The Following is the main text of the missive that was sent to Benjamin Netanyahu four months ago. My thanks for the e-mail that Major General, US Army Ret., Paul E. Vallely sent to Bibi on my behalf. I received e-mail confirmation from Bibi's staff back in March that it was handed to Bibi himself, who sent his personal thanks to me, but no further comment was given at that time.

I only mention this at this time in order to enable the readership to better understand where I am coming from so perhaps you could be better inspired by Heaven to offer suggestions that may help us find a common ground between the current Israeli peace initiative and the plan that Hashem/God gave me, so that we may find that one elusive yet perfect path to world peace that the Lord has promised to bring to mankind.

Peace in the Middle East: Everyone Wins
By Alan Friedlander

In pursuit of a peace plan to resolve the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Arabs, we need to find something that ends not only the causes of conflict but also ends the foundations of terrorism. The "Oslo Accords" have failed to bring peace, only pseudo legitimacy to the PLO.

The current peace initiative, the "Roadmap to Peace" is little more than a roadmap to roadblocks and has only succeeded in giving pseudo legitimacy to Fatah and a terrorist haven to Hamas. Not surprising, the efforts by the political left wing to evict innocent Israeli Jews from their homes seemingly for the sake and lone true benefit of unrepentant terrorists has elicited a stronger reaction than ever before from the political right to instead evict West Bank Palestinian Arabs from their homes. The tit for tat cycle does not end on the path that current American Foreign Policy travels. The further the Roadmap is pursued, the deeper entrenched animosities will grow, bringing the conflict closer to the prospect of resolution being possible exclusively by full scale war.

The time is ripe for Change. Change from the failed policies of a bygone era, to a true path towards regional conflict resolution. First let's create a wish list of the goals of the new path to peace.

The Ten Commandments of an Ideal Peace Plan:

1. To secure an end to terrorist armies within a stone's throw of Israeli cities.
2. To maintain West Bank and Gaza Palestinian Arabic control of their cities
3. Allow Palestinian Arabs the retention of their homes.
4. To allow Israeli settlers to keep their homes as well.
5. Free Palestinian Arabs in the short term from terrorist police and long term from refugee camps.
6. Maintains Israel's military control over all the land and resources West of the Jordan River.
7. Guarantee freedom of religious access to non-Muslims (Jews, Christians, etc.) to ancient and historic holy sites.
8. Eventually allow West Bank and Gaza Palestinians to join their cousin Israeli Arabs within the "Green Line" by also having a right to vote in the State of Israel.
9. Not to overwhelm Israeli's economy or infrastructure, nor significantly alter electorate configuration to give unfair advantage to naturalized Arabs and risk disruption of the entire democratic process.
10. Put an end to the unhealthy segregationist environment that both sides are currently caught up in.

Effecting Real Change

The peace plan alternative must be as moderate and evenhanded as possible without ignoring the key needs of Israel, external and internal security, and religious freedom in order to be a politically viable option.

Everyone Wins

The "Everyone Wins" Peace Plan requires the tying of West Bank/Gaza Arabic naturalization rates to the immigration rates of foreign born Jews. Whereas previous one state solutions called for relocating masses of people, this plan calls for no segregation whatsoever. Nobody has to give up their homes, neither Jews nor Arabs (except for terrorists and those who support them). Palestinians slowly but surely become complete Israelis without overwhelming the Israeli economy and infrastructure.

The key to making this work is twofold. First: Setting the categorization of the level of security risk of each naturalization applicant. The ones who are at zero risk are immediately placed in cue and await a corresponding number of immigrants to raise enough quota to allow them entry as naturalized Israelis. Second: Setting a fair and an appropriate ratio. If current demographics in Israel are that 15% of Israelis are Arabs, then the ratio could be set at 15%. That is, for every 100 immigrants, 15 West Bank and Gaza Arabs who are not a threat are allowed in. So if in a given year there are 100,000 Jewish immigrants, 15,000 friendly Arabs would naturalize.

Once true peace exists, I would expect that Jewish immigration will likely increase by no less than 300% of current rates. Plus financial stability and growth will be at unheard of levels. The ability to power infrastructure growth and the greater Jewish immigration numbers will allow a corresponding expansion of the Arabic naturalization process that is at the core of this solution. Israel can thereby naturalize more Arabs faster and safer than currently possible. Thus the entire conflict will come to an end that much sooner, by the grace of God.

By implementing the principles of my Everyone Wins Peace Plan the Israeli government can find a single and straight path towards peace. If you agree, then we must be prepared to shout out loud and clear in support of the peace plan that seems to be the most consistent with the will of God and the needs of humankind, no matter how simple its author may be.

The Prime Minister must answer what is the extent of Palestinian Independence in his plan under International Law before his plan can even be called an option. Resolving all the internal strife between Israelis and West Bank and Gaza refugees is wonderful. But increasing the potential for external strife (regional war) is not a peace plan.

I am not trying to nor trying to encourage a rushing to judgment against the duly elected Prime Minister of the State of Israel. Perhaps after the Iranian issue becomes more calm than it is today, it will become easier for news agencies to receive clear communication on this matter from the PM's office and also the PM's office will have more time to present the current peace plan with all its nooks, crannies and variations to the public.

Yet, I cannot remain silent, even as I wish I could. Silence can be a sin in such a circumstance. Hopefully, the PM will accept my words for their good intent, as the Holy Sages of the Talmud said, "Who is wise? He who learns from everyone."(Avos/Ethics of the Fathers 4:1) My concern over saying nothing is that there should be open debate and honest discussion, and consequently also the potential opportunity to perfect any peace plan that is presented.

In academic circles, generally scholars humbly send in their thesis papers to other co-practitioners of their trade for assessment. Or, as in my case, nowadays scholars who are pressed for time can at least create a blog such as this one to discuss the matter and allow some sort of public review and chance to receive criticism. By denying the possibility of any real critical review, previous peace deals fell apart as their underlying theories were untested until it was too late, when it was time to actually put them into practice. So my public critique of the PM is not an effort to defame him in any manner, but to put even my very critique of his plan to the test so that I can offer even better quality aid to him the next time I open my mouth, pen, or computer. While my reverence for his office is present, the greater calling is to do the will of God and the needs of humanity, and so I comment thusly.

As the revealed aspects of his plan, as per the text that I have received so far, have been a bit sketchy, here then is a very preliminary SWOT Analysis of PM Netanyahu's peace plan (but really this sort of appraisal is for the Prime Minister's office or the Foreign Ministry to run via an objective agency or think tank and then communicate to the public when toting their plan)...

Strengths:

• The PM's plan ends the dangers of missiles firing at Israeli cities.
• It ends the dangers of roving bands of terrorists destroying holy sites such as happened with the Tomb of Joseph.
• It increases the economic welfare of West Bank and Gaza Palestinians Arabs.

Weaknesses:

• It keeps the noses of the nations in Israel's business. Does any Israeli like this status? If the (non terroristic) Palestinians were all absorbed into Israel instead, it would be an internal matter under International Law and an end to external interference. Such independence is a good place for an open democracy like Israel to be in. The plan was supposed to resolve this, but in my opinion it does not cover all potentialities.
• It creates a veil of immunity to the just prosecution of terrorists based in the West Bank and Gaza that their Arab brethren inside Israel do not have.
• It has an element of bias, as it creates an artificial limit on where Jews are allowed to settle in their historic homeland. Israel set no such limits on Arabs within the Green Line, so Jews on the other side of the Green Line should enjoy at least the same courtesy and rights as Israeli Arabs do.

Opportunities:

• It can remove a huge monkey off the back of the State of Israel that is impeding its finding an economic and prestigious place among the nations of the world.

Threats:

• War.
• Perpetual international interference in internal Israeli affairs.
• Consequently the monkey actually remains on the back with people scratching heads and asking why. Thus the opportunities that the PM's plan offers, as I have heard it, while well meaning are fallacious in character.

So, it appears to me that Bibi and his administration have come up with a sincere and strong peace plan that in its current form may begin nicely, yet does not address all of the present and pending issues in its wake, and thus creates a false sense of opportunity where, unfortunately, none exists.

I urge the Prime Minister to reread the letter that I sent him four months ago concerning the Everyone Wins Peace Plan and consider incorporating some elements therein to his plan in order, by the grace of God, to enrich and strengthen the chance for true and lasting peace.

Louis René Beres
Unity Coalition for Israel

In Washington, alas, there has always been too little learning from lessons of the past. Now, President Obama elegantly repeats the worn cliches concerning a "Two State Solution." For his part, in Jerusalem, Prime Minister Netanyahu awkwardly straddles the political fence by first expecting a Palestinian state to be "demilitarized." It is bound to be a vain expectation.. Oddly, especially if real history is taken into account, Mr. Obama still refuses to acknowledge that "Palestine" would represent a distinctly enemy state. Fragmented by civil war, both Fatah and Hamas would seek ever-closer ties to Iran. There would also be substantial collaborations with al-Qaeda, ties that are now already being fashioned in Hamas-controlled Gaza.

On September 11th, celebrations of American distress were evident all over Gaza and West Bank, in areas controlled by both Hamas and Fatah. Now, nothing has changed. America, despite its consistently misplaced largesse, is still widely loathed in all Palestinian territories.

Mr. Obama`s adherence to the so-called "Road Map" will surely backfire. Despite their plaintive pleas for "justice," the Palestinians always manage to stand stubbornly in their own way. Time after time, whenever they seem on the threshold of what appears to be a plausible path to independence, their strife-addicted leaders unleash new and unproductive spasms of random violence. Over time, this collective self-destructiveness has been characteristic of both Fatah and Hamas.

Even after Israel`s Operation Cast Lead in Gaza, and even while Israel`s cease fires with Hamas must remain effectively unilateral because of intransigent Palestinian commitments to Jihad, Mr. Obama asks that a Palestinian state be carved from the still-living body of Israel. This rabidly anti-American 23rd Arab state would quickly seek extension across the "green line." The official Palestine Authority (PA) map of "moderate" Fatah already shows all of Israel as part of Palestine. Our principled president should also recall that Arab terrorism arrived long before "occupation" (actually, even before Jewish statehood in May 1948) and that the PLO was founded in 1964 – three years before West Bank and Gaza fell into Israel`s hands. What was it, then, that the PLO was seeking to "liberate?"

Israel remains the front line position of anti-terrorist engagement for the United States in particular, and for the West in general. It is still the lead "canary" in the mine. In this connection, any Palestinian state would have an irremediably injurious effect on Israel`s survival. After "Palestine," Israel`s security would require (1) a far more comprehensive nuclear strategy involving deterrence, preemption and war fighting capabilities; and (2) a corollary and interpenetrating conventional war strategy. Without such strategic improvements, America – not just Israel - would be at greater risk than before.

"Palestine" could affect these two core strategies in several ways. First, it would enlarge Israel`s need for "escalation dominance." With Israel`s conventional capabilities more doubtful, IDF command could decide to make the country`s nuclear deterrent less ambiguous. Taking the Israeli bomb out of the "basement" might actually enhance Israel`s security for a while, but – over time – ending "deliberate ambiguity" could also heighten the odds of nuclear weapons use. If Iran were permitted to "go nuclear," as now still seems certain, such use might not necessarily be limited to the immediate areas of Israel and "Palestine."

Nuclear war could arrive in Israel not only as a "bolt-from-the-blue" surprise missile attack, but also as a result (intended or inadvertent) of escalation. If an enemy state were to begin "only" conventional and/or biological attacks upon Israel, Jerusalem might still respond at some point with nuclear reprisals. If this enemy state were to begin with solely conventional attacks upon Israel, Jerusalem`s conventional reprisals might still be met, sometime in the future, with enemy nuclear counterstrikes.

Why should Israel need a conventional deterrent at all? Even after "Palestine," won`t rational enemy states desist from launching conventional and/or biological attacks upon Israel for fear of an Israeli nuclear retaliation? Not necessarily. Aware that Israel would cross the nuclear threshold only in extraordinary circumstances, these enemy states could be convinced, rightly or wrongly, that so long as their attacks remained non-nuclear, Israel would only respond in kind.

After creation of "Palestine," strategic circumstances in the region would be markedly less favorable to Israel. The only credible way for Israel to deter large-scale conventional attacks following any such creation would be by maintaining visible and large-scale conventional capabilities. Naturally, enemy states contemplating first-strike attacks upon Israel using chemical and/or biological weapons are apt to take more seriously Israel`s nuclear deterrent. Whether or not this nuclear deterrent had remained undisclosed could also affect Israel`s strategic credibility.

A strong conventional capability will always be needed by Israel to deter or to preempt conventional attacks. Obama`s Road Map would critically impair Israel`s strategic depth, and thus the IDF`s essential capacity to wage conventional warfare.

If frontline regional enemy states were to perceive Israel`s own expanding sense of weakness, this could strengthen Israel`s nuclear deterrent. If, however, enemy states did not recognize such a "sense" among Israel`s key decision-makers, these states, animated by Israel`s presumed conventional force deterioration, could be encouraged to attack. Logically, the result, spawned by Israel`s post-"Palestine" incapacity to maintain strong conventional deterrence, could be: (1) defeat of Israel in a conventional war; (2) defeat of Israel in an unconventional chemical/biological/nuclear war; (3) defeat of Israel in a combined conventional/unconventional war; or (4) defeat of Arab/Islamic state enemies by Israel in an unconventional war.

For Israel, even the "successful" fourth possibility could become intolerable. The probable consequences of a regional nuclear war or even a chemical/biological war in the Middle East would be calamitous for the victor as well as the vanquished. Here, all notions of "victory" and "defeat" would promptly lose traditional meaning.

President Obama, please note: The dangers to Israel and the United States of any Palestinian state would outweigh any conceivable benefits.

------------

LOUIS RENÉ BERES (Ph.D., Princeton, 1971) lectures and publishes widely on Israeli and American security matters. Born in Zurich, Switzerland, on August 31, 1945, he is the author of ten major books on international relations and international law, and is a frequent contributor to journals of law, military strategy, intelligence, and counterintelligence. His latest journal publication is "Facing Iran`s Ongoing Nuclearization: A Retrospective on Project Daniel," International Journal of Intelligence and Counterintelligence, Vol. 22. No. 3., Fall 200

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10 of the Fourth Month 5769

When I tell people I was a victim of a terrorist attack in Jerusalem in Giv'ath Tzarfatith (French Hill), people always have to ask me, "Which one?"

There have been so many.

It was seven years ago. On 9 of the Fourth Month (Tammuz)/June 19, at around 7:00 pm, a Yishma'eli (Arab) blew himself up at the trempiada. Seven Jews were murdered as a result. Many Jews were also injured. I was one of them.

For seven years, I have wanted to write about this experience. For seven years I haven't. Shifra Hoffman of Victims OF Arab Terror [VAT] and SHUVA, and Gila of the My Shrapnel Blog have encouraged me to do so.

