יום שישי, 29 בנובמבר 2013

Elder of Ziyon Daily News

Elder of Ziyon Daily News

Link to Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News

The dreidel balloon at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Posted: 28 Nov 2013 08:00 PM PST

Yes, there really was a dreidel - right ahead of Papa Smurf:


I have no idea what the human snowflakes in front are doing.

11/28 Links Pt2: Israeli Prof elected VP of Project Including Iran PA, GWU reviews links with Al Quds

Posted: 28 Nov 2013 05:00 PM PST

From Ian:
Israeli Professor Vice-President of Project Including Iran, PA
A Jordan-based scientific research project whose members include Iran and the Palestinian Authority has chosen an Israeli professor as vice president, the candidate's university confirmed.
Scientists from states participating in the project elected Eliezer Rabinovici, a physics professor at Jerusalem's Hebrew University, as vice-president of the Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East (SESAME), the university told AFP
GW Med School: Al-Quds Exchanges 'Would Need to be Evaluated' After Nazi-Style Rally
Student exchanges between the George Washington University (GW) School of Medicine and Health Sciences and the Palestinian Al-Quds University, which have not materialized since being offered in 2008, "would need to be evaluated" following the recent Nazi-style rally on the Al-Quds campus in Jerusalem.
What's With the Nazi Fascination?
Speaking to Arutz Sheva, Tom Gross said that the footage proved that attempts by Al-Quds to excuse the November 5th rally as an isolated event were disingenuous:
"The emergence of a video showing another Fascistic-style, militaristic Islamic Jihad rally, on what appears to be the main campus of Al-Quds University this past May - together with Palestinian students at Al-Quds who have informed me that the student factions of both Hamas and the PFLP held similar rallies at Al-Quds University this semester a few weeks ago - calls into question the claims by the Al-Quds university authorities that the November 5 rally was a one-off event, which they claim they didn't know about until they saw the photos of it."
UN Watch: UN condemns Israel 6 times, declares 'Year of Palestine'
The UN General Assembly yesterday condemned Israel in six resolutions, the most significant of which declares 2014 a "Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian people."
The new year is now liable to bring escalated politicization within UN agencies worldwide, doing nothing to help Palestinians or Israelis on the ground, while inflicting yet further damage to the world body's effectiveness and credibility.
The one-sided resolutions were adopted in tandem with the UN's observance Monday of its annual "International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People."
The Guardian: Australia is right to challenge the UN's anti-Israel bias
The consequences of the UN's one-sidedness against Israel are grave. For one, it is a disservice both to Israel and the Palestinian cause. A complex struggle for national self-determination by two peoples over a territory less than half the size of Tasmania, has seen the Palestinians cast as victims, and Israel depicted as the brute. As a result, the world overlooks the true causes of the conflict, and by logical extension, is unable to see the solutions.
For example, the EU recently found that the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah had squandered close to €2bn of aid from European taxpayers; aid intended to build Palestinian institutions, enfranchise the people, elevate their quality of life. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Al-Quds University is reported to have staged a Nuremberg-style rally by members of the Islamic Jihad terrorist organisation, replete with black uniforms and Nazi salutes. Yet such issues concerning incitement and mismanagement, which strike at the heart of why the Palestinians' national goals remain unfulfilled, are routinely overlooked by the UN.
Report: Anti-Semitic incidents rise 21% in Australia
Anti-Semitic incidents in Australia rose 21 percent in the last year and are the second highest on record, according to an annual report.
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry's annual "Report on Anti-Semitism in Australia" – tabled at Sunday's annual general meeting in Melbourne – revealed 657 reports of racist violence against Jewish Australians and Jewish community buildings between Oct. 1, 2012 and Sept. 30, 2013.
Serious physical attacks were at the lowest since 2005, however, with fewer than 20.
Aussie Paper Publishes Photo, Caricatures Jews
Put aside the attitude of Amin Saikal as he almost crows with glee over the perceived blow to Israel following the signing of the Iran interim nuclear deal. The first thing that most readers will notice before reading the text of his Sydney Morning Herald op-ed is the accompanying photo.
What exactly does an uncaptioned photo of silhouetted ultra-Orthodox Jews have to do with the Israel-Iran situation?
Pope Francis Reaffirms Commitment to Jewish-Christian Relations, Regret for Anti-Semitism
Pope Francis on Tuesday released his widely anticipated first Apostolic Exhortation, which included a strong reaffirmation of dialogue with the Jewish people and an expression of regret for past anti-Semitism.
The 224-page comprehensive document, titled Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel), outlines the pope's vision for the Catholic Church.
"We [the Catholic Church] hold the Jewish people in special regard because their covenant with God has never been revoked," Pope Francis wrote in the document.
'Dolphin Boy' gets picked up by Disney
Walt Disney Animation Studios has bought the rights for "Dolphin Boy," an Israeli-made documentary film about Morad, an Israeli Arab teenager who was healed by Eilat's dolphins after turning mute following a violent attack.
The purchase is the first that Burbank, California studio has made in Israel. It intends to turn the story into a feature film.
Shine keeps mobile devices happy and virus-free
