the League of Nations, affirming the establishment of a national home for the Jewish People in the historical area of the Land of Israel (including the areas of Judea and Samaria and Jerusalem) as well as close Jewish settlement throughout. This was subsequently affirmed internationally in the League of Nations Mandate Instrument, and accorded continued validity, up to the present day, by Article 80 of the UN Charter which reaffirmed the validity of the rights granted to all states or peoples, or already existing international instruments (including those adopted by the League of Nations).

The inference regarding Israel's borders as recognized by the EU is no less misguided and historically and legally wrong. The pre-1967 Armistice lines (so-called "green" line) were never considered to be borders. UN Security Council resolution 242 (1967), endorsed by the European members of the Council, called for "secure and recognized boundaries" to replace the pre-1967 Armistice lines. The European leaders further endorsed this principle in their 1980 Venice Declaration. By its persistence in referring to the pre-1967 lines, the EU is undermining future negotiation on this issue by predetermining its outcome.

In a similar vein, the repeated use by the EU of the term "occupied Arab" or "Palestinian territories" to refer to the area of Judea and Samaria, has no basis in law or fact. The area has never been determined as such, and thus the continued EU usage of the term runs against the very concept of negotiations to resolve the dispute regarding these areas, supported by the EU, to determine their permanent status.

Excellency,

The position taken by the EU and the action presently being taken pursuant to its directive, regarding Israel's settlements in Judea and Samaria, is, in our view, incompatible with the EU's standing as a member of the international Quartet, and serves to neutralize any pretentions it might have to serve a useful function in the negotiating process between Israel and the Palestinians.

Frankly, the EU cannot, in all sincerity, presume to come with clean hands and claim to be an impartial element in the negotiating process. The EU has taken sides and as such, in its actions against Israel, it is undermining the negotiating process.

The position and actions of the EU against Israel are all the more unfortunate and regrettable in light of the tragic Jewish history in Europe, which cannot be ignored or forgotten. One might have expected that realization of this factor would guide the wisdom and logic of the actions of the EU.
(h/t Irene)

Egypt's gas line to Jordan bombed again

Posted: 23 Jul 2013 06:15 PM PDT

At dawn today, the gas pipeline from Egypt to Jordan was bombed, for the second time this month.

Unidentified gunmen riding in a four-wheel drive car bombed the pipeline that carries natural gas from Egypt to Jordan in the Kharouba" area, east of El Arish.

While the Egyptian police arrested a Gaza man for the last explosion, the incentive to blow up these lines is unclear.

In possibly related news, ever since the Egyptian coup, the energy crisis in Egypt has apparently, temporarily, disappeared. Gas lines are gone and electricity shortages have been vastly reduced. Cooler temperatures may be responsible for less pressure on the electrical grid, and many are saying that the crackdown on illegal smuggling of diesel and petrol to Gaza is helping the situation in Egypt.

It could also be that people are not hoarding as much as they were before the revolution.

7/23 Links Part 2: Brendan O'Neill on Leftist Anti-Zionists, Guardian's Rock n Roll Fantasy, Israels Bird Superhighway

