יום שבת, 1 במרץ 2014

Elder of Ziyon Daily News

Elder of Ziyon Daily News

Link to Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News

UN commission says Israel is THE major problem in the Arab world. Yes, really.

Posted: 28 Feb 2014 01:00 PM PST

The UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)  just unveiled a report called "Arab Integration: A 21st Century Development Imperative." The report is book-length, 324 pages long.

It took two years and dozens of authors to write this.

The Foreword says:
There is general agreement that the current state of the Arab world warrants serious concern. Observers concur that the Arab countries appear to be at a development impasse, evidenced by persisting knowledge gaps, fragile economies and the prevalence of human injustice. But when it comes to the reasons for the status quo, or what it will take to change it, agreement gives way to heated debate.

This report, entitled "Arab Integration: A 21st Century Development Imperative", suggests an alternative to the present predicament. Readers may wish to study its ideas and
recommendations, take up those which they find relevant and reflect constructively on how to adapt others that may seem contentious. The report results from an ESCWA initiative conducted with a group of distinguished Arab thinkers from various schools of thought, occupations and regional backgrounds. What unites this eclectic group is a common belief in the role of the Arab world and a shared desire to protect its future. Its members firmly agree on the main aims and recommendations of the report, if not with every detail in it.

In the overview, it says in a pull-quote: Israel's policies threaten the security of all Arab citizens

Yes - every single Arab citizen is threatened by Israel.

In the speech launching the report, Rima Khalaf, Executive Secretary of ESCWA and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, said:

The effects of fragmentation have blighted all Arabs; observers cannot but notice the consequences of decades of division and underdevelopment. It is an explosive combination of threats and challenges, characterized by unconstrained foreign interference and human misery.

Foreign interference comes in various forms, such as violations of Arab rights and dignity, but its worst manifestation is the Israeli occupation of Palestine, the Syrian Golan Heights and Lebanese territories, in flagrant breach of all international conventions and resolutions.

The authors of the report claim that the damage caused by Israeli policies is not limited to occupation activities, but they believe that aggressive Israeli policies, including its support for discord aimed at establishing Arab sectarian mini-States and its nuclear programme that is not subject to international monitoring, pose a continuous threat to the security of Arab citizens in the region as a whole.

The most dangerous of these policies is Israel's adamancy that it is a Jewish State, which violates the rights of both the Muslim and Christian indigenous populations and revives the concept of state ethnic and religious purity, which caused egregious human suffering during the twentieth century.

The report claims that Arab rights would not have been trampled; Jerusalem would not have suffered under Judaization policies, land confiscation and the expulsion of populations; and Muslim and Christian holy shrines would not have been desecrated if Arabs had stood united and coordinated their efforts, or at least met their existing commitments to joint defence.
This sure sounds like the UN is saying that Israel shouldn't exist, and if only Arabs had been united, that scourge would never have arisen.

It is not surprising that when you get a bunch of Arabs who disagree about everything in a room to write a report about Arab problems, the one thing they will all agree on is to blame Israel. Privately they might think differently, but you will never find any of them to admit it publicly.So naturally the report will be top-heavy on blaming Israel for everything, especially their own disunity. From the report:
Before the State of Israel was established in 1948, the Zionist movement sought to thwart any Arab attempt at unity, or even cooperation. Post-1948, this policy extended to supporting civil wars in the region and sowing sedition among various groups. Israel took advantage of the sectarian and ethnic diversity of Arab countries, stoking feelings of injustice among minorities. In Lebanon, Israel supported certain parties in the civil war and sought to divide the country into a series of sectarian cantons. In the Sudan, it played a role in encouraging secessionist tendencies. In Morocco, Israel sought to strengthen its relations with Amazigh factions, but failed to penetrate the Moroccan social fabric.
Every page of the report indicates that the Arab world will never live with the Western world. It praises Nasser lavishly, even quoting his refusal to speak to Israel after the 1967 war to negotiate Israeli withdrawal from the Sinai.

You will not often see a UN report that praises a war of aggression, but when Israel is the object of such a war, then it becomes admirable:
Israel was to remain an obstacle to Arab unity. It occupied further Arab territories during the 1967 Six-Day War, which ended in the disastrous defeat of the Egyptian army. From then until his death, Nasser waged a war of attrition against Israeli occupation and sought to rebuild the Egyptian army in preparation for another war. He did not live to see the Egyptian army launch a surprise attack on Israeli positions and achieve a military victory in the 1973 October War, with the cooperation of several Arab States and the support of their peoples.

There are lots of lies and ridiculous assumptions in this report - downplaying if not ignoring Arab corruption and infighting and highlighting that the major problems are really everyone else's fault.

You really have to wonder why any enlightened nation give any respect to this thoroughly corrupt, immoral organization.