While they won't say it to the media, most security technology startups in Israel have a link to Israel's version of the CIA, Unit 8200. But Ron Porat, who founded the anti-virus company Shine (www.getshine.com), comes from a modest background as a technician in the Israeli Air Force. Once a teenage gaming hacker, after military service he became a professional archeologist.
Seven years of digging though layers of dirt led to a sad paycheck that wouldn't support a growing family. So Porat, now 44 with three kids, went back to the traditional workforce as a programmer and worked his way to the top.
BGU and Chinese firm to create desert research institute
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Elion Resources Group of China to create a desert institute in Mongolia. The goal of the new Kubuqi Desert Research Institute is to develop China's desert economy.
Mr. Wang Wenbiao, the chairman and president of the multi-billion dollar construction and development company, was recently in Israel to visit BGU's Sede Boqer and Beersheva campuses. He and 10 senior executives were so impressed with the quality of desert research that they saw they pushed for an immediate MoU.
Israel to open new industrial park with Jordan
An Israeli ministerial committee authorized the construction of a multimillion-dollar joint industrial zone with Jordan, considered to be the first large-scale project since the signing of the peace treaty between the two countries in 1994.
The industrial park, initiated by Regional Cooperation Minister Silvan Shalom, will be located in the northern Jordan Valley and comprise an Israeli and a Jordanian industrial zone connected by a bridge over the Jordan River. An Israeli ministerial committee Monday authorized initial funding for the project at NIS 120 million ($34 million) with an additional projected investment of 60 million ($17 million) over the coming years.
Meet the Israeli Startups Supported by Microsoft
Microsoft Ventures Accelerator in Tel Aviv has graduated its third batch of startups, five of which have already received an average of $1m in funding or formal proposals.
The ten graduating startups benefitted from the support of several multinational corporations participating in the accelerator program, including eBay, Comcast, Sears Israel, Saatchi & Saatchi, Y&R and Deutsche Telekom. The multinationals contributed mentoring from leading executives, help in developing technology and solutions, beta sites to test those solutions, and connections with customers.
Mexican billionaire Slim: We want to invest more in Israel
Slim said that he was touched to receive such an invitation and will be happy to visit Israel. He added, "Technology is the engine of the present era and the Slim Group will be happy to take part in additional investments in Israel. We like to have our finger on the pulse of everything regarding new technologies and I know that in this Israel is a world leader, so we are interested in Israeli developments. I'm glad that through our connection and friendship the opportunity was created for this unique visit here by the Israeli delegation to Grupo Carso." (h/t Bob Knot)
UN Conference Highlights Plight of Jewish Refugees, Fate of Iraqi Jewish Archive
On the front line of that battle, according to Jewish and Israeli leaders, is the United Nations. Since 1947, among the 687 U.N. resolutions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, 101 have referenced Palestinian refugees, but none have called attention to the plight of Jewish refugees from Arab nations.
"Over the last 65 years, the U.N. and its agencies have spent tens of billions of dollars on Palestinian refugees, but not a cent on Jewish refugees," said Silvan Shalom—Israel's Minister of Energy and Water, whose grandfather was once the leader of the Jewish community in Gabes, Tunisia—during a Nov. 21 conference on Jewish refugees at the U.N. titled "The Untold Story of the Middle East."
The partition plan and Jewish refugees
Over the years, the Arab leadership exacerbated human suffering by making sure the refugees would not be integrated into their new countries. West Germany, India, Pakistan, Turkey, Greece and other countries all saw similar, perhaps even identical, refugee crises. But in all of those instances, the governments worked to rehabilitate the displaced people.
The Arab refugees became a prop that was cynically used by the anti-Israel propaganda machine. That is how the myth of the so-called Nakba (catastrophe) grew with each passing year. Over the years, the Arab states have deliberately ignored the human tragedy inflicted on the Jews in Muslim countries. The Jews were slaughtered and expelled and their property was expropriated. In today's terms, an equivalent of $300 billion was confiscated. This was coupled by great mental anguish.
U.S. Holocaust Survivor Reunites with Polish Savior
A Jewish boy who hid from the Nazis in a haystack was reunited in New York after 70 years Wednesday with the Polish son whose parents risked everything to save him, reports AFP.
Beaming American Holocaust survivor Leon Gersten, 79, embraced and clasped the hand of a visibly moved Czeslaw Polziec, 81, whose Polish parents saved five Jews during World War II.
Israel Wins EU 'Reducing the Gender Gap' Prize for Middle East
Female members of parliament from around the world have gathered in Brussels this week to celebrate advances made by women. The prize awarded to Israel was based on research from the World Economic Forum into the progress made by women in 135 countries, in terms of resource allocation between men and women and how that is reflected in gender equality in the population.
IDF Blog: #IDFWithoutBorders: Map of IDF Aid Delegations Around the World
Most of the delegations were staffed with reserve soldiers from the IDF's Search and Rescue Unit. The national Search and Rescue Unit, under the Home Front Command, is a highly skilled force trained to execute special search and rescue missions. Although the unit – created with the goal of providing aid both in Israel and abroad – was established in 1983, the IDF has been sending medical aid delegations around the world since its founding. In addition to the rescue teams, the delegations include doctors from the Medical Corps, mechanical engineering equipment operators, rescue dog handlers and Logistics officers.
IDF Aid Delegation Returns from the Philippines