So, here I am,...finally....

The Attack
I was waiting for a "tremp" (ride) back home to Ofra, where I was living at that time. People waiting look for stickers on windshields, indicating the hometown of the driver, and probable destination. Everyone is focused on getting a ride, and holding on to their places in line, pretty much oblivious to anything else, including suspicious-looking individuals and activities.

All of a sudden there was a blast and clouds of smoke. A glance behind me revealed a chunk of something flying toward me. I felt the force of impact on my hip.

All of a sudden I could not hear anything, but a buzzing in my ears.

As a former lifeguard, my instinct was to see what I could do to help the injured. That was only after coming out of minutes of being frozen on the spot, not understanding how I ended up in this "movie," albeit with very realistic special effects. That was what it was like,...like being in a movie. Then countless news reports of previous terrorist attacks came back to me,...interviews of paramedics being interviewed, reminding people what to do:

Get out of the way! Allow the professionals easy access to the attack site, and let them do their jobs. Only afterwards, see what you can do to help.

After looking around at the dead bodies, and unrecognizable pieces of dead bodies, I knew that there was not anything that I could do to help anyone. I did not even have a spare piece of clothing to offer the screaming young lady, whose skirt seemed to have been blown off by the blast.

I left the trempiada, and started walking south in the direction of town, although I had absolutely no idea as to where I was going. I am not sure why, but I called a friend, let him know what had happened, and told him that I would call him later. I was surprised that I got through. The bump in cellular phone usage after terrorist attacks usually causes network overloads, and then it's impossible to get through to anyone. My friend told me to go to the hospital and get checked out. I told him not to worry, that I was OK, and did not need to go to the hospital. He reiterated his advices once more, then let it go, knowing how stubborn I can be.

My walk southward turned into a circular wander. A paramedic approached me, asking me how I was. I said I was OK, yet to him it was obvious that I was not. He began insisting that I take my pants down, which threw me. He was religious, and thus must know that would not be the most tzanu'a (modest) thing for me to do in the middle of the street. He said that he had to check to see if I had been injured, and that if I did not take my pants down, then I would have to go in an ambulance to the hospital. I thought he was crazy, until he showed the gaping hole in back of my pants with blood seeping though.

"I'll go in the ambulance," I said, figuring I needed a ride back to town, yet not knowing why needed to go back to town. In retrospect, I still cannot believe just how clouded me thinking was at the time.

In the ambulance, I was met by three young female volunteers, all very nice. I insisted on speaking Hebrew. Part of me may have been injured, but the Hebrew chip on my shoulder was still there. Then the one in the skirt mentioned that she was actually from Chicago. I had not been in the U. S. for years, and had no interest in an American identity, yet suddenly, I felt less alone. I do not remember what we talked about, probably nothing. But I remember beginning to feel better. I remember the kindness of all three of them. I remember thinking that Chicago was just around the block from my hometown of San Diego, even though it's not. I remember thinking that young lady from Chicago was my neighbor's daughter or even my neice I hadn't seen in a long time, even though she's neither, and I don't even have a niece.

As I later learned, she was not the only special person HaQadosh Barukh Hu (The Holy One, Blessed Be He) would be placed in my path that day, that week, and that first year afterward.

The Hospital
I was taken to Biqur Holim Hospital in the center of town. I given a bed in the emergency room, and a place where I could put my things. I remembered that I had done my Shabbath shopping that day. The nurses let me put my groceries and chicken into their tiny refrigerator, so they would not spoil.

Then, almost immediately, doctors and nurses started poking and prodding. I was take for x-rays, brought back, and given hospital clothes. I saw that the backsides of my clothes were soaked and caked with blood and guts (I am afraid I did not know how to be any more delicate about this.).

The nurses, Sefardi Chen and Russian Svetlana were the next "angels" sent to me.

I mention the their backgrounds to emphasize how diverse the involved with my treatment were. Later the American sonogram technician and French, haredi psychiatrist were to enter the scene. Many were visiblly religious; quite a few were not. See what I mean? In addition, at least half of the staff I was to encounter was made up of olim (immigrants), just like myself.

My initial emotional reactions to the attack were that I was worthless and undeserving of anything. Literally, I felt damaged and no good. For some reason, the nurses were able to relieve me of these feelings temporarily (I am tearing up as I write this. It's been seven years already, yet I still tear up when I think of those nurses and what they did for me.)

Chen held my face, encouraging me to look at her, and not satisfy my curiosity by looking at the procedure to remove the shrapnel. With every "ow" that came out of my mouth, she insisted that the surgeon shoot me up with more anesthetic. It's OK, I said. It felt more weird than painful, even though it was definitely painful. The amazing thing was that after the local anesthetic wore off, I did not need anything more than Acamol (similar to Tylenol) to get relief from the pain. Meanwhile, Svetlana was careful not to startle me as she aided the surgeon by maneuvering my hip and leg to his specifications. She had a pleasant face.

I will spare you the details as to how long it took to dig around the tissue of my gluteus maximus to find and remove the elusive of shrapnel implanted there. When it finally was removed, it was clearly recognizable as a mangled screw. The Yishma'elim pack their bombs with screws, ball bearings, and other assorted for maximum destructive effect. The surgeon washed it off, placed it in a corked test tube, and presented it to me, almost as if it was a souvenir from a very bad vacation. Actually, it was a souvenir of sorts, a souvenir which which I could showed to others, and to look upon myself, as proof that what happened to me, actually did happen. I have since lost that "souvenir." But, I don't really need it anymore.

At this point, I received a few phone calls of support, and two visitors from Ofra. They were strangers to me. I also had a couple of friends visit, my former roommate and former neighbors from Jerusalem.

Several hours after my arrival, things began to calm down. As is standard procedure, I met with the psychiatrist on duty. I just wanted to go home. But the decision was his, and his decision was no. I had no choice but to stay overnight.

I opened a siddur to say Qeri'ath Shema'. When I looked down at the page to find my place, I saw that I had opened the siddur to a song many Jews sing on Moss'ei Shabbath.

I could not sleep that night, but only because of lights that were on. After seeing the above song in my hands, I

When I woke up the next morning, as you could imagine, I was still sort of just moving through time, less like the movie that was the attack itself, but similar. I saw the blood all over my sandals. I washed them off the night before. I only had one pair. Although I prefer to go barefoot anyway, I doubted I would be allowed on the bus without shoes.

A nurse asked me a how I was getting home. I said by bus. She pressed me to think of someone I could call to give me a ride. There was no one. I was getting back by bus or tremp. Not yet ready to go back to the trempiada, I chose the bus. Although uncomfortable, she knew she could not stop me. I would soon be released unconditionally. She had one last card to play. "You are NOT going on the bus in hospital clothes," she said, and picked up the phone to make call. I couldn't hear her. She explained that a man from the Electric Company would be coming shortly. Huh? What did the Electric Company have to do with anything? Was I that out of it?

The nurse explained that the Electric Company had a special charity which provided clothes to victims of terror attacks. Did I actually think I was the first to get my clothes plastered with blood and guts of murdered Jews?

The tall, curly-headed, headband-clad man in his 20's came bouncing into the hospital, smiling with a package to present me. It was an Electric Company uniform. Almost in tears, I asked him where I should return it. He said, no, it's yours. (Thinking and writing about the guy from the Electric Company is the other memory which never fails to make me tear up.) You don't return it; it's yours. He shook my hand and said refu'ah shlemah (complete recovery). It was obvious he had done this before. I took the clothes.

I was released shortly after noon. I picked my groceries, a plastic bag filled with my bloodied clothes, and made my way through the corridors to the exit.

I knew deep inside that this was only the first stage in a journey I would not recommend to anyone. But I was not thinking about this at the time.

To be continued...

I don't have enough time to really comment on this, but it's too astounding not to post.The United States plans to block the imposition of another round of tougher financial sanctions against Iran at next week's G8 summit. According to officials, sanctions against Iran are expected to top the G8's agenda. Sources are also predicting a pointed debate between the heads of the industrialized

Stanford University's Peter Berkowitz has a lengthy article in the Weekly Standard in which he discusses Israel's options for attacking Iran's nuclear facilities. Not surprisingly, it's been discussed and analyzed as a realistic option by Israel's decision makers (Hat Tip: Memeorandum). Conversations over the last few weeks with more than a dozen members of Israel's larger national security

Paul Greenberg

Here's how to get a dubious bill into law, or at least past the U.S. House of Representatives, which of late has deserved to be called the lower chamber:

-- First, make the bill long. Very long. So long no one may actually read it, supporters or opponents. Introduce a 310-page horse-choker of an amendment at 3 in the morning on the day of the roll-call vote. So it can't be examined too closely or too long. Only after the bill passes may its true costs emerge. To cite an old proverb I just made up: Pass in haste, repent at leisure. -- Make sure that the bill itself, which was already 1,200 pages long before this super-sized amendment was added, surpasseth all understanding. (Which may be the only thing it has in common with the peace of God.) No sense risking a reasoned debate. Just round up enough party-line votes and give the majority its orders.

-- Insert all kinds of exceptions into the bill so those special interests that stand to benefit by them -- whether regional, economic or ideological -- will join the stampede.

-- Coat the bill and the campaign for it with high-sounding sloganspeak, if not hysteria. Warn that The End Is Near unless this bill is passed, at least if you consider the year 2100 near. (Imagine the hoots if, in 1909, the scientific establishment had announced what the world's average temperature was going to be a hundred years hence.) Accuse anyone not willing to rubber-stamp the bill of treason -- against the whole planet. Honest. See columnist Paul Krugman's latest j'accuse in the New York Times.

-- Keep the faith. Science may retain a healthy skepticism, but scientists can be as true believers as any of the rest of us, just as in the 1970s it became an article of "scientific" faith that the next ice age was imminent. Now it's global warming. Talk about running hot and cold. There's no fundamentalism like scientific fundamentalism. (Well, maybe secular fundamentalism.) Who says the Age of Faith is passed? Some folks'll believe anything if it comes from an authoritative figure in a lab coat. Or maybe Al Gore on one of his jet-setting tours in the cause of saving energy.

-- If necessary, change the subject at the last minute. Say, from climate change to creating jobs. And, hesto presto, though the vote may be close (219 to 212), a confusing bill can be on its way to becoming even more confusing law. Which is just what happened the other day in the U.S. House of Representatives. No wonder it's the Senate that's called the deliberative body. There's still hope it will stop this rush to misjudgment. Thank goodness for a bicameral legislature.

-- Forget the actual content of the bill, since few if any can understand it anyway. Instead, just recite talking points. It's a lot easier than actually thinking. Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the House, didn't even bother to answer the minority leader's numerous and pointed criticisms of this energy bill. Surprise: It's not actually about saving energy after all, but about providing employment. At least to hear her yell it. Instead of a speech, she just repeated, like a cheerleader: "Jobs, jobs, and more jobs. Let's vote for more jobs." And not stop to think.

Whoever said you never want to see sausage made or laws passed did a grave injustice to sausage-makers, who are surely engaged in a much more wholesome enterprise.

Maybe the bill's boosters are talking about how to create jobs for government bureaucrats and corporate carbon-counters, which this bill would certainly do. To excess. It would set up a complex market in "carbon credits" that would allow some industries to sell their carbon quotas to others. Even if such an approach reduced carbon emissions in this country, it would scarcely have any effect on total emissions worldwide. Because huge developing economies like those of India and China would continue to pour increasing amounts of carbon into the atmosphere....

But there's no need to go into detail when just chanting incantations will solve all the world's pollution problems and revive the economy, too. Jobs, jobs, and more jobs! Save Our Planet! Suspend disbelief and go with the administration's projection that taxing industries will actually "save or create" hundreds of thousands of jobs. Just as the $787 billion stimulus package was going to keep unemployment at or below 8 percent the rest of this year. It rose to 9.4 percent in May, at least according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, but what does it know?

If some 1.6 million jobs have been lost since the administration's stimulus package was passed, just think of how many more jobs would have been lost without the huge bail-outs and government outlays! Look at it this way: The worse things get, the worse they would have gotten without this administration's high-spending programs.

To quote Max Baucus, the Democratic senator who's now chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, when he was grilling Timothy Geithner, the current secretary of the Treasury and de facto CEO of General Motors, Chrysler, AIG, and who knows how many other giant corporations to come: "You created a situation where you cannot be wrong. If the economy loses two million jobs over the next few years, you can say, yes, but it would've lost 5.5 million jobs. ... You've given yourself complete leverage where you cannot be wrong, because you can take any scenario and make yourself look correct."

Heads they win, tails we lose. Not to put too fine a point on it, this numbers game is fixed. But why let mere facts get in the way of a grand vision? The numbers can be rearranged later to show how the economy is actually growing and, of course, how the planet was saved.

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Hillel Fendel
A7 News

Uri Lubrani, a former Israeli Ambassador to Iran and considered one of Israel’s top experts on Iran, says United States policies are leading inexorably to a tragedy. Speaking with the Makor Rishon newspaper, Lubrani said, “Obama says he wants to reach an arrangement with the Iranians regarding a halt to the enrichment of uranium. In my best judgment, there is no chance of this happening. Iran of today is not the Iran of a month ago, before the riots, and the conditions in which the Americans had prepared for talks after the elections are no longer the same.”

“I fear that the Americans don’t know what to do,” Lubrani said, “but have don’t yet realize that they don’t know what to do. A tragedy is unfolding in front of our eyes. The tragedy is that the American administration actually will come to the conclusion, at the end, that negotiations have no chance – but they will reach this conclusion a year or two too late, and in the meanwhile, the nuclear clock is ticking.”

Obama to AP

Obama himself has noted that the situation in Iran has changed in recent weeks, but he has not mentioned any changes in his own policy. In response to a question from an Associated Press interviewer on Thursday, he said his is “not reconciled with [having to live with a nuclear-armed Ira, and I don't think the international community is reconciled with that. Now, how we get from what we know is required for international security — which is a nuclear-free Iran — how we get from here to there is a big challenge. And it's gotten more difficult in light of what's happened post-election in Iran.”

Iran and Peres

During President Shimon Peres’s recent trip to Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, Iran recalled its ambassador to Azerbaijan in protest, and the leaders of Kazakhstan told Peres that they would not sell uranium to Iran.
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When was the last time you read the Declaration of Independence? REALLY READ IT. Understand what it really means, and how our founders thought that government should be empowered.

How it starts off by saying that government serves at the will of the people not the other way around:

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

Or that it says freedom doesn't come from government it comes from God and governments primary purpose it to protect these individual freedoms each and every person:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.  That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.

When I read this wonderful document this morning it occurred to me that many people in the United States Government would object to the wording of the Declaration of Independence if it needed to be passed today.