02/28 Links Pt2: Richard Silverstein’s racist abuse continues; Anelka 5-match ban for ‘quenelle’

Posted: 28 Feb 2014 11:00 AM PST

From Ian:
Richard Silverstein's racist abuse of Chloe Valdary continues: calls her a 'house slave'
So, Silverstein, a Comment is Free contributor, has now called Valdary a 'Negro Uncle Tom' and a 'House Slave'!
This blog has previously exposed Silverstein's defense of Hamas, his suggestion that Israel behaves like Nazi Germany (and, of course, his faux scoops), but after his latest racist outburst is there really anyone who can honestly claim that the Seattle-based Jewish blogger represents anything resembling liberal values?
Anelka gets five-match ban for 'quenelle'
Nicolas Anelka's future in English football was in the balance after the former France striker was given a five-match ban on Thursday for making a gesture widely condemned as anti-Semitic.
The Football Association found the French striker guilty of an "aggravated breach" of their rules for making the 'quenelle' playing for West Bromwich Albion in a Premier League match away to West Ham in December.
That saw the 34-year-old banned and fined £80,000 ($133,368).
'X Factor' Israel's Rose gets warm welcome upon return to Philippines
Rose Fostanes, the Filipina care-giving singer who took home first prize on Israel's X-Factor, returned to her home country on Wednesday to a warm welcome.
Appearing on popular evening talk show, Aquino and Abunda Tonight, hosted by Boy Abunda and Kris Aquino, who are known as the country's "King and Queen of talk," Fostanes showed off her pipes.



Ugliness of BDS hits University of Windsor
A student executive's office was broken into and vandalized on the eve of a controversial referendum at the University of Windsor.
Today marks the first of three voting days of an undergraduate student referendum that seeks official endorsement of the growing Israeli Boycott, Divestment and Sanction movement.
Jake DeJong, vice-president academic affairs, arrived at the university at 9 a.m. this morning to discover vandals entered his locked office the evening prior, ransacking it and defaced a Support our Troops flag with the Star of David and the word "ZIONIST" above it in blue spray paint.
From UCLA's Bruins Against BDS
Bruins against BDS:"We'd like to thank you for hearing and considering all sides of the issue presented to you and fairly representing our voice on this campus for 9 hours at the USAC meeting on Tuesday, February 25th. We understand that this was not an easy decision for many of you. In no way do we claim the results of the vote as a victory. It is deeply saddening that all sides are left feeling extremely hurt by the hateful comments that were said during public comment. It is truly disappointing to see a campus so divided."

After nine hours of ripping the council and the community apart, not a single mind was changed, not a single vote was altered.
An open letter to President John Sexton from the NYU student community
The following is the full text of the letter presented this morning to the NYU administration by Meredith Shevitz, Rachel Millhauser, and myself regarding the anti-Israel conference taking place at NYU this weekend. Though I am usually opposed to reactivity, given the nature of this event and the press it has received, we felt that we could not in good conscience remain silent. Many thanks all of those who spent countless hours on the letter's composition; you make me proud to be a part of this community.
BBC omits vital background information in Temple Mount rioting story
The photograph chosen to open an article headlined "Israeli police and Palestinians clash on Temple Mount" which appeared on the Middle East page of the BBC News website on February 25th is captioned as follows: Temple Mount art
"Palestinians scuffled with Israeli police officers when denied entry to the site after the morning's unrest"
In the absence of any clarification regarding "the morning's unrest", reasonable readers might well mistakenly conclude that the "clash" mentioned in the headline was brought about as a result of Palestinians being "denied entry to the site".
Hackers 'aggressively' targeting US Jewish groups
US Jewish groups face "a more concerted and aggressive effort" from Internet hackers, the national community's security arm said in an alert.
"It is imperative that all IT departments understand how to mitigate the threat and are up-to-date on the necessary technologies and processes to use in order to be proactive and prevent these incidents," said an alert Tuesday from the Secure Community Network, an affiliate of the Jewish Federations of North America and of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.
"It is apparent that we are currently facing a more concerted and aggressive effort by those attempting to disrupt and deface organizations' websites and networks," the alert said.
Israeli Envoy: Anne Frank Vandalism Does Not Represent Japan
The books, a gift from the embassy and the Jewish Community of Japan, were donated as police hunted those responsible for defacing copies of the much-loved book, which tells the tale of a young Jewish girl in Amsterdam who ultimately died in a Nazi concentration camp.
"Our first reaction actually was a little bit of a shock," Peleg Lewi, the embassy's deputy chief of mission, said at a ceremony in of Suginami, whose libraries were a main target.
"Japan is so known in Israel ... as a pacifist and as a very secure country. So this kind of act really made a big impression on us," he was quoted by AFP as having told reporters.
"But I think that everybody understood that it's a single act that does not represent Japanese people," Lewi emphasized.