The real connection between Thanksgiving and Chanukah is the Jewish Temple

Posted: 28 Nov 2013 02:58 PM PST

From Congress' discussion of declaring a day of thanksgiving in 1789:



Elias Boudinot was a delegate from New Jersey; Roger Sherman was a delegate from Connecticut.

Roger Sherman naturally associated giving of thanks to the Biblical accounts of the celebrations of thanksgiving at the original dedication of the Temple.

Chanukah means "dedication" - celebrating the re-dedication of the Temple.

(From NYT quoting Rabbi Meir Soloveitchik, new rabbi of New York synagogue Shearith Israel, which was founded in 1654.)

(corrected date h/t Barbara)

Chanukah video post #2: "What Does Your Mom Say?" and "The Thanksgivukkah Anthem" - plus (UPDATED)

Posted: 28 Nov 2013 01:30 PM PST

Continuing with the series, I need to use up the Thanksgivukah videos by tonight.

This is pretty good, although it peters out in the end.



This one from Six13 is very, very silly. In a good way.





Since Thansgivnukah is almost gone, I have to squeeze in this Funny or Die video, which is really making more fun of absurd movie comedy premises than anything else.




If you can't get enough of the combined holiday videos, here are some that are not as good:

Thanksgivukah rap battle parody

 This one's production values are excellent, the idea is less than half-baked.

This is New Yorker droll, but didn't really do much for me.

This one tries to channel Adam Sandler, and fails miserably.

UPDATE: Just found this Chanukah/Thanksgiving video that is not bad (from a nominee for a Hasby award):

Another earthquake near Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant

Posted: 28 Nov 2013 12:26 PM PST

An earthquake shook southern Iran Thursday evening near a nuclear power plant, killing at least eight people and injuring 59 more, the semi-official Fars News Agency reported.

Twelve of the injured were in critical condition, it said, citing Hassan Qadami, the head of Iran's Crisis-Management Headquarters.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the 5.6-magnitude quake was centered about 39 miles (63 km) northeast of the Persian Gulf city of Bushehr, where the nuclear plant is located, and 7 miles (14 km) northeast of Borazjan.

The quake struck at a relatively shallow -- and therefore more likely to be damaging -- depth of 10.2 miles (16.4 km) at 5:21 p.m. local time. A reporter for the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency in Borazjan said residential buildings were damaged and electricity was disrupted to several areas, including sections of Borazjan.