Allow me to suggest that for this Independence Day, you take the time to really this amazing document. It Follows Below:

hen in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.
— John Hancock
New Hampshire:
Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton
Massachusetts:
John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry
Rhode Island:
Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery
Connecticut:
Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott
New York:
William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris
New Jersey:
Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark
Pennsylvania:
Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross
Delaware:
Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean
Maryland:
Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Virginia:
George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton
North Carolina:
William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn
South Carolina:
Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton
Georgia:
Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton

Please email me at yidwithlid@aol.com to be put onto my mailing list.Feel free to reproduce any article but please link back to http://yidwithlid.blogspot.com

As diplomats prepare for the G8 Summit, many are working toward a resolution to impose additional economic sanctions on Iran. There is one country working hard to prevent new sanctions, the United States.

Apparently Europe feels that Iran's continued development of its nuclear weapons program, its crackdown on their own people and the arrest of British Diplomats is worthy of new sanctions.

President Obama's myopic pursuit of his engage the Islamist terrorist regime policy is making him reluctant to upset the Iranian government, with new sanctions. Its Neville Chamberlain time in the oval office:

Report: U.S. to block Iran sanctions at G8 summit

By Shlomo Shamir,
The United States is opposed to enacting a new set of financial sanctions against Iran that are due to be discussed in the G8 summit next week, diplomatic officials in New York reported Friday.

According to officials, sanctions against Iran are expected to top the G8's agenda. Sources are also predicting a pointed debate between the heads of the industrialized nations over an appropriate response to Iranian authorities' suppression of reformist demonstrations in Iran led by Mir Hossein Mousavi and other Iranian opposition leaders.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi hinted in a newspaper interview earlier in the week that the G8 is due to decide on new financial sanctions against the Islamic Republic. Berlusconi disclosed that he had spoken with the heads of the G8 nations and has discussed such steps with them.

According to the Italian prime minister, "the general leaning [among G8 leaders] is toward sanctions."

However, diplomatic sources in New York reported that American officials are working behind the scenes to prevent new sanctions from being imposed against Iran.

U.S. officials claimed that a tough stance toward Iran could backfire, bringing about an opposite outcome to that desired by those who support such measures.

The Obama administration, according to the diplomatic sources, has discarded the notion of direct talks with Iran. However, the United States is still interested in re-engaging Iran through the renewed discussion of its nuclear program through the six permanent United Nations Security Council members.

American officials expressed concern that a decision to enact harsh steps against Iran during the G8 meeting could badly hurt the prospect of Tehran agreeing to renew negotiations with the permanent Security Council members.

In addition to U.S. reluctance to enact fresh sanctions, G8 members Russia and China have been known to oppose any punitive steps against Tehran.

The Security Council has already imposed several rounds of sanctions against Iran, including a weapons embargo and a ban on supplying Iran any materials which could be used to advance its disputed nuclear program.

New sanctions could include forbidding western oil companies from maintaining commercial ties with Iran.

From Israel21c:

"With the media touting doomsday scenarios at every opportunity about a fracture between the Israeli government and US administration regarding the peace process, it’s nice to know Israelis and Americans can still make beautiful music together.

"Legendary American hard rock guitar virtuoso Steve Vai was in town this week, presenting his Alien Guitar Secrets masterclass to a Tel Aviv auditorium full of 1,500 adoring fans. While not my cup of musical tea, Vai, who in addition to an illustrious 20-year solo career, has played with everyone from Frank Zappa to David Lee Roth, was simply dazzling - both his guitar playing and his personality."

Go here for more.

My, how easily the world condones the notion of this new, racist Palestinian state as championed by Obama.The plan supported by his administration will lead to a new Palestinian Arab nation – in which Jews and maybe also Christians are banned from living.At the same time, of course, Israel is being [...]

Hamas has succeeded in dropping the depth of its smuggling tunnels underneath the Philadelphi corridor between Gaza and the Egyptian border to 60 meters, making them much more difficult to detect and destroy with the equipment currently in use. The American engineers, deployed as consultants along the Philadelphi Corridor in Egyptian Rafah, have been using technology that can detect seismic

Here’s an interesting piece from Arutz Sheva:  Israel: Don’t Blow It Again by Lee Kaplan The recent news reports that the IDF Navy boarded the latest ISM boats sailing from Cyprus to Gaza show that the new Netanyahu administration is at least displaying some common sense regarding the International Solidarity Movement. However, even the Israeli media plays the fool [...]

The New Israel Fund (NIF) works to strengthen Israel's democracy and to promote freedom, justice and equality for all Israel's citizens.This is what NIF site says. Admirable goals indeed. And then, as it appears, while pursuing these goals and spreading around significant amounts of monetary aid, NIF folks don't even take a minute for a breather. Or a second to say "oops". So someone else (Samuel Sokol and David Bedein) decided to help NIF with that oops:American Jews fund anti-Israel organizationsOne of such organizations is I’lam. The Middle East Forum recently commissioned a report on I’lam by the Center for Near East Policy Research which can be found online. A quote from this report:I’lam and its staff members have promoted:

• The notion of a massacre in Jenin during Israeli anti-terror operations in 2002.
• The calumny that the recent incursion in Gaza was a massacre.
• Comparisons between Nazis and IDF service personnel.
• Unsubstantiated accusations of cold-blooded murder of journalists.
• Accusations of Israeli security personnel acting as death squads while enforcing the law with the Israeli-Arab public
• The Palestinian “Right of Return”.
• Jerusalem’s status as an Arab cultural capital as well as a soon to be political capital by right as opposed to a Jewish capital
• The Palestinian identity of Israeli-Arabs and the solidarity between Israeli-Arabs and the Hamas led Arabs of Gaza
• The ideology that the creation of the State of Israel in 1948 was a disaster (Nakba)
• The very idea of a Jewish state is racist.
• The position that national service is illegitimate for Arab citizens of the state of Israel
• Hamas as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.
• The replacement of Israel with a Palestinian state
• Their right to express disloyalty to Israel and to demand their rights as citizens of Israel.

While there are many worthwhile Arab, Druze and Bedouin organization, NIF sometimes choose strange targets for their money. Surely they could do better?

Regarding the stream of whining by the members of the latest ship of fools:How much do you want to be Gilad Shalit [who] would give just about everything to be left penniless and without his ‘belongings’ at the central bus station in Ashdod?Yep.

Yoni Netanyahu z"tl

This week marks the 33rd anniversary of Operation Yonatan, Israel's dramatic rescue of 103 hostages that took place on July 4, 1976 at Entebbe, Uganda.

As a college student in the US, I vividly remember watching events unfold as most of the rest of the nation was focused on the celebration of America's bi-centennial.

Jews around the world held their breath as the terrorist incident ended with a relatively minimal loss of life. Pride and admiration for the daring and courage of Israel's decision-makers and generals was the order of the day.

In Israel, the anniversary of the operation was marked for years by public official commemoration ceremonies. This year, it appears that the only remembrance will be for Yoni Netanyahu, commander of the operation and the
only Israeli soldier killed at Entebbe. The Netanyahu family placed a newspaper ad announcing the annual pilgrimage to the grave of Yoni, older brother of Likud party leader Binyamin Netanyahu.

Back in July 2001, during the height of the terrorist war that followed the Camp David talks, things were different and an official state commemoration of the 25th anniversary took place at Binyanei Hauma in Jerusalem.

In a masterful, moving event that was at once entertaining and educational, the state of Israel marked the passage of a quarter of a century since the dramatic hostage rescue. If the event were to be translated and exported,
Israel 's image problems could be improved dramatically, and Jews the world over might even begin to regain pride in the Jewish state.

In the week leading up to the anniversary, Israel's media focused on the unprecedented operation that took dozens of soldiers from Israel's elite brigades on a daring and dangerous mission to rescue Jews thousands of miles away.

A TV documentary focused on Yoni Netanyahu's career, featuring extensive photos, film clips and interviews with his brothers and former girlfriend.

True to form, a post-Zionist columnist in Haaretz said the program, "Seems more like a propaganda film," and opined "the Yoni that emerges from the film is not a flesh and blood character, but something closer to a modern
day Bar Kochba."

A few years after his death, the Netanyahu family published a book of Yoni's letters written over a 13-year period between 1963-1976.

Entitled 'Self Portrait of a Hero,' the letters paint a picture of a passionate Zionist as
they chronicle Yoni's passage through the army and his participation as a paratrooper in two of the most crucial battles of the Six Day War.

The 25th anniversary event was attended by the nation's leading politicians; those who took part in the Entebbe operation? former hostages and their rescuers; and thousands of soldiers from Sayeret Matkal, Tzanchanim and Golani? the brigades that carried out the rescue 25 years ago.

On film, we watched as the political leaders of 1976 debated what to do about the Jewish hostages who had been sitting under Ugandan dictator Idi Amin 's guard for days. The familiar faces of Yitzhak Rabin, Yigal Allon,
Yitzhak Navon and Shimon Peres flitted across the screen.

Interspersed with film clips, the accomplished singing troupes of several army and air force divisions belted out some of the old rousing Israeli anthems.

President Moshe Katzav thanked those who had liberated the hostages. "We say to the terrorists of today: we did it then and we can do it now if we want."

Following Katzav 's speech, several minutes of film of former hostages describing their ordeal were screened. The hostages tell of their disbelief that the IDF had sent their forces across the African continent to rescue them. In excruciating detail they calmly recount the selection procedure that separated the Jews and Israelis from the non-Jewish passengers on the
Air France flight.

Foreign Minister Shimon Peres rose to speak and chose to address himself to the assembled young soldiers who filled the hall. He urged them not to think of the Entebbe fighters as legendary heroes. "Each of you has the potential to do the same thing," he said. "You represent the best hope for the people."

Next on film was a short clip of an interview with a handsome middle-aged civilian who was a pilot of one of the Hercules planes that left the Sirkin air force base for the seven hour trip to Entebbe. "We were so afraid of failure," he says, his dark eyes looking unflinchingly at the camera. "But on the way back, I felt like it was Pesach. I recalled the words of the
Hagaddah: 'I and no angel: I and no messenger brought you out of the land of Egypt,' concluded the pilot who wore no kippa on his silver hair. "If they told me now, 25 years later to go on such a mission, I'd go without hesitation. Ayn Lanu Eretz Acheret? we have no other country," he said, in a theme that was to echo throughout the evening.

Film interviews with others involved in the rescue followed. Almost all those who played significant roles in Entebbe went on to illustrious military and political careers. We watched as Ehud Barak, Matan Vilnai, Dan Shomron and Ephraim Sneh spoke of their recollections twenty-five years on.

Shomron, the overall planner of the operation told the former hostages: "We knew we were endangering you too. No one had any idea how many would fall.

You were part of the campaign, you're part of the fight against terror."

Two of the paratroopers came on stage to read short statements in their own words about their feelings on the anniversary of the operation.

One tall, balding man with a gray mustache said he was disappointed that his teenage son 's classmates knew nothing about Operation Yonatan. "We're facing the same things today?they need more than virtual Zionism, " he said.

Benny, a younger man who was only 13 years old when he was taken hostage by the terrorists, told the audience in a trembling voice that he remembers every moment of the torment. "I was a kid who saw death in front of him."

Tzipi Cohen was only 8 years old when she witnessed her father Pasco bleeding to death as he was accidentally shot by Israeli soldiers in the confusion of the rescue. Pasco Cohen lifted his head to look for his son when the shooting started and became one of four Jewish hostages who perished in Uganda. His daughter ended her brief remarks by reiterating her gratitude to the IDF for saving all the hostages, despite her personal tragedy.

The final segment of the two-hour program was entitled 'The Price.' Besides the loss of Yoni Netanyahu and the four hostages, one soldier, Surin Hershko, became a quadriplegic as a result of the injuries he sustained at Entebbe. We watched on screen as Surin used his computer at home. He uses an elongated straw manipulated by his mouth to write on the keyboard.

Hershko is completely paralyzed, but rolled to the front of the auditorium in his wheelchair to reminisce about the last time he ran or walked. "I remember what it was to be a fighter," he recalled.

After presenting Hershko with a special medal commemorating Entebbe, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon delivered a speech that tied Israel's efforts to combat terror in the 1970s to today's struggle against the same enemy:

"In these confusing times, when there are those who question our capabilities or the justness of our cause, we return to those few hours when
Israel stood up and in the face of the entire community of nations, waged a battle against violence and terrorism, proving that we can win.

These days, when we are in the midst of an ongoing battle against terrorism, violence and incitement, and when we are making a joint national effort to return to political negotiations without fire, we must rekindle the spirit of that operation. The secret of our strength lies in such spirit and faith, and if we learn how to renew it we will be able to meet all the challenges that still lie ahead."
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On America's two hundredth birthday it was Israel that showed the world the "Spirit of 1776."

On June 27, 1976, Air France Flight 139, carrying 248 passengers and a crew of twelve, took off from Athens, heading for Paris. Soon after the 12:30 p.m. takeoff, the flight was hijacked by two Palestinians from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - External OperationsGerman "Revolutionary Cells (RZ)" (Wilfried Böse and Brigitte Kuhlmann), who commandeered the flight, diverting it to Benghazi, Libya. The plane left Benghazi, and at 3:15 it arrived at Entebbe Airport in Uganda.

At Entebbe, the four hijackers were joined by three "friends" supported by the pro-Palestinian forces of Uganda's President, Idi Amin. The hijackers were led by Böse. They demanded the release of 40 Palestinians held in Israel and 13 other detainees imprisoned in Kenya, France, Switzerland, and Germany–and if these demands were not met, they threatened to begin killing hostages on July 1, 1976 that deadline was extended to July 4th.

The hijackers held the passengers hostage in the transit hall of Entebbe Airport and released all the hostages except for Israelis and Jews, whom they threatened to kill if Israel did not comply with their demands. Upon the announcement by the hijackers that the airline crew and non-Israeli/non-Jewish passengers would be released and put on another Air France plane that had been brought to Entebbe for that purpose, Flight 139's Captain Michel Bacos told the hijackers that all passengers, including the remaining ones, were his responsibility, and that he would not leave them behind. Bacos' entire crew followed suit. A French nun also refused to leave, insisting that one of the remaining hostages take her place, but she was forced into the awaiting Air France plane by Ugandan soldiers. A total of 83 Israeli and/or Jewish hostages remained, as well as 20 others, most of whom included the crew of the Air France plane.

On July 4th 1976 shortly after midnight Israeli Planes landed at Entebbe and began their now famous rescue. The entire assault lasted less than 30 minutes and all six of the hijackers were killed. Yonatan Netanyahu (Bibi's older brother) was the only Israeli commando who died during the operation. He was killed near the airport entrance, apparently by a Ugandan sniper who fired at the Israeli commandos from the nearby control tower. At least five other Israeli commandos were wounded. Out of the 103 hostages, three were killed and approximately 10 were wounded. A total of 45 Ugandan soldiers were killed during the raid, and about 11 Ugandan Army Air Force MiG-17 grounded fighter planes at Entebbe Airport were destroyed. The rescued hostages were flown out to Israel via Nairobi shortly after the fighting.