Posted: 23 Jul 2013 04:00 PM PDT

From Ian:
Brendan O'Neill: Anti-Zionists claim to be completely different to anti- Semites. But there's one key thing they have in common
I think the line between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism is getting thinner all the time. These two worldviews are, if obviously not the exact same thing, then at least very close cousins. There is one inescapable thing that they share in common: a tendency to trace all global problems and instabilities back to the behaviour and beliefs of a Jewish thing, whether the Jewish people or the Jewish State. Modern-day anti-Zionism, particularly as practised by left-leaning, trendy Europeans, among whom it is highly fashionable, is the heir to old-style anti-Semitism in one very important way: it has a scary habit of treating Jewish stuff or Jewish people as the source of the world's ills.
Dore Gold: The U.S. and the Muslim Brotherhood
The perception in the Middle East that the U.S. had been sympathetic to the Muslim Brotherhood may be overstated, but it is not entirely without foundation. A school of thought in Washington exists that truly believes that the Muslim Brotherhood has evolved into a moderate organization, with which the West can do business. It has been influencing policymaking since the second term of the Bush administration. But it is too early to establish whether the overthrow of Morsi will lead to the demise of this dangerously naive political theory or whether it will resurface in one of the other Arab states facing internal revolts as part of the Arab Spring.
An 'outspoken and blunt' Samantha Power: Boon or curse?
Power has reiterated her pro-Israel position, arguing that despite the UN's many accomplishments, "within the UN, an organization built in part to apply the lessons of the Holocaust, we also see unacceptable attacks against the state of Israel." She added that "the United States has no greater friend in the world than the state of Israel. We share security interests, we share core values, and we have a special relationship with Israel. And yet the General Assembly and Human Rights Council continue to pass one-sided resolutions condemning Israel…. Israel's legitimacy should be beyond dispute, and its security must be beyond doubt."
Power's supporters emphasize that as Obama's adviser on UN affairs, she was the final call against American participation in the Israel-bashing 2009 UN Durban Review Conference and that she worked together with outgoing UN Ambassador Susan Rice to combat anti-Israel bias in the world governing body.
CiF Watch prompts correction to 'Comment is Free' claim on Gaza rocket attacks
As we noted in our original post, however, while during the first 24 hours of the war roughly 100 rockets were fired into Israel, during the entire eight-day conflict, which ended on Nov. 22, Hamas and other Palestinian terror groups launched approximately 1,500 rockets at Israel.
Guardian rock 'n roll fantasy: Paper blurs identity of Palestinians and Arab Israelis
Further passages in the story finally confirm what the above text implies – that the band, Khalas, is made up of Arab citizens of Israel (from Acre) not, as the title and most of the text suggests, Palestinians living in the Palestinian territories who don't have Israeli citizenship. Whilst some activists do use the term "Palestinian citizens of Israel' instead of 'Arab Israelis' to refer to Israelis who are ethnically and linguistically Arab (but full citizens of the state), the average reader looking at the headline and accompanying text wouldn't likely understand this distinction.
Moreover, as anyone who lives in Israel, or has spent any serious time here, would surely know, Jewish and Arab citizens of Israel mix and mingle in nearly every area of public and private life, and whilst the notion of Arab and Jewish (Israeli) bands going on tour together certainly is a nice symbol, it's hardly groundbreaking.
ADL: Anti-Semitism down nationwide, up in NY and NJ
The ADL recorded 248 anti-Semitic incidents in New York in 2012, representing a 27 percent increase from the 195 incidents in 2011. New York City's five boroughs had a total of 172 anti-Jewish acts, including incidents of assault, harassment and vandalism, compared to 127 in 2011.
"While the great majority of Jewish New Yorkers feel comfortable and safe in their respective communities, it is nevertheless disturbing that we saw almost a 30 percent uptick in the total number of anti-Semitic incidents across the state," said Etzion Neuer, ADL's acting New York regional director. "Though we did see a decrease in harassment and threats, the sharp increase of anti-Semitic vandalism incidents is a reminder that we are still not immune to anti-Semitism."
As requested more terrible BDS singing and dancing
Daphne Anson: BDSers' Foolish Moves In Boston
"I laughed so hard I awoke my neighbors. Thank you for sharing your stupidity to the world."


Israeli fashion hits West Bank
The Ramallah branch would be Fox's first in a Palestinian city.
Although initial responses to the opening of the store among local Palestinians were mainly positive, some Palestinian activists have voiced extreme disdain for the act, accusing store owners, as well as Palestinian Authority leaders, of attempting to "normalize" the situation in the West Bank.
Israeli Firm Reveals New Arsenal in Battle for Cyber Security
Israeli firm Comsec, which specializes in consulting on information security, has unveiled two new tools it developed for providing responses to growing cyber-threats: the ComSimulator, which makes it possible to actively rehearse various degrees of cyber attacks; and the Cyber Intelligence Hub, an intelligence center that provides information collection and analysis services enabling proactive security for organizations.
'Facebook for Every Phone', the feature phone app, now has 100 million users
The Facebook for Every Phone application is powered by technology developed by Snaptu, an Israel-based mobile platform co-founded by Makavy in 2007. Facebook had acquired Snaptu in 2011 and the platform has been used ever since to ensure the social networking website is accessible to low-end devices as well.
Struggling To Preserve an Iranian Jewish Language Before It Goes Extinct
Isaac Yousefzadeh is in mourning for his mother, who passed away a few weeks ago. But with her death comes a second, more subtle loss—that of her language, Judeo-Kashani, which is now on the verge of extinction. "It's like somebody is sick in bed and in another few days or years he will die," he said. "That's it."
The language's speakers trace their roots to Kashan, a city in central Iran where Judeo-Kashani had been spoken for centuries. But in the past several decades, the Jews of Kashan have scattered—first to Tehran, and later around the world—and their descendants have adopted different languages. Virtually the only speakers left are a handful of Jews from Yousefzadeh's generation who were born in Kashan, a city that no longer has any Jewish residents. They are the end of the linguistic line. "It's a language that each day, the number of people that know it is less and less," said Yousefzadeh. "In 20 years, I'd say no one would speak it. Because they're dying each day."
It's all about the birds in Israel
Birding in Israel is serious business. With more than one billion feathered friends flying over Israel during spring and autumn, and an amazing variety of resident bird species, the country is one of the world's best places for bird-watching all year long.
"Israel sits on the junction of three continents," Prof. Yossi Leshem, director of Israel's International Center for the Study of Bird Migration (ICSBM), tells ISRAEL21c. "Politically, it's a disaster, but for bird migration, it's heaven. We have a huge bird bottleneck — it's a superhighway."