Toddler Orphaned in Mumbai Terror Attack is 'Doing Well,' Israeli Envoy Says
The Jewish toddler who lost both his parents in the infamous 2008 Mumbai terror attacks is "doing well", Israel's envoy in India said on Monday, The Times of India reported.
Moshe Holtzberg, now living in Israel, "is going to school. He is a very healthy, happy and a strong kid, growing up under a very complicated situation," Ambassador Alon Ushpiz said. "He is growing up without his parents. This obviously isn't easy."
"He's staying with his grandparents," the envoy added. "Also, in this case, an Israeli was saved by an Indian citizen. His nanny took him out."
PM to meet with WhatsApp CEO, Silicon Valley execs
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with several top Silicon Valley executives during a trip to California next week, including WhatsApp founder Jan Koum, who recently sold his company to Facebook for $19 billion.
Netanyahu is also set to sign a strategic partnership agreement with California Governor Jerry Brown to promote economic relations between Israel and the state of California. The partnership agreement is aimed at expanding cooperation in the fields of culture, academia, economics, innovation, water conservation, alternative energy, cyber defense, biotechnology, health, education and agricultural technology.
Netanyahu to sign economic cooperation deal with California Governor Jerry Brown
While the Berkeley love children are busy vandalizing grocery store hummus and convincing themselves that BDS is unstoppable, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will be in California, signing an economic cooperation pledge with California governor Jerry Brown.
To all the BDS holes out there- How does it feel to be irrelevant?
A Woman of Integrity: British Actress Maureen Lipman stands by Israel
To her abiding credit, that national treasure of a British actress, Maureen Lipman, widow of the prominent playwright Jack Rosenthal, has never been afraid to voice her strong support for Israel.
As the Jerusalem Post reported a couple of years ago, when she was awarded an honorary doctorate by Tel Aviv University, Ms Lipman noted:
"There are too many bigots and extremists using anti-Zionism as a cloak for anti-Semitism. And they are whipping up a frenzy."
Top 22 ways Israel aided Africa in last three years
On a visit to Africa in 1958, Foreign Minister Golda Meir pledged Israeli help to find solutions for severe challenges in food security, water safety and sanitation, healthcare, economic growth, community building, the empowerment of women and education.
In the years since then, the Foreign Ministry's MASHAV, Israel's Agency for International Development Cooperation, has not only kept that promise, with myriad projects primarily in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Senegal, South Sudan and Uganda, but private Israeli companies and nonprofit organizations have also pitched in.
Israel: Small Nation, Big Job-Creation Potential
Georgia's $100 million factory win from Israel proves that the small country "punches above its weight" in creating American jobs, but even greater impact could come from from solidifying the state's reputation as a global launch pad for innovative Israeli firms, a well-known investor told Global Atlanta.
While the Caesarstone Sdot Yam Ltd. plant near Savannah will be a boon for the area, creating 180 jobs, the dollar figure is dwarfed by the price tags of recently acquired Israeli companies with Georgia ties.
In December, Given Imaging, an Israeli-founded company which makes pill cameras that take gastrointestinal photos, was bought by Ireland-based Covidien in a deal valued at $860 million. Given has long had its corporate base in Atlanta while keeping its research arm in Yoqneam, Israel.
Israel Trauma Coalition teaches resilience worldwide
Earthquake in Haiti, tsunami in Japan, typhoon in the Philippines, school shooting in France, terror attacks in Boston and Mumbai – when disaster strikes, Israel is quickly on the scene with medical and humanitarian aid.
But when the injured have been tended, the homeless housed and the hungry fed, the difficulty of healing psychological wounds begins. This is where the Israel Trauma Coalition (ITC) steps in, training leaders of affected communities how to help residents pick up the pieces of their lives.
Kenyan Ezekiel Koech breaks TLV marathon record
Kenyan Ezekiel Koech, 28, won the 2014 Tel Aviv Marathon Friday, finishing the 26.2 mile course in 2 hours, 14 minutes, and 40 seconds. His time was the best in the history of the race.
Koech won NIS 15,000 ($4294) for his victory.
"I am very happy with my result," Koech said after the race, according to Ynet. "Weather was good, not so difficult. I hope to come again next year."
Kenyans also finished second and third in the marathon.
IDF Blog: The IDF's Minorities in Numbers and Pictures
In honor of IDF Diversity Week, we present diversity through numbers and pictures. Each year, more and more Muslims, Christians, Druze, Bedouin and immigrants from around the world take on the responsibility of defending Israel.
Video of Epic David Guetta Concert Atop Masada Draws Half a Million Views in 2 Days
A newly released video of renowned DJ David Guetta's concert in Israel last October has attracted almost half a million views in the two days since it was posted on YouTube.
The epic event, attended by 20,000 people, took place atop the historic Masada fortress in the Judean Desert, 424 meters below sea level.
The video includes footage of Guetta discussing his sojourn in the Holy Land and performing his hit songs Titanium and Play Hard.
David Guetta - A Party 424 Meters Under the Sea