The government of Uganda later convened a session of the United Nations Security Council to seek official condemnation of the Israeli raid, as a violation of Ugandan sovereignty. The Security Council ultimately declined to pass any resolution on the matter. In his address to the Council, the Israeli ambassador Chaim Herzog said:

We come with a simple message to the Council: we are proud of what we have done because we have demonstrated to the world that a small country, in Israel's circumstances, with which the members of this Council are by now all too familiar, the dignity of man, human life and human freedom constitute the highest values. We are proud not only because we have saved the lives of over a hundred innocent people—men, women and children—but because of the significance of our act for the cause of human freedom.

For refusing to depart when given leave to do so by the hijackers, Captain Bacos was reprimanded by his superiors at Air France (gotta love the French) and suspended from duty for a period.

Chaim Herzog's words still ring true. That act of rescuing 100+ hostages still ring true. The Act of fighting for freedom still rings true. The lesson of Entebbe is the lesson of 1776, freedom is important enough to fight for. Both the US and Israeli governments would be well served to remember that lesson a little more often:

Remembering Entebbe: A Message for Today?

Judy Lash Balint, THE JERUSALEM POST Jul. 4, 2007

This week marks the 31st anniversary of Operation Yonatan, Israel's dramatic rescue of 103 hostages that took place on July 4, 1976 at Entebbe, Uganda.

As a college student in the US, I vividly remember watching events unfold as most of the rest of the nation was focused on the celebration of America's bi-centennial.

Jews around the world held their breath as the terrorist incident ended with a relatively minimal loss of life. Pride and admiration for the daring and courage of Israel's decision-makers and generals was the order of the day.

In Israel, the anniversary of the operation was marked for years by public official commemoration ceremonies. This year, it appears that the only remembrance will be for Yoni Netanyahu, commander of the operation and the only Israeli soldier killed at Entebbe. The Netanyahu family placed a newspaper ad announcing the annual pilgrimage to the grave of Yoni, older brother of Likud party leader Binyamin Netanyahu.

Back in July 2001, during the height of the terrorist war that followed the Camp David talks, things were different and an official state commemoration of the 25th anniversary took place at Binyanei Hauma in Jerusalem.

In a masterful, moving event that was at once entertaining and educational, the state of Israel marked the passage of a quarter of a century since the dramatic hostage rescue. If the event were to be translated and exported,

Israel 's image problems could be improved dramatically, and Jews the world over might even begin to regain pride in the Jewish state.

In the week leading up to the anniversary, Israel's media focused on the unprecedented operation that took dozens of soldiers from Israel's elite brigades on a daring and dangerous mission to rescue Jews thousands of miles away.

A TV documentary focused on Yoni Netanyahu's career, featuring extensive photos, film clips and interviews with his brothers and former girlfriend.

True to form, a post-Zionist columnist in Haaretz said the program, "Seems more like a propaganda film," and opined "the Yoni that emerges from the film is not a flesh and blood character, but something closer to a modern day Bar Kochba."

A few years after his death, the Netanyahu family published a book of Yoni's letters written over a 13-year period between 1963-1976.

Entitled 'Self Portrait of a Hero,' the letters paint a picture of a passionate Zionist as they chronicle Yoni's passage through the army and his participation as a paratrooper in two of the most crucial battles of the Six Day War.

The 25th anniversary event was attended by the nation's leading politicians; those who took part in the Entebbe operation? former hostages and their rescuers; and thousands of soldiers from Sayeret Matkal, Tzanchanim and Golani? the brigades that carried out the rescue 25 years ago.

On film, we watched as the political leaders of 1976 debated what to do about the Jewish hostages who had been sitting under Ugandan dictator Idi Amin 's guard for days. The familiar faces of Yitzhak Rabin, Yigal Allon, Yitzhak Navon and Shimon Peres flitted across the screen.

Interspersed with film clips, the accomplished singing troupes of several army and air force divisions belted out some of the old rousing Israeli anthems.

President Moshe Katzav thanked those who had liberated the hostages. "We say to the terrorists of today: we did it then and we can do it now if we want."

Following Katzav 's speech, several minutes of film of former hostages describing their ordeal were screened. The hostages tell of their disbelief that the IDF had sent their forces across the African continent to rescue them. In excruciating detail they calmly recount the selection procedure that separated the Jews and Israelis from the non-Jewish passengers on the Air France flight.

Foreign Minister Shimon Peres rose to speak and chose to address himself to the assembled young soldiers who filled the hall. He urged them not to think of the Entebbe fighters as legendary heroes. "Each of you has the potential to do the same thing," he said. "You represent the best hope for the people."

Next on film was a short clip of an interview with a handsome middle-aged civilian who was a pilot of one of the Hercules planes that left the Sirkin air force base for the seven hour trip to Entebbe. "We were so afraid of failure," he says, his dark eyes looking unflinchingly at the camera. "But on the way back, I felt like it was Pesach. I recalled the words of the Hagaddah: 'I and no angel: I and no messenger brought you out of the land of Egypt,' concluded the pilot who wore no kippa on his silver hair. "If they told me now, 25 years later to go on such a mission, I'd go without hesitation. Ayn Lanu Eretz Acheret? we have no other country," he said, in a theme that was to echo throughout the evening.

Film interviews with others involved in the rescue followed. Almost all those who played significant roles in Entebbe went on to illustrious military and political careers. We watched as Ehud Barak, Matan Vilnai, Dan Shomron and Ephraim Sneh spoke of their recollections twenty-five years on.

Shomron, the overall planner of the operation told the former hostages: "We knew we were endangering you too. No one had any idea how many would fall.

You were part of the campaign, you're part of the fight against terror."

Two of the paratroopers came on stage to read short statements in their own words about their feelings on the anniversary of the operation.

One tall, balding man with a gray mustache said he was disappointed that his teenage son 's classmates knew nothing about Operation Yonatan. "We're facing the same things today? they need more than virtual Zionism, " he said.

Benny, a younger man who was only 13 years old when he was taken hostage by the terrorists, told the audience in a trembling voice that he remembers every moment of the torment. "I was a kid who saw death in front of him."

Tzipi Cohen was only 8 years old when she witnessed her father Pasco bleeding to death as he was accidentally shot by Israeli soldiers in the confusion of the rescue. Pasco Cohen lifted his head to look for his son when the shooting started and became one of four Jewish hostages who perished in Uganda. His daughter ended her brief remarks by reiterating her gratitude to the IDF for saving all the hostages, despite her personal tragedy.

The final segment of the two-hour program was entitled 'The Price.' Besides the loss of Yoni Netanyahu and the four hostages, one soldier, Surin Hershko, became a quadriplegic as a result of the injuries he sustained at Entebbe. We watched on screen as Surin used his computer at home. He uses an elongated straw manipulated by his mouth to write on the keyboard.

Hershko is completely paralyzed, but rolled to the front of the auditorium in his wheelchair to reminisce about the last time he ran or walked. "I remember what it was to be a fighter," he recalled.

After presenting Hershko with a special medal commemorating Entebbe, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon delivered a speech that tied Israel's efforts to combat terror in the 1970s to today's struggle against the same enemy:

"In these confusing times, when there are those who question our capabilities or the justness of our cause, we return to those few hours when Israel stood up and in the face of the entire community of nations, waged a battle against violence and terrorism, proving that we can win. These days, when we are in the midst of an ongoing battle against terrorism, violence and incitement, and when we are making a joint national effort to return to political negotiations without fire, we must rekindle the spirit of that operation. The secret of our strength lies in such spirit and faith, and if we learn how to renew it we will be able to meet all the challenges that still lie ahead."

Some folks will probably sell you the whole set for a few potatoes:

Among them are works "New Year Address", "On Some Measures for Solving the Problem of Electricity",

The measures must not have been too effective: electricity is still with us.

"Let Us Take Effective Measures to Increase the Steel Production", "On Some Problems Arising in the Improvement of Economic Work" and "On Some Measures for Putting on a Normal Basis the Production at Industrial Establishments and Improving the Standard of People's Living" which clarify in detail the tasks facing different fields to push ahead with the socialist economic construction and the ways for carrying them out. [...]

The cultural achievements of the DPRK don't stop there. There was also an art exhibition. Let's just say it was a bit single-minded about the subject matter:

Displayed in the venue are at least 60 art works created by artists of art studios in capital and local areas.

Seen in the centre of the venue is an art work depicting the President standing against the background of Mt. Paektu, the holy mountain of the revolution.

An acryl painting "The shining victory of the Arduous March", Korean paintings "Here is the forefront before you, leader", "Samjiyon Revolutionary Battle Site in Spring " and other works impressively deal with the great personality of Generalissimo Kim Il Sung who defeated two imperialisms in one generation and achieved the liberation and freedom and independence of the country, bringing happiness to the people.

An oil painting "The great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung visits the Kangson Steel Works to start the Chollima movement", an acryl painting "Visiting himself even an underground cutting face", a watercolor painting "Sitting knee to knee with a peasant," etc. depict the revolutionary career and immortal exploits of the President who ushered in a new era of prosperity of the country and built a socialist power, independent in politics, self-supporting in economy and self-reliant in national defence, on this land.

An oil painting "Longing for Father Generalissimo" and other works reflect the ardent yearning of the Korean people for the fatherly leader of the nation. [...]

How can you not love a painting entitled "Longing for Father Generalissimo"?

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

I imagine they'll appreciate the exposure. This is so geshmak:

In the 21st century it is astonishing to note the double standards that one thing can be worthy of condemnation, yet, at the same time be defended by the freedom of press. There is nothing wrong with slandering the core principles of Islam, there is nothing wrong with calling our Prophet a terrorist because it’s just freedom of expression. However, anti-Semitism and offending any other religions is absolutely wrong.

That is why we see websites such as www.thepeoplescube.com freely mocking Islam, our holy books and holy places. The site has a section called “Religion of Peace”, in which all you see is Islam being mocked and ridiculed. The site not only proudly announces Apple Mecca as an achievement, but also denounces Makkah even further by claiming the dissimilarity between the two is that there aren’t ‘regular stampedes’(tawaf), killing ‘geeks’(pilgrims) and ‘female users covered from head to toe in black robes hiding their faces’. This Islamophobic site is a clear example of the double standards we are facing today. If a similar site was put up criticising Jewish rituals or practices it would not have been long before someone shouted 'anti-Semitism!' Such is the state the great 21st Century is in today. We talk about liberation, but I guess there is no such thing when it comes to certain people.

A wrong is a wrong always, with freedom comes responsibility, by escaping the self delusion and considering it a right, there is an urgent need for legislation in order to redress this imbalance. There should be restrictions and boundaries which condemn the misuse of the term “freedom of expression”, but there aren’t any, why? This is because the people who have the power to condemn such act are the ones committing these acts. Under this pretence of this right of freedom of speech, they are destroying the peace and harmony of the whole society. The western world is renowned for its remarkable level of personal freedom, but rarely is the concept of personal responsibility even mentioned. [...]

They should have consulted this. (I'm just not going to be able to explain to people where the silly smile on my face came from.)

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

D.G. Myers is out of touch. Out of touch with American Jews, out of touch with the Jewish innovation sector, out of touch with the Jewish tradition. And who can blame him? Have you ever met a “Jewish hipster” who went to Texas A&M? He’s like an anthropologist writing about a civilization he’s never encountered. And how could he have encountered it? He’s railing against a straw man. The person he’s depicting does not, in fact, exist. (And neither does Jennifer “Breyer” for the record.)

As the 30 year-old former publisher of Jewschool, Jerusalem distributor of Heeb, webmaster of JDub Records, viral marketer of Matisyahu, and a current friend and colleague of Danya Ruttenberg’s, I can attest that the only time that I’ve ever met anyone whose identity went no deeper than “the assurance that it is cool to be Jewish” was at a Fuel for Truth rally. On the other hand, my friends — the ones who founded, or currently run, or are otherwise deeply involved with these reviled “hipster” projects — are religiously engaged, well-read, vastly knowledgeable Jewish communal professionals who, at a certain point in their practice or careers, decided the status quo wasn’t working for them or their peers.

The horror!

Funny that the same folks leading a religious renaissance with independent minyans and the like are accused of being “secularists” that are “hostile” or “ambivalent” to religiosity. Hell, even Heeb’s Joshua Neuman, who himself isn’t particularly faithful, has a masters from Harvard Divinity School.

But Myers isn’t just out of touch with America’s sub-40 Jews, he’s also apparently out of touch with current events. That’s because he’s about four years late to the party. The Jewish hipster backlash has, indeed, already come and gone. In 2005, former NY Sun contributor Gabi Birkner, writing then for the Jewish Week, assailed Heeb, Jewcy, JDub, and the usual assortment of characters, for failing to save the American Jewish future (as if that were even their charter). She wasn’t the first, nor, apparently, would she be the last to do so.

Here we are now, four years later, though, and the verdict is already in: These efforts, which Myers terms “doomed to fail,” have, in fact, already succeeded tremendously in increasing identification, affiliation and participation among younger Jews. Hence the altogether recent drive by the Jewish funding establishment to support the innovation sector. But hey, since when does Commentary concern itself with facts? (See: Operation Iraqi Freedom.)

Speaking of which: The fact is that unlike earlier criticisms of the Jewish innovation movement and contrary to what he seemingly wants you to believe, Myers’ issue isn’t with our alleged lack of substance. His issue is with the fact that our Jewish identities have substance — substance of our own. His attack, much like everything else in Commentary, is motivated by political interest, not by reason. Thus he complains that our generation disliked Bush and voted for Obama, that we are too multicultural, that we identify with the struggles of the oppressed, that we ally ourselves with minorities, that we are feminist and queer-conscious, that we’re environmentally aware, that we don’t make bedfellows with Christian fundamentalists, nor desire bombing Iran. In effect, he dislikes that we are liberal.

Of course, only a Jewish conservative would claim our liberal values to be antithetical to either the Jewish tradition or Jewish interests. Never mind that Judaism has always been a diverse meritocracy in which the best ideas thrive, whether left, right or center, religiously or politically. Because we’re not merely uneducated miscreants “rewrit[ing] Judaism [to be] in line with the current fashions,” we are aware of and confident in our connection to our heritage and its legacy of ideological counterculturalism, spiritual universalism and social activism. We are empowered, as a generation, to look towards our ancestors and our textual sources for validation.

That is ultimately what Myers and his neoconservative academic ilk find threatening: Our “self-creation” unencumbers us from control by the Jewish religious and political establishments. We no longer feel it necessary to conform to the status quo — to adopt the mandates of rabbinic authorities or the Conference of Presidents — in order to have meaningful Jewish experiences and to be connected to Jews, Judaism or Israel. We no longer need the likes of Commentary to tell us how to be Jewish.

