| Palestinian Arab "honor killings" have doubled and redoubled Posted: 25 Mar 2014 11:00 PM PDT From Al Jazeera:Two teenage Palestinian girls were killed in separate incidents last month in so-called "honour killings", revenge attacks carried out most often by family members against women suspected of "immoral sexual conduct".
The deaths sparked protests with more than 100 people assembling outside the general attorney's office in Gaza on March 3, demanding violence against Palestinian women come to a halt. Five women died in honour killings in the Palestinian territories in 2011. That number rose to 13 in 2012 and doubled to 26 last year.
...[A]nother woman, Samah Bader, was stabbed to death by her husband in their apartment in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. She became the eighth woman killed in the Palestinian territories since the beginning of the year - raising concerns the deadly trend will continue to spiral upwards.
...A survey by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics from 2011 showed that 35 percent of married women in Gaza had been exposed to physical violence by their husband within the past year, and that 40 percent of unmarried women had been physically abused by a household member. When this trend became apparent last year, the Palestinian Minister of Women's Affairs Rabiha Diab blamed.... Israel: "The Israeli occupation is the one practising the utmost violence ... it's the main thing keeping us from advancing." I would argue that the main thing keeping them from advancing is their refusal to take responsibility for anything, and to blame Israel reflexively no matter what.  |
| "Let's Boycott Israel" (poster) Posted: 25 Mar 2014 05:01 PM PDT A few months ago, the New York Times reported: The American Studies Association has never before called for an academic boycott of any nation's universities, said Curtis Marez, the group's president and an associate professor of ethnic studies at the University of California, San Diego. He did not dispute that many nations, including many of Israel's neighbors, are generally judged to have human rights records that are worse than Israel's, or comparable, but he said, "one has to start somewhere." I finally figured out how to make a poster out of that supremely idiotic comment. So since tonight the BDSers are going crazy trying to intimidate the student government of the University of Michigan to symbolically boycott Israeli products, here's the poster. It is already being widely retweeted:
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| 03/25 Links Pt2: Saudi Arabia denies visa to JPost correspondent; Stones confirm concert date Posted: 25 Mar 2014 03:00 PM PDT From Ian:
White House expresses 'deep disappointment' after Saudis deny visa to 'Post' journalist Riyadh on Monday denied a visa to Michael Wilner, The Jerusalem Post's Washington bureau chief. Wilner, who was the only journalist denied access to the president's trip, despite firmly-worded requests from US National Security Advisor Susan Rice and assistant to the president Tony Blinken to Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the US, Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir.
"We are deeply disappointed that this credible journalist was denied a visa," US National Security Council spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said on Tuesday. "We will continue to register our serious concerns about this unfortunate decision." On the theft of indigenous strugglesI see people claiming commonalities with my people all the time. They tell me "My people are just like yours," but the reality is quite different. I hear people telling me "My people have similar experiences to yours," when the reality is that they have undergone nowhere near the marginalisation or oppression that my people have somehow survived.
When someone invokes the experiences of Native North Americans in order to claim commonalities with us, it's almost always in order to demonise another country. In the majority of cases I see, it's Arabs or white people trying to demonise Israel, first by calling them colonisers, and second by inferring that they stole the land on which they built their state. The irony should be obvious. (h/t Alexi) New Anti-Semitism Tailored for EvangelicalsDespite the attempt to shroud the real agenda of the "Christ at the Checkpoint" conference, its manifesto is revealing . It "condemns all forms of violence unequivocally," yet states that "Christians must understand the global context for the rise of extremist Islam" and furthermore "blames the 'occupation' as the core issue of the conflict;" and although CATC boasts a mandate of dialogue and reconciliation between Israeli and Palestinian believers, there are still those voices that are seemingly rejected from the conference. In a report released by Israel Today, entitled, "The Message 'Christ at the Checkpoint' Didn't Want to Hear," it is argued that CATC organizers do not want to hear from those Israeli voices that have been victimized by Palestinian terrorism or able to expose the Palestinian nationalist agenda.
One case has been highlighted: in late 2010, Israeli tour guide Kay Wilson and her visiting Christian friend, Kristine Luken, were attacked by Palestinian terrorists outside Jerusalem. Luken was killed and Wilson suffered severe injuries. Wilson approached one of the CATC speakers about speaking at the 2012 convocation, but was told that her story was "not what the Lord wants," a phrase that is sadly abused by some Christian leaders to exercise control -- akin to a kind of spiritual or psychological extortion -- over the follower. Wilson then expressed dismay about "how any Israeli.... Messianic believer, could justify participating in a conference that has chosen to associate itself with theologians advocating Replacement Theology and Palestinian officials with clear ties to recognized terrorist organizations." She further stated, "For any self-respecting person, and especially for Israelis such as myself, the endorsement of terror by association, at a Christian conference, is obscene." Harvard Students Informed Arafat's Grave Will Be Relocated in JerusalemNow that the Harvard Israel Trek 2014 has come to a close, students who participated in the trip are starting to speak out via the trip's blog. The results are telling, with one student explaining that the students were told Yasser Arafat's burial location is temporary:
"The man who spoke to us at Yasser Arafat's grave emphasized the grave's temporary location, to be moved to Jerusalem when (not if) Palestine reclaims the city. The conflict, for him, is urgent." Canadian Public Policy Magazine Fawns Over Yasser ArafatHonestReporting Canada was alarmed to see Canadian public policy magazine, Policy Options, give none other than the godfather of modern terror, the late Yasser Arafat, the front cover of its April 2014 issue.
No, this is NOT an April Fool's joke.
Policy Options, produced by the Institute for Research on Public Policy (IRPP), entitled this edition "Opening Eyes, Second Regard" and the cover page, the most viewed section of a magazine, featured a photo of a mural being painted by Palestinians that presents Arafat in a statesmanlike, almost iconic light. What this magazine failed to tell its readers is that Arafat was responsible for the murder of almost 1,000 Israelis and the maiming of many thousands more. Arafat was responsible for inciting Palestinians to commit terror against Israelis via its official PA media, its educational infrastructure, and in public pronouncements. Pro-Israel Students Called 'Kike,' 'Dirty Jew' at University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan police were first contacted last week after two pro-Palestinian activists shouted "threats of violence" at a student who refused to support their boycott initiative during a "sit-in" at the student government's headquarters.