02/28 Links Pt1: Abbas rewords the three no’s; Why Israel No Longer Trusts Europe

Posted: 28 Feb 2014 09:00 AM PST

From Ian:
Sarah Honig: Those three no's – reworded
This in effect is Abbas's counterpart to Khartoum's no-negotiation stipulation. Abbas has set up a hurdle so high that, without duplicitous pretense, it becomes unsurpassable and thereby makes genuine negotiations a farce.
Next comes Abbas's present-day equivalent to Khartoum's no-recognition proviso. While not identical in wording, its bottom line is no different from the 1967 prototype. Abbas repeats insolently that recognition of Israel as the legitimate nation-state of the Jewish people is out of the question – not now, not ever, no way, nowhere, under no condition.
This isn't a negligible semantic equivocation. It means a refusal to accede even to the 1947 UN Partition Resolution minimum which determined that the Jewish people deserve a state. To crush said UN Resolution, seven Arab armies attacked the overwhelmingly outmanned and outgunned newborn Israel but lost, triggering their piteous lamentations to this day.
As long as the very notion of the rightful existence of a Jewish state is repudiated, the irredentist ambition to eradicate Israel as a Jewish state will fester and rule out even a remote likelihood of a true and lasting peace.
Why Israel No Longer Trusts Europe
Despite these discouraging experiences, every Israeli military action against radicals in Gaza or Lebanon is met with protests in Europe. Which doesn't inspire confidence in Israeli leaders that Europe would accept Israel's right to self-defense if a future Palestinian state in the West Bank became a similar hotbed of extremism and revisionist politics.
It is always comfortable for Europeans to demand that Israel make hard decisions for peace. But Europe must now ask itself some hard questions, too. What guarantees could Europe offer Israel in return for a Palestinian state to protect it if the peace experiment failed and radicals took over the West Bank? Would Europe be ready to offer membership in NATO and the European Union if the Israelis asked for it?
I am not sure there are any promising answers to these questions. But if all Europe has to offer Israel is criticism and disapproval, then it will be part of the problem, not the solution.
Watchdog Group Highlights Anti-Israel Credentials of Amnesty International's Researchers
As Amnesty International published an anonymous 85-page report condemning Israel on Thursday, NGO Monitor, the Jerusalem-based charity watchdog, highlighted the backgrounds of Amnesty's researchers, several of whom were full-time anti-Israel activists before joining the human rights group.
Anne Herzberg, NGO Monitor's international legal counsel, told The Algemeiner on Thursday, "We are not sure who wrote the report because Amnesty doesn't say — in violation of NGO fact-finding guidelines established by the International Bar Association."
The cover photography from the report was courtesy of Haim Schwarczenberg, who describes himself as a "photographer and activist in Israel" on the anti-Israel blog Mondoweiss, to which he contributed a report last year. Schwarczenberg's Facebook account features a stream of hundreds of photos showing Arabs igniting tires to hurl at soldiers, aiming slingshots, and, of course, throwing rocks at the Israel Defense Forces.
Herzberg said that what NGO Monitor has been able to confirm is that "the Israel researcher based in London, Deborah Hyams, was a human shield in Beit Jala; the Amnesty US Israel researcher, Edith Garwood, used to be a member of the International Solidarity Movement. Also, another one of the researchers, Rasha Abdul-Rahim, describes herself as 'a ranty Palestinian activist' on Twitter."
Naughty NTB doctors amnesty international report
Apart from the cheek of the Amnesty International, it is much more serious that the Norwegian news agency NTB resorts to doctoring the Amnesty report in order to smear Israel (they must have suffered badly from withdrawal pains, there has been pretty much nothing that could be blamed on Israel for several months now) by adding a word that appears nowhere in the AI report: Atrocities.