The city is in Bushehr province, which is the site of a nuclear power plant that went online in 2011. There was no immediate report of how the plant fared in Thursday's temblor.

A 6.3-magnitude earthquake in May [sic] killed 39 people and injured 850 in Bushehr province, but the reactor was not affected, it said.
The other Bushehr earthquake this year was in April.

Those Mossad agents are getting better and better!

Uh-oh. "Iranophobia" has reared its ugly head!

Posted: 28 Nov 2013 11:00 AM PST

From the ever-funny Iranian FARS news agency:


Chairman of Iran's Expediency Council Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani warned that the Zionist regime is attempting to make Arab countries forget their number one enemy which is Israel itself.

The Zionist regime's propaganda machine has been making hue and cry, since the triumph of the Islamic Revolution in Iran in order for the Arabs to forget their number one enemy, Rafsanjani said.

He made the remarks in a meeting with participants of a scientific and research gathering to mark solidarity with the Palestinian people.

In relevant remarks in August, a senior Iranian legislator censured the Zionist regime's baseless claims against Tehran, saying that Tel Aviv is promoting Iranophobia to come out of isolation.

"The western people's dissatisfaction and anger at their countries' high spending for the Zionist regime has endangered the regime seriously," member of the parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Mohammad Reza Mohseni Sani said.

"So, they naturally utter such protests and threats and raise baseless claims like their allegations about Iran's efforts to acquire atomic weapons in a bid to promote Iranophobia to divert the public opinion to some unreal issues and continue their illegitimate life and use of the Western assistance," he added.
It's almost as if he is looking at my playbook!

11/28 Links Pt1: Israel's New Terror Threat: Salafi Jihad, EU MEP's Celebrated with released Terrorists