The Animals' New Single

Posted: 23 Jul 2013 02:30 PM PDT

From TOI:
Eric Burdon, former lead singer of '60s British band The Animals, on Tuesday cancelled an August 1 concert in Israel, because he had been receiving daily threatening emails, his manager said.

Burdon, whose band's decades-spinning career including hits such as "The House of the Rising Sun," "We Gotta Get out of This Place," "It's My Life," and "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood," was to have performed alongside Israeli legends Tislam at the Zappa Shuni Amphitheater in Binyamina. Tickets were already on sale.

Days ago, Burdon met up with members of Tislam in Vienna, and told them he was under pressure from anti-Israel activists to cancel the show. At that time, though, he seemed set on going ahead with the concert, telling the Israeli musicians, "Everyone needs music and there's no connection to current politics. Everyone has the right to be entertained."

But his manager later wrote to Tislam to state that the show was off. "We are under increasing pressure, including many threatening emails that we are receiving on a daily basis. I wouldn't want to put Eric in any danger," his manager wrote, in comments released by Tislam on Tuesday.

Hizballah reacts to being labeled "terrorist" by acting like - terrorists

Posted: 23 Jul 2013 01:15 PM PDT

From Hizballah's Al Manar (English):
Hezbollah expressed in a statement issued Monday evening firm rejection of the European Union's decision to put its military wing on the list of terrorism, and considered it as "aggressive, unjust decision written with Zionist ink."

Hezbollah saw in the EU bowing to pressures of the US administration and the Zionist entity as a serious turnover in its compliance to the White House dictates. "It looks as if the decision was written by American hands with Zionist ink and the EU had only to put its seal for approval," Hezbollah's statement said.

"If the EU countries think they are booking its locations in our Arab and Islamic countries by submitting to the logic of U.S. blackmailing, we assure them that Washington had made similar decision and gained only further failures and disappointments," the statement ended up saying.
Hmmm...what do you think they are talking about, as far as the US getting physically involved in the region and then suffering "failures and disappointements"?

It sounds to me like Hizballah is bragging about the bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut in 1983 that killed 300 people.

So peaceful!

In its Arabic site, Hizballah reports on statements from many of its Lebanese allies complaining about the EU decision. The Syrian Socialist Nationalist Party (of Lebanon!) states that the EU decision "is a behavior that encourages terrorism against free peoples," and called on "the sons of our people to further rally around the resistance and its weapons as the only option available to our people for liberation and the splendor and dignity."

MP Michel Aoun took a different tack - essentially admitting Hezbollah terrorism and justifying it. He said "the EU decision is contrary to the Charter of the United Nations, which provides for the right of peoples to liberate its land occupied by all means available." He added "all the peoples of Europe had practiced at some point resistance to liberate their lands from occupation," essentially equating Hizballah terrorism to, say, World War II.

Suggested label for products of Judea and Samaria

Posted: 23 Jul 2013 11:15 AM PDT

TOI reports:
The European Union is seeking to formulate guidelines for the labeling of products manufactured in Jewish West Bank settlements by the end of 2013, according to documentation published Tuesday.

A July 8 letter sent by EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton to high-ranking European commissioners says that member states must adopt standardized guidelines and regulations for labeling settlement products, Haaretz reported.
Well, they should not object if the companies in the territories are pro-active in labeling their products, would they?

Here's one possible label:
Seems accurate to me.