Caroline Glick: The Israeli Solution
Part Two presents the case for Israeli sovereignty from the perspectives of demography, international law, history and civil liberties.
Far from transforming the areas into a race-based state, as Israel's opponents threaten, such a move by Israel will free the Palestinians from life under the PLO's terror supporting kleptocracy and provide them with full civil and legal rights as permanent residents of Israel.
They will also have the right to apply for Israeli citizenship.
Even if all the Arabs of Judea and Samaria were to become Israeli citizens, Israel would retain a strong two-thirds Jewish majority. And it would avert the only real demographic threat. That is the threat posed by a Palestinian state in Judea and Samaria which would permit millions of hostile, foreign-born Arabs from Lebanon, Jordan and Syria to immigrate to its territory.
How Will Obama Soothe Abbas's Rage?
The path to peace won't be found by soothing Abbas's rage at being maneuvered into having to accept negotiations when signing a deal is the last thing he wants to do. Rather than returning to his default position of pressuring Netanyahu, the keynote of President Obama's involvement should be making it clear to Abbas that he must accept the framework. The Israelis have already paid dearly, with concessions that included the release of over 100 Palestinian terrorist murderers and a de facto freeze in settlement building outside of their settlement blocs that would be retained in any agreement, in order to persuade Abbas to come back to the table last year. It would be outrageous for Obama to respond to Palestinian blackmail by simply acquiescing to their demands and expect Israel to proceed without the assurance that the framework will be kept in place.
If the president's new foray into the peace process blindly follows the familiar pattern of Obama's past conduct in which Netanyahu is ambushed and then strong-armed into making more concessions to Abbas, it would be grossly unfair. But more than that, it would undermine any chance of ever getting the Palestinians to realize that the price of independence means accepting the legitimacy of a Jewish state no matter where its borders are drawn. Peace requires a sea change in Palestinian politics. But it will also mean a similar change in the president's knee-jerk impulse to put the entire onus for the impasse on an Israel that has already proved it is willing to take risks for peace.
BBC Watch: BBC's Hardtalk provides platform for Saeb Erekat's fabricated histories – part one
BBC's Hardtalk provides platform for Saeb Erekat's fabricated histories – part two
The February 18th edition of the BBC's 'Hardtalk' featured presenter Stephen Sackur once again interviewing the programme's frequent flyer Saeb Erekat. The programme is available in the UK on BBC iPlayer and an audio version was also available from the BBC World Service for a limited period of time, along with a BBC World Service podcast. In addition, the first part of the interview was uploaded by the BBC to YouTube and featured on the BBC News website, as well as on the Hardtalk webpage.
Poll: Three quarters of Israeli Jews would accept peace deal
Three quarters of Hebrew-speaking Israelis would support a peace agreement with the Palestinians based on the Arab Peace Initiative, and more than half would vote for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he were to leave the Likud and create a new party, according to a new poll published Thursday.
The survey, commissioned by the non-profit Israeli Peace Initiative, was conducted earlier this month among a representative sample of 500 Hebrew-speaking Israelis. The poll's sponsors said it indicated that a large majority of the country's Jews hold hawkish views regarding the peace process but would be willing to accept a deal if they understood what Israel stands to gain from an accord normalizing diplomatic and trade relations with the entire Arab world.
Police to Limit Muslim Access to Temple Mount on Friday
Israeli police have announced they will limit access for Muslim men to Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque compound during Friday prayers to prevent possible clashes following services, AFP reported Thursday.
Police spokeswoman Luba Samri told the news agency that men under the age of 50 will be barred from Friday prayers, based on intelligence of plans for unrest, with security forces bolstering their presence in the area.
How Jewish prayer represents "an extreme provocation to Muslims worldwide"
So, let's get this straight:
1. Some Jews are asking for the right to quietly pray at the site in Jerusalem holiest to their faith.
2. Millions of Muslims worldwide will, it is alleged, be provoked at the mere possibility that a faith other their own will have that right which they want exclusively for themselves.
3. And, yet, it's the Jews in this scenario who are portrayed as the "regressive" political force?
'Orwellian' doesn't begin to fairly characterize the mental gymnastics employed by journalists in order to accept such bizarre logic.
Shabak Reveals Hamas 'Inflaming' Temple Mount
According to the senior official's analysis, published in Channel 10, Shabak (Internal Security) are identifying attempts by Hamas to bring Muslim activists to the Temple Mount and have them stir up confrontations with Israeli security forces.
"A serious threat is presented by Hamas activity to inflame the Temple Mount (in protests, attacks on the Mount and violent clashes by a mob enlisted by the organization)," warns the document. "These activities are meant to escalate the security situation in the West Bank."
Arab Knesset Faction: Israel is 'Palestine's Interior'
The Arab Raam-Taal Knesset faction held a session Tuesday in which it discussed issues of interest to Arab society in what the faction's press release named "the Palestinian interior" – that is, Israel – and "the occupied state of Palestine."
Arab MK: Jailed Terrorists Are 'Political Prisoners'
Arab MK Ibrahim Sarsour, Chairman of the Raam-Taal faction, published an announcement to the media on Tuesday, in which he reported on his meetings with jailed terrorists. Sarsour termed the terrorists "political prisoners."
The "political prisoners" Sarsour met included Dr. Mahmoud al-Rumhi and Malek Behirat, as well as Ibrahim Biadasa and Zaher Jabarin. Sarsour said the visit was meant to advance the terrorists' release, especially those who were members of the Palestinian Authority (PA) parliament who were "kidnapped" by Israel.
Iranian Official: 'We are Preparing to Liberate Jerusalem'
The Islamist Basij militia force in Tehran ran a special military exercise Thursday and Friday preparing for an Iranian takeover of Jerusalem.