Posted: 28 Nov 2013 09:00 AM PST

From Ian:
Barry Rubin: Tonight I'm Gonna Party Like It's 19[3]9
Any by the way, the Obama administration did not condemn these vicious anti-Israel statements nor did it alter any policy because of them.
Holocaust? Yawn!
Meanwhile, the U.S. policy has also hardened Palestinian Arabs' lines, as shown in statements by leaders. In turn, the Palestinian Arabs have hardened their policy, insulting the United States. Recently, there was a situation in which a Georgetown University session ditched a Nazi speaker but still featured a Nazi professor who denied that bin Ladin had played a role in September 11.
And moreover, Professor Rima Najjar posted on her Facebook page: "What Brandeis University does not understand: Palestinian armed resistance to Zionist colonization is a path to liberation." Brandeis University suspended its partnership with al-Quds University after the West Bank University had a rally that was meant to honor the martyrs of Islamic Jihad, in which the symbol of Israel, the Star of David, was symbolically stepped on by all demonstrators.
Israel Braces for Upsurge in Terror Attempts From New Threat – Salafi Jihad
Israel security forces are preparing for a new threat — Salafi jihad — after a terror plot was foiled by the Israel Defense Forces on Tuesday, when two suspects carrying explosives and handguns were killed in a raid in Hebron, where the sect is strongest, Israel's Walla News reported on Wednesday.
A Salafi jihad group called "Hizb al – Tahrir" – the Freedom Party – has held demonstrations against both Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The group has won popular support in Hebron, considered to be more radically religious, and in East Jerusalem, where its members were involved in violent demonstrations on the Temple Mount, Walla said.
Thousands attend funerals of Salafi terrorists
Obeidallah Nairouh said his brother had served six years in an Israeli prison for Hamas-related activities. In prison, Mohammed quit Hamas and drifted toward the Salafis, his brother said.
He said his brother was upset with Hamas for not imposing Shariah law in Gaza and spoke frequently about the need to engage in jihad.
Despite Nairouh's apparent falling out with Hamas, the terrorist group dominated his funeral march in Hebron. Several thousand mourners joined the procession. Many of them raised the green flag of Hamas and chanted, "Revenge, revenge."
EU parliamentarian attacks colleagues for celebrating Palestinian prisoner releases
The attendance by members of the European Union's parliamentary delegation at the Ramallah celebration in honor of the released Palestinian prisoners last month was "unacceptable" and undermined the EU's credibility as an honest broker, Italian politician Fiorello Provera said on Wednesday before leaving Israel after a four-day visit.
"It's disgraceful behavior," said Provera, who added that he was ashamed for the action of those delegates.
"These people [released Palestinian prisoners] are not freedom fighters. They are no heroes. They are assassins. They killed ordinary people," Provera said.
Qatar to provide $150 million for struggling Palestinian economy
Last month, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said in Paris after talks with Qatari Foreign Minister Khaled al-Attiyah that Qatar had agreed to provide $150 million in debt relief to the PA.
Hamdallah had said in September that the PA needed to raise $500 million by the end of 2013 to allow it to continue functioning and pay its employees' salaries.
Poll of Palestinians Shows Distrust in Negotiations, Hamas
The poll surveyed 1,200 Palestinians above the age of 18 from the West Bank and Gaza Strip in mid-November. About one-third of respondents said they prefer armed resistance over peaceful negotiations. Thirty percent of Palestinians blame Hamas for the division between the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Twenty percent of respondents continue to trust PA President Mahmoud Abbas, compared to only 11 percent who expressed trust for Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, the poll revealed.
Hamas official blasts Ramallah over Gaza blackout
Moussa Abu Marzouk, deputy head of Hamas's political bureau, accused the Palestinian Authority of raising the price of Israeli diesel from NIS 4.26 ($1.2) per liter to NIS 7.75 ($2.19), making Gaza's energy bill unaffordable to the Hamas government.
"The [Palestinian] Authority in Ramallah has gone back on its promise to not increase the tax. This has rendered the energy authority in Gaza unable to pay the taxes, as it can barely pay the bill without the tax," Abu Marzouk wrote on his Facebook page.
Baby granddaughter of Hamas prime minister dies
The girl was brought to Israel in grave condition last week but returned to the Gaza Strip a day later after Israeli doctors concluded they could not help her.
A statement from Haniyeh's office said the girl, named Amal, died at a children's hospital in Gaza Wednesday.
BBC's Knell continues the downplaying of terror from the Gaza Strip
The breathtaking banality of Knell's downplaying of the effects of regular terror attacks on civilians is enabled by the fact that since the end of last November's hostilities (and likewise before their 'official' commencement on November 14th 2012) no BBC reporter has made the 90 minute journey from Jerusalem to Sderot or Ashkelon in order to bring to BBC audiences the experiences and viewpoints of residents of those areas still subject to regular missile attacks.
The Economist misleads about American Jewish attitudes towards Israel and Iran
Further, results from AJC's two previous polls of American Jews show 72.5 percent supporting Israeli military action in such a scenario in 2012, with 67 percent supporting such action in 2011 – indicating relatively consistent support over the past three years for a potential Israeli attack.
More broadly, a major study by Pew Global released this year demonstrated that about 70 percent American Jews are "emotionally very attached to Israel", findings, Pew noted, which "closely resemble results from the last National Jewish Population Survey conducted in 2000-2001″.
So, it seems clear that – despite The Economist's misleading characterizations of the polls cited – American Jewish support for Israel (including support for any future Israeli military action which may be required) shows no signs of wavering.