7/23 Links Part 1: Douglas Murray on the EU, Ending the ‘Israel-is-to-Blame’ Game, UNRWA's 'Camp Jihad'

Posted: 23 Jul 2013 09:30 AM PDT

From Ian:
Douglas Murray: "Occupied Territories": What About Cyprus, Kashmir, Tibet?
The EU does not only have a wrong-headed view of Israel's past, it has a wholly misguided view of its future.
Today Israel is at the very bottom of the list of countries of concern, even in its own neighborhood, let alone the wider world, with nearly 100,000 dead in Syria and Egypt going through a counter-counter revolution, and with the Sunni-Shiite conflict looking likely to reach one of its intermittent boiling points as the Shiite armies of Hezbollah clash with the Sunni-armed opposition in Syria. Amid all this, the issue of where Jews should or should not live inside their historical homeland is a matter of the lowest international import.
Yet the EU -- which always likes to think of itself as such a forward-looking organization -- is once again showing itself to be stuck in a wrong-headed and bigoted past. It is not Israel which is the problem in the Middle East. Today Israel is, in fact, about the only non-problem in the region.
Yet it is this country's sovereignty upon which the EU decides time and time again that it can intrude. This latest decision tells us nothing about Israel or the West Bank. But it tells us what we need to know about the EU.
Hawks, Doves – and Ostriches
High-level poseurs, like European Union (EU) representatives, like group pictures with world leaders. Their book of achievements is never more than a picture portfolio. "We call on all sides to show restraint," is the caption on the photo of the ostrich at the White House , the EU or the State Department preaching to the rapists and those they raped, telling Iranian protesters not to offend the ayatollahs, urging Egyptians not to insult Muslim Brothers, and bloodied Syrians not to be mean to Uncle Bashar.
US: Palestinians agreed to talks; Indyk reports premature
The State Department confirmed on Monday that the Palestinians agreed to participate in new peace talks with Israel, dismissing comments to the contrary made over the weekend by spokesmen for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
Spokeswoman Jen Psaki also dispelled weekend rumors that veteran diplomat Martin Indyk had already been tapped to lead the new negotiations. Psaki said that Secretary of State John Kerry is still "putting together the right combination of players," but denied that any decision on negotiators or envoys has been made.
Expert: The Chances of Peace Are Zero
Speaking to Arutz Sheva, Professor Diskin, a professor at the Political Science Department of the Hebrew University, said that the reason that talks are doomed to fail is because the PA does not wish to reach an agreement. Already now, several days after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry announced the resumption of talks, one can see that the PA is doubtful about starting negotiations, he said, citing as proof the PA's demand that preliminary talks be held in Washington before any negotiations.
Noting the peace agreement signed between Israel and Egypt in 1979, Professor Diskin said that in this case, both sides held serious negotiations and it was clear that both sides had the intention of reaching an agreement. The PA Arabs, however, display the opposite behavior, he added.
Ben Cohen: Kerry Must End the 'Israel-is-to-Blame' Game
Herein lies the risk of renewed peace talks: The Palestinians derail them, much as they did with previous attempts launched by the Clinton and George W. Bush Administrations, and the Israelis get the blame.
That's why John Kerry should be making it clear to the Europeans that the U.S. will not tolerate any EU punitive measures against Israel, should the talks collapse. And he should also make clear that final borders would be addressed at any negotiations, not in advance of them. Frankly, given the warm welcome Israel has given his peace initiative, it's the least he can do.
PA President Abbas: 'Jewish State Has the Right to Preserve its Security Within its Borders'
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas declared Monday that in any future peace deal between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, the Jewish State must leave "Palestinian land," while conceding that "the Jewish state has the right to preserve its security within its borders," in comments made three days after it was announced that direct negotiations would resume between the two sides.
Abbas Admits Palestinians Are Actually Jordanians
You see, the two state solution in Abbas' eyes are two Arab states, one for the Palestinians in Jordan, and one for the Palestinians in Judea and Samaria.
Perhaps we should ask him what about the third Palestinian state in the Gaza strip…
Two States? Not at "Camp Jihad"
As Israel and the Palestinian Authority prepare to renew their negotiations for "peace" under U.S. mediation, a short but powerful documentary about UNRWA children's camps shows just what kind of "solution" the Palestinian Authority and many of its citizens have in mind.
The film is made up almost exclusively of interviews with children and instructors at UNRWA camps.
In one part, campers are encouraged to chant:
"With God's help and our own strength we will wage war. And with education and jihad we will return!"