The Washington Free Beacon has further learned that the pro-Israel student received death threats and that others have allegedly been called "kikes" and "dirty Jews" by backers of the virulently anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which aims to delegitimize the Jewish state through economic means.
The atmosphere of intimidation and violence could leave the University of Michigan vulnerable to legal action and political retribution on a national scale, according to multiple sources in Washington, D.C. and elsewhere who are monitoring the situation. (h/t Zvi) French University That Banished Israelis From Campus Issues Formal ApologyThe University of Paris 8 issued an apology to visiting representatives of an Israeli organization who were forced to flee the campus after being harassed by anti-Israeli members of the student body, Israel's Channel 2 reported.
The incident occurred last week when delegates from What Israel, a group that promotes dialogue and a more balanced approach towards Israel, were touring the university. A planned conference hosted by the organization was canceled and the delegation was forced to return to Israel, Channel 2 said. U.K. universities minister: No academic boycotts of Israel in BritainFewer Israeli students have been coming to England to study because of mistaken perceptions that Britain is "an unfriendly or hostile place" to Israel or Israelis. That mistaken perception needs addressing, said David Willetts, Minister for Universities and Science, in a visit to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem on Monday.
There has been no boycott of Israeli academia in the U.K., Willetts said at a meeting with Israeli and English academics and with Israeli Education Minister Shai Piron at the Hebrew University's Mount Scopus campus.
"[Boycotts] would be completely wrong, and there is no [U.K.] university that is boycotting Israel," he said. (h/t Zvi) Jimmy Carter Rejects BDSJimmy Carter, whose book Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid did more to legitimize the Apartheid smear than anything published by the BDS movement, is now publicly opposed to boycotts against Israel, including boycotts limited to the West Bank.
Carter told the AP this week that he and "The Elders" – a group former world leaders that includes outspoken Israel critics such as Desmond Tutu, among others – had discussed BDS and decided against it. "We decided not to publicly endorse any kind of embargo, or so forth, against Israeli invasion, or occupying troops in Palestine," Carter said.
The move represents a significant break with Carter's previous rhetoric on Israel, especially since the publication of his book in 2006. After all, if he still believes that Israel is an apartheid state, why would he not support the same tactics of boycott and sanctions that brought down the apartheid regime in South Africa? Carter, History and the Jewish StateFormer President Jimmy Carter is apparently confused about the Israeli demand for Palestinian recognition of Israel as the Jewish state. And the historical record seems to elude him as well.
Both President Clinton and President George W. Bush have encountered the Israeli demand for Palestinian recognition of Israel as a Jewish state put forward by the administrations of three Israeli prime ministers prior to Netanyahu.
First, a few days ago, American negotiator Dennis Ross noted that the Israeli demand for Palestinian recognition of Israel as the Jewish state came up during and immediately following the Camp David negotiations. Later, in 2003, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon listed Palestinian recognition of the Jewish state as his sixth reservation to President Bush's Mideast "road map." Finally, during the Annapolis talks in 2007 under Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, the Israelis again raised the issue with President Bush. Fighting BDS – Can We 'Buycott' the Cultural Boycott?The attack on De Burgh is far from an isolated incident. In fact, De Burgh is just one of 15 cultural figures targeted on a Cultural BDS Checklist published publicly on Facebook and updated regularly.
The list includes instructions on how express displeasure to all of the major international acts due to appear in Israel, including the Rolling Stones and Neil Young, on their associations with Israel and calls on people to "spare about 10 minutes of your time and add your voice to these wonderful initiatives."
But in the spirit of buycott, the checklist might provide some "wonderful initiatives" for Israel supporters as well. These are the artists who are willing to stand up to the bullies and deserve to know that Israelis appreciate what it means to perform in Israel in the current climate. Twenty Six Thousand Sign petition in support of Neil Young's Israel Visit We have submitted an Anti-Boycott Petition to Neil Young. The petition was presented on March 21, 2014, by 32 prominent members of the entertainment industry and garnered nearly twenty-six thousand signatures from people around the globe. It lets Neil know that boycott proponents do not represent the mainstream view which in fact supports liberal, open democracies such as Israel and the independence of artists.
Boycott advocates, such as CJPME, attempt to use the forums of music and culture to make inflammatory and incorrect political points. However, their message does not resonate with the vast majority of people who believe in the power of art and music to bring people together. For European Jewish Students, Anti-Israel Vibes All Around (INTERVIEW)In Europe, it's very common to not have this centralized campus structure so you feel the anti-Israel vibes all around," Saskia Pantell, coordinator of the Global Campus Initiative (GCI), told The Algemeiner in a recent interview.
The Initiative, launched in April of last year, is a joint project of the World Jewish Congress (WJC), the European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS) and the World Union of Jewish Students (WUJS). The group aims to counteract threats from the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement and similar attempts to "delegitimize" Israel in educational environments.
Pantell, raised Jewish herself, explained just how challenging it can be for pro-Israel campus activists in European countries. Europeans Fund Lawfare Against "Allies" Israel and CanadaYet, in addition to this direct funding to the PA, European countries are also channeling large amounts of money to highly politicized activist groups, and in doing so financing the legitimacy war being waged against Israel. In a report released by NGO Monitor earlier this month, it has been exposed that the EU, along with several other European governments, is paying for the waging of what has come to be known as "lawfare" against Israel. More noteworthy still is the way this funding is also being used by one particularly hostile and activist NGO to even pursue Canada, a close of ally of Israel, at the UN. The large body of evidence here really does have to be seen to be believed. Yet there is no denying it: European countries are indeed financing "lawfare" against two nations that they purport to consider friends.
The Palestinian NGO in question is the cryptically named Norwegian Refugee Council, a title that offers few clues as to the group's actual activities. Quite simply, the primary function of this organization appears to be to wage "lawfare" against Israel's judicial system in an effort to sabotage its legal process and subvert the democratic structures for determining Israeli policy. NGO Monitor reports that NRC has financed at least 677 cases that received full legal representation in court and other administrative bodies in Israel. According to an eyewitness report, the strategy here is to "try every possible legal measure to disrupt the Israeli judicial system… as many cases as possible are registered and that as many cases as possible are appealed to increase the workload of the courts and the Supreme Court to such an extent that there will be a blockage." BBC reports on Hamas rally in Arabic – but not in English Whilst visitors to the BBC Arabic website on March 23rd were informed that a Hamas rally attended by tens of thousands had taken place in Gaza City earlier in the day, those visiting the main English language BBC News website found no report on that topic and hence would have no idea of the rhetoric against Israel, Egypt and the Palestinian Authority which was part and parcel of the event.