The horror!

The world’s first "self-watering" plant has been discovered in Israel’s Negev desert – one of the driest regions on earth. The Desert Rhubarb can hold 16 times more water than its rivals and has developed a unique ability to effectively water itself in its barren habitat.

Researchers were confounded by the metre-wide plant’s giant leaves, compared to its desert counterparts, whose tiny leaves stop dangerous moisture loss. But they found the plant’s large leaves are the key to its success, because they are covered in microscopic streams through which water can be channelled. Scientists claim ridges in the leaves act like mountain valleys, funnelling the water slowly and directly into the plant while stopping it evaporating.

A team from the University of Haifa-Oranim, in Israel, said the leaves act like a mini irrigation system, the Daily Telegraph reported. "We know of no other plant
in the deserts of the world that functions in this manner," lead researcher Gidi Ne’eman said. "We have managed to make out the "self-irrigating" mechanism of the desert rhubarb, which enables it to harvest 16 times the amount of water than otherwise expected for a plant in this region based on the quantities of rain in the desert", he added.

Results of analysis of the plant’s growth — in an area with an average annual rainfall of 75mm — showed that the desert rhubarb is able to harvest quantities of water that are closer to that of Mediterranean plants, reaching up to 426mm per year.

Source: The Times of India

Last month, President Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered speeches on Arab-Israeli peace. In response, Hamas political chief Khaled Mashal last week proffered his views on the conflict. However, unlike Obama and Netanyahu's vision of peace, Mashal refused to end the conflict with Israelis and renounce violence. Since its founding in 1987, Hamas has systematically undermined peace efforts. Its charter calls for the destruction of Israel, replacing it with an Islamic state. 

by Reb Gutman Locks at Mystical Paths

What is so special about the Land Of Israel? According to the Rambam,[i] a slave who is living outside the Land can force his master to come live in the Land. He writes that this is true even today during this time of exile. The accepted halacha (applicable Torah law) rules that once you are in the Land, there are only four reasons that you are allowed to leave, even temporarily. These reasons are: 1) if you cannot find a proper Torah teacher, 2) if you cannot find a proper spouse, 3) to escape invaders, or 4) if you cannot earn a proper livelihood.[ii] It seems to me that we can add one more good reason for leaving: if leaving the Land will enable you to help Jews who otherwise would not be helped. If you are the only one who will help them, then this is also a valid reason for leaving. So again, we have to ask, what is so special about this Land?

G-d assigned various lands to various nations. These lands are their inheritance. This small, special land, the Land of Israel, He promised to give to the descendants of Abraham and Sarah. This is our inheritance forever. It is special to us just because it is ours. It is also special because it is a beautiful land, but there are many beautiful lands in the world. So besides being ours, what makes it so unique?

When you live in your own land you thrive both physically and spiritually. This is simply the natural result of being where you belong. But this Land is called the Land of the Prophets. This not only means that the prophets came from this land, which they did, it means that living in the Land actually made them into prophets. Taking just four steps in the Land increases our spiritual awareness. The sages say that whoever walks even four steps in the Land is guaranteed a share in the World to Come.[iii] And this spiritual benefit increases with every additional four steps you take. But, since this increase in awareness increases so subtly, most people are not aware of it. It is like sitting in a pond of water while the temperature increases a quarter of a degree. You would have to pay strict attention to be aware of it.

However, even if you do not notice anything startling while you are here, you will notice it when you leave. As soon as you walk out of the airport in that other land, you will ask yourself, “What’s missing here?” Unless you are sensitive, you will shrug off the feeling, thinking that it is due to the cultural change. Then you will run after your daily business, wondering if you really did feel anything different in the Holy Land.

When you touch a holy object in a significant way, some of that holiness spreads to you.[iv] How much more so is this true when you live in the Holy Land? Here you are not merely touching a holy object, you are living in it.

Soon, in just a few years, for the first time in 2,000 years, the majority of the Jewish people in the world will be living in the Land of Israel. This will not only be a unique physical milestone in the long history of the Jewish People, but it will also bring about a significant spiritual change. As the holiness of the Land spreads to more and more Jews, the level of spiritual awareness in the Land will increase. This increased holiness will be experienced more openly, and it will even overflow and go out into the rest of the world. As it is today, the spiritual awareness will be experienced most vividly in Jerusalem. But to a lesser degree, it will spread and touch the entire world.

What does this mean today? It means that there is a guaranteed way for each of us to increase our spiritual opportunity. Simply walk four steps in the Holy Land.

[i] Rambam Hilchos Avodim 8:9
[ii] Rambam Hilchos Melachim 5:9
[iii] Gemora Ketubos 111a
[iv] Leviticus 6:11

Published at Mystical Paths, MPaths.com. Reading it somewhere else? Stop by the source!

The Dead Sea is currently ranked in seventh place in the “Lakes, Rivers and Waterfalls” category of the New 7 Natural Wonders of the World Contest, which would earn it a spot in the next stage of the competition. The Dead Sea is listed as being situated in Israel, Jordan, and Palestine. According to the contest rules, the nominee cannot participate in the next stages of the New7Wonders of Nature campaign without an official supporting committee from each country. Until recently, PA refused to join a committee of support for the lake’s nomination. Intervention from Israeli Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov and Civil Administration Chief General Yoav Mordechai succeeded in convincing Mahmud Abbas to sign on to the contest. As of today, the competition’s website had not been updated to reflect the decision, but officials said that it would take a few days for the proper forms to be filled out and submitted. Anyone can vote for his or her favorite natural wonders in the remaining 5 days of the contest at www.new7wonders.com. Please hurry and vote for the Dead Sea!

P.S. For the record, I strongly object to New7Wonders’ taking sides in the political conflict and listing Palestine as a sovereign country. If you agree, please contact New7Wonders and protest.

Arnon Giladi, likud representative in the municipal council, sent around a hateful letter full of half truths and pure lies concerning the Siksik mosque. The guy who in the past stated in an interview with "Ha'Ir" that Jaffa should be "judaized" (imagine someone in the states saying the neighborhood should be "whitened") is actively looking for trouble.
His compaints made Gilad Peled, head of theJaffa governance, the "mishlama leyafo", the mini municipality so to say, run to the mosque accusing the mosque people of all kinds of crimes. After all when Arnon Giladi accuses someone, it should be taken seriously. However, in the end, after having been shown the mosque peoples' paperwork, Peled had to admit being wrong. Giladi has not yet done so.
One wonders what Arnon Giladi's real interest is.
In the mean time, tomorrow, friday, a large group of praying people is expected to attend the prayers at the Siksik mosque, now under full renovation.
I took a little time to go to the municipal archive and dig up some "goodies". There is lots of paperwork showing without doubt the ownership of the "Siksik Waqf", and one presumes Giladi as well as Peled to be aware of that. A waqf cannot legally sell a mosque according to Israeli law, which actually protects the standing of a mosque as a religious building (theoretically at least). As the municipal papers show without any doubt, the mosque is owned by the Siksik waqf, therefore Giladi should back off and offer his apologies.
The municipality intend to create a public road next to the mosque for which they have appropriated land next to it. On the land are historical buildings. It would be a pity to break down these buildings. The area is very lovely. BUT the mosque land has NOT been appropriated. Giladi should shut up, in stead of accusing the Jaffa Muslim community of crimes they have not committed.

… I did indeed shed several tears over the death of Michael Jackson.  And frankly, I’m getting fed up with some people who insist that the topic is ‘trivial’ and that ‘too much’ coverage is being devoted to it. Granted, nothing should  eclipse what’s going on in Iran, nor other serious events -  but for [...]

It was difficult today to keep it down to 6 7 links. There were a bunch of good posts. Sorry if I did not include yours....

1. The Wolf talks about the new decrees for modesty in hotels. The discussion in the comments is interesting.

2. Jameel @ The Muqata is looking for a caption for a strange picture...

3. SuperRaizy has a summary of the weeks important news - mostly Michael Jackson news.

4. Parsha Blog continues the discussion about the Chazon Ish becoming a doctor.

5. Dror comments on Sarah Palin's recent claim that she could beat Obama... in a foot race.

6. At Kaplan's Korner (a blog I am really taking a liking to), he lets us know that the Star of David is getting married! Mazel tov!

7. Ari Goldwag gave a tremp to someone and they had an interesting talk about sensing the keduasha of Eretz Yisrael...

I was in Hebron yesterday for a wedding at the cave of the patriarchs. On a nearby building was this sign:Here's a link to make it easy! http://www.machpela.com/

This saturday, July the 4th at 11.11 o'clock, Naomi Klein, author of "the Shock Doctrine", which has been published by the "Andalus" publishing house in Arabic and in Hebrew, will speak about her book at the Jaffa Arab Hebrew theater.

The leaders of the Palestinian Authority do not want the international community to hear anything about massive abuse of human rights and intimidation of journalists that its security forces are practicing almost on a daily basis in the West Bank.

They do not want the world to see that, with the help of the Americans and some Europeans, they are building more prisons and security forces than hospitals and housing projects for the needy.

They want the US and the rest of the world to continue believing that peace will prevail tomorrow morning only if Israel stops construction in the settlements and removes a number of empty caravans from remote and isolated hilltops in the West Bank.

The Palestinians do not need a dictatorship that harasses and terrorizes journalists, and that is responsible for the death of detainees in its prisons. In the Arab world we already have enough dictatorships.

The Palestinians do not need additional security forces, militias and armed gangs. In fact, there are too many of them, both in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

American and European taxpayers' money should be invested in building hospitals, schools and housing projects. Investing billions of dollars in training thousands of policemen and establishing new security forces and prisons will not advance the cause of peace and coexistence.

There is no doubt that many Palestinians would love to abandon the culture of uniform and weapons in favor of improved infrastructure and medical care.

As for the international media, it's time to abandon the policy of double standards in covering the Israeli-Arab conflict. For many years, the mainstream media in the US and Europe turned a blind eye to stories about financial corruption under Yasser Arafat. The result was that Arafat and his cronies got away with stealing billions of dollars that had been donated to the Palestinians by the Americans and Europeans.

Back then, many foreign journalists said they believed that the stories about financial corruption in the Palestinian areas were "Zionist propaganda." Other journalists said they would rather file an anti-Israel story because this way they would become more popular with their editors and publishers.

Recently, a Palestinian TV crew was stopped at a checkpoint in the West Bank, where soldiers confiscated a tape and erased its content.

This incident, hardly received any coverage in the mainstream media in the US and Europe.

The reason? The perpetrators were not IDF soldiers, but Palestinian Authority security officers. And the checkpoint did not belong to the IDF; it was, in fact, a Palestinian checkpoint.

The story of the detention of the TV crew -- which, by the way, belonged to Al-Jazeera and the erasure of the footage did not make it to the mainstream media even after Reporters Without Borders, an organization that defends journalists worldwide, issued a statement strongly condemning the assault on the freedom of the media.

"Journalists must be able to work freely," Reporters Without Borders said. "The erasure of this video footage proves that the Palestinian security forces try to cover up their human rights violations. This incident should be the subject of an enquiry by the Palestinian Authority."

Walid Omari, the head of the Qatar-based satellite TV station's operations in the West Bank, told Reporters Without Borders that his crew was preparing a report on the death of a detainee at the Palestinian Authority detention center in Hebron that might have been the result of torture.

"We were the only ones to investigate this case and we did it despite strong pressure from the Palestinian Authority," Omari said.

Al Jazeera's Hebron correspondent went with a cameraman to the victim's home in the village of Dura, where they interviewed the family and filmed the body.

As they were returning to Hebron in a vehicle displaying the word "Press," they were detained by Palestinian Authority security forces at a checkpoint and taken to a police station, where the video footage they had just recorded was erased. They were allowed to go after an hour.

One can only imagine the international media's reaction had the TV crew been detained by Israeli security forces. Anti-Israel groups and individuals would have cited the incident as further proof of the "occupation's brutal measures" against the freedom of the media.

Moreover, it is highly likely that Israeli human rights organizations like Betselem would have dispatched researchers to the field to investigate the incident had IDF soldiers been involved.

Yet foreign journalists and human rights activists working in Israel and the Palestinian territories either chose to ignore the story or never heard about it simply because it was lacking in an anti-Israel angle.

One can also imagine how the media and human rights organizations would have reacted had a Palestinian died in Israeli prison after allegedly being tortured.

Haitham Amr, a male nurse, was detained by the Palestinian Authority's US-backed and trained General Intelligence Force on suspicion of being affiliated with Hamas. He was one of more than 700 Palestinians who are being held without trial in West Bank prisons that are run by security forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

These security forces, which are being referred to by many Palestinians as the Dayton Forces [a reference to ret. US general and security coordinator Keith Dayton], claimed that Amr was killed after he jumped from the second floor of a building where he was being held in Hebron. The family and human rights organizations insist that Amr died as a result of severe torture.

If the Palestinian Authority really had nothing to fear, why did it send its police officers to detain the TV crew and confiscate the tape? Is the Palestinian Authority trying to hide something?

True, Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salaam Fayad hold more moderate views than Hamas's Ismail Haniyeh and Khaled Mashaal.

But Abbas and Fayad do not enjoy enough credibility among their own people, largely due to their open ties with Israel and the West. The security and financial support that the Americans and Europeans are giving to the Palestinian Authority is nothing but a bear hug.

That is perhaps why they chose to ignore the story about the male nurse whose family says was tortured to death by security officers who receive their salaries from US and European taxpayers' money.

Israelis can pretty much hack any new system that comes out on the market. For example, just hours after the new iPhone was recently released, there was already a hack to be able to pout Hebrew on it and to use it in Israel. The same with the previous model - just hours after it was released, it was already usable in Israel due to an Israeli hack.

A friend was just telling me about a system he was looking at buying. The system was limited, but he was told that for only an extra 200 NIS he could buy a "chip" that someone created to hack the system and this would give him all the additional features, instead of buying them separately.

He asked the supplier if that was legal - if he buys it would it be under warranty, would some authority come chasing after him, etc.

The supplier responded that originally it was not legal, but they found a way around that (a loophole in the law?) and now the chip is legal.

They even hacked the law to get the hack on the system recognized! I told my friend that they made a "chip" for the law about the chip.

There are all sorts of rumors and assumptions about how the "rift" between the USA and Israel, or more specifically between Barak Obam and Benjamin Netanyahu, will play out in the coming weeks.

I do not make any assumptions as to what Obama's intentions are, nor about what Netanyahu is going to do.

I do, however, see 2 possible outcomes of all this.

1. Netanyahu will "mitkapel" - fold. It is not completely unrealistic to expect this. the pressure on him from the American government seems to be (if the media reports are to be trusted) enormous, and he has plenty of experience of folding and not implementing right-wing policy (which is what he is meant to represent) but left-wing policy.