E.U. Blacklists Hezbollah "Military Wing", Calls Attention to Debates Over Whether Different Hezbollah "Wings" Exist
U.S. counterterrorism specialists and the U.S. intelligence community have analyzed Hezbollah's organizational structure and concluded that Hezbollah leaders are telling the truth when they deny that there are meaningful distinctions between the various parts of the organization:
Schwarzenegger - Israel's 'Hero' on Austrian Hizbullah Vote
One of the unsung heroes of the effort to put Hizbullah's "military wing" on a European Union blacklist was none other than former Hollywood actor and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
In a letter, Schwarzenegger convinced Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann to instruct the country's Foreign Minister to cast Austria's vote for the blacklist proposal, something that neither Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu nor President Shimon Peres were able to do.
Congress Okays Initial Arms Shipments to Syria Rebels
The Washington Post reported Tuesday that the U.S. will use money already in the CIA's budget and transfer it to operations in Syria, as part of a plan announced last month by the Obama Administration. The plan involves the providing of small arms and ammunition to some of the 1,200 groups of Syrian rebels, some of which have known affiliations with al Qaeda.
Head of Syrian Jihadists: We Support an Islamic Caliphate
In an audio recorded that has been disseminated over the past several days, Abu Mohammad al-Julani stresses that he strongly opposes parliamentary elections or any political settlement in the country which would be achieved through international intervention.
Four Syrians Hospitalized in Tzfat
Four Syrians including an eight-year-old girl were brought to a hospital in Israel after they were wounded by fighting in the war-torn country, a medical source said on Tuesday.
"Yesterday night an injured eight-year-old girl and her 48-year-old mother were treated for fractures to their arms and legs from shrapnel," said a spokesman for Ziv hospital in Tzfat, north of the Sea of Galilee.
Report: Assad asked Israel not to stand in the way of Alawite enclave
According to a report in The Guardian on Monday, Syrian President Bashar Assad sent a message to Avigdor Lieberman in 2012, when the latter was serving as foreign minister, asking Israel's position on the establishment of an Alawite enclave in northwestern Syria.
The Guardian reported that a mediator -- a well-known diplomatic figure -- is understood to have been asked by Assad to approach Lieberman late last year with a request that Israel not stand in the way of attempts to form an Alawite state, which could have meant moving some displaced communities into the Golan Heights area.
Top US brass: Syria no-fly zone would cost $1b. a month
Establishing a no-fly zone to protect Syrian rebels would require hundreds of US aircraft at a cost of more than $1 billion per month, with no assurance that it would change the momentum in the civil war there, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Monday.
Russia Affirms Commitment to Delivering S-300 Missile System to Syria
Russia is still committed to delivering the S-300 advanced anti-aircraft missile system to Syria, despite Western objections, and is also considering extending a loan to the war-torn country, Al Arabiya reported Monday.
Congress, Obama at odds over new Iran sanctions
Congress is considering a new series of hard-hitting Iran sanctions on everything from mining and construction to the Islamic republic's already besieged oil industry, despite concern from the Obama administration that the measures could interfere with nuclear negotiations.
House and Senate bills are both advancing at a time President Barack Obama's national security team is gauging whether Iranian President-elect Hasan Rouhani is serious about halting some elements of Tehran's uranium enrichment activity. Those involved in the process said the administration wants to temper Congressional plans until Rouhani takes office in August and has an opportunity to demonstrate whether his government will offer concessions.

Freedom of the press, Turkish-style

Posted: 23 Jul 2013 07:40 AM PDT

From Today's Zaman:
The Turkish Journalists Union (TGS) has announced that at least 22 journalists have been fired in connection with the Gezi Park protests, while 37 others have had to resign from their posts.

The İstanbul branch of the TGS held a press conference on Sunday to discuss dismissals and resignations from media outlets. Many journalists were in attendance, including Akşam columnist Tuğçe Tatari, who was dismissed, and Culture and Arts Editor Hasan Cömert, who resigned from his position.

Speaking at the conference, TGS İstanbul branch head Gökhan Durmuş said 22 journalists have been fired and 37 others forced to resign since May 27, when a small group of environmentalists began a sit-in protest in Gezi Park in the heart of İstanbul, attempting to block the government's plan to build an Ottoman-style barracks on the park. Following a heavy-handed police crackdown on the peaceful protesters, thousands took to the streets and rallies spread across Turkey. Five people, including a policeman, died and more than 7,000 were injured in the clashes, according to a Turkish rights group.