With the BBC lately having taken to sedately describing Hamas as the body "which governs the Gaza Strip" and with audiences having been told on several recent occasions that Hamas has "refrained" from attacking Israel since the ceasefire of October 2012, it would of course have been useful to audiences to have an up to the minute appraisal of the terrorist organisation's stance regarding its neighbours. Jews Brought Holocaust on Themselves, Russian TV Host Says (VIDEO)A Russian TV presenter, in a conversation with a writer about the Ukrainian protests and Crimea, said that the Jews brought the Holocaust on themselves.
Writer Aleksandr Prokhanov, while being interviewed by anchor Evelina Zakamskaya on the state-funded Rossiya 24 TV channel, said (as translated by JNS.org) that it is "strange that Jewish organizations, the European and our own Russian organizations, support the Maidan [protests]. What are they doing? Do they not understand that they are bringing about a second Holocaust with their own hands? This is monstrous."
Zakamskaya replied that the Jews "brought about the first [Holocaust] similarly." UK's Channel 4 Under Fire for Buying Lock of Hitler's Hair From Holocaust DenierBritain's Channel 4 came under fire from a member of parliament for paying Holocaust denier David Irving £3,000 ($5,000) for a lock of Adolf Hitler's hair for a DNA test on a television program to be broadcast this week, the UK's Daily Mail reported on Monday.
Labor Party MP Ian Austin, whose Jewish father lost his family in the Treblinka extermination camp, said Channel 4′s move was a "sick" and "tawdry" stunt by 'Dead Famous DNA,' which will also feature DNA tests for Marilyn Monroe, Napoleon and Charles Darwin.
"It's appalling that Channel 4 would get involved with a Holocaust denier in some bizarre and tawdry show purporting to be entertainment. It's disgusting, and raises questions about Channel 4's public broadcasting remit," Austin told the Daily Mirror at the weekend. Chilean art school set to teach Nazi ideologyThe "Art school, President General Augusto Pinochet Ugarte," is named after a former far-right Chilean dictator, and its founder, Godofredo Rodríguez Pacheco, who has described himself in the past as a purveyor of Hitler's ideology, has been promoting the opening in the town of Ancúd with swastika posters and said that he doesn't mind being associated with the Nazis.
"My ultimate goal is to form a political party, a nationalist proposal designed from Chiloé, and I don't mind if people tell me I'm a Nazi," Pacheco told local press, according to the Latin American Democracy Defense Organization.
Pacheco also said that the posters reflect the school's goal of "strengthening the political right in the Chiloé Region." Israeli and Palestinian business leaders join forcesFour members of Breaking The Impasse, a group of Palestinian and Israeli business people, came to the Jerusalem Press Club on Monday to explain the benefits to the region if peace is attained and two states lived side by side with mutual respect and cooperation.
Some 200 Israeli and 150 Palestinian business people and civil society leaders have been in long-term dialogue to support political leaders in their aim to reach a two-state solution to the conflict between the State of Israel and the Palestinian people. (h/t Zvi) 10 Groups Bid to Export Israel's Leviathan Gas to Turkey; Deal Worth $22-$31 BillionAt least 10 bids have been received in a tender by the partners in Israel's Leviathan offshore natural gas field to export the fuel to Turkey via a pipeline they will construct, Israel's Globes business daily reported on Monday.
The value of the bids ranged from $22 billion to $31 billion in revenue for Leviathan, the newspaper said, based on their requested orders for between 7 billion cubic meters (BCM) a year to 10 BCM, and a 15-year gas supply contract at $6 per million British Thermal Units (mmBTU ), the price of natural gas in Israel's domestic market.
The deal the companies bid for would include laying a pipeline to Turkey from Leviathan's proposed floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) ship, which delivers gas to Israeli and regional customers, Globes said. The bids included both groups that were willing to build and finance the pipeline independently, and those asking to partner with Leviathan. Israel-China Alliance Moves Forward With $2 Billion 'Red-Med' Freight Rail Link Alternative to Suez CanalThe growing economic alliance between Israel and China is moving forward with a $2 billion, 300 kilometer freight rail link connecting Eilat, on the Red Sea, with Ashdod Port, on the Mediterranean, Germany's Deutsche Welle news magazine reported on Monday.
The project, nicknamed the 'Red-Med,' was greenlit by Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet, and construction, which is expected to take five years, will begin within the year.
About the link, Netanyahu said, "It's the first time we'd be able to assist the countries in Europe and Asia to make sure they always have an open connection between Europe and Asia and between Asia and Europe." For Netanyahu, the rail link also has a civilian use, doubling as a line for a two-hour passenger ride between Tel Aviv and Eilat, DW said. (h/t Zvi) Jinpeng to acquire Israeli healthcare providerGuangzhou-based Jinpeng Group will acquire Natali Healthcare Solutions, the largest private healthcare and homecare service provider in Israel, China Business News reported on Monday.
The newspaper cited a source close to the deal as saying that Natali is a quality cash cow and will explore business opportunities in the elder support industry in China and Southeast Asia after the acquisition.
The deal is worth about $100 million and is expected to be inked soon, CBN reported. Jinpeng, a company focused on security system development, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Guangzhou-based Sanpower Group, a conglomerate focused on IT and services industries. Israelis finally get some satisfaction as Rolling Stones confirm concert date After months - even years – of speculation, Israelis can finally get some satisfaction. The Rolling Stones are officially booked to perform on June 4 at Park Hayarkon in Tel Aviv.
Nobody was more satisfied than promoter Shuki Weiss, who announced the long-coveted show Tuesday morning in Tel Aviv. The announcement came days after the suicide of vocalist Mick Jagger's partner, fashion designer L'Wren Scott, which forced the cancellation of seven Stones' Australian and New Zealand shows as part of their '14 on Fire' tour.