​The exercise, entitled "March to Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem)," included training in the event of such a takeover, including drills for the protection of cities, assistance and rescue, dealing with social unrest, the protection of sensitive and important military centers, dealing with the invasion and landing of "enemy" (IDF) forces from helicopters, and carrying out complicated tactical maneuvers at night.
Arabs Set Police Station on Fire in Jerusalem
Jerusalem Arabs set ablaze a police station next to the Lions' Gate in the capital's Old City on Wednesday.
Aryeh King, nationalist Jerusalem city councilman and member of the municipality's Emergency and Security Committee, was present at the attack and managed to document it. According to King, police officers fled the scene.
"Unfortunately the prime minister is instructing the authorities to avoid eastern Jerusalem, and these are the results," charged King.
REPORT: Israel warns Lebanese gov't it will be responsible for any Hezbollah retaliation
The warning comes in connection to Hezbollah's threats of retaliation for an air-strike on a Hezbollah missile convoy near the border with Syria, which was attributed to the IAF by foreign media sources. The strike would have been a first on Lebanese soil as recent attacks attributed to Israel have taken place on the Syrian side of the border.
On Monday, Israeli warplanes allegedly struck Hezbollah targets near the Lebanese-Syria border. An unspecified number of Hezbollah militants were killed in the airstrike, according to pan-Arab news channel Al Arabiya.
Syrian Jihadist Group Forces Local Christians to Submit to Islam or Face Death
The jihadist group—Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (ISIL), which is mostly composed of foreign terrorists—is widely considered to be the most radical group fighting in the Syrian Civil War.
According to the document, which was posted on a Twitter account of a member of the ISIL, Christians in Raqqa were given the choices to convert to Islam, remain Christian, but submit to Islam, or face death.
According to Islamic law or "shariah," Jews and Christians living under Muslim rule must pay a tax or "jizya" in return for protection, and become "dhimmis."
MEMRI: Muslim Brotherhood Supporters, Opponents Accuse Each Other Of Being Jewish
In the political struggle that has been ongoing in Egypt since the July 2013 removal of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) regime of president Muhammad Mursi, between supporters of Defense Minister Abd Al-Fattah Al-Sisi and the MB and its supporters, antisemitic discourse has played a part. Each camp accuses members of the other camp of being Jewish and of implementing the Protocols of the Elders of Zion.
One manifestation of the current regime's de-legitimization campaign against the MB is comparing them to Jews and Zionists. The press associated with the regime has claimed that that the global MB resembles global Zionism, and that its schemes are the same as those of the Protocols. It has also claimed that MB founder Hassan Al-Bana was Jewish, as well as several other movement leaders. A number of Facebook pages depict MB members as Jews masquerading as Muslims, and feature images of Mursi in Jewish garb and MB symbols emblazoned with Stars of David.
MEMRI: On Iranian Revolution Day 2014, Commander of IRGC Navy Says:
The Americans Will Understand When Their Warships With Over 5,000 Crew Aboard Sink To The Depths Of The Sea And They Have To Search For Their Bodies
On February 11, 2014, Iran celebrated Revolution Day, the 35th anniversary of the regime of the Islamic Revolution, against the backdrop of the start of permanent agreement nuclear talks between Iran and the superpowers, and of the ongoing struggle within Iran between the ideological stream led by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and the pragmatic stream led by Hashemi Rafsanjani, on the issue of how Iran should deal with the U.S. Revolution Day 2014 was marked by regime officials' harsh anti-U.S. statements and by calls for maintaining Iranian hostility towards the U.S.
Israel Urges IAEA To Issue Full Report On Iran Nuclear Research
Israel urged the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency on Friday to go public with all information it has regarding suspicions that Iran researched how to build an atomic bomb.
The statement followed a Reuters report on Thursday, citing sources familiar with the matter, that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) last year planned a major report on Iran that might have revealed more of its alleged bomb-relevant research, but held off as the Islamic Republic's relations with the outside world thawed.
Iran's rights record no better under Rouhani, US says
Rouhani is widely seen as a more moderate leader in the Islamic republic's cleric-run government, and has led a period of detente between Iran and the West since coming into office last summer.
However, Assistant Secretary of State Uzra Zeya, who oversaw the survey, said the report includes allegations of torture, political imprisonment and undue executions, among other violations by Tehran.
"There have been some steps since the release of some political prisoners last fall, but overall I would say the situation remains poor," he said.
Calls Grow For PM's Resignation as Turkey Rocked by Second Round of Leaked Wiretaps
A second set of audio recordings purporting to be wiretaps of phone conversations between Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his son Bilal – this time with Erdogan instructing Bilal to hold out for more money in a business deal – was anonymously uploaded to YouTube on Wednesday, days after a first set of recordings, seemingly exposing efforts by the two to hide vast amounts of money from authorities, set off national calls for Erdogan's resignation.
Reuters described the new recordings, in which Erdogan scoffs at the sum that a particular businessman is willing to bring to a transaction, as "the latest and potentially most damaging allegations in a graft scandal that Erdogan has cast as concocted to unseat him."
Jordan arrests 10 gays for holding gathering
Jordanian authorities have arrested 10 "gays and lesbians" for holding a get-together at a party hall in east Amman, a security official said on Thursday.
"The administrative governor of the Marka area, Adnan Qatarneh, ordered the arrest of the 10 gays and lesbians after they held a reception at a party hall on Wednesday to get to know each other," he told AFP.
"The arrests were made to prevent a disturbance of the peace," he added, without elaborating.
New online campaign urges American Muslims to 'drop the A-word'
The group, which goes by the name of "Drop the A-Word," calls on Arabs living in America to stop using the words "abeed" and "abed" to describe African Americans.
In Arabic, the world "abed" and its plural form "abeed" mean "slave" or "servant."
"We should stop using 'abeed' to describe or reference people of African descent," said Majed Moughni, a Dearborn-based supporter of the group.