If he does this, if he folds to US pressure, he can pretty much kiss the premiership goodbye. The Likud is the most left-wing party in the current government (I do not count Labor because only part of Labor is in, and they are insignificant anyway). If he freezes settlements, if he destroys settlements, etc. as a way of relieving himself of US pressure, he will be sure to cross the line that will drive most of the members of his government away.

2. the better outcome is that Netanyahu stands strong against US pressure and tells Obama to go take a hike. And instead of grovelling to find ways to throw bones to Obama to get him off our backs, he says "No more".

Personally I recommend Netanyahu take option #2. It might make things tense for a bit, and there might be some repercussions, but option #1 is a free-fall. if Netanyahu starts throwing bones at Obama and saying we'll stop this, we'll cut back that, we won't build here, we'll uproot there, he will only find the pressure increasing. Obama will see that pressure works with Netanyahu and will be unrelenting. nothing Bibi will do to appease him will be enough. And that will be Bibi's end.

if he stands strong, perhaps Obama will respect him and look for a different approach. Bibi will get nowhere by caving in to Obama.

An article titled No Gourmets in Gaza was posted on June 16, 2009 in Word of Mouth blog of Guardian. The first thing that struck me was a familiar picture under the headline:To start with, the picture was used by somebody else several days ago, also in Guardian:That previous time, as you can see, the Guardian goat guy (GGG) was providing background to a discussion of financial ruin (on one hand) Gaza is experiencing, with a slightly contradictory statement of investment opportunities there on the other hand.Today, it seems, GGG is embracing his goat in support of another topic:Is hunger a legitimate way of defeating an enemy?This is an interesting question, especially coming from a heir of European warriors. One would be tempted to remind the author, one Alex Renton, that his ancestors have besieged many a city or a castle, starving its defenders into surrender or death. One would be also strongly tempted to remind Mr Renton two words: Potato Famine... but of course, Mr Renton shouldn't feel guilty for what his forefathers did so many years ago. Or should he? In any case, I am not going to answer this question today, rather, in that venerable Jooish tradition, I shall instead ask Mr Renton a few questions back. To ease the burden of answering this questions, multiple options are provided.When IDF left Gaza strip, the purpose of this was:1. To ensure Zionist control of the strip2. To blockade 1.5 million of Gazans3. To let Gazans manage their own lives and to become good neighbors4. To free some military resources for upcoming war with AndorraThe airport built in Gaza strip was later destroyed by IDF because of:1. Differences of opinion on the airport architecture2. A need to create a new football field in the place3. Continuing attacks on Israel from Gaza strip4. Arafat piloting his plane in a way that clashed with FAA regulationsThe plans for a seaport in the Gaza strip were scrapped because of:1. Objections of environmental lobby in Gaza2. Overabundance of jellyfish in the area3. Growing use of the sea routes by Gazans to smuggle weapons4. The area being too shallow for 6th fleet ships to anchorThe further deterioration of the situation in Gaza was caused by:1. Bird flu2. Hamas ascendance to power and sharp increase in flying objects crossing the border with Israel3. Disagreements between Hamas and Israel on finer points of international cuisine (humus)The closing of the border crossings between Gaza and Israel was caused by:1. Insufficient manpower for management of the crossings2. Continuing attacks over the border, including attacks on the crossings themselves3. Lack of interest for employment in Israel on the side of Gazans4. Clash between Muslim and Jewish religious holidaysThe thousand of flying objects mentioned above are:1. Doves, released by uncounted peace groups in Gaza to symbolize their desire for peace2. Postcards from Gazan kids to the Israeli kids3. A novel way to expedite the exchange of information between parties4. Qassam rockets launched to kill Israeli citizens indiscriminatelyThe last but not the least, Mr Renton: you are saying "When I've written about this in the past on WoM, the orchestrated responses of the lobby groups have soon filled the comments slot..." - what precisely "lobby groups" you mean?Now let's stop the questions and give Mr Renton some time to ignore them. Let's talk about some undeniable facts. First of all, GGG surely gets around. I predict his next goat-hugging appearance in a Guardian article titled Goats Against Tanks - Life on the Brink. Or summat...Then another fact: today I can breath easily, having finally established that the animal in question is indeed a goat, because there was some controversy in the previous post where GGG starred.Cross-posted at Yourish.com

Cross-Posted at PoliticalVindication.com

News breaks that the Barack Obama administration has attacked the Taliban in the Helmand River valley of Afghanistan. At first glance, the preparation makes it look promising - from the Washington Post:

The operation will involve about 4,000 troops from the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, which was dispatched to Afghanistan this year by President Obama to combat a growing Taliban insurgency in Helmand and other southern provinces. The Marines, along with an Army brigade that is scheduled to arrive later this summer, plan to push into pockets of the country where NATO forces have not had a presence. In many of those areas, the Taliban has evicted local police and government officials and taken power.

But then you read this:

Once Marine units arrive in their designated towns and villages, they have been instructed to build and live in small outposts among the local population. The brigade's commander, Brig. Gen. Lawrence D. Nicholson, said his Marines will focus their efforts on protecting civilians from the Taliban and on restoring Afghan government services, instead of mounting a series of hunt-and-kill missions against the insurgents.

"We're doing this very differently," Nicholson said to his senior officers a few hours before the mission began. "We're going to be with the people. We're not going to drive to work. We're going to walk to work."

Similar approaches have been tried in the eastern part of the country, but none has had the scope of the mission in Helmand, a vast province that is largely an arid moonscape save for a band of fertile land that lines the Helmand River. Poppies grown in that territory produce half the world's supply of opium and provide the Taliban with a valuable source of income.

And then this:

In meetings with his commanders at forward operating bases over the past three days, [Brig. Gen. Lawrence D. ]Nicholson acknowledged that focusing on governance and population security does not come as naturally to Marines as conducting offensive operations, but he told them it is essential that they focus on "reining in the pit bulls."

"We're not going to measure your success by the number of times your ammunition is resupplied. . . . Our success in this environment will be very much predicated on restraint," he told a group of officers from the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines on Sunday. "You're going to drink lots of tea. You're going to eat lots of goat. Get to know the people. That's the reason why we're here."

Is this the New Marine Corp? Is that what our Brigadier Generals are going to sound like from now on? Barack Obama thinks the reason why the Taliban are still causing problems in Afghanistan is that no one trusts each other. He's going to convince the river population to stop growing poppies and start growing corn (which will fuel the cars he's going to sell them). By then he expects the Taliban to just give up, wandering away rejected by the Afghanis like a girl drops a boyfriend. Does Barack Obama have any respect for the enemy at all?

This isn't an army he's sending into a very dangerous situation - it's a leftist delusion armed with conflict resolution DVDs and a letter from the State Department. Don't misunderstand me - an offensive force attacking a region naturally tries to pacify their surroundings by befriending locals and passing out goodies. We gained control of Afghanistan after the fall of the capital Kabul using less than a thousand American soldiers in the country. We know how to network and create relationships on the ground. But there was always an obvious show of the "offensive" capabilities we could use. The article reveals a very un-Marine-like perspective - actually declaring ourselves easy targets. If what we have landing on the ground in Afghanistan is a reflection of the mysterious Obama Doctrine, it's time to fret. But we're announcing to the world our military isn't there to fight - what do you make of that?

It could be that Obama's just feeding the international beast - doling out propaganda so our soldiers can do those hunt-and-kill missions behind the scenes that will deliver justice to the Taliban. We'll know soon enough the truth, but let's all pray that Obama isn't endangering our soldiers for a loopy interpersonal communication approach to retraining head chopping fundamentalists into iPod sporting soy bean farmers. War is serious business -keep it simple. The military is for breaking things and killing the enemy. The State Department is for appeasement. The congress is for spending, and the presidency is for buying. The United Nations is for show and cheap prostitutes. Understanding the nature of those institutions will reveal the limits to their effectiveness in the mission you give them.

Pray for our soldiers tonight.

A note from Radarsite: Despite its being at least as dangerous, in its global implications, as the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, and despite the fact that, according the rather ambiguous Korea Herald report quoted below, this looming maritime crisis still remains factually unresolved, we hear no more about it. Did the Kang Nam really turn around and head back home without discharging it deadly cargo? Did Kim Jong Ill really blink? Or as one skeptic suggests, did it already offload at some unknown port? Either way, thanks to the overwhelming event of Michael Jackson's demise, and various other more important stories, it seems that the Kang Nam crisis is no longer deemed newsworthy. It's off the front page. But it's not off our radar screen. Did the world just avert a major catastrophe? Or has the world just decided to look the other way?

We will follow up on this. - rg

------------------------------------------------

From the Korea Herald

Kang Nam may be heading back home

The Kang Nam, a North Korean ship suspected to be carrying illicit weapons or related material, may be headed back home, according to diplomatic sources here.

"The ship is near our waters. That is about all I can say," said one diplomatic source on the condition of anonymity.

Experts said this could mean that the ship is on its way back to North Korea, indicating that the latest United Nations Security Council sanctions are taking a toll on the reclusive communist state.

"If the ship is on its way back, it would mean that Resolution 1874 is taking effect and causing the North to retreat," said Kim Tae-woo, vice president of the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses.

It has been almost two weeks since the Kang Nam set sail on June 17, but Seoul has claimed it has no information on the whereabouts of the ship.

The Kang Nam is the first North Korean ship to come under international scrutiny since the U.N. Security Council adopted Resolution 1874 that strongly recommends member states to help search and ground North Korean ships suspected of carrying illicit weapons or related material.

Some observers said the Kang Nam may have already unloaded such items, but others said the North would wait until the last minute, as the weapons and materials constitute a vital source of funds for the impoverished regime.

Myanmar, the alleged destination of the Kang Nam, has recently told the foreign press that it would not allow the ship to disembark if it is found to be indeed carrying such items.

The government of Myanmar already has an idea of the items on the ship as the Kang Nam must declare them in advance, according to Foreign Ministry officials.

"The fact that the Myanmarese government has spoken out, if it has as some of the news reports claim, it indicates that the resolution is working," said one Foreign Ministry official.

The Myanmar Embassy here said it had no comment.

A United States destroyer - USS John McCain led by Capt. Jeffrey Kim - is reportedly close on the Kang Nam's tail. But the destroyer is not authorized to forcefully search the North Korean ship.

Due to these limits, critics have said the resolution needs to plug the loopholes by allowing such actions by the member states.

(jemmie@heraldm.com)

By Kim Ji-hyun

Two predominantly Muslim countries, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, seek to strengthen ties with Israel. Israeli President Shimon Peres paid a rare visit to Azerbaijan, and Kazakh officials invited him to deliver the keynote address at today's interfaith Congress of World and Traditional Religions. Iranian delegates stormed out today, as Peres began his speech, and returned only after he finished, calling the Nobel laureate a "man of violence." Tehran attempted to torpedo Peres' Azerbaijan trip

"They say time heals, but each day is more difficult than the last," says Ayelet Modoh, 37.

Six months after the Israeli military operation in Gaza, her sister Irit Shitrit's death in a Palestinian rocket strike is still sinking in.

Leafing through a photo album, she describes how the missile exploded as the two sisters headed home from the gym in the port town of Ashdod.

The youngest children can barely speak of the loss of their mother (left)

The siren sounded, they got out of the car, discussed where to lie on the ground because they could not find a shelter, started sending text messages to their children. Then came a faint whistle, followed by a massive blast and a deadly wave of shrapnel.

Ms Shitrit, 39, was one of three Israeli civilians killed in similar attacks during the 22-day January operation in Gaza.

Read the rest.

We're on a lite blogging schedule over the next couple of weeks because...

...Summer heat got us down.
...Kids home from school making us crazy.
...Having fight with Israeli ISP over account billing problem.
...May be moving.
...Side project taking extra time.
...Got the blahs.

G-d willing, we'll be back full force in a few weeks. Here's a few quick updates in the meantime...

* Rabbi Nati's tests did not find any major problems (Thank G-d), but a number of moderate issues that need serious attention to return him to good health. May he be blessed with long and healthy life.

* Top economists and financial specialists say US economy getting worse, with a number of very dangerous trends. All government and industry pundits declare life is wonderful, all is good and rosy and only good is coming.

* US continues heavy pressure on Israel while Hamas attacks and all neighbors threaten. My friends, does ANYONE read the biblical prophets?

Published at Mystical Paths, MPaths.com. Reading it somewhere else? Stop by the source!

However, as Jews have historically had their loyalty to their host country questioned no matter how faithful and devoted they were and as, later, after the establishment of the state of Israel, such Jews - even among the overwhelming majority of Jews who don't make Aliyah - often had to face the charge of dual loyalty (especially with Jews who engage in political activity connected with Israel) I think a bit of clarification is necessary.

To show why I think those questioning the loyalty of American Jews who made Aliyah and also possess Israeli citizenship is spurious and, moreover, is connected, though often unintentionally, to historic stereotypes of Jews as clannish and never to be fully trusted as loyal citizens, I'd like to try a thought experiment.

A typical question posed to a Jew who has dual citizenship is who, precisely, we ultimately support more...who, when it comes down to it, would be more loyal to, in the event of a military confrontation between the two states. And, though there is much of this charge to break down, suffice to say that such a query would seem bizarre if posed to an American possessing dual citizenship with one of our other allies whose laws also allow such a bifurcated identity. There are, for instance, many Americans possessing dual citizenship with Great Britain and I almost can't imagine such an individual being asked which side they would choose if some military conflagration would occur between the U.S. and the British, because, well, I think such a charge would seem quite odd. The chance, we would all agree, of such an event occurring is nearly zero.

Alright, my accuser is now saying, its agreed that such a question is quite silly but, they insist, it isn't odd to inquire about the role that a Jew's loyalty to his religious homeland taints his judgment when engaging in the American political process concerning Israel. How does one know, he asks, that a Jew is acting on behalf of what is in the best interest of the U.S., especially when it involves foreign policy decisions, as opposed to Israel.

To this I would answer by explaining that political lobbying, by its very nature, is based on a decision that the advocate makes to lobby on behalf of one thing and not the other. That is, when lobbyists for the American Assoc of Retired Persons (AARP) advocated on behalf of the recently enacted prescription drug benefit, nobody accused them of not caring about the health needs of children. For, it is understood, that when you decide in a democratic process to lobby on behalf of something, you are making a decision to lobby on behalf of A and not B. That's politics pure and simple.

It doesn't mean you don't believe there are other valuable things to advocate on behalf of, but you have, for any number of reasons, decided to choose one over the other. Why? Well, in the case of advocates for AARP, many are no doubt senior citizens themselves, and motivated by a combination of self-interest - that is, they wish to ensure that retirees like themselves don't go broke paying for the medication they need to stay alive - and their sense of what's in the best interest of the country...two factors that they don't view as necessarily being in conflict wiith one another. Likewise, Jews who advocate for Israel of course act to a large degree out of their concern for the survival of the only Jewish state in the world, but also because they are convinced that such advocacy is in no way inconsistent with the values and interests of America.