"This is a historic and very meaningful visit," said Weiss. "In these days when we hear calls for boycotts from around the world, it's not taken for granted that a band of this magnitude will come to Israel." "I am an Israeli"Today the Australasian Union of Jewish Students launched a campaign to celebrate diversity in Israeli society.
The campaign, entitled "I am an Israeli", highlights the stories of ten Israelis—ranging from a Muslim former army officer, to an observant Jewish artist and storyteller.
Each individual describes themselves through key identifying attributes and finishes by stating that they are Israeli.  |
| Elder gets results! Textbook that lies about Israel pulled from U Calgary Posted: 25 Mar 2014 01:00 PM PDT In January, I reported about a sociology textbook that was being used at the University of Calgary that had many libelous inaccuracies about Israel and Zionism, as well as (also inaccurate) excuses for Osama Bin Laden's terrorism. I noted a number of its false anti-Israel claims in detail. As soon as the news about this textbook was publicized, the Calgary Jewish Federation met with university officials while many concerned people emailed to them about this egregious use of anti-Israel propaganda in a college textbook. Today, I received an email from Calgary United with Israel that because of the complaints by people concerned about the integrity of college texts - and specifically my write-up showing its lies - this book will no longer be used at the University of Calgary.Great job, all! (h/t Sarah)  |
| Falk's final report for the UN includes the usual lies and slander Posted: 25 Mar 2014 11:00 AM PDT I just looked at Richard Falk's final report as "Special Rapporteur" issued in January. Falk says this: "Legitimacy war". In the pursuit of Palestinian rights under circumstances of prolonged occupation, there is increasing reason to believe that despite the authority of international law and the expressed will of States Members of the United Nations, the situation is essentially frozen, if not regressing. In addition, Palestinians seem increasingly disillusioned with armed resistance and with traditional intergovernmental diplomacy. Palestinian hopes for the realization of their fundamental rights have now shifted to engagement in a "legitimacy war", which involves a worldwide struggle to gain control over the debate about legal entitlements and moral proprieties in the conflict supported by a global solidarity movement that has begun to sway public opinion. The United Nations has a crucial role to play in this process by lending support to Palestinian claims of rights and providing assessments of associated grievances resulting from the violation by Israel of international humanitarian law and international human rights principles and standards. What Falk doesn't mention is that he is actually the coiner of the phrase "legitimacy war," and his own definition is far more radical than he lets on here: The essence of this legitimacy war is to cast doubt on several dimensions of Israeli legitimacy: its status as a moral and law abiding actor, as an occupying power in relation to the Palestinian people, and with respect to its willingness to respect the United Nations and abide by international law. Those that wage such a legitimacy war seek to seize the high moral ground in relation to the underlying conflict, and on this basis, gain support for a variety of coercive, but non-violent initiatives designed to put pressure on Israel, on governments throughout the world and on the United Nations to deny normal participatory rights to Israel as a member of international society. Yes, Falk is a leader of the movement to cast doubts on Israel's legitimacy as a state altogether, and then he congratulates the movement in a UN report for its successes, conveniently hiding his own role in this "war."How's that for objectivity? I also noticed that he used, as a source, the "findings" of the publicity stunt/kangaroo court known as the Russell Tribunal on Palestine. Here's one of the statistics he attributed to them, in trying to prove that Israel is an "apartheid state:" [I]t is noted that there has been a sharp drop in Israeli use of Palestinian workers since the 1990s, especially as it is now impossible for Gazans to work in Israel and since in the West Bank the construction of the wall has further diminished the number of Palestinians working in Israel or for Israeli employers. Actually, over the past few years, the number of Palestinian Arab workers in Israel has steadily increased, and their salaries are double the average salaries they make in their own towns. Falk of course couldn't say this because he cannot admit anything that contradicts his single-minded hate for Israel. Naturally, Falk doesn't mention what exactly happened between the 1990s and today that necessitated building a security barrier. Good riddance. (h/t Gidon Shaviv)  |
| 03/25 Links Pt1: Palestinians Dream of Destroying Israel, Peace Treaty or Not; Erekat’s New Spin Posted: 25 Mar 2014 09:00 AM PDT From Ian:
Khaled Abu Toameh: Palestinians Dream of Destroying Israel, Peace Treaty or NotPalestinian Authority [PA] President Mahmoud Abbas has good reason to be worried in the aftermath of the latest show of force by Hamas. When tens of thousands of Palestinians take to the streets of the Gaza Strip to call for the destruction of Israel and an end to the peace talks between the PA and Israel, it is clear that a large segment of Palestinian society remains opposed to any compromise with Israel.
The pro-Hamas rally is also aimed at sending a message to the U.S. Administration that Mahmoud Abbas does not have a mandate to sign any document that declares an end to the conflict with Israel.
U.S. President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry may be able to force Abbas, under threats and pressure, to sign a "framework agreement" with Israel. But as this week's rally of hatred in the Gaza Strip shows, even after the signing of an Israeli-Palestinian "peace" treaty, a large number of Palestinians will not abandon their dream of destroying Israel. Caroline Glick: Why bring down Ya'alon? The media chose to focus the campaign against Ya'alon on his purported irresponsibility and loose lips because they cannot argue with him on substance.
His claim that there is no chance that Palestinians will agree to a peace deal with Israel is self-evident.
His assertion that Israel cannot trust Obama to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power is undeniable.
And this is why the media chooses to create artificial crises with the US over Ya'alon's private remarks and why the Obama administration so enthusiastically cooperates with Channel 2, Yediot and Haaretz. Amb. Alan Baker: Changing the Historical Narrative: Saeb Erekat's New SpinThe Erekat Family History
Erekat's family, presently residing in Jericho, previously lived in the village of Abu Dis near Jerusalem. In fact, the Erekat family was never part of the Jericho tribal system. It is a Bedouin family which, according to Bedouin genealogy, came to the area from the south of Jordan, an area called Husseyniya and Rashaida, at an undisclosed time.
According to genealogical research of the Bedouin families in Israel, the Erekat family belongs to the extensive Huweitat clan, which originated in the area between the Liya valley, near Taif, in the vicinity of Mecca in the northern Hejaz region, close to the town of Hekl in the Sarawat Mountains, 350 km. from the Jordanian border, and northern Aqaba. Bedouin genealogical literature claims that the Huweitat clan is a Sharifi clan allied with their cousins the Hashemites. The Huweitat clan settled not only in Israel but also in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the Sinai Peninsula by Ras Seeder.