Fear Over Iran Deal Leads to New Regional Alliances
Until now, it had been hard to imagine Israel and Saudi Arabia publicly finding common ground, but they have on the Iranian issue. It appears that contacts between the two countries in advance of a perceived sell-out by the U.S. have been developing throughout this year and have accelerated in recent weeks. The Sunni states feel betrayed by the Geneva agreement.
"In order to understand what the Gulf States are doing on this issue," David Weinberg, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies told the IPT, "you have to look beyond their formal statements. When you analyse what is being said there is great concern about this amongst at least four of the GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council] states – Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and the UAE. They all see themselves as deeply threatened, undermined, and encircled by Iran."
'Iran will still make a nuclear bomb': Israel's ambassador to the UK Daniel Taub argues the Geneva deal endangers us all
"If you look at the region you see this very radical axis that runs from Tehran to Damascus to Beirut and actually on to Gaza, and I think that we are not alone [in being worried] about it," he said.
"There are many countries that look on these issues and it's a reminder that if we can rise above some of our immediate differences and paradigms we actually have an awful lot in common, many of our most fundamental strategic concerns are actually aligned, and of course we would be interested in trying to deepen relationships on that basis."
US now indicates Iran interim deal wasn't quite finalized
State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said that the six-month interim period, during which Iran would take steps to rein in its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief, has not yet begun. Furthermore, there are still a number of details to be worked out, she said, without specifying what points had yet to be finalized.
Her comments created confusion as to whether the much-touted interim deal, supposedly reached by P5+1 powers and Iran in Geneva in the early hours of Sunday morning, had actually been completed as claimed. Iran on Tuesday accused the US of publishing an inaccurate account of what had been agreed. And its Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in an address to the Iranian parliament Wednesday that Iran would continue construction on the Arak heavy water plant, in an apparent breach of the ostensibly agreed terms.
Iran deal won't kick in until nuclear inspections, pushing start into 2014
The International Atomic Energy Agency has inspected Iran's program regularly over the past decade, submitting its findings to the IAEA's 35-nation board and the UN Security Council.
But the agreement sealed in Geneva on Sunday boosts the scope and significance of the agency's monitoring activities, making it the chief arbiter of whether Iran is keeping its end of the bargain — capping its nuclear program in exchange for some sanctions relief.
Iran deal a failure, says ex-national security chief
"Obama has asked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take a breather from his clamorous criticism and send to Washington a team that can explore with US officials a sound end-state strategy," Ignatius wrote. "Perhaps the United States and Israel need a back channel, outside the bombastic pressure campaign by Israeli advocates."
The prime minister's former national security adviser, who stepped down earlier this month, claimed that under the terms of the deal Iran will be able to maintain its thousands of centrifuges and even work on upgrading them just so long at they are not installed in uranium enrichment plants. In practice, that means Iran's uranium enrichment capability will remain at its current level, meaning it would be available for use whenever Tehran needs it.
Poll shows Americans split on Iran deal
Americans are nearly evenly divided over the deal reached between Iran and the P5+1 world powers, with 43 percent of the public maintaining that the agreement would end up damaging US interests in the Middle East, while 41% believe the deal will curb Iran's capability of producing a nuclear weapon, a survey found Wednesday.
Report: Satellite Imagery Shows Iran Launching Biggest Submarine Yet in Persian Gulf
Iran has launched its Fateh-class submarine, the largest it has ever built, into the Persian Gulf, and is building a second at the Caspian port of Bandar Anzali, according to satellite imagery seen by IHS Jane's Defence Weekly, which is publishing the photographs later on Wednesday.
Jane's said that at about 48 meters, the Fateh-class is bigger than the largest subs built by North Korea, which is believed to have helped Iran produce its 29-meter Ghadir midget subs. The one being built at Bandar Anzali will also be the first submarine launched in the Caspian.
Assad lauds Tehran's 'resilience' in nuclear talks
According to Syrian state media, Assad spoke with President Hassan Rouhani over the phone and lauded "the success of the Iranian diplomacy in reaching the agreement," which was "the result of the resilience of the Iranian people, who held onto their rights, and of the Iranian leadership's commitment to the principles of Iran's sovereignty."
The report said that Rouhani affirmed Tehran's support for the Assad regime "in its war against terrorism."
250 Hezbollah fighters slain in Damascus, rebels claim
Syrian rebels claimed Thursday that they killed 250 Hezbollah fighters and captured dozens in fierce battles in the suburbs of Damascus, while a missile attack reportedly killed 40 people in the city of Raqqa.
Hebrew media sources, citing the Lebanese al-Mustaqbal newspaper, reported the claim by the Free Syrian Army on Thursday, although the information could not be confirmed by other sources.
'NSA tracked jihadis' porn habits'
The Huffington Post cited a secret National Security Agency document that allegedly reveals the US agency spied on the online sexual activity of Islamist radicals in order to find ways to discredit them.
The website said the document, leaked by ex-NSA contractor Edward Snowden, shows the organization tracked six unnamed "radicalizers" and their visits to pornographic websites. It says the alleged electronic surveillance aimed to find their "personal vulnerabilities" to undermine their credibility.