So, if someone wants to make the case that such Israel advocacy is wrong-headed....that policies which serve to enhance Israel's security are inherently inconsistent with America's security, then fine....make the case and let the political process play out, just as it does with countless other issues facing the nation. But, its quite another thing entirely to make what ultimately is an ad hominem attack on the Jewish community - questioning the patriotism and motivation of Jews without addressing the substance of the foreign policy debate. (Again, if our nation was debating a bill to increase social security benefits to seniors, those against such a bill wouldn't get on TV and accuse AARP officials of only caring about seniors and not caring about the lives of kids, for such a charge would rightfully be seen as a non sequitor...one not worthy of reply)

So, I think the onus is on those wishing to change the historic support American has given to Israel to honestly demonstrate why the U.S.-Israeli alliance should be downgraded, based on facts and logic, not on scurrilous attacks on Jewish Americans.

My American passport is no different today than it was the day before I made Aliyah. There's no asterisk on my passport number and my status...my rights and obligations as an American, in the eyes of the State Department and the other branches of government, hasn't at all changed.

Just as important, in my heart nothing has changed. Though I sit here absolutely amazed by the fact that I'm now a citizen of the first sovereign Jewish state in 2000 years, I also never cease to be amazed by how, in the most visceral and immutable way, I am, at the core, an unabashedly patriotic American.

Happy Indpendence Day!

Especially to our city-workers….

Of course it’s not selfish of you to ask for more money during a recession and hold one of Canada’s largest city’s hostage… to be used as a bargaining chip.

… your sarcasm meter should be off the radar.

Look how mean the city strikers are to this poor woman who needs to use the bathroom. Watch as they laugh at her.

[From Maggie] I know many of you have been following Lionheart and his travails in his hometown of Luton, England. If you are not familiar with Lionheart and his blog, the thing you need to know is that he has had his life upended for more than a year-and-a-half by authorities, because he wrote about the threat of Islam to his hometown and his home country. His freedom of speech was threatened through arrest and interrogation. Here's the latest from Lionheart, and it's a hallelujah moment:

All charges against me "dropped"
by Lionheart
July 1, 2009

I have been on police bail for 18 months on suspicion of 'stirring up racial hatred' through written material on this blog.

When my impending arrest first came about, I was in America and was advised by several American organisations and respected individuals that I should apply for political asylum there, but decided after speaking to my lawyer Mr SBLM (not Anthony Bennett who turned on Mr & Mrs McCann), that the best plan of action was to return to Britain and go through the motions of arrest and interrogation.

I was arrested, interrogated, then released and have spent the last 18 months backwards and forwards on police bail, awaiting the CPS to decide whether or not they were going to charge me and put me on trial for my words.

My next bail date was Friday 3rd July, but I have just received news from my solicitor that all charges against me have been dropped, so there is no case to answer over my blog.

Freedom of Speech has won, over the politically correct brigade who have tried silencing me, and members from their pet project British Islam who have wanted me prosecuted and silenced from speaking out against them and their religion. British Islam is a threat to every man, woman and child upon the British Isles, based upon 1400 years of experience and knowledge, and people like me, have a right and responsibility to talk about it openly, freely and honestly without fear of state persecution, prosecution or imprisonment.

May God bless each and every person who has supported me over the past 18 months, and beyond.

The battle for the heart and soul of Great Britain has begun!

"Deus Vult"

End Lionheart post

Friends, if you do not know about Lionheart and what is happening in parts of the U.K. with Islamic extremism [terrorism] please take some time to browse through his archives. The charges against have been dropped but the people of Luton and surrounds will be still be fighting to save their cities. Visit Lionheart and be aware.

This latest doctored picture comes after confirmed reports a few months back about a missile test that actually failed but the Ahmadinejad regime used photoshop to make it look like a success.

Ahmadinejad has been claiming that hundreds of thousands of people have been protesting in the streets of Iran to support his ‘election’. Now we know he was forcibly having people bussed into these rallies but now he is have photos doctored to make them loook even bigger!

How original.

Hmm…. reminds me of the video below….

God always has a way of pacifying me in one way or another when I'm upset, grumpy, nervous... And yesterday was one of those days. So I managed to get myself a free introductory hot stone massage in Neve Daniel - a settlement south of Jerusalem.

My kids and friends laughed at me - knowing the lengths I'd go to get the finer things in life. Yes, I told them, I'd even go into an Arab village to get that free massage too.

I waited for the hourly bus at Malcha Mall and got on the bullet-stone proof bus that would take me to this place. While I sat down and made boogie-eyes at a cute blonde baby girl next to me, to make her laugh (she did), I got a text message from Rabbis from Human Rights about plowing in the Arab village of Jitt, a call from a friend who has a financial dilemma (which was easy for me to figure out - I have a clear head for others, but not myself), and before I knew it, I found myself through the entrance to Neve Daniel. The homes were big and beautiful in this new section and filled with Americans from what I hear. The sunset was magnificent, and I saw the neighboring hill of the Tent of Nations where I had spent one lovely evening, and wished the two communities could get to know one another.

But getting back to this hot stone massage. I was in absolute heaven for 1 1/4 hours. With hot stones and hot oil professionally applied to every place that hurt -and that was most places on me - I felt so relaxed. I didn't even think about what had bothered/worried me all week. I relaxed so much so that when I got home I went straight to sleep at 9:30 pm - early for someone who doesn't hit the sack until at least 11:00 pm.

The woman who gave the treatment was a recent arrival to Israel from California (are all healers from California?), and we laughed together when we compared our adult-children stories. I was pleased because I need to have good energy coming from the healer. A masseuse can be good, even excellent, but if there's no energy or just bland energy coming from that person, it doesn't add to the treatment. Here, I felt a kinship, a bond, so it was really lovely. And to top it off, she served melon and various kinds of nuts with a tall glass of water after the treatment which was a lovely surprise and quite a nice touch, I must say.

So, here's another thing I would like for my wish list. Weekly hot stone massages. God, are you listening?

This past month I had the pleasure of visiting the house of one of Israel’s greatest modern Hebrew poet’s C. N. Bialik in Tel Aviv. It is located on Bialik Street off the well known Allenby St. close to the fashionable Sheinkin Street and the famous Carmel market. The street has many wonderful buildings in [...]

7 of the Fourth Month 5769

Tonight, a couple of friends began alerting me about a film just released by Ilan Mizrahi, "Israel: Rise of the Right."

(AlJazeeraEnglish YouTube) Ilan Mizrahi has spent 16 years photographing and filming right wing Israeli settlers in the West Bank city of Hebron. His film, Israel: Rise of the Right, looks at the followers of Rabbi Meir Kahane, an American-born rabbi and politician who proposed the mass expulsion of Arabs from Israel before he was assassinated in 1990.

I immediately began asking around who this guy was, whether it was a hack job, or worth watching because [as has been said in Rabbi Binyamin Kahane's HY"D name] "We want everyone to think we are crazy. Then maybe they will leave us alone."

The answer I got from my friend, political activist, the "Kalashnikover Rebbe" was quite surprising:

There are a few facts wrong here and there, but it wasn't biased at all, shockingly so. He focused all on Baruch Marzel and Itamar Ben-Gvir. He did not acknowledge the other factions and Kahanists, but not to anyone's detriment.

Ilan Mizrahi has even given over footage which served to exonerate Jews in court. So, so it is clear he is not out to get us.

I think it was a nice job. He filmed us for years. He has even become a "part of the community," and a regular presence at all our "events."

The four parts of the film are embedded below, together totaling 46 minutes. The film is mostly in Hebrew with English subtitles, with narration in English. When I finish the entire series, I will issue an update with synopses and commentary.

In the meantime, whether you are religious or secular, right or left-identified, check it out, and judge for yourselves.

Part 1 includes scenes of police treatment of protesters, the court battle to march in the Israeli Arab city of Um Al-Fahm, and the ironic appointment of Baruch Marzel to supervise the balloting in that cities during the Shevat 5769/February, 2009 Israeli Elections.

What I found interesting about Part 2 was that the accusations shouted by Arabs regarding a fascist [Israeli] state are much the same as I would hear [and sometimes say myself] in the [minority] Torah-loyal towns in the Shomron (Samaria). Also,...

1. Many of the "600 extremists" living in Hevron are actually somewhat mamlakhi (state-loyal) with a lot of cognitive dissonance. But, as the local saying goes, "A Hevron mamlakhi is nothing like an Ofra mamlakhi." Hardly extremists, they are simply pushed farther and more often than most other towns.

2. Purim is NOT the "Jewish Halloween." OY!

3. Like in Part 1, I got to see a lot of friends and acquaintances, like Gil'ad Pollack, who once described for me being [completely] strip-searched on the street and in front of female officers. Now, B"H, Gil'ad is married with children, but continues to be moser nefesh (self-sacrificing). Many "hilltop youth" get married young, like in many Haredi communities. Rabbi Meir Kahane HY"D once said that the greatest weapon the Arabs had was,...babies. His followers got the message. Fortunately, leftist and "post-Zionist" secularists did not. The birthrates of religious communities continues to be greater than nonreligious communities.

Part 3 mentions Eden Natan-Zada HY"D. I, myself, did not get to go to Eden's funeral. I knew him, though, I remember him as a sensitive and kind, young man.

This part then shifts to singer Dov Shurin. Apparently, the courts cannot touch him for any "incitement," as he only uses p'suqim (verses) from Tana"kh (Bible). However, we must not get complacent. I believe that it is only a matter of time before the Erev Rav-controlled government of Israel (GOI) attempts to censor Holy texts. Think I am crazy? Former MK Yossi Sarid (Mere"tz) already proposed such a measure back in 1998, to cancel the reading of Megillath Esther on Purim, due to its "racism."

There is mention of the pogrom at Amona. Sultan Knish provides a comprehensive set of Amona videos, I recommend over the limited footage included in this film.

Later, Gil'ad (8:20) provides his perspective on the "Arab-Israeli Conflict."

Part 4 begins with the situation of those Jews who were forcibly removed from their homes in Azza, back in 5765/2005. The film shows their makeshift bomb shelters they have been having to depend on to protect them from the barrage of rockets fired from Hamas in Azza.

This part goes onto the elections, including the election of Dr. Micha'el Ben-Ari (National Union) to Knesseth. (By the way, the Likud Party is not, I repeat not, a right-wing party.*)

The film culminates with the "Flag March" in Um Al-Fahm, the court battle of which was presented in the beginning of Part 1.

*There is no such thing as "right" or "left," only Jewish and un-Jewish.

Perhaps I am understating the intensity of my objection to his current plan, but presumably Prime Minister Netanyahu intends to elucidate further details of his plan, assuming the Palestinian leadership even comes to the table. Still I do not wish to remain silent when perhaps my inaction could contribute to the evil that could come should the plan be implemented in its current form due to the diminishment of IDF authority in keeping the peace.

To illustrate a main issue that needs some editing, let's imagine if the plan in its current apparent form were implemented completely...

The Israeli press celebrates, a new day has dawned now that the Palestinians have signed away the right to complain about further land concessions.

Then the mayor of (a small town in the West Bank) objects to the Palestinian Authority's renunciation of rights to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, and he leads an open rebellion against Israel, encouraging terrorist groups to use his town as a safe haven. The PA police claim they do not have strong enough weapons to put down the violence. The Israeli Defense Ministry claims that the PA does have enough weapons. After the violence escalates, the Israeli government authorizes military action. Several Arab states protest Israel's attack on the "defenseless (by law) Palestinians civilians". (Since the PM's plan calls for a demilitarized PA, technically, all West Bank Palestinians would remain civilians, whether or not they are part of an authorized militia.) Resolutions are brought forth at the United Nations and pass against the aggressive Israeli ("over")reaction.

The Everyone Wins peace plan, for example, is consistent with such an ideal resolution. So this aspect of the PM's plan still needs some editing before being used in actual practice.

They're into hate-rallies in North Korea. On June 23 Korean News reported on a "A revenge-vowing meeting of school youth and children." Taking place on a date evidently associated with the Korean War, the article states "the departed souls of many people mercilessly killed by the Yankee wolves are still furiously crying out for a thousand-fold revenge upon the Yankees." The next day a headline read "Agricultural Workers Vow to Take Revenge upon Enemy." The next day a headline read "Korean Women Vow to Take Revenge upon American Murderers." The latest example: "Korean People Vow Vengeance on U.S. Imperialists." Let's sample this sucker:

The Korean people are hardening their mind to take revenge upon the U.S. imperialist aggressors, the sworn enemy, a thousandfold on the occasion of the "June 25, the day of the struggle against U.S. imperialism."

This year lots of servicepersons, working people, school youth and children have visited the Central House of Class Education, a place for indicting the crimes of the U.S. imperialists and a center for class education.

Listening to the explanation of the brutal atrocities committed by the U.S. imperialists while invading Korea century after century since the intrusion of the aggression ship "General Sherman", the visitors firmly vowed to take revenge on the enemies without fail.

At the Sinchon Museum where more than 4,000 pieces of data, remains and lethal weapons are on display, the visitors keenly realized once again that the U.S. imperialists are the only horde of brutes in the world.

Looking round the place where the ghouls machine-gunned and threw hand-grenades at people and burnt their bodies to ashes right before their fleeing, the torture room, the slaughter-site and others at the House of Class Education in Susan-ri, Kangso County, the visitors expressed their resolution to wipe out to the last one the pernicious murderers, wolves in human shape, if they pounce upon the Korean people again. [...]

Whew! After that, an article entitled "DPRK Lauded as Invincible Country" is almost a let-down:

The U.S. should be well aware that the DPRK is an invincible country with the powerful military deterrent and that no force on earth can break the single-minded unity of the Korean army and people closely rallied around their great brilliant commander, which is stronger than nuclear weapons.

The DPRK will always emerge victorious and strikingly demonstrate its dignity as an invincible socialist power in the future, too, as there are the Songun leadership of Kim Jong Il and the revolutionary army and people strong in mental power.

Another day, another reference to North Korean "mental power."

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Last update - 03:29 01/07/2009       
Iran Jews gripped by fear in wake of post-election violence
By Karmel Melamed, The Jewish Journal
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1096985.html   During the recent uprisings in Iran following the June 12th elections in that country, I have been approached by dozens of individuals asking me what is going on in Iran's Jewish community today.   The simple answer is pure fear, an emotion which is nothing new to Jewish minorities who have lived and somehow survived massacres, pogroms, as well as forced conversions in Iran for the past 2,700 years.   Since the current crisis broke out in Iran, I have had scores of Iranian Jewish activists and leaders repeatedly remind me to "watch" what I write about with regard to the government in Iran.
 