One more Shaun Casey visit to Israel-haters pops up

Posted: 28 Feb 2014 07:10 AM PST

Earlier today I wrote that the State Department said that Shaun Casey, the head of the State Department's Office of Faith-Based Community Initiatives, had met with Jews, Christians and Muslims on his recent, unannounced visit to the West Bank. At the same time Yisrael Medad found a third meeting that Casey had with a virulently anti-Israel Christian group during his trip.

Since them I found that Casey also visited Episcopal Bishop Suheil Dawani in Jerusalem. Dawani was once accused by Israel of illegally transferring Jewish-owned lands to Arabs but it does not appear that he was ever tried for this, so I don't know if the accusation was withdrawn or placed on a back-burner.

I have also discovered that Casey visited Muslim leaders - on the Temple Mount.

In a move considered precedent-setting, and the first of its kind since the occupation of Jerusalem, Assistant Secretary of State for Interfaith Affairs Sean Casey met in the dome inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque with Sheikh Abdel Azim Salhab, Chairman of the Islamic Waqf in Jerusalem, Sheikh Azzam al-Khatib al-Tamimi, Director General of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and Dr. Yousef Natsheh, Director of Tourism and Antiquities in the Islamic Waqf
.
According to Sheikh Tamimi [Casey] was informed of all Zionist violations related to Al-Aqsa Mosque from the incursions of settlers and abuses of Zionism and breaches.

He said: 'We have provided a detailed explanation of the conditions of Jerusalemites of uprooting and Judaization and blocking of buildings and the demolition of homes, confiscation of land and interfering with the freedom of worship and access to the holy places of all the Palestinian territories.'

The Waqf religious leaders told the assistant secretary to convey the message clearly to the American administration, especially about the violations of the occupation and carried out by extremists against the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which may lead to religious conflicts all over the world if the mosque is damaged or if the state of Jordan and the Islamic sovereignty is stripped from the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the holy sites in Jerusalem.

... In turn, Assistant U.S. Secretary of State said he wants the city of Jerusalem to have safety and security and stability, and "I will truthfully convey what I heard from all of you to the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry."
I am not certain, but I do not believe that Ambassador Dan Shapiro ever crosses the Green Line from the Tel Aviv side. I see no evidence so far that Casey ever went to the Israeli side of the Green Line - every single meeting we've seen so far was in the "eastern" part of Jerusalem and the West Bank.

Maybe he arrived from Jordan.

Still trying to find any Jews he might have visited. But judging from what we've seen so far, the only Jews he might deign to visit are "Rabbis for Human Rights."

By the way, I also see that he made a visit to the West Bank in 2011 as part of a Methodist delegation.

So far, nothing I am seeing about Casey is instilling confidence in this new office that he heads.

The serious lesson from UCLA's Meltdown Girl

Posted: 28 Feb 2014 05:01 AM PST

Amid the joking about Meltdown Girl (and here is a well-worn Internet meme used to good comedic effect on the subject), there is something important for supporters of Israel to realize.