News from the year 2063

Posted: 28 Nov 2013 07:00 AM PST

NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 28, 2063 (CNN/AP/HUFFPO) - The 168th General Assembly Tuesday adopted a resolution, declaring the years 2064-2163 as the "International Century of Solidarity with the Palestinian People."

Co-sponsored by more than 150 countries, the resolution received 212 votes in favor, 7 against and 12 abstained earlier in the day as the GA wrapped up its annual discussion on the Palestinian question, which began on Monday.

"The world has ignored the plight of Palestinians long enough," declared Mahmoud al-Haurani, the Palestine ambassador to the UN and currently president of the body.

In total, the UN passed 19 resolutions condemning Israel.

One resolution condemned the regime for Judaizing the ancient Palestinian metropolis of Tel-al-Bib by renaming it Tel Aviv in 1910.

Another condemnation was for Israel allowing its citizens to drink wine on Passover within 2 kilometers of any Muslims. This was described as an "unspeakable crime of apartheid and intolerance.""

A third resolution condemned Israel for for downing 13 nuclear warheads that were shot from Iran, Turkey and Ireland. They were downed with Israel's Laser Missile Defense System but the missile fragmets crashed in deserts or the Mediterranean, causing nuclear radiation to leak and harming the environment.

The "International Century of Solidarity with the Palestinian People"  resolution called for all efforts to promote the realization of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to self-determination and to force Israel to allow all Palestinian Arab refugees to return to their homes in Palestine. It also calls for the human right to massacre any Israelis living in those homes, or in the area if the home itself no longer existed.

There are now some 63 million Palestinian Arab refugees throughout the Middle East. According to UNRWA statistics, every single one of them insist to return to the lush Palestinian fields of their ancestors so they can harvest olives.

The Arab nations that agreed to host them for the past 115 years graciously continue to keep their Palestinian population in camps in order to ensure that they don't forget their humble roots. In 2032, the Arab League asked Jordan to strip all Palestinians of their citizenship so as not to cause jealously from the refugees living in Sinaigaza, Greater Syria and the Saudi Gulf bloc. "Equal rights for all refugees!" was the slogan Saudi prince Bandari coined for the popular initiative.

Last week, UNRWA asked for an additional $800 million because the number of Palestinian refugees have, for the first time, doubled the number of all other refugees in the world combined.

As is traditional, when the Israeli ambassador to the UN asked to respond to the condemnations, he was bombarded with hundreds of shoes, thoughtfully provided by the UN and donated from nations around the globe.

The annual discussion of the Palestine question was briefly interrupted by news of the breakout of a new nuclear war between India and Greater Pakistan, in which millions were incinerated. After a moment of silence, a discussion of Israelis violating the 2056 ban on tourism ads continued. The Third Subcommittee on Cultural Theft of the Palestinian People noted that any mention of any scientific achievement or archaeological discovery by Israelis in the holosphere is indistinguishable from an advertisement. The subcommittee recommended that Israeli Jews be banned from all social media in case they say anything that is not negative about their regime.

A resolution on the issue is expected to be drafted and passed in May during the annual International Month of Commemorating the Holocaust of the Palestinian People.

Tourism to Israel reached record numbers last year. Since many of the tourists were religious Christians, petitions have been circulating on college campuses to ban the Bible for being too Zionist.

Last year, the UN Human Rights Council deplored Israeli President Semoli's description of Israel as a "beautiful country" in an interview, passing six non-binding resolutions of their own declaring it illegal to refer to Israel as anything other than "the ugly apartheid Zionist regime, may it be blotted out soon."

(see here)

Dubai will host World Expo in 2020. Will Israel be allowed to exhibit?

Posted: 28 Nov 2013 05:00 AM PST

From Al Arabiya:
The sky above the world's tallest building was this evening illuminated by fireworks as Dubai was named host city of the Expo 2020.

The city, part of the United Arab Emirates, fought off competition from Brazil, Turkey and Russia in its much-hyped bid to run the exhibition.

Fireworks popped around Dubai's Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, as the announcement was made thousands of kilometres away in Paris.

Dubai is now expected to spend billions of dollars preparing for the World Expo, according to industry estimates.

Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashed al-Maktoum promised that the event would "astonish" the world.

"Dubai #Expo2020 will breathe new life into the ancient role of the Middle East as a melting pot for cultures and creativity," Sheikh Mohammed tweeted.