"These dismissals and resignations are mostly related to censorship policies followed by some media outlets in dealing with the Gezi Park resistance," Durmuş said, adding that media workers are trying their best to resist the pressure exerted by media bosses and the government.

"Our colleagues worked hard for the public's right to be informed, and they paid for it with their jobs. Some have been censored, some had their TV programs shut down. There are even journalists who have been sacked due to their tweets. A colleague has been dismissed from his job just for saying hi to a [Gezi] protester," Durmuş further stated, calling on all media workers to cooperate with the union to fight against pressure.
A NYT op-ed on Sunday highlighted the problem as well, blaming the cozy relationships between conglomerates that include the media as well as infrastructure that requires government cooperation:
Turkey's rapidly growing economy has caused such greed that the media owners regularly counteract the judgment of professional journalists who are trying to do their jobs on behalf of the public. Editorial content is strictly controlled by media bosses who have other business interests and are submissive to the government. With, or more often without, any direct government intervention, they impose self-censorship on a daily basis and silence colleagues who defend basic journalistic ethics. With hardly any union presence in these outlets, there is very little job security.

...THE Turkish media's pathological dysfunction is just one example of a much broader phenomenon. An extensive study conducted for the European Union by a group of journalists and independent media experts from across the continent found similar problems throughout southeastern Europe.

"Many media owners and leading journalists have vested political and economic interests and use their position to engage in ruthless 'media wars' against political opponents," the report found.

...The more media moguls get involved in shady dealings with governments, the more their greed blocks all decent journalism and destroys journalists' ability to hold the government accountable. A corrupted media can never uncover corruption in a credible manner.

Jordanian paper pushes the Helen Thomas ethnic cleansing plan

Posted: 23 Jul 2013 05:40 AM PDT

Addustour, a popular Jordanian newspaper, looks at the death of Helen Thomas and asks - what's so wrong with her idea of kicking all the Jews out of Israel? It is a plan that should be taken seriously, according to this op-ed.

After all, Herzl didn't care where the Jewish homeland would be. And Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood said they'd allow Jews to return to that country once Israel was destroyed. And Jews themselves say they were kicked out of Arab countries, implying that they would return if they could. (Jordan, of course, would have no Jews returning, so it is an easy plan for a Jordanian newspaper to push.)

Of course, a few Jews would be allowed to remain in Israel according to the Helen Thomas Peace/Ethnic Cleansing Plan. You know, the ones who say that they disavow any concept of Jewish nationalism.

Yes, the best way to memorialize "this courageous woman" would be to take her liberal idea of ethnic cleansing and implement it fully.

Hamas reportedly breaks bones of PRC terrorist who shot rockets - and that's a good thing

Posted: 23 Jul 2013 03:15 AM PDT

Last Friday, two rockets from Gaza were fired into Israel.

According to Palestine Press Agency, the Nasser Saladin Brigades of the PRC terror group announced that one of their members was arrested and beaten by Hamas on Saturday, fracturing his limbs. They said that the reason for the arrest was suspicion of shooting the rockets. (As far as I can tell, the PRC didn't take credit for the launches.)

Outside of the obvious human-rights problem that Hamas and the PA don't care about their own laws, this is actually the best possible situation in stopping terror attacks.

Both Hamas and the PA control land and have established quasi governments from which they derive their legitimacy. This is a source of pride, and pride is a huge motivating factor in the honor/shame society of the Arabs.

Therefore, it is something that must be protected at almost all costs.

Without negotiations and without fanfare, Israel makes it clear that if it is attacked, she will respond. The responses necessarily involve the hated Jews either physically coming to the areas that the attacks originated from or attacking from the air. Either way, it weakens the perceived sovereignty of the PA and Hamas over the lands that they govern, and this is a source of shame. Therefore, it must be avoided.

And if that means that these groups will stop their own citizens from attacking Israel, then that is what has to be done.

Peace can only occur if it is in the self-interests of the parties. The reason that two decades of the Oslo process have not brought a real peace is that the terms given violate the self-interests of both parties.

A detente, however, is in the interests of both parties. Over the years Israel has established just such a detente by exploiting the fact that the PA and Hamas have something to lose by not cooperating. They want to stay in power? Fine - as long as Israel is left alone, their own leadership is safe.

This is the closest thing to peace that is possible in the conflict. Thuggish methods to enforce the truce is not ideal, but it is much better than rockets landing on schools.
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