A branch of this clan settled in geographic Palestine in several waves of immigration that started some 200 years ago, ending during the period of the Arab Revolt and First World War. Apparently, the family to which Erekat belongs settled in Abu Dis near Jerusalem during the last of these waves, which occurred in the early twentieth century, after the Jewish immigration to the area. Eugene Kontorovich: Think Russia's land grab is unique? Think again.More recently, Armenia successfully conquered parts of Azerbaijan in the 1990s, a move condemned by the EU but that seems unlikely to be reversed. And, of course, Russia snagged parts of Georgia just five years ago — and, after a series of Western threats, was punished with an Olympic Games.
When conquest fails, it is because of resistance from the target state — as with Argentina's bid for the Falklands, or Libya's for parts of Chad, and Iraq's attack on Iran. But international tsk-tsking does not do the trick. Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait, which led to an international effort to eject him, is not the paradigm but rather the exception.
Even in cases in which the conqueror's control remains in dispute, it does not poison international relations. Israel's 1967 Six-Day War successes are the exception that prove the rule: It is unimaginable that 45 years from now, the EU will be demanding that Russian exports be clearly marked to indicate they did not come from "occupied Ukrainian territory." Based on the current sanctions threats, it will not be doing this 45 days from now.
Indeed, the vigor with which the international community has maintained, and increased, its objections over Israel's presence in the West Bank may divert attention from other conquests. Putin knows this. Remarkably, Russia retained its status as a member of the "quartet" — with the U.S., EU and U.N. — seeking to broker Israeli territorial withdrawals even after it invaded Georgia. A new beginning, or the arrogance of powerThe president and his spokespersons have more than once hinted at the cost the latter choice might entail in terms of Israel's international standing. Implicit in these not-so-subtle allusions is that, while the mutually beneficial partnership that links the two democracies will endure – with the overwhelming support of Congress and the American people – there could be a fraying of the bonds.
Emanating from the senior member of this partnership, this is a message that conveys, if not the arrogance of power, more than a whiff of the power of arrogance.
In fairness, the point of convergence between the retreat from the mis-perceived power of US arrogance that defines the New Beginning and its contrary application in the Arab-Israeli conflict is the conviction that these polar initiatives hold the promise of nourishing the seeds of good will and understanding among adversaries, leading ultimately to peace. At least as far as the still incorrigible deniers of Israel's legitimacy are concerned, it is wise to ponder Henry Kissinger's sage observation in A World Restored (1954): "Whenever peace – conceived as the avoidance of war – has been the primary objective...the international system has been at the mercy of [its] most ruthless member." Seeking Support for Hard Line, Abbas Turns to Arab LeagueAs Arab leaders gather in Kuwait this week, the Palestinian delegation will seek support for their rejectionist stance on the American-brokered peace talks with Israel, hoping to convince them to reinvigorate the Arab peace initiative as an alternative to the American track.
The Israel Project's Regional Analyst Paul Shindman believes Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas "is unwilling to give an absolute 'no' and break off the talks, which would threaten an American rebuke and future international monetary support for the PA. At the same time, the Palestinians collectively have not arrived at the point where they are able to say yes and take an independent state with the sacrifices to their long-standing absolutist narrative that this would involve." Palestinians to push Arab peace plan at Kuwait summitArab leaders meeting Tuesday in Kuwait are expected to back a Palestinian refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish state.
The summit stresses a "categorical rejection" of the demand for recognition of Israel as a Jewish state, according to a draft statement endorsed by foreign ministers.
The statement also rejects "all pressures exerted on the Palestinian leadership" to force it into agreeing. 75% of Palestinians: Chances for state in 5 years 'nonexistent'According to the findings of the poll, 56% of respondents believe that Abbas will accept the agreement, while 32% are convinced that he will reject it.
Only 32% said that they will accept the proposed agreement if it includes a demand for recognizing Israel as a Jewish state.
An overwhelming majority of 76% of Palestinians believe that Abbas will agree to extend the peace talks after the expiration of the nine-month deadline in late April, the poll showed. Hamas would accept peace with Israel, West Bank leader saysA top Hamas official in the West Bank said his hard-line group would accept a peace deal between the Palestinian Authority and Israel should it win approval in a national referendum.
"It is our right to oppose an agreement that [PA President] Mahmoud Abbas brings, like you have your own opposition, but I stress here: we will accept the results of a national referendum and the decision of the majority," Sheikh Hassan Yousef told The Times of Israel. Ismail Haniyeh Calls for Israel's Destruction VOA: "Little Chance" West-Bank-Only Peace Strategy Would Bring Palestinian StateVoice of America (VOA) reported last week that Secretary of State John Kerry is likely to embrace a so-called 'West Bank-only' strategy that would simply ignore the disposition of the Gaza Strip. It is not clear how the framework would secure an end of Palestinian claims against Israel – a central requirement for any comprehensive agreement – in the absence of an agreement that fixes Gaza's borders.
Without Gaza, many analysts think there is little chance the talks can lead to a negotiated settlement to the decades-old conflict or help create a viable and independent Palestinian state. But U.S. officials are pushing forward anyway. In December, President Barack Obama said that if a "pathway to peace" can be created in the West Bank, "that's something that the young people of Gaza are going to want." EU ready to pay Palestinians who renounce right of return"How exactly will that be incorporated in a future peace agreement? I can't even see how this would be implemented," the official said regarding the idea of the EU paying off Palestinian refugees. "Compensation means that if you get the money, you don't get the land, that you stop claiming you have a right to return. Ask the Palestinians whether they're willing to do that."
The diplomatic official ridiculed Faaborg-Andersen's suggestion that the EU could in any meaningful way contribute to securing Israel's borders, be it by means of security personnel on the ground or enhanced trade relations with the Palestinians. "How can they ever stabilize a Hamas-run Gaza and a Fatah-run West Bank? And if they have a way to stop rockets from being fired at Israel, what's stopping them from doing this now? Why aren't they working their magic right now?"