They fear that what is said by our community in the U.S. may possible jeopardize the lives of the Jews living in Iran.
 

• Threatening statement posted on radical Islamic Web sites
  
• Statement threatens to take revenge "by every means and wherever we can"
  
• French lawmakers to consider whether burqa threatens French secularism
  
• Panel set up after President Sarkozy says burqa not welcome in France

PARIS, France (CNN) -- Al Qaeda threatened to "take revenge" on France "by every means and wherever we can reach them" because of a debate in France over whether the burqa, a traditional Islamic woman's covering, violates French law, according to a statement posted on radical Islamist Web sites.

A woman wears traditional Muslim dress in Venissieux, near Lyon, France.

"We will not tolerate such provocations and injustices, and we will take our revenge from France," said the statement, signed by Abu Musab Abdul Wadud, calling himself "commander of al Qaeda in North Africa [Islamic Maghreb]."

The statement is dated June 28, five days after French President Nicolas Sarkozy controversially told lawmakers that the traditional Muslim garment was "not welcome" in France.

A day later, the French National Assembly announced the creation of an inquiry into whether women in France should be allowed to wear the garment.

A cross-party panel of 32 lawmakers will investigate whether the burqa poses a threat to the secular nature of the French constitution. They are due to report back with their recommendations in six months.

The al Qaeda statement accused France of "organizing its ranks to fight a new blatant war against our sisters wearing the burqa."

• French parliament to consider burqa ban
• Blog: Sarkozy the feminist?
• TIME.com: Will France impose burqa ban?

CNN cannot verify the authenticity of the statement, which also accused the French of "committing all of these grievances in a time when we see their women flooding our nations, filling our shores, poorly dressed and nude in a deliberate defiance to the feelings of Muslims and in clear contempt to the teachings of the Islamic faith, traditions and norms."

"Our Muslim brothers in France in particular and in Europe in general are increasingly troubled by the practices of the French politicians and their leaders, and their constant harassments of our people regarding the burqa issue," said the statement.

"Yesterday they targeted the veil, today the burqa and maybe tomorrow their evil hands could be extended to defame our pillars of faith, like praying, fasting or the pilgrimage," it added.

Sarkozy made the statement last week, in an address to parliament.

"The problem of the burqa is not a religious problem. This is an issue of a woman's freedom and dignity. This is not a religious symbol. It is a sign of subservience; it is a sign of lowering. I want to say solemnly, the burqa is not welcome in France," Sarkozy said.

The right of Muslim women to cover themselves is fiercely debated in France, which has a significant Muslim minority but also a staunchly secular constitution.

In 2004, the French parliament passed legislation banning Muslim girls from wearing head scarves in state schools, prompting widespread Muslim protests. The law also banned other conspicuous religious symbols including Sikh turbans, large Christian crucifixes and Jewish skull caps.

Last year, France's top court denied a Moroccan woman's naturalization request on the grounds that she wore a burqa.

Between 5 and 10 percent of France's population of 64 million is Muslim, according to CIA estimates. The country does not collect its own statistics on religion in accordance with laws enshrining France's status as a secular state.

France is not the only European Union country to consider banning the burqa. Dutch lawmakers voted in favor of a ban in 2005, although the government at the time left office before legislation could be passed.

7 of the Fourth Month 5769

I predicted a year and a half ago that Migron residents will strike a deal with the government, and get up and abandon their homes. Even though, the YeSh"A (Judea, Samaria & Gaza) Council adamantly denied it at the time.

Now, maybe people will stop thinking that I am a crazy conspiracy theorist, and start believing me.

Activists to Migron Residents: Don’t Fall into the Trap
Hillel Fendel, 7 Tammuz 5769/June 29, 2009

(IsraelNN.com) Migron residents are asked to resist the government's offer of houses in a bigger town. "Placing us in ghettos will make it easier for them to destroy us," activists tell them.

...The Defense Ministry announced on Monday that it would build 50 new houses in the growing city of Adam for the Migron families. Migron is a hilltop neighborhood officially considered unauthorized – largely because of the lack of Defense Minister Barak’s signature of approval, as well as because of a lawsuit filed by Arab residents – sought out by Peace Now – on part of the land.

The news article does not contain any response, nor state of any kind, from Migron residents, nor Rabbi Tzvi Tau, the Rosh Yeshivath Har HaMor, and spiritual leader of many of Migron's residents.

The residents of Migron are notoriously mamlakhtim (undying state-loyalist). It was an easy prediction to make regarding their "get up and go" response. Most mamlakhti, rabbinic authorities have told IDF soldiers that they may not refuse orders from their commanders, even when they entailed going against the Torah, like throwing Jews out of their homes and destroying Jewish towns.

Some rabbis, like Rabbi Tau have told soldiers that they should try their best not to participate in such actions. However, others have said, very clearly, that they may not refuse orders.

As a reward for their loyalty, Migron residents will receive permanent housing a hop, skip, and a jump away from Jerusalem, several steps up from their current caravans (trailers). The only remaining question is whether Migron residents will put up a symbolic resistance, before they get up and leave. At this point, it does not look like that's in the cards.

C'mon! Are you really surprised?!

Source: Israel National News

I've been feeling nervous and anxious and worried and all the synonyms that go with these words. Why? I don't know. A combination of things. Tomorrow is already July 1st and I'm looking at Facebook, seeing photos that people posted of wonderful places where they are traveling and my travel envelope is empty. So is my clothing envelope. Hubby is finishing his 6 month construction job with not a job in the very near future and that is also very disturbing, especially since I need nearly $2,000 from him each month to keep us going - and not even going, but to just be able to eat. So, I'd rather be travelilng to the North of Sweden and taking in the midnight sun, or taking a cruise along the Mediterranean or even Eastern Europe - just one city!! One city. That isn't asking for too much - is it?

I did buy a couple of tickets to the Jerusalem Film Festival, which is a lot cheaper than travel, and that will keep me happy for 10 days. And in August there's the Arts and Crafts festival with its many stalls, works of art, gypsy cafe, international performers, local performers, etc. There will be free/cheap entertainment this summer, but I worry. Will I be able to even have lunch out while my office is closed for two weeks? I was hoping to do "lunches" at various restaurants around Jerusalem because it's less expensive than dinner and I hardly go out for lunch - which is always taken indoors at the office. So this would be a treat. But what if I can't afford those lunches? I'm worried about summer deprivation and it's still only June 30th.

Every day I look at my two bathrooms where shower doors are supposed to be - and where I was hoping, after living in my apartment for two years, that they'd finally be installed. But it's a bad case of the "shoemaker's family's shoes" syndrome, and I'm living it. Feh.

You know how you have those bouts of "nothing is going my way" days. This week is one of those weeks.

It began by me going to a wedding of a distant relative of mine in Jerusalem. I didn't even ask Hubby to tag along because we hardly know anyone who would be there, and with separate seating for men and women at this ultra-Orthodox event, he would be totally alone. Which left more adventurous me to represent our family. I walked in with my lovely burgandy Naot sandals and a modest skirt with sequins scattered here and there and a black top which covered my elbows. I even wore a head covering. But everyone else there was dressed in designer duds and wigs and no one was wearing sandals (gasp!), while I was the only one there whose stocking-less toes were peeking out through their shoes. Fortunately, I found another outcast there(who was easily identifiable by her non-glamorous clothing and partially uncovered hair) among the guests, and so we sat together at our own table - no one bothering to sit with us, as if we had the plague or were in exile for daring to dress down/dowdy/different.

That was number one. Then every time I'd open Facebook this week, it opened up in Hebrew and I'd have to figure out how to get it to go back into English. You might think it's petty but I want my creature comforts and if I don't have money for travel, and English is it, then I should have it.

My tour of the Dheisheh Refugee Camp, just outside Bethlehem, was prompted by a friend, in Israel leading a birthright tour, who is sympathetic to the Palestinian cause and has friends/contacts in the territories. Though she knew that my politics are much different than hers, we are truly friends, we have genuine respect for each other, and she knew that I'm quite inquisitive by nature and, as an ardent defender of Israel, might possess a desire to know as much as possible about what I'm talking about when discussing/debating the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. And, as such, first-hand knowledge of a "refugee camp" immediately struck me as something quite valuable.

She has a friend, Naji, who runs a UN funded recreation center called al-Feneiq, known simply as The Phoenix, which is where, after a bus and cab ride that lasted a little over a half hour coming from the center of Jerusalem, our day began. The community center itself is a nice facility, and contains a kitchen, guest house, gym, library, cultural performance venue, and play room for children.

The tour of the town itself was led by Naji's adult son, Norad, who walked us around the area, stopping to point out particular sites of interest, and a bit of history. Though I expressed to my friend prior to our tour that I didn't want this to be a propaganda tour - that I just wanted to see the area with my own eyes and make whatever determinations I would make - our guide, though very friendly and a good listener, would occasionally relate stories of the IDF destroying specific buildings in the area that were being used by terrorists, clearly indicating that he didn't believe the justification given by the Israelis.

Periodically, Norad would, with a non-judgmental tone, confirm that some of the graffiti we'd see in the neighborhood was the image of deceased terrorists, serving as an urban memorial or sorts. One such image "commemorated" the life of a "martyr" belonging to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a Marxist-Leninist, secular, nationalist Palestinian political and paramilitary organization, founded in 1967, who rejects the right of Israel to exist, and who has been responsible for terrorist attacks which has killed dozens of Israeli citizens. Other graffiti/art we came across included similar images of "resistance" and of course, several images of Che Guevara.

What we came across in Dheishe's densely populated winding, hilly streets doesn't in any way resemble a camp as such. It actually resembled a some of the bad inner city neighborhoods in Philly, New York, and other large cities in the U.S. Many of the homes were extremely run down, and the area was full of what we would call urban blight - structures, for whatever reason, in complete disrepair or partially or fully demolished. Amongst this poverty, there was also homes that were extremely modest but intact, eateries (one of which we stopped in and had, we all agreed, an incredible meal), other miscellaneous shops, at least two high-speed Internet and computer centers, a medical center, and another smaller community/sports center. (The art in the center included both peaceful messages, as well as at least two large murals of young Palestinians throwing a bomb...presumably at Israeli troops)

Indeed, it was a this center where we ended our tour, where the three of us on the tour drank coffee with Norad, and a couple of his friends, at the center's cafe. After about a half hour or so, I noticed, out of the corner of my eye, Norad and his friends staring strangely at me, with an inquisitive look on their faces. Norad asked what I was wearing around my neck. I replied that it was my Star of David which, to be honest, I had worn like I do every day, but had also taken some effort to keep under my shirt...I guess unsure about what the reaction would be. Though their reaction to my Jewish symbol was reserved, I was an am still a bit skeptical that they truly didn't know what it was. I mean, really, the Israeli flag contains the same symbol and they've surely seen that before. I don't know that I felt unsafe necessarily at that point, but I did perceived (correctly or incorrectly) that, in Norad's eyes and for most Palestinians, the Israelis, who he sees as his people's oppressors, are synonymous with the Jewish people as a whole....what I described in a recent essay as "Israel as the proverbial Jew, writ large".

I mean, I'm sure, at least prior to discovering that I was Jewish, he saw me, like my other two friends on the tour (who were also Jewish but more pro-Palestinian than me), as "activists" sympathetic to the Palestinian cause, and I certainly didn't go out of my way to dissuade him of this assumption on the tour. I would listen to what he said, regardless of how critical he was of Israel, with, if anything, a neutral, inquisitive look, deciding early in the day that I wouldn't, in my conversation and overall affect, lie, and pretend to be share his hostility to Israel, but also wouldn't be argumentative or confrontational - which, in other circumstances, would be my natural reaction to what I perceive as anti-Israeli propaganda.

I was there, ultimately, on something of a fact-finding tour, and I'm glad I went. The whole Palestinian "refugee" camp story, as a political narrative, is so deeply flawed - a story I discussed briefly in my last post - and, without a broader understanding of what the existence of such communities actually represent, I could easily see a neutral observer easily assuming Israeli culpability in every demolished building, every story of woe and suffering that we encountered along the way. Its this facile causation between every conceivable case of Palestinian suffering and Israeli actions that feeds into the demonization of Israel, a wholly false narrative that is quite dangerous to the Jewish state's survival...and something I spend much of my life attempting to refute.

I guess I also was motivated by the desire to really know at least some actual Palestinians, so that my Zionist politics don't merely deal with their population as some abstraction, completely divorced from their reality. Indeed, much of my argument against anti-Israel activists is that, whatever their politics, they simply see Israelis as the proverbial "other", reduced to a cartoon caricature of evil, rather than attempting, at the very least, to see the complexity and nuance, good traits and bad, which Israelis possess, and that exists in every group. Likewise, my Zionist activism can only be strengthened by possessing a more intimate knowledge of the kindness, generosity, complexity and pathos of the Palestinian people.

Here is a recent e-mail from the UJA Federation of Toronto:

Now that the controversial York University conference called Israel/Palestine: Mapping Models of Statehood and Paths to Peace has ended, UJA Federation and CIJA (Canadian Council for Israel and Jewish Advocacy) wanted to provide you as soon as possible with a brief report.

UJA Federation and CIJA have a long history of supporting the principle of academic freedom. However, months before the conference began we expressed concern about its adherence to “academic” principles and its unbalanced approach, and we criticized York University’s endorsement of what we feared would become a propaganda exercise against the concept of Zionism.

CIJA assigned three observers to monitor and evaluate the event, attended by approximately 150 participants and, unfortunately, the tone of the conference confirmed our fears.

The conference devoted virtually no time to suggestions about an invigorated peace process and concentrated instead on Israel as a military machine determined to dominate the Palestinians. There was no discussion of terrorism or Israel’s security needs and there were no speakers who presented an Israeli centre-left or centre-right perspective. The assumption that Zionism and Israeli society are based on violence and racism predominated.

At one panel discussion, “Zionists” were blamed as the cause of domestic violence perpetrated by Palestinian men against Palestinian women. At another, some participants questioned the sanity and integrity of an Israeli presenter. Speakers who defended Zionism were often jeered and heckled and virtually all of the publicly available material was anti-Israel.

The presentations and attitudes of participants should now convince York President Shoukri that “Mapping Models” did not come close to meeting the rigorous academic criteria that he expected.

In view of all the disturbing events that have taken place at York University this year, we believe endorsement of this conference represented a serious lapse of judgment by the university.

CIJA and UJA Federation are preparing a more detailed assessment of the conference. We are working on a wide range of initiatives to combat campus antisemitism and virulent anti-Israel sentiment and we will do our best to prevent another conference of this kind. A commission established by Hillel of Greater Toronto, Hasbara at York, UJA Federation and CIJA has already submitted dozens of recommendations to a York University task force about improving the current climate at York.

We will certainly keep you informed of future developments. If, in the meantime, you have any questions, please e-mail us at info@jewishtoronto.com