As commenter Max writes:
Even though many of us are enjoying this moment of schadenfreude, that video contains some clues about what we're struggling with, especially on college campuses:

1. The girl is having a purely emotional experience. To her, and millions of other impressionable college kids around the world, understanding the Middle East conflict isn't about historical facts, complex political realities, or necessary security measures. It is simply an emotional issue. Pathos-based rhetoric will very often carry the day. Many of these impressionable kids get whipped into a frenzy. Which leads to my next point:

2. To much of the pro-divestment crowd, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been reduced to a cartoon image of sadistic, imperialistic Israelis brutalizing helpless, innocent Palestinians. To them, the conflict boils down to depraved Israelis perpetrating their evil unless "we" can stop them.

This girl is probably not consciously anti-Semitic. But she's definitely been infected by this Israel-as-pure-unmitigated-evil rhetoric that's so reminiscent of some of history's more loathsome, demagogic anti-Jewish propaganda campaigns.
Indeed. The girl, Danielle Dimacali, is not an idiot. She was valedictorian in her high school class of some 700 students. The only way to understand her severe emotional reaction to a meaningless vote is to understand that she isn't using her brain when thinking about Israel.

For people like Dimacali, Israel is not the nation state of the Jewish people. - it is a shorthand meme for evil itself. It is not a place where people are born, live, love and laugh, where people care about each other and even about those who want to destroy them. It is not a place that has given back to the world far more than it takes. It is merely a symbol of racism, oppression and tyranny,  more so than its truly tyrannical neighbors.

How do people like Dimacali get infected with such hate? Simple, actually. It is because one side of the Israel/anti-Israel debate deals with facts, and the other side deals with emotions.

And emotions always win.

I spoke about this in my 2010 Hasbara 2.0 lecture, but since no one wants to watch a movie-length lecture, here is a ten minute section on this very theme, along with what Zionists must do to even the playing field.

The State Department responds (well, not really) to my question about Shaun Casey (update)

Posted: 28 Feb 2014 02:00 AM PST

After my two posts expressing concern over Shaun Casey, the head of the State Department's Office of Faith-Based Community Initiatives, and his silent visit to the West Bank with some viciously anti-Israel (and antisemitic) Christian leaders, I asked Matthew Lee of AP if he would ask the State Department about what happened on this trip. (Lee is well known for his relentless questioning of State Department officials. )

He kindly agreed and submitted the questions yesterday. Here was the exchange that happened at today's press briefing:

QUESTION: Okay. So then, on the meetings that Mr. Casey had --
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm.
QUESTION: -- with the religious leaders, including some that are allegedly anti-Israel, can you – what do you have to say about that?
MS. PSAKI: Sure. Well, during his recent trip to the region, Special Advisor Shaun Casey met with a wide range of religious leaders, from the Jewish, Muslim, and Christian faiths. So this is – part of the context here is, of course, very important.
QUESTION: Okay, wait. Just before you go on, he did not just meet with Palestinian and Christian leaders? He met with all members of all their different faiths?
MS. PSAKI: Correct. Exactly.
QUESTION: Or leaders of all --
MS. PSAKI: Exactly.
QUESTION: Okay.
MS. PSAKI: And this was, of course, part of our ongoing outreach to religious communities vis-a-vis the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. He also met with local interfaith organizations and international faith-based development groups, and he hopes to continue to engage on an even more diverse range of religious voices in future visits. As you know, this is kind of a newer position and he just came to the State Department a couple of months ago, so this serves an interesting utility in terms of reaching out to faith groups around these important policy issues.
QUESTION: And what do you think of the concerns expressed by some in Israel that he met – that he was giving credibility, credence to anti-Israel figures?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I think I would point to the fact that he met with a very broad range of officials from across the faith spectrum. And it's important to us, it's important to Mr. Casey, to hear from a range of officials, to have a dialogue with them. And that was the pure purpose of his engagement.
QUESTION: Right. Well, there was one specific meeting that caused some extra concern. Do you – can you say anything about that?
MS. PSAKI: I don't have anything more to say about it.
QUESTION: All right. 
My very simple question is - what Jewish (and Muslim) leaders did he meet? No one seems to know.

UPDATE: Yisrael Medad found one more Christian site he visited, Bethlehem Bible College.

The President of Bethlehem Bible College, Rev Dr. Jack Sara together with members of the college leadership team, Dr. Bishara Awad, President Emeritus, Dr. Munther Isaac, Mr. Jamal Ateeq and Ms Nisreen Nassar, met Dr. Casey and his officers and together they discussed issues of importance to Palestinian Christians, and in particular, the role of the Palestinian church in politics and in the peace process. They also talked at length about the up-coming Christ at the Checkpoint Conference and the impact that such an international event can have in promoting peace.

"Christ at the Checkpoint" is a virulently anti-Israel conference that last year portrayed Israelis as "The Impossible People" who stand in the way of peace. It has speakers who support the PFLP terror group.

So far, Casey's record of who he secretly visited does not seem to be very conducive to peace.
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