The official also attacked the EU's offer of a Special Privileged Partnership with the Palestinians. "Are they offering them full access to the Eurozone merely based on good will? The PA doesn't qualify for anything on EU criteria, only for charity. How can they even say that nonsense? Such statements only cast doubts on the seriousness of EU policy," the official concluded. PA official: Palestinians could turn to UN if Israel doesn't release terroristsSpeaking at the launch of an Israeli-Palestinian event in Jerusalem supporting the Arab Peace Initiative, Ajrami told The Jerusalem Post "if there is an Israeli decision to postpone the release of 104 prisoners, it will be a step against the process."
"I think Palestinian leadership will decide to stop negotiations if anything related to postponing or rejecting the release happens," he added.
Ajrami emphasized that Israel must release Palestinian terrorists from prison in order to negotiate.
"There are two parts to the American agreement. Israel agreed to release prisoners, Palestinians agreed not to appeal to UN organizations," Ajrami stated, implying that the PA will not feel obligated to their part if Israel does not fulfill its side of the deal. PA tries to stop UN Watch quoting the PA on need to fire Richard FalkUN Watch testimony to UN Human Rights Council delivered by executive director Hillel Neuer, 24 March 2014. The speech was interrupted numerous times by the Palestinian Authority, supported with objections by Cuba, Pakistan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Algeria and Venezuela.
Mr. Falk, in this, your final report, you address the six years of your now-ending term. Were they a success?
Let us consider. Did you promote human rights? We could ask the Israeli people. But the terms of your mandate refused to consider their human rights, so we cannot ask them.
On 16 February 2010, as revealed by Wikileaks, the Palestinian delegation here in Geneva met their diplomatic counterparts. The meeting was recorded in a diplomatic cable.
I quote: "The Palestinians informed us that they were seeking the removal of Special Rapporteur Richard Falk due to his poor performance, and [his] reference to Hamas in his draft report to the Council."
"Zuhairi argued that he had too often corrected Falk's many errors, and that this latest misguided effort by Falk had gone too far."
"Zuhairi also said he wished Falk would drop his repeated suggestions that Israel's actions in the OPT be equated with the Holocaust." U.N. Human Rights Council Debates 5 Anti-Israel Resolutions, 1 Syria ResolutionThe United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) debated five anti-Israel resolutions on Monday. One of the resolutions calls to boycott Israeli business in Judea and Samaria and in eastern Jerusalem.
The resolution calls on member states "to take appropriate measures to ensure that businesses domiciled in their territory and/or under their jurisdiction, including those owned or controlled by them, that conduct activities in or related to the settlements, respect human rights throughout their operations, by taking all necessary steps—including by terminating their business interests in the settlements—to ensure that their activities do not have an adverse impact on the human rights of the Palestinian people," the Jerusalem Post reported. UN Human Rights Council Launches Fusillade of Anti-Israel MovesThe United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is launching a new round of anti-Israel activity, with as many as 5 new resolutions in the works this coming week. In conjunction with the UN's year of solidarity with the Palestinian people, the Council, which has only one resolution pending this session addressing the bloody civil war in Syria, is set to introduce a series of resolutions – sponsored by Syria and the Palestinian Authority – condemning Israel. According to UN Watch:
While Israeli diplomats remain on strike, the 47-nation UN Human Rights Council is planning to launch a massive attack on the Jewish state next week in a series of five resolutions that — expressly citing controversial UN official Richard Falk — include new accusations of racism, along with calls to impose "international criminal liability" on businesses with indirect links amounting to "corporate complicity in breaches of international law related to illegal settlements." UN Blames Israel for Problems in Judea, Samaria and GazaShe also claimed that Israel was partly responsible for the escalation in violence in Gaza, because of its airstrikes on terror targets in retaliation for rocket attacks on southern Israel.
According to Pillay, "The targeting of civilians and the indiscriminate firing of rockets towards Israel is a violation of international law. The response through air strikes by Israel is excessive and often causes destruction to personal and public property."
There was no condemnation in her remarks for the rock attacks being perpetrated on a daily basis by Palestinian Arabs against residents of Judea, Samaria, and eastern Jerusalem. EU, UN Blame Settlements, not Palestinian ViolenceThese international diplomats live in a topsy-turvy version of reality in which homes for Jews are antithetical to peace, while the proliferation of Islamist terror groups in the West Bank are unworthy of comment. Indeed, in his Bloomberg interview President Obama repeatedly described settlements as "aggressive" so as to create the sense that building homes for Jews is comparable with acts of violence. Meanwhile Obama praised Abbas as having rejected violence. In truth Abbas's PA continues to glorify and honor terrorism, but it also now seems that Abbas has adopted a parallel policy of inaction that only makes the proliferation of terrorism against Israelis more likely.
The growing threat of terror coming from the West Bank has become ever more apparent in recent months. It appears that, under pressure from a Palestinian public supportive of jihadist groups, the PA security forces have simply stopped policing certain neighborhoods of such radicalized cities as Jenin and Nablus. This has obliged the Israeli military to step up its involvement in these areas and over the weekend the IDF was engaged in a firefight in Jenin as they pursued Hamas operative Hamza Abu al-Hija, having already attempted to arrest him back in December. Despite the fact that these measures were necessitated by PA inaction, the Palestinian Authority actually condemned this incursion by Israel. Israeli Security Officials Say Jenin is New Terror Capital of Judea and SamariaSuch cities as Hebron and Nablus once boasted the nefarious title of "terror capital." However, over the last several months Jenin has became a hub for the planning and execution of terrorism.
In September 2013, a member of the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization was killed in Jenin by Israeli forces. The incident was similar to the one that took place this week, in which the Israeli Defense Forces killed three terrorists. In December, another Islamic Jihad fighter was killed in the same refugee camp while in the act of planning a homicide attack against Israelis, Ma'ariv said.
While Israeli security forces regularly conduct raids and detentions of terror suspects across Judea and Samaria without incident, IDF soldiers in the act of making arrests in Jenin are routinely shot and have Molotov Cocktails hurled at them, Ma'ariv reported. 'Iran scenario' at Israel, US, Greece naval exerciseThe exercise, "Noble Dina," is now in its fourth year and replaced an annual Israeli-Turkish joint maneuver which was canceled when relations soured between Jerusalem and Ankara.