Foreign government officials also welcomed the news. "Congratulations to #Dubai for winning #Expo2020. We know you will do a fantastic job. #Mabruk!" tweeted the British Foreign Secretary William Hague.
Will there be an Israel exhibit?

Given that Dubai routinely bans Israelis from entering the country (except for high-profile sporting events that would threaten to boycott the country otherwise,) this could be an interesting test of its supposed tolerance.

No, Israel did not join the UNHRC

Posted: 28 Nov 2013 02:37 AM PST

From Arutz-7:

Israel to Join United Nations Human Rights Council

Israel has been accepted to join the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Maariv reported Thursday. The international body infamous for condemning the Jewish state will now add it to the list of 9 Western states.

The move is a complete about-face for the UNHRC, which in its 5-year history has condemned Israel over 46 times - more than any other nation in the world.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his national security advisor Yaakov Amidror have set two requirements as preconditions for the resumption of cooperation with the Council.

The first is that European Union states agree to boycott the council meetings which are held under the anti-Israel Agenda Item 7 mandate, alongside the U.S., Canada and Australia.

Agenda Item 7 states that the UNHRC must discuss Israel's alleged human rights violations each and every time the council convenes, regardless on what is occuring in other countries in the Middle East or around the world.

The EU has agreed to boycott the meetings at the next 2 UNHRC conventions. In the future, it could only participate in Agenda Item 7 discussions if there is a complete consensus over the issues at stake among every EU member state.

Maariv notes that is a near-impossibility. As such, those meetings have been effectively stripped of their Western representation - removing their efficacy as springboards for anti-Israel activity by Arab states.

The second condition is that Israel be accepted as part of the Western bloc in the UNHRC. Until now, Israel has not been assigned to any specific category, preventing it from taking effective action and singling it out even more. If not, Netanyahu has threatened to withdraw Israeli involvement from the UNHRC permanently.

Western member states have reportedly declared that they are making an attempt to quell differences among them and embrace Israel as a member state.

Maariv's analysts attribute the sudden change to increased tensions over nuclear weapons in Iran and North Korea as well as the upcoming Syria talks in Geneva later this year.

The UNHRC has expressed concern that a permanent Israeli withdrawal will not only encourage these countries to withdraw themselves as well - taking them off the international radar - but also reduce the relevancy of the Council in general as a result.

Israel will now be able to vote on UNHRC issues, including the selection of other member states, and defend itself against the claims brought against it. Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Aharon ("Roni") Leshno-Yaar will be sent to renew Israel's presence on the Council, and is expected to join by the end of 2013.
It appears that Arutz-7 misunderstood what happened. (It further appears that Palestine News Network reads Arutz-7, as it reports this as well.)

The UNHRC has 47 members, each elected to three year terms.

The elections for 2014 already occurred on November 12:

The General Assembly today elected 14 States to serve on the Human Rights Council, the United Nations body responsible for the promotion and protection of all human rights around the globe.

Those elected were Algeria, China, Cuba, France, Maldives, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, United Kingdom and Viet Nam. All would serve three-year terms beginning on 1 January 2014.

The 14 outgoing members were Angola, Ecuador, Guatemala, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Poland, Qatar, Republic of Moldova, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand and Uganda. In accordance with Assembly resolution 60/251, those Member States were eligible for immediate re-election except those who had served two consecutive terms, namely, Angola and Qatar.

The 14 members were elected according to the following pattern: four seats for African States, four seats for Asia-Pacific States, two seats for Eastern European States, two seats for Latin American and Caribbean States, and two seats for Western European and other States.
So what happened yesterday?

As the Arutz-7 article noted, Israel was not a member of any regional group according to UNHRC groupings. Neyanyahu insisted to become a member of the "Western European and Others" group in order to agree to continue to cooperate with the UNHRC. Maariv reports correctly that the "Western European and Others" group decided (over the objections of Iceland, Ireland and Turkey) to allow Israel to join that group because of Israel's threats to permanently withdraw from cooperating with the UNHRC otherwise.

Israel is now a little less disenfranchised at the UNHRC. It is not a member.

Now that Israel belongs to a regional group, it is eligible to become a member of the actual UNHRC. It is unclear that even the Western Europeans, who routinely vote against Israel in UN resolutions, would vote to give Israel a rotating membership any time soon.
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