Noble Dina, which is to last more than a week, features extensive drills involving naval and air forces of the three countries, including simulations of submarine warfare and search and rescue operations.
According to an IDF source cited by Walla News, the exercise will also feature a simulation of an "Iranian scenario" which includes practicing defending Israeli ports from attack, and implementing a "swarm" tactic where a large vessel is overcome by many smaller boats. US, Israel to Strengthen Defense Ties Despite Ya'alon BrouhahaRose Gottemoeller, the US Undersecretary for Arms Control and International Security, will meet with Israeli counterparts, including several military leaders, to discuss regional security issues, arms control and nonproliferation policy, as well as missile defense cooperation and export control matters, according to Ma'ariv.
The State Department announced Sunday that Gottemoeller will head the US delegation to the 43rd Joint Political Military Group, one of several long-standing bilateral security discussions. Terrorist 'Martyrs' Families to Receive Millions of DollarsThe Palestinian Authority (PA) continues to financially support terrorism, and families of terrorists were set to receive a great deal of that financial support, as PA official Rami Hamdallah pledged another $74 million from the PA budget to the families of 'martyrs' for the Palestinian Arab nationalist cause.
On Sunday, Hamdallah said that his government will continue to work to protect the rights of family members of the "martyrs" who were killed in the course of carrying out attacks on Israelis and their supporters abroad, and ensure that they "live dignified lives." Fatah official: "We have not cast down the rifle" Khamenei Expresses Doubts whether the Holocaust Took Place. "Death to America" Chants by the Crowd Hungarian envoy pays respects at Hezbollah monument as 'jihad tourist'The Hungarian ambassador to Lebanon paid respects at a Hezbollah monument while on a "jihad tour."
The ambassador visited the site in south Lebanon and "expressed his admiration at Hezbollah's great achievement for Lebanon, at liberating the land and the people," Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV reported on February 28 according to a transcript provided by MEMRI (the Middle East Media Research Institute).
According to the website of the Mleeta Resistance Tourist Landmark-Lebanon, the site is a natural museum that seeks "to preserve the places where the Mujahideen lived, giving people the chance to be acquainted with the style of the unique experience of the Islamic resistance against the Israeli enemy." Pacific islands may be selling diplomatic immunityImportant things to know about the Marshall Islands. About 70,000 people call this tiny Pacific nation home. Sixty years ago it was a US nuclear test site. And its president recently made an impassioned plea in The New York Times warning climate change is already swamping his islands.
But you probably missed news that Marshall Islands was caught out a few weeks ago for nominating a Hezbollah-linked former Lebanese general to be its representative at a key United Nations forum. US on Turkey's Twitter Ban--More Tweets Than BeforeThe move has attracted ire from the international community, with Washington on Friday denouncing the blow to "the right to free speech."
But State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf noted Monday that "there have been more tweets from Turkey since the government blocked (Twitter) than there were before."
"Which is an interesting, I think, signal to people who try to clamp down on freedom of expression: that it doesn't work, and isn't the right thing to do," she said.  |
| Turkish writer says it's time for Muslims to take responsibility - and accept Zionism Posted: 25 Mar 2014 07:00 AM PDT  | | Sinem Tezyapar |
This article by Turkish writer and TV producer Sinem Tezyapar, written last October, was just translated to Arabic and published in Al Quds. Whenever a calamity falls upon Muslim-majority countries, there is always "others" to blame. There is no need to look for any other reason. Is there a revolution against a tyrant regime subjugating its people? Is there a clash between Sunni and Shia groups? Who else can be responsible? The West.
This irrational inclination to blame Judeo-Christian Western world for every failure going on in the Middle East has been the trend for quite some time. A wide-spread variety of people from different countries, ethnicity, ideologies, sects—even enemies of each other—invariably point to one direction. This madness of putting the blame on "others" is such a knee-jerk reaction that there is no logical explanation to this evasion of responsibility.
Now let's look at what is really going on in the Islamic-Arab world. There is a continuous and unending stream of hate; hate the Shia, hate the Wahabbi, hate the Sunni, hate the Alawi, hate the Christians, hate the Jews, and so on ad infinitum. Hatred is deeply ingrained in their tradition, in their culture, in their own education and this fierce, venomous style is what is tearing the Islamic world apart; this is exactly what is happening in Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, Pakistan and others—Muslims killing Muslims.
So it is illogical and unreasonable to put the blame on Judeo-Christian world for some Muslims' ignorance, bigotry, cruelty, lovelessness, and involving themselves in brutal sectarian fanaticism. This is an outcome of the intense efforts of some Muslim clerics themselves. There is a serious deterioration in their ideology and belief system. We find this hatred in Muslims' own books. We find this hate in their own speeches; are these clerics Rabbis or Priests? Of course not. This occurs entirely within their own jurisprudence. They educate hatred of the "other" thoroughly. No one says, "Both sides are brothers, let's love each other"; do we ever see them talk about love and compassion? Since we see many Muslim clerics inciting violence, since we see them in their own words explain the reasons for the need to hate thoroughly, why do we put the blame on others? We only see Muslims massacring each other.
Muslims killing each other, and both sides then turn around and blame the West. How does the West make Muslims kill other Muslims? Muslim clerics hand out fatwas (Islamic rulings) calling for sectarian violence like candy. Wahabbi scholars say that all Sunnis are unbelievers and should be destroyed: Sunni scholars say Shias are unbelievers and their death is obligatory: Shias say that it is obligatory to kill Sunnis, as they are enemies. These are Muslim clerics who are promoting the most violent brand of sectarianism, preaching hatred and calling upon their followers to commit massacres. When their followers then heed these calls for violence, these same clerics turn around and promptly blame the Jews and Christians; that is disgraceful. What about Muslims' not killing each other? What about Muslims' being united without declaring each other as unbelievers and solving their own problems without resorting to violence? What about the Organization of Islamic Cooperation with its 57 member states or the League of Arab States with its 22 states which are utterly helpless to bring about any solutions?
...
So—as Muslims—let's stop pointing the finger at others for our problems: Now it is time for the Muslim world to take responsibility and to ponder upon what has gone so horribly wrong with the Muslim world; why is there so much bloodshed. An Islam based on the Qur'an is not being lived at all; superstitions, innovations, localized traditions and bigotry have replaced the Qur'an in some Islamic countries, and their religiosity is a deeply artificial one. This hatred has to stop and Muslims must embrace the true spirit of the Qur'an which is love, compassion and brotherhood for all. (Al Quds does translate opinion articles even from Zionists in Israeli newspapers, to its credit.) Sinem Tezyapar seems to be a true Muslim peace activist. Her Facebook page and personal website look to be quite good. Here is an excerpt from a more recent article: Today one of the most common views among the Islamic world is that one cannot be a Muslim and endorse Zionism at the same time, as if they are somehow mutually exclusive. However the truth is that affirming the concept of Zionism is not conflictive with one's being a Muslim at all: The Zionist conception of the Jewish people, who simply wish to live in peace and security in Israel alongside Muslims, to worship in the lands of their forefathers and to engage in business, science, art is perfectly normal from an Islamic perspective.
In fact according to the Koran, God wants the Jewish people to live in the Holy Land:
"Remember Moses said to his people: 'O my people! Call in remembrance the favor of Allah unto you, when He produced prophets among you, made you kings, and gave you what He had not given to any other among the peoples. O my people! Enter the Holy Land which Allah hath assigned unto you, and turn not back ignominiously, for then will ye be overthrown, to your own ruin.'" (Koran, 5:20-21)
It is also stated in the Koran that God has "…settled the Children of Israel in a beautiful dwelling-place, and provided for them sustenance of the best…" (Koran, 10:93), hence disproving the allegation that the people of Israel have no connection to the region where they reside today.
...Although Zionism is simply the right of Jews for self-determination in Israel as their national homeland, it has been associated with the most derogatory concepts and negative sentiments, not permitting anyone to speak fairly about it. Especially in the widespread political arena of the Middle East, being opposed to Zionism or Israel in general has long been a classical right-wing position.
In other words, when someone takes an anti-Zionist stance, blames Israel for the calamities in the Islamic world and utters anti-Jewish statements, then he rapidly gains "trust", popularity and political power; the same goes for a writer or a leader of a religious group. Therefore, anti-Israelism becomes a "necessity" to be seen as "pious", to gain acceptance and to cling to power in the Islamic world.
As an outcome of this outlook, there are a substantial number of misguided people who falsely believe being anti-Zionist is a precondition of justice and an obligation of conscience. Hence, no one dares to counter the narrative and speak out impartially about Israel or to be affiliated with it in any positive context.
As a matter of fact, anyone who speaks in a friendly manner on the subject would promptly find himself labeled as a traitor or a supporter of oppressors, racists, world hegemony seekers and so on. Thus even those who are neutral to Israel would just simply evade the subject so as to avoid public pressure—and in some cases, even more severe intimidation.
Among the Muslim community, there are also huge numbers of people who say that they are not against Jews, but only against Zionists. At first glance, this suggests no hostility towards the Jews as a people, nation, or as a follower of a religion but only seems like opposition to an ideological policy. However, when one scratches the surface and questions why only the six million Jews of Israel—out of some 14 million Jews throughout the whole world—are singled out, one can clearly see that anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism are intertwined. That anti-Zionism is often used as a cloak for anti-Semitism. She is definitely worth following. UPDATE: A Turkish Jewish commenter is far more skeptical.UPDATE 2: I looked a little more into this. She is definitely a fan of Adnan Oktar, quoting him often in her Facebook page, and Oktar is a complete nutcase (claiming to be the Jewish messiah!) - and possibly far worse according to some blogs. I was never a fan of damning anyone by association, however, so if Sinem writes good stuff, I care far more about the content than the motivation - especially if her audience is meant to be Muslims who do not even want to pretend to accept Jews as humans. And the articles I've seen so far are impressive, even if she follows a crazy messianic Muslim.  |
| New pro-terror rally at Al Quds University Posted: 25 Mar 2014 05:00 AM PDT  Remember last November when students at Al Quds University held a fascist-style terror rally? Brandeis University cut ties and then seemed to have reinstated them when the university said it would offer a class on hate speech this summer and when they issued a study claiming that Al Quds had taken appropriate steps to avoid anything like this happening in the future. The experts who wrote that study don't look so expert any more. This past Sunday, the university was at it again, with a large Hamas rally that glorified terror.  But it had full participation of women, so it should still pass the Brandeis test for inclusiveness. and one of them even kept her face uncovered! The four-fingered gesture symbolizes solidarity with the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt. As Tom Gross reports: The Al-Quds university authorities have consistently misled everyone (and some gullible journalists have repeated their assertions without question) that last November's Fascist-style rally on the university campus (organized with the full cooperation of the university authorities) was a one off-event, when in fact there were several such rallies last year.
Palestinian students at the university whom I spoke to yesterday, who say they are sick and tired of the university authorities allowing terrorist groups to hold military parades around campus, tell me the rally lasted for about two hours and involved hundreds of students.
One of those many westerners who helps fund programs at Al-Quds university is George Soros, and I am told by one of his assistants that Soros has looked at my previous dispatches on this subject and has already threatened to cut his funding. - -  |
| Jimmy Carter thinks "Jewish State" means Muslims must convert! Posted: 25 Mar 2014 02:30 AM PDT It is mind-boggling that this man was once president. From AP: "I don't see how the Palestinians or the Arab world can accept that premise, that Israel is an exclusively Jewish state," Carter said.
"This has never been put forward in any of the negotiations in which I was involved as president, or any president, before (Benjamin) Netanyahu became prime minister this time. And now it has been put into the forefront of consideration," he added.
About a fourth of Israel's people are Arab or other non-Jewish citizens.
"Israel can claim `We are a Jewish state.' I don't think the Arab countries will contradict that Jewish statement. But to force the Arab people to say that all the Arab people that they have in Israel have to be Jews, I think that's going too far," Carter said. Carter accepts the absurd premise, being spouted by Palestinian Arabs as well as others across the Arab world, that if Israel is recognized as a Jewish state then it means that only Jews can live there. He even goes further than the idiot Arabs who keep repeating this, by claiming that it means that Arabs "have to be Jews" to live in Israel. Given this level of cluelessness, it is hardly worth pointing out that Carter is also wrong in saying that Netanyahu is the first to demand Israel be recognized as a Jewish state.  |
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